AIS SPORTS NUTRITION

Excerpt: Common Nutrition Issues in Triathlon

Routine training loads for elite level triathletes increase daily energy (kilojoule), carbohydrate and protein requirements. Many triathletes in the past have focused exclusively on replacing carbohydrate at the expense of other nutrients such as protein. It is important for triathletes to ensure meals and snacks are based around nutritious carbohydrate foods to meet daily fuel and nutrient demands. Persistent fatigue, poor recovery, illness, and unwanted weight loss are common amongst triathletes who fail to adequately meet daily energy and nutrient requirements.

As triathletes are required to train 2-3 sessions each day, recovery from one training session to the next is crucial to maximise training gains. Triathletes need to plan their daily food intake to ensure regular snacks and meals are consumed around training sessions. It is important to have nutritious carbohydrate snacks on hand immediately after training to initiate the refuelling process. The following snacks are examples that provide sufficient carbohydrate to optimise recovery:

Male Athlete (target 60- 80 g carbohydrate) 200 g carton fruit yoghurt* + jam sandwich 200 g carton fruit yoghurt* + cereal bar + 250 ml of fruit juice Flavoured milk* + cereal bar + 1 banana 750-1000ml of Sports Drink 60 g Sustagen Sport* made with water + 1 large banana Sports Bar* + 500ml of Sports Drink

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