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Nine signs your nutrition sucks

Jul 12, 2024

How can you know if your nutrition sucks?

Well, bad nutrition can cause big issues in all areas of your body, so there are plenty of warning signs, but they’re easy to miss if you don’t know what to look for. I want to share nine critical signs that your nutrition needs immediate attention.

1. You Need a Nap During the Day

For me, the biggest red flag here is when someone constantly needs to nap or if they’re falling asleep on the couch. If your body isn’t receiving the fuel or nutrition it needs, it will try to keep things balanced by forcing you to rest more. When naps aren’t possible, you’ll likely start craving caffeine or sugar to get a quick energy boost. Evaluate your overall diet to ensure you’re getting enough nutrients and calories to support your energy needs without the need for extra naps.

2. You Have Gut Issues

Nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, gas, and other gastrointestinal problems are indicators that something is off with your nutrition. As a triathlete, exercise puts stress on your gut, making proper nutrition even more essential.

I see way too many people with major gut issues, who have convinced themselves it’s normal or nothing can be done, but this isn’t true! Consult a professional to tweak your diet and relieve these uncomfortable symptoms.

3. You Get Annoying Niggly Injuries

Adequate nutrition is essential for recovery and injury prevention. So, if you’re constantly dealing with soft tissue or tendon issues, it’s a sign your nutrition could be lacking. Focus on integrating balanced meals rich in essential nutrients to promote tissue repair and reduce injuries.

4. You Have a Pantry Full of Supplements

Having a cabinet full of vitamins and supplements is not a good sign. Not only is it an unnecessary financial cost, but it also shows that you aren’t informed and in control of your nutrition. Proper nutrition should come from a balanced diet rather than a multitude of supplements. If you need supplements, then make sure you have professional guidance.

5. You Don’t Know What’s in Your Sports Nutrition Products

Not knowing the specifics of your sports drinks or gels is dangerous. A lot of triathletes start using something because it’s popular or because their coach recommended it, but it might not work well for them. You need to understand what’s in a product, beyond just the calories or carbohydrates, so you can understand when to use it and why.

6. Your Hormones Are Out of Whack

If your body isn’t receiving proper fuelling and nutrition, it will start to struggle with maintaining basic functions like our hormones. For women, if your menstrual cycle is irregular, light, or absent, it’s a sign you need to make changes to your nutrition. For men, low sex drive or testosterone levels indicate the same problem. This is a serious issue so reach out to a sports dietitian and get it sorted today.

7. You have an unhealthy relationship with food

If you have restrictive eating habits, binge eating episodes, or an unhealthy relationship with food, your nutrition needs a serious overhaul. Until you do, you won't be able to properly fuel your body for the high demands of triathlon training, so your performance and health will suffer.

If you’re struggling in this way, please get in touch with an eating disorder specialist. Fostering a healthy, balanced approach to food is essential for sustained athletic performance and well-being.

8. You Get Sick Often

If you often get sick or can’t shake off illnesses quickly, your immune system might be compromised due to poor nutrition. Similarly, if you fall into a sick hole post-event, that’s a major red flag. It’s not just your race nutrition plan or immediate recovery, everything you eat (or don’t eat) can have a big impact on your health. So, prioritise a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals to boost your immunity and recovery.

9. You’re Not Organised with Your Nutrition

Flying by the seat of your pants when it comes to nutrition won’t cut it. If you’re not planning your meals and end up just grabbing whats convenient, your nutrition and performance will suffer.

You don’t need to be as organised as I am, but you do need a plan to stay on top of your nutrition game. If you aren’t sure where to start, reach out to me. I can teach you how to plan your meals and shopping trips to ensure you have balanced meals prepped.

If any of these signs resonate with you, it’s time to take action.

Don’t waste years trying to figure it out on your own or seeking free solutions that throw spaghetti at the wall. A sports dietitian can offer personalised, strategic advice suited to your unique needs. So, if you're ready to take your performance to the next level, join our Triathlon Nutrition Academy where I help athletes just like you fine-tune their nutrition strategies for peak performance.