Post Run Meal

I just finished a 14 mile run. Due to heavy wind gusts, I logged these miles on a treadmill. Boring, but still effective. And still deserving of a good post run meal. This has got to be one of my favorite options.

Best part is it is very simple to prepare this when you're exhausted after a hard effort. In just 5 minutes you can have a healthy meal to fuel your recovery.

Used here...

Brown rice bread (I like Food for Life)
Garden vegetable cream cheese
Alfalfa sprouts
Roma tomatoes
Smoked salmon
Dijon mustard

Toast the bread, then assemble the ingredients. Ta Da! You have a meal! Easy as that.

Salmon is a great ingredient for athletes. It is very high in omegas which boosts oxygen flow, clears free radicals, and improves your mood. I love having smoked salmon on hand b/c of how easy it is to incorporate into meals without having to cook a fillet.

HIIT

I logged 65 miles this week. A good weekly mileage, but I didn't take an 'off day'. Oops. Honestly I really hate taking rest days. However, after years of running, I have learned the hard way that they are completely worth it in the long run. I've definitely had my fair share of overuse injuries simply due to this hatred of rest. So for the past few months I have stuck true to taking rest days, even just one a week. Except this week that is. So tomorrow it is a going to be a day off. Now I can't manage just taking a day to sit on the couch, so when I say 'day off' I mean just off running.

So what exercise will I being doing tomorrow? P90x. I am determined to get more toned and work on HIIT workouts in addition to my endurance training. HIIT is praised by trainers and scientific research to be the best at building definition due to the increase rate of fat burning these workouts cause. Supposedly they burn calories for days after the workout is completed (EPOC).

This is a hard concept for us endurance athletes to grasp... How can doing some jump roping and mini sprints be better than a 12 mile run?!?! Well it may not in fact be 'better', but these intense short bursts will definitely help create a well rounded athlete. HIIT will help preserve the muscle tissue that endurance breaks down, which in the long run will help to increase speed over a longer period of time.

I can't help it, I still remain slightly skeptic. But I'm willing to put this to the test. So my 'rest days' will now be HIIT workouts. I'm going to begin with these P90x workouts. I hear they're rough though all workout DVDs make me think of leg warmers and sweatin' to the oldies.

I'll let you know how it goes.

DeBoles Doesn't Make the Cut

When I first saw DeBoles gluten free pasta at Walmart, I was thrilled! Gluten free pasta finally at Walmart and finally at an affordable price. I should have known it was too good to be true. Somethings are worth paying for; like flavor. After two attempts at cooking this pasta, I gave up and threw out the box. This stuff tastes horrible. UGH. Being Celiac doesn't mean we have to suffer! It was gummy, fell apart, and completely flavorless. I mean most gf pastas I've tried taste great. Even my gluten lovin' husband prefers corn spaghetti over the normal stuff. So DeBoles can't blame their poor quality of product on the lack of gluten. Sigh, someday there will be affordable pasta, but don't even bother trying to get by on this junk.

12 Mile Cookies

Yesterday I had a 12 mile run. It was an easy run, well, just slower than a tempo pace. I enjoy my 12 milers. They let me reflect and focus and get that runners high we all enjoy so much. Of course it was pouring rain outside and I was stuck indoors on a treadmill.

When doing a long run, the body needs fuel! When I'm running 12 miles or less (and not racing) I don't eat anything during the run. So I need a meal before hand to keep me going. 1-2 hours prior to running seems to be the best time to eat without making you feel sluggish and groggy.

Now even though I am a dietitian, this doesn't mean I eat vegetables 24/7. Sometimes I need something sweet and caloric. These cookies are awesome for preparing your body for an endurance event. They are still healthy though! I've used some 'too ripe' bananas, walnuts, quinoa flour, and honey to make these cookies. It is my personal philosophy to incorporate 'super foods' into every meal, even if that meal is cookies!

Breakfast for Performance

When I'm going to be working out later in the day, I know I need a hearty breakfast to fuel my performance. Being celiac cuts out many options here, but not to worry. Cereals are poor performance foods, and bagels are loaded with the wrong type of carbs, so being celiac actually helps restrict you to healthy foods.





This meal is loaded with healthy carbs, fiber, protein, and flavor! The carbohydrates used here are low GI foods, meaning they will keep you full and keep your blood sugar stable.

Serves 2:

1 c. Diced pre-cooked potatoes (use sweet potatoes, or purple ones like I have!)
1 c. Kidney Beans (rinse and drain)
1/4 c. Onion - diced
3 Eggs (organic or farm fresh)
1 handful Parsley
1/4 c. Sharp Cheddar - shredded
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper

Saute the oinons, beans, and potato in the oil. Stir frequently to avoid burning. You want the potatoes to get a bit crispy. When this happens, crack the eggs in the skillet over the sauteing ingredients. Let the eggs cook until the whites become solid. Add the parsley, cheese, then season with salt and pepper. Cook the eggs to your desired preference. Enjoy!

Intro...

I run. Competitively. I am a Celiac. Now you see where the trouble begins...

This blog is being created to help other glutarded athletes properly fuel for their training. I'll be posting my own workouts/training along with recipes, photos, and product reviews.

Now... If you're wondering how this information can be useful to you... I am a registered dietitian. I know food inside and out. Through educational training, and real life experience of Celiac disease, I want to help those following a gluten free lifestyle to get the most out of their diets. This diet can be very hard to follow for endurance athletes. We need carbs! I was eating bagels before cycling centuries and pizza after half marathons, then came the dreaded diagnosis! What to do... I ate rice. Alot of it. Now its been a year and a half since my diagnosis and I have a whole new way of eating and dealing with this condition.