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Explore every episode of the podcast Triathlon Nutrition Academy

Dive into the complete episode list for Triathlon Nutrition Academy. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
How to Fuel a Hot Race Without Falling Apart on the Run22 Oct 202600:18:04

Two of the best triathletes on the planet came undone in the Kona heat in back-to-back years, so how do you fuel a hot race without falling apart on the run?

After two decades of working with triathletes, I can tell you that most hot races are won or lost before the gun even goes off. As an age-grouper you’re out on course for hours longer than the pros, in the hottest part of the day, often on a race nutrition plan you built and tested through winter. I break down what the heat actually does to your body, why falling apart in a hot race comes down to much more than toughness and what should change in your plan when the forecast says it’s going to be a scorcher.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

  • Why your body burns through stored carbohydrate faster in the heat, and why your aid stations can only top up so much
  • The 3 ways triathletes fall apart in a hot race that look identical from the side of the road, and why they need opposite fixes
  • Why “it’s hot, drink more” is the advice that puts age-groupers in the medical tent
  • What heat does to your gut, and why backing off your fuel can make it worse
  • The 4 mistakes I see over and over when the forecast is hot
  • How one of my Academy athletes went from walking between poles at Spudman to crossing the line at the 70.3 World Championship in Nice

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction
01:28 How heat changes your body's job
03:30 3 ways to fall apart in a hot race
07:03 Why your gut struggles in the heat
09:16 4 mistakes when the forecast is hot
13:08 How to prepare for a hot race

STUDIES MENTIONED

  • Almond, C. S. D., Shin, A. Y., Fortescue, E. B., Mannix, R. C., Wypij, D., Binstadt, B. A., Duncan, C. N., Olson, D. P., Salerno, A. E., Newburger, J. W., & Greenes, D. S. (2005). Hyponatremia among runners in the Boston Marathon. New England Journal of Medicine, 352(15), 1550–1556. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa043901
  • González-Alonso, J., Teller, C., Andersen, S. L., Jensen, F. B., Hyldig, T., & Nielsen, B. (1999). Influence of body temperature on the development of fatigue during prolonged exercise in the heat. Journal of Applied Physiology, 86(3), 1032–1039. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1999.86.3.1032
  • Hew-Butler, T., Rosner, M. H., Fowkes-Godek, S., Dugas, J. P., Hoffman, M. D., Lewis, D. P., Maughan, R. J., Miller, K. C., Montain, S. J., Rehrer, N. J., Roberts, W. O., Rogers, I. R., Siegel, A. J., Stuempfle, K. J., Winger, J. M., & Verbalis, J. G. (2015). Statement of the Third International Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Development Conference, Carlsbad, California, 2015. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 25(4), 303–320. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000000221
  • Jentjens, R. L. P. G., Wagenmakers, A. J. M., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2002). Heat stress increases muscle glycogen use but reduces the oxidation of ingested carbohydrates during exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 92(4), 1562–1572. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00482.2001
  • McCubbin, A. J., Allanson, B. A., Caldwell Odgers, J. N., Cort, M. M., Costa, R. J. S., Cox, G. R., Crawshay, S. T., Desbrow, B., Freney, E. G., Gaskell, S. K., Hughes, D., Irwin, C., Jay, O., Lalor, B. J., Ross, M. L. R., Shaw, G., Périard, J. D., & Burke, L. M. (2020). Sports Dietitians Australia position statement: Nutrition for exercise in hot environments. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 30(1), 83–98. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2019-0300
  • Mougin, L., Macrae, H. Z., Taylor, L., James, L. J., & Mears, S. A. (2025). The effect of heat stress and dehydration on carbohydrate use during endurance exercise: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 55(11), 2825–2847. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-025-02294-3
  • Parkin, J. M., Carey, M. F., Zhao, S., & Febbraio, M. A. (1999). Effect of ambient temperature on human skeletal muscle metabolism during fatiguing submaximal exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 86(3), 902–908. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1999.86.3.902
  • Périard, J. D., Racinais, S., & Sawka, M. N. (2015). Adaptations and mechanisms of human heat acclimation: Applications for competitive athletes and sports. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 25(S1), 20–38. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12408
  • Roberts, W. O., Armstrong, L. E., Sawka, M. N., Yeargin, S. W., Heled, Y., & O’Connor, F. G. (2021). ACSM expert consensus statement on exertional heat illness: Recognition, management, and return to activity. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 20(9), 470–484. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0000000000000878
  • Snipe, R. M. J., Khoo, A., Kitic, C. M., Gibson, P. R., & Costa, R. J. S. (2017). Carbohydrate and protein intake during exertional-heat stress ameliorates intestinal epithelial injury and small intestine permeability. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 42(12), 1283–1292. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2017-0361
  • Snipe, R. M. J., Khoo, A., Kitic, C. M., Gibson, P. R., & Costa, R. J. S. (2018). The impact of exertional-heat stress on gastrointestinal integrity, gastrointestinal symptoms, systemic endotoxin and cytokine profile. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 118(2), 389–400. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3781-z
  • Speedy, D. B., Noakes, T. D., Rogers, I. R., Thompson, J. M. D., Campbell, R. G. D., Kuttner, J. A., Boswell, D. R., Wright, S., & Hamlin, M. (1999). Hyponatremia in ultradistance triathletes. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 31(6), 809–815. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-199906000-00008
  • van Wijck, K., Lenaerts, K., Grootjans, J., Wijnands, K. A., Poeze, M., van Loon, L. J. C., Dejong, C. H. C., & Buurman, W. A. (2012). Physiology and pathophysiology of splanchnic hypoperfusion and intestinal injury during exercise: Strategies for evaluation and prevention. American Journal of Physiology: Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 303(2), G155–G168. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00066.2012

RESOURCES MENTIONED

START YOUR HOT RACE WITH A FULL FUEL TANK

If you have a hot race coming up in the next 12 months, the fuel tank you take to the start line is your buffer. My Carb Loading Masterclass shows you exactly how much carbohydrate to eat, when to eat it and what to eat, so you can carb load properly without feeling heavy and bloated. Get the Carb Loading Masterclass

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Masters Triathletes Can Stay Fast After 50 with Joe Friel15 Oct 202600:47:33

Are you still training like you did in your 20s, going hard every session and wondering why recovery takes so much longer than it used to?

This is one of the most listened-to episodes of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast, back by popular demand. I sat down with coach Joe Friel, co-founder of TrainingPeaks and author of Fast After 50, to talk about how masters triathletes can stay fit, fast and injury-free in their 40s, 50s and beyond. Joe covers the training side and my Ep 178 on key nutrients for masters triathletes covers the nutrition side, so listen to them as a pair.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

  • What actually changes in your body as you age, and the one marker that holds up surprisingly well
  • Why rest and recovery become your biggest performance lever after 40
  • The 5:2 training week Joe uses with masters athletes (plus the nine-day alternative)
  • Where strength and mobility fit into a busy training week, and the session you should never lift weights before
  • How to use heart rate variability to decide when to train hard

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction

02:00 Training as a masters triathlete

04:09 How your physiology changes after 40

09:18 Why rest and recovery matter more with age

11:21 The nine-day week vs the 5:2 training week

14:28 The tortoise, the hare and the lactate myth

19:27 Mobility and strength training for masters athletes

28:57 Why you should never lift weights before a run

30:48 Recovery weeks, testing and the off-season

35:11 Using HRV and wearables to guide training

39:00 Daily habits for longevity in the sport

42:24 Joe’s number one piece of advice

ABOUT JOE FRIEL

Joe Friel has coached endurance athletes for more than four decades. He is a co-founder of TrainingPeaks and the author of Fast After 50, a go-to resource for athletes who want to keep performing as they age. Connect with Joe

RESOURCES MENTIONED

READY TO STOP GUESSING WITH YOUR NUTRITION?

The Triathlete Fuel Kit brings together my Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart course, the Triathlete’s Kitchen recipe database and the Fuel Your Adventure recipe book, so you can get your everyday fuelling working for you, not against you. Get the Triathlete Fuel Kit

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three Questions Holding Triathletes Back From Dialling In Their Nutrition08 Oct 202600:19:29

Why is your triathlon nutrition strategy still not working when you already know what to do?

I asked the triathletes who just finished my Triathlon Fuel Camp what they had spent money on to improve their performance. 70% had paid for a bike fit, 66% had a coach and 50% had bought a power meter and faster wheels. Only 20% had ever invested in a dietitian or nutritionist, and 57% told me they were winging their nutrition. These are smart, driven athletes with more information at their fingertips than any triathlete in history. So why is it still not working?

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

  • Why more information is not what is missing from your nutrition
  • What a strategy specific to you is actually built on (and why generic advice never holds for long)
  • The 3 ways triathletes try to build a nutrition strategy, and the only one that lasts your whole racing life
  • The 3 questions that keep triathletes on the precipice of dialling in their nutrition for years
  • How Kelly, Steve and Julia from the Triathlon Nutrition Academy finally got off the fence

TIMESTAMPS

02:02 Why your triathlon nutrition strategy isn't working
10:15 3 questions holding triathletes back

EPISODES MENTIONED

READY FOR A STRATEGY THAT IS SPECIFIC TO YOU?

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy is my 9-month program where I teach you how to fuel your own training and racing, step by step, with an Advanced Sports Dietitian checking your work along the way. Find out more about the Triathlon Nutrition Academy here.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy in Under 10 Minutes06 Oct 202600:09:00

If you have heard about the Triathlon Nutrition Academy and wondered what it actually is, this is your answer in under 10 minutes.

You already have a training system. You have a coach or a program, a week of sessions you love to turn green and the discipline to follow it. What most triathletes don't have is a nutrition system that is just as organised, and that is exactly what you walk out of TNA with. I take you through how my 9-month program works, the 4 things that change when your nutrition is dialled in and who it is genuinely for (and who it is not for).

WHAT YOU WILL TAKE AWAY

  • How TNA is built so you actually put it into practice, rather than buying something and never using it
  • Why being able to function like an adult after a long ride is one of my KPIs
  • How Stephen went from nearly quitting triathlon over cramps to taking 64 minutes off his 70.3 time, and why magnesium was never the fix
  • How the program fits into 1 to 2 hours a week, whatever your time zone and however full your life is
  • What changes when you become the expert on you, from every gel to every supplement ad in your feed
  • What Kelly Estes, 4 years in, says happens by the end
  • Who TNA is for, from your very first season to your 30th, and who should not join right now

TIMESTAMPS

03:00 What changes when your nutrition is dialled in

07:16 Is this triathlon nutrition program right for you

ATHLETE STORIES MENTIONED

  • Stephen Duquette and the TNA athletes who raced the 70.3 World Championship in Nice: Episode 259
  • Jade, Curt and Steve, 9 months after joining TNA: Episode 261

If you want to see everything that is included, head to dietitianapproved.com/academy. When doors are open you can join the next cohort there, and when they are closed you can add your name to the waitlist so you are the first to know when they open again.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He Ate 1,000 More Calories a Day and Lost 8kg: What 9 Months of Triathlon Nutrition Actually Changes01 Oct 202600:47:02

What happens when you eat 1,000 more calories a day? For Curt, a 54 year old triathlete from Texas, it meant losing 8kg, ditching the daily nap and finally making it through a training day without bonking. That is not a typo, and it is not a fluke.

Nine months ago, three brand new Triathlon Nutrition Academy athletes came on the show a few weeks into the program to share what it is really like on the inside. Now Curt, Jade and Steve have finished all three phases and they are back. Three different athletes, three different decades of life and three very different starting points: a 39 year old mum of three from WA in her second Ironman build, a scientist from Texas who watched from the sidelines for 4 years while his mate got faster and a 71 year old from San Diego with more than 300 races behind him and no formal nutrition education until now.

WHAT YOU WILL TAKE AWAY

  • Why Curt lost 8kg while going from around 2,000 to closer to 3,000 calories a day, and why underfuelling was the thing keeping the body fat on
  • The one change that eliminated Curt's post-workout naps and gave him back at least an hour a day
  • How Jade went from years of fasted sessions to fuelling every session, and what changed when she hit 90g of carbs an hour on the bike
  • Why Steve calls nutrition free speed after 30 years of hand waving it, and how a race week plan changed 5 national championship races in 3 days
  • What separating fluid from fuel does to a race day plan
  • The benefits nobody expected outside triathlon, from a happier marriage to more beach days and a kid who packs his mum's long run fuel
  • What all three would say to the version of themselves sitting on the fence 9 months ago

Nutrition is not something you fix in a week, and it is not something you fix for life by collecting free nuggets from AI, YouTube or podcasts. It is something you learn, practise and make your own. That is exactly what the Triathlon Nutrition Academy is built for: 9 months learning how to fuel your body for your own training, with me and a group of legends like Curt, Jade and Steve beside you.

Doors to the Triathlon Nutrition Academy are open right now. Join the October cohort here before doors close on Saturday 10 October.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction: Curt, Jade and Steve 9 months on

01:45 One word for their nutrition now versus then

03:20 Curt: no more bonking, no more naps, 8kg down while eating more

08:40 Jade: fitting TNA around 3 kids, work and an Ironman build

10:50 Jade: from fasted training to every session fuelled

12:20 Steve: the biggest mistake of a 30 year career and why nutrition is free speed

14:30 Steve: 5 national championship races in 3 days with a plan

16:10 Curt: race day now, and separating fluid from fuel

17:55 Jade: the Busselton build, 90g of carbs an hour and the scribbled paper plan

22:30 A year of listening to the podcast versus a year inside the program

24:30 What changed the most in how they fuel and race

27:05 What changed outside triathlon: smoothie bags, a happier wife and more beach days

30:40 Steve on strength training and getting bigger at 71

31:30 What they learnt about themselves that they did not expect

36:20 What they would tell themselves 9 months ago, and was it worth the investment

41:20 What is next: Busselton, Edmonton and a possible full distance

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to Gain Muscle While Losing Body Fat24 Sep 202600:25:00

Can you gain muscle while losing body fat at the same time, or is body recomposition just a clickbait headline?

 

For years the advice has been that you have to pick one. Eat in a calorie deficit and lose body fat, or eat in a calorie surplus and build muscle. A brand new study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology in April 2026 says the picture is more interesting than that, and it is already being butchered all over social media. I break the whole paper down for you. What the researchers did, what they actually measured, and the bits the headlines have quietly skipped over. Then I do the part that matters most, which is translating a study done on young resistance trained lifters into what it means for someone swimming, biking and running six days a week.

 

IN THIS EPISODE

- What body recomposition actually is, and why it is not the same thing as losing weight

- What the 2026 study did, and what happened to all three groups over 10 weeks

- Why an increase in fat-free mass does not automatically mean a kilo of new muscle

- The training detail that did just as much work as the nutrition did

- Whether you really need 2.5 grams of protein per kilo of body weight a day

- Why the size of the calorie deficit matters far more than most triathletes think

- Where this study stops transferring the moment you apply it to endurance training

- Who is well placed to recomp right now, and who is better off picking one goal

- The 4 things I would start with if body recomposition is your goal

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Can you build muscle and lose fat at the same time
02:01 What body recomposition actually means
04:03 Inside the 2026 study
05:26 The results after 10 weeks
07:05 Why fat-free mass is not the same as muscle
08:43 The training that made it work
10:51 The big protein question
13:19 Why the deficit was only 250 calories
14:29 Where triathletes need a different approach
15:40 Who body recomposition actually suits
18:26 The 4 things I would focus on
21:07 The big takeaway

STUDIES MENTIONED

- Vargas-Molina, S., Garcia-Palumbo, A., Garcia-Sillero, M., Bonilla, D. A., Petro, J. L., Aragon, A. A., Schoenfeld, B. J., & Benitez-Porres, J. (2026). Comparison of two nutritional protocols in body re-composition of resistance-trained participants. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 126, 4019-4030. [doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06209-6](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06209-6)

- Iraki, J., Fitschen, P., Espinar, S., & Helms, E. (2019). Nutrition recommendations for bodybuilders in the off-season: A narrative review. Sports, 7(7), 154. [doi.org/10.3390/sports7070154](https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7070154)

 

If body recomposition is one of your goals, this is a very good time to stop winging it and build a strategy around your training instead. The Triathlon Nutrition Academy is where I teach you how to work out your own numbers, against your own training program, in your own body, and then I am there every week while you actually do it. Doors only open a few times a year, so get your name on the list for the next cohort at [dietitianapproved.com/academy](https://www.dietitianapproved.com/academy).

 

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How 5 Masters Triathletes Fuelled the Hilliest 70.3 in the World17 Sep 202601:01:16

What does it take to fuel the hilliest 70.3 in the world?

Six Triathlon Nutrition Academy athletes lined up at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Nice, France on 12 and 13 September 2026. A 1.9km swim in the Mediterranean, 90km on the bike with around 1190m of climbing, a long grind up the Col de Vence, an 11km technical descent with both hands on the brakes, then a flat half marathon in the baking French sun along the Promenade des Anglais.

One day after the race, five of them sat down with me to talk through what they did, what they would change and what they would tell you if Nice is on your bucket list. Most of them are masters athletes racing in the 60 to 69 age groups. Not one of them raced on the same nutrition plan.

Joining me are Kathleen Gilton, Kelly Estes, Stephen Duquette, Stanford Skelton and Daniel Walker.

WHAT YOU WILL TAKE AWAY

  • Why the athlete who was most afraid of the bike had the best ride of her life
  • How bike choice and gearing change what you can carry, and when you can actually drink it
  • How to ride light on a long climb without under-fuelling the back half of your race
  • What it takes to run a hot half marathon with no cramping, four years after cramping nearly ended a triathlon career
  • The race week mistake that cost a well-prepared athlete 20 minutes on the run, and it had nothing to do with training
  • Why six athletes on the same course, in the same heat, all fuelled differently and all got it right

TIMESTAMPS 

01:46 Meet the athletes who raced Nice
02:47 Kathleen on the bike leg she feared most
08:53 Road bike or TT bike, and gearing
11:36 Losing 8kg without losing bike power
15:24 Riding light on the climb without under-fuelling
17:53 A hot run and the cramps that never came
23:02 When race day does not go to plan
31:54 Saturday women, Sunday men: the split day
40:05 What each athlete is most proud of
49:40 Would they have got there without nutrition

If you want to be the athlete who gets off a plane in a foreign country and knows exactly what they are doing, come and join us inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Next 4 Things I'd Fix If You Were My Athlete10 Sep 202600:22:03

Most triathletes are working their nutrition list backwards. They start at number eight and skip one through seven entirely.

In Episode 229 I walked you through the first four things I fix with every triathlete I work with. The big rocks. This is Part 2, and it picks up at number five. If you have not heard 229 yet, go and listen to that one first, because these next four do not work without the foundations underneath them.

Number five is your hydration and electrolytes, which most athletes think they have sorted and almost never do. Number six is the three micronutrients that quietly put a ceiling on everything else. Number seven is your race nutrition strategy, which is a lot more than deciding which gel you are taking. And number eight is the fun stuff, the sprinkles on the icing on your cake, which is exactly where nearly everybody wants to start.

WHAT YOU WILL TAKE AWAY

  • Why one standalone sweat test is not a number you can set and forget for life
  • The three micronutrients that determine whether you can train and race well, and why supplementing blindly is the wrong first move
  • What a race nutrition strategy actually involves, and why practising your fuel is not the same as practising it at race intensity
  • The full roll call of supplements and gadgets triathletes ask me about, and where they genuinely belong in the order
  • Why your recovery nutrition does not finish when you cross the finish line
  • The order I would work through all eight in, so you get the best bang for your buck

TIMESTAMPS:

01:26 Hydration, sodium and sweat testing for triathletes
04:57 Iron, calcium and vitamin D for endurance athletes
08:59 Race nutrition strategy and recovery after racing
13:36 Performance supplements and what actually works
18:52 How to fix your triathlon nutrition in order

WANT ALL EIGHT BUILT OUT PROPERLY, IN THE RIGHT ORDER, FOR YOU?

That is exactly what the Triathlon Nutrition Academy is. It is not a meal plan and it is not one size fits all. It is me teaching you how to build your own nutrition strategy around your training, your race schedule and your actual life, so you walk out knowing how to do this for yourself for the rest of your racing life. We open the doors a few times a year. Get your name on the list at dietitianapproved.com/academy so you know the moment they open.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to Fuel an Ironman When You've Only Ever Raced 70.303 Sep 202600:32:14

You can get away with a fuelling gap over five hours. You cannot get away with it over 13.

Stepping up from 70.3 to Ironman is the exact moment most triathletes work out that their fuelling needs attention. Julie Whitton is 13 weeks out from Ironman Western Australia, her first full distance race after a decade of racing halves. She is a paramedic with New South Wales Ambulance, she has been a shift worker for 21 years, and she trains off a nine day roster that changes constantly. In this episode she takes Taryn through exactly what she has had to upgrade to get to that start line, and where the gaps showed up once the hours went up.

This is not a first Ironman story. This is the step up story, for the triathlete who already races 70.3 well and assumes that skill carries over.

 

IN THIS EPISODE

  • What changes in your bike and run fuelling numbers when a race goes from five hours to 13 hours
  • Why a small hourly shortfall you got away with at 70.3 compounds into a walk at full distance
  • The shift from liquid fuel to solid food on long rides, and the trap of swapping over too fast
  • How to gut train on gels without hitting flavour fatigue weeks before race day
  • What Julie was doing at 70.3 that stopped working the moment the volume climbed
  • Why she moved her recovery from 90 percent to 100 percent, and what that changed in her week
  • Fuelling your body for what you want it to do rather than for how you want it to look

 

TIMESTAMPS

04:37  Training for Ironman around shift work
07:12  Bike fuelling from 70 to 80 grams
13:25  Run fuelling and flavour fatigue
17:35  What stopped working at full distance
23:35  Fuelling for performance not appearance

 

ABOUT JULIE WHITTON

Julie (Jules) Whitton is an age group triathlete and a paramedic with New South Wales Ambulance, where she has worked shift work for 21 years. She has been a Triathlon Nutrition Academy athlete since January 2023 and is now part of the Supercharged Squad. After a decade racing 70.3, she is stepping up to full distance at Ironman Western Australia on 6 December 2026. Julie was last on the show in Episode 119, Juggling Shift Work and Triathlon.

 

If you have a couple of halves behind you and a full quietly sitting on your list, the athletes who come unstuck are almost always the ones trying to learn how to fuel and how to train for 226 kilometres at the same time. Do one of those things first. Get your name on the list for our next cohort of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy at [dietitianapproved.com/academy](https://www.dietitianapproved.com/academy) and you will be the first to know when we open doors.

 

SUPPORT THE PODCAST [HERE](https://www.dietitianapproved.com/legend)

 

CONNECT WITH TARYN

[Website](https://www.dietitianapproved.com) 

[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dietitian.approved/)

[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DietitianApproved) 

[YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@dietitianapproved)

 

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maurten vs Precision vs SIS Beta Fuel: A Triathlon Dietitian's Verdict27 Aug 202600:18:02

Are you paying up to $5.20 a gel because that is what they hand out on course?

Maurten, Precision Fuel and Hydration and SIS Beta Fuel are the three gels I get asked about more than any others. So I put them side by side and worked out what is actually in the packet, what each one costs you per 100 grams of carbohydrate, and whether that price gap buys you anything at all. No brand has paid me a cent to talk about them. I am Switzerland when it comes to sports nutrition products.

One of these gels costs roughly two thirds more than another for the exact same gram of carbohydrate. Whether that is money well spent comes down to three things most triathletes have never been taught to look for.

 

WHAT YOU WILL TAKE AWAY

  • What is actually inside each gel: carbohydrate, sodium, calories, caffeine and the main ingredients
  • What it costs to fuel at 90 grams of carbohydrate an hour on each brand, in both Aussie and US dollars
  • What the glucose to fructose ratio means in plain English, and the carbohydrate rate you need to be hitting before it matters to you
  • Whether the hydrogel does what the marketing implies it does
  • Which gel makes sense for Sprint, Olympic, 70.3 and full distance racing
  • How to read a sports nutrition label so you are not at the mercy of whoever has the biggest marketing budget

 

STUDIES MENTIONED

  • Currell, K., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2008). Superior endurance performance with ingestion of multiple transportable carbohydrates. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 40(2), 275 to 281. [https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31815adf19](https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31815adf19)
  • O’Brien, W. J., & Rowlands, D. S. (2011). Fructose-maltodextrin ratio in a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution differentially affects exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rate, gut comfort, and performance. American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 300(1), G181 to G189. [https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00419.2010](https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00419.2010)

 

ALSO MENTIONED

  • Episode 47: What is a Hydrogel? Does it improve endurance performance, with Andy King. [Listen here](https://www.dietitianapproved.com/podcast/episode-47)

 

The exact gel you use is the last 5% of your race nutrition strategy. If you want the other 95%, the Triathlon Nutrition Academy is my nine month education program that teaches you how to fuel your training week, train your gut and build a race plan that is uniquely yours. Doors open again soon, so register your interest at [dietitianapproved.com/academy](https://www.dietitianapproved.com/academy).

 

SUPPORT THE PODCAST (https://www.dietitianapproved.com/legend)

 

CONNECT WITH TARYN

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

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Over 45 and Losing Power? Your Protein Isn't Working Like It Used To20 Aug 202600:14:58

Everywhere you look, someone is telling you to eat more protein. If you are over 45 and your power is going backwards, more protein is not the fix you have been promised. Back in January the US dietary guidelines roughly doubled their protein recommendation, and that was overdue. But guidelines written for a sedentary population are a very different thing to guidelines for an athlete training 10 to 15 hours a week. Something real does change in your muscles as you get older, and the research on masters triathletes makes for uncomfortable reading. What it does not show is that eating more protein fixes it. In this episode I take you through what is actually happening in ageing muscle, what happened when researchers doubled the protein after a muscle damaging session, and the 5 protein levers to pull instead of just reaching for more. 

WHAT YOU WILL TAKE AWAY

• What anabolic resistance is in plain English, and why the rules changed at about 35 without anybody sending you the memo

• Inside the Australian study that compared masters triathletes with younger ones, and what happened to their muscle repair and their cycling time trials

• What doubling the post exercise protein dose actually bought masters triathletes, and what it did not • Why your total protein intake stops paying you back once you are in a reasonable range

• The 5 protein levers, and why most triathletes only ever pull number 5

• Why your breakfast is almost certainly the weak link in your day

• Why the same mistake is happening right now with carbohydrate

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Everywhere you look, eat more protein

00:27 Over 45 and your power is going backwards

00:55 The number is the easy part, eating it is not

01:22 Welcome

01:43 What actually changes in your body as you get older

02:10 Anabolic resistance, in plain English

02:41 Inside the study: masters versus younger triathletes

03:40 What happened over the 3 days

04:04 It is not your fault, the rules changed at 35

04:43 So should you just eat more protein?

05:08 The follow up study: double the dose

05:57 What doubling the protein actually bought them

06:43 Why simply more is not the fix

07:17 The bit that is genuinely hard for an age-grouper

08:01 What happens in the real world, week by week

09:14 The internet gives you a number and walks away

09:51 The barbecue study, Episode 141

10:14 You are a human, not a snake

10:51 Masters swimmers: the total was fine, the pattern wasn't

11:28 The 5 protein levers

12:17 Eating more is not a strategy

12:48 The recap

13:22 What to actually do about it

ALSO MENTIONED

• Episode 179 with Joe Friel on how masters athletes can get fast and stay fit after 50: https://www.dietitianapproved.com/podcast/episode-179

• Episode 141, affectionately dubbed the barbecue study, on large protein doses in one sitting: https://www.dietitianapproved.com/podcast/episode-141)

STUDIES MENTIONED

• Doering, T. M., Jenkins, D. G., Reaburn, P. R., Borges, N. R., Hohmann, E., & Phillips, S. M. (2016). Lower integrated muscle protein synthesis in masters compared with younger athletes. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(8), 1613-1618. [https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000935](https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000935)

• Doering, T. M., Reaburn, P. R., Borges, N. R., Cox, G. R., & Jenkins, D. G. (2017). The effect of higher than recommended protein feedings post-exercise on recovery following downhill running in masters triathletes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 27(1), 76-82. [https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2016-0079](https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2016-0079)

• Santos de Souza, M., Zaleski Trindade, C. D., de Souza Castro, F. A., Buss, C., & Schneider, C. D. (2025). Protein intake by master swimmers: Implications for practice in sports nutrition, a cross-sectional study. Nutrition and Health, 31(3), 1095-1101. [https://doi.org/10.1177/02601060241276918](https://doi.org/10.1177/02601060241276918)

READY TO STOP GUESSING?

Knowing what to eat and when, around your own training program, is the whole game as you get older. That is exactly what I teach inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy, and then troubleshoot with you every week in our Power Hour calls, so you are still doing it in 12 months time.

Register your interest for our next cohort at https://www.dietitianapproved.com/academy.

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you Overtraining or Under-Fuelling?13 Aug 202600:26:09

Your legs are heavy, your easy sessions feel hard, and you are not improving despite training consistently. If you immediately thought overtraining, you are right. That is also the exact symptom list for under-fuelling.

Researchers went looking for every training overload study that also measured what athletes were eating. 21 studies made the cut, and in 18 of them, 86%, the athletes were under-fuelled. So the majority of athletes diagnosed as overtrained in the research were in fact not eating enough. Which raises a fairly uncomfortable question about that extra session you are thinking of adding to your training schedule right now.

In this episode, I show you how to tell whether you are overtrained or under-fuelled, why adding volume to an under-fuelled athlete makes everything worse, and the 3 signals plus 3 fixes to run through before you touch your training program.

 

WHAT YOU WILL TAKE AWAY

  • Why overtraining and under-fuelling start in exactly the same place in your brain, and why that changes the fix
  • What energy availability actually is, and why it is not the same thing as calories in versus calories out
  • The maths run on a 75 kg age-grouper training 12 hours a week, and what his number actually comes out at
  • Why overtraining is a diagnosis of exclusion, and what the professionals rule out first
  • The 3 signals that tell you under-fuelling is on the table at all
  • The 3 things to fix today, before you add another hour of training

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 The symptom list you are about to recognise
00:54 The number that should stop you adding a session
01:57 Same origin, same dials, different fix
02:20 You do not get fitter during your sessions
03:37 Inside the research: 18 out of 21 studies
04:17 Why overtraining is a diagnosis of exclusion
05:26 Energy availability, in plain English
07:15 Running the numbers on a 75 kg male age-grouper
09:35 The same maths for a female athlete
10:31 Why your own numbers will be different
11:37 What happens when training goes up and food does not
13:05 But I just need to train more, right?
14:55 Signal 1: your appetite has gone the wrong way
16:05 The feather, the brick and the truck
16:30 Signal 2: the scales are not behaving
17:36 Signal 3: easy is fine, your top end has gone
18:31 The fourth sign: illness and niggles that outstay their welcome
19:35 Fix 1: what you do during training
20:31 Fix 2: recovery nutrition and the 4 Rs
21:19 Fix 3: does your food move when your training moves
22:08 An important note if this episode touched a nerve
23:01 The recap
24:21 Run the sums before you add the session

 

STUDIES MENTIONED

  • Meeusen, R., Duclos, M., Foster, C., Fry, A., Gleeson, M., Nieman, D., Raglin, J., Rietjens, G., Steinacker, J., & Urhausen, A. (2013). Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the overtraining syndrome: Joint consensus statement of the European College of Sport Science and the American College of Sports Medicine. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 45(1), 186-205. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318279a10a 
  • Melin, A. K., Areta, J. L., Heikura, I. A., Stellingwerff, T., Torstveit, M. K., & Hackney, A. C. (2024). Direct and indirect impact of low energy availability on sports performance. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 34(1), e14327. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14327 
  • Stellingwerff, T., Heikura, I. A., Meeusen, R., Bermon, S., Seiler, S., Mountjoy, M. L., & Burke, L. M. (2021). Overtraining syndrome (OTS) and relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S): Shared pathways, symptoms and complexities. Sports Medicine, 51(11), 2251-2280. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01491-0

 

READY TO STOP GUESSING?

Your day to day nutrition is the single most valuable thing I help my athletes with inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. I teach you how to fuel for training, racing and life, so you are not asking the internet random questions at 9pm every time your program changes or you see something shiny. Get your name on the list for our next cohort at dietitianapproved.com/academy

 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Carb Loading a Myth?06 Aug 202600:19:59

Is carb loading a myth? A paper published in June has social media convinced that it is.

A comment landed on my socials this week saying exactly that. It didn't appear out of nowhere. There is a new paper doing the rounds, the headlines have picked it up and sprinted into some pretty heavy clickbait territory, and they have taken it somewhere I don't think the authors ever wanted it to go. So I'm going to tell you exactly what that paper says, what it doesn't say and how to apply it to you as an age group triathlete.

I'll walk you through the 14 studies this whole argument rests on, why only 2 of them were double blinded and the detail in the research design that changes how you should read every one of those headlines. Then I'll show you brand new data on 27 real women racing at the 2024 World Champs, which I think is the far more important number for you.

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • What the June 2026 commentary actually did, and why it is not the carb loading study everyone thinks it is
  • How 10,422 papers were screened down to just 14
  • Why most of that research doesn't reflect how you actually race
  • What happened to muscle glycogen when athletes ate enough carbohydrate
  • Why I never wrote Matt Hauser a carb loading plan, and what that tells you about yours
  • The World Champs food diary data on what female age groupers really ate the day before their biggest race
  • The second problem with this research that nobody is talking about yet
  • What I want you to do differently before your next race

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 The comment that kicked this off
00:27 The paper behind the headlines, and what it actually is
02:58 From 10,422 papers down to 14
03:29 Why only two of them were double blinded
04:17 Riding with no fuel on board, and some of them fasted
05:42 The two studies the myth claim rests on
06:23 What actually happened to muscle glycogen
08:02 The one that was really a creatine study
09:33 Why I'm not calling this case closed
10:15 World Champs: only 26% hit their carb loading numbers
12:25 Train like a professional, eat like a beginner
12:48 Why Matt Hauser never needed a carb loading plan
14:34 There is a ceiling, but that doesn't mean your tank is full
15:40 The second problem nobody is talking about
16:26 Risk versus reward
17:54 What I want you to do before your next race
18:42 So, is carb loading a myth?

STUDIES MENTIONED

- Areta, J. L., [LILY: confirm the full author list from the paper before publishing]. (2026). Beyond belief? Absence of double-blinding and limited ecological validity in carbohydrate loading research. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2026-0058

- Burke, L. M., Hawley, J. A., Schabort, E. J., St Clair Gibson, A., Mujika, I., & Noakes, T. D. (2000). Carbohydrate loading failed to improve 100-km cycling performance in a placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Applied Physiology, 88(4), 1284-1290. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2000.88.4.1284

- Tomcik, K. A., Camera, D. M., Bone, J. L., Ross, M. L., Jeacocke, N. A., Tachtsis, B., Senden, J., van Loon, L. J. C., Hawley, J. A., & Burke, L. M. (2018). Effects of creatine and carbohydrate loading on cycling time trial performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 50(1), 141-150. [https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001401

- Jones, R. O., Areta, J. L., Bennett, S., Pugh, J., & Louis, J. B. (2026). Dose-response of dietary carbohydrate intake on skeletal muscle glycogen, gastrointestinal comfort and body composition in endurance-trained individuals in simulated preparation for competition. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 36(6), e70312. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.70312

- Fortis, H. O., Whitehead, A. E., Cronin, C. J., Johnson, K. O., Shepherd, S. O., Hackney, A. C., Close, G. L., & Strauss, J. A. (2026). From intention to execution: Pre-race nutrition behaviours, influences, and performance outcomes in female endurance athletes at the IRONMAN World Championships. European Journal of Sport Science, 26(7), e70193. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70193

If you want carb loading laid out properly in a way that is easy to understand, with a planner and a calculator that does all of the hard maths for you, my Carb Loading Masterclass is at dietitianapproved.com/carb-loading.

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

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Why Eating Healthy Isn't Enough to Fuel a Triathlon with James Anderson30 Jul 202600:32:46

You can eat really good food all day long and still have no idea how to fuel a triathlon.

Dr James Anderson is a dentist, a Triathlon Nutrition Academy athlete and one of the most organised humans you will ever meet. Smoothie bags prepped in the freezer. Snack bags packed for every work day. Quality food, every single day. He was still eating the wrong things at the wrong time for three sports, and he had no idea until he went looking for the gaps. In this episode James shares what changed between joining the Academy and crossing the line at his first 70.3 in New Mexico, including the quadrathlon that scared him into taking the detail seriously, what carb loading and sodium loading did for his cramping and headaches, and the moment on the run where his fuel stopped working and he had to think his way to the finish line.

WHAT YOU WILL TAKE AWAY

  • Why eating healthy and fuelling for triathlon are two completely different skills
  • What being super organised with food still misses when you are training for three sports
  • How conflicting advice online leaves smart, capable athletes stuck in paralysis by analysis
  • What carb loading and sodium loading did for a big athlete racing at altitude
  • How to troubleshoot on course when your race nutrition stops working, instead of taking a DNF
  • Why James is leaving his bike computer and Strava behind next time

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Eating well and fuelling for triathlon are not the same thing

00:33 Meet Dr James Anderson, dentist and TNA athlete

01:47 The bike shop moment and a very optimistic swim time

05:26 Fitting three sports around a full time job and a business

06:40 The Apple Blossom story

09:04 Organised, disciplined and eating the wrong things at the wrong time

10:40 Why a smart, capable guy could not work it out on his own

12:51 The Mount Taylor quadrathlon reality check

16:27 How the nutrition actually went at his first 70.3

19:16 Open water panic and the note in the swim cap

25:00 What he would do differently next time

29:18 The Power Hour crew and what is next

31:10 Nobody is born knowing this

GUEST

Dr James Anderson is a dentist based in New Mexico, USA, a Clydesdale age grouper and a Triathlon Nutrition Academy athlete who has just finished phase three of the program. He fell for the sport after seeing his first triathlon bike in a bike shop, raced sprint distance for three years and Olympic distance for two, and recently completed his first 70.3, the longest event he has ever raced. He is not on social media, so the best place to find him is in the TNA Power Hour.

WANT THIS FOR YOURSELF

Nobody is born knowing how to fuel three sports and you will not learn it at school or at uni. Get your name on the list for the next cohort of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy.

 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Do You Carb Load for a Triathlon Without Feeling Bloated and Heavy?23 Jul 202600:16:38

Want to build your own carb loading plan? Grab my complete Carb Loading Masterclass here: https://www.dietitianapproved.com/carb-loading

A giant bowl of pasta the night before your race is not carbohydrate loading. Not even close.

In two decades of working with age group triathletes, Taryn has never met one who carb loads properly. This episode fixes that once and for all. It breaks down the science of carbohydrate loading, why it is genuinely free speed out on the course, and the handful of mistakes that leave you feeling bloated, heavy and fading in the back half of your race.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

  • What carbohydrate loading actually is, and why it is not the same as demolishing a pasta dinner
  • Why carb loading delays fatigue rather than making you faster, and how it is worth 1 to 3% performance out on course
  • The five common mistakes that leave you bloated and heavy (you are almost certainly doing at least one)
  • Why the number on the scales going up is a sign you have done it right, not a reason to panic
  • Whether women really do carb load worse than men, and what the research actually says

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 The pasta party myth

01:44 Why no triathlete carb loads properly

03:38 What carbohydrate loading actually is (glycogen, the fuel tank and supercompensation)

06:07 Free speed: why it delays fatigue instead of making you faster

07:21 The evidence: 90 minutes and a 1 to 3% gain

08:44 The five mistakes that leave you bloated and heavy

14:20 Do women carb load worse than men?

18:23 How to build your own carb loading plan

22:37 The five big takeaways

STUDIES MENTIONED

- McLay, R. T., Thomson, C. D., Williams, S. M., & Rehrer, N. J. (2007). Carbohydrate loading and female endurance athletes: Effect of menstrual-cycle phase. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 17(2), 189-205. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.17.2.189

- Tarnopolsky, M. A., Zawada, C., Richmond, L. B., Carter, S., Shearer, J., Graham, T., & Phillips, S. M. (2001). Gender differences in carbohydrate loading are related to energy intake. Journal of Applied Physiology, 91(1), 225-230. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2001.91.1.225

- James, A. P., Lorraine, M., Cullen, D., Goodman, C., Dawson, B., Palmer, T. N., & Fournier, P. A. (2001). Muscle glycogen supercompensation: Absence of a gender-related difference. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 85(6), 533-538. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004210100499

- Wismann, J., & Willoughby, D. (2006). Gender differences in carbohydrate metabolism and carbohydrate loading. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 3(1), 28-34. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-3-1-28

BUILD YOUR OWN CARB LOADING PLAN

You cannot copy a carb loading plan from your training buddy, your coach or the internet, because it is so individual. So Taryn has taken everything she teaches inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy and put it into a complete carb loading masterclass, open to the public. Three video lessons, just over an hour, plus the exact tool she uses with her athletes to calculate your specific numbers and build your plan. Grab it here: dietitianapproved.com/carb-loading

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If Challenge Roth Is On Your Bucket List, Listen to This First16 Jul 202600:46:26

Thinking about putting Challenge Roth on your bucket list? Three TNA athletes just raced it, and they are telling you exactly what to get right before you sign up.

Three TNA athletes share what it really takes to race Challenge Roth, from importing race nutrition into Australia to riding through Solar Hill. Real lessons on fuelling, logistics and pacing for anyone with this iconic full distance race on the bucket list.

Jo, Lisa and Leanne are all TNA athletes, all from Queensland, and they have just ticked one of triathlon's biggest bucket list events off the list: Challenge Roth in Bavaria, Germany. In this episode they share what training for and racing this iconic full distance event was really like, from importing race nutrition into Australia to talking themselves through a mid-race gut issue on the run.

In this episode you will learn:

  • Why Australians book Challenge Roth through a travel company, and how fast the race actually sells out
  • What to pack, and import, when the on-course sports nutrition brand is not sold at home
  • How to handle a mid-race gut issue without abandoning your fuelling plan
  • Why nailing your everyday training nutrition is what actually gets you to the start line healthy
  • Why hiring a bike for race day can cost you more than it saves
  • What Solar Hill is really like, and why it might make you cry

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Cold open: why you should never hire a race bike

00:41 Meet Jo, Lisa and Leanne, fresh from racing Challenge Roth

01:04 What Challenge Roth actually is, and why Solar Hill is legendary

02:06 Did the race live up to the hype

02:36 Leanne on her 19th full distance race, and feeling her best yet

03:10 Jo's emotional swim start and watching Lucy Charles-Barclay

04:33 5am beers and the Bavarian party atmosphere

05:02 Lisa on finally racing the event she watched her husband race in 2018

05:27 Getting a start line spot, and why you need a travel company

07:02 Packing and importing race nutrition from Australia to Germany

08:42 Smuggling Tim Tams, Vegemite and a confiscated jar through customs

09:19 Travelling with family, bike bags and European train stairs

10:38 Arriving early to acclimatise to the European heatwave

13:00 What they would have changed about their preparation

14:03 Testing a new tri suit at the swim practice, not on race day

14:37 Did race day nutrition go to plan

15:11 Lisa's mid-race stomach upset, and how dry pretzels fixed it

16:55 Jo losing her appetite in the carb-loading days before the race

17:50 Race morning timing, and eating on an 8:15am wave start

20:17 Jo's decision to build her own race after a stress fracture

24:10 Solar Hill: riding through a wall of 300,000 people

26:40 What they would change if they raced it again tomorrow

32:31 Their best advice if Roth is on your bucket list

33:37 How long it actually took to prepare

34:24 Why nailing everyday training nutrition kept them consistent

35:43 Practising on gravel, and an 18 month lead-in block

37:06 Confidence in your coach, and the surprises on race day

39:42 What's next: Norseman, a sub four hour marathon and a Roth return

45:10 Final thoughts and a well-earned rest

 

Jo Hurley, Lisa McDonald and Leanne Coghill are all Triathlon Nutrition Academy athletes and all Queenslanders, who travelled to Bavaria this year to take on Challenge Roth between them.

If Challenge Roth, or your first full distance race, is on your radar, the Triathlon Nutrition Academy is where we help you build a fuelling plan you can trust on race day. Get on the waitlist here.

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

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Pros Are Fuelling at 200g of Carbs an Hour. Should You?09 Jul 202600:17:33

Pros are fuelling at up to 200 grams of carbs an hour. Should you be chasing that number too?

High carb fuelling is the hottest topic in endurance sport right now, and the numbers keep climbing. INEOS Grenadiers are fuelling their riders at up to 150 grams of carbs an hour on big Touar de France stages, and pro triathlete Cameron Wurf recently said he took on 200 grams an hour on the bike in a recent Ironman (yes, 200, in one hour). Every age grouper watching that unfold is tempted to copy it. In this episode Taryn breaks down the real science behind high carb fuelling, why it works for the pros, and the one thing most age group triathletes skip completely before they try to chase that number themselves.

You'll learn:

  • Why the pros are pushing carb intake so high, and what the official guidelines actually say
  • The genuine recovery benefits of higher carb fuelling, backed by real research
  • Why eating past your absorption ceiling can wreck your race instead of fuelling it
  • Why your fuelling ceiling is nothing like the pro's ceiling, and why that's completely fine
  • A real athlete example of building fuelling tolerance the right way, over time, not overnight

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Why high carb fuelling is exploding in endurance sport

01:24 Meet Taryn and what this episode covers

02:19 The science behind pro level carb intake

03:42 The recovery benefits backed by research

04:08 The catch: high dropout rates from gut issues

05:14 Why there is a ceiling on how much carb can help you

05:38 The cycling study that found more was not always better

06:34 Where unused carbs actually go

07:01 Why your absorption capacity is not the same as anyone else's

08:07 The trap of copying the pro's number

09:39 How the pros actually built their tolerance

10:51 Why gut training is not a DIY podcast protocol

11:54 What you can start doing today

13:34 Case study: Lynn's fuelling turnaround

15:11 The real takeaway: find your number, not theirs

REFERENCES

- King, A. J., O'Hara, J. P., Morrison, D. J., Preston, T., & King, R. F. G. J. (2018). Carbohydrate dose influences liver and muscle glycogen oxidation and performance during prolonged exercise. Physiological Reports, 6(1), e13555. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.13555 | PubMed

- Viribay, A., Arribalzaga, S., Mielgo-Ayuso, J., Castañeda-Babarro, A., Seco-Calvo, J., & Urdampilleta, A. (2020). Effects of 120 g/h of carbohydrates intake during a mountain marathon on exercise-induced muscle damage in elite runners. Nutrients, 12(5), 1367. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12051367 | PubMed

- Urdampilleta, A., Arribalzaga, S., Viribay, A., Castañeda-Babarro, A., Seco-Calvo, J., & Mielgo-Ayuso, J. (2020). Effects of 120 vs. 60 and 90 g/h carbohydrate intake during a trail marathon on neuromuscular function and high intensity run capacity recovery. Nutrients, 12(7), 2094. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12072094 | PubMed

- Hearris, M. A., Pugh, J. N., Langan-Evans, C., Mann, S. J., Burke, L., Stellingwerff, T., Gonzalez, J. T., & Morton, J. P. (2022). 13C-glucose-fructose labeling reveals comparable exogenous CHO oxidation during exercise when consuming 120 g/h in fluid, gel, jelly chew, or coingestion. Journal of Applied Physiology, 132(6), 1394–1406. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00091.2022 | Free full text

- Wilson, P. B. (2026). A narrative review of the high-carbohydrate fueling revolution (≥100 g/h) in the professional peloton. Sports Medicine, 56(2), 295-313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-025-02372-6

Our final cohort of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy for the year is opening again soon. If dialling in your race fuelling and training your gut to handle it is something you need to work on, register your interest now.

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to Swim Faster Off Just Three Sessions a Week02 Jul 202600:49:36

Swimming more laps won't make you a faster triathlete. A three-time Olympian who used to swim 80 kilometres a week is here to tell you why.

Brian Johns is a three-time Olympian, former short-course 400-metre individual medley world record holder and now Head of Coaching Science at FORM. He's spent the back half of his career figuring out why some swimmers keep improving and others stay stuck in the same lane (sometimes literally), and in this episode he brings that to the time-poor triathlete who swims two or three times a week.

In this episode you'll learn:

  • Why more kilometres in the pool almost never equals a faster triathlon swim
  • The exact plan for getting faster off just three sessions a week, no coach required
  • How to tell the difference between working hard and actually improving
  • The recovery trick Brian used between a late session and an early morning swim
  • Why open water fear is really about exposure rather than fitness, and the simple fix that builds confidence fast
  • How to practise sighting in the pool long before race day
  • A one-word cue to keep you calm and swimming smooth when the start line gets choppy

 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to Brian Johns, Olympian, coach and FORM scientist

01:13 From 80km swim weeks to his best ever Olympic final

05:08 The injury that taught him to read his body's red flags

08:37 Why more metres doesn't mean a faster swim

13:03 The fuel check before you add more volume

15:21 How to teach technique without overloading a tired swimmer

19:30 What FORM Score reveals about real swimming efficiency

22:37 The one habit that separates improving swimmers from plateaued ones

27:10 Why open water rattles even confident swimmers

31:47 Learning to sight, the skill most triathletes skip

36:52 Surviving a rough, choppy race day swim

42:00 The three-sessions-a-week plan for the unsupported triathlete

48:18 Brian's go-to drill for every triathlete

50:43 Where to find Brian and FORM Goggles

 

ABOUT BRIAN JOHNS

Brian Johns is a Canadian three-time Olympian and former short-course 400-metre individual medley world record holder. He's the most decorated swimmer in Canadian university history, winning 33 of 34 races at the University of British Columbia and earning Canadian Interuniversity Sport Male Swimmer of the Year three times. After retiring from competition, Brian moved into coaching and now works as Head of Coaching Science at FORM, the smart swim goggles company, helping swimmers and triathletes train and race smarter with real-time data.

https://au.formswim.com/

You can train smarter in the pool, but if your fuelling isn't dialled in, you're leaving performance on the table too. That's exactly what we work through inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy.

If you're ticking off the macro boxes every day without ever really being taught how to eat, the Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart course is built for exactly that. Learn how to fuel your training and recovery properly so you're never stuck when the plan changes. Head to dietitianapproved.com/kickstart

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Tracking Calories Is Making You Slower (Not Leaner)25 Jun 202600:19:10

Is your calorie tracking app actually working against you?

You're logging everything, hitting your macros and training hard but your long sessions are falling apart, the scale won't budge and you're exhausted in a way that sleep just isn't fixing. The app says you're on track. So what's going wrong?

In this episode, Advanced Sports Dietitian Taryn Richardson breaks down why calorie and macro tracking apps - even the good ones built for active people - were never designed to teach a triathlete how to eat. The maths is educated guesswork, the protein targets are built backwards, and the app has no idea how to help you when your kid gets sick and your afternoon session gets cancelled.

 

In this episode you'll learn:

  • Why calorie apps were built for the sedentary population and why that model falls over for a triathlete training 10 to 20 hours a week
  • How inaccurate your wearable device actually is at measuring calorie burn (spoiler: up to 93% off)
  • Why the standard percentage-based protein model cuts your protein at the exact moment you need it most
  • The difference between hitting your macro numbers and actually knowing how to eat
  • Why underfuelling sneaks in even when you're tracking perfectly - and how quickly it affects your training
  • Two real athlete examples: one who was significantly underfueled despite doing everything the app said, and a vegan athlete whose app couldn't come close to meeting her needs
  • What it actually looks like to fuel for the work required, adjust on the fly and never need the app to make a decision for you

 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction: the athlete who's doing everything right and still going backwards

02:42 Why calorie apps were built for weight loss, not endurance athletes

05:29 The fundamental problem: apps treat food as a budget, your body treats it as fuel

06:59 How inaccurate is your wearable at measuring calorie burn? Stanford research

09:01 The problem with estimating calories in — why we're all bad at it

11:22 Why percentage-based protein targets are built wrong for athletes

14:16 Hitting your macros is not the same as eating well

16:59 The knowledge gap: how to eat for a light day versus a heavy training day

18:28 When life throws a curveball - why the app can't help you adapt

20:18 How underfueling sneaks in (2023 REDS consensus statement)

21:39 What fueling for the work required actually means

22:39 Athlete example 1: training tanked despite doing exactly what the app said

24:44 Athlete example 2: vegan athlete whose app could never meet her needs

27:04 TLDR summary: macros versus nourishment, the knowledge gap, and what to do next

 

STUDIES MENTIONED

- Shcherbina A, et al. (2017). Accuracy in Wrist-Worn, Sensor-Based Measurements of Heart Rate and Energy Expenditure in a Diverse Cohort. *Journal of Personalized Medicine, 7*(2), 3. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm7020003

- Mountjoy M, et al. (2023). 2023 International Olympic Committee's (IOC) consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs). *British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57*(17), 1073-1097. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-106994

 

If you're ticking off the macro boxes every day without ever really being taught how to eat, the Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart course is built for exactly that. Learn how to fuel your training and recovery properly so you're never stuck when the plan changes. Head to dietitianapproved.com/kickstart

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to Fuel Your First Ironman and Actually Enjoy It with Lily Godding18 Jun 202600:34:02

What does it actually take to finish your first Ironman at 22 years old - and cross that finish line with a smile?

Lily Godding is a TNA athlete, a rugby rep player and a chef who had never raced a triathlon three years ago. On the weekend, she crossed the finish line of Ironman Cairns 140.6 in 13 hours, 21 minutes and 54 seconds. In this episode, Taryn sits down with Lily just days after the race to talk about what it took to get there — the brutal washing-machine swim, the six-and-a-half-hour bike leg, and the moment on the run where Lily quietly reminded herself: I can do hard things.

What you'll hear in this episode:

  • What Lily's nutrition looked like before TNA - and how far off the mark it was
  • How her race nutrition plan held up across 140.6km (spoiler: to a T)
  • The biggest mistakes younger triathletes make with nutrition and training
  • Why she almost didn't join TNA because of the price — and what changed her mind
  • How good recovery nutrition had her collecting her own bike the morning after the race
  • What Lily wishes she'd known sooner, and her advice for anyone tackling their first Ironman

 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Lily opens: race nutrition to a T — gut trained, fuelled, mapped out

00:26 Welcome — Taryn introduces Lily, Ironman Cairns finisher

00:56 From rugby to triathlon: how Lily balances two completely different sports

02:11 What made her fall in love with triathlon and sign up for a full Ironman?

03:02 Is Ultraman next? Lily's answer: a faster Ironman and maybe Kona

03:14 Come-down after Cairns — take me back to the finish line

03:54 The finish line moment: electric, community, absolutely amped

05:00 Taryn preps the toughest moment question

05:20 The toughest moment on course: the brutal washing-machine swim

06:38 70 people pulled from the water — absolute carnage

07:22 What a 13:21:54 finish at 22 years old actually meant to Lily

08:34 What young triathletes get wrong: nutrition and overtraining

09:49 Lily admits to being the over-trainer (just ask coach Pablo)

10:06 Advice for younger athletes who think nutrition can wait

10:24 TNA's first module: recovery nutrition changed everything

11:39 What Lily's nutrition actually looked like before TNA

13:05 Would she have finished Cairns without TNA?

13:20 "100% no. It was when I joined TNA I thought — yeah, I can do this"

14:00 How she tried to figure out nutrition on her own

14:27 Social media, the algorithm and the weight-loss noise aimed at female athletes

16:07 How TNA tuned out the noise — worksheets, carb loading, race plan

16:36 What TNA taught her about everyday eating

17:12 The forgotten stuff: colourful plate, healthy fats, nuts, seeds, beans

18:28 The protein myth - more protein isn't always the answer

19:03 Why nobody teaches us how to eat — health as a lifelong foundation

19:34 How did race nutrition hold up on race day?

20:01 Lily: to a T - gut trained, fuelled, everything consumed at the right time

20:55 The run: Coke, gels, chews and carrying her own water bottle

21:51 The one adaptation she'd make: take Panadol for tight calves and hamstrings

22:24 What would she do differently? Not play a rugby game the week before

22:59 First Ironman goal: just finish — next one is for performance

23:37 Recovery: went and got her own bike the morning after the race

24:31 The toilet test - she's perfected the technique

24:51 Balking at the price - what made Lily commit anyway

25:16 Joined in October after Port Macquarie with zero race nutrition plan

26:28 Is TNA worth the investment?

26:36 Lily: "113,472%. I would not be an Ironman finisher without TNA"

27:23 Youth alone isn't enough - nutrition is what gets you across

27:42 Advice for someone about to do their first Ironman

28:30 The finish line photo tip: arms up, smile, don't touch the Garmin

29:05 Has finishing an Ironman changed how Lily sees herself?

29:13 "I can do hard things" - the mantra that got her through lap three

29:49 The moment Taryn ran alongside Lily on the third lap

30:18 What's next: Kona, performance focus, so many years of triathlon ahead

30:57 The privilege of being able to race - and being an Ironman

31:14 Iron Woman? (Lily's aunt is campaigning for it)

31:26 Taryn's closing reflection on Lily's story — and the TNA CTA

33:54 Sign off

 

ABOUT THE GUEST

Lily Godding is a 22-year-old age-group triathlete, rugby rep player and TNA athlete from the Snowy Mountains, Australia. She completed her first sprint triathlon in November 2024 and progressed to Ironman 140.6 Cairns in June 2026, finishing in 13:21:54. A chef by trade, Lily balances high-level representative rugby with full Ironman training and gives a first-hand account of what evidence-based triathlon nutrition actually does for a young athlete.

Connect with Lily on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lily.godding

 

If the Cairns Ironman story has you thinking about your own race day nutrition, come and join us in the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. Head to dietitianapproved.com/academy and register your interest in our upcoming cohort.

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five Habits of Triathletes Who Reach the Start Line Ready to Race11 Jun 202600:14:00

Are you actually going to hit the start line ready - or are you going to arrive having done all the training but undone the work in race week?

Taryn is recording this one live from Cairns, where the TNA crew has flown in from all over the world to race the 70.3 and Ironman. Every single one of these athletes had their race nutrition dialled in months ago. Not this week. Not over last night's bowl of pasta. Months ago.

In this episode, Taryn shares the five habits that separate triathletes who arrive on race morning topped up, adapted and confident from those who roll up to the start line under-fuelled before the gun has even gone off.

 

What you'll learn:

  • Why race week is not the time to train harder or eat less - and what the taper trap actually does to your fuelling
  • How recovery nutrition session by session is what makes the hard work stick
  • Why rehearsing your race fuelling on long sessions is non-negotiable (and what happens when you wing it on race day)
  • The one habit that quietly takes more athletes out of their A-race than any fuelling mistake out on course
  • How to carb load properly - because no, it is not a giant bowl of pasta the night before

 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction — Live from Cairns

06:37 Habit 1 — Bank the adaptations and protect the taper

09:11 Habit 2 — Recover from every session

12:38 Habit 3 — Rehearse race fuelling on long sessions

15:02 Habit 4 — Protect your immune system

17:48 Habit 5 — Plan and practise your carb load

20:14 Race Day Pack List

21:40 Summary and close

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Recovery Accelerator - the exact framework Taryn teaches TNA athletes for what to eat after every training session and every race (the four R's, when to eat, what to eat and when to prioritise it). You can get through it all in one trainer session or one long run

Free Race Day Pack List - everything you need for swim, bike and run, plus before and after your race, ready to print and reuse for every race

 

STUDIES MENTIONED

Gunzer, W., Konrad, M., & Pail, E. (2012). Exercise-induced immunodepression in endurance athletes and nutritional intervention with carbohydrate, protein and fat: What is possible, what is not? Nutrients, 4(9), 1187-1212. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu4091187

Knowledge of carbohydrate requirements does not predict carbohydrate intake around competition in endurance athletes. PMC11451575

(2025). A review of carbohydrate supplementation approaches and strategies for optimising performance in elite long-distance endurance. Nutrients, 17(5), 918. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17050918

Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Dietary carbohydrate and the endurance athlete: contemporary perspectives.

 

If you want to toe a start line with the TNA crew somewhere in the world, get your name on the Triathlon Nutrition Academy waitlist at dietitianapproved.com/academy. You'll be first to know when the next cohort starts.

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does Hydrogen Water Actually Work for Triathlon Recovery?04 Jun 202600:19:59

Hydrogen water is all over your feed right now. Tablets, bottles, little machines bubbling away on the kitchen bench, all promising less soreness, faster bounce-back and recovery at the cellular level. But does it actually do anything for you as a triathlete, or are you about to drop sixty bucks on fizzy water?

In this episode I give you my honest, no-BS breakdown on hydrogen water. What it actually is, what the research genuinely says about recovery and performance, and whether it earns a spot in your toolbox. Then I run the actual numbers on what it costs to replicate the research dose (you might want to sit down for that part) and weigh it up against where your money is truly best spent.

 

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• What hydrogen water actually is, and why the marketing sounds far more exotic than the science

• What the research really shows on recovery, soreness and performance

• Why mopping up every free radical from training might quietly blunt the adaptations you work so hard for

• The real cost of replicating the research dose, run line by line

• The two-dollar recovery option that ticks every box hydrogen water misses

 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 The fizzy tablet moment

01:39 What this episode covers

04:20 What hydrogen water actually is

05:45 The theory: mitochondria and selective antioxidants

08:38 What the research shows (the fin swimmer study)

12:45 The bigger systematic reviews

15:00 Why you don't want to mop up every free radical

17:50 The honest verdict on the evidence

20:11 The real cost, run line by line

23:05 The two-dollar recovery smoothie comparison

25:53 The athlete I see all the time

28:24 Red light therapy: same pitch, better evidence

30:32 Pulling it all together

33:14 Where to start instead

 

STUDIES MENTIONED

Li, Y., Bing, R., Liu, M., Shang, Z., Huang, Y., Zhou, K., Bao, D., & Zhou, J. (2024). Can molecular hydrogen supplementation reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress in healthy adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, Article 1328705. [https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1328705](https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1328705)

Sládečková, B., Botek, M., Krejčí, J., Valenta, M., McKune, A., Neuls, F., & Klimešová, I. (2024). Hydrogen-rich water supplementation promotes muscle recovery after two strenuous training sessions performed on the same day in elite fin swimmers: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Frontiers in Physiology, 15, Article 1321160. [https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1321160](https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1321160)

Zhou, K., Shang, Z., Yuan, C., Guo, Z., Wang, Y., Bao, D., & Zhou, J. (2024). Can molecular hydrogen supplementation enhance physical performance in healthy adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, Article 1387657. [https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1387657](https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1387657)

If recovery is the thing you keep meaning to sort, I built the Recovery Accelerator for exactly that. A clear plan for what to eat after training and racing to hit your personalised targets, with a recovery nutrition sheet, four recipes and a recovery playlist. One-off payment, no subscription, and it costs less than a single month of hydrogen tablets. Grab it HERE .

 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 3 Recovery Nutrition Mistakes Triathletes Make (And How to Fix Them)28 May 202600:14:09

You’re doing the training. You’re showing up consistently. But if your legs constantly feel heavy, your energy crashes every afternoon and you can’t seem to bounce back between sessions, your recovery nutrition could be the missing piece.

In this episode, Advanced Sports Dietitian and Triathlon Nutrition Specialist Taryn Richardson breaks down the three biggest recovery nutrition mistakes triathletes make and explains exactly how to fix them.

Because recovery is where adaptation actually happens.

Recovery Accelerator Program

Taryn dives into:

  • Why your post-training nutrition window matters more than you think
  • The common protein mistake endurance athletes make
  • Why carbohydrate is critical for triathlon recovery
  • The signs your recovery nutrition is failing you
  • How poor recovery impacts performance, body composition and immunity
  • What proper recovery should actually feel like
  • Practical strategies busy triathletes can use to recover properly even with work, kids and life chaos

If you’re training hard but still feeling flat, sore or permanently fatigued, this episode will help you connect the dots.

In This Episode:

[00:00] Why recovery nutrition gets pushed aside for busy triathletes

[04:20] What actually happens physiologically after training

[05:45] The research on delayed recovery nutrition and glycogen restoration

[08:50] Why so many triathletes get recovery wrong

[09:40] Mistake #1: Having no recovery nutrition plan

[11:55] Mistake #2: Focusing on protein while forgetting carbohydrate

[13:50] Mistake #3: Poor timing

[15:40] Signs your recovery nutrition is not working

[17:50] What proper recovery should feel like

[20:15] Why adaptation happens during recovery, not training

[21:30] How to fix your recovery nutrition properly

Research Mentioned

Ivy JL et al. (1988). Muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise: effect of time of carbohydrate ingestion. Journal of Applied Physiology, 64(4), 1480–1485.

Csanaky L et al. (2025). Post-Exercise Nutrition Knowledge and Adherence to Recommendations Among Amateur Endurance Athletes. Nutrients, 17(22), 3629.

Burke LM et al. Postexercise muscle glycogen resynthesis in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology (review article).

 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

Recovery Accelerator Program

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pressure Is Not the Enemy: The Mental Game of Triathlon with Dr Haley Perlus21 May 202600:45:08

Do race day nerves throw you completely off your game?

Maybe you second-guess your pacing, panic when things don’t go to plan or let pressure spiral into poor decisions around fuelling and performance.

In this episode of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy Podcast, Advanced Sports Dietitian Taryn Richardson sits down with performance psychologist Dr Haley Perlus to unpack the mental side of triathlon and why pressure isn’t something to avoid, but something to work with.

Dr Perlus shares practical strategies to help age-group triathletes build confidence, stay focused under pressure and perform at their best when it matters most. From race day anxiety and perfectionism to resilience, self-talk and mental preparation, this conversation is packed with actionable advice you can apply straight away.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • Why pressure is not the enemy in endurance sport

  • The difference between mental health and mental performance

  • How fear and self-doubt show up for triathletes

  • Practical tools to improve focus and confidence on race day

  • Why your mindset affects pacing, fuelling and decision-making

  • The importance of preparation and controllables

  • How to stop spiralling when things go wrong mid-race

  • Strategies to build mental resilience during training

Whether you're training for your first sprint triathlon or chasing a PB at your next Ironman, this episode will help you strengthen the mental skills needed to race with confidence.

About Dr Haley Perlus

Dr Haley Perlus is a sport and performance psychologist who works with elite athletes, executives and high performers to optimise mindset, resilience and performance under pressure. With decades of experience in sports psychology, she helps athletes develop the mental tools needed to consistently perform at their best.

CONNECT WITH HAYLEY
Website | Instagram | YouTube

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What Ozempic and GLP-1 Drugs Do to Your Triathlon Performance14 May 202600:17:28

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro are now firmly inside the triathlon conversation. Athletes are seeing dramatic weight loss results and wondering whether these drugs could help them perform better too.

But what actually happens when you combine appetite-suppressing medications with the demands of swimming, riding and running for hours every week?

In this episode, Advanced Sports Dietitian Taryn Richardson breaks down the science and practical realities of GLP-1 medications for endurance athletes. From muscle loss and gut issues to RED-S and race day fuelling disasters, this is the conversation triathletes need to hear before considering these medications.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • What GLP-1 medications actually do in the body

  • Why delayed gastric emptying can become a major issue for endurance athletes

  • The surprising amount of muscle mass that can be lost during rapid weight loss

  • How GLP-1 medications may increase the risk of RED-S in triathletes

  • Why hunger and thirst cues become unreliable on these medications

  • The key nutrition strategies to protect your performance if you’re taking a GLP-1

  • How protein and resistance training can help preserve lean muscle mass

  • Which foods give you the biggest micronutrient bang for buck when appetite is low

  • Why fuelling to a schedule becomes critical during long training sessions and racing

  • What WADA’s monitoring of GLP-1 medications means for athletes moving forward

Key Takeaways

  • Rapid weight loss can come with significant lean muscle loss if nutrition and strength training aren’t prioritised

  • Slower gastric emptying may increase the risk of gut distress during training and racing

  • Suppressed appetite can make chronic under-fuelling and RED-S much harder to detect

  • Triathletes taking GLP-1 medications need a very deliberate fuelling plan to maintain health and performance

Timestamps

  • 00:00 – Why GLP-1 medications are suddenly everywhere in triathlon

  • 01:47 – What GLP-1 medications actually do

  • 03:00 – WADA monitoring and anti-doping implications

  • 04:09 – The muscle mass problem triathletes need to understand

  • 06:34 – Gut function, gastric emptying and fuelling challenges

  • 08:50 – The hidden risk of RED-S and chronic under-fuelling

  • 11:13 – Practical strategies for athletes using GLP-1 medications

  • 12:35 – The most nutrient-dense foods when appetite is low

  • 14:00 – Why fuelling to a schedule matters

  • 16:00 – Final takeaways for triathletes

If you know a triathlete currently taking Ozempic or another GLP-1 medication, send them this episode. These conversations are happening quietly in squads all over the world, and athletes deserve practical, evidence-based guidance to protect both their health and performance.

Links & Resources

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She Tripled Her Food Intake and Got Leaner - Emma Jeffcoat's Nutrition Turnaround07 May 202600:58:30

What does it actually take to recover from surgery in half the expected time and come back stronger than ever? Australian elite triathlete Emma Jeffcoat did exactly that — and she's on the podcast to break down how.

About Emma Jeffcoat

Emma Jeffcoat is an Australian elite triathlete and Tokyo 2020 Olympian based on Sydney's Northern Beaches. A former surf lifesaving ironwoman and registered nurse, Emma switched to triathlon in 2015 and hasn't looked back. She is a Mixed Team Relay World Champion (2024), Australian Elite National Champion (2021) and multiple World Cup winner. Known for her powerful racing, fierce resilience and trademark smile across every finish line, Emma is now also joining the NSW Fire Brigade — all while gunning for a mixed relay gold medal at the 2028 LA Olympics.

Connect with Emma:

  • Website: emmajeffcoat.com.au
  • Instagram: @emmajeffcoat


About This Episode

Emma first joined the Triathlon Nutrition Academy Podcast all the way back in Episode 91 — Life of an Elite Australian Triathlete. Three years later she is back, and what a journey it has been. Mixed Team Relay World Champion. A new career with the NSW Fire Brigade. An acute ankle reconstruction that left her surgeon speechless at the speed of her recovery. And a deeply honest account of going from a decade of amenorrhea and RED-S to running 80km weeks and racing at her absolute best.

This episode is packed with gold for triathletes at every level — practical, personal and genuinely inspiring.


What You Will Learn

  • The four-pillar recovery protocol Emma used to come back eight weeks ahead of schedule
  • Exactly which supplements she used and why (collagen, creatine, fish oil, magnesium)
  • Why nutrition has to come first — before hyperbaric chambers or red light therapy mean anything
  • How Emma manages the mental side of injury, including her work with a sports psychologist
  • Her raw and honest account of ten years with amenorrhea, RED-S and the bone stress injuries that followed
  • The moment someone showed her the actual energy numbers — and everything clicked
  • How she went from 40km capped run weeks to 80km weeks and winning World Cups
  • Her decision to freeze her eggs after 10 years of amenorrhea affected her AMH and fertility
  • The big life plan: Fire Brigade, LA 2028 mixed relay gold and what comes after elite sport


Episode Timestamps

  • [00:00] Welcome back Emma — life update including Mixed Relay World Champs, the move back to Sydney and joining the NSW Fire Brigade
  • [03:47] The injury: acute posterior tibialis tendon rupture and full ankle reconstruction
  • [06:35] Milestones that blew the surgeon's mind: walking at four weeks, boot off and swimming normally by six weeks
  • [08:51] The four recovery pillars: rest, nutrition, hyperbaric oxygen and red light therapy
  • [10:13] Fuelling for recovery, not restriction: how Emma approached nutrition when training load dropped to near zero
  • [12:38] Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: four sessions a week and why the surgeon called it gold standard
  • [13:08] Red light therapy: passive, practical and something Emma will continue long-term
  • [16:46] Staying positive through injury: the 24-hour rule, drawing a line in the sand and working with a sports psychologist
  • [22:00] Three years of evolution: what has changed in nutrition, mindset and self-awareness
  • [24:05] What proactive and consistent fuelling actually looks like day to day for an elite athlete
  • [29:38] From tightrope to bridge: what adequate fuelling has done for Emma's injury resilience and training availability
  • [32:26] Body image, social media and why Emma deleted Strava from her phone
  • [38:03] RED-S in triathlon: the moment Emma saw her energy numbers and everything changed
  • [46:55] Getting her period back after 10 years of amenorrhea and the compounding effect of proper fuelling
  • [50:09] Egg freezing: making proactive decisions for fertility and life after elite sport
  • [54:30] Balancing elite sporting goals with long-term life goals
  • [58:08] The grand plan: Fire Brigade, LA Olympics mixed relay gold and what comes after


Key Takeaways

  • Nutrition first, always. Recovery nutrition is not about restriction. Carbs, fats and proteins all stay on board. Your body is doing serious work healing.
  • Big rocks before sprinkles. Hyperbaric and red light therapy are powerful tools — but only once sleep and fuelling foundations are locked in.
  • Proactive beats reactive. From booking psych appointments before she thought she would need them, to planning her nutrition before injury progressed — Emma stays ahead of problems.
  • RED-S is rampant and reversible. Emma went from chronic bone stress injuries and 10 years without a period to running 80km weeks and winning World Champs. The difference was fuelling adequately.
  • Honesty accelerates progress. The more open Emma was with her dietitian, physio, coach and family, the more effectively they could actually help her.


Resources and Links

Episode 91 - Life of an Elite Australian Triathlete with Emma Jeffcoat

Red Light Therapy Masterclass

Blood Tests for Triathletes (free guide)

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist (free)

Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart Course

Triathlon Nutrition Academy - join the waitlist


Ready to Stop Guessing and Start Fuelling With Intention?

Emma's journey from chronically under-fuelled and injured to World Champion is proof that getting nutrition right changes everything. If you are ready to build your own solid foundation, join the waitlist for the Triathlon Nutrition Academy at dietitianapproved.com/academy and be first to know when doors open.

CONNECT WITH TARYN

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can Your Gut Microbiome Predict Your Training Response with Dr Matthew Cooke01 May 202600:43:49

Can Your Gut Microbiome Predict Your Training Response with Dr Matthew Cooke

Your gut isn’t just along for the ride… it could be influencing how well you train, recover and perform.

In this episode, Advanced Sports Dietitian Taryn Richardson is joined by integrative physiologist and researcher Dr Matthew Cooke to unpack the rapidly evolving science of the gut microbiome in endurance athletes. From how your training shapes your gut, to whether your microbiome could predict performance outcomes, this conversation bridges cutting-edge research with practical takeaways you can actually use.

If you’re an age-group triathlete chasing marginal gains, this is one area you don’t want to ignore.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • How endurance training influences your gut microbiome composition
  • Why higher training loads can be both beneficial and detrimental for gut health
  • The link between gut diversity and aerobic capacity (VO2 max)
  • How your microbiome may influence motivation, cognition and performance
  • Whether your gut can predict how you’ll respond to training
  • The truth about GI mapping tests and whether they’re worth your money
  • When probiotics may help and when they’re a waste of cash
  • Practical strategies to support your gut while fuelling for performance

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to the gut microbiome and why it matters for triathletes
02:20 – Meet Dr Matthew Cooke and his research background
05:00 – Microbiome vs microbiota explained simply
06:30 – Does training actually change your gut microbiome?
09:00 – Endurance vs strength athletes: what’s the difference in gut health
11:30 – The “U-shaped curve” of training load and gut health
13:00 – How quickly your microbiome can change
14:30 – The Boston Marathon study and performance-enhancing bacteria
17:00 – Is your gut linked to performance and VO2 max?
20:00 – Can your gut influence motivation and brain function?
22:00 – Fueling with gels vs gut health: what you need to know
24:30 – Can the microbiome predict training response?
29:00 – Military study: predicting who adapts… and who drops out
32:00 – Stress, sleep and diet: the hidden drivers of gut health
34:30 – Do you actually need a probiotic?
38:00 – Specific probiotic strains and performance benefits
40:00 – What is GI mapping and how does it work?
43:00 – Is microbiome testing worth it right now?
49:00 – Future of gut microbiome testing and personalised performance

Links & Resources

Research Mentioned

Servetas, S. L., Hoffmann, D., Ravel, J., & Jackson, S. A. (2025). Evaluating the analytical performance of direct-to-consumer gut microbiome testing services. Communications Biology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-09301-3

Cooke, M. B., Catchlove, S., & Tooley, K. L. (2022). Examining the influence of the human gut microbiota on cognition and stress: A systematic review of the literature. Nutrients, 14(21), 4623. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14214623

Key Takeaway

Your gut microbiome is shaped by how you train, eat, sleep and recover. While the science is still evolving, one thing is clear: nailing the basics like fibre intake, diet diversity and managing training load will go a long way in supporting both gut health and performance.

Ready to Take Action?

If you want to dial in your nutrition and stop second-guessing your fuelling strategy:

CONNECT WITH TARYN

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stop Optimising the 5% You Haven't Earned Yet23 Apr 202600:18:50

Are you spending way too much time worrying about gels, supplements and race day nutrition… but still not getting the performance you want?

Here’s the hard truth: most triathletes are focusing on the wrong things.

In this episode, Advanced Sports Dietitian Taryn Richardson breaks down why chasing marginal gains is keeping you stuck and what you actually need to prioritise if you want to train harder, recover faster and perform at your best.

If you’ve ever felt confused, overwhelmed or like your nutrition just isn’t “clicking”, this one’s for you.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

  • Why most triathletes are trying to optimise the last 5% without earning it
  • The real reason your performance isn’t improving (hint: it’s not your gels)
  • Why daily nutrition matters more than race day nutrition
  • The dangers of under-fuelling and long-term health risks like RED-S, hormonal issues and poor bone health
  • Common mistakes like supplement overload, fad diets and copying other athletes
  • Why inconsistency across the week is sabotaging your progress
  • The “Supercharged Triathlete Formula” and how to apply it
  • The key building blocks of a high-performing nutrition strategy:
    • Recovery nutrition
    • Pre-training fuel
    • Daily nutrition periodisation
    • On-bike and run fuelling
    • THEN race day strategies and supplements

Timestamps:

00:00 – The hard truth: triathletes are focusing on the wrong things
01:30 – Why the “last 5%” mindset is holding you back
02:00 – You don’t have a gel or supplement problem
04:30 – Real athlete story: the supplement overload trap
07:30 – Why fundamentals beat fancy every time
09:00 – What doesn’t work: fad diets, hacks and copying others
11:30 – The impact of inconsistency on performance
12:30 – What actually works: building a nutrition system
13:00 – The Supercharged Triathlete Formula explained
13:30 – Why recovery nutrition is your first priority
14:30 – Pre-training fuel and fuelling for the work required
15:30 – Periodising your nutrition across the week
16:30 – When to focus on race nutrition and supplements
17:30 – The “big rocks vs sand” analogy
18:00 – The long-term risks of getting nutrition wrong
21:30 – Why more information isn’t the answer
22:00 – How having a system saves time and energy
22:30 – Inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy

Key takeaway:

If you haven’t nailed your daily nutrition, nothing else will move the needle.

Stop chasing shiny objects and start focusing on the fundamentals that actually drive performance.

Links & Resources:

Ready to stop guessing and start fuelling properly?

If you’re done with the confusion and want a clear, step-by-step system to dial in your nutrition, come and join us inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy.

Tune in now and start focusing on the 95% that actually matters.

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DIY Triathlon Nutrition Has an Expiry Date16 Apr 202600:22:48

Still Googling “what to eat before training” at 9pm the night before your race?

If you’re relying on free calculators, generic meal plans or advice from your training buddy to fuel your triathlon, this episode is your wake-up call. Because while DIY nutrition might get you started, it won’t get you to your full potential.

In this episode, Advanced Sports Dietitian Taryn Richardson unpacks why the DIY approach has an expiry date and what it’s really costing you in performance, time and results.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

  • Why free online nutrition calculators are designed to sell products, not optimise your performance
  • The problem with generic meal plans and why they fail busy triathletes
  • How Googling and AI tools give you answers without context (and why that’s risky)
  • The hidden dangers of taking nutrition advice from unqualified sources
  • Why “doing what works for someone else” rarely works for you
  • The real reason you feel stuck, fatigued or not improving despite training hard
  • How DIY nutrition slows your progress and keeps you guessing
  • Why understanding your nutrition (not just following a plan) changes everything
  • What it actually takes to fuel properly for your training, racing and lifestyle

Key takeaways:

  • DIY nutrition isn’t wrong, but it has a ceiling
    It can help you get started, but it won’t evolve as your training and goals do
  • Generic advice lacks context
    Your body, lifestyle, training load and goals are unique and your nutrition needs to reflect that
  • You can’t troubleshoot what you don’t understand
    Without knowing the “why”, you’re stuck when things don’t go to plan
  • Nutrition is the fourth leg of triathlon
    You can’t out-train poor fuelling, no matter how hard you push

Real athlete example:

Taryn shares the story of Sarah, a self-confessed back-of-the-packer who used to bonk in every Olympic distance race. After learning how to fuel properly and periodise her nutrition, she no longer hits the wall and finally feels in control of her performance.

Loved this episode?

If this hit a nerve, it might be time to stop piecing your nutrition together and start doing it properly.

Head to the Triathlon Nutrition Academy and learn how to fuel your body with confidence so you can 

Links & Resources

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three New Triathletes Share What No One Tells You Before You Join TNA09 Apr 202600:35:23

What actually happens when you stop winging your nutrition and start doing it properly?

In this episode, I’m joined by three brand new Triathlon Nutrition Academy athletes who are right at the beginning of their journey and still remember exactly what it felt like on the outside looking in.

From sitting on the fence for months (or years), to finally taking the leap, they share the honest truth about what held them back, what surprised them most and the changes they’ve already noticed in just a few short weeks.

If you’ve ever thought “my nutrition is probably fine” or quietly closed the tab when looking at getting help, this conversation is for you.

Meet the athletes:

  • Jade Collins – Busy mum from WA, juggling Ironman training, work and family life
  • Curtis Yanish – Age group triathlete from Texas who spent years underfuelled and hangry
  • Stephen Sutherland – 71-year-old athlete with 30 years of racing experience, finally dialling in nutrition

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why so many triathletes “wing it” with nutrition (even after years in the sport)
  • The real reason athletes delay investing in their nutrition
  • How underfuelling shows up in training, racing and daily life
  • The biggest early wins from improving nutrition (within weeks, not months)
  • Why recovery nutrition is the missing piece for most triathletes
  • How better fuelling = more energy, faster recovery and better performance
  • The concept of “free speed” through nutrition
  • Common mistakes like fasted training, skipping pre-session fuel and delaying recovery
  • What surprised these athletes most once they joined TNA
  • Why nutrition is not an optional extra in triathlon

Timestamps:

  • 00:00 – Meet the athletes and their backgrounds
  • 03:40 – Why a 30-year triathlete finally focused on nutrition
  • 05:20 – Sitting on the sidelines and the “secret bank account”
  • 07:00 – Constant bonking, low energy and underfuelling
  • 12:30 – Finding time for nutrition (even with a busy life)
  • 14:10 – Nutrition as “free speed”
  • 17:20 – Biggest surprises after joining TNA
  • 18:00 – Underfuelled training and calorie misconceptions
  • 19:00 – The importance of recovery nutrition
  • 21:10 – Changes implemented straight away
  • 23:00 – From reactive to proactive fuelling
  • 28:00 – What they’re most excited to learn next
  • 31:50 – Advice for triathletes sitting on the fence
  • 42:00 – Why waiting costs more than starting

Key takeaways:

  • You can’t out-train poor nutrition
  • Eating enough carbohydrates is critical for performance
  • Recovery starts immediately after training, not hours later
  • Fuelling properly improves both performance and daily life
  • Nutrition is the fourth leg of triathlon

Ready to stop winging it?

If you’re tired of guessing your nutrition, bonking mid-session or feeling wrecked after training, it’s time to get a plan.

Head to dietitianapproved.com/academy and get on the waitlist for the next intake.

Because nutrition isn’t an optional extra. It’s the piece that holds everything together.

Links & Resources

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tired Triathlete Problem: Why “Eating Clean” Was Ruining Her Performance02 Apr 202600:27:59

Are you doing everything “right”… but still feeling exhausted?

If you’re a triathlete who’s training consistently, eating “clean” and still hitting the wall by the end of the week, this episode will hit close to home.

In this powerful athlete case study, Taryn sits down with TNA athlete Julia Burgess to unpack the real reason she was constantly tired, struggling with gut issues and underperforming… despite thinking she had her nutrition dialled in.

Spoiler: eating clean was actually part of the problem.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why “clean eating” can sabotage endurance performance
  • The common high fibre fuelling mistake causing GI issues on long sessions
  • What low energy availability actually looks like in real life
  • Why salads and “healthy foods” aren’t enough for triathletes
  • The importance of fuel timing and periodisation
  • How to fuel properly before, during and after training
  • Managing gluten-free and dairy-free diets without compromising performance
  • The impact of cross-contamination for coeliac athletes
  • How to build a simple, repeatable nutrition system that actually works
  • Why you shouldn’t rely on race course nutrition
  • How Julia went from exhausted and flat… to training strong and racing confidently

Key takeaways:

  • Eating clean doesn’t equal fuelling properly
  • You can’t train for a 90km ride on a banana and a piece of toast
  • High fibre foods before sessions = gut bomb waiting to happen
  • Nutrition needs structure, not guesswork
  • Small, consistent changes compound into massive performance gains

Timestamps:

  • 00:00 – Julia’s struggle with food intolerances and “clean eating”
  • 04:00 – Why she felt constantly exhausted despite training well
  • 07:00 – The biggest nutrition mistakes holding her back
  • 10:00 – Fixing gut issues and fuelling for performance
  • 14:00 – Making your own gels and becoming self-sufficient
  • 18:00 – Discovering underlying health issues through proper testing
  • 22:00 – Simple strategies to systemise your nutrition
  • 27:00 – Final advice for tired, frustrated triathletes

Loved this episode?

If you’re sick of feeling tired, underfuelled and stuck guessing what to eat… it’s time to stop winging it.

Inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy, you’ll learn exactly how to fuel your training, fix your energy levels and perform at your best without the confusion.

Register your interest now here.

Links & Resources:

Other Links & Resources

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seven Nutrition Mistakes Triathletes Are Making in 202626 Mar 202600:15:44

Are you unknowingly sabotaging your triathlon performance with your nutrition?

In this episode, Advanced Sports Dietitian Taryn Richardson breaks down the 7 biggest nutrition mistakes triathletes are making in 2026 and why they’re holding you back from training hard, recovering properly and performing on race day.

Some of these mistakes have been around for years, but there are a few new ones creeping in, especially with the rise of AI and tracking apps. If you’ve ever felt flat in sessions, struggled with gut issues or wondered why your race day doesn’t reflect your training, this episode is a must-listen.

 What you’ll learn:

  • Why AI-generated nutrition plans can do more harm than good (and how to use them properly)

  • The problem with macro tracking apps that ignore the bigger picture

  • Why copying pro athletes is a fast track to frustration

  • How leaving nutrition until race season is costing you performance

  • The importance of fuelling for the work required instead of eating the same every day

  • Why you need to train your gut like you train your body

  • The real reason investing in your nutrition education changes everything

Nutrition isn’t the last piece of the puzzle, it’s the piece that holds everything together.
If you’re not fuelling properly, you’re leaving performance on the table no matter how good your training plan is.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 - Introduction: What’s changed in triathlon nutrition in 2026

  • 01:50 - Mistake #1: Blindly following AI-generated plans

  • 04:50 - Mistake #2: Relying on macro tracking apps without context

  • 10:10 - Mistake #3: Copying what the pros do

  • 13:20 - Mistake #4: Leaving nutrition until race season

  • 15:50 - Mistake #5: Eating the same every day

  • 18:20 - Mistake #6: Not training your gut for race day

  • 20:30 - Mistake #7: Trying to figure it all out on your own

 Links & Resources:

Ready to take action?

If you saw yourself in any of these mistakes, that’s your sign to do something about it.

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy is opening soon. This is your chance to stop guessing, start fuelling properly and finally unlock your performance.

 Get on the waitlist now: https://www.dietitianapproved.com/academy

Other Links & Resources

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Struggling With Your Nutrition? This Is What You’re Missing19 Mar 202600:12:20

Why you’re still struggling with your nutrition (and what to do about it)

You’re training consistently, trying to eat well and doing all the “right” things… so why do you still feel exhausted, hungry and stuck?

If you feel like your nutrition isn’t matching your effort, this episode will help you understand exactly why and more importantly, what to do about it.

Because here’s the truth… it’s not that you need to try harder. You need a better approach.

In this episode, Advanced Sports Dietitian Taryn Richardson breaks down the most common reasons triathletes struggle with nutrition, even when they’re putting in the work and how to finally start seeing results from your training.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

  • Why doing “all the right things” still isn’t getting you results

  • The biggest mistake triathletes make focusing on the wrong nutrition priorities

  • How inconsistency is quietly sabotaging your energy, recovery and performance

  • Why you need a structured nutrition system (not random tips from everywhere)

  • The problem with “winging it” and how it leads to constant second guessing

  • What actually matters for endurance performance and long term progress

Key takeaways:

You can’t out-train a poor nutrition strategy

Your body adapts to what you do consistently, not occasionally

The basics done well will always outperform the fancy stuff

A clear system removes the mental load and creates better results

Chapters:

  • 00:00 – Do you feel like you’re doing everything right but still struggling?
  • 01:00 – Why the issue isn’t effort, it’s your approach
  • 03:00 – The trap of focusing on supplements and small details

  • 04:00 – The “big rocks” that actually drive performance

  • 05:00 – How inconsistency is holding you back

  • 06:20 – Why your body needs consistency to adapt

  • 07:00 – The missing piece: a structured nutrition system

  • 08:00 – Why winging it leads to frustration and confusion

  • 09:00 – What proper triathlon nutrition actually involves

  • 10:50 – How to take action without overwhelming yourself

  • 11:40 – Your next step to start making progress

Ready to stop winging it with your nutrition?

If you’re tired of second guessing what to eat, feeling flat in sessions and not seeing results from your training, it’s time to take a more structured approach.

Inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy, you’ll learn exactly how to fuel for performance with a clear, evidence-based system that evolves with your training.

👉 Register your interest now: https://www.dietitianapproved.com/academy

Other Links & Resources

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Red Light Therapy for Athletes12 Mar 202600:40:11

What if one of the biggest factors affecting your energy, recovery and long-term health wasn’t your training or nutrition… but the light you’re exposed to every day?

Most triathletes spend hours dialling in their fuelling, sessions and recovery protocols. But modern life has quietly changed something fundamental to human biology. We now spend around 90% of our time indoors under artificial lighting that is very different to the sunlight our bodies evolved with.

In this fascinating episode, Advanced Sports Dietitian Taryn Richardson sits down with Professor Glen Jeffery, a neuroscientist from University College London and one of the world’s leading researchers on how different wavelengths of light influence our biology.

Professor Jeffery explains how light interacts directly with your mitochondria, the tiny energy factories inside your cells. And why certain types of light may influence everything from energy production and inflammation to recovery, metabolism and ageing.

You’ll also hear why athletes might be using red and infrared light the wrong way, and why the biggest benefits could actually come after hard training sessions rather than before.

If you’ve been curious about red light therapy devices or wondering whether they’re worth the investment, this episode will help you separate real science from marketing hype.

And if you want the full deep dive specifically for athletes, check out the brand new Red Light Therapy Masterclass here: https://www.dietitianapproved.com/redlighttherapy

In This Episode We Discuss

  • Why light is far more than just something that helps us see

  • The surprising role of mitochondria in responding to light exposure

  • How modern LED lighting may be quietly impacting metabolism and health

  • The difference between short wavelength light vs long wavelength light

  • Why sunlight contains critical wavelengths most indoor lighting lacks

  • The link between light exposure, inflammation and blood glucose regulation

  • Whether red light therapy can actually improve athletic performance

  • Why athletes may benefit more from post-training light exposure for recovery

  • The problem with many expensive red light therapy devices

  • Simple, low-cost ways to improve your daily light environment

Key Takeaways for Triathletes

  • Mitochondria respond directly to certain wavelengths of light, influencing energy production.

  • Long wavelength light (including infrared) may help reduce inflammation and support cellular recovery.

  • Athletes are already highly efficient metabolically, so red light therapy may have limited benefits before exercise.

  • The biggest opportunity may be after hard sessions, when mitochondria are stressed and recovery is needed.

  • Many commercial red light devices deliver far more energy than necessary, meaning more is definitely not better.

About the Guest

Professor Glen Jeffery, PhD
Professor Glen Jeffery is a neuroscientist at University College London and a leading expert on how different wavelengths of light affect cellular health and biological function.

Chapters:

00:00 – The surprising role of light in human health
03:00 – The spectrum of sunlight explained
05:00 – Why mitochondria are the key to energy production
08:00 – The problem with modern LED lighting
11:00 – How indoor environments may influence metabolism and inflammation
16:00 – The benefits of long wavelength light
20:00 – Can red light therapy improve recovery and health?
21:00 – Simple ways to improve your light environment
29:00 – The explosion of red light therapy devices
30:00 – Why athletes may not benefit before exercise
32:00 – Where red light may actually help athletes recover faster
35:00 – Practical advice for athletes experimenting with red light therapy
37:00 – The potential risks of overusing red light devices

If today’s episode sparked your curiosity about how light impacts recovery and performance, dive deeper with the Red Light Therapy Masterclass for Athletes here:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/redlighttherapy

Other Links & Resources

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Couch to Ironman at 4805 Mar 202600:32:38

What happens when someone with zero athletic background decides to completely change their life… and accidentally signs up for an Ironman four months later?

In this episode of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy Podcast, Advanced Sports Dietitian Taryn Richardson sits down with Triathlon Nutrition Academy athlete Chris Tubbs to unpack his incredible journey from couch potato to multiple Ironman finisher.

Chris started triathlon at 48 years old, while travelling 60% of the time for work in the biotech industry. Early on, things didn’t go to plan. Despite doing the training, races were ending in DNFs, cramping, nausea and serious frustration.

The surprising part? Fitness wasn’t the problem.

Through this conversation, Chris shares how dialling in his nutrition and hydration completely changed his ability to train, race and actually finish events. From ditching an expensive supplement habit to discovering he loses more than 2 litres of sweat per hour, this episode highlights just how powerful personalised nutrition can be for endurance performance.

It’s an honest, inspiring conversation about resilience, learning from mistakes and why it’s never too late to start something big.

In This Episode We Discuss

  • How Chris went from “championship potato chip eater” to Ironman athlete

  • The moment that sparked his decision to completely change his lifestyle

  • Accidentally signing up for an Ironman just four months into triathlon

  • Why he kept experiencing DNFs, cramping and poor race performances

  • The surprising truth about supplements vs nutrition foundations

  • How he saved hundreds of dollars a month by ditching unnecessary supplements

  • Discovering his extremely high sweat rate of over 2L per hour

  • Why hydration, not carbs, was the missing piece of his race-day puzzle

  • The challenges of fuelling properly while travelling constantly for work

  • How personalised nutrition strategies helped him finally finish races feeling strong

  • The mindset shift that kept him pushing forward through setbacks

  • Why it’s faster and far more effective to get expert help rather than trying to figure it all out alone

Key Takeaway

You can be incredibly fit, train hard and still struggle on race day if your nutrition and hydration aren’t dialled in.

Chris is proof that when you stop guessing and start fuelling strategically, everything changes.

Chapters

01:10 The photo that changed everything
03:00 From couch potato to triathlon at 48
06:10 Accidentally signing up for an Ironman
09:00 Why his early races kept falling apart
12:30 The supplement mistake many triathletes make
16:00 Discovering a massive sweat rate
19:30 Hydration vs carbs for endurance performance
23:10 Learning to fuel properly while travelling
27:00 Racing in heat vs cold conditions
30:30 The mindset shift that changed everything
34:00 Why getting expert help speeds up progress
37:00 Chris’ future triathlon goals

Links & Resources

Learn more about the Triathlon Nutrition Academy Program

Listen to Episode 101: How much money triathletes waste on supplements

Connect with Chris on Instagram
@iron_clydesdale

Other Links & Resources

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to Lose Weight Without Losing Power26 Feb 202600:10:32

Trying to lean up but your FTP keeps tanking?

If every time you try to “eat less” your watts drop, your legs feel flat and your sessions turn into survival mode… this episode is for you.

In this week’s podcast, I’m breaking down how to lose body fat strategically without compromising performance. Because you don’t get faster by shrinking yourself. You get faster by building a strong engine and fuelling it properly.

Inside this episode, I walk you through:

  • Why slashing carbs across the board is one of the biggest mistakes triathletes make

  • How to fuel threshold, VO2, long bricks and key sessions properly without blowing your fat loss goals

  • What carbohydrate periodisation actually looks like in a real training week

  • Why protecting muscle mass is critical for both metabolism and power output

  • How small, boring calorie deficits beat aggressive six week shreds every time

  • A real athlete case study of a masters triathlete who lost 45 pounds while improving her FTP and keeping it off long term

This is the difference between dieting and performance nutrition. Dieting just shrinks you. Strategic fuelling supports your training, your recovery and your long term triathlon career.

If you’re training for three sports, juggling work and family and still trying to create a massive calorie deficit on top of that, you’re setting yourself up to underfuel and underperform.

You don’t need to eat less. You need to eat smarter.

Chapters:

00:00 Why your FTP drops when you try to lose weight
01:05 The biggest mistake triathletes make when dieting
02:40 Why cutting carbs hurts performance
04:15 Can you lose fat and maintain power?
05:30 Real athlete case study: 45 pounds down, FTP up
08:00 Fuel the sessions that matter
10:00 How to periodise carbohydrates properly
12:00 Protecting muscle mass and metabolism
14:00 Why your calorie deficit should be small
16:00 How to lean up without losing watts
17:30 What to do next

Links & Resources Mentioned

Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart Course
Step-by-step guidance to build your performance plate, pre-training fuel, during-training targets and recovery plan.

Triathlon Nutrition Academy Program
Ongoing coaching, support and accountability inside our comprehensive group program.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start fuelling like a performance-driven triathlete, this episode is your starting point.

Other Links & Resources

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The First 4 Things I Fix With Every Triathlete’s Nutrition19 Feb 202600:11:15

Training hard but still feeling flat, constantly hungry or stuck at a performance plateau?

If you dropped into my world tomorrow as a triathlete, there are four things I would fix immediately. And no, it’s not your supplements, your race day gel strategy or your power to weight ratio.

In this episode, I break down the four big rocks of triathlon nutrition that almost every age group triathlete gets wrong. These are the foundations that make everything else work. Before you worry about fancy fuelling strategies, you need to get these right.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why recovery is more than just a protein shake and how to refuel properly after key sessions
  • How to fuel before training, especially early morning sessions, without feeling heavy or sluggish
  • What a true “triathlete’s plate” looks like on a double session Tuesday
  • How to fuel during long rides, long runs and bricks without underdoing it or overdoing it
  • Why inconsistent nutrition leads to cravings, poor sleep and stalled body composition
  • How to stop DIY-ing your nutrition with piecemeal advice and build a structured weekly plan

Most triathletes love structure in their training but completely wing their nutrition. They copy what their mates are doing, grab tips from Instagram and end up with inconsistent carbs, random recovery and underfuelled long sessions.

Chapters:

00:00 - Training hard but still underperforming?
01:20 - Why most triathletes DIY their nutrition
04:10 - The 4 foundations that actually matter
06:15 - Fix #1: Recovery nutrition done properly
09:10 - Fix #2: Pre-training fuel, especially mornings
12:30 - Fix #3: Building your triathlete performance plate
16:55 - Fix #4: During-training carbs and sodium strategy
21:40 - What happens when you nail the fundamentals
24:30 - Stop jumping to advanced strategies
26:00 - How to get structured support

When you nail these four fundamentals:

  • Your energy stabilises across the week
  • Your session quality lifts almost immediately
  • Cravings and snack-cidents reduce
  • Recovery improves and sleep gets better
  • Body composition goals become easier to achieve
  • You build consistency and longevity in the sport

These aren’t sexy strategies. They’re the foundations. And they change everything.

Links & Resources Mentioned

Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart Course
Step-by-step guidance to build your performance plate, pre-training fuel, during-training targets and recovery plan.

Triathlon Nutrition Academy Program
Ongoing coaching, support and accountability inside our comprehensive group program.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start fuelling like a performance-driven triathlete, this episode is your starting point.

Other Links & Resources

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ironman Changed Its On-Course Hydration. Here’s What That Means for You12 Feb 202600:11:14

Ironman has changed its on-course hydration globally. Sounds simple. It’s not.

All Ironman-branded events have now moved to PH1000 for hydration and Maurten for carbohydrate fuelling, separating fluids and carbs completely. If you’ve relied on sports drink to do both jobs, this shift has major implications for your race nutrition plan.

In this solo episode, I break down exactly what’s changed, how much sodium you’re actually getting per bottle and how to decide whether this setup works for your individual sweat rate, sodium losses and fuelling preferences.

Because hydration and sodium are never one-size-fits-all. And winging it at 70.3 or full distance is how you end up walking the marathon.

Chapters & Highlights:

00:00 - Why this Ironman change matters
02:15 - What’s actually changed on course
05:30 - PH1000 explained: sodium without carbs
08:10 - How to calculate sodium per bottle
11:45 - Will this setup work for you?
14:20 - What if you prefer to drink your carbs?
16:00 - Why practising in training is non-negotiable
18:00 - How to build a race plan that actually works

Key Takeaways:

  • PH1000 provides 1000mg sodium per litre and zero carbohydrate

  • Carbohydrates now come separately via Maurten gels and solids

  • Your sweat rate and sodium losses determine whether this works for you

  • You may need to be more self-sufficient on race day

  • Testing your full race setup in training is essential

Hydration isn’t about what’s on course. It’s about knowing your body and executing with confidence.

If you want help building a personalised race nutrition plan:

Register your interest for the Triathlon Nutrition Academy

Or start with the Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart Course

And if you’re not sure where your current plan stands, download the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

Other Links & Resources

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matthew Hauser: Becoming a World Champion Triathlete05 Feb 202600:38:32

What does it take to go from a promising junior to a world champion triathlete?

In this episode, I sit down with Aussie triathlete and 2025 World Champion Matt Hauser for a real, behind-the-scenes chat about his training load, nutrition evolution and what’s driven his rise to the top of the world triathlon stage. Matt shares what his day-to-day looks like, how his mindset and fuelling approach have shifted over time, and the routines that support peak performance.

Whether you're an age-grouper trying to balance work and training, or just keen to hear what it takes to compete at the highest level, this episode is packed with golden takeaways.

 Here’s what we cover:

⏱️ [00:00] Welcome and intro to Matt
⏱️ [01:08] Career highlights: From Junior World Champ to World #1
⏱️ [03:00] What it means to win on home soil
⏱️ [05:00] A typical training week: 30 hours of triathlon training
⏱️ [08:28] Daily routine: early starts, fuelling strategies & coffee orders
⏱️ [13:00] The role of gym strength in elite triathlon
⏱️ [15:27] Cramping: The strength connection
⏱️ [17:18] Matt’s fuelling evolution - from mayo subs to plain rice
⏱️ [21:00] The realities of early-career athlete life
⏱️ [24:44] Mental resilience, setbacks and chasing progress
⏱️ [27:00] Transitioning from raw talent to strategic athlete
⏱️ [29:29] Building an identity outside of sport
⏱️ [31:38] What’s next: Going back-to-back, Olympic goals & short course focus
⏱️ [35:00] Will Matt ever go long course? His take on 70.3 and Ironman
⏱️ [37:45] The future of triathlon and Matt’s legacy

If you’re ready to take your nutrition (and racing) to the next level, don’t just wing it. Start with the Triathlon Nutrition Checklist and get clear on what you need to work on today.

Links & Resources

🎙 Listen to the Episode that proves Results (EP 227)

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three Triathletes. One Strategy. Ridiculous Results29 Jan 202600:51:12

What do a rookie, a masters athlete and a seasoned racer all have in common? 

They nailed their nutrition strategy - and the results speak for themselves.

In this episode, Taryn sits down with three very different athletes from the Triathlon Nutrition Academy - Jo, Kelly and Erin - to unpack the surprising impact of getting their fuelling right. Each had their own goals, challenges and training loads, but all saw game-changing results after implementing the same evidence-based framework.

If you’ve ever wondered whether nutrition could be your missing link, this episode will show you what’s possible when you get it right.

Timestamps & Highlights
00:00 – Intro: The effort gap between training and fuelling
01:35 – Meet Jo, Kelly & Erin: Different athletes, same frustration
06:00 – Why nutrition felt confusing (and what they used to get wrong)
14:00 – The turning point: How each athlete transformed their approach
22:00 – The race-day difference: Confidence, control and results
37:00 – Real-world results: Massive time gains, body comp shifts & more
51:00 – Advice for triathletes: When (and why) to start focusing on nutrition
58:00 – Final takeaways: What they'd tell their pre-TNA selves

Key Takeaways

  • Why fasted training, bonking and confusing advice were holding them back
  • How a repeatable fuelling strategy boosted their performance and recovery
  • The underrated power of recovery nutrition (yep, everyone was doing it wrong)
  • The value of education: apps are fine, but understanding is power
  • Massive PBs, sustained weight loss, strength gains and podium finishes

Links & Resources

🎧 Want to feel confident in your nutrition like Jo, Kelly and Erin?
Join the next Triathlon Nutrition Academy intake at dietitianapproved.com/academy

🎙 Listen to the Episode that proves Results (EP 226)

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You Won’t Believe How Edward Dropped 12kg and Took 65 Minutes Off His Ironman22 Jan 202600:36:35

How a Full-Time ER Doctor Shaved 65 Minutes Off His Ironman PB

🎧 “You don’t have to sacrifice your health or performance when life gets busy - if you get your nutrition right.”

In this episode, I’m joined by TNA alum and emergency room physician, Edward Walsh, who proves that even the busiest triathletes can thrive when they fuel smart.

Despite working irregular hours in one of the most demanding medical fields, Edward has dropped 12kg, avoided injury, and slashed 65 minutes off his Ironman time, finishing Ironman Maryland in 11:28. He backed it up with a 5-hour 70.3 at Wilmington just weeks later.

We dive into:

  • How Edward manages long course triathlon training around 12-hour night shifts

  • The game-changing fuelling strategies that helped him stop bonking, drop body fat and set PBs

  • His biggest mistakes before joining the Triathlon Nutrition Academy - and what he does differently now

  • Why recovery nutrition was the turning point for performance and body composition

  • The nerdy fuelling tactics he now teaches his own patients

Whether you're juggling a chaotic schedule or struggling to match your effort with results, this episode is for you.

⏱ Timestamps:
0:00 – Meet Ed: Emergency doc, triathlete, time juggler
6:30 – From walk-run 5K to Ironman finisher
10:00 – Pre-TNA nutrition mistakes (bonking, weight gain, low energy)
13:40 – The mindset shift: from dieting to fuelling
16:30 – Race results unlocked by fuelling properly
20:30 – Practical fuelling hacks: from recovery meals to bottles on the bike
26:00 – How he fits TNA around a crazy schedule
32:00 – The culture shift: preaching nutrition in the ER
36:30 – Ed’s advice for other busy triathletes

Links & Resources

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Problem With Outsourcing Your Nutrition to AI15 Jan 202600:17:36

Are you outsourcing your nutrition to an app or ChatGPT and hoping it just works? Here’s why that could be a massive mistake...

In this episode, I unpack the shiny trap of using AI tools and nutrition apps to guide your fuelling strategy. Sure, they’re convenient, look polished and promise quick wins – but are they really working for you?

Triathletes aren’t 80% people – and near enough with nutrition just doesn’t cut it when you’re training for three sports. If you’ve ever second guessed whether your plan is right or felt unsure when your energy’s low or recovery is off – this episode is for you.

Learn how to stop blindly following what an app tells you to eat and start building true confidence in your nutrition.

In this episode, I cover:

⏱ 00:00 – Why this episode might make you uncomfortable (and that’s a good thing!)
⏱ 01:20 – Where AI and apps get you halfway – and where they fall short
⏱ 02:50 – The human factor AI can’t replicate: sleep, stress, life
⏱ 04:00 – What real confidence in your nutrition actually looks like
⏱ 09:20 – A real athlete case study: when a flashy AI plan under-fuelled a seasoned triathlete
⏱ 13:40 – The danger of normalising under-fuelling and feeling flat
⏱ 17:30 – Why education, not automation, is the real game-changer
⏱ 19:45 – How to use AI as a tool – not a crutch
⏱ 22:00 – The real reason the Triathlon Nutrition Academy exists

Want to stop second guessing your nutrition?

Register your interest for the next Triathlon Nutrition Academy intake and finally get 100% confident in how to fuel properly for three sports: dietitianapproved.com/academy

Links & Resources

🎙 Listen to the N=1 Episode (EP 222)

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:

Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Zero to Ironman in Five Months08 Jan 202600:28:33

What happens when you throw yourself head-first into triathlon, sign up for an Ironman with zero experience and try to DIY your nutrition along the way?

Meet Daniel Walker – ex-MMA fighter, all-in endurance newbie and now a proud Triathlon Nutrition Academy grad. In this episode, Dan shares his wild ride from couch to Ironman Cairns in just five months, why under-fuelling nearly derailed everything, and how getting expert help changed not just his racing, but his entire approach to nutrition.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why training hard isn't enough – Dan’s story

  • From cricket to MMA to triathlon: a sport switch with serious consequences

  • The midlife moment that sparked an Ironman entry

  • Misconceptions around fuelling for endurance

  • The trap of carb-phobia and why it backfired

  • How recovery nutrition flipped everything on its head

  • Gut bombs, gels and race day fails: lessons from Ironman Cairns

  • Fat loss vs performance: what Dan really learned

  • The value of weekly Power Hour check-ins

  • What data tells us about doing an Ironman too soon

  • Dan’s advice for all-in athletes chasing big goals

  • What’s next: Kona dreams and 70.3 focus

If you're a Type A, data-loving, all-in kind of triathlete who's sick of guessing with your nutrition, this one's for you.

Links & Resources

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

n=1 The Power of Personalised Nutrition for Triathletes01 Jan 202600:19:30

Still copying someone else’s nutrition plan and hoping it works for you? It’s time to stop guessing.

In this episode, I break down the concept of N=1 — why your nutrition plan should be as individual as your training schedule, sweat rate, gut tolerance and race goals.

If you’ve ever grabbed advice from the pros, copied your training buddy’s fuelling strategy or winged it on race day, this episode will help you understand why personalisation is the key to unlocking your next PB.

You'll learn:

  • Why N=1 is the only way to approach your nutrition as a triathlete
  • The four areas that must be customised for success: hydration, fuelling, race plan and daily nutrition
  • Real-life athlete stories that show the power of a tailored strategy
  • How generic advice can backfire — and what to do instead
  • Why having the knowledge to adapt your plan is a competitive advantage

 

Links & Resources

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Real Cost of Poor Nutrition25 Dec 202500:19:30

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why You’re a Tired Triathlete All the Time and How to Find More Energy18 Dec 202500:25:38

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Brian Fuelled a 45-Minute 70.3 PB Through Total Life Chaos11 Dec 202500:28:18

What happens when your race goals collide with toddlers, ER visits, and zero sleep?

In this episode, I sit down with Brian Joseph – a busy triathlete, full-time professional and dad of three – who managed to pull off a massive 45-minute PB at his 70.3, despite life being a total circus. From missed sessions to emergency room visits mid-race, Brian shares what it really takes to train smart and fuel well in the real world.

We dive into:

  • Meet Brian – Full-time life, full-time triathlete
  • His pre-TNA nutrition journey: veganism, guesswork and Googling
  • Making the TNA program work around chaos
  • Key learnings: why recovery and protein made the biggest difference
  • How meal planning tools created daily structure
  • 45-minute PB – what actually changed?
  • Race nutrition vs heat – what went wrong in Chattanooga
  • Juggling racing with a trip to the ER
  • Recovery done right – what helped the most
  • Gaining control through better nutrition planning
  • Advice for triathletes with young families
  • When everything went pear shaped pre-race sim
  • What TNA gave him that made life feel less overwhelming

Whether you're chasing Kona, trying to hold it all together or just want to fuel better through the madness, Brian’s story is a real, relatable listen.

Links & Resources

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seven Tips to Navigate Alcohol and the Festive Season Without Sabotaging Your Performance04 Dec 202500:22:57

 Feeling festive but don’t want to blow your training gains?

In this episode of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast, I’m diving into how alcohol really affects your performance as an endurance athlete—and what you can do about it. Whether you're mid-race season in Australia or base building in a snowy Northern Hemisphere winter, alcohol could be undermining your training, recovery and body comp more than you think.

I’m not here to take away your Christmas cheer. But I am here to help you understand the science, so you can enjoy the silly season without YOLO-ing your way to burnout.

What you’ll learn:

  • What alcohol actually does in your body
  • How alcohol affects training, recovery and sleep
  • Why hydration takes a massive hit
  • The impact on muscle repair, glycogen and immune function
  • What the research says about performance and endurance
  • Seven practical strategies to navigate the festive season
  • How to balance enjoying yourself without sabotaging progress

Links & Resources

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iron Cowboy: What It Takes to Do 100 Ironmans in 100 Days27 Nov 202500:41:58

What on earth does it take to complete 100 Ironmans in 100 days? James Lawrence – aka the Iron Cowboy – joins the podcast to share the physical, mental and nutritional toll of his epic Conquer 100 challenge. Spoiler: it involved over 12,000 calories a day, a few Costco muffins, and being fed through a massage table hole.

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned triathlete, James drops some absolute gold on building resilience, fuelling with real food and why consistency beats perfection every time.

We talk about;

  • Meet James “Iron Cowboy” Lawrence

  • Why 100 Ironmans? (and how it started with a 4-mile fun run)

  • The perfect Ironman day and the role of nutrition

  • Real food fuelling: burritos, pizza, steak on the run

  • Caloric needs, gut training and sugar overload

  • What went wrong when fuelling slipped

  • Mindset, purpose and managing pain through adversity

  • Blue collar habits, unsexy consistency and building a strong foundation

  • James’s current nutrition approach and fuelling tips

  • Meet the support team and key recovery strategies

  • Advice for age groupers struggling with motivation or consistency

  • What’s next for James (hint: it’s not 200 Ironmans)

Links & Resources

James Lawrence new book, 'Iron Hope'.

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Science of Exercise with T1 Diabetes – with Dr Sam Scott20 Nov 202500:24:42

Managing type 1 diabetes as a triathlete isn’t just tough – it’s a constant balancing act. But with the right tools, strategy and support, you can absolutely perform at your best.

In this episode, I chat with Dr Sam Scott – exercise physiologist, diabetes researcher and former Head of Research for Team Novo Nordisk – about the science and strategy behind training and racing with T1D. Sam breaks down the complexities of glucose management, carbohydrate fuelling and how cutting-edge tech is empowering athletes to thrive.

What we talk about about

  • Why this topic matters for endurance athletes
  • Sam’s background in exercise physiology and elite sport
  • The difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
  • Why exercise is so complex for T1D
  • Common myths about fuelling with diabetes
  • Smart carb strategies and CGM tech
  • Performance fueling: what’s possible?
  • The future of AI-driven support with Enhanced
  • The power of possibility: sport as a gateway

Links & Resources

Dr Sam Scott’s book: The Science of Exercise with Type 1 Diabetes

Learn more about Enhanced

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

© My Podcast Data · Independent project · Data from Apple & Spotify