Eating to Swim: Swimming To Eat

What every swimmer should know to swim their best

It's been nearly six years since I swam competitively.  Something called "life" got in the way;  I got derailed.  I was a former Ironman triathlete with a strong swim background.  I even competed in a couple of long distance ocean swims, namely the Bonaire Eco-Swim and the Bermuda 'Round The Sound Swim.  And when I say long distance, I mean long:  10K (that's 6.2 miles for the non-metrics out there.)  It wasn't unlike me to train 2-3 hours in the pool for one of these swims.  And - I knew how to train.

As a coach with over twenty years experience, I taught both myself and others how to maximize their training, physically, nutritionally and mentally.  Which brings me to today's topic:  eating to swim.

I'm back in the pool, swimming with my local masters swim team in Chicago (hi to my fellow Swedish Fish out there!)  My first few practices beat me up  pretty bad, until muscle memory kicked in and muscular strength increased.  As my conditioning increased and I started to build speed and endurance, I knew that I had to train smarter, and that included eating like an athlete again.  I've created a list of what I consider to be the best in smart training nutrition for swimmers (and most athletes for that matter).

1. HYDRATE - Drink plenty of water before, during and after practice.  Most individuals should drink (in ounces) their body weight divided by two every day.  You pass the "pee test" if your urine is clear to light yellow in color.  Dehydration (for example, 1-2% of body weight), can increase heart rate up to 5bpm, falsely making training efforts appear "harder" than normal.  Sports drinks are not necessary, unless training volume exceeds 90 minutes in most cases.
2. CONSUME APPROXIMATELY 300 CALORIES 2-3 HOURS BEFORE PRACTICE - This will ensure that your tank has enough fuel to get you through practice.  Ideally, these calories would come from mostly complex carbohydrates, although up to 25% protein would be ideal.  Examples of an ideal meal might be a banana or apple with peanut butter, half of a turkey sandwich, or a bowl of oatmeal with a handful of raisins or nuts.  A meal replacement bar with the proper ratio of carbohydrates to protein could suffice.  This could be a well balanced regular meal as well.
3. OR, CONSUME APPROXIMATELY 100 CALORIES WITHIN 1 HOUR BEFORE PRACTICE - When you're short on time, something is better than nothing.  In this case, stick to simple carbohydrates, which will give you quick energy.  Examples would include a banana, an orange, or a 100% juice drink.
4. CONSUME 100-200 CALORIES WITHIN 20-30 MINUTES AFTER PRACTICE - Studies have shown that our muscle fibers are "open and receptive" to receiving fuel up to about 30 minutes post exercise, then, the fibers start to close up.  Consuming a combination of carbohydrate and protein in a 3:1 (or 4:1) ratio is perfect for repairing damaged muscle fibers. 
5. AVOID THE BAD - It doesn't make sense to put in hours of solid physical training, with the goal of getting and staying healthy or competing, if you fill your body with bad food.  It's like reversing all the good you just did!  Bad food choices would include most processed foods.  (TIP:  Read the label and buy only foods that have fewer than 5 ingredients.)  Avoid or limit fast foods, chemicals, food colorings, foods with added sugars and white flours and foods with bad saturated fats, and alcohol. (Sorry, friends!)
6. CHOOSE THE GOOD - Whenever possible, choose whole foods.  These would include lots of vegetables and fruits, some meats, limited cheeses and dairy and whole grains and nuts.  Aim for eating good food choices 80% of the time.

Of course, there are plenty of swimmers out there who are just swimming for the health of it and that's fine.  But, if you're looking to improve or compete, or are not as effective in your workout as you want to be, take a look at your current nutrition and see if there's room for improvement.  Unless you're putting in some heavy yardage or hours in the pool, you may not need extra calories, so be careful about over-fueling.  Don't forget to take a look at the timing of your meals, which could be an opportunity to balance your fuel intake and utilization.  Finally, pay attention to your own special needs if you have diabetes or low blood sugar or hypertension, and adjust according to your doctor's recommendations.  Happy laps!

Swimming 365fitt,

Kathy

Kathy Kent is a nationally acclaimed speaker on women's health and fitness issues.  Her company, 365fitt, provides consulting and training services to corporations, communities and individuals seeking a healthier lifestyle.  Her book, Living 365fitt, A 12-Week Program to Lifestyle Wellness, and accompanying webinars, provide sound information on physical, nutritional and emotional lifestyle changes for better fitness.  

Contact Kathy for more information at kathy@365fitt.com.  

365fitt Healthy Active Living Trip to Captiva: Nutrition

Do You Know the Why's of Healthy Eating?

This is a follow up to the Living 365fitt Nutrition Philosophy.  Take a look at some of the great foods we ate in this short video clip.


We really enjoyed ourselves on Captiva Island last week and I encourage you to check out our pictures on Facebook, our videos on Youtube, and our recipes on Pinterest.

Remember, all the recipes featured on our 365fitt Healthy Active Living Trip to Captiva Island are available on my Pinterest page for easy reference.  I encourage you to try some of them.  We enjoyed them immensely.

365fitt is about training for the event called LIFE, focusing on physical, nutritional and emotional wellness through lifestyle adaptations.  Kathy is available for personal training and wellness consultations and corporate wellness.  365fitt invites you to participate in a Healthy Active Living trip to incredible destinations.  Please visit 365fitt for more information.  Live 365fitt!

Living 365fitt: Nutritional Philosophy

I've been getting a few questions lately about why we ate a certain menu on our recent 365fitt Healthy Active Living Trip to Captiva Island, FL.  First of all, this trip is 365fitt's premiere trip that is all about Living 365fitt, incorporating the three components of healthy active living:  physical, nutritional and emotional well-being.  With that being said, let's focus in this blog, on the nutritional component.

We used the freshest whole ingredients

Why?  Because fresh ingredients tend to be higher in nutrition and vitamins, and because, you can see exactly what you're getting and eating.  I've written an entire newsletter on "Why Fresh is Better".  Please read it and share it with your friends. And, "When Fresh is Not Available" - what's your next best bet?

Everyone has walked down the fresh fruits and vegetables section of your local grocery store.  What do you notice?  For me, it's the colorful array of fruits and vegetables.  In a nutshell, colorful foods fight disease.  Take a moment to read "How Colorful Foods Fight Disease".  It just so happens that a majority of anti-inflammatory foods are colorful.  (Read also "Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory and Inflammatory Foods".)

Avoid Processed Foods

Speaking of inflammatory foods, did you know that most inflammatory foods are "processed" and include highly processed flours, sugars and fats?  That's one reason, why, on our Captiva Island trip, we used only "limited" processed foods.  Our criteria for purchasing and using a processed food was that it had to be a single ingredient.  The only processed foods that we purchased were quinoa, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, 100% fruit spread, flour and corn tortillas, salt and pepper, a few dried herbs, coffee, tea, milk, and cheese, .  Many of these foods (like milk and cheese) are processed (homogenized and pasteurized) to decrease risk of contamination from raw products.

We chose foods that support a heart healthy diet, utilizing more than 50% fresh vegetables, 25% fresh fruits and 25% lean proteins (chicken and fish).  In fact, our diet closely resembled the government food plate.  We were intentionally light on "grains", serving only quinoa, granola, nuts and seeds.   The fact of the matter is that MOST people eat too many of the wrong kind of grains.  Are white pasta and rice grains?  Not from a nutritional standpoint. What about red and black wild rice?  Of course!  I love (colorful) wild rices, when used in moderation.  Just look at the nutritional content.  White pasta and rice have little nutritive value.  Red and black rice have more.  Look at the fiber content.  If it's high in fiber, it's a better grain.  

The Bread Dilemma

I heard one or two people ask, "Why can't we have bread?"  Why didn't we serve bread?  Because in most cases, it's not the most nutritious option available.  Also, many people have bread "cravings" and tend to eat mindlessly, especially when the basket of bread is dropped at the table when dining out.  That's an emotional issue with food.  So, if you're going to eat bread, portion it out and choose a high fiber, potentially, high protein, brand.

The "Added Sugar" Dilemma

Finally, with more than 60% of adults suffering from obesity and other metabolic diseases, including Type II diabetes, it seemed only obvious to steer our menu towards prevention of obesity and metabolic disease.  This includes being mindful of sugars, both natural and artificial.  We did not purchase any sugars for our trip, because of the issue of cravings (See my blog post "Cravings:  The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" .  See also my blog on sugars, "Is Sugar Really As Bad As Heroine?"  

Now, we did eat a fair amount of fruits, and yes, fruits have natural sugar.  If you're watching your blood sugar, you'll want to pick fruits low in sugar.  Check out the Glycemic Index Load Factors.  Again, since almost every family unit has one person with Type II diabetes, I felt it necessary to educate on healthy choices so that families could begin to change their habits and lifestyle, seeking to reduce disease and increase health.

A Word on Eating Raw

Finally, we enjoyed a totally "raw" day.  Why?  Because there's some evidence to support the fact that "rawtarians" can fight disease by eating a diet that's high in fruits, vegetables, healthy mono-unsaturated fats and oils (nuts and seeds), and low in animal meats.  Most of the reasoning here is that the process of cooking decreases the vitamins and nutrients by as much as 50%.  (See my article on "What Is a Raw Foods Diet?" which might explain how to go raw and why you might want to, even if just one day a week.)

Hope this sheds some light on the Living 365fitt Nutritional philosophy.  If you believe that your choices have consequences, both good and bad, then, you can believe the same about your nutrition.  

Choice:  Eat Healthy Foods - Consequence:  Have Better Health (positive)

Choice:  Eat Unhealthy Foods - Consequence:  Suffer Poor Health (negative)

It's about choosing and eating healthy foods and avoiding unhealthy foods.  It's about establishing healthy nutritional habits that last a lifetime.

Remember, all the recipes featured on our 365fitt Healthy Active Living Trip to Captiva Island are available on my Pinterest page for easy reference.  I encourage you to try some of them.  We enjoyed them immensely.

365fitt is about training for the event called LIFE, focusing on physical, nutritional and emotional wellness through lifestyle adaptations.  Kathy is available for personal training and wellness consultations and corporate wellness.  365fitt invites you to participate in a Healthy Active Living trip to incredible destinations.  Please visit 365fitt for more information.  Live 365fitt!