Pre And Post-game Meals?

[JillianLindsay]

Hi to my fellow athletes

I am a very competitive hockey player and play in a high-level and highly competitive league -- and I love it! Durnig the games I feel great! After the games I feel pretty drained, weak, tired, etc. I know that's to be expected considering I work so hard and exert so much energy while playing, however I am wondering if my pre and post-game meals might help me recover more quickly?

I usually have rice pasta with tomato sauce and a salad either for dinner the night before an afternoon game, or for lunch the day of an evening game. After the games my meals vary -- tonight I had brown rice, salad with lots of veggies, and ground beef (sort of like a taco salad with rice instead of chips) and several cups of soy chocolate milk.

I drink tons of water before and after, and a powerade or gatorade during the game (DR's orders -- I get dehydrated easily). The game ended 3 hours ago but I still feel pretty drained. What can I do to speed up my recovery time?

Thanks

Jillian

[NorthernElf]

I've just started hockey myself - wow, tought stuff ! I love it though. I'm definitely a rookie !

I'm also a runner and instructor and I find food/nutrition is so important to stamina and recovery. I think the general rule of thumb is lots of fluid, like you're doing, and grazing. After a workout you need some carbs to start the refueling process - simple carbs are ok here. You don't need a lot but to start replacing the glycogen in the muscles it's important. I think the carbs are supposed to be crucial 30 minutes post exercise (during if you are exercising for more than 1 hour). Within 2 hours, getting some protein is important, and some more complex carbs and fat.

Chocolate milk is a favorite post workout drink/fuel for many runners. It has simple carbs and protein, as well as other nutrients. I don't do milk well but I do like chocolate soy milk (like you mentioned). I carry a water bottle with me and food too all day - grazing seems to help, esp. if I have classes back to back. As long as one grazes healthily and with small snacks, the calories don't add up too badly.

Getting protein, complex carbs, and fat in most of your grazing "snacks" is important. I bought some almond butter at Costco (says gluten-free on it) and it's awesome - good fats ! Taste good on toasted gluten-free bread and spread on a banana or apple (dot with raisins!). Tuna or egg salad with gluten-free crackers, another good snack. What you mentioned about your diet seems limited in fat - we need fats for sure and they have a good amount of energy. I used to eat low fat and I was always hungry.

Of course, there are always other factors - adequate rest and so forth. Good luck ! You may feel like you're always eating but I find it helps (I teach several classes a day plus do my own thing - constant refueling makes it possible).

[JillianLindsay]

Thanks for the advice I should start carrying around nuts (almonds and pistachios are my favourite) with my fruit snacks. Ooh and avacado dip with brown rice crackers as a snack at home, yum. (I'm hungry right now, can you tell? lol).

I think you're right, I'm doing a good job of reloading on carbs & protein, but not so much on the good fats. I will definitely keep that in mind after my trip to the gym tonight!

Thanks,

Jillian

I've just started hockey myself - wow, tought stuff ! I love it though. I'm definitely a rookie !

I'm also a runner and instructor and I find food/nutrition is so important to stamina and recovery. I think the general rule of thumb is lots of fluid, like you're doing, and grazing. After a workout you need some carbs to start the refueling process - simple carbs are ok here. You don't need a lot but to start replacing the glycogen in the muscles it's important. I think the carbs are supposed to be crucial 30 minutes post exercise (during if you are exercising for more than 1 hour). Within 2 hours, getting some protein is important, and some more complex carbs and fat.

Chocolate milk is a favorite post workout drink/fuel for many runners. It has simple carbs and protein, as well as other nutrients. I don't do milk well but I do like chocolate soy milk (like you mentioned). I carry a water bottle with me and food too all day - grazing seems to help, esp. if I have classes back to back. As long as one grazes healthily and with small snacks, the calories don't add up too badly.

Getting protein, complex carbs, and fat in most of your grazing "snacks" is important. I bought some almond butter at Costco (says gluten-free on it) and it's awesome - good fats ! Taste good on toasted gluten-free bread and spread on a banana or apple (dot with raisins!). Tuna or egg salad with gluten-free crackers, another good snack. What you mentioned about your diet seems limited in fat - we need fats for sure and they have a good amount of energy. I used to eat low fat and I was always hungry.

Of course, there are always other factors - adequate rest and so forth. Good luck ! You may feel like you're always eating but I find it helps (I teach several classes a day plus do my own thing - constant refueling makes it possible).

[JillianLindsay]

I feel funny after playing hockey again today. I played indoor soccer the past two days with no problems. Today I played hockey and I feel weak and a bit dizzy again, plus my asthma is bothering me. I ate gluten-free corn flakes for breakfast, an omlette with cheese & salsa for lunch, LOTS of water, one bottle of gatorade, lots of chocolate milk after the game and I'm now snacking on peanuts for those good fats. My head feels funny, like I have the beginnings of a headache, but I've been drinking lots of water and peeing lots so there's no way I could be dehydrated. My muscles aren't sore or cramping, but in terms of energy I feel like I just ran a marathon instead of played hockey (like I've been doing for the past 22 years without problems). It's been 5 hours since the game ended and I still haven't recovered. Does anyone have ideas for me about what might be happening? Ways to prevent this from happening and/or to recovery more quickly? Further advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,

Jillian

P.S. -- I've been taking my iron & B12 supplements religiously. Last check my iron was still low, but improving (~3 months ago), due for another check this month.

[Maggie Mermaid]

Are you getting enough sodium, potassium and magnesium? DH suffered from light-headedness & a brief blackout. After doctor's workup, doc recommended he add some salt to his diet. He also drinks alot of an electrolyte replacement beverage (made by the same company that makes Emergen-C).

Bananas & oranges have lots of potassium & would make quick post-game snacks.

[JillianLindsay]

I use an electrolyte-replacer sport drink & also eat bananas almost every day

I think I might just be experiencing fatigue due to menstruation, I noticed my other post was around the same time of the month. I'll compare how I feel after my games this week to how I feel after my games next week and see if there is a difference lol

Thanks

Are you getting enough sodium, potassium and magnesium? DH suffered from light-headedness & a brief blackout. After doctor's workup, doc recommended he add some salt to his diet. He also drinks alot of an electrolyte replacement beverage (made by the same company that makes Emergen-C).

Bananas & oranges have lots of potassium & would make quick post-game snacks.

[Maggie Mermaid]

Be aware as to whether you're getting enough magnesium because it works in concert with the potassium and calcium. All 3 of those need each other to interact and work properly. People that workout heavily might need more than the average person because of the heavy sweating. Good luck & keep us posted!

[chasbari]

My personal bias here makes me suspicious of the amount of soy milk you are taking in. I could not tolerate and still cannot tolerate soy anything, in fact, it made me feel as bad if not worse than gluten early on in the gluten-free process. There are some phytoestrogen qualities, from my understanding, of unfermented soy products that may imply themselves into your response. Just thinking out loud. Don't know if your soy based chocolate milk is caffeine free or not but caffeine can be a systemic diuretic and thus be working counter to your attempts to rehydrate post workout. Fresh whole foods/fruits seem like the best possible solution, IMHO, of course.

CS

[JillianLindsay]

I actually only have 2 glasses about 2-3 nights a week, after hockey. I don't usually drink chocolate milk after soccer (if only because we go to the bar after games lol). I only feel this way after hockey. Because of all the heavy equipment and the physical element of the game, it's harder on the body, energy-level and I sweat a lot more. I think I must be missing something that I lose in the exertion of the sport, but I can't figure out what. I drink lots of water, one electrolyte-replacer sports drink per game (i.e. gatorade), I have good carbs before the games (rice pasta), eat lots of fresh veggies, fruits, and have added healthy fats (avacado, nuts, etc) to my diet over the past month. There is no caffeine in the chocolate soy milk and I drink it along with water. I don't have any problems with soy... I just wish I could figure this out. My DR has been wanting to re-check everything (iron, thyroid, etc) so I'll go in and get that bloodwork done to see if I'm deficient anywhere... hopefully we'll figure it out!

Thanks everyone for all your input & advice

My personal bias here makes me suspicious of the amount of soy milk you are taking in. I could not tolerate and still cannot tolerate soy anything, in fact, it made me feel as bad if not worse than gluten early on in the gluten-free process. There are some phytoestrogen qualities, from my understanding, of unfermented soy products that may imply themselves into your response. Just thinking out loud. Don't know if your soy based chocolate milk is caffeine free or not but caffeine can be a systemic diuretic and thus be working counter to your attempts to rehydrate post workout. Fresh whole foods/fruits seem like the best possible solution, IMHO, of course.

CS

[CreatewithKim]

Hello,

I am lactose, and egg intolerant along with not doing the gluten thing. And still under-going testing. But we do know the Gluten Intolerant part. My iron level is severely low. That said I am a runner and will often run and hour or more. I have muscle spasms after intense workouts. Right now I am rehabbing from a serious muscle spasm injury during a height of inflammation in December before being diagnosed :-( Hey but at least I am finding out stuff now.

I am using, now, lots of fruits. I have a banana within 30 minutes after a run and then a handful of raisins, dried fruits and nuts. I wait over an hour before a meal. I now take in water on runs. When spring returns to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and I am back on trails for over an hour I plan to take, raisens or make my own "Gu" type packets with ground nut butter and honey.

I have talked to some Endurance runners who keep baked potatoes and yams on hand. Yup they just eat them on a run or after ward.

--KIm

[Erin Elberson]

Definitely good advice here and sounds like you on are on the right track. The iron/anemia issue could be contributing to your fatigue, esp. around your period. Out of curiosity when you see your doc to recheck your iron levels, consider asking for a Vitamin D level as well.

Your pre-post snacks sound good-you may just need more overall calories due to your high activity level. Getting in more healthy fats will aid in that. Has your weight/clothing fit been staying stable or have you noticed you are losing weight?

[JillianLindsay]

Hi everyone,

Thanks again for all your input, suggestions, advice & encouragement

I have added tuna to my salads as part of my post-game meal rotation and am taking a bit of extra iron during menstruation to help with my energy level. I am also returning to my calcium-magneisum-vitamin D supplement to make sure those are taken care of. I see my DR next week to follow-up on my blood test results. Things do seem to be improving.

One silly (simple) thing I hadn't thought of was that I was eating too early before my games. My hubby likes to eat about 2 hours before his games because if he eats any later he'll feel sick. I was following the same routine just because it was more convenient. I realized that my metabolism is much faster than his -- he tends to eat just 3 square meals a day and that's fine for him, whereas I have to eat every 2-4 hours or I feel weak and just plain grumpy (I'm about 120lbs).

I recently started eating about 1-1.5 hours before the games and it seems to have helped. I have more energy during the games and don't feel as weak and shaky afterwards either.

I might have lost a few (only 3 or 4) lbs due to increasing my workouts lately but I'll probably gain it back in muscle and my clothes still fit just fine

I think the additional supplements, plus eating closer to game time have really helped.

Thanks again everyone for your suggestions!

Jillian