It is possible for your overall diet to slow you down on game day. During intense training, it’s quite possible that you are not eating enough calories to compensate for the ones you are burning. One sign that you are not getting adequate calories is weight loss.
During training, as always, it’s essential to eat a balanced diet and not skip meals to ensure you are getting adequate nutrients and maintaining energy levels, and to avoid fatigue.
An excellent pregame meal or snack will have lots of carbohydrates, some protein, and very little, if any, fat and fibre. Fat and fibre are important elements of a balanced diet, but may lead to bloating and stomach cramps during exercise. Carbohydrates will give you immediate energy and the protein will give you some energy later in the game.
No matter which pregame snack you go with, remember to hydrate (that is drinking fluids – whether water or energy -boosting drinks like Lucozade or glucose and water) before, during, and after your game for peak performance.
Of course, being tired on game day can be a sign of not getting enough sleep. Most teens need at least 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
