Nutrition is a very personal thing. Not only do men and women have different nutritional requirements but each individual is different.
I tend to lead a healthy balanced diet. I try to keep away from refined carbs and high laden sugar drinks but every now and then I crave ‘bad’ things and allow myself to eat them because it’s my body telling me it needs it. Or sometimes during hard sessions I don’t mind having a can of Red Bull or coke because I need all the energy I can get and I’m burning so many calories that I don’t need to feel guilty. I just try to hide the fizzy drink cans from the kids in case they think it’s normal to drink it at 9am!
After training I try to eat a recovery snack within 30 minutes. The timing of protein intake is important for recovery and muscle repair.
I used to avoid salt like the plague but have realised it’s so important for athletes. I add pink Himalayan salt to everything. Sodium not only maintains fluid balance but assists in the absorption of nutrients in the gut, and is needed for nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction. Leading into a race I make sure I up my salt intake. If you are trying to keep well hydrated in the days before a race make sure you are not just drinking plain water but add salt or electrolytes, such as Nuun, otherwise the water you are drinking is just flushing your system.
I take daily superfood multivitamins (Apsu Nutrition) to make sure my body is getting all the nutrients and vitamins it requires; keeps me energized and helps with recovery and immunity.
I take extra Magnesium tablets in the evening to help my body and brain; for muscle function, nerve transmission and energy creation.
My race nutrition depends on the distance of the race but usually I wont eat much immediately before the swim as I will have had a good breakfast a couple of hours earlier of scrambled eggs on toast and coffee. Then on the bike I use Pruvit Ketones and Nuun electrolytes and solids such as Trek bars, Farbars and salted nuts and then I have GU gels on the run.