what to eat before swim meet?

Question

I have an early swim meet tomorrow morning. so this is breakfast ill be eating. im doing sprint events (50 fly and back) so i want to now what foods with simple sugars i should eat. And what other nutrients i should have before the meet besides carbs (pasta). Also how long before my meet should i be eating?

Answer 1

When I usually have a swim meet, I eat Bagels. And uhm... I usually have fruits, Gatorade, water, and some granola bars. I suggest that if you do drink Gatorade and water, keep switching drinks.. like first, drink some Gatorade, then when you drink again, drink some water.



Good Luck!

Answer 2

Eat some healthy cereal or the bagel the person above said. No frosted flakes and such. Maybe eat an egg for some protein. You're not supposed to eat dairy products like milk. I think they cause cramps and (at least from people I know) they make the swimmer's stomach uneasy.



Give yourself about an hour to digest because usually for swim meets, you get apprehensive and nervous and you might not feel too well if you don't give yourself enough time to digest.

Answer 3

Here is an article from USA Swimming, the governing body of swimming in the United States, about swimmer nutrition:



Eat “white” things in moderation. This includes butter, fatty cheeses, sour cream, cream cheese, cream sauces, salad dressings and cream-based soups. You’re looking at a fat content of 40 to 70 % in these items.









Low-fat doesn’t mean low-calorie. In fact, it usually means the food is higher in calories because more sugar or corn syrup is added to replace the fat. Just because something is fat-free doesn’t mean you can eat all you want.









Choose lean cuts of meat. Cuts with the words loin or round in them signify a leaner cut. Flank steak is a great option. You can ruin good intentions if you cook lean meat in a “fattening” way. Grilling, broiling, baking or sautéing in a small amount of fat are the ways to go.









Good bread vs. bad bread. I personally don’t think an athlete should shy away from carbohydrates. You need them to fuel your body, but breads that contain a lot of fat and calories such as banana or zucchini bread and muffins, which are made with eggs and oil, should be avoided. Some of the jumbo muffins you see have up to 20 grams of fat in them.









Don’t worry about cereal… just make wise choices. Buy things with bran, fiber and wheat instead of the kid’s cereals loaded with sugar. They have little nutritional value. Sweeten your cereal with Equal or Splenda, add raisins or fresh fruit and use skim milk.









Don’t torture yourself! If you have a sweet tooth, give in a little bit or your cravings will worsen. If you like ice cream, find a frozen yogurt place that has the kind of yogurt that’s only 10 calories per ounce and fat-free. Don’t burry it in toppings, except for maybe a little fruit. Graham crackers and low-calorie fruit pops can satisfy a sweet tooth.









Here are some other simple rules to follow:







* Use salsa, steamed veggies or marinara sauce on baked potatoes.







* Liven up a salad with plain tuna, beans, raisins or sunflower seeds.







* Replace fattening dressings with good balsamic vinegar or even salsa.







* Order dressings on the side. Dip your fork in it, and then eat the salad. You’ll use a lot less.







* Order pizza with lots of veggies and light or no cheese.







* Be very specific at restaurants about what you want and how you want it cooked.







* Don’t graze. Eat your meals with intention, but keep healthy snacks available.







* Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast. This slows your metabolism.

Answer 4

For breakfast, you should eat bagels.

I personally don't like bagels, but since it is one of the the best "before swim meet foods", I eat it anyways. Try bagels with blueberries in it.(or any other fruits.)

Also, you should eat energy bars 30 minutes before each event. I eat the Power Bar-Recovery. It really helps you out.

Good luck in your swim meet!