What & when to eat/dink before swimming?

Question

What should someone eat and drink before swimming in order to have enough energy and to be properly hydrated? How long beforehand should it be?

I'm looking for specifics here. Can anyone answer all the questions I asked? Please don't tell me not to swim until 2 hours after eating or other such unspecific stuff.

If I'm going swimming at lunch time from work what should I eat? How long beforehand? How much and what should I drink (noting Daniel's answer).

Answer 1

Eat a power bar or just a regular granola bar and drink gatorade or fruit juice other than orange (very acidic and could upset your stomach). You should eat it at least a half hour before you swim, longer if you have a sensitive stomach. Also, take a bottle of water or gatorade with you when you swim.

Answer 2

Definetly don't eat apples. Before a swim meet, I once ate an apple. It was a distance event so it slowed me down, and I almost threw it up. I would suggest things light on the stomach, such as yogurt, grapes, goldfish crackers, string cheese...that sort of thing. That's what we always ate during swim meets.

You're supposed to drink a sip of water every 15-30 minutes you are swimming. Don't drink too much though, otherwise you will get a stomachache (personal experience again). I would also suggest Gatorade, Powerade, that sort of thing. Don't drink more than a swallow or two before you swim, otherwise you will get a stomachache.

Definetly don't drink pop.

Answer 3

Before either surfing or diving i usually eat a banana and sip water.

I eat the banana about an hour before getting in the water, any closer and i often throw it back up. Bananas are great pre exercise food as they are full of energy whill will be released whilst you are exercising, rather than in one big hit which would then give you a big insulin spike and leave you feeling drained. They are also full of potassium salts which are essention to proper hydration.

I sip the water as and when i feel like, but not so much i can feel it in my stomach sloshing around. When you start for feel thirsty in your mouth during exercise then you are actually too late. I probably get through about 500ml on the way to the beach (and am often desperte to get in the water so i can get rid of some of it, if you catch my drift...)

Hope this helps

Answer 4

always allow 2 hours to pass before swimming. drink 8 glasses of water a day and an extra litre for every hour of vigourous exercise. plenty of carbs the night before will give you plenty of energy, you can always take a sports drink with you to the pool to drink as your swimming as well

Answer 5

you shouldnt eat a heavy meal before swimming, maybe just have some fruit. and water to keep hydrated.

Answer 6

A competitive swimmer needs lots of carbs for energy and fluid for hydration.

If you are just floating around entertaining yourself it isn't such a big concern.

Answer 7

Nothing before swimming. Wait at least two hours if you do eat.

Answer 8

first of all you suppose to eat what you want just let your food sit in for acoupleof min and go swimming

Answer 9

One hr before or after and you should eat something lite.