College basketball pre game meal

Some players like carb heavy meals while other take a low carb approach to basketball nutrition. If you have read our huge investigation into the Lebron James Diet Plan you would have learned that "The King's" pre game go-to meal is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The G. T Michael Jordan is reported to have preferred to eat a huge steak and some baked potatoes a few hours before game time. Some vegan basketball players such as Kyrie Irving and Chris Paul prefer "plant-based" meals pre-game.

Carbohydrates, fats and proteins all play a vital role in fueling a basketball players high intensity efforts. All 3 of these macronutrients should be carefully dispersed throughout a players game day diet protocol.

The aim is too eat all of your high fat and high fiber foods early in the day to allow time for digestion. Around hours before tip off is the perfect time to consume your largest pre-game meal. This meal should contain high carbs and moderate fat and protein. The goal of this meal is to top up muscle and liver glycogen levels with adequate carbs and stimulate protein synthesis, recovery and performance with a protein hit. The closer you get to game time, the less fat you want to eat.

This is also when you can add in your favorite performance enhancing basketball supplements. Here are a couple of example meals that you can eat around 1. One hour before tip-off is a great time to get some more liquid, protein and carbs into your body. Providing your body with nutritious food before a game will pay dividends during the game, allowing your muscles to operate at peak performance levels.

Proteins come in a variety of foods, including meats, dairy products and nuts, and are vital to muscle performance. Choose a lean meat, such as turkey or chicken, when building your pregame meal but do not include deep-fried options of these lean selections.

A sandwich is a good way to work lean meat into a meal without adding unnecessary fat and cholesterol. A tall glass of milk or a handful of nuts are other staples you can work into your pregame meal to provide your body with the needed protein to help your muscles perform optimally.

Carbohydrates break down quickly in the body, providing it with an effective source of nutrition, which comes in a variety of forms, including pasta, bread, fruits and vegetables. Pasta dishes, such as spaghetti and fettuccine, are good sources of carbohydrates and, by nature, are low in fat as long as no or lean meat is used to accompany the dish.

When using bread, be sure to choose whole-wheat, high-fiber breads as these types typically contain fewer preservatives and promote digestive health. Why do we like this meal? You want to grill it without oil to save unnecessary calories, but add olive oil for health if you have it. Asparagus and green salad to assist with micronutrients vitamins and minerals , and sweet potato for carbs to give you energy.

All the nutrients are contained in there. Cottage cheese just adds up the protein. Whole wheat toast includes carbs and some fiber, and the grape juice is here to supplement the meal. Bananas are the source of carbohydrates full of vitamins B6, B12 and minerals Potassium, Magnesium that can keep you energized for hours. And almonds are a real health mine that will add energy and quality fats. Why not? Turkey breast would be best roasted, but you can also grill it.

Add red pepper when preparing it and cook pasta. While turkey provides with lots of quality proteins, pasta brings carbs and energy to keep you full until the end of the game.