"When you eat a starchy food, like a banana, the carbohydrates are changed into blood sugar or glucose, which muscles burn for energy. Any glucose that's not immediately used gets stored in the the muscles and liver as glycogen-which can be used for energy later. Glycogen is the preferred fuel for muscles."

"All physical activities performed at a moderate to high intensity require glycogen as the prmary energy souce. Food that contain mostly carbohydrates gives your body this most importan energy-providing fuel.To get good play time out of the meal you eat before your game, the major portion of the meal should be carbohydrate based."

"The catch is this; in order for the carbohydrates to make this magical transformation into muscle energy they require some teammates- vitamins and minerals. And the best place to get those? Fresh vegetables and fruit. Some protein is essential too. The amino acids which make up protein help stimulate the transformation of carbohydrates into muscle glycogen." (pg 5,-6 How Food provides Energy)

"Eating sugar give most people a rush of very short-lived energy. The calories in high sugar products are empty or naked. That means they have no other nutrients associated with them, just carbohydrates. Products made with lost of sugar generally contain little protein, fat, fiber, water, vitamins or  minerals...no teammates."

When you eat sugary foods or candy, your body needs the help of other important nutrients to process the sugar. Here's why. Sugar is refined to such a degree that it does not have to go through the normal slow digestice process-it goes right into your bloodstream. In most cases, this quick entry into the blood causes the glucose levels to increase, giving you a rush or frenetic energy. Buth this feeling of energy can be fleeting. The body then tries to regarn its balance of glucose and insulin. To accomplish this thie body uses important nutrients like B vitamins, calcium, phosohorus, iron, chromiun, Zinc and manganese. Interestingly, these are all nutrients associated with healthy mental and emotional functioning and good bone health. " (pg 6 How Food Provides Energy)"

"If you come to a game or scrimmage without having eaten you will not have the energy or concentration to play at your full potential. Some players try to down a bagel or toast a half hour before the game because they have forgotten to eat earlier. If you do this your body's primary focus during the first half of the game will be  on digesting that food. You won't have given your body time to transform the food into energy the muscles can use." (pg 10, Feeding the Young Athlete, Eat Better to Play your Best)

2-3 hours before   Drink fluids (2-3 cups)

1-2 hours before   Drink fluids (1/2 -1 cup)

1 hours before      Drink fluids ( 1/2 - 1 cup)

Game or training   Drink fluids ( 1/2 -1 cup)

0-1 hour after       Drink fluids (2-3 cups)

Pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, veggies or fruit;plus some protein

100% fruit juices, fresh fruit, bagel, muffin, sandwich, crackers, energy bars

Bagel, muffin, scone, or tast, (not a sweet roll or doughnut)

Small amount of yougurt and/or a piece of fruit

Big Glass of water

The When to Drink, When to eat chart says to have a pre-game snack if needed. To tell whether you might need a pre-game snack or , ask these questions.

If any of these apply to you, try having an easily digestible snack one hour prior to a practice. If it works in practice and you discover your energy is better during the second half of practice, try a snack an hour before a game.

Suggestions:

100% fruit juice

Bagel

Bread

Crackers

Diluted sports drink

Dried fruit

Energy bar

Fresh fruit

Fresh vegetables

Raisin bread

Rice cakes

Smoothie

Yogurt

It is best to forego high fat, high sugar, caffeine, foods prior to practice or competition.

Take care to avoid these foods before or after a game or event:

Anything with MSG

Caffeine: chocolate, coffee, latte, cola, frappucino, candy, cheeseburgers, hamburgers, doughnuts and pastries, French fries, fried chicken or fried fish sandwiches, fructose, high fructose, high fructose corn syrup, highly sugared, refined cereals, milkshakes and ice cream, pepperoni pizza with double cheese, soda.

(“Reprinted with permission from Feeding the Young Athlete by Cynthia Lair with Scott Murdoch RD, PhD (Moon Smile Press, 2002).