It is important to be prepared when travelling away from home for a tournament.
If driving,take plenty of water in the car with you, so you can drink at regular intervals along the way.
Either pack the food you will need or have an idea of exactly where you can stop at what time and what will be available to buy. I.e., subway, cafes etc.
If flying nationally, take your own water on the flight to keep your fluid levels up, helping maintain fluid balance.
If flying internationally, then request as much water as possible and avoid the fizzy and alcohol beverages served on flight, as these will lead to dehydration and can have an effect on performance and recovery.
Check with your travel agent when purchasing your tickets, to see whether the meals meet your dietary requirements. If not try and request different meals or take your own meals pre-prepared at home.
It is important to keep yourself busy while flying on long flights, so you don’t start eating out of boredom.
Take some snacks with you, but don’t take more than what you will need, and stick to foods like;
- Nuts and seeds
- Crackers
- Protein Bars
When travelling to a different town, know what kind of foods you will need to meet your nutritional needs, and try and locate the shops that will provide them, as soon as you get there. This will make it easier to stick to your meal plans and not get distracted by other food choices.
If you don’t know when you will get a chance to find food, it is easier that you have meals with you that you can trust and rely on.
Good options are high protein salads, wraps, smoothies, cans of tuna/rice etc.
If in another country it is important to try and stick to foods that you are familiar with. This is to avoid adverse reactions which may affect your performance.
It is also important to eat food that has been prepared and cooked hygienically so there is no chance of food poisoning.
And one of the most important things to remember is that you are there to compete and need your body performing at its peak. To achieve this, you need to maintain the same kind of meal plan you would eat at home, and not get distracted by the different varieties of food and drinks available.
You need to eat regularly and in moderation and keep your fluids up.
Avoid alcohol until well after you have finished your competition.
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