IM Kona '15: Day 6

After a lot of training this past weekend in Kona, Monday was a well-needed recovery day. 

Karel wanted to swim in the ocean so I walked down with him to the pier and walked around while he swam for 25 minutes. 

It's amazing to see how the island has changed over the past few days now that more athletes, spectators and volunteers are arriving for the race. 

There is signage everywhere - it's hard to forget that it's IM Kona race week!

It's so great to see so many familiar faces here in Kona - it seems silly but with so many people on a small little island, it's really easy to bump into people you know.

We made the list!!!

Marni #2129
Karel #1739

A wall of names in front of the Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel  (host hotel).


After Karel's swim, we walked back to our condo and got ready for an EZ 1 hour spin on the Queen K Hwy.

Karel and I kept seeing this crater-like hole on the side of the road so we stopped by it to take a picture before turning around on our ride (it's just a mile or so down the road from the airport on the right)

After our ride, it was time for a meal and then we hung around the condo for a while before riding our bikes a few miles down the road on Ali'i drive to the Oakley Safe house to hang out with Greg Welch and to receive some awesome Oakley swag. 

Custom Oakley bike cruisers. 

Be sure to follow Oakley on social media!

Karel hanging out inside the Oakley Safe house. 

The view inside in the Oakley Safe house - open windows everywhere!

No filter needed...what a view!

Thank you Oakley - we LOVE our new race day Flak 2.0 shades!

We love our Oakley family!!!

Thank you Oakley and Oakley Women for spoiling us!!!

After our Oakley visit, it was time for coffee (and a danish) from Kope Lani to hang out with  my friend (and Ironman editor) Jennifer. We only see each other in Kona (and once at IMFL) so it is a nice yearly check-in with each other to talk in person (and not via email).
Jennifer stays super busy with Ironman.com content all week so I was happy to see her before her madness begins. 

Karel and I spent the rest of the afternoon laying around before heading to the grocery store and then it was time for dinner.
Earlier in the day, I made this delicious potato, edamame, chickpea, onion and mushroom stir fry (with olive oil) which hit the spot in the evening. Karel got some fresh bread at the store which went perfectly with this dish.

We stayed up a bit later this evening watching a few episodes of Breakfast with Bob on You Tube and then one episode of House of Cards on my iPad (via Netflix) so by 9:30pm, we were asleep. 

Triathlon training tips: Pre-race nutrition, swim, bike, run

I am always excited to share my knowledge and experience with others, especially to the newbie triathletes who are about to train for (or race in) their first triathlon. 

If this is you (or someone you know), you are about to step inside a fun, rewarding, inspiring, active lifestyle with a wonderful community of passionate, like-minded, multi-thinking, time management experts who love to challenge the body and mind to reach goals and to push physiological limits. 

A big thanks to Oakley Women for letting me share my triathlon training tips with you all!

To read more about my trip to Laguna beach with Oakley Women this past spring, click HERE.

PRE RACE NUTRITION TIPS

SWIM TIPS

BIKE TIPS

RUN TIPS

Any questions? Send me an email via my website:
TRIMARNICOACH.COM

Diet Myth or Fact - carbs, dairy, spinach, gluten. My responses to your questions

Last Friday I held another all-day chat with Oakley Women on Facebook. in honor of National Nutrition Month.
The topic was "Myths and Truths about diet, exercise and health"

Thank you for everyone for your great questions! Here are my responses below.

Q.  What is your take on not eating carbohydrates for dinner and sticking to lean protein and veggies. In order to minimize calories before bedtime/less energy expenditure at night. 

Breakfast being biggest meal and decreasing throughout the day based on training session timing.

A.  great question. There's two ways that I like to see food - for fuel and for health. There many great nutrients found in food that we never want to restrict a healthy food for fear of calories. It is important to think about the nutrients in food, throughout the entire day. Food for fuel means using the food that we eat to give us energy when we need it (or need to recover). If there is minimal working out in the evening (or movement throughout the afternoon/evening) I would focus on your protein and veggies but still include a healthy portion of carbohydrates for the brain needs carbohydrates just as much as the muscles do for exercising and daily functioning. Since veggies have carbohydrates in them, you are still getting some great nutrients with your dinner meal. But if you feel like something is missing from your dinner meal, I would add 1/2- 1 cup whole grains added to this meal (or small potato or 1 cup fruit) to make the meal a bit more balanced and to help you set yourself up for a great morning workout. If a person is working out in the evening, the meal after the workout can be similar to what I mentioned above but I would also recommend a small post workout snack to prevent overeating/cravings in the late evening (ex. 8 ounce milk + 1 cup cheerios post workout before meal OR 10-15g protein powder + piece of fruit). But I do feel it's a great idea to focus on when your body is going to use the energy in carbohydrates the most and starting your day with a satisfying carb + protein rich breakfast is a great idea. The body is constantly using energy and we use a lot for sleeping (liver glycogen) so I always encourage individuals to think about the day as a whole so that every day sets you up for a better next day. Hope this helps.

Q. I wanted to ask about Spinach. My parents keep telling me to stop having spinach smoothie every day as Spinach messes up the uric acid levels in people. I dont understand that.

A. great question. For individuals suffering from gout (a form of arthritis), a diet rich in purines may overproduce uric acid. This is why it's really important to focus on an overall healthy and balanced diet for too much of any one thing can often be a possible health concern. For individuals who are otherwise healthy, our kidneys do a great job of eliminating excess uric acid and our liver does a great job to help with dextoxification, metabolism, immunity and digestion. When it comes to our human body, there's a lot going on and often times we do not appreciate how much it does for us when we are in good health. my suggestion is to vary your greens and veggies - aim for a variety of color throughout the day. Hope this helps.

Q. What are your thoughts on dairy, Marni? I've been seeing a trend of dairy products getting a bad rap in some circles. Can it be healthfully included in an athlete's daily diet?

A. thanks for asking. I do not feel that low fat dairy is unhealthy. As a clinical RD, I do find that many people overeat dairy and that can increase the risk for health problems (PCOS,respiratory issues, several type of cancers) but when consumed in a portioned controlled manner, it also can be helpful for overall health due to the probiotics and nutrients found in milk. I would recommend for any individual, to aim for 2-3 servings of low fat dairy a day - it adds up quickly: 1 ounce cheese, 8 ounce milk and 1 cup yogurt. But if dairy is removed from the diet for dietary/clniical, personal or other reasons it is important to address the nutrients that were in dairy (Ex. B vitamins, potassium, iron, calcium, etc.) to ensure they are being consumed elsewhere in the diet or in supplemental form. I am a fan of milk post workout because of the great amino acid profile (plus it is very accessible and affordable) along with calcium, vitamin D and potassium.

Q. Part 1: Everyone says you shouldn't eat after a certain time. Not including fueling after a late evening workout...what about a "bedtime snack" if you find yourself waking up at night due to hunger? Is it better to have something light before bed or tough it out?

A.  great question! One of the most important parts of mindful/intuitive eating is to always honor your biological hunger which is different than eating out of boredom, emotions or stress. If you are truly hungry, I would recommend a small snack before bed. What eat depends on many situations (what you had for dinner/early that day, morning workout, issues with blood sugar, sleeping habits, etc.) but the easiest thing to start with is something that makes you feel good when you go to bed but also when you wake up you don't feel any feelings of regret of what you ate last night. Many times, people will overeat in the evening due to not spreading out calories and macronutrients properly throughout the day and end up overeating before bed and then feeling a bit off the next morning. My favorites are 1 ounce dark chocolate with a few berries or small piece of fruit or 1/4 cup cottage cheese or 1 glass of milk with small handful cheerios.

Q. Part 2: what if you aren't hungry when you go to bed? But it's that you wake up around 2-3am hungry? ...yes, this has been me the last 2 nights! 

A. If this is happening just recently, it could be due to the time change and the body/hormones resetting itself. If your training routine has increase in volume/intensity, the body could be continuing to repair itself through the diet. I would recommend to add a tad bit more fat/protein to your evening meal. Typically I would recommend around 20-30g of protein (aim for around 30g) and at least 10-15g of fat at your meal. This may help slow down digestion a bit more and help with tissue repair.

Q. I need help with breakfast on the go!! Any ideas except yogurt? I don't have access to a microwave.

A. This answer will depend on where you are eating as well for some options in the car will be different than behind a desk due to use of utensils. You could do a cold dish - like milk, muesli, fruit and chia seeds or a dish that was cooked ahead of time like rice, veggies and your choice of protein (something unconventional). Wraps are great for the go, just be sure to read ingredients and nutrition facts for the wrap. You could also make your own crepe or pancakes or waffles or get some bread and dress it up to eat when you get at work with whipped cream cheese and fruit, cheese your choice of protein and veggies. Another option is to make a quick stop at a gas station if you do need to warm-up a meal. Typically they have microwaves so you could heat oatmeal or a leftover breakfast casserole for 90 sec and be good to go until you get to work. I find that individuals who need a meal on the go in the morning often benefit from a snack (like a mini meal) 2 hours later to keep from overeating/cravings later in the day. I recommend something like fruit and nuts for a mid morning snack to help you balance out that meal on the go before lunch time. There are a lot of unconventional options - ex make your own bars, popcorn, smoothie, etc. so instead of thinking of the meal that it has to be a standard "breakfast" looking meal, think about a combination of carbs, protein and fat to make it a balanced and yummy meal.

Q. What do you think of the gluten free diet Marni?

A. For individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerances, it is necessary and essential to follow a gluten free diet due to not risking further damage to the intestinal tract or risking malabsorption of vitamins/minerals. I do not feel that the otherwise healthy individual needs to worry about gluten being bad but instead how meals that have gluten are being consumed (food types and quantity) Rather than choosing, let's say a sandwich on wheat bread (gluten) on the go (possibly eating behind the wheel of the car), we should be turning that sandwich inside out, sitting down and eating a plant strong meal with utensils. There are many countries who consume rye and gluten containing whole grains but also have a different lifestyle than we do in the US - dedicating more time for meals and meal planning/eating. Certainly this isn't going to be possible all the time but I do not feel that simply avoiding gluten is going to improve overall health because gluten isn't what we need to blame why many people struggle with optimal health these day. Myself including, I eat gluten and consider myself healthy. Also, before excluding the diet of any one food/group, I always address if a person can develop a healthier relationship with food and the body first. If a person does choose to not eat gluten, I do recommend to choose gluten free grains and to ensure the individual is not lacking on carbohydrates as well. Many gluten -free processed foods on the shelves are not fortified very well (and often high in sodium) so the thinking may be to get healthy without gluten but instead, create another issue of relying too much on processed food. Choosing a real food diet as much as possible will help the individual who is seeking health changes consume more vitamins and minerals that the body is equipped to digest and absorb. Lastly, everyone digests food differently so if you feel better not eating one food, meet with a RD to address individual needs. there's nothing wrong with having intolerances or likes/dislikes with food, but just be sure whatever nutrients are in a food you are not eating (if a healthy food) can be found in another food or in supplemental form. 

http://wholegrainscouncil.org/.../gluten-free-whole-grains

Q. I'm also a fan of milk post-workout, but have looked at soy protein as an alternative. From a recovery standpoint, after a long workout would you consider dairy or soy as the more complete option?

A. Soy is a fine alternative. It is a complete protein so it contains all essential amino acids and also contains many great antioxidants as well to help the body that experiences oxidative stress during workouts. Soy does have a slightly slower digestion rate compared to cow's milk or whey protein. Also there is some research that the isoflavones in soy may disrupt hormonal balance after workouts but if you are not likely to drink whey protein (the gold standard of proteins) post workout, either organic cow milk or GMO free soy milk are fine (8-12 ounces)\to ensure you are getting in at least 10g protein post workout. Another option for those who do not do animal proteins or soy is almond milk mixed with 10-15g brown rice + pea protein powder. And I also have to mention that we can not overthink post workout nutrition for many athletes are not fueling properly before/during workouts that no amount of protein/post workout nutrition can help a body that is too broken done from not being fueled/paced properly during a workout. It's best to work with a RD specializing in sport nutrition to figure out the best strategy for an active body who is training for an event.

Q. I do not eat red meat, however, I do try to incorporate other good sources of protein into my diet. What is the best way to know if you are getting enough protein to support a challenging training schedule?

A. great question. For active individuals or those who are trying to lose weight, it's very important to space out protein throughout the day to ensure that bone density is not being lost. The best way to absorb protein is to aim for around 20-30g per meal although this number can be slightly higher at times but this is a good range to aim for. we also want to focus on the quality of protein that we are eating (ex. animal or plant based instead of processed food like a protein bar) to ensure that we are receiving all essential and non essential amino acids. 1ounce animal protein = 7g protein so aiming for around 3-4 ounces of animal protein or choose a plant based protein instead. Typically I recommend for active individuals to aim for at least 1.2g per kg of body weight as a good start to ensure you are getting enough protein. So for a #130lb female this would be around 70g per day. However, we also want to focus on protein w/ carbs to help with muscle/tissue repair so I would tack on an additional 5-10g protein pre longer workout (with around 40-60g carbs for 2+ hour workouts) and around 15-25g protein (+ around 45-70g carbs post workout). Also keep in mind as training load increases, the more emphasis on making sure you are not only repairing tissues with protein but maintaining adequate carb stores in the muscles, liver and brain. all reccs are suggestions, best to meet with a RD specializing in sport nutrition to determine your individual needs. For individuals who do not eat a lot of meat or looking for a varied protein diet, here's a helpful link of protein choices (however, for athletes just be sure you are not missing essential amino acids from specific plant based proteins so be sure to vary your diet as much as possible):

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.php

The easiest place to start is just being more aware of what you are eating at your meals. This can be an easy place to either over/under eat on protein. Also once you get into that range you may find yourself more satisfied and with blood sugar better controlled which will help with energy and eating the rest of the day.  The funny thing is that we know more and more about the science of nutrition today but our society is more and more confused. Best to not overthink it - there's no perfect diet but rather one that is balanced and varied and of course, one that you actually enjoy and can enhance your lifestyle and quality of life.

Q. What a wonderful option to be able to chat with you today! Myself and others have struggles with knowing just how much to eat around their activity level. Some people say to not count calories. Other people to say completely eliminate carbs, or sugar, or even meat- as you know. Personally, Ive always loved eating and used to carry 30 more pounds than I do now. Calorie counting has worked for me in the past, with incorporating whole foods a majority of the time, and of course making sure I enjoy it as I go- somehow no matter what I like to eat, and feel full/satisfied, so calorie counting helps me stay in check (measurements etc). When trying to cut fat, however, which is many an active woman's goal, how do you recommend approaching that fat loss? Also, how does one truly know how much to eat depending on their workouts? How do we know what and how much to eat post workout (anything from a 30 minute weight lifting sesh to an hour long intense HIIT class). Where would one start in understanding how much they should eat to accomplish a healthier lifestyle and tackle fat loss goals, obviously replenish oneself while still targeting fat loss? THANKS! Miss all you Oakley ladies!

A. A lot of great questions. When it comes to figuring out what works best for you, it's always best to work with a professional, like a RD and to visit a physician for blood work to discover what's really going on in the body. I feel this is why many people struggle with healthy living is because much of their information comes from the internet, blogs and magazines instead of professionals treating the person as an individual with unique needs. I do not encourage individuals to avoid fat but like any macronutrient, it's important to focus on enough - not too much/not to little. In a real food emphasized diet I recommend around 50-55% carbohydrates, ~30% heart healthy fats and around 1.2g-1.5g/kg/bw protein based on daily recommended caloric needs (ex. harris benedict formula). It's important to include fat/protein with carbs at each meal to help with blood sugar but also to keep the body satisfied. By doing this, there will be more consistency with energy and eating, thus a healthier relationship with food and the body and hopefully workouts will be consistent and that brings changes in body composition. We need consistency for results to happen. Post workout, I recommend to have a small snack or meal that includes protein and carbs. We discussed in the last chat (which is also on my blog about reccs for amounts) but typically around 10-15g protein post workout for a snack and then meal with around 20-25g protein or go for the meal with around 25-30g of protein. For carbohydrates, I recommend around 45-70g of carbs per meal with some of that being included in a post workout snack for individuals seeking weight loss, depending on the individual health/activity goals. Hopefully this helps. 

http://trimarni.blogspot.com/.../juicing-salt-tabs...

Juicing, salt tabs, creatine, dairy, belly fat - your questions answered by an RD!

Did you participate in the Oakley Women chat on Friday? If not, no worries! 

I will be back next Friday to answer your questions on another great nutrition topic in honor of National Nutrition Month.

You can check out all of the great questions and my responses on the Oakley Women  page but I wanted to share some of the questions and my responses on my blog that I felt would apply to all of you athletes and fitness enthusiasts. 

Thank you everyone for your great questions and for taking time to pick my brain!

Q: Hi Marni - Is there a big difference between peanut butter and almond butter? I have always eaten peanut butter, but I've been told that almond butter is healtier. Any insight you can provide there (note: I have a crazy addition to PB! hahah). 

A. don't worry - a peanut butter addiction is a good one to have. I recommend a natural  PB (ex. Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter) but any nut butter is fine. The key is just the nuts  and salt as the ingredients to avoid added sugars. Nuts are rich in heart healthy fats but they are calorie dense so portion around 1 tbsp per sitting. Enjoy!

Q. I have heard that peanut butter can be an inflammatory for some people while almond butter certainly is not. Any truth in this?

A. Great question - I try to not dissect food too much for I feel a varied diet is the best way to avoid eating too much of any one thing. Peanuts (being a legume) offer great mono unsaturated fatty acids for heart health but depending on what brand, they can be rather processed so avoid hydrogenated oils and added sugars.A great snack is to choose raw nuts over butters as another option. If you prefer almond or cashew butter there will be a different fatty acid profile which may be a bit better than peanut butter but which ever nut butter makes you the happiest, that would be the one I would recommend.

Q. Hi Marni! I travel a lot for work and have a hard time keeping healthy and fresh items stocked at home for when I'm in between travels. Often times I can't keep enough fresh produce on hand because I am on the road so much and it goes bad before I can enjoy it. Can you offer some advice of a few go-to products that I could keep in the kitchen to help make healthy meals an easier option?

A. Great question! My best suggestion for someone who travels a lot is to keep frozen foods handy for when you need them. Either make meals ahead of time and freeze them or you can stock up on frozen veggies (and fruit), proteins and then freeze cooked whole grains (or you can use quinoa which cooks fast or 10 min whole grain mixes) for a quick and easy meal. Also, the meal right when you get home (whether breakfast, lunch or dinner) doesn't have to be extravagant so as long as you have something like oatmeal, chia seeds, nuts/seeds and frozen fruit, nut butter, yogurt, banana, honey and Ezekiel bread or eggs and frozen veggies you can get some real food in your system and then go for a grocery shop to get a few options before your next trip. Here's a helpful link from Cooking Light magazine -  Best freezable recipes

 Q. Regarding salt tabs - is there an all inclusive tab that keeps from having to use both salt stick and amino acids! I get lost trying to keep track of which tabs I need to take next!

A. Great question. For endurance athletes seeking both electrolytes and amino acids, the best strategy is to try to get everything in your bottle through a sport nutrition powder to make it efficient and easy to meet your fluid, electrolyte and carbohydrate needs. I recommend my endurance athletes to have at least 400 mg sodium along with other electrolytes like potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium. For BCAA's - most research studies mgs per kg so weight comes into play so to figure out your individual needs, consult a RD who specializes in sport nutrition. But a drink like Infinit Nutrition will cover the electrolyte and BCAA needs. There are other products for pills on the market like Hammer endurance aminos, liquid add-ins like eletewater and fizz/nuun electrolyte tablets that can also be used. For my racing (and my athletes) I try to keep things as simple as possible - everything in a bottle through liquid sport nutrition.

Q,. Do you agree with the suggestion of using at least 0.6 grams of carbohydrate, per hour, per pound of body weight, on the bike and ~0.3 on the run during IM? (source: Race-day nutrition)

A. That's a good general suggestion to help athletes get started. But I feel that many things can affect that guideline so always good to met with a RD who specializes in sport nutrition to assist in individual needs. We need to consider the fitness level of the athlete (efficiency), type of energy systems being used during training, weather, terrain, intensity, duration. The best suggestion (aside from metabolic testing - although I would rather use real world settings than controlled lab) is to monitor training files and calorie expenditure and then to use that as a guideline - generally we can replace around 30-50% what is expended through sport drinks (if properly digested and absorbed).

Q. Practicing hot yoga, and running in NYC during these cold months... What is the best way to stay hydrated ...besides just water????

A. Since you will still be losing water through breathing in the cold air outside as well as hot yoga (sweating) I recommend an electrolyte tablet such as FIZZ ( Hammer Nutrition) or Nuun Hydration. 1/2 tablet per bottle per hour. Also, think about hydrating foods (fruits/veggies) as well as smoothies and soups to keep you hydrated throughout the day.

Q.  Hi Marni! So lately I've been told by some friends and various media sources (like magazines and health websites) that I need to stop eating dairy. Am I harming my body by consuming these kinds of products? What are your views on this?

A. From a health perspective, there are many great benefits in low fat dairy, specifically yogurt and milk. Depending on your dietary preferences or ethics, you can choose organic or non organic (I recommend organic). You will find probiotics as well as quality amino acids and protein (and other nutrients like calcium, potassium, sodium) which make for great recovery snacks from workouts as well. Every human body is unique so if there is an intolerance of milk, there are many alternatives to meet calcium and protein needs. Soy and lactose free milks will give you calcium and protein whereas almond milk will give you only calcium so if needing the extra protein (~7-8g) a protein powder can be added or real-food source. Some of my favorite (and daily) dairy products are Daisy Brand 2% cottage cheese, Chobani or fage 0% greek yogurt, cabot cheese (any kind) and milk (skim or soy).

Q. Hi Marni! Lets say I really forgot to plan, am short on time and am looking to fuel up at a grocery store after a workout. I often have a hard time finding something quick and easy to grab that I don't have to cook and that I know will help supplement my workout. I have a bit of an allergy to dairy (so don't normally consume it) and really not a fan of all the sugary 'protein bars' and often a handful of nuts just isn't enough! Any recommendations??

A.  Great question! A few options for you - I always recommend to keep a bar (store bought like LARA or KIND or homemade) and protein powder (Ex. whey or vegan) on hand in the case of a "oh no I need something now" moment after a workout to help with the recovery process as a snack. If you are needing a quick meal from the grocery post workout, I recommend edamame, avocado, brown rice (10 min or less) and frozen veggies and you can make a balanced vegan/vegetarian meal super quick when you get home. Also, a soy based yogurt with granola is also an easy snack from the grocery. For those who do not have an intolerance to dairy, greek yogurt or cottage cheese with chopped fruit from the grocery and raisins can make for a great recovery snack. Hope this helps!

Q.  I have a question about avoiding getting headaches and dizziness, It usually happens the day after a tough workout or if I don't eat for a few hours... Is there anything in my diet that could be triggering ? I don't eat any processed sugars, 98% of my diet is what I wash,chop,cook at home.

A. Thanks for this question. It sounds like your symptoms are from low blood sugar and/or dehydration. I would recommend to perfect your pre-training snack so that it is high carb and not fat so that you are fueling your brain and muscles for the workout. You may benefit from a sport drink or at least an electrolyte tab like FIZZ or NUUN during your workout (if over an hour, I do recommend additional carbs from a sport drink powder). This is a serious thing and something you want to tackle as soon as possible so if the nutrition suggestions I recc do not help, discuss with your primary physician to talk about the health of your kidneys, blood pressure and blood sugar. Typically, it's the fueling around/during workouts that can help with these symptoms during/after workouts. Also be sure to keep yourself hydrated during the day but don't overdrink. aim for at least 8 ounces water per meal/snack and around 16-20 ounces water between meals. 20-28 ounces water during workouts.

Q.  Can you tell me if a drink says it is sweetened with fruit juice concentrate, if there are hidden added sugars? I have been letting my kids drink these and I'm skeptical. 

Bolthouse beverages
And as a follow up question, would this be a good recovery drink after a long workout? I know people drink chocolate milk and I feel like this would have to be a better choice? This would not be in place of a healthy meal.

A.  If the kids are needing to drink this drink to boost fruit/veggie intake because they have not yet appreciated the goodness in fruits/veggies, then this brand is a great choice. When you read the ingredients, if any form of sugar is in the list that means that sugar has been added. In the case of juice concentrate with added sugar, the sugar is coming from the fruits/veggies so it is natural sugar and this is what we want in our diet (same thing with milk - lactose is a natural sugar just like fructose). 

The concentration process works to hold on to the nutrients found within fruits and removes water which will then dilute the overall mixture. I will also recommend real food over juices if trying to eat a heart healthy diet but there are some cases when a drink like this will come in handy either traveling or to fill in nutritional gaps. Just be aware of portions for the serving size is generally 8 ounces so even if sugars are natural, they will still add up if the kiddos drink the entire drink. 

Here's a great read from my favorite magazine Nutrition action on sugars: Sugar by any other name
Part 2: when it comes to recovery drinks the important components are protein and carbohydrates and typically in a ratio of 2:1, 3:1 or 4:1 of carbs to protein (Ex. 20g of protein 40-80g of carbohydrates). But the key is what type of protein. With the bolthouse smoothie drinks which would be better than a juice post workout because of the protein, they use whey concentrate. It's recommended to use whey isolate, a more purified form of whey. Also the key to recovery drinks is leucine (a BCAA) which works with insulin to maximize protein synthesis with carbohydrates. Leucine is also oxidized at high rates during activity. This is why chocolate milk is shown to be effective (milk is 20% whey and milk also contains leucine). My suggestion is to focus on a high quality protein source such as 20-25g whey or vegan protein powder and you can mix with 8 ounces of this juice for carbohydrates after a long (2+ hour workout). Chocolate milk is fine but I do find it's hard to find a quality chocolate milk.

Q. Signed up for my very first 10K race on March 15th? Is there a good meal plan I should stick to for this next week?" 

A. Here's a TV segment on did on nailing your pre-race run nutrition, I hope this is helpful.
Pre race run nutrition

Q.  I've been hearing some talk recently about the benefits of using creatine to help increase speed and aid in recovery. I'm not sure if this is a "nutrition" question, but have been dying to ask you if you feel that creatine would be of any benefit for an endurance athlete.

A. Creatine monohydrate is actually one of the most studied supplements for a very long time and is actually one of the safest supplements to consume (I learned a lot about it while in graduate school as it was a popular supplement for our researchers to use in studies). In terms of taking supplements, we always want to address what is the reason behind the supplement? Many times we supplement what we lack in the diet or for athletes, supplement to gain the competitive edge. In the case of creatine, it is most beneficial for power/strength which even for endurance athletes, there should be time in the training cycle for the athlete to benefit taking creatine post strength training workouts. For endurance athletes the research has not be consistently clear if taking creatine will make you a better athlete and most of the research says no because as aerobic athletes, we generate our energy (ATP) by oxidizing glucose (and fats) which is much slower than through the anaerobic systems in which creatine is needed to help keep ATP levels elevated. 

I do not take creatine through a supplement (Karel does) but here is a blog that I wrote in 2010 discussing creatine. If you are interested in taking a supplement, always discuss with a RD specializing in sport nutrition as well as with your primary physician. 

Creatine and dehydration

Q. Which greens are the best for nutritional value and if romaine was on that list? 

A. Absolutely - romaine is a great pick because of its high water volume and is very nutritious as well with a high vitamin K content. The darker the green the more nutrient density but all greens are great sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. I personally enjoy arugula because it is rich helps produce nitric oxide to increase blood flow. It also has a nice peppery taste. Here's a blog I did discussing the many types of greens: Going green-er

Q. What do you think of salt tabs or sodium intake during a marathon? Last year I started craving salt halfway trough the marathon but only had gels (which is what I trained with). Would you suggest adding in something salty while training and on the course? Salt tabs okay?

A. Every athlete needs electrolytes but it's very tough to understand exactly how much of each electrolyte you need which depends on what you are losing through sweat. I find that many athletes are not meeting their hydration needs because the nutrition consumed during training/racing is not being properly absorbed and digested. Because we need sodium and water to empty contents from the GI tract, it's important to consider the osmolality of a drink (or sport nutrition) to ensure that it empties quickly from the stomach to be absorbed in the small intestines. For hotter races, you want a low osmolality drink (low carb concentration closer to 4-6%) and to drink it every 10 min or so to ensure you are getting adequate energy. Instead of taking 1 gel per hour or every 30 min, I recommend gels mixed with water (ex. planning 1-2 gels per hour)so that it's easier to take a swig of your gel mixture and to help postpone fatigue. Through gel/sport drink or salt tabs, give yourself at least 300-400 mg of sodium + 100mg of potassium per hour (+ the other electrolytes I mentioned above) or NAPALM which is a powder from Infinit Nutrition which is like a concentrated sport drink that can be mixed with water and then you can take in water at aid stations. I also recommend to stick with liquid sport drinks (pass on the solid food) to ensure that everything you are consuming for "energy' is being used by the muscles.

Q. If you have difficulty eating really early in the morning...What might you eat before an early morning workout that starts at like 5:45/6 am

A. Great question! I just tackled this question in the recent issue of Triathlete Magazine where I talked about different workouts and timing food with workouts. For an early workout, we still want a pre training snack but let's keep it low in fiber/residue and energy dense. In other words, high carbs but low in volume. I posted a pic on my TriMarni Coaching and Nutrition FB page this morning with some of my favs like WASA crackers, seasonal fruit, honey, maple syrup, dates. A few others: BUDDY FRUITS.PowerBar Fruit blends. Applesauce. Granola. Juice. Rice based cereal w/ milk/yogurt. For a 90 min or less workout, aim to start with around 25-40g of carbs around 20-45 min before the workout to find the best foods that work for your body. From there, if you need to add a little fat/pro to keep your tummy happy during the workout (since your muscles will be getting the quick digesting carbs), aim for around 5-8g of pro/fat.

Q. Hi Marni, 

My fiance and I have been wanting to juice for dinner, but I usually work out after work/before dinner. Is juicing (kale, spinach, apple, mixed berries and apple juice) enough nutrient after a high intensity work out? If not, what could we change or add to our current mix to make it enough to refuel my body?

A. Great question! Your ingredients sound delicious but I recommend to use juicing to compliment meals - example, a homemade juice with your choice of protein, whole grains/starches and heart healthy fats so that the juice is not the star of the meal but provides the veggies/fruits that you'd like to help you create a plant strong meal. Example, a juice with your choice of protein (ex. tofu/tempeh or chicken/fish w/ olive oil or avocado and brown rice or quinoa). To help you recover (when the magic happens) after a workout, we don't want to slack on protein as well as carbohydrates (we need both post workout as well as at meals) to refuel the muscles for consistent workouts. So a better option than juicing after a workout (or for a meal) is to make a smoothie as a meal. This way you are able to add fats and protein (which will leave you more satisfied as well) to your veggies/fruit. I have several smoothie creations on my blog but here is one you may enjoy for a meal to share with your fiance 

smoothie creation

Q. Hi Marni! I became a vegetarian a few years ago and although I feel like I've been eating a pretty well balanced diet and I definitely feel that I get enough protein, I'm wondering if there are any supplements I should be taking or anything I should be making sure to get in my diet that may be lacking now that I'm not consuming meat?

A. that's great about your plant strong diet! I have enjoyed my plant strong diet (lacto ovo vegetarian) for almost 21 years. I would recommend to use nutritional yeast to make sure you are getting adequate B vitamins (depending on what types of protein you choose most regularly - eggs are rich in B vitamins as well as dairy). You can add a serving once or twice a day to help meet your needs. 

I would focus on your omega's - either from plants or a capsule. The key omega's are EPA and DHA and you want to aim for around 1mg a day (Min - depending on your cardiovascular risk) . 

I also use fortified foods like cereals to increase my intake of iron and B vitamins - check the label but you want to aim for at least 50% (some cereals have closer to 100% of vitamins and minerals). There are other ways to increase iron absorption (non heme iron) like adding citrus to dark greens or using a cast iron skillet. 

Lastly, the key is aiming for around 20-30g of protein per meal (for every diet) for best absorption. 

Hope this helps. 

nutritional yeast

Q. What do you recommend to blast stubborn belly fat? I have been running, just started cross training and do protein shakes and supplements. 

A. Thanks for asking. I think some of the other posts may help with this as a lot of the info may apply. The two main focal areas : consistency and progress. 

For consistency - think about an exercise routine that you can maintain and move the body often. I encourage individuals to move more rather than to continue to "restrict" calories (especially heart healthy nutrients that will boost the metabolism). For progress, think about small changes in the diet that will help you focus on a more real food diet (if that applies) as well as making sure your meals include protein at each meal (to keep you from losing bone density with weight loss). The combination of consistent workouts and progress with the diet will help you tone up without feeling restricted or deprived. As for protein shakes and supplements, I don't know enough about your lifestyle, health, diet and goals to make any recommendations so I would focus on a consistent routine with exercise and wholesome balanced diet. Hope this helps thanks for asking!

Q. Hi Marni, I'm riding in a century tomorrow morning. Would you give me an idea what i should eat before, during and after the race?

A. Best of luck at the century! Since I don't know anything about you, your fueling regime and fitness routine, I will pass along this blog I wrote and a few recommendations: 

-Be sure to have a satisfying energy rich pre ride snack with a little pro/fat. 

-Be sure to have a sport drink with you to sip throughout each hour (every 10-15 min)for electrolytes, carbs and fluids. 

-If there are sag stops, you can refill your bottle with water/sport drink. There's the tendency to overeat at these stops and then feel a bit lethargic after the stop when you get back on the bike but if you are feeling the need to eat, keep the snack low in fat/pro/fiber and easy to digest carbs. 

-Pace yourself, if you are comfortable drafting this will reduce energy to help you postpone fatigue. 

-If it's a "race" and you are pushing yourself and there are no stops, be sure to stay consistent on your fueling with your sport drinks and if you need a tummy satisfier, take pieces of bar/gel as needed for a little extra energy. Hope this helps - have fun!

Sport nutrition tip

A. What % P/C/F do you suggest for daily requirements? I hear so many conflicting ideas. What do you eat post 2&3 hr w/o?

Q. Yes, a lot of conflicting info and it really depends on your activity level, if there is a goal for weight loss or body composition changes as well as your own personal lifestyle and often clinical issues. Through a diet that emphasizes real food, I recommend around 50-55% carbohydrates (ex. fruits, veggies, grains, starches), ~30% fat (heart-healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, nut butters and cheese) and then for protein, around 1.1-1.5g/kg/bw for most individuals. There's no magic formula so when I work with athletes I first try to get a meal balanced so that it is not lacking one macronutrient group and then depending on hunger/fullness, lifestyle, activity I can then tweak how much in each meal (I find most people benefit from a bit more pro/fat to feel satisfied, especially with plant strong meals filled with fruits/veggies). After a 2-3 hour workout, it depends on the intensity, but I typically start with something small like a glass of milk with a handful of cheerios or granola or if more intense, a smoothie with whey protein (check my blog for my many smoothie creations) and all the add-in's. after my recovery snack/drink I enjoy a meal. Here's an article I did for USA Triathlon on some of my creations that helped me fuel my IM training. 

Fueling for an ironman

Q. Looking for a good way to eat to help the ab section become more defined with healthy eating?

A. Thanks for the question! Two parts - first is from a fitness POV - try to make it a routine to devote 10-15 min of core work daily - key exercises like planks, leg drops, superman and stability exercises (ex. BOSU) will help with a stronger core. Second part - if it applies, read labels on processed food to reduce/eliminate sugar alcohols and focus on real food that is easier for the body to digest and absorb. Think about hydrating foods (as well as drinking water) and reducing added sodium in the diet (primarily from fast/restaurant food and processed food) that can assist to reducing any extra water, naturally. Some of my favs: chia seeds, fruit, yogurt (probiotics), leafy greens, oats, veggies, ginger.

Oakley Women event - my top 3 tips for improving your lifestyle

Feb 6th - Orlando Lens Crafters Summit with some of the Oakley crew

Do you have goals that you want to achieve in life? 

I love goals because they give every day a purpose. They give you a reason to get up in the morning but also a reason to get excited for another day. I find it really important that in order to reduce risk for disease, boost performance and to live a healthy and active quality life, we have to have goals in the area of life, nutrition and fitness.

Goals are super simple to create in your mind but the doing is the hard part. 

A common issue in our society is the tendency to skip steps when it comes to changing your lifestyle. You only get one life...why do we feel the need to rush it all the time?

For example: 

There are very precise steps in making a Meringue topping. 

Separate egg whites

Separate the eggs and place the whites in a large bowl. Let the egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before you start to make the meringue. (Egg whites that have been allowed to stand at room temperature beat to a greater volume than ones taken directly from the refrigerator.)

Beat egg whites to soft peaks

Add cream of tartar and vanilla before you begin beating the egg whites (cream of tartar helps stabilize the meringue).

Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. At this point, they will curl over when the beaters are lifted.

Add sugar gradually

Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, while beating on high speed. The sugar must be added gradually as the egg whites are beaten to stiff peaks (tips stand straight). Adding the sugar too quickly will knock air out of the egg whites and make them difficult to mix thoroughly.

Beat egg whites and sugar to stiff, glossy peaks

Continue beating on high speed until the sugar dissolves and stiff, glossy peaks form. When you lift the beaters, the tips will stand straight up. The mixture should also feel smooth when you rub it between your fingers; you shouldn't be able to feel any sugar granules

Spread meringue over filling

Quickly spread the meringue over the hot pie filling. Spread the meringue to the edge of the pastry to seal it and prevent it from shrinking when it bakes. The hot filling helps to cook the meringue from underneath and prevents weeping.

Curl peaks

Curly peaks give a lovely texture to a meringue pie top. Use a spoon to swirl and twist the meringue.Bake the pie as directed until the meringue is a golden brown. Let the pie cool for an hour on a wire rack, and then refrigerate for 5 to 6 hours before serving.

As you can see, there is no rushing or skipping steps when you make a meringue topping. If you rush the process or skip steps, you have wasted a lot of time and money. 

But in life, many people often try to skip steps when changing lifestyle habits. Jumping on quick fix diet trends or elimination diets, signing up for races without doing the prep work necessary or wanting to move up the corporate ladder without putting in the time or learning the critical skills to succeed. 

So when you are bored, comparing yourself to others to feel vulnerable or frustrated with your body, I am sure it's easy to search for something better. Perhaps a quick fix to instantly make you feel better. But as we all know, quick fixes do not solve long term issues. 

An athlete who signs up for a marathon 16 weeks down the road has plenty of time to build a strong foundation with his/her body and then gradual increase intensity to get faster before he/she goes longer. However, the athlete who is not motivated or struggles to find the time (or excitement) to train for the race may feel pressure with 4 weeks to go and then try to squeeze in too much, in too short of time. This ultimately creates haphazard training but also a body that is not prepared to sustain training stress or the racing distance. Sure, there may be the athlete who can pull this type of training off but we all know that short term changes and consistency bring long term, lasting results. 

As a health professional,it is my goal to make sure that my followers, athletes and fitness enthusiasts increase the odds of living a long active and healthy life. With the top leading causes of death being heart disease, cancer and respiratory disease, I want to help you live a healthier lifestyle.

Everyone has their own definition of health . Healthy living, healthy body weight, healthy eating. You may rank your health good at one time in your life and it may improve or get worse at another time in life.  So when it comes to living a healthy life, there are a few things that you can do to reduce the risk for disease and improve quality of life.

Eat a balanced, varied, wholesome diet, exercise regularly, get good sleep, focus on stress management, don’t smoke, get routine check-ups, and maintain a healthy weight.

Because “healthy living” can be a bit overwhelming with all the information out there from TV, magazines, doctors, research and “experts”, I am going to share my top three ways that you can immediately improve your health. These are not temporary suggestions. The more often you can focus on these tips, the greater change you will improve your health and quality of life. 

1) The first one is MOVE YOUR BODY DAILY. Yes, getting to the gym or breaking a sweat is great and training for and finishing a race can be a great accomplishment. But one thing that we often forget that our body was designed to move and every time we move our body we have the chance to improve our health. 

I find many athletes who are training for races begin to get a bit "lazy" when it comes to daily activities that can help to burn calories (ex. if you are choosing training as a fun way to help you lose weight in a healthy way) or keep the body in good health (as we know, too much sitting can be a health problem). Rather than taking the stairs, parking far away or taking the dog for a long walk every evening, athletes often place too much focus on structured training and forget about the beauty of unstructured movement (and often times, athletes do not fuel properly to properly adapt to training stress in order to be consistent with training). 

Did you know that if you walk 3.5 miles per hour for 1 hour a day you can burn 225-265 calories? That may sound like a lot all at once but how about if you only worked out 3 days a week for 30 minutes to an hour (which is very doable for most people even with a super busy schedule) or stuck to your normal training plan for racing and then on the other days you walked for up to hour throughout the day? In one week you will not only burn over 1000 calories just from walking but you will also find it a lot easier to stay consistent with exercise when you don’t take an all or nothing approach to working out. 

(certainly - this doesn't apply to athletes who are unable to keep on weight and should be applied on a case by case basis such as athletes peaking for a big race. I am not encouraging inactivity but my message is to move your body more for health purposes instead of seeing exercise as black or white - all or nothing. So next time you need a break from training or feel like you just don't have energy to workout, just move your body for a walk or do some yoga).

2) The 2^nd tip is to EAT A MORE BALANCED DIET. Now this is where a lot of confusion occurs because what is a healthy diet? Without over thinking the topic, consider that real food is packed with vitamins and minerals and not wrapped with a fancy label telling you how healthy the food is.We want food that the body knows how to digest and absorb and contains the necessary nutrients that support optimal health and metabolism. By prioritizing a real food diet as often as possible, emphasize a plant strong diet filled with fruits, veggies, whole grains, heart healthy fats and quality protein. And don’t forget to stay hydrated with water thoughout the day. Keep in mind that food should energize you, satisfy you and nourish you so anytime you eat, keep in mind that you want to feel better after you eat then before.

3) My last tip is one of my favorites and probably the most beneficial tips in creating a more healthy lifestyle and that is SLEEP. Did you know that restless or inadequate sleep can increase risk for Depression, weight gain, cravings, health problems (Heart disease, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes) , poor concentration, faster aging, forgetfulness and can impair judgment. Try to aim for around 7-8 hours of sleep most days per week. For many people, late night snacking, computer or TV are the main reasons why people stay up late.

Hopefully these tips were not overwhelming. The key to making changes is to aim for progress and to create a positive environment for success. 

Create a plan as to when you will workout, what you will eat for meals and when you will go to bed for two weeks. 

Two week is not that long to form habits but it is a manageable amount of time to be consistent. 

This way you can make realistic changes and reflect on what’s working or not working as you work hard to reach your goals and hopefully live a more balanced, healthy and active lifestyle. 

A few more pics from the event: 

My awesome coach, hubby, bike mechanic and partner in life.

My talks always include samples of a Trimarni creation. YUM!

Goal sheets! What's the point of an action plan if you don't have goals?

Yummy! My Trimarni chiachoco heart healthy mix

Changing some lifestyles.....

Staying busy in Laguna Beach!

Even though I live 20 minutes from the beach, there's something about being on the west coast that really makes me happy. 

And walking into my room at Seven4one made me very, VERY happy.

Thank you Oakley Women, Asics, Coola Suncare, Perfect Fit Protein and Zico!

After enjoying a few hours of free time when I arrived

And catching up on a few Trimarni work related things

The sun was setting and it was time for the Oakley Women crew + ambassadors to gather for a meeting.

And enjoy an amazing dinner by a private chef of Eggplant Parmesan, salad and gluten-free baked ziti. So amazing! 

Although I was very tired after being awake for over 20 hours, I made myself stay awake until 10pm (1am EST) and I had a great night of sleep, waking up at 6am and feeling completely fresh and energized. 

So, I went for a 4 mile hilly run on the streets of Laguna Beach and got lucky enough to also enjoy the sunrise. 

A delicious way to start my day I must say! Thanks again to the amazing private chef for the egg scramble with potatoes and veggies. 

                                             

It was a very long day but I'm not complaining. Hair and makeup done and it was time to get to work with OakleyWomen.com and Sweatpants Media. 

And by early afternoon, it was finally time for me to refuel my brain. 

Quinoa salad with a flavor overload of ingredients, tossed in olive oil and topped with dates. Thank you private chef!!

After a full day of being in front of  cameras, we had a little time for downtime to explore Laguna Beach and it's yummy local eats. 

My friend Fitz, creator of the Morning mile and Flip Flop abs, and I (unplanned, kinda matching in Oakley Women) along with a few other ambassadors explored the streets...

And we finally found what we were looking for!

Casey's cupcakes! We arrived around 5:30pm and there were less than a dozen muffins left in the store!! 

My selection was the peanut butter pizazz because peanut butter makes me smile so I figured a PB cupcake had to be too good to be true.

The day is finally over, another meal was enjoyed and we have one more day to go of our Oakley Women event. 

For more info, check out the Oakley Women Training Collection. Any questions about styles, fits or colors, just send me an email:
Marni@trimarnicoach.com 

Kona bound: Kona-inspired contest!!!!

Can you see my name?  It's right there.

Talk about a great first full day in Kona!

1000 yard swim at the Pier with Gloria.  Thanks Triathlete Mag for the great pic!

I can't tell you how happy I was yesterday to get my bike from Tri bike transport. 

And then so super excited to ride it today on the Queen K hwy!

After a 1:45 bike with a few intervals, I did a nice 1 mile shake-out run along Alii drive (from our condo). Then it was time to pick up my packet and officially be a 2013 Ironman World Championship participant. 

Oh and I got to meet a group of strong women before my bike ride. Talk about inspiration!

The energy is really contagious here in Kona. It's like an outdoor gym here with no shortage of human bodies moving all day long. It's really hard to not be motivated to use your body while in Kona and I feel that this great energy should not be isolated to just here in Kona. 

I recognize that my body is pretty exceptional for it doesn't have to allow me to train for a 140.6 mile race. 

It's very cool that I can share this experience with 1500+ other athletes who also love to use their body to cross a finishing line. 

It takes a lot of training, hard work, commitment, dedication, money and time to prepare the body for the Ironman. What's great about Kona week is that you don't have to be an Ironman athlete to be someone special.

The special part is that every individual here is motivated by a body in motion. You see someone running and you all of a sudden have energy to run. There are no excuses as to "I am too tired or too slow" but instead, it's the desire to fit in...but in a good way. 

There are no rules as to what body size you have to be, what pace you swim, bike and run or if you have ever even stepped foot on a starting line. 

There actually is no requirement that you have to workout on this island during Kona week but it's really hard to be in this beautiful place and not want to explore your surroundings on foot (or bike or in the beautiful blue ocean sea). 

Realizing that many people will be watching the Ironman World Championship on Saturday from a computer screen, in your own home (or Kona party), I reached out to a few of my favorite companies so that you would be part of  the Ironman World Championship vibe. As you know, I use my social media outlets to provide inspiration, motivation and education. I have never done a product give-away as I want me followers to support Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition, LLC because of my philosophy and not because of items I can give away for free.
I am really excited that Hammer Nutrition, Oakley Women, 110% Play Harder and Brooks Running were all excited to get involved with the Ironman World Championship and to help my followers connect with one another and to some of my favorite companies.  

Contest rules

1) You must enter the contest within the allotted time frame. 

2) It's highly encouraged that you follow the company on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (if you do not have a personal account to all that is fine)

3) You must follow me on Facebook (Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition), Twitter (@trimarnicoach) and instagram (Trimarni).
4) Use the correct hashtags so I can view your entry.
5) The winners will be announced next week and your gifts will be shipped to your personal address (I will provide contact info for each company for you to provide your mailing address and to provide details for sizing, etc.)
6) There will only be one winner for each contest but you can enter all four contests (one entry per company per person).
7) The contest will run only on Instagram and Twitter (you do not have to enter both, just be sure you use the correct hashtags for each company)

8) Share the contest (and your entry) with others in order to inspire other fitness enthusiasts and athletes.

Hammer Nutrition

Contest: "What's your favorite way to refuel after a workout"
Contest timeline: 10/12-10/13
Hashtag: #Hammernutrition  #fuelingforkonaHammer #Trimarnikona
Follow: Hammer Nutrition

Description: Show me a picture of your favorite way to refuel after your Saturday or Sunday workout. Provide a description of your yummy eats and optional, include a your workout for the day.
Prize: New customer package: including a few most popular products, a few of my favorite products, a t-shirt, literature on Hammer and what they offer and a few water bottles. I have been a long-time Hammer Nutrition user. 

Oakley Women

Contest: "What are you doing to stay active or to push your body during Ironman World Championship week/day" 
Contest timeline: 10/10-10/12
WOMEN ONLY!
Hashtag: #GoMarni  #Madeformore #Trimarnikona #oakleywomen
Follow: Oakley Women

Description: Show me a picture of you using your body for your workout for the day. Optional, describe your workout, how the Ironman inspires you or why you are motivated to workout?
Prize: Oakley Women Commit SQ (my favorite pair of sunglasses for training/racing. I will be wearing my white commit's on Kona race day)

110% Play Harder

Contest: "How did the Ironman World Championship inspire you?"

Contest timeline: 10/13
Hashtag: #playharder #goflatout #uprkona13 #trimarnikona
Follow: 110playharder

Description: Show me a picture of how you were inspired by the Ironman World Championship. There are many options for this contest: quote, favorite workout, photo of your upcoming race/event, how you plan on changing your lifestyle/habits, etc.
Prize: A pair of Flat out compression socks and a 110% Visor (I will be wearing my Kona visor on race day)

Brooks Running

Contest: "Where do your feet take you? 
Contest timeline: 10/12-10/13
Hashtag: #brooksrunning #runhappykona #Trimarnikona #runhappy
Follow: Brooks Running
Description: Show me a picture of where your feet took you this weekend. Did you do a workout, did you travel, did you go somewhere exciting with friends/family/pets. I want to see your feet/shoes/sandals in the picture so be creative.
Prize: Any pair of Brooks Running shoes (I will be wearing my Brooks Launch on Kona race day).

Any questions, send me an email Trimarnicoaching@gmail.com

Have fun!

YSC and Oakley Women - Strength not Surrender

As you know, it is breast cancer awareness month. As a clinical inpatient RD, I see cancer patients every time I work in the hospital, so.... it's cancer awareness/ prevention month every day.. I am constantly researching and exploring ways to reduce risk for disease for there are so many areas in your life that you can reduce your risk for disease beyond just diet and exercise that will keep your body in optimal health.

As an Oakley Women ambassador, I get the opportunity to test products that are used in my active lifestyle. It's a tough gig but I love it.

(Kona specific Radar shades from 2012)

Oakley is more than a brand that sells glasses and surf shorts.

"Oakley was created for world-class athletes, those who see the limits of possibility as just another challenge. Their dedication drives us to look beyond the conventional ideas of industry standards. It’s in our DNA to identify problems, create inventions, and wrap those inventions in art. And simply to make things better than anyone thought possible. Decades of Oakley innovation have been awarded more than 600 patents that elevate physics to the level of art. Technologies transcend sports to enhance the lives of consumers, and more than 110 countries now enjoy a full array of market-leading products including premium sunglasses, goggles, prescription eyewear, apparel, footwear and accessories. These products represent our commitment to excellence — a passion that redefines what is possible for those who defy their own limits."

Oakley is a proud supporter of breast cancer awareness and has a solid relationship with the Young Survival Coalition. 

From 10/1 - 10/15, Oakley Women wants to know if you (ladies-only) have a friend that shows "STRENGTH NOT SURRENDER". 

In support of breast cancer awareness month, post a picture of you and your friend on instagram that shows how strong you are and that you refuse to surrender. 

For your chance to win a YSC prize pack for you and your friend, be sure to tag @oakleywomen @YoungSurvivalCoalition and #strengthnotsurrender and hash tag #strengthnotsurrender

Winner will be chosen October 15, 2013. For official rules stay in touch with Oakley Women Collective

To follow me on Instagram - search TRIMARNI
Can't wait to follow you on Instagram as well!

Stay tuned....next week I will have a special Kona contest from Oakley Women!

Tips for an active and healthy lifestyle

 

Thanks to Oakley Women and Shape Magazine, I was able to have an amazing venue to speak about topics that have changed my life. Because "healthy" can be a word that is often overused and not clearly defined in our society, I enjoy helping others live a more balanced lifestyle.

 

In San Diego, Boulder and DFW, I spoke to over 600 women (combined) for over 6 hours (total) and loved every minute of it. When you are passionate about something, it is easy to talk about. But when you can practice what you preach, it is easy to communicate to others with happiness, joy and satisfaction that the lifestyle that you live is so amazing that you hope that others can share it with you. Sure, this can be taken out of context as many people strive for a lifestyle that is unrealistic, extreme and often, unhealthy but I feel that to be healthy, you have to be happy. Sadly, as many people go about changing habits, they are not happy and feel that only the end result will bring happiness. With tomorrow being my golden birthday (wow - turning 31!!) I can only think back to the last year and smile when I think about all that has happened, thanks to a balanced life. Living a healthy life is not about a number on a scale, sticking to a certain diet or bragging about how many hours of weekly exercise you can do. Living a healthy life is about your quality of life and I hope my 7 top tips for balanced living, help jump start or enhance your journey to an active and healthy lifestyle.

 

 

Keep in mind that it's not about how well you balance everything on your plate but instead, making sure everything you do has a purpose and brings meaning to your one and only life. You don't have to be perfect or be like others. It's better to be really awesome and great at a few things (and spend the time working on being great) than to be OK at a lot.

 

1) Develop a mindful eating plan– Eat with attention and intuition. Does anyone not like to eat? Eating mindfully means that you don’t feel guilty when you eat and you always feel better after you eat than before. To eat mindfully - you have to eat! Aim for 3 balanced meals a day to nourish your body and then snack wisely. Snacks should serve 3 purposes: to fill in nutritional gaps between meals, to control blood sugar and to honor hunger.

 

2) Train smarter to train harder – You don’t have to be a triathlete, training for an Ironman to be "healthy". You also don't have to be  a "runner". Recognize the difference between training for an event and exercising. Remove the pressure that you have to do x workouts a week and for x-minutes a day and just focus on ways that you can move your body more - athlete or fitness enthusiast. In addition to your current cardio routine, I recommend to strength train 2-3 times per week, add in yoga, cross training and flexibility work. Also, if you own a GPS –HR enabled device, be sure you know how to use it for consistent training? Take advantage of gadgets, equipment and anything else that will take the guessing away from working out and will help with more consistent performance gains. Thus, training harder by training smarter. Focus on quality workouts, not quantity. For more info, read here for an article I did on training smarter.

3) Develop a positive relationship with food and the body – Consider this example. I bring Campy into the vet and put him on the scale. He has gained 5 lbs and in disbelief, out-loud I complain "uggh, how disgusting". The vet, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be concerned as he is telling me how healthy Campy is, how strong his bones are, how he has a good heart beat and that he is really fit and happy. However, I hear nothing of how "healthy" he is because I am obsessed with that number on the scale. So, as a result, I think about how I can get that weight off...quickly. Detox, cleanse, over-exercise, restrict his food.....Should I exercise him obsessively during the day? Should I cut out carbs and his calories? Should I not take him to the doggy park because they other doggies are going to notice his extra wiggle and talk about how bloated he looks? Should I put him on detox for 5 days?
Certainly, I'd never do that (I only give him lots and lots of kisses because he gives me unconditional love every day) but that just sounds like crazy talk, right? But what about you all or someone you know. Do you let a household appliance tell you how your day is going to go? Are you going to let numbers tell you how to eat, how to exercise and how to act for the day....do you let a number run and ruin your day and affect your self worth? Certainly the scale can be a positive thing but for many, it is used irresponsibly. 
I want everyone to designate at least 2 rooms of your house (the bedroom and kitchen) where you avoid using words like bad, off-limit, restricted, cheat, fat, skinny, gross..  Stop counting calories, see food for nutritional value and give your body a little credit for what is allows you to do on a daily basis like crossing finishing lines and being productive at work. Every time you look at your body - thank it, don't bash it.

(Campy says he doesn't care how much you weigh.....he has a lot of love to give and doesn't judge people by a number on a scale. I agree.)

4) Welcome change by relying on the power of goal setting – Do you  like change? Change can be scary and it can be exciting. One of my favorite quotes is "if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you." If you have goals in your life, don’t wait until tomorrow as there is no perfect time to get started. Set 3 short and long term goals, in the areas of lifestyle, exercise and nutrition to keep you motivated and excited to wake up every morning wanting to see what you are capable of achieving by the end of the day. Life doesn't always get easier, you just discover new limits.

 

5) Think beyond diet and exercise: work on sleep, stress and attitude management.– Everyone wants to blame diet and exercise when it comes to "health" and there's always a quick diet and exercise fix/fad to help us be "healthy". As an athlete and coach, I know that there are many variables that affect performance and to be a good athlete, you can’t just focus on the miles or a perfect nutrition plan.  For a balanced lifestyle, focus on the other variables in your life that can affect your health. Aim for a restful night of sleep most days of the week and surround yourself with people who give you energy and not take it away from you. You can't avoid stress but you can know how to deal with it with an action plan. Make time for you, don’t be afraid to say no and make your health a priority.

 

6) Prioritize a real food diet. – In my mind, one of the most important components of living an active and healthy lifestyle is to create a balanced eating plan that prioritizes “real” food. The keys to longevity are not special K bars, coconut ice cream, kale and chia seeds , but rather a diet rich in foods that are straight from mother nature, from the Earth. Every day you can emphasize foods that are produced by farmers and made in gardens or chemical "food" concoctions created in a factory. Think about emphasizing foods that your body knows how to metabolize and use. I don’t believe in off-limit foods or “bad” foods but rather to emphasize foods with little to no ingredients and when you choose to indulge be sure to savor and enjoy that "occasional/de-emphasized" food – don’t devour it or stress about it. 
To help you reach your fitness, health and body composition goals, consider a plant-strong diet filled with colorful fruits and veggies, alongside lean/low-fat protein, heart-healthy fats and whole grains. It's not about what you do occasionally that matters but what you do regularly.

 

7) Adapt to training stress with nutrient timing and sport nutrition – 

Now that we covered 6 tips, it’s time to talk Sport nutrition. When it comes to sport nutrition, I do not expect you all to formulate your own sport drink or energy gels.  There’s no reason you need to make your own protein powder. Sadly, however, many people
confuse or associate the daily diet with sport nutrition and thus, many people have no idea how to properly "fuel" workouts when the body is under a tremendous amount of stress.  Sport nutrition is there to support the physiological demands of training. When you are running for an hour, your body needs fuel. When you are sitting behind a computer at 3 in the afternoon, your body  does not need an energy drink so you can sit for 2 more hours. 
When it comes to eating before a workout, your choices should be easy to find, easy to prepare, easy to consume and easy to digest. Yes, you should eat a high fiber diet to keep you satisfied throughout the day and you should monitor your portions and calories to meet your individual needs, and Yes, you should eat protein and whole grains throughout the day. But before a workout your primarily focus is energy dense food– foods that can digest quickly so you can focus on your workout, not on digestion. During a workout – fluids, electrolytes and carbohydrates depending on the intensity and duration of the workout. And immediately after your workout, your body requires quick recovery fuel - generally protein, but often a mix of carbs + protein. 
If you are an athlete or fitness enthusiast, focus a bit more about how you are fueling around your workouts so that your body is primed to perform when you want it to perform. As for the rest of the day, nourish it so you can do it all over again tomorrow.
For more info, I have many articles and blogs dedicated to sport nutrition, here is my most comprehensive blog post on sport nutrition. If you need additional help, email me via my website and we can discuss my services to help you move closer to your fitness and health related goals.

When you have a healthy relationship with food, have a positive body image and appreciate food for fuel and for health, your life will change and you will find yourself living a balanced life. Remember, if you don’t take care of your body, your body won’t take care of you. Don’t forget to thank your body on a daily basis.

 

 

VIP Oakley Progression session: DALLAS FORT WORTH

 

 

Not even a week after returning from Czech Republic, it was time to do a light re-pack for a quick trip to Dallas for the last event with Oakley Women and Shape Magazine. San Diego and Boulder were amazing and I couldn't wait to meet 200 more inspiring women who are passionate about health and fitness. After coming back from Europe, I had a bit more material to add to my talk of my 7 top tips for healthy balanced living and couldn't wait to speak and hand out my delicious Trimarni balls.

What I love so much about these events is a place for women of all ages and sizes to get together and to have one special thing in common - each lady loves to move and use her body. There has been so much positive energy at these events and I couldn't wait get one more dose of it in Dallas Fort Worth.

 

But first, I was asked to teach a workout on the beach (Atlantic beach) behind Ocean One resort to a group of Lens Crafters employees on behalf of Oakley. The workout was great as I had everyone sweating at 8:15 in the morning with a beautiful view in sight to keep everyone happy that they were outside and not sitting in a conference room.

 

Thanks Oakley Women and Lens Crafters for having me!

 

 

 

 

After a great brick workout on Thursday morning, it was time to head to the JAX airport. Knowing that I was arriving to DFW around 1:30pm and getting picked up with a group at the massive airport, I had plenty of snacks and a PB&J sandwich to keep me satisfied and fueled for my direct flight to Dallas as well as until I arrived at the hotel. We finally arrived to the hotel around 3:30pm and we were all in need of a mini meal to hold us over until dinner which was at 7pm. We headed to the hotel restaurant and we all got delicious salads that we each modified with either egg (me) or avocado. It was delicious!

(FYI - I always try to have yogurt on a daily basis, about 4-6 ounces a day, in addition to up to 1 cup skim milk. When I travel, I try to bring yogurt with me and I have never had trouble with security and having it in my carry-on. Just a FYI in case you are interested in traveling with yogurt. Just don't forget to get a spoon!)


Soon enough, it was time to head to downtown Fort Worth to eat at a touristy restaurant with a group of 18 (Shape Magazine, Oakley Women and ambassadors). The restaurant was a steakhouse and I was hoping for some corn on the cob, brown rice and sweet potato but no options available and no vegetarian chef-inspired options. No worries - I enjoyed a delicious airy bread roll and then enjoyed a large filling salad and the most delicious baked potato with toppings on the side. I left the restaurant very satisfied and was excited to wake up in the morning for a 6.5 mile interval run on the treadmill and then a full day on my feet outside, speaking to 200 amazing ladies.

 

 

After a delicious buffett breakfast of  milk, fruit, oatmeal, cottage cheese, and a veggie stuffed omelet it was time to head to the park/field for an amazing day of fun!!

The event included yoga with Lacey, my nutrition workshop, social media learning, lunch from a food truck (YUM!) and interviews to be the next Oakley Women ambassador. The event kick-started with a tough bootcamp with Carrie and Cari. My friends Michelle Lovitt and Sarah Dussault were also attending the event to help others better understand fitness and social media.

 

Here are a few pics from Instagram - I LOVE instagram and connecting with others, just like with facebook. It's so great to be inspired by others and to associate yourself with like-minded individuals. To stay connected, you can link with me #trimarni on Instagram or @Trimarnicoach on Twitter and Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition on facebook. For Oakley Women, use #Oakleywomen. Enjoy the pics from some amazing women!

Congrats to Laila for being the next Oakley Women ambassador!!!

 

 

 

(Shape Magazine Diva dash)

VIP Oakley Progression Session: DENVER

I couldn't believe my eyes and ears when I heard Denver, Colorado had snow this past week! As much as I love the snow, I was a bit surprised that I would need a winter jacket in May!! Thankfully, the snow had mostly melted and the weather was perfect for my quick to Boulder for the 2nd VIP Oakley Women Progression Session with Shape Magazine.

After an early morning swim and bike, I had just enough time to get to a few emails and I was off to the airport for my trip to Denver.

Feeling energized from my morning sweat session on the trainer and just enough soreness from my morning swim to remind me how awesome my body is on a daily basis, I was excited to travel to Denver and meet 200 inspiring, motivating and fitness/health-minded ladies from all over Colorado. 

Although only a month and a week since the San Diego OPS Fitness event, I was so excited to reunite with my Oakley Women family. Each event, a new brand ambassador is picked and Caitlin (pictured above on far left) won from San Diego and was able to attend this event and soak in all the positive energy that comes with Oakley Women. 

A little hot chocolate to warm up? YUM!

It was a long day of traveling with getting up early to train so by the time we arrived to the hotel around 8:30pm, I was ready for bed (10:30 EST time - way past my bedtime). Whenever I travel, I eat mini meals every 2-3 hours instead of standard breakfast, lunch and dinner as it helps me acclimate to the time zone much easier than trying to stick to my normal eating schedule. By the time we arrived to the hotel, I hadn't eaten a real meal but felt very satisfied and healthy with my many snacks/mini meals from the day and was looking forward to a very satisfying breakfast to energize my body and brain for a busy day on Fri. 

Not sure if it was going to bed rather early (compared to other times when flying to the west coast and staying up almost a full 20-22 hours), I was up early. I tried to stay in bed until 5:30am which meant just keeping my eyes closed with a racing mind. I was ready to get up.

8 miles on the treadmill while practicing my talk in my head. Couldn't ask for a better way to start the day...although I am not sure if I gained any red blood cells, I sure do love the change in air/pressure that comes with training at altitude. Boulder is about 5430 feet from sea level and I live at sea level so here's to hoping I brought home a few more red blood cells. A girl can dream, right? Live high, train low is the way to go.

OH YEAH BABY!!! Love breakfast every day..I just couldn't imagine any other way to complete a morning workout or start my day. Today's creation was brought to me by the hotel buffet which included fresh fruit, homemade oatmeal and granola, mixed nuts/raisins for toppings, cottage cheese and an omelet cooked to order. I went with an egg white, veggie stuffed omelet because I loaded up on nuts for my healthy fats. I also enjoyed a glass of milk and coffee and made a PB&J sandwich for later in the day. 

Yippe! Can't wait to start the day!!

What a beautiful drive to the park where the event was held. I absolutely loved how bike friendly Colorado is, how beautiful the sights are and how nice everyone was. I just love it there - so fitness and health friendly!!

My Oakley Women ambassador friends and I helped set up and had fun getting to know some of the 200 attendees as they arrived to the event. 

The event included the Oakley Women pop-up-shop, a media station, a t-shirt making station, a yoga station, a mass bootcamp with Carrie and Cari from Bombshell Bootcamp and my nutrition workshop station with my Trimarni balls! (recipe can be found here).

Talk about a backdrop! The weather was absolutely perfect. It warmed up nicely, not hot, just perfect. 

What a great event!!!

Thanks for the pics (seen above) - you can access more pics from the event by searching #OPSFITNESS #OAKLEYWOMEN on Instagram and Twitter.

And a big congrats to Lindsay Gonzalez for being selected as the next Oakley Women brand ambassador from Colorado!!!

Can't wait for Dallas in a few weeks!!!



                                           

Well, the time has come!!!!! All packed for Czech Republic and excited to leave on Tuesday to see Karel's family and hometown. A trip that has been a long time in the making.....5 years since our wedding and seeing his parents and 13 years since he has returned home. We are so excited!!!

Campy knows something is up and sadly, he is trying everything possible to make sure he is not forgotten.

I won't be blogging while I am in Czech (perhaps the occasional blog if I have time) but I will be keeping a journal of each day of our travel. I am so excited to share this experience with everyone, especially from the perspective of a health conscious athlete who loves making memories and experiencing life. Of course - there will be lots of food pics!

To keep up with our travel, the best way to see pics and to receive updates is via my Facebook page. Feel free to LIKE Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition to stay current on all the happenings in Czech Republic. From runs to bike rides, to touring Znojmo and Prague and Karel catching up with his friends and family.....this is going to be a trip we both won't ever forget and I am excited to share it with everyone. 

Oakley Women Immersion event - HELLO FROM LA!

 

Awwww, miss my buddy!!

After arriving to LA around 11 am on Tues (West Coast time), it was a packed day of lunch at the Alcove, sessions on eye care and skin health at Grifith Park, intense bootcamp with Michelle Lovitt - personal trainer to celebs and then a hike to take a pic near the famous Hollywood white sign.

Dinner was at 8pm (West Coast time) and bed time was 10pm. So I am pretty sure if I do the math correctly, I was up for 20 hours yesterday.

Of course, my body was confused as it woke up at 4:40 am which I guess was "sleeping in" EST time but after laying around with no success to fall back asleep, I was officially up at 5am, had coffee while answering emails and then at 5:30am it was off to the gym for a run and stretching.

Oakley Women invited key employees from Sunglass huts from around the US and international to attend this brand immersion event to learn more about Oakley Women. This event is primarily women but it is a nice change to have males here as they are also understanding what the woman wants when she buys and shops. I know Karel has learned a lot as the GM of Trek Bicycles and that women have different needs than men when it comes to shopping and buying.

I am staying in the W Hollywood which is amazing. Today I spent the morning preping for my talk and catching up on training plans and emails for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

After a delicious lunch, I did some final prep for my talk and at 1:10pm - it was time for 40 minutes with a room of 100 active individuals who were excited to learn about sport nutrition and nutrient timing for the fitness enthusiast.

The talk went great and so many people asked wonderful questions and shared stories of how they stay active which is just what I love. You don't have to be an athlete to be healthy..just move, us and thank your body.

 

After my talk we heard a great social media talk and then it was time for a short boot camp, champagne and fruit, photo booth pics and then a little down time (aheem...to write on my blog) and now almost time for our last dinner. Always hard to leave these inspiring and motivating events with Oakley Women but I must return home tomorrow and continue my quest to motivate, educate and inspire others to live a more healthy balanced active lifestyle.

So for now..enjoy the pics!
(bummer- my phone died at the park so no beautiful pics of the hollwood sign or on the hike :(

 

 

(this should say UNSTOPPABLE!)

 

Oakley Women contract and kiwi avocado salsa

Ladies - how do you use your training gear? Do you put it on and go out shopping? Do you wear it to events? Do you worry about sweating in your training gear?

Let's be honest - you can absolutely care about how you look during exercise (it's true - if your race outfit matches your bike, you will bike faster! : )
but most importantly, you should care about how you feel during exercise. Sweating, laughing, legs-shaking, stretching.....when the workout is done you feel accomplished and worry more about what you got out of the workout than how you look in front of a mirror or around others.

If this does not pertain to you, likely you will not want to fill out the Oakley Women contract.

I have seen SO MANY amazing contracts posted by active women via social media and I couldn't wait to fill out my own contract. As an Oakley Women ambassador, I have learned how amazing it feels to not only feel great in your active wear but to also use it appropriately.

"My gear is for running, not running errands. My gear is exercising, not socializing. It's not carpool chic or grocery store casual. It was made for more than that. It was made for me." - Oakley Women
That's right Oakley Women - you nailed it!!!

We are not putting on clothing for a fashion contest or model search. We need clothing for sweating, for pushing our bodies and for finding out what we are made of.

I will use my gear to run across finish lines, not to stand in shopping lines.

What will you use your gear for?

If you are an active woman, ...sign your own contract and let everyone know how you use your training clothing and be entered to win a prize pack! Check out the Oakley Contract page and share #oakleywomencontract on twitter, instagram & Pinterest.

And after you fill out your contract - check out my delicious kiwi avocado salsa from my latest Ironman column.

(Pic on left from Ironman website, pic on right - my delicious homemade salsa)

 

ARTICLE HERE

Homemade energy balls (from Oakley Women/SHAPE event)

As promised, my delicious, yummy energy "ball" recipe. Originally I had made bars but the Oakley Women catering company re-created my bar creation into balls for easier packaging and consuming. Same ingredients, same great taste! Enjoy!

                                                

                                       

For the VIP Oakley Women Fitness Progression Session.attendees at Denver and Dallas, you will get an opportunity to try my delicious balls (with recipe card and healthy living tips) in May and I can't wait to meet you!


                                               
Any questions or concerns about the recipe (or substitutions or modifications) just send me an email or comment. Thanks!

                                                        Trimarni raw energy balls

                                     

Ingredients:
1/3 cup each of pecans, almonds, cashews, walnuts (non salted)
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
1/3 cup (or 10 apricots - dried)
10 dates (pitted, whole)
1/2 tsp ginger (powder) and 1/2 tsp cloves (powder)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp espresso coffee (finely ground - or any strong coffee)
1 tbsp dried coconut shavings (unsweetened)

25 prunes (whole)
1 cup rice krispies (I used gluten free rice krispies)

1) In ninja food processor I blended pecans, almonds, cashews and walnuts for 10 quick pulses until almost ground (a few little thicker pieces)
2) In large bowl I placed ground nuts and added whole (not blended or ground) pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
3) In ninja I blended dates, apricots and spices down to coconut until finely ground. I combined in large bowel with other ingredients.

4) In Ninja, I blended 6-7 prunes at a time until mushy and added to bowl. I did this 2-3 times until they were all mushy in bowl to help with sticking of the other ingredients.

5) I added rice krispies to bowl and combined with my hands (sprayed with a little non stick spray) to combine until sticky - this gets very sticky! Be sure hands are clean or wear gloves.
6) on a non stick cookie sheet (sprayed with a little non stick spray), I pressed bar ingredients into tray until I covered 13 x 10 on the tray (Almost the entire tray).
7) I placed in freezer for 30 min and then sliced with a plastic knife.

I made 30 servings (2inch x 2 inch squares) - you can roll into balls if that is easier (plan for 30 balls)

Each square/ball (serving) has the following nutrition facts:
83 calories
5g fat
9g carbs
1.4g fiber
4.5g sugar
2g protein

Comfort zone, trail mix and Oakley Radar Lock

I am a big believer that we need to protect our eyes when we are training/exercising. I can't tell you how many athletes or active individuals I see not wearing sunglasses while training. But we don't want just any sunglasses, we want protection from flying objects and from the sun....not just a cheap pair of shades that "look" competitive or expensive.
The entire package of quality shades can not be found in all shades and if you are thinking of saving some money on a pair of glasses, I recommend do not think twice when it comes to protecting your eyes and investing in your eye health. Although many things with the body can be replaced or fixed, the eyes are two body parts that you do not want to mess with (trust me - my dad is an optometrist...he'd be very upset if any of my Trimarni readers were not protecting their eyes).
Here's a great video to learn more about why Oakley makes the BEST sunglasses out there (I am not paid to say this - I have been wearing Oakley's for 6 years and Karel has worn Oakley's since his days racing bikes as a young teenager in Europe): ROLLING O LAB

While at the VIP Oakley Progression Session: SAN DIEGO, I had the opportunity to try on the 

 Radar Lock Edge. A Trimarni follower emailed me regarding a sunglasses pair that was not heavy and fit around her check bones without feeling tight. I tried on several pairs at the Oakley event to find her the perfect pair and although I LOVE my commit shades because they fit my small face and feel like nothing when I am riding and running long hours, I really fell in love with the Radar Lock Edge shades. I really like the vents on them and this is something that Karel loves in his Radar Lock shades. I highly recommend these glasses if you are have a small face but are looking for protection around your eyes in a light pair of shades that doesn't slip or move. Also, they have a nice competitive look which is always important if you want to race fast :)

Has anyone ever asked you what food you could never live without? For me, that's hard. But I'd have to say that trail mix is one food (hopefully it classifies as a "food") that I could live on and still feel "healthy" and satisfied. I love the many combinations of trail mix that you can make from adding cereal and granola to dried fruit and all types of nuts.

Here's a yummy trail mix I enjoyed today: Goji berries, pumpkin seeds, raisins, cranberries, walnuts, granola bites. YUMMO!

I always enjoy providing content to USAT Multisport Zone. I have a great editor and friend who allows me to share some of my blogs and recipes on the website and I love connecting with triathletes from around the world. Here's a recent blog that I wrote on moving out of your comfort zone...something that I have learned to do over the past few years and believe me, it seems scary at first but it's up to you to determine your attitude and plan of action with everything you do in life. Embrace change.

Moving out of your comfort zone

Oakley Women VIP Fitness Progression Session: San Diego

Every time I attend an Oakley Women event I leave inspired. I have a saying that in life, we should surround ourselves with people who give us energy and not take it away from us. Oakley Women makes that super easy and this time was above and beyond anything I could have ever imagined in terms of feeling inspired and motivated.

I woke up around 5am on Thursday morning and headed to the Jacksonville airport around 5:30am to make my 7:20am flight. Compression socks, Oakley bag, Brooks running shoes...check! I was so excited to get to Cali for the first ever VIP Oakley Women Fitness Progression Session.

I had a small snack on my way to the airport, along with my coffee so my 1/2 banana w/ PB kept me satisfied until I boarded my first flight to Dallas (a little less than 3 hour flight). I brought along 2 pita sandwiches of PB and J along with snacks of fruit (Plum, apple, nectarine) and trail mix (cheerios mixed with nuts, seeds, granola and raisins). I had my big pink water bottle to fill up after security and before boarding my second flight, I bought a Subway Breakfast sandwich packed with egg whites, swiss cheese and veggies on flat bread. I had 1/2 of the 12" on my flight to San Diego and the other half when I arrived in San Diego. Because I was arriving around noon west coast time, my body was a bit confused on the time change. Since I have been flying out West rather frequently in the past year or two, I have learned that my body does better with small meals every 2-3 hours rather than the standard breakfast and lunch while traveling. 

My Oakley Women "mommy" Abbey, picked me up at the airport and it was great to catch up since our last Oakley Women ambassador summit in Utah. We checked in to the Hyatt at Mission Bay and then headed to the event venue just a quick 10 minute walk away. 

The event included a mass boot camp for all 200 hand-selected ladies, interviews to become the next Oakley Women ambassador (to join the team), a yoga workshop, a nutrition workshop (with me!), t-shirt making station, the Oakley Women shopping "trailer", a complimentary food truck (YUM!), a social media tent and swag for every lady in attendance. 

Before dinner at the Red Marlin, I had a little time to practice my talk a few more times (I don't like using papers when I speak so I have been working on 7 pages/30 minutes of information to recite by memory) and I was able to make time for a great 1 hour workout in the fitness studio (weights, stretching, cardio). 

After dinner I received a few goodies from my other Oakley Women "mommy" Chelsea and I was so excited to sport a few articles of clothing from the 2013 spring collection. 

source

I woke up early for San Diego time but felt great "sleeping in" based on EST. I planned to get my breakfast before heading to the fitness studio for a quick 30 min stretch session knowing that Einstein bagels was likely to get busy as the morning went on. At 6am, there wasn't even a line..just like I like it as I don't enjoy waiting for food, especially with a hungry belly.

I got ready in my room while enjoying my delicious bagel thin sandwich with asparagus, swiss and mushrooms. I also got a big cup of fresh, sliced mixed fruit to save for later in the morning before I began my series of workshops. The last thing I need is a brain that is low in fuel when I am asking my mind to remember 7 pages of information for 4 x 30 min. workshops!

Before the event started, I had a little segment with Channel 6 San Diego news. We tested out the Shape Diva Dash obstacle course - lots of fun!

Here's the first clip (Haven't located the second segment yet)

Oakley ambassadors Cari and Carrie from Bombshell - Bootcamp.

Hopefully all the ladies brought a credit card....hard to pass up a display of Oakley Women shades. I tried on the Oakley Women Radar Lock with vents....Love them!!! Perhaps you may see me at Ironman Lake Placid sporting this pair of comfortable, light shades with just enough competitive vibe to them. 

After setting up my table with my yummy energy balls (my creation created by a catering company with Oakley Women), it was time for bootcamp!

What a workout!!!!

Time for a snack!

I will share the recipe in a future blog but for now you can imagine how delicious they taste!!

I met so many inspiring women throughout the morning and I had such a great time sharing my top 7 tips on living a balanced active and healthy lifestyle.

I had great questions from the ladies on nutrition and I also enjoyed speaking to several aspiring "dietitians" which was so great for me to share my story and experience and how taking that challenging, long road to earning my RD credential was beyond worth it!

Talk about a busy day.....around 3pm, Oakley Women announced the new brand ambassador ( Caitlin O'Hara). 

                          

Then it was time for champagne and cocktails with the Shape Magazine staff and Oakley Women team.

What a fabulous weekend and inspiring to say the least. I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been given in the past two years, thanks to Oakley Women, for letting me share my passion and knowledge with active and health conscious ladies. I was so excited to officially sign my Oakley Women agreement, letting others know that my Oakley Women gear is "for living my active life and not for impressing others".


Ladies - there is still time if you will be in the Denver and Dallas area in May. I look forward to the upcoming VIP Oakley Women Fitness Progression Session. events and meeting more inspiring women who love to get after it!

Off to SoCal with Oakley Women!

 

 

 

Shape Magazine hand selected 200 women who entered a contest online to join Oakley Women at the first ever VIP Oakley Progress Sessions in San Diego, California. Ladies - there's still time to enter for Denver and Dallas! Find out more HERE. I can't tell you how much my life has changed because of Oakley Women. It's not about the free gear or amazing free trips but instead, opportunities to expand my passion for an active and healthy lifestyle and most importantly, share it with other like-minded women. There's nothing I love more than a confident, get-after-it woman who doesn't have can't in her vocabulary. When I am with Oakley Women (staff, ambassadors and others), I am always inspired and I leave motivated and even more determined to share my passion with the world.



Yoga, Boot Camp, swag, interviews, nutrition workshop.....this one-day event is packed with activities and fun and I am so excited to share this first-ever experience with 200 amazing ladies.

 

I fly out this morning to San Diego and I come home Saturday. A quick trip that will be packed with memories.

I am so excited to speak about my passion for developing a balanced, healthy and active lifestyle and here are my top tips that I will be speaking about at the event (along with handing out one of my yummy energy bar/ball creations).

 

 

Trimarni tips for an active and healthy lifestyle
1) Develop a mindful eating plan.
2) Train smarter to train harder.
3) Develop a positive relationship with food and the body.
4) Welcome change by relying on the power of goal setting.
5) Think beyond diet and exercise: work on sleep, stress and attitude management.
6) Prioritize a real food diet.
7) Adapt to training stress with nutrient timing and sport nutrition

Hello from Utah!

Two years ago I won a contest with Oakley Women describing how I "perform beautifully". It was a life-changing contest to be an Oakley ambassador and the opportunities with Oakley Women have been amazing. I have met some amazing women from around the world and because of them I have been incredibly inspired and motivated to continue my quest to live an active and healthful lifestyle. I believe that every opportunity in life has the opportunity to change a person, whether it is good or bad. I don't believe that we should wish for opportunities nor get jealous for the opportunities of others. We all have experiences in life that can change us but we just have to be open, willing and accepting of the change.

Oakley Women has sent "us" ambassadors on some amazing trips - Napa Valley, LA, Laguna Beach and now, Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Although it may look like all fun and games, there is a purpose behind getting a group of passionate, active individuals together. For when we are together, we brainstorm, we discuss and we do what we do best - be active! Oakley Women is working really hard on growing the women brand and the gear and products that are behind the brand and it has been so much fun testing products, giving feedback and just being around like-minded individuals.

For our trip to Utah, the purpose was to try 2013 gear, specifically snow gear. So what better than for us to test out products at Snowbird resort.

Here's a little about our weekend itinerary:

Friday:
Depart Jacksonville, arrive to Utah. Check in at the Snowbird Resort.
Dinner at the Oakley house (Homemade Sushi)
Welcome reception and learning about Oakley goggles (presentation)

Saturday:
Snowboarding or skiing - all day from 9am - 4pm.

Product testing review on the Oakleytesting.com website

Preview to exciting things to come in 2013 for Oakley Women (So excited to share this info with everyone....but you will have to wait!)
Dinner at Oakley house (Tacos)

Sunday:
Yoga at the Cliff Resort Spa
Product testing and photo shoot
Lunch at Oakley house (salad and wraps/sandwiches)
Breakout sessions - tech eyewear/tech apparel, ambassador program (exciting things to come with this too!), event activation and Oakley PBC
Dinner at Oakley house

A shout-out to the other companies that have supplied products for our winter summit:
Coola Suncare
Nature Made
Paul Mitchell
Zico Coconut water
Kind Bars
Pear Sport Training
Yogi Toes
Neuro beverage
Stance Socks

Hope you enjoy the pictures! Lots of memories made this weekend...

Ladies Tri Night event - Perform Beautifully

I could not have asked for a better crowd.....a bike shop PACKED with active women who all aspire to train smart, fuel efficiently and perform beautifully. Familiar and new faces filled the room and without enough chairs for the 60+ women in attendance - I'd say that's a great turnout for the first ever Trimarni Ladies Tri Night! An event not exclusive to triathletes but rather, an open invitation to anyone who lives an active lifestyle. And a huge thank you to those who changed schedules to be at the event, who came early and offered to help and to our amazing friends in Waycross, GA who made the drive just for this event. Thank you!

 

After changing out of my scrubs from a busy day at Baptist Medical Center Beaches, I dressed "up" in my Oakley shine support tank and had all my Oakley Women shades out for display.

The first 40 women who arrived by 5:50pm received a PACKED goodie bag thanks to Hammer Nutrition. Hammer Nutrition has been wonderful in terms of fueling my active lifestyle and I am thankful that they also help me out in many of my speaking events. I've been a loyal Hammer user for at least 5 years and with 5 IM's (2 IM World Championships) and 6 Half Ironman's behind my name, I couldn't ask for a better company to provide quality products to help me fuel my endurance lifestyle. If I had to pick my favorite products they would be Strawberry Heed, Grape Fizz and Huckleberry Gel (+ gel flask). And for supplements, hands down tissue rejuvinator is the best because it takes the place of ibuprofen and keeps me functioning well during my peak training. I have not used an anti-inflammatory pill since 1 week post Kona last October (I never use any type of anti inflammatory during or immediately before any race). Also to thank, 110% Play Harder helps the recovery process thanks to their genius mobile-ice bath + compression.

Without a doubt, everyone LOVED Veronica's Health Crunch. Not a seed or nut left in sight at the end of the event. I'm so proud of Veronica for having a vision and a goal and for making her dreams come true. A few years ago she approached me at one of Karel's cycling races, telling me about her idea for granola. Now, several years later her product is ending up on shelves at Fresh Market (can't wait for it to get to Jacksonville) and she is selling her product online. It is absolutely delicious and the ingredients are so simple, yet perfectly blended. YUM!!

 

Another big thanks to Chobani for donating Greek yogurt for the event. To introduce the ladies to other types of yogurts, I picked up my favorite plain yogurt, Dannon nonfat which sits very nicely in my tummy and is the perfect compliment to any fruit or smoothie. Both yogurts are packed with calcium and protein and went nicely with the health crunch. Oh, and the pink napkins are super cute.

(don't worry - the dietitian in me made sure all the yogurts were on ice before the event. No need for anyone to get sick)

 

I'm sure no one forgot about the amazing giveaways.....Hammer, Oakley, Veronica's Health Crunch, 110% and Nootca really hooked us up with some amazing swag. Also, president of the HammerHead Triathlon Club, super star IM triathlete Susan Wallis also provided lace locks to two newbie triathletes, doing their first triathlons this month.

• Oakley donated the Drizzle and Overtime shades as well as the adorable Carver bags.
• Hammer went above and beyond with Recoverite and Gel jugs + flask + fizz.
• Veronica's Health Crunch donated a HUGE bag of her delicious crunch.
• Nootca donated their amazing anti-fog 207 goggles (which I have been using for the past few weeks and will be wearing at Branson 70.3 next weekend).
• 110% Play Harder donated the Mercury sock as well as one of their TOP sellers, the calf sleeves. They also provided a visor which is super comfy (Karel and I both have one for the hot summer training).
• And last but not least, I have to give a HUGE thanks to Trek Jax for opening the shop after hours for the event. Karel is the GM of the San Jose location but his boss Jeff Kopp and his wife Alycia have been super supportive of all my career endeavours. They didn't even hesitate when I asked if I could hold a Ladies Tri Night event, after my friend Sky wanted to have an "informal" nutrition and training talk to 5 of the ladies who she is training for their first triathlon. Who knew it would end up being such a fabulous event with such great support of some amazing companies who embrace an active and healthy lifestyle. I also want to thank Trek employee Nicole for taking time out of her evening to be at the event to answer any female bike-related questions. Courtney P. also works at Trek but she just finished the Las Vegas 70.3 World Championships.

The presentation lasted around 40 minutes so I'd like to recap a little of the first part of the talk....saving the rest for another blog.

PERFORM BEAUTIFULLY

I read a study not too long ago which triggered me to begin my talk on the topic of Perform Beautifully, as part of the Oakley Women campaign.

-Gender and Body Image Study:

ØFemales 50+ years of age, 1,800 U.S. Women
Ø27% obese, 29% overweight, 42% normal weight, 2% underweight
-Results:
Ø4% binge eat
Ø8% purge
Ø70% diet to lose weight
Ø36% dieted ~50% of the time in last 5 years
Ø41% check body size daily
Ø40% weigh themselves at least twice a week
Ø62% report body weight negatively impacts their life
Ø79% report body weight affects self-image
Ø64% think about their weight daily
Environmental Nutrition Sept 2012, Vol 35, No 9.

I struggled making it through my Dear Body letter as I read it allowed but I felt it tied so nicely with the study which shows how women can spend so much of their life focused (and obsessed) on body image - almost wasting life away just to achieve this "perfect" vision of what they feel is "healthy". There's no point in a lean body if you can't do anything with it and certainly, as an athlete, the body is going to change throughout the year and season.
I wrote this letter to myself just a few days before my 4th IM. I found it a life-changing experience and I encourage others to spend the time thinking about what you would say to your body - hopefully positive and perhaps apologetic at times.

 I always try to leave my audience with take-aways rather than just lecturing on what to do. I like to give advice that everyone can use based on their own lifestyle needs. I don't like to lecture, but rather inspire.

 

Here are a few tips if you are striving to perform beautifully:

*Aim for progress not perfection.

*Love your body not for a number on a scale, but for allowing you to cross finish lines by being healthy and strong.

*Don’t rush life. Every day is worth living.

*Every body is special. Embrace your body and individual needs. Don’t live a strict lifestyle but one of balance, consistency and enjoyment.

*Give yourself a reason to wake up every morning with a can-do attitude.

*Set short and long term realistic goals rather than living a life of regret, failure and obsession. Goals require dedication, energy and passion.

*Recognize your own individual needs based on your current training and lifestyle requirements.

 

*Be kind to your body so it doesn’t fail you. Thank your body, daily.

*Recognize the rewards of consistent daily exercise. Eat for fuel and for health.

*To perform beautifully, one must be patient. Take pride in the steps that are required to achieve goals in life and find ways to overcome obstacles with beauty, passion and grace.

 

More to come on how to train smarter......

The media and olympics - RD approved!

Interesting.

 When our society has something like the Olympics to direct our attention to, all we hear about are inspiring stories, motivational performances and exciting moments in history. Although many people may be sitting more than normal (or being a little less productive at work and at home), there is no better time than now than to feel the itch to become something greater than you ever thought was possible.

Did I mention, I LOVE the Olympics? I love bodies in motion!

The interesting part is that there are hardly any commercials on food products, fast food or diets, aside from the notable sponsors like chobani, Coca-cola and subway (and a few alcohol ads which seem to be popping up the most). Right now the media is all about showing commercials involving the many Team USA athletes, who are inspiring spokespersons.

The IOC tell us on their website that they aim “to control sponsorship programs to ensure that partnerships are compatible with the Olympic ideals”.
But here's the catch - with all the TV watching that our society is doing, perhaps we have a little moment in time where the media is not driving our attention to fast foods or grocery store aisles but rather, to be inspired to set goals and to eat for fuel. Althoug there may be food ads on TV during the Olymics, it is a far difference from what we are use to.

Sadly, this will eventually end and social media, the news and every channel on TV will go back to promoting products, diet foods, diet pills, ground-breaking research, good food/bad food and anything and everything to turn around a profit and to help people "get healthy"...and confuse the consumers.

"Focus, discipline, hard work, goal setting and, of course, the thrill of finally achieving your goals. These are all lessons in life."

-- Kristi Yamaguchi, gold medalist in figure skating in 1992

Would it be great if your reason to get out of bed everyday was to become better, smarter and stronger than yesterday? Do you go to bed excited to see what tomorrow will bring? Perhaps, consider spending a bit more time and energy on the "media" that will enhance your lifestyle, rather than the media that often does nothing more than to confuse and overwhelm you, with info as to how you should be living your life.
Let the inspiration continue....