It’s a pretty simple equation.
Food = energy.
Not much more to it than that.
Some foods offer more bang for their buck than others, giving you more energy and healthy benefits. Which affects your swimming! Below is a list of some of the best power foods that can help you cut time off your laps, take inches off your waist and get you into better shape overall.
The Tarahumara indians of the Copper Canyons of Mexico, famous for their incredible long distance running, have been using Chia seeds to fuel their legs for generations.
Chia seeds are packed with protein, fiber, and magnesium. The kicker is that they also contain omega-3 fatty acids which our bodies can’t produce on their own. They can also soak up to ten times their weight in water, keeping you hydrated for longer.
Being properly hydrated helps lubricate your joints, regulate your body temperate, and innumerable other benefits. Dehydration can lead to early fatigue, decreased athletic performance and significantly decreased resistance exercise performance.
Since swimming is a cardiovascular and a resistance exercise, swimmers need all the hydration they can get! Bring on the chia seeds!
Quinoa is a great candidate as a staple in any swimmer’s diet! If not for the temperature regulation alone. Afterall, “Your body loses heat about 25 times faster in water than in air of the same temperature.” And the fact that it helps with tissue growth and repair is very unique and valuable to any athlete.
Do you swear by a power food of your own? Be sure and let us know in the comments below!