Hockey Tournament Nutrition HACKS To Stay Full Of Energy All Tourney Long! 🏒

Summary

This video offers comprehensive nutrition advice for hockey players during tournament days. It emphasizes the importance of timing and quantity of nutrients for optimal performance and recovery. Key takeaways include the significance of protein intake, the role of carbohydrates for energy, and the avoidance of high fiber and fat pre-game to prevent digestive discomfort. The script also addresses the 'ileal break' phenomenon, suggesting carb-loading meals should be had the day before, not the night before, to optimize digestion. Practical meal plans and supplement recommendations are provided for pre-game, intra-game, and post-game nutrition.

Takeaways

• 🏒 **Performance and Recovery**: Nutrition is crucial for optimal performance and recovery in hockey, especially during tournaments.
• 🥗 **Nutrient Timing**: The timing of nutrient intake is critical on tournament days to ensure peak performance in each game.
• 📈 **Amount Over Timing**: While timing is important, the total daily amount of nutrients is more critical for overall recovery and body composition management.
• 🍽️ **Meal Preparation**: Preparing meals in advance is key to ensuring you have the right nutrients at the right time.
• 🚫 **Avoid Late Heavy Meals**: Avoid large meals late at night before a tournament day to prevent the ileal break and ensure optimal digestion.
• 🍝 **Carb Loading Timing**: Have your carb-loading meal at lunch the day before a tournament, not the night before, to avoid digestion issues.
• 🥩 **Protein Intake**: Aim for 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day on tournament days for easier digestion.
• 🍚 **Carbohydrate Focus**: Increase carbohydrate intake to 4.4 grams per kilogram of body weight to replenish glycogen for high-intensity games.
• 🥑 **Low Fat and Fiber**: Keep fat and fiber intake low on tournament days to speed up digestion and prevent gastrointestinal distress.
• 💧 **Golden Rules of Nutrition**: Maintain hydration, amino acid and glucose availability, and avoid gastrointestinal distress for optimal performance.

Q & A

What is the key to optimizing nutrition for tournament days in hockey?

The key to optimizing nutrition for tournament days is to ensure the right nutrients are supplied at the right time to support performance and recovery, focusing on the balance of macronutrients and timing of meals.

Why is recovery important before the PM game if there is an AM game?

Recovery is crucial before the PM game because if you don't fully recover from the AM game, your performance in the PM game will be significantly compromised due to fatigue.

What is the significance of the 'supply and demand chain' in the context of tournament nutrition?

The 'supply and demand chain' refers to the need to provide the right nutrients at the right time to meet the body's demands during high-intensity hockey games, ensuring optimal performance.

Why does the amount of nutrients matter more than the timing on regular days but not on tournament days?

On regular days, the total daily nutrient intake is more important for long-term health and body composition. However, on tournament days, timing becomes critical to ensure nutrients are available for immediate performance needs.

What is the recommended protein intake per kilogram of body weight on tournament days?

It is recommended to keep protein intake at 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight on tournament days to allow for easier digestion and to prioritize carbohydrates.

How does carbohydrate intake differ on tournament days compared to regular training days?

On tournament days, carbohydrate intake should be higher, with a recommendation of at least 4.4 grams per kilogram of body weight, to replenish glycogen stores quickly after games.

Why is it advised to keep fat intake low on tournament days?

Fat intake should be kept low on tournament days because fat slows down digestion, which can interfere with the rapid recovery needed between games.

What is the 'ileal break' and how can it affect tournament day performance?

The 'ileal break' is a phenomenon where the body slows down digestion of a large meal in the ileum section of the small intestine. If a large meal is consumed too close to game time, it can lead to feelings of fullness and sluggishness during the game.

Why is it suggested to have a carb-loading meal the day before a tournament instead of the night before?

Having a carb-loading meal the day before a tournament allows for adequate digestion and absorption of carbohydrates into the muscles, avoiding the ileal break and ensuring optimal energy levels for the games.

What are the four golden rules of intra and post-game hockey nutrition?

The four golden rules are: maintaining adequate hydration, ensuring a readily available flow of amino acids in the bloodstream, maintaining a readily available flow of glucose within the bloodstream, and accomplishing all three without gastrointestinal distress.

What is the ideal macronutrient distribution for a pre-game meal on tournament days?

The ideal pre-game meal should have a one-to-one ratio of carbohydrates to protein, with 30 to 40 grams of each, and low fat and fiber content to facilitate quick digestion.