Triathlon Nutrition Academy

What does it actually take to finish your first Ironman at 22 years old - and cross that finish line with a smile? Lily Godding is a TNA athlete, a rugby rep player and a chef who had never raced a triathlon three years ago. On the weekend, she crossed the finish line of Ironman Cairns 140.6 in 13 hours, 21 minutes and 54 seconds. In this episode, Taryn sits down with Lily just days after the race to talk about what it took to get there — the brutal washing-machine swim, the six-and-a-half-hour bike leg, and the moment on the run where Lily quietly reminded herself: I can do hard things. What you'll hear in this episode: What Lily's nutrition looked like before TNA - and how far off the mark it was How her race nutrition plan held up across 140.6km (spoiler: to a T) The biggest mistakes younger triathletes make with nutrition and training Why she almost didn't join TNA because of the price — and what changed her mind How good recovery nutrition had her collecting her own bike the morning after the race What Lily wishes she'd known sooner, and her advice for anyone tackling their first Ironman   TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Lily opens: race nutrition to a T — gut trained, fuelled, mapped out 00:26 Welcome — Taryn introduces Lily, Ironman Cairns finisher 00:56 From rugby to triathlon: how Lily balances two completely different sports 02:11 What made her fall in love with triathlon and sign up for a full Ironman? 03:02 Is Ultraman next? Lily's answer: a faster Ironman and maybe Kona 03:14 Come-down after Cairns — take me back to the finish line 03:54 The finish line moment: electric, community, absolutely amped 05:00 Taryn preps the toughest moment question 05:20 The toughest moment on course: the brutal washing-machine swim 06:38 70 people pulled from the water — absolute carnage 07:22 What a 13:21:54 finish at 22 years old actually meant to Lily 08:34 What young triathletes get wrong: nutrition and overtraining 09:49 Lily admits to being the over-trainer (just ask coach Pablo) 10:06 Advice for younger athletes who think nutrition can wait 10:24 TNA's first module: recovery nutrition changed everything 11:39 What Lily's nutrition actually looked like before TNA 13:05 Would she have finished Cairns without TNA? 13:20 "100% no. It was when I joined TNA I thought — yeah, I can do this" 14:00 How she tried to figure out nutrition on her own 14:27 Social media, the algorithm and the weight-loss noise aimed at female athletes 16:07 How TNA tuned out the noise — worksheets, carb loading, race plan 16:36 What TNA taught her about everyday eating 17:12 The forgotten stuff: colourful plate, healthy fats, nuts, seeds, beans 18:28 The protein myth - more protein isn't always the answer 19:03 Why nobody teaches us how to eat — health as a lifelong foundation 19:34 How did race nutrition hold up on race day? 20:01 Lily: to a T - gut trained, fuelled, everything consumed at the right time 20:55 The run: Coke, gels, chews and carrying her own water bottle 21:51 The one adaptation she'd make: take Panadol for tight calves and hamstrings 22:24 What would she do differently? Not play a rugby game the week before 22:59 First Ironman goal: just finish — next one is for performance 23:37 Recovery: went and got her own bike the morning after the race 24:31 The toilet test - she's perfected the technique 24:51 Balking at the price - what made Lily commit anyway 25:16 Joined in October after Port Macquarie with zero race nutrition plan 26:28 Is TNA worth the investment? 26:36 Lily: "113,472%. I would not be an Ironman finisher without TNA" 27:23 Youth alone isn't enough - nutrition is what gets you across 27:42 Advice for someone about to do their first Ironman 28:30 The finish line photo tip: arms up, smile, don't touch the Garmin 29:05 Has finishing an Ironman changed how Lily sees herself? 29:13 "I can do hard things" - the mantra that got her through lap three 29:49 The moment Taryn ran alongside Lily on the third lap 30:18 What's next: Kona, performance focus, so many years of triathlon ahead 30:57 The privilege of being able to race - and being an Ironman 31:14 Iron Woman? (Lily's aunt is campaigning for it) 31:26 Taryn's closing reflection on Lily's story — and the TNA CTA 33:54 Sign off   ABOUT THE GUEST Lily Godding is a 22-year-old age-group triathlete, rugby rep player and TNA athlete from the Snowy Mountains, Australia. She completed her first sprint triathlon in November 2024 and progressed to Ironman 140.6 Cairns in June 2026, finishing in 13:21:54. A chef by trade, Lily balances high-level representative rugby with full Ironman training and gives a first-hand account of what evidence-based triathlon nutrition actually does for a young athlete. Connect with Lily on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lily.godding   If the Cairns Ironman story has you thinking about your own race day nutrition, come and join us in the Triathlon Nutrition Academy. Head to dietitianapproved.com/academy and register your interest in our upcoming cohort. Download the FREE audio series The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day Recovery Accelerator Program 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.

Trying to lean up but your FTP keeps tanking? If every time you try to “eat less” your watts drop, your legs feel flat and your sessions turn into survival mode… this episode is for you. In this week’s podcast, I’m breaking down how to lose body fat strategically without compromising performance. Because you don’t get faster by shrinking yourself. You get faster by building a strong engine and fuelling it properly. Inside this episode, I walk you through: Why slashing carbs across the board is one of the biggest mistakes triathletes make How to fuel threshold, VO2, long bricks and key sessions properly without blowing your fat loss goals What carbohydrate periodisation actually looks like in a real training week Why protecting muscle mass is critical for both metabolism and power output How small, boring calorie deficits beat aggressive six week shreds every time A real athlete case study of a masters triathlete who lost 45 pounds while improving her FTP and keeping it off long term This is the difference between dieting and performance nutrition. Dieting just shrinks you. Strategic fuelling supports your training, your recovery and your long term triathlon career. If you’re training for three sports, juggling work and family and still trying to create a massive calorie deficit on top of that, you’re setting yourself up to underfuel and underperform. You don’t need to eat less. You need to eat smarter. Chapters: 00:00 Why your FTP drops when you try to lose weight01:05 The biggest mistake triathletes make when dieting02:40 Why cutting carbs hurts performance04:15 Can you lose fat and maintain power?05:30 Real athlete case study: 45 pounds down, FTP up08:00 Fuel the sessions that matter10:00 How to periodise carbohydrates properly12:00 Protecting muscle mass and metabolism14:00 Why your calorie deficit should be small16:00 How to lean up without losing watts17:30 What to do next Links & Resources Mentioned Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart CourseStep-by-step guidance to build your performance plate, pre-training fuel, during-training targets and recovery plan. Triathlon Nutrition Academy ProgramOngoing coaching, support and accountability inside our comprehensive group program. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start fuelling like a performance-driven triathlete, this episode is your starting point. Other Links & Resources 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.

Ironman has changed its on-course hydration globally. Sounds simple. It’s not. All Ironman-branded events have now moved to PH1000 for hydration and Maurten for carbohydrate fuelling, separating fluids and carbs completely. If you’ve relied on sports drink to do both jobs, this shift has major implications for your race nutrition plan. In this solo episode, I break down exactly what’s changed, how much sodium you’re actually getting per bottle and how to decide whether this setup works for your individual sweat rate, sodium losses and fuelling preferences. Because hydration and sodium are never one-size-fits-all. And winging it at 70.3 or full distance is how you end up walking the marathon. Chapters & Highlights: 00:00 - Why this Ironman change matters02:15 - What’s actually changed on course05:30 - PH1000 explained: sodium without carbs08:10 - How to calculate sodium per bottle11:45 - Will this setup work for you?14:20 - What if you prefer to drink your carbs?16:00 - Why practising in training is non-negotiable18:00 - How to build a race plan that actually works Key Takeaways: PH1000 provides 1000mg sodium per litre and zero carbohydrate Carbohydrates now come separately via Maurten gels and solids Your sweat rate and sodium losses determine whether this works for you You may need to be more self-sufficient on race day Testing your full race setup in training is essential Hydration isn’t about what’s on course. It’s about knowing your body and executing with confidence. If you want help building a personalised race nutrition plan: Register your interest for the Triathlon Nutrition Academy Or start with the Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart Course And if you’re not sure where your current plan stands, download the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist Other Links & Resources 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 do a rookie, a masters athlete and a seasoned racer all have in common?  They nailed their nutrition strategy - and the results speak for themselves. In this episode, Taryn sits down with three very different athletes from the Triathlon Nutrition Academy - Jo, Kelly and Erin - to unpack the surprising impact of getting their fuelling right. Each had their own goals, challenges and training loads, but all saw game-changing results after implementing the same evidence-based framework. If you’ve ever wondered whether nutrition could be your missing link, this episode will show you what’s possible when you get it right. Timestamps & Highlights 00:00 – Intro: The effort gap between training and fuelling01:35 – Meet Jo, Kelly & Erin: Different athletes, same frustration06:00 – Why nutrition felt confusing (and what they used to get wrong)14:00 – The turning point: How each athlete transformed their approach22:00 – The race-day difference: Confidence, control and results37:00 – Real-world results: Massive time gains, body comp shifts & more51:00 – Advice for triathletes: When (and why) to start focusing on nutrition58:00 – Final takeaways: What they'd tell their pre-TNA selves Key Takeaways Why fasted training, bonking and confusing advice were holding them back How a repeatable fuelling strategy boosted their performance and recovery The underrated power of recovery nutrition (yep, everyone was doing it wrong) The value of education: apps are fine, but understanding is power Massive PBs, sustained weight loss, strength gains and podium finishes Links & Resources 🎧 Want to feel confident in your nutrition like Jo, Kelly and Erin?Join the next Triathlon Nutrition Academy intake at dietitianapproved.com/academy 🎙 Listen to the Episode that proves Results (EP 226) 👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing: 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.

Are you outsourcing your nutrition to an app or ChatGPT and hoping it just works? Here’s why that could be a massive mistake... In this episode, I unpack the shiny trap of using AI tools and nutrition apps to guide your fuelling strategy. Sure, they’re convenient, look polished and promise quick wins – but are they really working for you? Triathletes aren’t 80% people – and near enough with nutrition just doesn’t cut it when you’re training for three sports. If you’ve ever second guessed whether your plan is right or felt unsure when your energy’s low or recovery is off – this episode is for you. Learn how to stop blindly following what an app tells you to eat and start building true confidence in your nutrition. In this episode, I cover: ⏱ 00:00 – Why this episode might make you uncomfortable (and that’s a good thing!)⏱ 01:20 – Where AI and apps get you halfway – and where they fall short⏱ 02:50 – The human factor AI can’t replicate: sleep, stress, life⏱ 04:00 – What real confidence in your nutrition actually looks like⏱ 09:20 – A real athlete case study: when a flashy AI plan under-fuelled a seasoned triathlete⏱ 13:40 – The danger of normalising under-fuelling and feeling flat⏱ 17:30 – Why education, not automation, is the real game-changer⏱ 19:45 – How to use AI as a tool – not a crutch⏱ 22:00 – The real reason the Triathlon Nutrition Academy exists Want to stop second guessing your nutrition? Register your interest for the next Triathlon Nutrition Academy intake and finally get 100% confident in how to fuel properly for three sports: dietitianapproved.com/academy Links & Resources 🎙 Listen to the N=1 Episode (EP 222) 👉 Grab the free Triathlon Nutrition Checklist to find out exactly what you're missing: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.

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.