The perfect swimmer’s breakfast

Many swimmers prefer to abstain from eating for at least 2-3 hours before an intense workout or competition as they want to give it time for stomach emptying and in fear of nausea. Before going any further we just want to add that we encourage everybody to have some energy bars and a big bottle of water with you so you can replenish energy reserves during the workout.

Anyway, for those who don’t want to eat for a couple of hours before getting into the pool and don’t want to forgo eating in the morning completely (that’s a horrible idea by the way!) we’ve decided to show you how to compose a perfect swimmer’s breakfast so you can start your day with energy needed to swim and enjoy your day! We all know there’s nothing worse than a grumpy hungry swimmer!

Start with an early morning snack

The solution is to have a little breakfast before the workout and a full meal after. This will give you the energy needed without the feeling of „heaviness” during the workout. But what would be a perfect morning snack you ask? Here’s a little list of great healthy mini-breakfast options:

1. No-sugar cereals with low-fat milk are a good start
2. Oatmeal and porridge oats are the energy bomb
3. Eggs and beans are a protein-high compliment to your toast
4. Banana and one tablespoon peanut butter for those with a sweet tooth

Also – remember to drink – fluids are as important as energy from food! Add a protein shake, 100% fresh fruit juice or some low-fat milk and you’re good to go!

Avoid sugar and fried food as one will mess up your sugar-levels and actually make you sleepy after the initial rush and the other will just make you feel heavy.

Eat a full breakfast after the workout to recover

After an immense effort of swimming workout, the recovery should start as soon as possible especially for those who swim 4-6 times a week. This also means you should have a full breakfast after the workout ideally 30 minutes after the training session.

The meal should be focused on carbohydrates as they are the most efficient energy source for your muscles. Swimmer’s breakfast should provide half of the calories from carbs. That means bread, rice, cereal, pasta, bagels, muffins, fruits, and vegetables. There’s no real way around it and low-carbohydrate diet will cause you to have a slower recovery time.

Here are few suggestions for a great swimmer breakfast:
1. Oatmeal with raisins and nuts
2. Pancakes with syrup and low-fat milk
3. Egg sandwich with ham and fruit juice
4. Bagel with peanut butter and banana

If you stick to those simple tips you’ll not only have a great workout but also lots of energy to go from a morning training to the other challenges of your day not feeling tired and full of endorphins that make us happy!

Kamil Market Development Expert at Swimmo

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