Wrestlers competing at the Jh and Varsity level need to manage their weight properly and make weight for their weight class. Weigh-ins for all events are held about an hour prior to each event. Wrestlers should pack healthy snacks to eat after weigh ins to give their bodies a boost of energy prior to the match. Examples of food they should eat would be:

• Salads including fruits, pasta, veggies, nuts, etc.
• Sandwiches; turkey, chicken, and peanut butter are best
• Baked or grilled chicken breast with rice and veggies
• Pasta with tomato sauce
• Oatmeal with fruit
• Yogurt with granola and fruit
• Eggs and wheat toast

• Fruits: Fruits like bananas and oranges have high sugar contents, so eating one of these should give you a good spike of energy. Generally speaking, you can’t go wrong with fruit.

  Light sandwiches: Peanut butter and jelly or honey is a battle-tested, pre-match wrestling meal. Turkey and chicken are other good choices to eat right before a match. Go easy on the condiments (if at all), but add extra veggies!

  Water: The most underrated part of your pre-match meal is plain, old water! Water will help you digest your food quicker and more efficiently. It will also hydrate you and allow you to regulate your core body temperature. Water should be your first choice over sports drinks.

  Energy bars: A half or whole energy bar is a calorie- and nutrient-dense food that won’t fill you up. Try to choose an energy bar that has natural ingredients and limits preservatives and artificial ingredients. Generally speaking, energy bars containing nuts or nut butters, fruits, grains, etc. are your best bet. Also, make sure to drink at least 12 ounces of water per bar consumed to aid digestion.

  Sports drinks: Sports drinks are okay for competition, but you want to limit the amount you have. Essentially, you don’t need sports drinks if you are getting the necessary nutrients from your food. However, sports drinks are a helpful way to boost your electrolyte intake. Mixing half of a bottle of a sports drink with half of a bottle of water will help replenish your electrolytes without overloading you with syrups and additives. It will taste good, too!

What not to eat before a match:

Milk, potato chips, twinkies, tacos, pizza, country fried steak, cheese puffs, pig ears, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, bacon cheeseburger, candy, funnel cake, cotton candy, sausage