How to eat before a match.

BexDun
BexDun Posts: 133 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Hey,

So I've been on a calorie deficit for a couple of months, but it's coming up to my first Rugby match of the season and I'm looking for some advice on how I should be eating to maximise energy.

I've been eating 1410kcl a day max and trying to eat more protein.

Should I increase this? And do I need to carb up?

At the moment I'm not too worried about losing weight, it would be a bonus if I could maintain some loss though. It's worth noting I also powerlift 2x a week.

Cheers

Replies

  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    I'm assuming you've been practicing this whole time? How did you eat before practices? I'd think you'd want a 200-300 calorie meal 2-3 hours before the match.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    Did you play last season? What did you do then? If it worked, repeat. If you didn't play last year, what, and when, do you eat before a workout? If that works, repeat. If you do, however, find a special elixir that provides maximum energy before a match, race, game or other event, please share it with the group. ;-)
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    rybo wrote: »
    I'm assuming you've been practicing this whole time? How did you eat before practices? I'd think you'd want a 200-300 calorie meal 2-3 hours before the match.

    ^This. Practice what you eat just like you practice for the match. Don't wait until game day to experiment.

    Good luck.
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
    BexDun wrote: »
    Hey,

    So I've been on a calorie deficit for a couple of months, but it's coming up to my first Rugby match of the season and I'm looking for some advice on how I should be eating to maximise energy.

    I've been eating 1410kcl a day max and trying to eat more protein.

    Should I increase this? And do I need to carb up?

    At the moment I'm not too worried about losing weight, it would be a bonus if I could maintain some loss though. It's worth noting I also powerlift 2x a week.

    Cheers

    I would eat closer to maintenance close to the match, top off your gylcogen stores. Assuming match is in morning, eat light easily digestable carbs. Morning of a race (run and triathlon) I stick with bagel and Gatorade about an hour or two before start.
  • BexDun
    BexDun Posts: 133 Member
    Thanks. I played last season, but we weren't in the league so only every now and then. I didn't really take any notice of how I ate and energy levels. As we're in the league and everything counts now, I've been doing everything I can to get ready.

    I've been in pre season training and just sticking to my kcl deficit. I don't really eat before training normally. Maybe if I'm hungry I'll grab a snack.
  • ttippie2000
    ttippie2000 Posts: 412 Member
    In addition to race day nutrition, take two rest days right before the match. This helps with restoring glycogen stores in your liver. Your task during those days? Sleep 12 hours a day, stretch, walk and take it easy. Spend some time visualizing yourself performing at your best.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    ttippie2000 wrote: »
    In addition to race day nutrition, take two rest days right before the match. This helps with restoring glycogen stores in your liver. Your task during those days? Sleep 12 hours a day, stretch, walk and take it easy. Spend some time visualizing yourself performing at your best.

    how many people do you know who have nothing better to do than sleep 12 hours a day?!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    BexDun wrote: »
    Hey,

    So I've been on a calorie deficit for a couple of months, but it's coming up to my first Rugby match of the season and I'm looking for some advice on how I should be eating to maximise energy.

    I've been eating 1410kcl a day max and trying to eat more protein.

    Should I increase this? And do I need to carb up?

    At the moment I'm not too worried about losing weight, it would be a bonus if I could maintain some loss though. It's worth noting I also powerlift 2x a week.

    Cheers

    what are your stats? its VERY doubtful that 1410 is maintenance
  • BexDun
    BexDun Posts: 133 Member

    what are your stats? its VERY doubtful that 1410 is maintenance

    1410 Is what I'm having on deficit. I don't actually know my maintainance (never calorie counted while maintaining weight) but I assume 1600/1700ish.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    I play a full contact sport that's super strenuous, and my go-to on bout days has become Chipotle. I get rice, beans and sofritas and just salsa and corn and a little cheese and lettuce and sometimes guac (insert "that's extra" joke). I eat half of it at least an hour before we do anything like the warmup, and I'm usually in the mood to dip into the rest at half time.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    BexDun wrote: »

    what are your stats? its VERY doubtful that 1410 is maintenance

    1410 Is what I'm having on deficit. I don't actually know my maintainance (never calorie counted while maintaining weight) but I assume 1600/1700ish.

    You can roughly calculate it based on how much weight you are losing on 1400 a day. If it's a pound a week, add 500 cals a day.
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