food before game

[#66 0]

Hi looking for bit of advice but may be bit of a long shot. Basically what it is that before every match i normally eat some pasta about 4 hours before i play. However i always seem to get bad stomach cranmps and feel sick when im playing hockey. I have never experienced this in any other sport so mabye something to do with the intensity. However i also wondered if it could be possible to be slighty allergic to pasta, (it never causes me any problem if not playing hockey) Any way mabye bit of a long shot for help but didnt know if anyone else has experienced anything similar or got any ideas!

thanks

[Ahriman 1]

4 hours should be more than long enough for something as plain as pasta, unless you're putting something on top of it like say....an all you can eat indian buffet? If you were allergic to something, you'd have the reaction every time. The food is essentially ruled out here for the cause. Are you drinking enough water during the day and during the game, are you drinking way more water than you'd otherwise be used to; do you physically exert yourself during the week or just during hockey, is anything pulling tight around your chest, like miss-sized breezers or shoulder pads? Do you have a normal skating stride, any previous injuries that might be related?

[HattrickSwayze 3]

Normally the only time I get cramped up a little in my stomach is when I eat too much. I try to eat something light before games. A banana or banana milkshake an hour or so before the game works well for me. You get a little load up of carbs, plus some potassium to help fight the cramps. The fact that you're feeling sick sounds like maybe you're not eating enough, or you need to get more protein/carbs, but I'm not a nutritionist so I don't know. Do you drink a lot of water during the day before your games?

[zfyfe 0]

i havent been able to eat anything before i play any sports, sometimes i have a granola bar before hand but thats it. i usuially eat it when im done playing.

[Hoffer 0]

Sounds like maybe you are not drinking enough before you play or you are getting off your shift and sucking down to much water. I personally can’t have dairy products for a couple hours before I play or I cramp.

[zfyfe 0]

ya i would say more water too or gatorade and drink plenty when you are playing too!

[Ital79 0]

ya i would say more water too or gatorade and drink plenty when you are playing too!

When doing strenuous activities like sports/conditioning; drink until you piss Evian...

Dehydration can affect people in many different ways and it may be possible that the stomach cramps you are having are a result of a combination of dehydration and starvation. You may have burned thru your energy reserves (carbs) and your belly is telling you to "fill 'er up!"

You may also want to search bodybuilding.com as I'm sure this topic has come there before.

Regardless, I would make an appointment to see a sports med. doctor. Better safe than sorry you know?

[flyerman 0]

First thing that comes to mind is a wheat allergy. But like Ahriman said, you would have a reaction every time you ate pasta -- unless of course you ONLY ate it before playing hockey. Then I would say no more pasta before playing and get tested for wheat allergy.

Also, it's important to eat some protein with your carbs. This will help balance your blood sugar when all that starch gets converted to sugars. And if you are feeling hungry between when you eat your meal and when you play, try a cliff bar or whatever energy bar you like with some water. To settle your stomach on the bench, put some strong ginger tea in your water bottle. Sounds weird, but even when room temp or cold this does wonders for stomach cramps and is worth a try.

[#66 0]

Ok thanks for your help! Mabye ill try drinking more water next game, I also feel quite heavy in my stomach when play kinda hard to describe but makes me feel a bit slow! So i tried to cut down on water a bit.

[zfyfe 0]

here is something from sports medicine on Proper Hydration for Exercise - Water or Sports Drinks

What and when athletes drink depends upon exercise duration and intensity

What about Sports Drinks?

Sports drinks can be helpful to athletes who are exercising at a high intensity for 60 minutes or more. Fluids supplying 60 to 100 calories per 8 ounces helps to supply the needed calories required for continuous performance. It's really not necessary to replace losses of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes during exercise since you're unlikely to deplete your body's stores of these minerals during normal training. If, however, you find yourself exercising in extreme conditions over 3 or 5 hours (a marathon, Ironman or ultramarathon, for example) you may likely want to add a complex sports drink with electrolytes.

General Guidelines for Fluid Needs During Exercise

While specific fluid recommendations aren't possible due to individual variability, most athletes can use the following guidelines as a starting point, and modify their fluid needs accordingly.

Hydration Before Exercise

Drink about 15-20 fl oz, 2-3 hours before exercise

Drink 8-10 fl oz 10-15 min before exercise

Hydration During Exercise

Drink 8-10 fl oz every 10-15 min during exercise

If exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink 8-10 fl oz of a sports drink (with no more than 8 percent carbohydrate) every 15 - 30 minutes.

Hydration After Exercise

Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace fluid losses.

Drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost.

Consume a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein within the 2 hours after exercise to replenish glycogen stores.

here is the link to the website i got it from there is more info on the site

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/hydrati...erHydration.htm

[flyerman 0]

Ok thanks for your help! Mabye ill try drinking more water next game, I also feel quite heavy in my stomach when play kinda hard to describe but makes me feel a bit slow! So i tried to cut down on water a bit.

Are you feeling anxious before/when you play? Have you tried eating a little something (energy bar) within two hours of playing and seeing if that helps that sick feeling you described?

[cdoug55 0]

I believe someone else mentioned it, but don't try and go and increase the amount of water you drink during a game by chugging large amounts at once. That will definitely make your stomach cramp. Just make sure each time you get to the bench you take a couple swigs and that should be good.

I also second eating something small about an hour or so before the game. How old are you? What are your eating habits normally (non-game days) and what are your eating habits throughout a game day? The 4 hours may actually be a bit too long for you to go without eating something.

[#66 0]

im 20 and and im fit, training or doing a sport pretty much every day off week. i think mabye im drinking too much water is my problem, i normally drink a lot more than 30 oz leading up to game. I also try and have a red bull and a bannana pre game. But i always drink a lot of water before any sport and i only seem to have problem with hockey, think ill get tested for a wheat allergy to be on the safe side. I do get a bit nervous before games, but i dont just feel sick, its a hard feeling to describe but feel really slow and stomach feels bit dodgy.

[xstartxtodayx 343]

im 20 and and im fit, training or doing a sport pretty much every day off week. i think mabye im drinking too much water is my problem, i normally drink a lot more than 30 oz leading up to game. I also try and have a red bull and a bannana pre game. But i always drink a lot of water before any sport and i only seem to have problem with hockey, think ill get tested for a wheat allergy to be on the safe side. I do get a bit nervous before games, but i dont just feel sick, its a hard feeling to describe but feel really slow and stomach feels bit dodgy.

Drop the Red Bull, that stuff is horrible for you and is certainly not helping your stomach situation; it's also contributing to your pre game jitters.

[cdoug55 0]

im 20 and and im fit, training or doing a sport pretty much every day off week. i think mabye im drinking too much water is my problem, i normally drink a lot more than 30 oz leading up to game. I also try and have a red bull and a bannana pre game. But i always drink a lot of water before any sport and i only seem to have problem with hockey, think ill get tested for a wheat allergy to be on the safe side. I do get a bit nervous before games, but i dont just feel sick, its a hard feeling to describe but feel really slow and stomach feels bit dodgy.

So when you play other sports or workout are you eating the same way as on a day you play hockey?

Over what length of time are you drinking the 30oz of water? That is probably too much if it is an hour or so prior to playing and I would cut that back and just drink small amounts while you play. Try that and see how it affects you.

The redbull could also be a big part of the problem. Your stomach is not that full because you ate 4 hours or so prior and then your probably chugging the red bull right before you play. The sugar and caffeine can wreck your stomach. In fact I would def. get rid of it and see how you do.

[zfyfe 0]

i will second dropping the red bull i tried it twice and it just makes you feel awful, stick with water

[sitzlejd 0]

It's my birthday so my parents just took me to my favorite restaurant, which happens to be Thai food. Now I have a game in about 3 hours . This is gonna be interesting...

[Aussie Joe 0]

Never eat curry before a game, nothing worse then lining up for that 2n period face off and getting green curry bile in the back of your throat.

Seek medical advice about your issues. It could a matter of eating within a spec. time frame before the game OR something like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). IBS can effect you all the time, or sometimes in emotional situations like for eg: Getting G'd up before a hockey game. I know if I have a big tryout coming up I will get to the rink early and eat, shit, then be the 1st one in the change rooms as this is the best way I prepare for a high stress situation.

I don't have IBS but know that when my body gets into a high emotional state I need to listen to what its telling me. Eat, shit, calm down.

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

im 20 and and im fit, training or doing a sport pretty much every day off week. i think mabye im drinking too much water is my problem, i normally drink a lot more than 30 oz leading up to game. I also try and have a red bull and a bannana pre game. But i always drink a lot of water before any sport and i only seem to have problem with hockey, think ill get tested for a wheat allergy to be on the safe side. I do get a bit nervous before games, but i dont just feel sick, its a hard feeling to describe but feel really slow and stomach feels bit dodgy.

Drop the Red Bull, that stuff is horrible for you and is certainly not helping your stomach situation; it's also contributing to your pre game jitters.

yep, theres the problem.

[Ital79 0]

Eat, shit, calm down.

Best advice I've heard in years...

[MsConduct55 0]

If you tried all of the suggestions about cutting out red bull and drinking plenty of water, you may want to check with your physician. One of my teammates has exercised induced allergies. She can not eat any yeast, and I think flour, and wheat, if she plans on exercising in the next 4-6 hours or more.

It is rare but can always be a possibility.

[zfyfe 0]

If you tried all of the suggestions about cutting out red bull and drinking plenty of water, you may want to check with your physician. One of my teammates has exercised induced allergies. She can not eat any yeast, and I think flour, and wheat, if she plans on exercising in the next 4-6 hours or more.

It is rare but can always be a possibility.

WOW! i did not even know there was such a thing. just goes to show you, you learn something new everyday

[MsConduct55 0]

She normally avoids foods but sometimes you don't know what is necessarily in your food so she gives the coach an epi-pen. You always hear about exercise induced asthma but never before did I ever hear about this condition until meeting her. Once, I gained an ice cream because she couldn't eat it, forgot that it was cookies and cream.

[chk hrd 164]

energy drinks are diuretics and will screw with your system. Combine that with alot of water and you really throw everything out of wack. Your electrolytes could be getting all messed up and the stomach cramps could be caused by lack of fluid in the digestive track (since it is still working on processing your meal). Stop the energy drinks, they are terrible. Hydrate better with a little less water and more sports drink, eat a small snack before the game and include a little candy like jelly beans to keep the glucose levels up.

[Eddie20 0]

Not sure about the exercise induced allergies, but it doesn't sound like a straight up wheat/flour allergy. If that were the case, you'd likely feel sick quite often. If you had celiac's disease (allergy to gluten/wheat/flour), you'd feel sick after eating a lot of kinds of foods. Breads, cereal, pretty much any meal in a box, some soups, many condiments, all contain gluten. So unless you are eating primarily fresh foods, you probably would notice it a lot more than just during hockey.