Fueling Swimmers

Swimmers have long practices and long competitive seasons. They need to eat 3,000 to 5,000 calories per day during a practice.
Carbohydrates should make up the greatest part of a swimmers food plan. During training and the competitive season, swimmers need 2.3 to 3.6 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day ( 5 to 8 g/kg/day). Good sources of carbohydrate include whole grain breads and cereals, fruits ,and vegetables.
Swimmers need 0.55 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day (1.2 to 1.7 g/kg/day). You need more protein at the beginning of the season when you are adding and strengthening muscle. Good sources of protein include fish, chicken, turkey, low fat milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, nuts and soy.
Swimmers need at 0.45 grams of fat per pound of body weight per day ( 1 g/ kg/ day). Choose heart - healthy fats such as canola oil, olive oil and nuts.
Swimmers burn a lot of calories in their sport. This may be, because swimmers are often more hungry after many hours in the pool. They may eat more than other athletes, who usually don't feel hungry after being active.
Many swimmers don't pay much attention to fluids, because they are surrounded by water!
However, the environmental conditions ofswimming the warm pool water , warm air temperatures, and high humidity can lead to dehydration in less than 30 minutes. Dehydration can hurt the performance of even the most fit swimmer.
Drink sports drinks when you practice for more than 1 hour, or whenever you have a high intensity workout.
Drink 2 cups of fluids 2 hours before practice.
When you are swimming, keep a fluid bottle next to the pool and drink 5 to 10 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes.

Top Three Nutrition Tips to Improve Performance

Eat carbohydrates to stay energized. Many swimmers complain that every chronically fatigued. Hard training plus poor nutrition leads to fatigue.
To stay energized, eat at least 500 grams of carbohydrates every day during the competitive season. Eating energy bars and drinking high carbohydrates liquid supplements can help get enough carbohydrates without a large amount of food.
Eat 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight ( 1.5 g/kg) within 15 to 30 minutes of practice or competition. (For a 120- pound swimmers, that equals 82 grams of carbohydrate.)

Health Corner

Fueling Swimmers

Swimmers have long practices and long competitive seasons. They need to eat 3,000 to 5,000 calories per day during a practice.

Swimmers need at 0.45 grams of fat per pound of body weight per day ( 1 g/ kg/ day). Choose heart - healthy fats such as canola oil, olive oil and nuts.

Swimmers burn a lot of calories in their sport. This may be, because swimmers are often more hungry after many hours in the pool. They may eat more than other athletes, who usually don't feel hungry after being active.

Many swimmers don't pay much attention to fluids, because they are surrounded by water!

However, the environmental conditions ofswimming the warm pool water , warm air temperatures, and high humidity can lead to dehydration in less than 30 minutes. Dehydration can hurt the performance of even the most fit swimmer.

Drink sports drinks when you practice for more than 1 hour, or whenever you have a high intensity workout.

Drink 2 cups of fluids 2 hours before practice.

When you are swimming, keep a fluid bottle next to the pool and drink 5 to 10 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes.

Top Three Nutrition Tips to Improve Performance

Eat carbohydrates to stay energized. Many swimmers complain that every chronically fatigued. Hard training plus poor nutrition leads to fatigue.

To stay energized, eat at least 500 grams of carbohydrates every day during the competitive season. Eating energy bars and drinking high carbohydrates liquid supplements can help get enough carbohydrates without a large amount of food.

Eat 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight ( 1.5 g/kg) within 15 to 30 minutes of practice or competition. (For a 120- pound swimmers, that equals 82 grams of carbohydrate.)