Triathlon Nutrition Academy

Taryn Richardson

Welcome to the Triathlon Nutrition Academy Podcast! Brought to you by Advanced Sports Dietitian, Taryn Richardson. Listen as I break down the latest science to give you practical, easy to digest strategies to transform yourself into a Supercharged Triathlete! You have so much untapped potential...and I want to help you unlock that with the power of nutrition.

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253 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes253

Newest first

Thursday · 32 min
Why Eating Healthy Isn't Enough to Fuel a Triathlon with James Anderson
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 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.
July 23 · 16 min
How Do You Carb Load for a Triathlon Without Feeling Bloated and Heavy?
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 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.
July 16 · 46 min
If Challenge Roth Is On Your Bucket List, Listen to This First
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 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.
July 9 · 17 min
Pros Are Fuelling at 200g of Carbs an Hour. Should You?
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 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.
July 2 · 49 min
How to Swim Faster Off Just Three Sessions a Week
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.
June 25 · 19 min
Why Tracking Calories Is Making You Slower (Not Leaner)
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.
June 18 · 34 min
How to Fuel Your First Ironman and Actually Enjoy It with Lily Godding
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.
June 11 · 14 min
Five Habits of Triathletes Who Reach the Start Line Ready to Race
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.
June 4 · 19 min
Does Hydrogen Water Actually Work for Triathlon Recovery?
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.
May 28 · 14 min
The 3 Recovery Nutrition Mistakes Triathletes Make (And How to Fix Them)
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.
May 21 · 45 min
Pressure Is Not the Enemy: The Mental Game of Triathlon with Dr Haley Perlus
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.
May 14 · 17 min
What Ozempic and GLP-1 Drugs Do to Your Triathlon Performance
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 Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart Course Join the waitlist for the Triathlon Nutrition Academy Free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist 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.
May 7 · 58 min
She Tripled Her Food Intake and Got Leaner - Emma Jeffcoat's Nutrition Turnaround
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 Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 1 · 43 min
Can Your Gut Microbiome Predict Your Training Response with Dr Matthew Cooke
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 Read: Is AG1 Worth It? Sports Dietitian Review Explore ways to work with Taryn: https://www.dietitianapproved.com Connect with Dr Matthew Cooke: Matt.Cooke@latrobe.edu.au 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: Grab the Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to see what you might be missing Or head to dietitianapproved.com to explore courses and programs designed specifically for triathletes 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.
April 23 · 18 min
Stop Optimising the 5% You Haven't Earned Yet
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: Join the Triathlon Nutrition Academy: https://www.dietitianapproved.com/academy Grab your free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist: https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist Learn more about Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) in previous podcast episodes 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 Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 16 · 22 min
DIY Triathlon Nutrition Has an Expiry Date
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 Join the Triathlon Nutrition Academy Grab the FREE Triathlon Nutrition Checklist Listen to Sarah’s full story: Episode 212 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.
April 9 · 35 min
Three New Triathletes Share What No One Tells You Before You Join TNA
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.
April 2 · 27 min
The Tired Triathlete Problem: Why “Eating Clean” Was Ruining Her Performance
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: Join the Triathlon Nutrition Academy Grab your free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist Learn more about blood tests for triathletes 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.
March 26 · 15 min
Seven Nutrition Mistakes Triathletes Are Making in 2026
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: Join the Triathlon Nutrition Academy waitlist: https://www.dietitianapproved.com/academy Listen to Episode 224: The Problem with Outsourcing Your Nutrition to AI Grab your free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist: https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist 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.
March 19 · 12 min
Struggling With Your Nutrition? This Is What You’re Missing
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.

Triathlon Nutrition Academy

Why Eating Healthy Isn't Enough to Fuel a Triathlon with James Anderson

How Do You Carb Load for a Triathlon Without Feeling Bloated and Heavy?

If Challenge Roth Is On Your Bucket List, Listen to This First

Pros Are Fuelling at 200g of Carbs an Hour. Should You?

How to Swim Faster Off Just Three Sessions a Week

Why Tracking Calories Is Making You Slower (Not Leaner)

How to Fuel Your First Ironman and Actually Enjoy It with Lily Godding

Five Habits of Triathletes Who Reach the Start Line Ready to Race

Does Hydrogen Water Actually Work for Triathlon Recovery?

The 3 Recovery Nutrition Mistakes Triathletes Make (And How to Fix Them)

Pressure Is Not the Enemy: The Mental Game of Triathlon with Dr Haley Perlus

What Ozempic and GLP-1 Drugs Do to Your Triathlon Performance

She Tripled Her Food Intake and Got Leaner - Emma Jeffcoat's Nutrition Turnaround

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

Stop Optimising the 5% You Haven't Earned Yet

DIY Triathlon Nutrition Has an Expiry Date

Three New Triathletes Share What No One Tells You Before You Join TNA

The Tired Triathlete Problem: Why “Eating Clean” Was Ruining Her Performance

Seven Nutrition Mistakes Triathletes Are Making in 2026

Struggling With Your Nutrition? This Is What You’re Missing