Experiment with the following guidelines to determine the right pretraining or pre-competition meal for your body. You may find that your food preferences vary with the type of exercise, level of intensity, and time of day. Every day, eat adequate high-carbohydrate meals to fuel and refuel your muscles so they’ll be ready for action. Snacks eaten within an hour before exercise keep you from feeling hungry. The best refueling occurs within an hour post-exercise. If you will be exercising for more than 60 – 90 minutes, choose carbohydrates with a moderate to low glycemic effect. Some examples of these foods include yogurt, bananas, oatmeal, bean soup, lentils and apples. If you will be exercising for less than an hour, simply snack on any tried and true foods that digest easily and settle comfortably. Bread, bagels and pasta are some examples. Limit high-fat proteins. Foods with a high fat content may contribute to sluggishness, as well as nausea. Be cautious with sugary foods (soft drinks, jelly beans, or even sports drinks. Some athletes who eat sugary foods before exercise find that after an initial increase in blood sugar, their levels decrease rapidly, leaving them very tired and light-headed. Allow adequate time for food to digest. High calorie meals take longer to leave the stomach than do low-calorie foods. Allow more digestion time before intense exercise than before low-level activity. If you know that you will be jittery and unable to tolerate any food before an event, make a special effort to eat well the day before. Have an extra large bedtime snack instead of breakfast. If you have a “magic food,” be sure to pack it along with you when traveling to an event. Although food is provided at our regattas, if you prefer a specific nutrition bar or type of fruit, you should bring it with you. Always eat familiar foods before a competition. Don’t try anything new. Drink plenty of fluids. Drink an extra 4 glasses of water the day before, and be sure to drink plenty of water the day of competition. Please remember, no soda should be consumed before or during rowing events by the rowers. | 
