Belinda Reynolds Australian Triathlon Endurance and Cycling Expo Interview

Calling all professional, recreational and junior, triathletes, runners, cyclists, swimmers and obstacle course enthusiasts! This July, Sydney will host a one stop shop for everything fitness related to get you sprinting out of the starter's block.

The Australian Triathlon Endurance & Cycling (ATEC) Expo will be staged at The Dome, Sydney Showground on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 July 2016 and is the second event in the series. The action packed expo will feature seven interactive zones and more than 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest in products in cycling, running, swimming and sports nutrition, racing apparel and equipment to boost training and athletic performance.

'The ATEC expo isn't just for professional athletes, it is for everyone with an interest in running, swimming, cycling and obstacle courses, from seasoned competitors to those just starting out," says Vanessa Maniatis, Informa Australia's Exhibition Director for ATEC, the country's only multi-sport exhibition.

The zones include Bike, Swim, Run, Nutrition, Technology, Obstacle and Endurance, and Junior and will enable visitors to trial the latest technology, sample products and purchase an expansive range of apparel at special expo prices. For the adrenaline junkies, The Raw Challenge Obstacle course will satisfy with a two metre high wall to conquer, and the S'cool Bikes Fat Bike Track will set the stage to road test the Euro-Bike award winner XXFat 20. If visitors are up for competitive cycling action, ATEC & the Lidcombe Auburn Cycling Club are presenting the Open Criterium on Saturday 23 July, featuring a series of cycling races, suitable for junior to elite riders.

New to the 2016 Expo is a Duathlon on Sunday 24 July, an official World championship qualifier event, presented by Elite Energy. Also new this year are the -Start-Up Zone', enabling entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their innovations, and -Club Corner', where visitors can engage with local based sporting clubs.

The seminar stage will host leading professional triathletes, nutritionists, cyclists and coaches, including Paul Newsome, Head Coach of world leading swim coaching company, Swim Smooth; expert bike fitter Aaron Dunford of Fusion Peak; and nutritionist Belinda Reynolds of IsoWhey Sports. Topics will cover everything from bike fitting and running technique, to training, diet, and injury prevention.

Companies exhibiting include: Canyon Australia & New Zealand, Xterra Wetsuits, IsoWhey Sports, 2XU, Bike Bug, Hoka One One, Dare2Tri, Injinji Performance Products, Rocktape, Science in Sport, 32Gi, Vivo Barefoot, CamelBak and more. A full list of exhibitors can be found here. Registration will open in April 2016.

Attendance at the Australian Triathlon Endurance & Cycling Expo (ATEC) is open to anyone with an interest in fitness and athletic performance. Sign up to receive FREE ENews here.

Australian Triathlon Endurance & Cycling (ATEC) Expo
Where: The Dome, 1 Showground Road, Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park NSW, 2127
When: Saturday 23 July 2016 9am - 5pm and
Sunday 24 July 2016 9am - 4pm
Ticket Price: $15/1 day pass $20/2 day pass. Children under 14 are free.
http://www.atecexpo.com.au/

Interview with Belinda Reynolds, Dietitian & Education Manager, FIT Bioceuticals

Belinda Reynolds graduated with an Honours Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics in 2003. She has been involved in the complementary medicine industry for over 16 years - 11 of these working for BioCeuticals as a Practitioner Sales Consultant, Team Leader, Presenter, Educator and Writer, with an involvement in Marketing and Product Development. Outside of this Belinda has spent time working in hospitals, lectured on Sports Nutrition at the Australasian College of Natural Therapies and has been a speaker at a number of industry events including that of ACNEM and the GPCE.

Belinda's greatest passion is assisting practitioners in developing their knowledge by presenting new research in the area of integrative medicine. Her key interests are immune modulation, the human microbiome, and the impact they have on overall health.


Question: What is the Australian Triathlon Endurance and Cycling Expo?

Belinda Reynolds: The Australian Triathlon Endurance and Cycling Expo is an event targeted to endurance athletes featuring the best in sports nutrition, endurance equipment and clothing for cyclists, triathletes and endurance runners.


Question: Why did you decide to get involved in the Australian Triathlon Endurance and Cycling Expo?

Belinda Reynolds: I will be representing IsoWhey Sports at the expo, a sports nutrition range targeted to endurance athletes, so this is the perfect market for us to be able to discuss advancements in sports nutrition with. The crowd is really engaged in trying to take their training to the next level, which makes it an exciting event to be a part of.


Question: What should attendees expect from the Australian Triathlon Endurance and Cycling Expo?

Belinda Reynolds: An expo that is specific to their needs as endurance athletes, which is hard to find at other sporting expos. All of the exhibitors and seminars are targeted to an endurance athlete's needs, whether they be a seasoned athlete, or just starting out at a new endurance sport.


Question: What are you most looking forward to at the Australian Triathlon Endurance and Cycling Expo?

Belinda Reynolds: Getting to present information on how nutrition can be used to maximise the health of athletes, and communicating just how powerful nutritional medicine can be.

Question: Which of the expert speakers are you looking forwarded to hearing from?

Belinda Reynolds: I'm looking forward to seeing the seminar on recovery principles and techniques.


Question: What advice do you have, food wise, for athletes wishing to boost performance?

Belinda Reynolds: I am a big believer in personalised nutrition, and therefore I don't believe there to be a one-size-fits all approach to diet. However, there are some key recommendations that are ideal to keep in mind when aiming to maximise health, and therefore performance. Protein is essential for muscle recovery, and therefore performance in subsequent training sessions. Regular intakes of protein at every meal will help to supply a regular availability of amino acids to support this process. Furthermore, it's important to remember that every biological process which occurs in the body requires a complex array of macro- and micro-nutrients, and water. Therefore diets should aim to maximise the intake of nutrients, and minimise the intake of toxic-type substances which ultimately deplete the system and put undue stress on the body.

So, look to lots of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, wholegrain carbohydrate sources, healthy protein and good hydration. Avoid over-processed foods with lots of additives, too much alcohol, artificial ingredients etc. This type of diet is supportive to maximal health, and is 'anti-inflammatory".


Question: Can you talk us through the types of food we can consume to aid in after-exercise fatigue?

Belinda Reynolds: There are a number of factors which can contribute to fatigue. Some examples may be glycogen depletion, dehydration, nutrient/electrolyte (e.g. magnesium) loss, poor fat usage as an energy source, inflammation, etc.

A good starting point is to rehydrate (don't drink more than you feel like) and consume sources of easily digested/assimilated carbohydrate and electrolytes. Furthermore, consuming protein will provide what the muscles need to recover, and antioxidant-rich ingredients can help to bring inflammation under control.


Question: How much water should we consume before endurance event?

Belinda Reynolds: This is very individual - and it is best to work on what feels right for you. The best advice is to drink in response to thirst. It is important to start an event well hydrated, so sip on water (possibly a hypotonic drink with some carbs and electrolytes) in the hours leading up to ensure you feel well hydrated.

Question: How important is iron for women approaching an endurance event?

Belinda Reynolds: Iron, just like many other nutrients, is essential for women. Women do tend to have greater requirements for iron due to the monthly blood loss that occurs through menstruation. Female athletes are also noted to be at a higher risk of iron deficiency. Iron is important for energy due to its role in delivering oxygen around the body. If you are deficient, not only will you fatigue more rapidly, but your immune system may be compromised, and your heart will have to work a lot harder to deliver oxygen to your working muscles. Therefore, ensure your iron status is maintained.

If you are significantly depleted, it can take 4 months to re-establish healthy levels in all blood cells, so regular iron consumption is important. Remember too that other nutrients are important for iron uptake and blood cell health, so eat a varied diet that also provides sufficient vitamin C, A, B12 and folate. Foods rich in iron include dark green leafy vegetables (have some red capsicum with it to boost the absorption of the iron), meats (pasture-fed are ideal), eggs, wholegrains, almond, tofu, and salmon.


Question: What tips do you have for achieving food goals, this year?

Belinda Reynolds: We are all so different and the most important thing is that you are following a diet/eating plan that makes you feel well and that you enjoy. Some tips may be:

Remember that food is there to fuel your body, and if you really care about being at your peak health, then eating well is very important.
Although eating well is very important most of the time, don't feel that you need to be perfect all of the time. If you are maintaining your health and fuelling your body well, it will be able to handle the odd treat.
If you have been consuming quite a poor diet in the past, and want to get healthy, a good approach can be to take it in steps, allowing each new step to become a habit before moving onto the next.

Appreciate just how powerful food can be in supporting your health - and that
Don't try to simply follow someone else's diet plan - you are less likely to stick with it if it doesn't fit with your tastes and lifestyle. Instead, take a look at your current eating plan and identify areas where you can make changes/replacements that will contribute to good health (e.g. replace white bread with wholegrain)
Be prepared - you are less likely to buy chips from the vending machine if you brought an apple and dry-roasted almonds along with you.


Interview by Brooke Hunter