What do all of us streamers and gamers have in common with each other? We spend more time in our chairs and in front of our screens than any other profession. Nutrition is often one of many aspects that we overlook and fall short on when it comes to taking care of it. We eat something fast and easy during the stream and game session, or we devour anything that dares to cross our path after a 12-hour stream. Taking care of our nutrition NOW instead of LATER can save us not only a lot of money but can also buy us more time on this earth.
In this article, I am sharing with you my tips on how I take care of my nutrition while being a fulltime content creator.
Pre-Streaming/ Gaming Nutrition
Our last meal before we begin our long session of game practice or streaming is the most crucial meal out of all three meals discussed in this article. This meal will lay the foundation for the next four to six hours and fuel the brain with everything necessary, so that we can solely focus on the task ahead.
I recommend having a big meal about 30 to 60 minutes before starting your session. This will give the food time to settle down a bit, give your stomach time to start breaking it down, and fill up storages. This also allows for the period you might feel tired or less focused after having a big meal.
For the meal itself I recommend a high fiber, high protein, medium fat and medium to high complex carbohydrate meal. The fiber will ensure that food is passing through our body at a smooth and steady paste and will ensure energy release over a longer period. Protein will keep us full longer because it takes longer to break down. Good fats will keep the brain and joints healthy, while complex carbohydrates fuel the brain consistently over a long period of time.
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Mid Streaming / Gaming Nutrition
It has been several hours now since you last ate, and you are in the middle of your session. This does not allow for a lot of time to prepare a meal. You need a quick but healthy snack that you can even eat while gaming or streaming.
The first quick snack is a protein bar. The protein will again keep you full for another couple hours, while the sugar in the bar will give your brain an energy boost. It does not have to be a protein bar. You can also eat a granola bar that is rich in seeds and nuts. Bars are easy to eat in the middle of your session because they require no preparation and do not make any mess on your desk.
For the last couple of hours, I recommend snacking on some almonds. Almonds are full of healthy fats and a good amount of protein. However, nuts are calorie-dense, therefore do not snack the whole bag all at once.
Post Streaming/Gaming Nutrition
You finished your stream or game and you are exhausted. The last thing you want to do is prepare a lot of food and clean up afterwards. My go to meal after a long streaming or gaming session right before going to bed is either a peanut butter jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread, some Greek yoghurt with granola and berries, or some good cereal. All three meals require no too little time to prepare and minimal cleaning but ensure that your body is fueled, and you are ready to tackle the next stream or game session.
While all these tips can help you with proper nutrition, one aspect I see most streamers fall short on, and that is hydration. No matter how well your body is fueled if you are dehydrated you will lose focus. A loss of focus will result in a loss of reaction time and frustration in the end. No matter how long your session is going to be, make sure you always have something to drink on hand!
