Why Shouldn’t You Swim after Eating? Or Perhaps You Should!

Is it dangerous to eat before swimming? Well, this is just a myth that used to fly in the past few years.

Now, we know better. You can eat and hop into the pool, and no, you will not experience stomach cramps.

So, just to be sure, is it true that you have to wait 30 minutes before swimming? Apparently not! You can jump into the pool right away after eating and still enjoy a good splash. Some people like to wait a few minutes so the food can settle nicely in the stomach.

When you were a kid, you were probably told to let at least one hour pass after eating so that you could take a dip.

One of the reasons you were given was that you could get stomach cramps or drown. But as it turns out, there was no truth to this at all.

How long do you have to wait after eating to swim?

So, if there is no need to wait for 30 minutes or one hour after eating, how long should you wait?

Eating before swimming and then jumping into the pool for a splash immediately after is perfectly okay.

The myth that blood rushes to the stomach to enhance digestion and therefore diverts nutrients from the muscles that you use to swim is not true.

But it is good to know how your body handles food. Some people experience nausea if they engage in vigorous activity immediately after eating. If you are like this, perhaps it would be better to wait a bit.

Some people also experience nausea, not from the food itself, but from eating too much. If you eat to overfill, well, that is not going to be good at all.

In the pool, there will be a smell of chlorine, used for general maintenance or for shocking the pool. Chlorine in the water can cause issues such as:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headaches
• Wheezing
• Dizziness

Just know your body and how it handles food and chlorine.

What happens if you swim after eating?

Nothing really. You are not even going to get stomach cramps while swimming just because you ate.

Unless you ate something nasty that disagreed with your stomach, you are not going to experience a stomach upset just because you ate before swimming.

So, if you have been worried about eating before swimming, it can help pack your body with energy so that you can swim longer and harder. This is especially important when you are learning how to swim on your own.

In fact, it is advisable to eat before swimming because the food can replenish your glycogen levels so that your muscles do not feel too tired.

Some of the foods that you should consider eating before you swim are yogurt, mixed fruit cereals, toast, and fruit.

Of course, foods such as protein bars also pack your muscles with energy and not too many calories.

Of course, minding what you eat before and after swimming is important if you are swimming to lose weight.

If you swim on an empty stomach, you will definitely experience a loss of energy, so you will not swim as hard as you should.

Why you should eat before swimming

You should eat before taking a dip. It is going to help you, especially if you are a recreational swimmer.

First, ensure you have breakfast in the morning before your swim. Some people feel queasy after getting into the water with a full meal in their stomach.

If this is you, try to take something small, such as a banana, an apple, a protein bar, or another small snack.

This should help to kick-start your metabolism so that after your dip, you can eat a full-blown breakfast.

Knowing what to eat for exercise is vital when you are watching your weight. Since swimming can help you lose weight, you should know what to eat for energy.

The best way to eat is to combine proteins and carbohydrates. Proteins provide a consistent source of energy. Carbohydrates provide an instant burst of energy.

Eat healthily all the time! Actually, eat healthily even when you are not exercising. Healthy foods pack your body with nutrients, which can bolster your immune system.

They also pack your cells with energy so that you can swim harder and longer.

Take water when you are taking a dip. Just because you are exercising in the water does not mean that you will not need to drink water.

Therefore, place your water bottle beside the pool so that you can drink it a couple of times.

Is it OK to swim on an empty stomach?

You can swim on an empty stomach, but remember that this is an energy-intensive exercise, so you can feel worn out after some time.

It is always good to eat something, even if it is a small snack. It will help you keep your energy levels up.

If you do not like to have a heavy breakfast before swimming in the morning, you might want to eat a banana or an apple. You can also take a small amount of yogurt to give you energy.

If your intention is to lose weight, cold water swims might help. However, something that might help even better is swimming on an empty stomach.

That way, your body can burn fat to get energy, and as the fat stores start to deplete, you start to lose weight.

Is it better to eat before or after swimming?

It is both okay and not okay to eat before you take your dip. It all depends on the person. For instance, if you like to swim in the morning, but feel a bit nauseous after eating a full breakfast, then don’t eat.

If you prefer to eat after swimming, well, just do that. As we said, it depends on you and your preferences.

When you might want to wait a bit after eating to swim

When some people eat foods with slow-release carbs, they feel bloated when they get in the water too soon.

In some cases, the buoyancy of the water might make you feel a bit queasy if you have eaten a full meal before getting into the meal.

Thus, the real answer to whether it is true that you have to wait 30 minutes before swimming is that it depends on the person.

Know your body and how it reacts to food. If carbohydrates make you feel bloated, eat them and then wait for some time for them to be digested. This could take up to 60 minutes or more.

Should I eat before the morning swim?

This depends on you, but then, swimming is an energy-intensive exercise. Therefore, if you get into the pool straight from bed, you will not have the energy to last long in the water.

I recommend you eat something, even if it is a light snack. All the food that you ate for dinner has already been digested by morning. But you need more calories to burn.

If you are swimming to lose weight, you might think that getting into the water on an empty stomach will help.

And yes, it will, but for a short time, and then you will run out of fuel.

On the other hand, taking a protein bar gives you the energy to swim longer and harder. This also means you will burn more calories!

If you want to see the awesome results of swimming three times a week, eat something before getting inside that pool.

If you are swimming in the ocean, well, you need to eat more. The ocean water is colder, and the currents are stronger. Therefore, you will require more energy.

Also, check out my past articles on:

Can you swim when you have a yeast infection?

Swimming with a UTI – yes or no?

Swimming in the ocean with a herpes outbreak

Conclusion: Nothing needs to happen!

Is it true that you have to wait 30 minutes before swimming? It is not true. However, for a varied number of reasons, some people might not want to swim immediately after eating.

The argument we are trying to push here is that research and science have shown that nothing can happen if you do not wait for half an hour after eating before you take a dip.

Your blood circulation to the stomach is not disrupted, that is unless the body feels that more blood is needed somewhere.