Taylor and I are extremely hungry people. Part of this can be attributed to our athletic pursuits, but most of it is innate – we both have insatiable appetites. It’s come at no surprise that our appetites have spiked recently now that we’re in training mode again. Although we’re both clean eaters 80% of the time, even heaping portions of the healthiest foods will add extra calories to your diet and ultimately tack on unwanted pounds – weight that could ultimately offset some of the sport-specific gains you’ve made. Here’s a simple rule that will help you remain cognizant of how to fuel your body optimally as your volume spikes.
Looking forward to another Ironman finish at Ironman Lake Tahoe
Eat according to your plan
Sounds easy right? Let’s see how this works in practice, using my current training week as an example:
- Monday: 1 hour swim
- Tuesday: 45 minute spin class, 45 minute weight lifting session
- Wednesday: 1 hour swim, 1 hour track workout
- Thursday: 1 hour bike ride
- Friday: 1 hour run, 1 hour swim
- Saturday: 2 hour run
- Sunday: 3 hour bike, 20 minute run
When I break the week down, I know that my biggest workouts fall on Saturday and Sunday, and I will not only need to fuel more for those, but also add some extra fuel on Friday to support the effort. This won’t be a formal “carb load”, but instead of having a half cup of grains with dinner, I’ll have a full cup. I may even definitely eat some extra dark chocolate too.
Part of a successful training cycle for me will be executing my nutrition plan, and portion control and smart eating are essential. I’ve worked very hard to make speed gains in the past year, and it would be a shame to plateau or slow my progress due to overrating. It’s not to say that I won’t snack or eat when I’m hungry – I will, but it’s about how much and when. By eating according to your plan, you’ll always have a rough outline of which days will require more fueling and when you may be overeating. It will take some time to strike a balance – especially during your first training cycle in a new sport, but your body will thank you once you do.
Single-tracked Mind 
Great post, I’m the same way – can’t wait for spring to show up so I can get to eating again!
I definitely need to think more about this if I want to succeed in some speed goals I have!
I do the same, I figure out how many calories I’m burning through exercise and add them to my daily calorie burn. Obviously it’s an approximation, but I guess I have it kind of figures out.
I don’t diet or restrict myself at all, I also don’t eat whatever I want to because I’m pretty sure I’d overeat.
I know how hard it is not to pig out after a big training session. It’s a constant struggle.
I gained weight every Ironman season. I didn’t turn to Paleo until I got into Ultras . Clean eating makes a huge difference and is understand how the hunger pains never leave when you train as hard as we do ..