Should Swimmers Eat Before Early Morning Practice?

Should Swimmers Eat Before Early Morning Practice?

9/10/2013

By Jill Castle, MS, RDN

When early morning swim practices begin, young swimmers can get behind on eating.

Take Henry, for example.

He was afraid to eat before morning practice, fearful of cramps or getting sick. So he didn’t eat anything, and ate a protein bar after practice on his way to school. By the time he returned home, he was exhausted, beyond hungry and playing catch-up, eating nearly everything in sight.

Many young swimmers make the mistake of skipping out on the early morning pre-workout meal. But what they don’t realize is that these first foods set the day’s eating cycle in motion. There are three main reasons to eat before early morning practice: 

• Prevents symptoms of low blood sugar, such as light-headedness, blurry vision and fatigue. 
• Settles the stomach, absorbing the gastric juices associated with an empty stomach, and reduces hunger. 
• Offers up fuel for the muscles and brain. 

Another benefit is it helps with appetite management throughout the day. Front-loading (eating early in the day) helps all individuals, whether athletic or not, manage their hunger and avoid “back loading” (eating large amounts late in the day). When swimmers complain of hunger and overeat at night, check on what is happening early in their day with nutrition. If meals are skipped or too light in calories, this may be the problem—and it’s easy to fix!

What to eat depends on individual tolerance, as some swimmers do well with a liquid breakfast, while others can handle solid food. The goal, however, is to get something nutritious in the stomach.

When choosing what to eat, swimmers should target foods that are high in carbohydrate (read carbohydrate article here), moderate in protein, and low in fat. Avoid nutrient-poor foods like candy, donuts, soda and other sugary breakfast items. Keep the portion small to prevent getting too full which can cause cramping, and eat thirty to sixty minutes prior to jumping in the pool.

For those who aren’t sure about what to eat, experiment with both liquid and solid foods. If eating an early morning pre-exercise snack isn’t working, swimmers can always try to eat well the day before and plan a nutritious pre-bedtime snack, which will carry over to the morning, contributing some energy availability for the workout.

Remember, the most important food rule to follow is this: choose foods that work for you! Solid foods or liquids work well. It simply depends on food preferences and tolerance. Below are some ideas to consider:

Solid foods

• Banana, with or without a small swipe of peanut butter
• Small package of trail mix
• 4-6 ounces of fruited yogurt, or plain with added fruit
• Granola bar
• Fig Newtons
• Toasted waffle
• ¾ cup of cereal, with or without 1/3 to ½ cup of low fat milk
• Whole wheat toast with jam
• Friend bars (recipe below) 

Liquids

• Plain low fat or skim milk, or soymilk
• Homemade fruit smoothie (1 cup frozen fruit, ½ cup yogurt, 4-6 ounces 100% juice)
• Ovaltine or Carnation Instant Breakfast mixed with skim milk
• Homemade dairy-based smoothie (1 cup low fat milk (or non-dairy substitute), 1 small banana, 3 strawberries, dollop of yogurt, and ice) 

Friend Bars (similar to KIND bars)
With permission from: Power Hungry: The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook by Camilla Saulsbury

Ingredients: 

• 1 ½ cups chopped assorted raw or toasted nuts and/or seeds (e.g., cashews, sunflower seeds, green pumpkin seeds, peanuts, pecans) 
• 1/3 cup crisp brown rice cereal 
• ½ cup chopped dried fruit (e.g., raisins, apricots, dates, berries) 
• 1/3 cup organic light corn syrup or brown rice syrup (can also substitute DIY Glucose Syrup—recipe in the book) 
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt (optional) 

Directions: 

1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Preheat oven to 325 F.
3. Stir together the nuts or seeds, cereal, and dried fruit in a large bowl.
4. Add the syrup and salt (if using) to the nut mixture and stir until evenly coated.
5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Place a large piece of parchment paper, wax paper, or plastic wrap (coated with nonstick cooking spray) atop the bar mixture and use it to spread, flatten, and very firmly compact the mixture evenly in the pan. Discard the paper or plastic.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes or until slightly browned at the edges, but still somewhat soft in the center.
7. Using the liner, lift the mixture from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 10 bars. Cool completely. 

Nutrients per bar: Calories 150, Fat 8.6 g, Carbs 17.6 g, Protein 3.8 g

Staying Loose and Calm Pre-Race

 

By Dr. Alan Goldberg//Competitivedge.com

Why are races won and lost before the start?
As I've said many times throughout this series, the BIGGEST secret to swimming your best when it counts the most is having the ability to stay loose and calm behind the blocks, right before your race. Far too many swimmers waste precious energy the minutes leading up to their event by thinking about and focusing on all of the wrong things. Because of this, they unknowingly undermine their confidence, get themselves overly nervous and set themselves up for failure.

The Devastating Effects Of Out Of Control Pre-Race Jitters
Ever wonder how you can run out of gas at the 150 mark of your 200, the very first race of your big meet? You've worked hard all season, you've got a solid training base, yet your arms and legs feel like lead and you're totally exhausted! What gives? You go 7 – 8,000 yards easily in practice and after a mere 150 you're wasted?! This is a direct result of a swimmer being far too nervous pre-race! If you're “over-amped” behind the blocks and thinking about the time you need, who you have to beat or, “what if you don't?,” then your breathing will get faster and shallower, your muscles will tighten up and the end result of these physical changes will be this feeling of premature exhaustion.

Controlling Your Eyes & Ears To Stay Calm Under Pressure
If you want to consistently swim to your potential under big meet pressure and avoid the devastating physical effects of excessive nerves, then you have to learn how to keep yourself physically and mentally composed at race time! One important way that you do this is by controlling your eyes and ears behind the blocks. This means that what you LOOK AT and LISTEN TO behind the blocks has to be only things that help keep you calm, loose and confident. For example, if focusing on another swimmer and how big or fast they look gets you nervous, you control your eyes by looking at spot behind the blocks or by defocusing your eyes as you look out across the pool. If listening to a conversation between one or more swimmers is getting you anxious, you control your ears by turning up the volume on your iPod or finding someone else to talk to about non-swimming related issues. Controlling your eyes and ears means that you need to establish set things that you look at and listen to right before your races.

How do you control your pre-race focus?
Every great athlete has a repeatable, familiar pre-performance ritual that they use leading up to the start of the action which helps them systematically control their eyes and ears. Your pre-race routine and what you do behind the blocks can help you stay in control of your focus and keep you calm during those critical minutes just before the start of your event. Your pre-race routine will give you very specific things for you to look at, listen to and do that will help distract you from the normal, anxiety-producing distractions that every swimmer has to face right before the start.

What You Need To Know To Develop An Effective Pre-Race Routine
There are several key points that you need to keep in mind whenever developing and using a pre-race ritual.

• Keep your ritual SIMPLE. The less complicated, the better!
• Make your ritual CONTROLLABLE. You should only have things in your ritual that you know you will always be able to control. For example, if your pre-race ritual depends upon looking at certain other people (coach/parent), they might not always be there for you and therefore are out of your control. However, stretching and adjusting your cap and/or goggles a certain way will always be in your control.
• KEEP your ritual the SAME. You never want to change the steps of your ritual right before the race. Keeping things the same and familiar will help calm you down and keep you loose.
• Build in VISUAL, AUDITORY and/or KINESTHETIC FOCAL POINTS to your ritual. Be sure that your routine has specific things that you look at (the back of the blocks, your goggles, your feet), listen to, (certain music, sound of your breathing or specific pre-race self-talk) and feel/do, (stretching a certain way, feeling your inhalation and exhalation, adjusting your cap and goggles).
• Do what you're doing MENTALLY while you do it PHYSICALLY. Rituals are most effective when you keep your mental focus on the steps of the ritual while you go through them. In other words, while you're stretching behind the blocks, your concentration needs to be on the feel of the stretch. Rituals will not help you calm down if, while you go through them, your mind is elsewhere!
• Understand the SOLE PURPOSE of any good ritual is to give you specific things to look at and listen to, which will distract you from the distractions. You don't do your pre-race ritual just for good luck. This is NOT about superstition. You go through this pre-race routine to calm yourself down, and most important, to help you control your eyes and ears. This means that if, for whatever reason, you have to leave a step out of the ritual, and you can't do what you always do, you understand that you can still perform your best in this upcoming race. The key is that you use whatever steps you do go through to keep yourself focused, loose and calm!

How in the heck do the best get such an advantage off of the breakout?

How in the heck do the best get such an advantage off of the breakout? The answer is simple and teachable.

1. Push off of the wall with an excellent stream line. 

2. Use your push off and your underwater dolphin kicks to get under the wake created on the surface of the water. 

3. Begin to breakout by pulling with the bottom arm on the second to last dolphin kick. 

4. Continue your arm pull with an additional dolphin kick 

5. When the hand has reached the hip, conclude your dolphin kick and begin your flutter kick.

For any race, the breakout is crucial to maintaining speed during the transition from the underwater to the swimming portion. For backstroke and freestyle, it is also the time when swimmers must change from dolphin kick to flutter kick. Conventional wisdom says that this change should happen when the swimmer initiates his or her first arm stroke. However, many of our best National Team athletes have found great success using a technique we call the “Bonus Kick.”

The bonus kick is an extra dolphin kick used during the first arm pull on either backstroke or freestyle to help the swimmer “pop-up” through the surface of the water before they begin the flutter kick. As seen in the video clip below, the flutter kick does not begin until the first arm pull has finished down at the swimmer’s side

ENERGY DRINKS: A NO-NO FOR YOUNG SWIMMERS

The USA Swimming Sports Medicine and Science Committee has recently reviewed the risks and benefits related to energy drinks and is providing information to call attention to the differences between energy drinks and "sports drinks" used for rehydration, to point out the risks associated with such drinks, and to provide suggested alternatives to use of these drinks.

In the coming weeks, the Sports Medicine and Science Committee will publish a series of articles on usaswimming.org on the risks of consuming energy drinks. This week, nutritionist Jill Castle covers the basic nutritional facts behind these drinks.

By Jill Castle, MS, RD

Red Bull, Rock Star, Amp, Monster Energy—enticing labels for a tired and thirsty swimmer. Energy drinks are one of the fastest growing segments of drink sales in America and their popularity is growing, especially among youth. Athletes use energy drinks to rehydrate after a workout, boost attention and focus during school, “wake up,” or as a routine beverage at meals. Don’t be misled by something that sounds too good to be true—while an all-in-one drink is tempting, it carries some serious considerations for young athletes. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children and teens should avoid energy drinks.

Confusion exists about the difference between a sports drink and an energy drink, so let’s clear this up. A sports drink contains a small amount of carbohydrate, minerals, electrolytes and flavorings and is designed to replace those nutrients lost through sweating after exercise. Gatorade is an example of a sports drink.

Energy drinks contain stimulants including caffeine, guarana and yerba mate (herbal stimulants) and taurine (an amino acid). Ginseng, if present, enhances the effects of caffeine. Other elements may be added to energy drinks, but their benefits, safety and side effects are questionable.

An average energy drink contains 70-200 mg caffeine per 16 ounces. Some energy drinks can contain up to 500 mg of caffeine, the equivalent of 14 cans of soda. For children and teens, caffeine consumption should be limited to 1.25 mg per pound of body weight (for a 100-pound swimmer that’s 125 mg caffeine per day). More than 100 mg of caffeine per day in adolescents has been associated with higher blood pressures.

Growing children and teens should avoid excess caffeine consumption. Excess consumption of caffeine is associated with agitation, anxiety, poor sleep, rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure and altered mental states.

Too much caffeine can mask fatigue. Gauging fatigue is important to staying fit, healthy and in the pool. If jacked up on caffeine, swimmers may miss the body’s signal for rest.

Caffeine can alter mood and behavior, resulting in physical dependence or addiction. How do you know if you’re a caffeine-addict? Without caffeine, you experience withdrawal symptoms such as headache, tiredness, depressed mood and nausea.

If that’s not enough to make you re-think your drink, here’s some more food for thought.

Energy drinks contain sugar—up to 30 grams per cup (almost ¼ cup of sugar). Limiting sugar consumption is a healthy practice, for any growing child and teen, whether an athlete or not.

Energy drinks are dehydrating. Due to the concentration of caffeine, energy drinks encourage frequent urination, and energy drinks with higher sugar content can compound the dehydrating effects of caffeine.

Feeling tired, losing focus and struggling with low energy? Rethink your nutrition, hydration and sleep program. No magic bullet replaces a nutritious diet of real, wholesome food, adequate water and other healthy liquids, or a good night’s sleep. And that’s no (red) bull.

FLUID FOR THOUGHT

Do you ever wonder how much fluid is needed to prevent dehydration? If you’ve experienced dehydration, you know it derails swim performance and causes other effects such as tiredness, headaches and confusion or poor judgment.

Fluid is the overlooked “magic bullet” for swimmers and one of the best ways to optimize swim performance.

Not only is it important to drink, it’s important to drink enough. Experts suggest that 2% dehydration (2 pounds weight loss in a 100-pound child) negatively impacts athletic performance.

According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), young athlete’s thirst should be the gauge or indicator for how much fluid to drink. Research also suggests, that if youth athletes are given the opportunity to drink during exercise, the thirst mechanism will allow for adequate fluid intake so they meet their hydration needs.

But if you want numbers, here are the latest recommendations for child athletes:

To prevent dehydration, child athletes should drink 6 ml per pound of body weight per hour (100# young swimmer needs 600 ml or 20 oz, per hour). Drink this amount 2-3 hours before jumping into the pool and during exercise.

To replenish fluids after exercise, drink 2 ml per pound of body weight per hour (100-pound child swimmer needs 200 ml per hour or ~7 ounces, per hour). Drink this amount 1-2 hours after exercise—it promotes adequate hydration status for the next exercise session.

Water and other beverages can help satisfy the hydration needs of the swimmer. Many parents already know that it isn’t wise to offer up sugar-sweetened beverages like soda and sugar-added fruit juices routinely throughout the day. These drinks may help keep swimmers hydrated, but they can have a negative impact on overall diet quality.

Most importantly, the choice of fluid should be something the swimmer likes to drink, as drinking adequate amounts is critical.

Sports drinks are perfect for the long workout (greater than 1 hour in duration), and provide sugar, fluid and electrolytes to help beat dehydration. And they are effective! Because they are flavored, they encourage drinking. It’s best to keep their role limited to the pool, though.

Here are a few other beverage guidelines that will help prioritize the young swimmer’s health and swim performance:

GOOD: 100% real fruit juice (maximum of 1 to 1 ½ cups per day). Infrequent use of sugar-sweetened beverages.

BETTER: Milk, or calcium/ Vitamin D- fortified milk substitutes (aim for 3 cups per day).

BEST: Drink water, more than you think! The bulk of beverages should be from water. Use Sports drinks wisely and target their usage around workouts and race day.

It’s a mistake to think that just because swimmers are in the water, they get enough fluid. Coaches and parents have an opportunity to train young swimmers to drink regularly and make good choices. Good hydration habits are learned in and around the pool—maximize this asset for great performance!

TOP FIVE FOODS TO BOOST IMMUNITY

Winter brings more than its share of cold and flu viruses. The average young person gets anywhere from 6 to 10 colds a year, and the dry heat of winter air and close proximity to others means it is easier to spread those nasty germs. Instead of heading to the medicine cabinet, try the kitchen cabinet to find foods rich in the nutrients that keep your immune system strong all winter long.

1. Probiotic foods (those foods that contain good bacteria for a healthy gut) can enhance immunity. Your guts contain 2 to 3 pounds of bacteria and emerging research shows that the type of bacteria that live in your gastro-intestinal tract can prevent disease by acting as a natural antibiotic. Registered dietitian JoAnn Hattner, author of Gut Insight (www.gutinsight.com) points out that 70% of our immune function takes place in the gut so eating foods rich in probiotics is a good idea to stay healthy. Yogurt is the most obvious probiotic food and other foods that contain helpful bacteria are kefir, miso (fermented paste of soybeans used to make miso soup), tempeh (another fermented soybean product) and sauerkraut.
2. Citrus foods are rich in vitamin C, a nutrient that is often tied to preventing the common cold. Many people load up on vitamin C when they feel a cold coming on but research does not support that supplements can prevent a cold. But, eating vitamin C rich citrus foods contain plant compounds called citrus flavones that also have anti-inflammatory properties. Now is the peak season for oranges and grapefruit and for my favorite, Clementine tangerines. I like their size, ease of peeling and free of pips…the proper term for citrus seeds.
3. Nuts and seeds are good sources of the fat-soluble vitamin E. In addition to being a potent antioxidant, this nutrient is also important in immune function. Sunflower seeds and almonds have the highest vitamin E content of any seed or nut and they both make great snacks. Make your own immune-boosting trail mix with unsalted mini-almonds, sunflower seeds and dried fruit.
4. Meat and shellfish are not only good sources of protein but also contain the mineral zinc, important for wound healing and a strong immune system. Choose lean beef or pork and shellfish like lobster and crab to get a good source of zinc. And don’t be afraid of the dark; chicken thigh and drumsticks are higher in zinc than white meat chicken breast.
5. Carbohydrate-rich foods are not only good for muscle fuel but some researchers think that carbohydrate ingested during exercise can counter the rise in stress hormones that are a natural part of exercise. During hard training, plan to consume carbohydrate-rich snacks like sports drinks, fruit or vegetable juices, fresh or dried fruit and whole grain crackers to help keep you stay strong all winter long.

ORANGE JUICE IN THE SWIMMER’S DIET

By Jill Castle, Registered Dietitian and Child Nutrition Expert

My teen grabs a jug of orange juice and guzzles it! Is this bad?

In the nutrition world of hype and hysteria, you may think orange juice is a no-no. But is orange juice really as bad as everyone makes it out to be? Let’s take a look:

Orange juice contains key nutrients, such as vitamin C, folate, potassium, and phosphorus. More and more, you’ll find fortified orange juice, which has these nutrients plus calcium and vitamin D. All of these are important for growing athletes, but a few get honorable mention.

Vitamin C and Potassium

Vitamin C is a protective antioxidant and helps the body absorb iron from meat and non-meat sources of protein. Potassium is important for athletes who lose this nutrient through sweat losses. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) state vitamin C is a nutrient of concern for children and teens, and potassium is a shortfall nutrient, lacking in the diet of most Americans, mostly due to lack of fruit and vegetable consumption.

A cup of orange juice provides about 90 mg vitamin C, which amply meets the requirements for young swimmers: 4-8 years: 25 mg/day; 9-13 years: 45 mg/day; 14-18 years: 75 mg/day (males) and 65 mg/day (females).

A cup of orange juice offers ~445 mg potassium, which contributes to daily requirements: 4-8 years: 3800 mg; 9-13 years: 4500 mg; 14-18 years: 4700 mg.

Calcium

Calcium requirements jump to 1300 mg/day for swimmers 9-18 years, yet intake of calcium-containing foods (milk and other dairy products) is decreasing. Why? Soda and sports drinks are taking the lead, crowding out calcium from food sources.

All young swimmers need calcium for bone development. Teens are especially needy due to their rapid growth rate and limited time to reach peak bone mass (by age 20-25 years).

A cup of calcium-fortified orange juice delivers ~500 mg calcium, meeting up to 35% of daily calcium needs for children and teens.

Vitamin D

New recommendations for vitamin D have jumped to 600 IU/day for children over the age of one. Vitamin D is necessary for bone development but also plays a role in immunity, infectious disease, cancer prevention, and cardiovascular disease. While exposure to sunshine helps, sunscreen and other factors can inhibit vitamin D activation in the skin, making food sources an important player in meeting this requirement.

Natural food sources (fatty fish) or fortified sources (dairy products, eggs) can meet this need, but the truth is, consumption of these foods by children and teens may be limited.

A cup of vitamin D-fortified orange juice can provide ~135 IU, helping young swimmers get closer to their daily requirement for vitamin D.

Other Nutrients

Drinking 100% juice in recommended portions (see below) can improve nutrient intakes for several nutrients, including energy, carbohydrates, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, riboflavin, magnesium, iron and folate, according to one study in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

The Juice on Orange Juice

Orange juice can be part of a healthy diet, and its nutrients can help your young swimmer meet critical nutrition requirements, especially calcium and vitamin D.

But with everything nutrition, balancing orange juice in the diet is the trick:

• For children under 6 years: limit juice to 4-6 ounces per day (1/2 to 2/3 cup).
• For children over 6 years: limit juice to 8-12 ounces per day (1-1 ½ cups).