To be the best in eSports, you need to excel at hand-eye coordination, reaction time, strategic thinking, focus, concentration, adaptability, persistence, problem solving and communication. What you put into your body every day can have a huge impact on each of these skills and determine your level of play that day. Learn how to improve your game on competition days, travel days and every day.
Fuel for Performance
The average professional eSport athlete spends 5-10 hours gaming daily. Keep your mind and body prepped to win by paying attention to the 3 Ps.
Protein
Protein in the food you eat helps you maintain muscle and keeps you full between meals and snacks (which decreases the chances of overeating). Choose a lean (or low in fat) protein food at every meal and snack.
Produce
Including color on your plate is important to meet your fiber, vitamin and mineral needs. Fiber helps digestion, while vitamins and minerals play a role in creating energy from food and fighting off illness (which means no disruptions to playing time).
Portion
The focus of your plate should be color through fruits and vegetables (covering half the plate). One quarter of the plate should be grains or starchy veggies that increase focus and concentration. One quarter of the plate should be protein that helps maintain muscle and decrease hunger. Include a glass of milk to top off hydration and bone-building nutrients as well as unsaturated fat for satiety and vitamin absorption.
Stay Hydrated!
While the foods you eat fuel your brain, so do the fluids you consume. Staying hydrated is a key part of optimizing your mental game during games or competitions.
Did You Know?
Milk is better than plain water at hydrating the body due to it’s natural electrolyte and sugar content. So, drink up and enjoy!
Get Moving
Being physically active regularly (especially via aerobic exercise like running or biking) has been shown to shorten reaction time as well as improve attention, memory, information processing and task switching – a huge benefit to eSport athletes. These changes may be especially true when intense physical activity is completed immediately prior to gaming. Regular physical activity also leads to increased overall energy, better sleep, less anxiety and greater ability to handle stress. Here are some tips to help you increase regular movement.