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Any serious athlete knows knows they must eat well to perform well. Surfing is no exception. It’s an intense physical and mental exercise that requires a person to be in the moment, attuned to the ocean and everything that surrounds them. Without the proper nutrition your body cannot recover properly or efficiently, leaving you behind the ball in performance.
As we age, it’s even more important to make good nutritional choices that will have lasting effects for your surf session as well as sparking the recovery process, helping you hit the waves at 100% again the next day. Combining protein with healthy fats and non-starchy carbs will help keep you trim and maintain high energy levels. Fruit should be eaten at least a half-hour before any other meal, as it digests quickly, and combining protein with fruit can often lead to digestive issues and a stalled system. Eating 90 minutes before a surf session is recommended to ensure food has had enough time to digest. Even better is eating 4-6 small meals a day instead of three larger ones, allowing your body to have a consistent energy flow.
Protein
Protein plays an important role in building muscle and repairing tissues. It will keep you satiated longer and release energy slower into the blood stream, allowing you to surf longer. If the protein you’re consuming is fish, you have the added benefit of the fatty acids that help lubricate your brain.
Protein choices include fish, eggs, chicken and turkey, beans, legumes (lentils, kidney beans, black beans), and fermented soy like tofu.
Fats
“Fat” has been a horror buzzword for a long time but we know that fats are super important in providing your body with essential energy as well as keeping your brain healthy. Fats are used to transport minerals and vitamins through the bloodstream. Ensure you’re eating healthy fats such as avocado, nuts, nut butters like almond butter, and oils like flaxseed and coconut.
Carbs
Carbs are key in creating energy. To sustain high energy levels for a day in the water, they should be eaten in regular, small quantities. They’re also crucial for muscle recovery. They’re the powerhouse of energy when eaten in smaller quantities.
Excellent carb choices include: rice, bananas, potatoes (white and sweet) cous cous, and pumpkin.
Fiber
Fiber is crucial for keeping your body regular and the elimination of toxins. Bonus, they keep your tummy flat and relieve any bowel issues you may experience. Good sources of fiber include lentils, brown rice, beans, oats, chickpeas, wheat bran and whole grain cereals, chia seeds, and walnuts.
Supplements
There are a number of essential vitamins and minerals that aid in athletic performance, but also aid in having healthy skin and hair after spending your days in the surf.
Biotin: Biotin is in the B vitamin family and is a water soluble vitamin that helps maintain healthy hair, nails, and skin. Biotin also aids in healthy metabolic, nerve, digestive and cardiovascular functions.
Magnesium: I started taking magnesium for sleep and intestinal issues years ago, but it turns out this mineral is crucial to muscle contraction, energy production, nutrient metabolism and cell formation.
Glutamine: I originally started taking this for muscle recovery after intense workouts. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and Glutamine is distrusted throughout the body to organs that need it. Glutamine has been shown to improve gut function, the immune system, and helps the body recover form stress.
Fish oils: The benefits of fish oils are well known but are included here as fish oil aids in exercise performance and muscle strength, muscle soreness after exercise, and depression.
Argan Oil: Most commonly used as a skin moisturizer, this oil can also be taken internally to give skin a natural boost, especially when out in the sun all day. Extremely high in Vitamin E.
Zinc: Zinc helps the immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses. Zinc also helps wound healing and protects against sunburn.
