Morning training - what to do about breakfast

Early morning swimming is tough enough as it is, there is not one person who finds getting up abnormally early to jump in a cold pool an easy task! All swimmers and athletes know that it is advised to eat about 2 hours minimum before starting a workout and never eat just before training or a competition. Anyone that has done this will have probably suffered the consequences of nausea or stomach pain! So rather than getting up when you have only been asleep a few hours most swimmers will skip eating completely to solve the problem. However not eating at all before training or racing can affect your ability to exercise and low the amount of energy that your body can store. Want to know how to eat breakfast without needing to get up at 3 in the morning? It’s so simple, have a snack before you swim and then enjoy your breakfast once your training is over. Pack up breakfast the night before so when rushing about at 5am you can nibble on a snack in the car on route to the swimming pool. Our snack suggestions:

• A banana
• A cereal bar
• Crackers
• Nuts and raisins

Studies have shown that those who eat breakfast manage to keep a lower body weight than those who don’t eat breakfast. So swimmers who are trying to maintain a good figure for racing this is a must do rule. What we recommend as your after training breakfast:

• A bagel with peanut butter
• Pancakes and syrup
• Cereal with natural yoghurt or milk
• An egg sandwich
• A nutrition shake is pushed for time after training

All of these snack and breakfast suggestions will replace the fluid and energy lost from a hard workout. Don’t forget to enjoy a drink with your breakfast too.