Fueling for a Swim Meet

"How should my student athlete fuel for a long swim meet?"

This is a question I get often! And I understand why! Making sure you or your athlete is fueling enough can be tricky. Add a day long swim meet with variously timed breaks and races, and it gets even more complex! Swimmers need to optimize their nutrition for performance, ensure they are eating enough when competition overlaps with meal times, AND avoid stomach aches and nausea while racing.

I want to be clear that race day fuel plans are highly individualized and depend on what time the events are (morning, evening, both?), duration of exercise (how long will the be in the pool for each event?, what does warm up and cool down look like?), and tolerance of eating between events. That being said, the following are a few tips to support your race day nutrition.

Nothing new on race day

The reality is, nutrition should be a part of your training plan. The foods you eat before and after practice are what prepare you for race day. These are the foods your body is used to digesting before swimming, and the foods you can be confident in not upsetting your stomach. Not only should nutrition in your training plan support your health and performance goals, but it also should include days where you practice nutrient timing.

Practicing for race day can be a little tricky since a regular training day looks drastically different than a swim meet. What you can still practice is:

• snacks you have before practice can mimic the snacks you can trust during a meet between events

• breakfast before an early workout can mimic breakfast before your meet

• nail down your recovery nutrition!

  • if you know your appetite is low after swimming, be prepared with snacks you know you can tolerate

Trying something new on race day is a recipe for digestive distress and discomfort, neither of which are worth it!

Start your day well fueled

How you fuel before your meet sets the tone for the rest of the day. Think about how you prepare for a long road trip - you fill the gas tank 100% so you can get as far as possible before needing to stop for gas. The foods you eat before a swim meet are how you can fill the gas tank and prepare for the journey ahead.

What you eat before a meet depends on how long you have to digest your food before you first jump in the pool (yes, that means the time you start warm up). The graphic below paints a picture for how to do this. Since you have a long day ahead, it is best to opt for a balanced meal 3-4 hours before, plus a small carb snack within 60 minutes of swimming, OR a large snack that contains carbs and protein 1-2 hours before you start.

I know this might mean having to eat pretty early in the morning. It might even mean waking up a little earlier to fit in your pre-meet meal or snack. Remember how we talked about incorporating nutrition into your training plan? Eating early in the morning is something you can practice ahead of time, and train your gut to tolerate if you struggle to find an appetite.

Pack lots of snack options

The graphic above can also be used to help you determine what to snack on between events. If you have less than 60 minutes between events, stick to easy-to-digest carbs, portioned to about 15-30g. These will provide quick-to-use energy, without being tough on the stomach. A few examples include:

• Cheerios/any low fiber cereal

• a banana

• pretzels

• fruit jerky

• dates

• fruit snacks

If you have 1-2 hours between events, opt for protein with easy-to-digest carbs. The protein plays a few roles in this scenario. Protein supports muscle recovery from your previous swim, and provides satiety to keep you full for longer than you would be with just consuming carbohydrates. A few examples include:

• half a turkey sandwich

• chocolate milk

• fruit jerky and a cheese stick

• RXbar

If you have more than 2 hours between events, this is a great time to increase portions, but you'll still want to stick to mostly carbs and protein. Carbs and protein are key to refueling your energy stores and muscle recovery. Fat and fibrous carbs may be tolerated in small amounts, but they digest slowly and are more likely to cause stomach upset while you are swimming. They can absolutely be included after the meet in your recovery meal, but should be limited while still swimming. Fat and fiber will not worsen performance, so if you can tolerate these foods in small amounts, feel free to include them during longer breaks. A few examples:

• chocolate milk and goldfish

• a turkey and cheese sandwich

• orange juice and a protein bar

• pb&j and a meat stick

The ultimate goal of nutrition during a swim meet is maintain energy and optimize performance

Under

fueling can absolutely impair performance. While it may take some practice to figure out what works best for you during a meet, working on your nutrition is an investment in yourself. Proper fueling not only improves performance, but supports longevity in sport.

If you are looking for more support, consider working one-on-one with a dietitian for individualized nutrition recommendations. You can learn more about working with me by scheduling a free discovery call here.