Eating before a Swim Meet

Nutrition plays a very important role for athletes in order to sustain their vigor and perform at their very best. Swimmers need to fuel their body with the proper nutrition so ensure peak performance. We’ve got the secret for what you should eat in order to beat your competition.

Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for athletes. A good, hearty, breakfast will give you enough energy to take on your entire day! Your meal should include complex carbohydrates and protein, as well as some healthy fat. Your complex carbs will give you enough energy until afternoon; a good option would be whole-grain toast, English muffin, or oatmeal. Fruit is also a carbohydrate that will not only give you energy, but also many different nutrients your body craves. To add protein and healthy fat to your breakfast, eggs are an egg-cellent choice! One egg is only 70 calories, but packs the protein! If you have an early meet, it’s important to eat a lighter meal. Grab a piece of toast and a tablespoon of natural peanut butter with a large glass of water.

H20

Every individual should try to aim for at least 8 cups of water daily, but athletes typically need more.  Drinking water has many benefits such as regulates body temperature, detoxifies, protects our joints and organs, and it helps our organs absorb nutrients better. As athletes, water helps us achieve maximum performance. It provides us with strength, as well as aiding in recovery. Beware of sugary sports drinks, as they give you an energy spike but then can leave you feeling lethargic.

Snacks

It’s important for swimmers to keep something to snack on at hand. You never know when hunger will strike! After your races, you will have used some of your energy and you’ll need to eat something to get your energy back where it needs to be. Don’t reach for the candy bar or greasy food, as those items will upset your stomach and not allow you to reach optimal performance.  What you should have on hand include fruit, nuts, pretzels and complex carbs like granola. Like breakfast, these choices will give you the energy you need to perform.

Make the right choices nutritionally, and you will set yourself up for success. Stay away from empty calories such as fast food, pre-packaged, sugary items. Always remember it’s important to eat whole, nutritious items before and during a meet for your best performance. If you eat good, you feel good.

Getting Back on Track

When the holidays roll around, so do the pounds. You have a full feast in front of you and then, well… there are always Grandma’s famous desserts. This is a time for you to relax and enjoy the time spent with your family and friends, not worrying about calculating every calorie. Holidays only come around once, and are typically only for a day so it’s okay - have that cookie! But once tomorrow comes, here’s how to get back on track.

1.       Fall back into your normal routine. This includes planning and prepping your meals and exercising. Do not allow yourself to fall into a bad routine. You had a relaxed day, now get back to the grind.

2.       Prep your meals. After eating unhealthy foods, it’s easy to continue on a downward spiral. By cooking and prepping your meals ahead of time, you will be less likely to eat other unhealthy options. If you don’t normally do this in your usual routine, you should consider trying it out as it saves time and money!

3.     Drink water. Typically when you eat foods around the holidays they tend to have a lot of sodium. You may feel bloated and the scale may even say you gained 5lbs, but it’s more than likely because you are holding onto water. By drinking more water, you will flush all your toxins out and diminish bloat. Plus it’s an appetite suppressor!

4.       Revisit your goals. After a day full of food and fun, it’s easy to lose sight of your goals. Try writing down both your short term goals and your long term goals. Taking the time to write them out can really make a difference in achieving them!

Ways to Stay Healthy

With the cooler temperatures rolling in, now is the prime time for your immune system to break down. While being the midst of many competitions and meets, athletes need to take care of themselves to continue to train optimally. Use these tips to stay healthy this fall –

1.       Watch your diet. Make sure that you eat healthy, wholesome foods. Choose healthy foods filled with nutrients to ensure you are getting all the vitamins you need. Stay away from fatty, processed foods as they will break down your system and make you groggy.

2.       Get enough sleep. All of us are busy and have heavy workloads, but you must listen to your body. Your body goes through a lot of wear and tear and will need rest. Be sure to get around 8 hours of sleep at night and your immune system will be much stronger, deflecting any infection.

3.       Wash your hands. Think of how many things you touch with your hands and fingers on a daily basis – doorknobs, keyboard, food, etc. The typical person touches their face, rubs their eyes, or bites a nail many times a day. The germs you pick up from these items can be easily transferred so you need to be careful. You should be washing your hands several times a day, for at least 20 seconds. If you are having trouble counting, try singing the Happy Birthday song twice.

What keeps your healthy during these colder months? Let us know!

Benefits of Staying Hyrdrated

Water makes up 60-75% of the human body. That’s crazy right? Water is not only used for your blood, bones, and muscles, but also your brain! Your brain happens to be 75% of water. What happens when you are dehydrated and you’re not giving your body enough water? Your body functions begin to slow down, not allowing your body to perform optimally. Be sure to drink at least 8 cups of water per day minimum or try aiming for half your body weight in ounces of water daily.

Dehydration

Do you ever feel really tired, but find that drinking water helps? Without water, dehydration causes the enzymatic activity in the body to slow down. In return, this causes you to feel tired and fatigued. When you are dehydrated, your body retains as much water as possible in case it is needed. In addition, your body will automatically produce more cholesterol to prevent water loss from the cells resulting in high cholesterol. Believe it or not, dehydration can aid in high blood pressure too! When you are hydrated, your blood is typically 92% water. If you are dehydrated, your blood pressure will rise because of the blood thickening due to extra resistance to blood flow. Some other problems that can arise are skin disorders, digestive disorders, bladder/kidney problems, constipation, joint pain, weight gain, and premature aging. 

 Benefits

If you are feeling sluggish, tired, or you have common headaches, the cause might be dehydration. Water serves an important role in our lives and our body. Water allows for efficient cell repair, allows red blood cells to carry oxygen more efficiently through the body, slows down aging, lubricates the joints, and helps remove bodily waste and toxins. Water also is essential for sweating which happens to be another way the body removes toxins. You wouldn’t run a car without gas, so don’t run your body without water.

 Upping your Intake

• Drink a glass of water upon waking up. This wakes you up and kick starts your body after a nights rest!
•  Carry a bottle of water with you! If it’s in front of you, you are more likely to drink it.
•  Try drinking herbal teas. This naturally flavors water- tricking your brain into thinking you are drinking something other than water.
• Cut up fruit like lemon, limes, or berries and infuse your water with it. Try freezing the fruit and it’ll help keep your drink cold too!
•   TIP: It’s been said that drinking 2 8-ounces of water before meals aids in weight loss.