Karen Reid

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Preparing for Competition

• Karen Reid
• Accredited Sports Dietitian
• www.performancefood.co.uk

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Why Nutrition helps athletes to perform in
competition

• As an athlete you will perform better if you are
  well fuelled and hydrated.
• Rapid recovery and rehydration between events and
  races
• Develop your own competition eating and drinking
  strategy
• Its important to develop a routine or habit of
  eating and drinking that you can feel comfortable
  with leading up to your event

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Competition Eating and Drinking Strategy

• Travel
• Time of event
• Timing of food and fluid intake
• Food availability plan to carry your own snacks
  and drinks
• Rehearse your strategy in training

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Eat to Compete Race day breakfast

• Top up your energy reserves at breakfast Ideal
  choices include
• porridge,
• Cereals milk banana
• pancakes honey syrup
• toast honey
• Eat breakfast 2-3 hours before racing

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Eat to Compete Race day breakfast

• If you feel too nervous to eat on the day of the
  event, try taking a flavoured milk drink,
  home-made shake or smoothie instead.
• Experiment with different ideas to find something
  that you are comfortable with using.

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Eat to Compete Race day fuels

• Light carbohydrate based snacks can be eaten 1-2
  hours before competition to top up energy
  reserves
• Suitable choices include-
• malt loaf,
• scotch pancakes,
• jaffa cakes
• cereal bars,
• jelly sweets,
• banana,
• dried fruit,
• jam sandwiches.

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Eat to Compete 1 hour pre-race

• If there is less than 1 hour before racing,
  stick to sports drinks, squash, or water

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Eat to Compete Recovery between heats/races

• During repeated events its important to
  rehydrate and replenish your energy reserves.
• Use sports drinks or water and jelly sweets.
  These will be absorbed rapidly.

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Post-race Recovery foods

• After your race, start drinking immediately to
  replace lost fluids, and eat a sandwich, banana,
  cereal bar or some dried fruit within the first
  hour. Its a priority to ensure good recovery
  takes place.

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Post-race plan your recovery mealFast food for
fast athletes!

• Fast bolognese sauce
• (ready in 25 minutes)
• Provides
• 561kcal
• 40gm protein
• 87gm carbs
• 7.5gm fat

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More meal ideas
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Competition Day Food

• Always take a supply of your own foods drinks
• Become familiar with your food fluid strategy
• If you feel nervous and cannot eat, experiment
  using sports drinks and flavoured milk drinks

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Athlete Lifestyle A winning eating and drinking
strategy

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Athlete Lifestyle plan and prepare to win!

• Be organised
• Make a list of your competition foods and drinks
• Carry these with you each time
• Practice your winning eating and drinking
  strategy!

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Performance Food Booklets5.00
eachwww.performancefood.co.uk
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Performancefood.co.uk membership features...
Price   50.00(Excluding VAT at 17.5)
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Thank you for your interest!
FOR MORE INFO...
Fact sheets Booklets Meal and snack
ideas Membership benefits
Visit us at www.performancefood.co.uk