Aren’t we all fascinated with the perks of a ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting? It seems like a dream come true. Lose weight fast without really compromising on your overall health. But as a trainer, the story is quite different, especially if you have opted for Ironman Triathlon Training. You need to be very specific about your nutrition and always follow whatever your plan suggests. If you have a coach; all the more better as they help you in the best way and guide you through professionally as well.
“Less is the best” mindset for dieting has ruined the idea of a healthier lifestyle. Strategies that feel good and promising and help us attain the goal that we so direly want to, are just like home to us. We hold on to them and implement them in our diets, without a second thought. But as a triathlete, you need to be very mindful about your nutrition as you have injuries and muscle stress to recover and you cannot and should not starve yourself.
But sorry to burst your bubble; the myths that we so crazily believe in, are all set to be busted by us! We are here to unveil the top Ironman Triathlon Training nutrition myths and bust them, so that the beginner athletes know and understand better. Let’s have a look.
Contents
1. Lose Weight and Perform Better by becoming Fat-Adapted OR Keto Diet is the Healthiest for Athletes:
The concept of ketosis believes in making your diet extremely restricted. To become fat-adapted, you have to rely on fat as the only source of fuel for your body so that it enters the state of ketosis. However, as good as it sounds, this becomes very difficult for trainers.
Now if you are not a trainer, this diet will certainly do wonders for you and will help you achieve your weight loss goals too. However, as a trainer, when you indulge in high intensity workouts, your body is in dire need of glycogen and not ketones to work and recover the muscles side by side.
High intensity training sessions are very important in Ironman Triathlon Training as they build endurance. This can be good for a normal individual who doesn’t have to hit the gym or train for a triathlon. But it is not a good option for a triathlete. You do not have to become fat-adapted to perform better in the training sessions.
2. You can eat as many carbs as you want to during race week:
The Ironman Triathlon Training plan has a race week and the myth that states that more carbs means more energy, kicks in badly in all athletes during this specific week. But the reality is very different.
When you eat more cars than your usual body is used to, you will feel super lethargic and your performance will drop. And this is not how you want to feel or perform during the race week. If your race session is for 2 hours, then there is no need to load on carbs.
Take the normal amount of carbs that you do and you will be fine to survive the two hours session. However, if the time increases, you can boost the carb intake slightly. Do not load on carbs. Yes you do need glycogen but you don’t want to sleep in the middle of the track either.
3. Drink a lot of water throughout:
There is a misconception for trainers that they need to drink, drink and drink all the time. We do agree that you need more fluid than others as you are constantly Ironman Training Plans and working out. However, you do not want to rehydrate yourself either.
Thus, discuss your water intake with your coach before starting off with the training. For races, athlete coaches do not recommend having a tummy filled with fluid. They usually restrict water intake 2-3 hours before running. You want to focus on the race and not on urinating.
CONCLUSION
There are a lot of myths surrounding Ironman Triathlon Training nutrition facts and beginner athletes just tend to believe them with closed eyes. We have busted a few for you, right here. It is best to listen to your coach and follow the nutrition plan that they set out for you. If you are obsess or overweight, it is best to lose weight first and then enter the triathlon training programs to perform and train better.