Hello 321delish readers! I am Lindsey, one of Chloe’s Saturday morning swim buddies–soon to meet Steph if I attend the next Eating Club, fingers crossed–and recently learned of the triathlon and food blog they share. I, too, share a blog (The Slog) with my cross-country training partner, although we blog once for every 20 entries Chloe and Steph churn out. I am in AWE of their consistency… and their food creations. This is me in the D.C. Cherry Blossom 10 miler in April…
Chloe asked that I share a little about how I balance my meals to fuel training and if I have any tips on eating a balanced diet while working and training to race pro… and maintaining a social life, or simply, sanity. So here is a little insight into my eating routine.
How do I eat enough (nutritious) calories to fuel my training?
I grew up swimming competitively, so I have always had a big appetite. To combat hunger and make sure that I am eating the right foods to fill me up, I often turn to nut butters (e.g., peanut, almond, cashew, etc.) like many of you. I go through a jar every 5-6 days (which grosses out my roommate, but I’m sticking with it!). Nut butters are high in healthy calories (aka energy).
How do I make sure to eat balanced meals while training?
In terms of eating balanced, I’ll focus on breakfast, as it is the BEST and longest meal of the day. I consider breakfast to be everything consumed before lunch.
The easiest way to discipline myself into eating healthy is by choosing a routine that works. Limiting the number of choices you have to make about food simplifies it and lessens the likelihood of eating unhealthy. I am tempted by ‘bad food’ at the office, but it’s easier to stick to my healthier options if I pack everything I need. So here is a rundown of my morning routine…
First things first: Coffee. I make a small pot at home and drink half before my morning swim and the other half at work. Some might consider this LAME, but–the second half pot goes in a thermos that I take to the office (it keeps during a morning workout!). I think that my homemade coffee is tastier than the office brew and is definitely cheaper than hitting up a coffee place everyday.
Prepping the thermos with hot water:
Mmm coffee:
Pre-workout meal: banana and (too much) nut butter. I haven’t honed the portion control aspect of that yet… I tend to overdo it and promise myself I’ll do better the next day.
Post-workout meal: (another) banana or some piece of a snack bar (my favorite is the Chocolate Dipped Coconut Luna Bar!)… something small to hold me over until I get to the office.
Fig Newtons welcome me back to my locker after a swim!
Post Workout meal 2: I love eggs. LOVE eggs. Why wait until the weekend to do a big breakfast right? I make them nearly everyday (seriously) so at some point before I head to the pool, I sautee veggies, throw in 2 eggs, seasoning and cheese… then put it in tupperware. I cook them the morning of or night before–either works. I undercook them slightly so they aren’t overdone when I heat them at the office… note that this method is FAR BETTER than cooking eggs in a microwave, bleh.
Red peppers, zucchini and mushrooms in a pan w/ butter:
The assembly line.
Added thyme today:
The eggs would look more appetizing on a dish with a nicely laid fork, but we’re keeping it real people.
Time-saving tip – Make several day’s worth of breakfasts ahead of time. I usually fill a few tupperware containers with my egg saute so that it is ready to go!
Oatmeal o’clock meal: between 10:30-11:30 in the morning I conclude breakfast with an oatmeal bomber…Oatmeal + dried fruit + cinnamon + spoonful of cottage cheese for added protein and creaminess. Here’s a pic of the shelf in my office kitchen that I took over to stash my oatmeal.
It looks like horse’s feed:
So there you have it! That’s my morning food routine… after lots of trial and error, I figured out which foods worked for me and incorporated them into my everyday routine.
Question of the Day: Do you have a healthy breakfast routine you’d like to share? AND, let’s wish Chloe and Steph GOOD LUCK at Kinetic this wkd!!
