Should You Eat Before Skydiving?

Even if you have a stomach as rock-solid as the Great Pyramid of Giza, you might be concerned with eating before skydiving. It makes perfect sense to wonder if you should eat before skydiving because, if you’re like most of us, you don’t want to make a mistake and end up experiencing a technicolor yawn. Yikes!

The risk of embarrassment alone is enough to cause some unwitting customers to avoid eating before their skydive entirely. Little do they know, they are just opening the door wide for more misery and a subpar experience. If you are concerned about how you should eat before taking the leap, here is an essential skydiving tip: you can and should eat before skydiving. That being said, you do need to be a bit more cognizant of the food choices you are making before launching into a high-adrenaline experience like skydiving. Not sure what we mean: no need to fret, we will help you along the way.

Eating Before Skydiving: In The Morning

Say you are scheduled for a bright and early morning skydive: you might be tempted to forgo breakfast in order to get on the road and get going on your long-awaited adventure. Perhaps, it is rattling nerves that leave you without an appetite or simply the fear of facing the nausea monster. No matter the case, you should never arrive with your stomach empty before a skydive. You heard that right, you should, most definitely, eat before your skydive. Just like your car can’t run on E for long, neither can you! Because you will experience a surge in adrenaline, it is important that you have something in your stomach. Now, don’t take that to mean you should arrive full to the gills after forking back a greasy, heavy meal at your favorite breakfast dive. Overfull is just as bad, if not worse, as skydiving on an empty stomach.

We suggest you eat a light, moderate, and nutritious breakfast before skydiving. Think of a meal along the lines of toast with avocado, perhaps a bagel and cream cheese, and maybe a side of fruit to pair with either. If it proves too difficult to get those good calories in, you can always opt for a protein shake or smoothie to sip on your way to the dropzone or while you wait. Last but not least. don’t forget to pack a few healthy snacks to keep your energy up in the event morning fog or low-lying clouds cause morning skydiving weather delays.

Eating Before Skydiving: In The Afternoon

While we do offer snacks at the dropzone like goldfish crackers, candy, and chips for purchase on-site, these items play second fiddle to a sensible lunch. What we mean is while these are great side items and snacks, you need to make sure you have something a little more substantial. If your skydive is scheduled for the afternoon, be sure you eat breakfast, of course, and pack a light lunch of a sandwich or salad to eat while you wait.

Drink Plenty Of Fluids Before You Jump

It’s important that you stay hydrated the day of your skydive – any time of the year – but especially in the summer. The southern heat can really sneak up on you causing you to lose not only water but precious electrolytes as well, as you sweat.

Dehydration can often go unnoticed when you’re excited, but it is exacerbated with exposure to high altitudes. Dehydration on a skydive will leave you feeling weak and, you guessed it, nauseous with motion sickness!

On-site at Skydive Monroe, we do have vending machines with Gatorade, water, and sodas for purchase. Trust us on this one, you might be worried about having a little accident on your skydive, but you’ll have plenty of opportunities to empty your bladder before your jump. 

You Know Your Body Best

Some people are just prone to motion sickness. If this is the case, by now, you probably know what works best for your body. Perhaps it’s an anti-nausea acupuncture wristband, some special essential oils, or an over-the-counter solution. Maybe it’s all three. There is no shame in bringing what you need. On the day of your skydive, make sure you come prepared with whatever you’ve found that helps keep that unpleasant sensation of dizziness at bay. 

Don’t forget, after your skydive, you’re encouraged to celebrate! Check out one of these local restaurants to get your grub on and commemorate the momentous occasion!