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NUTRITION FOR COMPETITION
The pre-event meal serves two purposes, first to prevent you from feeling hungry
before or during the event, second to help supply fuel to the muscles during
competition. Most energy needed for any sports event is provided by what you
have during the week prior. The best plan is to eat food that contain lots of
carbohydrates, low to medium amounts of protein, and as least fat as possible.
High fat and protein foods take longer to digest than carbohydrates, if eaten a
few hours before exercising can contribute to nausea and vomiting
To have a relatively empty stomach while exercising or competing try to eat at
least one hour beforehand
Don't eat sugary foods for a burst of energy just before you swim, it doesn't
work
EATING BEFORE COMPETITION
3- 4 HOURS BEFORE
Fruit or vegetable juice
Fresh fruit
Bread, rolls, English muffins
Peanut butter, lean meat, low fat cheese
Low fat yoghurt
Baked potato
Cereal with semi skimmed milk
Pasta with tomato sauce
2 - 3 HOURS BEFORE
Fruit or vegetable juice
Fresh fruit
Bread, rolls, English muffins (without butter or margarine spread)
1 - 2 HOURS BEFORE
Fruit or vegetable juice
Fresh fruit
ALL DAY MEETS
Open Meets that last from 4 hrs to a week or more are sometimes a problem.
Trying to find the time to eat between sessions or heats and finals needs a
little planning.
With less than one hour between swims it's best to consume easy digestible high
carbohydrate foods and drink, try to limit the amount of food though. It's not
always easy to buy what you need at the event; plan ahead and take an emergency
supply with you, bread based snacks (careful with the fillings), bananas, fruit
juices etc.
WHAT ABOUT FLUIDS
Even though you may be surrounded by water you may still become dehydrated,
especially during hot weather or in hot, stuffy indoor pools. Dehydration of as
little as two percent of body weight can hamper performance. Unfortunately,
thirst is not a good indicator of how much fluid a swimmer needs. To prevent
dehydration you must drink plenty of fluids before, during and after a workout
or competition. Research has shown that consuming carbohydrates along with fluid
can help maintain optimum performance during training sessions. A properly
formulated sports drink provides fluid and is a more convenient way of getting
carbohydrates without eating solid foods.
Weigh in before and after training and drink at least two 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 have a pleasant taste, 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
POST EVENT MEALS
Studies show that swimmers who consume 70 grams of carbohydrates (which could be
a large roll or a banana and some fruit juice) within 30 minutes after
exercising and another 75-100 grams every two to four hours thereafter will
restore their muscle energy levels before the next practice or day of the meet.
Swimmers who don't do this will be pretty depleted or tired by the end of a long
meet or a week of practices. You should think of your body as a car and the food
as fuel. If you put the wrong fuel in the car the engine won't work properly,
you won't swim as fast as you would if you followed these basic tips for good
nutrition. The following meals provide 100 crams of carbohydrates.
Four slices of toast with peanut butter and 4 ounces of dried fruit
A low fat yoghurt, banana and a cup of orange juice
A Turkey sandwich with a cup of fruit puree
2 cups of spaghetti with meat sauce and piece of garlic bread
Half a pint of skimmed milk, 1 apple, 1 orange 2 slices of bread and a slice of
sponge cake
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