Nutrition 

The saying “you are what you eat” is extremely relevant when it comes to the diet of a competitive swimmer. If you eat a varied diet of healthy and nutritious foods your body will have what it needs to cope with the demands of your training and racing programme. You need to eat enough food (fuel) to meet the energy requirements (calories) of your training and racing. It is recommended that you aim to eat 3 decent meals a day plus snacks. Below are some examples of what you could eat and when it’s best to eat it. 

Before swimming 

You should try to eat a high carbohydrate meal 2 to 4 hours prior to training e.g. a bowl of pasta or stir fry with rice. If you are looking for a bit of a boost for your session, research suggests that consuming beetroot juice can have a positive effect on aerobic exercise performance.

If training first thing in the morning you should try to consume a glass of water when you get up along with a banana or a cereal bar if you can. The same approach should be taken on race day by consuming a high carbohydrate meal at least 2 hours before your first race. Fluids should be sipped regularly throughout the competition and this should be a mixture of water and an electrolyte drink e.g. an isotonic sports drink. To avoid stomach discomfort or slow digestion foods eaten on race day should be relatively low in fibre and fat. Your pre competition meal should be practised during training days so your body is used to it, don’t try new foods or fluids on race day. 

Example race day meals below: 

  • Wholegrain breakfast cereal with milk of your choice + fruit (optional)
  • Fruit salad with yoghurt and nuts (lower fat nuts digest faster) 
  • Breakfast (English) muffin with jam or cheese (Dairy free alternative)
  • Sandwich/roll with lean meat (meat free alternative) /cheese (Dairy free alternative)
  • Porridge with banana and cinnamon/ peanut butter/ nuts and dried fruit 

During Racing

Small snacks can also be eaten at least an hour before a race as a final effort to top up energy levels. For example: 

  • Cereal bars or sports bars 
  • Fresh fruit 
  • Dried fruit such as Mango, pineapple or banana chips 
  • Rice cakes or popcorn 
  • Dried fruit & nut mix 

If there isn’t enough time for solid foods to be consumed then energy gels or hypertonic drinks will help to top up energy levels prior to racing. 

If more than 2 hours between races, a small meal can be eaten to top up energy levels and avoid getting hunger pains. Some suitable options include: 

  • Pasta/Rice/Noodle-based dishes 
  • Sandwiches with simple fillings – nothing too high in fat (avoid lots of mayo!)
  • Sushi or rice paper rolls 

Competition venues do not always have ideal food and drink options available so it is important that you arrive at competitions prepared with enough food and drink to last you the length of time you will be at the meet.

Recovery

You also need to consider your recovery for the following day whether this is for training or racing. Recovery nutrition is extremely important during competitions that are held over several days or weeks of heavy training. A well practised recovery routine is recommended and the things you eat and drink play a huge part in this. Recovery meals or snacks should aim to have carbohydrates for fuel, some protein for muscle repair/growth and enough fluids with electrolytes to replace what you have lost through sweat.

A recovery meal or snack should be consumed as soon after exercise as possible so the recovery process can start, particularly when the next training session or race is within 24hrs. 

Some recovery food suggestions include: 

  • A recovery shake e.g. protein powder, banana, peanut butter and your choice of milk
  • Omelettes or poached eggs on toast 
  • Homemade or fresh pizzas 
  • Healthy curry with lean protein, vegetables and rice 

If you know that you won’t be able to eat for a while after training or racing make sure that you have a recovery shake with you to consume as soon as you can.