Now, you have to figure out how to look good outside of your tri shorts and wetsuit.  T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops are comfortable, but not at all flattering.  This is not vanity, but sensible–how we present ourselves sends a message about us to everyone we meet, and we ought to control what that message is.

Here are some tips for how you, a fit endurance athlete, can make fashion choices to help others see you in a positive light:

(Note: I will speak mostly about mens fashion.  With apologies to the lovely triathlete ladies, I don’t know enough about womens fashion to comment authoritatively on that issue.  However, some points below apply to men and women.)

• Be conscious of when and where you wear your race jerseys. Wearing a race jersey is a signal that (a) you’re a racer, (b) you’re proud of this and (c) you’re willing to talk about it, and possibly be judged for it.  If you’re cool with sending those signals in a social situation, then by all means wear your race shirt (seriously)!  Just be aware of these signals when you consider donning your race shirt.  (I recommend choosing race shirts that have personal significance, such as your first triathlon or your first Ironman.)
• Choose “slim fit” and “modern fit” shirts and pants. Normal fit shirts and pants tend to be too baggy on fit men.  Slim fit shirts have higher armholes and more of a taper at the waist, and slim fit pants have a higher inseam and are smaller through the leg.
• If you lose more than about 20 pounds, it’s time to get some new clothes. As your body changes shape, your old clothes won’t look as good.  It’s 100% okay to splurge on some new clothes when you hit a weight loss milestone!
• Don’t wear athletic socks when doing something not athletic. Short white socks are not appropriate casual attire.  If you’re wearing slacks, wear long socks that cover the calf.  For shorts, wear no socks or socks that are not visible above the shoe line.  For jeans or casual pants, it depends on the type of shoe you’re wearing.
• Don’t wear athletic shoes when doing something not athletic. There’s such a thing as a comfortable casual shoe that’s (gasp) *NOT* an old running shoe!  Go find a pair or two that goes well with jeans or your chinos and call it a day.
• Athletic sunglasses are rarely fashionable. Get a pair that looks good for an afternoon out on the town.  Leave the Oakley Half Jackets at home.
• Get to know your local tailor. Most off-the-rack clothes are not made to fit your body type.  A good tailor can make an off-the-rack suit look almost like a bespoke item.  They can even take in the sides of your (probably too baggy) dress shirts!  And they can certainly hem your pants, which are probably too short or too long.
• Shoes match the socks match the belt! Men, this is the most important thing you’ll read all day.  Brown shoes, brown socks, brown belt.  Black shoes, black socks, black belt.  No exceptions (not even for Tim Gunn). Got it?

Now, there appears to be a study that supports this notion of drinking more water to lose weight.  I am trying to find the text to the study itself, but I’m not having any luck.  In the mean time, here are some articles describing the study.

It seems to have a reliable methodology.  All subjects were instructed to restrict their caloric intake, while the test group drank 0.5L of water before each meal and the control did not receive any special drinking instructions.

The only flaw I can detect is the relatively small sample size.  Additionally, the particular samples chosen for this study (55-75 year olds who are not physically active) causes this study to be slightly less relevant for triathletes and other endurance sport athletes, as well as younger people.

However, it’s nice to get scientific confirmation for a “hunch” that many of us have had for a while–drinking lots of water can help you lose weight!

Note: it’s probably a bad idea for anyone who exercises for more than 3-4 hours/week to do a low carb diet.  More than this and your body starts to require carbohydrates for fuel.  So, don’t go gung-ho for lo-carb if you’re seriously training for triathlons or another endurance sport event.

Low carb diets, for the most part, operate on two basic principles:

1. Eating fewer carbs forces your body to metabolize fat as an energy source.  This process allows for weight to be lost in a slightly more efficient manner.
2. Eating more protein and fat (and, to a certain degree, dietary fiber) helps you to get “full” faster.

In the initial phase of the diet (called “induction” in the Atkins Diet), the dieter cuts virtually all carbohydrates from his or her diet.  He or she is limited to just 20g/day of carbs, all of which come from leafy vegetables and a small amount of cheese.  No bread, no sugar, no starch.  In fact, the dieter will mostly be eating animal products (steak, fish, chicken, eggs, etc) with some vegetables also.

After this phase, the dieter gradually re-introduces certain carbohydrates back into his or her diet.  First to be re-introduced are certain vegetables such as carrots, followed by things like nuts, certain fruits and eventually certain grain products on a limited basis.  Weight loss will be slowed and diet will stabilize as well.

I’ve found that the greatest amount of focus is placed on the initial induction phase.  While this is understandable, as it’s the most drastic of the phases of the diet, it’s a misnomer to associate low carb diets entirely with the induction phase.

In reality, after the first two weeks and the gradual re-introduction of more “normal” foods into one’s diet, the food choices of a low carb dieter are really quite good: lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, certain dairy products and whole grains, and minimal starches/sweets.  This is a diet that anyone can sustain and enjoy indefinitely.

Again, serious athletes require larger quantities of carbohydrates to fuel their workouts.  However, if you’re not seriously training for an endurance sport event (such as a triathlon), a low carb diet is a relatively easy and sustainable way to lose weight and keep it off.