'Elite' Masters diet regimines

Since you asked for books on the topic that might be of interest, my first recommendation. Amazon.com: Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance (9781934030516): Matt Fitzgerald: Books When you eat is also (more?) important. Eating protein and carbs after workout improves recovery. Advertising claims there is an ideal ratio, research just shows that protein plus carbs after workout improves recovery over carbs alone and nothing. If you are going to train frequently, you should be concerned with decreasing recovery time.

These days I typically eat a lot more protein as well. I usually don't eat before I swim in the morning but will have a water bottle of the carb based Gatorade on the deck during workout. Then I eat within 30 minutes of the workout. I try to eat 5-6 times a day....morning, mid-morning, lunch, mid-afternoon, dinner, healthy snack. Generally I won't eat after about 8:30pm. If I do its something like cottage cheese, protein shake (small) or the like. Naturally I have a slow motabolism so I really HAVE to eat more often and not as much. When I got ready for Spring Nationals this past May I stopped drinking all soda, alcohol and avoided as much sugar as possible.

My team has a trainer that we can meet with and I do so before meets for stretching. She has given us diet recommendations. Off the top of my head I can't remember what the break down of protein/carbs/fats she recommends (and I'm on the couch after ankle surgery) but the biggest change I've made is drinking (or eating) a protein drink after each practice or other workout. It helps the muscles recover better. I have noticed I can do an intense workout and get in the next day for another intense one and not feel it as much as before. When I get a chance, I'll look for her diet sheet and post more.

I suspect what will help me most is dropping pounds, but hopefully this info. will help guide the weight loss. SwimShark - I'd love to see the recommendations! These posts bring up another question: do most swimmers-in-training rely on supplements, natural food sources?

Like Bobinator says ... Whole food always trumps supplements! Eat pure, wholesome, fresh food for good results! ... the only supplement I take is glucosamine for my knees, but, honestly, I'm not sure if that's really working. To your original question on diet: my wife (runner, half marathons) and I have really been focusing on whole foods over the last 6-9 months. We've always eaten pretty healthfully, but have really kicked it into overdrive lately, trying to eliminate processed foods whenever possible. as far as protein/carb mix, lately I'm eating more carbs, but these tend to be better carbs (e.g., loads more veggies, a lot less rice/pasta/breads). Like Q mentions, though, I'm almost always combining carbs with protein eating pretty frequently throughout the day (e.g., every 2 to 3 hours) I'm also trying to follow the maxim of eating breakfast like a king and dinner like a pauper, so most of my calories are probably consumed by about 3pm. I'm also eating somewhat consistently -- breakfast, lunch and snacks are taken from a small repertoire of meals I like. This makes it easier for me to make better choices. My wife cooks amazingly healthy dinners, so that's always under control. So far, this is working well from a weight perspective. When I started back Masters a decade ago (early 30s), I was around 200/205 versus a leaving college weight of 185. Over the last 2 to 3 years of steadier training, I got back to about 190, but am now back at 185. With that said, I'm going to probably add back in a little more protein emphasis now as I'm entering a phase of training where I'm going go try to put on some measure of muscle.

Whole food always trumps supplements! Eat pure, wholesome, fresh food for good results! :worms:

Whole food always trumps supplements! Eat pure, wholesome, fresh food for good results! :worms: how true this is almost daily, there is a new story about either another recall regarding or FDA recommendation to not use supplements containing Viagra-like and sibutramine drugs what the label says is rarely close to reality

as far as protein/carb mix, lately I'm eating more carbs, but these tend to be better carbs (e.g., loads more veggies, a lot less rice/pasta/breads). According to my P90X nutritional guides - The higher carb diet is really only well suited for someone who is already extremely physically active and already in a very good physical condition ('t eat your body weight in bacon (as glorious as that would be), don't use sweeteners, listen to your body - its constantly telling you what it needs, get enough sleep, don't eat your spouse's body weight in bacon... you know - the usual stuff. Of course my diet has been one with a strong focus on muscle building, and weight reduction. Its not necessarily what's going to be best for you. I think it was put best in the "Mastering Swimming" book when they said "What works for you will work for you and only you."

Forget this low carb high protein stuff even if Dara Torres promotes it. All societies with healthy diets have one thing in common: a high consumption of fresh fruit and veggies. Make that your main food. Chinese who eat a lot of rice stay lean because they eat a lot of veggies. You can add protein(lean meat, poultry, fish, beans, lentils, dairy, eggs) to that, plus whole grains, nuts and seeds. All societies with obesity problems have one thing in common: processed food. If you cut out sugar, processed food, soft drinks and junk food and stick to whole food you got a pretty solid diet. Just my 2 cents....

All societies with obesity problems have one thing in common: processed food. And here I thought lazy society members like me are the common link. Sweet that I can blame it on the food :banana: