Triathlon Nutrition: Learn how to fuel!

Explore triathlon nutrition by balancing calories, carbohydrates, protein (1.6 g/kg, ~25 g per meal across three to four meals) and fats, with emphasis on meal timing.

Explore how carbohydrates and fats power energy production and how fueling shifts with exercise intensity. Carbs rise with higher intensity, while fats dominate at lower intensity.

Time meals around workouts by distributing protein and carbs, not a large dinner; snacks are optional. Three meals aren’t healthier than six, and once-daily eating is not recommended for athletes.

Use the included calorie calculator to estimate daily needs by entering age, weight, height, and body fat. Compare resting metabolic rate estimates from three formulas and adjust with activity level.

Download a calculator to estimate your daily caloric needs and learn to distribute calories evenly across three meals with a snack, prioritizing intake around exercise for triathlon fueling.

Explain how fluids and electrolytes influence sweat, hydration, and performance during exercise. Show how dehydration raises heart rate and body temperature, and teach keeping body mass loss under 2 percent.

Compare coconut water with Gatorade endurance and Scratch, noting coconut water’s low sodium and high potassium, making it less suitable for endurance due to sodium loss and humidity-driven fluid needs.

Record your bodyweight before and after exercise to calculate percent body mass lost, repeat 2-3 times, then adjust your intake to prevent excessive loss, considering temperature, exercise intensity, and conditions.

Fuel training with duration-based carbohydrate intake: 30 g/h for 1–2 hours, 50–60 g/h for 2–3 hours, 70–90 g/h for 3+ hours, and use glucose plus fructose to reduce GI distress.

Plan carbohydrate intake around training by fueling more before, during, and after high‑intensity track sessions, and modestly for low‑intensity, long‑duration rides, to protect the carbohydrate gas tank.

Identify factors contributing to GI distress during exercise, including fat, fiber, and protein. Reduce these before workouts to speed digestion; reserve them for very long races like Ironman or marathons.

Prioritize carbohydrate per hour over total calories per hour to fuel triathlon performance. Choose quick-digesting carbs like dates or jam sandwiches and avoid fat and fiber-heavy options.

Rehydrate after exercise with fluids and electrolytes, replenish muscle glycogen with 50–75 g of carbohydrates, and rebuild tissue with 20–30 g of protein; support immunity with fruits and vegetables.

Explore how to vary carbohydrate availability around training, matching low-carb meals before easy workouts and high-carb meals before high-intensity sessions, and apply this weekly training approach to fueling.

Follow a science based nutrition plan for triathlons to maximize carbohydrate and fluid intake, achieve faster times, and enhance power, as studies show plan followers outperform self selected fueling.

Create a personalized triathlon nutrition plan from the downloadable template, setting weight, fluids, start sodium (about 500), and targeting 60 g carbs per hour for 2-3 hour workouts.

carb load the day before to fill muscles with carbohydrates, targeting 7–10 g/kg, using oatmeal, bagels, rice, pasta, and fruits, then top up on race morning with a small snack.

Design a fueling plan that meets fluid and calorie needs using Scratch exercise hydration, Clif shot blocks, jam and salt sandwiches, with German salt on white bread to speed digestion.

Download the fuel plant starter, set carbohydrate and fluid goals, adjust for sweat rate and sodium, and test on your next workout longer than an hour.

Review general nutrition, distribute protein through the day, time carbs with workouts, and fuel post-workout, then craft a practical race plan to boost performance.