EAT for SUCCESS

Swimming season has officially begun!!! We are shedding our lazy, off season routine of sofa sit ups, and leaving it behind us.  Our coaches are ramping up our fitness by giving workouts that include swimming, running, and dry-land exercises that will ultimately make us cry, just a little.  We realize that our bathing suits are slightly too tight, however these base practices will most likely help us to lose a few unwanted pounds.

Some of us may want to try and lose the summer weight gain a little quicker than others, by reducing calorie intake dramatically, while working out; It can be difficult to see our back fat flowing out of our bathing suit.  DON'T DO IT!

Don't worry, you will lose the weight. However, by restricting calories too much during base training, you will hurt your ability to perform and keep up during workouts. This will have detrimental effects on your competition results later in the year.

Ten to twenty years ago,  it was thought that having carbs within an hour of workout would give you an immediate sugar high and then the subsequent crash that generally follows, hurting performance.  More recently the evidence shows the opposite. Eating easily digestible carbohydrates an hour before practice can help athletes to workout longer.  Choose healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, low fat yogurt, a protein shake, whole grain cereal or cereal bars to have before practice instead of the chocolate bar.  These foods will provide you with the energy you need to do a great workout and still help excess weight disappear at a healthy rate.  Make sure you are enjoying nutritious snacks throughout the day, not allowing yourself to ever feel completely famished as that's when you will eat excess calories. Bring snacks with you that are 60/40 split of carbohydrate and protein.  And do not be afraid of calories, just make sure you are choosing the right ones.

If you are craving your chocolate, have it, 15-30 minutes after your workout is over, drink a glass of  chocolate milk.  Those athletes that consume chocolate milk after exercise have been shown to increase muscle fuel stores,  decrease body fat, and have a better overall physiological response to exercise than those that consume water or  sport drinks.

Eat to set yourself up for a successful workout and ultimately a successful season!!

      Bottom line is, the right snacks before workout can make you feel like this!!!

              

The never ending energy of my seven year old!


GOOD LUCK STARTING THE NEW SEASON