Nutrition for Swimmers

What you eat and drink matters, especially as a swimmer. Food is fuel, and giving your body the right fuel helps you swim faster, feel stronger, and recover after hard practices. Good nutrition isn’t just for meet day. It’s important every day so your body can train and compete at its best.

What Swimmers Need to Eat

Your body needs different types of food to stay healthy, full of energy, and ready to swim. Here are the basics:

Carbohydrates (Carbs)
These give your body quick energy. They are found in foods like pasta, rice, bread, cereal, fruit, potatoes, and crackers. You need lots of carbs to swim strong, especially during practice and meets.

Protein
Protein helps your muscles grow and recover after swimming. It’s in foods like eggs, meat, chicken, yogurt, peanut butter, cheese, beans, and nuts.

Fats
Fats give you long-lasting energy. They also help your body absorb vitamins. You can get healthy fats from foods like peanut butter, avocados, nuts, seeds, fish, and olive oil.

Vitamins, Minerals, and Water
These help your body use all the other nutrients. Eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and drinking enough water helps keep your body running the way it should.

When to Eat

Before Practice or a Meet

  • Eat a full meal about 3 to 4 hours before you swim. This meal should have carbs, a little protein, and not too much fat.

  • If you are eating closer to swim time, try something light like fruit, a granola bar, crackers, or toast.

During Long Practices or Meets

  • For longer meets or big workouts, eat small snacks every 15 to 20 minutes.

  • Good snacks include applesauce, bananas, pretzels, yogurt, or peanut butter crackers.

After Practice or a Race

  • Try to eat something within 30 minutes to help your body recover.

  • Great choices include chocolate milk, a sandwich, a smoothie, yogurt with fruit, or a bagel with peanut butter.

  • Be sure to eat a full meal within 2 hours after swimming.

Swim Meet Snack Choices

Most swim meets have concession stands that sell snacks and drinks. While it's fun to grab a treat, it’s important to make smart choices that help you swim your best.

Try to avoid sugary snacks and drinks like candy bars, soda, and chips, especially in the middle of the meet. These kinds of snacks might give you a quick burst of energy, but they don’t last long and can actually make you feel tired, sluggish, or upset your stomach during your next race.

Instead, choose snacks that give your body lasting energy. Good options at concession stands might include:

  • A granola bar (without too much sugar)

  • Fruit like a banana or orange slices

  • A plain bagel or pretzels

  • String cheese or yogurt

  • A sports drink (only if you're sweating a lot and swimming multiple events)

Save the treats for after the meet when your body is done racing and ready to relax!

Don’t Forget to Drink Water

Even though you're swimming in water, your body still sweats and loses fluids. Staying hydrated helps you feel good, stay focused, and swim strong.

How to stay hydrated:

  • Drink water during the day, not just at practice.

  • Try this: 2 cups of water a few hours before you swim, 1 cup an hour before, and a few sips just before warmup.

  • During practice or a meet, drink a little water or sports drink every 10 to 20 minutes.

  • After swimming, drink 2 to 4 cups of water to help your body recover.

Tips to Help You Eat Like a Swimmer

  • Eat something at every meal and snack during the day so you stay full of energy.

  • Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast. You need fuel before you swim.

  • Bring snacks and a water bottle to practice and meets so you’re always ready.

  • If a food hurts your stomach, tell a coach or parent and try something different next time.

  • Ask questions. Coaches and parents are here to help you eat right for swimming.

If you're not sure what to eat or need help finding foods you like, just ask your coach or a trusted adult. When you eat smart, you swim strong.