Triathlon Diet
The Components Of A Triathlon Diet
If you are thinking about participating in a triathlon, you will have to start eating foods that are recommended for a triathlon diet. People who partake in this type of sport not only have to eat right before the race while training but also after the race. Just like it would be dangerous to not properly prepare for the physical part of the race, it can also be dangerous not to eat right before the race. In fact, anyone that is doing any kind of extreme sort of exercise everyday can benefit from following the triathlon diet.
A triathlon is considered to be one of the most grueling and difficult of any sporting events. It has three different sporting categories and they are measured in miles. The participator in the event starts out swimming and then goes on to bicycling. The last leg of the race is done by running. The distances of these races are determined by the individual competitions. Triathletes compete to finish first and also to be the first to finish each of the categories of the race.
To understand how difficult a triathlon is you have to look at the distances the participants travel. They start the race by swimming almost 3 miles. As soon as they are finished they immediately get on a bicycle and ride for around 110 miles. After that is completed they run for around 25 miles. There may be a few times when a participant stops and rests in between these different races. But only for the essentials like using the bathroom or drinking water.
When a person thinks about doing one of these physically difficult races, they must start to prepare immediately. They have to be able to devote most of their time to training for the event. They have to become proficient in all 3 sports and must include disciplinary workouts everyday to have the stamina to get through the triathlon. This includes heavy weight training and strength conditioning. But even when people follow this tough conditioning for long periods of time, they still may not be able to finish this race. Many collapse from exhaustion and injury during these races.
The body needs endurance to run one of these races but it also needs to be fueled with the right foods. The triathlon diet consists of foods that give a person the most energy. The first ingredient in a triathlon diet is carbohydrates. There are grains, breads, cereals and pasta. These foods are all energy producers and can replenish a body before and after an extreme workout.
Fiber is another food needed by triathletes because it keeps the system clean and the body processes moving. These people have to consume large amounts of food and it has to quickly travel through the body for energy. Fiber helps to move the food through the stomach, intestines and colon for a healthy elimination.
During a triathlon a participant needs a protein to help the muscles. The muscles develop and grow during this time and protein helps in this process. It helps with hormone production and immune function. Protein is also known to help give the body energy.
A certain amount of fat is needed in the triathlon diet. The participant will lose water and weight during the race and there has to be a bit of fat available to burn off. Fat can also give the participant extra energy. This is also true for water. Water should be available to a triathlete any time they need it to avoid dehydration. Most triathletes will carry a small source of water with them throughout the race.