What's the difference??

One of the things that I read over and over is the importance of nutrition during triathlons.  The problem is, there are SO MANY OPTIONS!!!!  When I was just running 1/2 marathons, my nutrition plan was pretty simple...eat 1 GU (mint chocolate flavor, chocolate outrage would suffice if necessary) about 45 minutes into the run, and a 2nd, 45 minutes later.  I would drink water at the water stations as necessary, but that was it.

Now, with at least 2 and sometimes 4 workouts per day, I am testing out all the different nutrition options out there.  Initially, I stuck to my GU energy gels, and added CLIF blocks on my bike rides.  While I still like my GU's, the CLIF blocks have become my new favorite thing about bike riding...it's like getting a free pass on eating a bag full of gummie candies!  Who could pass that up?? Not this girl.

The next step was/is conquering the hydration aspect.  I initially bought a handful of GU Brew packets in different flavors from Sports Basement.  I tried them all out on a few bike rides, and they all seemed to suit me fine.  So I would drink one bottle of Brew and eat one Block during my rides.  The training plan that I am following is from Triathlete Magazine's Essential Week-by-Week Training Guide by Matt Fitzgerald.  So far, my longest run has been 1 hour, 10 minutes, so I haven't used any form of nutrition on my runs.  

My nutrition goody shelf

Although I am slowly becoming an endurance athlete and definitely recognize the need to adequately fuel myself for my workouts, I am still a girl who wants to lose those extra 5 pounds.  I have always seen the electrolyte tablets for sale in the nutrition sections of Sports Basement and my other go to shop, Concept Cyclery in Morgan Hill, yet I didn't see what the difference was between the tabs and the electrolyte drinks.  They both advertised that they replaced electrolytes, but one had extra carbs and calories, and the other one didn't.

And after doing some research, I've discovered that's it...one has carbs and the other doesn't.  One of the blogs that I follow, Greater > Than Endurance, had an article outlining the nutrition concept of "Drink from your bottle, Eat from your pockets" (i.e. get electrolytes from your drink, calories/carbs through your food).  The author utilizes NUUN electrolyte tabs to restore the necessary electrolytes, but gets his calories (carbs) through "solids and semi-solids (Clif shots and shot-blocks, chunks of Clifbars,etc)".  

I realized that by using the GU Brew electrolyte drink, as well as eating Clif blocks, I was essentially double dipping in the calorie department by getting calories in my drink and in my food.  After doing the research I've mentioned, the nutrition strategy utilizing electrolyte tabs appeals to me because it means that I'm not giving myself a bunch of extra calories.  As much as I am doing this training to push myself to the limits, I am also doing this to get my body in the best shape I can.  The more I learn about what to eat and when, the better I will perform and the better I will look :)

I am testing out this new strategy tomorrow and will be using the Strawberry Lemonade Flavored NUUN tablets with the Strawberry Clif Blocks...the flavors definitely remind me of spring and I can't wait for some biking and running fun in the sun!