Triathletes face a daunting task in training for competitions. Training time can easily approach or top 20 hours per week. Many serious triathletes workout twice per day. The right kind of diet is essential to thrive during such a grueling training schedule. Monique Ryan, author of "Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes," addresses the diet demands of triathletes in an article for the USA Triathlon website. It provides a comprehensive approach to properly fueling your body to be at your best during training and competition.
Grazing
Lack of time, fatigue and lack of appetite may sabotage your diet for the triathlon. Ryan suggests stocking up on the foods you will need, cooking ahead of time when possible, and freezing extra portions. "Dedicated eating takes dedicated planning, just as your training program does," she writes. Develop a habit of grazing, eating six to eight meals per day. You should eat at least two hours before training to maximize the quality of your workouts. You will need to consume 3,000 to 5,000 calories per day to maintain your strength, so add calories to your meals as needed. Some ways to add calories -- make oatmeal with milk instead of water, spread breads and bagels with hummus, honey or peanut butter, add proteins such as tuna and chickpeas to salads and eat calorie dense desserts such as fig bars, low-fat frozen yogurt and low-fat muffins.
Sample Meals
A sample seven-meal daily menu might start off with an early-morning snack of 16 oz. apple juice and 16 oz. water. After a morning workout, your recovery breakfast could be 2 cups of low-fat granola, 12 oz. soy milk and a banana. For a recovery snack, try 6 oz. of yogurt with fruit, 1/2 cup of wheat germ and 1 oz. of low-fat cheese. Have a turkey sandwich for lunch with a pear and 1 cup of bulgur salad with vegetables and 3 oz. olive oil. Your pre-exercise snack could be an energy bar, 12 oz. cranberry juice, 1 tbsp. peanut butter, 1 apple and 1 tbsp. of almonds. Following your afternoon workout, dinner could consist of fish, broccoli and sweet peppers and rice with sesame seed oil. For your evening snack, try a cup of frozen yogurt and a cup of strawberries. This totals 3,400 calories.
Reloading and Recovery
Given the training schedule for a triathlete, you are almost always in a refueling or a recovery phase. Sports nutritionist Mary Ellen Bingham says that "whatever you chose to consume after your workouts will affect the way your body recovers between training sessions." After a workout, reload within 30 minutes, since muscles are most able to quickly absorb nutrients during this time. Sports drinks, energy bars, fruit juices and, perhaps surprisingly, low-fat chocolate milk can do the job of restoring muscle glycogen, hydration and sodium and other electrolytes. A ration of 3:1 or 4:1 carbs to proteins is considered ideal for recovery. Whey protein, dairy, soy, lean meat and nuts are good protein choices. Or drink 24 oz. of chocolate milk, containing 84 g carbs, 26 g protein, 3 g fat and 345 mg of sodium, close to an ideal mix of nutrients.
Considerations
Weigh yourself before and after your workout. For each pound lost, drink 24 oz. of fluid. Sports drinks containing sodium, as well as water, are good choices. After your recovery snack and within two hours of your workout, eat a balanced meal with protein, vegetables, healthy fats and starch. Examples include salmon, sweet potatoes and steamed vegetables or chicken and vegetables mixed with olive oil and parmesan cheese. Bingham sums up: "Proper nutrition and hydration is essential before,during, and after you cross the finish line."
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