It’s no secret that food gives you energy, but many athletes don’t recognize the importance of eating the right kind and amount of food before and after practices and games. Many athletes try to limit calorie intake, but they don’t realize they aren’t eating enough, negatively impacting performance.
Not only does eating before a game or practice matter, but so does eating after.
“After practice, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cheese and crackers. Eating within 30 minutes to an hour after the game is important,” Meek said.
Eating protein, such as peanut butter, after an athletic event helps to promote recovery and speeds muscle repair. Eating something like crackers, which are high in carbohydrates, also helps promote recovery.
While a lot of the time eating the right foods is difficult due to timing with school and schedules, some team events make it easy. For example, girls’ lacrosse captain Brielle Rheaume organizes pasta parties for her team to make sure the players eat enough before and after games. Many sports do this the night before games because pasta is high in carbs, providing energy.
Eating is essential to taking care of your body, but many people don’t recognize the importance of stretching before and after athletic events as well.
“Stretching is a good way to psychologically and physically let your body know you’re starting to settle down, it also helps maintain flexibility and prevent injury,” girls’ indoor track coach Carl Reichard said.
Fueling and recharging your body is important, and there are multiple ways to achieve this. Eating the proper foods and taking care of your body by stretching can help athletes become stronger and promote a better athletic performance.
