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

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