What diet does Kristian Blummenfelt follow?

December 28, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a study in the Journal of Applied Physiology, elite triathlete Kristian Blummenfelt has daily energy expenditures that can exceed 8,500 calories during intense training. The demanding nature of his training dictates what diet does Kristian Blummenfelt follow, which is a strategically flexible, high-carb fueling plan rather than a restrictive regimen.

Quick Summary

Kristian Blummenfelt’s diet is a high-carbohydrate, periodized approach that prioritizes fueling and recovery over restriction, without strict calorie counting. It relies on intuitive eating, gut training, and strategic use of simple and complex carbohydrates to support immense training volume and race-day performance.

Key Points

High-Carbohydrate Focus: Blummenfelt's diet is centered on consuming large quantities of carbohydrates, both complex (oats, pasta) and simple (gels), to fuel his high training volume.
Intuitive Eating: He and his teammate Gustav Iden prioritize listening to their bodies rather than strictly counting every calorie, a flexible approach that reduces mental load.
Strategic Fueling: His nutrient intake is periodized, with a higher volume of quick-acting carbohydrates consumed directly before and during intense training sessions.
Gut Training: A key part of his strategy involves training his gut to absorb an exceptionally high amount of carbs (over 100g/hour during races) to maximize fuel availability.
No 'Banned' Foods: Blummenfelt avoids a restrictive mindset, focusing instead on timing and quantity, and incorporates a variety of foods into his diet.
High-Calorie Density: To meet his enormous energy needs, he consumes calorie-dense, nutrient-rich whole foods, avoiding low-calorie fillers like large salads.
Smart Supplementation: He uses science-backed supplements, like the adaptogen Plasmaide, to enhance oxygen uptake, energy, and recovery.
Recovery-Oriented: Post-training nutrition, including protein-rich meals or shakes, is a critical component for muscle repair and rebuilding.

The Norwegian Approach: Fueling the Machine

Triathlon's physical demands, especially at the Olympic and Ironman level, require a nutrition strategy focused on constant fueling and optimal recovery. Kristian Blummenfelt and his team, including coach Olav Aleksander Bu, have developed a flexible, high-carb system known as the 'Norwegian Method'. This approach challenges the traditional endurance athlete's fear of consuming too many calories, instead viewing food as essential fuel to maximize performance and training volume.

The Flexible, Intuitive Eating Philosophy

Unlike many athletes who obsess over meticulous calorie counting and strict dietary rules, Blummenfelt and his teammate Gustav Iden have moved towards a more intuitive eating style. After an initial period of tracking, they learned to listen to their bodies to determine their immense caloric needs. This frees up mental energy, allowing them to focus entirely on training and recovery. Blummenfelt has publicly stated there are no "banned" foods in his diet; the focus is on when and how much to eat.

Carb Loading: The Core of the Diet

Carbohydrates are the cornerstone of Blummenfelt's nutritional strategy. He categorizes his carb intake based on timing and effort.

Long Carbohydrates: For sustaining energy throughout the day and fueling less intense training, he consumes complex carbohydrates. These include foods like oats, rice, potatoes, and pasta.
Short Carbohydrates: Before and during high-intensity sessions, he incorporates more simple, rapidly digestible carbs, often through sports nutrition products from partners like Maurten. This strategic timing ensures a quick energy source is available when his body needs it most.

A Day in the Life: Fueling Kristian Blummenfelt

Blummenfelt's day is structured around his intense training sessions, with nutrition meticulously planned around these efforts.

Morning Fuel

Pre-Training: A pre-workout routine always includes a strong cup of coffee, and sometimes a second. Breakfast often consists of a pre-prepared meal, such as overnight oats with yogurt and nuts, providing a solid base of complex carbs and healthy fats.
During Session: For his long bike rides, he consumes a significant amount of calories, mixing them into his bottles. During Ironman distances, he has trained his gut to absorb over 100 grams of carbohydrates per hour using hydrogels, far exceeding traditional recommendations.

Mid-day and Post-Training

Lunch: Following a tough morning workout, lunch focuses on replenishing glycogen stores and repairing muscles. This includes a mix of carbohydrates and protein, with examples ranging from chicken sandwiches to hot dogs on specific days.
Recovery: He emphasizes eating a protein and carb-rich meal or using a shake within 20 minutes of finishing a session.

Evening Refuel

Dinner: The evening meal is typically centered on a source of lean protein like beef, chicken, or fish, accompanied by plenty of carbohydrates and vegetables. Potatoes, rice, and pasta are common staples.
Dessert: Even dessert plays a role in his recovery and calorie intake, with chocolate, granola, and ice cream being options to top up his enormous daily caloric needs.

The Role of Strategic Supplementation

In addition to whole foods, Blummenfelt utilizes supplements to optimize performance and recovery. One notable partner is Plasmaide, an adaptogen that enhances oxygen uptake, energy, and recovery. This focus on advanced sports science tools is a hallmark of the Norwegian training group.

Intuitive Eating vs. Calorie Counting


Feature	Kristian Blummenfelt's Approach (Intuitive)	Traditional Athlete Diet (Calorie-Focused)
Tracking	Focus on feeling and fueling based on training demands.	Meticulous tracking of every calorie and macronutrient.
Dietary Flexibility	No food is entirely off-limits, emphasizing timing and quantity.	Often involves restrictive 'clean eating' rules and banned foods.
Mental Load	Reduces mental stress associated with constant food monitoring.	High mental load, can lead to disordered eating patterns.
Energy Density	Prioritizes nutrient-dense foods with high-calorie density to meet needs.	May prioritize low-calorie, high-volume foods, risking insufficient energy intake.
Gut Training	Purposefully trains the gut to absorb a very high volume of carbs per hour.	Adheres to general carbohydrate absorption limits (e.g., 60-90g/hr).

A Conclusion on Blummenfelt's Fueling Strategy

Kristian Blummenfelt's nutritional strategy is far from a simple diet plan. It is a highly sophisticated, yet flexible, system designed to meet the extreme energy demands of an Olympic and Ironman champion. The core principles—prioritizing carbohydrates, intuitive eating over strict counting, strategic fueling, and using advanced supplementation—reflect a modern, science-backed approach to endurance sports nutrition. This 'Norwegian Method' demonstrates that a flexible, abundant intake of calories, carefully timed around training, is the key to unlocking peak performance and long-term athletic success. The emphasis is not on dieting for aesthetics, but on fueling the engine to push the boundaries of human endurance.

Visit the Maurten website for more on hydrogel sports nutrition.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, Kristian Blummenfelt and his training partner Gustav Iden do not count calories meticulously. Instead, they rely on intuitive eating and listening to their bodies' needs to meet their immense energy demands.

Blummenfelt consumes a mix of both long and short carbohydrates. Long carbs like oats, rice, potatoes, and pasta are used for sustained energy, while short carbs from gels and sports drinks are used strategically before and during intense workouts.

Gut training is the process of gradually increasing the amount of carbohydrates consumed during training to improve the body's ability to absorb fuel during a race. Blummenfelt trains his gut to absorb over 100 grams of carbs per hour to prevent glycogen depletion during endurance events.

According to Blummenfelt, there are no 'banned' foods in his diet. His approach is flexible, focusing on timing and quantity rather than strict restrictions, allowing for a balanced intake.

Supplements are used to optimize his performance and recovery. He uses products like Plasmaide to enhance oxygen uptake, energy levels, and recovery, which are all key for his high training load.

During long-course events like an Ironman, Blummenfelt's fueling strategy is aggressive, aiming for over 100 grams of carbohydrates per hour, often delivered through hydrogel sports drinks and gels.

His meals are centered on carbs and protein. Breakfast might be oatmeal, lunch could be a chicken sandwich, and dinner typically includes lean protein with vegetables and a carbohydrate source like potatoes or rice.