Nutrient Timing for Athletes: What to Eat and When to Eat it!
I ran cross country in high school and played softball in college. My coaches would always say, “You perform as you practice.” You’ve probably heard a variation of that, because there’s a lot of similar wisdom there!
The same is true with your nutrition: how you fuel is how you’ll play. While it might take some time and experimenting to dial it in, you can identify the best strategy to give you energy and help you perform at your best.
There’s a very simple eating schedule that young athletes can use to know when to eat and what to eat so they don’t feel weighed down during competitions. The fancy term is “nutrient timing.” I call it my 4-2-1 eating schedule.
Fueling up on competition day
Experiment with your eating schedule on a practice day so you can identify the best strategy to give you energy and peak performance. This is applicable to coaches, parents, and athletes of all ages. What we eat directly affects how we perform. Read more about my “4-2-1” eating schedule below!
Wendi’s rule of thumb : “4-2-1 method”
I’ll break it down for you:
- Try not to have anything solid in your stomach when you train or compete.
- You can get optimal energy by properly absorbing and delivering carbs, protein and liquids.
- The 4-2-1 method is also called “Chew, Nibble, Sip.”
- 4 hours beforehand: eat a full meal
- Eat a full meal including all four food groups
- 2 hours beforehand: nibble on a snack
- Get a little protein and some carbs in a few hours before training or playing.
- 1 hour beforehand: Sip on fluids
- Support glycogen stores and hydrate.
That covers everything BEFORE a game…but what about half-time or between quarters/ periods?
The bottom line during a break in a game or competition: don’t overeat! Refueling isn’t about satisfying your hunger, it’s about giving your body enough to maintain energy and stamina.
Do you need some quick, portable and no-cook meal and snack ideas? I’ve got over 50 to get you ready to compete.
Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as a magic meal. You have to eat and fuel properly in the days leading up to competition AND while training.
If you have special dietary needs or want a more personalized plan, our coaches and trained dietitians can help!
We help athletes, families, and adults at all levels of competition to fuel and perform at their best with 1:1 coaching, individual nutrition plans, meal prepping, and more! Book a call with us today to find out how we can help you know what to eat and when to eat.
-Wendi A. Irlbeck, MS, RDN, LD, CISSN
The Nutrition with Wendi team utilizes evidence-based science to tailor nutrition programs for athletes to optimize performance, minimize health risks, and enhance recovery from training while focusing on injury prevention. We partner with parents, sports performance staff, and special needs and recreational athletes to offer nutritional guidance and optimal athletic performance and lifestyle plans. We provide virtual services including telehealth but are based in Dallas, Texas Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more nutrition information. Service
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