Fueling Up For Tryouts

What You Should and Shouldn’t Eat Before a Tryout

It’s officially tryout season. Athletes all over campus are dusting off their gear and getting back in the gym. Club sports will be holding tryouts in the coming weeks to put together a competitive team for the Spring semester. How do you guarantee a good performance that will get you noticed at tryouts? Aside from hours of practice and dedication, the best way to guarantee peak performance is a good diet. The food you put into your body leading up to a tryout can determine the energy you’ll have to compete.

It is important to not eat way before a tryout or immediately before. Too far in advance and you’ll feel the effects of hunger and fatigue. Too soon and that meal just might make another appearance. The ideal time frame for eating before a tryout is 3-4 hours prior. This allows food to be properly digested while allowing the nutrients from the meal to still be prevalent in the body. Carbohydrates are quickly broken down and are used as the body’s first source of energy during exercise. Proteins, although stored longer, are broken down slowly and over a long period of time, so they don’t provide the same abundance of energy as carbohydrates do.

When food is digested, the small intestine releases the nutrients from the food into the bloodstream, where it is then delivered to the rest of the body. When exercising, this process is slowed significantly. Blood is sent to the muscles during physical activity, leaving little to be flushed with nutrients from food. This means that if food is consumed immediately before a tryout, the body won’t be able to get the nutrients and energy it needs.

The best food to eat before a tryout or any workout is anything rich in carbohydrates. This includes food such as pasta, bread, brown rice, tofu, and beans. In addition to carbs, an athlete’s diet should consist of fruits and vegetables. After a tryout, it is important to refuel with healthy food. This includes more carbohydrates, low-fat protein, and healthy fats. Try a fruit smoothie, cereal, nuts or sweet potatoes.

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