In that case, you should be fueling with the same high-fat and high-protein foods at a rate suggested by the triathlon nutrition calculator. Just plug in the workout, time, and details, and you will get the target number of calories to consume.

These efforts should be fueled in the same way as you will fuel your race day efforts, but with some slight modifications. That means a high amount of carbohydrates before and during the workout.

When you first start your race-specific workouts weeks before your goal race, your should start at the low end of the nutrition calculator when it comes to taking in your calories. You will gradually increase this amount each week to help train your gut while also training your race-specific fitness.

At the peak of your race-specific training, you may actually be consuming more calories than the target from the calculator. On race day, you'll actually be able to drop your calories down, and your stomach should be able to handle the race-day calories comfortably compared to what you consumed in training.

Similarly to how you increase your training load over time, you should focus on increasing the number of carbohydrates that you can consume each week. Another key point is that you should consume a high-carbohydrate snack before your race-specific workout.

Aim to consume a muffin or bowl of cereal, for example, minutes before your race workout, to ensure that your glycogen stores are completely topped off.

During your race workout, consume the exact amount of calories that our triathlon nutrition calculator suggests. These calories should come from mostly carbs, such as sports gels and energy drinks. Specifically, you should aim for a high percentage of carbohydrates consumed during these workouts.

Our nutrition calculator will provide your target number of calories to consume, but you can also narrow it down by calculating the grams of carbohydrate per hour to consume.

In everyday life, you may be consuming grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight per day. However, as a triathlete, your carbohydrate requirement will be much greater on high-intensity training days and race days.

These days, a triathlete should aim for 8 to 12 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight per day. For example, a 70 kg triathlete may be consuming 2, calories per day.

At CHO carbohydrate grams per kilogram, this athlete should be aiming to consume grams of carbohydrate per day. Remember that this goal doesn't need to be met every day.

The grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight per day are reserved for big training days, high-intensity training sessions, and races. The main difference is that Ironman is significantly longer than other forms of triathlon, and it can take upwards of 12 hours for many triathletes.

When it comes to your race day nutrition, the timing and foods should be the same as your typical triathlon nutrition plan. You can get all of these numbers from the calculator above.

However, the biggest difference in Ironman triathlon nutrition is the volume of food that you will be consuming. That means that you really need to train your gut. While it may appear simple on the surface, triathlon racing and training nutrition can be hard to perfect.

Proper fueling is one of the keys to success in endurance sports, yet there are some basic principles that you can easily get wrong.

The topic of fasting has come to the forefront of the health and fitness industry in the last decade. There are countless studies, podcasts, and articles on the benefits of fasting, but there is still much that is unknown. Crucially, most of these studies involve members of the general population, not endurance athletes.

For those getting into triathlon, aiming for a PR, or trying to compete at their very best, fasted training is NOT a good option. The best way to make the biggest fitness gains is to fuel your training and get stronger. Many athletes, especially endurance athletes, struggle with their body weight and body image.

But the trend is changing, and the best triathletes in the world are now strong and muscular. It is impossible to guess your ideal body weight for a triathlon, and perhaps there is no answer. Because of the tri-sport nature of triathlon, you can always be better at one discipline and worse at another.

The key is to NOT focus on your body weight, and rather, focus on your performance. Fuel your workouts using our nutrition calculators above, and your ideal body weight will reveal itself. For more information on body weight and running performance, check out This Running Weight Calculator Will Find Your Ideal Running Weight.

After mentioning body weight, we also need to talk about body composition, which is the proportion of tissues in your body, specifically fat, muscle, bone, and water. Body composition will tell you your body fat percentage, the amount of muscle that you carry in different areas of your body, your bone mineral density, and more.

In general, body composition is a much better metric for endurance athletes to track compared to body weight. Did I just gain 5 lbs of fat or 5 lbs of pure muscle? One will make you significantly faster, while the other could make you slower.

Instead of trying to lose weight, focus on improving your body composition, which means more muscle and less fat. Instead, the results will come from consistent training and proper fueling. Triathlon racing and training nutrition is simple but not easy.

Focus on carbohydrate fueling before and during high-intensity training sessions and races, and fat fueling and burning during low-intensity training sessions. Use the exact same foods, gels, and drinks in training as you will on race day.

Come into your training and racing with a plan, and there will be nothing new. Remember to fuel your workouts and focus on getting stronger rather than losing weight. With a proper triathlon racing and training nutrition strategy in place, you will be well on your way to setting a PR in your next triathlon.

International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. Zach has a degree in Exercise Science and Psychology. He is a certified coach, Cat 1 cyclist, and is a freelance writer having been published in many of the worlds largest endurance sports publications.

The only app with personalized training plans designed specifically for real people who want to accomplish something amazing in endurance sports.

Cookie Consent. Essential cookies. This might be particularly useful in hot conditions. When we exercise our muscles become energy depleted and break down. In a tough triathlon, you really push your body to the limit so expect soreness and stiffness afterwards.

Consuming protein and carbohydrate as soon as you can afterwards to help replenish your muscle energy stores and kick start the recovery process.

Drink ml Recovery Drink as soon as you finish. This contains a unique blend of whey protein isolate and carbohydrates. It gives you the time to have a shower and relax a bit before eating a balanced meal one to two hours later.

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Fuelling a Triathlon Carbohydrate is your high-energy fuel for endurance events. Staying Hydrated You lose fluids and electrolytes when you sweat. Good to know The following guidelines are based on the latest science and real world feedback from thousands of athletes to help you perform better and enjoy your race more.

Breakfast An ideal pre-race breakfast is light and high in carbohydrates with a little bit of protein too. Caffeine before the swim Caffeine gives you both a physical and mental boost. Related guides. See all. running guide What To Eat After Running: Ultimate Guide to Post-Run Nutrition Read.

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nutrition guide What to Eat Before Football: Ultimate Nutritional Guide Read. The energy needs of triathletes can make it challenging to consume sufficient amounts of food, particularly if you have other work or school commitments.

On top of this potential concerns about gastrointestinal complaints and suppression of appetite around training and racing can further impact nutritional intakes. Carbohydrates are important for fuelling both your races and training.

Carbohydrate intakes should be modified to meet your daily and weekly training demands for example on a heavy training day you should consume grams of carbohydrates per kg of body weight, whereas on lighter training or rest days you could consume less carbohydrate about grams per kg of body weight [1].

For a 70 kg triathlete:. For races and training sessions you need to ensure you have fuel yourself before and during exercise and then replace your energy glycogen stores after exercise so you are ready for your next training session or race.

Fuelling up before racing or training is important especially if training in the morning as your energy glycogen stores deplete overnight and research has shown that performance is improved following carbohydrate ingestion [2,3]. it is recommended that triathletes consume grams of carbohydrates per kg of bodyweight, hours before competition to ensure glycogen stores are full, improving performance and minimise the risk of gastrointestinal distress [1].

If you have trouble eating before exercise then drinking your carbohydrates maybe better. For training or races longer than 60 minutes you should have carbohydrate during exercise. The amounts recommended range from g per hour [1].

If you do not usually consume carbohydrate during exercise then start at the lower end and gradually increase the amount you consume. Think of the post-training or race period as preparation for the next training session. You need your body to recover and adapt to the exercise you have just completed in order to improve.

Restocking your glycogen stores is important therefore aim to eat 1. Not consuming carbohydrates following exercise means stress hormones remain elevated, can impair immune function, reduce training output, and cause burnout [4].

Your race nutrition plan should be practiced in training to ensure there are no nasty surprises on race day. Although, protein is often associated with body builders it is important for all athletes. Protein is not only important for muscle repair and growth but it plays an important role in many body systems including the immune system, hormones and enzymes which are required for muscle contraction [1].

It is generally recommended that triathletes consume 1. For a 70 kg athlete this is 1. Ideally protein should be consumed in every meal and snack roughly g consumed five times per day, with g of protein being ingested soon after exercise [1].

It should be noted that not all proteins are created equal, in fact proteins are made up of amino acids and we require all amino acids for optimal health and performance [5]. Proteins which contain all the amino acids are said to be higher quality which is measured by Digestible Indispensable Amino Acids Score DIAAS.

So when choosing a protein following exercise look for a DIAAS greater than 1. When consuming protein in order to ensure you obtain a good mix of amino acids make sure you eat from a variety of protein sources. The training load for triathletes is high which means energy needs are high.

Not meeting your energy demands can have negative impacts on both health and performance. If you do not eat sufficient energy over time you can develop Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport REDS , which negatively effects almost all systems in the body reproductive, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, immune, endocrine [7].

Therefore, make sure you are fuelling appropriately around training and competition before, during and after , as well as eating regularly throughout the day from a variety of food sources.

Micronutrients are substances that the body requires in very small quantities, yet if insufficient amounts are consumed the body is unable to function properly. Some micronutrients iron, folate, vitamin B12 are important for the red blood cells which transport of oxygen around the body [8].

Other micronutrients play an important role in our immune system and can act as antioxidants Vitamin C, E and K which remove harmful free radicals which form during exercise.

It should be noted that supplementing with large volumes of antioxidants on a daily basis is not recommended as it can impair adaptation to training but consuming antioxidants from foods is beneficial for health and recovery from exercise [8].

Other micronutrients Vitamin D and Calcium are important for bone health, with all micronutrients playing some key role within the body it is important that adequate amounts of micronutrients are consumed. Micronutrients are found alongside protein and carbohydrates in fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, dairy and dairy alternatives so consuming a diet from all of the food groups is important.

Gastrointestinal discomfort is one of the most common issues experienced during competition [9]. There are a number of potential reasons why this could occur including changes in blood flow away from the gastrointestinal tract, inappropriate fuelling, or due to the gut microbiome [9].

A healthy gut microbiome can optimise systems that prevent inflammation, reducing discomfort and allowing you to perform without interruption. Diet can influence the gut microbiome, including an appropriate array of prebiotics and a type of fibre that acts as food for the microbiome can improve the gut microbiome.

An abundance of healthy bacteria in the gut and reduce gastrointestinal issues during endurance exercise [10]. Fluid needs vary substantially between individuals and training sessions depending on the environment, exercise intensity and duration, genetics and training status [1].

Both not drinking enough and drinking too much can lead to health and performance decrements. Weight loss or gain during exercise is likely mainly due to water losses sweat or gain drinking [1]. You should aim to start exercise well hydrated i. be able to urinate and urine should be a pale yellow colour.

During exercise weigh yourself before and after you can use these values to check your hydration status during exercise. At Radix, we strive to create the best quality products for the best possible performance. Sourced from all-natural, quality ingredients, our meals are made to provide the key elements of nutrition to ensure your body can perform at its absolute best.

American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sport Ex. J Appl Physiol. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. Potential Impact of Nutrition on Immune System Recovery from Heavy Exertion: A Metabolomics Perspective. Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation.

Good Luck! Thank you for signing up! Now all that's left is to confirm your email address and your special offer will be on its way! You have the right to withdraw your consent and object to our use of your details for marketing purposes at any time.

If you wish to amend your marketing choices in the future, please email info highfive. uk To know more about how we use your data, please see our Privacy Notice. triathlon guide Olympic Triathlon. Fuelling a Triathlon Carbohydrate is your high-energy fuel for endurance events. Staying Hydrated You lose fluids and electrolytes when you sweat.

Good to know The following guidelines are based on the latest science and real world feedback from thousands of athletes to help you perform better and enjoy your race more. Breakfast An ideal pre-race breakfast is light and high in carbohydrates with a little bit of protein too. Caffeine before the swim Caffeine gives you both a physical and mental boost.

Related guides. See all. running guide What To Eat After Running: Ultimate Guide to Post-Run Nutrition Read. training How to Get Rid of Stitch: Quick Fix Guide Read.

training guide How to Overcome Heavy Legs When Running: Guide Read. training 10 Must-Know Symptoms of Dehydration: Causes And Preventions Read.

training guide Marathon Nutrition Plan: How to Get Your Diet Right Read. training guide How to Be a Better Runner: Ultimate Guide for Beginners Read.

training guide Beat The Heat: Running In Hot Weather Survival Guide Read. training Why Do I Feel Sleepy After Exercising In The Morning? training guide Half Marathon Training Plan For Beginners: Guide Read.

running What to Eat Before Half Marathon: The Guide to Fuel Your Race Read. training guide What to Eat Before Running a 10K: Nutrition Plan Guide Read. running What to Eat Before Running a 5K: Guide for Athletes Read.

running guide How Many Gels Marathon Runners Need to Fuel Their Race Read. training guide How to Train for a Marathon: Complete Guide Read. nutrition guide The 15 Best Electrolyte Drinks for Leg Cramps: Review Read.

running guide How to Get Back Into Running After a Long Break Read. nutrition guide Complete Guide on Electrolytes Benefits for Sports Read. running guide How to Stop Cramps: Complete Guide for Athletes Read. nutrition guide What to Eat Before Football: Ultimate Nutritional Guide Read.

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You want to go to the start line nice and light but with enough energy! Breakfast is probably one of the most important parts of nutritional preparation for a long distance triathlon. Ideally a breakfast is consumed hours before the race and contains at least and up to grams of carbohydrate and has a low fiber content especially for those who often get stomach problems.

Good sources of carbohydrate for breakfast, that are very easy to digest, include white bread with jam, bagels, cereals that are low in fiber, and if stomach and intestinal problems are never an issue, oatmeal and muesli. A good breakfast makes sure that carbohydrate is stored in the liver and this will make sure blood sugar does not drop during your long distance triathlon.

The main fuel for an event like this is carbohydrate, especially if you are completing the race closer to the 4 hour mark than the 7 hour mark. Your body stores contain roughly grams of carbohydrate this is kcal , not enough to make it to the finish line.

In theory it should be enough to get most athletes through the first 3 hours of a race but topping up from the start is essential. Because it takes time for carbohydrate to be absorbed, you need to start early with fueling to make sure you avoid carbohydrate depletion. Once you run out of carbohydrate stores it is difficult to recover.

As a general rule, aim for 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour. This carbohydrate can be in the form of a bar, a gel, chews, or a drink. If you use solid foods, make sure fat, protein and fiber content are low no more than a few grams. What you use is entirely up to you and your personal preferences.

Faster athletes tend to use more liquids and less solids because it can be difficult to chew at high intensities. To give you some idea of what 60 grams per hour equates to, it means that for every hour of the race you would need one of the following combinations:.

For more accurate calculations check the food labels of the products you are going to use for exact amounts. The experienced athlete with knowledge of multiple transportable carbohydrates may try higher levels of carbohydrate intake in training and if that works use this experience to plan their race nutrition.

If you are going a bit faster it is better to go in with a plan. It is good to use the early parts of a race when the gastrointestinal tract is working fine to absorb both carbohydrate and fluid.

Later in the race, even though you may be thirsty, the gut may not absorb as much. The goal should be to lose a little weight 3 to 5 pounds or kg at the finish line. You definitely want to avoid weight gain, which clearly would be a sign of drinking too much.

In hot environments dehydration can definitely be a very important factor. A large percentage of athletes, approximately 30 to 70 percent, experience gastrointestinal problems during long and half distance triathlon. Some of these problems are very minor but some of these may be so severe that they will affect performance.

Some athletes are more prone to develop these problems than others. The complaints may be totally independent of food intake and sometimes they may only happen on race day. Studies have also shown that factors like fiber intake, fat intake and the use of very concentrated carbohydrate drinks are causes of gastrointestinal discomfort.

You can get a good idea by weighing yourself before and after training. Think about this in advance and use CORE to plan your race nutrition.

There are benefits associated with this but also risks, so you need to practice and make sure you use the right carbohydrate blends!

The most common mistakes are: Not having a plan and hoping for the best. Sometimes this approach works Having a plan but sticking to a plan at all costs: If for some unforeseen reason you cannot follow the plan you lost a bottle, or you are developing gastrointestinal problems , do not continue with the plan at all costs.

and on your birthday, you might just want a slice of cake and a beer! And you know what? All of this to say, an Ironman nutrition plan that offers flexibility based on your body type and social life , and a simple way to make those adjustments, is key for anyone tackling such a race.

We all know that 1 guy or girl that can eat the same thing, every meal, every day. For the rest of us, variety is key. Eating the same meal day in and day out not only gets old, but can deprive the body of the array of nutrients it truly needs to succeed in a high intensity training environment.

Buying fresh foods typically results in slightly limited options. Being able to substitute different foods into key food categories, while still preparing yummy, healthy and nutritious meals, goes a long way to keeping you on track for race day! If you go and do a Google search for "Ironman training nutrition plan" or something of the sort, you'll be flooded with results talking about exactly what to eat on race day.

How to calculate the calories you'll burn, how and how often to replenish them, and which supplements are best to do the job.

While that's incredibly useful information, it completely lacks the concept that you need to be eating and fueling well LONG before race day.

There's a big difference between eating to fuel your body through training, and eating to get through a race. While the latter involves GU packets, Bonk Breaker bars, electrolyte drink tablets, and other quick, fast acting supplements. Here, we're going to focus on the food needed to train effectively and get you to race day, but when it comes time to toe the line, make sure you have an on-course nutrition plan as well.

In general, you should feel energized after you eat. Introducing complex carbs like bread, rice, etc. will often have the opposite effect on your body, hence the recommendation for whole, lean and unprocessed foods. If your body could pick and choose one primary energy source, it would undoubtedly be carbohydrates.

Unfortunately, carbs can also show up in natural and artificial sweeteners like sugar, honey, syrup, and other more obviously unhealthy items like candy, soda, cookies, etc. This is a life saver come race day trust me , and can help rid you of problems such as constipation and the opposite of that.

High quality carbohydrates: Sweet potatoes, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, beets, onion, banana, apple, pineapple, peach, quinoa. Protein is essential to building and repairing tissue most importantly in this case, your muscles.

They also help fight sickness and infection, serve as excess energy sources, and come in many delicious forms. Unlike carbs, fats also help your body absorb key vitamins that it otherwise has trouble acquiring. Healthy fats come in many forms, some of the most common and popular these days include avocados and coconuts, for example, in addition to some meat, eggs, seeds, etc.

Not all fat is created equal though. Saturated and trans fats can be just as harmful as healthy fats can be good. Replace saturated and trans fats with these two types of healthier fats while keeping total fat intake within the recommended range:. There are some things that simply have no place in your diet when it comes to training for an Ironman.

As mentioned earlier, if you want a piece of cake and a beer on your birthday, go nuts! While some sugar is good like the sugar coming from whole fruit , processed sugar can have some severe and negative effects on the body. Insulin is the catalyst by which your blood cells convert sugar into energy and quickly.

Unfortunately, it ends up converting that sugar into fat tissue to store it for later. That fat tissue, results in weight gain the opposite of what you want when trying to swim, bike or run faster!

The more sugar is introduced into the body, the higher the resistance your body develops for the insulin created. This resistance results in a more rapid gain of fat and weight, and in severe cases can result in diabetes. With limited to no positive impact, processed sugar should simply be kept as far from your diet as humanly possible.

When talking about alcohol and athletics, even the acute use of alcohol can have a profound, and negative influence on the body. Your day will consist of 3 primary meals the big ones, breakfast, lunch, dinner , and healthy snacks like trailmix without the candy , avocado, a bowl of fruit, oats, etc.

There are dozens, hundreds, even thousands of endurance supplements out there in the market that promise things like increased VO2, less fatigue, and more. It's important to remember that many of these supplements aren't backed by the FDA and aren't legally obligated to release every ingredient within them.

So with that in mind, you can take them at your own risk. This factsheet will focus on the shorter distance triathlons of Sprint m swim, 20km bike and 5km run and Olympic Distance 1. Shorter races are also commonly hosted as enticer or introductory events or to involve children.

Triathlon is a unique sport which sees professional and elite athletes racing alongside age-group competitors of all fitness levels. With this, the type of training undertaken by the athlete for a race is heavily dependent on the level of experience of the athlete, their training phase and the length of the event.

Training per week can range from 5hrs for some age-group athletes, up to 25hrs for the elite competitors. Unlike single modality sports, triathletes need to balance training for three sports into their weekly schedule.

This often involves some days with sessions to fit it all in. Brick sessions refer to sessions that include two or more of the legs of triathlon — e. a cycle session followed by a run. An individual athlete may choose to have a longer rest during this phase, or may use this time to build a training base to assist them with aerobic capacity as the racing season approaches.

Some triathletes also compete in Duathlons run-ride-run over the winter months as an alternative competitive sport. The training diet for a triathlete needs to be varied and periodised to the training needs for that day, week and program phase. As many triathletes train most days, often multiple times per day, good nutrition is needed to promote recovery and adaptation and, to maximise energy levels.

Carbohydrate intake should be matched to training load. During the competition season, the training diet should be adapted to reflect the higher training load and need for high quality training with increased speed and power. Protein rich foods should be eaten regularly to meet daily requirements, maintain lean mass and optimising muscle repair following training should be included.

Gimmicks do not work! RELATED: Simple Half-Ironman Nutrition Advice. Recover right. Consume half a gram of carbs per pound of body weight, and 15—20 grams of protein within 30—60 min after training sessions or races.

Follow the 10 percent rule no matter what your nutrition and health goals are: Simply put, 10 percent of your total daily calories can come from splurges, treats or desserts. This keeps your glass of wine, square of dark chocolate or ice cream cone guilt-free, but also within your nutrition budget.

Plan healthy snacks!