While reading “Swimming for Exercise” by Greg Whyte, a former
Olympic Swimmer, I learned a few new tips and tricks for how to have an
effective swimmers diet. Whyte focuses on making sure you keep a good balance
of carbohydrate in your diet. Carbohydrates are short term energy used the
cells. “In general, your muscles require carbohydrates as fuel for exercise.” (Whyte
94) If your muscles require them and you are doing a rigorous swimming workout,
it is a good idea to eat/stay fueled before, during, and after your workout.
Before
If you are going to eat a large meal make sure it is 1-2
hours before your swim so you do not cramp up. Even if you do not eat a full meal, it is important to get some food in before a workout. “Energy-rich
carbohydrate foods, such as chocolate, fruit, cookies, or energy bars… have a
high glycemic index (GI), which means that the glucose appears in your body
very quickly, making them great snacks for exercise.” (Whyte 94) Before a workout, I usually
like to have a gondola bar and if I have enough time I like to have a fruit
smoothie. This has worked very well for me because it is a big enough snack to
fill me up after school without leaving me too full and sluggish before
practice.
During
During my workout I usually drink water to keep my mouth
from running dry and to stay hydrated. Whyte suggests that you will need a subtenant
drink with carbohydrates for long durations of swimming. (Whyte 94) Drinks that would work would include any
sports drink that has carbohydrates and electrolytes. Such as Gatorade or power
aid.
This plan can also be in effect for a swim meet. It is
important to keep up on carbohydrates during a meet to be prepared for your
race. Eating foods as suggested to eat for before your workout, fruit,
chocolate, cookies, energy bars, etc work well during a meet.
After
After my workout, I tend to be very hungry leading to a full
meal. Whyte says that you should eat within 30 min of a workout, “Try to consume
carbohydrates within thirty minutes of finishing a swim session- this period
after exercise is the most effective time for your body to store
carbohydrates.” (Whyte 94) Eating carbohydrate rich
foods that also had other values to them, will make you able to fuel your body in order
to gain muscles and be prepared for your next workout.
In traditional yoga, you are supposed to practice on an empty stomach - I usually try to eat a healthy snack about 1 hour before - banana, salmon, etc. I also purposefully attempt to be well hydrated and drink a lot of water throughout the day when I know that I am going to be working out. I like to drink coconut water to replenish electrolytes naturally and without adding too much sugar after a workout.
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