Hockey players should know the importance of eating properly. If you’re an athlete and you don’t know that poor nutrition can hinder your performance then you better pay extra attention to this post.
I am going to discuss 3 tips that will help to keep your body performing at an optimal level. These tips will cover what and when you should be eating before, during and after a training session. Following these tips will help you recover faster, maximize your energy levels without feeling heavy and sluggish while also keeping you mentally focused.
If you’re not sure how close to a training session you should be eating read this first
Should You Eat Before Training? Depending on how much time you have before your training session will determine what your best options are for food. If you have more than 2 hours you can basically eat anything (as long as it’s healthy) because your body will have enough time to digest almost all of the contents. When you only have an hour or less before you have to train and you feel your stomach rumbling, it’s easy to overeat but this will make you feel terrible during your training. Make the smart choice and pick the correct foods to eat so that you don’t make yourself sick during your training session.
BEFORE
If you have around an hour I would suggest having a bagel with peanut butter and a banana or bagel with a small amount of cream cheese and a banana. This small snack will provide your body with the nutrients it needs to perform at a high level without slowing you down. If you have less than 30 minutes, then I would stick with eating only a banana. The banana will provide your body with satisfaction but it’s small enough that it won’t make you feel ill during your training.
I won’t get into what you should be eating before games as I’ve written about this in this article
Pre-game Meal For Hockey Players.
DURING
Our bodies do a good job at storing enough energy (glycogen) in our muscles to enable us to perform for 60 – 90 minutes. Once the training exceeds 90 minutes then you’ll want to consume some type of carbohydrates to help maintain your energy levels. Choosing the right foods during competition can be a difficult task. The easiest way to consume carbohydrates during prolonged events is in liquid form. Consuming 250ml (8oz) of a sports drink containing 6-10% carbohydrates every 15 – 20 minutes will help you keep optimal energy levels. It’s highly recommended to avoid drinks like pop (Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, etc…) that are extremely high in sugar as they will only give you a quick burst of energy but at the expense of your performance because you’ll quickly crash after and feel tired.
AFTER
The post training meal is very important and has 3 stages.
First, you’ll want to get 75 – 100 grams of carbohydrates paired with 15-25 grams of protein within 15 – 30 minutes of completing your activity. Combining carbohydrates and protein together helps the absorption of both nutrients into the muscle faster making it a more effective way to replenish your energy stores (muscle glycogen). Liquid forms of carbohydrates are easier to mix with a whey protein and easier to consume after training.
Second, 2-3 hours after completing your activity you’ll want to consume at least an additional 100 grams of carbohydrates. At this stage in your recovery you should have a very healthy appetite and be eating some solid foods will allow you to consume the 100 grams of carbohydrates you need.
Third, and final part of your post training recovery strategy is
REST! (Read more here) I know this doesn’t have anything to do with nutrition but if you’re not resting (sleeping and relaxing) then it doesn’t matter how hard you train or what types of fuel you’re providing your body because you won’t be able to perform at your best.
To recap everything, consuming the right nutrients at the right time and in the proper amounts will allow your muscles to have the energy they need to perform at their best while also speeding up your recovery to best prepare you for your next training session.
