Nutrition for Swimmers
Dietary Supplements |
Quick Tips |
Nutrition Articles |
FDA New Food Pyramid
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.
Dietary Supplements
As a swimming parent, you may or may not know that the use of dietary supplements among athletes is on the rise and that the regulation
of dietary supplements in the United States is currently very loose. Therefore, the use of some dietary supplements by some athletes can
present a real danger, physical and/or emotional. Since your child is likely to be faced with the opportunity to take supplements at some point
in his/her athletic career, it is important to educate him/her on the issues (s)he may face and to encourage him/her to think critically about the
decisions (s)he may have to make. Presenting information to your child can be a learning experience for both of you and an opportunity to
open the channels of communication on a very important topic. Read more....
Doping Control: As parents, you also need to be aware of the issue of Doping Control in sports. You can learn more by visiting the
USA Swimming Doping Control section.....
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Quick Tips
Q. What should my child eat before practice? At meets?
A. 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.
Click Here for directions
on how to create and account on USA Swimming's Nutrition Tracker program. Every swimmer can and should do this! This is a free
tool from USA Swimming.
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ARTICLES
The section below includes a variety of articles to help parents fuel their swimmers for training and competition.
Analyzing Your Diet
What are your nutrient needs and are you meeting them?
Published 5/13/2004
Dietary Supplements
Dietary Supplements are everywhere. What does a parent need to know?
Published 5/20/2004
A Letter on Supplements
The lack of regulation in the supplement industry poses a great reisk to our athletes on many levels...
Balancing breakfast needs with morning workout
What do you do suggest for a swimmer who can not eat breakfast before a workout and immediately
goes to schools after the workout? ...
Nutrition between prelims and finals
In a prelims / finals meet, an age group swimmer might finish her last prelim event at 3:00 p.m. and returns to the
pool at 5:00 p.m. for warm-ups for finals which start at 6:00 p.m. What would be the best nutrition for this swimmer?...
No Atkins Diet for swimmers
It's hard to go to the grocery store these days and not see the word "Atkins" in nearly every isle. Some of these Atkins dieters
are surely parents of swimmers which is why this article was written...
Eating Colorful Foods: Anti-oxidants vs free radicals
There are good reasons to eat lots of colorful foods.
Published 5/13/2004
Fluids-Water vs Sports Drink
There are 2 reasons to drink fluids: (1) to stay hydrated, and (2) to provide the body with fuel.
Published 4/8/2004
Fueling Your Stroke
If you consider the typical swim workout, it’s pretty safe to say that the primary fuel source for swimmers IS carbohydrate.
Published 4/8/2004
Healthy Meals for Swimmers on the Go
Some tips on fast healthy eating at home, at convenience stores and at fast food restaurants.
Published 5/13/2004
How Much is Enough?
A swimmer’s energy requirements depend on several variables.
Published 5/13/2004
Timing is Everything
When it comes to optimal nutrition, timing really is everything.
Published 4/15/2004
What Is One Serving?
Learning serving sizes can be a fun visual exercise for the whole family.
Published 4/15/2004
What's the Scoop on Cereal?
Competitive athletes are encouraged to choose "nutrient dense cereals."
Published 5/13/2004
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