Food, then fuel – day to day nutritional needs
It is common for triathletes to be very focused on race day nutrition but to overlook their everyday training diet. It is getting the most out of every training session that will get results on race day, so the training diet is very important. Read on to find out more about the basic diet and how to set yourself up for success.
How much you need to eat depends on your day to day training demands. And this will vary throughout the year depending on phase of training and intensity. Knowing how much energy you are going to use in a day enables you to eat the right amount at the right time. Putting fuel in before training will enable you to work hard in your session, rather than running on empty with sub optimal performance then over eating after a training session. In a previous blog I have calculated average requirements, but optimally you should be varying intake between rest day and your most intense training days. Most people training at a high level now wear some sort of calorie monitor, take notice of what this is telling you and match energy supply with energy demand. For those who don’t wear a monitor, calculate your basal metabolic rate by using the equations below
Women: 655.1 + ( 9.563 x weight in kg ) + ( 1.850 x height in cm ) – ( 4.676 x age in years )
Men: 66.5 + ( 13.75 x weight in kg ) + ( 5.003 x height in cm ) – ( 6.755x age in years )
Then adjust for light activity by timings by 1.2. Next add on the calories used in training, the adjustment table in my previous blog will provide guidance for this. Bear in mind that cycling has a lower energy expenditure than running, swimming is in between.
Another way of looking at this is to calculate your available energy. Calculate how many calories you have eaten in a day, then subtract activity. If this figure is consistently below basal metabolic rate and you are not deliberately trying to lose weight then calorie intake needs to be increased. Constant low available energy can lead to poor performance, increased risk of injury, slow injury recovery, a compromised immune system and potentially what is termed the male or female triad. This is when bone density is compromised, signs of which are stress fractures. Sex hormones also decrease, signs of which are a reduced need to shave in men and no or irregular periods in women
So what should you spend all these calories on? The debate around carbohydrates is fierce but the substantial weight of evidence (scientifically proven, in humans, peer reviewed and published) is that a high carbohydrate supports optimal performance. The guidance below is published by the International Olympic Committee and is a good base to use for calculations.
Carbohydrate for endurance athletes
Protein for endurance athletes
It is common for triathletes to focus too much on protein and not enough on carbohydrate. If you are eating 3 meals a day with a palm size portion of protein plus 20 - 40g of protein after training (depending on your phase, purpose and intensity of training session) and protein before bed, your protein intake will be adequate. It’s the carbs that are difficult and take quite some effort on high training days.
But it is not just about the macros, micros matter too. If you don’t have a good base diet when you put the sports nutrition in it will not work as effectively. The base diet is also important for post training recovery and supporting the immune system. Make sure your diet does not become too sports functional and over reliant on sports products rather than real food.
Vitamins and minerals particularly important for energy creation are B vitamins, magnesium, iron, zinc and chromium. Women athletes are at higher risk of iron deficiency (more on this later in the month) and men zinc. Wholegrains, nuts, seeds and leafy green vegetables are good sources of these nutrients and should be a common feature in your diet.
Nutritional training recovery predominantly focuses on repairing the muscles ready for the next session. Protein is essential to this process. But also combating oxidative stress is important. Antioxidants do this job brilliantly as does omega 3. Good sources of antioxidants are fruits (especially berries), vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, pulses and wholegrains. Good sources of omega 3 include oily fish and linseed. Think traditional Mediterean diet and add carbs.
When you exercise the body releases stress hormones which comprise the immune system. And nobody performs well with a cold or chest infection. Ensure your base diet is rich in vitamins A, C, E, iron and selenium plus take a vitamin D supplement. More reasons to pile of the veg!
Gut bacteria is probably the hottest area of nutritional science right now. We are increasingly finding out just how important the balance of gut bacteria is for wellbeing. In particular the immune system and inflammation. Triathletes should include foods that contains live bacteria in their diet such as live yogurt and fermented foods. Live yogurt makes a brilliant recovery snack. Plus include fibre in their diet to create the right environment for good bacteria to thrive.
There are not many micronutrients that haven’t been mentioned in this blog and those such as calcium are so important they will be getting their own spot light later in the month. Hopefully this emphasises the importance of your base diet. To be a good triathlete it is not just about putting in the right sports nutrition product at the right time, base diet matters. Food then fuel.
We’re here to help
Tri Training Harder are one of the leading Triathlon coaching providers in the UK, using our wealth of experience to unite scientific and technological research with already well-established and successful best practices, to create a formula for triathlon and endurance coaching that works.
The result is an honest, dynamic, yet simple new way of constructing an athlete’s training to allow them to reach their potential.
If you’re planning your next season, just starting out in the sport or are looking for extra guidance at the very top end of the field, we are here to help, and our coaches would be delighted to hear from you. You can contact us via the website, and one of the team will be in touch.