The Pre-Game Lettuce Wrap
I recently had a conversation with one of my former teammates about the silly ways we treated our bodies in college. She brought up how after we played a certain school we would always go to this burger place, and I immediately knew which one she was referring to. I could picture everything about that restaurant because of how much I dreaded going there due to my irrational fear of burgers, not because the food wasn’t good. We discussed how after games we would try to consume as little as possible if we felt like we didn’t earn our food, or didn’t get enough playing time to eat the food that we desired to. 9 times out of 10, I didn’t order the bun on my burger because I thought that I had no business eating the “excess” carbs or calories…after playing over three hours of volleyball. Let me repeat that, I thought that I didn’t deserve to eat bread after playing 3 to 5 sets of volleyball, plus an hour warm up. I didn’t view bread as a source to replenish the carbs, glycogen, and literally all energy I just depleted. I simply saw it as extra carbs that I thought I didn’t need.
Pre-game or post-game, I would try to condense the calorie count of everything I ate, no matter what is was.
For some reason, one meal that I remember very specifically was a pre-game meal during my freshman year. We went to a sandwich shop (because what team doesn’t) and I had the nerve to order a lettuce wrap instead of a sandwich with actual bread. I have no doubt that I did this multiple times in the years to follow, whether it was opting out of bread completely, eating a salad at subway, or choosing a different side than the one I actually wanted because I was afraid of eating extra calories. At the time, I thought I was doing great things and that I was the epitome of health and pre/post-game fuel. I was under the impression that I was setting myself up for success by eating less. Looking back, I can’t help but laugh a little that I thought all of this was not only a good idea, but beneficial for my body as an athlete. I’m all for a casual lettuce wrap, but maybe just MAYBE not as the only fuel source hours before a match.
I strongly believe that athletes need to know their bodies, and understand what foods are best for them to eat both pre and post game. Do I think I would have performed better had I eaten a cheeseburger and fries before a match?? That’s a big no. I also don’t think I would have been allowed to do that lol. I know my body, and I know that I would have felt lethargic after eating that right before a match. But I also know that the lettuce wrap didn’t quite do it for me, so that means I needed to find a happy medium between the two. For me this looked like a sandwich with the bread, and a filling side with some fats. Everyone's needs are different, and it takes trial and error.
Believe me, I’m the first person to encourage athletes to be mindful of the foods they’re putting into their bodies and to fuel in a way that’s conducive to their sport. But I also now understand that there is a very, very fine line between eating healthy, and being so obsessed with what you eat that it turns unhealthy. There is a big difference between mindful eating, and a mind full of eating. The thing for me is that once again, I thought I was dong the right things and eating healthy meals not only before, but after a game. There is so much I didn’t understand, and as a result I made food choices that were not conducive for my body as an athlete. It’s a wonder I was able to do what I did on so little fuel, and I fear how many athletes are currently doing the same.
The point of this is, you have to try things to figure out what’s best for your body. Athlete or non athlete, there are certain foods that will help you to feel your best, and make you feel more energetic. There are also foods which can induce the opposite feelings. There’s a time and place for both of these categories, you just have to experiment and figure out what works best for YOU. It’s important to remember that just because you’re on the same team, doesn’t mean your food needs are the same. Same goes for eating with family or friends. Keep your eyes on your own plate and try not to compare your food choices to others, either in a positive or negative light. Don’t be afraid to order the bread on your sandwich, whether you’re about to compete or not!! Food is fuel, and carbs are not the enemy-they’re energy, and they taste pretty dang good too!