I can’t wait to go play baseball! It’s been quite some time since I’ve been out on the field. But, I’m ready to go! Especially, after my pre-baseball power snack or meal! It’s so important to fuel up right, before I play baseball in order to perform and feel my best!
My mom is a runner, so she is always adamant that I “get in the proper food” before I play sports. She says eating and eating right before exercise is important to:
- Help prevent low blood sugar, which makes you feel light-headed, tired, and may cause blurry vision, and I know I don’t want that!
- Help settle your stomach because it absorbs some of the juices in your stomach.
- Prevent you from getting hungry mid-way through the game, which is really not fun at all!
- Correctly fuel your muscles for running, jumping, moving, and of course, swinging the bat!
My coach says “eat your meals at least two hours before the big game.” Otherwise, “you might feel sick”. Then he adds, “power up with protein.” Protein foods are chicken, yogurt, fish, turkey or beans. Whole Grains like whole grain bread, crackers, or pasta have carbohydrates which I eat at my pre-baseball meal. We always have a fruit or vegetable with my meal—sometimes I have both!
Mom and Dad really like me to be involved in my meal planning and preparing to give me a competitive edge, so they gave me these bullet points for my pre-exercise meals:
- Eat a lean protein food
- Eat a whole grain so it’s packed with vitamins and minerals my muscles need.
- Eat a fruit and/or vegetable for the right kind of energy
After I got this list, I created my meal! A turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and mustard, some carrots and half a banana! What do you think?
- Turkey = my protein
- Whole wheat bread= my whole grain
- Lettuce and tomatoes on my sandwich and carrots on the side= my veggies
- Half a banana= my fruit!
I was so proud to have made my own healthy pre-exercise meal! It makes mom and dad happy to know I’ve got the tools to know how to help out independently in the kitchen! I don’t learn how to cook or do anything like that in school. After I made my meal, Mom was so impressed!
One more thing on fueling before playing sports—make sure you get Mom or Dad to make low-fat meals with lean proteins. For example, skinless chicken breast, skinless turkey meat, any fish, non-fat dairy, or extra lean ground meat. If you eat a “heavy” meal or one that is fried, battered, or cooked in lots of oil, you will feel sick at your game. That won’t give you the competitive edge. Plus, that stuff isn’t very good for your heart or body!
Power on friends!
