This is What To Eat Before Swimming

As with any exercise, eating before swimming will give you energy and enhance your performance. However, you should ensure that you eat the right types of food before swimming. You do not want to jump in the pool only to become nauseous, get diarrhea, become bloated, or get acid reflux. These are sure to ruin the exercise! So, what should you be eating beforehand?

Before swimming, it is good to eat food that contains carbohydrates, such as energy gels, bananas, cereal bars, pasta, rice, etc. To avoid digestive issues while in the water, it would help to eat food that your body already knows and is used to. It is also important to time your meal correctly.

Your decision on what to eat before swimming is also influenced by factors such as the time of day and how long you want to wait before getting into the water. It is also helpful to consider how certain foods affect your digestive system specifically.

What You Should Eat Before You Go Swimming

There are a few things that will determine the best foods to eat before swimming. These include factors like when you will be swimming, how much you want to eat, how long after eating you will be swimming, and how certain foods impact your body.

If you plan to have an intense workout and swim for a longer time, it will help if you eat a slightly larger meal a few hours before getting in the water.

The goal is to eat foods with low glycemic index (or GI). This indicates how quickly the carbohydrates are broken down following the meal. Low glycemic index foods are broken and release energy slowly and consistently. These are great for longer workouts to prevent you from “bonking” or “hitting the wall” during your workout.

I'm getting hungry already!

Notice that these foods are high in carbohydrates and protein but NOT a lot of fat!

If you are not wanting to have a big meal or do not want to wait very long before swimming, have a high glycemic index snack; something that can be broken down by your body for energy quickly.

• Fruits such as bananas, apples, berries or oranges or dried fruit
• Bagels
• Sports drink
• Energy or cereal bar
• White rice
• Pretzels
• Scones
• Pita Bread
• Rice Cakes
• Carbohydrate Gels

These snacks are mostly carbohydrates and will release energy very quickly for your workout.

How Long Before Swimming Should You Eat?

If your training session will be intense, and you plan on having a bigger low glycemic index meal, it is recommended to wait two to four hours before swimming. Waiting two to four hours will give your body time to digest the meal and start releasing the energy you will need to swim for longer. If you swim too soon after this kind of meal, you will be missing out on all the energy you could have had!

If you do not plan on having an intense workout in the water or plan on only having a small snack beforehand, it is recommended that you wait thirty minutes to two hours before you go swimming. (Although, technically, you don’t have to; see also How Long Should You Wait To Swim After Eating?)

What You Should Not Be Eating Or Drinking Before Swimming

If there are any foods or drinks you know your body is sensitive to, you should avoid eating or drinking these before swimming. You should also delay the introduction of any new foods or drinks to your pre-swim selection until your body is used to it. If your body is not used to the foods or drinks yet, it can cause digestive problems during your swim.

Also, as the position of your body is mostly horizontal while swimming, you might experience acid reflux if you eat the wrong things beforehand. The acid reflux can cause you to feel queasy, making it hard to enjoy your swim or perform at your best. You also want to avoid a lot of fiber, excessively fatty foods, abnormally spicy foods, too much caffeine, and alcohol.

_{Information courtesy of Delish}

What You Should Be Eating After Swimming

As with any exercise, you should be eating the right foods after swimming to help your body recover and replenish lost resources after swimming. Below are some post-swim foods that are recommended by USA swimming:

• Chocolate milk box
• Soy milk box
• Yogurt
• Fruit smoothie made with yogurt
• Carnation instant
• Pasta
• Rice bowl
• Burrito with rice or beans
• Big salad with lean meat, beans, and rice or quinoa

To assist your body with its post-swim recovery process, it is recommended to eat within an hour after swimming. But once again, note that these foods are mostly carbohydrates. While convenient, stopping at your local fast food joint for a hamburger isn’t going to be the greatest for your recovery.

Conclusion

Eating before swimming is very beneficial. It is important to ensure that you eat the correct foods before swimming to prevent acid reflux, bloating, diarrhea, and nausea. If you plan on having an intense workout during your swim session, it is recommended that you eat a large low glycemic meal approximately two to four hours beforehand.