Wondering if any of you have any suggestions or struggle with the same…nuts don’t sit well with me. No, I don’t have an actual allergy, but they just tend to make my insides a little more “free flowing”…if you know what I mean.
Nuts and nut butters seem to be such a huge part of breakfasts, bars, etc. Does anyone have any suggestions on alternatives that are good, calorie dense breakfasts and on-course nutrition?
I’m not sure about on course nutrition, but I always struggle with breakfast as I’m too lazy to get up any earlier to make something. I tried Soylent (the coffee flavor) after it was on sale for Prime Day and am surprised at how much I enjoy it. The taste probably isn’t for everyone, but it’s easy and around 400 calories. Unfortunately it can be a little pricey, but still less expensive than stopping at Tim Hortons!
Egg sandwich.
My breakfast before a race, and longer training days, is a pack of pop tarts and ensure. Not the healthiest thing but I know I will be able to eat it at 3:30-4 am before a race and it can be bought anywhere. For both of those it’s like 680 calories and not crazy filling so after a few hours it’s settled and fine to race with.
These are my go to for breakfast most days. Pretty easy to take the nuts out of the recipe.
https://theexperimentpublishing.com/2017/05/vegan-cookies-from-the-no-meat-athlete-cookbook/
My race breakfast is coffee + ensure or naked juice + egg sandwich or french toast w/syrup, depending on what’s available.
I typically eat a banana prior to working out in the morning. Does me well for an hour swim or hour+ bike ride, and or run.
Pre-race for me is a couple eggs and oatmeal. Cheap and simple, and doesn’t upset my stomach.
Ensure Plus.
Pretty dense with calories and stuff plus they’re delicious. Like a chocolate shake.
oatmeal porridge. (not the instant stuff). sticks to your ribs 
most days, we have porridge with fruit and yogurt. i would cut back on the fruit and dairy on race days.
For me it’s a sandwich with a potato roll, sliced roasted deli-meat chicken, and cream cheese. And coffee.
Wondering if any of you have any suggestions or struggle with the same…nuts don’t sit well with me. No, I don’t have an actual allergy, but they just tend to make my insides a little more “free flowing”…if you know what I mean.
Nuts and nut butters seem to be such a huge part of breakfasts, bars, etc. Does anyone have any suggestions on alternatives that are good, calorie dense breakfasts and on-course nutrition?
For long course tri: T-4 hrs ~600 calories
alarm
boost (vanilla or strawberry) HN 240calories
shower
coffee
pop-tart 200 calories
nutrigrain bar (120) or honey nut cheerios bar (160) or cinnamon toast crunch bar (180)-depending on what I’m in the mood for
coffee #2
sip large G2 (50) until departure for venue
You can pretty much always have this available for race morning by taking these with you-except coffee, which hopefully is in the hotel
This can be a little time consuming, but I like to make hash-browned sweet potatoes in the mornings of a race and pair it with foods ranging from scrambled eggs, toast, oatmeal, and granola. Yogurt could replace nut butters, most greek yogurts have a lot of protein, carbs, and sugars. If you’re into smoothies, I do those sometimes too and you can get a great amount of carbs from a smoothie with raw fruits and it will also absorb quicker into your system.
Granola, clif bars, gels, or old-fashioned sugar water are my go-to on course nutrition but that’s pretty personal. If you need it in your system fast, liquid will always be better.
Nuts are really just a good source of fats, and are usually low in their makeup of proteins and carbs compared to other race-day or pre-workout meals. Other great sources of fats include olive oil, coconut oil, cheese, eggs, dark-chocolate, avocados, and fish.
I usually buy a pack of Starbucks Double shot cans. They have a light version too which uses low-fat milk.
Also for my meal T-3hrs it’s a bowl of 1-minute oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon and two eggs (fried or boiled). At least when I am able to prepare the food myself.
Ensure Plus.
Pretty dense with calories and stuff plus they’re delicious. Like a chocolate shake.
Yeah, this is pretty much the go-to breakfast for LC racing, especially if any travel is involved.
Doesn’t go bad, doesn’t need refrigeration (but much tastier ice cold!), won’t get squished, crushed, crumbled, etc.
Also - Pop Tarts.
The organic kind are “better”, but standard grocery store kind are fine for this purpose.
Ensure Plus.
Pretty dense with calories and stuff plus they’re delicious. Like a chocolate shake.
Interesting… might have to check into this. Just did a quick Google and found an idea to mix with 1/2 cup of oatmeal to make a 500 calorie breakfast with Ensure Plus. When I’m at home I eat oatmeal with raisin/walnuts but travel racing its sometimes a bit of a challenge.
Vanilla or Butter Pecan with a half cup of Oatmeal might actually make for a pretty good breakfast… all I’d need is a microwave.