OXOLT • NUTRITION
Build a better day.
One meal at a time.
A simple daily nutrition guide based on NHS healthy eating principles, with practical guidance for Masters swimmers around training and recovery.
Have you covered the basics?
Use this as a simple check-in rather than a rigid meal plan. Tick each box as you go through your day.
Nutrition should support the work.
The basics come first. But when you're training regularly, when you eat can also help you get more from the work you're doing.
Arrive ready to train.
If you have several hours before your session, a normal balanced meal can provide the foundation for training.
As the session gets closer, a smaller and simpler snack may be more practical if you feel you need one.
Start recovery.
Recovery doesn't have to mean a special product. For many swimmers, a normal meal or snack can provide what is needed.
- Include a carbohydrate-containing food
- Include a source of protein
- Replace fluids
- Return to your normal balanced meals
Fuel the work.
Longer or harder sessions can increase your food and fluid requirements. Don't automatically treat training days like rest days.
- Eat regularly around training
- Don't unnecessarily restrict carbohydrate
- Pay attention to fluids
- Have food available after the session
Keep the basics.
A rest day doesn't mean you need to stop eating well. Keep the same balanced foundations while recognising that your activity demand may be lower.
- Keep fruit and vegetables high
- Continue eating balanced meals
- Include protein foods
- Maintain normal hydration
Not every swim demands the same approach.
Your nutrition needs will depend partly on what you're asking your body to do. The following is a practical framework rather than a set of fixed nutritional prescriptions.
For a shorter or easier session, your normal balanced daily eating may be sufficient.
Longer or harder training makes regular food and fluid intake more important.
With multiple sessions, planning food and fluids between sessions becomes increasingly important.
Prioritise familiar foods, familiar timing and adequate fluids. Race day is not the time to experiment with something completely new.
There isn't one number for everyone.
The NHS gives average reference intakes of around 2,000 kcal per day for women and 2,500 kcal per day for men.
These are population averages, not personalised targets. Your energy requirements can vary considerably depending on factors including your body size, age and activity level.
average women
average men
Five simple principles.
Plants
Make fruit and vegetables a regular part of your day.
Carbohydrates
Base meals around higher-fibre starchy foods.
Protein
Include a variety of protein foods across the week.
Variety
Choose different foods to help provide a wide range of nutrients.
Hydration
Drink regularly and recognise that fluid needs can increase with exercise and hot weather.
Two foundations. One practical guide.
The general healthy eating guidance on this page is based on NHS healthy eating guidance and the NHS Eatwell Guide.
The swimming sections apply those general principles to common Masters swimming situations, including training, recovery and race day. They are practical guidance rather than personalised sports-nutrition prescriptions.
No fixed protein, carbohydrate or fat targets are provided because individual requirements vary and the NHS guidance used as the foundation does not provide personalised Masters swimming macro targets.
View the NHS Eatwell Guide →This tool provides general healthy eating and performance information. It is not personalised medical, dietary or sports-nutrition advice.
Individual nutritional requirements vary, particularly according to training volume, intensity, body size, goals, medical conditions and dietary requirements.
If you have a medical condition, specific dietary requirements or concerns about your nutrition, speak to your GP or a registered dietitian.