Nutrition is one of the most often asked questions regarding triathlon training. “What do I eat? There is an endless list of nutrition do’s and don'ts. Everyone seams to have an opinion. If you want to eat better but don’t know where to start, here are a few suggestions to you fuel your body better.

Breakfast Suggestions:
Eat Hearty. During times of peak training, your body is more dependant on nutrition. Eat at least 3 kinds of Nutrient-dense foods. Hot (or cold cereal) with fruit for juice. Oatmeal with any of the following; blue berries, banana, peaches, raisins. If you choose cold cereal, try non fat or low fat milk. Another option is yogurt with granola and fruit. Mix it up from day to day. Too many athletes eat a repetitive menu with the same each day. Repetitive eating keeps life simple, minimizes decisions, and simplifies shopping, but it can result in an inadequate diet and chronic fatigue. The more different foods you eat, the more types of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients you consume.

10:00 and 2 PM Beak:
Any of the following are good:
Apple, Banana, V8, Hammer Bar, Power Bar, Balance Bar, Cliff Bar, Peanut butter and Jelly sandwich.

Lunch or Dinner Suggestions:
Salad made from spinach leaves instead of lettuce with any of the following: carrots, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, avocado, cranberries, pees, sliced apples, mandarin oranges, chicken, lean beef, and light dressing preferably non-creamy (creamy dressings are usual high in fat). Other ideas include Burrito Bowls (tortilla-less burrito), soup and half sandwich. Pasta with sautéed vegetables such as broccoli and chicken. Add shredded parmesan cheeses while hot and let melt. One slice of cheese bread.

Eat Smart Choose hole foods. Choose oranges rather than orange juice; orange juice rather than sports drink; whole-wheat bread rather than white bread; baked potatoes rather than french fries or chips. (Do you know how many potatoes are used in 1 large bag of chips? One. The rest is fat.) Foods in their natural (or lightly processed) state offer more nutritional value and less sodium, trans fat and other health-eroding ingredients. You’ll find these foods along the perimeter of the grocery store: fresh produce, lean meats, lowfat dairy, whole grain breads.

Don't eat just one food per meal, such as a bagel. for breakfast. Add two more foods: peanut butter and low-fat milk. Don't choose just a salad for lunch. Add grilled chicken and a crusty whole grain roll. For dinner, enjoy pasta with tomato sauce and ground turkey. Two-thirds of the meal should be whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, and one-third low-fat meats, dairy, beans or other protein-rich foods.

Fuel Your Body on a Regular Schedule. Eat portioned control meals for lunch and dinner. Use the 10 AM and 2 PM breaks to keep you metabolism going and lesson the need to gorge later.

How Much?:
Breakfast (7-8:00 am): 500 calories (cereal + milk + banana)
Lunch (11-noon): 500 calories (sandwich + milk)
Lunch #2 (3-4:00): 400-500 calories (yogurt +granola+nuts)
Dinner (7-8:00 pm): 500-600 cals (chicken +potato + greens)

Balance your calorie intake throughout the day. Stop eating in a “crescendo” (with meals getting progressively bigger as the day evolves). Your better bet is to eat on a time-line and consume 3/4 of your calories in the active part of your day; eat less at the end of the day. One runner took this advice and started eating his dinner foods for lunch, a sandwich for lunch #2 (instead of snacking on cookies) and then had soup and a bagel for dinner. He enjoyed far more energy during the day, was able to train harder in the afternoon, and significantly improved his race times.

Eat when you are hungry, and then stop eating when you feel content. Hunger is simply a request for fuel; your body is telling you it burned off what you gave it and needs a refill. To disregard hunger is abusive. Just as you would not withhold food from a hungry infant, you should not withhold food from your hungry body. If you do, you will start to crave sweets (a physiological response to calorie deprivation) and end up eating “junk”.

Counting calories is one way to manage intake. For calorie information, use food labels or see www.fitday.com, and www.calorieking.com/foods. You can also simply pay attention to your body's signals. Keep checking in with yourself, “Is my body content? Or, does my body need this fuel?” If confronted with large portions that would leave you feeling stuffed, consider letting the excess food go to waste, not to “waist.”

If you can find the time to train hard, you can also find the time to fuel right. In fact, competitive athletes who don’t show up for meals might as well not show up for training. You’ll lose your edge with hit or miss fueling, but you’ll always win with good nutrition!

Much of this information came from Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) who counsels casual and competitive athletes in her private practice at Healthworks. Suggested Reading : Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook, new Food Guide for Marathoners, and Cyclist’s Food Guide are available at www.nancyclarkrd.com. Also see www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com for information about her online workshops.