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
I finished an entire large pepperoni pizza from Sbarro's literally 15 minutes before a practice one time. I didn't feel sick or nauseous in the pool at all.
7 AM swim: 2 eggs, toast, OJ, 32 oz water starting at 6 AM. Banana afterwards, maybe choc milk.
Noon practice: I will have had breakfast 4 hours prior, so I eat a PB&J or something with protein/carbs, and hydrate plenty.
For races and distance events, I follow my 7 AM schedule. Fuel up and hydrate.
When it comes to running, I don't eat much at all because it bounces around in my gut making me feel awful.
I try to eat a good hour or so before I swim just so things have a chance to digest and I'm not running on fumes. I'm fine eating anything; usually it's breakfast food, like cereal or oatmeal or whatever, but sometimes it's leftover pizza or frozen burritos. A few weeks ago I had a turkey sandwich for breakfast. The only negative side effect I experience from eating too close to a workout is belching whatever my breakfast was, which really is more of a negative for everyone else than it is for me :D
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
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!
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 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
