Examples of fluid replacement (FR) sports drinks are isostar (FR), Gatorade (FR), Lucozade Sport (FR).

RE-FUELLING

Having dealt with replacing fluid, it is now necessary to discuss the use of fluid to refuel the muscles with glycogen. In other words drinking a fluid which contains both fluid and carbohydrate. Muscles are most receptive to refuelling their glycogen store's in the 2 hours following exercise.

It is important to begin this process by taking in some carbohydrate as soon as exercise stops. Many people find it difficult to eat solid foods (to get their source of carbohydrate) immediately post exercise, so fluids are the preferred choice.

As most fluid is replaced in the first 10-20 minutes of recovery this drink will contribute to fluid replacement as well as replacing carbohydrate.   E.g. of these carbohydrate drinks (CD) are Maxim (CD), Ultra Carbo (CD), FRN Enduro Booster (CD), Polycarb (CD) and Gatorlode (CD).

Please refer to your individual requirements.

GOOD SOURCE OF CARBOHYDRATES

• Breakfast cereals - include mainly wholegrain varieties such as shredded wheat, Weetabix, Bran Flakes, muesli and porridge.

• Bread - Wholemeal, granary, white soft grain, white bread, pitta bread, French bread, rolls, baps, muffins, crumpets, bagels, naan, chappatis and potato cakes.

• Crispbread, water biscuits, wholemeal crackers, oatcakes and rice cakes.

• Pasta - all shapes and colours

• Rice

• Potatoes - boiled, mashed and jacket more often than chips, roast or crisps

• Popcorn and sweetcorn

• Pizza bases - deep pan (choose low fat toppings)

• Beans - baked, red kidney, borlotti, cannelloni

• Peas - lentils, chickpeas, and pearl barley

• Root vegetables - carrots, parsnips, swedes, beetroot

• Fruit-all sorts, fresh, dried or canned

• Natural or fruit yoghurt

• Cereal bars (careful about fat content),Kellogg's Pop Tarts, Twiglets

• Jam, marmalade, honey, syrup and treacle

• Biscuits-Rich Tea, Nice, fig roll, plain digestives rather than shortbread or custard creams because of the fat content

• Cakes-currant buns, malt or fruit loaf, fruit cake, scones, gingerbread, parkin, rock cakes and other similar or plain cakes

• Puddings-fruit crumbles, baked fruit, bread pudding, milk puddings, jelly or banana and custard

• Sweetened soft drinks

• Confectionery-jelly beans, jelly babies, boiled sweets

• Sugar-added to drinks and breakfast cereals

HOW MUCH CARBOHYDRATE DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED?

Based on your requirements, you should eat XXg of carbohydrate per day (refer to your daily target carbohydrate intake as recommended by your swimming coach for XX figure).

This needs to be spread throughout the day. You need to eat a variety of carbohydrate rich foods to make the diet more interesting and to ensure a good mix of other essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre.  Some swimmers prefer to refuel with a variety of small snacks and then consume a large meal later, others can eat a meal soon after training finishes. Many people prefer to drink fluids rather than eat solid food, see Fluid Replacement

HINTS FOR EATING MORE CARBOHYDRATES

• Use thicker slices of bread

• Eat potatoes such as boiled, mashed or jacket

• Have tomato, tuna or low-fat soft cheese sauces with lots of pasta rather than meat or cheese sauces (too high in fat)

• Breakfast cereals can be eaten as snacks (for example, late at night) not just at breakfast time

• Add dried or fresh fruit to your breakfast cereal

• Use canned pulses more (baked beans, red kidney beans, borlotti beans, cannelloni beans, and chickpeas) for example, in soups, sauces, and salads or mixed with rice or pasta

• Make low fat shakes with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, low fat yoghurt and bananas

• As between meal snacks or on occasions when you cannot face solid foods have a high carbohydrate meal replacement such as Complan or Build Up made with semi skimmed or skimmed milk

After training your muscle glycogen store must be refuelled. If you do not refuel adequately you will be exercising on low energy reserves and will not gain maximum benefit from the session when you next exercise or compete.

Refuelling should start as soon as possible after training (or a competition) finishes, preferably in the first 2 hours. It is wise to take a source of carbohydrate in your kit bag.

REFUELLING PRESCRIPTION

In order to eat a diet sufficiently high in carbohydrate you will need to divide your food intake into four or five smaller meals throughout the day rather than three main meals.

You need to eat the equivalent of 1gm carbohydrate /kg bodyweight IMMEDIATELY after exercise.

Your carbohydrate requirements after exercise is XXg carbohydrate, where XX will be defined by your swimming coach.

e.g. this could be obtained by eating or drinking the following foods:-

• slices of bread

• soft rolls

• large bananas

• Weetabix

• Shredded wheat

• tablespoons of muesli

• large baked potato

• large digestives

• pop tarts

• tablespoons of raisins

• packets of fruit pastilles

• of boiled pasta

• of boiled rice

Breakfast

• wholegrain cereals with skimmed or semi skimmed milk, fresh or dried  fruit, e.g. bananas, raisins

• muesli with low fat yoghurt

• low fat yoghurt with chopped fresh fruit and nuts

• bread, toast, muffins, pancakes with low fat spread and honey, jam or marmalade

• bread, toast, rolls with marmite, peanut butter, low fat meat or fish or paste

• baked beans on toast

• sandwiches using a variety of breads such as wholemeal, granary and white, baps, buns, French bread, Italian bread, pitta.  Use a variety of fillings such as lean meat, fish, low fat cheese, with plenty of salad stuff.

• Muffins, crumpets, scones, teacakes, pancakes

• Toasted sandwiches

• Include raw vegetable,  carrot, celery, tomato or make up a salad with a low fat dressing

• Pack small packet  of raisins, sultanas, cereal bars, plain biscuits, yoghurt or low fat crisps

• Remember to have a drink, which has been recommended to you by your sports nutritionist, or take fruit juice, squash, and water

Pasta

• With cooked vegetables and cheese (preferably low fat)

• With a tomato sauce and vegetables, sprinkle with parmesan

• Make a sauce of melted down low fat soft cheese (shape or Philadelphia light), add cooked vegetables.

• With steamed broccoli florets and onions, olive oil, basil and garlic, sprinkle on parmesan cheese

• With peanut butter heated up together with soy sauce, vinegar, a dash of cayenne pepper, add vegetables if desired

• Buy large pasta shells and stuff with ricotta cheese and spinach or broccoli, add oregano, Parmesan cheese and nutmeg to flavour.  Spoon Ragu tomato sauce over the shells.

• cook and mix with assorted vegetables and ham or tuna or other lean meats

• cook and mix with nuts and raisins

• jacket potatoes filled with tuna and kidney beans / sweetcorn or baked beans or low fat cheeses or ratatouille  or salad / coleslaw (watch the mayonnaise!)

• use seasonings such as onions, garlic, parmesan cheese

• cover the base with tomato pasta sauce and add lean meat / chicken, add mushrooms, courgettes, peppers, sweetcorn, and grated reduced fat cheese.