Jukka Valkonen is not your average Joe. He’s a member of Team USA and has competed in over 350 triathlete races. Full stop - that’s rad and quite an accomplishment. But that’s not all, he’s also a clinician and his family also includes two elite, young adult athletes. So it’s safe to say Jukka knows his food and knows how to use it to fuel his body for endurance.

How does Jukka approach food? “For me, nutrition is critical but I don't diet or follow trends like keto. In my medical practice we commonly recommend patients follow some form of the Mediterranean diet, which I don't consider a diet, but rather, a robust selection of foods common in the Mediterranean Basin.”

Why eat Noodelist? “It has just the right amount of protein, carbs, and fats along with calories. I especially enjoy Noodelist’s Bold & Juicy Shiitake soup after training in cold weather. It has a really nice ginger bite and is just the right meal to warm the body. If it’s been a particularly hard training, I’ll add fish to my soup.” 

How can the average Joe leverage Noodelist in workouts? “The 30 minutes post-training/workout is your optimal window for initial refueling. This is also why I like Noodelist, because I can quickly make and consume the meal within this period.”

Jukka, we at Noodelist think you rock, and are stoked to be part of fueling your training and healthy lifestyle. We may not be able to compete with you but we’ll be happy to (wo)man an aid station to make sure you get noodles to power you through. Here’s to training like a boss! Way to go Jukka!

Noodle on!