Healthy Eating

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.

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 drink

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!