Parents and children, coaches and athletes, nutritionists and doctors have debated this question for years, so I am glad you asked!
You may have heard someone (well meaning parent, perhaps?), say that the process of digesting one’s food will divert blood to the stomach and away from muscles that would be needed for swimming…which could lead to cramping…or even drowning.
So, people everywhere wait 60 dutiful minutes before “safely” getting back in the water. But do we need to wait?
The answer (thankfully!), is usually, no.
Cramping should not occur even if you jump in for an easy swim (or to play) immediately after eating a “normal” meal or snack.However, as is true for all activities, you may feel more comfortable if you wait until your food digests after eating a particularly large or heavy meal, or if planning to swim vigorously or competitively, as in for swim team practice.
Bio:
Lauren Antonucci, MS, RD, CSSD, CDE, CDN is the Founding
Director of Nutrition Energy (www.nutritionenergy.com), a nutrition
consulting practice in NYC. She is a Registered Dietitian, Certified as
a Specialist in Sports Dietetics and is herself an athlete, having
completed 10 marathons and numerous triathlons, including three ironman
triathlons.
She is a nationally recognized nutrition and
fitness expert helping both youth and adult athletes reach their sports
performance, fitness and health goals for 10 years. Lauren is a member
of the ING NYC Marathon nutrition team, NYC triathlon medical advisory
board, Gatorade Sports Nutrition Network and often serves as a
nutrition expert for both print and television media.
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