PRE-COMPETITION

NUTRITION

Optimum nutrition before the competition

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Introduction

Here is what you will learn in this unit:

Nutrition for peak performance

Nutritional strategies the week before competing

How to prepare for:

short events (less than 4 minutes)

endurance events of over 90 minutes

endurance events of less than 90 minutes (or multiple heats)

weekly events

How many calories pre-competition?

How to “make weight” for a competition

Pre-competition weight loss do’s and don’ts

The day before competing: how to prepare

What to eat when nerves kick in

Includes the following downloadable material for immediate use with your client:

Carbohydrate Intake 3 Days Prior (table)

Pre-competition Checklist

Pre-competition Meal Plans

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Nutrition for peak performance3

Your client’s diet before a competition will have a big impact on their performance,

and could provide them with that winning edge!

What your client eats and drinks on the day of the event can affect their ability to

recover between heats and their performance in subsequent heats.

This module covers the whole of the competition period, including the week

before the event, during, and after the event.

It consolidates much of the information presented in preceding modules, in

particular Modules 4 and 5 on carbohydrate intake, Module 6 on weight

control, and Module 7 on fluid intake, and provides specific guidelines for

arriving at the competition well-hydrated and with full glycogen stores.

We’ll give you pre-competition sample eating plans, which you can use as a

basis for developing your client’s personalised programme, suitable pre-

competition meals and snacks that can be eaten between heats and events.

For those athletes who need to make weight for their competition, this module

gives a simple step-by-step nutrition strategy that will help your client lose

body fat safely and effectively!

The week before competing

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Preparing for the competition5

During the week before a competition, your

client’s two main aims should be as follows:

1. to fill muscle and liver glycogen stores so that

they compete with a ‘full’ fuel supply

2. to keep well hydrated.

Your client’s preparation will be dictated by:

the kind of event that they are competing in

the importance of the event

how frequently they compete

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Short events of less than 4 mins6

Short duration, all-out events lasting less than 4 minutes are fuelled by Adenosine-triphosphate (ATP), Phosphocreatine (CP) and muscle glycogen.

If your client is competing in a sprint event, it is important to allow enough recovery time after their last training session, and to make sure their muscle glycogen stores are replenished.

Muscle damage will delay the recovery process. Training which may cause muscle fibre damage should either be scheduled earlier in the week to allow for recovery – or avoided altogether! Such training includes plyometrics, heavy weight training and hard running.

TOP TIPS!

Your client should reduce their training over the pre-competition week and rest during the three days prior to the competition.

The final 3 days, your client should aim to consume between 7g and 8g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight a day.

Use the first column in the table (next page) as a guide to the amount of carbohydrate your client should be eating in the final 3 days.

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Carbohydrate Intake 3 Days Prior7

Body weight (kg)

Daily carb intake

equivalent to 7g - 8g per

kg of body weight

Daily carb intake

equivalent to 8g - 10g per

kg of body weight

65 455g to 520g 520g to 650g

70 490g to 560g 560g to 700g

75 525g to 600g 600g to 750g

80 560g to 640g 640g to 800g

85 595g to 680g 680g to 850g

90 630g to 720g 720g to 900g

Use this table as a quick reference for recommended carbohydrate intake (3 days

prior to the competition) for athletes of different body weights:

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Endurance events of more than 90 mins8

If your client is competing in an endurance event lasting longer than 90 minutes, they may benefit from carbohydrate loading.

Please revisit Module 4 for this. In summary, your client should consume a moderate carbohydrate diet (5 to 7g per kg of body weight a day) for the first 3 days (this should be less than your client is used to eating), followed by a high carbohydrate intake (8 to 10 g per kg body weight a day) for the final 3 days.

You can use the table in the previous page as a generic guide to the amount of carbohydrate your client should be eating during the pre-competition week.

TOP TIPS!

Create your client’s personalised carb loading plan by using the Event Carb Loading Planner in Module 4.

Your client’s last hard training session should be completed one week before your competition!

Then taper/reduce the training during the final week, perform only very light exercise and rest the day prior to their competition!

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Endurance events of less than 90 mins

(or multiple heats in one day)9

If your client’s event lasts less than 90 minutes, or if the

competition schedule includes several short heats in one

day, their muscle glycogen stores can become depleted.

Examples of events with multiple heats include

swimming, track cycling and track and field athletics.

TOP TIPS!

Fill muscle glycogen stores by tapering/reducing training

during the final week and maintaining or increasing the

carbohydrate intake to about 7 to 8 g per kg of body weight

a day during the 3 days prior to your competition.

Use the previous table in this unit as a guide to the amount of

carbohydrate your client should be eating in the final 3 days.

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Weekly events 10

If your client competes weekly or even more frequently

(e.g. in seasonal competitions such as football, netball

and cycling), it may not be possible to rest for 3 days

prior to each match or race. Your client would end up

with virtually no training time!

TOP TIPS!

Perform lower intensity training or technical training during the 2 days

before the match and taper only for the most important matches or

races.

Increase the carbohydrate intake during the final 2 days to 8 to 10 g

per kg of body weight a day.

Use the previous table in this unit as a guide to the amount of

carbohydrate your client should be eating during the final 3 days.

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How many calories pre-competition?11

For all events, your client’s total calorie intake should remain about the same as usual during the pre-competition week, but the proportions of carbohydrate, fat and protein will change.

It’s best to eat larger amounts of carbohydrate-rich foods (e.g. potatoes, bread, rice, dried fruit) and carbohydrate drinks, and smaller amounts of fats and proteins.

However, if your client is performing a week-long taper, they need to reduce their calories slightly to match the reduced training needs. Your client can do this by reducing their fat intake; otherwise they may experience fat gain!

In practice, your client should eat at least 6 small meals a day, avoid gaps longer than 3 hours, and base all their meals on low GI foods.

Use the sample eating plans included at the end of this unit as a basis for developing your client’s nutritional programme during the pre-competition week. But remember this: While they provide the requirements for carbohydrate prior to competition, they are low in fat and protein and are not ideal for the rest of the season!

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Pre-competition Checklist12

Use this checklist to plan for your client’s pre-competition week!

Revisit Module 4 to calculate how much carbohydrate your client should

consume in the days prior to the competition.

Tell your client to avoid any new, or untried foods or food combinations

during the pre-competition week.

If your client is travelling or staying away from home, they should be

prepared to take food with them.

Try to find out beforehand what type of food will be available at the event

venue and predict any nutritional shortfalls.

Revisit Module 7 to calculate how much fluid your client should consume

before and after training.

Advise your client to rehydrate fully after training or practice sessions.

Ask your client to check their hydration status by monitoring the frequency,

volume and colour of their urine during the pre-competition week.

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How to “make weight” for a competition 13

For weight-class sports such as boxing, judo, lightweight rowing and bodybuilding, it is an advantage to be as close as possible to the upper limit of a weight category.

However, this should not be achieved at the expense of losing lean muscle tissue (by rapid and severe dieting), depleting glycogen stores (by starving) or dehydration (by fluid restriction, saunas, sweatsuits, diuretics).

The principles for making weight for competition are similar to those for weight loss.

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Pre-competition weight loss14

TOP TIPS!

Set a realistic and achievable goal weight.

Allow enough time – aim for a loss of 0.5 kg body fat per week. Make sure you sit down with your client and plan to ‘make weight’ many weeks before the event and not at the last minute!

Monitor your client’s weight and body composition by skinfold thickness measurements and girth measurements.

Your client should reduce their calorie intake by 15% and never eat less than their basal metabolic rate. Revisit Module 6 and use the Weight Control Calculator to devise your client’s calorie, carbohydrate, protein and fat requirements on a weight (fat) loss programme. Alternatively, use the following quick guidelines:

Maintain carbohydrate intake at 5 to 7 g per kg of body weight a day.

Reduce fat intake to 15-25% of total daily calories (i.e. average of 20%).

Minimise muscle loss by consuming approximately 1.6 g protein per kg of body weight a day.

Eat at frequent and regular intervals (5-6 times a day).

Your client should increase the amount and frequency of aerobic training.

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Do’s and don'ts of making weight!15

Avoid losing weight at the last minute by starvation or dehydration, as this can be dangerous. Starvation leads to depleted glycogen stores and muscle loss: Your can’t perform at your best!

Dehydration leads to electrolyte disturbances, cramp and heartbeat irregularities. It is doubtful whether you can refuel and rehydrate sufficiently between the weigh-in and the competition: Aim to be at or within the weight category at least a day before the weigh-in.

If it’s very difficult to make weight without resorting to these dangerous methods, consider competing in the next weight category.

A major problem with increasing the carbohydrate content of the pre-competition week diet is that the extra carbohydrate, stored with an amount of water equivalent to 3 times its weight, can result in weight gain. While this extra glycogen is advantageous in most sports, it can be a disadvantage in weight-class sports where the cut-off weight is often reached by a whisker.

Ideally, allow for an extra weight gain of up to 1 kg during the final week. In other words, make weight in advance – aim to attain a weight at least 1 kg below the competing weight!

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Pre-competition Meal Plans16

Use these sample eating

plans as a basis for

developing your client’s

nutritional programme

during the pre-

competition week.

REMEMBER!

While pre-competition

plans provide the

requirements for

carbohydrate prior to a

competition, they are low

in fat and protein and

are not ideal for the rest

of the season!

Providing 500 g carbohydrate Providing 700 g carbohydrate

Breakfast Breakfast

1 large bowl (85 g) breakfast cereal

200 ml skimmed milk

2 tbsp. (60 g) raisins

1 glass (200 ml) fruit juice

4 thick slices toast with honey

1 glass (200 ml) fruit juice

1 banana

Morning snack Morning snack

1 banana sandwich (2 slices bread and 1 banana)2 scotch pancakes

2 apples

Lunch Lunch

1 large jacket potato (300 g)

3 tbsp. (90 g) sweet corn and 1 tbsp. (50 g) tuna or cottage cheese

2 pieces fresh fruit

1 carton low-fat fromage frais

1 large bowl (125 g uncooked weight) rice salad with 60 g turkey or

125 g beans and vegetables

2 slices bread

2 pieces fruit (80 g each)

Pre-workout snack Pre-workout snack

1 energy bar 2 bananas

Workout Workout

1 litre water or sports drink 1 litre water or sports drink

Post-workout snack Post-workout snack

1 serving of a meal replacement product2 cereal bars

1 carton (500 ml) flavoured milk

Dinner Dinner

1 bowl (85 g uncooked weight) pasta

125 g stir-fried vegetables

60 g stir-fried chicken or tofu

2 slices bread and butter

1 large bowl (200 g) fruit salad

2 large (2 x 300 g) jacket potatoes

1 carton (115 g) cottage cheese or fromage frais

Broccoli or other vegetables

1 piece fresh fruit (80 g)

Snack Snack

2 slices toast with honey

1 carton low-fat yoghurt1 carton (200 g) low-fat rice pudding

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The day before competing

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Preparing for the competition day18

The day before the competition your client’s main aims should be:

1. to top up muscle glycogen levels

2. to ensure appropriate hydration

TOP TIPS!

Continue eating meals high in carbohydrate that have a low GI throughout the day and drinking plenty of fluids.

Maximise muscle glycogen replenishment by performing only very light exercise or rest completely.

Do not skip the evening meal, even if pre-competition ‘nerves’ kick in, as this is an important time for topping up muscle glycogen.

Stick to familiar and simple foods, avoid fatty or oily foods and avoid alcohol, as it is a diuretic.

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What to eat when nerves kick in?

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Most athletes get pre-competition ‘nerves’ and this can reduce your appetite and result in problems such as nausea, diarrhoea and stomach cramps.

TOP TIPS FOR YOUR CLIENT!

If you find it difficult to eat solid food during this time, consume liquid meals such as meal replacement products (protein-carbohydrate sports supplements), sports drinks, milkshakes, yoghurt drinks and fruit smoothies.

Try smooth, semi-liquid foods such as puréed fruit (e.g. apple purée, mashed banana, apple and apricot purée), yoghurt, porridge, custard and rice pudding.

Bland foods such as semolina, mashed potato, or a porridge made from cornmeal or ground rice may agree with your digestive system better.

To reduce problems, avoid high-fibre foods such as bran cereals, dried fruit, and pulses.

Avoid vegetables that cause flatulence such as the brassica vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli).

Caffeine can cause anxiety and problems such as diarrhoea when combined with ‘nerves’. Consume little and no later than 3 pm to sleep well at night.

Avoid anything that is new or unfamiliar.

The golden rule with pre-competition eating is to stick with tried and tested foods, which you know agree with your client and won’t cause any discomfort!

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Test your knowledge!20

a. List 2 pre-competition nutrition tips for each of the following:

short events (less than 4 minutes)

endurance events of over 90 minutes

endurance events of less than 90 minutes (or multiple heats)

weekly events

b. Explain the do’s and don’ts of pre-competition weight loss:

c. What are the 2 aims the day before the competition?

d. What foods should you avoid when pre-competition nerves kick in?

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