Swimming is a demanding sport with a high energy requirement. A swimmer in a period of heavy training needs to consume enough calories to fuel training and eat a variety of foods to meet his need for nutrients to help recover from the demands of the sport. If you swim regularly you need more carbohydrates and protein than the average person and your diet needs to reflect this.
Considerations
The exact composition of your diet depends on how much training you do. Your gender and age are also a factor in determining your total calorie requirements. Your first task is to make sure you eat enough to provide energy to meet the demands of your training schedule. You get the energy to swim from carbohydrates stored in your muscles as glycogen. To ensure you have enough stored energy for swimming you should include carbohydrates in your balanced diet in the form of foods like pasta, oats and bananas.
Components
A balanced diet must provide carbohydrates for energy, vitamins and minerals to maintain the health of your skeletal system and vital organs and essential fats and proteins. Essential fats are the polyunsaturated fats known as omega 3 and omega 6 and they help your brain to function properly. Vitamins and minerals are found in a number of foods but because of the physical demands of swimming you may need to include supplements in your diet to avoid vitamin and mineral deficiency.
Sources
You find essential fats in oily fish like mackerel, sardines and herring and in dairy products like eggs. Protein is made up of amino acids and these are vital for the health of your cells. According to Gillian McKeith, author of "Food Bible, The Complete A-Z Guide to Healthy Life," you can get good quality protein from both animal and vegetable sources. Animal protein is found in dairy products and meat. Vegetable protein is found in green vegetables, quinoa, lentils, nuts and seeds.
Essentials
You also need to make sure you eat enough foods to provide you with the vitamins and minerals that you need to maintain your health. Minerals like potassium and sodium are important for keeping your body's fluid balance and are sometimes lost through training. These minerals can be replaced with sports drinks. Eat a balanced diet and include leafy vegetables, fruit, meat and whole-grains and you will be well on the way to including all the essential vitamins and minerals you need.
Warning
A balanced diet for a swimmer should include a mixture of different food types. Meat and dairy products provide you with protein which aids muscular recovery and is good for maintaining strength. However this type of food contains saturated fats, so you should eat these foods in moderation. Patrick Holford, nutritionist and author of "Optimum Nutrition Made Easy" recommends that red meat and hard cheese be limited to no more than three or four portions a week.
References
- "Food Bible, The Complete A-Z Guide to a Healthy Life"; Gillian McKeith; 2008
- "Optimum Nutrition Made Easy"; Patrick Holford; 2008
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