6 Foods to Boost a Swimmers Diet

By Ryan Turner of swimswam.com

Food’s importance to a swimmer is comparable to an artist and his workshop, or a captain and his ship or a congressman and his lies: deprived of such necessities, we would fail.

Food is at the foundation of any swimmer. It’s constantly on our minds, and the urge to eat can strike at any place, and at any given moment. It’s both a blessing and a curse, as there are few feelings greater than scarfing down a dozen donuts at the end of a morning practice and getting away with it. However, we are what we eat, and as athletes, the rule is concrete: if training is king, then undoubtedly, diet is queen. So the next time you’re standing in front of the bakery, looking at the seemingly endless supply of sugarcoated pastries, try one of these unusual foods instead.

1. CHIA SEEDS

Chia Seeds have been around since the dawn of time. Used by the Aztecs for energy on their excursions, Chia Seeds are a great source of Omega-3s, fiver and calcium. They can be thought of as a much healthier version of sprinkles. Though they do not have much of a taste by themselves, these seeds go great with yogurt, protein shakes and oatmeal.

2. WHEATGRASS

I’m not a huge fan of the stuff, as the taste can be compared to swallowing a pile of fresh-cut grass. Nonetheless, Wheatgrass juice is packed to the brim with minerals and vitamins. For a swimmer, Wheatgrass can be beneficial as a recovery drink, as it is an excellent source of potassium.

3. SEAWEED

Crunchy and green, edible seaweed is an awesome item to eat with dinner. Usually served with Sesame seeds or Soy sauce, seaweed is the perfect side dish for sushi or chicken.

4. KOHLRABI

Good luck finding this one, but you’ll be happy if you do. A member of the cabbage family, Kohlrabi is a slightly sweet vegetable filled with good vitamins, such as B-6 and C.

5. AVOCADOS

Avocados have been growing in popularity recently, and with good reason. High in healthy fat content, avocados also contain more potassium than bananas. I’m not saying it would be wise to eat a bowl of guacamole after practice instead of a banana, but the next time you ask for extra guac at your favorite restaurant, don’t feel too bad.

6. GREEN TEA

I recommend green tea to anyone who is looking for an alternative to coffee in the morning after practice. Green tea helps to relieve anxiety, lowers bad cholesterol as well as blood pressure, and helps to regulate glucose levels.

The Eat Real Food Diet

BY MIKE GUSTAFSON//CORRESPONDENT

Every week I answer questions from swimmers around the country. If you have a question, please email me at swimmingstories@gmail.com.

Dear Mike,

Just 2 years ago, I started swimming competitive at a club. Since then, I've improved vastly. Now, entering my third year, I have one concern: Can you give some advice on ideal eating? What I want to know are good foods and correct size portions. This way, I can cut out unneeded food.

-Foodie Swimmer
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Hey Foodie Swimmer,

Two weeks ago, I “cleansed” myself. I had a strict list of “Do Not Eat” items: white flour, coffee/tea, sugar, alcohol, processed foods, processed oils, red meats, pasta, cereal, white rice, candy, pizza. This was literally my worst nightmare. At Day Four of the No Fun Diet, I was dizzy, light-headed, grumpy, angry, irritable, agitated, spending the majority of my time on the toilet, hungry, and confused. “Why am I doing this?” I asked my Cleanse Comrade. “Because,” she said. “It will make you feel better.”

My sophomore year in college, I ate five pizzas a week. Not all at once – just here and there. Three slices at lunch. Two slices before practice. A slice before bed. When you dine daily at an all-you-can-eat cafeteria, you push yourself.

During this Five-Pizzas-A-Week swim season, I swam slower than I had in high school. Nutritionists call this a “correlation.” Five pizzas a week, at 2500 calories a pizza (pepperoni), equates to 12,500 calories. There are good calories, bad calories, and then there are Pizza Calories.  Pizza Calories are like garbage yardage: They do nothing for your body but cause long-term harm. I gained ten pounds. I was thicker, fatter, and slower.

Later, I experimented: What happened if I ate foods that were, you know, foods? It wasn’t extreme, like the No Fun Diet. For breakfast, I ate egg whites, oatmeal, berries, and juice. For lunch, I ate a Veggie-A-Thon salad with turkey. Snacks were cottage cheese and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. For dinner, I ate a burrito with rice, beans, and shredded chicken. I eliminated cheese, sugar, white flour, alcohol, caffeine, and deserts. I dropped fifteen pounds, swam best times, and scored points at the Big Ten Championships.

When you’re a kid, you learn life rules: Share. Be kind. Be patient. Work hard. You also learn nutrition rules: Eat your veggies. Candy rots your teeth. Don’t stuff your face with potato chips, pizza slices, or pop before dinner. Chew slowly.

As we grow up, we forget these rules. Sometimes, purposefully.

Before you eat, question what you’re eating. I don’t mean: “I’m eating a bowl of cereal.” Look at the ingredients. Dissect the nutrition label. Can you pronounce each ingredient? Do you know what these ingredients are? Are any ingredients longer than eight letters long?

I generally stick to ingredients spelled with seven letters or less. Tomato. Corn. Pork. Chicken. Spinach. (It’s a weird rule, but it works for me. It also helps me avoid “broccoli.”) I don’t eat things like, “Hydrochloricatedsulfuricinated acididated sulfate.” (I made that up. But if you didn’t know that I made that up, what does that say about ingredients these days?)

My doctor told me about a science experiment: Mice willingly shocked themselves to eat white flour and sugar. In other words, they put themselves through pain to eat sugar. She told me, after these mice died, scientists analyzed their brains and found similar attributes as drug addicts. 
I’ve stopped the No Fun Diet; namely, it was no fun. I enjoy a cup of coffee, or a steak, or a bowl of pasta sometimes. However, I try to follow this basic concept: Can I pronounce the ingredients? Do I know what they are? Could this ingredient be in a backyard garden? Then, I remember what my parents told me when I was a kid: No candy. No junk food. No pop. (I’m from Michigan.) Chew slowly (this will control size portions). And, most importantly, eat your veggies.

This is the “Feel Better Now” cleanse. There’s no dizziness. There are no juice-fad blender recipes. No grumpiness. No anger. No spending all day on the toilet. Instead, you eat foods found in the produce section, lean meats, whole grains, beans, and nuts. Then, you chew these foods slowly. Simple. Basic.

After all, generations of humans consumed vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, and whole grains for thousands and thousands of years.

Why change now?

Reposted from usaswimming.org