As a runner, I don't eat anything heavy or difficult to digest before I run. Specifically, I don't usually eat anything an hour before I run. But I'm curious as to what works for swimmers? I can't get out of my head that warning that was floating around when I was a kid: don't eat anything for two hours before you swim otherwise you'll get cramps and die. I know it is different for everyone, but what works for you?
Also in the field of food questions, what foods are good for swimmers? I assume we like carbs and protein, but are there other food groups or foods I should be paying attention to?
I go running and then swimming almost every day, and it's hard for me to know when to.eat for swimming. I get off work at 5, and go running immediately after for about an hour. Then I usually rest for an hour and eat a little, like some fruit or something, but otherwise I wait to really eat until I get done swimming around 9 or so. Any help or.suggestions for this new swimmer is greatly appreciated.
Former Member
jelly-filled
Glazed mostly. I'm just about to leave to go to the pool.
During the workout, water. It stinks to be drinking water while in water, but it's the best for your body.
Gatorade AFTER to replenish all those lost electrolytes.
I usually drink just water, but I also like to drink Diluted Gatorade during workouts. I use about a 1:4 Gatorade to water ratio. If you're only swimming an hour workout you probably don't need it, but when you're swimming for 90 minutes or two hours I think you want to replenish electrolytes and carbs during the workout.
I have often thought about trying to swim a workout with no food in my system, but I'm afraid to even attempt it. I usually eat around 5am for a 6am practice, and it's cereal or oatmeal. During the fall, sometimes I eat leftover pumpkin pie, which for me, has great lasting power for a full workout.
Life has been good since I abandoned all granola and nutrition bars, which are really hard for me to digest, as easy as they are to eat.
I eat a small snack before swimming- an apple, orange, or granola bar.
During the workout, water. It stinks to be drinking water while in water, but it's the best for your body.
Gatorade AFTER to replenish all those lost electrolytes.
I eat like a man afterwards...lots of pasta and carb rich foods.
~ButterflyBabe
I am so bad at drinking water while swimming (well, outside pool water :)). I think because I am cool and not covered in sweat, I do not think about how much I am losing.
I eat a small snack before swimming- an apple, orange, or granola bar.
During the workout, water. It stinks to be drinking water while in water, but it's the best for your body.
Gatorade AFTER to replenish all those lost electrolytes.
I eat like a man afterwards...lots of pasta and carb rich foods.
~ButterflyBabe
I know it is different for everyone, but what works for you?
The only things I will eat within two hours of a race at a meet are power bars or fruit. I like to have very little in my system when I'm racing. This has worked out for me over the years.
Similarly for my meals (at meets), I usually keep it pretty light for breakfast and lunch and then will have a solid dinner. I will throw in snacks if I am hungry, but basically try to avoid having big meals.
For practice, my schedule just kind of works out where I'm not swimming close to my meals. I eat lunch around 1pm and don't swim until 5:30pm, so it doesn't matter much what I eat.
I eat a luna bar on the way to the gym, followed by water, usually 15-20 minutes before I hit the pool. Packaging says that luna bars are low glycemic, so they don't burn out fast and boy is that true. I can do a 90 minute workout and not be hungry at all!
NEVER mention eating donuts to me while I'm swimming. I don't know why but it makes me so nauseous- the thought of donuts, swimming, and chlorine. I honestly thrown up in my mouth swimming on several occasions from people mentioning donuts during practice. donuts
