The Night Before: 5 Tips for Athletes Prepping for Game Day
Since kindergarten, we’ve been taught that practice makes perfect. We all know that putting in the hours on the field or in the gym can mean the difference between performing at your best and disappointing yourself. But did you know that how you prepare your body with food and rest also makes a huge difference in your performance?
When game day arrives, an exhausted, undernourished or over-fed body can be just as damaging as a week of missed practice. Giving your body the energy it needs could be the edge you need to help you dominate on the field. Below, find some tips on how to eat up, rest up and fuel up the night before game day, so you can show up ready to win.
CarboHYDRATE 😉
1. That’s right, layering on the carbs and hydrating your body are two of the best things you can do in the days leading up to the big game. Eating carbs regularly insures your body has adequate stores of glycogen, the form carbs take when they’re stored in muscle tissue. Glycogen gives energy to your muscles—so you can tackle, kick, or sprint your way to the gold.
2. Water is involved in 100% of all bodily functions, so it goes without saying that drinking enough of it can take your game to a whole new level. But in between training, prepping meals, and all your other responsibilities, who has the time to drink the recommended 8-10 glasses of water every day? Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier is the perfect tool for athletes to increase their level of hydration. One serving in 16 ounces of water can provide 2-3x the hydration of water alone. Bottoms up!
Stick to What You Know
3. As far as meals go, familiar is better. No matter how many articles you read on the latest pre-workout smoothie, don’t try something new the night before a competition. Save the experimentation for your next round of training, and go with what you know on game day.
Visualize Victory
4. Plenty of professional coaches encourage their players to actually visualize themselves winning—kicking the ball for the goal that ends the game, scoring a touchdown that breaks the tie, or rushing past the finish line before anyone else. Why? According to British journal The Telegraph, “Sports psychologist Dr. Richard Suinn found that visual rehearsal actually triggers neural firings in the muscles and creates a mental blueprint that can ultimately facilitate future performance.” Take a page from a pro athlete’s book and picture the winning play. It might not hurt to practice your victory dance, either.
Wind Down for Sleep
5. When you’re amped for the next day’s big game, it can be extra hard to fall asleep on time. If you need some tips, check out our article Zonk Out: How to Fall Asleep Quickly and Naturally. Highlights include meditation, taking a hot shower, and treating yourself to an all-natural nightcap: Liquid I.V. Sleep! LIV Sleep utilizes the same delivery system of Cellular Transport Technology™ that made Hydration Multiplier the fastest-growing hydration product in the world. CTT™ transports our Sleep Blend (a precise ratio of Melatonin, L-Theanine and Valerian root) rapidly into your bloodstream to help you fall asleep fast. Best of all? Since CTT™ works so well, we don’t need to use large amounts of our sleep ingredients, so they’re completely processed out of your bloodstream by the time you wake up. It’s the perfect wind-down to prep you for the next morning’s amp-up.
You’ve worked hard for this day, and supporting your body with the proper care will ensure all that hard work pays off. Liquid I.V.’s got your back. Good luck out there!
Written by: Samantha Colicchio, Liquid I.V. Brand Storyteller
