4 Nutrition Tips for Triathlon Beginners

There is lots of information out there if you are just beginning your training but here are 4 nutritional tips that I believe are essential when you’re FIRST starting out.  Trust me when I say there is no reason to make things complicated!

1.     Eat Carbs Every Day With Almost Every Meal.  Eating carbohydrates provide you with a guarantee that you are providing yourself with a wide range of antioxidants and nutrients to reduce the oxidative damage and inflammation caused by your training.  Remember, carbs include fruits and vegetables too - this is not a free pass to eat unlimited pasta!  It will also prevent you from waking up about 2am (seems to be the magic time) looking for food.

2.     Eat Your 5 A Day.  We all know the benefits of eating fruit and vegetables but sometimes you don’t eat as many as you should.  Make sure that you are getting your 5 a day to optimize your weight and nutrient intake.

3.     Healthy Snacks.  Planning ahead is key to sticking to your plan.  Pack yourself a couple of healthy snacks to take with you to work or when you’re on the go.  Not only will it save you lots of money but it will also keep you from making the wrong choices when the hunger pangs start.  Hangry anyone?

4.     Log Your Food Intake.  I’m sure you’ve heard this many times but, when you write down what you are actually consuming daily, you can see any bad habits and also check whether you are getting the right amount and variety of nutrients for your training schedule.

Message me at kara@triformations.com if you should have any other questions about your nutrition!  We can work together to get you on the right track!

photo credit: wuestenigel Vegetarische Wraps via photopin (license)

Post Long Run or Bike Smoothie

Smoothie Recipe

It's almost the weekend and for all of you weekend warriors, that means...LONG RUN or RIDE!  It also means that you need to pay particular attention to your post workout nutrition to help repair your muscles and properly prepare your body for your next workout.  

Here is one of my favorite smoothies to try :-)

Ingredients for Smoothie

(in no particular order)

• 1 Cup Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/4 Cup (2oz) 100% Juice
• 3/4 Cup (6oz) Water
• 1 Tsp Spirulina
• 1 Tsp Ground Chia Seeds (or Ground Flax)
• 3/4 Cup (6oz) Yogurt (Greek or Plain)
• 1/2 Scoop (15g) Protein Powder (Plant or Animal)
• 1/3 Banana (fresh or frozen)

Method:  Toss it all in a blender (preferably liquids first) and mix it up or about 30 to 60 seconds.

Quick Prepare Tip:  Mix all the ingredients except the frozen fruit in your blender cup and store it in the fridge.  When you get back from your workout, simply toss the fruit in, blend it and voila!  Yummy.

Beeeet it, Beat 'em!

As athletes, we are always looking for ways to become more efficient in our training so why not take advantage of this nutritional "freebie."

One of the benefits of adding beets to your diet (also known as blood turnips, garden beets or red beets), is that they have proven to be one of the best, all-natural performance enhancers for athletes who want to increase their endurance.  This is mainly due to their naturally high concentration of nitrates. 

Research is still at an early stage but studies have shown that the dietary nitrates in beets when converted to nitric oxide in the body helps to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to your working muscles.  Nitrates may also improve how efficiently your muscles process the work being done, meaning less energy is needed to produce the same amount of work, such as the amount of time it takes to get from A to B.

When selecting your vegetable sources, a good rule of thumb to note, is that natural (not a supplement) is always the better choice.  Please also keep in mind that beets contain fiber so consuming them before a long workout or a race may not be the best choice until you know how your body will react!

If you aren’t a fan of drinking beetroot juice on its own, you could try one of the beetroot salads found on Allrecipes.com.

You could even try the more portable option of a homemade protein bar recipe made with beets found on PaleOmazing.  Intolerant or allergic to milk and/or gluten?  This recipe is gluten free and you can replace the whey protein powder with a plant brand if you like!  The honey can also be replaced with agave syrup although agave syrup is slightly sweeter than honey but is also less viscous.  These bars are great to keep in the freezer for quick on the go snacks. 

Ingredients:

• 1 small cooked beet (palm sized)
• ¾ cup coconut flour
• 1⁄4 cup grass-fed whey vanilla protein powder
• 1 tablespoon natural almond or cashew butter or any other nut butter
• 1⁄4 cup almond milk
• 2-3 tablespoons honey 

Topping:

• ¼ cup 70-80% dark chocolate
•  1 tablespoon coconut oil