A question I get asked frequently in the clinic – What do I eat before a race?

Generally, I'd suggest organising a specific RACE NUTRITION PLAN for your specific event as everyone is different, but here are a few general guidelines to help you get started...

Pre-Race Meal Timing - How long do you have?

What you eat before a race depends on how long you’ve got to digest and absorb it. If you have multiple hours (for e.g. Byron Bay OD which doesn't start to lunchtime), something heavier and more solid is probably going to be ok.

Compared to a shorter time-frame i.e. 1 hour or less, something smaller and easily digestible will work best. In saying that, everyone is different and you need to figure out what works best for you.

If you know you are a nervous racer and food sits in your stomach for a while, I'd suggest getting up a little earlier to ensure you have something to eat 2-2.5 hours prior to the race start.

Go for a smaller volume but carbohydrate-dense option like fruit toas...

Today on Coffee & Questions I did a quick LIVE review of the new-ish YoPro Protein Bar

At 20g per bar, this is a great little protein hit which could be useful if:

• You can't get to a recovery meal within your window of opportunity post-training
• You need a high protein snack (although this is not so convenient if you're out as the product needs to be kept in the fridge)
• Your overall training demand is on the lower carbohydrate side so 20g of protein and 20g of carbohydrate is perfect for you post-workout
• You're looking to add collagen to your diet
• You have high energy needs so this immediately post-workout, followed up by a recovery meal 1-2 hours later fits within your overall requirements

A couple of downsides:

• It does need the fridge so is not as convenient as some of the 20g protein bars that are shelf stable if you're on the run
• At $4 per bar it's not the most cost effective snack going around!
• The best before date comes around really quickly 
• At over 1000kJ p...

With the cooler weather setting in, the cold and flu season is upon us. There’s nothing worse than getting sick, especially right before a key event! Here are our Top Five Tips for looking after your immune system and staying well this winter.

1. Get your 2 fruit and 5 veggie serves in each day

Vitamins and minerals are important for a huge range of reactions within the body such as growth and repair, muscle function, energy metabolism and protection from free radical damage. If we don’t get enough of certain nutrients, our health and performance suffers. It also increases your risk of getting sick. That doesn’t mean you need to start sucking back the multivitamins.

Focus on getting a variety of nutrients each day from fresh fruits and vegetables. The more colours, the better to ensure you’re getting a wide range of important, sickness busting vitamins and minerals.

Keep up your daily dose of 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables during the comfort food season with these id...

Coffee & Questions - 29th May 2020

Today I talked about my fave topic - Triathlon Nutrition! 😍

1. Rest and Recovery is key!
2. Avoid low Energy Availability
3. Carbohydrate is protective
4. Eat the Rainbow
5. Prevent dehydration

You can read more here 👇

Coffee & Questions - 15th May 2020

Today on Coffee & Questions I run through...

My Top 5 Strategies for Managing your 'Return' to Training

1. Match your Daily Fuelling to your Training Load

2. Get enough protein and ensure it's distributed across the...

Coffee & Questions - 8th May 2020

Happy Fri-Yay !!

Now more than ever it’s important to eat well and look after ourselves. As a dietitian, I feel like it's my mission to help you through this crazy time with practical, easy to understand and implement advice, no matter where you are! In the best way I know how – nutrition!

In a world of uncertainty, sometimes it can help to focus on something. Why not use this time wisely to learn and implement some of the foundations of healthy eating?!

So here are My Top 5 Tips for Staying Healthy During Isolation to celebrate the launch of my new online course! Watch the replay from the LIVE recording or read through the summary below 👇👇🏼 

1.   Eat Well 

• A lot of people are stressed about gaining weight at the moment, coming out of this in a bad place and undoing all of their hard work building fitness from the start of the season. But now is not the time to crash diet. Or put too much pressure on ourselves for that matter! It's not the time to put yourself into a severe calorie deficit as thi...

When it comes to Sports Drinks, there are far too many choices!

Which sports drink has the most electrolytes? Which sports drink has the most sodium? Which sports drink is isotonic? What sports drink has the least sugar? Which sports drink is the best for hydration?

And most importantly, what sports drink is the best choice for optimal performance? Let’s have a look… 

What are we looking for in a sports drink?

Ultimately, we’re looking for a product that helps meet our fuelling and hydration needs. Sports drinks should be designed with a combination of different carbohydrates, electrolytes and of course fluid to keep you hydrated and performing at your best. But not all sports drinks are created equal…

Carbohydrate

As a general rule, most sports drinks contain between 6-8% carbohydrate. So, in 100mL of the product (made up to the correct concentration), they contain between 6-8g of carbohydrate. Anything higher can delay the rate your stomach empties which reduces the amount of f...