Best Healthy Snacks For Swimmers: What to Eat After A Swim Workout

Swimming is a great sport, workout, and physical activity for all ages, but especially for kids.  Swimming can be a way for your child to stay healthy, stay safe in the water, make friends, and enjoy a hobby.  Many kids enjoy swimming as a summer camp activity as well. Many kids summer camps offer swimming as an activity they can participate in every day, and there are even summer camps that focus on only swimming! Also, competitive swimming can take a lot out of a child during both practices and races. Most competitive swimming matches can last anywhere from 15 seconds to 15-30 minutes.  And whether the race lasts a few seconds or a long time, swimming involves a great deal of cardio, endurance, and energy. That is why it is important to replace that energy with a healthy snack after a swim workout.  

Recovering after a swim and replacing the needed energy the body has used for swimming.  It is not uncommon for children to feel very hungry after swimming. It is important to remember that both food and liquid are important to refuel the body after a swim and eating the snack within 30 minutes of the workout is the best option for quick and safe recovery. Here are some snacks that are the best healthy snacks for a swimmer to have after a swim workout. Be sure to pack some of these snacks in a lunchbox before your kids leave for summer camp!

Protein

Protein is a great post swim workout snack. Proteins are chock full of amino acids that help repair the muscles in the body, making it perfect to eat after a workout.  Protein can also help to eliminate muscle soreness the day after the workout. Protein is always an important party of any diet, but especially important after a long workout due to its replenishing abilities. Here are some examples of some healthy snacks that have enough protein to help refuel the body after a swim workout: eggs, vegetables, tuna, fish, and low-fat chocolate milk.

Carbohydrates

Another type of healthy snack to help refuel the body after a swim workout is carbohydrates. While many people try to steer clear of carbohydrates, they serve a purpose when it comes to helping replenish the body after a swim workout.  Carbohydrates help supply energy to the muscles and any avid swimmer should consume at least 50-60 percent carbohydrates out of their total diet for the day.  Carbohydrates also help glycogen levels stay even during and after a swim. Some examples of healthy snacks with carbohydrates can include bagels, oatmeal, bananas, raisins, pancakes, eggs, ham, breads, and pasta. Also, keep in mind that carbohydrates can also come in liquid form such as low-fat milk, smoothies packed with fruits and juice, or meal replacement drinks. This is a great option if there is not enough time to have one of the food items.

If your kids want to attend a summer camp and participate in a great summer camp activity like swimming, find out more about Zodiac Camps, Swim & More and the camps and activities they have to offer!

The Artistic Side Why It's Important to Kids

Drawing, music, paintings and theater arts are some of the summer camp activities that may not be offered in schools. Some ‘modern schools' have shifted their attention more to teaching the core subjects and forgetting that kids also need to learn how to create visual aesthetics as part of their development. Due to this understanding, kids summer camps have come up with summer activities to help your child learn new things while interacting and having fun with others.

Listed are some reasons as to why you should encourage your kids to learn arts:  

•  Develop abilities useful in the future

Children who are engaged in art activities at a tender age have a higher probability of success later in life compared to those who are not. This is according to research carried out at Michigan University. The exposure to arts and all other summer camp activities enables kids to have a diverse mind. Later in life they become inventive, quickly learn to identify gaps in the market and startup companies or even grow their talents in drawing, singing or theater to hopefully become legends. Arts allow kids to become sharp in their thinking since much of what they make has to be well thought out in the first place.

• Allows children to make sense of the environment around them

The human brain is made up of two parts i.e. the left and right hemispheres. Psychologically, the two parts have different functions. The left part is used in logistics and analysis. This is the part of the brain that is used in class when learning Science, English, Maths and other subjects. The right side of the brain plays a crucial role in creative thinking. When a child is drawing, this is the part of the brain that enables him/her to see the picture even before putting it down on paper. It is the part that triggers one's thinking of what goes on in the environment; the physical, spiritual and moral aspects of life.

• Strengthen bonds between parents and children

The time you spend with your child apart from taking him/her to a kids summer camp is crucial. It may make a big difference in your child's life as the more time you spend with your child, the closer and dearer they become to you. You can learn more about them and therefore, help them solve their problems effectively.

• Better performance in academics

Children who engage in art activities outside class are more successful in learning than those who don't participate in such activities.Kids who are exposed to arts are more creative and imaginative. They are great thinkers and problem solvers and are more focused and determined to get things done so they perform very well in school.

• Arts help boost confidence

Performing arts help children develop confidence when talking with friends or even adults. In kids summer camps, children perform in plays, music and operas in front of an audience of their peers. With time, this helps to break the fear that is associated with a crowd.

In arts, it's all about acquiring skills that are vital for personality development. Zodiac Day Camps make sure that kids will be able to enhance their creativity and harness their artistic side throughout their summer day camp journey.