Sample Meal Plans for Tennis
For tennis players, athletes, it is extremely important to eat the right things before, during and after matches and training. Players need to have enough energy to meet the demands of playing and to aid muscle growth and repair after. The articles below give examples of meal plans which include which foods to eat and when to eat them.
Below is a snippet from livestrong.com in which sports dietician Page Love, a consultant to the United States Tennis Association and the Women’s Tennis Association, recommends tennis players keep three things in mind when eating before matches:
“Eat foods high in carbs, moderate in protein and low in fat; eat familiar foods; eat foods you can digest easily. A sandwich with bread, lettuce, tomatoes, lean turkey and mustard instead of mayonnaise is an example of a nutritionally balanced, pre-match meal. Don’t try foods or drinks you’ve never had before a match or practice, since you may have an adverse response to them. Stay away from high-fiber, high-fat foods that take longer to digest.”
View full article from livestrong.com and sample meal plan
Below is a snippet from longislandtennismagazine.com of a sample meal plan for the day before and for the hours leading up to a match.
Start by loading up on carbohydrates two to three days prior to your match. Adding just an extra serving of carbohydrates will definitely help you with your endurance. Pasta, potato, rice and bread are all great choices. Avoid heavy sauces, creams, excessive sweets and fried foods as they will make you tired.
View full article from longislandtennismagazine.com and sample meal plan
Other articles on nutrition and planning meals for tennis:
Gluten free diet as used by Djokovic from independant.co.uk
Match Day Meal Plan by mealplansite.com
Nutrition for Tennis Players by USTA.com
Sample Meal Plan Printable Template
