Athlete spotlight: Sara Bard - The inspiring triathlete courageously living with stage IV cancer

Name: Sara Bard

Age: 54

City/State: Saint Joseph, Michigan 

Primary sport: Triathlon

How many years in the sport: 15 years, on and off

What Trimarni services have you used: Training plan (transition plan and strength training plan) and will be attending upcoming Greenville Skills camp in May.

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

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

I ran and swam during college and probably raced one of the very first triathlons back in 1983. I won the whole thing, which now looking back is pretty funny. I think it was because I was the only one who could swim 500 yards Having 5 children limited my workout time, so I just continued with the sport of running, which is so much more time efficient than biking or swimming. When the kids got older, I did triathlons sporadically. We moved to Saint Joseph, Michigan in 2003 and discovered an awesome triathlon community and triathletes who raced all distances. We are home to the Ironman Steelhead 70.3 which brings us all together to volunteer and to participate in a great event. Recently, our triathlon club, The Tri-Avengers got started and I joined. It is great to have this community of people cheering for one another in the sport. It has made a huge difference in my desire to compete in triathlons again.

What keeps you training and racing in your current sport?

The Tri-Avengers tri-club and the fantastic athletes here in Saint Joseph.

What do you do for work?

I'm a retired RN and I home school my youngest daughter. I am currently a Challenge B Classical Conversations tutor for her age group.

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

Being a tutor has taken a lot of time. I think it is good for me, as I know my training hours are limited. I like to have all workouts done before 8:00 am so we can get school work going. Waiting until evening to workout is usually a big fail for me. I like to be in bed by 8:00 pm.

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

For me it's getting up early. If I don't....It's usually not going to happen.

Do you have kids?

I have 5 kids from 26-13 yrs old. Only 2 living at home.

How do you balance kids and training?

The kids don't really affect my training now since they are grown. The youngest is a diver, so my husband and I will try to fit our strength workout in while she is diving. My advice is to workout while they are doing whatever they are interested in. But with kids, this is where getting up early works for me. Thankfully, my husband likes to workout in the evening, so when the kids were little, I would go out in the morning to workout and he would go out in the evening to workout. We also invested in a running stroller when the kids were little.

How do you balance your training with your partner? 

We do some triathlons as a team, so it works well. He is a great biker, which is where I am weak, and I do the run and swim.

Do you have a race day lesson learned that you'd like to share?

Some days it just doesn't go your way and you have to be okay with it.

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

1. Be thankful for what you have. 
2. Get up early. 
 3. Go to bed early.

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

I was diagnosed with stage IV Neuroendocrine Tumor cancer in 2013. I was training for a half marathon and kept having trouble with diarrhea while running. Short story...went to our local GI doctor and 2 weeks later I heard those dreaded words, "You have cancer." To say it was a shock would be an understatement. This type of cancer (similar to what Steve Jobs had) is a slow growing cancer. That's good and bad. Good because you have times when it is stable, bad because chemotherapy and radiation don't work. It started in my small intestine and has metastasized to my liver. I had a large surgery on my liver Jan 2015 and I'm so thankful that I have been stable since then. I have some intestinal issues and fatigue, but overall, I'm doing well. I thank God he has given me what He has, to my family and husband who motivate me to keep moving forward and I'm thankful for triathlon and my triathlon community that keeps me going.  The sport of triathlon has helped me overcome the shock of being diagnosed with stage IV cancer. I have had 2 big surgeries and after the first one, I knew I did not want to stay in convalescent mode any longer than I had to. Training for the next triathlon helped motivate me to get up and do what I could do with my body.

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

It's a coke...full on....not diet.

What key races do you have planned in 2017

First one on the agenda is Blackwater Milton FL April 1. When I had my last MRI and labs, and all was stable in October, I celebrated by registering for that race. I grew up near there and I will be able to visit my mom. I also love the Battle of Waterloo Triathlon at Grass Lake Michigan. I especially like running through the park while swimming through the park lakes. It's funny to see people who don't like things touching them while they are in the water and then do the swim with lily pads and seaweed. I grew up in Florida, so I have a higher tolerance for strange things in the water with you.

What are your athletic goals for the next 5 years?

I only plan one season at a time right now. I actually live in 6 month cycles and plan my training and racing based on MRI and lab results.

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

Click here to learn more about Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition.

Be sure to subscribe to our Newsletter for ongoing information, education and motivational support.

Weekend recap: FOOD (from Run Fast Eat Slow cookbook)

Karel and I take our eating just as seriously as our training.

In other words, without counting calories, measuring food or recording/logging what we eat, we make a conscious effort every day to use food for nourishment, disease prevention and for fuel, while timing our nutrition with our training to best adapt to training stress. We do not have an off-limit food list, we never feel deprived, stuffed or guilty when eating, processed food IS consumed and we even eat gluten, dairy and sugar.  

What a refreshing statement seeing that so many athletes struggle with developing a healthy relationship with food and the body.

Having said all this, like any human being, creating a sustainable, enjoyable and healthy style of eating is always a work on progress. A typical week of eating for me is very different than how I ate 10 years ago and how I ate when I was a teenager. Even though I have been a vegetarian for almost 25 years, my definition of "healthy" eating has changed every year and it continues to evolve based on my love of cooking and trying new food creations. 

As someone who gets inspired by food pictures but feels overwhelmed and stressed when looking at a list of ingredients and instructions to follow, I have never been one to follow a recipe in a cookbook. That is, until I was given the Run Fast Eat Slow cookbook by Trimarni athlete Adam and his wife Taylor as a gift. As a Board Certified RD, health conscious individual and 11 year endurance triathlete, I am not only enjoying reading this cookbook but following the recipes (I still tweak the recipes a bit :)

I feel like this cookbook is a game changer for any athlete who wants to eat a more real food, varied diet. Why? Because the recipes are not only delicious but the ingredients are versatile. This cookbook does not prescribe to any diet fads but instead, includes a variety of starches, grains, oils, vegetables and proteins with plenty of gluten free, vegetarian, vegan and dairy free options depending on your dietary needs. 

I am having so much fun in the kitchen with this cook book and absolutely loving incorporating even more real food into our diet. For any athlete who feels like your eating strategies are based on calories, dietary trends, isolated food groups or restriction, I feel that this book will inspire you to eat in a more nourishing way, tasting food, eating mindfully and intuitively and above all, enjoying the fruits of your labor in the kitchen. 

And above all, I encourage you to eat a more varied, real food diet and to reduce the amount of convenient and heavily processed food in your typical eating regime. Spend more time in the kitchen with yourself, your kids or your spouse.

Need some real food inspiration?

Here are a few recipes that we enjoyed this past weekend.

(Note, I copied the recipes from the book but also omitted what I did/didn't do/use and added my notes. For example, many of the recipes call for toasted nuts or coconut and I did not toast the nuts before using them in the recipe). 

Moroccan Lentil Salad with Cauliflower Couscous

Pg. 96

Ingredients: 

1 cup dried green lentils, sorted and rinsed

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

3 medium carrots, peeled and grated

2 cups loosely packed chopped kale, stems removed

1/2 cup chopped pistachios or almonds

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1/4 cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives (I don't care for olives so I left this out)

1 tbsp ras el hanout, Moroccan spice blend (1 tsp ground cinnamon + 1 tsp turmeric + 1 tsp cumin + 1/4 tsp ground black pepper)

5 cups cauliflower couscous

Dressing: Maple-Dijon Apple Cider vinaigrette

Instructions: 

1. Place the lentils in medium pot, add salt and cover with 2 inches of water (my leftover tip: Double this portion of lentils). Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, but not mushy, 25-30 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. 

2. Place the carrots, kale, nuts, apricots, olives and spice in a large bowl. 

3. Add the cauliflower couscous (see recipe below) and lentils and toss until evenly combined.

4. Add 2/3rds of the dressing (see recipe below), toss and taste. Add more dressing to taste, if needed. 

5. Cover the salad and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve. 

To make cauliflower couscous (pg 156)

1 large head cauliflower (1.5-2 lbs)

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Quarter the cauliflower head and cut off the individual florets. In a food processor (I use the Ninja Master Food Prep), place the florets, filling only halfway and pulse several times until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and continue with the remaining florets until all resemble couscous size granules.

2. In large skillet set over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the cauliflower, cumin, salt and pepper and cook, stirring continuously until cauliflower is soft but still crisp (about 3 minutes). 

To make Maple-Dijon Apple Cider Vinaigrette (pg 173)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tsp maple syrup

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1/2 shallot, minced

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine the oil, vinegar, syrup, mustard, shallot, salt and pepper in a glass jar with a lid. Shake vigorously until emulsified.

For a creamy vinaigrette, omit the syrup and instead, add 2 tbsp tahini.

The dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. If the oil solidified, briefly microwave on low until melted. 

Cashew Pesto
Pg. 67
(Original recipe was an arugula cashew pesto but since I eat so much arugula in my daily diet, I omitted the arugula and just made the cashew pesto instead. The recipe called for 2 cups tightly packed arugula)

Ingredients

1 cup cashews or walnuts (I used cashews)

1 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 or 2 cloves garlic (I used 2 and it was very garlicky - which we like!)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp white miso paste (I couldn't find this at the grocery so I omitted it)

2-3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions1. In a food processor, combine the nuts, (arugula), Parmesan an garlic. Process until coarsely chopped. Add the oil, miso, lemon juice and zest. Process until desired consistency is reached.

2. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

3. To make a sauce (thinner consistency) just add more olive oil, broth or water.

You can add this to a sandwich, wrap or pita, toss in a salad or add on top of boiled potatoes. 

Giddy-up Energy Bites
Pg. 57

Ingredients

12 large Medjool dates, pitted

1 cup dried unsweetened cherries (I used dried apricots)

1 cup raw chopped walnuts

1/4 cup unsalted almond butter

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp finely ground coffee beans

1/4 tsp fine sea salt (I use pink Himalayan salt when I cook as it contains iodine)

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened dried coconut

1. In a food processor, combine the dates, cherries, walnuts, almond butter, cocoa powder, coffee and salt. Pulse a few times to chop the ingredients and then process on high speed for 1-2 minutes, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl and beneath the blade with a spatula. Process until the ingredients clump together. 

2. Empty the contents into a medium bowl. Use your hands to shape the mixture into 24-walnut-size balls and roll each ball in the coconut (I combined the coconut into the blender and omitted this step of rolling the balls in the coconut).

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month or in freezer for 6 months. 

A great snack before an early morning workout. Just be mindful of how well (or not so well) dried fruit digests in your belly before a workout). 

Blueberry Lemon Cornmeal Scones
Pg. 59 - Karel's new favorite pre-workout snack!

Ingredients1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 /2 tsp fine sea salt
1 stick (8 tbsp) cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
2 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk Greek yogurt (I used 0% Greek yogurt as it was what I had in the fridge)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
1 cup frozen blueberries

Instructions
1. Position rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. In large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it's the size of peas.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, vanilla and lemon zest. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in blueberries. The dough will be thick and sticky.
5. Drop the batter in large spoonfuls onto the baking sheet in the shape of a triangle. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
Bake until lightly browns on bottoms, 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool. 

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

Double Chocolate Teff Cookies

pg. 187 (I didn't have Teff flour so I used gluten-free all purpose flour)

These are SO good. Crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside. Vegan and gluten free.

Ingredients

3/4 cup teff flour  (I used GF flour)

1/2 cup almond flour

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used 60% Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp fine sea salt (I used pink H. salt)

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (I used canola oil)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

2. Add the maple syrup, oil and vanilla and stir just until combined. For a more tender cookie, cover the batter and refrigerate overnight prior to baking (I didn't do this last step - Karel was anxious to try these cookies!).

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Drop the batter by heaping tbsp 1 inch apart on the baking sheet (our cookies were a little bigger :)

5. Bake in the center of the oven until the bottoms are lightly brown. 12 minutes. Let the cookies cook for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. 

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

I am excited to try out more recipes next weekend. Except for the scones - Karel is asking for more ASAP! I think this time I will change up the ingredients and make cranberry orange scones.

For now, we have a lot of leftovers to enjoy (the best part about cooking!). 

Weekend recap: Training

It's hard to believe that we will be racing in about 8 weeks at the conclusion of our Clermont training camp. We have been putting in some good work training indoors over the past few weeks due to the cooler temps and rainy days but with the weekend forecast looking good, we gathered up the crew for a Saturday long ride. Exploring Greenville on two wheels was on the training agenda and we took full advantage of our nicer weather! 

But first, a Friday swim workout for me and Karel to leave the arms heavy all day. 

MS: 30 x 100's at 85% on 1:28 cycle. 

Whew...that was a long swim requiring a lot of focus and energy! 

Karel swam with his buoyancy shorts (which have helped him out a lot with his swimming development) and paddles so he was much faster than me. He did his 100's on a 1:26 cycle! 

As for the rest of Friday, after working all day, I had my teeth cleaned at the dentist (yay for healthy teeth and gums!), stopped at the grocery to stock up the pantry and fridge for a weekend full of cooking and baking (recipes and food pics to come in the next blog!) and then took Campy for a long 1+ hour walk as I was tired of sitting all day. 

The weather was absolutely beautiful (70's and sunny) and it was just a perfect evening to be outside. Around 5pm, Campy and I walked to my mom's house and then we walked around her neighborhood before returning home. Karel had a RETUL fit on Friday afternoon + a private bike skills session to follow so he was rather tired from being on his feet and riding all afternoon so he had an early dinner and then relaxed in the evening while finishing up some work on the computer. Campy and I returned home from our walk and then I ate dinner before getting started with some cooking and baking (yum) for the next hour, before going to bed around 10pm. 

Thankfully, my no-rain dance worked and the rain that was planned for Saturday morning didn't happen so we had dry roads and cloudy skies instead for our 8:30am roll out. After spending the last two weekends inside for long trainer rides, it felt so good to be on the tri bike outside (and in great company with Trimarnis Bryan, Karel, Thomas and Al). 

Our plan was to ride to and up/down Caesar's head mountain, which was a great idea until the fog became too unsafe for us to continue riding to the top. Karel was leading the way and made the call that we needed to stop for safety reasons (even with lights on bikes). We stopped about 2 miles from the top, which was still 20 minutes of climbing and a fun descend to the bottom. 

The fog made for some pretty neat scenery while climbing and all around, it was just a great morning to be on my bike. 

After 3 hours and 45 minutes of riding (a little over 5000 feet of climbing), we made it back to Trimarni HQ's for a quick gear change to get ready for our brick run. Once again, the brick runs have been on the treadmill for the past two weekends so it was nice to pound the pavement with the guys for 25 minutes. 

After the brick, it was time to refuel with a recovery drink and some of my yummy treats that I made on Friday evening. Campy didn't want to miss out on the eating fun so he joined us in the garage, just in case anything tasty "accidentally" dropped on the ground. 

After resting for an hour on the couch, it was time to get some work done on the computer and then get to more cooking. We invited my mom over for dinner so she brought the main dish (stuffed shells with tofu) and I made the side dish which was a Moroccan lentil dish. And for dessert, chocolate cookies! Don't worry, I'll share the recipes and food pics tomorrow but to make your mouth water, you can head over to my Facebook page to check out the pictures. 

Karel and I were pretty tired on Saturday evening so we made it until about 9:30pm and then it was time to get ready for bed. No surprise, Campy was pooped from his exhausting day. 

Sunday was absolutely great for running. Just like Saturday, not too hot, not too cold. It felt so nice to be outside for 1 hour and 48 minutes of running. My run workout started off with a little hip/glute activation in our home-gym and then some outside dynamic stretching and then a 5 minute power walk to get the blood flowing. As for the rest of the run, it was a conversational pace run, where I incorporated 30 sec walk breaks every mile to reduce the overall training stress and included a stronger effort up any hills. Of course, where I live there are no shortage of hills so I had about 1000+ feet of stronger efforts. Surprisingly, my legs felt rather good throughout the entire run and I was able to keep good form. I stayed well hydrated with my Nathan hydration belt and refilled as needed throughout my run at water fountains. It was great to see so many people outside enjoying the nice weather!

Campy happily joined me for a post run walk as Karel was still out running (he warmed up with a 30 minute trainer bike before his 90 minute run). Karel rested for a little bit (and refueled) before an afternoon RETUL fit and I had some work to do on the computer before getting in one last swim workout (2250 yards) in the late afternoon to wrap up another great week of training. 

It was a successful, busy, yummy and active weekend of training and I could not be more thankful to my body for keeping me in good health so that I can live such an active lifestyle. 

Should athletes follow a Paleo diet?

The Paleo diet is marketed as a "lifestyle" as it it is described to be "the healthiest way you can eat because it is the only nutritional approach that works with your genetics to help you stay lean, strong and energetic because our modern diet is at the root of degenerative diseases such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, depression and infertility." It's a way of eating based on the supposed habits of prehistoric hunger-gatherers or caveman. 

I absolutely agree that the Western diet is too full of refined foods, added sugar, unhealthy fats, extremely processed food and fast, convenient food. As a dietitian, there is absolutely nothing wrong with any dietary approach that favors a reduced intake of processed food and emphasizes real food.

However, there is no basis to removing major whole food food groups, like dairy, whole grains and legumes from the diet. Foods that are wholesome and contain a variety of healthy nutrients.

Consider that the Mediterranean diet is ranked as one of the healthiest styles of eating from around the world. It is rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and olive oil and low in meat. 

The Paleo diet is not only unsustainable but it's not healthy or beneficial for our environment.

If you consider some of the healthiest individuals from around the globe (consider longevity and quality of life as markers for "healthy" and not body image), they eat a lot of plants, they eat grains and legumes and they even consume eggs, cheese and milk.

If grains were so bad, we would all have health issues and that is just not the case. When people complain of health issues, like digestive troubles and low energy, you have to consider what people aren't eating that can assist in better health. Removing food is not the answer. Behavior change is the answer. This is why diets don't work. They don't change behaviors.

When people say that they feel so much better after getting rid of sugar, processed food and grains, it's only when real food is consumed in place of unhealthy alternatives, like processed food, that people will feel better. Oatmeal and berries or a bowl of Lucky Charms? A salad or a protein bar for lunch? A sweet potato with veggies and a lean piece of meat or fast food? Of course you will feel better when you eat real food! And when you eat real food, you spend more time in the kitchen as you have to put more thought into meal prep. When eating is an afterthought and you go into a meal hungry, you are more likely to make unhealthy choices. It's no shock that people feel better when they go Paleo. But grains are not to blame. When's the last time you told yourself that you should really cut back on all the lentils and Teff and Kamut in your diet?

Based on research, caveman were trying to eat enough calories to survive and reproduce. Their diet was not based on "health" but to thrive. The way a Paleo individual today eats is very different than in prehistoric times. Now a days, people are spoiled by the Paleo section of a menu at a restaurant to make ordering easier, there are Paleo packaged bars for when you are in a hurry, there are primal food blogs and cookbooks for inspiration and there is the Paleo friendly section at the Whole Foods salad bar for when you need lunch on the go.

Six million years ago, a caveman was making food choices based on where he lived and the season. He didn't have choices.

There are a lot of holes in the Paleo diet philosophy and let's be real honest, Paleo is all about marketing and food bloggers, nutrition "experts", food companies and magazines know this. If they can catch your attention by a dietary trend/fad, they will do anything possible to get you to believe that with this diet strategy you will get amazing results.

In today's society, it's very interesting to see the cult-like response of diets. People trust information from friends and "followers" and from popular websites and blogs, more than they trust scientific information. We live in a FOMO world where people feel the need to follow a similar style of eating of someone else for fear of not being liked or accepted. Think about all the people you know who are following a no sugar, gluten free, high fat or paleo diet. While people may say this diet "works" (for now), perhaps these people feel more confident in nutrition choices because everyone else seems to be eating this way too.

The truth is that there is no quick fix for healthy eating and what works for you probably won't work for anyone else. 

So while the Paleo diet, low in processed food, sugar and carbs, may work for some time for the average individual, it's still a diet that includes food rules and an off limit food list for no reason.
And once again, obesity and health issues didn't happen from people eating too much whole grains, legumes and quality dairy.

Take a good hard look at your daily diet and ask yourself in the past year, how often you did you eat out, cook a meal, or rely on processed food out of convenience because you were too busy? Do you like real foods like vegetables, fruits, bulgur, lentils, cottage cheese, yogurt and leafy greens? Do you LOVE processed foods like pita chips, cereals, bars, etc?
I'm not saying that the later is bad to consume but it's the former (and not limited to those whole foods) that needs to make up the majority of your diet for health benefits.

As for athletes, it can be very difficult to obtain all of your carbohydrates in a Paleo diet because one can only eat so much fruit and vegetables due to all the fiber. But let's also not overlook the health benefits and nutrients that one obtains from whole grains, dairy and legumes and these foods can be consumed in a healthy diet, alongside vegetables, fruits and your choice of quality protein. 

Ideally, carbohydrates should come from real food, like fruits, vegetables, grains, starches, dairy and legumes. Yes, you should also consume healthy fats and protein. This type of balanced diet is very healthy and satisfying and it doesn't leave a lot of room for sugar and processed food. It gives you energy, it offers great gut health, it protects your immune system and it keeps you well. Yes, you need to grocery shop often, meal prep and cook but a Paleo diet doesn't do that for you. A Paleo diet only tells you what not to eat. It doesn't change your lifestyle habits or thoughts, patterns and behaviors related to food.

As an athlete, when your carbohydrate needs increase, let's say from 3-5g/kg bw per day to 6-8 or even 8-10g/kg to account for the increase in training volume, I can assure you that you can't meet those needs from only whole foods as you will feel incredibly full and it may even cause GI issues. Therefore, as an athlete, you have some wiggle room to deviate from a normally high fiber diet and choose more refined foods. You can still choose real food but low residue foods, juices and sometimes bars may be needed to help you meet your daily carbohydrate needs. This is not reward food or food that you earned but instead, it's food that serves a purpose and a function. We prioritize these more refined foods around workouts due to energy needs and a change in appetite.

If you are trying to lose weight or lean up for performance, a Paleo diet is not the fix. Furthermore, you do not have to devote every minute of your life trying to reach or stay a specific weight, because essentially, you are living like a starving person, fighting your biology.
Your diet should make you happy. With behavior and lifestyle changes, you can learn to love a healthy diet and a healthy diet doesn't have to be perfect. It can still include treats and sweets and fast food and processed food.

It is through healthy daily habits and a smart training regime that you can achieve the leanest livable weight for performance and for your health. And guess what....you can still eat carbohydrates like grains, legumes and dairy!

To be a successful athlete, you need to a healthy body.
A healthy body requires you to be extremely organized, planned and intentional with your eating choices. 

You can't outtrain a poorly planned diet.

Don't assume that any diet will improve your health if you can't maintain that style of eating for the rest of your life. 

For further reading, check out this informative article on the typical American diet and how much processed food is consumed on a daily basis. 

Whole grains didn't make our country unhealthy. 

Start putting blame at one of the major causes of health issues and obesity. 

Source

Athlete spotlight: Ed Peirick - Cancer survivor winning the fight with triathlon

Name: Ed Peirick

Age: 66

City/State: Fitchburg, Wisconsin

Primary sport: Triathlon

How many years in the sport: First triathlon was in 2002. Became serious in 2006. 

What Trimarni services have you used: Nutrition, long-time friendship

Qualified for 2015 IM Kona, celebrating with our home stay Ed. 

Karel's first IM Kona qualification. Celebrating with a Wisconsin IPA. 

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

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

As I child, I always dreamed of being an athlete, but growing up in a large family on a dairy farm, I never had the opportunity to participate in team sports. So I started long distance jogging/running after college to stay in shape but never considered myself an athlete. Then later in my life, a neighbor friend encouraged my 14 year old son to do a sprint tri, teaching him the basics. My son enjoyed it and did very well so he continued to do more of them each summer. Watching & cheering him on gave me the incentive to participate too but I had to learn how to swim!! Like many other first timers, I "nearly drowned" doing my first sprint in 2002 but finished with enough feeling of accomplishment to want to continue doing them, especially with my son.

What keeps you training and racing in your current sport?

Several things. The challenge of setting tough goals, constantly learning, improving, personal achievements/recognition, meeting wonderful inspiring people, staying healthy and active, visiting other parts of the US, participating as an opportunity to raise money for cancer research/giving back, and forming long lasting personal friendships, inspiring others.

What do you do for work?

 Retired. Former CPA/Financial Exec.

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

Doesn't apply to me but I marvel at those with full time jobs and their commitment to training.

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

I'd say that you need a supportive crew (family, coaches, friends), organizational skills, motivation, and try not to skip the key workouts. Go to bed as early as you can so you can hopefully get some workouts in before family is up and you have to go to work.

Do you have kids?

Yes, 2 grown kids. And one beautiful grandchild.

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

 Yes, so many!

#1- Ironman WI 2011. I's say it was the best "individual" day of my life. With the help of so many, including Marni, I achieved my goals, including raising over $10,000 for prostate cancer research, finished strong, feeling like a rock star in front of lots of friends, family and in my hometown of Madison.

#2- Branson 70.3 2013. First time event far away from "home" were I traveled alone, knowing this would be a very challenging event because of the bike course. I executed my plan perfectly, leaving it all out there and achieving a 1st place AG finish.

#3- Team USA 2015 Long Course World ITU Championship, Chicago IL. Never in my wildest dreams in my early years would I have thought I could possibly set a goal of qualifying for the USAT National Championships, much less qualifying for Team USA! But I achieved them all, including finishing 19th in the world in my AG at the Chicago finals. I also achieved USAT All American recognition for the year.

The lessons I learned were many including that one's body is amazing. Treat and train it right and it will perform at an incredibly high level. As Marni and Karel taught me, you must embrace the pain, thank your body and keep telling yourself that "you earned this", "you deserve to be here" and to "compete like the champion your are."

Another important lesson to always remember, all of us will experience adversity at some time in our lives. I've certainly had my share (cancer diagnosis, a house fire, broken collar bone bike accident). This much I have learned. Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down, then build you back up. Rather than looking for the "exit" sign when things don't go well or as planned, look for the "entrance" sign and the new opportunities it presents. Because if you do, you will be a winner and more of the person you were truly meant to be.

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

• Your diet. Think of real food as the "real" medicine you need to get healthier and stronger.
• Consider working with a qualified coach. Trust and communicate well with this person. 
• Listen to your body. 
• Work hard but rest even harder! 
• Remember to work on your core strength, balance and stability (i.e. pilates).

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

Yes, my success is somewhat about achieving tough goals, including podium finishes. But it's also the rewards of having a healthier body, life style, personal relationships, inspiring others including my family, giving back and waking up excited with energy and happiness!

What's your favorite post-race meal, drink or food?Blueberry whey protein smoothie.

What key races do you have planned in 2017?

White Lake Spring NC 70.3 in April. After month of a May vacation in France/Spain, I'll decide if there will be a "second" season for late summer or fall.

What are your athletic goals for the next 5 years?

At my age, I want to stay competitive and healthy. Anything more will be a bonus. I love this sport and what it has given me so I want to keep moving forward! "I know some day I won't be able to do this. Today is not that day!!!" 

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

This is a new weekly 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.

-->

Everything you need to know about recovery nutrition

You may be surprised to know that vegetarian athletes can easily meet recommended protein recommendations for athletes of 1.2-1.8g/kg/bw protein per day. As a 24.5 year lacto-ovo vegetarian, I have acquired several go-to protein sources in my diet, like cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, grains and whey protein.

As a heavy proponent of real food in the daily diet, my food choices become much more functional before, during and after workouts and thus, I see the purpose of food (and engineered products) differently when it's used to support a training session.

As an example, whey protein is often consumed post workout, specifically when I have an intense or long workout (or two workouts close together). There is a tremendous amount of scientific research on whey protein, in relation to athletes, the elderly, menopause, weight management, preventing muscle loss in trauma patients and burn victims and assisting in performance gains.

Seeing that protein supports muscle and tissue growth, assists in immune system health, helps with tissue structure and supporting enzymatic reactions and fosters health endocrine functioning, without sufficient protein in the diet, your health can become compromised with added training stress.

Athletes should aim for 1.2-1.8 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day.

As an example, if you weigh 130 lbs (59kg), this equals 71-106g of protein per day.
To break this down, give yourself around 20-30g of protein per each meal which leaves you extra protein to consume during snack times and after workouts. Protein at meal time can help with satiety.

A few take-away messages on daily protein consumption:

• If you are intentionally trying to lose weight or you need to gain lean muscle mass, you will want to focus on the higher end of your individual protein needs to preserve lean muscle mass.
• On higher volume and higher intensity workout days (including double workout days), your daily protein needs should be on the higher end to optimize training-induced muscle adaptations.
• Post workout, don't miss a prime opportunity to recover with protein.

• Every athlete should recognize his/her own post workout preferences, based on appetite, convenience and type of workout. Recovery nutrition should not be skipped or an after thought but instead, it should be easy to find, prep and consume for any given workout.

The importance of recovery nutrition depends on the type, intensity and duration of exercise. Certainly you have heard this over and over again, that you should never miss the opportunity to refuel and replenish after a workout. If you don't recover properly post workout, you may experience the following: 

• Increased fatigue

• Tiredness

• Struggles with increasing lean muscle mass

• Struggles with decreasing body fat

• Delayed recovery

• Immune system depression

• Low motivation and energy

• Increase or delayed muscle soreness

• Inadequate replenishment of carbohydrate stores

• Poor training adaptations - increasing the risk for injury, sickness and overtraining

Many athletes assume that recovery is what happens in the 30-60 minutes post workout but from a practical standpoint as it relates to athletic performance improvements, recovery is everything that happens between two workouts. 

Therefore, it's to your competitive advantage to see every opportunity between the finish of one workout until the start of the next workout, to stimulate muscle repair and replenishment. You can do this through food and other recovery modalities like meditation, sleep and mobility work. 

Most research concludes that your ability to greatly adapt to a training stressor is dependent on what you consume within 60 minutes post workout. In other words, if you want to gain physical improvements, you need proper recovery nutrition and hydration. 

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

Sadly, insulin has gotten a very bad rap in our society so simple sugar carbs, like juice and anything with sugar, are seen as a big no-no for athletes. (I'll save my thoughts on sugar for the athlete blog for another time). 

For the purpose of this blog, discussing maximizing recovery, when insulin is spiked post workout, anabolism (growth) is promoted. Low insulin and low blood sugar secretes catabolic hormones, which is completely opposite of what an athlete wants to achieve in the post workout period. 

Post workout, your body is extremely sensitive to nutrient intervention due to an increase in insulin sensitivity and an increase in membrane transport activity. This means that your muscles are highly receptive to soak-up nutrients. To take advantage of this open window, you don't want to miss out on replenishing fuel (glycogen) and promoting protein synthesis (which reduces protein degredation). Recovery nutrition is imperative to your health and development as an athlete!

You do not have to be perfect with your diet to have a healthy and performance enhancing diet. But recovery nutrition should be seen as part of your workout. 

Here are some practical post workout snack suggestions to eat (as tolerated) within 60 minutes post workout after intense or long workouts when you need a snack before a meal. 

• 25g protein powder + 8 ounce water + 1 banana  ­
• 8 ounce low fat chocolate milk + 10­-15g whey protein powder  
• ­8 ounce OJ + 2 egg whites  ­
• 1 serving applesauce + 15g protein powder + 4 ounce milk/4 ounce water
• 25g whey protein + 8 ounce water + 6-10 saltine crackers + honey 
• 25g whey protein + 1/2 cup cherries  ­
• 1 serving Greek yogurt + 1 orange
• 8 ounce milk + 10g whey protein + 1 slice bread + 1 tbsp nut butter  ­
• 1 slice bread + 2­-3 slice deli meat + 1 egg  ­
• 3/4 cup cottage cheese + 2­-4 dates

The first six options are ideal when you lack an appetite post workout or when you need something quick, convenient and easy to digest after an intense or long workout. 

After long or intense workouts, it's recommended to have a recovery snack first (options listed above) and then a real meal. 

When you are ready to eat your meal, your meal can be 30 to 90 minutes after the recovery snack.  

For EZ workouts, you can go right for a recovery meal of protein/fat and carbohydrates.    

Why choose whey protein post workout?   

The purpose of post workout protein is to stimulate protein synthesis. Due to it's high amino acid score and high bioavailability, whey protein isolate continues to rank as the gold standard of recovery protein as it digests quickly and rapidly to stimulate protein synthesis.

As it relates to muscle growth and recovery, the mTOR protein is key to muscle building and rejuvination. In response to loading the muscles with training stress, when mTOR is activated, protein synthesis is stimulated, which helps muscles heal and rebuild. mTOR is highly sensitive to leucine, found in whey protein. One 20g serving of whey protein isolate contains 3 grams of leucine. Other leucine containing foods include egg whites, fish, chicken and beef. 

Although whey protein is an animal based protein (milk is 80% casein protein and 20% whey protein), it is a fast digesting protein that is often well tolerated by lactose intolerant individuals. However, the primary and only ingredient should be whey protein isolate if a lactose intolerant individuals is trying whey for the first time or building up a tolerance. 

In a plant based (or vegan) diet, soy protein is a highly recommend protein source to assist in recovery as soy protein will raise blood leucine levels but not as effectively as whey protein. Hemp, brown rice and pea protein will provide protein but do lack all amino acids to make these plant based proteins complete. However, plant based protein powders should not be avoided in the diet for this reason as they are acceptable (and healthy) sources of protein and provide great value in a vegan diet. 

Why not real food after all workouts? 

Seeing that athletes have high energy demands and a real food diet is encouraged throughout the day to support energy and nutrient needs, a supplemental form of protein, post workout, alongside a real simple carbohydrate food (to help spike insulin) can make it easy to nail the recovery nutrition on a consistent basis - especially if you lack an appetite post workout or you need something quick, portable and easy. 

Selecting the "best" protein powder

Many athletes ask me about a "favorite protein powder" or have questions as to the "best" protein powder. With so many protein powders on the market, here are some of my criteria when searching for a quality protein powder.

1) Serving size - 1 scoop
2) Protein content per scoop  - 20-30 grams
3) Calories per scoop - 80-150
4) First ingredient - whey protein isolate
5) Ingredient list - short! natural flavors, no artificial flavors or colorings, no added sweeteners, minimal to no added sugar
6) Quality manufacture, reputable company
7) Use your best judgement  - is it a quality product manufactured with quality ingredients

Brands I often recommend: Solgar whey to go (vanilla), KLEAN, Blue Bonnet, Vega, Sun Warrior, Hammer Whey, INFINIT raw.

I would be happy to review your protein powder to see if it is something that I would recommend to athletes.

As for Clif Recovery protein (yummo) and other combined recovery drinks with carbohydrates, sugar, sodium and protein......

Ideally, I would recommend this type of recovery product when energy needs are very high and it can be difficult to consume adequate protein and carbohydrates in the diet (ex. after a very long workout or with two intense workouts within a few hours). Or for athletes who continually fail to meet energy needs throughout the day and need a higher calorie sugar/carb/protein recovery drink.  Typically, we use Clif Recovery powder as our go-to recovery drink (mixed with water) at our camps and I will often recommend to my endurance athletes after their long workouts in peak training. Seeing that many athletes lack an appetite after hot and intense/long workouts and crave fluids, it seems to be a very tolerable protein powder with a delicious taste. I typically add a little extra whey protein, cherries and water to my clif recovery drink (all in the blender).

Well, there you have it. EVERYTHING you need to know about recovery nutrition and protein powder. Well, maybe not everything but hopefully enough to help you nail your recovery nutrition post workout. 

If you need help navigating through all the advice on recovery nutrition as it relates to your personal journey, reach out to a sport dietitian to help you take away the guessing so that you can create healthy habits to help you create athletic excellence. 

Snow! A weekend of indoor training and lots of yummy food

In case you didn't hear......

It snowed in Greenville, SC!
It was so pretty to wake up to a white backyard. 

However, Campy was NOT happy when he woke up Saturday morning and discovered all the white, cold stuff outside.

Clearly, he is not impressed with the snow. 

Campy was not interested in walking anywhere that had snow on the ground so it made for an interesting morning for him to find the perfect spot to do his morning business. 

As for the rest of the day, Campy made himself comfortable in the warmest spot in the house. 

Since Campy stuck to his routine of resting all morning, we stuck to our routine of training. 

Karel stationed himself in the fit studio where he was entertained with multiple screens and his Cyclops virtual training and Bkool Pro Smart Trainer app for a little bike trainer fun.

I had our at-home-gym all to myself to suffer and sweat with nothing but me and some jamming music.

Karel wrote a great bike trainer workout for me, which looked more innocent on the white board than it really was when I got to the middle of the main set. Sneaky sneaky.

WU: 40 minutes (first 10 minutes EZ, then build each 10 minute to upper Z2)

Pre set:

6 x 1 minutes at Z2 - increase the cadence to very fast, no breaks between.

5 min EZ spin

6 x 2 minutes at Z2/Z3 - increase the cadence to very fast, no breaks between.

5 min EZ spin

BREAK:

Jumped on to the treadmill for a 30 minute form focused run.

MS: (Back on the trainer)

Big gear work - 55-65 rpm

4 x 2 minutes - increase resistance on each segment. No breaks between.

5 min EZ spin

4 x 3 minutes - same

5 min EZ spin

4 x 4 minutes - same

5 min EZ spin

4 x 3 minutes - same

5 min EZ spin

4 x 2 minutes - same

5 min EZ spin

Cool down

On to the treadmill (again) for 20 minutes form focused running.

Total brick workout (Marni): 2:25 bike + 50 minute run.

Total bike workout (Karel): 2:45

After my workout, I made myself a yummy pancake and smoothie breakfast. We relaxed for an hour on the couch and then it was time for work (small business - always working).

Eventually, I made myself useful in the kitchen for some baking. 

I adapted my recipe from Cooking Light.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Makes 12

Ingredients:

1 2/3 oats

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup spelt flour (you can use whole-wheat flour or your choice of flour)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup 1% milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 large eggs

2 cups frozen mixed berries

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Place oats in a food processor and pulse a few times until oats are coarse. 
3. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Stir well with a whisk. 
4. In a small bowl, combine the milk, oil, lemon juice and eggs. Stir well with a whisk. 
5. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. 
6. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until moist and evenly combined. 
7. Fold in berries. 
8. Spray muffin dish with cooking spray. 
9. Spoon batter into muffin tin. Fill to the top. 
10. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. 
11. Remove from the oven and let cool on wire rack. 

For dinner, I made semi-home soup. The key to a good semi-homemade soup is roasting veggies ahead of time, before adding to a can/box of soup. It gives the soup great flavor. I sauteed mushrooms, eggplant, red peppers and tofu in a skillet before adding to a box of tomato basil soup. 

So good!

After a good night of sleep (no alarm to wake us up), we started Sunday morning with a pre-workout snack (and coffee and water) and then it was time to train again. 

I performed my long run on the treadmill and Karel went outside (Brrr). 

I love running on the treadmill so it was no trouble for me to get my 1:45 hr run accomplished at home, inside, in my controlled environment (especially when it is 18 degrees outside!). I incorporated some short 30 sec intense efforts throughout the run for neuromuscular firing.

Karel warmed up on the trainer and then went outside for his 90-minute long run. He said it was super cold. 

After my workout, I refueled with a delicious whey protein, milk, strawberry and banana smoothie and a warm homemade blueberry and oat muffin smeared with Irish butter on top. So good!

After a few hours of working, Karel and I gathered motivation for our afternoon 3200 yard swim workout, which actually wasn't that bad. Like usual, we always enjoy our Sunday swims after they are finished but it's often hard to get the energy to get out for workout #2 on Sunday after a long week of tough training. We swim every Sunday, which means we swim at least 4 times per week.

For dinner, Karel made fish and had leftover soup and I was in the mood for pizza. I improvised with warm Naan bread smeared with marinara sauce and cheese and a nice salad.

It was a great weekend of training with lots of yummy food consumed to keep our bodies well fueled and nourished. 

Trimarni store - Beanies are in now in stock!

We are so excited to offer you another Trimarni gear item from our friends at BOCO Gear.

Trimarni BOCO Gear reversible mesh performance beanie.

Yep, that's right. The beanies are reversible so you get two beanie designs for the price of one!

This is a lightweight performance beanie that will move moisture away from your head, keeping you warm and comfortable throughout your workout.

• Reversible format based on your mood and color preferences
• Machine Washable
• 100% Acrylic

We also upgraded our technical trucker hat which is now designed for training and racing. With its wicking internal sweat and mesh side and back panels, it's breathable and functional. 

We also have our visor in stock, which is a popular Trimarni gear item. 
A highly desirable item for every athlete (and spectator). The Trimarni visor is light and comfortable.
For individuals with small heads, this visor will fit you without falling down your forehead. 

SPECIAL: 
Order any Trimarni BOCO gear item AND 2 Trimarni water bottles for FREE shipping. To take advantage of this offer, when your cart includes your Trimarni BOCO gear item and 2 Trimarni Purist water bottles, select the local pick-up option for free shipping. We will still ship your items to you but you won't be charged for shipping. 

Thank you for your support!

ORDER HERE

Finding your motivation - it's personal

We have all heard that motivation is the most significant predictor of success. High motivation brings preparation which brings results. 

For many athletes, motivation is hard to find and hard to keep. While it's well known that motivation maintenance requires breaking habits and behavior patterns, motivation can also be an internal drive that promotes action. 

Perhaps you have felt this drive a few months out from your key race when you suddenly feel the pressure to get more serious with your training and/or eating habits.

Although it is great to feel this pressure to perform, it's important that you are able to put in the work, in the face of obstacles, fatigue, boredom, stress and distractions to do other things, all the time. In other words, your motivation to train in January, February and March should be just as strong as your motivation to train in May, June and July.

If you have found yourself saying that you are motivated to train to reach performance goals but you can't seem to translate your words into action, I encourage you to explore your unique motivation that drives you to work toward your goals.

Instead of lowering your goals to match your struggling motivation, boost your effort to reach your goals.

To help find the motivation to change or to reach your goals, you need to maintain your effort even when you want to give up or when it's hard to get started.

Because we all have our own drivers for motivation as it relates to training, I'd like to share a personal story from Karel and how he puts in the work to train, even when motivation is low. 

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

It is understandable to feel a lack of motivation in the cold winter months, especially if you live in a place where there is not much community support or friends who do the same sport and have similar goals as you do.

We all go through these stages of not feeling the motivation to train and we try to use all kinds of tricks to make us put in the work. When I get into the state of low motivation, I often refer back to time when I was injured with the tear in my plantar fascia and couldn't train or race. I was miserable all summer in 2015 and I would have given anything for the ability just go for a slow jog. 

I went to Lake Placid in July, which was suppose to be my big Ironman race of the season before my first IM Kona in October, and being surrounded by several of our Trimarni athletes, I tried to be supportive and be a good coach for our athletes. But deep inside, I was struggling. 

Pulling out after only swimming and biking was hard. Very hard. I had never dealt with anything like that before.

Now, when I feel like not doing much, I look back at that time and use it as the extra power and motivation that I need to get myself to start and finish a workout. Because I CAN. I don't have an injury that prevents me from working out. I'm not in pain. I'm healthy. 

Everyone is different and different things work for different athletes. 

I hope my story can motivate other athletes to help them build on past fitness developments in order to accomplish even greater things in the near future. 

Cheesy kale stuffed mushrooms

As a vegetarian, I just love the "meaty" texture of Portabella mushrooms.

Plus, as an athlete, mushrooms offer a nice nutritional boost to the immune system while providing fiber, protein, copper, selenium, B2 and B5 along with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

For proper storage of mushrooms, keep them in your fridge in a loosely closed paper bag wrapped in a damp cloth. Try to keep your mushrooms from touching one another by layering the mushrooms on the damp cloth. This will help the mushrooms stay fresher for longer. When mushrooms become soggy with a slimy layer on top, they are no longer fully fresh.

Since mushrooms are very porous, they will quickly absorb water and become soggy when cleaning them. The best way to clean mushrooms is with a mushroom brush and just a little water.

When using the cap of the mushroom, remove the stem with your hands.

Although mushrooms are great in sauces, on salads (raw) and as a side dish (sauteed), I really enjoy "stuffed" mushroom caps. My friend Katie Malone turned me on to a yummy creation of pesto, tomato and melted mozzarella stuffed mushrooms (it was ah-mazing) last summer and since then, I have been experimenting with different ways to stuff mushrooms. 

I hope you enjoy this recent creation of mine which will be sure to make you yum out loud.

Cheesy kale stuffed mushrooms 

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 large portabella mushrooms (stems removed)
Olive oil
Salt, curry powder, pepper
1 small yellow onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2-3 cups chopped kale
Panko crumbs (~1/4 cup)
Shredded Parmesan and Asiago cheese

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. In large skillet on medium heat, saute chopped kale, garlic and onion in olive oil (about 1 tbsp to start) until soft and onions turn golden brown. Add a bit of water to help soften kale if it begins to stick to skillet.
3. Season with 2-4 pinches of curry (depending on how much you like curry), a few pinches of salt and pepper. 

4. Place mushroom caps in glass baking dish (sprayed with non stick spray), bottom side up. Drizzle each cap with a little olive oil before layering on the kale mix. 

5. Spoon the kale mixture on each cap to cover most the mushroom. You can pile it on as much as you wish!
6. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the kale (as much cheese as you wish) and bake for ~8-10 minutes (mushroom will soften and shrink a little). 

7. Remove dish and sprinkle with panko crumbs and another drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake for another 2-3 minutes.
8. Remove mushrooms from the oven and enjoy!

(Any leftovers of the kale mix, save for breakfast the next morning and combine with scrambled eggs and your favorite type of bread with butter and jam). 

Athlete spotlight: Gary Bonacorsi - 68 years "young" and not slowing down

Name:  Gary Bonacorsi

Age: 68

City/State: Palm Harbor, Florida

Primary sport: Triathlon

How many years in the sport: 19 years

What Trimarni services have you used: 
Retul fit
Training plan
Group training camp
Coaching (10 years as a Trimarni athlete)

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

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

I wrestled in H.S. During my adult life, I have enjoyed racket ball, snow skiing, softball, strength work, bike riding, running 5K's, volleyball and swimming. After moving to Florida from Michigan in 1989, I soon realized how much more swimming, biking and running where available to me due to great weather. Friends saw my interests and invited to do the bike leg of a sprint triathlon in 1998. I completed the bike leg and knew I wanted and was able to complete the entire 3-part race so I signed up for my first sprint triathlon right after this race. The sprint race was in Clermont Fl. in June 1998 and I placed 8th out of 9 competitors using my hybrid bike, swim suit and white tank top (I was a sight to behold!). The race/competition was an absolute thrill and have thrown myself into the sport every since.

What do you do for work?

Retired from Property Management.

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

I simply enjoy the swimming, biking and running and all the fitness it brings. The physical fitness promotes and enhances all the other parts of my life. I love to race and compete and the secret to great racing is great training so the racing is a great motivator to keep training. The other strong motivator is all the learning and improvement that comes with Trimarni Coaching. One particular example is that after I write a race report, my coaches read and respond with what I may have done well or not so well. I keep a training log and record all training and races and when I receive those corrective e-mails, I print them off and attach those right to that particular race in my log. It is always very valuable information that I can apply immediately in my training, in the next race or sometimes it applies only to that race and I will use that info the following year. I am able to use my training log and Trimarni information to improve and that means of improvement keeps me training and racing.

Do you have kids?

Just one doggy child named Buddy (a tan/black Havanese).

How do you balance your training with your partner?

You start by deciding that the other person/family are FIRST and triathlon second. Communication is key. Share just how many hours you plan on investing and how you plan to meet the needs of your partner/family and other responsibilities while training. Balancing your time may take some trial and error but keep family in the loop (remember they are first) and when family is not happy then just back off a little until your "balance comes back".

Any tips or tricks for keeping your partner happy while you train to reach your personal goals?
Any tips/tricks as to how to balance work and training?

Yes, save time by having quality workouts and purchase a very good treadmill and bike trainer to place in your home! This also helps with relationships because you are not gone all the time. Also, find a pool close by or on your way to/from work - this is also a huge time saver.

What keeps you training and racing in your current sport?

When I was working just 3 years ago, work would obviously afford me less time and energy to put into my training but I accepted that. I balanced the two by assigning to myself 6-8 hours of training time, per week, that I knew, after trial and error, left me with enough energy to perform at work knowing work was the top priority.

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

Actually it is not a single race but an entire 2016 season of 12 sprint triathlons that I placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd. What I enjoyed was consistency, always mentally motivated and staying injury free. The great lesson learned is to accept and embrace the style of training that Trimarni coaching offers. I have learned to trust and be patient in developing fitness over time and to do the strength work, going easy in the beginning, understanding zones and staying in those zones when asked and also learning how to go really hard when called for and what hard should really feel like.

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

1. As mentioned earlier, the very best tip is to follow your training. I absorb all the incredibly valuable information that comes our way from my coaches in the form of videos and e-mails. Trimarni promotes a happy, healthy and well performing lifestyle.

2. I do not take my good health for granted and I have regular checkups with all my medical doctors and take vaccinations.

3. Consume wholesome food.

4. I have been befriending many of the men in my age group and have made many personal friends over the years and it is fun/enjoyable to meet up with them each time and that translates into happy.

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

My personal journey, at 68 years old, is to continue to challenge myself in all areas of life. I would then define athletic success as using triathlon and all of its' training to challenge me so as to be as good or better than anyone in my age group. In addition to the athletic success we all seek, triathlon is extremely important to me because of all the like minded people it brings into my life, that I can enjoy this sport with. I have met many people through this sport and have made many friends and built relationships with those friends. This has added to the enjoyment and sweetness of life itself. So thank you triathlon!

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

Beans and rice and lots of water.

What key races do you have planned in 2017

Not any key races but instead I want to place first in the 3-race Sprint Triathlon Series races and claim the most USAT points available per race for a higher USAT standing. 

What are your athletic goals for the next 5 years?
I would like to compete in Nationals in 2018 at 70 years old and place high enough to qualify for Worlds.

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

This is a new weekly 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.

NEW for 2017 at Trimarnicoach.com!!

We are so excited to finally announce that Trimarnicoach.com is updated for 2017!!

So what's new you ask?

1) Subscribe to our newsletter for effective tips (and recipes) to create healthy habits to achieve athletic excellence. Our newsletter will start mid January.

2) Our home page is easier to navigate.

                       

In addition to the tabs on the top of the website, you can use the home page to take you directly to the Trimarni service that will best fit your athletic needs.
(As a reminder, our camps are filling up quickly so if you are interested in attending our Greenville skills, endurance or advanced camp, be sure to sign up soon.)

3. We have one main NUTRITION SERVICES page with 7 new Trimarni nutrition services. Each service provides a detailed description of the service and a contact page if you need help deciding which service is best for you.

2017 Trimarni Nutrition services include:

-Baseline consult - If your everyday nutrition habits are keeping you from training consistently or achieving your health, body composition or performance goals, let's work together to maximize your athletic performance by improving your baseline nutrition.

-Performance nutrition - I will focus on adjusting your daily diet and nutrient timing strategies to enhance health and performance as you prepare for your upcoming event.

-Performance fueling - I will focus on adjusting your daily diet, nutrient timing and fueling/hydration strategies to enhance health and performance as you prepare for your upcoming event.

-Disordered eating - Are your thoughts and behaviors with food negatively affecting your training and/or health? While it's common for athletes to be hyper aware of what's consumed in the diet for performance benefits, an obsessive preoccupation with food and the body is not healthy. Athletes who receive proper guidance and correct messages on fueling and healthy eating can reach body composition goals, improve endurance, strength and speed and maintain excellent health without food rules, ritualistic eating and obsessive weighing.
-Ask an Expert - Got questions for me, Karel or both of us? Let's talk!

-Sweat testing - Stop the guessing on what sport nutrition product and how much sodium per hour you need to meet your individual needs. With sweat testing, you can bring confidence to your fueling and hydration strategies to help you maximize your training and feel more confident and prepared for race day.

-Blood work decoding - By decoding your lab work, we can address what changes need to be made in your diet and your training to help you regain your health or to take your training to that next level. Without a blood test, you are simply guessing your way through the grocery store shelves and supplement aisles, wasting time and money. Blood testing provides information on how you can eat better, fuel smarter and supplement wisely to improve energy levels, health and performance. 

3) Our training plans have been updated for 2017 to help you develop the necessary skills, stamina, endurance, strength and speed to feel confident and prepared for your upcoming Olympic distance, half ironman or ironman distance event. All of our training plans are race specific to help you achieve athletic excellence. We also have an updated Foundation/transition plan and our periodized strength training plan. 

4) You can sign up for our educational team which is an affordable monthly subscription service for the athlete who does not need/want one-on-one coaching but desire continuing education and supplementary information on all triathlon-related topics ranging from training, skill focus, motivation, mental strength, daily nutrition, sport nutrition, race day execution, traveling to a race, mobility, dealing with sickness and injury and so much more! 

5) You can check out our 2017 sponsors and affiliates page to learn more about the companies that support Trimarni, alongside the people/companies that we consult with on training and nutrition. 

6) Lastly, our media page is now an athlete resource page for all things nutrition and training. You can find all of my articles and quotes, categorized for easy browsing. This page will stay updated every time I write a new article or when I am quoted in a magazine/article. If  you come across an article that I am quoted in and it's not on the media page, please let me know (thank you!). 

I could not be more happy with how the website turned out and I hope that you find it easy to navigate so that you can select the Trimarni service that will best fit your needs.

We look forward to working with you in 2017 to help you create healthy habits to achieve athletic excellence. 

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

I would like to give a HUGE thank you to Wlad who has helped me tremendously with the back-end work on the website. Wlad has been with us for over three years and has a special way of knowing how to take my vision and content and make it look perfect on the website. Thanks Wlad - I could not have done this all without you!

Also, I'd like to thank Joey (neighbor, friend and Registered Dietitian) for helping me with the new Trimarni nutrition services. Joey gave me great advice with my new nutrition services, helped me update all of my nutrition forms/questionnaires (now Google docs for easy online completion), for overlooking the nutrition services on the website to make sure our content was similar on each page and she was my sounding board over the past two months of non-stop work on the website/services. Thank you Joey!

Looking back on 2016

2016 was an eventful year for us.
It was hard to select our top moments so here are a few of our favorites memories each month (with links to the blog post) from last year.

JANUARY

Our first real snow day !

FEBRUARY
Our new kit design

MARCH
Private training camp
Our new water bottles
Clermont camp

APRIL
Vegetarian article in Triathlete magazine
 Toughman half triathlon- Karel's first overall half IM win

MAY
How do I fuel article - my longest ever article
Our new BOCO hats and visors
Lake James 50 triathlon - our first double triathlon win
Rev3 Knoxville and Mountains to Mainstreet half ironman
My 34th birthday (and the 2 year anniversary of my dad's passing)

JUNE
European race-cation (Ironman Austria and visiting Karel's family in Czech)

JULY
Greenville endurance camp

AUGUST Lake Logan half ironman
PPF Greenville camp
IM Mont Tremblant
2017 Key racesOlympics/Paralympics

SEPTEMBER

2017 Trimarni coaching application
Karel turns 40
Travel to Kona, Hawaii

OCTOBER
IM Kona - Karel finishes his 2nd IM Kona (and we have our first two Trimarni athletes finish their first IM Kona)
Hincapie Gran Fondo

NOVEMBER

2017 Trimarni camps 
Kona edge podcast
Got a new road bike
Thanksgiving

DECEMBER
Trimarni athlete spotlight - new feature at Trimarni
New Trimarni services for 2017

Thanks for reading about our year and for following us along.
We are excited to share 2017 with you!

Happy New Year!!

New Year = New Trimarni services!

Happy Birthday to us!
Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition is turning five.
And to celebrate, we have 7 (yes seven!!) NEW nutrition services to offer athletes!!! 
I can't believe that our business has been up and running for the past five years. It's crazy to think where we were when we started on January 1st, 2012 and where we are today.

Stay tuned because on Monday January 2nd, 2017, we will be revealing our new nutrition services, the 2017 Trimarni sponsors and affiliates and an updated media page full of educational content on the Trimarni website. Also, be sure to sign up for our Newsletter as mid January will start the new Trimarni Newsletter with tips and healthy fitness-focused recipes to help athletes create healthy habits to achieve athletic excellence. 

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

So how did I get to where I am today?
It sure didn't happen overnight!

Here's a snapshot of the past 17 years of my life. 

2000-2004 Undergrad – BA in Exercise Science, minor in psychology - Strength & Conditioning focus

2004-2006 Graduate – Master of Science in Exercise Physiology -Strength & Conditioning and nutrition focus

2006 – 4-month internship with Ironman corporation - Nutrition focus

2006 – 2007 – YMCA Wellness Coordinator – Nutrition/health and training/coaching focus

2006 -  Boston Marathon & Ironman Florida finisher – Sport nutrition, coaching, speaking and writing focus

Lessons learned over 6 years:
-Pursue higher education.
-Don’t be persuaded by money. Follow your passion.
-Use real-world experiences to guide your career path: internship, paid work, mentors, volunteer. 
-Don’t wait for the perfect time to continue your education (Start now, don’t let time pass by!).
-Your career path will be influenced by a variety of life factors.
-Don’t change your career path simply based on wants, dislikes or trends.
-Don’t chase the easy route.
-Keep yourself healthy. Don’t put your athletic/fitness aspirations on hold. 

2007-2010: Back to school (again) Accredited online dietetic classes (UNCO – distance education) and local pre-req classes.

2010-2011: 10-month, 1200 hour internship (Marywood University – distance education)

2011: Eligible for RD exam. Passed 2.5 hour, 125 question RD Exam (June 2011)

2011-2014: PRN Inpatient Clinical Dietitian (Baptist Medical Center Beaches)

2012: Started Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition, LLC. Karel switches from Cat 1 bike racing to triathlon. Marni wins her first ever overall titles (Irongirl Half marathon and Branson 70.3). 

2014 - 2015: Moved to Greenville, SC. Full-time at Trimarni coaching and nutrition. Karel comes on board to work for Trimarni full-time. Karel offers RETUL services in Jacksonville, FL once a month and locally in Greenville. Marni and Karel qualify for their first IM World Championship together. 

2015: Applied to take CSSD exam (Certified Sport Specialists in Dietetics). Passed 3-hour, 140 question exam (June). Karel now only offers RETUL services in Greenville. Athletes drive/fly to visit Karel for a professional bike fitting experience. Marni and Karel compete in their first Ironman World Championship together. 

2016: Trimarni coaching creates a triathlon team and specializes in endurance coaching. Trimarni now offer several triathlon group and private camps, key Trimarni events, training plans and an educational membership "coaching" option. Marni has now completed 11 Ironman distance triathlons and Karel as completed 7 Ironman distance triathlons. Between them both, they have completed 18 Ironman distance triathlons and have qualified for and competed at the Ironman World Championship 6 times.

2017: Trimarnicoach.com gets an update with seven NEW nutrition services and an updated media page full of educational content. Trimarni also now offers a newsletter to help athletes create healthy habits to achieve athletic excellence. 

Lessons learned

-Be willing and ready to make a lot of sacrifices. 

-Your first real job doesn't have to be your forever job. Enjoy finally making money for at least 

 a year or two. 

-Education gets you a job. Experience and continuing education makes you great at a job.

-Create strengths and skills that make you valuable, before pursuing a career. 

-A job makes you money. A career is a pursuit of a lifelong ambition. 

-Owning your own business means that you never stop working. 

-Hire people when you need help or when you need something done that is not within your specialty. 

-Never stop learning and be open-minded. 

-Find and use a mentor.

-Don’t work so much that you can't keep good health and enjoy your life. 

Get back on track with healthy eating

What does "healthy food" mean to you? 

To me, healthy food is included in a varied, nutrient dense diet which keeps my body functioning well. 

But in a world where unhealthy food is so available, it can be difficult to define and follow through with healthy eating. 

Busy schedules, misinformation, poor planning and low motivation can make healthy eating extremely challenging. 

Here are a few tips on how you can get back on track with healthy eating. 

-Stop the dieting and food rules. Restriction and deprivation doesn't work as it's not a sustainable style of eating. 

-Plan and prep ahead. When you are prepared, you make better food choices. Plus, by learning how to be a great meal/snack planner, you will create long-lasting "go-to" strategies for maintaining healthy eating habits even during your most busy, stressful and exhausting times in life. 

-Don't make your meals too complicated. Keep healthy eating simple and eat to feel satisfied and energized. 

-Eat with a purpose beyond weight/body composition. Learn to eat mindfully. You deserve to eat enough food to honor your biological hunger but you also deserve to eat food that you enjoy. Eating should be pleasurable experience. You should love your diet. Healthy eating is so much more than just eating to look a certain way but instead, eating to do amazing things with your body. Define your eating purpose behind every meal and snack in your diet. 

-Create one new "healthy eating" goal each week and don't set a new goal until your previous goal becomes a habit. For example, your goal can be to eat breakfast every morning, to bring an afternoon snack to work everyday, to have a recovery snack after every workout, to drink more water, to cook dinner at home two nights per week or to more vegetables at lunch. The idea behind a healthy eating goal is to create new strategies for change. If you have a goal of making dinner, you must figure out how you will make this happen. Stop the saying and start the doing. The only way you can sustain healthy eating is by creating a new lifestyle. 

-Leave space in your busy day for meal planning, prep and cooking. If you tell yourself that you do not have time to eat healthy, you need to adjust your priorities. Healthy eating may feel overwhelming if it is not yet a priority in your life. You can use a food delivery meal prep service or search through cookbooks for inspiration, but in order to eat healthy, healthy food needs to be available. By prepping and planning ahead, you will find yourself eating food that you love and feeling great about the foods that you put inside your body. 

. 

Trimarni athlete spotlight: Albert Cardona - A year of self-discovery and PR's!

This is a new weekly 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: Albert Cardona

Age: 37

City/State: Morristown, NJ

Primary sport: Triathlon

How many years in the sport: 8 years

What Trimarni services have you used: 

Nutrition  - 2 x sport nutrition consults while training for Ironman Kentucky

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

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

As a kid I played just about every sport from wrestling to golf and everything in-between. My primary sports were always soccer and hockey. I just couldn't get enough of them and that continued all the way through college. I was also very dedicated to excelling in the sports that I participated in.

What keeps you training and racing in your current sport?

I love the sport! Yes, it can be extremely frustrating as you try to learn form and technique for all three disciplines but I find it much less frustrating than golf, that's for sure! I love the fact that those that have success in the sport of triathlon achieve their success through hard work and determination. This is not a sport that comes easy to anyone. It's about putting in the hard work to reap the rewards.

What do you do for work?

I work within higher education running the housing and residence life office at a private university.

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

Work typically doesn't affect training too much, except during high peak times. When it's busy I have to be very diligent on how I plan my day. I might try to squeeze in a lunch time swim or run while on campus. There are some days that I might start the day before 5am in order to get my training in. Typically though my alarm rings between 5-5:30am everyday, within an occasional 7am alarm on one of the weekend days.

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

Plan your day in advance! If you don't take a few minutes the night before to pack your bags, write down your workouts chances are it's not going to happen. I often leave my house with three bags; one with lunch, and two workout bags (swim and gym/running stuff). If I left the packing for the morning hours, I would be so scatter that I am sure I would forget something. I have been guilty of showing up for a group bike ride within my cycling clothes and crocs. Riding for a little over an hour in crocs is not fun, so plan ahead.

Do you have kids?

No, not yet but we have a bun in the oven!

If married or in a relationship, how do you balance your training with your partner? Any tips or tricks for keeping your partner happy while you train to reach your personal goals?

I am married and I am incredibly blessed to have found someone who understands the inward drive that I have to be the best that I can be within the sport. Thankfully, she is also involved in the sport of triathlon, so she gets it. We get spend a good bit of time training together when indoors. Our bikes are setup on trainers in our pain cave side by side and it's great having her there with me. We both make an intentional effort to support and encourage each other.

But over time I have learned that when I get "the look" that enough encouragement. :)

In regards to tips/tricks - try to split up tasks as best as possible. It's always best if you know what your spouse/partners expectation is of you, and knowing this will help in your relationship and get things done around the house. I often relate this to the book The 5 Love Languages. The more you understand about your spouse/partner the better you will be.

                                                

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

This year was fully of pr's and positive race results! I started the season with a 3rd AG finish at Rutgers Half Marathon, followed by 1st OA win at Jerseyman (short distance - in-between sprint/olympic) and finished up the season with 6th AG finish at Ironman Louisville and narrowly missing the podium by 43 seconds and missing kona by a little less than 2 minutes. It was a great year! This year was definitely a year of discovering just how mentally tough you need to be in order to be competitive in your AG. In years past I have had tough workouts that I thought prepared me to be mentally tough, but this year was a whole different level. One motto that I had this year that helped me achieve this was, "be present". I recited this to myself countless number of times and each time it may have had a slightly different meaning. During workouts where I was day dreaming about Kona, I would say it and pull myself back to focus on the workout of the day and remind myself that it's about one day at a time. Days when I was feeling really good and wanted to push harder during my workouts I would say it and pull myself back to the prescribed pace. Days of long bike rides where my mind would start wandering or I would be so ready to just be done, I would say it an regain my focus.

In order to achieve your goals in the sport you have to "be present" and face the obstacle that is immediately in front of you. Don't get caught up thinking about your current weight, pace, threshold, stress about work, blah, blah, blah. Just think about what is directly in front of you and that is putting on your shoes and pushing yourself out the door. If you can focus just on being present, you will be amazed to see how far it can take you!

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

• Sleep - you will be amazed at how much better you will feel if you get enough sleep every night.
  
  
• Set attainable goals. Unless you are a freak of nature you will not be able to go from 200th in your AG to 1st, so be honest with yourself. By setting realistic goals and meeting them it will bring a smile to your face and make it more enjoyable. Also, share you goals with others. Its great when friends and families provide encouragement along the way.
• Be sure to spend time with family. Family has a way of pulling you back to reality and reminding you of what is really important in life and that this sport is "just for fun."
• "Let go and get help". Sometimes it is just easier to ask others who are knowledgeable in the sport for help. You don't have to figure it all out on your own. By letting go and asking for help it gives you time back into your day to spend time with family, focus on work or get out an train. This season I took this approach and asked Marni for help with nutrition. Marni was great in helping me with my daily nutrition and more specifically gaining and understanding of training and racing nutrition needs. This paid off greatly! In 2015 I finished 12th in my AG at an IM and in less than one year to be able to cut the field in half and finish 6th is huge!
  
  Through Marni's advice I was able to have more productive training sessions and which lead to me getting stronger and faster. But the biggest success for me was figuring out why I was experiencing a drop in blood pressure after long runs. Marni helped me figure it out and on race day at Ironman Louisville, I posted my fastest marathon time ever. Beating my open marathon time by 7 minutes. My nutrition was much better this time around and when I got to the marathon I had the fuel in my body to keep me running. Orange Mud makes terrific hydration backpacks that made it possible for me to carry the needed fluid ounces on my long runs, thus making sure that I was not getting dehydrated. I liked their pack so much that I even wore it on race day.By asking for help it really simplifies life and training, so if you are wondering about your self created training plan, nutrition plan, bike fit, go pro swim videos, etc. Just do yourself a favor and get someone to help you. Paying someone to help will reap greater rewards than buying yourself a new carbon "whatever". 

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

Doing the best that I can do on the day! I have learned that I can set my goals but each race has it's own set of challenges and you can never predict what you will face. But I have learned that on each race day, if I have given it my all and raced in a manner which I would have no regrets, then it's been a great day! There is nothing worse than looking back on a race and kicking yourself for walking for no real reason.

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

Burger, fries and chocolate milk shake and/or beer. Mussel and Burger Bar in Louisville has some of the best burgers ever! After my IM, I had 3 of their hamburgers within a 15 hour window.

What key races do you have planned in 2017

Haven't set the full race schedule yet. But planning on racing Rutgers half marathon, and looking to do an early 70.3 with the goal of qualifying for Worlds 70.3 in August.

What are your athletic goals for the next 5 years?

I would like to continue giving back to the sport however I can, mentoring others that are just getting started, develop sponsored relationships with various companies, and focus on hitting my goal of taking a trip to the Big Island! :)

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

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

How to make training work in your busy life

Being an athlete is tough, especially if you are an adult athlete.

As an adult athlete, it can feel very overwhelming to try to dedicate enough time to every important component of your life. 

While it’s important to identify yourself as an athlete while training for your upcoming events, your primary role in life is much more than just being an athlete. Being an athlete is a choice and your training is a hobby. As you train your body for your upcoming athletic event, it is important that you do not neglect your parent, spouse, family or job responsibilities just to be an athlete.

In life, human beings have to make a lot of lifestyle choices. These choices help people function better in life with improved energy, mood, productivity and health.

As an athlete, these choices are extremely important as they help you adapt to training while keeping you in good health, but they help with the flow of your extremely busy life.

Life as an athlete is tough. It’s busy, it’s rushed, it’s packed and it involves a lot of decisions and planning. As an athlete, your life is like a puzzle and each piece of the puzzle makes up your ability to function well in life. Sometimes, it may feel like all the pieces are there and sometimes it may feel like there’s always a piece or two missing.

As an athlete, you don’t need every piece of the puzzle to be perfectly in place for you to function well in life but you need the pieces of the puzzle to be there. And for those pieces to be present, you do need to make a lot of decisions on a daily basis. These decisions will always be tough because there’s a lot of moving parts to your life - you have a responsibility to your family, spouse and job to show up, be present and take care of others but you also have a responsibility to your body to prepare for your upcoming event.

As an athlete, sometimes you will make decisions that are very easy and sometimes you will make decisions that are very, very hard. For you to achieve athletic excellence, you must be motivated to make decisions all the time – no matter how easy or hard.

For example, 6 weeks out from a key race, athletes are very motivated to make decisions. Athletes will not skip workouts, they will cut out alcohol and sweets, they will pay attention to the diet, they focus on good sleep and they remove outside stressors. Decision making is a great priority. These athletes are still great parents, they show up to work on time and they are great people, but athletes prioritize the decisions that are made, all in an effort to help with race day preparation.

Right now, making decisions is probably pretty tough as it relates to race preparation. It’s cold, you are too busy, races are far away, it’s no fun running on the treadmill, riding on the trainer is boring, the pool is too far away, it takes too long to cook, etc.

One of the easiest ways to make better decisions is to focus on the many lifestyle factors that can help you feel less overwhelmed with your training.

Although it's hard to change lifestyle habits, I can tell you that when you focus on good sleep, a healthy diet, good recovery, daily mobility, stress management, communication with your family and consistency in training, it’s a lot easier to function in life. Even though this may look like a lot to focus on, life actually becomes less overwhelming when healthy lifestyle habits are in place.  There are less missed workouts, you feel less overwhelmed, your body isn’t as tired and your body is more prepared when you get to that next stage of training. Your week just seems to flow very smoothly when you make good decisions with your lifestyle.

And let’s be honest – training makes you feel good and function better in life. So why push training aside when you feel overwhelmed??

It all comes down to your lifestyle choices. 

Training should not be a chore or an obligation but something that you want to do because it makes you feel good, it makes you happy, it makes you feel less stressed, it makes you a better parent and feel less overwhelmed and you are being a good role model to people around you.

I know that it’s hard to balance training with life and sometimes, training adjustments will need to be made and workouts will need to be missed. But, by being an active participant in your life and making great lifestyle choices (ex. plan ahead, be creative, communicate, manage your time well, be practical), you will find a way to make training less overwhelming in your busy life.

Training is not always fun but it's important that you enjoy your athletic journey so that one day in the near future you can look back and tell yourself that it was all worth it. 

Are you ready to change your lifestyle habits? Start TODAY!

Do you feel like there's a lot on your to-do list but today is just not a good day to get done what you need to get done?

Do you find yourself constantly waiting for the perfect moment, the right amount of energy, enough motivation or the best resources to start something and well, today just isn't that day?

The truth is that there is never a perfect moment to start something. Yes, that means on January 1st, that day will be no better or worse than today, tomorrow or March 21st.

The biggest obstacle that most people face when changing habits is getting started. The first step to getting something done today is to just get started.

If you have found yourself slipping into some bad habits over the past few weeks or you feel like it's time for a change in your life, here are a few tips to help you get started so that you don't put off until tomorrow, what you can get started/finished today.

1. Have a plan - Write out your day before it happens so that you can plan for what needs to get done today before today turns into tomorrow. Before you add anything else to your to-do list, prioritize your tasks. Make schedules and deadlines for yourself so that you hold yourself accountable to your plan. Don't over-complicate your life by giving or accepting more responsibilities than you can handle in one day.

2. Schedule time for yourself - Putting everyone else first will leave no time for yourself. If you are spending too much time pleasing or taking care of others, you will lose a sense of your self and what you need to do to create your own happiness in life. This commitment to yourself will improve your well-being and overall productivity.

3. Organize your life - Are there times in your life when you have asked yourself "there must be a quicker way to do this?!?!". If yes, establish a practical daily routine that helps you get more things started and finished in a timely manner. Meal prep, exercise/training, sleeping, house/job organizing, scheduling and cleaning all require a bit of effort and work but once you create a routine, you will feel like life is more organized and thus, you can get more done.

4. Think small - Big results are the sum of many small changes. Avoid the common mistake of trying to go big and make extreme changes in your life, especially when it comes to diet and exercise. Make your changes so incredibly easy that it's nearly impossible to fail. For example, instead of telling yourself that you will work out for 90 minutes every morning this week, aim to work out for 20 minutes three mornings this week. You will likely get more accomplished over the course of 7 days, thus helping you create better habits to support a future early morning exercise routine. Same goes for cooking at home. If you want to cook more at home, don't overwhelm yourself by trying to cook 7 days a week. Aim for two or three nights of following a recipe from a cook book (and shopping and prepping ahead of time) and for the other nights, give yourself some slack and be ok with semi-homemade meals. Sustainable habits are a product of daily habits.

5. Reward yourself - We are more likely to keep doing things that make us feel good. This is why we don't want to change too much at once or make extreme changes. It is important to celebrate new behavior changes or a new routine by acknowledging that you are making progress. Rewards should always make you feel good and should keep you motivated to create a new lifestyle. Once your behavior becomes a new habit or part of your lifestyle, it's time to reduce the rewards. I encourage you to not use food as a reward but instead, treat yourself to a massage, a movie, a new workout item/equipment, something cozy for sleeping or something personal that will help you keep up with your new habits for intrinsic purposes - because it makes you feel proud, healthy or self-confident.

Reframe your thinking over the holiday season

When was the last time you beat yourself up for “cheating” on your diet or for missing a workout?

Athletes are typically very determined, passionate, focused and hard working and when put into certain life situations, athletes can be very on or off. Either choices are a success or a failed attempt.

Because of this natural tendency to want to be "on" all the time, it’s understandable that many athletes feel a loss of control around the holiday season as it relates to succeeding with healthy eating and consistent exercising. 
With 365 days in a year, there’s no reason to be extreme with your dietary and exercise habits around the holiday season. But at the same time, you can maintain great health and wellness over the holidays with a little shift in your thinking.

All you need is a little reframing to help shift your mind out of negative thinking. 

According to Molly Kellogg, RD, LCSW, and author of Counseling Tips for Nutrition Therapists, “Reframing a problem involves placing it in a different context (or frame) and thereby changing its meaning. Often, this means taking something seen as bad (problem) and shifting either its content or its context so it can be seen as useful rather than bad. The new perspective leads either to acceptance or to creativity about what to do differently.”

For example, instead of saying “I can never control myself around sweets during the holidays” say, “I feel so lucky that so many people care about me and want to bake me cookies for the holidays.” Or, instead of saying, “I have so much to do, I can't even find time to exercise” say to yourself, “I’m thankful to have a family to care for and I deserve to take care of myself so I can be a better parent for my family.”

Holidays present a wonderful opportunity to enjoy different foods you likely would not consume on a daily basis and to change up your routine training regime. This may feel like an uncomfortable and overwhelming time of the year due to all the changes in your eating patterns and exercise routine but bringing behaviors of extreme discipline and restriction will only make you feel more anxious about the holidays.  Because your thought processes are creating beliefs and assumptions that this is an uncomfortable and overwhelming time of the year, it's important that you recognize that you are simply associating a negative thought to every situation out of your control.

Because the holidays are a time to share love and create memories with others, the most powerful thing you can do for your mind, body and soul is to stretch your boundaries when it comes to approaching specific situations. 

I encourage you to step away from rigid thinking (all or nothing) and think about how you can successfully navigate your way through the holiday season with a healthy mind and body.  

Instead of saying, “I hate how I feel when I eat so much bad food” say, “I am equipped with the necessary tools to indulge responsibly and to eat until I feel satisfied."

Without even realizing it, you have probably reframed countless situations in training to finish a workout or on race day, in order to cross the finish line. For example, instead of saying "I am so tired, I should give up now" you say "I may be tired but I can rest when I am done!".

In your ongoing quest to become a smarter, healthier and stronger athlete, consider the negative thought patterns that are keeping you from finding better balance in your life. 

This is a great quote from Molly Kellogg you may want to keep in mind as we approach the holiday season.

"It takes courage to demand time for yourself. At first glance, it may seem to be the ultimate in selfishness, a real slap in the face to those who love and depend on you. It's not. It means you care enough to want to see the best in yourself and give only the best to others."

Healthy Weight vs. Race Weight? A must read for performing at your best.

Source

Athletes are constantly being told to lose weight.

Whether it's directly from a coach or from the messages and images viewed on social media and in articles and on TV, we live in a body obsessed society.

With so many different body types and so many different styles of eating (aka "diets"), driven by misconceptions about food, body dissatisfaction and misguided strategies for eating "right", it doesn't surprise me when I see the health and performance of competitive, body conscious, goal oriented and driven athletes, deteriorate.

Most athletes have no idea how much energy is needed by the body to perform at a high level. Most athletes do not feel they deserve to eat "that much food".

Now more than ever, most athletes are very obsessed with how much they weigh. Due to so many false statements relating to body weight and performance, athletes are constantly trying to be thinner, leaner and lighter, while trying to get faster and to go longer.

As it relates to your healthy weight, it's very hard to define a healthy weight as an athlete. Most charts (ex. BMI) do not account for the extra muscle and denser bones that you will develop through training. I know for myself, I am always on the high end of a "healthy" weight for my height because of my athletic build and from my genetics. For much of the year, a healthy weight is one that puts you at little risk for disease or illness, is a weight that allows you to function well in life without following dietary rules or restrictions, is one that allows you to have great energy throughout the day and is a weight that is easy to maintain with your activity regime.

Unfortunately, many athletes try to maintain and achieve a weight that is based on a look or a number on a scale for much of the year, often comparing this "ideal" image to one that was achieved in peak training. Self-identity to a body image is often a struggle for athletes because your healthy weight may not be the one that you accept for what it looks like, but it may be the best weight for you to maintain great health for much of the year. My advice for athletes is to work on body acceptance and to not try to fight for a certain "lean or defined" image, size or weight. Through good lifestyle habits and a great relationship with food and your body, a healthy weight will be easy to achieve and easy to maintain regardless how much or little you are training.

So now we get to the topic of race weight. As it relates to the topic of athletes being obsessed with weight, far too many athletes are using a number on the scale to determine athletic readiness for an event. Unfortunately, this approach does not tell athletes what type of weight is being lost - is it fat, muscle or water?

Your body composition provides very specific information about your body make-up, much more than simply looking at a number on a scale. As it relates to body composition, you are focusing on the proportion of fat and lean body mass in the body.

Your body is made up of body fat and lean body mass.

Body fat can be found as storage fat and as essential body fat.

The human body stores fat in the form of triglycerides within fat (adipose tissue) as well as within the muscle fibers (intramuscular triglycerides). Through endurance training (without any dietary manipulation), there is an increase in fat oxidation from intramuscular triglycerides. As exercise intensity increases, fatty acid mobilization from adipose tissue slows but total fat oxidation increases due to the increase use of intramuscular triglycerides. Let's not forget that dietary carbohydrates influence fat mobilization and oxidation during exercise.

Storage fat is located around organs and beneath the skin, which protects the body and acts as an insulator. I don't need to tell you this but excessive accumulation of visceral fat is associated with health issues, which is why it is important to keep your body composition within a healthy body composition range - not too high but not too low.

As for essential fat, this is fat found in the marrow of bones, the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, intestines, muscles and lipid rich tissues throughout the central nervous system. Essential fat is critical for normal body functioning. Women tend to have higher essential fat compared to men.

Your lean body mass represents everything in your body that is not fat - the weight of your muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and internal organs. Certainly, you don't want to lose any of this "weight" through dieting or exercising.

As you can see, athletes should not be using a scale to assess a "healthy weight" and a number on the scale is an impractical method to determine "race weight." 

Let's continue on with this discussion for application purposes....

Athlete A is motivated to lose weight in order to improve athletic performance for an upcoming endurance event. This athlete does not want to hire a sport dietitian but has his/her own methods for weight loss. Let's not forget to mention that this athlete is not aware of how much energy is needed to support the metabolic demands of training and this athlete does not have a practice method of lowering body fat while retaining lean muscle mass. This athlete only uses the scale to asses weight loss. Seeing that a number of key hormones play an important role in the regulation of body composition and energy production, the glands in the endocrine system (ex. adrenal, hypothalamus, ovaries, pancreas, parathyroid, pineal, pituitary, testes, thymus, thyroid) are slowly being compromised. Athlete A has no professional guidance on his/her quest to weigh less and through diligent dietary adherence and structured intense and high volume training, this athlete loses weight. While this athlete may have arrived to race day at his/her race weight, this athlete will now spend the next few months or year, trying to fix his/her overtaxed, overloaded and damaged endocrine system. It's worth mentioning that even for athletes who are not seeking weight loss but do not understand the energy that is needed to support endurance or high intensity training, may end up unintentionally damaging hormonal or metabolic health by not "eating enough" or timing food appropriately with training, to support training stress.

So how about Athlete B. This athlete follows his/her training plan and works with a sport dietitian to better understand how to time nutrition with training, to understand individual energy and nutrient needs and to learn how to use sport nutrition properly to support long and intense training sessions and to maximize recovery. This athlete can train consistently throughout the entire season and notices a change in body composition over an extended period of time through sustainable healthy eating habits and a well-laid training plan. This athlete increases lean mass while reducing overall body fat without intentionally trying. This athlete recognizes that although the number on the scale has gone up by a few lbs, this athlete has actually lowered his/her body fat and has gained muscle. This athlete is in great health, has a leaner yet healthy and strong body and will arrive to race day confident and prepared.

THE BIG TAKE AWAY

A change in your body composition is the outcome of a well planned and executed fueling and training plan. When a healthy change in body composition is desired, it involves a team approach from a coach, sport dietitian and possibly an exercise physiologist for body composition testing and a doctor for lab work. Most athletes do not take this approach as they want a quick, inexpensive and easy approach to weight loss.

It's far too common that athletes will step on the scale and respond with "I'm too fat/heavy" or "I can never perform well at this weight". This triggers the need for control and immediate action and leads into overtraining, calorie restriction, carbohydrate elimination and improper fueling and hydrating.

Seeing that this approach places the athlete at risk for losing lean tissue, bone mass, depleted energy stores and a possible gain in body fat, why would any athlete want to compromise the body through this approach?

Isn't the point of training to become a better, stronger and faster athlete?

How can this be done with a body that you can't do anything with?

I hear about it all the time but unsupervised, uneducated and poorly guided athletes are most at risk for illness, injury, poor recovery, decreased performance and a host of hormonal, bone, cardiovascular and metabolic health issues. All of which negatively affect training and can compromise overall well-being.

For you to perform at your best AND to adapt to training, while functioning well in life, focus on achieving a healthy weight and let your race weight take care of itself. With optimal fueling and hydration strategies, a healthy and well balanced diet, consistent quality training, good sleep and great recovery habits, you will not only reach athletic excellence but your great daily habits will continue to bring you long-term health benefits.

Sources:
Fat metabolism during exercise
Metabolic adaptation to weight loss
Getting a grip on body composition
Diets gone too far