Have you ever wondered about how an athlete stays in shape?  Or how an athlete can keep on performing the way they do outside of their athletic sport?  Nutrition is the answer to their success outside of their competitive environment. Without nutrition, an athlete would have a harder time keeping their bodies healthy enough to compete. Here are some food items for an athlete to keep themselves healthy.

What Meal/Snacks Are Good To Eat Before An Athletic Event?

One meal athletes often eat before a meet are sandwiches. You may be asking yourself, “Why a sandwich of all foods?” Here’s the answer. A sandwich is small, easy to pack, and is lightweight in the stomach. But why does it need to be lightweight versus eating something like nachos or a burrito? Suppose you’re a Cross Country athlete and you are about to compete in a race in about two hours. You have a choice to pack a sandwich or buy a supreme nacho at the concession stand.  If you choose to eat a sandwich you won’t get cramps or a bothered stomach when you race. If you eat supreme nachos, you’re probably going to go slow and possibly vomit. As far as snacks are concerned, good snacks are also lightweight and easy on the stomach. Good snacks include granola bars, fruits, vegetables, and low amounts of turkey or chicken.  Bad snacks would be candy, soda cookies, and sugary pastries. Save the bad foods for later after you have fully recovered from your event, you earned it.

When Is A Good Time To Consume Nutritious Foods?

Good times to consume nutritious foods are before and after a race. Now although this is a good time to consume these foods, the question really is: What time, in particular, is a good time for me to eat a snack?  I would recommend an hour before your event or practice to consume a healthy snack.  If you were to wait until ten minutes before your practice or event, it probably wouldn’t be a big deal, and the healthy snack you consumed probably would bounce around in your stomach. At least on the bright side, it wasn’t heavy and unhealthy. Eating the snack an hour beforehand gives your body time to digest it so the food won’t bounce in your stomach.