Anyone who does a lot of fitness training will know that they’re burning up the food they eat more efficiently and quickly than when they’re in an inactive phase, and there’s a tendency to think that as long as you’re exercising you can eat what you like, as you’ll soon be getting rid of those calories.

While this is true to a certain extent if you snack on anything you feel like, you may not be getting the best results from those foods. For instance, a doughnut might taste good, but it’s likely just to give you a quick sugar-rush burst of energy, rather than providing you with the slow-release energy that will see you through your next training session.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeHx8mLhd4R/

Snacking itself isn’t a problem, though, and can actually be a good way of providing you with sustained amounts of energy through the day, as long as you pick the right things to snack on. Some triathletes aim for six mini-meals a day, rather than three big ones. It depends on how much time you have available, of course, but remember you don’t need to cook each time you need to eat. You can include some raw snack options and also fit meals in after a training session. For instance, if you start the day with a training session before work, there’s nothing to stop you ordering breakfast to be delivered to your desk. The evolution of take-out and delivered foods means that today, take-out can be just as healthy as something you’d prepare yourself at home – there’s no limit on what you can order in if you’re short of time.

By having a range of nutrient-dense snacks to eat in between the classic meal times of breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can keep your glycogen levels up and ready for training sessions, and keep your appetite at bay, so you don’t end up bingeing on junk. A healthy snack doesn’t have to be hard to throw together.

Go-to mini-meals or snacks

To maintain blood sugar levels, an ideal training snack will contain both protein and fibre. Proteins are good for muscle mass but also satisfying your appetite. Eating fibre-rich foods allows your blood sugar to rise steadily and fibre provides volume to make you feel satisfied. It also aids digestion and encourages regular bowel movements.

Simple snacks that fit the bill might include a handful of almonds and a sliced apple, or a plate of carrot sticks and a portion of hummus. Sweeten things up with a Greek yoghurt, topped with raspberries and a few walnuts or pumpkin seeds. If you’re in a savoury mood cold roast beef slices layered with cheese slices and cherry tomatoes can be made into an appetising snack in seconds if you’ve got a well-stocked fridge. Baked potatoes can be cooked the night before and eaten cold, or reheated in a microwave, and adding cheese or tuna will provide the protein.

Punctuate your day with a snack like those described above an hour and a half after each main meal, and you’ll avoid hunger pangs and keep your body fuel

After a long hard workout I like to get fueled right away. I find it easiest for me to get down a smoothie rather than solid food. By making a smoothie I am able to pack it full of nutrient dense foods. Below is my “go to” –

Most triathletes, at every level, spend a great deal of time tweaking their gear and tweaking their training programs. But I’m amazed by the number of athletes who neglect an area of preparation that can potentially have more impact on their performance and results than any other, especially on race day – nutrition.

The effect nutrition can have on performance was highlighted when I was competing in Ironman  70.3 Cairns. Normally I use a Bento box to carry my nutrition, but since Cairns was a 70.3 I decided to try taping my gels to the top tube of my bike. It seemed like a good idea, until the rain came down and I lost all five gels. When you’re burning more than 700 calories an hour you need all the calories you can get and there’s no way you can give your best when you’re running on empty. I ended up coming in fourth. I learnt two important lessons in Cairns – don’t trust tape on a rainy day and take your nutrition seriously if you want to succeed.

Nutrition is a massive topic, so rather than try and cover everything I want to give you my own ‘Bento box’ of ideas, information and tips. Here’s some wisdom that comes out of my own experience and research. Dip into it and grab whatever is helpful. I’ve broken it down into tips that will help you with your nutrition before the race, during the race and after the race. Enjoy!

Before the race

When you are tapering your training load before a race, you’ll need to carefully watch your food intake and reduce it accordingly. Less training means you need less calories, so try to balance your calorie input with energy output. Concentrate on eating healthy, nutritious, balanced meals. Eat clean!

• 7 days out from a race – continue to eat well, stay with foods you’re used to and don’t overdo the carbs at this point. Sleep is really important, so avoid too much caffeine.
• 3 days before the race – it’s time to increase your carb intake (by 50% or so) and start loading. Magnesium loading will reduce the likelihood of cramps on race day. Cut down on fibre to lessen the chances of gastric upset and definitely steer clear of the spicy stuff. Keep it simple.
• The day before the race it’s time for some final carb loading, especially at lunchtime. Your evening meal shouldn’t be too heavy – you definitely want it to be digested before race time in the morning and you want a good night’s sleep – eat earlier rather than later.

Be aware that as you carb-load your weight will increase slightly – your body stores 3g of water for every 1g of glycogen it has stored. You will lose this during the course of the race.

Race day

Your body can store roughly 2000 calories in your muscles and liver as glycogen and in your bloodstream as glucose. When you wake up, you will need to top up the energy you’ve burned overnight. That’s going to be an early breakfast. Experts suggest that you need to consume roughly 2g of carbs per kg of body weight and recommend eating it at least two hours before the race – which makes for a very early start! Keep your breakfast low in fibre, low in fat and easily digestible.

• Whatever you’re going to eat pre-race, make sure you have ‘road-tested’ it beforehand so you know that your stomach is going to be okay with it. Take into account the pre-race nerves too.
• Your body can store enough carbs for roughly 60 – 90 minutes of racing, depending on the intensity. That means that when you come out of the water after the swim you’re already heading into calorie deficit and will need to start refueling straight away. You may feel hungry, but eat something anyway – a gel, small snack or sports drink.
• The bike leg is the best opportunity to get some calories into your body. Most athletes use gels and fluids as their primary source of carbs on the ride. Stick with whatever is kind to your stomach and ensure that you are getting enough energy each hour to set you up for the run.
• Remember eating isn’t just about providing the required calories. I know some Aussie athletes who love Vegemite sandwiches – they are tasty, high in easily digested carbs and have plenty of salt to help reduce the risk of cramps. I like to carry some treats in my special needs bag. Sometimes a Mars Bar is a good treat which helps me stay positive as well.

Post-race recovery

After a race nothing hits the spot like a cold beer! But it’s important to realise that an Ironman event places a massive strain on your body and recovery is as important as preparation for a triathlete. So, before you drink alcohol, carefully consider how you can quickly begin the refuelling and repairing process. Here are some tips to aid your post-race recovery:

• Your key goals are to restore your liver and muscle glycogen stores and replace the fluid and electrolytes that you have lost through sweating. Obviously, the extent of these deficits will depend on the intensity of the racing and the conditions you’ve been racing in. For example, Kona is an intense race and even on a good day the heat and humidity are tough. When you cross the finish line your glycogen levels are depleted and you are significantly dehydrated. A cold beer is not going to be enough!
• It may take up to 24 hours to restore your muscle glycogen levels. Current research indicates that immediately beginning to consume carbs, in the form of high GI foods can help with this process. How much should you eat? The experts suggest consuming 1 -1.5g per kg of body weight of carbs in the first few hours is optimal and about 6 -10g per kg of body weight in total over the first 24 hours will significantly aid recovery.
• You will also need to rehydrate and replace the sodium lost through sweat. Most sports drinks don’t have quite enough salt, since this can affect the taste, so you can add this in through what you eat.
• Coffee, caffeine-rich energy drinks and alcoholic beverages may make you feel better, but they’re all diuretics, so they’re not going to help with the rehydration process. Enjoy them sparingly if you want to recover quickly and effectively.
• Recognise that deliberately and sensibly eating and drinking may be the last two things you feel like doing, so plan for your post-race recovery beforehand and then stick to the plan – your body will thank you and you will recover much quicker after the race.

A final word

I know many triathletes who are more concerned about the fuel they put into their cars than what they put into their bodies. You need to take nutrition seriously – the time and energy you put into developing a nutrition plan that effectively and comprehensively covers training, racing and recovery is a great investment. And it’s an investment that will pay off in helping you achieve your best both on and off the course. Eat healthy, eat right and reap the benefits!

Why it is so important to keep your immune system strong & why it will help you go faster!

We’ve all heard it before – ‘eat more fruit and veg’, ‘sleep more’ blah blah…. But as endurance athletes and mostly as age group athletes who work and have many other commitments other than training, it is often these points that are ignored for ‘more kms’ in the strive to get faster. In this article, and in following ones, I am going to explain to you why it is vital that you listen to these messages and why there is far more to getting ‘fit’ (& then faster) than just training.

When we train, we are putting our bodies under stress. This stress is designed to break our bodies down slightly, so that when we are recovering from training, we rebuild stronger and faster than before. Sounds simple right???

If we don’t give our body the right conditions to rebuild, or don’t allow it the time to recover, we will end up just breaking it down bit by bit. This so often ends in illness or injury, which is so common in the build up to Ironman race day.

Many studies have shown that ‘moderate’ exercise improves our immune system, giving us greater ability to ward off bugs and prevent injury. However, I don’t consider training for an Ironman, a half ironman or training seriously for shorter races to be ‘moderate’! Above this moderate level of exercise, our bodies immune systems are actually weakened by the long hours we are spending trying to get faster.

To me, a fit athlete is not necessarily a healthy one. So often people will arrive at their ‘A’ race either sick, having been sick or injured. The healthier you can keep yourself and your immune system during the build up to your big race, the more likely you will be able to get through the training and be able to peak at the right time! While it is always a tough juggle, especially for those time poor athletes, try to avoid being one of those athletes with their eyes hanging out of their heads!

There are several key areas that will help you keep that immune system strong and your body absorbing all the training you are putting it through.

Anti-oxidants

Our bodies naturally produce free radicals, which for the chemically  minded, are molecules which lead to destruction inside our bodies. These have been shown to deplete our immune system and can contribute to injury or sickness.  When our bodies are under stress, especially during intense exercise, their production is increased.

Anti-oxidants are the saviours, as they pair with free radicals to stop them being destructive. While our bodies produce some anti-oxidants, during times of stress or high training load, supplementation is vital to keep this balance under control. Foods such as beetroot, sweet potato, berries, red capsicum, oranges and broccoli contain high levels of anti-oxidants. The other way to combat these free radicals is supplementation with Vitamin A, C and E and minerals zinc and iron , which are all high in anti-oxidants. Alternatively several vitamin manufacturers make a stand alone anti-oxidant supplement. Many leading nutritionists recommend however that you get these from whole foods, as they contain other vitamins and minerals which are essential for good health.

Additionally the typical ‘more is better’ attitude that so many athletes employ has been recently shown not to work with anti-oxidants, (with the exception of Vit. C). Thus a diet rich in whole foods can help to moderate this and give our bodies the required levels and may even help you in the quest to become leaner for that big race.

A more recently researched mineral or flavonoid is Quercetin, which is also a powerful anti-oxidant. Early research has shown this to also be very supportive of our immune system by fighting virus’, have strong anti-inflammatory properties and support cardio-vascular health. Quercetin is found richly in blueberries, apples, red onions, tea and broccoli.  While early studies are limited, it has also been shown so far to improve endurance capacity.

Sleep

When we are asleep our bodies are repairing and rebuilding from the damage we do to them every day by normal life and training. During our sleep our bodies are reaping the rewards of training, not during the actual training itself. Training puts stress on many of our bodies systems and breaks us down slightly, with the effect of this being our bodies ‘super compensating’ and rebuilding stronger and faster than before. Additionally, during our sleep is also the only time our bodies are producing Human Growth Hormone, which is vital for us as athletes to get stronger and quicker.

Considering these facts, if we cut our sleep short, we are not only limiting the amount we absorb from our training, we are also risking injury and illness. This then has a two-fold negative effect on our performance.

Diet

It is vital that while we train and immediately following training that we eat something which contains carbohydrates and ideally protein (especially post exercise). While many of us recognise the importance of this on immediate performance, it is also very important for our immune systems. This is because when our blood glucose levels are low, it triggers our bodies to release stress hormones, which suppress the immune system. Additionally when our bodies don’t have the required protein to ‘rebuild’ post exercise, it makes our immune system further susceptible, as our bodies require protein to build the necessary cells, antibodies and cytokines to fight illness.

An important thing to remember also is that every cell in our bodies is replaced every 6 weeks and during heavy training, even less. Therefore the quality of these cells is highly dependent upon what we give our bodies to produce these cells (nutrition, hydration) and the conditions we expose our bodies to (sleep, stress, training). The higher quality these are, the higher quality the cells will be and therefore the better you will feel and the better you will perform!

So in the lead up to the last races of the season, whether you are just looking to finish or to win, there is far more to performance than just the hours or kilometres. Don’t lose sight of the ‘small things’ which are vital for performance.

The simple message is; if you treat your body well, it will treat you well when it really counts.

 

Training & Racing Fuel

Now I know a lot of you are interested in learning what gluten free foods/fuel I use in my training and racing. I am going to share this with you, but do warn that you may be a little disappointed. I say this because, quite honestly, I keep it pretty simple. Your nutrition plan doesn’t have to be a complex science experiment, nor do you need a science degree to devise one. Quite simply, you need to determine what foods work best for you, experiment a little with the quantity, combinations, and timing of ingestion, and stick to what works.

So without further adieu, here you go!

Training

Your fueling requirements are going to differ with the phase of training you are in, and your specific goals related to training intensities and body composition. At present I am focussing on building a big aerobic base and improving my body composition, thus my training fuel is kept to a minimum. I stick to water for hydration, and natural foods for fuel – banana’s and dates being my preferred fuel source. I will throw in a protein/natural food bar if I need it on longer/harder workouts.

For my bars I stick to products that are made entirely from natural food sources, including dates, almond butter, nuts, seeds, coconut, coconut oil, fruit and usually some sea salt. There are plenty of options available in health food stores and supermarkets world wide, or you can make your own. I mostly stay away from sports performance drinks in training, but do introduce them at the end of hard workouts leading into races so that my body is used to ingesting them. If I haven’t raced for a while or am not racing often I will do a race nutrition simulation 2 weeks out from the race, although generally you will get plenty of testing done in your low-key races.

Training fuel sources

• Bananas
• Dates (I personally prefer the big, juicy Californian dates)
• Natural food bars (homemade or a few preferred brands whilst traveling)
• Snickers bars for long, hard sessions (or if I find myself out on the road needing more fuel – you can find them everywhere)
• Cytomax sports performance drink (race simulation)
• Muscle Milk protein powders (for recovery)

Racing

I always race with the same nutrition plan, and that is giving my body what it wants, when it wants it. Whilst this can differ slightly, it is only slight. I use the same fuel sources; I might just change up when I ingest what. Things that affect this include your current level of fitness, heat, humidity, cold (I need more calories during cold races), race tactics etc.

As mentioned above I stick to the same fuel sources, adding in more concentrated fuel sources to my race nutrition plan.

Racing fuel sources

• Bananas, dates and natural food bars as above
• Snickers bars (NB: Mars Bars are NOT gluten free)
• Cytomax sports performance drink
• Cytomax energy drops
• Gel (I use these minimally) – check they are gluten free, although most are
• Muscle Milk powder varieties for recovery

People often ask me about the Snickers bars – I don’t chow these down every hour!! I cut them in half and pop in a bento box so they don’t melt, and generally stick to 1 in an Ironman race. Sometimes I’ll go 2. I have been known to have half on the marathon, but I was an adventure racer so used to digesting on the run 😉 Generally I would recommend sticking to these on the bike if you want to try them!!

Additionally, here are some of my all time rules for race nutrition:

Rule 1: Never ingest a carbohydrate solution and food/gel at the same time! No questions, just never do it.

Rule 2: Don’t use gels just because others do. Personally my body can only tolerate a small amount of gel, and thus I only use a small amount. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to “teach” my body to tolerate gels, bottom line, they don’t agree with me in large quantities. Everyone is different. Dates are my gel. Natural, tasty, quick release sugar and they are available everywhere (fresh or packaged at a pinch). Again, dates work for me, but might not for you.

Rule 3: Salt requirements are an individual thing, some people need lots, and others need little. You can work this out in an expensive laboratory, or you can experiment. Personally I experimented until I worked out what suits my body in different environments. Don’t forget that your electrolyte drink contains sodium, as do your gels, bars etc so take this all into account before adding salt tablets to the equation.

Day To Day Gluten Free Eating & Nutrition

As I’ve mentioned previously, I stick to a paleo inspired diet, which is naturally gluten free. This is a completely different discussion so I won’t go into detail on this aspect of my diet, but instead give you a good run down on how you can fuel yourself throughout each and every day, with tasty, nutritious gluten free food.

Breakfast

The first step is accepting that things are going to be a little different following a gluten free diet. The tastes and texture of foods will be what stands out, and the cost. A forewarning, the gluten free diet isn’t the cheapest to follow. So be prepared for an adjustment period, remain open to new ideas and if you don’t like something, don’t feel you’re stuck with no options. There is plenty of variety and eventually you’ll work out what you enjoy best.

Cereals

There are plenty of GF cereals available in your local supermarket, no need to visit the health food stores and pay exuberant amounts. You can get everything from GF muesli’s, alternative grain flake cereals, coco-pop and rice bubble (children’s “fun”) cereals, and porridge (forget traditional oat porridges). Quinoa flakes also make a great porridge and are quick and easy to prepare.

NB: Gluten free Oats

There is much controversy over the suitability of “gluten free oats” for people with coeliac disease. Oats are thought to contain gluten through contamination in the manufacturing process. Specialty oats produced in a gluten free facility are available, although oats do contain a protein that mimics gluten, and thus creates adverse effects in some people with coeliac disease.

Toast

There are plenty of gluten free breads on the market. Many are terrible, and could form the brickwork of a house. What is available locally is obviously location and country dependant. Local farmers market’s often have fresh loaves with fewer preservatives than commercial brands, and often provide samples. Trial and error is the best bet here to find one you personally like. I often choose based on the ingredients, as I like to avoid grains such as corn and rice, and opt for more nutritious grains such as quinoa. A blend of flours is often a good middle ground and provides a nicer texture than loaves based on just one flour.

The same goes for baking your own bread. This is my favourite approach, and when I have time is the only GF bread I will touch. As above, a blend of 3 gluten free flours seems to produce the best results. I’ll share some of my favourite recipes on my website soon!

Most gluten free breads are best toasted, and freeze any that you don’t plan on eating within 1 – 2 days for optimal freshness.

Eggs

Eggs are, in my opinion, faultless. I love them. Poached, scrambled, fried in a non-stick pan, hard boiled, soft boiled, or made into omelettes, they are delicious, nutritious and filling. Served on gluten free bread or simply with a side of fruit salad, you can’t go wrong with eggs. NB: I buy only fresh, free range organic eggs – yes they are expensive, but I was victim of salmonella poisoning from contaminated (cheap) eggs in 2010 and refuse to go cheap on them anymore.

Smoothies

A quick, easy and if need be portable breakfast option, smoothies can be tailored to your individual preferences with ease. Personally I freeze my favourite fruits in advance (banana, strawberries, mixed berries, mango, peaches) thus creating a thick consistency to your smoothie. Combine your choice of frozen fruit, almond milk (or dairy, coconut or soy), yogurt (natural or greek is best), and protein powder (my favourite is Muscle Milk, always check the label to make sure it is gluten free) and you have a delicious meal or substantial snack in minutes. You can add extra ingredients to your smoothies, such as LSA (crushed linseeds, sunflower seeds & almonds), your favourite nut butter (careful on the portions here), coconut oil, cinnamon and maple syrup or honey.

Lunch

Now if you’re used to eating sandwiches, your days of eating sandwiches, as you know them is over. Accept and move forward. Gluten free breads simply don’t taste that pleasant untoasted, and due to the denseness of the alternative ingredients used, the slices are generally smaller for the same caloric content.

Salads

It is amazing how filling and satisfying a good salad can be. If you’re thinking of simple lettuce, tomato and cucumber salads, forget it. Salads don’t need to be boring. Think colour and variety.

My favourite salad ingredients include:

• Dark green leafy salad base (baby spinach, rocket, kale, mixed greens etc)
• Colourful raw or cooked vegetables (roasted vege’s are my favourite)
  Protein (boiled eggs, leftover chicken or meat, pancetta or ham)
• Cheese (goats fetta, haloumi, parmesan are my picks)
• Avocado
• Nuts and seeds (walnuts, macadamia’s, almonds, sunflower seeds etc)
• Healthy dressings like simple balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper

Obviously you wouldn’t use all of these in one salad, mix it up and get creative.

Quinoa

An amazing gluten free food which can be served with some salad or protein, or can be used in a salad as you would cous cous (of which is not gluten free!). I have some amazing quinoa recipes I’ll share on my website shortly.

Eggs

As per breakfast, eggs are brilliant any time of the day. Leftover frittata with some salad is a favourite of mine.

Smoothie

Again as per breakfast a smoothie is a quick, portable lunch option.

Rice cakes

Top rice cakes (thick, thin, flavoured, unflavoured) with your favourite ingredients. A good base to spread onto rice cakes is avocado, hummus or tahini. Top with some protein (tuna is great, sliced egg, chicken, ham) and a little vegetable (baby spinach, rocket, sundried tomato, fresh tomato, herbs) and a little sprinkle of fetta or cheese of your choice. Finish with salt and pepper.

Sandwiches and rolls

Now whilst gluten free bread is very different to what you may be used to, you can still have a sandwich, hamburger, or focaccia. There are an increasing number of specialist bakeries producing gluten free bakery products including hamburger and hot dog buns, focaccia bread, Panini’s, bread rolls, lavish type breads etc.
From experience I would recommend at least lightly toasting these products before use, although personal preferences will come in to play here. Gluten free bread products are becoming more widely available in café’s and restaurants, just make sure they know you are coeliac if that’s the case so they’re aware for cross contamination purposes.

Dinner

To be honest not much really has to change here. You may have to alter the brands you buy for particular sauces and dressings, although every dish you have enjoyed previously should have an easy to prepare gluten free alternative.

Gluten free alternative for popular ingredients:

• Pasta: gluten free pasta (you can also get gluten free lasagne sheets)
• Cous cous: quiona (cook like you would rice)
• Wheat noodle varieties: rice noodles
• Gnocchi: Gluten free gnocchi varieties are available or you can make your own
• Soy sauce: Tamari or gluten free soy sauce
• Stir fry sauces and marinades: Plenty of gluten free brands available – most should be labelled gluten free, if not the check ingredients list for wheat, malt vinegar, barley malt or malted barley.
• Salad dressings: As above for sauces, watch especially for malt and barley, especially in creamy dressings.
• Sausages: Gluten free sausages in supermarkets & most butchers

Desserts

I can guarantee that this one will get you more often than not during social gatherings, unless your friends are also gluten free, or know you are and are very thoughtful people! Gluten free desserts are easy to prepare and there are alternatives for almost every dessert out there. I will share some of my favourites on my website over time so keep an eye out for them!

One point of note is the ingredient wheat glucose syrup – despite the word wheat, this particular ingredient is said to be so highly processed that the gluten cannot survive the manufacturing process. You will find wheat glucose syrup in some ice creams and confectionary. Provided there are no other gluten containing ingredients (look out for wheat starch and barley malt) you are safe to eat these products. The same goes for dextrose. For further clarification please consult a coeliac support website.

Snacks

Snacks are easy if you ask me, start with fresh fruit, yoghurt (natural or greek are my favourite), hummus with vege sticks or rice crackers, mixed nuts, boiled eggs, gluten free muesli bars or home made slices/muffins, the choices are endless. Always be sure to check ingredient labels and allergy warnings, and if unsure, don’t eat it!!

So there you have it, a little insight into how I fuel myself during training, racing, and in everyday eating, on a strict gluten free diet. As you can see, you’ll never go hungry, and although you will have to make some changes, once you get your head around what you can eat and what you can’t, it’s really pretty simple. Sometimes change is a good thing!!