Archive for Nutrition
Members of USA Swimming have a new tool available! Have you ever wondered what you are eating and how it maintains (or not) optimal training nutrition and a healthy body for peak performance on and off season?
With USA Swimming’s nutrition tracker tool, you can create a personal database of specific foods, nuttrition content, menus, recipes and more. A swimmer can evaluate a full day’s nutritional intake, track nutrition habits over a swim season or analyze how your diet is affecting your energy and nutrient intake.
Every serious swimmer knows that a consistently healthy diet is as important to training as regular practice. Your body cannot perform to its potential if it doesn’t have the proper fuel.
Check out the Nutrition Tracker on USA Swimming today. If you don’t have a membership, consider joining, There are many other useful tools available to members.
Benefits of a USA Swimming membership
Nutritional Supplements for Swimmers
Sports Nutrition Guidebook by Nancy Clark
Filed under: Age Group, Basics, Health, Nutrition | |No Comments
This is a great recipe that has a good combination of carbs and protein and postassium and my picky swimmer LOVES it.
Here’s all you need:
- Bolthouse Farms Amazing Mango Fruit Smoothie (1/2 of a small container)
- Plain Non-Fat Yogurt (1/2 small container)
- Banana (1) (organic if possible)
- 1-2 cups ice
Basically, all you do is pour the Amazing Mango Fruit Smoothie into the blender, add banana broken into pieces for easier blending, plop in the plain non-fat yogurt and add 1-2 cups ice. Then blend…this makes two large glasses (one for my son and one for me).
The yogurt adds the protein, banana adds the postassium, the fruit adds the carbs and the ice adds some water for hydration. This is a great pre-, between, or post-workout snack. It’s fine to drink a bit of this up to 15 minutes before jumping in the water since it’s liquified and can make it’s way through the digesstive tract quicker than protein bars, etc.
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Swimmers with peanut allergies have a hard time finding alternatives to Power Bars and other nutritional snacks with the right combination of protein and carbs to enhance athletic performance. For kids in particular, it can be very frustrating. My son has peanut allergies and we have found some solutions that work for us.
AllerEnergy Bars (chocolate swirl, cherry, blueberry and apple cinnamon). These are not only peanut free, they are also Tree Nut Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Soy Free and Vegan.
Nut Butters (for those whose nut allergies are limited to peanuts)
- Soy Nut Butter (Contains 7g of protein per 2 tablespoons which is equivalent to the protein in two tbsp of peanut butter. You can mix this with a banana and while-wheat bread (if your swimmer will eat whole wheat). I.M. Healthy offers several yummy flavors (like honey) of peanut-free butter and is available at grocery stores like Lowe’s, Harris Teeter, etc.
- Futter’s Nut Butters has Almond, Pastachio, Macadamia, Walnut Butters and more: Futter’s Nut Butter and they are a completely peanut-free facility.
Try nut butters in granola bar recipes or to dip an apple in. Anything peanut butter can be used to make, there is a nut butter that can do it too.
Most of all, don’t give up on delicious energy packed snacks just because peanuts are off-limits. There are always alternatives if you know where to look and what you’re looking for.
Filed under: Age Group, Nutrition | bars, energy, Nutrition, peanut-free, peanuts|No Comments
I am always looking for healthier alternatives to boxed snacks. I found this one on the
USA Swimming website.
Homemade Power Bites
DIRECTIONS
Add figs, honey, orange juice, and 2 tbsp. lemon juice to food processor and mix on “chop” setting until fig bits are finely cut. Set aside.
Put all other ingredients (except oat bran) in mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer for 3-4 minutes at medium speed. Add fig mixture and beat until everything blends- the texture is something like play dough. Make 20-24 mini bars (about golf ball size) and coat with oat bran poured on a plate.
Place bars on pan and bake at 350° for 10 minutes, or until they are warm and a bit puffy. Place in refrigerator to harden. For a crunchier texture, bake 2-5 minutes longer, or until dough is thoroughly cooked. Makes 24 small bars.
Nutrition Information per Serving:
Total Calories 108
Carbohydrate (g) 25
Protein (g) 3
Fat (g) 1
Saturated Fat (g) 0
Sodium (mg) 38
Fiber (g) 3
Enjoy!
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