Diet is one of the most important things for athletes, as it’s our source of energy. Being a long-distance swimmer makes it difficult to eat enough food in a day since we burn so many calories, but it’s really important that I eat enough food and that I’m eating good food.
What should I eat as snacks?
Before practices, an ideal snack is some sort of quick carb, such as fruit. This helps fuel me for practices and ensures I have enough energy to perform well. After a practice, it’s best to eat some sort of protein to help the recovery process, such as nuts, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese (ew), peanut butter or even beef jerky. Eating some sort of protein is essential post-workout as it aids in muscle recovery and repair. Throughout the day, I usually try to get in healthy fats for sustained energy throughout the day. This really helps me when I have school after a morning practice. I usually try to have nuts or peanut butter.
What should I eat for lunch?
For lunch, I usually try to have something lighter so that I don’t feel like I need to puke during intense practices. These meals usually include a lean protein and simple carbs. Ideal meals are chicken and veggies, fish and veggies or even turkey sandwiches. It ensures I have the essential nutrients to keep me going throughout the day and be fueled for my practices without feeling extremely sick.
What should my dinner look like?
For dinner I go for lots of protein to help recover from intense practices, I also have more complex carbs since my body will have time to break them down during my sleep and downtime and i dont risk feeling sick before a practice, these meals can be fish with mashed potatoes, beef and rice, breaded chicken, anything that will help me recover while also ensuring i have enough energy for my morning practices.