Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

I just finished my yummy French Toast dinner, served with a beautiful side of blueberries and plum slices with yogurt. For my veggies, I sauteed some mushrooms, green peppers, onions and garlic. Sorry no pics...I was ready for dinner after a really busy day at the hospital. I'm so excited for my last weekend build before a recovery week. The past 2 weeks have felt amazing and I respected my body on Monday and Tuesday with an "off" day on Monday and a form-focused swim on Tues morning. My typical week includes a brick on Tues and Thurs but I moved my brick to Wed and swam again on Thurs and Fri. I rested my running legs a lot this week and added in an easy spin on Thursday evening in order to clear my head and legs (my brain was fried at the hospital while working in the CCU (critical care unit)). Although I now feel rested and continue to feel hungry for my training, come Monday I will gladly welcome my recovery week to clear my mind and rest my body. Karel has two i...

Finding balance. For most of us active individuals, it is very hard to find the perfect balance in life. I try to avoid using the word "perfect" as I don't believe that we need to strive for a state of "completeness and flawlessness". However, when we do find balance in life, life feels absolutely perfect. In the past month or two, I have found balance. It feels absolutely wonderful. With a training plan that has allowed me to be extremely consistent with training as well as a diet that fuels my workouts and my lifestyle, I have been able to balance Ironman training with the rest of my life. The funny thing about balance is that it is not always present as our life is ever-changing. Perhaps you are starting a new job, welcoming a child, training for a new event or new distance, working on dietary habits or changing your lifestyle routine. Regardless of the situation, you must welcome new changes with an open mind and not compare the current situation to past...

Yesterday I discussed the importance of using the plate method when planning your meals and snacks. As active individuals, I think it is easy for our body to crave carbohydrates considering that glycogen (stored carbs) is our primary fuel source during intense activity and endurance activity. However, the metabolism of carbs also depends on how you are fueling during exercise, with what you are fueling with during exercise, the intensity and duration as well as your overall daily diet. I recognize that many athletes often reach a stopping point (or never start) when it comes to increasing lean body mass and decreasing fat mass when training for endurance events (or any distance for that matter). To be in good health and experience performance gains, I believe that we can change body composition without sacrificing performance by focusing on a plant-based diet, balanced with complex carbs, quality protein and healthy fats. But the key is BALANCE and consistency. As an endurance a...

As a vegetarian athlete, I strive for quality protein in my diet. I am also a believer that if I emphasize wholesome food (with little to no ingredients) in the majority of my diet, my body will have an easier time digesting, absorbing and using the nutrients and fuel that I consume on a daily basis. Although my transition to vegetarian athlete has been an exciting and educational journey, I feel confident in my daily food choices because I focus on wholesome choices. Although we should aim for around 20% of the daily diet to be from protein, we want to be sure that we provide the muscles, brain and body with the BEST protein possible in order fuel workouts and your lifestyle routine. Because not all protein is considered equal when it comes to digestion, we want to focus on the amino acids within our protein choice, which help to increase lean muscle mass as well as fuel the brain and muscles during exercise (specifically, the branch chain amino aids). I recommend to aim for the m...

Oakley Women Beach Bag I rarely turn down an opportunity to go to the beach but despite being less than 20 miles away, I don't go there a lot. When I received my Oakley Women Beach Bag I wasn't sure how I wanted to use it so I decided to make it my work bag. When I go to the hospital, I just love carrying my binder and books in my bright blue bag. My calculator, tube feeding booklet and pen stay in my lab coat, since I use all three on a daily basis but the bag is large enough to carry everything I need for work (including my lunch). With the magnetic closure and interior pocket w/ zipper, the bag is perfect for any occasion. Arnica Pain Relief Cream Several months ago I was dealing with a lot of inflammation in and around my hips. I blame a large amount of it to stress and lots of sitting during my internship but I was also extremely tight, with weak surrounding muscles. My massage therapist Marjorie suggested that ...