Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

Nature's candy...The sweet potato. Not sure if it is better as a side, meal or dessert? If you have been following my blog for the past few years, you probably know my favorite pre-race meal. I find the nearest Outback before my long races and order a sweet potato (toppings on the side), bread and salad (w/ chopped eggs and pecans) for a comforting and well-practiced pre-race meal. Sweet potatoes contain SO many great nutrients! As an anti-oxidant rich veggie, you will get Vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, manganese, fiber, B vitamins, potassium, calcium and iron in every sweet potato you eat. The Sweet potato could be one of the most healthiest vegetable on Earth! Due to it's fiber content, this beautiful vegetable is known as a low gylcemic carb (acceptable for diabetics). Nutrition facts: Serving size: 1 large (DV is based on a 2000 calorie diet) Calories 162 Calories from Fat 0g Total Fat 0g Saturated Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 65mg Total Carbohydr...

My Two favorite protein powders: Body Fortress Whey protein (Wal-mart or Target) and Hammer Nutrition Whey (I'm a vanilla girl but every now and then I'll tough it up and get chocolate) We go through a lot of whey protein (at least 1/2-1 scoop a day for me and 1 scoop for Karel) in an effort to properly recover after our workouts. I rarely have a smoothie for a "meal" (ex. breakfast smoothie) but if I do, I always add in some type of carb choice like cooked oatmeal or toast w/ a little PB to go along with my nutrient-filled smoothie. Since I add lots of ingredients to my smoothie (ex. fruit, yogurt, milk, flax, dark chocolate, etc.) sometimes I just top my smoothie with a handful of dry cereal for an extra crunch. If you have another type of protein that you enjoy, I recommend that you get at least 18-24g of protein per scoop in your protein powder. To use your protein powder as a recovery drink, I recommend that you add in other yummies to a smoothie (or as a side to...

As you try to create healthier meals, never eliminate. If you have been eating Doritos with your sandwiches for the past 10 years, don't just assume that you will instantly be able to go chip-free at lunch time. Think of a crunchy & heart-friendly substitution that would go well with your sandwich to fulfill your crunchy need. Some people may be able to swap the chips for fruit or veggies whereas others may need to find a similar taste or texture in order to feel satisfied with the swap. Perhaps you satisfy your afternoon cravings with a sweet treat like a frappe or cappuccino and a candy bar (or a handful of portioned controlled bite-sized chocolates). Well, dark chocolate (70% cacao or more is recommended) is certainly on my list of heart-healthy treats so how about having a piece of fruit AND 1/2 ounce dark chocolate. As you work on improved meal preparation (many afternoon cravings are due to unbalanced breakfast and lunch meals, lack of healthy snacking) as well as better ...

One of my tips of healthy eating is to never go into a meal starving. Whether you are eating a snack 2-3 hrs prior to a meal or eating a snack 20-30 min. before a meal, both options can set you up for a portion, calorie and craving controlled meal. Not to mention, the ability to eat (or order if dining out) consciously and to feel in control of what you put into your body. The key to snacks is to think of them as mini meals. Aim for balance so that a snack is another opportunity to fill your body with healthy nutrients - think about: healthy fats, low fat/lean protein, complex carbs, fruits, veggies. Here's my idea of a filling afternoon snack or a healthy appetizer as you are preparing your meal: Hummus, Celery, Carrots, Part-skim Mozzarella cheese, nuts I got a little creative with my salad and topped my beautiful veggie selection with a Chickpea Ball. It was super delicious! Chickpea Ball 1 can chickpeas (rinsed and drained) 1/4 cup green pepper (sliced) 1 clove garlic No-salt s...

My mind is working overtime and my fingers are staying busy I have received several emails from FB and blog friends regarding the following topics: Vegetarian diet Gluten-free diet Whey protein supplementation Creatine supplementation As an endurance athlete, my perspective on these topics may be a bit different than other health and wellness professionals. As you know, I have been a vegetarian for a little over 16 years. I am not gluten-intolerant and I am not a big supplement user. I believe food is my "medicine" and my "fuel". The foods I eat are beneficial for my heart, health and performance (as a competitive athlete) and I strive for balance in my life. Too much of one thing is never a good thing and if I eat well most of the time, I don't have to worry about the rest of the time. I want to live a quality-filled life and make the most of my days here on Earth. Just like any professional, I have my own opinion of diets and products, both based on pe...

Question 3 and 4: Whey protein and Creatine supplementation: My best friend is in the coast guard and well, works out all the time. She is all into the whey protein shakes and creatine shakes. They scare me... so you have any advice about all that stuff? There are a lot of great resources out there supporting creatine and whey protein in the diet. Whey protein is a staple of my diet and I buy Body Fortress at Wal-Mart because it is affordable and provides my body with just what I need post workout. I love Hammer Whey protein as well so I usually have that on my order-list whenever I buy my Hammer products. However, as you can imagine, Karel and I go through Whey protein really fast. As for creatine, I do not believe in a loading phase but I feel as if 2-5g/day is beneficial to athletes performing strength exercises on a weekly basis. Just like with any supplement, if your diet is lacking or if you are putting your body under great stress, supplementing the diet with nutrients t...

I love reading on road trips. As you can guess, I've done a lot of reading in the past few weeks. I really enjoy reading new research from credited publications and researchers. I don't find myself on forums but there are several websites that I like to check out every now and then which also keep me updated on the latest health and nutrition trends. I always keep an open mind when I read health-related articles and I don't feel as if I have to trust, believe and/or try out everything that I read. However, as a professional in the wellness, dietetic (1 year from this month, hopefully!) and exercise physiology field, I believe it is very important for me to stay up-to-date with groundbreaking research as well as knowing where to find the best resources whenever someone has a question or concern. I belong to many organizations so that makes it really easy to know where to find publications and how to properly digest them. Certainly, I never aspire to know everything but I do ...

Is this just too cute?

To all of the soon-to-be mothers, mothers and grandmothers I hope you have a wonderful day! I think 70% of my friends are pregnant or have babies so I have a lot of Mother's day wishes to send! To my mom - I have no idea how I could be where I am now without your guidance, support and realistic/practical advice. I love you! On Sat we wished Karel's mom a happy mother's day (yay for Skype!). I know Karel and I wish that we could visit her in Czech but hopefully one day (sooner than later) we will get over there. If only money grew on trees! And for all of the animal mommy's out there...Have fun with the furry (or slimy) little ones :)