Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

  The ideal fueling strategy during training/racing is the consumption of carbohydrates in a way that can be quickly emptied from the stomach, be rapidly digested and quickly absorbed so it can be used by the working muscles.  Just because you are consuming a gel, bar, solid food or drink with carbohydrates, this doesn't mean that your muscles are receiving those carbohydrates. The takeaway from this is not all carbs are the same. Exercise shifts blood flow away from the GI (Gastrointestional tract) towards the active muscles and lungs. Digestion is compromised during exercise. This is why it's important that your carb choices during exercise do not require a lot of digestion. The quicker and easier those carbs are emptied from the stomach, the quicker those carbs can be used by the active muscles. Also, the more digestion that is required, the greater risk for GI issues.  After digestion comes absorption. For the muscles to continue to perform during long distance activi...

                                                 The off-season /foundation phase presents itself with a unique opportunity in your season where training volume and intensity is relatively low and thus, you don't expend a great amount of calories. This is a perfect time to break away from relying on engineered sport nutrition products to get you through your workouts and to see your daily diet as the fuel for your workouts. In other words, sport nutrition will play a very small role in your training routine.  However, I feel this is where many athletes eat and train with confusion. I'm sure you have been told that you don't need to eat before a workout in the off-season/foundation phase or you should avoid all sport nutrition during workouts, to burn more fat, in the off-season/foundation phase. While there's scientific research to support that worki...

There is a lot of information available to athletes on the topics of nutrition, specifically as it relates to how food can change your body composition, improve your health and boost your performance. I think it is safe to assume that most athletes view food as a naturally safe way to boost athletic performance and the diet as a method of changing body composition. But with so much information available to athletes, the topics of eating for health, eating for fuel, eating to change body composition and so forth, can make the simple topic of "diet for athlete" so confusing and overwhelming. Due to information overload, I wouldn't be surprised if you are one of the many athletes who have explored (or tried) a dietary trend or fad at least once a year (likely around January) in an effort to get your diet under control in order to change body composition. The interesting thing about a diet trend is the unique marketing of the dietary strategy which accurately ident...

Training for an event can be very rewarding. Considering that you have to exercise to train yourself for an event, preparing for a race can actually be a healthy way to de-stress and to keep the body in good health.  But when the body becomes overly stressed from training OR an overly stressed body tries to adapt to consistent training stress, there is a point of diminishing returns when an active lifestyle becomes unhealthy. Much of our society has an obsession with productivity. To-do lists are never ending and there is always something to do to keep busy. Yet athletes still find 10-20+ hours to train, despite already living a very busy lifestyle. Sadly, an overworked, always on the go, constantly connected, squeezing everything in athlete can become so accustomed to living a busy lifestyle that healthy habits become expendable all in an effort to get in a workout. As an athlete, healthy lifestyle habits can enhance training. Whereas you may think that you have to get...

April 2014 issue of  Triathlete magazine Knowing what foods to eat to fuel your training is important, but to reap the benefits of the nutrients, it’s the when that really matters. Before and during a workout, your goal is to increase the delivery of nutrients to your working muscles to maintain glucose levels, postpone fatigue and improve your hydration status. After you’re done training, the focus shifts to replenishing glycogen stores and initiating tissue repair and muscle growth so you can bounce back even stronger for future workouts. With the following fueling suggestions, I will help you reduce risk for GI distress and help you find yourself gaining a competitive edge. How To Fuel Before Workouts Eating something before a training session is critical, as it will better prepare your gut for race day and help you to become more aware of how your body absorbs and metabolizes fuel in varying intensity levels, durations and weather conditions. Note : For an ind...