Food ideas for after weigh-in:
- Drink at least one 8-ounce glass of water
- Bagels, English muffins, or toast topped with peanut butter and jelly
- Cold or hot cereal with low-fat milk
- Fresh fruit
- Fruit juice
- Low-fat yogurt
- Pancakes topped with fruit
- Waffles topped with fruit
- Tuna in a package (my favorite)
Ideas for pre-competition meals:
- Drink at least one 8-ounce glass of water
- Baked potato topped with salsa or other low-fat topping
- Bread, muffins, rolls topped with honey, jam or other low-fat topping Broiled fish
- Cooked vegetables
- Fresh or canned fruit
- Fruit juice, unsweetened
- Lettuce salad with low-fat dressing
- Low-fat milk
- Pasta without meat sauce
- Rice, white or brown
- Skinless, white chicken or turkey
- Pre-made sandwiches are always a good idea just make sure the bread is not white.
- Tip: use Dave’s Killer Bread (sold at Roche Brothers)
Any breakfast ideas are also excellent choices for pre-game.
Tuna in a package (my favorite)
- Sold literally everywhere and the stuff is straight fuel.
- Tip: look for the flavors Lemon Pepper, or Ranch.
Foods to avoid:
- Avoid foods with high sodium contents are NOT great options for wrestlers. The sodium causes water to leave the muscles where it is needed to aid performance.
- Avoid foods that are fried, crispy, buttery, Au Gratin, or served with gravy on top.
- Avoid Sports drinks with Fructose, (and / or) Caffeine. Fructose is not absorbed well by the body and may cause stomach upset. Sports drinks should not contain caffeine as it will dehydrate the body further. Water is always a good option.
- Alternative: cheaper than commercial brands: ½ cup honey; ½ teaspoon lite salt; 1/4 cup lemon juice; and 7 ½ cups lukewarm water. This drink is made with lukewarm water so the honey will be dissolved. It can be cooled after making it. The drink contains about 60 calories, 72 milligrams of sodium and 85 milligrams of potassium per 8-ounce serving.
Fluids By Time:
- About 2 hours before competition: they should drink 2 cups of fluid. This fluid may contain about 180 calories per 8-ounce serving.
- About 1 hour before competition: they should drink 2 cups of fluids that contain some carbohydrate and electrolytes, especially sodium and potassium.
- About 15 – 20 minutes before competition: they should drink another 1 ½ – 2 cups of similar fluid or water.
*Any fluid consumed within 1 hour of competition or a workout should not contain more than 60 calories per 8-ounce serving. Drinking fluid with more calories than this delays the speed the fluid is absorbed by the body and may cause an upset stomach during exercise.
Wellesley Wrestling 