General Healthy Eating Tips
Eat plenty foods which are rich in carbohydrates, this will keep your energy levels high, particularly at competition times. Good sources of carbohydrates are
- Breakfast cereals – such as shredded wheat, weetabix, bran flakes, muesli and porridge.
- Bread – wholemeal, granary, pitta bread, rolls, crumpets, bagels.
- Crisp bread, water biscuits, wholemeal crackers, oatcakes and rice cakes.
- Pasta
- Rice
- Potatoes – boiled, mashed and jacket (not chips!)
- Pizza bases – choose low fat toppings
- Beans – baked, red kidney, borlotti, cannelloni.
Vegetables – carrots, parsnips, swede, beetroot. All types of fruit. Yoghurt – low fat. Plain biscuits – rich tea, plain digestives (watch for fat content!) Sweets – jelly beans, jelly babies. Sweetened soft drinks.
Drink plenty fluids and eat plenty fruit.
Before Swimming
You should not eat a large meal just before you train. In particular, you should eat a snack, which is high in carbohydrates and low in fat, at least two hours before you compete.
During Swimming
You should eat carbohydrate rich snacks or drinks throughout competition. It is important to always remember your drinks bottle (all swimmers should now have one with the Dolphins logo). If you become dehydrated while swimming your performance levels will suffer.
What to eat on Competition Days
Here are some suggestions on what to eat before and during competition
Breakfast
- Fruit juice
- Cereal, low fat milk
- Chopped banana/dried fruit
- Bread/rolls (with jam, marmalade or honey)
Lunch
- Pasta/rice/baked potato (with low fat fillings)
- Fish/chicken/cottage cheese
- Salad/vegetables
Snacks
- Sandwiches with low fat spread and fillings – cottage cheese, tuna in brine, banana
- Pasta salad
- Low fat yoghurts
- Fruit
- Fruit juice, water, isotonic drinks
After Competing/Training
As soon as training/competing has finished you should have something light to eat, eg a banana or some digestive biscuits. Always take some extra snacks in your kit bag for this purpose.
Foods to avoid!
Don’t eat too many chips! Chocolate and sweets! Sugary cereals!
