You may be wondering what sports nutrition, which is intended to fuel our bodies during triathlon training and racing, has to do with our minds. Well, the fact is that fueling and hydrating has as much of an impact on our minds as they do on our bodies.

People often separate the mind from the body, as if they are somehow distinct and disconnected. But let’s remember that the mind is actually the outward expression (i.e., our thoughts, emotions, and behavior) of the brain, and the brain is just another organ of the body, little different than the heart, lungs, and liver (admittedly, it is more complex and less understood). So, just like other organs, the brain (and, by extension, the mind) needs nutrients to continue to function adequately and perform optimally.

My first epiphany about the relationship between nutrition and the mind came in my first Ironman in Lake Placid. At around 70 miles of the bike, I had an emotional crisis. It hit me like a ton of bricks that I already been out on the Ironman course for more than five hours and I was already tired and in pain. Now, here’s where the pile of bricks came in, I was going to out there a whole lot longer and could expect even more fatigue and pain. I was overwhelmed with feelings of lethargy, hopelessness, doubt, panic, and desperation. Thankfully, my coach at the time, Duane Franks, M.S. (who has returned as my current coach) had alerted me to the fact that the crisis I was experiencing was very common and was, in fact, a nutritional crisis. At that point in an Ironman, the body has been steadily losing its nutritional and hydrational stores from before the race. The strong emotions I was feeling was my primitive brain’s way of telling me (in no uncertain terms) that I needed to “fuel up” if I wanted to continue. So, as planned, I immediately ate and drank a bunch and, seemingly miraculously (though not miraculous at all), my negative emotions subsided and my energy and attitude improved, and much more pleasant emotions (e.g. excitement, pride, inspiration) returned. I have since experienced this powerful relationship between nutrition and my psychology many times in both training and racing. I have also read numerous research studies that have examined how nutrition impacts both our physiology and psychology.

Mental “Muscles” Need Fuel Too

Just as our physical muscles need fuel to continue to perform their best, so to do our mental “muscles.” Proper nutrition is vital for several mental muscles.

Motivation. Have you noticed that when you’re inadequately fueled or hydrated, you just want to give up? The reason is that in your physically deprived state, your primitive brain wants you to stop to ensure your survival. Fatigue and pain are two ways in which your primitive brain tries to sap your motivation. Also, when you are facing a nutritional deficit, you are less resilient and can’t respond positively to the inevitable challenges that you will face in a triathlon.

By contrast, proper nutrition is like rocket fuel for your motivation and resilience. When your energy stores are sufficient to the demands of your training or race effort, you feel motivated and determined to fight to the end.

Confidence. Preparation is the foundation of our belief in our ability to swim/bike/run our best and achieve our race goals. Because nutrition is such a vital part of feeling prepared, knowing you have your fueling dialed in before your race is like a turbo boost to your confidence.

Confidence can be ruined by not knowing what specific fueling products to use that best fit your needs (there are so many out there, it can feel overwhelming!) or when and how to use them in training and especially in your races.

Also, knowing that you have a fueling plan for your race will bolster your confidence that you can overcome the expected challenges of weather, terrain, and exertion you will face in your race. And that confidence, fueled by good nutrition, is what enables you to push your pace right to the finish line.

Intensity. When I refer to intensity, I don’t mean mental intensity, but rather the range of physical activation you can feel before and during a race. I call it a mental muscle because your intensity is partially determined by your thought and emotions. The other contributor is your fueling. If you don’t have proper nutrition, you can’t put “the pedal to metal” in a Super-Sprint or maintain a steady pace in a 70.3 or Ironman. With the appropriate fueling, you will have the energy available for an all-out effort or for apportioning out that energy over the long haul.

Focus. Focus is one of the mental muscles that you have a hard time “flexing” when you’re nutritionally depleted. Your attention drifts from important information about the race (e.g., distance, pace, terrain, course conditions) to irrelevant distractions (e.g., spectators, what bikes other competitors are riding). Or you focus on negative thoughts and emotions, and the fatigue or pain you may be experiencing. In either case, you’re not paying attention to what you need to perform your best.

When you’re properly fueled, your mind doesn’t need to occupy itself with such concerns. Instead, your mind can focus on getting you to the finish line as fast as possible.

Emotions. Returning to my first experience related to fueling and the mind that I described above, our emotions are heavily influenced by how well fueled we are. Another example is the often-used portmanteau, “hangry” (hungry + angry).  As every triathlete has experienced, when you’re in a nutritional hole, your emotions will naturally turn negative. Though certainly unpleasant, you can use your emotional state during training and races as a good gauge of your nutritional state. If your emotions are good, your fueling is probably good; if your emotions go south, it’s probably time to refuel ASAP.

The Feed

My personal and professional knowledge of the power of proper nutrition to impact my mind, positively or negatively, led me to partner with The Feed. If you’re unfamiliar with The Feed, it is a one-stop shop for all your sports nutrition needs. Not only do they have all the top brands, but just as importantly, they test and review the products they offer on their website. The Feed also has valuable educational articles that take the science of nutrition and hydration (all very confusing!) and turns it into a language that is easily digestible (pun intended) and understood by any endurance athlete. The Feed helps you figure out which products are best for you and how to you to use them to maximize their benefit. Plus, everyone who works there seems to be an endurance athlete, so you can trust that they know of what they speak. Two of the coolest benefits of shopping at The Feed is that they offer personal nutrition coaching from trained experts and a community forum to ask questions and connect with other passionate endurance athletes.

Ultimately, when you believe in your nutrition and hydration for a hard workout or a big race ahead, you not only fuel your body to perform its best, but also your mind to push your limits and achieve your goals.