Nail your 2017 nutrition goals

There is a lot of information available to athletes on the topics of nutrition, specifically as it relates to how food can change your body composition, improve your health and boost your performance.

I think it is safe to assume that most athletes view food as a naturally safe way to boost athletic performance and the diet as a method of changing body composition.

But with so much information available to athletes, the topics of eating for health, eating for fuel, eating to change body composition and so forth, can make the simple topic of "diet for athlete" so confusing and overwhelming.

Due to information overload, I wouldn't be surprised if you are one of the many athletes who have explored (or tried) a dietary trend or fad at least once a year (likely around January) in an effort to get your diet under control in order to change body composition.

The interesting thing about a diet trend is the unique marketing of the dietary strategy which accurately identifies everything that you are doing wrong (insert you saying "this diet is exactly what I need!") and finds a sneaky way to convince you that this diet is the only way to fix your issues.

At Trimarni, we do not restrict food in any way.
We do not diet or jump on any hot sport nutrition trends or fads.
We apply research to real world settings but we always put our health before performance.

We eat a balanced diet every day of the year, we use sport nutrition products properly and we eat before and after our workouts.
Food has a positive role in our life and it enhances our performance and keeps us healthy.
There's no extreme method of eating (or not eating) and absolutely no food rules or off-limit food list.

Doesn't this sound peaceful and reassuring that this style of eating really does exist?

Sadly, you may still be searching for a diet plan.

If you want to create a sustainable style of eating, there's no better time than right now, when your training volume is low and you have extra time in your day to spend on your lifestyle habits, to focus on yourself and your own nutritional needs and to create a great relationship with food and the body.

As a qualified nutrition expert (Board Certified Sport Dietitian), it's important to me to remain a great nutrition role model to my coaching athletes but also to the public, as I know many athletes follow Trimarni and obtain services from Trimarni.

If you insist on changing your diet in 2017 without the help of a nutrition expert, I hope you find value in my latest Triathlete Magazine article (pg 56) as I share a few simple smart nutrition tips to kick start your nutritional success in 2017.

Appetite Awareness tips

If you missed the last two blogs, I recommend to read before continuing on:
Appetite Awareness
Is hunger a bad thing?

APPETITE AWARENESS TIPS: 

-In reference to the above hunger rating chart, numbers 4 and 5 are ideal when you think about when you eat and how you feel when you eat. It is normal to feel number 3 as an athlete and often times, you may experience number 6. You should be able to identify the numbers that you do not want to experience as an athlete and if you do experience an unwanted number, recognize how to prevent that from happening again. Feeling very full or irritable are not enjoyable outcomes from eating (or not eating). 

Use this chart to think about your current eating habits on a daily basis and if you are eating too much or too little, focus on that one specific meal/snack in your day to try to tweak. Ideally, you should be eating three meals that leave you satisfied for at least 2.5-4 hours. Although a mid morning snack may be needed to honor a little biological hunger, almost all athletes would benefit from having an afternoon snack to avoid lower numbers on the hunger rating scale and additionally will prevent 6+ numbers in the evening. For many athletes, there is often a missing link in a meal that is causing hunger too soon after a meal. Often a little more carbs, fat or protein to a meal will help you feel more satisfied. Neglecting fueling before, during and after workouts may be causing you to not meet your energy needs which leads to more fatigue during/after workouts and to overeating, overindulging or ow blood sugar.  

Before you blame a food or food group, reflect on your typical diet. Do not overthink the chart - become aware of how your current eating style is working (or not working) for you.

-Every athlete/individual has an appetite control switch, even if you think you don't. Depending on what you eat, you may not receive the signal to stop eating and depending on your energy, mood, emotions, sleep or stress level, you may ignore that signal. Processed foods are much more calorically dense than real foods and per bite, it takes much longer to feel satisfied with processed food despite providing your body plenty of "energy" while eating. A diet rich in nutrient density, like fruits, veggies, high quality proteins, healthy fats, grains/high fiber starches and low fat dairy will help to control your appetite so that you feel more satisfied without over-exceeding your energy needs.

-A little hunger is not always a bad thing. For example, if your belly feels empty before a workout this may, in no way, affect your performance because your liver and muscles are stocked with available fuel, along with thousands of calories worth as stored body fat to use for energy. Also if you allowed 1 hour to digest your pre training snack, you may not only feel light but you will also more effectively metabolize fat for fuel (yes, even if you have a pre training snack). Many athletes prefer going into a workout feeling "empty" in the gut for the sake of feeling lighter, less bloated and less uncomfortable while working out. However, you can still feel this way and eat before a workout but allow time for digestion and consume low residue/fiber foods which clear the gut in less than an hour.

-If you experience a drop in blood sugar and ignore #3 on the hunger rating chart and find yourself into a place of #1 or 2 on the chart, you are putting your body into a dangerous and uncomfortable situation as you have low blood glucose levels with extreme hunger and it isn't until you eat food that will raise your blood sugar (not nuts, fat or fiber but instead, sugar/high glycmic carbs) that you control your irritable mood, depressive/angry state and extremely weak/vulnerable body. Don't keep putting yourself in this situation!!! Many times, the athlete who has let their blood sugar drop (intentionally or unintentionally) will find themselves overeating at the next snack/meal which is no less uncomfortable than low blood sugar. Consuming a low glycemic index diet has not been shown to solve the issue of low blood sugar but instead, a balanced diet that is timed appropriately with your life. Many high glycemic foods are healthy and when combined with protein/fat, they do not affect blood sugar levels and can leave you satisfied and nourished.

-Sleep, stress and exercise intensity/volume all after your appetite. Sleep deprived athletes will often find it harder to feel satisfied when it comes to diet and will additionally seek pick-me-up options that are often not healthy (ex. energy drinks, sugar, sweets, etc.) Regulate your appetite by focusing on restful sleep most days per week. Ideally 7-8 hours per night and an additional 30 minutes after very intense or long workouts. 

-We all know that cortisol increases belly fat as the commercials have embedded this into our brain. But it is true that stress affects appetite and hormones. Food doesn't solve problems so seek a healthy alternative to alcohol, sweets, processed food or overeating when you feel stressed out. I like to watch cute doggy videos on YouTube. 

-As exercise volume/intensity increases, you will receive a natural increase in the appetite as this is a signal that your body requires more energy to support the increased training load. Although you may feel like you are eating all the time compared to your co-workers/family, it is your  responsibility to meet your nutrition/health and energy needs through your diet and sport nutrition regime. If you don't understand how to do this on your own (and fear gaining weight or overeating/causing GI issues) consult a sport RD to help. 

For the next week, use these tips to better understand how you are eating and how it affects your quality of life. As I do with my nutrition athletes that I consult with, I encourage you to plan out your day before it happens. Write down what you will eat before during and after workouts, what meals you will eat and when and what snacks. Once you have this plan, you can then hold yourself accountable to this plan by preparing food ahead of time, thus consciously preventing overeating or underfueling. 

If  you can eat in a way that improves your quality of life, we can assume that health, happiness, performance and a better relationship with food/body will also improve. 

Happy eating! 

Energize your body with real food

Every day there is a magazine, article, blog or book talking about the good, bad and ugly when it comes to food. In today's society, I worry that athletes are spending way too much energy worrying about what not to eat and consequently removing healthy foods from the diet, rather than focusing on what they can, should and need to eat in a real food diet.

To spend your energy focusing on what real food option you should not eat is not how you should be spending your time, money and energy. I'm so over athletes dissecting every food in the diet in terms of how bad the food is for the body.
Can we just make peace with real food?

So I ask....if you are currently overwhelming yourself with good vs bad food, how passionate are you for fueling your body in motion?
Are you currently sabotaging your health and performance because you are refusing to give yourself permission to eat certain foods that will energize your body?

I promise, unless you have an allergy or intolerance, nothing bad will happen if you eat a plain baked potato, eat a bean salad for lunch or enjoy a banana before a workout. 

It is within the food that we eat, that we fuel metabolic reactions. For us athletes, this is critical to using your body to perform at high levels.

When you restrict food, you restrict yourself from energy.
If you have a healthy relationship with food, you will understand that with every bite, you have the wonderful opportunity to provide energy for a chemical reaction to take place to move your body, to sustain activity, to help you recover and so much more!

Healthy eating is not limited to eating lots of fruits and veggies nor is it entirely focused on how much/little carbs, protein or fat you consume on a daily basis.

Healthy eating is fueling your body, protecting your body and nourishing your body.

Healthy eating is not just important for your overall well-being but as an athlete, it is vital for your performance and health.
If you do not spend energy appreciating, planning and consuming real food, rich in vitamins and minerals, do not expect your body to reach it's full athletic potential.

Restricting food increases your risk for nutrient deficiencies and poor energy to help you keep good form and energy during workouts. Additionally, an unhealthy diet (too much/too little) leads to injury, sickness and chronic conditions. If your body does not receive the nutrients that it needs, your body becomes weak and your risk for serious health issues increases. 

It is within your daily diet that you can maintain the energy that you need to follow your training plan. When your training volume and intensity increases, your diet should compliment this added training load. A nutrient rich diet not only helps you keep high energy levels during workouts and throughout the day but when your body is nourished, you will find yourself with better sleep, more focus/clarity and a better overall mood (less depression, moodiness, anxiety).

Fruits and veggies should be part of your daily "athlete" diet. I recommend to aim for 3 handfuls of dark leafy greens a day + at least 2 cups mixed veggies. For fruits, at least 3 handfuls of fruit per day.
As for your macronutrients, keep it simple by focusing on 3 meals and a few planned snacks throughout the day to meet your daily needs:
Carbohydrates - 3-8g/kg/day
Protein - 1.3-1.8g/kg/day
Fat - ~25-30% total calories

It does not matter what type of athlete you are to appreciate the goodness found in real food, knowing that you are meeting your metabolic needs.

Free yourself of food fears and make peace with food.
Enjoy your carbs, protein and fats and don't forget to eat your fruits and veggies. 

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."