Coaches' Corner: Nutritional Information

Nutritional Information

Nutritional Recommendations for long workouts:

For swimmers who are in the water for more than 2 hours at a time, I recommend the following:

1) A standard carbohydrate-electrolyte drink for the duration of the workout. A couple of sips every 10-20 minutes during workout will maintain hydration, provide electrolytes and provide an available fuel source beyond the 90 minute mark. Gatorade and Powerade are the two most commonly used, and both meet the 6-8% solution criteria for maximizing fuel absorption without impairing fluid absorption (i.e. anything stronger than 6-8% usually causes gastrointestinal distress). Neither the carbohydrate content nor its source in Gatorade will cause an insulin spike (or dip) during exercise, as it would at rest. The body readily uses this fuel, thereby sparing storage forms of carbohydrate (glycogen) and to some extent, protein.

2) A substantial fuel source at 2 hrs, and every hour following. This might range from 25g carbohydrate by way of a PowerGel or ClifShot to 45g carb/10g protein/3g fat by way of a can of carnation instant breakfast. Bigger swimmers need more. If the workout is 3 hrs, the carb-only source will do. Beyond three hours, the body needs a more "comprehensive" feeding, including carb, protein and fat. I like the instant breakfast drinks because they hold a lot of nutrition in a small volume of food. I typically recommend these and gels for this type of during-workout scenario because they are more palatable to the athlete and more practical for poolside feedings.

3) A substantial snack immediately post-workout. This could be your on-the-hour fuel source from (2) or something else, like a sandwich and glass of juice, bagel w/ peanut butter, yogurt with grape nuts, can of Boost/Ensure ("geriatric drinks"). Depends on the swimmer's ability to tolerate different food formats. Be sure to get this within 30 min of the end of practice. Then another snack 1 hour later. Exercise makes the body extremely sensitive to insulin, whose job it is to take blood sugar out of the bloodstream and store it. The effect lasts for about 2 hours post-exercise. Taking advantage of this "window of opportunity" allows the body to store fuel more efficiently where it's needed (as glycogen, not fat)...puts gas back in the tank, so to speak. Carbohydrate is the focus here. Adding protein will help with muscle tissue repair. If you have to choose, go for the carbohydrate versus the protein-only option. A 4:1 carb:protein mixture is ideal...Ensure/Boost/Slim Fast all have this.

Charlene Boudreau
Director, High Performance Network

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