Training & Nutritional Advice

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To improve the effectiveness of your body, to remain hydrated and to avoid tiredness, it is highly recommended that you consume a minimum of 1.5 litres of fluid daily. This excludes any additional requirements the body needs from doing any physical activity. To maximise performance at training sessions and galas,  you should seriously consider the following nutritional advice:

Fuel your training

Whilst you are training twice per day you are probably best to aim for 3 meals and 2-4 snacks per day.

Base main meals around starchy carbohydrate rich foods

• Breads, breakfast cereals, rice, oatmeal and other grain foods, pasta and noodles (not pot noodles or super noodles)

Strategies to increase carbohydrates:

• Let the above foods take up at least half the room on your plate

• Cut your bread thicker or buy thick sliced bread

• Include starchy vegetables, if available, corn, sweet potatoes and parsnips, butter squash

• Add chopped fresh fruit or dried fruit to your breakfast cereal

• Base snacks around carbohydrates rich foods

Snack ideas

It is good practice to have appropriate snacks / drinks that you like in your bag.

Keep too low-fat ideas (see snacks below), and promote fuel foods rather than high fat foods.

Remember portion sizes will depend on your energy needs.

• Packets of dried fruit, e.g. raisins, fruit mixes, apricots, dates

• Jam, banana or honey sandwiches / toast

• Bagels

• Jaffa cakes (3-5 only), add a sandwich or other snack food if you require a large snack / small meal

• Sweetened low fat dairy products: fruit flavoured yoghurts, milkshakes

• Cereal bars such as nutrigrains / rice crispie bars / frusli (wild berry)

• Snack a Jacks or low fat crisps

• Fruit

• Fig Rolls (3-5 only)

• Plain cakes, e.g. tea buns, plain sponge cake with jam

• Fruitini (canned fruit)

• Glass of pure fruit juice

• Creamed rice (low fat)

• Small bowl of rice or pasta salad with low fat dressing or a tomato based sauce

• Malt loaf / hot cross buns

• Scones (fruit or plain) and jam

• Bowl of yoghurt and chopped fruit

• Low fat milkshakes / smoothies (for many a milkshake or smoothie is enough as a snack and no other food is required)

• Small bowl of cereal

• Small quantity of plain cakes or fancy breads (Jam sponge with no cream, jam swiss rolls, banana bread, malt loaf)

Fat should be minimised in your diet. By reducing fat in your diet you make room for more carbohydrates and low fat protein foods.

Most effective ways of maintaining a low fat diet:

• Change whole milk for semi-skimmed or skimmed

• Jacket, mashed or boiled potatoes instead of chips

• Chicken or Turkey (remove skin), fish (no batter) or lean meat instead of fatty meat, burgers and sausages

• If you can't reduce crisps, eat lower fat crisps and try to reduce frequency (Snack a Jacks or Rispinos Caramel Rice Cakes). Remember potato crisps are a low carbohydrate high fat food and will do little to promote your training needs

• Eat plainer fruit (Garibaldi, Fig Rolls) or jam biscuits (Jammy Dodgers, BN strawberry flavour), fancy breads (banana / fruit bread, crumpets or fruit muffins) instead of chocolate and chocolate biscuits. The amount you should allow in your diet will depend on your aims and/or energy needs

• Mayonnaise is a high fat food and can transform a healthy low fat sandwich into high-fat meal. Use reduced calorie versions and small amounts

Remember

• Eat a light snack before training

• Eat 3 main meals and 2-4 snacks per day - pre and post training and a light supper

• Drink regularly throughout the day not just before and after training (monitor your urine colour - dark coloured urine may indicate you are dehydrated and need to drink fluids). Water or cordial is fine throughout the day

• Make sure you drink a minimum of 500ml per hour during training - an isotonic electrolyte sport drinks or sugar-containing cordial is suitable

• Refuel as soon as possible, snack within 30mins

Healthy Meals for Swimmers on the Go

Breakfast - Start your day off right !!!

• Try pancakes, waffles, French toast, bagels, cereal, English muffins, fruit or juice. These foods are all high in carbohydrates

• Avoid high-fat choices such as bacon, sausage or biscuits

• For breakfast on the run, pack containers of dry cereal, crackers, juice or dried fruit such as raisins and apricots; or pack fresh fruits such as apples and oranges

• If you eat breakfast at a fast food restaurant, choose foods like cereal, fruit juice, muffins or pancakes. Avoid breakfast sandwiches, sausage and bacon

Lunch and Dinner

• Select pasta, breads and salads

• Select thick crust rather than thin crust pizza for more carbohydrates

• Choose vegetables such as mushrooms and green peppers on a pizza. Avoid high fat toppings such as pepperoni and sausage

• Select vegetable soups accompanied by crackers, bread, muffins

• Emphasize the bread in sandwiches, not the condiments, mayonnaise or potato chips

• Avoid deep fat fried foods such as French fries, fried fish and fried chicken

• Choose low-fat milk or fruit juices rather than fizzy juice