Training for Your First HYROX? Robin Arzón Shares Her Top Nutrition Tips

Robin Arzón recently completed her fastest HYROX race yet, and she says the difference came down to how she fueled her training.

HYROX combines endurance and strength, with eight 1-kilometer runs broken up by eight functional workout stations. For first-time competitors, preparing for that challenge means learning not only how to train, but also how to eat in a way that supports energy and recovery. (1,2,3)

Arzón, who is a vegan athlete and author of her plant-based, protein-packed cookbook, Eat to Hustle, thinks about workout nutrition through three lenses: “energy, recovery, body composition.” After experiencing the difference between properly fueling a race and simply getting through it, she wants other athletes to experience it, too. Here, she shares the practical lessons shaping how she fuels for the challenge.

1. Time Your Carbs Around Training

Arzón’s first tip is straightforward: “Time your carbs around training for energy.”

She strongly disagrees with the idea that carbohydrates are the enemy. Bread and other carbohydrate-rich foods are part of her regular routine, and she may increase her attention to carbs when preparing for an endurance event.

For a first-time HYROX athlete, the practical lesson is to plan carbohydrate-containing meals or snacks around workouts instead of treating carbs as something to avoid. Carbohydrate recommendations vary with the length and intensity of the activity, as well as the athlete’s individual needs. (2)

Athletes preparing for endurance and hybrid events like HYROX often practice carb loading for running and strength efforts. This is also something to practice during training. Race week is not the time to completely reinvent your meals or experiment with foods you have never tried before. Practicing your fueling strategy can help you learn what and how much you can comfortably tolerate while exercising. (3)

2. Find Foods You Can Tolerate While Running

HYROX alternates eight 1-kilometer runs with eight functional workout stations, so food needs to provide energy without leaving you uncomfortable once you start moving. (1)

“Find foods you can tolerate while running,” Arzón advises.

That may take some trial and error. A food that works well several hours before a workout may feel very different when eaten shortly before running. Use training sessions to learn what sits comfortably, how much time you need to digest it, and which foods are easiest to manage when the workout is long or intense. Research suggests that the digestive system can adapt to repeated fueling practice during exercise. (3)

Arzón applies that thinking to her own schedule. She often teaches around lunchtime, so she chooses protein-forward meals that will not feel too heavy before she needs to teach or run. She generally avoids a large salad during the day because that much fiber may not sit comfortably before activity.

The point is not that athletes should avoid salads or fiber. It is that meal timing and digestion matter—and your own training sessions are the best place to learn what works for you. (3)

3. Include Protein at Every Meal

Arzón’s next recommendation is to “have protein at every meal for recovery.” As a vegan who prioritizes protein, her number-one food pick is tofu—and she reportedly takes it almost everywhere.

Tofu has traveled with Arzón in her car, in her stroller, and even to the ESPYs. When deciding what to carry in her clutch for the event, she apparently chose two essentials: her phone and some tofu.

But her current approach to protein did not happen automatically. Arzón worked with a nutrition professional to set her macro targets, then used MyFitnessPal to understand what those targets looked like in her everyday meals.

“MyFitnessPal showed me that I wasn’t eating as much protein as I thought. Now I make protein part of every meal—and tofu is my number one. It goes everywhere with me,” Arzón says.

Arzón now has a personal protein target of 150 grams per day, but that is not a universal recommendation. Protein needs vary based on factors such as body size, activity, training volume, total energy intake, and goals. Protein supports muscle protein synthesis and exercise recovery, but total daily intake is generally more important than hitting a narrow post-workout window. (4)

In addition to tofu, Arzón’s regular plant-based protein sources include tempeh, beans, protein powder, and protein breads or bagels. She also begins most mornings with a smoothie made with greens and protein powder.

4. Make Sure You Are Eating Enough

One of tracking’s biggest surprises for Arzón was learning that she was not always eating enough, even when she felt full.

She had worked with a nutrition professional to set her macro targets, but logging helped her understand what those targets looked like in actual meals. It also taught her more about appropriate portion sizes—something she wishes she had learned earlier in her athletic journey.

That awareness matters during HYROX training because a growing workload may require adjustments to the way you eat. Consistently falling short on energy relative to exercise demands can affect an athlete’s health, training response, and performance. (5)

Arzón trains consistently throughout the year, so she does not completely overhaul her nutrition for every event. Instead, she keeps her intake aligned with her activity and pays closer attention to signs of fatigue, including soreness and changes in sleep.

However, it’s important to note that energy and macronutrient needs are highly individual and change with factors such as training load and goals. Tracking can be a way to compare what you think you are eating with what you are actually eating and discuss any gaps with a registered dietitian or another qualified professional. (2,4,5)

5. Put Everyday Nutrition on Autopilot

Arzón takes much of the daily guesswork out of eating by planning ahead. She typically meal preps on Sundays, making foods she can turn into bowls, wraps, and salads throughout the week. Breakfast is usually a smoothie with greens and protein powder, while dinner often includes tofu, tempeh, or beans.

Having familiar options ready also makes her meals easier to track in MyFitnessPal. Together, tracking and meal prep help her stay consistent when training gets intense.

“I don’t have to think about what to eat anymore,” Arzón says. “MyFitnessPal tells me exactly what I need to fuel my body, so I can focus on the workout in front of me.”

That structure does not mean every meal has to follow a rigid plan. Arzón cooks by feel, remixes what she already has, and values consistency over perfection.

She is also sharing recipes from her cookbook, Eat to Hustle, through her MyFitnessPal collection – Robin Arzon’s Protein Eats. “Sharing recipes from Eat to Hustle in the app felt like the natural next step, since it’s the food that actually gets me through my own training,” she says.

First-time HYROX athletes can take a similar approach by finding a few repeatable breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks that support their training. Familiar meals can simplify shopping, preparation, and tracking during an already demanding week.

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How To Train for the HYROX Race: Nutrition Edition

6. Use Tracking to Learn—Not to Grade Yourself

Arzón once thought tracking and meal prep would create more work. Her experience has been the opposite.

“I enjoy tracking. It’s a game,” she says.

Logging helped her learn about portions, protein, and whether she was adequately fueling her goals. It also reduced the mental work involved in planning meals because she could see what she needed and prepare accordingly.

When MyFitnessPal shared that users who log food for four days during their first week are seven times more likely to hit their goal, Arzón’s reaction was: “Humans create their own momentum.”

You do not need a flawless log for tracking to teach you something. The useful information is often in the patterns: which meals leave you energized, whether you regularly miss a nutrient target, or what you ate before a workout that felt particularly good—or particularly rough.

7. Do Not Let One Off Day Become the Whole Story

HYROX preparation will not always follow the plan. You may miss a workout, eat differently than expected, or have a week when meal prep does not happen.

Arzón does not believe those moments require guilt, punishment, or an elaborate reset.

“I don’t have to mentally recover. Just start again,” she says.

That may be one of her most useful tips for a first-time competitor. Consistency is built across many meals and training sessions. One different day does not erase the work you have already done, and it does not need to dictate what happens next.

Return to your regular meal, your next planned workout, or your next log. Starting again can be that simple.

Bottom Line

Arzón’s nutrition routine is personal to her body, goals, and training schedule, but her advice offers a practical starting point for first-time HYROX athletes: use carbs to support training, include protein throughout the day, practice your workout foods in advance, and pay attention to whether you are eating enough. (2,3,4,5)

Her most recent HYROX result showed her what can change when nutrition becomes part of the training plan. “Once you feel what it’s like to actually fuel a race instead of just surviving it, you want everyone training around you to feel that too,” Arzón says. “Momentum is contagious in that way.”

Her plant-based athlete diet also demonstrates that vegan athletes can fuel competitive performance with the right strategy and consistency.

Explore Robin Arzón’s Protein Eats recipe collection in the MyFitnessPal app, including her Crispy Air-Fried Tofu Nuggets.

Consider reading next

How To Train for the HYROX Race: Recipes and Meal Prep Edition

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