My diet explained

Last time, I explained some reasons for triathletes needing to focus on their diet, just as much as their training, and being prepared as much as possible. So, what works for me?

I am going to explain my diet up to this point in my training for the Shepparton 70.3 Ironman and then explain what my plan is for the remaining 11 weeks until the race. I will also tell you about the little things I do to try and save myself time when it comes to meal preparation.

A regular daily diet, for me, would consist of the following:-

Ø  2 x wholemeal toast with jam OR 3 x poached eggs with avocado, tomato and Promite on 2 x toast. Plus 1 cup of tea, herbal tea OR coffee.

Ø  Post workout shake – 300mls low fat milk, Soy milk OR Rice milk. I add 20g protein, vitamin C powder, 1 banana and handful of mixed frozen berries.

Ø  Homemade Muesli (rolled oats, almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts) with mixed frozen berries and 3 – 4 tablespoons of natural yoghurt. 1 x tea OR coffee.

Ø  3 x rice cakes, 1 small tin of tuna and cottage cheese.

Ø  Steamed vegetables with 1 tin of sardines OR 1 x medium chicken breast.

Ø  1 x orange, 1 x apple.

Once a week, I will have a Bolognese dish with wholemeal pasta for lunch to have higher glycogen storage for long weekend training sessions. This will be in place of the rice cakes. Also, I will try to have 1 – 2 other serves of red meat throughout the week. This would usually be at night time with my steamed vegetables. I, also, currently take a Zinc supplement but I will be increasing the variety of supplements I take from now on as my training will become more demanding. I will include Magnesium, Glutamine and Creatine. However, I’ll take Creatine in cycles with periods where I won’t use it at all and load up on it for races and some of my biggest weekends of training.

The majority of my training is done in the morning which is why my carbohydrates are consumed in the first half of the day. I have toast, etc. prior to working out, a shake afterwards and then another high carbohydrate meal (muesli) shortly after that. The rest of the day is then focussed on good protein and good sources of vitamins and minerals through fruit and veg.

I take this approach as I am trying to become leaner, and hopefully a little lighter, before the season starts. I am 179cm tall and currently weigh approximately 76kg. I would like to be around 73kg. This would assist in all parts of my racing, provided I can, also, maintain and improve my strength and power. I know by completing all or at least 85% of my scheduled training, I will be burning enough calories to warrant some weight loss through bodyfat reduction. Of course, this will only happen with the correct diet which allows this to happen while supplying me with sufficient energy and nutrition to ensure proper recovery. Essentially, it will come down to me being vigilant in assessing my body constantly. Not letting myself get run down through overtraining and insufficient nutrition. First and foremost is getting to race day fit and healthy. Some weight loss will be a bonus.

During training, when required for sessions over one hour, I have been using energy gels, fruit, water and occasionally electrolyte drink. This will change significantly from now until the race. I will start using more electrolyte drinks and practice my calorie intake, with gels and energy bars, during my long weekend sessions. I will also consume an electrolyte drink prior to, and during, several mid-week sessions as the weather is starting to warm up.

Over the past 3 months, I have figured out a few simple processes which make a big difference in my ability to eat well at work without needing to go and purchase something to eat on a daily basis. Maybe, the following tips will work for you too:-

Ø  Get an approximately one litre sized plastic container suitable for steaming vegetables. Fill with desired raw vegetables, cut to appropriate size and take to work to store in the fridge until you are ready to microwave them for a few minutes at meal time. Add sardines or tuna as an easy source of protein or meat you have brought from home already cooked.

Ø  Fill a very large container (5 litres or more) with dry, muesli ingredients and store at work. Keep some yoghurt in the fridge and mixed berries in the freezer. Combine desired amounts in a large bowl for a convenient late breakfast after a pre-work training session or as a mid-morning feed.

Ø  Next time you’re on the bike wind-trainer for an hour or so (or during any home-based workout) put something in the oven or on the stove. Prepare some meat and vegies and pop them in the oven or put on a pot of soup and train while it’s cooking. When it’s cooked, stop your session, place the food out to cool down, complete your session and then you can put the cooked, cooled-down food in containers ready to go to work with you over the next few days.

Ø  I keep tins of tuna and sardines at work. A packet of rice cakes. Some cottage cheese in the work fridge. Anything that I may be able to keep at work for at least a week without it going off and is easy to turn into a nutritious meal.

Get creative with the time you use to prepare meals and try some new things. You’ll be amazed at the time you could save while still consuming the food you need to be healthy.