Battle Fuel

First Meal
If making weight has been a multi-day challenge and you're starving and dry, obviously your first instinct is to gulp and gobble. Take it slow. Eating and drinking too fast can make you sick, or at the very least uncomfortable for a couple of hours. This is not good when you need to be mentally positive, getting ready for your first battle-not negative, dealing with an upset stomach. The diffrence in taking an extra 5 or 10 minutes to consume your first meal is significant in maintaining a tournament mindset.
The first type of food to consume after making weight should be a 100% real piece of fruit: Banana, orange, or a skinned apple. You know the reason, Right? Consume a simple carb first, which will immediatly put fuel in your tank. It will quickly increase your blood sugar level, and you'll feel better instantly. No doubt you'll still be parched, so down a couple of pounds of WATER-slowly. Don't sip it, but don't gulp it.
After initial fruit, and water comes a carb/fat combo: a bagel and cream cheese, bagel and peanut butter, PB&J, plus a nut mix on the side. Stay away from meat.
The amount of carb/fat combo you need depends on your size and how much you've cut. A 103 pounder may only need half a bagel, where a 215er may need a couple of them.
The key thing to keep in mind is to slow it down, and don't overdo it. Control yourself. Don't make yourself uncomfortable. Then take a break, and let your digestive system break down the food. After 20 minutes or so, if your still empty go back for more, the second round you can skip the fruit. Go for another carb/fat combo. After you've reached the full line, it's time to take a break. Probably, there is at least an hour before starting warm-ups for your first match, so put on the headphones, calm your mind, GET HORIZONTAL, and let your body absorb the mass quantites,
while you prepare your mind for battle.
Mental preparation side note: Once you see your bracket, and locate your first match, you're going to experience an emotional response. As your lying there digesting your fuel, you're either feeling doubtful or confident. If your uncertain about your guy's skill level, treat it as an unknown, and give your unknown opponent the respect he deserves. If you have a fear/doubt reaction, start pumping positive mental images into your conscious mind. If your reaction is no problem, don't take it to lightly. Either way get yourself centered, and start to find your I cant lose attitude.You wrestlers do some funny stuff when you don't have experience with an opponent, Especially if he's buff. Instantly you turn into an FBI Agent, and do a background check on the kid Usually one of your buddies has had some kind of first hand experience with the buff kid, and has stories to offer-sort of an Intel report. Dude, he beat the kid, who beat the kid. I'm serious dude.
Intel reports are almost always negative. Its' probably best to let stories go, because all they do is mess with your mind. Stories are totally worthless. Treat every match as uncertain match, give supreme respect, and go compete. You'll know what's up within seconds of the start of the match, so believe in yourself and execute.
SORRY DADS(This is me) I have to get on you here a bit. I've seen too many of you at the brackets sheets doing the, Well son, he beat Bob, who beatJoe, who beat Pete.
You beat Pete, but didn't beat Joe, but you might be able to beat this kid. Yuck!! Take all that mental nothingness and flush it. It's not only absolutely worthless, it's counter productive. Competitors need to focus on their confidence, and their strengths, that's it.....
Back to nutrition
Between matches repeat the first meal process: piece of fruit, water, and a carb/fat combo. It's pretty simple.
The only variation is the amount of each. If you had a grueling match, and you.re a sweater, you're going to need more water. If you pinned your guy in the first period, you won't need as much. Go by feel. The key thing between matches is rest. GET HORIZONTAL.
Fast burning Carbs
Fruit- Apple(skinned)
Orange
Banana
Slow Burning Carbs:
Grain-Whole Wheat
Bread
Muffins
Bagels
Long Burning GOOD Fat:
Cream Cheese
String Cheese
Peanut Butter
Carb/Fat Combo
Bagel&Cream Cheese
Bagel&Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter&Jelly
Nut Mix
Wrap or Sandwich
HYDRATION
70% Water 30% Sports Drinks