The precompetition meal used to hold the spotlight in terms of how it could enhance performance. Now we know that the foods you eat every day to support your training do far more to enhance your performance than the foods you eat right before you compete. From a nutrition standpoint, there is little you can do in the few hours before an event that will drastically improve your performance. Here's the best the precompetition meal can do for you:

• help you stay hydrated
• top off your carbohydrate stores
• provide blood glucose
• leave you feeling physically and psychologically comfortable

Considerations for Food Choices

There are no hard and fast rules for all to follow when choosing the precompetition meal. One consideration is your sport or event. If you are preparing to compete in an aerobic endurance event, such as a marathon, a triathlon, distance cycling or cross-country skiing, it may help you to "top off" the energy stores in your body with a high carbohydrate meal. Athletes who participate in sports like soccer, distance swimming, volleyball, basketball and hockey may also benefit from including carbohydrate foods and drinks in the pre-event meal. For power and sprint athletes, like football players, sprinters, baseball and softball players, the primary purpose of the precompetition meal is to provide some of the fluid and energy you'll need to stay comfortable and hydrated during the event.

While carbohydrate foods like pasta are often considered the cornerstone of the precompetition meal, it is important to note that other foods can be included in the pre-game meal. In fact, a high carbohydrate meal like a dish of pasta leaves some athletes satisfied, but a high carbohydrate, low fat meal leaves others uncomfortably hungry before a competition. Some athletes find they are more satisfied and more ready to compete after the more traditional "meat and potatoes" meal.

The precompetition meal can't make a superhuman out of a mere mortal, but it can have devastating negative effects if the meal gives you and upset stomach. Practical approaches to the precompetition meal can help you avoid unwanted side effects like cramps, gas and diarrhea.

Handling the Butterflies

The adrenaline that flows when you are pumped before a game or a competition is a great performance booster, but these stress hormones can have a negative influence on your digestive tract. Nervous tension can have a definite effect on how well food digests. Some athletes feel nauseous, some get diarrhea. Knowing how your body reacts to precompetition jitters influences your food choices. For example, if you get diarrhea, you may need to decrease fiber and spicy foods the day before and the day of competition. If you get naucseous, you may find that meal-replacement drinks, shakes, or smoothies digest better than solids.

Keep it Simple

Two simple rules will help you avoid disastrous side-effects of precompetition eating:

• Eat foods you like.
• Eat the same kind of foods you eat all the time.

The precompetition meal is not an experiment. It should be like a pair of old shoes... familiar and comfortable. Choose foods that you like, foods that you normally eat and foods that you tolerate, even when you are stressed. The day of competition is not the time to try a new food or beverage. This can be challenging when you are on the road, so plan ahead and make sure you'll have the foods you like available, even if it means packing your own cooler.