Dos and Don'ts of Swim Meet Nutrition

Hey everyone! Something exciting is happening! I am jumping back into the pool for a masters swim meet. The first one I have done in a few years now. I love to compete. Diving off the block, the sound of the beep. It is such a thrill. I am a competitive person by nature and I love the feeling of pushing myself to my limits. However, I also have a lot of self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and a lack of self-confidence. This has meant that I have put a lot of things on the back burner lately. I didn't think I would swim in a meet again until I felt fast enough. Same thing with running a race.

I am going to share something personal with you. Just under 9 months ago, my big brother passed away suddenly. As much as I am struggling with this loss, it has been a reminder to be bold, be brave, and stop waiting for "the right time" to do everything.

So the time is now. I am not in my prime shape for a swim meet but I am excited to have fun, feel the thrill of competing again and get inspired to keep training, and maybe do another swim meet again soon.

With this coming up I've been thinking about how I will need to fuel for this meet. Now, this will be a bit different from the typical meet. It is a smaller-scale masters swim meet that will only cover half a day. This means that time between events will be short but I won't have to consider how to get a day's worth of fuel while navigating events. This can be a real challenge! So without further ado, here are some dos and don'ts for swim meet nutrition.

Do:

Fuel before the meet:

Enjoy a high carbohydrate meal 2-4 hours prior to the first race. For example:

• Whole grain cereal, milk, fruit

• yogurt parfait with granola

• english muffin with peanut butter and jam

• porridge with banana and cinnamon

Hydrate:

Sip water regularly leading up to warm up and the first race. You can watch the colour of your urine to help guide you. Urine should be pale yellow in colour. Brigh-ark yellow means you are not hydrating enough.

Fuel between events:

choose foods high in carbohydrates but low in fiber, protein and fat. Sports drinks, juice packs, yogurt, banana/banana chips, or watermelon can be handy when there is very little time between races. For longer stretches (1-2 hours between races), consider something more substantial such as pasta salad, peanut btuter and jam sandwiches, or a rice bowl.

Recover Properly:

particularly important when its a typical multi-day meet.

Enjoy a meal rich in carbohydrates and protein. For example:

• meat, potatoes and veggies

• protein smoothie

• homemade pizza with shredded rotisserie chicken

• sushi or noodle bowl

• burrito

Practice your fueling strategies:

It is essential to your success to practice how and when you will fuel your body during a swim meet. Use your practices to trial the options that sound good to you. This is extra encouragement to not skip out on breakfast before those early morning practices - it is a prime chance to practice your race day breakfast.

Don't

Skip breakfast:

This all too important meal must be prioritized to ensure you are fueled, hydrated, and ready to race.

Eat protein-rich snacks between events :

I don't know how many times I have seen athletes, young and old, loading up on meat sticks, jerky, boiled eggs, nuts and seeds, or protein shakes between events. These foods do not provide the energy you need and will likely sit in your stomach for too long.

Eat too much:

It can be tempting to load up in between races on lots of snacks, especially when you are bored too! It is a fine balance to figure out the ideal type and amount of food between races. Too much can weigh you down and cause gut discomfort.

Wait too long to eat after the meet:

Your body will be tired and ready to rest after a meet but don't skip out on the all-too-important recovery meal. This meal helps make sure that you are ready to go the next day.

There is much more where this came from. If you are interested in working with me on your training and race-day nutrition, contact me or book an appointment.

Talk soon!