Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

I didn't grow up as a cyclist - heck, I barely rode my huffy bike with purple tassels when I was a child. I was born to be a swimmer and have always felt comfortable in the water. Karel, on the other hand, was born to be on two wheels. He has been riding a bike since he learned to walk. Road, fixie, TT, triathlon, mountain - you name it and Karel will ride it! Whenever Karel has an off day and he feels tired, I just tell him "go ride your bike" and instantly he feels better. When I met Karel ten years ago, I was training for my first Ironman. My cycling skills were horrible. I was afraid to clip in and out, afraid to get out of the saddle, afraid to be on my aerobars on busy roads (or around other people), afraid to take turns, climb, descend...yes, pretty much afraid to be on my bike despite me training for a 112 mile bike event. I was great at riding on a spin bike and ok at riding in a straight line on the road. Anything else and I felt off balance, uncomfortable an...

Some of my favorite meals are the ones that involve no recipe but a lot of creativity. Cauliflower is not my most favorite vegetable but I picked one up at the grocery so I could make myself do something yummy with it in the kitchen. I first thought about baking it in the oven but that seemed rather boring as I was feeling a overly creative yesterday. As I was deciding what to do with this white vegetable, I cooked some lentils (about 1 cup) in water on the stove top. I then added some quinoa (about 1 cup) to the cooked lentils (with a little more water) because, well, why not? I seasoned the lentil quinoa mix with a little salt. Still stuck with the cauliflower, I softened a pack of sliced tempeh in the microwave for 90 seconds and then cooked it on a skillet in a little olive oil until browned on all sides. In the same large skillet on medium heat, I sauteed chopped onions (about 1/2 large onion) and garlic (2 large clove) because I knew that it would bring out a lot of flower i...

I'd like you to meet Grandpa Joe. This is mom's dad and he is 92 years old.  He has a fun fact about everything and can remember anything from his lifestyle.  His stories are very detailed and he is funny and smart. Grandpa Joe has lived 58 years more than me and his body moves a lot slower than my body. Grandpa Joe needs time getting ready to go out and he takes a few more steps to help him get in an out of a car. His vision is great but his right ear doesn't hear as well as his left. His cane helps him get around but he does need a little assistance with his balance on stairs.  For exercise, Grandpa Joe walks and does Tai Chi. He walks around the family room, living room or anywhere where there is room to work his muscles and to get his heart rate up. This is his daily workout routine which he makes himself do every day, 3x's per day.  Grandpa Joe loves real food. He doesn't have a big appetite as he eats small meals but he eats a lot of fruit, nuts and v...

As a board certified sport dietitian who specializes in fueling the endurance athlete, I find it critically important that athletes develop appropriate daily eating and sport nutrition habits to support an extremely active lifestyle. It's important to remember that your extreme exercise routine (which you call training) is also very stressful on your body. Although we need to stress the body for it to physically adapt, the human body can not tolerate too much stress without adequate fuel, hydration and proper nutrients. When Triathlete Magazine gave me the topic of "x-fueling mistakes that triathletes make", I struggled not because I couldn't select the mistakes but that I only had 500 words for this article. With the experience of working with many endurance athletes, I see common fueling mistakes time and time again. However, I find that more mistakes are made due to misinformation and poor planning than by no information. Clearly, in our society we do not struggle...