How you fuel your body will have a very direct impact on your performance on the ice.
Between carbs, protein, fats and electrolytes, figuring out how to properly fuel your body for gameday can be a puzzle, especially since everybody is different.
Here are our general guidelines on properly fueling your body for game day.
Speak To A Nutritionist
If you’re lucky enough to have access or can afford access to a nutritionist, that should be your first step. Speaking with a professional can help set you up with the fuel requirements your specific body needs to perform well on the ice.
Game Day Eating Principles
When thinking about how to properly fuel your body for a hockey game, you can break down the focus into four categories:
- 3-5 hours pre-game meal
- 1-2 hours pre-game snack
- In-game nutrition and hydration
- Post-game refueling
3-5 Hours Pre-Game Nutrition
About 3-5 hours before gametime, assuming you have time to eat, it’s best to eat a meal that will be easily digestible but still contain all the macronutrients you need to sustain top performance. Since fats and fibers digest slowly and still may be working through your digestive tract during game time, we’d recommend consuming as little fat and fiber as possible. That means lean meats and no oils.
- Complex carbs: Rice, pasta or potatoes
- Protein: Grilled chicken or very lean ground beef
- Avoid: Anything fried, eating too many vegetables and using too much oil or butter
1-2 Hours Pre-Game Nutrition
When you’re about 1-2 hours until game time, your previous meal hopefully has been fully digested and is starting to fuel your body for the long term. But this time window is ideal to really top off your glycogen stores to ensure your body is fueled properly. You’ll want to eat a very light pre-game snack that is high in carbs, low in protein and contains very little fat or fiber.
- Carbs: Rice cakes, crackers, bananas, honey
- Protein: A little scoop of peanut butter or a little scoop of yogurt
- Avoid: Anything fried, vegetables, or eating too much volume in general
In-Game Nutrition
Many people won’t want to eat anything during the game. If you feel like you need an extra boost of energy, consider choosing a hydration drink that contains sugar. Eating solid foods during a game will most likely lead to gastric distress and will do more hard than good.
- Beverages: Gatorade, Liquid IV or any other drink that contains carbs
- Avoid: Any solid food
30-60 Minutes Post Game Nutrition
After a tough practice or game, you’ll want to fuel your body properly to ensure it can recover quickly and prepare for the next activity. The goal is to give your body easily digestible protein to start repairing muscles. For most people, a ready-to-drink protein shake is the most convenient and most easily digestible option.
Game Day Hydration Principles
Food is only one half of the equation when it comes to preparing your body nutritionally for game day. The other half is hydration. While food almost immediately fuels your body, properly hydrating your body takes time – sometimes up to a day. Therefore, proper hydration actually starts the day before game day.
- Day before: Aim for 8-12 cups of water throughout the day, including 1-2 servings of a hydration drink
- Game day morning: Start your day with 1-2 cups of water and/or a hydration drink to begin rehydrating your body after sleep
- Throughout the day: Aim for consistent hydration throughout the day, but avoid drinking large quantities in one sitting as that sometimes can have a dehydrating effect
- 30-minutes pre-game: Drink one more cup of water or hydration drink
- During the game: Aim for 4-8 ounces each period, but each person can vary in their needs and preferences
Figure Out What Works For You
Everyone digests their food at different speeds and has different needs in terms of calories and macronutrients. But in general there are some guiding principles when it comes to pre-game nutrition.
If you’re starting from scratch, it’s always best to start with the very basics and tweak your own protocol based on how you feel. Over time, you’ll land on a routine that works perfectly for you.
By following these general nutrition and hydration game day guidelines, you’ll be sure your body is properly fueled to perform.
