> I try to eat a good meal that leaves me full the night before a tournament,for starters. For breakfast the next morning,something light and in no way greasy or spicy,even though I love spicy foods and hot sauce in particular. If that means me eating a tuna or pimento cheese sandwich or even something like bologna or ham sandwiches from a gas station while everyone else eats McDonald's or IHOP before a tournament,so be it,I'll get something more substantial later,rather than take a chance on having it go thru me and put me in the bathroom several times before I play. More often than not,if I have to take a dump within 30 minutes of eating,it won't be the only time. Ask any athlete,if your stomach gets tore up before competing,and you go several times,not only is the benefit of what you just ate wasted,but it takes even more than you put in nutrient-wise. I also avoid pancakes for breakfast,too much sugar and makes me sleepy,lazy,and bloated,even if I just eat 2. I also don't want to eat until I'm full. The best I've ever felt physically before and during a tournament I had fettucini alfredo,a creamy noodle dish served usually with lightly grilled chicken,and ate about 75% of it. Lance Armstrong has been reported to eat Ramen noodles every night before bed,giving the carbs longer to dissolve. I also had about 3 hours from the time I got there until I had to play,and won 5 matches in a row on the loser's side to finish 3rd in a U.S. Open qualifier. I felt so good physically it manifested itself mentally in the form of clearer decision making under battle conditions,which helped my stroke loosen up. If possible,I like to eat something light again 4-5 hours later,if I have to leave between matches to go get it. I prefer ice water to carbonated drinks during matches to avoid the sugar/caffiene,but have been to places that give me a hard time about asking for water,as opposed to me paying for drinks,thinking that I'm just trying to be cheap. We've all seen people like that,I'm certain. Also,most rooms that hold tournaments won't let you bring outside drinks in. After the matches are done for the day,I eat a huge meal. On the other hand,Buddy Hall has been known to go into a restaurant and order the biggest steak they have and go play a match an hour later. In the last year or so,I've discovered that Imodium tastes horrible,but works great,so my meal choices have opened up considerably,but I still try to stick with what worked in the past. Tommy D.
