What you eat before a performance, whether it be a singing/vocal performance or an athletic performance, can make a big difference on how well you do. If you are about to give a singing performance, it's a good idea to not eat directly before you are scheduled to perform. If you eat too soon, you may feel the need to "clear" your throat and your diaphragm movement may also be hindered. You also might find it difficult to take a deep breath, and you may even have the urge to burp, which would be disastrous for any singing performance. However, you don't want to give a singing or vocal performance on an empty stomach either, because you may experience a loss of energy, even possibly headaches and nausea. Some foods to stay away from before a singing/vocal performance are dairy products, citrus fruits, and spicy foods. Some foods that would be acceptable prior to a performance are chicken, fish, eggs, and rice.
If you are preparing for an athletic performance, you should also not eat a large meal too soon prior to the activity, because you may get an upset stomach, as well as generally feeling slower and more sluggish. Like with singing and vocal performances, when participating in an athletic performance, you don't want to have an empty stomach either. If you take part in a physical activity on empty stomach, you won't feel as energetic, and you may be distracted by hunger, causing you to lose focus on the game or the activity you are performing in. Some food products you want to avoid before an athletic performance are anything with a lot of fat, such as doughnuts, french fries, candy bars, potato chips and various high fat meat (such as burgers or steaks). It is also highly recommended to avoid any foods or drinks containing caffeine, because it may give you a short energy boost, but then make you "crash". It also may cause some negative side effects in people, such as nausea and headaches. Some acceptable foods to eat prior to an athletic performance are pasta, bread, apples, and cereal, just to name a few.
