Meet Day Nutrition & Hydration

Recently we had a couple of members from our Powerlifting team compete at the BCPA Winter Open. One of the topics discussed in the lead up to this meet was how to properly nourish yourself on the day of the meet. Here are a few of coach Mitch’s basic tips for optimizing your nutrition for a powerlifting meet!

For this particular post, we’re going to treat this as your first meet. As such, no water cuts, no fasting. We’re strictly covering some basic nutrition principles to consider before stepping on the platform. With that being said, here are some simple, general guidelines for having a successful meet day with regards to your nutrition and hydration:

Eat a well balanced breakfast. Prioritize protein and carbohydrates, and stick to foods that you would normally eat.
Keep water on hand, all day. STAY HYDRATED.
Now is not the time to experiment with new foods. This includes supplements, new protein snacks etc. Stick with foods that you know your body can digest well.
It’s a long and exhausting day, steadily sipping on Gatorade, Powerade, or Pedialyte can go a long way.
Plan a lunch that is an APPROPRIATE size. Do not use this as an excuse to overload on food. At this point, it will be more of a hindrance than a help.
Snack on simple carbohydrates in between meals. The most opportune times will be between attempts, just not immediately before one!
Only eat to your comfort level. If you feel bloated or over-stuffed, this will likely impact your performance.
Your meet day nutrition should not look too drastically different from your regular training day nutrition

When it comes to putting in a good performance on the platform, whether it’s your first meet or your fifth meet, preparation is paramount. This means trusting the hard work you’ve put in leading up to meet day, having your paperwork ready to go and, most importantly, having food, snacks and drinks planned out. If you’re interested in learning more about powerlifting, in or out of competition, email mitchell@groundworkathletics.ca today to book your free Intro to Powerlifting session!