Another key point is that you should consume a high-carbohydrate snack before Sports nutrition for triathletes race-specific butrition. The main difference Low-carb and body composition that Ironman is significantly longer than fof Digestive health articles Chamomile Benefits for Skin triathlon, and it can take nutdition of 12 hours for many triathletes. Learn more. Fluids may be the most practical and well-tolerated option initially. Tally the number of serves you had from each food group and compare with the recommended serves. The best practice is to consume sports gels and electrolyte mix as your source of energy during the run leg. If you go two hours without eating in the middle of an Ironman, you will suffer the same fate.

Sports nutrition for triathletes -

If it is clear, you are likely well-hydrated to over-hydrated. If your urine is lemonade yellow, you are likely well hydrated. If your urine is apple juice color, you need to drink more. When you exercise, you sweat and lose fluid, which means you need to drink above and beyond your baseline fluid needs to perform well.

Because we all lose different amounts of sweat, the amount we need to drink during exercise varies between athletes. Sweat rate testing and sweat concentration testing are examples of evaluations an athlete can use to get more scientific about hydration.

However, the following basic plan provides a good starting point. Begin by bringing 1 bottle of fluid for every hour you will be exercising. Plan on drinking at least every minutes you can drink as much or as little as you want at every interval.

In general, most people will need roughly ounces of fluid per hour of moderate to intense exercise. Make sure you listen to your body.

Are you dying for fluids? If so, drink more. Do you have sloshy belly? If so, drink a less. After a workout, make sure you have fluid available. Drink to thirst along with your recovery meal. Race day fueling plans are personal to you, as an individual.

They should take into account what tastes good to you, your stomach tolerance, what is convenient e. It is important to begin thinking about this early so that you can practice your fueling plan and avoid a bonk or porta-potty tour or both!

You never know for certain if a product or strategy will work for you, so you should try it out before you get to the start line. Optimizing nutrition for performance and health can really move the needle with it comes to endurance performance.

Following the simple principles outlined in this blog will take you a long way toward success. As you work toward a better diet for health and sport, have fun with the nutrition piece of the puzzle. A plethora of healthy, tasty recipes exist. Try them! You can even make your own sports fuel look up Feed Zone Portables!

If you want a seamless approach to healthier eating, there are a lot of new companies that want to make good nutrition easy. Check out Sun Basket or Green Chef for easy meal prep minus grocery shopping.

Bottom line, embracing the fourth discipline in triathlon will help with those personal bests and podium finishes.

Other Information Katie Elliott, MS, RD, Sports Dietitian and USA Triathlon Coach Website link: www. com Instagram Handle: elliottnutrition. and Mach N. Exercise-induced stress behavior, gut-microbiota-brain axis and diet: a systematic review for athletes.

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Volume View our size charts to see what size is best for you. After purchasing a new QR bicycle, our team will reach out to you to confirm your order and sizing information to be sure you have selected the optimum size.

nutrition training tips. Eat the right things, at the right time to make the most of your training When you eat and what you eat are important if you want to realize the greatest benefits from your training.

Examples of what to eat at different times before a workout: hours before a workout: WHAT: 2 slices whole wheat toast with 1T almond butter and 1 banana WHY: With hours before a workout, your body has time to digest a slightly more substantial meal or snack.

For workouts lasting three hours or longer: Drink sports drink with electrolytes and carbohydrate and add food think Honey Stinger Waffles, Base Bars, Clif Shot Bloks, etc. Cocoa Elite Complete Recovery Protein, SIS Rego and Horizon chocolate milk with a few almonds are a few.

Emphasize Nutrient Density Outside of Training Windows Fueling close to and during workouts often requires an athlete to consume simpler, more easily digestible foods to minimize the risk of stomach issues. quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, etc.

Nuts and seeds Lean meats chicken, fish, turkey Legumes Healthy poly- and mono- unsaturated fats e. flaxseed, walnuts, avocado, fatty fish, etc. Pay attention to hydration Staying well hydrated during training and racing improves performance and protects health.

Baseline Fluid Needs You need a certain amount of fluid to function in daily life without any training. Hydration during and after exercise When you exercise, you sweat and lose fluid, which means you need to drink above and beyond your baseline fluid needs to perform well.

Practice your race day nutrition Race day fueling plans are personal to you, as an individual. In Conclusion Optimizing nutrition for performance and health can really move the needle with it comes to endurance performance.

com Instagram Handle: elliottnutrition [1] Clark, A. Quintana Roo Triathlon. Also in Quintana Roo Blog A Day In The Life: Pro Triathlete Miguel Mattox by Jay Prasuhn February 06, Miguel Mattox QR Athlete. More recently, studies have revealed ways to increase muscle glycogen concentrations to very high levels with minimal modifications in diet and training.

During competition, cycling provides the best opportunity to ingest fluids. GI problems occur frequently, especially in long-distance triathlon. Problems seem related to the intake of highly concentrated carbohydrate solutions, or hyperosmotic drinks, and the intake of fibre, fat and protein.

Endotoxaemia has been suggested as an explanation for some of the GI problems, but this has not been confirmed by recent research. Although mild endotoxaemia may occur after an Ironman-distance triathlon, this does not seem to be related to the incidence of GI problems.

Hyponatraemia has occasionally been reported, especially among slow competitors in triathlons and probably arises due to loss of sodium in sweat coupled with very high intakes L of water or other low-sodium drinks.

Triathlon combines the three triatletes of swimming, cycling and running into triathletees event. In Australia, the Nutrittion season typically starts Sports nutrition for triathletes late October and continues through until April. Triathlon combines three disciplines of swimming, cycling and running into one event. In Australia, the competition season generally starts in late October and continues through until April. This factsheet will focus on the longer distance triathlons of Half-Ironman distance 1.

Sports nutrition for triathletes -

Protein Essential in the growth and repair of all body tissues, including muscle and bone; hormone and enzyme production; optimal immune function. Protein is also a minor source of energy. To learn more about protein click here. Fat Provides the most concentrated and largest source of energy.

Fat provides most of the energy for daily activity. Required for normal growth and healthy skin, production of certain hormones, structural component of body cells, supply of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. To learn more about fat click here Water Prevents dehydration, helps cool the body and acts as a transport medium.

Stored in the body in limited amounts. To read more about water, sports drinks and other fluids click here Vitamin B Complex Involved in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism.

B12 and folate are required for red blood cell production. Vitamin C Enhances iron absorption, acts as an antioxidant antioxidants ‘mop up’ free radicals, preventing cell damage , increases energy production, is necessary for the synthesis of collagen for the formation of connective tissue and bone.

Vitamin E An antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are substances that cause cell damage. As a result of greater oxygen uptake athletes have higher levels of free radicals.

Antioxidants ‘mop up’ free radicals, preventing cell damage. Iron Required for the formation of haemoglobin and myoglobin, the oxygen-carrying components of red blood cells and muscle cells respectively. Required for energy reactions to take place.

To learn more about iron click here. Calcium Required to build and maintain strong bones and teeth, essential for muscle function, blood clotting and nerve transmission.

To learn more about calcium click here Zinc Essential for normal growth, reproduction, immune system function and energy production in muscle cells. Guidelines to meet basic triathlon training diet requirements Eat a variety of food from each of the four major food groups each day breads and cereals; vegetables and fruits; milk, dairy products and milk substitutes, especially low-fat varieties; lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and meat substitutes like lentils, chickpeas, soy beans and other beans.

Prepare meals with minimal added fat especially saturated fat and salt. To read more about salt click here. Choose pre-prepared foods, drinks and snacks that are low in fat especially saturated fat and salt. To learn more about fat click here Maintain a healthy body weight by regular physical activity which should not be a problem for marathon runners!

and by healthy eating. To read more on weight management for triathletes click here Drink plenty of fluids each day. To read more on fluids click here If drinking alcohol do so in moderation. To learn how alcohol can affect your athletic performance click here.

Remember that the above are general nutrition guidelines that provide the foundation for a healthy diet. As a triathlete you need to get your basic diet right before you begin to work on your training and competition diet.

You as a triathlete should eat a wide variety from each of the food groups breads and cereals; vegetables and fruits; milk, dairy products and milk substitutes; lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts; fluids to ensure you get the nutrients your body needs.

In doing this you will also have interesting and satisfying meals. To review a table of examples of a serving of the various food groups and the daily level necessary to meet your basic nutritional requirements click here.

Record what you eat for a day in the food groups. Tally the number of serves you had from each food group and compare with the recommended serves. If you have not met the recommended servings you need to begin by trying to meet these basic diet requirements.

Supplements are not the answer! Often when triathletes reach for supplements they choose supplements that are not appropriate for their needs anyway. Triathletes sometimes forget that the goodness they try to get from supplements has been scientifically proven to be of most benefit when found in its natural form in food.

Write down one goal that you will work on over the next week to improve your baseline nutrition. For example: ‘My goal this week is to increase my daily servings of vegetables from one to three. You need a diet plan for triathlon training to ensure you are meeting your body’s increased nutrient requirements.

These increased nutrient requirements will depend on your training volumes, frequency and intensity. Your requirements will also vary during the different training phases of the year.

Not eating enough to support your activity level also known as low energy availability can lead to not only the dreaded bonk, but also to a wide range of long-term consequences for mental health, physical health, and performance including:.

Because of the high energy output associated with triathlon training, underfueling can easily occur unintentionally, which is why prioritizing adequate intake on a day-to-day basis is essential.

To learn more about how restrictive diets can harm performance and health, check out this post on Ditching The Diet Mentality for Performance.

Maintaining adequate hydration status is critical not only for your general health and well being, but also for maximizing physical performance. An easy way to assess your hydration status is to make sure that the color of your pee stays relatively light or pale yellow. To ensure optimal hydration, be sure to replace not only water, but also the electrolytes lost through sweat.

Sodium is lost in the greatest amount, but other electrolytes including potassium, magnesium, and calcium are lost in sweat in smaller amounts, too. Consuming adequate carbohydrate is also important for proper hydration, since each gram of carbohydrate stored in the body holds on to 3 ml of fluid.

Sports drink powders from brands like Skratch and Clif provide both carbs and electrolytes that can help you avoid dehydration and its symptoms. Nuun and Now make hydration supplements that provide only electrolytes, which can be a good option if you are ingesting easily digestible carbs along with it, like in this Electrolyte Recovery Smoothie recipe.

GI distress is a common issue for triathletes, but fortunately, playing around with what and when you eat before your workouts can be extremely beneficial in managing and preventing GI symptoms.

Foods high in fat, fiber, and protein, on the other hand, are an important part of your daily diet but take longer to digest and may cause some GI distress if consumed in large amounts too close to a workout. In addition to your macronutrient balance, the timing of your pre-workout fuel is also critical when it comes to optimizing energy levels and avoiding GI symptoms.

Here are some pre-workout meal and snack ideas that put these tips into practice. Keep in mind that energy needs and digestion time vary from person to person, so there will be some degree of trial and error to determine what works best for your individual triathlon nutrition plan.

Additionally, the optimal timing for pre-workout fuel may differ depending on the sport. For example, you may find that a snack consumed an hour in advance sits fine with you on the bike but that you require more digestion time before a swim workout.

Decades of sports nutrition research shows that consumption of carbohydrates during endurance exercise is linked with enhanced performance. This is in addition to consuming a carbohydrate-rich snack pre-workout. Some products that can help you meet your intra-fueling needs include:.

The macronutrients to prioritize post-workout are protein for muscle repair and carbohydrates to refuel you. The recommendation for post-workout protein consumption varies according to body size and composition, but around 20 grams is a good frame of reference.

If you want a more precise estimate, use the range 0. Pairing carbohydrates with protein will help your body properly recover and refuel for your next workout. Carbs also serve a protein-sparing function, meaning that by providing your cells with the energy they need, they enable protein to be used for muscle synthesis and repair rather than for energy.

Here are some post-workout snack ideas that will help you get protein and carbs in quickly and tide you over to your next meal:. The graphic below from our sister site Student Athlete Nutrition shows the components of a balanced post-workout smoothie.

Here are some recipes that provide plenty of protein and carbs:. All of the triathlon nutrition considerations discussed above apply on race day, too, but the most important thing is to stick to familiar foods that you know you tolerate well.

If you usually have oatmeal before morning training sessions, stick to oatmeal — race day is NOT the time to try something new. You can use these training sessions to see how your body responds to different fueling strategies first thing in the morning and see what works best for you. Some ideas for pre-competition breakfasts that tend to be well tolerated are shown in the graphic below.

The same advice goes for fueling during your race — stick to sports fueling products you know you tolerate well, and practice using them in your training sessions. See the section above on intra-workout fueling for guidance on how much carbohydrate you should be taking in based on the expected duration of your race.

Be sure to have a plan for both hydration and fueling. Position water bottles on your bike in advance and decide how you will store any sports gels, chews, or bars during the race. Many athletes tape their fuel to the frame of their bike or use the pockets in their triathlon kit.

If the race is in a hotter climate than you are used to, you will need extra fluids and electrolytes to compensate for increased sweat losses.

What about the night before the race?

Strengthening skins barrier function Carroll is a registered dietitian triathlwtes USAT Sports nutrition for triathletes I Triathlon Coach, and the Low-carb and body composition Sporte "Eat to Peak: Sports Nutrition for Runners and Digestive health articles. John Sporst is an RRCA and USATF-certified running coach, celebrity marathon pacer, and recognized leader in the New York City running community. An optimal triathlon nutrition plan can be the difference between a PR and an upsetting finish. Build your endurance nutrition IQ with the tips below and get ready for your best tri season yet. By focusing on a wholesome daily diet, you help your body maximize training adaptations and recovery throughout your season.