No Energy

[btaylor64]

There is a drink called Spark made by a company called advocare. Go to www.advocare.com It is great and more healthy than the above mentioned.

[Jimgolf]

Mountain Dew and Snickers is a glycemic nightmare. Try having fewer processed carbs in the afternoon. Sugar makes the insulin level go up; insulin makes you sleepy. Coffee and a low carb snack bar or a piece of fruit (fruit has a lower glycemic value than processed sugar) should do the trick for a quick pick me up, unless you are sensitive to caffeine.

Stick to whole grains, salads and protein for lunch. At any rate, cut down on the sugar, white rice and potatoes. Save those for when you're not trying to stay awake.

You also might want to get your blood sugar checked, if you haven't done that in a while.

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by Jimgolf

Mountain Dew and Snickers is a glycemic nightmare. Try having fewer processed carbs in the afternoon. Sugar makes the insulin level go up; insulin makes you sleepy.

It really depends on the person. Even in people who have this strong glycemic response, stretching out the sugar over a long period of time makes the "hit" much less. Furthermore, if he consumes the whole candy bar and the entire 20 oz drink within half-an-hour of the game, his activity levels will raise other body responses and the insulin response will be quite a bit less extreme. The glycemic index thing is an extremely limited evaluation overall, I think.

[TimTaylor]

Try to stay away from the processed sugars & heavy carbs. Another down side of the sugar/caffiene approach is the crash when it wears off.

A light meal or snack 2-3 hours before the game helps, and as Jeff & Jim suggested sticking to things like fresh fruits, juices and energy bars are best. Mine typically consists of a banana, orange or apple & a couple of pieces of beef jerky, washed down with 16 oz of V8 juice. It's a good combination of natural fruit sugars, vitamins, minerals & protein that works well for me. Also the banana & V8 are rich in potassium, which is important for both the muscular and cardiovascular systems, and is depleted by exercise.

Proper hydration is essential before, during & after the game - as one of my SEER instructors told us many years ago, if you don't have to go you're not drinking enough water. Make sure you get adequate fluids and avoid those like coffee, tea & others (many sodas) that have a diuretic effect.

Getting enough rest is important too - when you're sleeping is when your body does most of it's repair work. Faced with a short night, power napping as Juulie suggested helps. Studies have shown that 20-30 minutes is about optimal - nap too long & it can actually make you feel more tired, not the result you're looking for.

Hope you find this useful........

[refnrev]

Everyone has their own routine. Here's mine. I cannot do a lot of caffeine, so if I had one of those super caffeinated drinks I'd be on the verge of a a full blown panic attack --- not exactly what you want in the middle of the game. About 2 hours before a game I have a PB&J sandwich, and 30 minutes before a game I eat a Cliff bar. Tons of carbs... but the good ones that will keep you going for long time. They come in all kinds of flavors. If I don't have any Cliff bars I'll eat a Detour protien bar, preferably the low sugar version. Those things are Snickers on steroids. Taste great and nothing bad for you in them!You can get either at any larger Wal-Mart or health food store. I've also done a slim fast bewteen soccer games, but not BB, but I do almost always have one driving home afterwards. At the half I go with whatever they give us to drink... water or gatorade unless I feel like I'm really dragging and I'll ask for a diet coke at the half or between multiple games. I can handle that much caffeine. Like, Juulie, if I have a double header and think I need one I often grab a candy bar for a quick pick me up. I should have done that last night.
Also, are you sleeping well after games or replaying every call in your head all night long. The more you work the less you'll do the latter, unless you really blow something big ---then you'll replay it over and over if you are like me. Good luck, Tell us what works for you.

[Junker]

I've gotten to be a big fan of vitamin water. The revive or energy flavors work well. I drink a 32 ouncer of one or the other on the way to every game. It fills me up enough to get through the night and increases my energy. Availability is a problem though. I don't see it too many places. In fact I used to drink a ton of it in Kansas City and I was in Iowa for 2 years before I found it here.