From Award-Winning Businesswoman to Triathlete: Why Winging It with Nutrition Didn’t Work for Jo Hurley

Meet Jo Hurley — mum of four, award-winning businesswoman, and now, unstoppable triathlete.

She’s gone from leading boardrooms to chasing finish lines, proving that it’s never too late to start something new. But despite her laser-sharp focus and a schedule that allowed her to train like a pro, Jo quickly discovered that her approach to fuelling wasn’t cutting it.

Because let’s be honest — you wouldn’t turn up to a race without training. You wouldn’t line up for an Ironman without a pacing strategy. So why are so many triathletes still winging their nutrition?

When Work Ethic Meets Misguided Fuelling

After selling her successful audit firm and stepping away from the corporate world, Jo found herself in early retirement — with the freedom and flexibility to train properly for the first time in her life.

She threw herself into swim, bike, run with the same determination that built her business. But when it came to fuelling that training? She was completely guessing.

She was piecing together advice from friends, coaches, and training buddies. Trying low-carb diets. Skipping meals. Training fasted. Taking supplements she thought she needed.

And like many triathletes I work with, Jo learned the hard way that copying someone else’s nutrition strategy — especially if that “someone” is a 90kg male with a completely different physiology and training history — is a fast track to fatigue, burnout, and stalled progress.

Data Doesn’t Lie

As a numbers-driven person, Jo was getting quarterly DEXA scans — and the results were eye-opening.

Despite training more, her visceral fat was increasing. Her energy levels were crashing. Her recovery was dragging. And she knew something had to change.

“I realised I was under-fuelling, and it wasn’t just hurting my performance — it was affecting my long-term health,” she says.

That’s when she joined the Triathlon Nutrition Academy.

The Power of a Personalised Nutrition Plan

Since starting the program in January, Jo’s completely reframed how she thinks about fuelling.

She’s learning how to:

• Eat enough to support training without compromising health

• Periodise her nutrition to match her training load

• Recover properly to bounce back stronger

• Build habits that make nutrition simple and sustainable

And best of all? She’s feeling the difference.

Jo now trains with more energy, recovers faster, and has stopped second-guessing every decision. Her meals are no longer random or reactive — they’re intentional. Strategic. Purpose-driven. Just like the rest of her life.

Starting with Nutrition Early

One of Jo’s biggest takeaways? She wishes she’d started sooner.

She’s now a huge advocate for learning about nutrition early in your triathlon journey — not waiting until you’re chasing podiums.

“I was already dealing with the impact of under-fuelling before I even realised it was a problem. If I’d built my nutrition knowledge alongside learning to swim and bike, I would’ve avoided so much frustration,” she says.

And she’s not slowing down anytime soon.

What’s Next for Jo?

Jo recently ticked off Geelong 70.3, and she’s got one of the fullest race calendars I’ve ever seen — including a spot at the 70.3 World Championships in Marbella and a big goal on the horizon: Challenge Roth in 2025.

With a strategic plan in place and support from the TNA community behind her, Jo’s fuelling smarter and racing stronger than ever. And most importantly — she’s having fun doing it.

If you’re still guessing your way through triathlon nutrition like Jo was, take this as your sign to stop winging it.

The right nutrition strategy can completely transform how you train, recover, and perform — and help you stay healthy doing it.

➡️ Register your interest for the next intake of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy and let’s turn your nutrition into your secret weapon: dietitianapproved.com/academy

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