One of your main goals when training for a triathlon should be to avoid the peaks and valleys that come with typical eating habits. While most of us grew up eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, those extended periods of times between meals often cause crashes in the late mornings an afternoons. These crashes can be detrimental to your training, particularly on those days when you train in the mornings and afternoons.
Energy crashes are generally caused by low blood glucose levels. An effective way to limit these sensations is to increase the number of times to eat per day to 5-6, depending on the volume of your training. In addition to your three standard eating habits, adding in a healthy mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and evening snack will help your body maintain even levels, allowing you to train efficiently throughout the day.
The most important thing to remember when eating to maintain a consistent level of energy is that carbohydrates are your body’s best source of energy. Be sure to include a form of carbohydrates in all your meals, including snacks, if possible. Whole grains, certain fruits such as apples or pears, beans, or breakfast cereals are just a few of the many good options to choose from.