No matter whom you are and no matter what you do, you should eat a healthy and varied diet. However, if you are a scuba diver, then you need to consider a few things that you might not consider otherwise. There is a common misconception that scuba diving is an easy and even effortless sport. While it is true that there are times of peaceful weightlessness in the water, there are also conditions in which the diver must exert a lot of physical activity. Any seasoned diver will tell you that it takes a certain level of physical fitness and energy in order to dive.
When it comes to diet, it is important to note that scuba diving can cause a person to burn as many calories as an aerobic workout. This means that if you are going to engage in the sport of scuba diving, you need to consider what you are eating before you dive, just as a runner considers what they eat before a big race. You need to be sure to take in food that will give you lots of energy and this is food that is high in carbohydrates. Three to six days before your diving season or your dive trip even starts you should start filling up on carbohydrates and calories. Be sure that 1/2 to 2/3 of your diet is in the form of carbohydrates of any kind, including whole grain breads and pasta and plenty of fruit.
Once you hit 2 days before your dive you should really stock up on carbohydrates, possibly eating more than usual. The day before a big dive it is good to fill up on carbohydrates the complex carbohydrates found in grains, but you can drop your calorie intake by about 500 calories. Be sure to eat whole grains and not refined carbs; these carbohydrates will be broken down into sugar by your body and will give you the fuel needed to dive. In the morning, avoid the greasy spoon breakfast and eat a simple carbohydrate-filled breakfast within two hours of your dive that will keep you going throughout your dive. If you are diving in the afternoon, then keep your meals throughout the day smaller and lighter. Whatever you do, do not overeat on your way to the dive site and this will only make you feel bad later.
Once your dive is over, you will need to replace your energy quickly and the absolute best way to do this is by eating fruit. Fruit also contains carbohydrates, but these are simple carbohydrates that are quickly and easily used by the body to restore energy. You can also use sports drinks, but be sure to put the most natural things possible into your body and stay away from refined products whenever possible. You should eat something to refuel within an hour after surfacing and you should eat every two hours after for the remainder of the day. Also, before and after your dive avoid greasy and hot and spicy foods as they generally do not make a diver feel well.
It is also important to consider hydration when it comes to diving, especially since your level of hydration just may make the difference between getting decompression sickness and not getting it. It is very easy for a diver to become dehydrated due to the temperature of the water and due to the fact that divers breathe in very dry air. For this reason, hydration and electrolyte levels are easily lost and this can cause a diver to lose energy very quickly. You should drink an absolute minimum of 2 liters (2 quarts) of water during a dive day and that is in lower temperatures and with minimal effort during the dive. More is needed the hotter the temperature and the more physical activity you engage in during your dive. In conjunction with this, avoid alcoholic beverages, which is sometimes difficult when you are traveling. However, alcohol is a diuretic and will dehydrate the body.
Each and every person is different and like a runner or other hardcore athlete you will find the right pre-dive meals for you. Just remember that the number of calories you burn while on a dive will depend upon a variety of factors, including water temperature, dive depth, your fitness level, and dive conditions such as currents. As you get accustomed to your dive routine, your energy output, and how your body feels with certain foods, you will develop your own menu of pre-dive and post-dive meals that will sustain you during your fantastic dives in an underwater wonderland.