Whether you’re a professional hockey player or an amateur enthusiast, being in good physical condition is of paramount importance if you want to enjoy your time on the ice. To achieve this, you need to eat the right food before and after your workouts. Here are some of the best tips on what to eat before and after hockey practice to help you become the best player you can be!
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Eat A Balanced Diet
Hockey players need to eat a lot of food during their game days. In order to be at their best, they need to put in the hours and eat the right food, including some proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you should satisfy it with some cake or cookies. However, you should not eat too many sweets, as they will make you more prone to injuries.
When choosing foods to eat before a game, make sure that you are not only looking at the nutritional content but also how the food is going to make you feel. Some players experience sluggishness and poor performance after eating a lot of sugar. Other players may experience an energy boost because of the food they eat. Regardless, it’s always a good idea to try out various foods to see how you react to them before making any decisions.
Eat A Healthy Snack Before The Game
If you’ve got some time before your game, you can prepare a quick, healthy snack to get your energy levels up. Some players find that eating a protein bar or drinking some coffee make them alert and sharp for their games. Whatever you choose, eat something that’s high in fiber and low in sugar, and you’ll be good to go.
Use Natural Products
Many hockey players use dietary supplements and ergogenic aids, like caffeine and L-Ascorbic Acid, to enhance their game. However, these products are not meant to be a complete diet for the player. Instead, they’re simply a bonus to help them get through their workouts with ease. If you’re going to have supplements in your diet anyway, make sure that you’re getting natural and organic products.
Cut Back On The Booze And Take More Water
It’s no secret that hockey players love to drink and food to fuel their games. In fact, many players find that having a beer or six-pack during their pre-game meal helps them get into the right mindset to play. This is why you should cut back on the drink, especially beer, as it contains high amounts of alcohol. Instead, try drinking plenty of water during your pre-game meal. This will help keep you hydrated, and alert, for the game.
Once the puck is dropped, you should stay hydrated by drinking at least eight glasses of water per day. Also, be sure to wash down your food well with some water to prevent any unpleasant surprises when your body temperature spikes during the game. You need to stay cool and hydrated for optimum performance, so make sure that you drink plenty of fluids during practice and games!
In some cases, you may need to cut back on the food as well. If you’re feeling sluggish or weak during practice or games, it could be because you’re not eating enough. Try eating a small snack about an hour before a game to get the energy your body needs to play. Also, watch how much you’re eating during a game. Going overboard with the food during a game can cause you to become hyper-active and irritable, preventing you from performing at your best. You want to keep your energy levels high during games, so make sure to eat healthily!
Take A Break
Just like in other sports, injuries are common in hockey. A common injury is called overuse syndrome, which occurs when the body is used excessively (usually through overtraining) and lacks sufficient rest. This results in serious injuries such as tendonitis or ruptures that require surgery. To prevent these injuries, you need to take a break after training!
Going through tough times on the ice is completely normal, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. With a little effort, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy your time on the ice and stay healthy.