Advice on Competition Nutrition

• If there is less than 1 hour before your next race, drink sports drink or water
• If there is more than 1 hour before your next race, eat small carbohydrate snacks, little and often
• Wash down snacks with plenty of fluid, the indoor pool is humid and dehydrating!

• After your race:
o drink immediately. A sports drink (e.g. Gatorade / Powerade) is a great choice as it will replace fluids as well as carbohydrate. This is even more important when there is not enough time to eat again before your next race
o If there is more than 1 hour before your next race, eat as soon as possible.

• During longer breaks, you can eat a little more, but don’t eat too much at once as this can make you feel heavy and lethargic. Remember – little & often!

Suitable snacks between races (1-2 hour breaks):
o Snack fruits (small packs / cans of soft fruit)
o Bananas
o Fruit that is peeled and cut up (easier to eat this way)
o Handful of dried fruit e.g. raisins, apricots
o Plain bread rolls, bagels, pita bread, raisin bread
o Jam or honey sandwiches (NOT peanut butter)
o Dry cereal in a small box / baggie - low sugar/ low fat e.g Cheerios
o Rice cakes (you can top them with honey, jam or banana)
o Plain crackers – low fat / low salt type
o Low fat granola bars (not chocolate covered)
o Low fat muffins, and cookies
o Low fat yogurts
o Liquid meals e.g. Ensure, Carnation Instant Breakfast

The post-competition meal
• Try and eat no more than 2 hours after your last race
• Base your meal on carbohydrates (rice, pasta, potatoes and bread), but include some protein (meat, chicken, cheese, etc)
• Remember, if you are going to the Dinner Dance, beer doesn’t count as protein, or carbohydrates!!!


Abby Knox BSc(Hons), PGDip Nutrition & Dietetics
Sports Nutritionist
Contact me through the Okotoks Masters website – www.okotoksmasters.com
Or emmahesterman@shaw.ca

Download this in PDF: Competition Nutrition Masters Welcome Pack