Swimming Sluggish

Eating At The Right Time Can Improve Performance

Swimmers’ caloric needs are different than our own. They need carbohydrates and proteins to perform and recover. THE FOOD SWIMMERS EAT SERVES A PURPOSE. Eat To Swim Facts… You have a thirty to sixty minute window for rapid recovery from prolonged exercise. Drinking chocolate milk is a great way to replenish muscle glycogen stores and initiate muscle tissue repair after practice or competition. Doing so has been shown to create a large concentration of glycogen which is crucial for recovery. The tired, weak feeling you might get after a morning session or after a long weekend of competition is likely caused by nutrition. Eating properly can help prevent fatigue, provide hydration, raise energy levels, improve concentration, and better your mood, as well as increasing strength and endurance.

Recommended Eating Guidelines for Swimmers

Before Practice Or Competition:

Eat a snack or meal high in complex carbohydrates with some protein. Such as PB & J or Turkey Avocado Sandwich.

During Swimming Practice Or Competition:

Eat foods that contain carbohydrates and are gentle to digest. Foods like dried fruit, bananas, power bars or trail mix.

After Swimming Practice Or Competition:

Swimmers should eat foods with protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats that are high in vitamins and minerals. Foods such as Chocolate Milk, Pasta, Cobb Salad, or Avocado Toast.

The average swimmer burns roughly 200 calories per 25 minutes of swimming. That means your swimmer should be consuming a minimum of 2500 to 3500 calories a day.