Nutrition For Swimmers

Swimming can be a physically demanding sport that requires huge amounts of energy both for competitions and when training. As a swimmer you will need to work hard to make sure your diet is good in order to help you perform at your best. The most important nutrient for swimmers is without doubt carbohydrate. Because swimming burns up so much energy, you will need to make sure you are eating enough of the right carbohydrates to succeed in your swimming competitions and to hit your targets when training.

There are two types of carbohydrate, simple and complex. Complex carbohydrates are the best source because they release energy slowly and steadily and help keep your body fat levels in check. Simple carbohydrates are basically sugars and should only be consumed when you need an immediate energy boost. Simple carbohydrates are absorbed quickly by the body and so you will typically feel an energy crash once you have burned them up. Complex carbohydrates should form a large portion of your diet if you want to improve your swimming times.

Another important nutrient for swimmers to think about is protein. Protein is essential for muscle growth and staying strong and you should aim to eat good lean protein sources such as chicken breast, steak, eggs and whey powder as part of your swimming nutrition program.

Because the atmosphere in most swimming pools can be hot and humid swimmers need to be aware of dehydration and make sure they drink water before and during a training session or competition. By the time you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated and your performance will suffer. Being dehydrated negatively affects your coordination, concentration and it can reduces the length of time you can keep swimming for.

Always remember that a good nutrition strategy will give you an edge when training or swimming in competition.