Quick Dip: Why Might I Need More Food and Rest While I Am Growing?

A short read for the car journey

Category: Growing Up & Swimming: Growing Bodies  | Read time: Under 2 minutes

Your body needs energy for swimming, everyday activity and growing. As you get bigger, the meals that suited you a year ago may no longer leave you feeling full.

When you grow more quickly, sometimes called a growth spurt, you may feel hungrier than before. Tell your parent or carer if you regularly finish meals still hungry. They can help adjust your meals and snacks around school and swimming.

A teammate’s lunchbox is not a guide to how much you should eat. You may be different sizes, growing at different times or doing different amounts of activity.

Keep eating regularly on days without training. Your body has not stopped growing because you have a day away from the pool.

Enough sleep matters too. Sleep helps your body grow and recover from training. Going to bed half an hour later still means half an hour less time for sleep if you get up at the same time.

Food and sleep both matter. Eating more cannot make up for too little sleep.

If tiredness keeps building or you feel unwell, tell your parent or carer and coach. Do not assume every change is caused by growing.

Ask a parent or carer: Can we plan when I’ll eat and go to bed on training days?

Created by Basingstoke Bluefins Coaching Team