An open-water swimmer's formula for race day fuel

Alex Kostich
Active.com

You've heard the same old "high-protein, low-fat, moderate carbs" dogma, regurgitated for the umpteenth time. That would be too easy for me to write about, and probably too familiar to anyone who is remotely in touch with today's health and fitness magazines. Does anyone not abide by the high-protein, low-fat diet anymore?

Instead, I'm going to tell you what to eat and what not to prior to an athletic activity or competition. Believe it or not, the last few meals before a competitive event &151#; or perhaps that business lunch before a post-workday workout, which you didn't think twice about, make all the difference in overall athletic performance.

First off, the idea that carbo-loading will help stamina and endurance during athletic activity has some merits, but it's not as simple as "Eat spaghetti the night before a long-distance ocean swim and presto, you will be able to double your endurance level!"

As a veteran ocean swimmer and winner of many long-distance races, I've read many articles on nutrition. This is what works for me.

Carbo-loading needs to take place several days before your event, at least three days prior to competition. Pastas, breads, cereals, etc. can be incorporated into your diet more than usual, although be careful not to add or increase your intake of cream sauces, butter, or milk (respectively) with those items.

A common mistake people make when carbo-loading is that they forgo their intake of vegetables, fruits, and proteins. Pasta-carbo-loading is fine, but not at the expense of other nutritional supplements that are vital to prime performance. Pasta primavera with chicken, for instance, is a great dish that is heavy on carbs while providing a balance of other vitamins and nutrients.

However, the night immediately before a race you may want to lay off the tomato sauce (tomatoes contain acid that can give you an upset stomach).

Steamed or microwaved vegetables contain valuable antioxidants and vitamins essential to peak performance, but don't forget they are also a good source for carbohydrates. However, vegetables take longer to digest than simple grain-based carbohydrates like bread and cereal. Uncooked vegetables are definitely not recommended before a long swim or run.

Stay away from broccoli, carrots, corn, and other "hard" vegetables in favor of watery ones like salad, zucchini, squash, and asparagus. They will pass through your system, supply you with carbohydrates and nutrients that you need, and not weigh you down.

Orange juice and milk are staples of any healthy breakfast, but are best avoided 24 hours before you compete. I have always stuck to water as my fluid intake in the day before a race; you don't need the extra calories or acidic side effects of a fruit juice (no matter how healthy it is), nor the hard-to-digest side effects of dairy products.

Carbonated beverages, diet or otherwise, are a bad idea because they can leave you feeling bloated, gaseous, and jittery with a sugar or caffeine rush. Iced tea can also keep you up all night with pre-race jitters, and the caffeine has a dehydrating effect as well. With pure water, you stay hydrated without additional calories, and there will be no unexpected side effects that a fruit juice, dairy product, or soda could provide.

Snack foods are a mixed bag. Pretzels the longtime "healthy" snack favored by junk-food-junkie athletes are a fine carbohydrate provided that they are unsalted (salt causes your body to retain water, leaving you bloated and heavy).

Dried fruits, although they sound natural and healthy, are bad because they pack plenty of calories and, once consumed, they absorb water and expand to their full size (so just a few dried apricots can bloat you). Granolas and nut mixes usually contain lots of fat and can result in inopportune trips to the john.

The freebie race bars and snacks that one finds in goody bags and pre-race registration booths may be fine in small doses, but don't assume a product is healthy just because it is in your goody bag, and don't overeat just because the products are there, free, in unlimited supply. Read the labels!

The morning of your event, it is best to eat light. Avoid a hearty breakfast and go for half a bagel, half a banana, and a glass of water. That always works for me in long-distance ocean races, and for the few marathons I have run. Of course, during a race it is important to stay hydrated and carbo-loaded, but I am a light eater when I compete and generally just drink water and intake a PowerGel pack every three miles or so in a swim, and perhaps only twice during a marathon.

In sum, it's best not to change your diet too drastically in the days before you race. Increase your carbohydrate load slightly while maintaining a healthy intake of protein, and stay away from dairy products and highly acidic fruits.

Twenty-four hours before your event, I suggest drinking water for fluid intake and having a light meal at dinnertime the night before consisting of grain-based carbohydrates, soft vegetables, and light protein (chicken, fish). The morning of your race: water, half a bagel, and half a banana should suffice in providing sustenance and optimum performance without weighing you down.

Alex Kostich was an All-American swimmer at Stanford and is an open-water masters swimming champion.