Before:

To provide sufficient fuel, foods should be predominantly high in carbohydrate.

In general, allow 2-4 hours before your swim, following a larger meal to allow
for digestion, and 30 minutes - two hours for a smaller snack.

Glycaemic Index (GI) of carbohydrate - A food’s GI measures how quickly it is

digested
and broken down into glucose. Lower GI foods, give a slower release of energy and
should be the focus of main meals during training. High GI foods are quickly broken
down to glucose and thus are more readily available for energy.
These make great options for quick snacks, before, during, or after training.

Straight out of bed (Monday 7:00)

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If you prefer to get straight down to the pool,
the energy-boosting snacks listed would be good options.
If you can’t tolerate any food before your swim, or prefer not to eat,
try increasing the carbohydrate portion of your evening meal the night before,
as this will be stored in the muscles (as glycogen) ready for your morning swim.

- 500ml bottle of commercially available isotonic sports drink

- 1.5 carbohydrate energy gels
- Small handful of jellied sweets
- 1 large banana
- 1 large cereal bar or carbohydrate based energy bar (low fiber)

In the 2-4 hours before, swimmers should try to limit the following,
as these are well known causes of gastrointestinal distress (diarrhea, bowel
upsets):
Excess fibre, excess fatty foods, unusually spicy foods, excess caffeine intakes,
and more obviously, alcohol. In the hour before a swim, snacks should focus on
smaller,
easily absorbed, high GI snacks and contain limited amounts of fiber.

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After:

Question 1 - What and when should I be eating after a swim to maximize recovery?
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The sooner the better, ideally within one hour after swimming.

Question 2 - Protein or Carbohydrate more important for recovery?

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Both are critical for proper recovery after any exercise.
Carbohydrates - are the body’s main fuel and are stored as glycogen in the muscles
and liver.
After exercise stores will be depleted and need to be replaced before your next
workout session.

Protein - is vital for the growth and repair of muscle tissue.

Hard training causes the breakdown of the muscle tissue, which is made from
protein.
Taking protein on board after exercise provides the building blocks (amino acids)
for growth and repair, and can reduce muscle soreness the next day.
20g of protein is the magic amount you need to optimize the recovery process after
heavy training.