What to Eat to Surf All Day

Have you ever wondered how the pros are able to surf all day? Sometimes staying in the water for 7-9 hours?!

A key part of surfing for that long is giving their bodies the right fuel. To surf all day, you need to consume the right mix of carbohydrates for energy and protein for recovery. Here’s how you can eat like a pro to keep you surfing all day.

Eating Like an Endurance Athlete

If you think about it, surfers are essentially endurance athletes. They can surf for 2+ hours at a time, physically exerting their bodies for almost the entire duration. Therefore, it makes sense to fuel our bodies like one. There are three main things to focus on to give your body the nutrition it needs to surf all day:

The Night Before

The night before a big day of surfing, load up on plenty of complex carbohydrates to ensure your body has plenty of glycogen stored up to use as fuel the next day. Some great complex carbohydrates include sweet potatoes, potatoes, pasta, rice, and most whole grains.

If you have been surfing all day, you will also want to get plenty of protein in this meal to allow for muscle recovery. Include plenty of chicken, fish, beef, eggs, tofu, or chickpeas, to name a few.

The Morning Of

If you plan on surfing for 2+ hours, start your day with more carbohydrates to help keep your energy levels sustained throughout the entire surf session. Many pros swear by their morning oatmeal, but if you’re short on time, a couple of bananas are another great option.

Post Surf

After a long day of surfing, your muscles will need to recover. Therefore, have plenty of protein in your post-surf meal to help repair muscle damage. This could include large portions of chicken, fish, beef, tofu, or eggs.

Most people underestimate how much protein their body needs and overestimate how much they are consuming. Therefore, having a protein shake or bar right after you finish surfing will help increase your protein intake and reduce muscle soreness.

By following these simple nutritional guidelines, you can give your body the fuel it needs to surf all day and recover effectively. Now, time to go surfing!