Tournaments are HARD, particularly in the nutrition category. As a player, figuring out what to eat during a grueling three days of volleyball took time and research.
After not eating enough in the morning at these three days, I inevitably trudged over to the snack stand, starving after the first couple matches, to grab whatever snack was closest. Of course, most of these "snacks" were fried, and the beverage selection was slim: Gatorade and Soda! So, liquid sugar it was and, believe me, I drank Gallons of Gatorade back then with all those salty snacks. But I came away from those weekends feeling heavy and lethargic, aching from playing and weighed down from the food I was demolishing left and right.
Now let’s be serious, I was playing a LOT of volleyball, so who cares how much sugar I drank or what I ate, right? Wrong. I felt distracted while playing because my stomach was so full and constantly thirsty or pasty mouthed. Then I realized that plays I would normally make seemed just out of reach after these snack stand stints. It was so frustrating! So, I developed a set of rules to eat by my later high school years and into my college career. Who knows, maybe if I started earlier I would have been a better player.
5 COMMANDMENTS OF TOURNAMENT NUTRITION
- No "Convention Center Food" or “Fast Food”
- Eat a High Protein Breakfast
- Bring HEALTHY Snacks
- Eat Fruits or Veggies Whenever Possible
- Drink Plenty of Water (and ONLY water)
Now, as a coach, tournaments still challenge me, but I still use the same 5 commandments I did as a player (Even when the MLK Tournament taunted me with the ever-delicious Chik-Fil-A right across the street from our hotel). I came in prepared though, and ate the following meals in Lancaster avoiding temptress Fila:
FRIDAY: Getting to the Hotel and Dinner
Breakfast: Casa De Carolyn
- 2 Egg, Pesto & Roasted Red Pepper Omelet
- Whole Wheat Toast w/ Raspberry Preserves (Use whole wheat, not white)
Lunch: Tamarind (Thai Restaurant)
Snack: Hotel - Chicken & Mix Vegetable Green Curry (Ate only ½ the white rice they gave me)
- 2 Clementines
- 1.5 Cookies from Hotel (Resisting more was a Godlike feat...)
Dinner: Olive Garden
- Soup, Salad and Bread Sticks [2] (no seconds on the sticks!)
Day 2: First Day at the Convention Center
Breakfast: Hotel
- Banana and 2 Clementines (NOT ENOUGH! By the break I was starving)
Lunch: Farmer’s Market!!! – Always ask the locals and look around for healthy options
- Vegetarian Chili
- Falafel and ½ a Samosa
- Lentil Salad (Lentils are a great source of protein and fiber)
Snack: Smoothie King
- ½ Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie and ½ Berry Green Tea Smoothie (Smoothies are amazing, just make sure there isn’t added sugar!)
Dinner: Miller’s Smorgasbord
- Pulled Pork Sandwich & Fries (I could/should have skipped the fries here)
- Grilled Veggies
Day 3: Second Convention Center Day
Breakfast: Smoothie time again!
- ½ Health Nut Smoothie w/ Almonds, Blueberries, Mango, Banana & Nut Butter
- Chicken & Artichoke Wrap
- Salt & Vinegar Kettle Cooked Chips
Lunch: Leftovers
- ½ Health Nut Smoothie w/ Almonds, Blueberries, Mango, Banana & Nut Butter
- Banana and Clementines (Between my team's epically long afternoon session)
Dinner: Pizza Delivery
- PIZZA!
Day 4: Last Day
Breakfast: Bagel Shop
- Whole Wheat medium size bagel w/ Turkey Breast, Slice of Swiss Cheese, Tomato, Onion, Bean Sprouts and Spicy Mustard
- Pickle!
How did I do?
Overall, I followed most of my 5 commandments, but eating well takes practice, so I made a few observations for next time:
- I did a bad job staying hydrated and need to bring my own water bottle next time.
- I should have gotten my veg on with a veggie side or part of every meal
- I should continue my snack bringing habits, because they really helped the first day!
- I totally resisted the best fast food ever… Chik Fil A.
My Tournament Day Meal Plan:
- Little snacks on games off: fruit with peanut butter, veggies with hummus, string cheese, granola bars, or crackers
- I prefer to eat little snacks between games so I don’t get overfull and/or sluggish, but still have enough energy to perform at my Best.
- Chow down on a protein packed, veggie full dinner with TONS of water and a side of whole grain (maybe a cup of rice or pasta) to get me ready for day two or three.
- Just like carbs are important pre-exercise, protein must be present post-exercise for muscle recovery (Rob Skinner).
- Unprocessed foods are the way to go, so stick to that veggie, fruit and whole grain goodness!!
Your former Gatorade-aholic,
Carolyn
P.S. Don’t forget about Water!!!
P.P.S. Stay Tuned: If you are a current Gatorade-aholic (or Powerade), there are tricks to help you kick the habit and slim a whole lot of sugar out of your diet.
