How to Eat Before a Workout
The pre workout meal provides you with energy and prevents hunger during exercise. Here are a few tips to consider when thinking about a pre workout meal.

• Make sure you are “event” ready, meaning well hydrated. (If you are properly hydrated, your urine will be light in color and you will be urinating often.)
• Eat 2-4 hours before the event to give your body enough time to digest the food.
• Include several high-carbohydrate foods from the grain and fruit groups, and load up on non-caffeinated fluids such as juices, sports drink, and energy drinks. Good choices include whole-grain bagels, breads, crackers, sport bars, and fruits. These foods tend to be easily digested by most athletes.
• For more staying power, include some protein-containing foods with your high-carb foods at your pre-event meal. Examples include 2-3 slices of turkey, 1-2 slices of low-fat cheese, or a yogurt.
• If you tend to experience stomach problems, eat smaller, more frequent meals.
• Eat familiar foods. Never try a new food on competition day--experiment with foods only on practice days.
• During training, determine what YOUR OWN best time differential is between eating and competition time.
• Once you have finished your pre-competition meal, sip on sports drinks or water the entire time period leading up to your competition or game.

Event Day Meal Plan Sample - 11 AM Event

• Night before: Eat a high carbohydrate meal such as: pasta with tomato sauce or a lean meat sauce, salad with dressing, bread and fruit. Make sure you include plenty of water and fluids with carbohydrates such as sports drinks and 100% fruit juices.
• Breakfast: You may want to wake up and eat breakfast at 6:30 am and eat a light snack around 9 am. You should then sip on sports drinks or water until your event at 11 am. Your breakfast foods should be a good source of carbohydrates such as whole grain cereal or a bagel and fruit. You may also wish to include a protein source such as low or non-fat milk or natural peanut butter or other nut butters. Make sure you practice with your food choices during training. Again, include lots of fluids.
• Post-event: Remember to replenish your fuel stores and fluids after your event with high carbohydrate foods and beverages. Rest!

How to Eat After a Workout
The timing and amount of carbohydrate and fluids consumed after exercise is critical. The sooner you eat and drink after the event, the faster your recovery will be.

• Post-event foods should be high in carbohydrates. You should consume 0.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight within 20-30 minutes after your race followed by an additional 0.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight within 2 hours. For Example: 135 lbs x 0.5 = 65 grams of carbohydrates within 30 minutes and then again within 2 hours.
• Fluid replacement is also very important for recovery after an event. Using sports drinks will not only rehydrate the athlete, but is will also help refuel the body because sports drinks contain carbohydrates and electrolytes.