3/9/05  The following is taken from USA swimming.  This is great information!

Nutrition for Swimmers
One of the building blocks of quality training is good nutrition. Every swimmer and parent needs to be aware of the following two points:

1. Food does NOT make a swimmer swim fast.
That’s right. Food does not make him swim fast. What does make him swim fast? Training. Training makes him swim fast.

2. QUALITY training makes him swim fast.
A vital part of quality training is good nutrition!


Believe it or not, your swimmer doesn't get fast during practice. In practice she might see her times improving, but her adaptation to training (i.e. getting faster) actually occurs while her body is at rest. Workout is the stimulus that causes this to happen.

Workouts are hard! They’re supposed to be. They’re designed to tell the body, “This is hard work for me…you better do something to enable me to do it again later.” And the body actually responds by becoming more efficient – aerobically and anaerobically. During its time off, the body WILL adapt, but only if given the proper fuels.

The section below includes a variety of articles to help parents fuel their swimmers for training and competition.



 
   
 
 
Quick Tips  
What should my child eat before practice?  At meets?

The best pre-practice, or pre-meet meal should contain primarily carbohydrates.  Carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta, breads and cereal are easily digested and absorbed.  Rule of thumb: 0.5 - 2.0 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight one to four hours prior to exercise.

Meals that provide 100 grams of carbohydrates

  • 1 bagel with peanut butter and 2/3 cup of raisins
  • 1 cup of low-fat yogurt, 1 banana and 1 cup of orange juice
  • 1 turkey sandwich with 1 cup of applesauce
  • 2 cups of spaghetti with meat sauce and 1 piece of garlic bread
  • 8 oz. of skim milk, 1 apple, 1 orange, 2 slices of bread and 3 pancakes
  • 1 serving of GatorLode and 1 bagel

Fluid Replacement Tips

  • Weigh in before and after training and drink at least 2 cups of fluid for every pound of weight lost.
  • Keep a fluid bottle by the side of the pool when working out and drink between repeats and sets.
  • Choose sports drinks like Gatorade that taste good, stimulate fluid absorption in the body maintain proper fluid balance in the body, and provide energy to working muscles.
  • Avoid carbonated drinks, which can cause stomach bloating and may reduce fluid intake.
  • Avoid caffeine-filled beverages.  They are diuretics and contribute to fluid loss.
  • Check the color of your urine. Dark-colored urine may indicate you are dehydrated and need to drink fluids