Orca Member Benefits
14-Day Return Policy
Free delivery on orders over £100.00
Orca Member Benefits
14-Day Return Policy
Free delivery on orders over £100.00
Orca Member Benefits
14-Day Return Policy
Free delivery on orders over £100.00
Orca Member Benefits
14-Day Return Policy
Free delivery on orders over £100.00
Orca Member Benefits
14-Day Return Policy
Free delivery on orders over £100.00
Orca Member Benefits
14-Day Return Policy
Free delivery on orders over £100.00
Orca Member Benefits
14-Day Return Policy
Free delivery on orders over £100.00
Orca Member Benefits
14-Day Return Policy
Free delivery on orders over £100.00
Orca Member Benefits
14-Day Return Policy
Free delivery on orders over £100.00
Orca Member Benefits
14-Day Return Policy
Free delivery on orders over £100.00
Back

Nutrition for before and after swimming

Every athlete's diet should not only meet their nutritional needs, but also support their emotional health. Meaning, there should be a balance between metabolically healthy and personally satisfying foods.

Every athlete's diet should not only meet their nutritional needs, but also support their emotional health. Meaning, there should be a balance between metabolically healthy and personally satisfying foods. For swimmers, finding the right balance makes it more realistic for them to achieve their highest potential as an athlete.

BEFORE TRAINING

The goal should always be not to overwork your digestive system. It needs to last you a long time, so it's important to keep it healthy. Some athletes put so much strain on their digestion that they develop harmful food intolerances which can cause serious health problems. It's best to choose foods that are low in fat, easily digestible and not too high in fiber. These foods should be able to provide your body with energy quickly with minimal digestive wear and good nutrient absorption. Thirty to sixty minutes prior to exercising, you should avoid fatty, protein-rich foods and choose fast-digesting carbohydrates instead.

Ripe banana, toast, bread or crackers, light vegetable drinks, skim and/or lactose-free milk, soluble or soft oats, jam, plums, quinces, date paste, honey, and even low-fiber baby food are all good foods for this purpose.

Pre-packaged foods such nutritional bars, jellies or ready-made smoothies are other great options to consider. It is important to be conscious of the emotional aspects of your diet, that is, it should taste good to you and make you feel good. That is why you should always be looking for individual solutions, especially when it comes to portion size.

AFTER SWIMMING

After swimming is a very important time in which the body needs to store energy in the form of glycogen in your muscles and liver. It also needs amino acids in the form of protein for muscle recovery, and plenty of fats, vitamins and minerals: This is the time to refuel.

Swimming is a very demanding sport, with a high weekly training load that can be enormously hard on athletes' bodies. Your intake throughout the day is important, but what you eat after a training is important to ensure the success of your next workouts. The wrong nutritional strategy can cause higher levels of exhaustion and fatigue that can lead to serious problems.

It's best to have food prepared for when you go to the ocean or pool, to avoid snacking or choosing foods in the moment that won't help you nourish your muscles and other systems or provide you with important benefits. After a hard workout, it's very tempting to go out and buy high-fat, processed food with additives and refined sugars. At this time, it's also important to take special care of your digestive system, after a training that has limited the oxygen and nutrients available to it.

The types of foods to eat will depend on the time of day. Some workouts end right around breakfast time while others come before an important meal like lunch or dinner. This is where you will need refuel as effectively as possible. The strategy of consuming a carbohydrate-to-protein ratio of 4:1 will be very important, especially following double workouts. If you are between meals after a workout, you can have a smoothie, which can be made at home (or purchased), this will depend on time and individual preferences.

Start with a raw salad for important vitamins, with arugula, lettuce, mustard greens, spinach, beets, etc.; a main course of grains such as rice, pasta, gnocchi, quinoa, couscous or durum wheat, legumes in the form of hummus or bean sprouts, with some vegetables such as zucchini, mushrooms, cabbage, kale, carrot, pumpkin or spinach; a second course of beef, chicken, turkey, rabbit, eggs or veggie burgers, tofu or seitan as a protein source; and don't forget about dessert with a base of fresh fruit.

Having a plate that features different colors, smells and textures will make it more attractive and appetizing, and provide more emotional satisfaction along with nutritional value.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jordi Sarola Gassiot is the director of the CeNDieF Center for Nutrition, a Dietitian – Diploma of Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Barcelona (CESNID-UB), with a Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Vic (UVic), MSc in Health Research from the University of Lleida (UdL), and Level 3 Kinanthropometrist accredited by the International Society for the Advancement of the Kinanthropometry (ISAK), a member and professor of the Catalan School of Cineanthropometry (ECC-INEFC), a professor of nutrition at Tecnocampus of Mataró and the Parc de Salut Mar, all of which are affiliated with the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF).

Find more information about Jordi Sarola and his nutrition center at www.cendief.cat.

We believe that you are in United Kingdom.

Quieres cambiar a tu región?

You are currently on the United Kingdom website. We recommend you choose your country so you can complete an online purchase.



You can also consult the other countries and languages. See all.

Select your location

america
europa
Other countries
International
International
Online store not available

Newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter and join the Orca community

Adjust your communication preferences in your account settings

Already have an account? Log in

Sign In

Forgot your password?

Recover password

Enter your email address and we will send you instructions for restoring your password.

Find your size

We help you to know the size of your ORCA wetsuit. Tell us the following information.

Chest
Height
Weight
Chest
Height
Weight

How to measure yourself

For best results, take your measurements with no clothing on

Place the measuring tape over the widest part of your chest.

Hold one end of the measuring tape in place and circle your chest, keeping the tape straight, until the tape reaches your starting point.

Get a book, a hand mirror and a pencil.

Take off your shoes and anything you wear on your head.

Look for a level surface to stand on with a smooth wall behind you.

Stand in front of the wall with your feet together.

Balance the book on your head and press it against the wall. Use the mirror to check that it is in a horizontal position and well centered. Mark the position of the top of your head on the wall with pencil.

Once the mark is made, step away and use a measuring tape to measure the distance from the ground to the mark you just made with pencil.

Step on the scale, without clothes or accessories, and write down your weight.

Find your size