Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

I recently celebrate my 30th anniversary as a vegetarian. Sometime around the age of 10 in the month of April, I told my parents that I didn't want to eat meat anymore. I am not sure what caused this decision but from a very early age, I've had a strong love for animals/creatures. My parents thought it would be a short phase but as the years went by, I never grew out of it. And despite many people in my life telling me that I would need to eat meat in order to participate in sports, I never let my decision to be a vegetarian impact my athletic lifestyle. Over the past three decades, I've learned a lot from my own journey as a vegetarian. To celebrate my anniversary, I thought it would be fun to share some of my most commonly asked questions when people hear that I am a vegetarian.  What kind of vegetarian are you? I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I consume eggs and dairy products as part of my vegetarian diet. Although I've had many times when I've considered becoming...

Question:  There is a lot of talk right now about going Vegan and Plant Based - and how this can improve athletes performances. Obviously with the Game Changer Documentary being a big influence on this. As a sports dietitian and vegetarian, what are your thoughts about a plant based diet for athletes? If an athlete decides to go down this route, what are some of the biggest things they should be aware of in terms of macronutrients, in particular protein? My response: As a 27.5 year lacto-ovo vegetarian, you'd think that I may be a strong advocate of vegetarianism/veganism and would encourage everyone to rid the diet of animal protein. When I was around the age of 10, I returned home from school and told my parents that I had become a vegetarian. I have always loved animals/creatures and this was my way of respecting the lives of animals. I can't exactly remember the root of this decision but every since that day, I have not consumed any type of meat or fish for the p...

When writing my first book Essential Sports Nutrition , I wanted to include some type of recipe that was easy to prepare but also flavorful, nutritious and satisfying for athletes. On page 151 of the book, I created a delicious Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Quinoa Curry dish - packed with spices and veggies. Inspired by this dish, I recently found myself in the kitchen - being creative as always - and created a similiar recipe but with root vegetables (perfect for the winter) and lentils (rich in plant protein, along with calcium, iron, folate and potassium). Depending on what veggies you like (or what you have on hand), you can also be creative with this recipe. I hope you enjoy my new favorite go-to vegetable curry dish. This recipe is sure to leave your taste buds happy, while feeling satisfied and thankful for such delicious food in your belly. Marni's Go-To Vegetable Curry Recipe Serves 3-4 Ingredients Olive Oil (2-3 tsp) 1 can lite coconut milk + water 3 large...

When writing my book Essential Sports Nutrition , it was important that I included a variety of recipes that everyone could enjoy - regardless of dietary preferences/restrictions. I couldn't think of a more athlete-friendly recipe than one that included oats and blueberries. I prefer this baked oatmeal served warm, but it is also good at room temperature or chilled (I’ll leave that up to you!). This oatmeal keeps well in the refrigerator so it's great to make in advance - make sure you plan for leftovers. It's perfect for a pre-workout snack or as part of your breakfast meal. Blueberry Baked Oatmeal  Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 40 Total Time: 60 minutes Yield: 15 servings INGREDIENTS 2/3 cup chopped pecans 2 cups old-fashioned oats 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 3/4 cups almond milk ⅓ cup maple syrup 2 large flax eggs (2 tbsp flaxseed + 6 tbsp water) 3 tablespoons coconut oil (measured dry, then melted) 2 teas...

First Endurance Salt Lake City, Utah Firstendurance.com About the Company from the website: First Endurance was started in 2002 because endurance athletes weren’t getting the nutrition they deserved. Like you, the founders had struggled with bonking, cramping and having to ‘make deals with themselves’ to get across the finish line or even just to make it home. They saw their friends dealing with the same dilemmas and knew endurance nutrition could be better. The existing endurance nutrition companies didn’t offer products that met the needs of serious endurance athletes. These companies ignored the small, high-end group of dedicated athletes. They’d been working in the sports nutrition industry for a number of years and knew about the latest clinical research that was being done on endurance athletes utilizing new ingredients and technologies to dramatically improve endurance and performance. It was more expensive than what was currently available to endurance athletes, but ...

On Tuesday, we traveled up to Fort Wayne, Indiana to visit my 94-year old Grandpa Joe, my aunt, uncle and cousin and my brother and his wife (and their two babies). It was a lot of fun to be with family. Campy enjoyed his road trip and his Thanksgiving eats. My dad was certainly missed during this holiday but we had plenty of great stories to share about him. Karel and I stayed active during our trip with 2 x 4000 yard swims at the YMCA. Karel ran once on Thursday and I ran on Wed evening (30 minutes) and then on Thursday (10-miles). Tues and Sat were off days from training due to travel. It was nice to change up the training environment but we are happy to be back in Greenville (and back outside on our bikes). As for food - I enjoy a break from my normal eating routine. I find that traveling and the holidays provide such a great opportunity to be inspired by new food creations. I was yumming a lot over the past week and rather than writing out my delicious eating experiences, ...

Ooey Gooey Double Chocolate Teff Cookies (gluten and vegan free) The holidays can be overwhelming, especially if you have dietary restrictions. For all my vegan or dairy/egg allergy friends/followers, there's a good chance that you will feel deprived of the many delicious desserts offered to you, filled with ingredients that you can't (or should not) eat. While your reasons may be for ethical, religious, moral or health, the holidays are for everyone, regardless of your dietary needs. Everyone deserves to yum! In my recent issue of Food and Nutrition (Nov/Dec 2017) on pg. 23, there was a great article titled "Mastering Vegan Baking." I wanted to share a few ingredient swaps from the article, to help you make eight traditional desserts, vegan friendly. Whipped cream - Combine full-fat chilled coconut cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Tiramisu - Extra-firm tofu blended with raw cashews, sugar and lemon juice. Flan - Extra-firm silken tofu paired with ...

As promised in my last blog , here are three delicious recipes using Explore Cuisine products.  PRODUCT OPTIONS Bean Pastas: Organic adzuki bean spaghetti, organic black bean spaghetti, organic edamame and mung bean fettuccine, organic edamame spaghetti, organic soybean spaghetti. Product Spotlight: Organic black bean spaghetti Per 2 ounce dry serving: 215 calories 2g fat 23g carbohydrates 1267mg potassium 12g dietary fiber 4g sugar (natural) 25g protein 32% daily iron (based on 2000 calorie diet) 15% daily calcium (based on 2000 calorie diet) Black Bean spaghetti with kale cilantro pesto 1 cup kale 1 cup cilantro 1/3 cup chopped almonds, toasted 1 garlic clove 1 small sweet banana pepper 2 tbsp lime juice Pinch of salt ½ cup parmesan cheese ½ cup olive oil 1 box (8 ounce) Explore Cuisine Black Bean Spaghetti 1. Blend first 7 ingredients in food processor. Add cheese and slowly pour in olive oil. 2. Boil 8 cups of water and pour in Organic Black Bean S...

Introducing Explore Cuisine: A pasta for anyone. For decades, pasta has ruled as the go-to comfort food for athletes. It’s quick, easy and a beloved source of carbs. However, pasta alternatives are slowly finding their way into the supermarkets and on the plates of many health conscious athletes. Loaded with plant based protein, Explore Cuisine has taken a new delicious approach to traditional pasta. Integrating beans, peas, lentils, edamame and chickpeas into their line of products, Explore Cuisine has a pasta for everyone, without sacrificing taste, quality or nutritional value. I found out about Explore Cuisine (formally called Explore Asia), as I received a bag of edamame pasta in my Ironman World Championship goodie swag bag (well more like two bags as Karel received a bag too).  I was excited to try it out when we returned home from the big island. I followed the directions and added in some veggies and sauce and viol à  - it tasted pretty good! COOKING ...

A salad:  "A dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing and sometimes accompanied by meat, fish, or other ingredients." I realize that for some, the thought of eating only veggies for a meal is boring but for others, the thought of eating only veggies for a meal is satisfying. If you love veggies, you are probably smiling right now thinking of veggies whereas those who have yet to appreciate veggies, are cringing at the thought of eating those crunchy, tasteless food stuffs.  Plants are Mother Earth's best sources of vitamins and minerals so consider them to be the most delicious way that you can take a multi-vitamin.  What's not to love about a salad?  The beauty of a salad is that YOU can create a meal that leaves you and your tummy happy.  Essentially it is a plant-strong meal but you can dress it up however you want.  As a 22-year lacto-ovo vegetarian, you'd ...

As promised, my delicious, yummy energy "ball" recipe. Originally I had made bars but the Oakley Women catering company re-created my bar creation into balls for easier packaging and consuming. Same ingredients, same great taste! Enjoy!                                                                                          For the VIP Oakley Women Fitness Progression Session .attendees at Denver and Dallas, you will get an opportunity to try my delicious balls (with recipe card and healthy living tips) in May and I can't wait to meet you!                                                 Any questions or concerns about the recipe (or subs...