What to eat on Gala Day

Swim galas test swimmers strength, technique and concentration in a competitive environment. To do your best  you need well-rested, alert and full of energy which requires a little planning to be in top shape to PB.

Eat a good dinner the night before, preferably something simple that is not completely outside your normal diet; that is easy to digest so try and stay off acidic foods. The idea of "carb loading” is largely out-dated now and not so relevant for age group swimmers anyway but too much food could well bloat you and sit heavy on the system creating a feeling of lethargy, weighing you down.

On the day of competition, eat a light breakfast such as cereal, banana, yoghurt or a cereal bar if it is a really early start, don't try and swim on an empty stomach. If you struggle to eat 1st thing try liquid meals such milkshakes, yoghurt drinks or smoothies.

If it is an afternoon meet then you can eat a bigger breakfast and a light lunch aiming to eat one or two hours before the event. The best foods are out of the stomach in 2 hours so if they are eaten more than 3 hours before swimming they could override the energy before the race. When attending a long gala carbohydrates are low fat and are absorbed into the body over a short period of time. Fat is hard to digest and therefore best avoided on race day.

Try and eat as soon as possible after your swim to give yourself as long as possible to recover if you have to swim again.

Take plenty of water and diluted fruit juice or squash; fizzy drinks should be completely avoided. Energy drinks that are not fizzy are full of sugar so should not be drunk as a normal drink but only consumed lightly 5 minutes before an event. Energy drinks, coffee or soft drinks could clear out your electrolytes and stress your muscles.

Pool sides can be warm and humid and dehydration can be a real factor, lack of liquids do affect performance - 2% dehydration can cause a reduction in performance of up to 10% so even before you feel thirsty drink little and often throughout the day.

Your performance can be affected by what you eat on the day of a gala:

EAT

·        Vegetables

·        Rice

·        Pasta

·        Plain Sandwiches e.g. Chicken, Tuna, Cheese, with salad, or Peanut Butter,

·        Crackers and Rice Cakes

·        Cereal Bars

·        Small Bags of Unsalted Nuts e.g. Peanuts, Almonds or Cashews

·        Fruit e.g. Grapes, Berries, Plums or Pears

·        Bananas

·        Dried Fruit e.g. Raisins or Apricots (In Moderation!)

·        Yoghurt and Yoghurt Drinks

·        Smoothies

The great thing about bananas is that they contain potassium which makes you more resistant to fatigue but you can overdo potassium intake so I personally would not eat more than 2 bananas in any 1 day. Part of a banana before you race is not a bad idea. Remember NO SUGAR. Artificial energy does not make you swim faster.

DON'T EAT

·        Crisps

·        Sweets

·        Chocolate

·        Fizzy Drinks

·        Cakes

·        Ice Cream

·        Chips

·        Fast Foods

 

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