The Iron Diet

A Cardiff Ironman triathlete has revealed details of his diet, which sees him eat up to 7,500 calories a day yet lose 8% of his body weight in a race.

IMG_5916

Tom Foster (24) describes the world of an Ironman – where ‘diet’ is the opposite of what you know.

An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a marathon. In order not to faint, he must consume over three times what the NHS recommends.

Breakfasts consist of industrial dollops of porridge. His lunch: sports drinks and 14 energy gels. After the race he eats pizza, cake and his mother’s lamb dinner. But even this does not erase his appetite for coffee.

“Immediately after I am dying for an espresso”, grins Foster.