Fueling for the Game: A Guide to Pre-Basketball Nutrition

Nutrition plan: what to eat before a basketball game?

Eating properly before a basketball game is crucial to maximizing energy, endurance and overall performance, and to minimizing the risk of injury or discomfort. “Basketball is a team sport that generates a large calorie expenditure. Players spend 40 minutes covering the pitch, with breaks and accelerations: the effort is split type” describes Laura Martinez.

The body will therefore need sufficient energy to support this significant physical effort, but must not be hampered by possible digestive discomfort.

The rule is to have a large proportion of carbohydrates, while limiting fiber and foods that are too fatty and poorly digestible. Laura Martinez, sports dietitian

A portion of lean protein will help prepare the muscles for the intense effort to come and limit the risk of muscle breakdown during the match.
The meal preceding the match must be taken at least two to three hours before the start of the matchso that the digestive work is finished, and that it does not monopolize energy resources.
If necessary, a small, light and digestible snack rich in sugar can be taken a few minutes before training or the match.

The basketball match is then composed of 4 periods of 10 minutes, separated by intervals of 2 minutes with a half-time of 15 minutes. “During short intervalsbasketball players can recharge your batteries with a homemade or store-bought isotonic drink. Pendant my time in a quarter of an hour, they can eat a solid snack rich in quick sugarslike half a banana, a few dates, a muesli bar or even fruit paste” recommends the nutritionist.

Should you take protein after basketball?

After a basketball gamethe player will have to rehydrate, restore acid-base balance disrupted by muscular effort, replenish your glycogen stock and of course, provide the proteins necessary for repair and growth of damaged muscles.

“If the meal directly follows the basketball match, it will provide a substantial portion of protein (meat, poultry, eggs, etc.) which will be sufficient to cover its needs. If the next scheduled meal is far from the end of the matcha protein snack in the form of casein or whey, Whey type is recommended, to repair the player’s muscle micro-lesions” advises Laura Martinez.

The rest of the meal will ideally provide a good dose of raw or cooked vegetables and an oil rich in anti-inflammatory omega 3, such as flax, walnut or rapeseed for the supply of essential fatty acids and necessary micro-nutrients.

Hydration, the restoration of the acid-base balance and the replenishment of sweat losses, will require sparkling mineral water rich in sodium, such as Vichy St Yorres® for example.

It is of course ideal to have a healthy and balanced diet outside of match periods, in order to stay fit and in good health.

Basketball player’s diet: How many carbohydrates should the player eat?

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for intense, prolonged activities like basketball. Adequate food intake is therefore essential to support high energy needs.
For endurance athletes and players engaged in high-intensity sports such as competitive basketball, it is generally recommended to consume between 4 and 5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day. A 60 kg player, for example, should ideally consume between 240 g and 350 g of carbohydrates per day.
For example, a portion of 100 g of cooked starchy foods (pasta, rice, potatoes…), a portion of 40 g de pain, fresh fruit, fruit yogurt or 30 g of cereals such as unsweetened muesli or oatmealeach bring approximately 20 g of carbohydrates.

How much protein should a basketball player eat per day?

Proteins are an essential component of muscles, and are therefore of capital importance for athletes. They are in fact composed of amino acids, which are the basic elements necessary for the repair and growth of muscle tissues damaged during exercise.
After intense activity – as is the case in basketball – the player’s muscle fibers deteriorate. Protein helps rebuild these fibers, making them stronger and bulkier.
“The amount of protein needed per day for basketball players depends on a number of factors, such as individual age, gender, weight, training level and goals“Laura Martinez explained.
Recommendations for athletes practicing a high-intensity sport such as basketball are generally between 1.2 and 2.0 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day.
This protein intake should ideally be distributed throughout the day to maximize muscle protein synthesis.
Among the best sources of natural protein are meats, fish, eggs, seafood, dairy products or plant proteins such as tofu, tempeh and to a lesser extent legumes.

“Protein in the form of food supplements, such as whey, is interesting if the player has difficulty meeting his protein needs through food. Laura Martinez

How many calories do you burn in an hour of practice or training?

“He is very difficult to average the calorie expenditure linked to playing basketballsince it will vary greatly depending on the player’s profile, his level, his weight, his age, his metabolism, his place on the field…” lists Laura Martinez.

It is estimated that this caloric expenditure can vary from 400 to over 900 calories per hour of basketball depending on these different parameters.

2024-06-05 22:11:24
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