Greetings all!
I'm a recreational-level Masters swimmer who's been going for nearly a year now. I swim a mere 2x a week, 1hr a workout, and generally finish less than 5KM a week. This is fine for me, swimming is a hobby for me, and it fulfills my "hobby" requirements quite nicely.
I do, however, like to have goals, and distance goals just don't cut it for me. I decided that my main goal was to compete regularly, and to fill my event card, eventually, with times from 17 or 18 different events.
I want to do my best when it comes down to swim meets and being timed, and coincidentally, I also want to improve my (currently shoddy) eating habits, so I figured I'd come to others who might know...
What kinds of foods should I be eating the week before the competition? What kinds of foods should I be avoiding?
I would assume that McDonalds and the likes is assumed - but how harmful are things like chocolate and high-sugar foods, aside from the fullness they give you and the lack of other foods you consume as a result?
If anyone has special meals they like to eat before competition, and they don't mind sharing the logic behind the meals, I'd really appreciate the info!
Jill
Some Chick's Life
Former Member
Joy,
Sorry, I don't know anything about this pool.
Ian.
I think vegetables decrease acidity, and meat increases it. I think that some citrus fruits, although they contain plenty of acid, actually make the body less acidic.
Honey/oj/eggs might sound unusual, but I think it has everything you need: some carbohydrates to get you through the races, and some protein and fat to keep you from getting hungry.
My college days were the early 60's and it was there that I was first introduced to competitive swimming. We were a small school but we had a number of swimmers who had been in their respective state competitions. As we were a new team sport in the college, they pretty much set up the recommended diet with the college mess hall. I would like to have someone critique this diet the day of the meet, as follows:
About 2-3 hours before start, lots of orange juice mixed with lots of honey. Also lots of toast and honey. We also had 2-3 soft boiled eggs.
I've done the same when attending Masters meets which I started to do two years ago (35 years out of swimming). Rather than soft boiled eggs I now prefer poached. Still drink lots of orange juice mixed with honey, plus toast and honey. At the meet, if I get hungry I'll have a granola bar or similar coated with honey. I'll take a bottle of water and have a sip every 15-20 minutes.
The above works for me. I only wonder now if there is some real good to this diet, or if it is all in my head psychologically. Would someone comment on this please. Thanks.
I eat peanut butter and jelly for lunch each day before noon swim practices. Sometimes in the car on the way to the pool. It never bothers me as I swim. So on meet days I do the same. I also like fig cookies.
Thanks for the responses to my questions of a few days ago. I'll stay mostly with my poached eggs, lots of orange juice mixed with honey and toast and honey, but I think I'll add some peanut butter also.
Re: Is milk good or bad
I've heard that it's "bad" because it causes an increase in mucous production in your body.
I thought of getting more specific but mucous is not my favorite topic ;)
Jill
Manitoba Masters Aquatic Club
http://www.mmac.mb.ca
I find that if I eat a couple of eggs and coffee early in the morning of a meet then throughout the day eat fruit and and snack on a couple of pecan cookies. About 45 mins before each race I take a sport gel and of course I drink lots of water and sport drinks throughout the day. I suffer from Celiac so I am limited to what I can eat. If there are any more Celiac's out their I wouldn't mind knowing what you take throughout the day of a meet.
Glen
