What Is The Perfect Pre-Match Meal?

Everybody has their own specific pre-game ritual. Whether it is wearing your lucky underwear that day, or watching your favorite movie beforehand, most of us have something different that we do before a big rugby game to help give us a little extra something. And while there is nothing wrong with that, there is probably something more that you could be doing before a big game that is certain to help benefit you on the field. It isn’t taking a supplement, but actually making sure that your meal that is eaten before a game is one that is excellent for an athlete. So what kind of foods would that be? That is what will be covered in this guide to the perfect pre-match meal.

Protein

By now you have probably heard that protein is the building blocks of muscle. It is true- without a diet that is high in protein, you are really never going to see results in the gym. This leads a lot of people to figure that a good pre-match meal would consist of a meal that is high in protein. While protein may benefit you somewhat when it comes to your effectiveness on the field, you are really going to want to look past that and get a meal that is high in carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates

Why would carbohydrates be the most important thing to keep in mind when planning out the perfect pre-match meal? That is because carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your body. A lot of your body’s most basic functions run off of energy that was taken from carbohydrates, something that a lot of people don’t realize. This is why you will see people eat things like noodles or bread before a marathon; because those foods are both high in carbohydrates and they need the energy that is supplied from those carbs to help stay competitive in the marathon they are running. So then, a meal that is high in carbohydrates is clearly what you are going to be looking for here. But what else should you be on the lookout for when putting together the perfect pre-match meal? Avoiding sugar at all costs is extremely important as well. As we all probably know, sugar gives you a quick and sudden burst of energy, and then leaves you depressed and lethargic; much worse off than before. So even if you have some sugar right before the game begins, you are still going to find yourself dozing off halfway through.

Avoiding sugar altogether can be pretty difficult at times to do, but avoiding it in large quantities just before a game (like not drinking a soda) can be a good way to make sure you get plenty of energy on the field. Eating something like a bowl of oatmeal which is a great way to get some carbs and then a trail mix bar will be certain to make sure that your body gets a steady supply of energy to last you the entire game.

Conclusion

Make sure to consume a solid meal 2-3 hours before kick off. The meal should contain LOW GI carbohydrates ( oatmeal, brown rice, wholewheat bread, sweet potatoes ) and around 20-30g of protein. A sample meal would be –

[sws_blue_box box_size=”630″] 120g of cooked brown rice ( around 80g of carbs ) [/sws_blue_box]

[sws_blue_box box_size=”630″] Chicken breast fillet ( 30-50g of protein depending on size and quality ) [/sws_blue_box]

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