I’m often asked what is the difference between using real food and the “engineered nutrition” options available. There are quite a few differences, but what it comes down to are two things:

1) We’re not as smart as nature, so no matter what formula is contrived in the lab, there will most likely be key factors missing in the form of cofactors for metabolism which we, as scientists, cannot replicate. Take fructose for example. In its fruit form, it doesn’t cause the blood sugar and liver problems because it comes wrapped with fiber; but when you take fructose out of the fruit and put its simple molecular form into manufactured food, the fatty liver debate rears its head. (Dr. Lusting from UCSF has a great lecture on YouTube explaining this).
2) Reducing stress on the body and giving the body what it needs when it needs it.

I often hear that most calories that athletes consume in training and racing for triathlons come in liquid form: concentrated drink and gels. But then the athletes complain about cramping, bloating, falling apart in the run. I suggest looking at each discipline as a separate digestive stress: starting solid and working your way semisolid:

1) The swim. You aren’t getting calories in during the swim, yet you’re using them. So here you need to start preloaded, and then think about what you have in transition to top off after the swim; to have a “reserve” in the intestines from which the body draws.
2) The bike. Front load calories, mostly in solid form. You don’t have the pounding from running on the bike, and it is a bit easier to eat (remember: food in the pocket, hydration in the bottle).
3) The run. Here, you’re going to be just looking to keep blood sugar at a level where you can maintain workload. Here is where quick hits of sugar that don’t cause GI distress  are going to be the key.
4) T1 and T2- use these to grab food and fluid you can’t/don’t carry.

How to put it all together, you ask? And what if I don’t want to use “real food”?
Regardless of distance, the notion of “carbo loading” is moot. Remember, the day before the day before the race is the most important day for nutrition and sleep. Moreover, by the nature of a taper, with a concerted effort to maintain carbohydrate intake, you are “loading.”  What is more important the day and night before any distance, is to “preload” with sodium and fluid:

- Night before the race: Osmo PreLoad based upon body weight: 10 ml/kg body weight

- Morning of: your usual breakfast (tried and true is best- nerves can cause nausea and a bit of blood shift, making unusual foods not such a great idea!). Then while you are organizing transition aspects, drink another PreLoad (per above) that is icy cold (want to hyperhydrate and drop your core temperature).

PRE SWIM: within 30 min of race start, you want to “top off” breakfast with ~100-160 mixed macronutrient calories. This can be ½ bar, ½ sandwich, a banana with a few nuts, but not quick sugar like blocks or gels- you’ll spike your blood sugar before you start your swim. The other aspect is you want to have some residual calories in the intestines as you start your bike- thinking about “front loading” your calories.

T1:  A couple of swigs of Osmo Active Hydration; grab a full bar or a sandwich (white bread only during exercise for low fiber and higher glycemic index) to have handy- within the first 3-4 miles eat the full bar (as you get up to race speed).

Now distances have a play into what you eat and drink. Here are some guidelines for what and when to eat:

  Super Sprint Sprint Standard The Half: 70.3

The Bike

30-60 min

 Osmo Active Osmo Active Osmo Active

 Osmo Active

60->90 min

   Same drink as above, but eat a bar, salted potatoes, sandwich bites, ~30-50g carb/hr. Same drink as above, but eat a bar, salted potatoes, sandwich bikes, ~4-6 cal/kg/hr of food & fluid

Same drink as above, but eat a bar, salted potatoes, sandwich bites, lowfat muffins or brownies, pretzel bites, ~5-7 cal/kg/hr of food & fluid
      T2: Grab 16-20oz Ice cold bottle 1/2 strength Osmo PreLoad (This is a cold fluid + sodium load); Start run with this & try to finish within the first 2 miles

T2: Grab 16-20oz Ice cold bottle 1/2 strength Osmo PreLoad (This is a cold fluid + sodium load); Start run with this & try to finish within the first 2 miles

The Run

0-20min

Osmo Active

Jelly beans or blocs/chomps ~100kcal

      
20->40 min  

Osmo Active

Jelly beans, Swedish fish or blocs/chomps ~120-140kca

Osmo Active

Jelly beans, Swedish fish, blocs/chomps ~having 20-40cal every 10 mins.

Osmo Active

Jelly beans, Swedish fish, blocs/chomps: 3 blocs or jelly beans every 10 mins until mile 8, then every 3-5 mins.

 

As you can see, the real issue becomes how much you eat on the bike and what you eat on the run. Start solid and work your way semisolid. Women can afford to have a lower amount of carbohydrate per hour in their low hormone phase of the menstrual cycle (due to a greater amount of carbohydrate available for fueling). The key is to hydrate to try to maintain blood volume (reducing body water loss during your event) and to fuel smartly to maintain power and speed in the last ½ of your run.

 Live long and perspire!