Pre/Post Match Nutrition (Eat like a Pro)

by Katie Rybakova

Are you drinking soda before a match tomorrow? Naughty, naughty. That’s basically saying “Hey, guess what world, I want to cramp!” What you want to drink is water, and plenty of it. Especially if you travel- your body dehydrates more on the road sitting in a van/plane on your rump than you can imagine. Any kind of sugary, syrupy concoction reeks havoc on your wonderful athletic metabolism, so stay away from the delicious talking bowl of Kool-aid (I’m too old if you don’t get that reference, shame on me for not keeping up with you youngsters), lemonade (sorry, couldn’t think of any euphemisms worth attempting), iced tea, ect. Speaking of iced tea, say NO to caffeine the day before your match. Now, certain peeps say that caffeine is actually a type of athletic enhancer prior to a match, but honestly, they haven’t tried to stick it out on the court in Florida weather in a three setter, now did they? They, whoever “they” are, are talking about athletic enhancement for a short period of time, so don’t listen to them. Listen to me. J And if you don’t “like” water (spoiled!), stick some lemon slices in it and be quiet (and drink).

Pre-match food: carbs, protein, and fat. Yes, fat. Not jiggly-snickers-bar fat, but fat that comes from foods like avocado, olive oil, and nuts. Hold the thought on carbs and protein- why do we need to eat mono and poly-saturated fat (fancy scientific terms for “good” fat- that nutrition class didn’t go to waste after all!)? Answer: so you maintain your weight and don’t act like a coo-coo bird on court- “good fat” stabilizes your metabolism and digestion and enhances your emotional well-being.

Holding that thought of carbs and protein? Good. Very straightforward- carbs equal energy. Here’s an algorithm for protein- oil is for the car like protein is for your body. It keeps your body running smoothly, and, unlike oil in the car, needs to be replaced quicker than every 3000 miles and also happens to do some rebuilding of body tissue (show me a car oil that can do that!).

A science lesson later, we’ve discovered that a meal like pasta, chicken/steak, and a small salad with olive oil based dressing (bonus points for the dark leafy greens- Popeye-also super old, ugh I’m aging- was right about spinach!) is spot on for a meal prior to match day. If you want to skip the salad, go for salmon- it’s high in protein and “good fat.”

Match day: now the amount of food and what you eat will depend on when you play. If you play in the afternoon, have a good hearty breakfast with hot food and cold food- knock yourself out at the buffet. Obviously stick with the same plan- protein, carbs, and fats. Eggs, toast, and some almonds sounds delicious. If you want to stay away from cholesterol (hi butter on toast and yolk in egg), have some oatmeal with  some nuts on top. Your body will have enough time to digest the food and you won’t take a nap on the court and realize you’re down 6-0 when you wake up (blood rushes to stomach to digest food- thus absence of energy and thought process J). Now if you’re close to your match and hungry, you need to eat something that digests quickly but will sustain you through the match. Stay away from diary, and go for some quick carbs and protein. Hi bagel with peanut butter, nice to meet you. Stay away from larger meals, or you’ll turn into a lump of coal, or, my favorite expression nowadays, a tree stump. 

During the match: drink PowerAde (Gatorade, whateverade). If you need to eat something, take a power bar or some kind of quick granola bar to munch on between sets (or between breaks, whatever floats your boat). Now let’s put to rest the whole banana thing- although Sharapova’s pantomiming father is rather amusing, bananas are a long-time “tennis match” food that actually don’t give you much. Gwen Stefani’s ode to the banana got us extra excited about this fruit, and although it’s loaded with potassium and carbs, it doesn’t prevent cramping like it claims to. Cramping is actually lack of sodium (salt) rather than lack of potassium. Sports drinks have plenty of sodium in them, but a rather peculiar drink is taking the nation by storm (or at least I’m predicting it)- Pedialyte. Pedialyte is a baby-formula for children suffering from diarrhea- hang with me here. It replenishes sodium and electrolytes lost out of the body; when your playing, Pedialyte is a good substitute for sports drinks because it actually has a better balance of electrolytes and sodium than sports drinks do! Disclaimer- it’s gross. You’ll want to drink it really cold to get it down, but you’ll thank me later.

Post-match: coconut water. Along with its not so tasty Pedialyte, coconut water has more potassium (now you need it, so eat all the bananas you want), more electrolytes, and less sugar and grossness (color dyes, ect.) than any sports drink on the market. Not to mention, it’s delicious and nutritious. Lots of protein is good now, as are carbs to replenish the energy you’ve lost. Keep drinking water and Pedialyte but add coconut water. Side note: if you happen to have stiff joints and issues with inflammation, say hello to another health-nut inspired drink that helps ease inflammation; tart cherry juice. Yes, it’s not Advil, but drinking tart cherry juice is a good long-term medicine to avoid inflammation and tendonitis.

Here are some more fun facts regarding food:

·         Kiwis have more vitamin C than oranges

·         Coconut, avocado, and dried apricots have more potassium than a banana

·         Coconut water, since it’s pH is very similar to that of our blood, has been used as a transfusion for people who are cramping or extremely low in nutrients

·         Chicken soup is a known cold fighter (so is zinc- it’s highest in foods like oysters, dark chocolate, and peanuts)

·         The food highest in carbs is a baked potato, not pasta

·         Greek yogurt is high in protein- mix it with nuts and a bit of honey and you have yourself a delicious, quick breakfast that will digest pretty easily.

·         Onions absorb flu bacteria- don’t eat it if it’s been lying outside the fridge, but put it by the bedside of someone who’s sick.

·         Garlic is a natural antibiotic- eat a clove (stinky breath!) with food when you’re sick or feel like you’re getting sick

I’ll leave you with this- the more you pay attention to what you do outside the court, the more it influences how you feel and how you perform on the court. So put that soda down, and drink some water instead. J