the mistake: I rarely plan, shop for and cook my own meals. I just don’t have time. Problem: Our society is a minefield of poor food options. You’re a triathlete, you train and you get hungry. Desperation for food can prompt a ragged diet. T h e RepaiR: No excuses: Develop a strategy so you’re not dependent on fast food cravings. Lauren Antonucci is a registered dietician and board-certified nutritionist who counsels New York City triathletes on their diets. “New Yorkers are always doing a million things at once,” she says. One of her key pieces of advice is to get control of a diet by taking charge of planning and preparing your own food. “When someone says they don’t have the time, I ask them to log how much time they spend running around when they’re hungry trying to get decent food. Generally it’s the same amount of time you’d need to prepare you own food in advance.” Antonucci says that the benefits are powerful: You eat better and experience less stress in doing so.
the mistake: When I get close to a big race I like to diet hard so I can burn myself down to a minimal weight. Problem: This practice wrecks your immune system. The RepaiR: “When you’re losing weight, you’re potentially putting yourself in a situation where you could be more susceptible to getting sick,” says Rebecca Marks Rudy, a nutritionist with Trismarter.com. “So this two-fold stress on the body means you might not be taking in all the nutrients you need.” Colds, illness and overtraining systems can manifest. Be careful to replace all of your calories with nutrient-dense foods, and back things up with the insurance of mild-to-moderate supplementation before and immediately after a race. “Particularly for that window of 24 to 72 hours or so after an event, focus on a higher dose supplementation program.” For vitamin C, Rudy says you should consider doubling or tripling the daily recommendation of 60mg, or taking a multivitamin. Vitamin C-rich foods she recommends: any kind of citrus, guava, kiwi, papaya and strawberry, in addition to vegetables such as red peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and even potatoes.
Rebecca Marks Rudy is a New Jersey-based sports nutritionist with Trismarter.com, where she helps new
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athletes looking to lose weight through their nutrition and coaching program Tri2Lose.