Nutrition

The night before: Is that big pasta dinner all you need?The big pasta dinner is a ritual for many the night before a game—but is that mound of pasta on your plate really going to fuel you up all the way for the big game? Not entirely.
When you exercise, practice or play games, your body needs a lot of fuel. Your first source of fuel is your previous meal, but when your body has used that up (after about 30 minutes of exercise) it starts to break down your glycogen (fuel) stores. The more fuel stores you have, the longer you can perform at a higher intensity. The idea behind the "night before pasta feast" is to top off your fuel (glycogen) stores.
The problem, however, is that our fuel stores are determined less by the big pasta dinner on the eve before the game, and more by our day-to-day carbohydrate intake, and by how well we recover after practices and games. Consistent carb intake and optimal recovery will ensure that you have the greatest amount of glycogen stores. This will result in the most potential energy for the big game. If your fuel stores are maximized, then that big pasta dinner will act the way it should: as a fuel topper.
How do you do it? Check out the performance points below:

1. EVERY DAY: Make sure to consume 3-5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day! You should include whole-grain breads, cereals, pastas, fruits, vegetables and 100% fruit juices at each meal.
2. DURING: Consume carbohydrate electrolyte beverages, like Gatorade, during your practices and games to keep carbs (fuel) coming in.
3. AFTER: Get a recovery meal immediately after play or practice. You should consume something with a 3:1 or 4:1 carb-to-protein ratio to quickly recover your fuel stores. Your body recovers most efficiently in the first two hours after exercise, so the longer you wait, the less fuel you will recover. Reach for something with 10-20 grams of protein and 30-90 grams of carbs!