As a triathlete, you train hard. But are you giving your body the right tools to recover and build strength? One hot topic in the nutrition space is the rise of plant-based eating. So today, weâre tackling the big question: Is plant-based protein as effective as animal protein when it comes to muscle growth and performance?
Whether you're fully plant-based, a meat-loving omnivore or somewhere in between, this blog will help you:
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Protein isnât just for bodybuilders. As a triathlete, you need it to:
Proteins are made up of amino acids â some of which are essential,...
If youâre an age-group triathlete still chasing race weight or skipping breakfast thinking itâll burn more fat, itâs time for a reality check.
Despite the endless podcasts, YouTube gurus and blog posts, some triathlon nutrition myths just wonât die. And in 2025, athletes are still falling for outdated advice thatâs tanking performance and holding back results.
So letâs bust the top three myths I see every single week in clinic and inside my programs. These are the sneaky ones that sound smart on the surfaceâbut under the hood? Theyâre leaving you flat, hangry and underperforming.
If youâve ever thought, âI just need to drop a few kilos to hit my PB,â this oneâs for you.
Hereâs the truth: Lighter doesnât always mean faster.
Iâve worked with hundreds of triathletes over the years, and hereâs what actually moves the needleâfueling properly for training and recovery, not starving yourself into ârace shapeâ.
Take Erin Byrge. She spent a decade cha...
If you're smashing out sessions, eating âhealthyâ and still not seeing the results you deserveâyou're not alone.
As a sports dietitian working exclusively with triathletes, I see the same problems time and time again. In this post, I'm walking you through the four biggest nutrition fixes Iâd make for you if we were working together inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy.
Because chances are, youâre under-fuelling, under-recovering or underestimating what proper nutrition can actually do.
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This is the most common issue I see with age group triathletes. Youâre:
Skipping pre-training fuel to "burn fat"
Eating the same every day, regardless of session load
Avoiding carbs because theyâre âbadâ
But underfuelled training = poor adaptation, slower recovery and flat sessions.
Training doesnât work without the right fuel.
In the Academy, the first thing ...
18 years ago, Kathleen dipped her toe into the world of triathlon, then life, winter training and family demands got in the way. When she finally returned, she knew she needed to do it differently.
She didnât want to spend another season second-guessing her nutrition or dealing with stomach issues mid-race. So, before even toeing the start line again, Kathleen signed up for the Triathlon Nutrition Academy.
đŹ âI joined before I did my first sprint triathlon because I knew I couldnât figure this out on my own.â
Before joining TNA, Kathleen thought she was doing the right thing (like eating a big salad before a long run đ). But every time she went past 8 miles, her gut disagreed.
đŹ âI believed a big, healthy salad was the best thing to eat before a half marathon. It wasnât.â
Working with Taryn and applying what she learned in the Academy, Kathleen identified exactly what was going wrong and made simple changes that made a massive difference.
â ...
When Kelly Estes returned to triathlon after years away, he quickly realised that training alone wasnât going to cut it. He had tried to piece together his nutrition using articles, YouTube videos and podcasts, but nothing quite clicked.
đŹ âI didnât find that sweet spot until I found the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. Itâs made a world of difference.â
Before joining the Academy, Kelly was stuck in the all-too-common cycle of trial and error. Trying different gels, bars, powders, and hoping something would stick. It left him second-guessing whether he was doing the right thing and unsure if his fuelling strategy was actually helping or hindering his performance.
đŹ âHaving a good nutrition program takes out the guesswork⌠I became better at being a consistent triathlete with my training.â
Since joining the TNA program, Kelly has seen real results, not just in race performance, but in his everyday energy, recovery and body compo...
If youâre an age-group triathlete smashing big training blocks, chasing PBs and wondering why your results donât match the effort, this oneâs for you.
In this post, we dive into how Troy Bauerle went from regular injuries and average race results to podium finishes and Ironman confidence, all by sorting out his nutrition.
Through the Triathlon Nutrition Academy, Troy unlocked a whole new level of performance, recovery and mindset. Here's what he changed.
Like many triathletes, Troy used to struggle with training interruptions due to recurring injuries, especially as a high-volume athlete with a physically demanding job.
But after implementing a year of consistent, well-fuelled training through the Academy his highlights include:
No injuries in 12 months. Previously unheard of for Troy!
Completed 3-week blocks of 20+ hours of training feeling energised, inst...
If youâre a triathlete chasing performance, you already know nutrition is your fourth discipline. But hereâs a hard truth: not all sports drinks are created equal - and choosing the wrong one could mean GI issues, under-fuelling or simply bonking at the worst possible moment.
In this deep dive, weâll compare two products from Pure Sports Nutrition - Race Fuel and Electrolyte Hydration and unpack why knowing whatâs in your bottle can make or break your race day.
Both of these products are marketed as âsports drinks,â but they have vastly different compositions and uses:
Sounds straightforward? Not quite. If youâre just following label instructions, you could be missing the mark entirely.
Race Fuel sits in Pureâs...
When Samantha Zeps first got into triathlon, she never imagined sheâd be standing on the top step of the podium â let alone qualifying for the Ironman World Championships in Kona.
A full-time professional, busy mum and dedicated age-group athlete, Sam was already training hard and showing up consistently. But like many triathletes, she found herself plateauing: tired in the afternoons, recovering poorly, and missing the spark to go from strong⌠to elite.
For years, Samantha â like so many others â thought nutrition was just about eating less to stay lean. âIâd skip meals, do fasted training, and hold off eating after sessions to burn more,â she says.
The problem? She felt wrecked. By mid-afternoon, her energy would crash. Long training days left her completely wiped out. Recovery was slow. And race results didnât match her effort.
The real shift came when she stopped thinking about food as something to restrict â and...
Youâre training hard. Youâve got your swim, bike and run sessions scheduled in, maybe even some strength training. But if your nutrition isnât dialled in, you could be flushing all that hard work down the drain.
In this post, I want to shine a light on something most triathletes never calculate: the real cost of poor nutrition. And spoiler, itâs not just a bad race day or a mid-run gut explosion. Weâre talking about:
Letâs lift the lid.
These ones hurt â and most triathletes can relate:
Youâve trained for months, only to DNF because of gut issues, dehydration, or cramping. Factor in race entry fees, travel, accommodation, gear â not to mention the emotional toll. Itâs not just gutting. Itâs preventable.
Think stress fractures, tendon issues, or burnout from poor recovery....
Completing an Ironman isnât for suckers. It's something that many triathletes dream about and today, I want to share the story of one of my Triathlon Nutrition Academy athletes, Christina, whose journey to the finish line of her first Ironman is truly inspirational.Â
Christina isn't a professional athlete â she's a full-time interior designer and dedicated mother who held onto her Ironman dream since her post-college days in Tucson, Arizona. Fast forward 18 years, after juggling work, family, and fitness, Christina finally decided to take the plunge into this mammoth challenge and recently completed the Texas Ironman.
While preparing for race day, Christina navigated the same challenges most of us face â demanding work schedules, family commitments and the constant juggle to fit training into an already packed life. What set her apart wasn't superhuman abilities, but rather strategic planning, a personal and professional support network and an unwavering commitment to her goal.
Her ...
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