Nutrition Information
Eating On the Road

    To insure that swimmers make wise food choices, eating decisions should be made before mealtime.  Too often, swimmers are tempted by the convenience of fast food restaurants.  While it is possible to select a nutritious meal at a quick-serve restaurant, many meals are high in fat and low in carbohydrates.  Grocery stores offer a variety of foods like fresh fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products, and are often a healthy alternative when eating on the road.  Many stores have delies or soup and salad bars.  Swimmers should remember to take carbohydrate rich snacks with them on every road trip:

Fresh Fruit  Cut-Up Vegetables
Crackers
Sports Drinks
Fruit Juice
Bagels
Raisins
Muffins  
 
For more information, consult your physician or a registered dietitian.
Several of the examples below talk about grams of carbohydrates, calories, etc.  You can find out more at the following link:

Calories, Carbohydrates, and MORE

Before Competition & Training

    The type of food swimmers eat prior to competition influences how well they perform in the water.  The best pre-event meal should contain primarily carbohydrates.  Carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta, breads and cerials are easily digested and absorbed..

Rule of Thumb:  0.5 to 2 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight one to four hours prior to exercise.

Example:  A swimmer weighs 150 lbs.  .5 to 2 x 150 = 75 to 300 grams of carbohydrate one to four hours prior to competition.  The closer to competition you are, the less carbohydrate you should eat.  One banana contains 27 grams of carbohydrates.  One piece of apple pie has about 60 grams of carbohydrate and one piece of white bread has about 12 grams.  As you can see, you, as an athlete can consume quite a bit of carbohydrates.  BUT, you have to measure that against the calories, the fat, the cholesterol, and many other factors. The best advice is:

Eat smart, eat right, eat in moderation, and stay healthy!

After Competition and Training

    Swimmers should consume at least 70 grams of carbohydrate within 30 minutes after exercise, followed by an additional 75-100 grams every 2-4 hours thereafter.  This will help restore their muscle energy (glycogen) levels before the next training session.  Swimmers with low carbohydrate (40%) diets cannot recover their pre-exercise muscle glycogen levels before the next workout.

Avoiding Dehydration

    Surrounded by water, swimmers are still vulnerable to dehydration, especially during the hot summer months.  Dehydration of as little as 2% of body weight can hurt performance.  Unfortunately, thirst is not a good indicator of how much fluid a swimmer needs.  To prevent dehydration, swimmers must drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after a workout or competition.  Research has shown that consuming carbohydrate along with fluid can help maintain performance during training sessions.  A properly formulated sports drink provides fluid and will be a more convenient way of getting carbohydrate without eating solid foods.  Here are some guidelines to optimize hydration:

    Weigh in before and after training and drink at least 2 cups (16 oz.) of fluid for every pound of weight loss.

    Keep a fluid bottle by the side of the pool when working out and drink between repeats and sets.  DO NOT share your water bottle with your team mates!  This is very unhealthy!  Sickness will fly through the team.  Keep your germs to yourself!

    Choose sports drinks like Gatorade, Power Aid, Exceed, All Sport, or others that taste good, stimulate fluid absorption in the body, maintain proper fluid balance in the body, and provide energy to working muscles.  Sometimes, it is best to dilute this drink as much as 2 parts water to one part drink.  Some swimmers will experience increased thirst, stomach upset, or other discomforts when drinking full strength sports drinks while practicing.

    Avoid carbonated drinks, such as pop, mineral water, and the like.  They cause stomach bloating and may reduce fluid intake.  While you may think they help your thirst, they actually cause it and the caffeine in many drinks also help to dehydrate you.

    Avoid caffinated beverages.  They are diuretics and contribute to fluid loss.
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