Holiday eating and the health conscious athlete

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

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

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

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

The following was taken directly from Intuitiveeating.org.

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

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

Fasted workouts - are they really working for you?

Fasted workouts are stressful. By working out on an empty stomach, you are introducing another level of stress to your body. Even if research says you are teaching your body how to adapt to become better equipped to utilizing fat as a fuel source – this doesn’t mean this approach will work for you.
For this marginal gain approach to truly work, you need to carefully program rest and proper nutrition around your fasted workout so you can recover and refuel properly for this approach to work. Additionally, training needs to be manipulated in a way that you are actually taping into fat burning during the workout - which can be difficult to quantitively measure.

My advice: Nail the basics first. A well balanced diet, good sleep (at least 7-8 hours), mobility, good recovery – get all these things dialed in before you attempt incoroprating fasted workouts into your training. Without a solid foundation of nailing the basics, you risk under performing during your workouts and the risk for injury, sickness and fluctuating energy levels increase.

Despite clear benefits of pre-workout carbohydrate ingestion on improved performance, mental focus, immune system health and longevity in sport, athletes still refuse to intentionally not eat before early morning workouts. What's the most common reason why?

"I need to burn fat for fuel to become more metabolically efficient."

In my opinion, this is the number one reason why athletes intentionally restrict/avoid consuming carbohydrates before an early morning workout. The primary science behind fasting relates to its metabolic effects - by working out on an empty stomach, fat burning is enhanced. Although there are several different approaches to dietary manipulation in an effort to train the muscles to more readily use fat as a substrate, let's put science/research aside for a second and look beyond a cellular level. 

As an athlete, your training is designed to prepare you for your upcoming event. In order to do so, you need to be consistent with training and your body needs to adapt to the training sessions - some of which will be short, some are high volume, some are easy and some are very intense. Knowing that your body is utilizing different fuel sources to adapt to different training sessions, it is very difficult to know which workouts are truly metabolizing fat for fuel. In other words, you are likely underfueling and sabotaging most of your workouts. Additionally, training yourself to become a great fat burner doesn't ensure that you will excel on race day - there are many factors from mental to environmental that will affect your race day performance. It's unlikely that your body fat percentage or fat burning capabilities will be your primary limiter on race day. Being a great fat burner will do nothing for you if you aren't an efficient open water swimmer or if you don't know how to manage the terrain while riding your bike for 112 miles on rolling hills and in the wind. 

As you balance work, family/kids, training and a busy life, is not eating before an early morning workout really making a significant impact in your athletic development? 

Keeping in mind that most athletes nullify the effects of a fasted workout by being sedentary throughout the day, skipping meals (or overeating), being overly stressed and overworked and skimping on restful sleep, you'll do your body and mind a great favor by fueling yourself for the workout training stress. And once again, if you aren't putting effort into your sleep, eating, hydration and recovery habits, the occasional or regular fasted training session is likely hurting your performance, more than it's helping.

Karel and myself eat before every workout and consume sport nutrition during every workout - all year long. Even after a combined 29 IM performances and 9 Ironman World Championship finishes, we still choose a smart fueling approach over a marginal gain approach. 

Eating before a workout and fueling during a workout gives you confidence that you are doing the small things well. And overtime, the small things will add up to something great with your performance.

Remember – there are no shortcuts, hacks or quick fixes to improving your performance. Consistent training, hard work, patience and keeping yourself in great health will help pave the way to great future performances.

For more information on nutrient timing, I dedicated three (very detailed) chapters to this topic in my book Essential Sports Nutrition. 

The work-life balance - is it achievable?

Picture source

Do you find yourself constantly stressed and busy? 
Do you feel overwhelmed with your work/life responsibilities? 
Do you feel like there is little time for yourself? 
Do you feel like life is quickly rushing by you?

I've always been intrigued by this idea of the perfect life-work balance - where everything seems to flow perfectly from sunup to sundown. As great as it sounds, it's a difficult concept to achieve. 

In life, we are constantly juggling the demands of work, alongside other hobbies, family, obligations and taking care of our health and well-being. Life is constantly changing, which requires our focus and energy to move in different directions. Trying to give 100% to everything that you do in life is a recipe for burn out.

In order to tackle your never ending daily to-do list, move up on the career ladder or to please others, you may find yourself neglecting important areas in your life - like your health, happiness and mental well-being.

I invite you to take a moment and think about your current lifestyle. There's no need to quit your job tomorrow, sell your house and start traveling the world in a RV. But.....

If you find yourself constantly stressed, anxious, unhealthy, poorly nourished, burnt out and sleep deprived, you may be trying to put too much on your daily plate and removing yourself from your daily priorities.

To help you put the "me" back into your lifestyle, here are some helpful questions to answer:

1. Am I making time for things that are truly important to me?
2. How often am I doing things that truly make me happy?
3. What could I do differently to improve my physical and mental health and well-being? 
4. What do I keep saying yes to when I should be saying no to?
5. How much time a day do I give to someone/something other than myself? 

Life is short and there's a lot of it to enjoy. If you are waiting for the perfect time to pursue your passions, improve your health, travel or spend more time doing things that truly make you happy, I recommend to start now because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

Ella, welcome to the family.

On August 25th, 2019, we added a new furry member to our family. However, technically our new kitten did not yet belong to us. Here's the emotional story of our sweet Ella.

On April 30th, 2019, we said good-bye to our 16-year cat named Smudla. Karel had a really difficult time moving on from the loss of his long-time companion but the sight of any kitten would quickly bring a smile to his face. While nothing could replace the love that he had for Smudla, it was in early July when Karel brought up the idea of getting a new feline family member. I was a bit hesitant as I wasn't sure how Campy and Madison (the seniors in the house) would feel about this new addition.

One day in mid August, I was texting with an athlete/friend of ours who lives outside of Atlanta Georgia and fosters kittens. I mentioned to her that when we get back from Kona, we would like to adopt one of her rescue kittens. Karel was interested in a grey kitten and when I mentioned this to our friend, she replied back that she has a grey female kitten right now. Of course, we needed a picture immediately.

At that moment, we fell in love. Although she was 2 months old, she was only the size of a 4 week old. She was found outside with her litter mates, without her mother. Our friend said that her and her simblings were so sick when she got them that she didn't know if they would make it.

Of course, that story made us love her even more. It wasn't until a few days later that we named her Ella.

We were told that she was not up for adoption until she was older and heavier - at that point she could get spayed and could then be placed up for adoption. With strict adoption rules from the foster organization, we were so sad that we couldn't adopt her right away. Ella was being fostered with five or six other kittens and she was certainly the runt of the group. She was struggling to put on weight because she was so active and lively. She would nap hard and play hard.

After another week or two of getting regular updates on Ella, we had a phone discussion with the lady in charge of the foster organization and she agreed that we could take home Ella under two conditions.

1) She was not officially ours until we got her spayed. In other words, we were only fostering her.
2) We had to foster two kittens - Ella and another kitten - so that they could both interact and learn from one another.

While we were only interested in Ella, we quickly fell in love with the orange kitten that our friend was also fostering. We named him Felix and decided to welcome them both into our family.

When the fostering paperwork was complete and the medication/vaccine protocol list was put together, Karel made the 3.5 hour drive on Sunday August 27th to pick up our new "not yet official" family members. I was unable to go with Karel as I was finishing the manuscript of my third book with my final deadline on Monday the 28th.

While Karel was making his 6+ hour round trip, I fixed up our spare room to be a safe and welcoming "kitten" room. When Karel returned to our house with two adorable and tiny kittens, I was a bit overwhelmed with the love that I had for both of them.  Ella was extremely tiny and looked so fragile whereas Felix was vibrant and healthy. Ella was still a bit sick so we had to put medication in her squinty eyes. Feline herpesvirus is a very common viral infection in orphaned and immunocompromised kittens. During a flare up, the kitten may experience an upper respiratory infection including sneezing, nasal discharge and decreased appetite. Other signs include eye discharge, swelling and squinting. Most kittens can recover from this infection in 1-2 weeks.

At the time, we didn't know any of these symptoms but just assumed she had a little eye infection. Our friend was taking exceptionally great care of these kittens and as she mentioned to us before, they were all very sick when she received the kittens (she fosters the most scary/difficult rescues).

In the morning of our first full day with Ella and Felix, I received a call from my mom that my Grandpa Joe passed away at the age of 96. I was very sad that my grandpa was no longer just a phone call away but also grateful that my grandpa could live such a long and happy life. Later that evening, I booked a flight to travel to Ft. Wayne Indiana for a memorial service with close friends and family. I traveld to Indiana on Tues afternoon, stayed there all day Wednesday and traveled home very early on Thursday. Althugh it was a very emotional time for me, I new that I had two adorable kittens to warm my heart when I returned home from my trip. I also had plenty of photos of Felix and Ella as Karel could not stop sending me pictures of his two new loves (don't worry, our senior citizens Campy and Madison were still getting a lot of attention).

Thursday was a very busy day for me. I squeezed in a lot of work and workouts and our weekly educational FB live chat with our team and I was so ready to relax with the kittens at 8:00pm. I noticed that Felix was acting a bit lethargic when we brought them downstairs from their room. He was also showing signs of labored breathing. I texted our close friend Joey (cat mom) and after Facetiming with her to show her Felix, she suggested that we take him to the Animal Emergency Clinic. We left Ella alone in her room and took Felix to the emergency clinic. As soon as we arrived, the tech at the desk took Felix from us to start a nebulizing treatment on him since he was open mouth breathing. At this point, I was so exhausted from everything. Karel and I stayed positive and hoped that it was nothing serious. When we finally saw the doctor, she told us that he has an upper respiratory infection and that they will give him some medication and we can take him home. We were relieved that we were able to take him home as we felt like this was a sign that he would be ok.

Ella was happy to see her buddy when we returned home around 11:30pm. We had a restless night of sleep as we were worried about Felix and when we woke up in the morning, we went right to the kitten room to check on Felix. Of course, Ella sprints out of the room full of energy and ready to eat but Felix was still very lethargic on his bed, still struggling to breathe. At this point, we were scared. So we rushed him to our local vet (5 miles away) and they quickly put him back on the neubulizing therapy. They wanted to keep Felix all day to see how he was tolerating the therapy and if he wasn't showing signs of improvement, we would need to take him back to the Emergency Clinic. Around 4:30pm, we received a call from the vet that Felix was doing worse than before and he needed to go to the Emergency Clinic. We picked up Ella and took them both to the clinic so that Ella didn't have to be alone. Felix was rushed back into the neubulizing area and we waited and waited and waited. They asked if we were ok to take xrays as it would be risky on such a sick little kitten but they also explained the pros and cons of the situation. We agreed to the xrays and it showed pneumonia. We kept Feliex at the Emergency Clinic over night and just hoped and prayed that he would be ok.

We had scheduled a long bike ride with three out of town friends and we barely made 90 minutes into the ride before we had to turn around as we couldn't think straight and we had no mental energy to be on the bike. We played with Ella when we returned home (I asked my mom to watch Ella while we were biking) and texted back and forth to the organizer of the foster group to explain about Felix's situation (we had kept her in the loop through it all). Although Ella was our biggest worry when we brought her home, our strong, vibrant and playful Felix was struggling. On Saturday, just 6 days after we brought home Ella and Felix, we received a phone call that Felix was not going to make it. The foster organizer gave the doctor permission to humanely put Felix out of his discomfort.

We were heart broken. And still are. Did we do something wrong? Should we have waited until they were older? But what about Ella - if we didn't take her in, would she have survived? We ask ourselves questions over and over as we are still so heartbroken about the situation. But Ella has shown us that she is a fighter. She is a fantastic eater, sleeper and pooper and all around fun and entertaining kitten.

As for the rest of September, what was suppose to be an exciting time of peaking for the 2019 Ironman World Championship, we spent at least one day a week for the next 4 weeks at the vet for Ella. We were so close to cancelling our trip to Kona as we had no desire to race in what was suppose to be a fun event for us with so much heartache, drama and stress. Anytime Ella would sneeze or cough, we got scared that something was going to happen to her. If Ella was unusually tired, we started to freak out. She received more medications and vaccines in the month of September and we were on high alert for the next few weeks. We even decided to fly in Karel's mom to watch over Ella to make sure nothing happened to her while we were in Kona for two weeks. The vet staff was falling in love with Ella as they saw her regularly for the month of September. Ella had a few more health complications but everything was treatable.

I hesitated to write this blog for many reasons and we are still so sad about Felix. We also didn't want to talk much about Ella until we knew she was officially ours. At the age of 16 weeks and just tipping the scales at 4 lbs, Ella was spayed on 11/21 and now we can finally officially say that Ella is part of our family.

Although we were expecting a happy and joyful experience of adopting a new kitten, this doesn't change my feelings about rescue animals. It all started with the kindness of our friend who was fostering Ella (and Felix) - which is not an easy job. Every foster/rescue organization relies on donations and animal lovers to help feed, medicate and provide for deserving animals in need of a forever home. She gave Ella a second chance at life and now Ella is living the life with us and big brother (Campy) and sister (Madison). There is an overpopulation of cats and dogs and we must break the cycle. In order to do so, I encourage you to adopt don't shop.

Ella loves her crinkle toys with feathers, boxes, tissue paper, strings and anything loose that she can toss around. She is curious about water, naps all afternoon, loves to go into rooms that she is not suppose to (workout room), loves to eat, likes to play with Madison and Campy (neither of them are overly enthusiastic about the situation but are accepting), loves to chase her tail and is always on the hunt to attack moving objects. She is loves to jump and discover new things. She sleeps in our bed at night - usually on top of one of us.

Thank you for reading her story.

13 questions to ask yourself before starting a new diet

→You recently watched a documentary and you are convinced vegan is the right diet for you. 

→You've been following the recent health and fitness trends on social media and you are convinced that carbs are evil and keto is the way to go. 

→You are ready, more than ever before, to get your diet under control and to get yourself back into good health. Starting tomorrow, you will eliminate all dairy, gluten, sugar, sodium and processed food. 

If you are considering a change in your diet, you are not alone. Whether it's for weight loss, body composition changes, health, self-confidence or mental well-being, you may feel that a significant change in your diet is exactly what you need right now in your life.

Unfortunantly, a healthy and well-balanced diet is not something that can be rushed. For long term success, quick fix diets are not the answer. In such a food and body obsessed society, dietary extremism seems like the norm. Radical, overnight changes often stem from misleading pseudo-scientific claims and empty promises. At the cost of your health, well-being, time, energy and money, I encourage you to ask yourself the following questions before starting a new diet.

1. Is this diet practical for my current lifestyle, health needs and activity regime? 
2. Does this diet fit within my food, health and athletic ideologies?
3. Am I choosing this diet for health/medical/ethical reasons? 
4. Am I choosing this diet because it is popular/trendy and/or I need a quick fix? 
5. Do I need to seek nutritional assistance from a dietitian before making changes to my diet to ensure I do things correctly so that I don't negatively affect my health/performance?
6. Can I realistically maintain and committ to this style of eating for the next 6 months? 
7. What changes will I need to make to my lifestyle to make this a sustainable style of eating so that it doesn't negatively impact my health and/or performance? 
8. How will this diet impact my social life, family, relationships, work/career, physical abilities and/or mental well-being? 
9. Does this diet negatively impact the environment/planet?
10. Is there well-supported scientific research and long-term studies to prove that this diet is effective, safe and health promoting in the long-term?
11. How will the "off limit food list" impact my physical, mental and emotional well-being? 
12. What aspects of this diet will help me with my unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits (ex. emotional eating, overeating, poor sleep habits, don't like to cook, etc). 
13. Is there a chance that I will become fixated with this style of eating and risk an unhealthy, obsessive relationship with food? 

Bonus question: Without overhauling my diet, what's one thing that I could do to add nutritional value to my current diet?

2020 Marni and Karel Race Schedule

Who's excited to race???

A lot goes into planning our race schedule. This is why we try to establish a clear plan as far in advance as possible. Not only does this help us plan travel/accomodations at reasonable prices (not waiting until the last minute) but for a goal(s) to be reached, races should be strategically planned. Otherwise, the training can not be periodized or structured in a way that can safely induce positive training adaptations and race readiness. In other words, you will either peak too early or feel the need to rush the fitness gaining process.

I find that far too many athletes don't put a lot of deep thought into the purpose behind each race on the race calendar.

When selecting a race, you first want to give yourself a few short and long term goals (and one or two stretch goals) for what you want to achieve this season and onward. This will help you understand what you want to get out of every race - giving each race a clear purpose. As a general tip, you can't expect to PR at every race. Avoid the common tendency of only training for one race at a time. See your season as progressive.  Performance improvements are not linear and the most significant improvements come after many years of consistent trainng and racing. Because not every race will showcase your best ever performance, there is something to gain and learn with every race. Once you select your goals, it's now time to select your races. Before you register for a race, give each race some serious thought - do your research. Consider the time of the year, the location, course, size of the race, type of environment (ex. beginner friendly event, safety, logistics) and weather.

Once you create a list of your potential races, discuss these races with your family/support system, create a budget for each race and most of all, make sure each race logistically makes sense - traveling to a race is not always easy or inexpensive. Make sure you can give yourself an appropriate amount of time off work to allow for stress-free travel and a positive racing experience.

By setting your goals and carefully selecting your races, you can then structure your training accordingly. By having a plan, you will maintain motivation to put in the work, even if a race is far in the future. It's important to give yourself appropriate time to physically prepare for each race - otherwise, you'll feel crunched for time and do too much training too quickly. Also, where each race falls in the season plan can also help prevent burn out if you select races appropriately. And most of all, once the season is complete, you can reflect on your season as a whole and determine what worked/didn't work as you plan out your next season of training and racing.

2020 MARNI AND KAREL RACE SCHEDULE

March 11-15th: Clermont, FL Training camp + Olympic distance race 
Marni and Karel racing

April 19th: Ironman 70.3 FL
Marni and Karel racing

May 2nd: Ironman St. George
Karel racing

May 17th: Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga 
Marni racing

June 7th: Ironman 70.3 Virginia's Blue Ridge
Marni racing. Karel racig.

June 24-28th: Greenville, SC Training Camp

July 19th: Ironman 70.3 Musselman 
Karel racing. 

July 26th: Ironman Lake Placid

Marni racing. Karel undecided

August 22nd-28th: Haute Route Alps. 


Click HERE to learn more about our training camps. Registration is now open.

2020 Trimarni team races + camp schedule

During my competitive swimming years, I loved showing up to swim practice because I knew it was a time to socialize with my friends. When it came to swim meets, the travel and entire swim meet experience was so much fun because I was with so many of my friends (teammates). While I loved being a swimmer, I couldn't imagine spending nearly a decade of my life swimming alone or going to a swim meet with so many unfamiliar faces.

There’s no better feeling than being part of a team. Not every age group triathlete gets to experience this as much of the training (and racing) is done alone or with only a small group of individuals. Within a team, you have continuous support from others, which lifts and elevates your performance to a level that you never thought was possible. Alone, you have to find your own source of motivation. As a triathlete, although you may compete as an individual, there's a lot more to enjoy on race day when you are racing with your teammates.

This is why we have team races at Trimarni.

Deep into my triathlon racing "career" I really missed the team culture. Some of my best memories from competitive swimming were celebrating successes with others but also feeling inspired and motivated when someone perservered through a tough situation. And anytime someone was struggling, there were plenty of hugs to go around. My competitive swimming years taught me that a cheer, pep talk and familiar face can go a long way.

Over the years, the Trimarni team has shared a lot together - on and off the course. Athletes come and go but they always stay part of our Trimarni family. I believe team races bring people together. Racing with your teammates reminds you that you are racing for something bigger than yourself. And no matter the result, your teammates are there to support you, encourage you, consule you and celebrate with you.

As you finalize your 2020 racing schedule, we hope to see you at one of our team races or group camps.

2020 TRIMARNI TEAM RACE / CAMP SCHEDULE 

March 11-15th: Clermont, FL Training camp + Olympic distance race (March 14th).

April 19th: Ironman 70.3 FL

May 17th: Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga

June 7th: Ironman 70.3 Virginia's Blue Ridge

June 24-28th: Greenville, SC Training Camp

July 26th: Ironman Lake Placid

Click HERE to learn more about our training camps. Registration will open soon. 

20 Lessons learned from cancer

Whether you have been given a life-altering diagnosis or you were/are a caretaker, friend, family member or significant other affected by a disease/illness, it can be difficult to find gratitude in such a painful situation. Looking for the good in such a sad scenario can feel nearly impossible.

Everytime I hear of the passing of an individual with cancer, I am taken back to my dad's 10-month battle with a rare cancer that metastasized to his spine. Even though it's been over 5 years, I still struggle every day and wish he was still with me. My dad didn't like to talk about his cancer. I respected his decision to keep his cancer diagnosis silent but it was also very difficult for me to not let others know that he was suffering.  Others have choosen to be more open and vocal about a current health situation and find positivity in such a challenging and difficult scenario.

There's no denying that there's a great level of frustration, anger, worry, sadness and fear when given/hearing about a life-threatening or fatal disease. But with these normal emotions, there can also be gratitude.

For myself, after my dad passed away from cancer, I started to look at life differently. I realized that life was constantly teaching me lessons and I needed to listen. I realized more than ever before that every day of life is a gift. You can't choose to not get cancer (or any other type of disease/illness) but you can choose how you will live each day of your life.

Here are some of the lessons I've learned from cancer:

1. Don't let life pass you by. 
2. Don't wait for the right time to start/do something. 
3. Travel and see the world. 
4. Don't spend money, time and/or energy on insignificant things that are not truly important to you. 
5. Focus your energy on your priorities. 
6. Learn to say no. 
7. Don't do things out of guilt or to please others. 
8. Let go of what you can't control. 
9. Enjoy the present moment. 
10. Connect with people you love. Let others know that you appreciate them. 
11. Let go of worry and what if. 
12. Surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself. Ditch people who suck the joy out of you. 
13. Be your gratest cheerleader. Feed yourself positive words. 
14. Look for the good in every situation. 
15. Don't judge, compare or make assumptions. You never know what someone else is going through. 
16. Never take something for granted. 
17. Always fight for what you want. Never give up. 
18. Indulge yourself. Give into something extravegant every now and then. 
19. Be kind and compassionate. 
20. No matter what you face, don't let it define you. Stay courageous and strong. 

Is processed food good for you?

In our latest weekly newsletter that arrives to your inbox every Wednesday morning at 7am EST (it's FREE and you can sign up here), I talked about the evil words that are rarely spoken about in a "clean eating" diet..... processed food. 

When you think of processed food, potato chips, cereals and snack foods (such as Cheez-Its and animal crackers) may come to mind. Processing may sound like a scary term but not all processed foods are not necesarily bad.

For certain foods to be edibe and digestable, they are changed, semi-prepared, frozen, fermented or packaged. You may be surprised to learn that most foods are processed - in some way - before you eat them. Interestingly, these changes can make a food equally or more nutritious than it once was before processing. Therefore, when viewing a processed food as "nutritious," consider the level of processing the food undergoes before it becomes a purchasable food source.

While you are encouraged to shop the perimeters of the grocery store to fill your shopping cart with wholesome foods, check out some of my guidelines to follow when shopping for boxed, bagged, fresh or frozen processed foods.

Is processed food good for you?

And speaking of processed food, can Ramen noodles fit into a wholesome, healthy and nutritious diet? You betcha! Check out this delicious recipe that Joey created.

Kale, Broccoli, and Sesame Noodle Salad By Joey Mock, RD, LD, CLT This Kale, Broccoli, and Sesame Noodle Salad is bursting with flavor. The veggies and homemade dressing fancy up those inexpensive packages of ramen wheat noodles (just be sure to throw away the soup base flavor packets as they are packed with sodium and not needed in this recipe). Serve this salad at room temperature when just prepared or make ahead, refrigerate, and serve chilled (the leftovers are even more flavorful!). Add your favorite protein and you have a main meal.

Ingredients

1 large head of broccoli, cut into medium sized florets with some stalk attached
2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1½ teaspoons sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon plus ½ cup red wine vinegar, divided
2-3 Tablespoons plus ½ cup canola oil, divided
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional to taste 
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
3 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced, plus more for serving if desired
1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled, cut into 1-inch matchsticks
4 cups fresh curly kale (about a bunch) leaves only, stemmed and chopped (or Tuscan kale leaves)
2 3-ounce packages dried ramen noodles (discard flavor packets)
Torn mint leaves and toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Toss broccoli with 1 clove minced garlic, sweet chili sauce, 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar, and 2-3 Tablespoons oil (until broccoli is lightly coated) on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and starting to brown, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk scallions, ginger, 1 clove minced garlic, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, remaining ½ cup red wine vinegar, and ½ cup oil in a large bowl. Add kale; toss to coat. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside at room temperature. 
3. Cook ramen noodles according to package directions (discarding flavor packets and skipping that step). Drain noodles and rinse under cold water. Add noodles and broccoli to kale and toss to coat. 
4. Divide amongst bowls and top with mint, sesame seeds, and additional scallions if desired.

Adapted from: bon appetit recipe.

Lessons learned through injury

I went through a rollercoaster of emotions this summer with my back/hip/glute injury. Although this injury was nothing new or unfamiliar to me, it had been a good six years since I've had a run-related setback. Thankfully, my stubborn past self taught me a lot about how to best mentally and physically overcome an injury. While I felt like I handled it the best I could from learning from my past and being optimistic, there were certainly some moments when I wanted to give up on myself and count myself out of my two Ironman events.

Just to backtrack, 3 weeks before Ironman Canada I felt some lower back soreness on my left side on the 3rd day of our endurance training camp. I contributed to a lot of twisting while riding my tri bike to look at the other campers. The next morning, I felt stabbing pain in my lower back after bending over to put on my socks. My training was modified over the next 6 days and I felt like I had escaped a possible injury but a week after I experienced the excruciating lower back pain, I finished my long run and within an hour I had really bad groin pain. Oddly, I was able to hop side to side and jump backward with one leg but I couldn't bound forward or jump without pain. I took safe but extreme measures with dry needling (which I've done in the past), PT and ART but come Ironman Canada race day, I had three weeks of no luck taking any running steps forward without pain. I maintaining my run fitness (and soundness of mind) through water jogging but Ironman Canada was a big unknown. Since swim and bike were painfree, I approached the race with the mindset that I wouldn't finish the race but give the run a go (my first run in 3 weeks) and see how I felt within 2 miles. If I was in pain, I would call it a day. Somehow endorphins (and the positive energy of Karel and my athletes) let me cover 26.2 miles to finish my 15th Ironman. Thank you body!

And even more, I am incredibly thankful that I didn't do any harm to my body. I was able to walk, sightsee and hike and still ride my bike and swim without pain in the weeks following the race. 

For the next few weeks, I was scared to run. With IM Kona on the horizon, I didn't want to experience the pain and torture of my very first Kona (back in 2007) when I had a very similar injury to my ride side. I went into that race with 30 days of no running and then ran the entire marathon - refusing to walk. 

I was then on crutches for a week or two after as I couldn't bear weight on my right leg. It was so painful and something I never ever want to repeat again in my life. No race is worth my health.

Fast forward back to 2019 and I was literally afraid to run. Who knew if I was able to run but I just didn't want to take any chances. So for the next 6 weeks after IM Canada, I stuck to swim bike and water jogging. I actually liked the deep water jogging because I had intervals to follow and well, I love being in the water. I embraced it and just kept focused on what I can do (instead of wallowing in pity that I couldn't run). Sure, it was hard to see others run when I couldn't but I reminded myself constantly that we all have our own battles to fight. This was mine and I was going to come out a winner - eventually.

For the next three weeks, I was able to run on the treadmill but it wasn't comfortable. I was still experiencing some catching in my leg and then pain was subsidding. I was still worried but also had trust in my body. I spent a lot of time, energy and money on PT, working with a movement specialist and ART. While time always heals, I committed to these extra services because I was committed to getting myself back to running. Although I felt like I had a timeline for IM Kona, I made sure to stay patient. I knew I would go into the race undertrained in the run but I didn't let that affect my mental state. I put my energy into what I could control and remained positive and grateful for my body. Unlike my first IM Kona - when I felt like it was going to be the only time I would ever compete in the race - I knew that this Kona was a celebration and not an indicator of my self-worth or future sucessses as a triathlete.

Four weeks before IM Kona, I had what I would call my first real week of pain free running in 13 weeks. Of course, I should count the marathon I did at Ironman Canada :) 

It wasn't until two weeks before IM Kona that I did my first run outside - in the energy lab. And interestingly, I felt confident before the run even started. I had waited long enough and my body just told me in was time to run outside. I kept the runs short with a spice of intensity for neuromuscular firing and included walk breaks to reset my form. I was grateful and thankful to be running pain free. That is, until I started to experience some niggles in my right hip/knee/back. Jeez - can't catch a break!

Although I was able to put together a super strong swim and bike and survive the run without pain, it was a very long summer of minimal running and I was ready to put this season behind me. It's been a tough one. 

But like the past, life goes on. Injuries heal. Goals change. And we get to turn the pages in our book of life to write a new chapter. 

Here I am with my first week of my 2020 season of training under my belt and a full week of pain free, happy running. Funny how life works. Nearly 5 months of struggling to run and two Ironmans completed and I take my off-season and in two weeks, I feel like I never took time off from running. I am running outside and on the treadmill and running happy. Me and running have a rocky relationship but I am not giving up on it. 

No athlete enjoys being injured but injuries are part of the journey. While some athletes get lucky and can escape an athletic career without a setback, the downside is that these athletes never get to the learn the valuable lessons that can be gained throughout an injury.

Here are some of my lessons learned through injury.

• Gratitude
• Perseverance
• Patience
• Confidence
• Don't look for a quick fix
• Trust 
• Respect the body
• Mindset is everything
• It takes a team
• A setback is a learning opportunity 
• Positive thinking
• Tough situations don't break you, they make you 
• Never let sport become your sole self-identity 
• Be grateful for what you have while you have it
• Never take a workout for granted.
• Never take your health for granted 
• Don't stop living your best life
• Stay happy in all circumstances
• Never give up

The world’s first virtual triathlon has arrived!

Maybe you swam in college and miss the camaraderie of being part of a squad. Perhaps past running injuries have made you tri-curious. Or, maybe you are seeking a new challenge as a devoted cyclist.

If you are a little nervous about the idea of participating in your first swimbikerun event - not to worry. The Time to Tri virtual triathlon is the perfect way to get your feet wet in a 3-sport event. And if you are a seasoned triathlete, this four-week-long event is will be an easy way for you to log some miles while positively impacting the multisport community. There's also a club competition for triathlon teams!

This FREE Time to Tri Virtual Triathlon is the first ever online swim, bike and run event that allows you to easily sync your workout devices to the Time to Tri virtual triathlon website to track your results and position on the leaderboard. The virtual triathlon is open for anyone (in the US) - with any level of experience - to participate in a triathlon at your own pace.

Olympic distance: Complete the following:

• Swim 1,500 meters (0.93 miles)
• Bike 40 kilometers (24.8 miles)
• Run 10 kilometers (6.2 miles)

Sprint distance: Complete the following: 

• Swim 500 meters
• Bike 20K 
• Run 5K 

Prizes: All Virtual triathlon participants within the United States will receive a $20.00 ROKA gift card if they register and complete the virtual triathlon. Additionally, the following prizes will be awarded to participants selected at random from both Sprint and Olympic Distances:

• Three (3) USAT Store Gift Cards. (ARV: $25.00)
• One (1) 2XU Gift Card (ARV: $50.00)
• Three (3) Rudy Project Tralyx Sunglasses (ARV: $225.00)
• One (1) Rudy Project Boost 01 Helmet (ARV: $275.00)
• Three (3) Jaybird Headphones (ARV: $110.00)
• Six (6) TriBike Transport Gift Certificates (ARV: $250.00)

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Complete the 3 segments in any order, at any time. Each segment should be tracked separately from the others and does not need to be completed consecutively. You do not need to use the same wearable/app for each segment.
• Activities will count if they exceed the stated distance. We will also count activities 15% below. We automatically adjust the time up or down based on the existing pace re-calculated for the correct distance. We did this to account for wearable/app error and user error.
• You can attempt a segment several times during the challenge, and your fastest activitity will be counted. For example, your first 5k run is 20min, and two days later you run 18min for 5k. The 18min effort will automatically replace the 20min effort.

To learn more and to sign yourself up for the virtual triathlon.....click HERE! 

Body image and athletics - something needs to change!

Unhealthy weight control/loss practices are a serious and ongoing problem in sport, especially in aesthetic and weight-bearing sports, like running and triathlon. Too often, athletes are pressured by media, coaches and competitors to change body composition in order to boost performance. There's the mentality that you have to be thin to wind.

But if losing weight was a guarantee to performance improvements, why don't more athletes excel at sport after they experience some type of weight loss?

Many athletes are told (or assume) that they would be more successful in a sport if they lost weight or changed body composition. Regardless of the performance outcome, athletes who are asked or told to lose weight.change body composition are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors such as fasted workouts, skipping meals, replacing higher calorie foods for calorie-free/diet foods, fasting/cleansing/detoxing, using weight loss supplements, diuretics or laxatives and/or overexercising. While a short period of performance enhancements may be seen, most athletes end up with broken bones/stress fractures, hormonal issues, amennorhea (females), fatigue and burnout. Far from the performance improvements that are told to happen from weight loss!

Although I am not a sport psychologist (like my amazing friend Dr. G), feeling the need to lose weight can be a form of emotional abuse. Whether you are told to lose weight from a coach, you are constantly comparing yourself to other people or your inner critic is telling you that you would be a better/faster/happier athlete if you lost weight, you may not be aware of the emotional trauma that you are enduring and how it affects your confidence and self-worth.

How can we change the mindset of so many athletes/coaches that weight loss = performance improvements? 

• It starts with the coach - who is directly involved with an athlete's physical and mental development. Many coaches and experts wrongly place their own attitudes, thoughts, strategies and personal experiences with weight, dieting and body image on their athletes. Athletes need a coach who is a good role model, promoting  positive self-image and healthy dietary and fueling strategies. Coaches need to recognize that an athlete is more than just a body and athletic success does not result from a number on the scle or body image. 
• Weight is a sensitive and personal issue for many athletes. You can't look at someone and tell if he/she has underlying issues with food and body image. Unfortunately, many coaches and experts do not realize how certain words can affect an athlete. For example, if a coach tells his athlete that its bad to eat carbs after 6pm and the athlete eats a slice bread at 6:05pm, the athlete may feel like a bad person. When a nutrition "expert" suggests to an athlete that weight loss will improve performance, that athlete will spend a considerable amount of energy trying to change body composition (often through quick fixes and extreme approach). If a coach makes a snarky comment about an athlete's size, the athlete may feel an overwhelming sense of distress - overlooking strengths and becoming obsessed with weaknesses. 
• Coaches need to see an athlete as more than an object - consider how an athlete's lifestyle choices, mental and physical health, emotions and individual development can contribute to performance. It's absolutely wrong and unjust to assume that if an athlete weighs less, he/she will become a better athlete.  We must stop assuming that when an athlete looks differently, he/she will perform differently. 
• You can't perform at your best if you are not in optimal health. Because most athletes do not seek out professional guidance from a sport dietitian, there is no one to closely monitor and watch over an athlete for extreme behaviors. A sport dietitian can also clear up misinformation and debate against unhealthy dietary practices that may sabotage performance and health.

As a coach, sport RD and athlete, I take performance and health very seriously. I never ever tell my athletes to lose weight - ever! 

We must stop viewing weight as a performance limiter or as the best next step toward athletic greatness. There are many ways to boost performance, like eating "enough", fueling properly, timing food with workouts, strength training, mental strength, quality sleep, good recovery practices and consistent training. While weight loss may lead to performance improvements, we can't assume that reducing body fat will benefit every athlete. There are no shortage of cases where athletes have experienced a temporary boost in performance in the initial phases of changing body composition but eventually suffer from eating-disorder/disordered eating symptoms, overtraining, hormonal issues, menstrual irregularities (female athletes), low bone density, a weakened immune system, chronic injuries and a performance decline (or a sporting career cut short) overtime.

Sports are designed to build self-esteem, boost confidence, promote physical strength, improve skills and teach life lessons. As an athlete, you should do what you like to do, which is participate in the sport you love. It's hard to love what you can do with your body when you are underfuled, undernourished and underappreciated.

If an athlete feels the need to lose weight (for whatever reason), he/she should be the one to voice the concern and the next step is to consult with a sport dietitian - an outside voice to provide non-judgemental, practical, realistic, effective and safe information.  With proper education, support and guidance, athletes are more likely to stay in good mental and physical health, experience athletic excellence and maintaint great enjoyment for sport for many years.

Athletes - love your amazing body and be sure to thank it. Rest it, respect it, nourish it and fuel it daily. 

Do you fall victim to fad diets?

How many times have you fallen victim to the dieting trap?

-Restrict food to try to lose weight or to gain control over food choices.
-Feel deprived.
-Crave foods you are restricting.
-Feel miserable, isolated or confused.
-Give into temptation and eat off-limit food.
-Mentally beat yourself up for eating something you shouldn't be eating and think "What the heck. I failed again so I may as well eat it all."
-Feel guilty, uncomfortable and anxious. Become overly critical of your body. Feel like a failure. Get angry. Blame yourself for not having willpower.
-Binge eat or give up on the diet and go back to your old ways of eating.
-Begin the cycle again.

If you are one of the 45 million Americans who go on a diet each year, please keep these important reminders in mind when you consider a new/popular diet as a new way of eating.

• Dieting affects your self-esteem. You don't fail at dieting, the diet fails you.
• Diets severly restrict your food choices, making you feel deprived. In return, the desire to eat "off limit" food increases.
• You blame willpower for not thriving on your new diet but body is likely not receiving the energy and nutrients it needs to function at its best. 
• Dieting makes food the enemy. As a result, dieting can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food and unhealthy behaviors such as fasting, binging, excessive exercising, food obsession, social isolation and skipping meals. 
• It's common that eating disorders start off as dieting. 
• It's difficult to love our body and diet at the same time. To respect and care for your body, you must nourish and fuel your body. 
• Food does not need to be labeled "good or bad." Labeling food as bad suggests that if you eat a certain food, you are a "bad" person. 
• Food doesn't fix feelings or emotions. When you feel anxious, bored, lonely, stressed or upset, find ways to comfort yourself without food. 
• Get in touch wih your body's signs of hunger, fullness and satisfaction. Learn to eat more mindfully. 
• Don't use exercise as a way to lose weight. Exercise because it feels good - mentally and physically - to be active. 
• Eat for health, not weight loss. A sustainable diet is balanced, non-restrictive and easy to maintain for a lifetime. 

Keeping perspective of rest days/off-season.

Every athlete and fitness enthusiast will have intentional rest or active recovery days built into the training plan. Right now you may be experiencing a week (or more) long break from training to celebrate your well-deserved off-season.

Recovery (or rest) is important to your athletic development as it gives the body time to adapt to the stressors of exercise and to rejuvinate the mind.

As it relates to nutrition, recovery also allows the body to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues. What you eat (or don't eat) on your rest day or during the off-season will impact your health.

It’s common for athletes to dramatically cut calories or avoid carbohydrates for fear of gaining weight when energy expenditure is low. Or the opposite occurs - a day off from training is seen as a day to eat foods normally avoided for health, body composition and/or performance reasons (aka cheat day).
Many athletes struggle so much with rest that the body never receives an intentional break from training/exercise.

Regardless how you much or little you enjoy your time away from training, unhealthy lifestyle habits may actually hinder your athletic development and set you up for a setback. Therefore, consider your rest day as a growth day – fuel and nourish your body to become a stronger, fitter and healthier athlete.

Because sports that include heavy lifting, endurance activity and all-out efforts can induce excessive inflammation, deplete glycogen stores and damage tissues and muscles, a break from training may be the only opportunity to strategically consume the right type of foods to help you take your fitness to the next level or return your body back to optimum health.

As it relates to nutrition during a day off from training.......

A proper diet includes what you eat on training and non-training days. Whereas many athletes feel rather organized with the diet on training days, rest day or off-season nutrition can be confusing as athletes may struggle to know what and when to eat with the reduced energy expenditure. The basis of a training-supportive diet starts with a healthy foundation of eating. Thus, what you eat on an off-day from exercise (or off season) should not be too different compared to what you normally eat on a training day. Because your workouts require you to strategically consume slightly more energy from carbohydrates, the major change to your rest day diet is the removal of foods that normally support your training sessions (ex before, during and after). Therefore, there’s no need to eliminate carbs or drastically cut back on calories. Use your time away from training as an opportunity to increase your fruit, vegetable, whole grain, protein and healthy fat intake and spend a little extra time in the kitchen on meal prep. Be mindful about grazing and mindlessly eating with your extra free time. If you have a low intensity, short training session (ex. 30-minute easy session) in the morning on your rest day, it’s not critical to eat before the workout so long as you eat appropriately after the workout and you are not experiencing any ill-effects (dizzy/lightheaded/nausea) from a fasted exercise session. 

IMFL '06 - remembering my first Ironman

Tomorrow, Ironman Florida will be celebrating it's 21st Ironman event - one of the longest running Ironman events in North America.

Ironman Florida was my very first Ironman. Although it doesn't feel like it was that long ago, it's crazy to think how much our sport has changed since 2006!! I still remember receiving a Popsicle stick with a place on it when I crossed the finish line at local running events!

Because the Trimarni blog didn't exist back in 2006, I never had an opportunity to write a race recap from my first Ironman experience. Luckily, the memories and moments are still fresh in my head - even though it's been 13 years since I crossed my first ever Ironman finish line!!

Going into the event, I was very confident in my fitness as I used a free training plan from the internet and followed it precisely as written. With my recent formal education in Exercise Physiology (Master degree), I felt like my training could not have gone any smoother. I also did a lot of research about fueling for an Ironman and created a binder of articles and information to help me nail the nutrition needed to survive the Ironman distance. But it was a bit scary to think about this daunting task of covering 140.6 miles with my 24-year old body. 

I was a bit naive going into the event because I didn't have any reason (or excuses) for not finishing. I felt like it was a given that I would cross the finish line. Perhaps this stubbornness helped me ease the nerves as much of the race was an unknown. I had never ran 26.2 miles after biking 112 miles. I had never biked after swimming 2.4 miles in the ocean. I had completed the distances separately on different occasions but never consecutively.

I was so excited to have my parents at the event. My dad was a bit concerned about this adventure but he supported me 110%. I also invited my "boyfriend" at the time (Karel) who had little understanding what the Ironman entailed and was fairly certain that I would be one and done. He thought there was no way that I could do more than one of these crazy events.

16 Ironman's later and now Karel has completed 14 Ironmans :) 

The day started off very cold and I was most afraid of the wind (ha - I still have concerns with the wind!). As if the Ironman wasn't hard enough - the wind was howling. I had no idea how the process worked to set up for and to complete an Ironman so I soaked it all in. Still today, I love the experience of showing up to a race and going through all the motions and emotions before the race start. 

Coming from a swimming background, I didn't fear the waves in the swim but also, having no expectations, I had no experience to tell me what would be fast or slow in the ocean at the start of an Ironman. The mass start was very intimidating, even coming from a competitive swimming background.Today, I much prefer a wave start.  I swam 1:07.00 which was good enough for 2nd in the 18-24 age group (out of 13 starters). 

My transition was loooong. I was so cold and I could not stop shivering. It took me 8 minutes to transition from swim to bike because I just couldn't get myself to leave the transition tent. 

Once I got on my bike, the nerves hit me hard. While I had no worries about the swim, biking was not my favorite sport out of the three. I was still a bit scared to clip in and to stay in my aero bars. And the wind! Plus I was cold to start so that made it hard to stay focused. As the miles ticked by, I started to feel more relaxed. I still don't know how I got through the 112 miles in 5 hours and 52 minutes as I was such a beginner with absolutely no cycling skills! Karel (my boyfriend at the time) tried to help me with my biking skills but much of my riding was on a spin bike and a few group and long rides (which were oh-so-scary for me). Thankfully, Karel never gave up on me and not only did he marry me but he helped me become a much stronger and skillful rider. 

It was so much fun to see Karel and my parents on the bike course. Karel studied the course map and took some side streets to surprise me at various times throughout the 112 miles. 

After exiting the transition area in 5th in my age group, I was 1st after the bike. Of course, there was no way to know this during the event as there was no online tracking. It wasn't until Karel counted the girls either ahead or behind me that he could tell me where I was in my age group. With a mass start, that made it easier to know where I was in my age group as everyone started together. 

I had a fairly quick transition in T2 as I was transitioning to my favorite discipline - the run! Yes, I can't believe I can say that I loved running back in 2006. Today, I have such a love/hate relationship with running and it's my least favorite sport of swim/bike/run but I am not giving up on myself as one day, I will learn to love running like I did in 2006. 

The run was everything I thought it would be and more. It had highs and lows and everything between. I passed 87 females on the run and over 250 male athletes! It's crazy to say those stats today as I now run scared knowing that the swim and the bike are my strengths and the run is always a wonder as to what will happen. 

I had all the expected issues - like a port-a-john stop, bonking, tightness, soreness and fatigue but I also had determination, focus and a smile on my face. I also learned some lessons - like if you bring your own can of vegetable soup (because you are a vegetarian) make sure to bring a can that you can physically open...or else you need to pack a can opener!)

Nearing the end of the race, Karel told me I was going to Kona - surprised he even knew what that meant! In response, I told him that I love him (for the first time). I guess the Ironman really does change you! 

I ran 3:48.41 and finished in a time of 11 hours and 50 seconds. Oh so close to breaking 11 hours!

When I crossed the finish line, I couldn't believe what I had done. And the day went by so fast! All that training just for a one day event! My parents were so proud, Karel was in shock and I did something with my body that I had never ever done before.

With no online results, I discovered my results posted on a printed piece of paper stuck to a wall near the finish line. After watching the final hour of finishers and then having a very restless night of sleep (with lots of nighttime munchies), it wasn't until the next morning that I found out that I had qualified for the Ironman World Championship. I can't remember the price exactly but I think it was between $500-600. I do know that I didn't have that type of money at 24 so I think my parents helped me pay for it (by check). Thanks mom and dad for helping me achieve my dreams! 

It was a very special experience to receive my Kona slot from Heather Furr,. I was given two certificates for finishing the race (and qualifying for Kona). And to then attend the awards ceremony knowing that I was going to the Ironman World Championship in 2007! As the age group winner, I received a plaque, Timex watch and I something else (I can't remember - maybe socks?)

My first Ironman was a day to remember. While everything went well for my first Ironman, I can't say the same for the next 15. Over the years, I've had to overcome a lot. While there have been incredible results (like finishing Ironman Chattanooga in 2007 as the overall amateur female and qualifying for Kona another 6 times and taking 5 of those slots), it's the tough moments that have made me a smarter, more grateful and more experienced athlete. 

To those racing IMFL, enjoy your special day. And no matter what happens on race day, celebrate the gift of being able to do something incredible and amazing with your body. Never take the present moment for granted! And don't forget to thank your body!

Mindful (Tr)eating: It's no trick!

Happy Halloween!!

Does the thought or sight of candy leave you anxious, worried or guilty?

To fully enjoy what you eat, you need to be present and in the moment. This is where mindfulness comes in handy. Mindful eating takes practice but you can learn a lot about your emotions, food choices and break some bad habits.

Mindful eating is eating with intention, awareness and pleasure. Because most treats or indulgences are not rich in nutrients, we eat them for pleasure or enjoyment. The key word here is enjoy. I'm here to tell you that you can still eat a healthy and nutritious diet with sweets and treats. When you eat what you love, you should also feel good about what you eat. This will help you feel more satisfied with your food selections so you don't overindulge. You will learn how to slow down and savor your food.

To help you get started, I’m going to walk you through a mindful chocolate eating exercise. This was taught to me during dietetic internship during one of my rotations. With an overload of Halloween candy at your house or office, now is the perfect time to learn how to indulge more mindfully.

The ultimate goal is to eat less mindlessly and to fully enjoy the experience of indulging - without going overboard.

Through this exericse, you get to identify what treats bring you joy and satisfaction and what treats you want to pass on because, well they don't make you happy. When you treat yourself, be selective. You want to indulge in foods that are truly satisfying. If something causes you a stomach ache or you just don’t care for it, don’t eat it. Say NO thank you.

The important thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong way to do this exercise. Enjoy (and don't forget to yum!)

15 tips for easing into training/exercise

Whether you are a competitive athlete of fitness enthusiast, or going from couch to exerciser, it's important to ease yourself into any type of exercise/training regime. While you may feel extremely motivated to whip yourself into great shape, too much too soon can lead to injury, health issues or burnout.

No matter what level fitness you were before you gave yourself a break from exercise/training, remind yourself that you can't just restart where you left off.  It's important to put your ego aside as you keep these tips in mind to ensure a safe and sustainable exercise routine.

1. Don't expect too much of yourself. 
2. Be kind to yourself. 
3. Don't look for quick results. 
4. Focus on the process - consistency and frequency. 
5. Don't neglect lifestyle habits. 
6. Create realistic, attainable short term goals. 
7. Stick to a schedule that works for you right now in your life. 
8. Keep it simple.
9. Stretch your comfort zone, don't jump out of it. 
10. Incorporate cardio, strength and mobility training. 
11. Don't neglect recovery/rest. 
12. Be conscious of your technique and movement patterns. 
13. Listen to your body. 
14. Know your limits. 
15. Keep it fun. 

For athletes, you may find that you are unable to easily do things that you used to do before. You may feel out of shape and frustrated with your body. This discouragement may cause you to skip steps and rush the process. Don't compare yourself to the person you were before. Focus on where you are now and take it one day at a time. 

The dangers of social media health advice

We live in an era where our quickest source of information comes from our finger tips. To help with this, professionals, experts, bloggers and influencers are eager to persuade you - their audience - by virtue of their outreach. With a large following, this builds credibility. Social media platforms are often used to deliver a message, promote a product or build a brand. As a result, trust is built and you can't help but be influenced by the advice of a stranger.  

While there are countless industries out there - like travel, lifestyle,  beauty, sport, fashion and photography - most people are persuaded to "follow" people who are in the nutrition/diet/wellness/fitness/health industry.

There's no denying that there is a lot hype and confusion in the media about the best diet, supplements and lifestyle strategies to achieve weight loss, change body composition, improve fitness/performance, enhance recovery and to combat aging. Far too often, this is all driven by the opportunity to make money and/or for popularity to be gained. Whether you want to admit it or not, in your naivety, you've probably been taken advantage of when it comes to 'buying' into someone's diet plan/program, supplemental line or promising claims.

It starts with the media amplifying every new diet and fitness trend out there - especially at the start of each New Year. Next comes internet "research." And then comes social media - dominated by followers, believers, celebrities and influencers.

We have a real problem on our hands. Inundated with messages reinforcing what's "good" vs. "bad", far too many people are struggling with serious mental and physical health issues after eliminating foods from the diet, exhibiting rigid behaviors around food or trying to replicate the sport nutrition strategies of another athlete. We all know an athlete who has suffered some type of endocrine, metabolic, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, immunological or psychological dysfunction as a result of manipulating the diet for health or performance gains.

With so much attention on health and wellness, food is a fixation for many yet people are more confused than ever before. With a desire to lose weight, change body composition and improve fitness, you may not even realize that you are "following" someone who is giving unhealthy or impractical nutrition advice.

Many social media influencers do not provide credible information. This doesn't mean that they don't mean well but just because a person has hundreds of thousands of followers, this doesn't mean that he/she is a credible source of diet/nutrition/health information.

The next time you come across an "expert" in any field ask yourself the following to ensure he/she is the right person to take advice from:

• What makes this person credible to provide nutrition advice? 
• Is this person transparent? 
• Is this person truthful with advice/information? 
• Is this person consistent with advice/information?
• Does this person give information that is nutritionally sound/evidence-based?
• Does this person have sufficient education, training, the right knowledge and time to provide realistic and practical information?
• Has this individual met scientifically and medically justified criteria to provide online advice?
• Is there bias in their nutrition advice because of other interests (money/sponsors)?
• Does this person provide prescriptive advice (food related allergies, weight loss or specific health/medical conditions) or general food related advice (ex. bananas have potassium).
• Does this person have a clear and comprehensive set of disclaimers assuming that all advice and plans/programs are undertaken at your own risk?

For any individual who provides information, consults or counsels in the fields of health and wellness, there are legal and ethical limitations regarding nutrition advice. For example, in many states, it is unlawful to engage in nutrition counseling unless you are a licensed dietitian. It's the responsibility of every individual (you and the expert) to know the difference between general nutrition information about food vs. prescriptive advice and who can legally diagnose/treat/care for your health and well-being. 

It's wonderful to follow someone who is passionate about a certain topic or has built a platform around a personal journey. But when it comes to being influenced about your health, fitness and nutrition-related decisions, remind yourself that not every person is the expert that he/she appears (or claims) to be.

IM Kona '19: Behind the scenes

With so much happening before, during and after the Ironman World Championship, I wanted to share some of my favorite photos from our time on the big island. In no particular order.......

Enjoying the island fruit. 

I did it! Volunteer - don't let me fall over! 

First dip in the ocean since arriving. 

Getting reunited with the Queen K. 

Running in the energy lab. 

Yum...gelato. 

Will swim for ice cream. 

If our thoughts had emojis. 

Evening sunset walk. 

Never too much pre-race ice cream. 

Another big cruise ship coming to town. 

My happy place...swimming. 

"Sandy" the local turtle ;) 

White sands beach. Salt water therapy. 

White Sands Beach. 

View from our condo. 

More time on the Queen K. 

Running with friends. 

Enjoying time with Ericka. 

Cheers - pre-race non-alcoholic beer. 

Teammies in Kona. 

Paparazzi. 

More gelato. Hey, it's hot in Kona! 

Getting checked in for the race. 

All checked in! 

Hey, there we are! 

Expo exploring. 

Parade of Nations - Czech! 

The real Iron Man??

Bike check in! 

Sara - all ready to go! 

Pre-race smiles with Livingston (from Levelen).

Post race Czech athletes pic. 

Post-race discussion with our athletes...over ice cream. 

Visiting the Hilo zoo on the other side of the island. 

I like your hat! 

Beautiful bird! 

Plant-based lunch in Hilo. Yum!

Rainbow over the mountain. 

I see you goat! 

Post race Acai bowls. 

Good bye palm trees. 

Good bye sunsets. 

Hello kitten snuggles! 

Keeping perspective on the off-season

For every sport, the season has a start and an end. 

Over the past two weeks, there has been a dramatic shift in my life from setting an early morning alarm, training regularly and living a life of structure and planning to a lifestyle of flexibility and freedom.

From a performance standpoint, the off-season is the foundation of athletic growth and development. To reduce the risk of injury, burn-out or a fitness plateau, the best approach to the off-season is somewhere between a time of leisure and relaxation and staying healthy and active. A good perspective on the off-season is to think of it as active rest while maintaining health-promoting lifestyle habits. As you enjoy some well-deserved physical and mental rest from sport specific structured training, seek out new or different exercises or activities for your body and mind. As a tip, look for exercises and activities that have little to do with your sport you train for you and certainly keep it light and enjoyable.

As you take advantage of your long awaited (or dreaded) off-season, give yourself a 2-3 week break from training and actively rest. With free reign over what you choose to do and when you choose to do it, physical activity is important but you also need to take care of your mental and emotional well-being. Find the sweet spot that works best for you.

When you spend at least 48-50 weeks out of the past 52 weeks preparing for competitions/events, you owe it to yourself to do something different for a short period of time. Remember, being an athlete is physically exhausting and mentally taxing. Although you love your sport, stepping away from it for a short period of time can be extremely beneficial to your health, happiness and athletic success.