How Much Protein & Carbohydrates Pre- & Post-Swimming

Swimming helps build strength throughout your body, burn fat and improve cardiovascular endurance. However, improving your fitness involves balancing challenging exercise with growth and recovery. Your body requires proper nutrition both before and after exercise in order to grow optimally. Eat meals containing protein and carbohydrates to gain the most from swimming.


Carbohydrate are ultimately digested by your body into the simple sugar glucose. Glucose is your body's preferred source of energy, especially during exertion. Glucose is stored in your muscles and other cells in the form of glycogen. During exercise your body draws from glycogen and glucose in your blood to fuel your muscles. Before exercise it is important to ensure that your body has ample glucose to fuel your activity. Following exercise, it is important to allow your body to replenish glycogen to aid in recovery and subsequent physical activity.


Protein is composed of chains of amino acids. Protein in food is broken down into amino acids that your body uses to synthesize its own proteins, such as enzymes and the contractile proteins that produce muscle contractions. The contractile proteins in muscles sustain damage during exercise, triggering growth that increases muscle strength and endurance. Amino acids may also be used for energy when glucose and fatty acids are unavailable.


Pre-workout nutrition begins when you wake in the morning. If you swim before breakfast, it is beneficial to begin with a small snack with carbohydrates, such as fruit or a small amount of whole-grain cereal. If you follow a healthy diet and swim later in the day, a separate pre-workout meal may not be necessary. Nutritionist Dr. John Berardi recommends eating a meal with 20 to 30 grams of protein and 30 to 40 grams of complex carbohydrates every three hours. Always allow at least 30 minutes between eating and swimming to allow for proper digestion.


Nutrition in the two hours following exercise is critical to fueling growth and recovery. Obtain approximately 15 grams of protein and 30 grams of carbohydrates per hour of your workout. Starchy carbohydrates and sugars, which should normally be minimally consumed, can also be beneficially eaten during a post-workout meal to aid in replenishing glycogen. A protein shake can be a convenient way to obtain easily digestible protein and carbohydrates following your swimming workout.

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