Up Your Game Naturally: Sensible Ways to Sustain Your Energy When Playing Sports

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Competitive sports are a great way to stay in shape and have fun, no matter your age. You get exercise and the rush of playing well against others. But if you don’t take the time to get your body in prime condition, then you may not have as much fun as you could.

Whether you play golf, football or tennis, your body runs out of energy quickly as you compete. Pair that with the hot weather that most sports usually take place in, and you may be left feeling tired quicker than your opponents if you don’t sustain your energy. If you want to play your best on game day, here are a few tips that will have you feeling energized all day long.

Eat Right

Perhaps the absolute best thing you can do to keep your energy levels up while playing a sport is to eat right. And this doesn’t just mean on game day but every day.

If you want to play your best, you should avoid diets that are high in fat and sodium. Focus on eating proteins, fruits and vegetables and complex carbohydrates that provide you with long, slow-releasing energy throughout the day.

On the night before a competition, the complex carbohydrates become even more important. Carbs increase your body’s store of glycogen, which is converted into the glucose that your body uses for energy. Eating carbs like whole-grain pasta and bread will provide you with long-lasting energy, but refined carbs like white bread and sugary cereals will not help you, so try to avoid them.

Eat a good breakfast the day of the competition. This means more complex carbs to help your energy levels and protein to help you feel full and satisfied so you avoid overeating. Also, healthy snacks like fruits and protein bars are great to eat during your competition to keep your energy going.

If you need a quick boost of energy during the competition, you can try drinking a Rich Energy Drink. Energy drinks like these provide a jolt of energy that can help you get through the competition if you’re feeling sluggish.

Exercise

When you’re not competing, you should still have an exercise regimen so your body is used to the exertion that sports require.

If you play a sport once a week, then you can try a regimen that involves heavy lifting if you want, but if you play nearly every day, you’ll want to lift only occasionally. Lifting heavy weights drains your muscles of a lot of energy and it takes time for them to heal, something that can hinder your athletic prowess during a sporting event. Instead, try cardio workouts like running, biking or swimming to keep your muscles primed and ready for stressful competition.

Get Some Rest

On the day before and the day of a competition, you should take care not to exert yourself too much. Save that energy for the game. If you must do any exercising before the game, take it easy and do a light cardio workout to prime your heart and body for competition.

You should make sure you get plenty of sleep, as well. And not just on gameday; you should get seven to eight hours of sleep a night in order to stay healthy and ready to compete. Bad sleep habits can cause a host of problems. Not only will you not have the focus you need to play your best, but your body won’t be as energized as it could be. Sleep also helps repair your heart and blood vessels, allowing blood to circulate through your body more effectively.

Stay Hydrated

Water is the most essential thing your body needs, especially when you will be exerting energy for several hours at a sporting event.

Water helps all of those nutrients that you’ve eaten make it to your cells and store them as energy. As you lose water, your body’s basic functions begin to breakdown, leaving you feeling tired and sluggish.

You can lose nearly eight cups of water during an intense sporting event, so you need to make sure to put that water back into your body. Any time you can, take a few sips of water to keep your hydration up. Take care not to drink too much at one time, though; you’ll feel bogged down with a stomach full of water and may even feel sick.

If you play any sports, try these tips to keep your energy levels up.

Finley Thompson is a sportsman who competes in marathons and is often training, keeping his body at peak performance for most of the year.