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This Speedo Tip of the Week comes from Jessica Knowles, a sports
nutritionist from Evergreen, Colo., and a member of USA
Swimming’s Sports Medicine Database. Knowles offers some
advice on pre-race meals.
Knowles’ Tip:
Pre-race meals should always be low-fat and high in carbohydrates.
Fat slows down the absorption rate in your GI tract, which is not
ideal. What you want is easily digestible carbohydrates so your
body can use them for energy during the race. Depending on how much
time you have between when you eat and the start of your first
race, there are some general guidelines for the type and amount of
carbohydrate to consume.
If you eat 3-4 hours
before the start of your first race, you need 1.5 to 2 grams of
carbohydrate per pound of bodyweight. For a 130-pound athlete, that
is 195-260 grams of carbohydrate. You want low fat, low fat
proteins and low fiber (fiber also slows digestion). Good sources
are cereal, fruit, fruit juices, breads, bagels, yogurt, non-fat
milk and preserves.
If you eat 2 hours
before the start of your first race, the amount of carbohydrate
needed is 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. Now our 130-pound athlete
needs 130 grams of carbohydrate from low-fat, low-fiber sources of
food. Good sources are again cereals, fruit, fruit juices, non fat
milk, yogurt and preserves.
If you eat 1 hour or less
before the start of your first race, the amount of carbohydrate
needed is .5 grams per pound of bodyweight. Our 130-pound athlete
now needs 65 grams of carbohydrate. At this point, you need to
emphasize liquid sources of carbohydrate and avoid protein, fat and
fiber. Good sources are fruits and fruit juices.
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