NUTRITION

9 Nutrition Tips for the Newbie Triathlete

FOR THE BEGINNER triathlete, there is no shortage of advice. Even if wellmeaning, it can become overwhelming and confusing. And, in the case of nutrition, this cacophony of help is amplified by the fact that everyone is an expert. We all eat, after all, and all have wisdom to impart. Even if that wisdom is a bit off the mark.

How, then, to sort relevance from well meaning? Here a few basic tips to get you started:

1What are your fitness and health goals? (Strength? Fitness? Weight loss? Fun? Competition?) If weight loss is a goal, then make it slow and consistent – embrace lifestyle changes as sustainable and enjoyable. Nutrition changes should be healthy, fun and long term, and fit within the bigger picture of life and health.

2Don’t be a copycat. Sure, look for advice and seek help – ideally from someone qualified and experienced in this area (like a registered sports dietitian or nutritionist). Do remember that you are different to your favourite pro triathlete, spouse, training partner, friend or author of this article. What works for them may not work so well for you.

3Hard training might make you think you can “get away” with some extra splurges (and you can) – but your training also means nutrient requirements go up – so those veggies, fruits, quality proteins and carbs should remain a focus. Keep things simple, fun, nutritious and delicious and you won’t go too wrong.

4Sports foods, like gels, chews, drinks and bars, while marketed heavily and attractively to endurance athletes, are not necessary, but can be helpful. It’s hard to beat the convenience of a sports drink or gel taped to your bike in a race, but use sparingly and strategically around training and races. At other times, real, nutritious foods should be your go-to. Short training workouts (under 45 minutes) do not require extra energy or sports drinks, although water is fine. Similarly, you do not need a special recovery shake post workout – yet they can be useful at times of very high energy needs, if you are getting to the multiple workout a day stage and struggling to eat enough. Otherwise ignore the marketing hype and opt for real foods. Yogurt and muesli, chicken and veggies or sushi rolls also make excellent recovery choices.

5Start paying attention to your bathroom habits – check out the colour of your pee and take note of how often you are going to the bathroom. (You’re aiming for pale yellow/ straw-coloured urine). This habit helps you stay conscious of hydration, which is critical for optimizing recovery.

6As your fitness improves, your nutrition needs will also change. With increased fitness and efficiency, sweat rates may increase, allowing you to cool more efficiently, but also lead to increased hydration needs. Energy and fuelling requirements may also change with improved efficiency. Just be prepared to adapt nutrition plans and goals as you go.

7Practise drinking with a bottle on the bike. Start on the trainer first and get the hang of where the bottle cage is located. If you are racing longer and using aid stations, then practise this as well. Your riding buddies will appreciate your skills and confidence from a safety perspective, and you will benefit from maintaining hydration.

8If you plan on eating and drinking during a race (and you should if it’s anything over a sprint distance or more than an hour or so in total), then start training your gut to be able to process these fluids and carbs. Simply eating closer to a training session, or drinking throughout, is a great way to start.

9Remember why you started the sport and where your goals lie – if this takes you away from family meals or family time, because you have to eat a certain way, then reevaluate. If you find the pendulum swinging too far from a healthy awareness of foods and nutrition to one that is a little obsessive, then seek help. The journey should be long term, nourishing and add to your life and enjoyment of it – including the food on your plate.