Eating during multiple game days

[biff44 0]

What do you guys think is the best way to eat if you have a big game or tryout at say noon time, and another one following after a two hour break. My kid did an early big breakfast, then a light snack before the noon tryout, and a sandwich/chips/powerade/energy bar during the 2 hour layover, and he skated with NO energy during the 2nd tryout.

We thought that was optimum, since a big sandwich before the nooner might have upset his stomach! We were wrong. Any better suggestions?

[bulletproof_funk 0]

Always eat well the night before, mainly carbs. Distance cyclists eat alot of pasta the night before a long ride because it takes time for your body to properly digest the food for your energy reserves.

The big sandwich might have slowed him down. I've found eating too much too soon before hockey (e.g. a couple hours) just gives me heartburn and not necessarily energy. I find milk and overly greasy foods like fries too heavy on the system as well.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

I would agree. Next time try eating a big dinner the night before, a light breakfast and maybe just drink for lunch/inbetween sessions. Personally, I can't eat anything any less than 2 hours before a game/practice. If I eat within 2 hours of going on the ice I usually feel really sick. Sometimes I can eat a candy bar and not get sick but any decent amount of food and I have no energy or stomach ache reallly bad.

If I have practice at night I'll eat really light a couple hours before, and then eat a "real" dinner when I get home before I go to sleep.

[Kyle_M 0]

I'm like FireOnIce, I can't eat before going on the ice at all. I can eat about 2 1/2 hours before but if I eat too close to icetime I start to feel really sick. I would try not to eat foods like chips and candy before games.

[Chadd 916]

If he's going flat-out during the first session, he's going to be at a disadvantage during the second session. I played in a 24 hour marathon last year where we were on for a game and off for a game for 24 hours and some powerade and a nutrigrain bar between every game seemed to help.

[chippa13 1844]

The best thing is a carb loaded meal the night before. Try to stay away from too much red meat as that will stay in the system for a few days. The next morning have a decent breakfast but nothing too big and make sure its no less than three hours before skating. Then, between sessions have some powerade, water and maybe a couple pieces of fruit, as long as cramping isn't a problem. The main problem with eating too close to skating is that when you have food in your stomach it takes energy for your body to digest. Also, blood rushes to the stomach when digesting. These 2 factors account for that tired feeling after a large meal. Also, there is less blood circulating to carry oxygen to the muscles so fatigue sets in faster.

[SB39 2]

If it's just those 2 sessions, then try this. Definitely big healthy meal the night before, an dhave a big breakfast if you can eat at around 8 or 830, but have your protein come from eggs, like a breakfast burrito or something. then maybe a powerbar 90 min before the game if you're just chillin and not doin a whole bunch so it can digest, and lots of water except right after you eat the powerbvar, cuz water dilutes stomach acids, making stuff take longer to digest. Between games, water is the bigger deal than food, but they're both important. Right after the game, drink a bottle of the coldest water you can get to, and then have a reasonable sized meal, with not too much processed foods, cuz they digest slower. or you could just have a powerbar after the noon tryout and definitely chill for a while. Another think you could do is eat a high glycemic index carb like white break or some sort of sugary food an hour before the second tryout, cuz that stuff digests fast and gives you a spike of energy, and along with the moderate meal you had right after the first tryout, you should do fine. The biggest thing is be focused and don't stress.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I would've suggested a high carb Lunch with alot of pasta, if possible. with a light dinner, maybe some chicken, potatoes and salad. Then cereal for breakfast, a granola bar before he went on at noon. An energy bar with water and maybe a bagel inbetween.

I'm like many of you and have trouble eating the day of games. Normally I don't eat withing 3 hours before a game or else I'll throw up.

[sundinleafs137 13]

get carbs in the morning, small amount of dairy...I usually ate a bowl of cereal and granola bar 4-5 hours hours before first game then a banana and energy drink hour and half before. during the break, a medium salad, baked chips and a powerade did it for me.

[biff44 0]

Thanks guys. He did have a big supper the night before: lots of pasta and some chicken. He does not seem to mind food 1 hour before a game, as that is what he did all year long for practice--eat a sandwich in the car on the way to practice.

Best I can see is that he ran out of juice near the end of the 1st tryout, and a big sandwich afterward did not replenish it fast enough and may have even hurt due to the digestive process. I guess we will have to experiment some more. Maybe a medium size sandwich 1 hour before the 1st game would have be better for him.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Maybe your putting too much stock into the food he ate. It could've just been a case of his stamina.

[Guest phillyfan]

Everybodys' body is different, some may need a full course meal before a game, while anothers can have no more than an Apple and a glass of water. For me, I can't eat anything "big" before a game, usually an hour before. Hour or closer to a game, usually a Banana or two, or some other fruit, with something sweet and a Gatorade. Others commonly have chicken and pasta, or something along those lines for Carbs.

[biff44 0]

Probably not his stamina. He routinely had two+ hours on ice and 1/2 hour off-ice during each practice this year, and was doing 45 minutes on the lifecycle level 9 three times a week to get ready.

[Hockeyman9621 0]

Maybe he didn't get enough sleep.

[lee92 2]

if its a serious tryout or whatever, i suggest maybe carb boosting. for my team when we went to provincials, our whole team couldnt eat any carbs for 2 days b4 we left, and then the day b4 u leave just load up on carbs like crazy. works like a charm...ended up winning provincials too haha