There is so much hype surrounding sports nutrition these days; the science is evolving, with an increasing number of studies proving that nutrition plays an important part in performance gains. This chapter will help you to understand why correct fuelling around your triathlon training is important to achieve your goals and optimize your performance.
You will probably have some idea of the basics of good nutrition – for example, that you should eat carbohydrate for energy, protein for repair, fat to absorb important nutrients, and vitamins and minerals for a healthy immune system. In this chapter we will look at these factors in more detail and I will explain how the quality of these nutrients, and when you consume them, plays a fundamental role in sports nutrition.
So, whether your weekly training is less than 10 hours or over 20 hours, the basic principles of good nutrition are applicable to all; whether you’re a novice or an Olympian, a Sprint triathlete or Ironman, you need to begin with a strong nutritional foundation. Once this has been established, you can move on to a more detailed nutritional plan, helping to make you stronger, fitter and more able to meet your performance goals.
When working with sports nutrition, it is normal to calculate the nutritional requirements for each macro-nutrient to ensure that training fuel demands are being met. These are converted based on your weight in kilograms, so throughout the book I will be referring to grams of nutrients per kilogram of your body weight, or as you will see it displayed: ‘g/kg BW’. Therefore, a great starting point would be to calculate your weight in kilograms. Most home scales will have conversions. Using metric values ensures greater accuracy.
The main difference between healthy eating and sports nutrition is the attention to detail and the fine-tuning of nutrient delivery. In healthy eating, the ultimate goal is to promote long-term good health and fend off increased risks of disease, while maintaining a balance so that food is still enjoyable. In comparison, sports nutrition, although still based on healthy eating guidelines to an extent, is performance driven. It is about getting the best out of your training over the three disciplines, whether that’s an early-morning swim session followed by a lunch-time run, or a three-hour bike ride at the weekend. Tailoring your nutrition choices to your training, including the intensity, frequency and volume, will ensure that you have:
1 > Put the right amount and type of fuel into your body to meet the demands of your training session, allowing you to perform to your best ability (we will go into this in more detail when we discuss different intensity levels of training in Chapter 2)
2 > Made the correct choices after your training session, helping your body to recover, repair and adapt
The key to good sports nutrition is both preparation and organization; fundamentally, to achieve your goal you need to tailor your nutrition to the exact training session. It’s not just about energy in and energy out. By just meeting energy demands, you may be able to carry out all your training but you may not see any actual improvements in your day-to-day training and overall performance.
Making good nutritional choices will ensure that the following adaptations occur from training:
>>> Increases in strength and lean muscle mass
>>> Good consistency at each training session, ensuring you can conduct each one to the best of your ability and progress your performance
>>> Good sleep patterns, a good mood and high energy levels
So what types of food should you eat before a training session? Training is the stimulus that sends messages to your muscles to work at a specific level. In order for this stimulus to work effectively, you will need to feed it appropriately. What you feed your body before training will very much depend on what the session is and its intensity.
Like most people you probably eat carbohydrate before you exercise, to give you energy. However, when you go for a 45-minute swim, do you ever stop to think about how much carbohydrate you really need? Would the choice be different if you were going out to swim 45 minutes hard or if you were just going for a social recovery swim with some friends? The reality is that you would need a lot less carbohydrate, in fact probably none, if you were just going for a recovery swim, but your body would struggle to maintain a high intensity swim for 45 minutes, without carbohydrate.
Carbohydrate is stored within our muscles and liver as glycogen (see page 14). When your body signals that it needs energy, for example during exercise, it converts this glycogen into glucose and transports it to the working muscle to ensure that the level of activity can be maintained. Although your body could get energy from fat stores, the subsequent processes to convert fat to glucose take too long and so cannot support high-intensity exercise. This is why it is so important to fuel your body with carbohydrate prior to hard training such as a threshold swim, turbo bike intervals or track session.
So what happens if, for example, you have a bowl of porridge/oatmeal and then head out for a slow recovery swim with friends? Your body still uses the carbohydrate provided by the porridge/oatmeal as it is still the most available source of fuel. What is so bad about that, you might ask? Well nothing really, unless you want to lose some body fat or you want to become fat adapted (see page 73).
To use fat as fuel, you need to train at a moderate to low intensity (see Chapter 2) because this level of activity is slow enough to allow your body time to provide the energy it needs from fat stores. So if you have a few pounds to shift or are trying to become a bit leaner, you can achieve your goal with this type of training session as long as you do it in a fasted state or ensure that your last meal did not contain carbohydrate.
Some of my athletes, particularly ultra-endurance athletes, such as Ironman triathletes, like to become ‘fat adapted’ – this means that their body becomes more efficient at using fat as fuel and so can help ‘spare’ glycogen stores in longer endurance events. When you think about training nutrition, ask yourself:
1 > What type of session is this going to be? High, medium or low intensity?
2 > How long is this training session going to be?
3 > What are my body composition goals?
Answering these questions will help you to choose the correct fuel and the correct portion size.
Most triathletes are aware of the need to consume carbohydrate as fuel for training sessions. There does, however, seem to be a lot of mixed messages about carbohydrate fuelling when it comes to timing, type and portion size. It is important to be aware that some carbohydrates are more desirable than others!
In general terms, your carbohydrate requirement depends upon your activity level; it is the key fuel source for exercise as it is broken down into glucose and utilized by the body to provide energy to the working muscles. Carbohydrate is stored as glycogen within the liver and muscles. It is the source within the muscle that is the most readily available during exercise, releasing energy more quickly than other fuel sources. Storage within the muscle is limited, which can be an issue in longer moderate- to high-pace endurance training sessions. Inadequately fuelled muscles will lead to fatigue and poor performance, and will potentially depress your immunity, increasing your risk of illness and injury.
Regardless of what distance you are training for, it is really important to plan your carbohydrate intake around training sessions; the amount you require depends upon the frequency, duration and intensity of your training. You will need to consume more carbohydrate around high-intensity sessions and less on lower-intensity or rest days. This is summarized in the table opposite and we’ll look at it in more detail in Chapter 2.
To help you meet your needs, it is important to understand the difference in the types of carbohydrate that are available. Over the years, carbohydrates have been classified in many different ways; the most common types are simple and complex, but you may also be familiar with high GI (glycaemic index) and low GI. The glycaemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydratecontaining foods based on the overall effect of each food on blood-glucose levels. Foods that the body absorbs slowly have a low GI rating, while foods that are more quickly absorbed have a higher rating.
Most recently, sports nutritionists have started to use the terms ‘nutrient dense’, ‘nutrient poor’ or ‘high fat’ types of carbohydrate. Nutrient-dense carbohydrates are those that provide carbohydrate as well as other nutrients; examples include bread, fruit and dairy and these should be included regularly in the diet. Nutrient-poor carbohydrates provide carbohydrate but no other useful nutrients; some examples include energy drinks and sugar. High-fat options provide carbohydrate but also a high percentage of fat. Try to keep these foods to a minimum; examples include chocolate and pastries.
These different types of carbohydrate are summarized in the table below:
TABLE 1.1 Types of carbohydrate
It is difficult to quantify the percentage of overall diet that should be formed of carbohydrate, which is why no matter whom I work with I use the guidelines in Table 1.2 (see overleaf). However, these are ball-park figures and will vary from individual to individual. Additionally, there is a gender difference: women, in general, utilize a much lower amount of carbohydrate than men for the same level of intensity. In addition, a woman’s carbohydrate use will vary according to where she is in her menstrual cycle.
| Exercise intensity | Situation | Carbohydrate targets for women | Carbohydrate targets for men |
| Light | Low-intensity or skillbased activities, such as plyometrics or movement patterns; core work or exercising less than three times per week | 3–5g/kg BW | 2–4g/kg BW |
| Moderate | Running for about an hour a day at a steady pace that enables you to have a conversation | 5–7g/kg BW | 3–5g/kg BW |
| High | Running at moderate–high intensity for 1–3 hours a day, including double days | 6–10g/kg BW | 5–7g/kg BW |
| Very high | Extreme running – moderate –high-intensity, or long runs (20 miles plus) back to back for several days | 8–12g/kg BW | 8g/kg BW |
TABLE 1.2 Carbohydrate intake requirements for different training intensities
So, for a moderately active 60kg/132lb adult, who trains for 30–45-minutes across all three disciplines, three times per week, this works out to be 3 x 60g = 180g of carbohydrate a day. I recommend that you derive this carbohydrate solely from nutrient-dense foods (see Table 1.1). Even within this group, certain foods will make the carbohydrate go further: 100g/3½oz rolled oats provides 60g of carbohydrate but 100g/3½oz of butternut squash only provides 20g. You would need to eat 300g/10½oz of squash to provide 60g. Here are some other examples:
>>> 100g/3½oz wholemeal bread will provide 60g of carbohydrate
>>> 1 banana will provide 25g of carbohydrate
>>> 400g/14oz drained can of chickpeas will provide 39g of carbohydrate
So by using more of the vegetables, fruit and legumes as your carbohydrate source, your allowance will go a lot further.
In one of my favourite examples of different types of carbohydrates, I compare jelly babies to potatoes. Ten jelly babies provide 60g of carbohydrate. But a 300g/10oz (medium) potato or six large carrots provide the same. It is obvious which option will be the more filling. This example also demonstrates how easy it is to over-consume simple carbohydrates – most people could polish off a big 190g/7oz bag of jelly babies, which would provide in the region of 152g of carbohydrate, but could they consume the equivalent in potatoes or carrots in one sitting?
Having said that, in certain training situations, jelly babies may be the preferred fuel. For example, you might be training for an Ironman event and doing a long bike ride with some longer interval work, lasting over 90 minutes. By fuelling up with nutrient-dense carbohydrates, such as pasta, bagels or oats, you will have built up good glycogen stores. However, these stores tend to only last between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on the intensity at which you train. So you will find it useful to ‘top up’ your stores by choosing foods, such as jelly babies, from the nutrient-poor group, to provide you with instant energy. We will look at this in more detail in Chapter 2.
So remember, as athletes, it is important to consume carbohydrate to help fuel your training sessions. However, it is essential to choose the right type, at the right time in the right portion. We will look at this in more detail later on in this chapter.
Proteins are often called the building blocks of the body. Protein consists of combinations of structures called amino acids. There are 20 amino acids and these combine in various sequences to make muscles, bones, tendons, skin, hair and other tissues. They serve other functions as well, including transporting nutrients and producing enzymes.
Eight of these amino acids are essential and must come from your diet. They are found as a complete source in animal-protein food such as dairy, meat, fish and eggs. They are found in an incomplete source in plant-based proteins; that is, they will be lacking in one or more of the essential amino acids. Examples include vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes. You can derive a whole source of protein from plant sources by combining plant foods in the right way. Some good combinations include baked beans on toast; rice and dhal; and wholegrain bagel with peanut butter. (See also pages 36–40 for information on vegetarian and vegan diets.)
In general terms, most moderately active adults, so those of you who walk the dog daily or take an exercise class once or twice a week, will meet your protein requirements without any problems. The suggested amount is around 0.8–1g/kg BW per day, with women needing the lower end and men the upper end of this range.
Let’s take a 57kg/125lb woman: based on the calculation 0.8g/kg BW per day, her daily protein requirement will be 46g/1½oz.
>>> 2 large eggs
>>> 75g/2½ oz chicken fillet
>>> 150g/5oz Greek yogurt
Those of you who train more than four times a week and include a mix of training sessions and distances over the three disciplines will need protein primarily as a response to exercise, for repair, recovery and adaptation.
Protein has been a huge area of research for many years, with the most recent findings demonstrating how important protein is in the recovery phase in all sports and not just weight training, as previously thought. When you train, especially for endurance events such as Olympic distance, Half or Full Ironman, or during very high intensity training such as track, turbo or threshold swims, there is an increase in the breakdown of protein in the muscle. By ensuring good protein choices throughout the day, you will help to counteract this and remain in a positive protein balance (so there is more protein available than will be broken down during training).
So how much protein does a triathlete actually need? The latest guidelines recommend something I call protein pulsing, where protein is consumed more frequently throughout the day rather than as a large amount straight after exercise. This has been based on scientific findings demonstrating that our bodies can only absorb and utilize a certain amount of protein at any given time. It works on the principle that you need to consume up to 0.4g/kg BW from your three daily meals. For most triathletes this will equate to around 20-30g of protein. Those of you who also include weight training would also benefit from an additional 0.4g/kg BW portion before you go to bed to enhance your recovery.
>>> 3 large eggs
>>> 100g/3½oz salmon fillet
>>> 200g/7oz tofu
>>> 80g/2¾oz pork loin
>>> 1 x 400g/14oz can baked beans in tomato sauce
>>> 100g/3½oz chicken fillet
This can then be additionally supplemented with 10g protein portions as snacks through the day. Good examples include:
>>> 15g/½oz beef jerky
>>> 300ml/10½fl oz glass of milk
>>> 100g/3½oz Greek yogurt
Choosing a protein snack over a carb one is particularly useful if you are trying to watch your weight as protein helps to keep you full for longer and prevents blood sugar fluctuations. Furthermore, studies have demonstrated that a higher protein intake can be useful when you are trying to reduce your overall energy intake, as it helps to prevent the loss of lean muscle mass. The aim is to maintain as much lean muscle mass as possible as this is metabolically active and helps to continue to drive the weight loss.
Contrary to popular belief, not all fat is bad for you! In fact, it is vital that everyone eats some fat to help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and to provide essential fatty acids that the body cannot make. These nutrients have important roles to play within the body.
As with carbohydrate, there are different types of fat in the diet and some are more desirable than others!
Saturated fat is the kind of fat found in animal products; examples include butter and lard that is found in foods such as pies, cakes and biscuits/cookies, fatty cuts of meat, sausages and bacon, and cream. It also encompasses trans fat, which is often found in processed foods. These saturated fats should be kept to a minimum in our diets. The one exception to this is dairy; studies report that a component of milk fat in dairy products such as cheese and yogurt reduces the absorption of saturated fat.
Although some fat is essential in our diet, it is also important to remember that eating too much fat can lead to weight gain; 1g of fat provides 9 calories whereas 1g carbohydrate provides just 3.87 calories and 1g protein, provides 4 calories. If you over-consume calories, it can lead you to become overweight, which will also increase your risk of getting certain clinical conditions such as type 2 diabetes.
Most of us eat too much saturated fat – about 20 percent more than the recommended maximum amount.
>>> The average man should eat no more than 30g of saturated fat a day
>>> The average woman should eat no more than 20g of saturated fat a day
To put this into context, eating two pieces of buttered toast, a bacon sandwich and a bar of chocolate, can clock up around 35g of saturated fat. Ideally, you should replace these saturated fats with ‘good’ fats or unsaturated fats. These include:
>>> Oily fish, such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, which are an exceptionally good source of omega-3 fatty acids
>>> Nuts and seeds, including their oils and butters
>>> Sunflower, rapeseed/canola and olive oils
>>> Avocados
However, it is important to point out that these good fats are high in calories and should be eaten with that in mind.
I generally recommend you take on around 1g/kg BW fat in total a day and that the majority of this comes from good fats. So for a 60kg/132lb athlete this will be 60g. I give all my athletes a list similar to the one below and encourage them to choose servings off the list to make up their daily requirements:
>>> 25g/1oz nut butter (14g of fat)
>>> 100g/3½oz avocado (15g of fat)
>>> 20ml/⅔fl oz rapeseed/canola oil (18g of fat)
>>> 25g/1oz sunflower seeds (13g of fat)
>>> 1 mackerel fillet (16g of fat)
So for a 60kg/132lb athlete this would be two slices of toast with 25g/1oz peanut butter; avocado and sunflower seeds in a salad; and a portion of mackerel with their evening meal.
In certain situations this recommendation of 1g/kg BW may need to be increased. Usually, this will be linked to a training demand/adaptation or increased energy requirements. There is a big move towards fat adaptation for ultra-running events and we will discuss this in Chapter 2.
Staying hydrated is essential for optimal health. Add training to this equation and hydration is even more important as you will have more fluid losses to contend with in the form of sweat.
Most fundamentally, being dehydrated impairs the body’s ability to regulate heat. During exercise, this means a rise in body temperature, which leads to an elevated heart rate. This, in turn, makes your exertion at a given training intensity feel much harder and your muscles fatigue more quickly, affecting your performance and putting you at risk of injury.
A symptom not often associated with dehydration is stomach discomfort. Triathletes are already at a higher risk of gastro-intestinal problems, caused by the change in body position – from being seated bent over to suddenly being upright – and the effects of the motion of running, and being dehydrated enhances this. We know that when we are training, blood is directed away from the stomach to the working muscles. If you are dehydrated, any food you have consumed before or during your run will stay in your stomach longer, leading to gastric problems.
So being dehydrated will negatively affect your performance, meaning you won’t get the best out of your training. This will be heightened in warmer conditions and it doesn’t take much; just 2 percent dehydration (ie a loss of 1.2l/40fl oz in a 60kg/132lb athlete), can become an issue. However, the good news is this can all be combated if you learn to hydrate appropriately around your training and also on rest days.
There are no actual guidelines for fluid intake because it depends on the type and level of exercise and also varies within individuals due to:
>>> Genetics – some people sweat more than others
>>> Body size – larger athletes tend to sweat more than smaller athletes
>>> Fitness – fitter people sweat earlier in exercise and in larger volumes
>>> Environment – sweat loss is higher in hot, humid conditions
>>> Exercise intensity – sweat loss increases as intensity increases
So how can you make sure you are getting enough fluid? The simple answer is by checking your urine colour. Ideally your urine shoud be the colour of pale straw at all times. If it seems darker, especially before a training session, then drink! Get into the habit of monitoring your thirst levels and drink throughout the day.
One quick method of assessing your sweat loss and fluid requirements is to weigh yourself before and after training sessions once every few weeks; I use this method regularly when working with elite athletes. So if you weigh 1kg/2lb lighter after a training session and you have consumed 500ml/ 17fl oz of fluid during the training session, your overall fluid loss is 1.5 litres/ 52fl oz. In order to replace this, I recommend that you consume 150 percent of what you have lost. In this case you would need to take on 2.25L. If you were 2 percent dehydrated, it takes up to 6 hours post-training to become fully hydrated again. Adding electrolytes (see opposite), particularly sodium, to your drink post-training, as well as choosing foods/drinks naturally higher in salt, such as milk or cereal, enhances rehydration. Sodium encourages the absorption of fluid into the body and also helps retain it.
How much fluid you should aim to drink during a training session depends on the training intensity and duration, and the climate. For higher intensities even over a short duration, you will need to take on fluid if losses are high; whereas at lower intensities, even up to 90 minutes in cooler conditions, you may not need any hydration. In all cases, it is worth knowing that your body can absorb around 150–300ml/5–10½fl oz every 15–20 minutes.
So now you know how much to drink, what should you drink? To some extent the choice is a personal one, but you should take some things into consideration:
>>> When are you training?
>>> How long is your training session? Will you need fuel too?
>>> How hot is it?
Most of the time water should be all you need to hydrate during training. However, studies show that some people, given the option of drinking only water, are less likely to drink anything at all. So although I’m not a massive fan of artificially sweetened drinks, when it comes to making sure you stay hydrated, I prefer that athletes drink what they know they will! So if this means they want lemon squash, so be it.
If you don’t need to take on energy at the same time, always go for a no-added-sugar variety of drink. If you are trying to take on energy during a high-intensity or long training session, or maybe immediately before, you will benefit from something that gives you energy.
There are numerous sports drinks on the market. My advice is to choose the one you are most likely to consume. If it’s hot, or you are someone who has very salty sweat losses, you will also benefit from electrolytes. If your sweat is salty, it will sting your eyes, you will be able to taste it and it will leave white residue on your clothes and body. Most branded energy drinks have both sodium (Na) and potassium (K) salts added. The normal concentration is around 10–20mmol of Na and 2–5mmol of K. These salts help to draw fluid into your body, reducing your risk of becoming dehydrated. Similarly you could add a quarter teaspoon of salt to your DIY energy drink (see tip, below).
Alternatively, you could use an electrolyte product, which come in an array of flavours and that are usually in the form of a tablet or powder that you add to water. They don’t provide energy, so can be useful in situations when you are training in a hot environment but don’t actually need any additional energy during your training session. I have also been known to use good old rehydration salts that you can buy from the pharmacist when you have gastroenteritis. This is essentially the same product. Always follow the dosage guidelines on the packaging. In the same way if it is a short training session, I recommend drinking water and following up with foods that are higher in salt during recovery, such as soup or casserole, or salted peanuts.
If, like me, you don’t like ready-made sports drinks, make your own! I tend to dilute 300ml/10½fl oz of orange juice with around the same amount of water. This will make a drink that has the same concentration of carbohydrate as an energy drink, 5–7 percent, which seems to be the optimal concentration for absorption of fluid and energy.
When you are considering the use of a supplement, it is important to weigh up its potential benefits and risks. Is there evidence that this product will actually boost your performance? Is this product safe to use and is it stopping you from making better food choices?
Ingredients in sports foods and supplements are ranked A, B, C and D, according to scientific evidence and other practical considerations that determine whether a product is safe, whether it is legal and how effective it is at improving sports performance.
Sports foods, medical supplements and performance supplements are category A. These products have evidence to support their use in certain sporting situations and are suitable for athletes who stick to the best practice protocols. That is, athletes who stick to the recommended dose.
Products that fall into category B are those that have some evidence of benefits but need further research to clarify proof of their usage. Products in category C have absolutely no evidence of any benefits and those in category D are generally on the banned list and should be avoided at all costs.
Occasionally, elite triathletes I’m working with require supplements; whether that’s a nutrient such as omega-3 fatty acids or a recovery aid such as whey protein; or an ergogenic aid that has been shown to enhance performance, such as caffeine or beetroot juice, I have to be very careful about the advice I give. In elite sport, drugs testing is a routine procedure and a positive result can lead to a ban. A positive result can occur from a contaminated source of multivitamins. When advising athletes, I make sure that any product they are considering using comes from a reputable source that provides a certificate to prove that the product has been batch tested for any contaminants.
These specialized products provide a source of nutrients when it is impractical to consume everyday foods. They include:
>>> Sports/energy drinks
>>> Sports gels
>>> Sports confectionery, such as chews, bars and beans
>>> Liquid meal supplements
>>> Whey protein
>>> Electrolytes
These can be used to treat clinical issues, including diagnosed nutrient deficiencies. They require individual dispensing and supervision by an appropriate sports medicine/science practitioner:
>>> Iron supplements
>>> Vitamin D
>>> Other vitamin and mineral supplements – athletes must not assume that they are safe just because they are from the pharmacist
These contribute directly to optimal performance. They should only be used if advice on dosage and how to use is given by a qualified sports nutritionist/ practitioner. While there may be general evidence for the appropriateness of these products, additional research may often be required to fine-tune protocols. The supplements most commonly linked with triathlon include:
>>> Beetroot/beet juice
>>> Caffeine
>>> Cherry juice
So do we actually need supplements? The main difference between branded and real-food options is the ingredients list and the way in which they are marketed. Sports products can be more convenient at times but, as you will see in the section that follows, they are not really necessary. You can generally make a real food choice that will provide you with the same benefits, but often without the unnatural additives.
For example, Lucozade Sport, Gatorade, Powerade
Example ingredients list: water, glucose syrup, citric acid, acidity regulator (sodium citrate), stabilizer (acacia gum), preservative (potassium sorbate), antioxidant (ascorbic acid), sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame K), flavouring, vitamins (niacin, panthothenic acid, B6, B12), colour (beta-carotene). Contains a source of phenylalanine.
300ml/10½ fl oz fruit juice diluted with 200ml/7fl oz water + ¼ tsp salt Ingredients list: pure orange juice, water, salt.
>>> Both provide 30g of carbohydrate in 500ml/17fl oz and sodium to aid hydration and although the homemade drink is cheaper, you may struggle to take enough for an Ironman event.
>>> The branded product will be more expensive but is usually available at competitions due to sponsorship so it’s worth knowing your tolerance of it before a race.
Energy Gels
For example, TORQ, SIS, GU
Example ingredients list: maltodextrin, water, fructose, electrolytes, matric acid, natural flavour, preservative (potassium sorbate).
Real Food Alternative
6 jelly babies
Ingredients list: sugar, glucose syrup, water belatine (bovine), concentrated fruit juices* (1%), acids (citric, acetic), natural (lemon, lime, raspberry) flavourings with other natural flavourings, natural orange flavouring, natural flavourings, concentrated vegetable extracts (black carrot, spinach, stinging nettle, turmeric), colours (vegetable carbon, paprika extract, lutein) *Equivalent to 5.5% fruit.
Winning Choice Targets
>>> Both provide instant energy in the form of 30g carbohydrate.
>>> The gel may be easier to consume during a higher-intensity run or bike session than trying to chew jelly babies.
>>> Jelly babies are cheaper, and possibly more palatable and easier to digest as you can eat little bits of a sugar at a time in just one or two jelly babies, whereas a gel provides a concentrated amount of sugar in one larger hit.
For example, The Simple Whey, For Goodness Shake, REGO
Example ingredients list: skimmed milk (94%), sugar flavouring, colour: beetroot, vitamin and mineral mixture (maltodextrin, magnesium hydroxide, vitamin C, zinc lactate, ferric pyrophosphate, vitamin E, vitamin B3, sodium selenite, biotin, manganese sulphate, vitamin B5, vitamin A, copper sulphate, vitamins B6, B9, D3, B1, B2, potassium iodide), stabilisers: carrageenan, guar gum.
Flavoured milk, homemade milkshakes, such as Recovery Hot Chocolate (see page 197) or Mocha Shake (see page 197), and smoothies such as Tropical Smoothie (see page 196) or Summer Fruit Smoothie (see page 126).
Example ingredients list (for shop-bought flavoured milk): semi-skimmed milk, skimmed milk, sugar (4.5%), strawberry juice from concentrate (1%), natural flavouring, stabiliser: gellan Gum, colour: beta-carotene.
>>> The majority of protein shakes are based on milk – see above.
>>> Some studies demonstrate benefits of whey over milk, but these gains are not significant enough to warrant the use of whey, especially from a cost perspective as whey proteins are often five times more expensive than milk or flavoured milk.
>>> Protein shakes may be more convenient in certain situations.
In a competition setting, if you know a certain product is going to be available and you want to take advantage of this, train with that specific product beforehand to check that your body can tolerate it.
For example, Clif Bar, PowerBar, Promax
Example ingredients list: organic brown rice syrup, organic rolled oats, soy rice crisps (soy protein isolate, rice flour, rice starch, barley malt extract), organic roasted soybeans, organic soy flour, dried apricots (apricots, evaporated cane juice, rice flour, citric acid, ascorbic acid, organic oat fibre, inulin [chicory extract], organic milled flaxseed, organic oat bran, organic psyllium), organic cane syrup, dried apricots, organic date paste, organic sunflower oil, natural flavours, lemon juice concentrate, citric acid, sea salt, coloured with annatto.
Real Food Alternative
Options such as Chia Charge and Nookie Bars or recipes from this book such as Banana and Nut Butter Sandwiches (see page 190), Dark Chocolate and Ginger Muffins (see page 184) or Sweet Potato Brownies (see page 187); jam/ yeast extract sandwiches or dried fruit and nuts.
Example ingredients list (for a real-food sports bar): oats, butter, demerara sugar, golden syrup, chia seeds (9%), sea salt flakes.
Winning Choice Targets
>>> In a situation where it is possible to eat, such as on a long, slower-paced run, real food options are always better.
In 2010 the International Society of Sports Nutrition demonstrated a link between caffeine and athletic performance. This has continued to be reinforced by many scientific studies suggesting caffeine can benefit athletes, including triathletes, in a variety of ways. The most commonly documented evidence is in relation to enhancing performance, but how you take it is very much dependent on the distance of your event.
In addition, the specific effects of caffeine will vary depending on whether you are a responder or a non-responder. If you are an individual who can drink a cup of coffee late at night and still sleep like a baby, you are a non-responder. In other words caffeine has no effect on you or your nervous system. If the opposite is true (caffeine keeps you awake at night), then you are a responder.
So how do we make caffeine work for us? During short races up to Olympic distance triathlon, or high-intensity training sessions of up to 90 minutes, it is most useful to take caffeine 15–60 minutes before in order to get maximal effects. This is because it can take up to 60 minutes for caffeine to reach its peak concentration in the blood stream. Caffeine can be taken in the form of a gel, cup of coffee or energy drink, but it is important to get the right dose.
Best results occur with intakes of 3–5mg/kg BW of caffeine. Studies have concluded that there are no enhanced effects by taking doses above this level; in fact, it is possible that too high an intake can have detrimental effects on performance. So, the average 60kg (132lb) individual would need about 180mg of caffeine and certainly no more than 300mg; responders should work with the lower value and non-responders will probably gain some effects with the upper value. These effects can be further enhanced if taken with sugar.
In longer events, such as Half or Full Ironman, it is more useful to hold back on the caffeine until the latter stages of the race. Caffeine is known to combat fatigue by having an action on the central nervous system, lowering the perception of effort, allowing you to keep going at the same pace for longer, or being able to increase your pace as you’re perceiving the effort to be less. I usually suggest that individuals take caffeine in the last 20–45 minutes of a long training session or race to get the most benefit.
So we know it helps to take caffeine before and during training but what about after? There does seem to be sufficient evidence to suggest that caffeine does indeed have a role to play in recovery. A study published in The Journal of Applied Physiology demonstrated that if caffeine was provided as a recovery drink in conjunction with carbohydrate, it improved glycogen restoration by up to 66 percent after 4 hours post-exercise, compared with just carbohydrate alone. More recent studies have come to the same conclusion; practically this is particularly useful for triathletes who have fewer than 12 hours between training sessions. It promotes maximal glycogen re-synthesis, ensuring that the individual has sufficient energy available for the subsequent training session!
However what about all the bad press about caffeine intake and dehydration? Caffeine has commonly been linked to increased diuresis, potentially leading to dehydration. However, it seems that during exercise this does not occur: there doesn’t seem to be an increase in fluid losses even during heat stress. At rest although caffeine does act as a mild diuretic, it seems that the fluid you consume in caffeinated drinks offsets this fluid loss. It is now widely recognized that drinking caffeinated drinks in moderation doesn’t actually cause dehydration.
However, before you all go and overdose on caffeine, something to be very aware of is that there really is no benefit in taking on more than the recommended amounts. In fact, excessive caffeine intake can have negative effects on performance. Intakes above 6mg/kg BW can lead to an increased heart rate, and feelings of nervousness, nausea and anxiety. Additionally, visual processing is affected, potentially causing problems affecting fine motor skills and perception.
Every year there is an influx of ‘wonder diets’ – high-fat, low-carbohydrate, gluten-free – the promise of ‘the next big’ thing that will bring potential health benefits, the body beautiful or athletic prowess, but are they the real deal or just another form of faddism? Not surprisingly, people become confused by this array of different diets and I’m often asked what are the best foods to eat for optimal performance gains. Some of these diets are backed by scientific studies, while others seem to appear from thin air. That is why it is important to consult regulated practitioners for nutritional advice, such as dietitians or registered nutritionists, who have to ensure that all their advice is accurate and evidence based.
In recent years there has been a real trend towards individuals wanting to follow a gluten-free diet. Gluten has become a huge subject of controversy, with many blaming it for symptoms such as bloating, fatigue and even joint pain. Many high-profile individuals, including athletes, report benefits, particularly in performance, since removing gluten from their diets.
Gluten is the protein found within wheat and related grains, including barley and rye. It is therefore found in foods such as bread, pasta and cereals, but also in sausages and beer. For most individuals, gluten does not pose a problem. The body has the ability to break it down, as with other proteins, absorb it and utilize it as necessary.
No evidence exists that there are any benefits to following a gluten-free diet unless it is medically necessary. However, ultimately, if individuals want to follow a gluten-free diet, it is their choice. They may indeed feel more energized and less bloated, but this could be due to them being more mindful of nutritional choices generally. We should all eat less white bread, fewer biscuits/cookies and cakes, less white pasta. By following a gluten-free diet these foods are automatically removed. However, do not be fooled into thinking that a gluten-free diet is healthier. There are few gluten-free products that are wholegrain and gluten-free products also tend to be higher in fat and sugar in order to make them more palatable. My advice is to remove gluten only if you have a medical reason for doing so.
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition, meaning the body’s immune system attacks and destroys healthy body tissue in error. Coeliac disease affects the small intestine, causing it to become damaged and unable to absorb vital nutrients such as calcium, iron and energy from food. The symptoms are usually weight loss, extreme fatigue (due to iron deficiency), bloating, and very frequent bowel movements. Due to an inability to absorb calcium, those who have coeliac disease may also be at an increased risk of osteoporosis, which makes your bones weak and puts you at a greater risk of fractures and breaks if you fall. Coeliac disease is usually confirmed by taking blood tests and gut biopsies. The individual will then be put on a strict gluten-free diet, which they will need to comply with for life.
Some claim that a gluten-free diet can improve athletic performance. There is no scientific proof to support this, unless of course you have coeliac disease. However, being more mindful of your food choices and tailoring your nutrition to your training sessions can help. Including complex carbohydrates (see page 14), with or without gluten, when you actually need them and keeping foods high in sugar to a minimum are strategies that will definitely result in improvements to your health and performance.
Fuelling your training is not about the inclusion or removal of one particular food or food type. It is about achieving the correct overall balance and tailoring your nutritional intake to your needs. Understanding the role of nutrition and how to apply this information is key to ensuring a healthy balanced diet, and optimizing your running performance.
Many athletes consider moving to a more plant-based diet. Vegetarians eat no animal flesh, but will consume eggs or dairy. Vegans don’t consume any foods of animal origin.
The reasons for choosing either a vegetarian or vegan diet could be one of many:
>>> Cultural or religious beliefs
>>> Moral beliefs relating to animal welfare
>>> Environmental issues
So can a plant-based diet really be practical and sufficient for longterm athletic success? The answer is of course, yes, but more time and consideration may be needed to plan meals and recovery to ensure that you are meeting all your nutritional requirements for both macro- and micro-nutrients (see page 104).
It is often thought that vegetarian and vegan diets cannot support a heavy training load, with many individuals believing that protein requirements cannot be met. A vegetarian diet can indeed provide all essential nutrients to support intense daily training and competition needs in athletes. Although there are still several dietary challenges that need to be addressed, with the right information to hand a vegetarian/ vegan diet can be an excellent choice.
By becoming familiar with vegetarian protein alternatives, you can create some nutritious and creative meals/snacks, such as the Banana and Nut Butter Sandwich (see page 190) or simply some hummus with raw vegetable sticks.
GOOD PROTEIN SOURCES
For vegetarians only:
>>> Eggs
>>> Low-fat dairy products, including milk, cheese and yogurt, particularly Greek yogurt
>>> Whey protein
For both vegans and vegetarians:
>>> Pulses eg chickpeas, kidney beans, mung beans, black-eyed peas, lentils
>>> Tofu
>>> Soya products
>>> Quorn
>>> Nuts and nut butters
>>> Seeds
When you’re training very hard, it might be difficult to meet energy requirements due to the fact that a vegetarian/vegan diet can be high in fibre and bulk, filling you up more quickly and leaving less space for energydense foods. By using the guidelines in this book, and adapting them with suitable options, you can be sure to meet all your training food needs.
This should not be too problematic for the vegetarians among you, as many of the recovery options include low-fat milk or Greek yogurt. It can, however, be a little trickier for vegans. Although dairy alternatives have become increasingly available, many options such as almond, coconut, oat, rice or hazelnut milk are actually very low in both carbohydrate and protein.
The table below compares the nutritional content of almond, soya and skimmed cow’s milk.
| Unsweetened almond milk | Unsweetened soya milk | Skimmed cow’s milk | |
| Energy/Kcals | 26 | 44 | 66 |
| Carbohydrate/g | 0.2 | 0.2 | 10 |
| Protein/g | 0.8 | 4 | 7 |
| Fat/g | 2.2 | 2.4 | 0.2 |
TABLE 1.3 Nutritional content of milks (per 200ml/7fl oz)
One of the best ways to recover from a hard, high-intensity training, such as a turbo or hill session, is with a combination of carbohydrate and protein in a liquid form. Milk makes an ideal choice for vegetarians.
However, from Table 1.3, you will see it is very clear that both almond and soya milk are lacking vital carbohydrates, which the body needs to replenish glycogen stores. This can be addressed by adding banana and honey to soya milk, but the low levels of protein in shop-bought almond milk make this altogether a poor recovery option. To get around this problem, you can make your own almond milk, which is costly and time consuming; or you can add vegan protein substitutes such as pea or hemp.
Plant-based proteins (see page 37) need to be eaten in a larger quantities to meet protein requirements of 0.4g/kg BW at each meal; combining different plant sources at meals will ensure your meet your requirements – try adding toasted seeds and walnuts to porridge made with soya milk. There are a few other nutrients that may be more difficult to obtain from a vegetarian or vegan diet:
>>> Iron and zinc: Although iron and zinc are abundant in plant sources, they are not always readily available. Beans, wholegrains, nuts and seeds have a high zinc content, but these foods are also high in phytate, which inhibits absorption of both iron and zinc. The bioavailability (that is the ease of absorption in the body) of zinc is enhanced by dietary protein, but could potentially be inhibited by supplements that also contain folic acid, iron, calcium, copper and magnesium. Zinc supplementation or a multivitamin/multi-mineral containing zinc is a wise choice for vegan athletes, but be aware of the interactions stated above. For those athletes who would prefer to consume zinc more naturally, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds are very good sources.
>>> Calcium: This should not be an issue for vegetarian or vegan athletes as long as you continue to consume 3–4 servings of dairy or soya products daily. Additional non-dairy sources of calcium include:
>>> Nuts, particularly almonds and cashews1
>>> Tofu
>>> Sesame seeds and tahini
>>> Chickpeas
>>> Dark green leafy vegetables (will be needed in large volumes)
>>> Vitamin B12: This is available only in animal sources, so vegetarians who eat eggs or dairy produce will meet their requirements. However, it is not available in a vegan diet and needs to be supplemented. It is an essential nutrient for correct functioning of the nervous system and formation of red blood cells.
>>> Omega-3 fatty acids: The omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are important for brain and heart function and in athletes they seem to have a role in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. The best sources of EPA and DHA are oily fish such as salmon and mackerel, which won’t form part of a vegetarian and vegan diet. However, another omega-3 fatty acid, ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) can be used by the body to make EPA and DHA. Good sources of ALA include:
>> Linseeds/flaxseeds
>> Chia seeds
>> Walnuts and walnut oil
>> Hemp seeds
That said, the amount of ALA obtained from these sources may not be sufficient to meet the levels needed to produce EPA and DHA. It may be useful for vegetarian and vegan athletes to include an algae-based omega-3 fatty acid supplement, in addition to a good intake of the above sources of dietary ALA, to ensure that sufficient levels are met for the conversion.
As important as it is to get training nutrition right, it is equally, if not slightly more, important to get recovery nutrition spot on. To consistently produce a high level of performance, your recovery nutrition has to be optimal.
If training is the stimulus, which you have correctly fuelled, recovery food is now needed in response to this to make sure that the body can convert this stimulus to gains.
Timing your recovery is very important, but it differs according to the training intensity and the timing of your next session. Those of you who may run double days (more than one session in the day), or whose next session is in less than 12 hours, will need to recover fairly quickly after your first session.
For example, a late-night track session followed by an early morning steady swim results in a short recovery period between sessions. To help your body resynthesize glycogen stores in preparation for the next session, your recovery food should be taken within 15–30 minutes of finishing your first training session. Ideally it should also be in a liquid form, with a mixture of fast-release carbohydrate and easily digestible protein. This is why milk and milk products have become popular as recovery choices; the lactose (carbohydrate) and milk proteins are easily absorbed by the muscles to enhance recovery before your next run.
But what if you are not running for another 24 hours or more? Recovery nutrition is still important, and there is still an important window to fill, but you only need to have the recovery food within 2 hours of finishing your training, which may well fall at your next meal.
What and how much you should eat will depend on the intensity of your training session. If you have had a high-intensity session, the recommended guidelines in sports nutrition are 1–1.2g/kg BW of carbohydrate; protein intakes of 0.25–0.4g/kg BW will enhance recovery if carbohydrate intakes are sub-optimal. So a 60kg/132lb athlete who has just finished a high-intensity 60-minute turbo session should eat between 60–72g of carbohydrate and 15g of protein. This will help to replenish glycogen stores, enhance recovery and help that all-important adaptation (see page 73). The addition of the protein helps to compensate if you don’t quite meet the upper end of the carbohydrate intake, but ideally after a high-intensity session the key nutrient required is carbohydrate. Carbohydrate and protein should then continue to be consumed at regular intervals throughout the day.
Following a lower-intensity session and if you are not running again for 24 hours, recovery does not need to be as immediate. Aim to recover with a combination of 1g/kg BW carbohydrate and 0.4g/kg BW protein at your next meal. Distribute carbohydrate and protein through the day, depending on your training schedule.
Let’s look at this more practically: say, for example, you will be doing a 60-minute, easy-paced run and your next session, an easy-paced swim, is more than 24 hours later. The daily requirements of carbohydrate for females will be 2–4g/kg BW and for males, 3–5g/kg BW. For a 60kg/132lb female runner this will be an average intake of 180g of carbohydrate for the day, with 0.4g/kg BW protein at three meals. Best practice will mean spreading out your carbohydrate throughout the day over meals, and snacks if needed. I normally advise using nutrient-dense varieties (see page 14), such as root vegetables, legumes and pulses to prevent blood sugars from fluctuating and stopping you from succumbing to the biscuit barrel/cookie jar midafternoon! Don’t forget, on these lighter carbohydrate days, making good choices means that your allowance will go further.
How the body converts food to fuel relies upon several different energy pathways. Having a basic understanding of these pathways will help you train and eat efficiently to ensure improved sports performance. We have already discussed how sports nutrition involves an understanding of how nutrients such as carbohydrate, fat, and protein contribute to the fuel supply needed by the body to perform exercise. These nutrients get converted to energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) via different metabolic pathways. ATP is a molecule within cells used for energy transfer and it is this energy released by the breakdown of ATP that allows muscle cells to contract.
The body cannot easily store ATP and what is stored gets used up within a few seconds, so it is necessary to continually create ATP during exercise. There are two major ways the body converts nutrients to energy:
>>> Aerobic metabolism (with oxygen)
>>> Anaerobic metabolism (without oxygen)
Most often it’s a combination of aerobic and anaerobic processes that supply the fuel needed for exercise, with the intensity and duration of the exercise determining which method gets used when. Table 1.4 uses the example of running to illustrate the percentage of energy generated by each energy system for varying distances.
| Activity | % contribution of ATP-PC energy system | % contribution of glycolysis | % contribution of oxidative/ aerobic energy system |
| Track events such as 100m and 200m sprints | 90 | 10 | 0 |
| 400m sprint | 17 | 48 | 35 |
| 1,500m | 4 | 20 | 76 |
| Marathon | 0 | 1 | 99 |
TABLE 1.4 Contribution from each energy system for different running distances
Aerobic metabolism generates most of the energy needed for long duration activity; anything over 2 minutes. It uses oxygen to convert nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and protein) to ATP. This system is a bit slower than the anaerobic systems because it relies on the circulatory system to transport oxygen to the working muscles before it creates ATP. Fat and carbohydrate are the principal fuel for energy production in skeletal muscle.
The relative proportion of fat and carbohydrate used during exercise depends strongly on exercise intensity. You actually burn both fuels throughout exercise but in general lower exercise intensities correspond with a higher oxidation of fat; as your running speed increases, your body will become more and more reliant on carbohydrate.
We know that carbohydrate can be stored as glycogen within the muscles. However, it is in limited supply and can only fuel up to 2 hours of moderate- to high-level exercise. After that, glycogen depletion occurs (stored carbohydrates are used up) and if that fuel isn’t replaced, athletes may hit the wall or ‘bonk’. An athlete can continue moderate- to high-intensity exercise for longer simply by replenishing carbohydrate stores during exercise. This is why it is critical to eat easily digestible carbohydrates during moderate exercise that lasts more than a few hours. If you don’t take in enough carbohydrate, you will be forced to reduce your intensity and tap back into fat metabolism to fuel activity. Fat is a great source of fuel for endurance events as it can produce energy for several hours or even days in the presence of oxygen, but it is simply not adequate for high-intensity exercise.
Anaerobic metabolism is your body’s way of producing energy quickly, without the need for oxygen. This is useful for sprint events. There are two different pathways for this:
1 > The ATP-CP energy pathway, also known as the phosphate system, supplies about 10 seconds worth of energy and is used for short bursts of exercise such as a 100m sprint. This pathway doesn’t require any oxygen to create ATP. It first uses up any ATP stored in the muscle (about 2–3 seconds worth) and then it uses creatine phosphate (CP) to resynthesize ATP until the CP runs out (another 6–8 seconds). Creatine phosphate is a molecule found in the muscles, which serves as a rapidly available and transportable reserve of energy. Once all available ATP and CP are used, the body will move on to either aerobic or glycolysis to continue to create ATP in order to fuel the exercise.
2 > Glycolysis is the predominant energy system used for all-out exercise lasting from 30 seconds to about 2 minutes, such as in events like 400/800m. During glycolysis, carbohydrate, either as glucose within the blood or glucose that has been converted from glycogen stores, is broken down through a series of chemical reactions to form pyruvate. For every molecule of glucose broken down to pyruvate through glycolysis, two molecules of usable ATP are produced. Two molecules of useable ATP provides enough fuel for an all-out sprint for up to 40 seconds. In other words, very little energy is produced through this pathway, but the energy you do get is provided very quickly.
During exercise an athlete will move through all these metabolic pathways. As exercise begins, ATP is produced via anaerobic metabolism as there is an oxygen debt/lag. With an increase in breathing and heart rate, there is more oxygen available and aerobic metabolism takes over. If exercise intensity continues to increase, carbohydrate metabolism declines; your body cannot take in and distribute oxygen quickly enough to utilize either fat or carbohydrate, and anaerobic metabolism (glycolysis) takes over. This is known as your lactate turn point.
‘Lactate’ or lactic acid is a metabolic product produced by the body. In healthy individuals, the body will maintain a lactate concentration of 0.5–1mmol/l at rest. As you exercise, lactate levels within the blood increase proportionately to exercise intensity as the body struggles to keep up with the muscles’ demand for oxygen. The eventual burning and fatigue occur because these rising lactate levels cause the body to produce hydrogen ions, which increase acidity within the muscles. At the same time, the body is trying to buffer these acid levels, but the rise in activity means that the body cannot transport oxygen to the muscles quickly enough for this to occur. As a result, overall lactate and acidity levels rise and and the muscles become fatigued. As a general rule, the more trained you are, the better your ability to clear lactate, and therefore the faster the pace you will be able to sustain before you feel that familiar burning feeling in the legs.
TABLE 1.5 LT and LTP indicated in relation to speed and blood lactate level
Table 1.5 shows this rise in lactate in practice for a professional athlete undertaking a test at a laboratory. At a low-intensity, easy-paced run (for this athlete, running at 11–12 km/hour) lactate levels stay low; but as his running speed increases, lactate levels rise. The first increase above the baseline lactate blood level (when lactate rises to a concentration of around 2mmol/l) is called the lactate threshold (LT). The speed that he has reached when this threshold occurs – in this case, 13 km/hour – indicates the race pace that he will be able to comfortably maintain for an extended period, eg a Half to Full Ironman. The speed at LT can be useful in defining the transition between ‘easy’ (below LT) and ‘steady’ (at LT) runs.
As intensity continues to increase, the athlete hits his lactate turnpoint (LTP). This is the speed at which there is a sudden sustained increase in blood lactate (most individuals are able to tolerate a level of only 3–4mmol/l), indicating an increase in energy provision from the anaerobic energy system.
In essence, this turnpoint signifies the maximal speed at which sustained running is possible. For this athlete, his LTP is 16.5 km/hour, therefore his race pace for shorter distances, such as an Olympic distance triathlon, will be just below this in order for him to run maximally without lactate levels being a limiting factor on his performance.
The LTP occurs at approximately 1–3 km/hour above the LT (the distance is smaller in long-distance specialists and larger in middle-distance runners). The LTP can also be used to define the transition between ‘steady’ (at LT) and ‘threshold’ (just below LTP) running. Any running performed above the LTP becomes markedly more difficult owing to the increased acidity in the muscle.
Your LT and LTP levels can be determined by completing an exercise test at a specialist physiology lab – most sports universities have these and are now offering tests to the general public. While the example used here is running, you will experience a similar rise in lactate in all three triathlon disciplines, but the speeds at which you reach your LT and LTP are likely to be different for each discipline. Knowing this information can help you to plan training, ensuring that you are training at the correct intensity for your distance. Working at specific speeds can also help to improve the speed at which your LT and LTP occur, which in turn will mean a faster performance.
Many triathletes talk about their racing weight – the weight at which they feel they perform optimally. There is a general understanding that the lighter you are, the quicker you will be. However, this is not entirely true and in some circumstances can prove the opposite. There is a fine line between being lighter to run faster and then taking things too far and becoming so light that you lose power and speed.
An additional consideration for triathletes is that the best physique for running may not necessarily be the best physique for swimming or cycling.
As a triathlete, you need to balance your body composition to best suit your performance. For example, if running is your strength, and you know that this is where you will make up time in a competition scenario, you may prefer to base your body composition goals on improved running performance.
The human body is made up of a variety of different components:
>>> Lean tissues, such as muscle, bone, and organs, which are metabolically active
>>> Fat or adipose tissue, which is not metabolically active
Together these components of fat mass and fat-free mass (lean tissue) make up an individual’s total body weight. Being lean, ie having less body fat, at a given weight is advantageous for performance, as it improves power-toweight ratio; the more muscle you have, the more power you can generate. So while being light can be beneficial to running performance, if you have a higher body fat percentage, you are unlikely to have as much power. For this reason, it is more useful to look at an individual’s body composition rather than his or her weight alone. However, before you all rush off to try to decrease your body fat, remember that some fat mass is essential for life. We all have fat surrounding our vital organs and it also makes up 60 percent of our brain. In female runners body fat should never drop below 12 percent and in males 4 percent. Similarly, in some disciplines, such as cycling, being heavier with more muscle will be advantageous; and in other disciplines, such as swimming, having a slightly higher body fat percentage, still within normal values, may be beneficial.
Although ideal body composition will vary according to your gender and age, the average acceptable body-fat levels for most athletes who train regularly will fall within the ranges of 15–18 percent body fat for males and 20–25 percent for females. For elite athletes, the range tends to be significantly lower. In males it will be 6–11 percent and in females 12–18 percent.
While knowing your body composition can be helpful in predicting your likelihood of sporting success, you should not use it as the only predictor. The key to being successful is to train well and fuel your training correctly. In most cases, this generally leads to a favourable body composition that will enhance your performance.
There are many methods for measuring body composition, but I tend to use skinfold calipers. This instrument pinches the fold of skin to pull it away from the underlying muscle, so that it holds only the skin and fat tissue. Measurements (in millimetres) are taken at seven different sites, and the total measurements from all seven sites will provide a value that can be converted to a percentage of body fat.
If a trained practitioner completes this process, it has been shown to be 98 percent accurate and is the gold standard choice of most sports nutritionists and physiologists owing to its relatively low cost.
Bioelectrical impedance testing is now becoming very popular in some gyms and clinics as it is easy, quick and doesn’t involve sending practitioners away to be trained in taking skinfold measurements. However, we should question the accuracy of these machines/scales as the values they produce are affected by hydration levels, food intake and skin temperature. A female client came to see me about three months ago. She had been told that her body-fat percentage was 37 after bioelectrical impedance testing. When I measured her body composition using skinfold calipers, her actual result was 29 percent.