Surf Trip Food

Let’s face it; it is any surfer’s dream to have 2 weeks of no work, perfect waves, and uninterrupted surf. Apart from planning your trip (surfboard(s) – check, sunblock – check, boardies – check) you have to at least spend a minute thinking about your body as well, it is, after all, the main component you rely on.

And by that I mean making sure you fuel your body well while surf-tripping to ensure you have enough woema to keep on smacking the lip. I won’t spend time discussing your eating habits for the months and weeks leading up to your big adventure, but rather on the go’s and no’s on your trip.

First, let’s cover some basics. When you do any sort of exercise your body mainly uses energy from carbohydrates and fat. Which one of these sources of energy is used, depends on the intensity and duration of your exercise.

In the case of surfing, the duration can be anything from 1 to 4 hours, especially when you’re on a surf trip. The intensity changes from sitting at backline chatting (loooooow intensity), to high intensity: speedy take-offs, aggressive riding and then off course the paddle back. For this type of intermittent high-intensity activity, carbohydrates will be your main source of energy

In the case of surfing, the duration can be anything from 1 to 4 hours, especially when you’re on a surf trip. The intensity changes from sitting at backline chatting (loooooow intensity), to high intensity: speedy take-offs, aggressive riding and then off course the paddle back. For this type of intermittent high-intensity activity, carbohydrates will be your main source of energy, so let’s focus on them for now. As your body can’t really store a lot of carbs, it is up to you to make sure you keep the carbs coming pre and post-surf.

Carbohydrates are stored in the form of glycogen in your liver and muscles; and as glucose in your blood. If you have long surf sessions every day and you don’t put enough carbs back into your body, you will not be able to replete these carbohydrate stores making you feel sluggish and tired. In most other sports, guys have the chance to throw back an energy drink or a banana during their events, but unless you’re prepared to surf with a backpack (not!) or get out for a quick snack (doubtful) your only chance is to make sure you eat when you can! So the golden rule is to make sure that you eat a proper high-carb meal especially pre and post surf. Let’s not forget, that if you are used to an hour or so of surfing most days of the week, you will now be more than doubling the duration on your surf trip, which means – yes – your carbs will have to increase.

The pre-surf meal

The best approach for any sort of endurance exercise (lasting more than an hour) is to eat 3 – 4 hours before. Now I know that you are not going to wake up at 4am to fuel up for your dawnie, so best is to work with what you can manage, even an hour before will have benefits. The main thing you want to achieve is replenishing the glycogen levels (Glycogen = Woema) you have lost during your sleep and provide additional carbs so you can surf for longer before fatigue sets in.

The meal should be small, high in carbs and relatively low in fat and protein. You would know best what works for you – the last thing you want to feel is uncomfortable. So start trying out some meals beforehand to see what works best. Adjust the size of the meal based on how you felt in the water; maybe try a liquid brekkie instead if you feel any discomfort with solid food. For the pre-surf meal, choose carbohydrates that are less refined for longer lasting energy. When shopping, look for the cereal or bread that says Low GI* – this means that the carbohydrates will provide a slower release of glucose, sustaining your energy for longer.

Some meal ideas include:

• Cereal (oats, bran-flakes) with low-fat milk and a fruit • 2 Slices of whole-wheat bread with peanut butter and jam • Low-fat yoghurt with fruit • Fruit juice (apple, pear, mango is great) • Last night’s leftover beer – NOOOO!

On your way to the break, take a nice long drink of water or sports drink, remember you will probably not be able to drink anything for the next couple of hours. If you’re like me, you would have probably chosen a tropical surf spot so it’s gona get hot! If you have ignored all the previous tips, at least make sure you drink enough before you get in. I would go so far as to say, if you can’t manage any food before your surf, be a man, paddle in after an hour and down a 500 ml sports drink/juice. You can either do that or be the one left behind in the paddle battle…

The post-surf meal

Now this is where it gets fun – refuelling the tank. As before, replenishing those depleted glycogen stores is your aim, and its damn fun as well. Try to have some carbs as soon as you can after your surf as it enhances the restoration, finish your sports drink on the way home or to the restaurant. Now you can have a nice big meal with high-carbohydrate content. The main considerations of your post-surf meal are the amount of carbs and that they should ideally be high GI* – fast release of glucose in order to quickly replenish those glycogen stores. This is usually not a problem as most carbohydrate foods found in restaurants are of moderate to high GI.

Some meal options include:

• Baked potato with topping of your choice • Double decker sandwich or burger (for once you can choose white bread guilt free!) with filling of your choice • Tortillas with mince for some added protein • Pancakes/waffles with banana and honey • Pasta or gnocchi is a good option • Couscous salad with chicken and roasted vegetables and nuts • Chicken wrap with salad

Remember to continue doing some healthy snacking between meals. Fresh fruit, energy bars, dried fruit, nuts, sports drinks, fruit juices or smoothies and crackers are all great in-between carb loaders.

Final Surf Tripping Tips

• Get to know your country before you go, will there be open markets, where’s the nearest supermarket, where can you get fresh fruit and veggies? Also, most importantly, can you drink the water or will you have to buy bottled?

• Getting carbs shouldn’t be a problem as even in poorer countries basic carbs are usually the staple and should be relativity cheap in comparison to other foods.

• Take as many ‘familiar’ high-carb foods with you on your trip as you can. E.g. powdered sports drinks(you can make up with water at your destination), your favourite cereal, energy bars, dried fruit, raisins, crackers etc. Munch on these during the day.

Now that you are going to take all the advice above (come on, make me proud) you will have the energy to surf for hours on end. Naturally you will want to take photos…but…please don’t post more than 1 a day, during working hours, on more than one social networking platform (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest – need I say more!). We don’t need continuous reminding that you’re having a jol while we’re slaving away!

References:

Burke, L. & Deakin, V., 2000, Clinical Sports Nutrition, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill, Australia: Sydney.

Manore, M.M., Meyer, N.L. & Thompson, J., 2009, Sport Nutrition for Health and Performance, 2nd ed., Human Kinetics, USA.

About Christelle

Christelle is a Durban girl at heart and surfs whenever she can. She is your expert on all things related to food, nutrition and health. Christelle completed her M.Sc. Degree in Nutrition in 2005 and currently owns her own Nutrition & Health Consultancy. She is branch committee member of the Nutrition Society of South Africa and a member of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa.