1. Eat Breakfast
· Maintains blood sugars and starts fueling early to support two-a-day training sessions or early AM workouts
· Start the day with breakfast containing carbs (whole wheat bread or cereal, fruit) and protein (eggs, yogurt or milk)
2. Fuel with carbohydrates throughout the day
· Eat whole grains, fruit and dairy/dairy alternatives at each of your meals to fuel your muscles
· Eat extra carbohydrates 3 days before big competition (not excessive carb loading) - add extra fruit or an extra helping of potatoes, brown rice or whole grain bread/pasta to meals
· Eat simple carbs (pretzels, sports drink, fruit) after intense workouts to replace sugar into muscles more quickly
3. Eat protein throughout the day not just at dinner
· Improves muscle recovery and repair
· Spread protein rich foods throughout the day by eating some at each meal and with most snacks (chicken, turkey, lean beef, cheese, eggs, milk, nuts, and nut butter, Greek yogurt)
· Rule of thumb- 20-25 grams of protein each meal and 10-15 grams with snacks (3 ounces = deck of cards)
4. Fuel properly after exercise
· Improves muscle recovery from intense, hard workouts
· Try eating within 30-45 minutes after a hard workout, containing simple carbs plus protein to aid in muscle recovery and restoring muscle glycogen
5. Hydrate throughout the day
· Not drinking enough can lead to dehydration and poor performance
· Look at the color of your urine to figure out if you are well hydrated- should be a very light yellow or clear
· Start drinking water as soon as you wake up and carry a water bottle with you throughout the day
· Keep a water bottle on the pool deck to sip on throughout practice- consider using electrolyte tabs and/or sports drinks during high-intensity workouts
6. Time snacks and meals properly for practices or competitions
· Eat your main meal containing carbs, protein and healthy fat at least 3-4 hours before you exercise
· Eat easily digesting carbs before you exercise
· Recover by eating carbs plus protein within 30-45 minutes after exercise- continue recovery with a meal or snack within 2 hours after exercise
7. Eat a bedtime snack after an intense workout or competition day
· Eat a snack containing carb plus protein to aid with muscle recovery
· Try eating Greek yogurt and fruit, nut butter and bread, Protein smoothie, peanut butter and apple, Protein granola bar or handful of nuts with fruit
8. Eat an iron-rich diet
· Low levels of iron can lead to feeling tired and decreased swimming performance
· Choose foods iron-rich- lean ground beef, pork chops, pork tenderloin, sirloin, skinless chicken thighs, fish and shellfish, fortified cereals, eggs, beans, pumpkin seeds, spinach and tofu
· Consider getting iron, including ferritin and transferrin saturation, levels check at least once a year- you may need an iron supplement if levels are truly deficient (check with your physician before starting an supplementation)
9. Get enough vitamin D
· Vitamin D “sunshine hormone” helps build a healthy immune system and muscle strength
· Drink or eat dairy or dairy alternatives 4 servings/day- cow’s milk, nut milk, soy milk, yogurt
· Consider taking vitamin D 3 supplement (Nature Made) 1000 units/day during fall/winter
10. Plan Ahead!
· Don’t get stuck eating from the concession stands at competitions
· Pack a cooler on competition days filled with healthy snacks and beverages
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