Nutrition

Swimmers in general are usually able to eat whatever they desire due to the amount of exercise done every day and the amount of calories being consumed while we are swimming. Most of the time I feel quite powerful in the pool since I can eat a lot, all of the time. However, I do have those days where I feel awfully sluggish and a lot slower in the water than I usually do. I was reading in a nutritional magazine for swimmers how to not "hit the wall" as they call it. That feeling when your legs are burning and your arms aren't moving quite fast enough in the pool could be due to a number of things ,not just because you're not coming to practice enough as a coach might say, or from lack of sleep. It could simply be from not eating the right foods or not eating enough. Nutritionists say that it is from using up all of the glycogen storage in our bodies. We simply run out of gas. 

Before Practice: At least a few hours before eat a high-carb meals and snacks. I like to eat quesadillas with chicken, a PB & J, or spaghetti and meatballs. 

During Practice: Drink a lot of fluid and eat high-carb snacks. (sports drinks, power bars, power bar or gatorade gel snacks). With a well nourished body, practices can be longer and harder; giving better results.

After Practice: Replenish the store of glycogen (carbs) in your body with high-carb food and drinks. 

At a Meet: 15 minutes before a race have one bite of an energy bar with a lot of protein and during a little bit of Powerade for the extra protein and electrolytes before the race.

I personally believe that this is why I get fatigued rather fast in practice. I need to nourish my body better in order for it to keep up with the rigorous exercise I'm doing. I think this will definitely help me from "hitting the wall" at practice and at a meet.