How you view food as an athlete

Triathlon Forum
1

I’ve gone through phases of my dietary “perspective” which have ranged from a desire to eat the perfect diet to fuel athletic performance to the other end of the spectrum where I get off the trainer and down a piece of pizza of two.

How do you view food? And why?

Is it fuel? Is it a treat? Is life too short to skip the brownie after dinner? Is it a pivotal aspect of your athletic goals? Do you take supplements? Protein powder? Beet juice? Beta-alanine?

Also, what’s your level in the sport? Are you a Pro? FOPer? Bucket-lister? Weekend warrior?

I’m really interested in hearing from the pro/FOPers… I vaguely remember reading stories of pros who absolutely crushed training but would go out and crush a few beers and a pizza and think nothing of it.

2

98% of the time, I look at food as something I enjoy and not fuel. If that means pizza, wings, french fries, chocolate, ice cream, beer, etc… so be it. I enjoy food and I plan to keep it that way (like you said, life is too short). I also would prefer to be a few pounds overweight than underweight.

The only times I look to food for “fuel” is during training/racing and the day(s) leading up to a race.

3

to the other end of the spectrum where I get off the trainer and down a piece of pizza of two.

If you think a couple pieces of Pizza is the opposite end of the spectrum, you have not lived lol. I’m talking a full pizza and a half gallon of ice cream while polishing off a six pack of IPAs. That’s closer to the other end of the spectrum and something I’ve done more than I’m proud to admit.

When you’re training 15hrs+ per week, it’s hard to fuel that on Kale and Arugula. Cody Beals wrote on awesome blog on striving for a B+ diet and that’s pretty much my take as well. I don’t over analyze. I don’t count calories. I try to eat as many veggies, real food, and lean proteins as possible. But I also have plenty of wings, pizza, chips, fries, cookies, etc. to make up the rest of my caloric needs.

Also used to have a few beers per night basically every night. Cutting that back has been a massive performance benefit over the last ~45 days. For context, FOPer (Top 1% Bike/Run + haven’t drown on a swim yet)

4

98% of the time, I look at food as something I enjoy and not fuel. If that means pizza, wings, french fries, chocolate, ice cream, beer, etc… so be it. I enjoy food and I plan to keep it that way (like you said, life is too short). I also would prefer to be a few pounds overweight than underweight.

The only times I look to food for “fuel” is during training/racing and the day(s) leading up to a race.

QFT. I’m FOP and for the most part will eat whatever I want. I try to keep it at the B+/A- level. I usually eat pizza pretty frequently, and a lot of it. I don’t really crave desserts often, but I do crave pizza/burgers.

I don’t get paid to do this other than the small winnings in a road/trail race or something like that. One time, I raced a mom and pop shop 10k that went up a small mountain and back down. Paid $10 to enter, won $50 and a huge loaf of homemade banana bread. Ate the whole thing on the drive home.

Could I diet off another 5-10# and be faster? Yes…but I’d also be more injury prone (tried it and been there). I’d rather eat what the hell I want, train like a savage, and race hard. Try building an engine on kale, then try it again on pizza and chocolate milk.

5

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6

I used to be in the calorie is a calorie camp. “If the furnace is hot enough it will burn anything”.

Now that’s I’ve eliminated sugar from drinks and food, the physical benefit is huge. No longer have thirst or hunger cravings immediately after a workout. Don’t have to drink as much water during or post workout if I’m not drinking sugar/alcohol either. Still drink coffee for liver health.

Now most of my food is bought in the produce section and I feel much better. Never realized the impact of sugar until I got off of it.

7

I often say I don’t eat for pleasure, I only eat to fuel my athletic pursuits.

And that always gets a good laugh out of anyone who knows me.

8

i try and maintain a good balance. i keep in the back of my mind all the time that “food is fuel, its not a recreation”. i heard that on a movie or show and it just stuck.

that said, i will absolutely enjoy something tasty and satisfying now and again. just like my training, i think i shoot for about 80% being fuel, and roughly 20% being something i enjoy and want to eat.

9

I can’t remember where I heard it, but I recall someone saying that food isn’t a reward… you aren’t a dog.

10

Disordered and I work with a specialist to make it normal.

Seriously.

I spent 20 years where swimming was my life up to a professional level and then transitioned to the triathlon side. I developed eating disorders as a young man and never talked about it. It culminated with some seriously disordered eating and sickness.

I love food and treat myself now. Specialists and a shrink keep me healthy.

11

a) I need a solid base of nutrition and high quality plant based foods, especially dark leafy greens.

b) I need fuel for training and sometimes eat processed foods before/during/after training, especially when I’m in high burning mode on a high metabolism. Macros are important.

c) I love pizza. Ice cream is great too if I’m struggling for calories.

d) If I eat meat, its usually after a hard workout. Sometimes I’ll plan a hard day and think to reward my efforts with a steak. But, I pretty much eat everything under the sun to get the calories at times as I begin to lose energy if I don’t.

e) Chocolates, cookies, and candies work well for me before a heavy long cycling session.

f) I drink a lot of whole milk too.

g) I’ve been known to order multiple entree salads at restaurants and people are like wtf - I get entrees too, sometimes I just can’t get enough.

12

I can’t remember where I heard it, but I recall someone saying that food isn’t a reward… you aren’t a dog.

In the law of hunter / gatherers, consuming food is your reward for finding it (nuts and berries) or killing it (meat) or obtaining / making dairy.

Each bite of food is a gift from God, according to Christians and thanks should be given.

13

Everything in moderation. Try not to over indulge. Food is one of life’s great joys. I tend to keep things under control during the week and cut loose once or twice on weekends (i.e. eating out, a nice steak, drinks, deserts). I do try to avoid junk food, candy and chips but am not always successful :slight_smile: That’s my philosophy anyway.

14

to the other end of the spectrum where I get off the trainer and down a piece of pizza of two.

If you think a couple pieces of Pizza is the opposite end of the spectrum, you have not lived lol. I’m talking a full pizza and a half gallon of ice cream while polishing off a six pack of IPAs. That’s closer to the other end of the spectrum and something I’ve done more than I’m proud to admit.

When you’re training 15hrs+ per week, it’s hard to fuel that on Kale and Arugula. Cody Beals wrote on awesome blog on striving for a B+ diet and that’s pretty much my take as well. I don’t over analyze. I don’t count calories. I try to eat as many veggies, real food, and lean proteins as possible. But I also have plenty of wings, pizza, chips, fries, cookies, etc. to make up the rest of my caloric needs.

Also used to have a few beers per night basically every night. Cutting that back has been a massive performance benefit over the last ~45 days. For context, FOPer (Top 1% Bike/Run + haven’t drown on a swim yet)

For reference how old are you guys smashing pizzas, burgers and beers? I’ve done my fair share but unfortunately age is catching up and my metabolism at 42 is not what it was at 20. I’m training around 10 hours a week, and off that training load, it means going back to a plant based diet to get back to race weight. I eat healthy but I’ve been a bit of a carboholic. I’ll enjoy myself with the wife on the weekend but I’m trying to keep disciplined during the week. Eating ice cream, pies, cookies, chocolate and other shit ain’t gonna get it done now is it? If you can get by with it more power to you, but it will catch up to you in time. Things like heart disease, diabetes, pancreatic cancer, etc. are real. Enjoy yourself, but moderation is important.

15

I don’t train as much as I used to do and my perspective has changed a bit.

In my mid-late 20’s I trained on average 10-12 hrs a week most years. I ate whatever the hell I wanted and lots of it. I was still very lean. I paid virtually no attention to my diet.

Now in my mid 30’s and only exercising around 5 hours a week and no racing, I’m changing my habits. If I eat like I used to, I feel like shit and pack on weight much quicker (and it doesn’t just melt off with a few weeks of harder training). I still like the same vices (burgers and chips, mainly.) But view it more as a treat then a regular diet.

Now I try to have one cheat dinner a week. Breakfasts, lunches and dinners are largely healthy. I limit alcohol consumption to one or two nights a week and keep those to one or two drinks per night.

This allows me to keep my weight and energy levels where I want them while going through this phase of life where I can’t train as much as I’d like due to other priorities. I think it’s a good balance. I don’t really feel like I’m depriving myself.

16

I am 47 and FOPer and I train around 15 hours per week

I love food, however, I am really mindful of my long term health. Crap foods, high fat and high cholesterol will screw up your heart whether you are a fit athlete or a couch potato. I therefore eat a mainly whole foof vegan diet, even though I am not a vegan, I still eat occasional meat, fish and cheese. I do not eat vegan meat replacement, vegan junck food is just as bad for you as meat junk food.

When I eat less healthy foods I really make sure that I enjoy it. I eat a Pizza every couple of weeks, but go for a really nice one that I will enjoy, not some cheap fast food supermarket pizza. I enjoy a really nice chicken curry, and may have one occasionally. When I am near the coast, I simply love fresh fish - much better than farmed fish bought in supermarkets.

I also drink, although in the training season, I drink almost no alcohol, possibly one beer per week, maybe once per month I will go out with friends and have 3 or 4 beers. However, between September and January, I will have a beer or wine most evenings, and do the whole Christmas party thing. Also after a race I will normally have a couple of beers with friends. Since I don’t drink much, I am happy to spend more money on nice craft ales and nice wines, rather than going for cheap alcohol

My regular diet is lots of beans, lentils, Kale, Salads and fruit… although I must admit to being very fond of nice chocolate: every day I say that I will give it up, but am never successful. I like salad, I like beans and lentils. OK they don’t excite me too much, however, after eating this type of food, I feel better, I train better, I sleep better. I guess it is a choice, do you want a lightly boring meal, that makes you feel good after, or do you want a fantastic gastronomic feast that makes you feel bloated and lethargic afterwards?

17

I’m a bucket-lister/MOP, but in a former life would have been FOP/Pro equivalent as a rowre.
My relationship with food has definitely changed - I now think a bit about what I’m eating, look for less-preserved foods, all of that.

When I was a relatively serious athlete, I was definitely in the pizza and beer and everything else category. I would basically eat everything I could to keep weight on and energy levels.
I also struggled with food/alcohol restriction - it always seemed to me that training 20+ a week and having a full time job was tough enough as it was!

18

Honestly, I think it depends on how loosely or tightly you define “athlete”.

It could be anyone that completes a 5k fun run and regularly runs 5 miles a week. OR it could be limited to folks who are elite-AM or pros.

I race bikes for fun, and so that I can drink the beer with the team or other competitors after the race or after the hammer training rides. I then eat at will. Tacos, burger, whatever. I’ll do salad for lunch.

But I do not really view it as every single ounce of food consumption has to create power or limit weight.

I keep it within “bounds”. It’s a sanity thing.

19

I am 47 and FOPer and I train around 15 hours per week

I love food, however, I am really mindful of my long term health. Crap foods, high fat and high cholesterol will screw up your heart whether you are a fit athlete or a couch potato. I therefore eat a mainly whole foof vegan diet, even though I am not a vegan, I still eat occasional meat, fish and cheese. I do not eat vegan meat replacement, vegan junck food is just as bad for you as meat junk food.

When I eat less healthy foods I really make sure that I enjoy it. I eat a Pizza every couple of weeks, but go for a really nice one that I will enjoy, not some cheap fast food supermarket pizza. I enjoy a really nice chicken curry, and may have one occasionally. When I am near the coast, I simply love fresh fish - much better than farmed fish bought in supermarkets.

I also drink, although in the training season, I drink almost no alcohol, possibly one beer per week, maybe once per month I will go out with friends and have 3 or 4 beers. However, between September and January, I will have a beer or wine most evenings, and do the whole Christmas party thing. Also after a race I will normally have a couple of beers with friends. Since I don’t drink much, I am happy to spend more money on nice craft ales and nice wines, rather than going for cheap alcohol

My regular diet is lots of beans, lentils, Kale, Salads and fruit… although I must admit to being very fond of nice chocolate: every day I say that I will give it up, but am never successful. I like salad, I like beans and lentils. OK they don’t excite me too much, however, after eating this type of food, I feel better, I train better, I sleep better. I guess it is a choice, do you want a lightly boring meal, that makes you feel good after, or do you want a fantastic gastronomic feast that makes you feel bloated and lethargic afterwards?

You and I sound identical in terms of diet. The only difference is I dropped alcohol in favor of coffee. I’m going plant based, but won’t restrict myself from eating meat on occasion. I feel a lot less bloated and lighter with less meat.

20

So, since everyone is using this new lingo (and not specifically to you):

What is “Plant Based?”

Is it just another way of saying “flexitarian” or “reduce-itarian?” or part-time vegetarian?