For quick energy before practice you should eat foods with carbohydrates, which digests into glucose, the sugar you use for energy. Good choices include apples, oranges, bananas, juices, and raisins. These have natural sugars as well as vitamins and minerals.

The reason for avoiding junk foods is simple. Eating such foods will not help your performance. Junk foods are empty calories from fat and sugar. They lack vitamins, protein, and minerals that your muscles need to function properly. You fuel your car with gasoline but you need spark plugs to get going. Similarly, you fuel your body with calories, but need nutrients to run. Choosing to drink orange juice before practice will give you the Vitamin C needed for strong muscles and the potassium to replace what is lost through sweat; remember, you are sweating when you swim; it just goes unnoticed because of the water.

The day and night before a competition, the best thing to eat is a meal high in carbohydrates. The carbs will have time to digest overnight and be stored in your muscles for strength and energy. During a meet, snack on watery fruits such as oranges.

Drink plenty of water before, during, and after practice. If you wait until you feel thirsty, you have to play catch up with your fluid needs. Your thirst mechanism can not keep up with the water loss associated with athletics and sweating. Avoid caffeinated beverages because caffeine promotes fluid loss.
Muscle cramps are generally associated with excessive fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance. Keep yourself hydrated and eat potassium-rich foods (banana, spinach, celery, romaine lettuce, mush­rooms) to avoid cramping at practice.

Last Updated February 15, 2009