It is a
constant battle to satisfy the dietary needs of a serious triathlete. No matter
what their ability, provided they are training often, they’re getting hungry
every 2 – 3 hours.
Many amateur
triathletes have a massive weakness for cakes, muffins, pastries and Lattes
with a couple of sugars. Many assume it doesn’t matter because they’ll just
burn it off. This might apply to some but the effects of these less nutritious
snacks being consumed on a regular basis could have just as many negative effects
as they would have on a more sedentary person.
Professional
athletes, particularly those who win more than most, will tell you how
important it is to be disciplined. This applies to diet just as much as it does
to training because “you get out what you put in.” They win because they do
things right more often than anyone else. You will not achieve your full
potential if you do all the training you want but eat crap! Your body needs the
right nutrition to be fuelled appropriately for training and racing, but it
also needs the correct nutrition to recover from that training and racing.
Without considering the correct nutrition all of the time, you can do your body
a serious disservice.
This is a
mental challenge more than a physical one. It takes great will power and desire
to change from something you are used to doing, and probably have done for a
long time, and change to something different which you know is best for you.
A very common
issue that most people face is dessert and large amounts of carbohydrate at
night. Excessive simple carbohydrates consumed shortly before going to sleep is
a very easy way to ensure a higher than desired level of body fat. Simple
carbohydrates, or sugars, will remain in your body while you sleep because you
won’t burn them all off and they will then be stored as unwanted body fat. For
an athlete, this will mean unnecessary extra body weight to carry around the
race course and potentially slow you down, as well as making it harder to cool
down your core body temperature in hotter conditions.
The other big
problem for amateur athletes, who work full-time and may have kids, etc., is
being able to access nutritious food on-the-go while trying to fit in training,
work and family life. So, how do I ensure I get a nutritious diet when battling
full-time shift work, training 15+ hours per week and fitting in the other
important parts of life?
I like to
work by the following tips:-
Ø
Know
your body – It is essential that you know what food works for your body in
order to feel good. It must provide appropriate energy for training/racing,
promote recovery and be kind to your digestive system. Without a
well-functioning digestive system, you are likely to experience problems during
training and racing when your gut can be at its most sensitive. Consult a
professional such as, a Naturopath or Dietician, even your GP can help, and
figure out what works best for you. I have seen great improvements while
working with a Naturopath – Karina Farmers. You can find her through the
following website or her Facebook page below.
Ø
Be
prepared – This can pay huge dividends in time saved. Cooking meals in bulk and
freezing them is an obvious one. Carry a cooler bag or esky with several meal
options. Just plan ahead as often as possible and you will soon find yourself
eating better without breaking the bank by buying food everywhere you go.
Ø
Learn
to say NO! – Say no to those sugary treats more often. You don’t really need
them. There is plenty of natural sugar in many things like, fruit and honey,
etc. Carry things to be your alternative to these sugar filled items.
Ø
Don’t
get caught up with flavours – If you are used to eating food with huge flavours
or high levels of sweetness it will be a tough battle to conquer. However,
persistence is key. When you learn to enjoy nutritious food that you thought
was bland, you may just find yourself enjoying them more because your body
feels so much better after eating them. Although, healthy doesn’t always mean
tasteless. Just try it!
Ø
Keep
it simple – Using simple things like steamed vegies, which can be chucked in a
microwave for a few minutes to cook, accompanied by a tin of sardines, is a
straight forward example of a nutritious meal containing important vitamins,
minerals and a source of protein. Experiment a bit to find simple combinations
you enjoy.
Start
pondering. Think up and try some new things to kick start your way to a
manageable, nutritious diet that fits in with your lifestyle. When it gets
tough to avoid those guilty pleasures, remind yourself exactly why you’re
saying no to them and have a drink of water. Being mentally strong with your
diet will transfer over to mental strength in training and racing. There is
many benefits to be gained.
Bon Appetite!
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