A Swimming Breakfast

In this article, we’ll provide advice, hacks and tips on the importance and the benefits of a swimming breakfast.

The benefits of a swimming breakfast

Many swimming nutritionists believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

• What swimmer eats or does not eat before and after a morning swim can make a huge difference to their level of performance.
• Eating breakfast can provide the swimmer with many benefits. These include,
• Replenishing the swimmer’s blood sugar levels (which can get depleted whilst sleeping) to enable the optimum function of their muscles.
• Help to provide the energy they require during training.
• It can help the swimmer to concentrate.
• Help the swimmer to recover from the rigours of swimming.
• It can help to kick-start the swimmer’s metabolism.

Morning training

As the swimmer develops, they may be required to undertake more training.

• To meet that need, swimming clubs need to utilise all the pool time available to them.
• This requires many clubs to provide morning training sessions.
• Morning training sessions are an important part of the training programme at many clubs.
• However, these usually start at 5 or 6 am.
• As swimmers are advised to eat some 2 hours before training, this can rule out the possibility for most swimmers eating a full breakfast beforehand.
• As the swimmer should not train on a full stomach.
• So how do swimmers manage their nutrition and hydration needs for morning training?

When to eat breakfast

Ideally, a swimmer should eat a nutritious breakfast at least two hours before training or a meet/gala.

• However, for many swimmers eating a full breakfast before a morning swim can be difficult.
• There simply may not be enough time from when the swimmer wakes up to when they start training, to consume a nutritious breakfast.
• Some swimmers may feel tired from getting up early.
• They may feel nervous, especially if it’s before an important meet/gala.
• Having a full breakfast before training or a gala/meet may even leave the swimmer feeling bloated or uncomfortable.
• To get around this problem, many swimmers have two swimming breakfasts.
• One a light pre-swim breakfast ideally consumed 30 minutes to 1 hour before entering the water.
• This usually consists a smoothie, a cereal/granola bar or some fruit.
• The other is usually a full post-swimming breakfast, ideally consumed within 30 minutes after their training session.

Planning a swimming breakfast

Whenever a swimmer swims early in the morning they should eat beforehand, even if it’s a small and easily digestible amount.

• We have listed below some hacks and tips on how to help a swimmer consume a nutritious swimming breakfast.
• Many swimmers prepare their breakfasts the night before.
• This can help to ensure they have enough time to eat a nutritious swimming breakfast.
• Swimmer’s should get into the habit of consuming breakfast before swimming.
• Many swimmers find that once they start to make breakfast a habit, their body quickly adapts, and they quickly begin to feel the benefits.
• Some prefer to consume a shake or a smoothie before their morning swim.
• For some swimmers eating correctly before swimming requires patients and practice.
• Some swimmers find that changing what they are eating for breakfast can help.
• Those swimmers should experiment with different familiar foods until they discover which combination works for them.

What to eat

Swimmer’s should ensure that they eat a nutritious breakfast which contains carbohydrates and proteins but is low in sugar. These include,

• Whole wheat or oat cereals,
• Porridge or oatmeal with fresh or dried fruit.
• Low sugar cereals such as unsweetened muesli.
• Wholemeal, granary or brown toast, with a small amount of jam, honey or marmalade.
• Pancakes with syrup.
• Poached, scrambled or boiled eggs.
• Dried or fresh fruit
• Milk, milkshakes or smoothies
• Please see smoothie recipes below

Breakfast smoothie recipes

 

A basic banana smoothie

A banana smoothie is a popular pre-breakfast swimming drink.

• Bananas are high in potassium and natural sugars, as well as other vitamins and minerals.
• They can provide the swimmer with the energy required for an effective early morning swim.

Recipe

• 1 large banana
• Ice – 250ml (metric) 8 Fl oz (imperial) 1 cup (US Cups)
• Semi-skimmed milk – 125ml (metric) 4 Fl oz (imperial) 1/2 cup (US Cups)
• Greek/low-fat yoghurt – 62.5ml (metric) 2 Fl oz (imperial) 1/4 cup (US Cups)
• Peanut butter – 15ml (metric) 1 tablespoon.
• Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

A fruit juice smoothie

Some swimmers prefer a smoothie containing their favourite fruit juice.

• As some fruit juices can be high in sugar.
• A fruit juice smoothie should ideally made from freshly squeezed juice.

Recipe

• Fresh/frozen fruit – 250ml (metric) 8 Fl oz (imperial) 1 cup (US Cups)
• Fruit juice (ideally freshly squeezed) – 125ml (metric) 4 Fl oz (imperial) 1/2 cup (US Cups)
• Semi-skimmed milk – 125ml (metric) 4 Fl oz (imperial) 1/2 cup (US Cups)
• Greek/low-fat yoghurt – 125ml (metric) 4 Fl oz (imperial) 1/2 cup (US Cups)
• Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

 Variations

When making smoothies, many swimmers include their preferred ingredients. These can include,

• A handful of the swimmer’s favourite fresh fruit.
• Non-dairy milk, such as soy, almond, oat or coconut.
• Chia seeds – which a rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Vanilla protein powder – which is an excellent source of protein and has many other health benefits.

Hydration

As well as the proper nutrition, a swimmer needs to be well hydrated to perform at its optimum.

• Although most of a swimmer’s training is conducted in the water, they still lose a great deal of body fluid through physical exertion.
• This lost fluid should be replaced, as dehydration is one of the most common causes of poor performance.

Related article on morning swimming training

We have produced a related article on morning swimming training. Which you can view by clicking this link: morning swimming training

Related articles on swimming nutrition and swimming hydration

We have produced related articles, on swimming nutrition and swimming hydration. Which you can view by clicking these links: swimming nutrition | swimming hydration.

The problems of missing a swimming breakfast

There can be problems associated with the missing of a swimming breakfast. These include,

• Disrupting the swimmer’s body rhythm by fasting and eating.
• Missing a swimming breakfast can increase the likelihood of swimmers overeating later in the day on high-fat and high-sugar foods.

What not to eat

Fatty and fried foods

Swimmers should avoid consuming fatty and fried foods.

• These are generally poor nutritionally and can be difficult to fully digest.
• This can put extra demands on the swimmer’s digestive system, which can lead to indigestion and discomfort.

Sugar

Swimmers should also avoid consuming foods or drinks with a high sugar level, especially first thing in the morning.

• These can raise the swimmer’s blood sugar quickly to a very high level, it then falls and remains at a low level, impairing performance.
• This can cause headaches, weakness, general irritability, and low levels of concentration.

Takeaways

Many swimming nutritionists believe it’s the most important meal of the day.

• What swimmer eats or does not eat before and after a morning swim can make a huge difference to their level of performance.
• Eating breakfast can provide the swimmer with many benefits. These include,
• Replenishing the swimmer’s blood sugar levels (which can get depleted whilst sleeping) to enable the optimum function of their muscles.
• Help to provide the energy they require during training.
• It can help the swimmer to concentrate.
• Help the swimmer to recover from the rigours of swimming.
• It can help to kick-start the swimmer’s metabolism.

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