Dec 10
20
Training Days-What do I Eat?
There’s a lot of discussion about this to the point of obsession. First and foremost individual circumstances have to be taken into account.
from what i have observed many triathletes get this part of the sport upside down ie they………..
-dont eat much before workouts
-dont eat much during workouts
-hit the food hard after the workouts
-continue to hit the food hard because they feel “tired” and seek “recovery” products
A critical skill of endurance racing is to teach your stomach how to process food while moving at a good clip
I would rather train harder with good fuel on board than practice starvation in training- which is largely irrelevant
Recovery- there is a general brainwash by nutrition suppliers that you “must” smash down all manner of recovery products straight after workout
the best time to burn off extra fat is during the two hours after you finish
Eat a small amount after a big workout- say a piece of fruit -then wait till you hit the food- you’ll probably feel better eat less and end up skinnier
Many triathletes finish a session dehydrated and confuse this with a need to stuff their face immediately. If you are starving drink lots ,drink coffee (that will help continue to burn calories) and just wait for a bit
your body will digest food a lot better when not exhausted and hot and sweaty often leads to poor food choices
So in summary I believe most people should turn what they do upside down. Avoid “sports” recovery stuff- stick to real food/fruit/chocolate milk. The packaged stuff is often just benefiting the nutrition suppliers to make money pushing down your throat-you dont need it
Above all else most people who think they are “athletes” dont need any more food than a normal person . Training for triathlon is a waste of time if you end up eating more and stay at the same size.
The food industry/including sports food can be incredibly deceptive?( ok lets call it marketing not deception) people making everyone think they need to consume a heap of cheap carbs or low quality protein- its all about whats cheap for them to make-not whats best for you body. most people need far less food than what they are told to believe
So try eating a small amount pre workout, small amouts during and small amounts after- but wait a few hours before smashing that recovery meal
Having said that I see no problem with doing shorter sessions during the week on a coffee eg get up coffee, 2 bites of a bar or nothing, ride for an hour and half then eat brekky before work. I dont think this is a good idea/good practice for key sessions/longer workouts
Here are some general pitfalls to consider:
a. Failure to train digestion whatsoever- If you are going to race an endurance event then you’ll need to be accustomed to ingesting and digesting sufficient calories to complete the race- this is obvious- yet so few people practice it. The bike in particular is the foundation of good race day nutrition(you spend the most time on that leg). If you havent practiced eating your 2 or 3 gels per hour then dont expect your stomach to be able to handle it come race day.
b. Failure to train digestion at sufficient intensity- I think this one is pretty common. There are a lot of training groups rolling around on 5-7hr rides practicing their eating along the way like good little triathletes (and visiting every bakery along the way). All the way along their E1/LSD ride they can down their food no problem. Then come race day when the heart rate is at 150bpm they cant face the sight of food- this is because it takes practice putting the calories down while at race pace. For endurance events race pace is still aerobic but there are very different demands on your stomach and blood supply to your digestion at the higher intensity….this leads me to my next point…………………
c. Failure to consistently practice good nutrition. I’ve seen a lot of triathletes who follow the text book on their long rides yet the rest of the time they dont bother to think about their fueling. Somehow they think eating during the 12 week IM build with say 5-6 key long sessions they will magically learn how to process their nutrition- some will , many won’t and wonder why they throw up on race day
d. Failure to eat the same stuff in training they plan to use in a race- this one is so obvious I dont need to elaborate but its by far the most common mistake-even amongst experienced athletes
e. Choosing nutrition based on stated product benefits instead of what your body likes- i see so many people trying to race on product X because their mates do or because their coach sells it. We are all very different- experiment- find what your body has an affinity for. I know some guys who do the whole IM on one flavour of gels and others who eat chicken sandwiches or salt and vinegar chips etc. Many Aussies use vegemite sandwiches- its all individual. The only place you’ll work this out is by trying it during race pace intensity sessions.
So be smart about what you eat in training and work out what works for you- don’t worry about what the “triathlon bible” says you should do or your mates- keep it simple and err toward cost effective and widely available products. Happy training
