Can You Eat Before You Compete?

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Amy_08

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I can't
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I get so nervous, even if I'm just XC schooling. I just can't stomach any food, until well after I'm finished.

Its not a major problem if I am competing early in the morning, its just that if its later on in the day I really struggle energy wise, I get tired and stroppy, and obviously don't ride as well but I just can't eat. Anyone else like this? Any suggestions?
 
i usually have breakfast before i leave the house for the stables...but its usually only half a bowl of cheerios or something :P i usually feel sick - but not for nerves, i just usually feel a bit sick in the early morning. But because i didnt eat much, i usually end up feeling really faint when showjumping, especially if i take them both and they are both in 2 classes; that includes 4 warmups, 2 course walks, 4 rounds, a fair few runs back and from the lorry and 2 grooms/tack ups etc...not to mention all the loading up/hay net filling etc etc

i found that i could eat nut cluster cereal without feeling sick...and that tended to help with energy...just try and find a certain food (howver odd...could be curry or something odd :P) but SOMETHING that you can eat without feeling too sick.

maybe try some rescue remedy in the morning when you get up to relax you? and then maybe you can eat? xx
 
i force down a piece of toast and marmite on the morning of competitions and then drink lots of powerade to keep going until xc has finished and i can get started on the cheeseburgers and chips!
 
Yep i'm similar, although mostly at competitions rather than schooling.

I try to make myself eat something on the way, even if its really early, otherwise i really struggle for energy. Particularly at ODEs. I try and eat a cereal bar or some fruit on the way. I also take lots of non-fizzy energy drinks to competitions which are really good to keep your energy up.
 
im the same i never feel hungry either and have a simular problem
i still can't eat really until im finished but energy drinks and tablets seem to give me a little boost in the mean time
 
Toto-I can't even face a chocolate biscuit!

Mandymoo-Yes by the time you've walked the course, then if its hot as well, I barely have the energy to get on! I think you're right though, there must be one thing I can find, that I can stomach. Oh, I 've tried Rescue Remedy, that didn't work!

Has anyone tried the energy drinks?
 
I can eat...anytime! Just before I tacked up in Austria I had the best frankfurter type thing in curry stuff....Yum! I always walk the course with diet coke, I just do! I drink too much coke at events to live off caffiene.
For 3DE's I live off bacon, bread and ketchup, I'n various combinations
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I can't eat, but this season I've got a real campaign on to make sure I drink plenty (not THAT sort
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) I drink Lucozade (still kind) and/or Diet Coke, and plenty of it. When I can eat something it's usually chocolate
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My "Staying awake for driving through the night" technique if it's a long way is a combination of Red Bull and Galaxy
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Not exactly in the Good Nutrition Bible I fear
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It really really annoys me when they put me on at about lunch time
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If you are on at about 1, when are you meant to eat, before, or after
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Gives me such a headache
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I used to eat in the lorry on the way to the event, egg mayonnaise rolls, hot strong milky sweet coffee in a flask, and chocolate to finish. I'd be starving though, as I'd often be leaving the house at 4/5am.
Then nothing until I'd finished riding, except water or diet coke until I finished late afternoon. Then a humungous G&T!!!
 
I usually manage a pecan plait in the lorry before it's hit me that I'm competing (tradition ow, we get 10 mins away from our yrd and mum cracks open the pecan plaits, lol). Then, once I'm done and chilled, I will eat again. Until then, I hate riding on a full stomach, regardless.
 
Powerade/lucozade sport are good for energy if you can't face food. I can't deal with sandwiches, but cereal bars (1 bite at a time over quite a while is OK). Didn't used to eat, but got sick of going wobbly!
 
I dont have i cant eat because i am nervous but i usually forget as too busy, I make sure i drink loads, lucozade sport lots and lots.
And always have breakfast before we leave, even if it is a slice of toast in the lorry!
 
I can sympathise with you A_R as I have the same problem - often I'm not finished until 3-4pm and I absolutely can't eat until then - Not Good!

My saving grace is that I can always drink coffee. So I make myself a big flask of very milky, but very strong, coffee (like Gone_to_France above). I usually take sweeteners but I put sugar in instead on event days. I drink it while I'm getting ready and on the way in the lorry. Also I try and force a banana down - I don't enjoy it but can usually get most of one down me! They are good for energy I think it's something to do with carbohydrates.

Drinking is a good way to get round the not-being-able-to-eat thing. If you can stomach drinking, have you tried something like a smoothie? (Actually that's a good idea - might try it myself!)
 
I never used to be able to eat before jumping, but I'm out & about nearly every w'end so the nerves have kind of worn off. When I do something every week, it eventually seems a bit 'overkill' to get that knotted up every time.

I have my normal breakfast of vegan protein powder in soya milk, & take 2 bottles of sports drink with me. If I'm dressaging, I can eat at any time as I can't be ar*ed getting nervous for dr. If I'm jumping, I don't eat anything else beforehand as I've usually forgotten to bring anything! I can manage bananas or whatever if I've remembered them.

The joys of getting old - I can't be bothered getting my knickers in a knot every 5 minutes! Makes up for the knackered joints...
 
I can eat before I go competing. Mum usually cooks a full breakfast before we go. However, I dont then eat until I have finished competing.
 
Catembi-I do get out regularly and get so angry about how nervous I still get everytime I'm out-it seems like such a waste of energy/stress! Its obviously not going to get any better, otherwise it would've by now
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Jul-A smoothie sounds a good idea, I'll give it a go.

Gucci_B-Yes I forgot about the fags, chain smoking all the way to the event up until I get on
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Wishful-I think I'll try the cereal bars too, you're right even if it takes me an hour to eat it
 
Just thinking about food makes me feel sick. I am nil by mouth for least a week before an event and then spend mostof the time in the loo with the old bubbly bum problem
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sorry but must be other people who have the same problem with nerves as I do
 
Flapjack-PMSL
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No I can eat right up until the night before. Its just the morning of the event that it kicks in. I forgot about going to the loo lots. I do it too
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