Training for a sports event? Got a race coming up? Or a big game?

If you think that the only thing that matters is what you eat right before you train, think again.

In order to be properly fueled during your event, you must be adequately nourished on a daily basis. This will ensure that you have a full tank of energy for your competition.

Also, keep in mind that your pre-exercise meal is equally important because it can help to prevent you from experiencing fatigue. You could hit the wall for many reasons, but one of the main reasons that this could happen is if you don’t have enough available carbohydrate. So your pre-workout meal should contain some healthy carbohydrates (think fruit, whole grain toast or crackers). This meal also helps to maintain stable blood sugar levels by preventing it from dropping during exercise, enabling you to keep your focus and prevent injuries.

Follow these general pointers:

• Remember that everyone is different when it comes to how much they can eat/ tolerate before an intense exercise or training session, so experiment (before your game day!) to find out what works best for you.
• Generally if you’re going to eat 3-4 hours prior to an event it’s a good idea to have a larger meal (about 500 calories and for some people, even more);
• if you’re going to eat 2-3 hours prior, eat a smaller meal (300-500 calories);
• and 1-2 hours prior just have a snack ( less than300 calories).
• Limit high fat foods since they often cause discomfort while exercising.
• Aim for mostly carbohydrates with adequate protein in your meals/snacks.
• Also, experiment: Find which foods work best for you.

Which foods fuel you best before you exercise?