I am a high schooler and for the next three days I have basketball tryouts from 5:30 to 8:30. I don’t like the idea of waiting until after to eat dinner especially because I usually don’t eat a lunch. Any recommendations on good things to eat before? Should I eat a full meal? Should I have something smaller and then eat after?
Don’t have a full meal before. Eat some carbs (bread, pasta, etc) and not a lot of fat or protein, because those take longer to digest. Don’t eat much immediately before the tryouts.
Also, eat lunch.
Don’t eat a full meal right before. Small snack with carbs before (granola bar, snickers bar) and dinner after.
Might also make sense to eat some lunch those days.
Nitrates and carbs
You should be eating lunch bud
Eat lunch. Protein and carbs. You will need glycogen to burn for energy. You can eat a banana a couple hours before tryouts and you should be good to go. Rice cakes with PB works as well if you want something more hearty, just don’t go crazy on the PB.
Drink a lot of water throughout the day, don’t just chug a bunch before practice. Eat a good mix of protein, carbs, and fats throughout the day. Last meal should be 1.5 to 2 hours before tryouts. Try to have 2-3 meals in before you tryout.
Make sure to eat foods that agree with you. Don’t go eating something new or super spicy.
My suggestion would be to pack your own lunch because school lunches are hit or miss. I started making my own lunch in highschool because I wouldn’t eat school lunches.
Take a note from NBA players - PB&J
Definitely eat lunch, a full meal with lots of protein and carbs. Then go for a protein shake before tryouts. Shakes aren’t typically heavy on your stomach but can give you the energy you need for the work you’re doing in the evenings.