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It's now an established fact that a controlled and well planned diet is an integral part of an athlete's training regime. Many hours of study, both practical and scientific have gone into providing information for athletes to reach their optimum performance rate. Unfortunatley, today's typical Western diet isn't ideal for the triathlete... or for anyone else for that matter.
In general it contains...
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Not Enough: |
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Fat |
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Complex carbs |
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Animal protein |
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Roughage |
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Energy |
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Vitamins |
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Simple carbs |
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Minerals |
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Salt |
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Fluids |
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Alcohol |
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The ideal athletic diet should
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Be rich in carbohydrates and low in fat |
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Contain only high quality protein |
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Provide high portions of nutrients |
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Supply a generous amount of fluid |
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Be digestible |
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Be broken down into several meals a day |
Carbohydrates are central to a sports diet. But don't assume that carbohydrates are good and fats are bad. Fat is vital for the intake of fat soluble vitamins, so don't avoid them totally. And don't neglect your protein. Proteins make up part of the structure of every cell in your body, so they are vital. You need proteins for growing and repairing tissue. Proteins are made up if various amino acids, some of which can be manufactured by the body, but others, like valine, leucine and isoleucine, have to be taken through the daily diet.
So, what does all this mean to you as a triathlete? Ultimately, a diet that's high in carbs, low in fat and providing adequate protein is essential for your athletic performance. Fat in your diet should be mainly from mono and polyunsaturated fatty acid sources, such as fish, nuts and olive oil. Your protein needs as athletes are higher than those of other people, but these should be met by increasing the overall intake of energy in your diet.
Vitamins and minerals are important for releasing and utilising energy from food, and a deficiency of any one of them can lead to impaired performance. However, they are found in a wide range of foods, and there is a positive association between vitamin and mineral intake and energy intake. Before a competition, the goal is to increase your glycogen stores. This is called carbo-loading, and you can do it by gradually reducing your training in the lead-up week and increasing carbs to around 70% of your daily energy intake in the final three days. A large carb meal takes 3-4 hours to digest, so if you're competing early you should eat a small carb snack 30-90 minutes before the event.
Sports drinks should also be close to hand as they are formulated to provide optimum amount of both fluid and carbs. Electrolyte drinks also provide minerals and trace elements, which replace those lost in sweat. Keep energy drinks and snacks available during both training and racing to enhance your performance. Suitable foods include concentrated sports drinks, and small, portable carb snacks like energy bars and fruit.
Carb Up
The following foods are both rich in carbohydrates and low in fat. Try to make them central to your diet as a triathlete. It's actually an appealing selection, contrary to the general belief that athletic food is tasteless and bland...
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Pasta |
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Vegetables |
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Rice |
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Fruits |
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Oats |
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Oat Biscuits |
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Bread |
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High-quality energy bars |
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Potatoes |
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