What happens when you throw yourself head-first into triathlon, sign up for an Ironman with zero experience and try to DIY your nutrition along the way?

Meet Daniel Walker – ex-MMA fighter, all-in endurance newbie and now a proud Triathlon Nutrition Academy grad. In this episode, Dan shares his wild ride from couch to Ironman Cairns in just five months, why under-fuelling nearly derailed everything, and how getting expert help changed not just his racing, but his entire approach to nutrition.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why training hard isn't enough – Dan’s story

• From cricket to MMA to triathlon: a sport switch with serious consequences

• The midlife moment that sparked an Ironman entry

• Misconceptions around fuelling for endurance

• The trap of carb-phobia and why it backfired

• How recovery nutrition flipped everything on its head

• Gut bombs, gels and race day fails: lessons from Ironman Cairns

• Fat loss vs performance: what Dan really learned

• The value of weekly Power Hour check-ins

• What data tells us about doing an Ironman too soon

• Dan’s advice for all-in athletes chasing big goals

• What’s next: Kona dreams and 70.3 focus

If you're a Type A, data-loving, all-in kind of triathlete who's sick of guessing with your nutrition, this one's for you.

Links & Resources

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

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The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Still copying someone else’s nutrition plan and hoping it works for you? It’s time to stop guessing.

In this episode, I break down the concept of N=1 — why your nutrition plan should be as individual as your training schedule, sweat rate, gut tolerance and race goals.

If you’ve ever grabbed advice from the pros, copied your training buddy’s fuelling strategy or winged it on race day, this episode will help you understand why personalisation is the key to unlocking your next PB.

You'll learn:

• Why N=1 is the only way to approach your nutrition as a triathlete
• The four areas that must be customised for success: hydration, fuelling, race plan and daily nutrition
• Real-life athlete stories that show the power of a tailored strategy
• How generic advice can backfire — and what to do instead
• Why having the knowledge to adapt your plan is a competitive advantage

Links & Resources

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when your race goals collide with toddlers, ER visits, and zero sleep?

In this episode, I sit down with Brian Joseph – a busy triathlete, full-time professional and dad of three – who managed to pull off a massive 45-minute PB at his 70.3, despite life being a total circus. From missed sessions to emergency room visits mid-race, Brian shares what it really takes to train smart and fuel well in the real world.

We dive into:

• Meet Brian – Full-time life, full-time triathlete
• His pre-TNA nutrition journey: veganism, guesswork and Googling
• Making the TNA program work around chaos
• Key learnings: why recovery and protein made the biggest difference
• How meal planning tools created daily structure
• 45-minute PB – what actually changed?
• Race nutrition vs heat – what went wrong in Chattanooga
• Juggling racing with a trip to the ER
• Recovery done right – what helped the most
• Gaining control through better nutrition planning
• Advice for triathletes with young families
• When everything went pear shaped pre-race sim
• What TNA gave him that made life feel less overwhelming

Whether you're chasing Kona, trying to hold it all together or just want to fuel better through the madness, Brian’s story is a real, relatable listen.

Links & Resources

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 Feeling festive but don’t want to blow your training gains?

In this episode of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast, I’m diving into how alcohol really affects your performance as an endurance athlete—and what you can do about it. Whether you're mid-race season in Australia or base building in a snowy Northern Hemisphere winter, alcohol could be undermining your training, recovery and body comp more than you think.

I’m not here to take away your Christmas cheer. But I am here to help you understand the science, so you can enjoy the silly season without YOLO-ing your way to burnout.

What you’ll learn:

• What alcohol actually does in your body
• How alcohol affects training, recovery and sleep
• Why hydration takes a massive hit
• The impact on muscle repair, glycogen and immune function
• What the research says about performance and endurance
• Seven practical strategies to navigate the festive season
• How to balance enjoying yourself without sabotaging progress

Links & Resources

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What on earth does it take to complete 100 Ironmans in 100 days? James Lawrence – aka the Iron Cowboy – joins the podcast to share the physical, mental and nutritional toll of his epic Conquer 100 challenge. Spoiler: it involved over 12,000 calories a day, a few Costco muffins, and being fed through a massage table hole.

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned triathlete, James drops some absolute gold on building resilience, fuelling with real food and why consistency beats perfection every time.

We talk about;

• Meet James “Iron Cowboy” Lawrence

• Why 100 Ironmans? (and how it started with a 4-mile fun run)

• The perfect Ironman day and the role of nutrition

• Real food fuelling: burritos, pizza, steak on the run

• Caloric needs, gut training and sugar overload

• What went wrong when fuelling slipped

• Mindset, purpose and managing pain through adversity

• Blue collar habits, unsexy consistency and building a strong foundation

• James’s current nutrition approach and fuelling tips

• Meet the support team and key recovery strategies

• Advice for age groupers struggling with motivation or consistency

• What’s next for James (hint: it’s not 200 Ironmans)

Links & Resources

James Lawrence new book, 'Iron Hope'.

Triathlon Nutrition Checklist

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Managing type 1 diabetes as a triathlete isn’t just tough – it’s a constant balancing act. But with the right tools, strategy and support, you can absolutely perform at your best.

In this episode, I chat with Dr Sam Scott – exercise physiologist, diabetes researcher and former Head of Research for Team Novo Nordisk – about the science and strategy behind training and racing with T1D. Sam breaks down the complexities of glucose management, carbohydrate fuelling and how cutting-edge tech is empowering athletes to thrive.

What we talk about about

• Why this topic matters for endurance athletes
• Sam’s background in exercise physiology and elite sport
• The difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
• Why exercise is so complex for T1D
• Common myths about fuelling with diabetes
• Smart carb strategies and CGM tech
• Performance fueling: what’s possible?
• The future of AI-driven support with Enhanced
• The power of possibility: sport as a gateway

Links & Resources

Dr Sam Scott’s book: The Science of Exercise with Type 1 Diabetes

Learn more about Enhanced

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could your comeback story start with your plate?

In this inspiring episode, we hear from TNA athlete Brian McLean, who proves that nutrition isn't just for race day. Nine months after tearing his ACL in a backyard basketball game, Brian is back training for 70.3 races, stronger and more dialled-in than ever. His secret? Strategic nutrition from day one of rehab.

Brian shares how:

• His identity took a hit after injury and how he handled it

• He applied TNA principles to support faster healing

• Eating smarter helped him avoid weight gain and muscle loss

• He shifted from a Western diet to a plant-first approach

• Nutrition gave him the confidence to train, race and feel better than before

This episode is packed with real talk, practical takeaways and a powerful reminder: nutrition matters, even when you’re not training.

Links & Resources

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Think you’re nailing hydration because you’ve got a pastel-coloured electrolyte drink in hand? Think again.

In this episode, I bust through the marketing fluff and break down exactly when, why and how triathletes should use electrolytes. Forget what TikTok says, here’s the science-backed truth from an endurance sports dietitian.

🔍 Here’s what we cover:

• Why electrolyte hype has gone wild

• When you actually need electrolytes

• The big player in sweat losses: sodium

• How your sweat rate and sodium loss are unique

• Real athlete story: The Human Sprinkler

• What is hyponatremia and why it’s dangerous

• Food vs electrolyte drinks: when water is enough

• How to choose the right product for you

• What to avoid: fairy dust and false promises

• The real strategy behind smart hydration

Whether you’re a salty sweater, a light sipper, or somewhere in between — this episode will help you stop guessing and start fuelling your hydration properly.

Links & Resources

👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing:
https://www.dietitianapproved.com/checklist

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Build your personalised triathlon fuelling plan inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. 

Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day

SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE

CONNECT WITH TARYN

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Triathlon Nutrition Academy® is a podcast by Dietitian Approved®. All rights reserved.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.