Pro Athletes Reveal the Food They Can’t Eat Before a Game

Getting ready for a big game is serious business. Professional athletes have to be focused and physically and mentally ready. As you can imagine, playing a physical sport is exhausting. Imagine trying to play for hours at a time. This is the reality for professional athletes.

To get ready for their big game, there are foods they avoid and those they eat to give them energy. What are they? Follow along to find out.

For this slideshow, we've compiled a list of food items athletes avoid and eat using sources like pro-athlete interviews and health sources like the University of Chicago Medicine.

Click through our list for some foods athletes avoid before a game (or at least they should) according to health and nutrition sources.

Is it surprising to see fried foods here? Probably not. Fried food can make you feel tired, bloated, and give you digestive problems with grease. Eating this before a game, or even 24 hours before, can spell trouble.

Soda is fine in moderation. Although high in sugar, it's okay to drink every once in a while. However, soda before a big game can cause digestive issues like gas and even diarrhea, which is not what you want to deal with while running on a field.

Who can say no to a delicious, sweet dessert? Although a tasty treat, it isn't something you need to eat before playing a game. Even if you don't move much, it can hurt your stomach and cause you to get a sugar crash, making you feel tired, bloated, and slow.

Not everyone can handle dairy. It's actually really hard for our bodies to digest. About 70% of the world's population is lactose intolerant to some degree. So, if you're one of these 70%, maybe don't drink a glass of milk or a scoop of ice cream before a game. Even for those who aren't lactose intolerant, milk takes a while to digest since it's a fatty liquid.

This one is a big debate between athletes and even nutritionists. Although vegetables and fruits are healthy and full of natural sugars to boost your energy, they are also rich in fiber. When you eat a fiber-heavy diet, going to the bathroom is inevitable, which can be hard when you're playing a game.

Water is all professional sports players need before playing a game. Alcohol should never be consumed before a game or even the night before, as it can impair your judgment and slow you down. You also wouldn't want to play with a hangover, so ditch the liquid courage.

You don't want to eat anything too heavy before a game, even if it's loaded with protein. Instead, stick to light carbs that fill you up, but won't make you feel tired. Protein, including fish and lean meat, can take hours to digest, potentially causing issues when you play and run. Fatty meals to especially avoid for at least four hours before a game starts are hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, and spaghetti.

It wouldn't be fair to mention what athletes aren't eating without also including some that they do. Click through for healthy foods dietitians and experts recommend eating before playing a sport.

This one is probably super obvious, but it's so important it needs to be mentioned. If you are playing a sport, whether professional, amateur, or just for fun, you need to drink water. Staying hydrated not only can help you play better, but it also keeps you safe. Dehydration is not a joke and can cause headaches, digestive trouble, and fainting spells.

Peanut butter sandwiches are light enough not to cause you a stomachache, but big enough to fill you up. Some people also add sliced bananas to their sandwich or peanut butter toast.

A granola bar is a great, quick treat that can increase your energy levels before a game. Of course, choose wisely, as not all granola bars are the same. Some include protein powder, while others are practically all sugar.

Bananas are a great snack for energy. They aren't too high in sugar, nor are they heavy enough to cause you to feel sleepy. To give your stomach time to digest the fruit, eat it at least an hour before the start of your game. This common fruit is especially popular for tennis players. Fun fact: the Australian Open provides 200kg of bananas a day to players.

If you need something a little more than a granola bar but with the same effect, you can eat a bowl of oatmeal with berries. Berries are excellent antioxidants and energy boosters. Many athletes eat this snack, including American cyclist Megan Guarnier.

Bread isn't an enemy, even for pro athletes playing long games. It's still a good way to keep your stomach full and happy, without being bloated. However, athletes should eat whole grain bread before playing, not white bread, as it's full of sugar.