1. Dietary Strategies To Improve Triathlon Training and Performance
Bobbi Barbarich RD MSc Candidate
Professional Nutrition Services

2. NUTRITION IS IMPORTANT
When athletes of equal skill & training
meet in competition, nutrition can make
the difference between winning and losing.

3. NUTRITIONAL FACTORS LIMITING ENDURANCE PERFORMANCE
Muscle & Liver Glycogen Depletion
Availability of Carbohydrates During Exercise
Dehydration
Gastrointestinal Problems

4. Meet Nutritional Needs For Long-Term Health
NUTRITIONAL GOALS
Meet Nutritional Needs For Long-Term Health
Vitamins
Minerals
Special Nutrients
Fibre
Types of Fat

5. NUTRITIONAL GOALS Provide Appropriate Nutrition that
Supports Consistent, Intensive Training.
Fluid & Electrolyte Replacement
Carbohydrate Replacement
Adequate Protein
Adequate Energy
Appropriate Fueling During Exercise
Timing of Intakes for Recovery Between Sessions
Promote optimal return from training sessions by obtaining adequate and appropriate nutrition: fluid and electrolyte replacement, carbohydrate replacement, adequate protein, minerals, vitamins and ensure that the time of these intakes allows for recovery between training sessions and that allows for physiological adaptation to occur.

6. Develop Race-Day Nutritional Strategies
NUTRITIONAL GOALS
Develop Race-Day Nutritional Strategies
Know your targets……more is not necessarily better.
Experimentation & practice during training.
Have a plan but be flexible.
Have alternatives and expect problems.

7. FUEL USE DURING EXERCISE
Intensity of Exercise
Duration of Exercise
Diet
Training State
Environmental Temperature
Intensity:
Higher the intensity the greater the contribution from cho. Some cho is necessary for lower intensity exercise.
Duration:
The longer the exercise, usually the lower the exercise intensity thus fat makes a greater contribution. cho is still the limiting factor in endurance events.
Diet:
The higher the cho intake, the higher the glycogen stores in liver and muscle that are available for use.
Training State:
Increased aerobic capacity, which improves the mobilization of fat and sparing of limited stores of cho. Increased mitochondria, increase intramuscular fat storage, increased aerobic enzymes and an increased ability to store glycogen.
Environment:
Carbs are used at a higher rate in hot conditions due to increased muscule temperature and reduced muscle blood flow.

8. Effect of Diet on Muscle Glycogen

9. CARBOHYDRATE: THE MASTER FUEL
The Grains and Fruits & Vegetables Food Groups
Simple & Complex
Glycemic Index
Fibre: Insoluble & Soluble

10. Essential and Non-essential Amino Acids
PROTEIN BALANCE
Meats and Alternatives Food Group
Dairy Products
Essential and Non-essential Amino Acids
functions:
structural components of the body: muscles, tendons, skin, hair, nails
found in blood: hemoglobin carrying oxygen
enzymes that control chemical processes: digestion, energy metabolism
antibodies

11. PROTEIN TURNOVER Dietary Proteins Oxidation (Energy) Amino Acid Pool
Sweat,Urine, Feces
High Priority Body Proteins
Muscle Tissue

12. Endurance-Training Protein Needs Can Easily Be Met
80 Kg x 1.4 grams/Kg = 112 grams protein
Grams of Protein
2 cups oatmeal 12
2 cups milk 16
1 boiled egg 7
2 slices toast with peanut butter 11
1 cheeseburger 35
2 granola bars
1 chicken breast 47
3 cups pasta with tomato sauce 14
1 cup vegetables 2
3 medium fruits
TOTAL grams
This provides about 2500 kcal or only 32 kcal/kg.
This provides 285 grams carb or 3.6 g/kg
44 kcal/kg maintenance
52-60 kcal/kg building
33-38 kcal/kg taper
33 kcal/kg cutting

13. PROTEIN Eat protein throughout the day.
Protein supplements can be a convenient source of high quality protein but not necessary when an adequate diet is consumed.
Most protein supplements contain a mix of egg or milk proteins: casein, whey.
Whey and soy are the highest quality proteins currently available in supplements.

14. HIGH PROTEIN DIETS Are fad diets and expensive to consume.
Inhibit the athlete’s ability to consume adequate carbohydrates.
Are not ergogenic.
Are dehydrating.
Result in losses of calcium in the urine.
Are unhealthy.

16. FAT IS ENERGY DENSE 9 Calories per gram Added and Hidden Fats
Saturated, Trans and Unsaturated
Essential Fats: 1% of Total Energy
Functions
carriers of fat soluble vitamins A,D,E,K
protection of vital organs
energy
Short-term high fat, low carb diet increase the availability of lipid substrates but reduce the storage of glycogen. As a result, although fat oxidation may be increased during exercise, fatigue resistance and exercise performance are decreased.
Longer term high fat diets result in low glycogen store but resulted in longer time to exhaustion at low exercise intensites. This happens because, we think, the oxidative enzymes associated with fat oxidation are enhanced with a high fat diet. Need more research.

17. Reduce Fat For A High Carbohydrate Diet
375 Calories, 41% Fat, 54% Carbohydrates
355 Calories,13% Fat, 80% Carbohydrates

18. Practice During Training
PRE-EXERCISE EATING
GOALS
Ensure adequate hydration
Top up carbohydrate stores
Prevent hunger during the event
Practice During Training

19. PRE-EXERCISE EATING TIMING OF EATING Full Meal 3 to 4 hours before
Snack 1 to 2 hours before
Immediately before?

20. PRE-EXERCISE EATING NUTRIENT COMPOSITION
High in Carbohydrates and Fluid
Moderate in Protein
Low in Fat and Fibre

21. PRE-EXERCISE EATING Pre-Race Meals and Snacks Must Be
Familiar to You

22. FLUID: THE FORGOTTEN NUTRIENT
Hourly Sweat Losses During Exercise
-5 degrees Celsius litres
+10 degrees Celsius litres
+20 degrees Celsius litres
+30 degrees Celsius litres

23. FLUID IS THE FORGOTTEN NUTRIENT
60% of Body Weight is Water
1 LITRE OF SWEAT =
1 KILOGRAM OF BODY WEIGHT

24. Effects of Dehydration
2% Impaired work capacity & temperature control
3% Increased pulse rate & core temperature
6% Increased respiratory rate, lower blood volume
9% Heat exhaustion, heat stroke

25. Dehydration 175 lb. (80 kg) Athlete 2% 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)

26. Symptoms of Dehydration
Rapid weight loss
Infrequent urination
Dark, small volume urine
Fatigue
Gastrointestinal Upset

27. SWEAT LOSSES SODIUM 1 litre sweat = 0.5 to 1.1 grams sodium
Average dietary sodium = +5 grams
Depletion is of concern with ultra endurance events

28. SODIUM CONTENT OF HYDRATION BEVERAGES
500 to 700 mg/litre is Recommended
Water is retained better when it is consumed with sodium.
Carbohydrate & sodium are linked with water absorption.

29. FUELING DURING EXERCISE
HOURLY TARGETS
Carbohydrates: 50 to 70 grams
Fluid: ml
Sodium: 800 to 1000 mg
Salt tablets: start with 300 mg/hr. Thermolyte: 150 mg/tab

30. FUELING DURING EXERCISE
GOALS
Rapid Stomach Emptying.
Provide Quickly Absorbable Nutrients.
Provide Appropriate Nutrients.

31. STOMACH EMPTYING RATE VOLUME
The larger the volume, the faster it leaves the stomach.
Average volume emptied is 800 to 1000 ml per hour.

32. ENERGY DENSITY OF FLUID
STOMACH EMPTYING RATE
ENERGY DENSITY OF FLUID
The more concentrated the beverage, the longer it stays in the stomach: Fastest emptying with 4 to 8% carbohydrate/electrolyte beverages.

33. STOMACH EMPTYING RATE NUTRIENT CONTENT Fluids Faster than Solids
Carbohydrates
Protein
Fat

34. STOMACH EMPTYING RATE EXERCISE INTENSITY
Higher exercise intensities tend to reduce gastrointestinal motility.
Mode of exercise can also influence gastrointestinal function.

35. STOMACH EMPYTING RATE ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS
The higher the environmental temperature, the slower the emptying rate.
The more dehydrated you are, the slower the gastrointestinal function.

36. STOMACH EMPTYING RATE FLUID TEMPERATURE
Ideal fluid temperature is 5 to 10 degrees Celsius.
Colder beverages tend to be more palatable.

37. Hydration Schedule 2 Hours Before Exercise: 500 ml
Every 15 Minutes During Exercise: ml
After Exercise:
750 ml per lb. weight loss
Ingesting fluids during exercise attenuates the increases in heart rate and body temperature that are observed during prolonged exercise. This seems to be due, in part, to the maintenance of a higher blood volume and lower plasma osmolalityh during exercise, thereby facilitating skin blood flow and heat dissipation.

38. 4 - 8% Carbohydrate/Electrolyte Drink
What to Drink
Water
4 - 8% Carbohydrate/Electrolyte Drink
Diluted Fruit Juices

39. DIETARY CARBOHYDRATE UTILIZATION
Depends on type of carbohydrate.
Depends on the absorption rate.
Can vary when different types are combined due to different absorption sites and rates.
There is a maximum exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rate: 1.0 to 1.1 grams per minute = 60 grams per hour.

40. CARBOHYDRATES WITH THE FASTEST UTILIZATION
Glucose (principle sugar used by the body: dextrose)
Sucrose (glucose and fructose)
Maltose (glucose and glucose)
Maltodextrins (hydrolyzed starch: mixture of different length chains of glucose)
Dextrins (5 to 10 glucose molecules)
Amylopectins (branch-chained glucose)

41. CARBOHYDRATES UTILIZIED 25 to 50% SLOWER
Fructose (monosaccaride)
Galactose (50% slower than Glucose)
Amylose (straight chain glucose)

42. RECOVERY NUTRITION Hydration Replenish glycogen stores
Provide building blocks for muscle repair and growth

43. RECOVERY NUTRITION Liquid absorbed most quickly
Mixture of carbs and protein (4:1)
Within 30 minutes
Within 2 hours

44. Food Variety and Quality
Training Diet
High Carbohydrate
Limit Fat
Adequate Protein
Plenty of Fluids
Food Variety and Quality

45. Training Diet
No. Servings Food Group
8 to Grains
8 to Vegetables & Fruits
3 to 6 Milk Products
2 to 4 Meat & Alternates
Limit Other Foods
Fluid, Fluid, Fluid, Fluid, Fluid, Fluid, Fluid

46. Bobbi Barbarich RD MSc Cand
Thank You
Bobbi Barbarich RD MSc Cand
Professional Nutrition Services