what do you eat before your beer league hockey game?

[pbhockey4 0]

Wondering if it would make a difference between eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich or something from taco bell.

[chippa13 1844]

It absolutely makes a difference. You're pregame meal should provide carbohydrates and protein. Eating a fatty meal will slow you down as it thickens the blood. Depending on the meal size, you should make sure your body has enough time to process it, both to provide energy and to have blood available to carry oxygen to muscles.

[akravetz 29]

It's Beer League. A pint of Guinness is always a good thing. All joking aside, I tend to eat a little sandwich and then eat more later.

[chk hrd 164]

Had Mexican before my last game...was not pretty for anyone, especially in the locker room. IMHO, what you eat and when you eat make a difference. To big a meal to close to the game sits in your stomach and makes me feel sluggish. I try to eat a decent meal about 3 housr before the game and a snack if I need it about an hour before.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

I like to have one slice of pizza about 4 or 5 hours before the game. If I can get it on whole wheat crust that's better.

[yrhmblnr8r 69]

Snickers and a banana. Easy to grab and go and not too filling.

[bagsbie 8]

Cup of Yerba mate tea with peanut butter and banana sandwich before a noon pickup game. Night games a bit different. I try to eat dinner 2 hours before, then an energy bar 45 minutes before the game and a cup of tea. A couple of beers after with plenty of water after calms me down so it is easier to fall asleep.

[Beleafer 14]

I eat 3-4 hours prior to playing. Big plate of pasta, veggies, and a protein shake.

[Iceraider53 1]

Ideally a moderate serving of a complex carbohydrate, something like beans or brown rice, about two hours before a skate. About an hour before the skate a small serving of a simple carbohydrate, maybe a peanut and chocolate cup or something along those lines. I don't recommend protein because it will sit heavy on your stomach and the body cannot break down protein fast enough for use as a fuel during intense efforts like playing hockey. A fast digesting protein like a whey protein shake immediately following a game would be ideal.

[fullblast99 1]

empty stomach 2 hours before . hydrate with water day before. some caffeine 15min before. thats how i roll. if you loose , wash down loss with cold beers. ........repeat.

[SydNap 25]

I try to eat well on game days...to play well...and also to allow me to drink a few cold ones afterwards without feeling too guilty. My favorite "dinner" is a strawberry banana smoothie, with 4 cups of oatmeal, 1 cup of almonds, and about 30-40g of whey protein mixed in with the fruit. Delicious, and it fills me up but doesn't feel "heavy" during the same. I also try to get 60 to 100 oz of water in during the 4 to 5 hours before the game..

[smcgreg 81]

Wondering if it would make a difference between eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich or something from taco bell.

The timing of something like this would be the most important factor. For a game like hockey, the vast majority of the energy you use is going to come from stored carbohydrates. So, you'll want to make sure you've eaten properly in the day and hours before the game. Within the last 3 hr before the game though, something from Taco Bell might not sit right in the gut, especially if you're talking about something that is ground beef as opposed to chicken. Whereas the PBaJ might be more easily digested and not sitting in the gut sloshing around. If you're talking 3 hr before the game though, it shouldn't matter and the PBaJ might not be enough, depending on what you've eaten the rest of the day and the day before.

Some others have commented on what they eat and the timing of that, the one thing I would caution against is eating something in the 1-2 hr time frame before the game, particularly something high in simple carbohydrates (sugars) as the peak insulin response will occur at approximately 60-90 min and can result in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and a sluggish feeling. Once you are 30 min before game time, something high in simple sugars won't have time to elicit a strong insulin response and will be less likely to cause low blood sugar. So, much better.

For example, me personally, .... I don't eat within 2 hr before game time, but once in the locker room and about 30 min out, frosted Brown sugar and cinnamon Pop Tarts... mmmm.. tops of the blood sugar and tastes good. I eat one before, then there is a second one sitting there for me when I get off the ice to eat immediately after to start recovery (I play 5-6 days/week). That is, as long as I'm not the last one in the locker room, because sometimes the second one might be gone by the the time I get to my spot.

That being said, something like PBaJ more than 30 min out would be a bit safer because the PB will slow down the absorption and attenuate the blood glucose/insulin response.

[Iceraider53 1]

The timing of something like this would be the most important factor. For a game like hockey, the vast majority of the energy you use is going to come from stored carbohydrates. So, you'll want to make sure you've eaten properly in the day and hours before the game. Within the last 3 hr before the game though, something from Taco Bell might not sit right in the gut, especially if you're talking about something that is ground beef as opposed to chicken. Whereas the PBaJ might be more easily digested and not sitting in the gut sloshing around. If you're talking 3 hr before the game though, it shouldn't matter and the PBaJ might not be enough, depending on what you've eaten the rest of the day and the day before.

Some others have commented on what they eat and the timing of that, the one thing I would caution against is eating something in the 1-2 hr time frame before the game, particularly something high in simple carbohydrates (sugars) as the peak insulin response will occur at approximately 60-90 min and can result in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and a sluggish feeling. Once you are 30 min before game time, something high in simple sugars won't have time to elicit a strong insulin response and will be less likely to cause low blood sugar. So, much better.

For example, me personally, .... I don't eat within 2 hr before game time, but once in the locker room and about 30 min out, frosted Brown sugar and cinnamon Pop Tarts... mmmm.. tops of the blood sugar and tastes good. I eat one before, then there is a second one sitting there for me when I get off the ice to eat immediately after to start recovery (I play 5-6 days/week). That is, as long as I'm not the last one in the locker room, because sometimes the second one might be gone by the the time I get to my spot.

That being said, something like PBaJ more than 30 min out would be a bit safer because the PB will slow down the absorption and attenuate the blood glucose/insulin response.

You might have a point if someone sat down and ate an entire king sized candy bar. A small serving of something from even the highest end of the glycemic index would not produce that kind of insulin response in a healthy person. If a single Reese peanut butter cup makes you feel sluggish you should get into see a doctor. Eating 30 minutes before active would be useless, the food is still setting in the stomach and the digestive process is slowed significantly during activity as blood required for digestion is being used to support muscular activity. Any perceived effects from eating 30 minutes before activity are psychological in nature.

[Hooah4 12]

Whole wheat English muffin w/peanut butter and banana. Water, water, water. Larabar(organic nuts and dates in different flavors) on the way home along with more water.

[sickwilly 37]

PBJ on whole wheat. I drink vegetable juice, G2 or water. I sometimes have coffee or an energy drink if I'm tired from work.

[interpathway 9]

Whole lot of Sidney Crosbys here... special PB guys?

[JTully317 11]

All natural Teddy Crunchy PB with Flaxseed and Omega-3s with all natural Strawberry Jam on a Joseph's High-protien Pita with cinnamon and about half of a banna sliced on the PBJ about 60-90 minutes before game-time followed by a red bull and BCAAs about 15-20 minutes before game-time. Works for me everytime as I feel like I have a great deal of energy all game.

[Hooah4 12]

Whole lot of Sidney Crosbys here... special PB guys?

I use organic natural PB and the PB + wheat bread/muffin seems to be just enough of a light meal.

The protein/fat calories IMO seem to burn cleaner and I don't "bonk" during a game.

The banana provides enough K to keep cramping away as well.

[ibeck 38]

Does anyone buy into the marketing of vector cereal for sports? Does it really help?

[coryroth24 15]

I try to eat well on game days...to play well...and also to allow me to drink a few cold ones afterwards without feeling too guilty. My favorite "dinner" is a strawberry banana smoothie, with 4 cups of oatmeal, 1 cup of almonds, and about 30-40g of whey protein mixed in with the fruit. Delicious, and it fills me up but doesn't feel "heavy" during the same. I also try to get 60 to 100 oz of water in during the 4 to 5 hours before the game..

Holy crap! You eat all of that before a game?

[Chadd 916]

All natural Teddy Crunchy PB with Flaxseed and Omega-3s with all natural Strawberry Jam on a Joseph's High-protien Pita with cinnamon and about half of a banna sliced on the PBJ about 60-90 minutes before game-time followed by a red bull and BCAAs about 15-20 minutes before game-time. Works for me everytime as I feel like I have a great deal of energy all game.

I drink half a can of coke as I'm getting dressed for my late beer league games. I rarely need more than that to pick me up.

[BarDownGinos 3]

Skating tonight, just polished off a lunch that consisted of 2 slices of gas station pizza and a sugar free redbull.

[t6lock 24]

i eat whatever my mom cooks for dinner :)

also sometimes i pick up a french vanilla at timmy's gives me a ton of energy

[SB39 2]

I'll do a banana with some trail mix or a mixed fruit smoothie about 4 hours before, then 40oz of tea 2 hours before. I eat decently in general, and care more about handling the puck in my kitchen at least 20 min before I head to the rink. Keep yourself healthy and you won't have to worry much. If I'm feeling particularly out of it, I may stop by the gym to lift some weights before I get to the rink. Get yourself mentally into it, and you will be fine.

[gxc999 7]

Medium sized meal (Brown rice, 6-8 ounces grilled chicken with soy) exactly 5 hours prior is ideal. BTW, it's actually a good idea to take in some extra sodium on game days, a few hours in advance. Has definitely helped me a lot, though I tend to drink only water generally.