Fueling Our Bodies

I have two children that swim on a swim team. They’ve been asking for bags of chips before they go swimming. They usually eat a 100-calorie bag of chips and a piece of fruit before swimming. Swim practice lasts for between 1 and 1 ½ hours.

I’ve noticed when they are finished they are hungry and extremely grumpy. The carbohydrates just don’t seem to stick with them long enough. They’re great when the kids are competing. They give them quick energy needed to do their best. When they’re swimming for an hour straight, they run low on fuel.

I’ve decided to try giving them some nuts and fruit leather. I think they might need a little fat and protein to sustain them a while. The fruit leather has enough carbs to give them a quick pick-me-up after school.

Sometimes you just have to experiment with these things to really understand what their bodies need. I think the same is true for me. Because I’ve slowly made adjustments to my diet and exercise routine, I’m getting a better idea of what to eat when. I try to get a good balance of nutrients in my body everyday. I’m slowly getting rid of some horrible habits.

The wonderful thing about making changes slowly is that I can finally get my carb cravings under control. I love carbs, but I’ve learned how to get a good balance of carbs and proteins (and even fats). I’m no longer continually “starving” for something sweet. I’ve also been able to eat a small portion of a sweet treat without feeling like I want to gobble up the whole thing. I think it takes a body some time to adjust to a healthy way of eating. The scary part for me is that it seems to take so little time for it to get out of whack again.