I often see endurance athletes struggling to manage their body composition. They strive to be leaner so drastically cut calories and then suffer for it with reduced energy levels, poor training performance and increased risk of illness and injury...

I despise the word ‘diet’ and don’t even get me started on ‘detox’. The idea of a quick fix is appealing but unfortunately, there is no magic pill for weight loss... 

Diets are often gimmicky, unsustainable and are not going to provide adequate fuel to keep up with the often-high load of triathlon training. There are some very real consequences to inappropriate weight loss such as altered hormones, reduced immune function, impaired growth and development and don’t forget warped psychological state (Yes, being ‘hangry’ is a real thing).

You’ll notice decreased muscle strength, anaerobic power and endurance capacity; none of which are helpful when training or racing. Success as a...

I can’t be the only one that’s noticed Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) scans popping up in just about every gym 12-week challenge, or ‘get fit for summer’ promo. These scans are advertised as a ‘new’ and ‘improved’ way to accurately measure your body composition that’s not going to cost you an arm and a leg. But should you be relying on this measure when it comes to achieving your goals?

It’s a BIG NO from us. Let me tell you why…

How BIA works:

This method of body composition measurement relies on different types of tissue in our bodies having different levels of conductivity. The machine sends a small current between the body parts in contact with the machine (either two or four points) and creates a measure of body composition depending on the response to this current. This is where we start to run into issues...

BIA machines with only two contact points (i.e. hand-to-hand, or foot-to-foot)...

This obsession with the ‘detox’ seems to come from a place of wanting to drastically reset our body. Usually following a period of indulgence in high fat and sugary foods, and probably a few too many wines or beers as well. The idea of a detox is plucked up as a saving grace as if days or weeks of denying our bodies whole foods packed with nutrients can be rapidly undone. Unfortunately, to be the bearer of bad news on this one, that’s not quite how our digestive system functions. On the flip side, you can save yourself a whole lot of money, and discomfort, by steering clear of these fads.

Clearing up the science

When it comes to toxins entering our body from food or drink, the systems we have in place to remove them are already quite good at their job without the help of a juice cleanse! Whether it’s alcohol, medication, environmental toxins or bacteria from food, there is a scientific explanation for how these toxins are eliminated. Although I could talk for...

As life gets busy, eating well can easily take a back-seat when there’s tight deadlines and a million other things to do! But when you’re busy, stressed and time-poor, it’s even more important to eat well to get the most out of your day.

Food is fuel for our bodies and our brain, so if you want to maximise your mental performance and get even more productive, try implementing my Top 5 Tips for Mental Performance today!

1. Choose low GI, whole grains (avoiding white)

Choosing lower GI carbohydrate sources such a whole-grain bread and cereals, brown rice, legumes etc. slows the release of glucose (sugar) into the bloodstream and your brain. This avoids those sugar highs and lows, instead drip-feeding the release of fuel to your brain so you can focus better, with more clarity for longer.

2. Include oily fish at least 3 x per week

Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel are a great source of omega-3 fats which are critical for brain function...

Beetroot juice was the secret sauce for many athletes competing in the London 2012 Olympic Games. Lots of countries were using it, but it wasn’t until afterwards that the news about beetroot juice became public knowledge…

Many athletes are looking for that performance edge over their competitors. Most athletes have heard about it, but don’t know how to use it. If you’ve nailed the fundamentals of basic sports nutrition and are looking at taking your racing to the next level, try adding beetroot juice to your race plan.

Why beetroot juice?

What is it about this vegetable that gives you a performance kick? The component responsible for the benefits of beetroot juice is Nitrate. It’s produced within our bodies and is also found in some of the foods we eat, particularly green leafy vegetables, beetroot, processed meats and the water supply.

But the nitrate content varies widely even among the same vegetable variety. Freshness and farming practices...