Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

Back in May 2006, Karel and I met on a group ride. I had never been on a group ride before and I was very inexperienced as a cyclist. I was 24 years old, training for my first Ironman (IMFL) and much of my riding was indoors on a spin bike or on a trail. I only had a tri bike, which was still a bit scary for me as I didn't feel comfortable on it. I was a total newbie.  I was so nervous for the ride that I backed out a few times before I finally committed to showing up for the ride. When I finally did show up, I didn't even make the warm-up loop for the group ride. I felt embarrassed and upset. The next week I showed up again and once again, I didn't even make it through the warm-up loop before getting dropped. After a few more attempts, I had a bit of a breakdown and out of frustration, I told Karel I would never do a group ride again. Committed to my decision, I eventually stopped showing up to the ride that summer. Instead of trying to get better, I stayed within my comfo...

  Self-sabotage has a simple definition - making choices that undermine your own goals and values. As a dedicated athlete, as it relates to nutrition, you may be making choices that directly conflict with your commitment to training - this is self-sabotage. For example, are you guilty of any of the following? ❓Intentionally undereating before a workout in order to "save" calories. ❓Forgetting to fuel before an afternoon workout, only to cut the workout short because of low energy/fatigue/hunger. ❓Saving calories to validate consuming sport nutrition products during the workout. ❓Intentionally underfueling during a workout in order to indulge post-workout. ❓Restricting food in order to lose weight. ❓Skimping on recovery nutrition because you are pressed for time or not hungry. Whether your self-sabotaging behaviors are intentional or unintentional, everybody engages in self-sabotage at some time. If done occasionally - such as indulging in a big meal or forgetting your sport d...

Picture source On Wednesday morning at the aquatic center, a fellow triathlete asked Karel if he was participating in the Belgian Waffle Ride: North Carolina.  As a new location in the BWR event series, Karel didn't know about the event. Later that evening Karel looked into the event online and sent me a link via text. I didn't see the text until the next morning as I was being interviewed for a panel discussion for the OC marathon. If you missed the expert round table, you can check it out here. 👇 Since the broadcast didn't start until 9:30pm (about our bedtime), Karel was fast asleep when I finished close to 11pm.  When I saw Karel's text the next morning (Thursday) about the BWR, I instantly responded that he should do it. With online registration closing on Thursday evening, he registered in the afternoon. I guess when you register for an event two days out, there's little time to overthink. Karel knew it was going to be a very challenging event, especially a...

  NEW TRIMARNI TEAM SHIRTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE! Show your support for the Trimarni team with a comfortable tie-dye tank or short-sleeve shirt. Perfect for recovery, travel, and pre/post race. Don't forget to also order a shirt for your family/friends to sport on race day. These items are only available for pre-sale.  The order will be placed on August 20th, 2021. Please allow 2 weeks for production. As always, $1 of every order will go to the Humane Society of Greenville. ORDER HERE.

You've been there before. You are minding your own business, enjoying your leftovers during your lunch break. And then it happens. Either you overhear it at the table next to you or the conversation you are in suddenly changes topic. Fat shaming. Diet talk. Body image. I shouldn't be eating this, I am so bad. My friend started this new diet and she lost so much weight. I wish I could eat that but it's off-limit in my diet. Ugh, I must have gained 20 lbs over vacation. Did you see how much weight ___ lost/gained? I could never eat as much as you do or I would get so fat. I start my diet on Monday, who's with me? Working in a body-inclusive environment is not the norm as much of the workplace culture is submerged deep in diet culture. Despite feeling uncomfortable in this type of environment, it may be difficult to avoid these situations. To change the culture at work and to help others build a healthier relationship with food and the body, here are a few tips: Set your ...

I enjoyed a 2-week mid-season break after Ironman Lake Placid. Although I was pretty smashed for the 48 hours after the race, I bounced back pretty quickly on Wednesday. By the weekend, I was itching to get back into structured training. However, I knew that I needed to respect my body (and mind) for what it allowed me to do for 140.6 miles and give it the rejuvination that it deserved.  My approach for my two week mid-season break was unstructured fun. Without a schedule as to what to do each day, I let my body and mind decide what it was I would do, and for how long. Aside from swimming, all exercising was kept at a low intensity and included stops as needed.  Here's a recap of my 2-weeks of unstructured fun:  July 25th: Ironman Lake Placid July 26th: Walking around town July 27th: Fly home July 28th: Road bike (90 min, 4PM) July 29th: Long course swim (~3700 yards, 8:13AM). 40 min run (5:40PM). July 30th: Long course swim (~4300 yards, 9:04AM) July 31st: Bike (~1:20, 1...

  Check out this delicious recipe made by my friend Joey Mock, RD, LD, CLT. For more recipes, education and motivation, be sure to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter HERE. Ingredients 1 block (14 oz.) extra firm tofu ⅓ cup plain bread crumbs ¼ cup panko ½ tsp salt ½ tsp paprika ½ tsp parsley ½ tsp garlic powder ¼ tsp sage ⅛ tsp onion powder 2-3 dashes cayenne pepper (optional) Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 egg, lightly beaten ½ cup low fat milk 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour Cooking spray (olive or canola oil) Coconut oil (optional) Your favorite barbecue or sweet chili sauce (optional) Preparation Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drain water from tofu and gently squeeze/blot out any excess liquid using a few paper towels. Turn the block of tofu on it’s side and cut into two symmetrical sheets. Cut each sheet into medium to large sized squares. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, panko, and seasonings. In another small bowl, mix egg and milk together...