Nutrition for Swimmers, from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Nutrition Basics
- No one food can supply all the nutrients your body needs so it's important to eat a variety of foods.
- Everything you eat during each week counts-a single good food or meal cannot make up for poor nutrition during the rest of the day or week.
- There's no quick fix for healthy nutrition.
- Try things out and practice high energy eating often so you can find out what you need to fuel you throughout race day/weekends. Everyone is different so what works for someone else may not work for you.
- It's ideal to fuel many times during meet day so you may need to break large meals into smaller meals.
- Remember there's no magic pill to help you race faster, but being dehydrated or not eating well can negatively impact your performance.
The week before a swim meet
We no longer promote carbohydrate-loading the night before as this can be upsetting to the digestive system.
Instead, eat quality carbohydrates at each meal throughout the week to create glycogen storage for use when needed on race day.
A day or two before race day, pay close attention to your meals. Focus on meals that:
- Have lean protein
- Are low in fat
- Are moderate in carbohydrates
- Examples:
- Chicken breast with a baked potato or rice pilaf with a side of veggies (and you probably still have a ittle room left for a small dessert)
- Pasta with tomato-based lean meat sauce (avoid heavy creams or oils) with a side salad and non-buttered bread
- Salmon with couscous and grilled vegetables
The morning of the meet
Morning of the Meet
Don't rely on this meal to provide all the energy you need for the day.
Glycogen storage in muscles from the week prior is what you will use today.
The first meal of the day is needed to get your metabolism going for the entire day-don't skip it.
Ideally, you should eat your first meal two to four hours before your first race (not warm-up time).
If too much food is in your stomach during the race, your body is still focusing on digestion, causing an upset stomach.
Your first meal should be between 500 and 1,000 calories.
Examples:
- Yogurt with granola, fresh fruit and two pieces of toast with peanut butter
- Waffle or pancake topped with peanut butter with small cup of fresh fruit and egg whites
During the meet
The primary importance during the meet is hydration but you don't just have to drink water. Try four to six ounces of a sports drink or decaffeinated unsweet tea with fruit juice in it.
Don't rely on concession stands or vending machines for food. You shouldn't try new things on race day.
Prepare and pack your bag the night before.
Examples of snacks for short time between races:
- Couple bites of a carbohydrate energy bar at a time (not protein bar)
- Handful of dried fruit
- Couple of crackers
Examples of snacks for longer time between heats-try something more substantial:
- Small bagel
- Dry cereal
- Granola or granola bar
- Protein in small quantities
- Avoid high fiber and high-fat foods
Other snack food ideas:
- Graham crackers (not sugar-coated)
- Pita (fresh or dry)
- Dry fruit
- 100% fruit juice
- Hummus with veggie sticks
- Turkey roll
- Edamame or roasted soy nuts
- Trail mix
- Pretzels
- Low-fat muffins
- Energy bars
- Low-fat mozzarella sticks
Recovery nutrition
What you eat after a race is also important and requires planning. The better your recovery nutrition, the better your overall training will be, which is wnat makes you a stronger, fitter and faster swimmer.
A snack should be consumed within 30 minutes of completing competition followed by a good meal within two hours.
The snack should contain 15 to 20 grams of protein with 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrates
Examples for post-competition snack:
- Chocolate milk
- PB&J sandwich
- Half of a sports bar and 16 ounces of a sports drink
- 12 to 16 ounces of a smoothie with one scoop of whey protein
After you have your post-recovery snack, you will want to refuel with a hearty meal.
Make sure you're continuing to hydrate between sessions with both water and sports drinks. Avoid heavy creams and unnatural fats.
Examples for post-competition meal:
- Chicken breast, roasted vegetables and brown rice
- Baked potato with toppings and grilled vegetables or a nutrient-dense salad
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