Swim Parents: Food?

[Spy Car]

My son (recently turned 13) just finished up his first season of Water Polo. They capped the season by playing a tournament in the Olympic Expo Swim Stadium here in Los Angeles next to the Olympic Coliseum. Inspiring venue!

 

I threw the kid into this sport in May despite him having little-to-no formal swim experience. He had water-safety lessons as a youngster and could "swim," but not a "swimmer."

 

He loved Water Polo. Till now he's been a Lacrosse player, but the High School we are set on (for year after next) doesn't have Lacrosse but has a very good Water Polo program. So this was a strategic move on my part, that seems to have worked out.

 

Now to work on the strokes and aquatic techniques. By good fortune the coach whose name kept coming up when I asked those in the know who was the best person my son could work with to refine his swim skills, just happened to be at our pool where my boy was putting in extra laps prior to practice and he did an evaluation.

 

The coach runs kind of an elite program, Junior Olympics and what-not, and my son (who has never been on any sort of swim team) is far more "green" and not as fast (I'm sure) as the kids he is used to dealing with.

 

But the coach saw a lot of potential in my boy, who has a very lean-strong body (coach said "swimmer's body") and he's invited us to train with his team next week. Super excited, even if we eventually get moved down to the novice team at the same pool.

 

Skip down to here to miss a long preamble and get to the question.

 

I'm not sure what to do about food. Practices will be 5-7 (with two being 5-7:30). When/what do I feed the kid?

 

The old "don't eat before you swim" thing is fallacious? Or what?

 

Appreciate advice from veterans. 

 

Super stoked for the opportunity.

 

Bill

[Liz CA]

If practice starts at 5pm, I would not want to eat anything later than 3:30pm - 4pm. If he feels really hungry, maybe some veggie sticks.

[SebastianCat]

I'm not a swim parent, but my son is a high school cross country runner, and this is what we'd do.    Regular lunch, then small to medium size snack (mostly healthy carbs, with a little protein, but not junk) between 3-4.   No food within an hour of practice.   A small snack right after practice (like an orange or banana) if you can't get a regular meal within 30-60 minutes.   Then a regular meal afterwards.   Make sure he's drinking water throughout the day.

 

The book Feeding the Young Athlete has been very helpful to me to learn what kinds of food DS needs and when.   

[amyx4]

So, mine generally eat lunch about 12 or 12:30. Around 3 or 3:30 they make a shake. Full fat yogurt, frozen fruit, protein or nut power, etc. 

 

During the first week of practice, I have a pb&j sandwich waiting in the car. It keeps them from gnawing off my arm! Then they eat a huge, huge dinner. After the first week of practice, I generally don't need to bring pj&j. Their bodies and appetites seem to adjust. Their swim bag is always stocked with granola bars and a water bottle. Generally, they want real food not the granola bars.

 

Don't worry, if he eats too much/too little before practice his body will tell him. 

 

I can predict your next post .....How come his jacket/coat/shirt we just bought him, won't fit over his shoulders.... :) 

[FaithManor]

At 3:00-3:30 I would be inclined to do healthy carb loading - whole grain granola, nuts, carrot sticks, banana or other fruit. Easy on the stomach stuff. He is going to burn a lot of calories.

 

I would take a piece of fruit and a granola bar for immediately after getting out of the pool.

 

I would follow that after he has showered, changed, and is ready for supper with something a steak, loaded baked potato, and roasted veggies with a salad.

 

But I could be wrong about this for regular swimmers. My guy is medically underweight and has a hard time gaining, but an easy time losing so I have to mega feed this kid!

 

We have also followed up with big servings of lasagna, salad, fruits, garlic bread, and chicken. LOL He can really pack it away and remains a lean machine!

[Pen]

I was a swimmer and did not ever have a problem with eating before swimming.  Though probably never ate an enormous meal right before.

 

Can he eat between school and practice and then maybe have family dinners be at 7:45ish?

[MistyMountain]

I guess I am in the minority but I always do dinner before activities eating right before leaving for earlier ones and it has never been a problem. If they were still hungry after that long of a practice then they can have more dinner afterwards.

Edited August 12, 2017 by MistyMountain

[Spy Car]

 

I can predict your next post .....How come his jacket/coat/shirt we just bought him, won't fit over his shoulders.... :)

 

LOL. We are still waiting on the hormones to kick in, but the Swim/Water Polo has been transformative in chiseling his tight little body. He is very (very) lean, but his muscles have tightened into rubber. I think what the swim has done for his body has really motivated him to continue with aquatics.

 

We always thought we'd do once last season of Lacrosse this Spring. My guess is that's not going to happen.

 

When the growth-spurt kicks in it might get scary.

 

Bill

[Mama Geek]

Mine was on a swim team at 5 and is still really young.  I carb loaded her right before and fed her dinner right after we got home.  Sometimes she ate a snack on the way home.  If I didn't do this she would be freezing, starved, and exhausted after practice.  She never had a problems eating before practice.

Edited August 12, 2017 by Mama Geek

[retiredHSmom]

My son says "play Rugby"

 

Joking aside.  I swam from 6-9 pm every night of the week for years as a 6-10th grader and ate dinner in the car on the way.  We swam a mile for warm-up.  I was a nationally ranked synchronized swimmer.  If eating before swimming upsets his stomach figure out another plan but It never upset mine at all and I swam hard.

[MysteryJen]

At 13, he is going to be hungry all. the. time. Here, we always talk about "bang for your buck." Get something good from everything you put in your body. Junk food happens but all my kids learned that it will affect your practice in a negative way. My kids have learned that they have to eat something before morning practice..bagel, glass of milk, bowl of cereal, etc. Morning practice on an empty stomach is a good way to feel sick the entire day. After morning practice is usually a breakfast sandwich or burrito, maybe oatmeal, but it is not a favorite as they tend to be starving a couple of hours later. They also eat before afternoon practice (most practices are between 5-8 pm), so a sandwich, leftover pasta, smoothie, basically a mini meal at around 3-3:30. They also needed something to eat on the way home-hummus, chocolate milk or almond milk, wheat thins, cheese, nuts, etc. Whatever protein I could get in them so that they would eat dinner at home and not snap my head off in the car.

Some people are crazy about the perfect pre/post workout snacks, but here it was whatever they would eat that was mostly healthy, had some fat/protein/whole grain that could tide them over the 40 min drive home.

 

Good luck!

 

[Spy Car]

My son says "play Rugby"

 

Joking aside.  I swam from 6-9 pm every night of the week for years as a 6-10th grader and ate dinner in the car on the way.  We swam a mile for warm-up.  I was a nationally ranked synchronized swimmer.  If eating before swimming upsets his stomach figure out another plan but It never upset mine at all and I swam hard.

 

I played Rugby and had the kid play when he was younger. Love the game! But no High School teams for Rugby either.

 

I guess I will need to experiment with the food. he's going to need energy, that's for sure.

 

Bill

[retiredHSmom]

I played Rugby and had the kid play when he was younger. Love the game! But no High School teams for Rugby either.

 

I guess I will need to experiment with the food. he's going to need energy, that's for sure.

 

Bill

I actually played water polo in college for a year.  I was at the pool doing a synchronized swimming workout on my own and the water polo team was practicing and saw me doing egg beater laps up and down the pool and the next thing that I knew I was defending a goal.  It was fun but co-ed and I got tired of having cut and bruised legs.

[Spy Car]

I actually played water polo in college for a year.  I was at the pool doing a synchronized swimming workout on my own and the water polo team was practicing and saw me doing egg beater laps up and down the pool and the next thing that I knew I was defending a goal.  It was fun but co-ed and I got tired of having cut and bruised legs.

 

Sports that can lead to cuts and bruises are a prerequisite for consideration :D

 

I've kept the squirt out of football (my game), but the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in needing games with some "action."

 

Pretty impressive that you played WP goalie on a coed college team.  Nice!

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

At 13, he is going to be hungry all. the. time. Here, we always talk about "bang for your buck." Get something good from everything you put in your body. Junk food happens but all my kids learned that it will affect your practice in a negative way. My kids have learned that they have to eat something before morning practice..bagel, glass of milk, bowl of cereal, etc. Morning practice on an empty stomach is a good way to feel sick the entire day. After morning practice is usually a breakfast sandwich or burrito, maybe oatmeal, but it is not a favorite as they tend to be starving a couple of hours later. They also eat before afternoon practice (most practices are between 5-8 pm), so a sandwich, leftover pasta, smoothie, basically a mini meal at around 3-3:30. They also needed something to eat on the way home-hummus, chocolate milk or almond milk, wheat thins, cheese, nuts, etc. Whatever protein I could get in them so that they would eat dinner at home and not snap my head off in the car.

Some people are crazy about the perfect pre/post workout snacks, but here it was whatever they would eat that was mostly healthy, had some fat/protein/whole grain that could tide them over the 40 min drive home.

 

Good luck!

 

Good grief. I see that I'm going to turn into a traveling snack bar. I love to cook, but "dinner." Meals. 

 

What have I gotten myself into? :D

 

Bill

[umsami]

I was a swimmer.  I didn't have the opportunity to eat before practice, but was always famished after.   Some kids had apples on the bus.  Our team was not major hard core, though.  Practice would be anywhere from 3,000 - 4,500 yards.

 

The whole eating before you swim thing is a myth, but I still wouldn't want him eating a big meal after 4:00 or so for a 5 p.m. practice.  

[solascriptura]

Lots of everything. Swimmer's burn through so many calories that it's ok if there is junk in there too.

 

You may want to get a soft sided cooler and fill it with food and drinks.

Edited August 12, 2017 by solascriptura

[retiredHSmom]

Sports that can lead to cuts and bruises are a prerequisite for consideration :D

 

 

 

pretty much my son's requirements too, hence rugby and krav maga  are his activities.

SaveSave

[Spy Car]

pretty much my son's requirements too, hence rugby and krav maga are his activities.

Save

Save

Ha, ha! My son has been asking to do Krav Maga recently.

 

Bill

[FaithManor]

And just remember that when the blood sugar drops, he is going to be sensitive to cold so you really want to plan well for carb loading plus fiber AND protein (another thought - we used keep boiled eggs on hand) before practice so he has the instant high energy of the carbs but the sustained energy of not having a fast blood sugar plummet. Blood sugar drops during intense training can actually produce nausea.

 

Mostly, you have a growing boy training hard which pretty much means at his age, mom and dad operate a grocery store from the back seat of the car! 😀

[Spy Car]

And just remember that when the blood sugar drops, he is going to be sensitive to cold so you really want to plan well for carb loading plus fiber AND protein (another thought - we used keep boiled eggs on hand) before practice so he has the instant high energy of the carbs but the sustained energy of not having a fast blood sugar plummet. Blood sugar drops during intense training can actually produce nausea.

 

Mostly, you have a growing boy training hard which pretty much means at his age, mom and dad operate a grocery store from the back seat of the car! 😀

That's what I was afraid of.

 

Bill

[lmrich]

My dd was a diver for a season who had practice from 5 - 7. I gave her something with carbs and protein at 4 (peanut butter is a favorite for my kids) and then a real dinner either in the car on the way home or when she got home. It takes a lot of planning. 

 

I have started swimming and have noticed that I swim better the further away I am from a meal- 3 hours minimum works best for me. So your son might have an opinion as he gets to know his body. 

[Sk8ermaiden]

Mine does a lot of sports, including swim team, and she always eats (either lunch or dinner) on her way to practice. There is no merit to the no eating an hour before swimming thing. There is only how your particular child reacts to eating right before a sports practice. 

[Chris in VA]

(Is there anyone else saying, "Man, Spy Car's kid is 13 already!!"   :laugh: )

[Spy Car]

(Is there anyone else saying, "Man, Spy Car's kid is 13 already!!"   :laugh: )

 

No one is more surprised than I am Chris :D

 

Bill

[Clemsondana]

We don't swim, but between the 2 kids we have baseball, basketball, or karate most nights. When practices or games are between 5 and 8, we have either a snack or an early dinner at 4, depending on when we had lunch. Then we have a snack on the way home and dinner/2nd dinner if necessary. I usually have both calorie-dense snacks (peanut butter balls, kind bars, etc) and things like popcorn or cut-up veggies. One kid is very skinny and eats tons of food - we recently noticed that, over the course of a 2-hr practice, he got worse as his blood sugar dropped and started giving him bottles of orange juice to drink on the way to/from and during the event. He's heard so much about 'eating healthy' and avoiding 'empty calories' that it's taken us a while to convince him that it's OK to drink juice, have a milkshake, or eat a few peanut butter 'cookies' (low-sugar things I try to keep on hand for when the kids need energy) - when you're hungry and growing, you need to eat carrot sticks for an hour to fill up. I often keep baked potatoes that are already stuffed with butter, chives, etc and can be heated for a snack or to accompany an extra meal.

[amy g.]

My kids swim from 5:30-7:00 every evening. They eat breakfast between 10 and 11. We have an alarm set for 3:00. They have to drop everything and eat lunch at 3:00. Then they eat dinner when they get home after practice.

[Spy Car]

My kids swim from 5:30-7:00 every evening. They eat breakfast between 10 and 11. We have an alarm set for 3:00. They have to drop everything and eat lunch at 3:00. Then they eat dinner when they get home after practice.

 

Good plan, but if 5-7 is swim (in our case) plus a shower and a drive home the best case scenario is arriving home at 7:30-7:45.

 

I want to watch the swim practice. Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing my son involved sports, and I'm hoping that this exposure will help take a kid with minimal training towards another level.   

 

So if I'm there, where is dinner when everyone gets home?

 

5-7 I'd usually be staging delicious healthful meals. So I'm going to need a little creativity.

 

Bill 

[FaithManor]

Bill, I think you should get a camp fridge that runs with a converter off a car battery, and just stock up!

 

😄ðŸ˜

[Clemsondana]

The crock pot is your friend! Put dinner in early and it will be ready when you get back. I make big batches of chili-type foods on days without practice and we reheat on late nights. I don't remember if you're a homeschooler, but if you are, eat your 'nice meal' at lunchtime and let dinner be sandwiches or leftovers. Put meals that cook on low for a long time (like pot roast with veggies cooked with it) in the oven before you go. Cook large pieces of meat (turkey breast, roast, ham) that are good cold and quickly saute veggies to go with them when you get home, or fix a quick-cooking grain like couscous and make a 'bowl' with shredded meat and veggies. Egg scrambles are quick. At our house, 2nd/late dinner is usually reheated, but I'm often trying to throw a meal together by 4 when we're just finishing our school day at 3. I've spent the past 2 days making big pots of tomato-and-ground-beef-based soups to freeze while I have fresh tomatoes - I know that I'll be thanking myself sometime this fall.

[FaithManor]

As for meals at home, our big issue is when we are skiing ski boarding. At that time of the year, feeding male beasts - yes, teen boys are basically carnivorous sassquatches! - the crock pot is my friend.

 

Standard for us is a hearty chilli heavy on pintos and kidney beans sometimes with ground beef, sometimes not. The second crock pot will have whole potatoes in their skins. Tossed salad heavy on veggies was made before we left and sits waiting in the fridge. Sour cream and cheddar cheese to top their chilli and potatoes helps fill their tires, cold, hollow legs.

 

I also make a very hearty beef stew in the crock pot.

 

Roasting chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions, green beans, season and one pot done.

 

Mexican Gumbo - pintos and black beans, brown rice, favorite sauce or diced canned tomatoes with garlic, green chilli etc to taste, and serve with salsa and tortilla chips plus cheese and fresh veggies.

 

Legumes and potatoes are your friend!!!

 

We also eat like this during kayaking season because I can leave it cooking and kayak too or lay on the beach in solitude with a book.

[mommyoffive]

Good plan, but if 5-7 is swim (in our case) plus a shower and a drive home the best case scenario is arriving home at 7:30-7:45.

 

I want to watch the swim practice. Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing my son involved sports, and I'm hoping that this exposure will help take a kid with minimal training towards another level.   

 

So if I'm there, where is dinner when everyone gets home?

 

5-7 I'd usually be staging delicious healthful meals. So I'm going to need a little creativity.

 

Bill 

 

Yep as everyone says crockpot is your best friend forever. 

 

My kids all swim and I am there watching and we get home that time and that is what we do.  Works like a T.  

 

Others who have a 20-30 min drive on top of that eat before they come and then snack or eat on the car ride home. 

[Spy Car]

Bill, I think you should get a camp fridge that runs with a converter off a car battery, and just stock up!

 

😄ðŸ˜

See, I was thinking a little camp stove, so I could cook and watch practice :D

 

Bill

[brehon]

At 13, he is going to be hungry all. the. time. Here, we always talk about "bang for your buck." Get something good from everything you put in your body. Junk food happens but all my kids learned that it will affect your practice in a negative way. My kids have learned that they have to eat something before morning practice..bagel, glass of milk, bowl of cereal, etc. Morning practice on an empty stomach is a good way to feel sick the entire day. After morning practice is usually a breakfast sandwich or burrito, maybe oatmeal, but it is not a favorite as they tend to be starving a couple of hours later. They also eat before afternoon practice (most practices are between 5-8 pm), so a sandwich, leftover pasta, smoothie, basically a mini meal at around 3-3:30. They also needed something to eat on the way home-hummus, chocolate milk or almond milk, wheat thins, cheese, nuts, etc. Whatever protein I could get in them so that they would eat dinner at home and not snap my head off in the car.

Some people are crazy about the perfect pre/post workout snacks, but here it was whatever they would eat that was mostly healthy, had some fat/protein/whole grain that could tide them over the 40 min drive home.

 

Good luck!

Can I interrupt for a sec here? (Sorry Bill!)

 

My 14 yo dd will begin early morning swim practices (5:45-7:30) tomorrow. <gulp!> What would you recommend for her [ETA: to eat] before practice? We can do just about anything and she has no food allergies/intolerances. We had the snack/dinner combo down for the girls' evening practices. Sigh.

Edited August 13, 2017 by brehon

[Spy Car]

Can I interrupt for a sec here? (Sorry Bill!)

 

My 14 yo dd will begin early morning swim practices (5:45-7:30) tomorrow. <gulp!> What would you recommend for her [ETA: to eat] before practice? We can do just about anything and she has no food allergies/intolerances. We had the snack/dinner combo down for the girls' evening practices. Sigh.

No worries. Good for me too.

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

Ah the Crockpot, yes. This is where my mind was going too.

 

I'm just going to have to endure so many wisecracks from long-timers.

 

Bill

[FaithManor]

See, I was thinking a little camp stove, so I could cook and watch practice :D

 

Bill

LOL Bill, people have seen me at a HIGH end ski lodge making chicken tacos on a propane tank cook stove in the back of my mini van with the hatch popped open! Oh I am sure I have had many people wonder about the propriety, but it has never stopped me. Despite the fact that I am not personally a foodie and hate to cook, it has always been important to feed healthy fare to my active clan.

 

So I say go for it!

[maize]

I'd love to see Bill become the resident crock pot guru...

 

 

Though if you really don't want to go there there is no reason supper has to be a hot meal. Roast beef sandwich, deviled eggs and a nice salad could be mostly pre-prepared and put on the table in five minutes.

[brehon]

Ah the Crockpot, yes. This is where my mind was going too.

 

I'm just going to have to endure so many wisecracks from long-timers.

 

Bill

We'll try to go easy on you. <cough>

 

#welcometothedarkside

[FaithManor]

We'll try to go easy on you. <cough>

 

#welcometothedarkside

ðŸ˜ðŸ˜†ðŸ˜‚

[amy g.]

I can't abide the texture of food that has been cooked in a crock pot.

 

I've gotten spoiled this summer because my older girls are home from college and I can count on one of them to make supper when we are at swim practice.

 

When left to my own devices, I usually prep a salad and marinade meat before hand then grill the meat and toss the salad for a quick dinner.

 

Stir fry is another pretty quick dinner that all of my kids will eat.

 

Or I leave a chicken roasting in the oven while we are gone.

 

 

On the weekends, Dh will smoke a brisket or a bunch of pork chops for me to incorporate into quick dinners during the week.

[Spy Car]

I got Crockpots older than some of you people :D

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

I can't abide the texture of food that has been cooked in a crock pot.

 

I've gotten spoiled this summer because my older girls are home from college and I can count on one of them to make supper when we are at swim practice.

 

When left to my own devices, I usually prep a salad and marinade meat before hand then grill the meat and toss the salad for a quick dinner.

 

Stir fry is another pretty quick dinner that all of my kids will eat.

 

Or I leave a chicken roasting in the oven while we are gone.

 

 

On the weekends, Dh will smoke a brisket or a bunch of pork chops for me to incorporate into quick dinners during the week.

 

Smoked Brisket. Yum!

 

I can prep salads of all sorts (we like salads). I can sous vide some meat too, so it is ready for a quick finish we get home.

 

I like beans, stews, stewed meat, chili, and those sorts of thing in the Crockpot.

 

Hadn't considered a roast chicken.

 

Bill 

[solascriptura]

Good plan, but if 5-7 is swim (in our case) plus a shower and a drive home the best case scenario is arriving home at 7:30-7:45.

 

I want to watch the swim practice. Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing my son involved sports, and I'm hoping that this exposure will help take a kid with minimal training towards another level.

 

So if I'm there, where is dinner when everyone gets home?

 

5-7 I'd usually be staging delicious healthful meals. So I'm going to need a little creativity.

 

Bill

I always give the kids an early dinner and a substantial snack after practice.

[mathnerd]

Our swim team coach gives a guideline for the kids who train with him. He says that the child should eat a "substantial" snack 1 to 1.5 hours before practice. He highly recommends that the child not eat anything at all in the last 45 minutes before practice. My son became highly dehydrated during swim practices because he was normally very sweaty and swim team made him sweatier and we did not notice for a long time that he was dehydrated. Drinking plain water between swimming laps was not cutting it for him because of high depletion of electrolytes in his body. He was getting cramps and head aches because of it. He believes in not eating junk food to such an extent that he refuses juice and any sport drink. So, we started stocking up on coconut water, bananas, homemade electrolytic drinks from natural ingredients. I also carry homemade chocolate milk in a small insulated coffee tumbler (it contains 2 electrolytes, apparently). My son has a mini meal of snacks, fruits and drinks in the car after practice. And then, an hour later, he has his usual dinner.

Edited August 13, 2017 by mathnerd

[amy g.]

My kids also bring water bottles to practice. They stash them under the blocks so they can drink water between sets.

[KungFuPanda]

I'd do a smoothie before practice and a breakfast sandwich after. I'm thinking these are a.m. practices?

 

Eta: my Maryland-raised daughter was shocked to learn that lots of high schools in other states didn't have lacrosse teams. She was also surprised that football could exist in middle schools :-)

Edited August 14, 2017 by KungFuPanda