Getting your triathlon training nutrition right will make all the
difference to your performance. It is the key to consistent training.
The right recovery nutrition means you're ready for your next training
session.
There is no magic triathlon training diet. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is key. The difference between nutrition for you as a triathlete and someone who is a couch potato is you need to ensure you get enough of the right nutrients at the right time. You should aim to eat a varied diet focusing on nutrient-rich foods, and adjust how much you eat to match your daily training load.
Why Is It Important To Eat Well?
Taking on board the right amount of the right nutrients at the right time is vital in order to:
Having a well thought-through plan for your triathlon training nutrition is a good idea. Everyone is different, so it may take you some time to figure out what strategies work best for you. If this is an area where you are struggling, it might be a good idea to have a session with a sports nutritionist.
What Do I Need To Eat?
There is no magic triathlon diet. The main aim should be to eat healthily, with a good balance of nutrients.
You will burn lots of calories through your triathlon training. Nutritional strategies to replace these will very depending on whether you want to maintain a stable weight, or reduce your body fat levels. Knowing your daily calorie needs can be useful, particularly if you are trying to lose weight or are struggling to maintain a healthy weight due to the volume of training you are undertaking.
It is possible to have your metabolic rate measured in a lab, and a physiology assessment can also give you an idea of how much carbohydrate and fat you use for a given exercise intensity. This can help you put together a suitable triathlon training nutrition plan.
Select good quality foods, those that are nutrient dense. Examples of these would be fruit, vegetables, while grains, skinless-chicken, lean meat, beans, eggs milk, nuts, seeds.
Before Training
Your triathlon training nutrition plan starts before you begin training! You want to make sure that you start a training session with plenty of energy and well hydrated. If you are doing early morning sessions, there will be the temptation to get those extra few minutes in bed and miss breakfast. However you need to take some food on board to give you energy for the session. So:
Nutrition can have a real impact on the quality of your training session. For shorter (< 60 - 90 minute) sessions, you should not need to take on any extra energy. However if you are doing a long session (for example a long >90 minutes training ride) then it is essential you take some food with you. You need to keep topping up on carbohydrates so that you don't run out of energy. Things you can take with you to easily eat in action include:
Sports drinks play a big part in triathlon training nutrition. They are an ideal way of getting some fuel in the tank and also keeping you hydrated during a training session.
You will be able to find a wide variety of commercial sports/energy drinks. These will all vary in their content, so make sure you read the label. The concentration of carbohydrates will vary, making them more useful in certain situations than others. Most will also contain electrolytes (salts) to replace those lost in sweat.
During a training session you should use a sports drink that contains 6 - 8% carbohydrate as this is the most easily digestible concentration and also allows good uptake of fluid. A lower concentration would be ideal for a hot day when your session isn't too long or demanding (shorter than an hour in duration). A higher concentration should only be used after training to replace carbohydrates. The fluids are not absorbed so quickly but the emphasis is on replacing energy rather than rehydrating.
Nutrition for Recovery - After Training
One of the most important factors in your triathlon training nutrition plan is your recovery. What you eat and when after a training session is really important. Your recovery is when all the adaptations to training occur, and not taking in enough nutrients will negatively affect this. Also, if you are training more than once in a day, and training hard on consecutive days, you need to make sure you replace the energy used in preparation for the next session.
Making sure your recovery nutrition is spot-on will also be beneficial for your immune function and help you avoid succumbing to colds.
You should aim to take on board 1 to 1.2g of carbohydrate per kilogram body weight immediately after a training session.
So if you weigh 60kg that means 60 - 72g.
If you weigh 70kg, then you need to consume 70 - 84g carbohydrates.
If you can continue taking on board this amount of carbohydrate for 3 - 5 hours post-session you will maximize the replacement of glycogen (carbohydrates) in your muscles. Eating regular small snacks in recovery seems to be more beneficial than eating one meal high in carbohydrates.
If you don't feel hungry after a training session, don't worry. Taking on carbohydrates in the form of a sports drink is just as good, and also allows you to rehydrate.
If you don't replace your carbohydrate stores after a long training session (anything longer than 45mins to 1 hour) then you will struggle to recover and adapt to the session, and you will have less energy for your next training session.
Therefore there is little evidence to suggest trying to work a high protein diet into your triathlon training nutrition plan, or taking protein supplements.
Generally speaking, if you have a well balanced diet you are likely to be eating enough protein. 1.0 - 2.0g/kg body mass per day is the generally recommended amount.
Many protein supplements are very expensive. They also tend to provide very large amounts of protein and little in the way of other nutrients. Good alternatives to protein supplements include homemade fruit smoothies, liquid meal supplements, or try adding 20 g skim milk powder to regular milk.
Top Triathlon Training Nutrition Tips For Avoiding Illness:
There is no magic triathlon training diet. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is key. The difference between nutrition for you as a triathlete and someone who is a couch potato is you need to ensure you get enough of the right nutrients at the right time. You should aim to eat a varied diet focusing on nutrient-rich foods, and adjust how much you eat to match your daily training load.
Why Is It Important To Eat Well?
Taking on board the right amount of the right nutrients at the right time is vital in order to:
- Fuel training sessions and races
- Allow adaptation and recovery from training
- Reduce fatigue and muscle damage
- Reduce risk of illness
- Maintain a healthy body weight
Having a well thought-through plan for your triathlon training nutrition is a good idea. Everyone is different, so it may take you some time to figure out what strategies work best for you. If this is an area where you are struggling, it might be a good idea to have a session with a sports nutritionist.
What Do I Need To Eat?
There is no magic triathlon diet. The main aim should be to eat healthily, with a good balance of nutrients.
You will burn lots of calories through your triathlon training. Nutritional strategies to replace these will very depending on whether you want to maintain a stable weight, or reduce your body fat levels. Knowing your daily calorie needs can be useful, particularly if you are trying to lose weight or are struggling to maintain a healthy weight due to the volume of training you are undertaking.
It is possible to have your metabolic rate measured in a lab, and a physiology assessment can also give you an idea of how much carbohydrate and fat you use for a given exercise intensity. This can help you put together a suitable triathlon training nutrition plan.
Select good quality foods, those that are nutrient dense. Examples of these would be fruit, vegetables, while grains, skinless-chicken, lean meat, beans, eggs milk, nuts, seeds.
Before Training
Your triathlon training nutrition plan starts before you begin training! You want to make sure that you start a training session with plenty of energy and well hydrated. If you are doing early morning sessions, there will be the temptation to get those extra few minutes in bed and miss breakfast. However you need to take some food on board to give you energy for the session. So:
- Try to have a glass of water or fruit juice when you first wake up. This will help you rehydrate after your night's sleep.
- A low fat breakfast containing carbohydrate and protein is ideal.
- Tea and coffee are fine with your breakfast. Their diuretic effect is minor and the caffeine will help perk you up!
- If there's no time for a proper breakfast or you can't stomach eating too close to a session, then milk based drinks, fruit and fruit juices and cereal bars are all good options.
Nutrition can have a real impact on the quality of your training session. For shorter (< 60 - 90 minute) sessions, you should not need to take on any extra energy. However if you are doing a long session (for example a long >90 minutes training ride) then it is essential you take some food with you. You need to keep topping up on carbohydrates so that you don't run out of energy. Things you can take with you to easily eat in action include:
- Sports/energy bars
- Energy gels
- Jelly sweets
- Dried fruit
- Sports drinks
- Sweet biscuits
Sports drinks play a big part in triathlon training nutrition. They are an ideal way of getting some fuel in the tank and also keeping you hydrated during a training session.
You will be able to find a wide variety of commercial sports/energy drinks. These will all vary in their content, so make sure you read the label. The concentration of carbohydrates will vary, making them more useful in certain situations than others. Most will also contain electrolytes (salts) to replace those lost in sweat.
During a training session you should use a sports drink that contains 6 - 8% carbohydrate as this is the most easily digestible concentration and also allows good uptake of fluid. A lower concentration would be ideal for a hot day when your session isn't too long or demanding (shorter than an hour in duration). A higher concentration should only be used after training to replace carbohydrates. The fluids are not absorbed so quickly but the emphasis is on replacing energy rather than rehydrating.
Nutrition for Recovery - After Training
One of the most important factors in your triathlon training nutrition plan is your recovery. What you eat and when after a training session is really important. Your recovery is when all the adaptations to training occur, and not taking in enough nutrients will negatively affect this. Also, if you are training more than once in a day, and training hard on consecutive days, you need to make sure you replace the energy used in preparation for the next session.
Making sure your recovery nutrition is spot-on will also be beneficial for your immune function and help you avoid succumbing to colds.
You should aim to take on board 1 to 1.2g of carbohydrate per kilogram body weight immediately after a training session.
So if you weigh 60kg that means 60 - 72g.
If you weigh 70kg, then you need to consume 70 - 84g carbohydrates.
If you can continue taking on board this amount of carbohydrate for 3 - 5 hours post-session you will maximize the replacement of glycogen (carbohydrates) in your muscles. Eating regular small snacks in recovery seems to be more beneficial than eating one meal high in carbohydrates.
If you don't feel hungry after a training session, don't worry. Taking on carbohydrates in the form of a sports drink is just as good, and also allows you to rehydrate.
If you don't replace your carbohydrate stores after a long training session (anything longer than 45mins to 1 hour) then you will struggle to recover and adapt to the session, and you will have less energy for your next training session.
Therefore there is little evidence to suggest trying to work a high protein diet into your triathlon training nutrition plan, or taking protein supplements.
Generally speaking, if you have a well balanced diet you are likely to be eating enough protein. 1.0 - 2.0g/kg body mass per day is the generally recommended amount.
Many protein supplements are very expensive. They also tend to provide very large amounts of protein and little in the way of other nutrients. Good alternatives to protein supplements include homemade fruit smoothies, liquid meal supplements, or try adding 20 g skim milk powder to regular milk.
Top Triathlon Training Nutrition Tips For Avoiding Illness:
- Eat a snack containing carbohydrate and protein as soon after training/racing as possible.
- Eat from a wide variety of foods and consider a daily multi-vitamin and -mineral supplement to ensure that your diet always has an adequate supply of the nutrients needed to support immune function
- Take in a little extra vitamin C during periods of heavy training and a week or two before and after competitions, as this may give your immune system an added boost
- Put yogurt, yogurt drinks or other products with certain active cultures on your shopping list. These beneficial microbes may help support keeping your immune system healthy.
- Before training: 2 - 3 hours before, snack high in carbohydrates
- During a long training session: 6 - 8% carbohydrate sports drink, energy gel/bars, dried fruit, sweets, aiming for 1g per kg bodyweight per hour.
- After training: 1 - 1.2g of carbohydrate per kilogramme body weight as soon as possible after training, ideally combined with protein.
My name is Rhona Pearce.
I have a degree and postgraduate degree in sports science and exercise physiology, and 10 years experience of providing sports science support to triathletes. My husband is a triathlon coach for the British Olympic programme and together we have developed this website: http://www.intelligent-triathlon-training.com/
Visit it for lots of practical information and advice about all aspects of triathlon training, nutrition, triathlon gear, injury prevention and recovery.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhona_Pearce
I have a degree and postgraduate degree in sports science and exercise physiology, and 10 years experience of providing sports science support to triathletes. My husband is a triathlon coach for the British Olympic programme and together we have developed this website: http://www.intelligent-triathlon-training.com/
Visit it for lots of practical information and advice about all aspects of triathlon training, nutrition, triathlon gear, injury prevention and recovery.
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