Trimarni athlete spotlight: Tracy Kuhn: Mom of 3 conquers a marathon!

We are excited to announce a new feature on the Trimarni blog where we will be shining the spotlight on one of our Trimarni athletes (coaching or nutrition) every week.

We hope that you will feel inspired by the spotlight athlete as you learn a few tips and tricks to help you reach your personal athletic and nutrition goals.

Our athletes are normal individuals choosing to do exceptional things with a healthy body.

Name: Tracy Kuhn

Age: 37

City/State: Lexington, SC

Primary sport: Running

How many years in the sport: Off and on for the past 7 years, steady for the last two. 

What Trimarni services have you used: 

Nutrition  - 2 x preparation nutrition services and 1 x race week/day nutrition planning service
Training plan adjustment (Tracy used a run training plan from the Internet and purchased a consulting service for Marni to adjust workouts for more specificity and individualized training)

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Describe your athletic background and how you discovered your current sport?

I discovered running after having our twins in 2010. I started running in 2011, just after their birthday when I saw myself in a picture.  I didn't have a lot of time to take care of myself and never really enjoyed a gym. I discovered I could lace up and head out the front door and get a workout in without too much effort. Once I realized I could run a mile the love was born. Before I knew it I was pushing the double jogger down the trail and signing up for my first 1/2 Marathon.

What keeps you training and racing in your current sport?

Running is always a competition with myself - faster, stronger, further, more hilly. There is always a way to make it more challenging. Running is a fun, healthy way to spend quality time with friends and something my entire family can get involved in.

What do you do for work?

Operations Director for an Electrical Contractor.

How does your work life affect training and how do you balance work and training?

My work schedule is always different and requires a lot of day travel. But it also has some flexibility built in that helps me balance it all. I do a lot of early morning workouts before my family is awake. Sometimes I work from home and can fit a run a little later in the morning or at lunch time when no one else has to smell the results of my workout.

Any tips/tricks as to how to balance work and training?

Planning. I try not to schedule out of town, early morning work meetings on heavy workout days - that requires too early of a wake-up call. I also pack a gym bag some days and hit the road running before I head home for the day.

Do you have kids?

Yes, Allison and Henry (almost 7) and Benjamin (almost 4). 

How does having kids affect your training?

I'm really lucky to have a supportive husband. Most mornings he handles getting the kids off to school so I can focus on my workouts and get to work on time. We also turned our playroom into a workout room with a treadmill. The kids have their own yoga mats and small weights so they can do their exercises; and I have learned to pull Leggos apart, tie jewelry, and settle the kid's arguments while getting my run on. Occasionally, we need help and aren't afraid to call on the grandparents for backup. 

I sign up for mostly local races that my family can attend or participate in. The kids love getting medals and demonstrating their speed.

What tricks or tips do you have for other athletes who struggle to balance training with family?

Ask for help, involve your family, and get up early and get your workout done before the real responsibility of your family kicks in.

Do you have a recent race result, notable performance or lesson learned that you'd like to share?

I recently completed my first full marathon! While I did not set any speed records, I overcame serious stomach upset and finished healthy and feeling strong. Marni told me that there was a chance for tummy issues in my first long distance running event so she prepped me with tips and tricks of how to best manage issues if they came about. The training and preparation worked and I am so proud of this bucket list accomplishment.

What are your top 3-5 tips for athletes, as it relates to staying happy, healthy and performing well?

• Workout buddies - our local FiA run group has been an invaluable support and inspiration system. I have formed such great friendships and learned a lot from these ladies. It is fun to train together and share in each others' successes.
  
  
• Plan and commit - schedule the time and stay committed to yourself, your workouts and food preparation. 
  
  
• Take care of your body - fuel it with yummy and nutritious foods and give it the rest it needs.
  
  
• Enjoy the journey - keep workouts fresh and challenging, and try new things.
  
  
• Get the help of a professional! The nutritional plans Marni helped me with gave me energy and helped me learn to fuel my body with a great daily diet and pre/post workouts too. Having a professional help me plan safe, effective training, that I can fit into my lifestyle, guiding me through my unique challenges, and preparing me for overcoming obstacles that may arise has given me great confidence and a strong mind.

How would you define athletic success as it relates to your personal journey?

I finally consider myself a "real" runner. Investing in myself this year has been life changing. I am happier and more confident. I'm also more patient and have more energy to give to my very deserving family and friends, and to my work. I hope my athletic journey is just beginning and that I will consider myself a "real" athlete by the end of 2017.

What's your favorite post-race meal, drink or food?

Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream.

What key races do you have planned in 2017?

I'm just recovering from my first marathon but have my eye on P200 if spot opens on one of our teams, Triple Crown (3 half marathons in 3 months) in the Spring, Lexington 1/2 Marathon in the fall, and another full Marathon late 2017 or early 2018.

What are your athletic goals for the next 5 years?

To enjoy the journey, keep my body healthy, and increase my strength and speed. 

Where can others follow you on social media:
Facebook: Tracy Molzer Kuhn
Twitter: @tkuhn0217

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Click here to learn more about Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition.
Be sure to subscribe to our Newsletter for ongoing information, education and motivational support.

Re-learn to love your body

Are you satisfied with your body?
Do you wish that you looked differently?
What type of dialogue do you hear in your head when you look at yourself in a mirror?

Why are you constantly receiving and believing messages that your body is not good enough? 

Healthy bodies come in all sizes.
Body weight does not predict athletic success.
A number on the scale does not define you as a person.

There is a strong association between social media usage and body image concerns. On social media, you are viewing a snapshot of life.
But what about all the filtered, edited and perfectly posed and cropped images that you believe equate to happiness and body satisfaction?

To compare is to despair.

If a visual image makes you think less of yourself or causes you to develop negative feelings about your body, it's time to stop following that image. Stop fixating on what is perfect on another person's body, thinking that you will be happier, more liked or more successful if you looked that way.

Seeing that athletes already feel great pressure to look a certain way, I feel it is very important that we (professionals/coaches) take the focus away from an athlete's weight or image when it comes to improving performance and health. Athletes are more likely to make smart, realistic and sustainable changes that foster improvements in performance and health when the end result is not for a better or change in body image. Athletes can feel a tremendous amount of pressure, anxiety and control when body image is a primary focus and we don't need to add more pressure to body that is already stressed from training and life.

Let me remind you that your body is incredible. Accept yourself for who you are right now and where you are right now and love your body for what it is, right now.

I encourage you to filter through the many images that you often like, view, stalk or obsess over and if there are images that make you feel unhappy about your body, stop following that image. It's time to stop following the life of someone else and learn to be happy with your life and your body.

It's time to become more attuned to your own successes, your own journey, your own needs and your own accomplishments.

10 "Will Powers" for Improving Body Image

By: Michael Levine, PhD and Linda Smolak, PhD

I WILL ask myself: “Am I benefiting from focusing on what I believe are flaws in my body weight or shape?”

I WILL think of three reasons why it is ridiculous for me to believe that thinner people are happier or “better.” I will repeat these reasons to myself whenever I feel the urge to compare my body shape to someone else’s.

I WILL spend less and less time in front of mirrors—especially when they are making me feel uncomfortable and self-conscious about my body.   

I WILL exercise for the joy of feeling my body move and grow stronger. I will not exercise simply to lose weight, purge fat from my body, or to “make-up” for calories I have eaten.

I WILL participate in activities that I enjoy, even if they call attention to my weight and shape.I will constantly remind myself that I deserve to do things I enjoy, like dancing, swimming, etc., no matter what my shape or size is!

I WILL refuse to wear clothes that are uncomfortable or that I do not like but wear simply because they divert attention from my weight or shape. I will wear clothes that are comfortable and that make me feel at home in my body.

I WILL list 5 to10 good qualities that I have, such as understanding, intelligence, or creativity. I will repeat these to myself whenever I start to feel bad about my body.

I WILL practice taking people seriously for what they say, feel, and do. Not for how slender, or “well put together” they appear.

I WILL surround myself with people and things that make me feel good about myself and my abilities. When I am around people and things that support me and make me feel good, I will be less likely to base my self-esteem on the way my body looks.

I WILL treat my body with respect and kindness. I will feed it, keep it active, and listen to its needs. I will remember that my body is the vehicle that will carry me to my dreams! 

A Declaration of Independence from a Weight-Obsessed World

I, do hereby declare that from this day forward I will choose to live my life by the following tenets.  In so doing, I declare myself free and independent from the pressures and constraints of a weight-obsessed world. 

• I will accept my body in its natural shape and size.
• I will celebrate all that my body can do for me each day.
• I will treat my body with respect, giving it enough rest, fueling it with a variety of foods, exercising it moderately, and listening to what it needs.
• I will defy our society’s pressures to judge myself and other people on physical characteristics like body weight, shape, or size.  I will respect people based on the qualities of their character and the impact of their accomplishments.
• I will refuse to deny my body valuable nutrients by dieting or using weight loss products.
• I will avoid categorizing foods as either “good” or “bad.”  I will not guilt or shame myself for eating certain foods.  Instead, I will nourish my body with a balanced variety of foods, listening and responding to what it needs.
• I will not use food to mask my emotional needs.
• I will not avoid participating in activities that I enjoy (e.g., swimming, dancing, enjoying a meal with friends) simply because I am self-conscious about the way my body looks.  I will recognize that I have the right to enjoy any activities regardless of my body shape or size.
• I will base my self-esteem and identity on that which comes from within!

Tips to get the most out of your indoor workout

                               


At some point in the season, almost every athlete will find him/herself training indoors. For many athletes, indoor workouts are the norm for several months of the year due to winter storms/temps.

Are you the type of athlete who loves training indoors?

Training indoors provides a safe, controlled environment with few to no distractions. Due to time constraints, many athletes prefer indoor training as the only/best way to get in workouts early in the morning or late at night or to stick to a schedule.

Are you the type of athlete who views indoor training as the last resort training environment?

Training indoors may feel boring and isolating, making you feel less motivated to start or finish a workout trapped inside walls.

Reasons for working out indoors

• Unsafe weather conditions (ex. storm, ice, snow, extreme wind, etc.)
• Impractical weather conditions to safely exercise or execute a workout
• Personal preference - safety, accountability
• Specific workout requiring constant monitoring of effort or metrics
• Skill specific workout requiring controlled environment
• Practicality - location, time

Although training outdoors is fun and necessary, especially as it relates to putting yourself in a similar race day environment and practicing pacing, skills and nutrition, indoor training provides a safe, controlled environment to challenge you physically and mentally.

Tips to get the most out of your indoor workout 

-Create a positive training environment so that you can get and stay excited to train. While a gym membership may work for some athletes, investing in a home gym may work for others.

-Select the best entertainment to keep your mind stimulated based on the workout (ex. podcast, TV, movie, music, silence).

-Eliminate distractions so that you can stay focused and present.

-Write down your workout on a piece of paper or white board so that you are constantly reminded of what you expect your body to do throughout the entire workout. This will also foster a smoother workout flow of your workout.

-Treat your workout like a class. You have your start time to "show up" and then your finish time. In a class environment, a great excuse to leave a class early is when you are crunched for time or you have another commitment. It's not the best excuse to leave a class because you feel bored or you don't have motivation that day. Sometimes you have to hang in there and finish what you started.

-Understand that your mind will wander during an indoor workout and you will have waves of enjoying the workout and not enjoying the workout. This is normal (and not unlike race day!). Break down your workout into segments so that you can focus on one part of the workout at a time (don't think about how much longer you still have to work out, stay present and the time will pass).

-Mix up the training. You will find yourself enjoying indoor workouts if you have a mix of very specific workouts with intervals and then loose freedom workouts.

-Stay well hydrated and fuel appropriately. Treat your indoor workout like an outdoor workout, based on volume and intensity. Many athletes don't fuel properly for indoor workouts, assuming that the indoor workout is less taxing. Although an indoor workout eliminates dealing with gravity and environmental conditions like hills and wind, there are many specific indoor workouts that require proper fueling and hydration as training stress is still training stress, even indoors.

-Work on your mental toughness. As an athlete, you are going to race in all types of environmental conditions and on different courses. Racing will not be comfortable. You will want to quit. Use every indoor workout as a great opportunity to explore your thoughts as it relates to being uncomfortable and wanting to give up/in. Regardless of the intensity and/or volume of the workout, indoor training provides one of the best opportunities to train your mind. Use your indoor workout to develop strategies or mantras that keep you going and make note of them so that on race day, you can pull them out of your mental tool box.

-Don't neglect mobility before and after your indoor session as well as strength training. Being in a fixed position (ex. cycling on a bike trainer) or on controlled terrain (ex. treadmill belt) may cause bad habits in form and posture because you don't have to deal with environmental stress or changes in terrain. Spend some time warming up your body before a workout with dynamic stretching and stay mobile after your workout to prevent your body from getting stiff and tight. Strength training will also help you address any weakness in your form, posture or balance so that you can prevent a possible injury from happening later on in your season.

Trimarni Athlete Spotlight: Alvaro Velez - Nationally ranked swimmer turned triathlete

We are excited to announce a new feature on the Trimarni blog where we will be shining the spotlight on one of our Trimarni athletes (coaching or nutrition) every week.

We hope that you will feel inspired by our athletes but also learn a few tips and tricks to help you reach your personal athletic and nutrition goals.

Our athletes are normal individuals choosing to do exceptional things with a healthy body.

Name: Alvaro Velez

Age: 40

City/State: Greenville, SC

Primary sport: Triathlon (swim is strongest)

How many years in the sport: 9 years as a triathlete (30 years for swimming with a 7-year swim hiatus from 2000-2007)

What Trimarni services have you used: 

RETUL bike fit

Trimarni Ironman 20-week Training Plan (IMKY)

Race day bike tune-up

Educational Plan (monthly)

Advance plan custom coaching (after IMKY until Cartagena 70.3)

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Describe your athletic background and how you discovered your current sport?

I was a very strong High School swimmer growing up in Cartagena, Colombia. I was able to win Nationals in many of the events I competed in and was able to represent Colombian as a National team Member for at least three international competitions in South America. I won a few international medals and broke the 100 freestyle National record three times. I was able to use my swim resume to get a scholarship at Penn State University and provide many dual meet wins and a key member to a extremely tight Big Ten Championship title in 1999. I had two failed but close attempts to make the Olympics in 1996(100 free) and 2000 (400IM and 200 FLY). After 2000, I retired from competitive swimming and moved to New York City where I became an avid walker and sometimes runner. Many years later, I moved to Greenville SC because of work and started looking around for fun activities I could do in my free time. I started with running races and soon discovered triathlons.

What keeps you training and racing in your current sport?

Mostly I do it for better health as I have been use to the benefits of exercise since I was young. I have a lot of energy and I feel that endurance triathlons calm me down. I am also very competitive and enjoying racing. I also like the cool awards and recognition.

What do you do for work?

I am an Industrial Engineering who has worked in Manufacturing for many years and now have a Design Engineering role at General Electric designing Gas Turbines and Power Plants.

How does your work life affect training and how do you balance work and training?

Both me and my wife have full time jobs and its very hard to balance family and training without some sacrifices. During the week its not so hard as I can work early in the morning and during lunch. I have a semi flexible schedule that allows me to take 1 hour to 1.5 hour lunches. Also, it helps that the Gym is in the same building with hot showers for after working out. The pool is a 10 min drive but very doable as I can swim a lot in an hour. Weekends are trickier and it normally works better with the family if I do early workouts.

Any tips/tricks as to how to balance work and training?

Make sure your spouse knows your schedule. Train early.

Involve your spouse into sports. I sometimes run with her and have provided her with training tips and workouts for her half marathon training.

Do you have kids?

Two very active boys, Andy and Seby.

How does having kids affect your training? 

My wife normally takes care of the kids on the weekends when I am out training but then we switch when I am back home. No excuses to be tired as we do what she or the kids want to do and then I take a bigger role into the activity.

Sometimes we hire fun kid-sitters when there is a potential conflict with a spouse activity on a critical workout. The kids love their two sitters! I also do this to be a sports role model for my kids. My kids think that my job is to go out and cycle.

What tricks or tips do you have for other athletes who struggle to balance training with family?

Early training, babysitters, full parent role after workouts.

We do have an informal "brownie point" system. When there are sacrifices to make, like long workouts and/or a competition, I make sure my wife can go shopping, have dinner with her girlfriends or even an all girls trip.

I also try to incorporate races that have pre, during and post activities for the family. Example Florida 70.3 and then Disney Parks/ Lego land. Cartagena 70.3 and then the beaches.

Do you have a recent race result, notable performance or lesson learned that you'd like to share?

I had my first Full Ironman this year at Louisville in October and I was very proud of this achievement.

Also, I had my first Ironman 70.3 Worlds Qualification at Cartagena 70.3 this December. I was 8th AG and was able to get spot on roll-down. I was very proud of this as even though it was not my best performance as I showed resilience in my performance. It was hot and humid and I was not feeling great from an upset stomach the days before the race.

What are your top 3-5 tips for athletes, as it relates to staying happy, healthy and performing well?

Do it because you like it.

Be in the moment for the workout.

Challenge yourself in workouts.

Don't be afraid to try new things in B races, practice it before doing A races.

Keep your spouse and kids happy as they are your support crew.

Listen to your coaches and stay positive.

How would you define athletic success as it relates to your personal journey?

It's a combination.  I always want to compete to my capabilities in that moment in time based on the training I have done and don't expect more than that. I feel that I am realistic and humble in my goals and am very realistic of what I am capable of.  I have certain reach goals but understand that it will be a challenge that will require many sacrifices.  Even if I try and don't reach those goals I will consider it a win if I give it my best on race day, have fun training and can share it with my family.  If my kids can follow in my athletic footsteps and beyond, it will be a home run!!

What's your favorite post-race meal, drink or food?

Beer, Pizza and Vanilla Ice cream

What key races do you have planned in 2017?

Mountains To Main Street Half

Lake Logan Half

Ironman 70.3 Worlds at Chattanooga
Ironman Chattanooga

What are your athletic goals for the next 5 years?

Be fit and injury free so I can:

Win some Setup Events triathlons

Qualify for IM 70.3 Worlds (check)

Sub 4:30 half

Qualify for IM World Championship, Kona, Hawaii

Sub 10:00 full

Anything extra advice to athletes?

Share knowledge with your triathlete friends and learn to give and receive advice.

Where can others follow you on social media:

Facebook: Alvaro Velez

Instagram: alvivelez

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Click here to learn more about Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition.
Be sure to subscribe to our Newsletter for ongoing information, education and motivational support.

Stop chasing results

You are on a mission.
You want results and you are ready and willing to achieve results.
You have commitment, discipline, focus and passion.
This is the year when you are all-in to experience success.

A motivated mind and a body on a mission is the perfect recipe for health and fitness improvements.

However, if you are only focused on results, this forward-thinking, result-focused mentality forces you to believe that it's only when you achieve results that you will happy or feel more successful.

Consequently, this thinking often influences extreme choices in order to achieve quicker results, like overtraining and underfueling/undereating, as it relates to wanting the result of being a better, stronger, leaner or faster athlete.

Although S.M.A.R.T. goals are important, a result-driven mindset can fog good judgment choices.

I imagine there are many athletes who aspire to be better, leaner, faster or stronger.
But it's the obsessive focus on the end result goal that often drives these athletes to work with me as it relates to declining health and performance caused from extreme training and eating behaviors.

Unhealthy, unrealistic and unsustainable strategies may bring results but a healthy process-driven mindset creates long-lasting change.

I can't say it enough but results DO come to those who don't focus on the results.

-The athlete who focuses on better fueling and dietary methods will unintentionally change his/her body composition to perform better.
-The athlete who hopes to qualify for Kona will enjoy his/her journey more if he/she focused on the process of development, instead of feeling pressure to perform on one day.
-The athlete who wants to improve his/her run off the bike in a triathlon will do so if he/she stops focusing on trying to be a "faster runner" and focuses on improving resilience and strength.
-The athlete who sets a goal race time will perform best when there are no expectations set forth on race day to distract what needs to be done on that day, to ensure a successful race execution effort.

Although it seems counter intuitive, a processed-drive approach will reward you more than any method that is only designed to give you results.

A processed driven approach....

• Can help you focus on new and improved skills, which will allow for long lasting development and progression. 
• Encourages experimentation and allows for failure to figure out what works best for you. 
• Let's you enjoy the journey as you remain an active participant in your life, with every present moment bringing happiness. 
• Puts you in the driver seat as to the best strategies and methods that will work for your body and your lifestyle. This brings higher self-esteem as you aren't focused on what everyone else is doing, but instead, all of your energy is on yourself. 
• Allows you to enjoy the result, no matter what the result may be. In the big picture, things rarely work out like we imagine so we are often in for disappointment and frustration when happiness is contingent on a successful results.  Great enjoyment, content and happiness can come from the journey, when you let go of the need to achieve a specific outcome. 
• Is less stressful. You are more willing to take risks, stretch your comfort zone and be flexible. It's freeing to not be driven by results. By staying confident in your process, you build confidence that you are staying on your path to athletic greatness. 

The next time you find yourself obsessively focusing on your training and eating in order to achieve results, ask yourself if your methods are letting you make the most out of the process?

By focusing on process you will unlock many great performances by your body.

Holiday gifts for the athlete in your life

picture source

For some people, it's extremely easy to find the perfect holiday gift. But for athletes, gift giving may be tough because it seems as if they have everything that they need to live a healthy and active lifestyle and to succeed in sport.

You may be scratching your head right now thinking, what more could she/he possibly need?

Oh don't worry. Your athlete in your life can always find something that he/she needs.

Here are some of my ideas for the athlete in your life who you think has everything he/she needs:

Bluetooth Earphones - 
Athletes love music when training. Wireless earphones are great as you remove the cord, that often gets tangled on clothes (or other equipment). Although headphones are great for traveling, earphones are light, resilient and built for exercise.

Portable kitchen equipment - There's probably a good chance that your athlete has everything he/she needs at home in the kitchen, like a coffee pot (or espresso machine) and blender. But let's not forget that athletes travel for races and proper pre-race fueling may require a home-away-from-home kitchen. A portable blender, an electric kettle, a French Press and maybe even a skillet may come in handy in a hotel room that is limited to a hotel coffee maker. Don't forget the dinnerware set.

Magazine subscription/books - This seems like an obvious but there are always new health, fitness, nutrition and motivational books available and you'd be surprised how many athletes don't subscribe to all their favorite health and fitness magazines (there's a lot out there!). It's best to ask around to your athlete's like-minded friends/training partners for recommendations. For the runners/triathletes, I recently heard about The Road to Sparta by Dean Karnazes which sounds really interesting. You can learn more about the book here.

New clothing/gear - Athletes can always use new gear. Unless you know exactly the clothing (or shoe) brand and size that works best for your athlete, it's best to give a gift certificate for online or a local store (whichever your athlete prefers). Also, if you can't remember the name of which gadget model or bike part that your athlete mentioned that she/he wanted, you can also consider a fun gift certificate reading "Your next gadget/hydration belt/bike part is on me!" Although you may think that your athlete has everything, he/she may need a new swim bag, pair of pool/gym shower sandals, medal hanging rack, resistance band set or a restock on his/her favorite sport nutrition products.

Fun clothing - Athletes are proud to be athletes and they are also proud to be health and fitness minded. Your athlete may love a fun exercise inspired shirt or a fun pair of socks. Although a bit more serious, jewelry is also a thoughtful gift, as many athletes like to wear something that reminds them of their self-identity as an athlete. I know for myself, I love local jewelry, mantra bands or jewelry that supports a cause.

Meal delivery service - Athletes are busy and it can be tough to find the time to shop, prep, cook and even eat a meal, especially in the evening after a long and exhausting day. Let's not forget to mention when your athlete is also a parent, which takes being busy to the extreme. Whereas once a meal delivery service was seen as a weight-loss method (or diet plan), now a days, many athletes are opting for a quicker and more convenient method to prepare healthy meals with healthy ingredients, especially in a time-constrained and rushed lifestyle. There are many meal delivery services out there, which also cater to specific diets. The great thing about a meal delivery service is that it doesn't have to be used long term. This gift is perfect for the athlete who finds that there's always the occasional week each month that is incredibly busy, peak training when your athlete struggles to gather enough energy to cook or finds him/herself in a food rut and needs inspiration.

The experience - It's likely that your athlete already has a practical training environment at home (or has a gym membership). The great thing about athletes is that they love to be active.....anywhere. And they also love the experience of being an athlete. Consider giving your athlete a memorable experience like a planned weekend train-cation trip or to the mountains/beach to explore new sights and routes. How about a yoga retreat (if your athlete is into that), a massage package, a few house cleaning services, VIP treatment at an upcoming race/event, an all-day hike adventure, bike tour, a training camp, a Retul bike fit or a cooking class? You probably know what your athlete likes so instead of buying more gear for your athlete, treat him/her to a memorable experience that she/he will never forget.
(Consider a pet-friendly train-cation as your athlete may want to bring his/her furry four legged friend along for the trip!)

Chili cook-off: Lessons learned

Our local run store, Run In, hosted their first annual Chili Cook Off on Saturday afternoon. We could not pass up the opportunity to use our crock pot (and make our house smell yummy) so we entered the cook-off with our "Meat - ain't no body got time for that" chili (vegetarian).  

My only role in making this chili was soaking the bag of mixed beans/lentils over night. 

Not too hard of a job! 

Karel took care of the rest as he always makes a GREAT vegetarian chili for us to yum over.

As you can see from the picture above, he includes the traditional chili recipe ingredients, like peppers, onion and beans but in addition, celery root, parsnips and leeks (very European). He uses a mix of spices for flavor but the key is sauteing and cooking all the veggies on a skillet (with olive oil) first before letting the crock pot take over with the beans. Cooking the veggies on the skillet brings out a lot of flavor. 

While this may not be your typical chili recipe, we absolutely love the flavor and "meaty" texture with each bite. Plus, like any chili, it's very filling.  

Ingredients:
16 bean soup mix (about 3/4 bag used, soaked overnight in water)
Leeks
Parsnips
Peppers - yellow, red, cubano
Tomatoes
Celery root
Onion
Carrots
Spices

While this was a great opportunity to bring together our great community of runners in and around Greenville (chili makers and chili testers), I learned a lot from this chili cook off. 

1) Chili takes a long time to get right. You can't rush through it and hope it will taste good. Chili needs time for all the flavors to come together so you have to plan ahead and cook in advance. 

2) Chili is so versatile. Similar to stews and soups, it's hard to get bored of chili as there are so many different combinations. For example, at this cook-off, there were 9 different Chili recipes! 

3) Chili requires that you taste it. You can't eat it fast and it always tastes better the next day. It's a meal you want to savor as your taste buds always pick-up new ingredients with each bite. I love eating chili and thinking about the ingredients that I am tasting, as I am eating it (vegetarian recipes of course). 

4) Chili brings people together. Chili is one of those meals where you want to share the goodness with others. It's a very comforting meal that is best yummed over in a group setting. 

5) Chili leaves you satisfied. You don't have to eat a lot of it to feel very comfortable inside your belly. 

With so many lessons learned, it got me thinking that for any individual who is struggling to adopt healthier eating habits, you should participate or plan a chili cook off. Encourage your work to have an office chili cook-off or organize a cook-off with your training buddies or a local training club.. Chili cook-off's can be as simply as having an opportunity to enjoy a variety of chili recipes but you can also encourage monetary donations for tasters in order to help out a local organization or an animal shelter.

I feel there is so much to appreciate, learn and to enjoy in regard to making your own meal, sharing it with others or enjoying a creation that was proudly made by someone else.

If you are interested in hosting your own chili cook off, here are some ideas to get you started:

-Create a fun evite (with the date/time of the cook-off) and invite participants/guests to bring in their best chili creation in a slow cooker. The chili should be hot and ready to serve. Don't let your guests forget to bring a serving spoon/spatula.

-Be sure to have extra extension cords and several plugs for the crock pots to stay warm (you may want to consider your participants to bring an extension cord).

-Encourage chili categories (these will be used for awards): Meat, vegetarian, extra spicy, guess the surprise ingredient, semi-homemade, all fresh, etc.

-Provide bowls, small cups and spoons for tasting. Make sure you have a large enough (sturdy) table or counter top for the crock pots.

-Provide water, milk and orange juice (and cups) to cleanse the palate between tasting.

-Ask your guests to provide information before the cook off for you to print off and set-up by the crock pot of the respective creation: Name of chili, category (meat, vegetarian, etc.), heat level (mild, spicy, very hot).

-Provide toppings - chives, cheese, crackers, sour cream, corn chips, etc.

-For a side dish, offer corn bread or encourage a cook off for the best corn bread.

-Provide ballots for each taster to select the best tasting chili based on the category (and corn bread). Make sure you have a box for collecting the ballots.

-Announce the winners at the end of the cook-off. Awards can include a kitchen utensil kit, a gift certificate to a cooking store, a wooden spatula, an apron, pepto (for the very hot winner).

There are many more ideas on Pinterest.

Who's ready for a chili cook off??

Fuel for the mid-week long run

After an EZ form focused run with a few "fast feet" intervals on the treadmill on Tues evening, I made a delicious dinner for me and Karel of couscous, spiced with turmeric and salt, tossed with sauteed veggies (celery, edamame, yellow peppers, onion). Cooked tempeh was my protein of choice.

This dish didn't take too long to prepare as I was able to cook everything at once by using three of the burners on the stove. Karel was on the trainer, doing his bike workout as I was cooking, so by the time he was finished, it was time to enjoy this yummy creation, which left us with a happy tummy and well-fueled body.

After a great night of sleep (oh sleep, how I love you!), I woke up excited to run outside on Wednesday as this was the first morning in several days that it wasn't raining. Plus, I had a very specific build-run workout on tap and with a building confidence in my run fitness lately, I was excited to see what my body had in store for the morning run.

I started my morning with a cup of coffee with milk and then a chocolate chip waffle smeared with peanut butter, banana slices and syrup (yummy), and a glass of water.

After I digested my pre workout snack, I was got myself dressed in my run gear and was ready to go.

I started my run with about 10 minutes of active warming up inside the house to wake up my glutes and to loosen up my hips. I feel so much more springy on my feet when I take an extended amount of time to warm-up, before my run warm-up. After a few more minutes of dynamic stretching outside, I was ready to run.

(Karel left for his run a bit after me as we rarely run together)

With so many beautiful running routes from our doorstep, I let my legs lead the way. My run included no shortage of hills and climbing but that's my favorite type of running. After a 20 minute EZ warm-up, I stopped for a few minutes to stretch out again,  took a swig of my vanilla Clif Bar gel and a few sips of water from my hydration belt (2 x 10 ounce flasks) and then I was ready for my main set:

3 x 20 minute efforts, build from steady to strong w/ 1 min walk in between.

In reality, my workout was really 60 minutes, with the last 30 minutes slightly stronger than the first 30 minutes, but no harder than a Z3 effort for the stronger effort. But for my mind, I broke it down into 3 x 20 minutes as this was my strategy to best execute this very specific main set. Also, I wanted to include some walking to make sure that I could keep great form throughout.

I continued to sip on water throughout the main set and took a swig of the gel (about 1/3rd of it) every 20 minutes.

By the last 20 minutes, I was running strong and fast, which told me that I not only paced it well but I also fueled smart. I not only felt stronger as the run continued but my pace dropped with every 20 minute segment. I never looked at my watch throughout the run, as I went all by feel but it was fun to look over the stats when the run is complete.

After the run I had a smoothie made with milk, frozen fruit and whey protein and then it was time for breakfast (my first real "meal" of the day).

In total, the run was 1 hour and 24 minutes, 10.35 miles. 

 

It's a shame that we live in a society where so many athletes are afraid to take in calories during training, not to mention eat "enough" to support energy needs.

My body deserves calories, lots of them!

The way I look (body composition/weight) is never a focus when I eat or train. I don't train to look a certain way and I don't eat to look a certain way. The body I carry with me for every workout is the body that stays nourished and well-fueled, every day of the year.

I don't bash my body, I thank my body.

I don't workout or eat to try to look different.

And you better believe that I thanked my body a lot after the workout. I even told Karel after he came back from his run, that I was very impressed with my body that I could run so well this morning. I felt light on my feet, strong, resilient and fluent. I could not have asked for more out of my body!

This active lifestyle that I live is a fun one but it's geared toward performance. I expect my body to perform for every workout but never do I take a workout for granted. I feel incredibly lucky for what my body allows me to do and seeing that I push it, challenge it and destroy it through the many workouts that I accomplish each week, week after week, month after month, year after year, I owe it to my body to make sure that I eat and fuel smart.

I train to adapt to the stress that I intentionally place on my body. And since I want to be the best athlete that I can be (hey, genetics can only take you so far and in my situation, my body was not built for running so I have to work hard at it!), I never overlook the many nutritional strategies that I can take to help me get the most out of my body, while keeping my body in great health. 

Do you eat and fuel smart?

If not, why aren't you using your diet to get the most out of your body to improve your performance and to keep your body in good health as an athlete?

Energy bars - To eat or not to eat?

Picture source

Over the course of 3 years as an inpatient clinical RD, I learned a lot. With so much textbook literature, research and science packed into my brain over the 4 years it took me to earn my dietitian credential, I quickly learned that in order to properly diagnose and treat my patients, every case study was different.

You see, there was never just one clear diagnosis. Every patient was different based on his/her patient history, labs, other co-existing health issues and symptoms.

Unfortunately, our society doesn't think like this, especially as it relates to daily nutrition.

Our society succeeds at thinking in extreme - you either have a perfect diet or a horrible diet. Food is good or it's bad. You eat well or you cheat. Food is allowed or off-limits.

You don't have to have a perfect diet to have a healthy diet. 

Sadly, a lot of people feel great anxiety, guilt and judgement when it relates to food, especially if self-worth is tied to trying to do what you think everyone else is doing, even if it's not working for you.

This idea of energy or sport bars, whether or not they are good or bad, is a heavily discussed topic among nutrition experts and one with great controversy. The clean eater explains that bars are heavily processed candy bars and should be avoided at all costs whereas the dieter can't live without them. The athlete is then confused, are packaged energy dense "foods" allowed in a healthy diet?

Should I just eat potatoes and trail mix instead?

PopSugar recently interviewed me on the topic so I thought I'd continue the conversation and share my take on bars and how and when to select the appropriate bar for your nutritional needs. 

Bar Ingredients: 

This depends on your reason for consuming the bar. Do you need a mix of protein, carbs and fat, do you need a ratio of high carbs to low protein/fat, do you need high fiber, do you need the protein, do you need the calories, is this a meal replacement or a snack, do you need the vitamins/minerals/nutrients?

What do you need in the bar that you can't get from real food? This isn't a sarcastic joke but instead one you should always ask yourself when choosing a bar as a real food replacement.

Depending on your bar needs, I would first make sure that your bar is free from any type of sugar alcohols (sorbitol and xylitol) or artificial sweeteners (ex. aspartame and sucralose), which can cause a host of GI issues. Always prioritize real food ingredients and minimize added sugar.

Choose real food:

If you have a real food option, choose it! Bars are the perfect easy, convenient option when you are tired, have little desire to cook or don't plan ahead...but that's not a valid excuse to eat a bar. Sure bars are easy to find and easy to eat wen life is busy, stress is high and you didn't prepare your own meal. Ask yourself if you have recently gravitated toward bars as a "healthy" alternative or possibly a meal or snack replacement, to real food? Make the effort to create a meal of food, not ingredients wrapped in a package.

Enjoy your bar: 

 There are many situations in life when you don't have a suitable meal option - commuting, stuck in traffic, delayed at the airport, traveling, in a meeting, etc. Bars are great emergency food when you just need something to help control blood sugar or to provide substance in the belly. The great thing about bars is that they can be very dense, so sometimes a bite or two can go a long way. While bars shouldn't become a daily habit, I think every athlete should keep a bar on hand for those "oh no" situations. 

You need the calories: 

There are many times in peak training when the appetite is zapped, especially in the heat. While liquids and fruit are often craved, solid food may become unappealing for many hours throughout the day. Additionally, many athletes double as parents on the weekend, with rushed schedules and lots of to-do's, like sport games, which makes eating a low priority until evening. It's important to understand your higher energy intake needs on your higher energy expenditure days. There are certain situations when athletes will benefit from the extra calories in a bar, when real food is not easy to consume, easy to find or easy to prepare. For many athletes, who struggle to eat "enough" on higher workout days or who are trying to gain weight, a bar may be the only option to increase caloric intake without compromising digestion (there's only so much real food an athlete can eat without getting too full and uncomfortable).

 You need the nutrients/protein:

I'm sure there are exceptions but when athletes ask me to recommend a bar for more vitamins/minerals or protein, I say "choose real food". Despite bars featuring a high protein content or vitamins and minerals, there's no replacement for the nutrients found in real food.

Before/During a workout:

I'm a big advocate of real food consumed before/after workouts and sport nutrition products consumed during training. While there are exceptions, I believe that every athlete can find a real food option to easily digest before a workout. A banana w/ nut butter or a few Saltine crackers w/ deli meat will do the trick when you only have 20 minutes to digest something before a 90 minute or less workout. As for during the workout, I recommend bars (with a mix of carbs, protein and fat) for low intensity cycling and of course, any long duration outdoor activity that prevents you from transporting real food. Otherwise, for higher intensity cycling, I recommend liquid calories and electrolytes from a bottle and small quantities of solid food (bar, food portable) spread out throughout the workout, for longer sessions (2+ hours), as needed, to keep the tummy happy. 

The great thing about bars is that there are many on the market to choose from, but you can also make them at home. 

As you can see, there are so many different scenarios and situations which make it hard for me to give a general recommendation for bars.

To summarize:
1) Prioritize real food, always.
2) Keep a bar on hand for emergency situations.
3) Bars should be consumed with a purpose, not out of convenience.

(Re)learning how to eat as an athlete

A passion of mine is helping athletes adopt a more real food diet. I don't think I need to discuss the many benefits of eating real food, grown from nature, to support your health needs as you train for your fitness/athletic goals.

For many athletes, there's a lot of confusion as to how to eat as an athlete vs. as a non-athlete. Yes, all human beings should adopt a more real food diet but for athletes, there are many times throughout the year when your lifestyle is not normal, and you need to relearn what "healthy eating" means as an athlete.

You see, as an athlete, your body processes food differently than your sedentary counterparts and you need a lot of it. You burn more calories, your body requires key nutrients, at certain times, to help assist in metabolism, protein synthesis and glycogen resynthesis and food is not simply consumed for health but it is also your fuel.

Far too many athletes think they are eating healthy but in reality, they are underconsuming calories (often 500-1500 calories less than what you should be eating), eating too much fiber before workouts (causing GI issues during the workout), not taking advantage of post workout nutrition (this is where you actually become a better athlete) and not spreading out total calories, with balanced meals, throughout the day (thus initiating overeating in the evening due to not feeling an appetite during the day or intentionally underfueling during the day). If this is you, there's a good chance that your idea of a healthy diet may actually hurt your health as you stress it with training.

Many athletes struggle with this concept because they struggle with food and weight. Despite burning an excessive amount of calories on a daily basis, you don't understand why you are training all the time but can't seem to get the scale to go down. Athletes often email me, concerned about their inability to lose weight despite working out all the time and they assume that eating less is the strategy to weight loss or that being lighter will automatically improve performance.

The best way to change your body composition is by unintentionally trying. When you put all of your energy into your daily diet as an athlete, you will not only adapt better to your workouts, but you will instantly notice more energy, a favorable change in body composition (stronger body) and sleep better, with improved mood throughout the day.

My message to athletes is that weight loss, performance gains or keeping your body in good health relies on your ability to support your workouts with your daily diet. Seeing that every workout and every day is different, you may never properly adapt to training if you don't learn how to eat as an athlete.

But, it's not as hard as you think, for there are many guidelines and recommendations that are easy to apply and follow. 

For many athletes, there can be an underlying disconnect as it relates to how much food an athlete needs to eat to support training, specifically endurance athletes. For any athlete who has spent years of dieting, restrictive eating or relearning how to eat a more real food diet, I understand how you may be very confused as to how to eat as an athlete, and still eat healthy, maintain a healthy relationship with food and perhaps, meet your body composition goals.

Due to much conflicting information, athletes need to understand that strict eating restrictions, "clean" (no processed food) eating, calorie control and improper food/nutrient timing can make it difficult to perform during workouts but also, you may be sabotaging any forward progress with body composition changes, alongside slowly damaging your health.

You see, as athletes, we have similar nutritional guidelines as the normal population but because of our training demands to intentionally change our physiology to adapt to training, there are many circumstances in the training season when a typical healthy diet will not work in our favor.

Consider the below examples:

• No appetite post workout
• Two a day workouts
• Very early morning training
• Very late evening training
• Long workout 
• Intense workout
• No time to sit down and eat a meal 

Unfortunately, many athletes are so committed to eating the standard "healthy" diet (if there such a thing) that the above examples can actually compromise your health and delay gains in fitness if you don't create a different style of eating to support your training. In other words, your training regime and the affects that training has on your body, energy needs and appetite, can make your definition of a "healthy diet" turn unhealthy.

I see it a lot as athletes will come to me with issues with the following:

• Adrenal fatigue
• Thyroid issues
• Inability to lose weight
• Low energy
• Stress fractures and other chronic injuries (tendon/bone/muscle)
• Anemia
• Menstruation and hormonal issues
• Inability to gain muscle
• Trouble sleeping
• Moodiness, low motivation
• Chronically sore muscles
• Inability to get through long or intense workouts
• Disordered style of eating
• Body image issues
• Lightheaded, dizzy, low blood sugar

By understanding an athletes thoughts about food, his/her typical diet and training regime, along with getting to know the athletes "normal" life routine, I can understand if an athlete is eating "too healthy" (often restricting food groups, counting calories, underfueling, etc.). As you can see, sometimes your good intention to eat healthy can bring out health issues which negatively affect performance.

Now consider this:
-When you have no appetite post workout, is it ok to just not eat? What about maximizing recovery after your workout?
-Did you think about how your energy is affected when you don't recover or fuel properly throughout the day on two workout days?
-If your morning workout is a key workout,  don't you want to get the most out of your body during the morning workout?
-If your workout is in the evening, you don't want to affect your digestion before bed but you still need to recover from the workout.
-When your long workout takes up many hours of your day, have you considered the big responsibility that you now have to replenish your glycogen, rehydrate and repair damaged tissues. Don't assume that you can train for many hours and neglect eating post workout and throughout the day.

For athletes, in order to support the demands of training, the daily diet will likely include foods that may not be advocated in a "healthy" diet. But, as athletes, we need eating strategies that will keep our body in good health as we place intentional stress on the body, to change physiology, and to stay consistent with training (while still functioning well in life).

So while I strongly endorse and advise a real food diet, we must consider that processed food, like cereal, sport nutrition or pretzels or learned "unhealthy" food, like juice, potatoes, pancakes with syrup, raisins or saltine crackers, has a place in an athletes diet under certain circumstances. As great as it is to eat whole foods, thriving on vegetables all day is not performance enhancing. 

 

A rewarding part of my job as a sport dietitian is helping athletes relearn "healthy eating". There's often some resistance at first because many of the foods I suggest to eat around workouts or on higher volume workout days, are viewed as "unhealthy". Therefore, it's important that throughout any session with an athlete, that I fully understand all past and current eating behaviors and thoughts around food to discover any underlying fears about changing the diet or how/why the current diet was created. 

Keep in mind that a diet doesn't have to be perfect to improve performance and to keep the body in good health. If you are holding too strong onto your defined "perfect diet", it may be working against you as you work hard for fitness gains or a change in body composition. 

Fore more info on this topic, PopSugar intervewied me on the topic. While this discussion is more in depth than what was shared in the article, I hope that the information helps you understand your current eating patterns and food choics that may be sabotaging your health, performance and body composition goals. Perhaps, just maybe, you are trying to eat "too healthy"???

When to eat processed food?

Still confused on this topic? Let's work together so that your diet enhances your health, performance and body composition and improves your overall quality of life.
Nutrition services

Kona Edge Podcast interview - successfully failing

In mid October, I dedicated a blog post to recapping our 2016 season of triathlon racing. 

If you missed it, you can read about it here: 2016 season recap. 

Looking back, 2016 was a very successful season for me and Karel. 

 

I fulfilled a long time goal of placing on the podium at an international Ironman, where I finished 2nd AG and 4th female amateur (10th overall female) at Ironman Austria. It was also my highest ever overall placing in an Ironman since winning the 18-24 AG at IMFL in 2006 (my first Ironman). Only this time, 11 Ironmans later, I finished 54 minutes faster than at my first Ironman (10:06 at IM Austria vs. 11:00 at IMFL). 

I placed overall female at the Lake James 50 triathlon. 

Eight days later, I was leading the race by several minutes with 1 mile to go, at Rev3 Knox, until a pink arrow lead me and several others off the bike portion of the race course. Due to a 6+ mile detour, I tried to make up the 15+ minutes that I lost on the bike and missed the win by less than a minute. Bright side - I had the fastest female run split of the day (running frustrated and on a mission!).

And to conclude the season, a win at Lake Logan Half which was the result of a very strong performance on a very tough race course, and one of my best executed bike performance. 

And, let's not forget Karel's 3 very successful Ironman finishes (IM Austria, IMMT, IMKona), 3 overall race wins, an IM podium (and Kona qualification) at IMMT and the fastest male amateur run split at IMMT. 

While successes are worth highlighting (it's good to acknowledge when you are doing something right), it would be wrong for me to not mention the many, MANY lessons, mistakes and failures that have occurred since I started racing in endurance events back in 2006. 

• I'd like to bring up my horrible decision in 2007 when I decided to race my first Kona with an injury. No running for 30 days due to hip issues and a quick-fix, please heal me, approach to every doctor that I saw, only to try to get myself uninjured before race day, results in extreme damage to my body during and after the race. With a stubborn head, I finished (and made it onto the NBC Kona broadcast coverage - yep, I was one of those athletes falling across the finish line) and it negatively affected me for several years (like 6!). 

• I'd like to bring up 2011, where I didn't race a single triathlon for the entire year, except IM Kona in October, due to another 3 months of no running (hip/back issues) and a time-consuming dietetic internship that took up every hour of my day (10+ hours a day of interning and school work) for 10 months. 

• I'd like to bring up the 3 months that I didn't run before IM Placid in 2013 and managed to get myself into as good of shape as I could, to feel prepared for that race, with only 8 weeks of consistent running. This also occurred during the time when my dad was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic cancer. Somehow, I managed to get to the start line and qualify for Kona with a roll down slot. 

• I'd like to bring up the 6 years that I suffered from chronic hip/back issues, which caused many days of frustration, tears and anger toward my body. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to quit the sport of triathlon throughout those 6 years and how much time was spent on PT, doc appointments and anything and everything to try to get myself healed. 

• And let's not forget Karel's recent issues, with a tear in his plantar fascia just 5 months before his first Kona in 2015 and then a diagnosis of a labral hip tear this past May and painful back issues leading up to IM Austria.
  
• I should also mention the passing of my dad, three days before my birthday in 2014. This is something that I deal with on an ongoing basis. I don't think you ever get over the loss of a loved one, especially a parent. 

You see, failure is a step to success. Actually, it is the road to success. 

Perhaps you have followed us for many years or you are a new Trimarni follower. Regardless, it is important that you understand that our successes are not without failures. 

I don't know that I will ever be able to document my 10 years of learning into one blog post but I will continue to document my journey on this blog, with the intention of inspiring you and motivating you to never ever give up on your dreams.  If you don't give up, you never fail. You just keep on learning. 

Sure, we can call it a failure when we get injured, race poorly or make some kind of bad decision in training but failing is an opportunity to learn....that is, if you see it as a valuable opportunity to learn. 

The way I see it, I have successfully failed to get to where I am today.

As a sport dietitian, coach and still developing triathlete, I have 10 years of formal education with 10 years of endurance training and racing behind me. I have learned a lot in 10 years and I don't believe I'm even close to reaching my peak performances by my boy. I think Karel, even at 40 years of age, still hasn't reached his best. He's getting faster, stronger, more efficient and smarter as an endurance triathlete with every season. And next season will only be his 6 season of endurance triathlon racing. 

Thanks to Brad Brown with The Kona Edge, I was recently given a special opportunity to share some of my lessons learned along my successful (and not so successful) journey. 

We had such a great conversation talking about all things triathlon, Kona and coaching, as well as discussing my thoughts on race weight. I hope you enjoy hearing about some of the mistakes that I've made over the past 10 years as an endurance triathlete.

Although this podcast may be about me, Brad wanted to make sure that this podcast interview was also educational, so that I could discuss practical advice to help athletes move closer to reaching personal athletic goals, without compromising health.

Thanks for listening.

LISTEN HERE: Kona Edge Podcast

If you enjoy The Kona Edge podcast, you can leave a rating and review for The Kona Edge podcast on iTunes.

Quinoa pasta with sauteed veggies and tomato sauce

Before I share with you my latest creation, made with Supergrain Pasta Spaghetti (corn and quinoa flour), I'd like to tell you the reason why I don't label my creations as "gluten free" "Metabolically efficient" "Paleo" "Whole 30" or by any other name than what's in the recipe.

I'm on a mission to help athletes learn how to have a better relationship with food. Far too many athletes have a dysfunctional relationship with food and this can create resistance to eat enough of the right foods, at the right times to meet training demands.

Labeling, worrying or feeling guilty about food makes it quite difficult to eat according to your personal dietary needs. Combine that with issues with your body image and you will constantly struggle to meet your health and energy needs.

Of course, I find great value when a recipe is labeled gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian or vegan, as I work with many athletes who need to follow a restricted diet (ex. personal, ethical, religious, medical, etc.) and this makes ingredient deciphering much easier. And let's be honest, 99.9% of the recipes on this blog are vegetarian because I am a vegetarian, so maybe you come to this blog to see vegetarian recipes (even if I don't label them as vegetarian).

It's unfortunate, but true, that many people need permission to eat something by a diet name.
Don't believe me...... 

 
How considerate. ✓ - Paleo approved foods
Whole Foods gives you permission to eat anything on this salad bar if you follow a Paleo diet. Since I don't follow a Paleo diet, am I allowed to eat from this salad bar? Is this salad bar healthier than the other salad bar? I see carrots but am I allowed to eat paleo carrots?
What makes carrot paleo?  

Outside of the context of eating a restrictive diet, for the reasons I mentioned above, giving yourself permission to eat something simply because it doesn't fit into your "bad food" or "off limit" category is no way to foster a healthy relationship with food.

Take this quinoa pasta as an example. 

If I titled my recipe "Gluten free pasta with sauteed veggies and tomato sauce" would you suddenly assume that I am endorsing this pasta as a more healthy option than the regular alternative?
What's makes it healthier if the calories, carbohydrates and protein content is relatively similar?
Because it's made from quinoa?



What about this pancake mix? Is it healthier because it's gluten free?

If Quinoa is on your good food list and gluten is on your bad food list, and you have no allergies or intolerance's to gluten, you are have created a list of bad foods, which limits your ability to eat a varied diet.

So does this strategy of eating according to a good food vs. bad food list work when it comes to improving your health or performance as an athletes?

In your quest to improving your relationship with food, unfortunately no, it doesn't help.

When you select foods simply based on a diet trend, you are learning to eat per food rules and not according to your own needs. A diet doesn't understand your physical needs and many times, a diet leaves a void in your life as it pertains to eating for pleasure. And with constant restriction comes the risk for overindulging.

With rules comes guilt if you break those rules.
With a diet, you create a style of eating that can not be broken, or else it causes frustration, anxiety, fear and failure.

It's time to stop the diet mentality.
I give your permission to eat without food rules.

-------------------------------------
So why did I select this quinoa pasta over regular pasta?
Well, why not? Isn't it fun to try new foods, made with different ingredients, to excite the taste buds and to make your tummy happy? 

Quinoa pasta with sauteed veggies and tomato sauce

1 box quinoa pasta (or pasta of your choice)
Water, salt, oil for cooking pasta
1 small can tomato paste w/ garlic, oregano and basil (or add your own herbs)
1 medium yellow bell pepper (chopped)
1 small white onion (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
Olive oil

Cheese

1. Cook pasta according to the package directions. 

2. While pasta is cooking, sautee chopped pepper and sliced onion and chopped garlic in skillet with olive oil on medium heat.
3. When veggies soften after a few minutes (toss frequently to evenly coat), add 1 can tomato pasta + 1 can water. Cover the veggies in the tomato paste.
You can also use tomato/marinara sauce.
.4. When pasta is finished cooking, drain and rinse under cold water. Reheat in microwave if necessary to bring pasta to your preferred temperature.
5. Dress your plate with pasta along with veggie filled sauce and top with shredded cheese.
Enjoy and don't forget to yum!

Life skills learned from sport

Tonight I will be speaking at Furman University to a small group of exercise science students for career night.

I will share my 11-year extensive educational journey and how it got me to where I am today. I will also share some of my real world experiences and tips of owning your own business (and lessons learned along the way). 

It wasn’t too long ago when I was listening to experts discuss various professions in the fields of nutrition, exercise, health and fitness.

I always found career night to be a valuable opportunity to learn about interesting and sometimes not so interesting careers. 

My hope is to inspire the students to continue their education and to explore the many job opportunities out there. It's a great feeling to make a living from doing something that you love. 

My best advice to the students is not to stress about finding the perfect career. Let it find you. There is no right or wrong path to finding your dream job. Whatever you eventually end up doing in life for work, always stay true to yourself and do what you love.
If you pursue your passion, you will always be motivated to work.

On the topic of careers, I realize how important education/schooling is when searching for a job but to be honest, I developed many life/job skills from being a lifelong athlete.

  

Although my education has always been a high priority in my life, sport has given me many useful skills that I constantly apply to my work life. 

Skills gained from sport:

-Self-discipline and dedication

-No short cuts

-Patience

-Hard work ethic

-Learn from mistakes

-Healthy and active lifestyle

-Confidence

-Team work 

-Time management

-Setting goals

-Being a leader and teammate 

-Learning from others

-Sacrifices and priorities 

-Dealing with pressure and stress

-Constructive criticism 

-Focus and concentration 

-It’s not always about being the best

Heavy gear, heavy legs

It seems like an oxymoron to put cardio and strength training in the same sentence but that is one of the training outcomes in the foundation phase: Get stronger through cardio training to strengthen your muscles to prepare for heavier loads.

There are many ways to do this, like swimming with an ankle strap and paddles in the pool or walking at an incline on the treadmill with a weight vest, but cycling heavy gear drills are a perfect for over recruiting muscle fibers while improving pedaling mechanics.

On Saturday, we had a small group of Trimarnis join me and Karel for some heavy gear hill repeaters. We made sure to pick a gradual long hill (one of our many hills/climbs) that had a beautiful view at the top, which offered a little reward for each hill repeater.

It's very apparent that I have made huge gains in my cycling fitness over the past two years, since moving to Greenville, SC. I have dropped by Ironman bike time from ~5:40-5:50 to 5:18.00 over the past two years. Although Greenville has given us the perfect training playground for bike riding (and by default, you are forced to improve your skills and resilience on the bike), this was around the time that Karel and I started to train with Matt Dixon as our mentor/coach.

We have learned so much from Matt and relating to the bike, we learned the value of stressing the cardio and muscular systems separately in the foundation phase. In other words, it is important to train the muscles (legs) so that they work independently from the cardio system (heart/lungs). This was no struggle for Karel, who comes from a cycling background, but for me, this new physiological adaptation really helped me improved my cycling terrain management on hilly races courses, which resulted in faster bike times and fresher legs off the bike.

It would be a shame if you spend all of your base phase (or foundation phase as we call it) riding long without any specificity in your training. Or, the opposite - riding too hard and never working on your pedaling mechanics or improving the muscle/brain connection.

By incorporating drills, like heavy gear, single leg and high cadence, into your early phase training, you will realize that as you progress with training, you will find it easier (less taxing) to shift the load from your cardio system to your muscular system. While it is not necessary to ride 45 rpm or 125 rpm on race day, it is important that you have a range of higher/lower cadences from your normal preferred riding cadence (ex. 78-85rpm) so that when you ride in tail wind, head/cross wind or on hilly terrain, your legs can efficiently manage the course terrain.

Perhaps by reading this blog, you are realizing that improving your cycling fitness is much more than improving your FTP or trying to ride with x-watts and x-mph for x-miles. You can be very strong and fit on the bike in training but fail to meet your cycling (and run) expectations on race day if you do not master your cycling drills and skills and manage your terrain efficiently.

By having a range of available cadences with great cycling skills, you will ride more efficiently, resist fatigue, conserve glycogen and “save your legs” for the run portion of your triathlon.

Through our Greenville private and group training camps and our 8-week foundation plan, we have helped many athletes improve their cycling skills and mechanics for better riding on race day. And who doesn't want to become a better cyclist to perform better on race day?? Remember, better execution on the bike means better running off the bike. And let's get real - most race day hopes and dreams are crushed on the run and not on the bike.

Karel, the "cyclist" running his way to the fastest male amateur run split at IMMT. 

Here is an example of how you can take your heavy gear work in training and transfer it to race day, for better cycling execution.

Climbing hills – Don’t default and shift into the lightest/easiest gear to "save" your legs. This will cause your heart rate and breathing to increase, thus taxing your cardio system and exhausting yourself before you start the run. When you start climbing your hill, slightly lower your cadence (perhaps with a slightly heavier gear) and switch the load to the legs to reduce cardio stress. You may be able to ride in the aero bars but to open the hip angle for a smoother pedal stroke, you will likely find yourself needing to sit up and rotate your pelvis toward the back of the saddle. Knowing how to anticipate a climb is very important so that you can efficiently change your gears and not be stuck in the big ring (or drop your chain from switching quickly from the big to small ring when you suddenly run out of gears). This process of climbing a hill should not feel scary or uncomfortable as you have trained to transfer the load from your cardio system to your muscular system. Focus on a smooth pedal stroke (which you can improve through single leg drills) and maintain a relaxed upper body.

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).

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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

Surviving Thanksgiving as an athlete

For an athlete-in-training, there are many challenges around the holidays, especially when it comes to staying consistent with training and healthy eating. Your frustration is not well-understood by your non-athlete family members but your training buddies understand that a routine disruption disrupts your goals and makes it difficult to get back on track. 

So what's an athlete to do? 

Do you put your training on hold and say "oh well" to healthy eating, every time there is a disruption to your routine? 

Do you become stubborn with your ways and begin to remove the distractions from your life, even if it means pushing away your family and close friends....maybe even quitting your job, because it takes up a lot of your time and energy?

What's an athlete to do.

While it's not necessary to put your training on hold for an extended period of time or avoid your family in order to get in every minute of your prescribed workout, it's important that you see any disruption, like a holiday, as a great opportunity to enjoy a little downtown and change up your normal routine. 

Here are a few tips to make the most out of your Thanksgiving break. 

MINDFUL EATING TIPS

1. Create a better internal dialogue in your head when you are eating, especially as it relates to your body and food. 

2. Trust your body. Tune into your true signals of hunger and satisfaction as a way to guide you through your holiday feast. 

3. Treat yourself to family, don't make the holidays just about food. Enjoy your time around your loved ones or if you are alone, call up an old friend or volunteer and help out those in need. 

4. Slow down and taste your food. Appreciate the aroma, presentation, flavor and texture of your food - real food and store bought. Share a story if a dish reminds you of something happy. 

5. Love what you eat. The first few bites of anything should always taste amazing. If you don't love it, don't eat it. 

WORKOUT TIPS

1. Get it done early, but not too early. Enjoy waking up without an alarm but if you can squeeze in a workout before your day gets busy, you'll find yourself energized and you won't have to deal with the guilt that comes with removing yourself from family time, just to train. 

2. Loosen up. It's ok if you have to modify a set or reduce the volume. Heck, skip a workout if you want to! Prioritize the workouts that give you the most payback for your investment at this phase of training. A few modified workouts over the holidays will not affect your race performance in September. 

3. Keep training fun. Participate in a Turkey Trot, exercise with your kids, go for a hike or set up a local group workout. Do something each day that is good for your mind and body. 

4. Be efficient with your time. Indoor workouts provide a great bang for your buck as you can get in a quality workout, with minimal distractions. 

5. Communicate. Now more than ever is the time to communicate with your family. You may be surprised that if you tell your family/kids on Wednesday, that on Friday you will be gone from 8:30-10:30 for a workout, they won't care about your absence. But if you tell them last minute, they may be upset that you are suddenly leaving them, which then leaves you with guilt, if you get in your workout. 

NUTRITION TIPS

1. Don't skip meals throughout the day. Excessively restricting calories or an entire food group (ex. carbohydrates) will likely lead to overeating at your upcoming feast. Instead, focus on small meals throughout the day, eating every few hours. Prioritize higher fiber, natural food options like fruits and veggies at your meals. Don't forget to stay hydrated - with water, of course. 

2. Do not go into your big meal with a starving belly. Plan a healthy snack around 45-60 minutes before your meal. Options like apple slices and pistachios, deli meat and lettuce wraps, celery sticks with cheese or a few almonds with figs should take the edge off so you don't eat with your eyes when serving yourself. 

3. Fuel your workout. Seeing that there is a good chance that you will workout in the morning, restricting calories around/during your workout is not a permissible strategy to indulge (or to eat more calories) at your upcoming feast. It can actually backfire on you as you will likely be so famished by meal time, that you may eat beyond a feeling of fullness - stuffed and very uncomfortable. Treat your workout like any other day. Fuel smart and hydrate well. And be sure to eat a healthy breakfast after your workout (or Turkey Trot). 

4. Choose wisely. Create a healthy plate of a little of everything. 

5. Indulge wisely. You are not forced to eat everything at your feast but you are allowed to indulge. Choose your favorites and say "no thank you" to the unappealing or familiar options. Share, split and limit yourself to just one. 

It's very easy for athletes to remain rigid around the holidays for a change in the normal routine (training or eating) can bring anxiety or a feeling of loss of control. 

In the big picture, a few days away from your normal routine may be a good thing. Don't stress and enjoy yourself. The holidays are a wonderful time to give thanks to your body, to your friends and to your family.
Be sure to tell those around you how much you appreciate them for putting up with you.....I mean, supporting you, throughout the year.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Don't forget to yum!

Off-season athletic self-identity

As a person, you have many roles in life and with each role comes an identity.
A mother, a father, a sibling, a teacher, a student, an engineer, a nurse, a doggy parent.......

In the off-season, you lose a very important identity of yourself and that is one of being an athlete.

You feel a great purpose in life when you are an athlete, even as a mom, dad, employee, etc.

When you were training for your key races in 2016, you didn't tell people that you enjoy running, you enjoy biking or enjoy triathlons but instead, you called yourself a runner or a triathlete. You owned it with confidence (and maybe even a secret fist pump too). 

I AM an athlete.

This is the title you have carried with you for the past 10+ months, alongside being a mom, dad, employee, volunteer, caretaker, etc.

Having a strong athletic identity is what makes athletes great. 

With great athletic self-identity often comes high self-esteem, commitment, discipline and motivation. 

Athletic self identity can also be silent, as it's not a requirement to have a strong athletic identity and be expressive on social media. Many athletes are very confident in their athletic abilities but are not vocally expressive about their athletic journey to others.

But now, all of a sudden, your title feels removed because you are no longer training for an event and you are forced to take time away from your sport in the off-season. 

And suddenly, you don't know yourself.
Who am I?

No alarm clock to set, no incentive for healthy eating, no workouts to crush, no reward food, no sweaty pictures to share on social media, no 3+ hour workout to relieve stress.......is it even possible to function in life? 

For so long, all of your routines, actions, beliefs, feelings and emotions were so heavily tied to your journey as an athlete and now you struggle with how you see yourself. Even worse, you may not be comfortable with yourself when you are seen by others. 

Even though you know you need an off-season and you recognize that you (and your family/friends) have made many sacrifices and you have some serious supportive debt to pay to your loved ones, it can be extremely challenging to feel stripped of your previous athletic identity, specifically as it relates to your body image.

As an athlete, the more time you commit to your sport, the more it becomes an extension of who you are. But more so, it becomes an outlet (or coping method) for negative feelings or emotions, as well as a strategy to help manage your weight or to give you flexibility (and maybe some freedom) with your food choices.

As an athlete, you spend many months working on yourself to improve your performance but you may also spend a considerable amount of time working on changing your body. While it's an assumption that every athlete is 100% focused only on performance, it can't be overlooked that many athletes spend a considerable amount of physical and psychological resources, fixating on body composition or athletic appearance.

The off-season presents itself as a vulnerable time for athletes because it removes the outlet of exercise and burning calories and athletes may begin to over-evaluate appearance.

This may result in body shame, unhealthy body comparisons, body image concerns and body dissatisfaction.

Whereas once your exercise and nutrition actions and behaviors were protected by your "athlete in training" status, no longer do you feel safe with this uncomfortable non-athlete routine.

Consequently, you may find yourself searching for or partaking in unhealthy behaviors, such as dieting, to control weight. 

Seeing that your sport can be a method of control, it's no surprise that so many athletes struggle mentally (more than physically) in the off-season as it relates to body composition.

Perhaps this is why so many athletes admittedly don't even take an off-season. 
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During the off-season, I want to remind you that your self-identity is not taken away from you and never is your athletic worthiness defined by a number on a scale or your appearance.

Whether you have a planned off-season, you are injured, you are growing your family, you had a dramatic life change (work/move) or you are putting your sport on hold for an extended period of time, you are still an athlete. Your body is still amazing.

Your athlete status has taught you a lot, like great time management skills, good coping skills for stressful and anxious experiences, camaraderie and compassion. You don't become a better human being based on the body composition you achieved as an athlete.

As you temporarily remove yourself from your athletic self-identity for a planned or indefinite amount of time, you are provided with a valuable opportunity to get to know yourself, without judgement. 

Not feeling or being an athlete can be a good thing, if you let it be. 

The off-season is necessary and vital to your next season success as it's not only a time to let your mind and body relax and rejuvenate but it helps you get to the root of many underlying body, nutrition and exercise related thoughts and issues that may have been overlooked due to your "athlete in training status".

An off-season becomes meaningful when you can reflect on previous actions and behaviors that maybe, were not so performance or health enhancing but you saw them as a necessity due to your athletic self identity. 

Instead of just taking a break from training, work on yourself by breaking some old habits that were masked by your "dedication" to training and learn new strategies for healthy eating and exercising, which are not so extreme.

The off-season is a great time to explore other interests that are completely separate from your athletic lifestyle. Search for other things in your life that give you pleasure, a feeling of accomplishment and value.

It can be a struggle to commit to not training for a few weeks but your sport didn't go away. It's still there and it will always be there for you to return back to.

By successfully navigate your thoughts, actions and emotions throughout your off-season, you may identify that you have many more qualities than you were giving yourself credit for and you can improve your self-awareness as it relates to performance and health enhancing behaviors.

Oddly enough, the off-season (or a break in training) may be the only time when you actually give yourself permission to work on yourself. Don't miss this prime opportunity to start paving the path to athletic success in 2017.

If you feel your self-identity or self-awareness is a constant limiter for you as an athlete, reach out to a clinical sport psychologist for help. A trained professional can help you get to the root of your thoughts, behaviors and actions, hold you accountable to working on yourself and can guide you to make better decisions which can improve your health, fitness and mental well-being as an athlete.

To fuel or not to fuel?

                                                

The off-season/foundation phase presents itself with a unique opportunity in your season where training volume and intensity is relatively low and thus, you don't expend a great amount of calories. This is a perfect time to break away from relying on engineered sport nutrition products to get you through your workouts and to see your daily diet as the fuel for your workouts.
In other words, sport nutrition will play a very small role in your training routine. 

However, I feel this is where many athletes eat and train with confusion.

I'm sure you have been told that you don't need to eat before a workout in the off-season/foundation phase or you should avoid all sport nutrition during workouts, to burn more fat, in the off-season/foundation phase.

While there's scientific research to support that working out fasted has an extra metabolic response where you metabolize more fat, improve insulin sensitivity and increase lean muscle mass, it's important to remember that scientific research is great for providing results but not every research study may apply to you.

As an athlete, your best performance enhancement is having consistently great workouts where the body is not limited in energy but also being able to maintain a healthy diet, all day, every day.

There are several types of athletes who I feel will receive no benefit from fasted workouts as they can actually cause a cascade of negative health and performance issues.

Do you/Are you....
-Experience hypoglycemia during a workout
-Overcoming an eating disorder
-Struggling with disordered eating
-Struggling with body image issues
-Overeat later in the day
-Experience great carb cravings later in the day
-Fast for reward food/overindulging after a workout
-Have never trained the gut to tolerate food before the workout
-A new athlete who is trying to develop consistent training and healthy eating patterns
-Struggle to get through workout without feeling lightheaded/dizzy/moody/low energy
-Experience a blackout/foggy sensation during workouts
-Get sick easily (weak immune system) or get injured easily (fragile body)
-Experience great hunger during a workout
-Diabetic athlete
-Health issues (organs, bones, heart, brain, etc.)
-You've tried it before and you feel you perform better and make better food choices when you aren't fasted

Sadly, many athletes in the above category are brainwashed to believe that they must perform fasted workouts to become more fat adapted and thus all symptoms will improve, paces will drop, heart rate will be more controlled and fat will melt off the body. And, if athletes are still feeling issues by performing a workout fasted, they aren't doing it right, they need to give it more time or it's proof that they are a horrible fat burner.

So what do you do if you are one of the above types of athletes I listed and you need to eat before a workout and maybe even take in a little extra energy during your workout?

Will it ruin all of your hopes and dreams for your 2017 season if you chew on a few energy chews during a run or sip on a 100 calorie sport drink during a 90 minute bike ride?

Believe it or not but Karel and I eat before all of our workouts, 365 days a year.
We also continue to use engineered sport nutrition products for our longer (60+ min) workouts (or intense short workouts), throughout our entire season. 

Does this make us unhealthy?
Are we inefficient at burning fat?
Are we overlooking the best way to take our performance to that next level?

Ironically, we don't bonk in workouts or in races, we don't experience GI issues in training or on race day, we never get sick, we don't overeat, we have great consistency in our diet, we have never had a stress fracture and we have great consistency in our training.
I'd say we are doing something right and that's because we have figured out what works best for us. We are one of those athletes in my above list, in that we have better workouts when we eat before our workouts.

I'm not anti-fasted workouts but I believe that it's not for every athlete and certainly, it's most appropriate to apply in the off-season/foundation phase for only the easy workouts.
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NEVER take in calories before or during a workout less than 90 minutes!!!!
I often shake my head when I read statements like this, from coaches and nutrition experts to never ever take in calories before or during workouts less than 90 minutes - "you simply don't need them", says the expert. 

You certainly do not need the same calorie intake before and during your workouts in the foundation phase/off-season as you would peak season (as that is the basis of periodizing your sport nutrition) but statements like this confuse athletes because there could be times during your off-season when it would be of value to take in calories during the workout AND you could be an athlete where fasted workouts will be of no benefit to your body right now in your development.

I understand that the topic is confusing, especially if you are looking to the off-season to change your body composition or to break yourself from a long season of sugary sweet sport nutrition concoctions and there's so much talk on metabolic efficiency.

But you are in control of your body. I say this with sincerity because whatever fuel strategy you choose in the foundation phase, it should help you move closer to your performance goals. And that means training consistently and eating well, on a daily basis.
Never should you "not fuel" for the sake of losing weight or because someone told you not to fuel. If you are an athlete and you want to get the most out of your body, even in the early phase of training, consider using food to help you have great workouts and to encourage healthy eating throughout the day.

Although this blog post started as an off-season topic, I find this "fuel smart" topic more relevant for the Foundation phase or your "post season/first phase" of training as this is often the time of training when you are easing back into structured training, your workouts are specific, you can start training your gut to tolerate food before and during workouts, you need to stay healthy to stay consistent and your focus is on getting stronger and fine-tuning the basics before you next more intense phase of training. 

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picture source

The big takeaway from this blog is to not let scientific research, a nutrition expert or an article tell you what you should or shouldn't do as it relates to nourishing or fueling your body.
While there are many sport nutrition recommendations available, it is important that you listen to your body and understand your own body signals, to figure out what works best for you.
Also, be mindful that a past version of you may be different than a new version of you. So if you are hanging on to old nutrition strategies, you may need a nutrition professional to help you figure out your new/different metabolic needs.

Even if someone tells you that you don't need to fuel before and during a workout, it's OK if you decide to go against the crowd and do what works best for you.
As an athlete, you need to make choices that keep you healthy and you move you closer to your health and performance goals.

If you are still confused on fueling in the foundation phase/off-season, let's work together.
By reviewing your current training and eating strategies, we can quickly figure out which workouts require fuel during and how much to eat before and after workouts.

Trimarni Nutrition Consult

3 effective off-season nutrition strategies

The off-season is not the time to be focused on your race weight nor is it the time to look for a diet plan as a restrictive and controlling eating method to assist in weight loss.

The off-season provides the best opportunity for you to learn how to create a foundation diet.
And for many athletes, a prime opportunity to learn how to plan a healthy diet.

By adopting a healthier method of eating in the off-season, you will likely find yourself in better health throughout your more specific phases of training.

Ultimately, be creating a style of eating that helps you maintain a healthy weight (every athlete is different), while staying in great health in the off-season, you will be more inclined to maintain your realistic and balanced eating strategies when your training volume and intensity increase.
Which, as you know, when training volume and intensity increase, healthy eating habits often get thrown out the window because of lack of energy and time.
Yep, every athlete has been there!
Cereal is a meal, right?

Even during the holiday season, you can still eat well and move closer to your health goals.

Spend the next few weeks working on my three sensible off-season nutrition strategies to help you create a style of eating that is sustainable and realistic.

To start off, it's time to develop a healthy relationship with food.

 I hope you find these off-season nutrition tips valuable, as they create the foundation of healthy eating which every athlete needs before advancing with training volume and intensity.

1) Develop a healthy relationship with food

This goes without saying but a great relationship with food paves the way to great eating habits.
With a healthy relationship with food, you can create a style of eating that works for you. There are no bad foods or off limit food lists, no obsession with calories, gluten or carbs or any other food that has been previously labeled "unhealthy."
Instead, you appreciate the nutritional value found in food.
Diet plans are effective because they tell you what not to eat.
But, they are not sustainable and that is why they are not long-lasting after the initial weight goal is reached.
Because there is a clear difference between feeling passionate about what you put into your body and dangerously obsessing over every calorie you eat, it’s important that you see the off-season as the perfect time to get a handle on your definition of “healthy eating” when you are not expending a ridiculous amount of energy.
For those who fall into the later category of being hyper-obsessed with food, healthy eating should include indulgences and there's no better time to practice responsible, feel-good indulging than around the holiday season.

Plus, eating healthy is much easier to accomplish when you have extra time in your day to spend in the kitchen, when you are not swimming, biking or running.

Here are a few tips on how you can improve your relationship with food.

1) Learn to eat mindfully. Pay attention to your hunger and satisfaction cues. Honor you biological hunger and recognize when you eat out of boredom, emotions or stress. Work on your eating-related decisions, specifically at meal time, snack time and in the evening.

2) Improve your eating experiences. No food should be forbidden or scary unless it is for a medical reason. You should always feel better after you eat than before. Learn to become a better planner and eat with the purpose of nourishment. Indulge responsibly and on occasion (seriously, it's healthy to indulge!).

3) Eat at the right times. When your workout volume is low, you don’t have to worry about eating a lot before workouts or reloading yourself post workout. But at the same time, if you find yourself in a cycle of under eating around workouts, and then overeating (or rewarding yourself with food), something is not right with your meal/snack timing and macro nutrient distribution.  To start, try to eat at similar meal compositions at similar times each day and plan snacks before and after all of your workouts. As you listen to your body, you can make small tweaks, as needed, based on your hunger/satisfaction/energy cues.

4) Remove trigger foods from your house. In the early stages of improving your relationship with food, it’s important to remove temping foods from your house or work environment. When you really need that special food, plan a special occasion around eating it and be sure to yum! The ultimate goal of improving your relationship with food is to learn how to eat mindfully. There will be a time in your life when you can have/be around previous tempting foods and not feel the urge to eat those foods. This will be life changing but first, you must create a healthy relationship with food.

5) Give yourself permission to eat. Stop your day and slowly enjoy a meal. Smell, taste and enjoy your food. Every meal should be worth stopping for. Proper meal eating habits are critical for athletes. If you don't learn how to plan and eat your meals, you may be sabotaging your workouts due to lack of energy/nutrients or feeling too full/hungry around workouts.

6) Don’t work out to eat or to indulge. Restriction may lead to overeating/binge eating. Don't reward yourself with food. If you want to eat a cookie, eat a cookie. You don't have to workout for 5 hours to deserve to eat something.

7) Don’t let food control your life. Avoid being too rigid, restrictive or strict about “healthy” eating. Nothing bad will happen if you eat the occasional sweet treat or eat an extra portion of a dish that makes your tummy feel great inside.

For further reading, here are three of my most popular articles on the topic that I am so very passionate about as it relates to helping athletes improve their health and performance.
Having a healthy relationship with food and the body is the key that unlocks great performances!

Develop a healthy relationship with food

How healthy is your relationship with food?

The off-season weight debate

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Shredded Brussels sprouts wrap with cashews, edamame and onions

The start of building a great relationship with food is to eat a variety of food. The more you restrict your diet, whether intentional or unintentional, the greater chance you will lose an appetite for food and perhaps even a general dislike for eating.

Expanding your palate by introducing your taste buds to a variety of real food textures, tastes and combinations will foster a great relationship with food (not to mention a mega boost in health and energy) but to start, you must stop the rigid rules about food and to improve the way you view, speak and feel about food.

While I have not yet learned to appreciate the taste of raw Brussels Sprouts, I won myself over with my dinner creation last night as I could not stop yumming with every bite.

As I was randomly constructing this creation, I had no idea what this dish would taste like when it became a final product.

But that's what I love about cooking - new food combinations that will excite my taste buds.

That is what I also love about eating - I give myself ongoing opportunities to nourish and fuel my body but also to make my tummy happy. 

This dish would make for a perfect lunch or dinner meal.

I made sure to give you ingredient quantities that would allow for leftovers as this also makes for a tasty and healthy side dish to any meal.

This dish is vegetarian but you could easily make the following swaps.....

-Vegan - use a vegan based spread

-Gluten free - use a GF wrap/pita or use a different starch option (ex. wild rice or quinoa)

-Meat lovers - add an animal protein like shrimp, bacon or chopped steak

Enjoy!

Shredded Brussels sprout wrap with cashews, edamame and onions

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 bag (6 ounces) or 4 cups shredded Brussels sprouts 
• 1 small white onion (thinly sliced - first cut in half and then slice)
• 1 cup edamame (without the pods)
• 1/8 cup chopped cashews 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil
• Sour cream + a dash of Italian herbs (or your choice of creamy spread or dressing - I suggest something tangy/sour to compliment the Brussels sprouts)
• Wrap (or pita) of your choice

DIRECTIONS

1. In large non stick skillet, on low to medium heat, sauté onions and Brussels sprouts in olive oil (enough to lightly coat the mixture and prevent sticking) until golden brown (about 8-10 minutes). Lightly toss every few minutes to keep from burning.

2. Add room temperature edamame and toss for 2-3 additional minutes but on low heat (I suggest to warm frozen edamame in microwave for 45-90 seconds until soft). 

3. Turn off heat and add chopped cashews and salt/pepper to taste. Give it all a few tosses to evenly combine. 

4. Spread a layer (to your liking) of your dip/dressing/sauce on your wrap (or inside a pita).

5. Place a few spoonfuls of your veggie mixture in the middle of the wrap. 

6. Fold the outsides (right and left) of the wrap into the middle and then take the front of your wrap (closet to you) and start rolling away from you, while keeping the outside edges (right and left) tucked inside. 

7. Enjoy your delicious wrap and don't forget to yum!