Luckily, most triathletes do so much training and exercising that eating too much is not a big problem. Of course, many may be concerned about the extra calories they consumed on Thanksgiving. Well, it is over now, so just get back to work. 
While at the grocery store yesterday, I was reminded of the low price of pasta. A 16oz box of pasta costs less than a dollar, if I buy the store brand, and a jar of sauce costs another dollar. For about 2 bucks, I can make a big pot of pasta that has nearly 2,000 calories in it. It reheats well.
Though the pasta is especially high in carbs, it also has a noteworthy amount of protein. The carbs are great for fueling triathlon training.
What inexpensive foods do you like to use to help you train for triathlon? Tell us in the Triathlon Discussion Forums. It’s completely free.
Some triathletes like to use coffee to assist in their training. They find that the caffeine can help energize them. Of course, it can also result in a crash. Additionally, some like to drink coffee after triathlon training to help re-energize them after tiring exercise.
Janet Wilson wrote an article about race day nutrition:
I am often asked by triathletes, “What should I eat to kick butt in my next triathlon?” The answer is, “It depends.”
I’m not a nutritionist, but I have learned a lot about my own nutrition planning through years of training experience. Each individual is different, and if you really want a personalized plan you should seek out a professional nutritionist.
Some basic tricks to proper triathlon nutrition include figuring out what will keep the athlete fueled for optimal performance (and help them recover quickly after the event or workout). Here are the 3 key factors to consider:
1. What are you doing (i.e. swimming, biking or running - or all three) and how intense will you be exercising? 2. How long will you be training? 3. What can you stomach or tolerate?
There is no one diet plan for all triathletes. Nevertheless, there are some rules of thumb you can use to figure out your very own high performance diet.
The first thing you have to figure out is your fuel needs - in other words, how many calories do you need to consume to prevent your body from shutting down and your performances to whither.
The amount of calories you need to consume will alter based on Key Numbers 1 and 2 - what are you doing that day and how long will you be doing it?
The basics:
1. Before your workout/race: Start increasing carb and fluid intake an hour or more before your workout. This will help build up carbohydrates that your body will need for fuel during your workout. It will also help keep you hydrated.For shorter workouts, maybe half a nutrition bar and 10 or more ounces of water. If you plan to work out longer than an hour, maybe eat a PBJ and drink 8 ounces gatorade and 8 ounces of water.
2. During your workout/race: One rule of thumb that many start with is 100 calories per hour. If you are working out more than an hour you will need to replace carbohydrates during your workout. Make sure you are drinking 4 to 8 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes (this should replace both carbohydrates and sodium). You want to consume around 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour - this can come from an energy drink, fruit, energy bars, gels or any other source you tolerate. Experiment some while training to find the best sources for you.
3. After you workout your body needs fuel to recover. If you are doing endurance work (training in one of the three disciplines) you need to consume some carbohydrates to replace energy you burned as soon as you can - no later than an hour and a half after the workout. After every workout I try to also eat some protein to help with recovery. There are several “recovery drinks” on the market. While some may not taste to great, remember getting the nutrition down is important. You may have to base what you use more on how it works than what it tastes like. Some good real food choices are bananas, nuts, electrolyte drink like Gatorade, milk, or PBJ.
4. Between workouts I have had good luck eating regularly throughout the day (5-6 small meals). I try to eat both a carb and protein serving at each meal. This keeps my blood sugar levels regulated and decreases the mid-day energy slump. When I eat out I’ll eat half the meal at the restaurant, and the rest later or for lunch the next day. I also make sure one of these meals happens around 2 hours before a workout session.
5. Know the amount of liquids your body loses. Occasionally do a test by weighing yourself before and after workouts to get an idea of how much fluid you lose. Drink 24 ounces of fluid for every pound you lost during your workout.
If you use these tips as a starting point for your triathlon nutrition plan you will see your body recover faster from workouts and your performance improve. You need to self-experiment with your nutrition plan - everyone is different - and see a nutritionist who specializes in sports nutrition if you experience any problems or just want to take your nutrition plan to the next level.
An easy way to estimate your daily calorie needs is to go to this website: http://www.stevenscreek.com/goodies/calories.shtml
Triathlon Coach Janet Wilson is a USAT certified triathlon coach and ACE certified personal trainer. Janet is an accomplished and nationally-ranked amateur triathlete and she coaches triathletes of all skill levels, from a triathlon beginner to Hawaii Ironman qualifiers. To learn more about triathlon training, nutrition, swim tips, coaching programs or just great tips on how to stay in shape visit her website at http://www.coach-janet.com
Remember to stay hydrated during your triathlon training this summer. Triathletes need to train for very long distances, but this means they can’t afford to wait until they finish to rehydrate.
Avoid drinking too much juice, soda and such, because that will add needless sugar and calories to your diet. Just drink water. However a sports drink can help keep your energy levels up during training.
During triathlon training, triathletes need to eat enough to replenish their bodies. I use a protein shake, which can easily be made by using a blender to mix the ingredients:
I use soy protein powder and soy milk, because I’m a vegan. You can use whey protein and dairy milk, but I don’t recommend using dairy milk because it might upset your stomach when drank in conjunction with triathlon training.
Remember to peal bananas before freezing them.
Richard Shryack recently wrote a food nutrition article for racing athletes about caffine:
Do you enjoy a good cup of coffee in the morning before your workout? I think a lot of athletes do. The caffeine in coffee has been a good selling point for its usage. Everyone enjoys the pick me up that coffee does give.
A little known side effect of coffee is its laxative effects. Many runners will drink coffee in the morning before their daily runs and races to gain the laxative benefit of coffee.
With the wide use of sports supplements today drinking coffee before taking supplements can have adverse side effects. Some of the performance enhancing supplements that also have caffeine in them can cause stomach upset if taken after drinking coffee. People have reported diarrhea after taking performance enhancers and then drinking coffee.
Case in point, this past weekend I ran a half marathon. Before the race I had one cup of coffee. One hour prior to the race I also took a sports supplement that contains many ingredients. This supplement also contains a large amount of caffeine. Adding to the problem I also drank 32oz of a sports drink.
As the race time approached my stomach started to become upset. I started to get diarrhea and stomach upset. During the time that I usually mentally prepare for a competition I was in the bathroom.
The race started and I did not feel right. At mile 4 of the 13.1 mile race the diarrhea came back to great me. Luckily there was a gas station on the race course at this point. After my unplanned pit stop all hopes of a good time were finished. I completed the race 20 minutes slower than I had expected. Everyone was asking me what had happened. I made a few excuses for my poor time. The real source of my problem was what I had done prior to the race.
My recommendations are not to drink coffee in the morning when you will be taking a supplement that contains large quantities of caffeine. Something in the coffee can possibly react with your sports supplements and may cause stomach upset or diarrhea.
If you are a person who does want to take a sports supplement. Test it out before the big day to find out any side effects that might be caused.
A very good piece of advice that a great coach told me was to never use anything in a competition that had not been tested during training.
Richard C. Shryack is the author of Fatigue Nutrition & Endurance Exercise http://www.fatiguenutrition.com/
Checkout my BLOG http://fatiguenut-curtiss.blogspot.com/
Mike Herman writes about the proper nutrition for a triathlon:
Any sport or activity requires you to provide your body with the correct fuel you need to successfully complete the task at hand.
This is especially true for athletes attempting to compete in a triathlon.
In addition to training your body for the swimming, biking, and running events, you should ensure you are providing it with the correct nutrition for a triathlon.
There are a wide variety of supplements and special foods that allow the athlete to provide his or her body with the necessary fuel to complete energy-sapping activities.
Ensuring you consume the correct nutrition for a triathlon will encourage your success in the sport.
The key to succeeding in any sport or activity is having your body working in top condition.
This means ensuring you receive the proper training and are both in shape and free of injury before competing.
Also, you should be sure to feed your body the proper nutrition for a triathlon and eat nutritious and quality foods that will benefit your body in the most positive manner possible.
You may want to seek a consultation from a licensed dietician.
This professional will be able to establish a diet that will work best for training and competition.
When establishing a diet for your training and competition schedule, consider eating wholesome, fresh foods that pack in the maximum nutrients.
Items such as fresh fruits and whole grains work to provide you body with natural energy and are a great deal less expensive than pricey energy bars, drinks, or pastes that are generally not considered especially tasty.
Avoid sugary or fatty foods, including most junk foods that will work against your body instead of for it in a positive manner.
Furthermore, avoid or limit the amount of alcohol consumed, since alcohol only works to dehydrate your system and can directly affect your performance.
About the Author: Mike Herman says - How Can Nutrients and Good, Healthy Foods and Supplements Improve Your Life and the Way Your Take Part in Life? Get More Informative Tips and Advice from Sport and Excerise Nutrition Information.
Today, my brother-in-law Dan sent me a list published on USA swimming, entitled Top 30 Foods for Swimmers. As a vegan, I can eat most of them, but not all.
It listed the following items: blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, oranges, mango, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes avocado, spinach, mixed greens, potatoes, bananas, almonds, cranberries, oatmeal, granola, olive oil, black beans, yogurt, milk, orange juice, whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, eggs, beef, salmon, shrimp, and chicken.
The 30 foods are all a good source of at least one of the featured nutrients on the list, which included carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, and antioxidants.