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Keep moving forward

"
Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.
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This is one of my favorite quotes. I think we would all agree that life is constantly changing. For one moment you feel like you are on the top of the world and the next moment you feel as if the world is crumbling on top of you. I find it important to always remember that there will be a tomorrow. There will also be a few hours later and there is also a right now.

When an athlete/fitness enthusiast tells me that he/she "messed up" with the diet or missed a workout, I simply reply via email or text "good thing there are 365 days in the year!".

In all honesty, what's one day here or there. Perhaps we are too hard on ourselves as hard-working individuals, who enjoy setting goals that may be hard to reach. But how do we know if those goals are too hard to reach if we sit around just wondering??

Last weekend a Trimarni Nutrition athlete of mine, Ed Peirick, finished IMWI. I had been helping Ed with his daily nutrition for the last few weeks as well as fine-tuning his fueling plan in order to prepare for his first ever IM.
Ed was recently featured on TV as a cancer survivor and now Ironman finisher.

NBC15 news

Here is more about Ed's story


I learn so much from my athletes. Whether I am helping someone with nutrition or coaching, I am inspired by every one of my athletes.

Another athlete of mine, Gary Bonacorsi, recently finished his season with 7 first place finishes (primarily sprint distance triathlons, 3 second place finishes and one third and fourth place finish. Gary is extremely competitive and has improved his power, speed and efficiency over the past 4 years since we started working together. Amazingly, Gary inspires me on a daily basis as he pays such close attention to detail and truely respects his body. At the age of 63 (married and still working), Gary is already planning his 2012 season with new goals and new expectations for his triathlon lifestyle.

I could write a book on each of my athletes, how each one of them inspires me on a daily basis. When I became a dietitian, I didn't know how I would be able to take my new clinical knowledge and work it into being an exercise physiologist and coach but thankfully, there is no BODY that is perfect. We each struggle in our own way to find the best nutrition, exercise and lifestyle choices to keep us balance and that is what makes us each special and unique. Regardless if my athlete has Crohn's disease, has survived cancer, is choosing to be a vegan/raw food or is just seeking a healthier and/or more active lifestyle, I treat them as an individual. I believe that the body should move on a daily basis but that we must respect the body if we want it to reach our personal goals.

One person who has inspired me over the past few years is my best friend.
Laura.
Laura, like so many other people who choose to partake in the multi-sport lifestyle, has her own obstacles to battle, aside from feeling sore or lacking the motivation to "stick to the training schedule". Although I consider myself very healthy in the inside, I also recognize that I can not take my health for granted.
Recently I have been filling in at Baptist Medical Center South, where Laura also works PRN. We have had a blast working together and I love being around someone so positive, especially when I am still learning as a clinical dietitian.






















Laura has been battling Lupus nephritis (affecting her kidneys) for most of her life and recently, the Lupus decided to attack again. Laura is recently undergoing chemo for the second time. Despite having Lupus, Laura recently finished a half ironman (Oct 2010) and finished a marathon in Dec 2009. Laura and I met at the YMCA pool when I moved to Jacksonville in 2008 (as a future dietetic intern) and we both instantly connected when we found out that we both love fruits and veggies! Also - our doggies are BFF's.


















As I mentioned before, Laura and I both respect the human body and believe in taking care of it on a daily basis. We both are not "strict" with our diets but we take pride in the food that we put into our body. We get super excited about fruits and veggies and absolutely love to cook and enjoy the outdoors with our doggies. Laura makes the best homemade veggie burgers as well as the BEST carrot cake (w/ coconut icing).
As a tribute to my best friend Laura, I would like to share my most recent yummy creation that is filled with beautiful colors that will ensure lots of energy and a great feeling inside your active body.

Enjoy!
Sundried tomato and hummus pesto salad
Romaine lettuce
Purple onions
Red and green peppers
Tomato
Peaches
Chopped brazil nuts
Sundried tomatoes
Pesto Hummus
Grilled tofu (or your choice of protein)
Spicy jalepeno Cabot cheese (shredded)
Raspberry balsamic dressing