Both water and salt losses need to be replaced as dehydration can negatively affect performance. British Swimming use cookies on our website to give you the best possible experience.

I accept these cookies I reject these cookies. Performance Swimming Training and Sports Science Nutrition. POST TRAINING RECOVERY Timing is key to optimal recovery and nutritional recovery strategies should begin within the first hour after training!

REFUEL The main fuel used during training is carbohydrate in the form of muscle glycogen. REBUILD AND REPAIR Eating protein immediately after training is important to help muscle growth and repair.

REHYDRATE Both water and salt losses need to be replaced as dehydration can negatively affect performance. Both can be warm, causing increased sweat loss. However, outdoor competitions during the hot and humid summer months put swimmers at the greatest risk for significant fluid losses.

Sports drinks, chocolate milk, smoothies, popsicles and water-rich fruits and vegetables can also help keep swimmers hydrated. For more hydration tips click here. Swimmers rely on stored carbohydrate, known as glycogen, to perform their best at practice and training sessions.

It is the primary fuel used by working muscles and is also used to maintain normal blood sugar levels during the day and while sleeping.

Because glycogen stores are used at a low rate throughout the night, levels can be low in the morning. That makes eating or drinking a carbohydrate-rich meal or snack highly important for swimmers with early morning practice. Student swimmers may also need to sip a carbohydrate-rich beverage during swimming and should be sure to refuel and rehydrate once practice is over.

Swimming practice is often held in the morning, before school starts, which makes it a super early start for students. That also makes properly fueling and hydrating a challenge. The same holds true for weekend competitions. Make a smoothie or grab a bottle of chocolate milk or juice as you head out the door.

If you prefer solid foods, toast, cereal, oatmeal or a banana are quick and easy morning options. If your practice is right after school, you have more time to focus on getting the right nutrition.

Be sure to eat regular meals throughout the day, and pack snacks that you can eat during the school day and after school. Practice, however, is another story. Student swimmers often spend the entire practice in the pool, making it difficult to eat or drink anything. Taking fluid breaks, however, is critical to minimize fluid losses.

Place a water bottle on the side of the pool and take sips as often as possible. Heavy sweaters or those who need additional carbohydrate and electrolytes may benefit from a sports drink. Including protein as part of the recovery meal and snack will help repair muscles.

Student swimmers who have a commute or delay in getting home for a meal should take something along to practice, like portable, on-the-go foods and fluids. Pack a small cooler with a yogurt, peanut butter and jelly sandwich or chocolate milk. Chocolate milk is a great option since it provides the carbohydrate, protein, fluids and some electrolytes all in one.

You can check out easy refueling ideas here. Preliminary or final meets can last from a half to a full day, requiring more attention to hydration and total daily calorie intake throughout the day. For full-day swim meets, student athletes should pay attention to what they consume the night before as carbohydrates will be a valuable fuel source for the next day.

An example of what to eat the night before is 4 ounces of lean protein, like chicken or fish, 1 ½ cups of whole grain pasta or brown rice, 1 cup of steamed or roasted vegetables, a piece of fruit and 1 cup of milk or water. The day of the meet, pack enough food to keep your body well-fueled and hydrated all day long.

That means a full breakfast and lunch as well as extra fluids and carbohydrate-rich snacks for before, during and after events. A great breakfast option could be overnight oats made with ½ cup old-fashioned oats, Greek yogurt, skim milk and fruit.

For lunch, pack a sandwich made with 3 ounces lean protein, a slice of cheese and 2 slices whole grain bread, a side of pita chips and hummus, a piece of fruit and 16 ounces of water.

Then, be sure to refuel after the meet and have a balanced meal when you get home. Virtual Club Championship. Non-Sanctioned Meets. Non-Sanctioned Times Search. Data Hub. Record Progressions. All-Time Top Performers. Yearly Top Performers. All-Time Relay Splits.

World Rankings Powered by USA Swimming. Continental Lists. Meet Results. Other Organizations. NCAA Information. NCAA Division I. NCAA Division II. NCAA Division III. International School Swimming Competitions - China. USA Swimming University. Learn the Basics. Learn to Swim. Athlete Videos. Open Water.

Swim Camps. Safe Sport for Parents. Become an Official. Coaching Membership Requirements Checklist. American Development Model. Coach Certification Program. Coaches Community. Team Leaders. Start a New Club. Managing Your Team. Learn to Swim Grants. Marketing Toolkit. SWIMS Alerts.

News Notebook. Team Services. Online Meet Entry OME.

Ideally, swimmers should aim to eat breakfast or a light snack prior to training to maximise performance — especially for key training sessions. Liquid meal drinks or milk tetra packs can be useful for fuelling and stomach comfort, especially when appetite is poor.

Nutrition is often based around lean proteins for muscle repair and recovery, carbohydrate appropriately timed for fuel. In addition, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and wholegrains provide important vitamins and minerals, along with some healthy fats. In order to stay hydrated, swimmers should drink fluids should before, during and after training and events.

However, body fluid needs will depend on individual fluid losses, which vary depending on individual sweat rate. Although it can be difficult to identify sweat loss because of the water-based environment, pool areas especially indoors are often warm and humid which increases fluid losses.

Water bottles should be taken to training and competitions and placed in an easily accessible location to ensure fluids are consumed regularly. For most training sessions water is sufficient to meet hydration needs.

However, if training for maximum performance, or during very long training sessions, sports drinks can be useful as they provide carbohydrate for fuel and electrolytes and fluid for hydration goals.

Swimmers should have a high carbohydrate meal 2 to 4 hours prior to first race of competition. Fluids mainly water should be sipped regularly in the lead up the first race. To avoid stomach discomfort foods should be relatively low in fibre and fat.

Suitable pre-competition meals include:. A small snack can also be eaten up to in the hours prior to a race as a final effort to top up energy levels. For example:. Swimmers need to make sure that they take advantage of opportunities to eat and drink between events.

An eating plan should be developed that fits in with individual competition schedule and includes foods that are familiar. Competition eating should be practiced during training sessions or intra-club lead up competitions before major events to help identify food choices that will suit best.

If less than 60 minutes between races — keep options light and easy to digest. Carbohydrate rich liquids may be preferred as they are rapidly digested from the gut. If more then 1 — 2 hours between races — a more substantial meal can be eaten to top up energy needs and avoid getting hungry.

Competition and training venues do not always have suitable food and fluid options available so it is important that swimmers arrive at venues with food and fluids prepared. A cooler bag with drinks and food options should be packed and kept easily accessible for topping up with fuel and fluids throughout the day.

So finding out what works best for you is a case of trial and error. As a rough guide, a 70kg person burns anywhere between and calories in an hour of swimming. Lots of swimmers have more frequent, smaller meals and healthy snacks throughout the day to keep their blood sugars stable and fuel their training.

If you do want to increase your carbohydrate intake ahead of a big event, eat a little more in the preceding days rather than having one huge bowl of pasta the night before, which could leave you feeling bloated on the day.

The best food to eat before swimming is a meal containing carbohydrates for energy and a small amount of protein to aid recovery, two to four hours before training or a race or event.

Porridge with a spoon of nut butter or eggs on toast would be a good breakfast, or you might have chicken and rice for lunch for example.

You can top this up with a snack such as a Veloforte energy bar one-to-two hours before your swim. In the run up to a training session or an event, sip water little and often. You should also keep water poolside during training or in your kit bag for afterwards.

Veloforte's Mocha , Forza protein bars and Vita and Nova recovery shakes have the perfect ratio of carbs to protein for optimal recovery. To boost recovery, aim to eat a main meal up to three hours after a hard swim.

Include carbohydrates for energy, around 20g of protein for recovery and some good fats. When you sit down to create your own swimming nutrition and diet plan there are a few things to take into account:.

Tupperware is your friend here. Prepare smaller meals and snacks to take with you so you can graze to keep your blood sugar levels stable. The harder you work out, the more glycogen you burn through.

Fast freestyle or butterfly typically use more energy than backstroke or breaststroke, too. If you swim in the sea or open water, currents could increase your workout rate so you may need to take on more fuel.

Before you plan your swimming nutrition, note down your goals. How do you want your nutrition to impact your training? Think about anything you want to add or remove from your diet or any good habits you want to get into, such as eating protein post-workout or making sure you have breakfast before an early-morning session.

That way you can discover what works best for you. You can also play around with timings to see when to eat before a swim. Pay attention to thirst, the colour of your wee and monitor how much sweat you lose in hard training sessions by weighing yourself afterwards.

Experiment with electrolyte drinks in longer training sessions and see if it makes a difference to how you feel and perform. Invest in some Tupperware for snacks and meal prep and stock up on different energy bars and protein shakes and bars to see how they work for you.

Veloforte exists to help active people fuel better. By Team Veloforte August 02, By Team Veloforte September 03, Cart 0 items.

FREE shipping will be applied at checkout Sorry, looks like we don't have enough of this product. Your cart is currently empty.

Shop by Health Goal. Items Free. Checkout Free. Find your perfect swimming nutrition Simply complete our 2-minute quiz to find the perfect swimming nutrition. Protein Protein is an essential part of any healthy diet. Fat While the trans fats and saturated fats found in biscuits, cakes, crisps and fatty red meats should be limited, good fats should be an essential part of any swimmer's nutrition plan.

Electrolytes Electrolytes are salts and minerals found in the blood that conduct electricity when mixed with water. The most important electrolytes for swimmers are sodium, potassium and magnesium.

Sodium : The main electrolyte lost through sweat — and yes, you do sweat in the water. Potassium : Helps with muscle contractions — including the heart and digestive system — and aids energy production.

Magnesium : Helps you maintain a regular heartbeat and regulates the use of nutrients for energy. Sweet potatoes A great source of slow-release carbs, sweet potatoes are lower GI than white potatoes and provide a more steady supply of energy — good news for longer sessions.

Rice Rice is a good source of carbohydrate for swimmers but opt for brown rice where possible. Oats Oats are a great breakfast choice for swimmers. Lean protein sources Chicken, turkey, tuna and tofu are all good sources of protein for swimmers.

Energy gels and chews Some swimmers — especially those competing in multi-sport events such as triathlons — will have an energy gel or energy chew before an event to give them a kick.

Always try this out in training first though, to make sure it works for you. Importance of hydration for swimming Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. These guidelines should give you an idea of how to eat to support your swimming.

Before your swim The best food to eat before swimming is a meal containing carbohydrates for energy and a small amount of protein to aid recovery, two to four hours before training or a race or event.

Take on plenty of water and replace lost electrolytes with an electrolyte drink, too.

Body composition goals can be a challenge for female swimmers despite the heavy training loads, as adolescence brings hormonal changes that can lead to a natural increase in body fat.

It is important that athletes, particularly young females going through puberty, seek the advice of an Accredited Sports Dietitian to find the balance between body composition goals, health and wellbeing and of course, performance in the pool.

Individual nutrition requirements will be determined by training load, specific athlete needs, training goals, body composition goals, health and adjustment for growth in younger athletes.

Typically, training sessions are held early in the morning and as a result some swimmers skip breakfast before training for stomach comfort, lack of appetite or to sneak in an extra 10 minutes sleep!

Ideally, swimmers should aim to eat breakfast or a light snack prior to training to maximise performance — especially for key training sessions. Liquid meal drinks or milk tetra packs can be useful for fuelling and stomach comfort, especially when appetite is poor. Nutrition is often based around lean proteins for muscle repair and recovery, carbohydrate appropriately timed for fuel.

In addition, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and wholegrains provide important vitamins and minerals, along with some healthy fats.

In order to stay hydrated, swimmers should drink fluids should before, during and after training and events. However, body fluid needs will depend on individual fluid losses, which vary depending on individual sweat rate.

Although it can be difficult to identify sweat loss because of the water-based environment, pool areas especially indoors are often warm and humid which increases fluid losses. Water bottles should be taken to training and competitions and placed in an easily accessible location to ensure fluids are consumed regularly.

For most training sessions water is sufficient to meet hydration needs. However, if training for maximum performance, or during very long training sessions, sports drinks can be useful as they provide carbohydrate for fuel and electrolytes and fluid for hydration goals.

Swimmers should have a high carbohydrate meal 2 to 4 hours prior to first race of competition. Fluids mainly water should be sipped regularly in the lead up the first race. To avoid stomach discomfort foods should be relatively low in fibre and fat.

Suitable pre-competition meals include:. A small snack can also be eaten up to in the hours prior to a race as a final effort to top up energy levels. For example:. Swimmers need to make sure that they take advantage of opportunities to eat and drink between events.

An eating plan should be developed that fits in with individual competition schedule and includes foods that are familiar. Competition eating should be practiced during training sessions or intra-club lead up competitions before major events to help identify food choices that will suit best.

If less than 60 minutes between races — keep options light and easy to digest. If you prefer solid foods, toast, cereal, oatmeal or a banana are quick and easy morning options.

If your practice is right after school, you have more time to focus on getting the right nutrition. Be sure to eat regular meals throughout the day, and pack snacks that you can eat during the school day and after school. Practice, however, is another story.

Student swimmers often spend the entire practice in the pool, making it difficult to eat or drink anything. Taking fluid breaks, however, is critical to minimize fluid losses. Place a water bottle on the side of the pool and take sips as often as possible.

Heavy sweaters or those who need additional carbohydrate and electrolytes may benefit from a sports drink. Including protein as part of the recovery meal and snack will help repair muscles.

Student swimmers who have a commute or delay in getting home for a meal should take something along to practice, like portable, on-the-go foods and fluids. Pack a small cooler with a yogurt, peanut butter and jelly sandwich or chocolate milk. Chocolate milk is a great option since it provides the carbohydrate, protein, fluids and some electrolytes all in one.

You can check out easy refueling ideas here. Preliminary or final meets can last from a half to a full day, requiring more attention to hydration and total daily calorie intake throughout the day. For full-day swim meets, student athletes should pay attention to what they consume the night before as carbohydrates will be a valuable fuel source for the next day.

An example of what to eat the night before is 4 ounces of lean protein, like chicken or fish, 1 ½ cups of whole grain pasta or brown rice, 1 cup of steamed or roasted vegetables, a piece of fruit and 1 cup of milk or water.

The day of the meet, pack enough food to keep your body well-fueled and hydrated all day long. That means a full breakfast and lunch as well as extra fluids and carbohydrate-rich snacks for before, during and after events. A great breakfast option could be overnight oats made with ½ cup old-fashioned oats, Greek yogurt, skim milk and fruit.

For lunch, pack a sandwich made with 3 ounces lean protein, a slice of cheese and 2 slices whole grain bread, a side of pita chips and hummus, a piece of fruit and 16 ounces of water.

Then, be sure to refuel after the meet and have a balanced meal when you get home. Swimmers have faced new challenges staying on top of nutrition and hydration in the COVID era. There has been a safe return to swim with mask protocols, temperature checks, and distancing during competition, but wearing a face covering diminishes the ease of eating and hydrating.

Even though you are masked, you still need to follow good nutrition and hydration protocols. Lowering masks briefly to stay on top of hydration throughout the meet is essential. If venues are not allowing solid food, liquid sports nutrition products, like chocolate milk and smoothies, provide the best options for getting in nutrition while competing.

Angie is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist RDN and a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics CSSD. She is also a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She works one-on-one with clients at her nutrition practice, Carpe Diem Nutrition, in Hershey, PA. Areas of expertise include Sports Nutrition, Digestive Health, and Intuitive Eating.

She enjoys helping athletes optimize their performance with nutrition and has seen the benefits in every level of athlete from youth, up to the ultra-endurance level.

Toggle Navigation About Us Dairy Diary Blog en Español Contact Us. Search for:. Dairy Farms. For Farmers. For Health Professionals. School Programs. For School Nutrition Professionals. For Educators. Sports Nutrition for the Student Athlete: Swimming Angie Dye, MS, RD, CSSD, LD.

Home » Dairy Diary » Sports Nutrition » Sports Nutrition for the Student Athlete: Swimming. Click Here to Download this Information as a Printable PDF. Nutrition Recommendations for Swimming Swimming is an endurance sport consisting of one or more hours of moderate to high intensity training, most days of the week.

Carbohydrates The primary fuel source used by swimmers is carbohydrate. Daily Nutritional Requirements for Swimming Based on a lb. Fluid Needs Although swimmers are immersed in water for much of their practice and competition, they still need to focus on drinking adequate fluid to maintain proper hydration.

Fueling and Hydrating — Before, During and After Training and Competitions Swimmers rely on stored carbohydrate, known as glycogen, to perform their best at practice and training sessions.

Before Pre- Training Swimming practice is often held in the morning, before school starts, which makes it a super early start for students. Fueling and Hydrating for Half-Day or Full-Day Swim Meets Preliminary or final meets can last from a half to a full day, requiring more attention to hydration and total daily calorie intake throughout the day.

Other Sport Specific Considerations Swimmers have faced new challenges staying on top of nutrition and hydration in the COVID era. Angie Dye, MS, RD, CSSD, LD.