From Znojmo to Prachatice

For our last three days in Znojmo before heading off to our next destination (Prachatice), we spent our time around family. After our Mon morning swim, we went to Karel’s mom’s flat for lunch. I had a lentil dish and Karel had a dish with meat. We then went back to our Airbnb for a short time and then walked to Karel’s nieces flat to visit with her and her son and husband. I loved seeing her beautiful four cats - one was a giant Maine coon. We chatted a bit (she speaks English) and then went to the park. We got ice cream on our walk back to our Airbnb, before walking to the grocery store to get a few things for dinner.

On Tuesday, we went for a short off-road run around the town. I was pretty tired during the run so we took several walk/stop breaks for pictures. Karel’s brother took a train/bus in from Pribor for the day (and night). We gifted Karel’s brother Jirka with a new pair of Hoka trail running shoes and a Trimarni tank. Jirika enjoys trail running and bike expeditions. After lunch at Karel's mom's place, Karel and his brother went to his dad’s cemetery and enjoyed a beer at the pub that their dad frequently visited (downstairs from his flat). This was Karel’s first real beer in over 3 years and while he didn’t really enjoy how it made him feel, he enjoyed sharing memories with his brother. While they were at the pub, I worked on the computer and took a short nap in our Airbnb With it being warm out and the noisy streets (and window’s open when we sleep), we haven’t had a good night of sleep since arriving to Czech. We are constantly tired and hoping that one of these nights we will sleep restfully.
For dinner, Karel and I went to a restaurant in town and Karel enjoyed a traditional chicken breast wrapped in potato and I had vegetables and pasta.

Wednesday was a pretty chill day. We went for a ride on the single track trails behind the only hospital in town. We did a few hard efforts to get the legs ready for the race on Saturday. We then went for a brick run (trail run). I was pretty tired after the bike ride and my legs were tired while running. After eating lunch at Karel's mom's place, we then went back to our place (Karel’s mom came with us before heading to Karel’s nieces place to babysit her son) and sorted through our clothes for our next leg of trip. Since we didn’t need to bring everything with us for the next week of traveling we sorted through our stuff and packed only one suitcase along with our race stuff for the Xterra event. In the early evening, we walked into town and enjoyed our last evening in Znojmo.

On Thursday morning we woke up around 5:45am and left our place around 7am. The drive to Borova Lada took around 3.5 hours. Depending on where we travel in Czech, the miles don’t go by really fast. For this trip, we were mostly on two lane roads, traveling through many villages and often getting stuck behind tractors and trucks. While you can pass on these roads, there are still a lot of slow downs. We were pretty exhausted and tired by the time we got to our cottage. A friend of Roman’s has a second home in Borova Lada and he let us use it from Thurs – Sunday. He was going to join us (along with Roman and two other guys) but they would come on Friday after bike riding from Prague to the house (over 100 miles there and then biking home on Sunday. They had a car following them with their clothes and food). The cottage was super cute and it was so nice to feel cooler air and for it to be so quiet (which was a big change after living in a city for the past week). After unpacking, we (along with our friend Honza who was also doing the Xterra race) drove in two cars to Prachatice – which took ~50 minutes. We picked up our race stuff in the town of Prachatice and then drove another 35 minutes to the start of the bike course. Because of the point to point bike course, we left one car in town and all rode in Honza’s van to the race start/bike start. By the time we got on our bikes, it was after 2pm and we had been traveling since 7pm. Karel and I were very tired. We are almost on the verge of tears because of how exhausted we were. But when we got on our mountain bikes, we quickly woke up and felt the good energy enter our body. What a difference it makes to move the body!

For the next 2.5 hours, we rode the entire Xterra bike course and all I can say is wow. The course was not super technical (there were a few small sections with rocks and roots that required skills and strength to get over) but what was so physically demanding was the long steep climbs. There were climbs on pavement, grass, rocks and dirt that were well over 20% and lasted anywhere from 2-5+ minutes. We took several stops to regroup (with Karel leading the way and having a blast on his bike). There were also several sections with signs before that read “DANGER” and to Karel, this meant “FUN” as the section was a fast, rocky, steep downhill. While I felt like I could handle the entire course with my skills (a few times I needed to get off my bike to walk through a section that I was too tired to get the strength to work through), what I lacked with high power on the climbs. My legs were so tired and my body felt empty. A big difference between mountain biking and biking in the Ironman is that in the Ironman, I rarely feel my heart beating fast. But in mountain biking, my heart is always beating hard and I’m breathing heavy. It requires so much effort to get up these steep hills and navigate over roots, rocks and other elements. This feeling is very new to me and something I’m getting used to. After 16 years of building my aerobic engine for Ironman, I know I need to really work my anaerobic threshold to better handle the punchy and hard efforts needed in mountain biking.

The bike course finished with a packed gravel downhill section with a few berms and then on the pump track before heading on the cobblestones and into town.

After the bike, Karel and Honza took our car back up the lake (another 40 minutes there and back) while I walked in the town and picked up pizza. I took advantage of the extra time and free WIFI at the pizzeria (we don’t have wifi at our cottage) and downloaded the videos from my GoPro to the app on my phone. After Honza and Karel returned, it was after 7pm and we had been on the go since 7am. We had a 45 minute drive back to the cottage and by 9pm, I was so ready for bed. It was so nice to sleep in a quiet bedroom with fresh cool air. We slept great!

On Friday, we enjoyed sleeping in and then went for a short trail run in the National Park. After the run, we walked into the small town and had blueberry dumplings for our lunch meal – which were incredibly delicious. We all cleaned our plates! 

As for the rest of the day, I used my hot spot and got ahead with a little work and Karel got our bikes ready for the Xterra race. It was a little interesting trying to replicate my normal pre-race meals in Czech, especially for an event that I had never done before. Whereas I have my Ironman and 70.3 pre and during race nutrition down perfectly, I need a lot more practice for Xterra. Roman and the other guys arrived to the cottage around 7pm but I was already asleep as I was so exhausted and tired. I had a good night of sleep and even though I slept in until almost 7am, I was still a bit tired in the morning. Since not sleeping well for a week, I feel like my body is still struggling with sleep. I was very nervous for the race, especially not knowing what to expect and racing in the European Championship. Karel also felt a bit nervous, even though he has much more experience than me (this was his 5th Xterra event).

At 8:30am, we left our place and headed to Prachatice for my first Xterra race. Race report coming soon!

Czech Trip Day 5 - FOOD

We arrived to Znojmo, Czech Republic (Karel's hometown) on Thursday August 4th and his first meal request from his mom was SVÍČKOVÁ. Karel's dish (pictured above) was the classic version whereas mine was made vegetarian.

Until now (when I looked it up for this article), I had no idea how this meal was made.

"Svíčková is a famous sauce from Czech cuisine, made from root vegetables and heavy cream. It’s thickened with roux. Svíčková sauce is eaten warm poured over a beef slice, accompanied with bread dumplings. You can also garnish the final dish with lemon, cranberries, and a scoop of whipped cream."

I love this meal (vegetarian version) because it's so incredibly tasteful. It's also very comforting for Karel - it brings him a lot of great memories.

Mindfullness has many definitions but one that speaks to me is from this article that states "being aware of what is happening both inside your body, heart and mind - and outside in your environment, without criticism or judgement. Mindful eating is a form of mindfulness."

For Karel, food serves an added role when he is in Czech. It's not just for fuel and for nourishment but it brings back so many wonderful memories. From the dishes prepared by Karel's mom to ice cream and candy bar selections in the grocery store, every bite takes him back to a time and a place.

For me, I want to celebrate Karel's culture and rituals. The only way I can do that is to maintain a good relationship with food while I am in Czech. To do this, I must eat mindfully. I can't read the ingredients or food labels (everything is in Czech) so besides asking Karel if something is vegetarian and OK for me to eat, the only way I know how something makes me feel when I eat it is to savour every bite and to really focus on what I am eating.

I love trying different types of spreadable cheese, pastries and yogurts - discovering which one tastes the best or which one makes my tummy smile. I don't know if a food or meal is 100 calories or 1000 calories so instead, I listen to my body and my body tells me when I'm satisfied.

My food related decisions are created based on my senses - not from rules, guidelines or ingredient lists. For many people, the act of mindful eating could feel overwhelming and scary but with practice, it can help foster a great relationship with food. By focusing on the how and why of eating, you can better understand what foods help you to stay healthy, fueled and satisfied - fostering a deeper appreciation for every meal.

To help get you started with mindful eating, here are a few simple tips:

• Engage the senses and remove distractions - turn off the TV or screen or put down the book. Sit uninterrupted.
• Eat slowly. Savor the flavors, aromas and textures. Reconnect with your senses.
• Chew each bite at least 10+ times. Taste your food. 
• Ignore any emotions, thoughts or feelings around food. Simply enjoy the experience of eating without guilt, anxiety or inner commentary.

When the mind is calm, you are less likely to eat in an emotional, restrictive or all-or-nothing way. Awareness brings clarity, which helps with food related decisions. When your mind is calm, you are more compassionate toward yourself and less judgmental.

During every trip to Czech with Karel, I learn how to eat more mindfully. It's not about changing the food I eat but changing my thinking around food.

DOBROU CHUŤ (That's good appetite in Czech)

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Czech Trip Day 2: Brno

 

On Saturday morning, we woke up to light rain - which was refreshing since Friday was incredibly hot outside. The air was cool and the sky was cloudy. We started the morning with a run around the town - which was more like sightseeing for me. We ran for ~45 minutes and included several stops for pictures of gardens (and one longer stop to look at the cutest kitten and momma). 

After we cleaned up, we drove ~60 minutes to the city of Brno to meet Karel's niece Lenka and her husband and son. If you'd like to read more about Brno, here's an article. 

After meeting Lenka at the parking lot by the train/bus station, we walked through town to a restaurant for lunch. We had lunch at Forky's - a 100% plant based bistro. It was so great to be able to choose any option from the menu. I had a power plate w/ quinoa protein bites and Karel had a tofu curry. We shared fries. 

After lunch, we walked up to the top of a hill to tour the Špilberk Castle. We first took a tour of the museum and then went below the castle to tour the Prison. We then walked to see the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul.

Around 4pm, we headed back to Znojmo. We needed to fill our car with gas (diesel) so we got a few snacks at the gas station - popsicles and my favorite poppyseed "bread." 

Czech Trip - Day 1

We arrived to Znojmo, Czech Republic (Karel’s hometown, around 10k from the Austrian border) after a 3-hr drive from Roman’s house (outside of Prague). Although the trip was only around 110 miles, there is no interstate to get on but instead, we go through many small towns where the speed limit is constantly changing from 30-50Km/hr to 70-90Km/hr (the interstate is 110Km/hr). Plus, there’s also construction, round abouts, tractors and trucks to slow things down on the small two-lane roads.

When we arrived to Znojmo, we unloaded our stuff at our Airbnb in the town center and then made a quick stop at the grocery store to get flowers for Karel’s mom and some mineral water (and a non-alcoholic beer for Karel). Karel’s mom was really happy to see us and the feeling was mutual. It’s been three long years since Karel saw his mom. She had dinner ready for us – Svickova, one of Karel’s favorite meals. She started preparing this meal two days before we arrived (it’s a labor of love). I appreciate that she makes me a vegetarian version.

Nearing 8pm, we went back to our place and we were ready for bed. I was really proud of myself for not taking a long nap as that always throws off my sleep schedule. We slept around 10 hours but it was someone of a restless night as we were a little warm in our place (no AC and it has been in the 90’s here). It’s rare to have AC in many places in Europe and actually, many Europeans don’t like the AC as they believe it makes them sick (at least that is what many of Karel’s Czech friends tell him).

We had a light breakfast since we had a big late night dinner. We had yogurt and muesli and fresh peaches. After we ate and did a little work on the computer, we went to the local pool for a swim workout. The pool opened at 10am and we arrived shortly after and it was packed. I guess when you don’t have AC, it’s summer break and it’s 90 degrees out, the pool is where you want to be at.

The pool doesn’t have the same swimming etiquette as the states so you have to be ok with people getting in and out of your lane as you are swimming. We even had an old guy cannonball into our lae as we were swimming. No big deal 😊 We swam in the 25-meter pool (8 lanes) and swam 3200 meters. We did 1000 warm-up, 5 x 200 and then 10 x 100s.

After we swam, we went to Karel’s mom’s house for lunch (leftovers from the night prior except we started with bean and potato soup – so good). After lunch, we went to two different cemeteries so Karel and his mom could see his sister (who passed away 21 years ago at the age of 34 from a brain injury) and then we went to see his dad. This was a bit more emotional for Karel as the last time he saw his dad was in 2018 and the last time he talked to him was a day before he suddenly passed away from COVID. His dad was 81 and we were supposed to visit for his 80^th birthday celebration but COVID disrupted those plans. 2020 was supposed to be our trip to Europe, which is what we are doing now.

After we ate, I enjoyed looking through a few old albums from Karel's teenage years. Here are a few pics of Karel on a cycling trip w/ his dad and brother at Grossglockner (in Austria).

Karel dropped his mom off at her place and then he got our mountain bikes out of the case and got them ready for us to ride. Around 5pm we headed off our bikes through the town and into the National Park to explore. This was our first time riding mountain bikes in Znojmo as we are usually on our tri bikes. Karel had a great time playing tour guide as we explored the park and surrounding towns. I also experimented with my new Go Pro Hero 10 which I plan to use during the Haute Route Alps. There are so many hiking trails around to explore in Znojmo. We are planning a longer MTB ride on Sunday with one of Karel’s former cycling teammates. We rode around 90 minutes and then went back to cool off in the shower and then walked to the grocery to get a few things for dinner. When we are in Znjomo, we do a lot of walking. We ate around 8pm and went to bed around 10:30pm. Our time clocks are still a little off but hopefully in another day or two we will adjust to this new time zone (6 hours ahead EST).

Well fed.

All good things must come to an end. Later this evening, Karel's mom will be boarding a plane to travel from Charlotte to London to Prague. For the past (almost) 3 months, Karel's mom has been feeding us well. Our freezer is now packed with leftovers and extras - just in case we need a bit of her home cooking. We also have several tupperware containers of Xmas cookies (that we may have already gotten into :-)

Although you can't smell the yumminess, I wanted to share some of the delicious meals, treats and eats that we have enjoyed over the past few months. Many of our meals were vegetarian but with a few traditional dishes, Karel's mom would make me a vegetarian version so that Karel could enjoy the original dish (with meat). She got really good cooking with tofu and vegetarian "meat" so she could recreate the traditional Czech dish for me to enjoy.

Over the past few months, our lunch has been our "big" meal of the day (as that's typical where Karel grew up in Znojmo, Czech Republic) and the afternoon is often the time where we get to enjoy some type of homemade treat and coffee. I think we should hold on to this traditional style of eating! From bread crumbs to broth, almost everything was as homemade as it gets. We went through a lot of flour, butter, eggs and milk!

(All of the meal pics are mine - so they are all vegetarian ;)

Czech out what we've been eating

There's been a lot of yumming over the past few weeks! In no particular order, here are some pictures of the meals I've consumed while in Europe (primarily Czech).  If I don't mention who made the dish, it was prepared by Karel's mom. 

Vienna: Chicken curry wrap from Veggiezz with potato fries (all vegan!)

Cucumber salad (made by Karel)

Homemade vegetable soup w/ noodles.

Plnená paprika (stuffed pepper with tomato sauce and rice - all homemade and veggies from the garden)

Meruňkové knedliky - apricot dumplings topped with bread crumbs and farmers cheese

Karbanátky - fried burgers (made with soy meat for me)

Palačinky se špenátem - Spinach stuffed crepes

Pastries from the bakery next to where we are staying. 

Bramboračka - mushroom and potato soup

Šunkofleky - noodles with soy meat (the original recipe is made with ham)

Vanilla and chocolate pudding with fresh fruit and whipped cream (all homemade!)

Fresh bread from the grocery

Koprová omáčka - asparagus sauce with potatoes and eggs

Bramboráky - potato pancakes

Svíčková na smetaně - classic Czech dish (Karel's dish)

Meruňkový táč - Apricot cake

Fresh apricots from the tree. 

Black cherries .

Raspberries. 

Svíčková na smetaně - classic Czech dish (my dish made with soy meat)

Polévka s játrovými knedlíčky - liver dumpling soup (Czech restaurant)

štěpánská pečeně - Beef and dumplings (Karel's dish, Czech restaurant)

Arugula (rocket) salad

Apricots

Grapes for wine

Raspberries

Black cherries

Peaches

Rýžový nákyp - rice pudding with apricots

Vegetable and potato soup 

Apricot cake

Bramborové taštičky s povidly - Potato dumpling with plum jam topped with breadcrumbs and farmers cheese

Bruschetta - restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

Spinach salad with cheese, walnuts and grapes - restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany 

Pasta - Karel's dish in Frankfurt, Germany

Pizza - Frankfurt, Germany 

čočková polévka - Lentil and vegetable soup

šopský salát - Salad with balkan cheese

And ice cream!

The European food culture

Each time we travel to the Czech Republic, we live like a "local." That's because Karel has all his family in Czech and they have strong family food traditions. While I can only make generalizations from what I have observed while traveling to Europe, I've learned a lot from spending time in Karel's small town of Znojmo, Czech Republic.

A few observations:

• People walk a lot. It's very easy to get around via walking paths and sidewalks. 
• It's a burden to go by car when you can easily go by bike, bus or feet. With tight streets, expensive gas prices and little parking, it's much more practical to leave the car at home (if you have a car) and use a more physical way to get to your final destination. 
• There are no fast food establishments in this town. You can't just pick up a meal or eat on the go. Meals are either consumed at a restaurant or at home. 
• Children have traditional Czech meals at school for lunch. The kitchen staff begin cooking early in the morning - with real food found in the community from gardens and farms. 
• If you eat on the go, it's usually a pastry, bread or a small scoop of ice cream...as you walk. 
• Pastries are not overly sweet or drenched in sugar. 
• Lunch is the biggest meal of the day. Many places close for lunch so people can go home and eat.
• The town shuts down around 5:30-6pm for people to go home and spend time with family. 
• Grocery shopping is almost a daily occurrence. 
• People are active - there's a lot of bike riding, walking, bike touring, playing in the local pool, playing on the playgrounds and just overall, being outside. 

As for food, I feel this is an area that I appreciate the most when traveling to Europe. Perhaps it's because I don't understand the language and thus, I don't hear any chatter about dieting, food trends and body image. Maybe this is something to consider for where you live - how much are your dietary patterns influenced by what you hear and read around you? While this can be good if you are wanting to improve your diet, far too many times, individuals follow strict, rigid and extreme styles of eating in an effort to change health, body composition or to improve fitness.

Oddly, America is a food-obsessed culture that is rather unhealthy. Food is cheap, quick and easy to access yet health care is extremely expensive. Interestingly, Europe (or Znojmo - where Karel grew up), is also food-obsessed. But in a much different way.

For example, Karel's mom thinks about our lunchtime meals well in advance. There's a lot of care, attention to detail and passion spent on cooking. A home-cooked meal is not just for a special occasion like a holiday but it's how you eat here - everyday. Again, a generalization but it's also how Karel grew up.  Food is fresh, local and nutritious. People care about what they eat. There are at least half a dozen grocery stores (and probably over a hundred at-home gardens) within a few miles of this small town so it's easy to get food. Meals take time to prepare and it's something that people want to make time for. It seems like people aren't "too busy" to cook. Eating is a time of celebration in the day - not in the year. Much unlike the relationship with food in most of America, people want to stop their day to eat as they are too busy.

Here, it seems like people care about food and there's little (if any) debate over what's good versus bad food. Karel tells me that there's little discussion on fad diets here. While there are processed snacks, candies, ice cream and lots of pasties available, I find there's an overall attitude that this meal or snack is going to be delicious, satisfying and good for you because people here care about ingredients, where they are produced, how they are produced and how things are made. Food is good for the people and the environment. And you can feel it too - when we eat food here (pastries to ice cream), it doesn't feel heavy or uncomfortable in the gut. Maybe it's just our observation but we notice a vast difference in the digestion of food in American vs. Europe - with our Czech meals/snacks digesting so much easier.

With every home-cooked meal that we have consumed in Czech, it is one that is memorable, satisfying and satiating. Essentially, for most American's, food provides calories to survive the day and that's pretty much it. For some people in America, eating is a chore or an afterthought. Far too many people in America don't view food as memorable. If a person does care about food ingredients, there's a tendency to care too much - the point of obsession. Certainly, there are far too many questionable ingredients in America but there are also far too many diet trends, strict styles of eating and to be honest, too many experts endorsing the "best" way to eat. Most often this style of eating doesn't address lifestyle habits like cooking and meal prep but just addresses food without a holistic perspective.

While obesity and health issues are wide-spread around the world, there's something to say about the obvious difference between how American's view food compared to other parts of the world. Clearly, a good relationship with food starts with making time (and appreciating) home-cooked meals and making the time to stop your day to nourish your body, connect yourself with the community/friends/family and celebrate the food that you have the privilege of eating. And don't forget to yum. 

Eating comfort zone

It's often said that traveling is one of the best ways to step outside your comfort zone. 

A new routine, a new lifestyle, new sights and perhaps even a new language that you do not understand.

Every time you travel, you welcome the opportunity to experience a new way of living.
And above all, when you travel somewhere new, there is a good chance that you will eat new foods or new meal creations that are not familiar.

Perhaps you are the individual who loves putting yourself into situations where you are forced to try new foods and adapt to new cuisines and eating traditions and customs.

But for many people, traveling can be an overwhelming experience because it requires eating foods that are not so familiar and that can make you feel uncomfortable (often more mentally than physically). 

While it is good to have a style of eating that works for you on a daily basis, if your eating boundaries are very limited, you may find extreme difficult to step beyond the place where your daily eating habits make you feel safe and secure and this can bring a lot of anxiety when you travel.

While it is very easy to say "yes" to foods within your comfort zone (or diet-approved zone) when you are at home, when you travel, you may find yourself saying "no" a lot due to a very restricted and limited food comfort zone.

While you should never eat something that doesn't agree with your body (allergy, intolerance) or goes against moral, ethical or medical reasons, living a life that is controlled by food limits is no way to live.

You may even find that you dread the thought of traveling to a new place (whether for work or pleasure) for fear of having to eat foods that you normally don't eat. Whether you are a picky eater or crave simplicity or struggle to make eating choices without nutrition fact labels, measuring cups, calorie counts or a clear understanding of how a meal is prepared, I encourage you to slowly begin to step outside your eating comfort zone. 

Over the past few years, I have become more uncomfortable eating....... in America.

While I am very comfortable eating in my own environment, my eating comfort zone is not always comfortable as I am eating in a diet and body obsessed society that has a very dysfunctional relationship with food.

This doesn't mean that I don't love the USA as I am proud to be an American but I am greatly disturbed by our culture when it comes to food and how people see and talk about food.

I love bread, yet in America, bread is bad for you - we are told it makes you fat and causes diseases.
I love grains, yet in America, only a few are "good" for you, depending on the current trends and who's giving you permission to eat what.
I love milk and cheese, yet in America, those are bad for you - We are told they are bad for you and can cause inflammation.
I love all fruits and veggies, yet in America, there's a list as to which ones are healthy and which ones are filled with the most sugar - thus making some fruits and veggies "unhealthy."

You see, when I am in Europe, I can eat in peace.
I eat all my favorite foods and new ones because the foods I love, grains, bread, milk, cheese and all fruits and veggies, are all accepted in Europe.

There's not a day in America where I don't see or hear people talking about the foods that I choose to eat in my diet, discussing all the "bad" things about these foods and all the "bad" things that will happen if you eat them.

And don't get me started on how "bad" these foods are for athletes, especially if you want to perform well, improve body composition and stay healthy.
(Would now be a good time to do a throw-back to our 2016 Ironman Austria finishes where our bodies performed so well, despite being fueled by so many "bad" foods and "bad" sport nutrition products?)

So why is it that I feel more comfortable eating in Europe than in America?
First off, I don't speak the language.
Therefore, when I eat, I don't hear anything that makes me not enjoy what I am eating.
There is no talk about carbs, gluten or sugar.
 I can taste and truly yum over my food without any judgement.

For me, food isn't complicated yet in America, it's complicated. Very very complicated.

I'm bothered by how companies market and advertise food and frankly, what people call "food" in America.
I'm frustrated by magazines, social media, TV and experts constantly brainwashing children, adults, the elderly and athletes that something on the body always needs "fixing" and the best approach to change the body image is through food restriction.
I'm saddened to hear how many athletes are abusing exercising the body, and believing that starving the body from calories is the "best" way to improve performance.
I'm upset that America is so obsessed with healthy food yet we have such an unhealthy society.

While I understand that I am speaking about our country as a whole and not discussing subgroups who may have a great relationship with food and the body, I know that there are many individuals who understand where I am coming from and you likely sympathize with me. 

By all means, you are allowed to eat bread in America!

Let's be honest - eating is a messy topic in America and unless it changes soon, our society will become more sick and ill because of unhealthy habits that can be changed by a healthier lifestyle and eating disorders (and disordered) eating will become more and more prevalent. 

Naturally, this is a very important topic for me me as a Board Certified Sport Dietitian because I want to be the change that I want to see in America when it comes to athletes improving their relationship with food and the body. 

As I enjoy my last few days in Europe (with more pictures of my Czech meals to share on Facebook), I will continue to appreciate a style of eating that I strongly embrace here in Europe.

For the last 3 weeks, I have enjoyed eating trying new foods and meal creations and welcoming any eating opportunity to try something different. 

I am not sure when it started or how it started but my diet has certainly evolved to one that makes it so easy for me to eat in Europe. 

Whether I'm eating in the USA or Europe, I never feel confused or conflicted about my food choices but in Europe, I eat among a society that appears to have a great relationship with food and the body.
And with every bite and every yum, I am happy. 

Stepping outside of America allows me to step away from a food and body obsessed culture which is heavily focused on what foods are good or bad, depending on the season, the year and the latest diet fad, research study and the loudest nutrition expert.
Here in Europe, I am not in a culture that eats in uncertainty and fear and doesn't need approval that x-food is allowed to be eaten.

Allowed by who?

I'm still wondering that same question and who you are letting boss you around as to what foods you need or should be eating to be happy and healthy. 

Holiday eats - Czech style

Another wonderful holiday with my Czech hubby.
Karel has not celebrated Xmas with his family (who all live in Znojmo, Czech Republic) in over 15 years. It means so much to me to make this holiday all about Karel and his family who are not able to be with us in the US. Every year, Karel shares his memories with me and I never get tired of hearing the same stories over and over. I just love being married to a European because his up bringing was very different than mine, as well as his traditions around the holidays. 

This year was extra special because Karel and I welcomed my mom to enjoy our traditional Czech dinner on Dec 24th with us...this was the first time in 8 years that we had someone at our table to enjoy our spread of food with us! 

The traditional Czech Xmas dinner is very simple although each family can certainly add modifications. It is customary to eat this dinner on Christmas eve and after the meal, the Christmas tree is "revealed" with all the lights and ornaments, for the first time for all the children to see. After dinner, presents are opened.
Karel remembers no shortage of cookies on December 24th and 25th so this is something we always look forward to...Karel's mom's homemade cookies!
But sadly, our cookies from Czech have yet to arrive. It's been three weeks since they were shipped from Europe to the USA so hopefully they will be cleared from customs soon. Our Czech xmas is not complete without cookies. 

The first to-do for our Czech xmas dinner was to prepare the Vánočka. I must say, this year was my best attempt yet but I know it is still not as light and fluffy as it should be. One of these years we will hopefully be able to celebrate Xmas with Karel's family so the real pro - Karel's mom - will show me how it's done.
I started making the dough at 6am so that it could rise while we worked out. I enjoy braiding the bread but the best part is smelling the bread as it is baking in the oven. 

We like to eat the bread with butter and jam although it is also fantastic with honey. 

The traditional protein for the Czech Xmas dinner is Carpe. Rybí polévka is the name for fish soup which is traditional as well. Karel uses Tuna and then breads the fish and then fries is on the stove top (pic below). For my protein, I used tempeh and just like Karel's protein, I breaded my tempeh and then cooked it in the oven (tossed in olive oil as well). It was delicious!

Another delicious addition to our Czech meal is Sýrové tyčinky. This would be similar to breadsticks but with caraway seeds. Karel uses croissant roll dough and then rolls it out, slices it into sticks and then sprinkles with caraway seeds before baking. He also adds a little Parmesan cheese. YUM!

And last but absolutely not least is the Czech potato salad. Now, I don't even want you thinking traditional potato salad which, in its simple form is potatoes, eggs and lots of mayo.

The Czech potato salad tastes amazing and makes your tummy feel amazing. It is loaded with root vegetables and it gets its creaminess from a wonderful mixture of ingredients. The only ingredients cooked in this salad are eggs and potatoes.

For this potato salad, Karel shreds celery root, parsnips and carrots and adds in canned peas, chopped onions, pickles and chopped hard boiled eggs. He mixes in chopped potatoes (cooked) and seasons with salt and pepper. He uses a little mayo but it isn't too overpowering.
He makes this on the 23rd because the flavors are much better the next day. 

The final product - my plant strong, traditional Czech dinner.

Campy got "wasted" on fun last night with 4 new "bears" (that's what we call all his toys). 

It didn't take long for the de-stuffing to happen...that's Campy's favorite part. 

After 3 full days of non stop, cold rain, we finally got outside for a workout today!!
Over the Greenville mountains and through the woods, what a beautiful day for a long ride!

We hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. 

Wow, can you believe just one more week until 2015!!!