Eat Like A Cheerleader

Pre-competition nutrition, more specifically, what and how to eat before competition is essential to getting the best out of your body. What you put in your body will ultimately increase your energy and stamina on competition day.

Food Types 101:

1. Carbohydrates. In order for your body to perform at its best, you need to fuel your body properly. And regardless of your sport, carbohydrates are the bodies preferred choice of fuel. High carbohydrate foods enhance stamina, and prevent fatigue. If you are ever feeling sluggish or weak during practice or on competition day, it is more than likely because you are not getting enough carbs for your body for fuel.
   
   
2. Fat. Fat intake is extremely important as well. A low to moderate intake of fat helps your body obtain peak performance. But, the right kind of fat intake is critical. Avoid saturated fat. Use monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat such as olive oil, canola oil, sunflower and safflower oil. Foods that include good fats are avocado, fish and macadamia nuts, peanut butter, and other assorted nuts.
   
   
3. Protein. Many athletes do not get enough protein, cheerleading is a high intensity sport and your bodies need protein. You should have 2 to 3 three servings a day. Lean meat, fish, poultry, and eggs are good sources. Beans and nuts are great non-animal sources if you do not eat meat.
   
   

Competition Day Guidelines.

How you eat, or don't eat, plays a huge role in how you perform. Below are some guidelines to help you make better food choices on competition days. Be sure to experiment with these guidelines before your training, find the foods that work best for you, and incorporate that into your competition day food choices.

Before the event:

1. Eat 2-4 hours before the event.  Allow 4 hours for a larger meal.  Make sure you experiment to find the best time pre-competition meal time, 1-2 hours may work well for you too. There is no hard rule, only what works best for you.
2. Eat carbohydrate rich foods for sustained energy.
3. Eat a moderate amount of proteins but decrease fat intake for this meal as fat slows digestion.
4. Don't overeat.
5. Suggested carbohydrates:
   -Moderate amount of spaghetti
   -Whole grain bread
   -Oatmeal
   -Baked beans, pinto, black, kidney
   -Yogurt
   -Apples
   -Oranges
   -Dried apricots (unsulfured)

During the event:

1. During competition, carbohydrates need to be readily available to the muscle as a fuel source. High glycemic index (high sugar) carbohydrates are needed in this case to supply the muscles with an immediate fuel source.
2. Some possibilities are:
   -Gatorade, or other similar sports drink
   -Banana
   -Honey graham crackers
   -Powerbar
   -Fruit flavored breakfast bar
   -Rice cakes with honey

After the event:

Recovery is also a very essential part of your nutrition.  After exercise, your muscles are hungry for carbohydrates.  The above foods are also good for recovery from competition or training. These carbs are digested and absorbed quickly and cause a rapid release in insulin -- the hormone responsible for getting glucose into the muscles and storing it as glycogen.

The Bottom Line:

Remember, it is important to find what works best for you. Fine tune your pre-competition meal on your training days, so that you will outperform others you compete against.  There is no cookie cutter plan for everyone - try different foods to see what gives you the most energy and helps you perform at your best.