Thanks for all the nice comments about Body Image. As you strive for weight loss, while improving your performance as an athlete (or fitness enthusiast), believe in yourself that you can do it! Understand that your focus isn't a certain body type. Don't compare yourself to others! Your goal weight isn't a number on a scale. What is the ideal weight for yourself anyways??? Who knows!??! Strive to increase your lean muscle mass and decrease your fat mass. Because males aren't trying to achieving zero body fat and for the ladies, you want to ensure healthy hormone production through a healthy body fat percentage, look at your weight loss journey (through healthy eating) as a way to get stronger as an athlete. Being lean doesn't mean you are stick thin and you see every muscle in your body. As you drop fat mass you will notice your clothes feeling looser and you should start to see definition in your body. Remember...it takes time! Just because you had 3 great days of healthy eating, don't expect to see ripped abs. Keep up the hard work and remind yourself that you are a lifelong athlete. Your focus is consistent training, hard work, dediction and ultimately progress. You are an individual with your own goals and always remember to make practical and realistic goals, both long term and short term. In the end, you will never feel restricted, unhappy or stressed about your decisions to eat healthy, take care of your body and live the rewarding multisport lifestyle.
On another note...my training is going well. I was a little apprehensive about my upcoming IM in 4 months but the training is coming along. I can tell my progress with my training when my workouts change every so often. It is really important that all athletes (racing athletes or just gym lovers) change up the workouts every few weeks. Give your body time to adapt to a new training program but be sure not to do the same workout every day. It's ok to have a consistent routine where you do a certain discipline/type of workout for each day of the week, but don't make every workout the same. Shawn just changed up my week of training and instead of doing my bike intervals on Tues, I do them on Thurs. Tuesday was great when I did my tempo ride after a day off but then on Wed morning, after 3 x 1 mile's on the treadmill(total 6.5 miles) at 10K pace, it was tough convincing myself that I could do 6 x 5 min. c30 (power wattage) on my bike this morning. Also, swimming was super tough yesterday after I ran and we did 3 x 500's descending (7:03, 6:56, 6:53) and then 8 x 100's pull on 1:30. Luckily, my brick workout is on tuesday so it was a nice change to push hard on my bike this morning (with Karel drafting behind me, coaching me all the way :)), and not having to run afterwards. Of Course I LOVE taking Campy for a run so we always run after I come home from my workouts. It is a treat for both of us cause we have so much fun.
I had an awesome time in athens, running on the streets of downtown Athens and riding my bike in the rolling hills of GA. This weekend is another great training opportunity. We are heading to SC (spartanburg) on Fri. Karel races at 8pm for another crit for Speedweek. Anyone in SC is welcome to come! Then we will make a late drive to NC (about an hour) to stay with my good friend Christi. We stayed at her house last year but she was out of town. So this year she lined up some workouts for me and I am super excited. Sat morning I am doing a 1-mile lake swim, followed by a 50-mile bike. Although I LOVED riding my road bike in athens, I will bring my tri bike to ride the hills. This will be a good opportunity for me to practice the rollers before my half ironman in Macon, GA on May 30th. Then Karel has a crit at 4:30 on Sat in Charlette, NC and after a 16 mile run with Christi on Sun morning, Karel and I will head to Sandy Springs GA for his last crit of Speed Week.
I have a feeling my blog is a bunch of blabbering on but with this week being my finals week (Bio Chem today and Nutrition through the life cycle tomorrow) I am just a bit stressed right now.
Have a great day!
Registered Dietitian.....M.S. in Exercise Physiology...Vegetarian...Writer...Speaker...5x Ironman finisher.....2011-2012 Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year...Doggy-mommy...Wife to an amazing Czech cyclist turned triathlete...2x Ironman World Championship finisher...USAT level-1 coach...Oakley women, Brooks Running ID, 110% Play Harder and Hammer Nutrition Brand Ambassador.
4/28/09
Body Image
I just got the latest issue of Triathlete in the mail yesterday.
I don't care that they have a swim suit issue. But to make things fair they should have more male models for all my ladies out there :)
However, I did mind that the bold print on the face of the magazine read "BODY IMAGE Are triathletes obsessed" and on the cover was a gorgeous female model.
I know that triathletes obsess about body image. But not nearly as much as they obsess about triathlons. I have a feeling triathletes would rather weigh 10 lbs more and continue doing triathlons instead of weighing 10lbs less and giving up triathlons. Not only are triathlons addicting, but training is a lifestyle.
I went right to pg. 57 for the article on body image. I agree with certain points of the article and I can admit that many triathletes have rockin' bodies....and so do cyclists :)
I will be the first to say that I believe in using food for fuel and not storing extra calories as fat. I repeat...extra calories, not burned or stored for future use are stored as fat. You want to keep your body efficient at using calories and that requires that you don't eat more than your body needs.
So, if it was that easy to eat less, exercise more and get a toned, rock solid body, why do many triathletes continually struggle with weight loss?
On pg. 20 of the magazine there is an article on being comfortable in your own skin. I know that there are more and more athletes wanting a better body which matches the dedication and discipline they put forth in training. But I ask all those athletes out there who struggle with toning up and reaching that goal weight....Has anyone ever weighed you at the finish line in order to receive a finisher medal? When it comes to the finish line of a race, you will show your discipline and dedication to your sport by how you raced and how you finished. Maybe you were last in your age group or maybe you placed top 10 overall, but a toned body doesn't mean you are going to PR or win a race. Sure you may feel a little little and you will put less stress on the body but toned body or not, you train to get stronger, faster and healthier.
When I went to Kona I was in the land of ripped, lean and fast bodies. It was amazing. For someone like me who loves the human body, I was in heaven. There is nothing like a fast, strong, lean body. But, with looking at other bodies, comes stress, anxiety, frustration, jealousy, envy and comparison. When a friend of yours gains weight you have a hard time saying anything, but if your friend got super lean (I HATE the word SKINNY so I try to NEVER use it!) you become envious and you start to evaluate what you are doing wrong in your own weight loss battle. When it comes to triathletes who you aspire to look like (strong arms, ripped abs, powerful quads, tight butt, a swimmers back, etc.) I have a feeling those athletes are ranking at the top of their age groups. Or, perhaps it is a pro athlete or a picture of an athlete in a magazine. As you struggle to fit in enough hours of the day, to balance training, family, work, school, kids, significant others, racing, traveling, meetings, cooking, errands, etc. you are probably comparing yourself to the athlete who dedicates most of his/her energy to training and racing. Now this isn't to say that the single mom of 3 kids can't have a smokin' body and rank at the top of her age group and the person who is 20 lbs overweight can't place top 5 in an IM event, but most of time, we compare ourselves to top athletes.
So, does this mean if we have great looking bodies that we will qualify for Kona? Not necessarily.
In order to achieve weight loss through training, you must focus on healthy eating with balance, moderation and portion control. You must eat to support your training volume and intensity. You may be able to look like an Olympic athlete but you can't eat like one 'cause you don't train like one.
The two biggest setbacks for athletes wanting lose weight are:
1) Eating because...
2) Not timing nutrition with training.
Just because you trained, you can't eat whatever and however much you want. You are eating to fuel upcoming workouts (complex carbs) and you are eating to recover from workouts (lean, low fat protein). Therefore, you must eat conciously. You have to have a plan of what to eat before, during and after workouts and you also have to space out your calories during the day. I know it sounds easy but if you want to tone up with realistic and practical changes, you have to eat a little less (feel satisfied, not stuffed), exercise a little harder (focus on quality and intensity, not always quantity) and prioritize balanced and controlled meals.
Eating healthy can be easy but recognize that everything is not lost if you "mess up". If you came in late for work on Monday, you wouldn't say screw it, I already messed up so I'll come in late everyday this week. If you end up eating a bit more than planned, eat a little less for your snack or a little less at dinner. Furthermore, stop playing games with yourself. If food is in your house you should be able to eat it whenever you want. It should be healthy. Don't sabatoge your performance and weight loss goals by convincing yourself that a little bit is ok just because you worked out. A little bit of yogurt, yes. A little bit of chips and ranch dip, no.
Most people (newbies) start training for a triathlon, or any sport, because of a new active lifestyle. Sure a triathlon is a challenge, but the idea that training for 3 sports can help you lose weight is a great reason to sign up for a race. More than anything, it isn't about triathlons, cycling, running or whatever event you choose to train for. If you want to tone up and stop obsessing about your body, remember that weight loss is just like training. It takes time, it won't happen overnight and small changes make big differences.
No matter what level of athlete you are, keep up the hard training and stay focused with your weight loss journey.
Remember..you don't want a lean body if you can't do anything with it!
I don't care that they have a swim suit issue. But to make things fair they should have more male models for all my ladies out there :)
However, I did mind that the bold print on the face of the magazine read "BODY IMAGE Are triathletes obsessed" and on the cover was a gorgeous female model.
I know that triathletes obsess about body image. But not nearly as much as they obsess about triathlons. I have a feeling triathletes would rather weigh 10 lbs more and continue doing triathlons instead of weighing 10lbs less and giving up triathlons. Not only are triathlons addicting, but training is a lifestyle.
I went right to pg. 57 for the article on body image. I agree with certain points of the article and I can admit that many triathletes have rockin' bodies....and so do cyclists :)
I will be the first to say that I believe in using food for fuel and not storing extra calories as fat. I repeat...extra calories, not burned or stored for future use are stored as fat. You want to keep your body efficient at using calories and that requires that you don't eat more than your body needs.
So, if it was that easy to eat less, exercise more and get a toned, rock solid body, why do many triathletes continually struggle with weight loss?
On pg. 20 of the magazine there is an article on being comfortable in your own skin. I know that there are more and more athletes wanting a better body which matches the dedication and discipline they put forth in training. But I ask all those athletes out there who struggle with toning up and reaching that goal weight....Has anyone ever weighed you at the finish line in order to receive a finisher medal? When it comes to the finish line of a race, you will show your discipline and dedication to your sport by how you raced and how you finished. Maybe you were last in your age group or maybe you placed top 10 overall, but a toned body doesn't mean you are going to PR or win a race. Sure you may feel a little little and you will put less stress on the body but toned body or not, you train to get stronger, faster and healthier.
When I went to Kona I was in the land of ripped, lean and fast bodies. It was amazing. For someone like me who loves the human body, I was in heaven. There is nothing like a fast, strong, lean body. But, with looking at other bodies, comes stress, anxiety, frustration, jealousy, envy and comparison. When a friend of yours gains weight you have a hard time saying anything, but if your friend got super lean (I HATE the word SKINNY so I try to NEVER use it!) you become envious and you start to evaluate what you are doing wrong in your own weight loss battle. When it comes to triathletes who you aspire to look like (strong arms, ripped abs, powerful quads, tight butt, a swimmers back, etc.) I have a feeling those athletes are ranking at the top of their age groups. Or, perhaps it is a pro athlete or a picture of an athlete in a magazine. As you struggle to fit in enough hours of the day, to balance training, family, work, school, kids, significant others, racing, traveling, meetings, cooking, errands, etc. you are probably comparing yourself to the athlete who dedicates most of his/her energy to training and racing. Now this isn't to say that the single mom of 3 kids can't have a smokin' body and rank at the top of her age group and the person who is 20 lbs overweight can't place top 5 in an IM event, but most of time, we compare ourselves to top athletes.
So, does this mean if we have great looking bodies that we will qualify for Kona? Not necessarily.
In order to achieve weight loss through training, you must focus on healthy eating with balance, moderation and portion control. You must eat to support your training volume and intensity. You may be able to look like an Olympic athlete but you can't eat like one 'cause you don't train like one.
The two biggest setbacks for athletes wanting lose weight are:
1) Eating because...
2) Not timing nutrition with training.
Just because you trained, you can't eat whatever and however much you want. You are eating to fuel upcoming workouts (complex carbs) and you are eating to recover from workouts (lean, low fat protein). Therefore, you must eat conciously. You have to have a plan of what to eat before, during and after workouts and you also have to space out your calories during the day. I know it sounds easy but if you want to tone up with realistic and practical changes, you have to eat a little less (feel satisfied, not stuffed), exercise a little harder (focus on quality and intensity, not always quantity) and prioritize balanced and controlled meals.
Eating healthy can be easy but recognize that everything is not lost if you "mess up". If you came in late for work on Monday, you wouldn't say screw it, I already messed up so I'll come in late everyday this week. If you end up eating a bit more than planned, eat a little less for your snack or a little less at dinner. Furthermore, stop playing games with yourself. If food is in your house you should be able to eat it whenever you want. It should be healthy. Don't sabatoge your performance and weight loss goals by convincing yourself that a little bit is ok just because you worked out. A little bit of yogurt, yes. A little bit of chips and ranch dip, no.
Most people (newbies) start training for a triathlon, or any sport, because of a new active lifestyle. Sure a triathlon is a challenge, but the idea that training for 3 sports can help you lose weight is a great reason to sign up for a race. More than anything, it isn't about triathlons, cycling, running or whatever event you choose to train for. If you want to tone up and stop obsessing about your body, remember that weight loss is just like training. It takes time, it won't happen overnight and small changes make big differences.
No matter what level of athlete you are, keep up the hard training and stay focused with your weight loss journey.
Remember..you don't want a lean body if you can't do anything with it!
4/27/09
Speed week part 1
Athens Twilight Crit was amazing. One of the most exciting races I have ever seen..and the most packed!
I don't have the pics up yet, but here are youtube videos I found;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB25VuBky68
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKk_LcrcfkI (Crash right infront of me!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN3hvi_4lL8&NR=1
Our hotel was a few blocks from the course so I headed up to the race to watch the $1000 mile run and the women's Pro race. I ended up qualifying for the $1000 mile run due to my top 15 women's finish in the 5K but after about 30 minutes of thinking I could run with these 16 year old xc girls who weigh about 30 lbs less than me, I decided to pass on it. Also, after my 50K bike in the rollers of GA (which I LOVED!) I was ready to relax the rest of the day. However, it was really excited to watch the guys and girls run all out. Some of them were dressed in funny outfits and it was great to see people having fun out there. I will post pics later from that race.
It was around 7pm when the streets started to get packed and I knew I had to claim my spot early. I wanted to be right at a corner cause that is where the action is at (and the crashes...err). So, I stood right at the barricade at corner 2 for over 2 hours to keep my spot and it was worth it! I was able to watch the womens race and when the Men's pro race started at 9:30 I was so happy to have a close spot.
Karel didn't finish the race. He is bummed. Cycling is much different from tri's because you either stay on a wheel (you can take the pain) or you can't (you can't suffer any longer). But life goes on and he has moved on. Although he still thinks about the what if's...like being stuck behind the big crash on the FIRST loop and barely dodging the bikes as a bunch of people fell to the ground and then getting behind another crash later in the race, I guess this is just one of those races were you just get lucky. Karel was really happy to have number 74 because out of 150 riders he was able to get near the middle for the start. The guys who race this race are just abnormal. So fast, without nerves and full of risks. It was unbelievable to see how the front of the pack takes the corners and then for the back of the back (eventually that was Karel) it was nearly impossible to catch up when people start dropping out.
Karel looked at his power and did over 25 sprints of 1000+ watts. There was a slight incline on every loop right after corner 2 which was just brutal on the races.
When Karel watched the end of the race with me I think he was still upset about his crash and just not feeling 100% for his most important race of the year. But, after a good nights sleep he was ready for Sunday. I'm super proud of Karel and I was so happy to have my hubby in that race. I had people asking me if I knew anyone in the race and it was great to see the reaction of people when I say my husband is racing. Karel I still think you are awesome and I love that you love what you do!
Although Karel didn't finish the Athens twilight crit, along with many other Pro riders, Karel did place 2nd in the Masters 30+ crit on sat morning, which Karel did as a warm-up. :) Yay Karel!
After a 45 min run and then an easy spin on the rolling hills of Athens w/ Karel we packed up the car and headed to Rosewell, GA. It was only a 75 min. drive so that wasn't too bad.
The town was super cute and thankfully, not as many people were there compared to Athens. I heard they expected over 30,000 people at Athens???
The roads were still lined with people in Rosewell and the field was enormous! 170 Pro riders!!
Karel needed this finish to boost him up for next week (races on Fri, sat and sun in SC, NC and GA) and with a few chats to God during the race, he finished. Karel said he had a moment with about 20 min. to go where he just couldn't take it any more. He was playing games with himself, just one more lap. Humm, sounds familiar. I say that during most of my running races..."just one more mile then you can quit."
Karel finished around 50-55th place and I am so proud of him. After a 6 hour drive home, we finally made it back to our place at 2am. I picked up Campy first thing this morning (I even set my alarm so I could get Campy as soon as possible...who needs sleep?) and to no suprise, Campy is proud of Karel no matter what :)
Enjoy the pics.
I don't have the pics up yet, but here are youtube videos I found;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB25VuBky68
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKk_LcrcfkI (Crash right infront of me!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN3hvi_4lL8&NR=1
Our hotel was a few blocks from the course so I headed up to the race to watch the $1000 mile run and the women's Pro race. I ended up qualifying for the $1000 mile run due to my top 15 women's finish in the 5K but after about 30 minutes of thinking I could run with these 16 year old xc girls who weigh about 30 lbs less than me, I decided to pass on it. Also, after my 50K bike in the rollers of GA (which I LOVED!) I was ready to relax the rest of the day. However, it was really excited to watch the guys and girls run all out. Some of them were dressed in funny outfits and it was great to see people having fun out there. I will post pics later from that race.
It was around 7pm when the streets started to get packed and I knew I had to claim my spot early. I wanted to be right at a corner cause that is where the action is at (and the crashes...err). So, I stood right at the barricade at corner 2 for over 2 hours to keep my spot and it was worth it! I was able to watch the womens race and when the Men's pro race started at 9:30 I was so happy to have a close spot.
Karel didn't finish the race. He is bummed. Cycling is much different from tri's because you either stay on a wheel (you can take the pain) or you can't (you can't suffer any longer). But life goes on and he has moved on. Although he still thinks about the what if's...like being stuck behind the big crash on the FIRST loop and barely dodging the bikes as a bunch of people fell to the ground and then getting behind another crash later in the race, I guess this is just one of those races were you just get lucky. Karel was really happy to have number 74 because out of 150 riders he was able to get near the middle for the start. The guys who race this race are just abnormal. So fast, without nerves and full of risks. It was unbelievable to see how the front of the pack takes the corners and then for the back of the back (eventually that was Karel) it was nearly impossible to catch up when people start dropping out.
Karel looked at his power and did over 25 sprints of 1000+ watts. There was a slight incline on every loop right after corner 2 which was just brutal on the races.
When Karel watched the end of the race with me I think he was still upset about his crash and just not feeling 100% for his most important race of the year. But, after a good nights sleep he was ready for Sunday. I'm super proud of Karel and I was so happy to have my hubby in that race. I had people asking me if I knew anyone in the race and it was great to see the reaction of people when I say my husband is racing. Karel I still think you are awesome and I love that you love what you do!
Although Karel didn't finish the Athens twilight crit, along with many other Pro riders, Karel did place 2nd in the Masters 30+ crit on sat morning, which Karel did as a warm-up. :) Yay Karel!
After a 45 min run and then an easy spin on the rolling hills of Athens w/ Karel we packed up the car and headed to Rosewell, GA. It was only a 75 min. drive so that wasn't too bad.
The town was super cute and thankfully, not as many people were there compared to Athens. I heard they expected over 30,000 people at Athens???
The roads were still lined with people in Rosewell and the field was enormous! 170 Pro riders!!
Karel needed this finish to boost him up for next week (races on Fri, sat and sun in SC, NC and GA) and with a few chats to God during the race, he finished. Karel said he had a moment with about 20 min. to go where he just couldn't take it any more. He was playing games with himself, just one more lap. Humm, sounds familiar. I say that during most of my running races..."just one more mile then you can quit."
Karel finished around 50-55th place and I am so proud of him. After a 6 hour drive home, we finally made it back to our place at 2am. I picked up Campy first thing this morning (I even set my alarm so I could get Campy as soon as possible...who needs sleep?) and to no suprise, Campy is proud of Karel no matter what :)
Enjoy the pics.
4/25/09
Pictures!
The 5K run went better than expected. Who knew I was a sprinter! Ok-I think my legs are too short to be a sprinter and I'm not breaking 20 minutes but I'm happy with an almost PR...just 7 seconds away from breaking 21 minutes. I'll take it considering there was nothing flat on this course!
Mile 1: 6:30
Mile 2: 6:35
Mile 3: 7:06
5K: 21.07
Enjoy the pics from yesterday!
The computer trainer ride yesterday was 6 loops of the 1K Twilight Crit. Tonight, Karel will try to hang on as long as he can during the two hour crit tonight. OUCH!
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TOP 8 HEAT Winners: FINAL HEAT!
Check out those watts!
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Mile 1: 6:30
Mile 2: 6:35
Mile 3: 7:06
5K: 21.07
Enjoy the pics from yesterday!
The computer trainer ride yesterday was 6 loops of the 1K Twilight Crit. Tonight, Karel will try to hang on as long as he can during the two hour crit tonight. OUCH!
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TOP 8 HEAT Winners: FINAL HEAT!
Check out those watts!
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Athens Twilight Crit
We are in Athens!
The 6 hour drive went really quickly. After dropping off Campy at 8:30 at a friends house (tear :( ) we headed off to Athens.
We checked into the Days Inn after slowly driving through the frats off University of Georgia. Oh, the days of being in college.
We headed straight to College Ave so Karel could check his times for the Computrainer grid heats. Karel's heat was at 515 so we had enough time to check in and for Karel to warm-up for 30 min. on his trainer.
The computrainer event was awesome. I've never seen anything like it. 100 guys (out of the 150 who are racing the main event tomorrow) can race on the computrainer in heats. There are 11 heats of 8 people and they take the top 8 people of the day for the computrainer finals. The computrainers were on a stage and there were 3 flat screen TV's showing the audience and the riders their wattage, speed, distance, place, etc. It was so cool!
I have lots of pics so I will post those later this afternoon.
We had a great night last night. After Karel got cleaned up from his heat we headed to a local Taco cafe for the BEST (and I mean BEST) tofu burrito I have ever had on a sun dried tomato wrap. It was SOOOO good!! Afterwards we shared a treat and coffee at Starbucks (I love trips w/ Karel!) and then watched the 9pm (which actually started at 9:30pm) finals for the computrainer.
I just finished my coffee and I am about to head to College ave once again for the 5K running race. Afterwards, I will be getting on my bike for a 50K bike, which is part of the Gambler event. So many great activities here for me. Although I am paying $50 to "train" I don't see this as training. I don't care about numbers or times. I like to see if there are any events going on when I head to Karel's races and of course I couldn't pass up the TWIATHLON. The last leg of the race is getting a tour of the Jittery Joes's Brewery and enjoying lots of coffee!
I'll be back to post some pics before the suffer fest...I mean main event.. tonight at 9pm. An 80K criterium on a 1K course!
http://www.athenstwilight.com/cycling.php
The 6 hour drive went really quickly. After dropping off Campy at 8:30 at a friends house (tear :( ) we headed off to Athens.
We checked into the Days Inn after slowly driving through the frats off University of Georgia. Oh, the days of being in college.
We headed straight to College Ave so Karel could check his times for the Computrainer grid heats. Karel's heat was at 515 so we had enough time to check in and for Karel to warm-up for 30 min. on his trainer.
The computrainer event was awesome. I've never seen anything like it. 100 guys (out of the 150 who are racing the main event tomorrow) can race on the computrainer in heats. There are 11 heats of 8 people and they take the top 8 people of the day for the computrainer finals. The computrainers were on a stage and there were 3 flat screen TV's showing the audience and the riders their wattage, speed, distance, place, etc. It was so cool!
I have lots of pics so I will post those later this afternoon.
We had a great night last night. After Karel got cleaned up from his heat we headed to a local Taco cafe for the BEST (and I mean BEST) tofu burrito I have ever had on a sun dried tomato wrap. It was SOOOO good!! Afterwards we shared a treat and coffee at Starbucks (I love trips w/ Karel!) and then watched the 9pm (which actually started at 9:30pm) finals for the computrainer.
I just finished my coffee and I am about to head to College ave once again for the 5K running race. Afterwards, I will be getting on my bike for a 50K bike, which is part of the Gambler event. So many great activities here for me. Although I am paying $50 to "train" I don't see this as training. I don't care about numbers or times. I like to see if there are any events going on when I head to Karel's races and of course I couldn't pass up the TWIATHLON. The last leg of the race is getting a tour of the Jittery Joes's Brewery and enjoying lots of coffee!
I'll be back to post some pics before the suffer fest...I mean main event.. tonight at 9pm. An 80K criterium on a 1K course!
http://www.athenstwilight.com/cycling.php
4/23/09
Creative, yet healthy
I am not sure if I like to cook because I get to be creative or because I like to be creative, I like to cook. Well, whatever way you look at it, I believe that now-a-days, you have to be creative when you make a healthy meal at home.
I have admitted several times on my blog that I can't afford to be 100% organic and natural. I think there are many benefits of having all-natural products and food in our place and I am sure my recipes would be a lot more interesting if I shopped at natural food stores. But, I am on a budget and I hope to always shop on a budget. I think when it comes to buying food, it is all relative to how much money you can and want to spend on food. However, regardless if a food is natural, organic, high in whole grains or free of hydrogenated oils you still have to portion your meals and watch calories.
Last night I made Karel a super yummy and heart healthy dinner of rice, fish and a salad.
First off, I started with the rice.
Ever look on the sodium content of boxed rice? Sure, it is affordable to buy pre-seasoned rice but a full box can easily have over 2000 mg sodium. That is about 500mg over a day's worth of sodium! The worst part about the pre-seasoned boxes of rice is that the seasonings overpower the great healthy nutrients in rice.
I love buying plain rice and plan couscous but I'm sure everyone would agree, the taste of a pre-seasoned rice mix (although I find them super salty!) is much more appetizing than plain rice. You can always season-up a plain rice mix with cayenne pepper, chili flakes, garlic, onions, salsa or peppers.
When I cook rice from a box, I try to take out some of the seasonings and use them for another meal. Next time you open a box of pre-seasoned rice that has the seasonings in a seperate bag, only use a 1/4th of the package of seasonings. Then add a little chopped garlic and pepper if you feel the rice needs an extra kick. If the rice has the seasonings already mixed in the package, slowly open the package and pour the rice and seasonings on a large plate. Most of the time, the seasonings are in large balls or chunks and you can take out almost half of the seasonings. There is nothing wrong with a little sodium from the seasonings because in the entire box of rice, a portion is 1 cup. Therefore, the sodium in the seasoning is spread out in the entire bowl of cooked rice. So, when you portion control you still get a little bit of everything and you don't have to sacrifice taste.
I find that many people worry about changing nutrition habits because they don't want to give up favorite foods. If your favorite foods are donuts, oreos and fried chicken, I recommend finding an alternative to foods which provide empty calories and minimal nutrients. However, there are countless health benefits in a dinner of fish and rice and if you are an athlete looking for the competitive age (or athlete seeking weight loss) it is important that all meals are balanced and filled with heart healthy benefits.
If you are trying to lose weight, you never want to eliminate foods, you want to replace them. Find healthy alternatives. When you are cooking your favorite foods, first evaluate your menu and prioritize protein, complex carbs, fiber and healthy fats. Then when you want to add in other ingredients, be creative and find ways to make your meals healthier.
Rice:
1 box Zatarains brocoli and cheese rice (only used about 2 tbsp. seasoning). Cooked in microwave for 20 minutes.
Fish:
2 tallapia fillets coated w/ skim milk and 1 tbsp. rice seasoning (from zatarain box) and italian bread crumbs. Cooked w/ 1 tbsp. olive oil.
Salad:
Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, chives, carrots, cucumber.
I have admitted several times on my blog that I can't afford to be 100% organic and natural. I think there are many benefits of having all-natural products and food in our place and I am sure my recipes would be a lot more interesting if I shopped at natural food stores. But, I am on a budget and I hope to always shop on a budget. I think when it comes to buying food, it is all relative to how much money you can and want to spend on food. However, regardless if a food is natural, organic, high in whole grains or free of hydrogenated oils you still have to portion your meals and watch calories.
Last night I made Karel a super yummy and heart healthy dinner of rice, fish and a salad.
First off, I started with the rice.
Ever look on the sodium content of boxed rice? Sure, it is affordable to buy pre-seasoned rice but a full box can easily have over 2000 mg sodium. That is about 500mg over a day's worth of sodium! The worst part about the pre-seasoned boxes of rice is that the seasonings overpower the great healthy nutrients in rice.
I love buying plain rice and plan couscous but I'm sure everyone would agree, the taste of a pre-seasoned rice mix (although I find them super salty!) is much more appetizing than plain rice. You can always season-up a plain rice mix with cayenne pepper, chili flakes, garlic, onions, salsa or peppers.
When I cook rice from a box, I try to take out some of the seasonings and use them for another meal. Next time you open a box of pre-seasoned rice that has the seasonings in a seperate bag, only use a 1/4th of the package of seasonings. Then add a little chopped garlic and pepper if you feel the rice needs an extra kick. If the rice has the seasonings already mixed in the package, slowly open the package and pour the rice and seasonings on a large plate. Most of the time, the seasonings are in large balls or chunks and you can take out almost half of the seasonings. There is nothing wrong with a little sodium from the seasonings because in the entire box of rice, a portion is 1 cup. Therefore, the sodium in the seasoning is spread out in the entire bowl of cooked rice. So, when you portion control you still get a little bit of everything and you don't have to sacrifice taste.
I find that many people worry about changing nutrition habits because they don't want to give up favorite foods. If your favorite foods are donuts, oreos and fried chicken, I recommend finding an alternative to foods which provide empty calories and minimal nutrients. However, there are countless health benefits in a dinner of fish and rice and if you are an athlete looking for the competitive age (or athlete seeking weight loss) it is important that all meals are balanced and filled with heart healthy benefits.
If you are trying to lose weight, you never want to eliminate foods, you want to replace them. Find healthy alternatives. When you are cooking your favorite foods, first evaluate your menu and prioritize protein, complex carbs, fiber and healthy fats. Then when you want to add in other ingredients, be creative and find ways to make your meals healthier.
Rice:
1 box Zatarains brocoli and cheese rice (only used about 2 tbsp. seasoning). Cooked in microwave for 20 minutes.
Fish:
2 tallapia fillets coated w/ skim milk and 1 tbsp. rice seasoning (from zatarain box) and italian bread crumbs. Cooked w/ 1 tbsp. olive oil.
Salad:
Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, chives, carrots, cucumber.
4/22/09
Earth day
I wish the "more natural" approach was popular all year long, but for today.....
HAPPY EARTH DAY!!!
4/21/09
Smoothies!
Want to recover faster after workouts?
Want to prevent eating too many calories at your "real" meal after a workout?
Want to ensure glyocgen storage at your post workout meal?
Want to stablize blood sugar after a workout?
Want a yummy treat to help get stronger and get ready for upcoming workouts?
Have a smoothie!
Here is my general rule with protein after a workout. Recovery nutrition always depends on intensity of training, body size (calories), weather, type of exercise and weekly volume. However, you can never go wrong with protein within 45 min. after your workouts:
*After 2+ hour workouts - 200-350 calories. Smoothie w/ 1 scoop whey protein and fruit, yogurt, milk, nuts, PB, ice cream, chocolate, etc. About 30-90 min. after the smoothie, have a 300-500 calorie breakfast of complex carbohydrates, a little fat and a little protein.
*After 90-120 min. workouts - 150-250 calories. Smoothie w/ 1 scoop whey protein, fruit and 4-6 ounces milk OR 1 scoop whey protein w/ 8 ounces skim/soy milk in a shaker (to prevent clumping). About 30-60 min. after smoothie, have a 350-400 calorie complex carbohydrate breakfast w/ a little fat and protein.
*After 60-90 min workouts - 100-125 calories. 1 scoop whey protein w/ 4 ounces skim/soy milk and 6-10 ounces water OR any of the following: yogurt, cottage cheese, lean meat, egg whites, beans, nuts. After protein snack, have a complex carbohydrate breakfast of around 300-400 calories of complex carbohydates, a little protein and a little fat.
NOTE: Do you need a protein smoothie every type you finish a workout? No, but a little protein post workout will not only keep you from overeating a meal but you are speeding up the recovery process. Try to steer clear from protein powders which are high in carbs or store-bought smoothies. You want to save calories for a real meal. The more intense the workout, the more you need to think about recovering quickly. Also, the longer the workout, the increase tendency to eat in excess after the workout (and not always the healthiest foods).
You want to make sure your protein is made of whey protein (as first ingredient) and has around 90-120 calories per scoop and 18-24 grams protein per scoop. Remember-If you try to save calories by only using 1/2 scoop or cutting back on the serving size you also decrease the protein! You want protein post workout w/ a little carbs (1/2 granola bar, a little dry cereal, fruit, etc.) but ultimately, you want to have your protein first and then a real meal to ensure that you are refueling, while you repair.
Enjoy!
Apricot Pinapple Smoothie
1/4 cup crushed pineapple (if in can, drain first and give a light rinse)
1 fresh apricot, diced
6 strawberries (best if frozen)
1/2 banana (best if frozen)
1 cup water (may need to add more water after blending ingredients)
1/2 cup skim/soy milk
1 scoop whey protein powder
1/2 tbsp. flax seeds (optional) or 2-3 walnuts
1) In a blender, blend fruit with the rest of the ingredients except protein.
2) Add protein and blend until thoroughly mixed.
3) Top w/ 1/8 cup granola or 1/4 cup of your favorite cereal.
Banana orange-berry Smoothie
1 orange (peeled, sliced and seeded)
1/2 banana (frozen)
1/4 cup blueberries or raspberries (if not in season, buy frozen)
1/2 cup water (may need to add more water)
1/2 cup skim/soy milk
1 scoop whey protein powder
1) In a blender, blend fruit with the rest of the ingredients except protein.
2) Add protein and blend until thoroughly mixed.
3) Top with 1/2 ounce dark chocolate (chopped or grated)
4/20/09
Two crashes and Earth day
I'm exhausted.
Last hard training block before a recovery week:
Sat - 15.5 miles running w/ my friend Katrine
Sat - Worked Earth day 11:30-4:30
Sun - 82 mile ride (4 1/2 hrs) in the wind + 27 run with Campy
Sun - Visit my friend Libby at St. Augustine beach
Sun - BeginnerTriathlete.com nutrition chat 8pm.
Somewhere in the madness I managed to complete one project for school but I will be stressed with homework all day today. Just 2 more weeks of school left before finals!
So, in all of that training you can see I didn't do much resting. I will save this topic for another post but I want to stress the importance of rest and sleep with an increase of volume. Yes-you will be tired and exhausted when you increase your trianing volume for an IM or even a sprint tri so therefore, you need to increase your sleep! You don't need to supplement to try to give yourself more energy. You don't need to eat more cause you think you aren't eating enough because you have no energy. You first and foremost need sleep! Then you can look at the diet and see if you do need a supplement due to your increase in trianing volume. Well, although I didn't get much rest, I was in bed by 8:30 both Fri and Sat night. I was just pooped on sat morning so my big training weekend was even more exausting.
Earth day was great! We had a lot of people pledge to Go By Bike, which is the mission of Trek. The Trek corporation is asking people to committ to a more healthy lifestyle and to stop riding in the car when you can bike instead. 25% of trips made from home are within 1 mile from the home. The car releases more pollution in the first few minutes of driving compared to driving more than 2 miles. We gave away a lot of water bottles so that people can stay hydrated when the bike. It was great to hear from so many people who actually did bike to the Earth Day celebration. I also had a lot of kids make promises to me that they would exercise and eat healthy forever :)
Another great thing about Earth Day at Native Sun was all the Organic FOOD!! I filled up on my favorite food...PITA CHIPS!! And after round one of hummus and pita chips, I politely asked for seconds. Oh-so good! I don't buy them because I would eat them like crazy so it was a nice treat. I got a lot of great coupons and learned a lot from all of the vendors and I am excited for people to make some healthy changes in their lives.
So, before Earth day I received a phone call and text from my good friend Libby
"I got hit by an a$$ hole who made a left turn into me. Bike is in pieces but I'm ok"
I freaked out because Libby and I were just talking the other day about people dying on their bikes. On Mon (a week ago) a lady was riding a hybrid bike in the bike lane during her lunch break and was killed by a car. The scary thing is that I ride on that same road but early in the morning. Now I just stick to developing roads and I drive my bike to places to bike. I am not taking any more chances with my one life.
Luckily, Libby was ok. Some road rash and a broken Kuota that Karel just fixed up for her race which she was supposed to do on Sun.
I visited Libby at her house at St. Augustine Beach yesterday and since Karel was racing, I brought Campy. Although Libby's neck is sore and she is stressing about the law suit (which is just stressful but worth it when it is all overwith), we had a great time walking our doggies on the beach. This was a big day for Campy because not only does Campy have a new GF (Libby's dog) but this was Campy's first trip to the beach. I couldn't take Campy off his leash but he had so much fun in the sand and even in the water. He had never seen waves before and he was jumping up and down in the water when the waves splashed his feet. He also enjoyed bitting the bubbles from the waves. Although he was super hyper and wet, he had a great time.
After the beach Libby and I hung out in her place and just chatted while Campy and Brisben (her dog) took a well-needed nap. Libby gave me a great mango w/ greek yogurt and Campy and Brisben helped Neil (Libby's hubby) cook for dinner.
Around 6pm I headed home and it was time to catch up with Karel.
Karel called me right before I headed to Libby's to tell me that he crashed in his race. How it happened, not sure. But, there were a lot of crashes in his crit. The sad part is that he just got a new and VERY expensive front race wheel on Sat. Karel rode that wheel for 13 minutes before he had to say good-bye to it in his race. Bummer. Did I mention it is very expensive? Well, Karel was so worried that I would be upset because he crashed the wheel but when it comes to my hubby and racing, walking away from a race with road rash is better than any broken wheel and not being able to walk away from a crash.
So, there's my weekend. Luckily, it is another day, I am safe, my friends and family are healthy and alive (some of them with road rash) and I can be thankful that I can live another day. Be careful out there!
Earth Day
Afternoon with Libby
Karel's new wheel and the aftermath
Last hard training block before a recovery week:
Sat - 15.5 miles running w/ my friend Katrine
Sat - Worked Earth day 11:30-4:30
Sun - 82 mile ride (4 1/2 hrs) in the wind + 27 run with Campy
Sun - Visit my friend Libby at St. Augustine beach
Sun - BeginnerTriathlete.com nutrition chat 8pm.
Somewhere in the madness I managed to complete one project for school but I will be stressed with homework all day today. Just 2 more weeks of school left before finals!
So, in all of that training you can see I didn't do much resting. I will save this topic for another post but I want to stress the importance of rest and sleep with an increase of volume. Yes-you will be tired and exhausted when you increase your trianing volume for an IM or even a sprint tri so therefore, you need to increase your sleep! You don't need to supplement to try to give yourself more energy. You don't need to eat more cause you think you aren't eating enough because you have no energy. You first and foremost need sleep! Then you can look at the diet and see if you do need a supplement due to your increase in trianing volume. Well, although I didn't get much rest, I was in bed by 8:30 both Fri and Sat night. I was just pooped on sat morning so my big training weekend was even more exausting.
Earth day was great! We had a lot of people pledge to Go By Bike, which is the mission of Trek. The Trek corporation is asking people to committ to a more healthy lifestyle and to stop riding in the car when you can bike instead. 25% of trips made from home are within 1 mile from the home. The car releases more pollution in the first few minutes of driving compared to driving more than 2 miles. We gave away a lot of water bottles so that people can stay hydrated when the bike. It was great to hear from so many people who actually did bike to the Earth Day celebration. I also had a lot of kids make promises to me that they would exercise and eat healthy forever :)
Another great thing about Earth Day at Native Sun was all the Organic FOOD!! I filled up on my favorite food...PITA CHIPS!! And after round one of hummus and pita chips, I politely asked for seconds. Oh-so good! I don't buy them because I would eat them like crazy so it was a nice treat. I got a lot of great coupons and learned a lot from all of the vendors and I am excited for people to make some healthy changes in their lives.
So, before Earth day I received a phone call and text from my good friend Libby
"I got hit by an a$$ hole who made a left turn into me. Bike is in pieces but I'm ok"
I freaked out because Libby and I were just talking the other day about people dying on their bikes. On Mon (a week ago) a lady was riding a hybrid bike in the bike lane during her lunch break and was killed by a car. The scary thing is that I ride on that same road but early in the morning. Now I just stick to developing roads and I drive my bike to places to bike. I am not taking any more chances with my one life.
Luckily, Libby was ok. Some road rash and a broken Kuota that Karel just fixed up for her race which she was supposed to do on Sun.
I visited Libby at her house at St. Augustine Beach yesterday and since Karel was racing, I brought Campy. Although Libby's neck is sore and she is stressing about the law suit (which is just stressful but worth it when it is all overwith), we had a great time walking our doggies on the beach. This was a big day for Campy because not only does Campy have a new GF (Libby's dog) but this was Campy's first trip to the beach. I couldn't take Campy off his leash but he had so much fun in the sand and even in the water. He had never seen waves before and he was jumping up and down in the water when the waves splashed his feet. He also enjoyed bitting the bubbles from the waves. Although he was super hyper and wet, he had a great time.
After the beach Libby and I hung out in her place and just chatted while Campy and Brisben (her dog) took a well-needed nap. Libby gave me a great mango w/ greek yogurt and Campy and Brisben helped Neil (Libby's hubby) cook for dinner.
Around 6pm I headed home and it was time to catch up with Karel.
Karel called me right before I headed to Libby's to tell me that he crashed in his race. How it happened, not sure. But, there were a lot of crashes in his crit. The sad part is that he just got a new and VERY expensive front race wheel on Sat. Karel rode that wheel for 13 minutes before he had to say good-bye to it in his race. Bummer. Did I mention it is very expensive? Well, Karel was so worried that I would be upset because he crashed the wheel but when it comes to my hubby and racing, walking away from a race with road rash is better than any broken wheel and not being able to walk away from a crash.
So, there's my weekend. Luckily, it is another day, I am safe, my friends and family are healthy and alive (some of them with road rash) and I can be thankful that I can live another day. Be careful out there!
Earth Day
Afternoon with Libby
Karel's new wheel and the aftermath
4/17/09
Earth day
http://www.nativesunjax.com/whatsnew.asp#earthday
I am super excited to help out for Earth day at Native sun. I will be working the Trek store booth, handing out water bottles and encouraging people to "go by bike" and visit the Trek store across the street from Native Sun.
Although Earth Day is on April 22nd, I wanted to take some time to provide some EASY "Earth Day" tips to help keep the earth clean. You don't have to go by a new car, change every lightbulb in your house or remodel your house to be more green. Yes-even you can make a difference with a few small changes.
1) Ride your bike to work, the gym or to a friends house. You don't have to "train" when you ride your bike so, ride like a kid and enjoy the downhills and a little sunshine.
2) Participate in a clean-up day in your town at least once a year. Pick up trash, plant trees or start a flower garden.
3) Grow your own vegetables and fruits.
4) Turn off the TV and enjoy nature. Take a walk in the park, feed the birds, go hiking or invite your friends over and have a picnic.
5) Protect water quality. Don't dump used oil, paint, coolants or other chemicals into the ground, storm drains or garage drains.
6) Buy a water filter and cut back on plastic water bottles. Go to your nearest bike/tri/sport shop and invest in a good re-usable water bottle.
7) Produce less waste. Substitute water-based products whenever possible when buying paints and household cleaners. Or, switch from chemical-type cleaners to natural products like soap and water.
8) Bring your own bags when you grocery shop or re-use plastic bags to pick up after your pets. Too many plastic bags in your house? Use the bags as "lunch-boxes" and start bringing your lunch to work. Every day, Americans spend an extra dollar more for every $10 they spend on groceries to pay for the boxes, bags, and other packaging's that those products come in. Use reusable food containers for leftovers. Finally, cut back on fast food meals.
9) Buy products in bulk or with minimal packaging materials. Re-use and Recycle as much as possible.
10) Open the window shades and enjoy natural light. Don't turn on the lights or AC if you don't need it! You don't need the TV on while you shower and don't forget
to turn off lights when you leave a room.
11) Carpool, walk, use your bike or plan errands to minimize driving. Keep the car tuned and leak-free, and get it inspected regularly. Keep tires properly inflated and dispose of used motor oil and cooling fluids at designated recycling centers.
12) Don't water your sidewalk. Conserve water in and outside the home.
13) Take care of your lawn. Trying to decide what to do with your leaves, grass clippings and garden "waste?" learn about composting and mulching. These natural fertilizers will improve your garden soil’s fertility and will help to retain soil moisture. Keep your lawn 2 inches long and leave your grass clippings where they’re cut.
14) Be aware of how much paper you waste in the home. If you pay bills online, save paper envelopes for coupons. Instead of throwing out a bad print job, use extra paper for scrap paper. Instead of using a whole napkin for every meal, use half a napkin (ex. when eating a salad or something non-messy) or half a paper towel. Use towels and rags, instead of papertowels, for cleaning big messes.
15) Did you know that toilets are the most common source of household water use? A leaking toilet can waste more than 150 gallons per day! You may not see or hear water running, but your toilet may have a silent leak. These leaks are easy to fix with parts from you local hardware store - make the repair and save water and money!
16) Drive smart. First, avoid revving or idling your engine over 30 seconds. Always accelerate gradually, maintain the speed limit and use cruise control on the highway. Avoid waiting in long drive-through lines - turn your car off and go in. Minimize use of air conditioning if you can. Use an energy-conserving grade of motor oil and get regular engine tune-ups, and don’t ignore "check engine" or "service engine soon" lights. Fill your gas tank during cooler evening hours to cut down on evaporation, avoid spilling gas and don’t "top off" the tank.
17) Use less stuff! There are many ways to reduce waste in your home. Use washable utensils and plates instead of throwaway plastic picnic gear. Share magazines and newspapers with a friend, neighbors, a nursing home, hospital or library. Donate used goods such as clothing, furniture and toys to a thrift shop, day care center, charity or second-hand store instead of throwing them out.
18) Conserve energy in your kitchen everyday. Use the right size pot or pan on the stove for the item you’re cooking. Don't preheat your oven except for baking, and cover pots and pans when cooking. Set the refrigerator's temperature to somewhere between 36° and 39° F, and the freezer to somewhere between 0° and 5° F. Make sure to clean the refrigerator coils and switch the refrigerator to its power-miser setting. Finally, turn your water heater down to 120° F.
19) If you only use a few dishes day, wash your dishes and only use the dishwasher when it is full. Your dishwasher uses the same amount of water whether it’s full or just partially full of dishes, so make the most of it. When doing laundry, save energy and use cold water for wash and try to wash full loads. Control the water settings when you wash and if you only have a few items to wash immediately, wash by hand.
20) Did you know that one female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens in 7 years? Or that one female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in 6 years? Every year, between 8 and 10 million dogs and cats enter U.S. shelters. Sadly, most never find homes. Too many animals competing for too few good homes is the most obvious consequence of uncontrolled breeding. Say no to puppy mills!!Can you honestly say that a $800 "purse puppy" is going to show you more love than a dog who was found on the street with no fresh water, food or a place to sleep? Low cost spaying or neutering is a solution to pet overpopulation and is available at most shelters. If you can provide a loving home, attention and give exercise to a pet, go get a rescue animal!
21) Go digital! Save paper and send an email. There is nothing wrong with a nice hand-written letter but pay bills online, stay organized on the computer and avoid printing every piece of information you find interesting on the Internet.
4/15/09
Fiesta Pita and Chickpea burger
Karel has the Athens Twilight Crit coming up next weekend and he is totally feeling the effects of his training. I refuse for either of us to get sick EVER so whenever he tells me he thinks he is getting sick or feeling under the weather I just tell him "NO you aren't!" How supportive.
In all honesty, I try to feed us with loads of nutrients on a daily basis so that we can recover from our workouts, have energy for workouts and keep our immune system healthy. Oh-and of course I want the food to taste good so Karel looks forward to my "creations".
I've been feeding Karel really well this week so that his energy is up and he can feel strong for all his workouts. I am not sure if my recipes will get him a win at his upcoming races but at least he is getting great vitamins and minerals to keep his heart healthy and his muscles (and tummy) happy.
By the way...the recipes are vegetarian friendly but you can add meat if you want.
I had a lot of leftovers from my Fiesta wrap so the chickpea burger uses similar ingredients.
Fiesta Wrap
2 egg whites + 1 whole egg
Corn (about 1/4 cup)
Red beans (about 1/4 cup)
Firm Tofu (about 1/2 cup)
Veggie burger
1/4 Onion sliced
Mushrooms (large handful)
Shredded cheese
Salsa
Pita wrap (found at Hala store, publix or wal-mart)
1. Cook corn, mushrooms, onions and beans in a non-stick pan on medium heat w/ 1 tbsp. olive oil.
2. Heat veggie burger in microwave for 75 sec. Crumble veggie burger into veggie mixture.
3. Add tofu to veggie mixture. Stir everything together and add about 3-4 big spoonfuls salsa to mixture.
4. Turn off burner and cover pan.
5. Toast 1/2 pita in oven or toaster on low heat.
6. Stuff pita with mixture and top with shredded cheese.
Chickpea burger
1.5 cup chickpeas
Fresh parsly (about 2 tbsp.)
Onions (1/4 onion chopped)
Mushrooms (handful)
Red Beans (1/2 cup)
2 egg whites + 1/2 yoke
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1/4 cup Salsa
1/8 cup whole wheat flour
Pepper
Chili Flakes
Cayenne pepper
1-2 slices whole grain bread or 1/2 bagel
Swiss Cheese
Hummus
1. Heat chickpeas in microwave bowl for 2-3 min. until soft. Use a spoon or clean hands to smush chickpeas.
2. In a big bowl, mix together chickpeas, parsly, garlic, eggs, mushroms, onions, beans and salsa.
3. Add flour and seasonings. Mixture should be like mushy hummus but if mixture is thick, add a little water (about 1-2 tbsp).
4. Pour 1 tbsp. olive oil on a non-stick pan on medium heat. Spoon 2-3 spoonfuls of mixture on pan. Cover burgers and let them cook for a few minutes. Flip when bottom is slightly brown.
5. While burgers are cooking, toast bagel or bread. If using a bagel, toast 1/2 bagel and cut that half lengthwise to give you 2 thin bagel slices (use a serrated knife!).
6. Top each bagel with hummus, burger and 1/2 slice deli swiss cheese.
7. Optional side: Jambalaya rice and stuffed mushrooms w/ rice.
When your vegeterian wife isn't looking, stick a piece of lean meat under the vegetarian burger :) Sneaky Sneaky
In all honesty, I try to feed us with loads of nutrients on a daily basis so that we can recover from our workouts, have energy for workouts and keep our immune system healthy. Oh-and of course I want the food to taste good so Karel looks forward to my "creations".
I've been feeding Karel really well this week so that his energy is up and he can feel strong for all his workouts. I am not sure if my recipes will get him a win at his upcoming races but at least he is getting great vitamins and minerals to keep his heart healthy and his muscles (and tummy) happy.
By the way...the recipes are vegetarian friendly but you can add meat if you want.
I had a lot of leftovers from my Fiesta wrap so the chickpea burger uses similar ingredients.
Fiesta Wrap
2 egg whites + 1 whole egg
Corn (about 1/4 cup)
Red beans (about 1/4 cup)
Firm Tofu (about 1/2 cup)
Veggie burger
1/4 Onion sliced
Mushrooms (large handful)
Shredded cheese
Salsa
Pita wrap (found at Hala store, publix or wal-mart)
1. Cook corn, mushrooms, onions and beans in a non-stick pan on medium heat w/ 1 tbsp. olive oil.
2. Heat veggie burger in microwave for 75 sec. Crumble veggie burger into veggie mixture.
3. Add tofu to veggie mixture. Stir everything together and add about 3-4 big spoonfuls salsa to mixture.
4. Turn off burner and cover pan.
5. Toast 1/2 pita in oven or toaster on low heat.
6. Stuff pita with mixture and top with shredded cheese.
Chickpea burger
1.5 cup chickpeas
Fresh parsly (about 2 tbsp.)
Onions (1/4 onion chopped)
Mushrooms (handful)
Red Beans (1/2 cup)
2 egg whites + 1/2 yoke
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1/4 cup Salsa
1/8 cup whole wheat flour
Pepper
Chili Flakes
Cayenne pepper
1-2 slices whole grain bread or 1/2 bagel
Swiss Cheese
Hummus
1. Heat chickpeas in microwave bowl for 2-3 min. until soft. Use a spoon or clean hands to smush chickpeas.
2. In a big bowl, mix together chickpeas, parsly, garlic, eggs, mushroms, onions, beans and salsa.
3. Add flour and seasonings. Mixture should be like mushy hummus but if mixture is thick, add a little water (about 1-2 tbsp).
4. Pour 1 tbsp. olive oil on a non-stick pan on medium heat. Spoon 2-3 spoonfuls of mixture on pan. Cover burgers and let them cook for a few minutes. Flip when bottom is slightly brown.
5. While burgers are cooking, toast bagel or bread. If using a bagel, toast 1/2 bagel and cut that half lengthwise to give you 2 thin bagel slices (use a serrated knife!).
6. Top each bagel with hummus, burger and 1/2 slice deli swiss cheese.
7. Optional side: Jambalaya rice and stuffed mushrooms w/ rice.
When your vegeterian wife isn't looking, stick a piece of lean meat under the vegetarian burger :) Sneaky Sneaky
4/13/09
Eggs
Seeing that Easter is about the easter bunny, peeps and chocolate....
Just kidding. I guess I've been watching too many commercials and spending too much time in the grocery store.
During my 2 hour run on Sunday I was minding my own business qhwn I started to smell breakfast. I guess one too many houses were preparing Easter morning breakfast and I was getting hungry from the smell of bacon. I guess it wasn't good that I was enjoying the smell of bacon so after my run I ignored my tummy and went for a recovery spin with Karel on our bikes. Luckily, we rode away from the smells of breakfast and I was able to think clearly and plan my recipe for pancakes. Now that is a good vegetarian breakfast..not bacon!
Alongside my pancakes I always like a serving of scrambled egg whites (2 whites, half yoke and skim milk. The other half of my yoke, and 1 egg white, goes into my pancake batter). I started thinking about all the good nutrients in eggs so here are some fun facts about eggs...
1) Eggs contain all the essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins, except Vitamin C. Egg yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D, as well as good sources of Calcium, phosphorus and Vitamin A.
2) One egg white has 3.6 g protein and .5 grams fat. One egg yoke has 2.7 g protein and 4.5 grams fat.
3) The egg yoke is an excellent source of carotenoids (lutein and its partner zeaxanthin) which are great for your eyes!
4) Egg yolks contain the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid DHA, which is necessary for the brain and proper retinal function in the eye, and the long-chain omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid, which is required for the healthy skin, hair, libido, reproduction, growth and response to injury.
5) The color of the egg shell is not related to quality, nutrients, flavor, or cooking characteristics. White shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and white ear lobes. Brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. Bown egg layers usually are slightly larger and require more food, thus brown eggs usually cost more than white eggs.
6) Eggs contain Choline, which is necessary for healthy cell membranes in the body. Choline regulates homocysteine levels (high levels of homocysteine have been linked to coronary heart disease, strokes, dementia in later life, diabetes, osteoporosis and pregnancy problems). Choline has also been to linked with preserving memory.
7) There are around 74 calories in an average egg and 77 calories in a hard boiled egg.
8) Eggs age more in one day at room temperature than in one week in the refrigerator. Eggs can be kept refrigerated in their carton for at least 4 to 5 weeks beyond the pack date.
9)Any food in excess is bad for the body. Eggs (along with other foods) may increase cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease in some people, but moderation is key for everyone. If you are a daily egg eater, aim for 1 whole egg a day and enjoy as many egg whites as you choose.
Fiesta Egg Wrap
2 whole eggs and 3 egg whites (hard-boiled)
3-4 ounces (about half cup) whipped or fat-free cream cheese (softened)
1/3 cup salsa
1/2 cup chickpeas or beans
1/2 cup corn
1 jalapeno or 1/2 pepper (chopped)
1/4 cup shredded cheese
Whole wheat pita bread or wrap
1) In large bowl, mix together eggs, cream cheese and salsa.
2) Add beans, corn and pepper.
3) Spoon 1/4 - 1/3 cup mixture into pita or place mixture on tortilla and roll. Top with a little cheese.
4/11/09
Weekend
It's just Sat afternoon and I am pooped for the weekend. Another windy Saturday but I was happy to wear my sleeveless Hammer bike top to work on my arm tan lines. I rode 71 miles w/ 3 x 50 min intervals w/ 10 min recovery. It went by fast until the last hour when I was getting hot, worried about my run and feeling tired. Luckily, the 26 min run felt great. After I did my run, it was time for Campy's run. We ran 1 mile together (10 min, including a few pee stops..for Campy) and finally at noon I was done! Literally, done! Time for the smoothie!
This afternoon my parents and I (they are in town..yay!!) and Campy went to Riverside in Downtown Jacksonville for the festival of arts. There were lots of booths, vendors and dogs! Campy was really good but he did have a few barks. We found Campy's little brother who was only 6 months old...they were twins, too cute!
Well, I have a few pics for the past week. The first pics are of Campy in my dad's Corvette. It was a special treat for Campy to ride in the Corvette and Karel couldn't believe that my dad let a DOG in his car! But seeing that my dad loves Campy, it was a fun and fast ride. My dad gave it the gas a few times and Campy loved it!
Enjoy the pics..mostly of Campy :)
This afternoon my parents and I (they are in town..yay!!) and Campy went to Riverside in Downtown Jacksonville for the festival of arts. There were lots of booths, vendors and dogs! Campy was really good but he did have a few barks. We found Campy's little brother who was only 6 months old...they were twins, too cute!
Well, I have a few pics for the past week. The first pics are of Campy in my dad's Corvette. It was a special treat for Campy to ride in the Corvette and Karel couldn't believe that my dad let a DOG in his car! But seeing that my dad loves Campy, it was a fun and fast ride. My dad gave it the gas a few times and Campy loved it!
Enjoy the pics..mostly of Campy :)
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