Nutrition, Nutrition, Nutrition!

They say the fourth discipline for triathlon (short and long) is nutrition, and that is no joke!! How do you fuel yourself for such a long event? Well, there are many ways to fuel yourself, but what to eat that will get you to the finish line without GI (gastrointestinal) distress?

To be honest, I have NEVER completed an Ironman where I DID NOT have GI troubles. However, I have never done an IM where I knew what my food “limitations” were. This year is different; I have found that I have “food allergies” that can greatly influence my GI and performance. To keep it short and sweet; I have fast acting response allergic reaction to peanuts and eggs (dose sensitive), slower response to gliadin (gluten) and fructose absorption issues.

What does this lead to? Well, a lot of time on the port-o-john (diarrhea), and sometimes debilitating cramps and bloating.

I know this may be too much information, but I know a LOT of athletes struggle with these issues, and what better way to conquer them than to be open and honest?

I first want to thank my nutritionist Megan Forbes who has taken me from “ground zero” to a healthy gut and normal GI. Another HUGE thanks to my sponsor Pamela’s Products who has supplied me with some of the best pre/post and during gluten free fuel for my training and racing!

So, what do I eat/drink during racing/training/everyday life?

Well, it is pretty simple and very diverse even though it looks very restrictive. I base my diet off of the four food groups; believe it or not, it is pretty balanced!! Just like a “normal person” should eat. Here are some examples of what I can eat/drink without consequence, in which you can make a number of delicious meals and snacks out of.

Protein: (this is the category to be careful of egg and peanuts) turkey, chicken, beef, fish, shellfish…my favorite is tuna (especially in sushi!) –actually, I can eat any sort of protein; these are just what I prefer. Nut butters also supply essential oils and protein; I LOVE almond butter.

Carbohydrates: brown rice, quinoa, and buckwheat (this is the category to be careful of gluten)
(one a side note, I use “NO EGG” as an egg replacement when cooking, it consists of potato starch, so technically belongs to this category)

Fruits/veggies: (this is the category I need to pay attention to Re. the fructose- fruit sugar) broccoli, tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, turnip etc…pretty much any veggie!! before races and big training days, I will steam/cook them for easier digestion.

Fruits are difficult for me because I must take them with a proper balance of glucose so I can absorb the fructose. But, as of now a fruit after lunch with low fructose content seems to be working well for me. For precaution, I cut out all fruits one week before any race/competition.

Dairy: I LOVE dairy products! Yogurt, cheese, milk etc… it Is all good. Sometimes I have chocolate milk for recovery. I like ALL types of cheese and use yogurt in my cooking as well as breakfast most mornings. No restrictions here!

So, as you can see, I have A LOT to work with. I think it comes down to the “hype” that everyone has and feels when they hear “gluten allergy” or any sort of food allergy for that matter. All it takes is a little creativity and research to cook up some great recipes!


This is a gluten/egg free bread I made for training/recovery. Contains: Coconut oil, pumpkin sauce, applesauce, sugar, brown rice flour, NO EGG, baking powder, cinnamon, and lots of CHOCOLATE!! yummy! notice the bits missing from the top...I thing we have a mouse:)

Now what do I use for racing/training?

I currently rely on Carbo-Pro and Hammer Gels for training and racing, substituted with gluten/egg-free high energy concoctions that I make up in the kitchen. So far, my gluten-free rice-krispy treat is the winner for “packed in goodness, carbohydrate booster, satiety satisfier, and DAMN IT TASTES GOOD” factor.

All kidding aside, Carbo-Pro is excellent for me because it only contains short chain carbohydrates and no fructose with the right osmotic balance. Coupled with Hammer gel that is made of maltodextrin instead of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) I have a great nutrition plan! Yes, it is boring but it works and I have cut down my port-o-john stops by A LOT!!

I can’t say I have ever been happier about where I am nutrition-wise; I know my limitations and how to work around them without sacrificing satisfaction!! Speaking of satisfaction…it’s the weekend, time for a glass of wine!

Next up: my opinion of drinking and training…should be an interesting post