Add some zing to winter eating with these EASY recipes!

Although it is officially March, around the Midwest, it still pretty much feels like winter: cloudy, cold, windy and - yes - snow. While we are SO close to spring, this is about the time I start getting pretty tired of my winter cooking recipes. They taste boring; I need a change. So, here are some great recipes I have incorporated into my cooking this last week that have brightened my days. They have a warm weather feel without going summer too soon. You know what I mean?

Pickled onions top pork tacos. Yum!

Pickled Onions
If you don't like onions, don't scroll on! I hate onions. Seriously. But, these are not your regular onions. These onions are tangy, zesty and a bit sweet. You can add these to just about anything you want: tacos, nachos, rice and beans, salads, hamburgers, etc. So, give them a try. They will add a nice pop of flavor. Check out the simple recipe here.

Easy, quick lunches for young athletes cooking on their own

In an ideal world, every young athlete would have a parent waiting at home after a morning practice or before a late practice, prepping and serving a nutrient-dense lunch that will help them perform their best. The reality is that, in the summer, many athletes are on their own when it comes to finding a lunch - either because parents work or are driving around other siblings. The good news is that great lunch options can be created in a short time with little cooking expertise. As long as the ingredients are there, the feat is easy.

Sit down with your young athlete and review the list below. Pick at least 3 options each week that your athlete is willing and able to make on their own. Use this to create your shopping list. Doing this assures you can be away from home with less stress, knowing your athlete is fueling well in your absence.

6 Tips to most effectively use leftovers and decrease food waste

According the United Nations Environment Program, around 30-40% of the food supply in the U.S. is wasted, equaling more than 20 pounds of food per person per month! Worldwide, about 1 in 4 calories intended for consumption is never actually eaten (see more stats here). Those facts blow my mind! Especially when it is so easy to use the food that you buy, minimizing the amount that is wasted. Here are some steps you can take to decrease your food waste on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.

1. Meal plan
It sounds basic, but simply planning to use what you plan to buy is one of the most effective ways to cut down on food waste. This will assure that fresh food is used quickly and completely. Pick one day of the week as your "meal planning day" (mine is Monday night) - preferably close to your shopping day (mine is Tuesday morning). When planning, be sure to assess your current stores in the fridge, freezer and pantry before bringing in more. Finally, consider which meals often create leftover components, such as rice or potatoes. Use those for dinner 1-2 days after the first meal to assure that component get eaten.

How to be a professional triathlete with celiac - tips and tricks

This week, I am so excited to interview my good friend and professional triathlete, Robin Pomeroy. I met Robin many years ago when she first started triathlon. She has since developed into an amazing triathlete. What makes Robin so impressive is that she juggles her training while fueling gluten-free. Robin was diagnosed with celiac in 2004. Here are her thoughts on living, training and competing gluten-free and what she thinks about the whole "gluten-free diet" fad. 

First, tell me about yourself.

I aspire to take triathlon to the highest level I am capable of. I have a background in competitive swimming, bike racing, and running. I enjoy putting all three sports together now to compete in triathlon. I love the Olympic distance race, but have started racing the half distance this year as well. The two distances are unique and very different to train for, but I enjoy both.

I continue to work as well, and absolutely enjoy my career outside of racing. It is hard to juggle the demands of work and triathlon sometimes, but it keeps me continuously occupied. I thrive on a busy schedule; however, it’s important to keep a healthy balance of everything.

2015 marks my first year competing as a professional. I have launched a website, so you can follow me here: www.robinpomeroy.com, or at either of my social media accounts: Facebook or Twitter 

Tell me a little about how you were first diagnosed with celiac?

I found out I had Celiac about 10 years ago in 2004/2005. I was a serious high school and collegiate runner who suffered a femoral neck stress fracture that was 80% of the way across the bone - almost causing me to have a hip replacement. Thankfully, it was caught and I had an emergency surgery to pin it up. About a year later, I fractured the other femoral neck, but did not need surgery for this one. Between these fractures, I had blood work and other tests done that revealed some major deficiencies. I was anemic, amenorrheic, osteopenic, and low in many other vitamins and minerals. The combination of these deficiencies and the serious fracture(s) I had led my primary care doctor to refer me to a gastroenterologist, who in turn wanted to test for Celiac Disease. I am thankful that my doctors were insightful enough to test for Celiac Disease because it was not as commonly diagnosed in the U.S. back in 2004.

5 Things You Should Do Before Your Next Marathon

Marathon training takes time and commitment. If you are asking your body to do this type of training, you must fuel it well. Here are 5 things you should do NOW before you step on the starting line.

1. Increase your fuel to cover your training
Every day, you need to cover for what you run. This is not just during the run (though that is important too), but at meals and snacks outside of your runs as well. Many runners do not eat enough to cover for their training, which makes it hard for the body to recover and prepare for the next run. This can lead to injuries or illness during training. A rule of thumb is that you burn about 100 kcal per mile you run. Add this number to a base of 1500-1800 kcal daily for metabolic functions and daily activities outside of running. This is the total you should be eating each day. 

5 School Lunches That Make the Grade

As athletes prepare backpacks and workout bags to go back to school, parents are preparing pantries and refrigerators for school lunches. I often hear complaints about not knowing what to pack each day to make sure athletes actually eat what is packed, but also properly fuel themselves in preparation for after-school or evening practices. Here are 5 school lunches that earn an "A" from this sports dietitian:

The Tried and True

Jam and nut butter on whole wheat bread

Fresh veggies such as baby carrots, cherry tomatoes or mini sweet peppers (already prepared!)

Greek, non-fat yogurt (must be Greek!) - flavored okay

Piece of fresh fruit

Whole grain tortilla chips

5 ways to eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up

Too many athletes make one of the worst fueling mistakes: skipping breakfast. From lack of time to lack of hunger, there is no lack of excuses out there for why breakfast doesn't happen. However, eating breakfast really IS important. In fact, eating within 30 minutes of getting up is needed to get your body re-energized and re-hydrated after fasting and dehydrating overnight. You can't drive your car anywhere without gas, so don't ask your body to go anywhere without fuel! For those of you who don't know how to make breakfast happen, here are 5 ideas, depending on your morning style.

The pre-planner
From your lunch to your clothing, you set up everything needed before you go to bed the night before. Why not do the same with breakfast? Here are a couple of options:
-Overnight oats: A Pinterest favorite, first grab a mason jar or a good ole tupperware. Combine 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats (not quick or steel), 1/3 cup non-fat milk or soy milk, 1/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup diced fresh fruit of choice, 1 tsp sweetener of choice (if desired) and any extras you like such as chia seeds, ground flaxseed, coconut flakes, etc. Mix, place lid on jar and leave in refrigerator overnight. In the morning, grab the container and a spoon and head on out!
-Breakfast at the table: Who says you can't set the table the night before? Here is an easy option: grab a bowl and fill with bran flakes, nut of choice and dried fruit of choice. Set on table. Grab a piece of fruit and set next to bowl. In the morning, all you have to do is add milk or Greek yogurt to your cereal and munch on!

Sports dietitian, eh? So what do YOU eat?

It never fails. I'm out and about and someone finds out I'm a dietitian. What they say next is typically one of the following: "Don't look at what I'm eating!" or "I bet you never eat _____, huh?" Lucky for those individuals, the following two things are always true about me:
1. I never pay attention to what other people eat unless I'm being asked (and paid) to. I have enough clients who need my expertise that I don't go around evaluating others on my free time just "for fun". And plus, if you aren't asking for advice, unsolicited comments from a random dietitian will likely only tick you off.
2. Whatever it is you think I don't eat, chances are I do....maybe not every day or even every month, but I probably do. 

So on that note, here is an example day of eating from me - unfiltered and 100% honest.

Great Easter Eats for Athletes

With the celebration of Easter this weekend, many athletes traditionally go to breakfast or brunch. The fantastic thing about this tradition is that many common brunch foods are an excellent source of nutrition for training and recovery. Here are just a few that you should hop over to on Sunday.

1. Salmon
Salmon is a power food, packed with muscle recovering protein as well as inflammation fighting omega-3 fatty acids. All you need is 3-4 ounces (about the size of a checkbook) to get your needed nutrients.

Why you need to worry about dehydration when exercising in bitter cold

It's February 19th, yet here we are again with below-zero wind chills in the Chicago area. Competing or training in cold weather presents its own set of challenges. Dehydration – believe it or not – is a major issue. Here is why...

1. The body tries to keep your core warm
Normally your body carries blood to your extremities during exercise. But in the cold, your body preferentially tends to keep blood close to its core in order to stay warm. This increases your blood pressure, which will affect your kidneys and increase your need to urinate. 

2. Cold, dry air = more fluid lost
When you exercise in the cold, your lungs have to warm and humidify the incoming cold, dry air. Just by doing this, you can lose up to one quart of fluid daily. 

Lentils: A hearty and healthy friend...here's why!

Perhaps many of you have heard of them, but not all have tried them. Lentils are a fantastic pantry staple: easy to cook, versatile and packed with powerful nutrition. To find out why and how to cook with them, read on.....

1. High in fiber
Because lentils contain a high amount of soluble fiber, they may help lower blood cholesterol levels. Maintaining good cholesterol levels lowers risk of heart disease over time. Plus fiber helps keep you full for longer, potentially lowering overall caloric intake.

3 Tips to Making Healthy Eating Work When You Have Kids at Home

As a mom of two little kids, the tactics I use to make healthy eating happen on a daily basis from week to week are somewhat different from what I did when I was single with no kiddos around. There is no doubt a added level of difficulty to eating healthy when you have more than yourself to worry about. Here are 3 tips to keep your meals and snacks healthy this year:

1. Plan ahead
It is no secret that planning ahead is the key to eating healthy. It doesn't have to be a long, drawn out, scheduled event each week (though it can be). I do my best meal planning when I am driving between home and the office. Often the hardest part about planning is just remembering to do it. If you are new to meal planning, set alarms or alerts on your phone, make post-it note reminders or schedule time in your phone calendar to get the planning done. If you plan to do it once a week, do it the same day and time every week. Pick 2-3 proteins, 2-3 grains and 4-5 vegetable/fruit options you need to purchase and possibly prep that day for the entire week (the actual number will depend on the size of your family). If you plan to plan and prep daily, this is only possible if you have meal components at home that you can quickly throw together to make meals. Personally, I do a bit of both daily and weekly planning. I do weekly planning when I make my grocery list and I do daily planning each morning for dinner that night. 

4 Nutrition Excuses You Need to Give Up in 2015

As we enter 2015, I'd like to help you get started on the right foot. In my office, there is no shortage of excuses for not following nutrition recommendations. While I work exclusively with athletes, these excuses can be heard from just about everyone trying to make healthier choices toward bigger goals. So it's time to "name it, claim it and tame it"...it is a new year, after all.

1. I like to sleep.
This is most often used an excuse for not eating breakfast or not eating a post-workout snack after late night training. I like to sleep too - who doesn't? However, it is about priorities. While getting 7-9 hours of sleep on average is a must, so is fueling your body correctly. Re-evaluate where your time is spent. Is there a reason you need to watch 3 hours of television at night? Do you really need to stay on social media until midnight? Its time to unplug early and go to sleep...or stop hitting snooze in the morning. Make a commitment to eating when your body needs you to.

It's too early to eat - help!

Last week I  blogged about great late-night eating options for those athletes that are hungry and/or need to eat late at night, but are not sure what they should choose. The other question I am often asked is which foods are best early in the morning before athletes feel like they are really "awake" but know that they need to eat. So, once again, lets start with some ground rules:

1. If you have an early workout, it is never too early to eat something. In fact, never go to a morning workout on an empty stomach. Even athletes who have severe exercise-induced GERD can typically find something that they tolerate in small quantities. 

2. If you are chronically skipping the first meal of the day because it is "too early", it is common to no longer feel hungry in the morning. The body will adjust to what you throw at it. If you ignore early morning hunger signals, the body eventually gives up signalling. But you can bring those back by starting to eat again.

Start the school year with good nutrition: tips, tricks and recipes!

Two weeks ago I discussed school lunches and last week was snacks. With many of you actually STARTING school this week, I thought I would end the theme of school nutrition with a round-up of my best blog articles relating to meal prep and eating during this crazy time - many focusing on dinner. Here they are:

How to Eat a Healthy, Quick Dinner Every Night
A step-by-step how-to for each day of the week to be able to have a good dinner every night with minimal prep for the week as a whole. Includes ideas such as crock pot, batch cooking and smart shopping.

Wondering What You Will Eat Tomorrow? [Recipes]
One recipe each: breakfast, lunch and dinner. All quick and SUPER tasty. The breakfast recipe is cookies, so how can you go wrong there???

Eating Fast Food: Meals that Work
Because sometimes you don't have a choice, when you HAVE to hit fast food, here are the best options. Establishments include Starbucks, Panera, McDonalds, Chipotle and more...

3 Quick and Health Recipes You Will Love [Recipes]
Psst...one is for French fries. Check it out!

Be Extraordinary,


RDKate

How to Conquer School Lunches This Year

We are almost mid-way through August, which means school is right around the corner. For many athletes or parents of athletes, planning for lunch at school is a dreaded part of the back-to-school routine. While many complain of poor choices offered in the cafeteria, an equally common complaint is lack of time to pack a sack lunch. Yet, "brown bagging it" doesn't have to take up a huge amount of time or energy. Here are some tips, tricks, and sample lunches to fuel the athlete in you or in your family....

Planning
When planning for sack lunches, remember the key components that should be included in each lunch. Make your list before you head to the store.
-Carbohydrates: Preferably whole grain/whole wheat (gluten-free whole grains vs. processed if this is applicable)
-Protein: Preferably low-fat (this includes dairy or soy)
-Fat: A little bit of fat keeps young bellies full and helps with muscle recovery
-Fruit: Fresh is easiest, but canned is okay too
-Vegetables: Think fresh "ready-to-munch" veggies such as baby carrots or cherry tomatoes

14 Tips for Athletes Who Eat Out

Every athlete knows that eating out can be challenging. How do you actually enjoy the meal, but stay within the guidelines of promoting good recovery and training preparation? Keep these tips in mind the next time you visit your favorite food establishment.

1. Check out the entire menu before choosing what you will get, including specials for the night

2. Look for healthy meal additions, like side salads or fruit cups

3. Only order protein that is broiled, grilled, baked, roasted…or special order this preparation method

4. Order half the cheese or butter

5. Ask for your hamburger or sandwich bun untoasted. This will save big on calories from butter

The most effective way to eat protein

Athletes need protein for a variety of reasons, but muscle recovery and muscle building are the two most important. Unfortunately, athletes can get so fixated on just "eating more protein" that they hurt their exercising body more in the process. To most effectively meet your body's protein needs, follow these steps....

1. Choose well
The first rule of protein intake is choosing great sources of protein. Athletes need to focus on lean proteins that offer the body clean protein without extra sodium and saturated fat. Some examples include:
-skinless chicken or turkey breast
-broiled or baked pork or fish
-non-fat or low-fat dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese
-eggs
-nuts and nut-only nut butters
-beans and lentils
-tofu
-protein-rich grains such as quinoa
-when needed: pure whey protein powder (nothing else added)

2. Time well
The key to muscle recovery or building is timing of protein intake. Most athletes need to take in from 10-20gm protein within the first 30 minutes post-workout depending on their workout. In addition, the muscle thrives on a constant supply of protein. So separate your protein intake throughout the day - or every 3-4 hours. Athletes often struggle with getting adequate protein at breakfast and need to cut down on too much protein at dinner. A deck of cards worth of animal meat is already 25-30 gm protein, so be weary of portion size. Around 20-30 gm of protein at meals and 10gm protein at snacks is typically a good rule of thumb, though individual needs vary.

3. Combine well
While protein is important for muscle, view carbohydrate as the key that opens the door to the muscle and assists with the process. Therefore, avoid eating protein alone if your goal is muscle recovery or building. For example, instead of a pure protein powder shake post-workout, add a large banana. Instead of a snack of just almonds, add a handful of dried fruit. Think of eating about twice as much carbohydrate as protein at each sitting.

4. Don't overdo it
I mentioned the importance of portion size in point #2, but I will emphasize to not overdo it when it comes to protein intake. I have had multiple athletes who - in an effort to build muscle - started downing protein shakes and bars throughout the day, thinking that would lead to muscle gain. After body composition assessment, it revealed that their weight gain was mainly fat instead of the muscle they were hoping for. Appropriate protein is good but too much is just too much. Extra calories to an extreme lead to fat storage. If you are not sure if you are overdoing it with protein, it is time to see a sports RD who can evaluate your body's needs for your activity level and goals and get you on track.

Be Extraordinary,

RDKate


Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artbystevejohnson/

3 Dinners Ready in 30 minutes or less

Quick, healthy dinners that taste good too? Yes, it's true. As my family has dinner "in" 97% of the time (pretty scientific, eh?), I feel compelled to share some of our favorite quick recipes with you all. So here they are.....three dinners ready is thirty minutes max....but really less than that.

Chicken Fried Rice with Veggies
Source: All You Magazine...with some modifications
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 12-oz skinless, boneless chicken breast half, chopped
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. canola oil + 1/4 cup canola oil
1 small chopped onion
1 10-oz. package frozen mixed veggies, thawed
4 cups cooked brown rice
3 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste

5 Lunches Ready in 15 Minutes or Less

Hopefully you saw last week's blog entry for 5 breakfasts ready in 5 minutes or less. Continuing that theme, this week you will find 5 lunches ready in 15 minutes or less. About now is when the allure of the New Year's Resolution wears off and the annoyance of winter is in high gear. Help yourself tackle both with great fueling! Get ready to chow down.....in less than 15 minutes.
*Keep in mind quantities for the meal will vary depending on your total calorie needs.

The Classic PBJ
Yes you can still eat these even though you are not 5 years old. The key is in the ingredients.

2 slices whole wheat bread
2 tablespoons natural peanut (check label for peanuts only)
1 tablespoon honey or low-sugar jam

Pair with 1 piece of fruit and 1 cup raw veggies such as mini sweet peppers, baby carrots or cherry tomatoes.