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....
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. Carbohydraterich 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:
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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
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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
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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.
Diet for Teenage Swimmers
Looking for some great diet tips for your teenage swimmer? Here are some tips on diet for teenage swimmers
that will increase the endurance levels of your child while elevating his performance.
Dietary requirements of teenagers are different from those of adults. As they are in a growth spurt, their bodies
need more calories than adults. A nutritious meal complete with carbs, fats and proteins is ideal for teens.
Teenagers usually lead a very active lifestyle, juggling between classes and sports practices. However, teens
who play sport at a competitive level may need even more nutrients. In this article we have listed some tips on
diet for teenage swimmers, that will help you in chalking out a perfect meal plan for your child.
Diet for Teenage Swimmers: Tips
For proper physical and mental development of teenagers, they need to eat a high calorie diet. However, these
calories should come from healthy sources and not some junk food. As the metabolism of body is very high
during this time, teens are less likely to store these calories in fat. Active sports such as swimming further
increase the calorie requirement of the body. Generally, diet for teenage girls should consist of 2200 calories,
whereas diet for teenage guys should consist of 2500 - 3000 calories. However, teens who swim at a
competitive level may have to consume as many as 4500 - 5000 calories, owing to their intense workout.
Swimming at a competitive level often involves practicing in two sessions, each lasting for about 2-3 hours.
Swimmers usually practice during morning and afternoons. The nature of this practice session primarily
depends upon the type of competition the swimmer participates in. Swimming competitions may last from as
less as 15 seconds to as long as a few hours. Less duration races require high intensity workouts which build
stamina, while long distances races demand higher levels of endurance. A diet of a teenage swimmer must
support whatever form he practices.
Generally, a very high carbohydrate diet with adequate proteins and fats is recommended for teenage
swimmers. Carbohydrates suffice the high energy requirements of the body, whereas proteins build and repair
muscles. However, one must consume complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, which slowly and
continuously supply energy. Proteins can come from lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy etc. Nuts, seeds can provide
the essential fatty acids. One should also eat large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables to suffice their need
of vitamins and minerals. Given below are some good diets for teenage girls and boys who swim competitively.
Breakfast
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Whole grain wheat bread/toast
1 Bowl cereal
Baked beans
1 Cup fresh fruit
2 Eggs
1 Glass Milk
Half a cup serving of cottage cheese
Lunch
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Tuna/ turkey/ chicken sandwich
1 Large bowl of vegetable salad
Stuffed pitas
Whole grain pasta
Dinner
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Grilled fish
Lean Steak
Chicken soup
Brown rice
Stir fried veggies
Snacks
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Nuts and Seeds
Fresh fruit/ fruit salad
Fruit juice
Crackers
Granola bar
Low fat, dark chocolate
Teenage swimmers should have their meal 1 to 2 hours prior to their practice. The meal should be very high on
carbs before an intensive workout session. However, make sure you only consume small servings of this food.
Overeating may increase the risk of stomach cramps while in water. In between the practice session, sip on
energy drinks or sports drinks as they have adequate number of calories and electrolytes to keep you energized
throughout the practice session. Also make sure you take enough calories after a practice session to recover the
loss of energy. However, make sure you do not eat sugary foods like ice creams, pastries, cakes that are high
in calories but unhealthy.
If a teen eats a well balanced diet, then there will be no need for additional protein shakes or similar
supplements. Also make sure you drink lots of water and fluids to keep hydrated. Hope you found this article on
diet for teenage swimmers resourceful.
By Ashwini Kulkarni Sule
Published: 5/13/2011