When is it best to eat and drink. When you are going to play sports? Is it better to eat before or after baseball or softball? Check out our eating and drinking tips to perform optimally during a practice or game.
Eat and drink before exercise
Eat a good meal about 2 to 3 hours before you start practicing, with about half a liter (500 ml) of drink. Then you have enough energy and moisture for the effort.
Small meal
It’s better not to eat a large meal just beforehand. Digesting food requires a constant supply of blood to the gastrointestinal tract. If you exercise immediately afterwards, your muscles also require oxygen-rich blood. The 2 processes interfere with each other, which can lead to stomach complaints. If you do have to eat a meal just before exercising, it is better not to choose a large portion and not to choose products that contain a lot of fat, protein or dietary fiber. They remain in your stomach for a long time and you can suffer from them during exercise. Also, spicy food, eating leeks and onions or drinking cow can cause gastrointestinal problems during exercise for some people. Eating something small Before exercising, you can eat something small, which provides enough energy and nutritional chair and allows you to avoid a feeling of hunger. For example:
- A small portion (less than half) of your meal. The largest part you eat after exercise.
- A whole grain sandwich with halvarine and nut paste (100% nuts, without additives)
- One whole grain crispbread with halvarine and 30+ cheese or goat cheese
- A bowl of low fat yoghurt with pieces of fresh fruit Snack vegetables
- Exercise on an empty stomach
It is not wise to exercise on an empty stomach. Your muscles get too little energy and it’s not good for muscle building. It does not ensure a faster fat burning, as is sometimes thought. You run the risk of having less energy during exercise and therefore stopping sooner. Some people even faint, because the glucose level in the blood drops too much.
Prevent dehydration
Dehydration is a common problem during exercise. Adequate drinking is the first condition for good performance, especially if you exercise intensively. To make up for all the fluid lost, you need one and a half times as much fluid as you lost through sweating. Make sure you have drunk enough before the training or competition.
Eating and drinking during exercise
Eating may be difficult or even impossible during exercise. If you train for a long time and intensively, sports bars and sports gels can help you to maintain your energy level. If you exercise for less than an hour, you won’t need them. The same goes for sports drinks. If you exercise for more than an hour, it is important to keep drinking water during exercise. Start doing so at the beginning of the exercise. If you get thirsty during exercise, you’ve actually already drunk too little. Another indicator is to look at the color of your urine after exercise. If it is very dark, you should drink more next time. Apart from sports, it is good to drink at least 1.5 to 2 liters of fluids every day.
Food and drink after exercise
Eat a normal main meal after exercise: breakfast, lunch or dinner. They provide all the nutrients you need, including sufficient carbohydrates for energy and sufficient protein for muscle recovery. Drink plenty of fluids.
