Thank you Body (Thanksgiving)

 

For athletes, Thanksgiving often arrives during a time of off-season rebuilding, or much-needed rest.

Perhaps there's a reason for this timely holiday. You now have a chance to step back and appreciate everything that makes your athletic journey possible.

This Thanksgiving, take a moment to thank every part of your athletic life. And most importantly, don't forget to thank your body.

Breaking the holiday restrict-binge cycle

The holiday season is here and it's filled with family, friends and.....food. 

Without a doubt, food is a significant component of every holiday. For anyone who suffers from an eating disorder or an unhealthy relationship with food and the body, this can be a challenging time of the year. 

You may not realize it but the holidays bring several triggers that could lead to disordered eating and exercising behaviors. Often times, stress, overwhelm, people pleasing, travel, toxic relationships/family members, uncomfortable conversations and finances can bring on uncomfortable feelings. In order to lessen those emotions, it's easy to resort to food restriction (or dieting).

And with restriction often comes binge eating. Overeating from time to time does not mean that you have a binge eating disorder. Fundamentally, binge eating is different from overeating. 

Signs and symptoms of binge eating include: 

• Eating a large amount of food in a short period of time (ex. over 2 hours)
• Frequent episodes of eating more than what may be considered a normal amount of food. 
• Binging as a way of coping with unwanted feelings, stress and anxiety. 
• Eating beyond fullness. 
• Feeling that your eating behavior is out of control. 
• Eating large amounts of food without being physically hungry. 
• Feelings of guilt, sadness, distress, worthlessness after not being able to control eating.

In our society, a lot of shame comes from eating too much whereas restriction is viewed as being good - having willpower, discipline and control. Despite stigmas and societal beliefs, binging (or overeating) isn't from lack of willpower or discipline. Binge eating is a common result of restriction. In other words, the solution to avoid binge eating is to eat more. 

If you ever find yourself binge eating or over eating, there's a good chance that you are intentionally - or unintentionally - restricting your food intake. This can occur from not eating enough, skipping meals (ex. breakfast, lunch), going long hours without eating, restricting carbs, eliminating food groups or specific foods or overexercising. 

Your body is constantly trying to protect you. For example, to keep your body from overheating, your body will initiate sweating. When you have a fever, your body may use 'chills' to boost core temperature to kill off a virus. The body is no different when it comes to responding to restriction. If you don't eat enough early in the day (or you don't fuel well during a long workout), your body is going to beg for what it missed out on. Our biology is hardwired to protect us against starvation. And if your body has ever experienced starvation trauma, it's likely to overreact any time you undereat. 

Because most people don't worry about where their next meal is coming from (10% of US households are food insecure due to low income, poverty or unemployment), if you have ever been on a diet or intentionally restricted food, this can be viewed as self-imposed starvation. And your body doesn't care if you don't have the ability or access to food or you are trying to intentionally lose weight. If your body senses an extreme caloric deficit, it's going to react by trying to protect you. 

The restrict-binge cycle can not be broken with food rules or willpower. The only way to reduce the risk of binging is to stop the restriction. 

Saving calories - Starving your body of calories so that you can "make room" for a large holiday meal will lead to overeating. Instead of saving your calories, see your meal as just another meal. Go into the meal feeling slightly hungry by eating well-balanced meals and snacks throughout the day, starting with a healthy breakfast. By arriving to you meal slightly hungry, you will eat in a controlled manner, making a conscious decision about what and how much you want to eat. 

Get in tune with your hunger scale - Despite being born with an exceptional intutive sense of your bodies physiological needs, you may have lost the ability to detect and respond to signals of hunger and fullness. Not surprisingly, disordered eating behaviors and a restrict-binge cycle can negatively impact your ability to properly feel fullness and hunger. A hunger scale can help with eating-related decisions as you practice body awareness. 


Begin eating your meal around 3-4 on the hunger scale and to finish your meal at 5 or 6. Give yourself time to chew and digest your food as the hunger scale can quickly (or slowly) change throughout the eating experience. 

Stop depriving yourself - Where there is excess there is usually deprivation. Similar to a feast-or-famine cycle found in people living with food insecurity, if you forbid yourself from eating certain foods and then give yourself permission to eat when food is abundant, you may find yourself feeling out of control. This was well-documented in the well-known, unethical Minnesota Starvation Experiment. Restrictive eating only increases the desire for the forbidden foods. When these "off-limit" foods are finally available (and allowed), there's a good chance that you will overeat. 

Mindful Eating - You will enjoy food the most when you are slightly hungry. Food always tastes the best on the first bite. There's a point when food no longer tastes as good as it was. By staying in tune with your eating, you can determine when you are finished eating. Eating should be a positive, joyful, comforting and feel-good experience. Aim to feel better after you eat than before you started. 

References: 
https://www.rosewoodranch.com/binge-eating-signs-symptoms/
https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-and-food-statistics-charting-the-essentials/food-security-and-nutrition-assistance/#:~:text=The%20prevalence%20of%20food%20insecurity,had%20very%20low%20food%20security.
https://www.eatingrecoverycenter.com/blog/i-cant-tell-when-im-full
https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/135/6/1347/4663828

Thanksgiving Everyday

 

Thanksgiving. An American Holiday traditionally spent with family, friends and loved ones. 

For the outsider, Thanksgiving is seen as a day of sharing a meal together and togetherness. 

Thanksgiving is a special holiday in that it is celebrated by ~98% of Americans. It doesn't matter what religion, gender, culture, skin color, financial situation or political views - anyone can enjoy this day of national observance. 

But Thanksgiving Day is gone all too soon. This is why we should make every day Thanksgiving. 

1. Celebrate life - Look for ways to celebrate every day. 
2. Enjoy nature - Get outside and notice the miracles and beauty around you.
3. Show appreciation - Let others know how much you appreciate them. 
4. Be friendly - Get to know people who help make your life what it is. 
5. Be grateful - Recognize what's right, not what's wrong. Create a conscious habit to be thankful.
6. Share abundance - From material things to food and expertise, if you have enough, share it with others. 
7. Take nothing for granted - Take time to pause and appreciate all that you have, all you've worked for and all you've been given. 
8. Bring people together - We are all interconnected. How can you help, how can you contribute? 
9. Acts of kindness - Show compassion for others and find selfless ways to make someone smile. 
10. Create memories - Collect good moments, no matter how small. 

A vegetarian Thanksgiving (anytime recipes)

 

We started off the day with a ~3 hour bike ride on our road bikes. We left around 10am and the weather was weird - misty, grey, not too warm, not too cold. We welcomed the fresh crisp air and took in the beautiful sights of nature, farm animals and fall colors. It's incredible that after six years of living in Greenville, SC we are still discovering new routes. Although our country roads are typically pretty quiet from cars, this recent ride treated us with no more than ten cars passing us over just over 50 miles. 

After we returned home around 1:30pm, I cleaned up, had a meal and then got to work in the kitchen. While Thanksgiving food centers around traditions, I see this holiday as a way to create memories over food. And there's no better way to create positive memories than around delish food that feels just as good on the taste buds as it does in the belly. 

I wanted to share the recipes that I used to create the dishes that I prepared for Thanksgiving. These recipes are not exclusive to Thanksgiving - I encourage you to try them out and add them to your weekly menu. If you are like me and feel a bit overwhelmed and anxious with detailed recipes, I will list the ingredients below and then you can click on the recipe link when you are ready to follow the actual recipe. I find it much less cumbersome to purchase ingredients in advance and then prep those ingredients in advance, versus trying to do everything at once (shop, prep, cook all on the same day). 

Sesame Ginger Tempeh Stir Fry

RECIPE LINK

Ingredients: 

• 8oz block tempeh (I used two x 8 ounce blocks of tempeh to have leftovers.)
• 1 cup each carrot sticks and green beans
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce/coconut aminos for lower sodium+paleo (I used Tamari sauce)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• Sesame seeds, green onion, white rice for serving (optional) (I used sesame seeds)

Broccoli and Quinoa Casserole

RECIPE LINK

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups vegetable broth or water (I used vegetable broth)
• 1 cup quinoa (any color), rinsed under running water in a mesh sieve for a minute and drained
• 16 ounces broccoli florets, either pre-packaged or sliced from 2 large bunches of broccoli
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, omit if sensitive to spice
• 8 ounces (about 2 ½ cups) freshly grated cheddar cheese, divided (I used brick provolone and just under 1 cup)
• 1 cup low-fat milk (cow’s milk tastes best but unsweetened plain almond milk works, too) (I used cow's milk)
• ½ tablespoon butter or 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 slice whole wheat bread (substitute gluten-free bread for a gluten-free casserole)

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

RECIPE LINK

Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Fine sea salt
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more if needed
• Scant ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• For garnish: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives and/or green onions (I used dried parsley) 

Vegan Apple and Pear Crumble 

RECIPE LINK

Ingredients: 

• 2 1/2 cups pears, chopped (after peeling)  (I used 3 small Bartlett pears)
• 1 1/2 cups apples, chopped (after peeling) (I used 3 small honey crisp apples)
• 1/8 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 1/8 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup coconut oil (I used ~2 tbsp vegan butter)
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped optional (I used a handful each of chopped walnuts and pecans)

My best friend. 

Campy's plate.

He's always so surprised and patient when he receives his own Thanksgiving plate. 

Happy Tummy. 

Thanksgiving feels different - it's ok.

This picture means so much to me. It's a picture of my dad cutting the Thanksgiving Turkey in my parents house in New Port Richey, Florida and Campy waiting for pieces of Turkey to "accidentally" drop from the sky. It was my last Thanksgiving with my dad. 

My dad was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic cancer to his spine in June 2013. He had major spinal surgery a few weeks later and was not given a good diagnosis if he would ever walk again and the survival rate of this type of aggressive cancer was not good. My dad was fit, otherwise healthy and active. He was also very stubborn and positive. 

My dad worked extremely hard to learn how to walk again. After 3 months with a spine brace, wound vac and walker (and assistance with all daily activities) and loads of medications, radiation and chemo.....my dad continued improving his strength and was able to move around the house by Thanksgiving (November 2013) with his walker - all by himself. My dad passed away 3 days before my 32nd birthday in May 2014. My dad had a very tough 10-month fight with cancer. 

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I realize that my 28-year vegetarian diet isn't best well suited for this annual meat-centered holiday but for me, it's not about the food. It's about family, gratitude, kindness and traditions, memories and stories. 

My dad prepared the Turkey but he would always make me an out-of-the-bird "vegetarian" stuffing. Ever since Campy came into our life (October 2008), my dad made sure that Campy always had a full belly of Turkey when it was time to eat the Thanksgiving meal. My dad had a special strategy of preparing the Turkey - cut of a piece for the plate, eat a small piece and toss a piece to Campy. As you can imagine, Campy loved this strategy. 

For me, every Thanksgiving has felt a little different since my dad passed away. 
I understand if you feel like Thanksgiving feels a little different this year. A day that we all associate with genuine feelings of gratitude will not include the typical deep-rooted camaraderie of gathering in person with loved ones and chosen family. Although eight months have passed since we were first hit with the devastating changes, stressors and adjustments that resulted from the deadly and highly contagious pandemic, nothing could have prepared us for the emotional toll of not being able to celebrate the holidays with our close friends and family.

Although restrictions on gatherings should be followed to protect you, your family and your community, there's something to be learned from this that can help us moving forward.

When we can once again hug, gather and enjoy the simple joy of traveling, don't take the special people in your life for granted. 

We are all energy. Be sure to surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you. 
The people you surround yourself with, you become. No matter your level of confidence or self-esteem, you are not immune to negative energy, destructive behaviors or bad influences.

This pandemic has taught us a lot. One of the many lessons we have learned is that our lives are not abundant without close connections to friends and family.

The world is not a random puzzle. There is meaning and purpose to every circumstance. 

Your mindset plays a very important role in life. The way you think about things and see the world determines how you live your life. If your mind is drawn toward the negative, you will feel hopeless. I encourage you to have an optimistic mind, full of gratitude, on this Thanksgiving holiday. This pandemic is forcing us to take a more holistic view of our personal choices. It may be incredibly hard to not think about ourselves as the US culture is known for individualism - our needs, our goals, our personal wants. My dad didn't pass away due to COVID but over 260,000 American lives have been taken due to this pandemic. On this Thanksgiving, we must all put our own wants and needs to the side in order to protect others - not just the vulnerable but all of the essential workers who are sacrificing so much to serve for others. 

I hope that you have plenty to be grateful for this year. I hope that you still have your health and have not caught this highly contagious virus. Our normally joyous holiday season is dominated by mandates, losses, uncertainty and social distancing. It's a bummer. It sucks. I encourage you to take some time to recognize what's good in your life. Even in the face of suffering and disappointment, find gratitude. 

With so many restrictions and mandates, don't forget why we are all instructed to do what we need to do. Serve a portion of gratitude - not COVID - this Thanksgiving. 

Thankful for Thanksgiving

We were spoiled with amazingly beautiful weather over the past four days in Greenville, SC. With family in town (and my mom living a mile away), we combined our love of physical activity + nature + food with the Thanksgiving holiday. Oh, and Campy was part of almost all of it!

For a change of scenery and terrain, we decided to do our Thanksgiving day workout at Lake Summit. Because this 9-mile run loop is about 30 minutes away, we rarely make the drive to Tuxedo, NC to run on the gravel road that wraps around the lake (with a short section on the paved road). But with the Thanksgiving holiday, we ventured out to get closer to nature.

It was a fairly aerobic run with a few hard efforts to get up the hills. It was also a bit windy but overall the temperature was perfect in the low 50's. Karel is much faster than me when he runs so we each did our own thing (while listening to triathlon-related podcasts on our wireless earphones) and Karel would loop back for me here and there. 

While we ran, Karel's mom took Campy for an out and back walk. She really enjoys walking Campy and Campy loves to be outside. After his 75-minute walk, Campy was pooped and napped the entire drive home. 

After we got home, I finished up the brussels sprouts and pomegranate salad that I made for Thanksgiving (I'll share the recipe tomorrow) and a few hours later (around 2:30pm), it was time for us to head over to my mom's house for the Thanksgiving dinner. 

I celebrated my 27th Thanksgiving as a vegetarian and like each year in the past, my plate was loaded with color, yumminess and plant-based foods. From left to right, mashed sweet potatoes, my brussels sprouts salad, roasted veggies, cranberry sauce, tempeh in the middle, stuffing (not cooked inside the bird and made with vegetarian gravy) and a slice of bread with brie. Not pictured was a slice of Challah bread that Karel's mom made. And for dessert, I had a small bite of pumpkin pie and ice cream (I prefer bread-type desserts over pies and cookies but the pumpkin pie was homemade and you can't beat homemade desserts that are prepared with love). 

As per tradition, Campy joined us for his 11th Thanksgiving dinner. He always finds himself a place at a the table before the humans sit down to eat. Lucky Campy even got offered wine from my uncle. Campy declined - he's only 12 yrs old :-)

After we finished our dinner, Campy got his plate (tradition) of turkey, veggies and potatoes. It was consumed in less than 30 seconds. We all finished the day with very happy bellies. 

On Friday, my family planned a short hike at Triple Falls at DuPont State Forest. My mom is in a hiking club (with Olli at Furman) so every Thursday (and sometimes twice a week) she goes to different places with her hiking group. I was excited to see somewhere new as we haven't explored a lot of hiking routes in our beautiful area of Greenville, SC (we typically just see sights via bike).

Since the location where we were hiking was on one of our biking routes, Karel and I decided to bike to Dupont to meet my family around 11am. We left at 8:30am and managed to arrive before they did. It was a 34 mile road trip but we rode a few more miles around the area while waiting for my family to arrive by car. It was a perfect morning for a ride as it was cool and cloudy but not too cold. Our route took us over Caesar's Head - a 6.5 mile climb/~2100 feet elevation gained. It was a hilly ride to Dupont (a little over 4000 feet elevation gain in 2.5 hours) but it was a great way to spend the morning. After a quick change (we had bags/food in the car), we ventured out on the trails. The trail was a bit busy but it was great to see so many people outside on Black Friday. 

Karel was only able to hike for about an hour as he had to get back home for a scheduled bike fit with an athlete later in the afternoon. He took his mom back so Campy and I stayed with the rest of my family. The hike was around 4.22 miles total and we saw two beautiful waterfalls. The weather was incredible - it actually got really warm! 

Campy was (mostly) on his best behavior as there was a lot of stimulation with all the people and so so so many dogs. 

After the hike, we drove to Pretty Place. We have lived in Greenville, SC since 2014 and this was my first time seeing the magnificent view! Karel still hasn't seen it. I'm sure we will bike up there together one of these days. Since Karel took the bikes back in our car (which was driven to the hike by my uncle), I rode with my mom, aunt, uncle and two others. It was a tight squeeze but we made it work. We had a picnic lunch at Pretty Place and soaked in the view. 

After the ride, I had an icelandic yogurt and a few figs (and a poppyseed pastry made by Karel's mom). Then for lunch, I had a banana and PB&J sandwich (made on homemade bread, by Karel's mom). It was all delicious!

Then we made one last stop to the overlook at Caesar's head. I can't get enough of this view. It never gets old.

We had leftovers for dinner on Friday evening and then it was early to bed for me. I was toast. I managed to sleep 10 hours on Friday evening and I needed every minute of it!

On Saturday morning, Karel and I went to Furman for a swim workout at 9:30am. After the 3900 yard swim, we did a good 30-minute strength session at the gym. We then had lunch (Karel's mom is spoiling us - we will be sad to see her go in a week!) and went to downtown Greenville with my family. It was great to see so many people in our lovely downtown for Small Business Saturday. Our award winning downtown has over 100 shops and boutiques and restaurants spread over several blocks of walkable tree-lined streets. 

Although we didn't make it to our favorite run store - Run In - we were there earlier in the week to pick up new shoes and a few other small items. I was happy to see that my two books are making their way off the shelves! Thanks for the support Run In!!

While walking in downtown, Campy helped me look for the Mice on Main. 

Our downtown is very dog-friendly. You can bring your dog into almost every store and even a few food-serving stores. There are dog bowls everywhere and an all-around feel for a love of dogs. 

Karel managed to find himself some croissants which he quickly enjoyed with his mom. We picked up Happy and Hale for dinner and then ate at our place with my family. After my family left around 6:30pm, Karel and I had to get some work done until we went to bed around 9pm. Another busy, productive and active day.

As for Sunday, we kept this day a bit more chill. Well, our bike/run workout was incredibly challenging and exhausting but the rest of the day didn't include any family activities - just time at home to get some work done and watch the Ironman World Championship NBC Coverage. Campy finally got a well-needed recovery day from all of his outings and adventures.

Thanks for reading. We hope you had a great weekend!

Holiday eating and the health conscious athlete

If you consider yourself a health conscious individual, the holiday season may fill you with a bit of anxiety and stress. While there is much to celebrate and enjoy, you may worry about some of the uncomfortable food-related situations that you may face at family gatherings, holiday parties or work events. For example:

• Being told that you eat "too healthy."
• Feeling like you are judged for your eating habits or your body image.
• Worry about emotional/stress eating.
• Fear of overeating/overindulging.
• Having to turn down food that you don't like/can't eat.

For anyone who has experienced any of the above scenarios, it can be rather difficult to enjoy a holiday meal when you are worried about the food around you or how you will respond when people comment on your eating habits.

As an advocate of intuitive eating, consider the following "Intuitive Eating Holiday Bill of Rights" to help you feel more at ease when you are at or around the food table.

The following was taken directly from Intuitiveeating.org.

1. You have the right to savor your meal, without cajoling or judgment, and without discussion of calories eaten or the amount of exercise needed to burn off said calories.
2. You have the right to enjoy second servings without apology.
3. You have the right to honor your fullness, even if that means saying “no thank you” to dessert or a second helping of food.
4. It is not your responsibility to make someone happy by overeating, even if it took hours to prepare a specialty holiday dish.
5. You have the right to say, “No thank you,” without explanation, when offered more food.
6. You have the right to stick to your original answer of “no”, even if you are asked multiple times. Just calmly and politely repeat “No, thank you, really.”
7. You have the right to eat pumpkin pie for breakfast.

For more educational content and delicious recipes (like these Pecan Pie Bars - perfect for Thanksgiving!), subscribe to our free weekly newsletter - delivered directly to your inbox every Wednesday morning at 7am EST.

A Greenville Thanksgiving

I have a lot of great memories of Thanksgiving with my family. Being with my dad, mom and brother (and often extended family) was a special time for it wasn't that often that we would all be together at the table. Since my dad passed away in May 2014, I find myself thinking of all the laughs, good food and memories that we made together as a family on Thanksgiving.

This year was low key for me and Karel. With my mom out of town, we joined the family of my friend (and swimming partner) Kristen for delicious food, stories and laughs. Kristen use to race as a professional Ironman triathlete back in the late 90's so I had a lot of fun scrolling through her scrap books as she reminisced about her past Ironman/triathlon days. 

I yummed over my Thanksgiving plate - it was filled with color and just enough (but not too much) food to leave me satisfied and feeling good in my belly. Pictured above is mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, a wild rice mix with cranberries and my pomegranate kale mango salad. This is my 26th Thanksgiving as a vegetarian. 

Per tradition, Campy had his Thanksgiving plate. He scarfed it down in a minute and then asked for seconds. 

On Friday morning, I was itching to get outside on my road bike. With the temps barely over 30 degrees, Karel was not keen on this idea. However, he agreed to join me for nearly 3 hours. I don't think the temps got over 32 degrees but luckily we live in a very hilly area so we had plenty of punchy hills to increase our body temp. We managed ~3000 feet elevation gain in 2:46 (43 miles). Karel was grumpy about the cold weather so I made us some homemade teff banana bread when we got home. The roads were empty so it was a perfect morning to be outside - even though it was super cold. 

On Saturday morning, Kristen joined us for a 4000 yard swim at Furman. Anytime we swim with Kristen we know we will have a tough workout as she is super speedy in the water. This was the first time in a while that I felt good in the water so I was really happy with my start to the day. Karel also swam really well and was keeping up with me for the 100's (1:20 down to 1:16).

In the early afternoon, Karel and I headed out for our "long" run. We didn't run together but left around the same time. I went out on my favorite route that starts on rolling hills in the country and finishes on the Swamp Rabbit Trail through Traveler's Rest. I included a few 10 minute steady efforts after my warm-up and finished with smooth, form focused running. Surprisingly, I felt good and found a good rhythm as I listened to triathlon podcasts. 

As I was finishing my run through Traveler's Rest, I noticed that there were a lot of tents set up for Small Business Saturday. I wanted to check them out so as soon as I got home, I had a recovery shake, grabbed Campy (and Karel) and we drove a few miles down the road to check out the local small business vendors. We picked up a few items to give away as holiday gifts. Campy enjoyed a lot of butt rubs and two bags of dog biscuits. 

Since moving to Greenville in May 2014, we have tried to make it a habit to take advantage of all the outdoor activities that Greenville has to offer us in the fall. However, we seem to fail at this habit every year....until this year. We are finally sticking to our plan to hike more in the fall and to enjoy more non-triathlon activities in the fall/winter. While we are still dedicated to our triathlon training, we are making room for those extra activities to keep us outside, enjoying nature. And of course, we can't pass up an opportunity to make memories with Campy. 

Around 9am, we left our house (with our friends/neighbors Tim and Joey) to head to Jones Gap State Park to hike Rainbow Falls. 

It was a perfect day for hiking as it was sunny and in the upper 40's to low 50's. The only downside was the mud/rain that collected on the ground after a downpour on Friday evening. Thankfully, this was only a problem for the first 1/2 mile and then the route cleared up. 

This is a very technical hike that works the quads and the calves with lots of traversing over trees, stairs, rocks and debris. 

In total, this 4.85 mile hike took us 2 hours and 35 minutes. The hike goes uphill to the waterfall and then downhill back to the parking lot. We accumulated 3750 feet of elevation gain according to Karel's Garmin. 

The time passed by as we chatted our way up the hike and marveled over the beautiful sights as we hiked up the mountain. 

Campy was a true sport as he hiked the entire way up and down, jumping over rocks, trees and wooden stairs. I only carried him through a few water sections where he didn't quite understand how to jump on the rocks. His approach was to walk through the cold water. At the age of 11 years, Campy continues to impress us with his endurance, strength and tenacity. 

Because of the recent rain, the waterfall was rushing. It was a beautiful sight and well worth the technical climb up the mountain.  

Thankful for nature, our good health, friends and family, a roof over our head, access to healthy food and clean safe drinking water and Campy. 

Campy is thankful for a bed, blanket and a warm fire. 

Let's talk (show) FOOD!!!

On Tuesday, we traveled up to Fort Wayne, Indiana to visit my 94-year old Grandpa Joe, my aunt, uncle and cousin and my brother and his wife (and their two babies). It was a lot of fun to be with family. Campy enjoyed his road trip and his Thanksgiving eats. My dad was certainly missed during this holiday but we had plenty of great stories to share about him.

Karel and I stayed active during our trip with 2 x 4000 yard swims at the YMCA. Karel ran once on Thursday and I ran on Wed evening (30 minutes) and then on Thursday (10-miles). Tues and Sat were off days from training due to travel. It was nice to change up the training environment but we are happy to be back in Greenville (and back outside on our bikes).

As for food - I enjoy a break from my normal eating routine. I find that traveling and the holidays provide such a great opportunity to be inspired by new food creations. I was yumming a lot over the past week and rather than writing out my delicious eating experiences, I'll let the pictures do the talking. Here are a few pictures from what I enjoyed (I didn't take pics of all of my meals/snacks):

A stop at the Old Amish Store in Berea, KY in route to IN. I had the most delicious 3-bean cumin sandwich with swiss cheese, tomato, onion and sweet peppers on sourdough bread. AHmazing!

After a long drive (12 hours due to traffic), we were delighted to have a home cooked meal ready for us when we arrived (thanks to my Uncle Denny). I yummed over a vegetable packed stew and a side of cornbread. 

Pre-swim on Wednesday morning I traded my normal pre-workout waffle snack for a bowl of oatmeal topped with banana slices, blueberries and walnuts. 

For lunch on Wednesday, roasted vegetables, cottage cheese topped with pumpkin seeds, a beautiful salad and leftover cornbread. 

My eating experience on Wednesday evening was incredible. My aunt took us all to a vegan/vegetarian restaurant called Loving Cafe. This was one of the coolest experiences of my life as a 25-year vegetarian as I could taste what everyone was eating as I could eat everything on the menu! Karel even enjoyed his meal so much that he wanted to return back to the restaurant the next day (sadly they were closed on Thanksgiving). 

Cabbage soup

Lentil and bean soup

Wraps

My meal - quinoa vegan cheese burger

Karel's meal - Orange sweet and sour


Eating wings with vegan ranch dressing! 

Thursday morning pre-run snack - raisin challah bread with PB and jam and a never-too-much cinnamon and a side of yogurt.

Afternoon Thursday snack - yogurt with chopped dates (topped with coconut - from the Amish store), almonds and blueberries. 

My entree for Thanksgiving. 

Thanksgiving spread


My Thanksgiving plate (dessert was locally made Rhubarb pie and vanilla bean ice cream)

Campy's plate - plus so many "accident" floor droppings. 

Leftovers on Friday evening (and more)

My entree on Friday - leftovers from Thursday plus cooked crumbled tempeh and cauliflower. 

Friday night eats


Post 3 hour workout (2.5 hour ride + 30 min run) - Homemade french toast on mini brioche bread.


A beautiful large salad to kick-start a new week. 

4 tips for a satisfying Thanksgiving feast

Overeating and overdrinking. This doesn't sound healthy, right?

For many, Thanksgiving is a day to surround yourself with family and friends, all while consuming a smorgasbord of food in a short period of time. Although "a day of giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest and of the preceding year", Thanksgiving is a holiday that makes it socially acceptable to binge eat. Regardless if you have a meat or vegan feast, Thanksgiving is known to be the holiday in which you have the permission to indulge and eat with reckless abandon.

But knowing how binge eating and overeating makes you feel, is it really worth it to eat until you are stuffed on Thanksgiving? 

Maybe because I've spent the last 25 Thanksgiving's as a vegetarian, but this holiday doesn't make me think "food" but instead, "family." I think back to many Thanksgiving holidays with my mom and dad, brother, aunt, uncle, cousin and grandparents and it was always a fun time to catch up with everyone as it's difficult to find time in the year to get everyone together. Thanksgiving was always the day when we could count on a holiday gathering. And with my dad no longer with us, Thanksgiving is a holiday that brings back many memories with my dad.

For any individual who adheres to a restrictive (or low calorie/macronutrient) diet, Thanksgiving can be tough. When typical food restrictions are pushed to the side, it's easy to overeat on foods that have been previously off-limit. Thanksgiving is not just a "one day" feast as the entire holiday season is surrounded by food - there's not question why so many people feel the need to diet come January 1st.

Whether you plan to eat until satisfied or eat until stuffed, I find it important to eat mindfully so that you can have an enjoyable Thanksgiving experience.

1. Don't "make room" for your feast - Starving yourself all day so that you can eat more at meal time will lead to overeating. When you are anticipating your feast because of your hungry/empty belly, there's a good chance that you will eat fast, taking on more helpings than you need and inhaling all of your food in less than 15 minutes. Instead of saving up for the big meal, go into your feast well nourished by eating small nutritious mini meals every few hours, starting with a healthy breakfast. The best part about eating is feeling better after you eat than before you started. By arriving to you meal slightly hungry, you will eat in a controlled manner, making a conscious decision about what and how much you want to eat.
   
2. Use the hunger scale - I love the idea of using a hunger/fullness scale to help you check in with yourself before your feast and during your feast. Because many people are not well trained to eat mindfully, a scale can help you identify where you are at with your eating decisions. I suggest to start your feast around 3-4 on the hunger scale and to finish your meal at 5-6.  If desserts are the mouth-watering highlights of your feast, I recommend to finish your dessert portions around 6-7. Give yourself time to digest the food that you have consumed before going in for seconds. If something is "oh so good" on Thanksgiving, plan to have your second portion on Friday. You may even enjoy your second helping even more the next day!
   
   
3. Choose wisely - Anytime a food is off-limit, it becomes very appealing when you allow yourself to eat "just a bite" of it. With so many different food choices available, it's easy to overeat on everything, even if you don't like the taste of something. It's recommended to serve yourself so that you are in control of what and how much you eat. You can practice mindful eating by observing food before you serve it to yourself and pay attention to any emotional reactions to the food. For me personally, I like "homecooked over store bought." Unless you just love gravy from a jar or instant mashed potatoes, make your food decisions based on the story behind the food, the smells, textures and presentation. If you aren't sure what you will like to eat, start with small portions so that you can take note of what excites your taste buds and if you really love something, go back for another small portion.
   
4. Savor your food - Have you ever noticed that food becomes less appealing as you become more full? Does food suddenly become unappetizing when you are stuffed? Eat slowly so that you can really taste and enjoy your food. You may find that the pumpkin pie with vanilla bean ice cream was calling your name all day but after two delicious bites, the pie became "too sweet." There will come a point in your feast when eating is no longer enjoyable......don't let yourself get there. Be thankful for what you have for many are without. 

2016 Thanksgiving recap

With family, friends and food, I can't complain.

Our 2016 Thanksgiving was a great success and we hope you had a lovely holiday.

It's hard to believe that we are just days away from December which means that time is flying.
It's very common to count down days and rush the week but let's remember to always make the most out of every day. Life moves quickly!
Can you believe it's almost 2017????



We started off our Thanksgiving morning in downtown Greenville. We had a few Trimarnis racing the Trees Greenville 8K, including Karel and thousands of other runners. I just love seeing our Main street packed with active minded individuals and I just love how our community supports physical activity.
I passed on the race for no reason other than I didn't want to trash my legs with a hard, short effort as I am trying to be as consistent as possible with my running in this foundation phase. There will be plenty of hard efforts to come in the next few months.

So, I let speedy legs Karel battle it out with the young runners for 8 kilometers on a rolling hill course. 

Clearly, Karel is not slowing down with age but instead, he's getting faster! 

Great work Lukas an Thomas!



Any my hard working training partner Meredith. 

It wouldn't be like me to just sit on the sidelines and watch so I ran a few miles with Meredith and then waited for Karel to finish. With our warm-up and cool down, we ended up with around 9 miles, which was a great start to the day.

We returned home around 11am and enjoyed a late breakfast (eggs with leafy greens, cheese and tomatoes and 2 slices of fresh bread topped with butter and jam) and then got to cooking.

Karel made his Czech inspired purple cabbage dish  and I prepared a new recipe (which is very unlike me to actually follow a recipe!) which was actually very delish.

For anyone who has yet to appreciate the taste of raw Brussels Sprouts, I think you will enjoy this recipe.

Lemonly Brussels Sprouts Recipe HERE

After we prepared our dishes, my cousin Orin and I (and Campy) walked over to my mom's house (1 mile away) to hang out for a bit before our Thanksgiving feast was served around 4:30pm. Karel was so exhausted from his 29 minute effort that he had to rest for a little bit before joining the fam (apparently he was not feeling 20-ish years old like his competition after the race)

Our good friends/neighbors Joey and Tim joined us for dinner and it was a fantastic feast, filled with so much yummy food.
Yay for carbs (Karel and I are big fans!)

Campy was a great help in the kitchen as he kept the floor extra clean whenever anyone "accidentally" dropped something  on the floor.

Karel's plate included a little of everything (even sweet potatoes, which he usually doesn't like but Joey made an extra sweet dish with brown sugar pecan crumbles on top - what's not to love about that???).

With this being my 23rd Thanksgiving as a Vegetarian, I change up my Thanksgiving protein every now and then. I avoid the Tofurky and any factory made proteins and instead, just stick to real food options. This year, I did cottage cheese topped with cranberries - pretty good!

(I'm grateful to my family for always making stuffing out of the bird for me to enjoy, in addition to stuffing for the meat eaters).

We continued the tradition of Campy having his own Tday plate, filled with Turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and a few pieces of bread from the stuffing.

This is a lot of food for my 12-lb furry child!

So good that Campy napped with a happy tummy all evening.

And for dessert, Pumpkin and Rhubarb pie from a local bakery in Ft. Wayne, Indiana (my aunt brought them for us to yum over).

-----------------------

Now that the Thanksgiving holiday is behind you, you still have the rest of the holiday season to tempt you with delicious and yummy food that is hard to resist.

A quick fix of skipping meals, avoiding carbohydrates, extreme exercise to burn calories, not eating fat, replacing meals with caffeinated energy drinks, taking weight loss pills/supplements or any other method to quickly regain control over your diet to offset overeating WILL NOT WORK!

Remember, results take time. Much more time than a few days of extreme changes.

But guess what?
You can still reach your body composition/weight goals and enjoy the holiday eats and treats! 

When your eating strategies are extreme, it will affect your overall quality of life, relationships with others, your energy/performance and/or your health. 

Stop the cycle of restricting and dieting after overeating.
Be ok with the occasional indulgences and oversized portions.

If you want to lose weight or change your body composition, you need to allow for weeks, if not months, to allow for slow, steady and sustainable change so that health is not compromised and so that you can be consistent with your training.
A few days of "off" eating won't affect your long term goals.
Consider what you do between those occasional days, as that is what helps you move closer to your health and performance goals. 

Need help to keep a healthy relationship with food and the body over the holiday season?
Let's work together.
Trimarni nutrition services

TreesGreenville Turkey Day 8K - race reflection

The beginning of every season is an exciting time for me. It's a fresh new start to build from the past, to re-create the present and to plan for the future.

As athletes, we know that it is necessary to progress through phases in our season in order to enhance performance systematically.
But what about the first time you train for something for the very first time?

You see, there are stages of learning as athletes and we must go through these stages as we progress with our skills and fitness. 

But the really neat thing about being an athlete and training for an event for the very first time is that we don't necessarily know the stages that we should be experiencing yet we put our trust in the process and simply enjoy the journey to train for the first ever, longest distance ever.

Once you become a veteran to a distance, things change. There are more gains in fitness to be felt but the mind also changes. No longer are you seeing challenges for the first time or experiencing exciting first-ever moments but instead you reflect...a lot.
There was once a time when you thought you were super fast, really in shape, exceptionally strong and it likely all felt so natural. These thoughts come and go at random times throughout a training journey.

When you, the athlete, trains for a new distance for the first time, there is little awareness of what you are doing wrong, if you are doing things wrong. How do you know if you should do better or differently? There is no past in your athletic career to recognize what should have happened at specific phases in your training. Although this may look like a very scary time for you in terms of you lacking an understanding as to how to train for an event for the very first time, there is a special period during this training when you do begin to refine skills and feel more prepared with each training session that you put behind you.  

As we continue our journey as athletes and train for another new distance, the journey becomes a lot less scary and a lot more exciting. We begin to gain confidence. We often make mistakes but overtime, we learn from our mistakes. We begin to call these learning lessons in an effort to train smarter. 

Every year I am building fitness from the previous year. Over the past 8 years, I have never experienced a new longer distance for the first time. For the past 8 years, I have taken my body on the same Ironman journey. For nine times in the past 8 years, I have trained for the same distance event. 140.6 miles. 

Yet every year I find myself refining my skills. Recognizing weaknesses and discovering a smarter way to train. I still get nervous on race day, I still question if I am doing "enough" and I still fist pump my way down the finish line because I am so grateful for my amazing body.

As athletes, we have an unique opportunity, every year, to begin a new season of training. We get to build a new foundation that will stand as the platform of our season fitness progression. 

During this time, there is the opportunity to get excited about the journey ahead. To be OK with the progression of fitness and that yes, it did feel easier at one time. But, we have this beautiful blank canvas ahead of us as to how we will paint our season. There is a tendency to think back and to feel frustrated about fitness (and perhaps skills) in the beginning of the season but recognize that this is normal and necessary. 

Remember that time when you trained for an event for the very first time? You had nothing to look back on so all your energy was taking you toward the present. You probably felt frustrated at times that it was hard but that's also why you signed up for your journey in the first place.

So why should now be any different just because you no longer a newbie?

Once you find yourself years into a sport, you begin to accumulate PR's, best performances and times when you feel/felt in the best shape ever. No more do you get excited about doing something for the first time but instead you get excited to do it again...but even faster.

You begin to train with higher expectations as to what you feel you should be doing at this point in your journey. Whether it's because you did it in the past or you have confidence that you should be there right now, this is often one downside of being a seasoned athlete.

There's always that one time. 

After 6 weeks of no training, Karel and I began our foundation phase of training. We focused our energy on strength and skills. We are in the pool a lot. The ankle strap has become a daily training partner in the water. We perform single leg drills on the bike and often ride with a fast cadence. And sometimes push heavy gears really slow. We don't workout very long but we train frequently. And this include strength training. We have frequent short runs, slow as possible with good form. Karel learned how to run 7:45-8 min/miles and I embraced 8:45-9 min/miles. Yes, there was a time that I ran a 1:31 solo half marathon and Karel ran a 1:21 solo half marathon but that was in the past when we trained to run fast in a running event.
Yes there was a time when I could swim a 1:11 x 100 breastroke in college and a 2:19 x 200 butterfly but now I get excited if I can hold repeating 100's on a 1:30 cycle. Yes, there was a time when Karel had a higher FTP on the bike and he could push more watts but that was before he found a way to ride strong and run a 3:11 marathon off a 112 mile bike ride. 

There will always be a time when you were faster and I never want you to forget that time. Rather than wishing you were there, celebrate what you once did and then think about the future. There are so many ways to get fast but if you put all your energy into the past, you will lack the fundamental skills of how to train smarter for the future. 

On Thanksgiving morning, Karel and I ran the TreesGreenvill 8K. My first road race in 2 years. There were no expectations for Karel and me because well, we haven't done any speed work since well before IMWI. As I mentioned above, our running has been short and frequent and slow. But we are doing exactly what we should be doing right now in this phase of our training. 

This race was all in the name of fun. If anything, this was a great way to give thanks to our healthy bodies.
This was our first event in Greenville and a great opportunity to be around other runners. 

On a hilly course, I went solely by RPE. There was no pacing strategy aside from hold back on the first 2 miles to make it feel easy. Without any speed work, I was running almost 2 minutes faster per mile than any run I have done since IMWI in early September. Sure, there was a time when I could run faster but when I was racing for almost 5 miles, I was not thinking about the past.  I was thinking about where I see myself in October at my 4th IM World Championship and 10th Ironman and where I am right now in my season journey. 

Running fast is not in my plan right now and that's because I am in a specific phase of training that does not emphasize speed. If I am not training for speed, why should I expect myself to be fast? I know this because I am no longer a newbie athlete but instead, an athlete who knows how to train smarter. I made mistakes and I learned and I also like to try new things.

The beautiful thing about being an athlete is never losing the athlete that lies with us. Regardless of the fitness, the love of competition, pushing and refusing to quit still comes out on race day.

So even though  I may not have ran my fastest pace in a running race (technically it was a PR since I have never ran an 8K before :) I was incredibly proud of my body that it knew exactly what to do on race day.
Give the best effort possible with my current level of fitness.

Karel and I both surprised ourselves as we never thought we'd both run so fast without any speed work in our body.

Although we have no way to predict the future, this was a great confidence booster that our transition plan is working.
Get stronger to get faster and then go longer. 

This is my favorite part of the training season. To dream big and work hard but remain patient with the journey.

A new journey of training for the same distance triathlons. 

Marni 910 Garmin data 

Total time: 34:40
Distance: 4.95
Average pace: 6:56 min/mile
3rd age group, 13th overall female
Mile 1: 6:49
Mile 2: 7:17
Mile 3 6:52
Mile 4: 7:10
Mile 5: 7:05

Karel Garmin 910 data

Total time: 29:01
Distance 4.95
Average pace: 5:45 min/mile
2nd age group, 10th overall
Mile 1: 5:15
Mile 2: 5:53
Mile 3: 6:02
Mile 4: 6:07
Mile 5: 5:29

Trimarni Thanksgiving eats - YUM!

We hope that you had a lovely Thanksgiving and filled your body with love, laughs and lots of yummy food. 

Karel, Campy and I celebrated Thnksgiving with my mom (in her new home just 10 minutes away from me - yay!) and my aunt, uncle and cousin. The Thanksgiving day was not the same without my dad but we made sure to share to not forget the impact he had made on all of our lives. 

For Karel and me, our Thanksgiving started with the TreesGreenville Turkey Day 8K which happened to be our very first event to participate in since moving to Greenville in May.
The event was in downtown Greenville so we woke up at 6am and after our pre-race snack we did a little foam rolling and dynamic warming up and then around 7:20am we ran to the start/finish which was around 1.3 miles away. My morning pre race snack was nothing out of the ordinary as I consume the same ingredients before training. A rice cake, smear of PB, cinnamon, raisins and banana slices. I didn't add any honey this morning. I sipped on a cup of coffee and glass of water and brought a flask of water (5 ounces) with me to carry for the race.
I will be sharing our race recap in another blog but it was a lot of fun to start our morning with other Greenvillians!

The morning started off chilly but then we got warm during the race and then we got cold again. We ran a total of around 7.5 miles or so and when we got home we were both ready for a recovery drink and Epson Salt bath.
My smoothie consisted of:
1 cup milk  + a little water to help mixing
1 chopped celery stick
A few pineapple chunks

1/2 cup frozen berries
Handful kale

Cinnamon/Ginger
1 heaping scoop Whey to Go protein powder (I add my powder last so it mixes smoothly)
Ice

After warming up, I started my cooking/baking for our late afternoon meal. For lunch I had leftover egg salad.

Egg chickpea salad
6 eggs (4 whole, 2 just whites)
Dallop or two greek yogurt
A little horseradish
A spoonful spicy mustard and spoonful olive oil Mayo
3 stalks chopped celery
1 carrot chopped (large)
1/2 can chickpeas
Pepper

1. Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate.

Now on to the baking!

My contribution to the Thanksgiving meal was a dessert and veggie dish.
I couldn't help myself as I was feeling extra happy in the kitchen so I made two desserts. I'm not as passionate about baking as I am cooking (although I AM passionate about eating desserts!) since I love to be creative in the kitchen and not be tied to following recipes. But this was a special day and I made full use of my time in the Trimaarni kitchen. 

Oatmeal apple and walnut crisp
2 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup walnuts (chopped)
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
2 sweet baking apples (ex. honey crisp) chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-inch baking dish with non stick spray (or use butter).
2. In medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, 1/2 of the nuts, raisins, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and mix well. 

3. In another bowl, whisk eggs and then add the milk and vanilla. Whisk until well combined. 

4. Add milk mixture to oat mixture along with melted butter. 

5. Place apples on bottom of the baking dish. Pour oatmeal/milk mixture over the apples and spread evenly. 

6. Sprinkle remaining nuts on top.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the oats are set and top is golden. 

Kale, onion and corn salad
Kale
Frozen corn
Onions
Garlic
Olive oil
Garlic balsamic

1. In medium skillet, on medium heat, cover bottom with corn (defrosted and soft) and 1 tbsp or so of olive oil. 

2. Add 1/2 onion (chopped or sliced). 

3. Add fresh or jarred garlic to your liking. 

4. Cook corn and onion mixture until onions begin to turn a little brown. 

5. While corn is cooking, use a wok for Kale (or large skillet). Cook kale on low-medium heat in a little olive (I recommend to toss in bowl ahead of time for even coating) and cook until soft. 

6. When kale is soft, add corn mixture in wok and toss with a little balsamic and let cook for a few more minutes. Kale should remain soft, it should not brown. 

Garlic balsamic tempeh
Tempeh

Garlic balsamic

Olive oil
Salt

1. In skillet on medium heat, chopped tempeh.
2. Cook in a little olive oil until slightly brown. 

3. Add balsamic and toss. Tempeh should get a little soft. 

4. Add a pinch of salt. 

Yummm...pomegranate seeds and chocolate. 

Pomegranate Brownie bites
(Without compromising taste or texture, I tried to make these as "healthy" as possible but still be real brownies)

1 4 ounce package baking chocolate
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 pomegranate, seeded (my trick for seeding the pomegranate is to cut it in half and then place each half, seed side down, in a bowl of water. This will help the seeds come out a little easier. Then quarter each half and break with hands. Be careful to not stain your clothes)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a non stick baking pan (8 or 9 inch) with cooking spray. 

2. Melt together butter an chocolate in microwave (or double boiler) for 2 minutes (butter will melt first and may start to crackle after 1 minute but chocolate needs longer). Set aside and let cool. 

3. In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. 

4. Add cooled melted chocolate/butter mixture to egg mixture, whisk together. 

5. Stir in flour, mix until combined. Then stir in most of the seeds (save about 1/4 of the seeds for the top). 

6. Pour batter into pan. Sprinkle rest of the seeds on top and lightly press into batter but not too much that you can't see them. 

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Top of brownies should be firm but middle should be very moist. 

8. Cut into small chunks for brownie bites. 

Trimarni tip:
Always drink water with meals. If you like sparkling water, you can sip on sparkling water during your meal to help with digestion and indigestion. A calorie-free, carbonated beverage with no sugar sweeteners or alcohols is also a safe and healthy way to promote fullness while eating.

Make sure your fresh snacks are always handy. If healthy snacks aren't available then you can't eat them. 

This is Karel's cabbage recipe, inspired by his mom. Karel doesn't follow a recipe so he says it turns out a little differently every time. 

Here's a recipe I found that uses the same ingredients (minus the stock, Karel uses water and adds a few pinches of seasoning) as Karel's Czech-inspired recipe. 
Braised cabbage with apple and caraway seeds

We also had stuffing outside the bird. But my mom accidentally added a little seasoning that wasn't vegetarian and she didn't realize it until she checked the package. Oh well, bummer for the vegetarian at the dinner but more for everyone else to enjoy! 

I love my mom's sweet potato dish! This is the only time of the year I will yum over Marshmallows. Did you know there are vegan marshmallows that don't use gelatin?
My mom just cooks the sweet potatoes in a pot of boiling water until soft and the removes the skin. She mashes and then adds a little butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Then she puts it in the oven for 20 minutes (220 degrees) and then boils the marshmallows for a few minutes (you must watch the marshmallows and keep the oven door cracked open so you can see them. If you leave it in 10 sec too long you will burn them).

And guess who else got a delicious plate for Thanksgiving? 

Yep, Mr. Campy got his own plate of real food. Lucky doggy!! This is a tradition since we got Campy and this year I captured it all on video. You can check it out on my Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition Facebook page. 

Poor Campy, he didn't even make it up passed 8pm. 

22 years as a lacto-ovo vegetarian and I still love this holiday. I just love creating a meal that taste great when I eat it and makes me feel even better after it is is consumed. 

Karel's plate with turkey, potatoes and roast.

Hopefully you have lots to be thankful for this year and you didn't forget to thank your awesome body on Thanksgiving!

Finding the right words on this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I realize that my vegetarian lifestyle isn't best well suited for this holiday but for me, it's not about the food. 

When I was growing up, we always celebrated Thanksgiving together as a family. My brother, my mom and dad and any relatives who could drive/fly to be with us. Sometimes we would go out of state and sometimes we would be at home in Lexington, KY. 

When I was in college, I really looked forward to being with my family because I didn't see them all the time like I did growing up and throughout High School. As a high school and collegiate swimmer, the holiday season was often our high volume time of the year so  my carb-rich heavy feast was very well enjoyed (and useful) for my active body especially when I looked forward to a 8,000-10,000+ yard swim session the day after Thanksgiving. 

After college, I moved to Florida for graduate school and luckily, my dad got a job in Florida as well (at the VA clinic as the chief Optometrist) so my mom and dad were no longer in Kentucky but instead, just 3.5 hours away from me.

I remember my very first Thanksgiving in my new home of FL at my parents house and it occurred on the same day as my first longest run ever. I was training for the Miami Marathon and my run was 14 miles. I had never ran that long before!  I was so incredibly sore, I could barely move to drive up to my parents home. But I was so excited to see my family as it had been a few months since I had seen them, probably the longest I had ever gone without seeing my parents at one time. My brother traveled home from UMichigan to be with us as well. It was a really lovely time to have our family together in our new home. 

After graduate school, I found myself with negative dollars in my bank account (graduate student with a new endurance triathlon and running obsession) and with a very expensive Master of Science degree in Exercise Physiology. So, what's a daughter to do than to move-in with my parents. This was just 6 months before I met Karel and less than a year before my first Ironman. 

I remember celebrating Thanksgiving in 2006 with my parents and my boyfriend Karel (who as you know, is from Czech and has his entire family in Czech Republic). I was now an Ironman finisher so that was the on the conversation list over our meal and once again, I just loved being with my family and having them get to know Karel. My brother was now in Pittsburgh so it was always great to see him when he could get away from work for the holiday. 

When Karel and I moved to Jacksonville FL for his new job as the GM of the Trek Bicycle Store, the Thanksgiving holiday was always a busy time for him as it is for everyone in the retail industry. Overtime, I became a RD and had a PRN position as a clinical RD so I didn't mind relieving the other RDs at Baptist Medical Center Beaches around the holiday as I knew Karel had to work the day after Thanksgiving anyway.  It was only 1-2 times in the past 6 years that I can remember not spending Thanksgiving with my family and that is probably the only time I have never spent Thanksgiving with my family. 

Last year was a very special Thanksgiving. I was able to spend Thanksgiving with my dad. And unlike the last 31 years with my mom and dad, that Thanksgiving was not the easiest of holidays to celebrate.

My dad was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic cancer to his spine in June 2014, had major spinal surgery a few weeks later and was not given a good diagnosis  if he would ever walk again nor the survival rate of someone who is otherwise perfectly healthy and fit with this type of aggressive cancer. 

After many visits to my parents home (3.5 hours from Jacksonville) in June and July and then before and after we raced in IM Lake Placid, I knew that this Thanksgiving may be our last Thanksgiving together as a family. I didn't want to convenience myself that it would be true but I wanted to make sure I didn't take this Thanksgiving for granted. 

Funny how things work out because in October, there were some changes at the Trek Store and Karel and I discussed our options and decided it would be a great time to grow Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition.  This was an overwhelming time for us with so many changes but like always, I reached out to my dad who always gave the best advice and when we told him what we were considering, he could not have been more supportive. 

The best thing about the recent change with Karel leaving the Trek Store was that it allowed us to have more time visiting my family. The hospital completely understood my situation so rather than spending just a few days with my family, we were able to spend a full week (and Campy too) making memories with my dad. 

My dad worked hard and learned to walk again. After 3 months with a spine brace, wound vac and walker (and assistance with all daily activities) and loads of medications, radiation, chemo.....my dad made it down the aisle for my brothers wedding in Pittsburgh in the end of September and continued improving his strength to be able to move around the house by Thanksgiving with his walker, by himself. He prepared the Turkey, made me my  out-of-the-bird stuffing like always and even made sure to save some leftovers for Campy. With all that had been going on my dad lost a lot of weight and had little appetite but Thanksgiving seemed to turn things around as his appetite came back just in time for a few of his favorite eats. 

I am two days away from my favorite holiday to be with my family and I find myself holding back the tears because it will be without my dad. I'm so happy that my mom is now a Greenville resident and my aunt, uncle and cousin will be joining us for Thanksgiving. 

It was exactly 6 months ago today when I had my last chat with my dad (on the phone) when he was in Moffitt hospital. I remember the day so clearly. I remember talking to my dad a few times that weekend which was rather unusual since I usually talk to him once a day. But I just had so much to tell him as it was my first time exploring Greenville for training and I couldn't wait to tell him that I climbed Ceaser's Head with Karel and went for a lake swim in Lake Jocassee with our friends and told him about all the beautiful places in Greenville that I couldn't wait for him to see when him and my mom would move to Greenville (they had their house on the market). I knew my dad was not feeling good but he remained his normal cheery self and wanted to hear more from me than to talk about himself. What happened next was not expected.  

The next time I would see my dad would be a day later on life support. Two days later, my life changed forever.

On May 28th, I lost my dad to his 10-month fight with Cancer. Since that time, I have had to experience life without him for the past 6 months. No longer is my dad around for me to talk to about life, training, questions and to catch up. 

I look back at all the years we had together (3 days short of 32 years together) and all the Thanksgiving's that we spent together as a family. 

Thanksgiving is a holiday that you will likely find me yumming a bit more than normal but for me, the holiday is not about the food. 

As Julia Child said "People who love to eat are always the best people."

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to surround yourself with friends and family and to reflect. It's an opportunity to yum over a meal that was created on traditions, stories and laughs. It's an opportunity to slow down and give to those who are less fortunate and to be grateful for your gifts. It's an opportunity to be kind and loving to those who are most important in your life but also to those who you need a smile from you. 

I wanted to share my love of this holiday with you because it is one of my favorite times to be around family. Here are a few things that I would love for you not to say on your Thanksgiving day to ensure that you get the most out of this special holiday. Regardless if you are with friends, family or alone, remember to give thanks to your awesome body. 

Instead of saying "I shouldn't be eating this"

Say "I rarely eat this. I am so excited for this occasional opportunity to indulge responsibly."

Instead of saying "I hate that food!"

Say "I haven't yet learned to appreciate it yet."

Instead of saying "That food is off-limit."
Say "The reason why I do not eat that food is because ______ but that doesn't mean that you can not enjoy it. There is no such thing as bad foods."

Instead of saying "I hate cooking."
Say "This is a great opportunity for me to be challenged in the kitchen and to be inspired by new recipes and meals."

Instead of saying "I'm worried I'll eat too much."

Say "Rather than having second portions, I am going to make a plate of food to give to someone in need of food."

Instead of saying "I'm going to start my diet tomorrow."
Say "I realize that I ate a bit more than normal but a quick fix will not make yesterday's occasional feast go away. I promise myself that I will not go into the meal starving and will eat controlled portions so I can enjoy a little of everything without food guilt."

Instead of saying "I have no idea how I will burn off all these calories!"

Say "I am going to aim to move my body a bit more than normal next week. Nothing extreme but I will walk more, take the stairs and enjoy all of my planned workouts."

Instead of saying "I am so bad around _______ food/drink."
Say "I recognize that I am still working on my relationship with food. I am learning how to enjoy a more varied diet or I am learning how to eat more mindfully. I am not going to feel anxious about the foods that I am presented but instead, take positive action by allowing myself to make Thanksgiving not just about the food. I am going to be good with my food choices so that this holiday makes me a better me."

Instead of saying "I ate too much"
Say "I am grateful for all of this food. Now I will help someone else in need by volunteering my time or donating money to someone who needs it."

Instead of saying "I feel so fat!"
Say "I know that fat is not a feeling. Sometimes I can feel overwhelmed with so much food around me and I often find myself uncomfortable in my own skin. But I need to change that feeling because this same body has allowed me to ________ (ex. cross a finish line, care for your children, get a bonus/promotion at work, etc.). Not eating, dietiting or overexercising will not make everything perfect. I love and accept myself and I take full responsibility of what I put into my body and I want to feel good with all of my food choices."

Instead of saying "I don't want to go back to work on Monday."
Say "I feel so lucky that I am healthy and well and I can make the most out of every day of my life. I am excited to start another week and to continue to work hard for my goals in life and to make memories with my friends and family. I am lucky I have a great job that allows me to put yummy food in my body an also to pay for my active lifestyle."

Instead of saying "I hate my body."
Say "Thank you body for giving me another year of life. I look forward to tomorrow with you."

Thanksgiving creations

I hope everyone had a wonderful day of giving thanks and the rest of 2013 brings happiness, love, more memories, movement with your awesome body and lots of yummy eats.

For everyone who was worried about Campy after Karel shared some pictures on Facebook, from Campy's vet appointment on Wednesday, Campy is doing great. Thank you for your kind words for our furry child!

Campy has an on/off ear issue inside his left ear and I really like my mom's vet, Dr. Griffin, who Campy saw in September for his ear. Campy's ear has been much better after Dr. Griffin treated him a few months ago, so we decided to get another check-up since Campy still gets a bit sensitive with his ear.

Sadly, Campy had to get a little sedation for his treatment because Dr. Griffin had to get deep inside his ear. Campy was not his normal self that evening but not to worry.....

After a good night of rest, he was back to his opinionated, loving, active self. 

 

 I wanted to share a few creations that I enjoyed for my 21st (or 20th - hard to remember) vegetarian Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for that it is no problem for me to enjoy a delicious Marni-friendly meal around my non-vegetarian family (and Karel) as we aren't spending our meal discussing good or bad foods but instead, sharing memories and of course, doing a lot of yumming. 

Here are a few creations, along with the normal staples of mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, sweet potatoes and stuffing (made out of the bird for me to enjoy with everyone else).

Tempeh celery salad

 2-3 stalks celery (chopped)
1 packaged tempeh (cooked in a little olive oil on medium heat until golden brown)
Chopped onion (about 1/4 cup)
A few spoonfuls greek yogurt (to taste)
Parsley (2-3 tbsp - to taste)
Pinch of salt and pepper (to taste)
1-3 tbsp of lemon juice (to taste)
optional: chopped pickles

1. Mix together and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Serve cold.

Cranberry apple cobbler

 

 (I recommend to use a large casserole dish and not a 9" pie dish - I took this pic before the topping started oozing over so I switched dishes - oops!)

Filling:
3 Granny smith apples and 2 pink lady apples (peeled and chopped)
1/2 bag cranberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp cornstarch
juice of 1 lemon
pinch of salt

Topping:
3/4 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt

2 tbsp butter (I used Olivio butter)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, toss together filling ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk topping ingredients.
4. Spread butter on bottom of casserole dish. 

5. Fill with fruit mixture.
6. Pour topping over fruit filling.
7. Bake for 1 hour or until juices are bubbling or cobbler is golden.

Orange cranberry sauce

 4-5 oranges (or 2/3 cup orange juice)
1 bag cranberries (12-ounce bag)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground cloves

pinch of salt 

1. Using a sharp knife, remove peels from oranges and squeeze juice into measuring cup to make 2/3 cup orange juice.
2. Combine the juice, cranberries, brown sugar, cloves and pinch of salt in saucepan. 

3. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and stir occasionally until thickened around 10-15 minutes.
4. Serve warm, room temperature or cold (a great "jam" for bread)

(adapted from Eatingwell  magazine - December 2013 issue)

 

The final masterpiece! Happy tummy!

 And Campy was wide-awake to enjoy his own Thanksgiving plate. What a lucky doggy!!

 The best part of having a vegetarian mommy - lots of leftovers for Campy.

Guess what day it is tomorrow????

Small business Saturday!!


We would like to thank everyone who has already placed an order for a custom Trimarni kit - which includes tri top, tri shorts, cycling shorts and/or cycling jersey (purchased together or separately) as well as ordering a Trimarni t-shirt.

Our Trimarni store is only opened for 1 more week so if you are interested in sporting and supporting Trimarni in 2014, check out our store with our NEW design and colors for 2014 (designed by Karel).

Order here: Trimarni Store

Thank you for supporting small businesses!! 

Happy Thanksgiving (20 tips)!!!!

First off, Karel, Campy and I would like to wish everyone (near and far) a very special Thanksgiving! Hopefully you have lots and lots to be thankful for this year!

I guess it's assumed that as a dietitian, I should write a blog about  "how to eat Healthy on Thanksgiving."

All day I have thinking about what dietitian-friendly blog I should write before our society enjoys the Thanksgiving feast.

But as much as I love my "RD" title to help our society be "healthy", it's more important to me (as a coach, dietitian, exercise physiologist and endurance triathlete) to maintain consistency with my philosophy on how we should be eating - for fuel, for health and for pleasure and to spend less time giving rules for eating or talking about fad diets, especially when our society thinks they need a "quick fix."

And thus, my passion continues to help others learn how to develop and maintain a healthy relationship with food, all year long. 

In my opinion, trying to eat "healthy" around the holidays is like telling your child (or if you had one) all year long that on November 28th, he/she would be going to Disney World for a very special, once a year treat. But then, let's say, that the child hasn't been on his/her best behavior on the weeks leading up to the trip and instead of addressing the issue prior to the trip and making progress to prevent that bad behavior in the future, you instead tell the child she/he is punished while she/he is on the trip. So, when everyone else was having fun at Disney World, that child had to stay in the room on that very special day to "regret, feel guilty or feel upset" about his/her decision to misbehave 4-6 weeks ago. 

I feel that we can eat in a healthy way on holiday's and still indulge and feel great about it and thus, we shouldn't take away from the joy of enjoying occasional food on special occasions.  

Here are a few of  my Thanksgiving (holiday/anytime) Tips to help you have a better relationship with food (and your body) especially around "occasional" eats: 

1) Thank your body

2) Plan for a workout on the day after the meal (how about my 1 hour Trainer workout on Triathlete Magazine online?)
3) Yum when you eat
4) Don't lecture others about what they are eating
5) If someone lectures you about what you shouldn't eat, start yumming
6) Find a recipe that intimidates you and go for it! You will really appreciate home cooking when you take the time to prepare a recipe from start to end.
7) Create a plant strong meal. Bulk up on your veggies and portion out a little of the top foods that you really, really, really want. If you are not sure if you really want it, pass on it.

8) Survey the scene and pick out your most favorite desserts that will feel the best after you eat them. Homemade wins over store-bought (unless store-bought was from a homemade store). 

9) Talk about a memory that comes to mind when you eat a traditional/family recipe. 

10) Eat slowly - enjoy your food, don't devour it. 

11) Don't restrict food all day for one meal. Starving is not the best way to enter a meal, especially if you want to savor the moments. 

12) Be inspired by all the home cooking and discover new recipes from others. 

13) Finish the meal satisfied, not stuffed. Save yourself from second portions and instead, remind yourself how lucky you are to be able to enjoy "too much food" on your table. 

14) Talk about your goals for 2014 and reflect on 2013. Can you inspire others or will others inspire you?

15) Laugh, smile and don't be too serious (on yourself, included)

16) Don't be extreme - with your eating, with your thoughts or with your exercise. Some progress is better than no progress. 

17) Don't make the day only about carbs, fat and calories. As you enjoy your meal, express interest in the food you are eating, ask how someone created the recipe, what inspired them to create that recipe and what makes that food feel so great when you eat it

18) Be realistic - how can one day off-set the past few months of your "routine/plan" or ruin the next 1.5 months of consistent habits?

19) Don't body bash - getting mad at your body will do you no good and will only increase the chance of you making extreme or quick decisions as to how you will go about trying to change your body composition. Give yourself 5-10 reasons why you love your body, what you love about your body and what you want to accomplish with your body in the next 3,6,12 months. 

20) Enjoy the gift of health - your health is allowing you to read this blog right now. Your health is allowing you to share Thanksgiving (holidays) with others. There may be special people in your life that are not in as good of health as you are or may not be able to share this day with you. Never take a day for granted when it comes to healthy eating, healthy living and daily exercise in order to improve quality of life.