Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

The holiday season is a time of socializing, celebration and reunions. It's a time when families, coworkers and friends gather together around food. For those struggling with an unhealthy relationship with food and the body, the holiday season may not be so bright and merry. If you experience great emotional stress around the holiday season, you are not alone. Here are some reasons why the holidays can be so stressful when it come to food: Fear of weight gain. Too many food items available. Guilt around indulging. Feeling weak or out of control. Stress and anxiety. Uncomfortable being seen eating food. Pressure or comments when eating. Worry of offending others. Struggling with "normal" food portions. Remarks about body weight/size. Inability to recognize fullness. Eating on another person's schedule. Having tools to manage triggers and unhealthy thoughts can help you maintain a healthy relationship with food and the body so you can fully enjoy the holidays. Here are...

It doesn't matter the time of the year as any ride in Greenville is a great ride. However, there's something extra special about the fall season as nature has a way of keeping us smiling.  The other day I captured this beautiful rainbow during my easy spin on the trail. It was a magnificent sight as it was so clear and perfect in the sky.  During our 2:45 hr ride on Saturday morning, we ended up on the Doodle trail in the middle of our ride, which made for a nice EZ spin for a few miles.  Back on the country roads with no shortage of farm animals. I always make sure to say hi to all of the horses, cows, cow puppies, goats, sheep and chickens.  So many beautiful sights on two wheels! No photo editing needed!  I spent a little extra time this weekend in the kitchen as I was in the mood for some sweet treats. With some spotty bananas calling my name, I put them to good use and made a loaf of delicious banana bread. I followed t...

Karel and I take our eating just as seriously as our training. In other words, without counting calories, measuring food or recording/logging what we eat, we make a conscious effort every day to use food for nourishment, disease prevention and for fuel, while timing our nutrition with our training to best adapt to training stress. We do not have an off-limit food list, we never feel deprived, stuffed or guilty when eating, processed food IS consumed and we even eat gluten, dairy and sugar.   What a refreshing statement seeing that so many athletes struggle with developing a healthy relationship with food and the body. Having said all this, like any human being, creating a sustainable, enjoyable and healthy style of eating is always a work on progress. A typical week of eating for me is very different than how I ate 10 years ago and how I ate when I was a teenager. Even though I have been a vegetarian for almost 25 years, my definition of "healthy" eating...

 Dark chocolate packs a great heart-healthy punch and is a great cure for a sweet craving. Although it may taste bitter to many, up to 1.5 ounces of dark chocolate a day (> 60% cacao) can be a great addition to a heart healthy diet. Whether it is due to the nutrient compound found in chocolate or just the way it makes most people feel inside after taking one bite, chocolate alone has been shown to help improve cardiovascular health (lowering LDL cholesterol and blood pressure), reduce inflammation, control appetite (ex. overeating/excessive snacking), increase insulin sensitivity, reduce blood clot risk by improving blood flow and improve stress and mood.  Now that's a great list of reasons for you to enjoy dark chocolate!  Here are a few ways to get creative with chocolate: *Add 1 tbsp cacao powder to smoothie, oatmeal or pancake/waffle combinations *Enjoy an individually wrapped or piece of dark chocolate within 30 min after finishing a meal, combined ...

There's food inspiration everywhere and depending on your creativity in the kitchen, the possibilities are endless. I recently received my first every wok from my brother and his new wife and I couldn't wait to put it to good use. When I was reading a recent issue of Nutrition Action Healthletter, I came across this page on stir-fry recipes.   Instant Trimarni Motivation!!   One of my favorite proteins in my plant strong diet is Tempeh. Actually, Karel is the one that turned me to LOVE tempeh after he had a wrap from Nat http://nativesunjax.com/ with Tempeh inside of it. I am a big fan of soy (in it's whole form) because it is a complete protein and contains all essential amino acids. So, not only is this ancient fermented soybean food great for my health but tempeh is also protein packed (20g per 4 ounce serving) which makes for a great fuel in my active lifestyle.     With the following ingredients in my kitchen, it w...