Pre-event, during-event and post-event meals; recovery foods
The pre-event meal tops up fuel without upsetting the stomach; food during long events keeps glucose up; the post-event meal refuels, repairs and rehydrates.
Importance of event meals
| Meal | Purpose | Guidelines | Indian examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-event meal (3-4 h before) | Tops up liver glycogen after the night, prevents hunger, hydrates, settles nerves | 1-4 g/kg carbohydrate; moderate protein; low fat and fibre; 5-10 mL/kg fluid 2-4 h before | Idli-sambar, plain dosa, poha, upma, lemon or curd rice, chapati with potato, bread with banana and honey |
| Pre-event snack (1-2 h before) | Small top-up of fuel | Easy carbohydrate, little fat | Banana, a few dates, glucose biscuits, a small glass of sweet lassi |
| During the event (over about an hour, or tournaments) | Keeps blood glucose and fluid up; delays fatigue | 30-60 g/h (up to 90 g/h beyond 2.5 h); fluid to a plan | Sports drink, banana, dates, orange segments at breaks; light meals between matches |
| Post-event meal | Refuel glycogen, repair muscle, rehydrate, support immunity | Carbohydrate 1.0-1.2 g/kg/h for 4 h if the next session is soon; protein about 0.3 g/kg; 1.25-1.5 L fluid per kg lost, with sodium | Banana milkshake, curd rice, idli-sambar, egg or paneer roll, sprouts sundal, ragi malt, salted buttermilk |
What to avoid before competition
- Fried and fatty foods (vada, samosa, puri, biryani): fat slows stomach emptying.
- High-fibre and gas-forming foods (rajma, chana, cabbage, large salads): wind and cramps.
- Very spicy food, and large glasses of milk if the athlete is lactose-intolerant.
- Anything new: a new food, drink or supplement should be tried in training first.
- Eating a big meal too close to the start.
- Skipping the meal altogether: liver glycogen is low after the night.
A competition day, step by step
- Night beforeA normal high-carbohydrate dinner (rice or chapati, dal, vegetables, curd); good fluids; familiar foods.
- 3-4 h before★Pre-event meal: 1-4 g/kg carbohydrate, low fat and fibre; 5-10 mL/kg fluid.
- 1-2 h beforeOptional small snack (banana, dates); sip fluids to pale urine.
- Warm-upA few sips of water or sports drink.
- DuringFluid and 30-60 g carbohydrate per hour in events over about an hour; use every break.
- 0-60 min after★Recovery snack: carbohydrate + protein + fluid with sodium (banana milkshake, curd rice, salted buttermilk).
- Within 2 hA full meal with cereal, protein food, vegetables and curd.
- Before sleepMilk or curd for slow-release protein.
★ one-way, controls the pace
Recovery foods: Indian options
| Food | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Banana milkshake | Carbohydrate, high-quality protein, fluid, potassium |
| Curd rice with a pinch of salt | Carbohydrate, protein, sodium, fluid; easy on the stomach |
| Idli with sambar | Carbohydrate, some protein from dal, sodium |
| Egg sandwich or paneer roll | Carbohydrate with high-quality protein |
| Ragi malt with milk | Carbohydrate, protein, calcium |
| Sprouts sundal with lemon rice | Carbohydrate, plant protein, vitamin C |
| Salted buttermilk (neer mor) | Fluid, sodium, a little protein |
At a district kabaddi tournament with three matches in a day, players often eat nothing, or fried snacks from stalls. Packing bananas, idli, curd rice, glucose water and salted buttermilk and eating within 30-60 minutes after each match keeps glycogen and fluid topped up for the next game.
2 marks: “What are the 3 Rs of recovery nutrition?” Refuel (carbohydrate to rebuild glycogen), repair (protein for muscle) and rehydrate (fluid with sodium).
5 marks: “Write the guidelines for planning a pre-event meal.” Timing 1-4 h before; 1-4 g/kg carbohydrate; moderate protein; low fat and fibre; 5-10 mL/kg fluid; familiar foods; what to avoid; Indian examples.
10 marks: “Discuss the importance of pre-event, during-event and post-event meals for athletes.” Purpose and guidelines for each meal, foods to avoid, the competition-day timeline, recovery foods, and a tournament example.
Before: fuel without fuss. During: top up. After: the 3 Rs: Refuel, Repair, Rehydrate.