Everywhere I turn I keep hearing about how good it is to eat some fig newtons right after the workout for their supposedly providing you with the essential things you need.I looked at the nutrition facts, though and it does not look that impressive for fig newtons on there, hardly any protein, not many vitamins, just a good amount of carbs, that's about it.So what is their "magic power?"
Former Member
When I raced we mixed coca cola syrup with sustagen, or a week solution of tang with glucose powder.
George www.swimdownhill.com
Former Member
It's important to remember that hunger pangs are also confused with the need to re-hydrate. Swimmers tend to come out of the pool with appetites ready for a Thanksgiving dinner. I'm not sure if it's because we don't drink like a runner would for example during a 90 minute workout. A liter of water is good idea to keep around for the first hour or so after practice. Although the sports drinks are good, they're loaded up with sugar. Better to get the carbs from food instead of soft drinks disguised as essential training suppliments.
And no offense to you George. I'm sure what worked for you then still works for you now.
Former Member
In high school and the part of college I went to, we were told, nutritionally, that our diet should consist of 60-65% carbs, 20% fats, and 15-20% protein.
Since I still technically qualify for the category "young'uns", I'll add my two cents, and y'all can do whatever you want:
I was told by my friend's coach, Eddie Reese, that the most important time to eat is the hour after your practice, and the half hour after you race. Something like 20 oz of gatorade, a bagel with low-fat cream cheese (toast works too) and plenty of water usually gets you close to what you need right after a workout.
Here's the formula, roughly: a 200 lb person doing an hour's hard practice needs about 100 grams of carbs in the hour right after a workout. If you're not sure, try usaswimming.com. They have a really good nutrition tracker.
Never was real big on meal replacements (except when I got sick during the winter) or complex shakes and stuff. Gimme a bagel and some gatorade any day!
:cool: :cool:
