Food and Beverage consumption during tournament play

cmsmith9

cmsmith9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I played in a tournament/action for about 14 hours Saturday. I was exhausted and drained. During the tournament I spoke with some people about how what you eat/drink throughout the day can shift your body chemistry and affect the way you play. I do not eat during matches, but I do have soda's/water. My day consisted of Dunkin Donuts coffee and bagel, Cokes, Wendy's, and pretzels from the pool room. Obviously not healthy choices in any capacity. But we all know that being in a pool room all day, your food selection is limited. I've seen other players bringing their own food in. I don't know if it's to avert the cost or they are more health conscious than the rest of us.

Does anyone do anything to avoid this tiring throughout the day? Daily exercise? Eating habits? Vitamins? Looking for a natural way to help, not become a chemical player.

Thanks,

Christian
 
Something to consider is bringing a little cooler with some better options (sandwiches, fruit, etc) and leaving it in your car. Bug out to the parking lot when you need to refuel.
 
I'm also interested in hearing what some of you do during these long days. I have the same problem. Twice this month I ran out of gas coming thru the B-side after playing 8-9 hours straight.
 
Of the endura-thons that i have played in, the ones i had the most success with where i lasted pretty long and didn't fall apart, were the ones where i was eating MESO-Tech and NITRO-Tech supplement bars.

My body felt way better then it ever has after eating poolroom/fast food during a tournament.
 
ScottW that is a good idea with the cooler in a car. I too would like to hear some opinions on this subject.

I recently played a tourney that we started at noon & I got knocked out in 2nd at 11pm. Was a grueling day... drained me both mentally & phisically. I have come to the sense as I am no spring chicken no more. Of course the 2 or 3 beers I drank a match didn't help. :grin-square:
 
I try and eat no later than 2 hours before the beginning of the tournament...something small that will hold me over. Then I'll get something small in the evening that isn't too fatty or greasy. If they have a chicken caesar salad, that's usually what I'll get.
 
Early in tournaments it is easy to get time between matches to eat or drink. It is the later stages that the matches get closer together. If you can see yourself getting in the top 8 ya might want to grab somethng to eat. I usually pack some granola bars to hold me over. I don't like eating a big meal right before playing.
 
I drink only water when I'm playing in leagues or tourneys. Probably way more than I need to, but I like to feel hydrated. I also try to eat some sort of pasta dish BEFORE I go so I have plenty of carbohydrates in my system. I'm hypoglycemic so I watch my sugar intake throughout the day. Fortunately, the place we play at has a full restaurant inside, so I don't always have to worry about WHERE I'm going to eat. But I do try to stay with foods like chicken, grains, and vegetables. Too many sugars, even for people without sugar issues, will make you full, then crash you again 2 hours later. Making you feel even MORE hungry.

Big meal with a lot of carbs before you go
Plenty of water while you're there
couple apples and sandwiches (5 dollar footlong is a good one) in the car
Gum
 
tucson9ball said:
Early in tournaments it is easy to get time between matches to eat or drink. It is the later stages that the matches get closer together. If you can see yourself getting in the top 8 ya might want to grab somethng to eat. I usually pack some granola bars to hold me over. I don't like eating a big meal right before playing.
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At that time in the tournament, don't hesitate to tell the TD you need a small break between matches to get some food in you. Most folks will understand. Most of THOSE folks will give you the time :)
 
Guys this is good stuff. I forgot to mention and it coincides with eating carbs/pasta. My sister who is very health concious said eating pasta the night before will allow for the carbs to carry over to the next day and give you that extra boost.

I am sure daily exercise helps drastically, but honestly, I kind of feel that nothing is like putting in hours and hours in the pool room.

Anyone take vitamins regularly or throughout events? Also, this might sound silly, but I used to carry tooth brush and tooth paste (also condoms, but that's a different story) in my cue case. I felt like washing my face and brushing my teeth made me feel a bit fresher.

Christian
 
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I usually go with beer and if I get to feeling really hungry I'll order a crown and 7up.

Seriously though, it is tough, especially when those places won't let outside food in and they are serving crap.
 
cmsmith9 said:
Guys this is good stuff. I forgot to mention and it coincides with eating carbs/pasta. My sister who is very health concious said eating pasta the night before will allow for the carbs to carry over to the next day and give you that extra boost.

I am sure daily exercise helps drastically, but honestly, I kind of feel that nothing is like putting in hours and hours in the pool room.

Anyone take vitamins regularly or throughout events? Also, this might sound silly, but I used to carry tooth brush and tooth paste (also condoms, but that's a different story) in my cue case. I felt like washing my face and brushing my teeth made me feel a bit fresher.
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A lot of endurance athletes (triathalonners, cyclists) will carbo-load like that. It's not a bad idea.

Staying physically fit, I'm sure, is a big thing. I'd put it nearly on par with actual practice time. Not saying one hour of exercise for one hour of practice, but find a good ratio and stick to it.

The toothbrush idea isn't a bad one :) Seriously, whatever keeps you feeling good is a good idea.
 
Exercising and being fit would definitely be an advantage. I did a little research and I guess a better way would be to have granola bars, nuts, fruit, maybe some energy bars low in sugar and water is a good way to keep going. Those are ideal cause you don't need to refrigerate. I was advised to try and eat every 2-3 hours, small snacks. It doesn't compensate for a full course meal though which is nice to kill some time during matches. I am going to try it for my next tournament and see how I feel.

I know a WPBA pro brings granola bars and nuts with her and eats them throughout the day. GuyI-NJ loves nuts.

Christian
 
Food

Hey guys, how about a little support for the room you are playing in. Not saying you need to buy a five course dinner, but a sandwich should be in your tournament budget. :rolleyes:
 
windward said:
Hey guys, how about a little support for the room you are playing in. Not saying you need to buy a five course dinner, but a sandwich should be in your tournament budget. :rolleyes:
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What if the room in question a) has no food, or b) has crappy unhealthy stuff that is disguised as food?

No one is saying "screw the room over" here - we're talking about when the room's offerings, if any, are not up to par.
 
Ok, i'll say it!!!!

windward said:
Hey guys, how about a little support for the room you are playing in. Not saying you need to buy a five course dinner, but a sandwich should be in your tournament budget. :rolleyes:
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I'll buy soda all day long, but the heck if i'm going to spend good money to get a sandwich made from someone that just picked their nose, who gets upset when i ask them to wash their hands.

Let alone, when i go to a pool room where the owner goes into the bathroom, and is in the stall right next to mine, who finishes his business, only to go back out without washing his hands, and starts to spread rolls for the hot dogs that are being ordered. (that room is now closed)

I mean, i dunno about you guys, but sometimes the person at the counter or working the food area, is just DIRTY.

If it's one of those "no outside food or drink" and they have some scumbag working the food, then i will be visiting my car repeatedly to get the food that i bought somewhere else.
 
Learn from Alex...just before he mounted his incredible comeback against SVB, he ate fruit. A well-timed banana can boost you right thru the tough times.
 
windward said:
Hey guys, how about a little support for the room you are playing in. Not saying you need to buy a five course dinner, but a sandwich should be in your tournament budget. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

You're absolutely right. That's why I try to buy drinks and snacks there as often as I can. I can definitely can swing a burger or pizza, but then I am not feeling as good as I'd want to be. Most pool room food is that a lot of it is pre-packaged frozen stuff that isn't the healthiest for you. To me it's equivalent to a Wendy's or another fast food restaurant. I like to venture out to get some fresh air, change of scenery and to clear my head.

You have a valid point though and I'll figure something where the room and I can both benefit.

Christian
 
I also agree with supporting the pool room and not bringing in your own food. Obviously there are times youll have to make the exception, but if its a place that has long tournaments regularly you could suggest it to the bar to provide the food you(and others) want. If they can make some money of it they might be willing to try it. The place I go to always has good meals and will have specials for tournaments and such.
 
As a vegetarian, I really struggle to maintain a high energy level at all-day events. Most of the meat-free options available in my local pool halls are deep fried, and will make me feel worse than not eating at all. I will usually take a good multivitamin before these events, preferably one that is high in B's for the extra energy, although this can sometimes cause jitters early on if you're a coffee drinker like myself. I also try to drink lots and lots of water, and I will not eat an actual meal unless I know I have an hour or two afterward to recover from it. As far as a good snack goes, I kind of like trail mix or GORP. I would imagine some of the energy bars (PowerBar, Tiger's Milk, etc.) might be a good option as well; perhaps some granola bars also, but I try to avoid the ones that are loaded up with sugar. I look for things that are likely to keep me on a even keel, rather than something that's going to give me a short jolt of energy, or, worse yet, a meal that's too heavy and makes me want to take a nap.

Aaron
 
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