Day 39 - Sports Nutrition Series: Introduction to Rooted Nutrition for Athletes

I got interested in sports nutrition early on in my nutrition career. I was perplexed that some of the most fit people I knew, who were exercising and challenging their bodies on a regular basis, also happened to be the most unhealthy. They looked so much older than their age and their overall experience of happiness and vitality in life was expressed as being sub-par. They would express that even though they could run a 30 mile marathon their allergies were killing them, the knee injury from decades ago was flaring up and their insomnia was well beyond their ability to cope. Although they were just in their early 30's their face was tired, wrinkled and resembled that of a 40-50 year old. Yes, they may have been 'athletes' but they were miserable ones.

To me a true athlete is someone who is so intuitively in touch with their body that every movement is like a dance. They are intimately tuned in to their muscles, bones, joints and beating heart, treating every part of them like a tight knit family. They listen to the body as if it were constantly whispering - they are at one with every signal and cell and treat every part with respect, love and honor. Endurance is more to them than just the length of time they can continue to move; it is journeying gently and with intention beyond the confines of the moment. Performance is not for anyone else - no coach, judge or scorecard - it is for feeling the sensations of movement and appreciating every second. To the true athlete rest is just as important for their sport as training. The morning that they feel fatigued they allow the day to unfold softly, feeling the muscles and tissues of the body becoming more taut and thankful as the recovery process is instigated. Recovery is not the lull between the storms of movement - it is a divine expression of thankfulness to the body responding to our desires and needs.
Nutrition for athleticism and performance is as old as the Roman days of gladiators. It makes sense that what, when and how we eat will affect our sport or fitness task because food is what produces energy, rebuilds tissue and muscle and keeps us healthy for every movement.

The only problem is that the nutrition advice that is out there is still in the stone age. Conventional sports nutrition can leave us confused and a bit tattered as to why our body is not achieving its highest potential. You will know that if you are not receiving the results that you desire. Are you always getting injuries, cramps and extreme fatigue when you try to up the ante? Do you find that you get sick more often, benching you from following through? Are cravings and desires for certain foods pushing you to the edge? Then stone age sports nutrition may no longer be applicable to you.  

In the old paradigm of sports nutrition here are the basic tenants:

• Pre-workout nutrition: This usually entails a emphasis on carbohydrates, electrolyte hydration and for long range endurance athletes possible carbohydrate loading.
• Fuel during the workout: Energy bars, gels and sugary drinks.
• Post-workout recovery nutrition: Protein shakes, protein powder, protein bar. Protein. Little fat.

In the old way of sports nutrition our body is thought of as a meat suit that we use to complete our tasks and commands. With this approach the inevitable happens - you never reach your true athleticism potential because you are pushing away the most powerful asset of all - the positive feedback and sensation of the body.

Sports nutrition is not just about preparation, performance and recovery - it is about supporting the health and vitality of the body as a whole to create true athleticism, attractiveness and physical result.

As a true athlete you must understand one important concept: your athleticism is only the product of your fitness on the cellular level. Drinking sugary drinks and loading up on steaks is not going to feed your cells in the long run; and the results at the gym will eventually show it.

Basic concepts in Rooted Nutrition's Sports Program:

1. Awaken to the true athlete within with The Awake Eating Method. 
2. Reduce dietary and emotional stress that can overly toxify and stunt the system.
3. Recalibrate the body by removing stimulants, anti-nutrients and toxins from the diet.
4. Reconstitute the body with nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich and easily-digestible foods. 
5. Use the new paradigm below to customize for your individual needs.

The new paradigm at Rooted Nutrition is much more complex and far reaching.

• Sports intention: What are your goals and why? This is a very significant first step in developing a program to become the ultimate athlete. Is it to look good, more youthful and sexy? Is it competitive - to rise ahead of other people on your team or whom you will be competing against? It is functional - to be able to lift more, perform better or even protect in your profession or personal life?
• Full day nutrition: You must be fed on a deep and consequential level on a regular basis. Working out and becoming an athlete is a product of your level of health over the time line of the day. Your health is not a product of you working out; it is well beyond that scope. If you are functioning on a flimsy foundation of health, that must be addressed before you can achieve the performance you desire. 
• Low, Moderate and High Intensity Levels of Movement: We all exercise and move in different ways. Classifying the level of your movement along with the below stages will customize a nutrition program that is right for you: 
  
• Pre-workout nutrition: Digestibility is key.
  
• Fuel during the workout: Never become thirsty or hungry.
  
• Post-workout nutrition: Use the fuel window with the basic concepts above in mind. Eat a balanced recovery meal after.

In the next couple weeks I will be providing an in-depth Sports Nutrition series on the blog, along with bits and pieces of my own work-out ventures, covering the above topics. If you have any specific questions on this subject feel free to email me; I will have a FAQ post near the end of the series.

Nat

Day 38 - Step 3 in The Awake Eating Method: Savor

Savor. To appreciate fully; enjoy or relish. When was the last time that you allowed yourself to completely revel in the sensations of eating? Step 3 in my exclusive program, The Awake Eating Method, is all about that.

How do we have a healthy relationship with food? Is it possible to love the pleasures of eating without consuming our way into a food-induced coma?

Here is an abbreviated version of the instructions for the Savor step. For more detailed ones, purchase the e-book here.

• Take note of the taste, texture, temperature and aroma as you eat. Become a food critic at every meal asking yourself what you love and appreciate about its every detail.
• Chew the food thoroughly until it is mostly a thick liquid. 
• Take small bites so as to not overwhelm the mechanics of your mouth.

The benefits of the Savor step are vast! When we properly chew (or masticate) our food it has far reaching effects on every area in the body. The food that was once whole and unable to be used is now broken down into small enough bits that the body can absorb, transport and use it for everything from creating energy and getting rid of toxins, to building tissue or muscle.

Because you are eating slowly and savoring every bite your body's hormonal system has enough time to send out signals of satiety or fullness. You have clearer and more precise signals that tell you when you have provided enough. You end up eating less, enjoying more and losing excess weight.

The sense of taste is not just for pleasure. It is also a instinctual regulator of your body's nutrient needs. The sensations that you experience while savoring send an inventory of your intake, setting the stage for a intuitive memory system that can be used as a compass later on. It is like a record bank that gets the message to the body that sweetness, salty, savory or creamy is on its way - and to subsequently alter requests that have been put into motion.

In session, applying the Savor step can be the most complex and challenging topic. The feeling that most clients get is a sense of anxiousness and overwhelm at the thought of being receptive to the joys of food. They think that it is because they love food so much that they are not experiencing the weight or the health that they desire. Yet this could not be further from the truth. The belief that you should not enjoy food is precisely what is starving you and making you have insatiable hunger.

During counseling sessions here are some of the necessary topics that I cover to fully implement the Savor step:

• Make peace with food. It can be hard to savor when you have a long list of beliefs, rules and regulations around food. You must empty the cup of your mind to truly savor objectively and with power.
1. Deprivation Effect: The mere perception that a food is banned or forbidden can trigger overeating and binge eating regardless of calories.  
2. There are no good or bad foods, just foods that create different experiences.
3. Give yourself unconditional permission to eat. This has been researched and is coined, food habituation. The more we are exposed to a food the more it loses its appeal.
1. Write a list of foods that you love.
2. Circle the items on the list that you have been restricting or that are forbidden.
3. Choose one item from the list and go buy it at the grocery store or order it in a restaurant.
4. Apply The Awake Eating Method. Check in with yourself to see if it really tastes good. If you really do like it, continue to allow yourself to buy and order it. 
5. Make sure to keep enough of this forbidden food around so that you know it will always be there if you want it.
• Challenge the food police. The food police can be friends, family, the media and your own inner psyche that shouts negative thoughts, phrases and guilt-provoking indictments about what you are eating. 
• "Our beliefs about food (both individually and as a society) resemble dietary laws of a false religion - we pay homage to its dieting and rules, but it doesn't work." - Evelyn Tribole, RD
• Clean the slate of your food beliefs. Every snack or meal is a brand new opportunity to savor and feel what that food means to you. 
• Observe, do not judge. Trust yourself to discover the foods and eating experiences that you need to thrive. Your body is always sending you in the direction of well-being, you just have to listen. 

Today I will be interviewed by my dearest friend, Gina Renee, L.Ac. (check out her information-packed website here) on KNRY's Health Talk. Listen in at 4:05 PM on AM 1240 on the Monterey Peninsula or listen online at www.knry.com. The topic will be all of the above - how to savor and enjoy the beauty of food to receive stellar results!

Nat

Day 37 - Poop Anxiety

I sat on the toilet yesterday taking a poop (do not act surprised, you did it yesterday too!). The bathroom in my office is adjacent to another - and just feet away from the door I could hear the gentlemen rolling his chair on the cement floor as he repaired guitars on a bench just on the other side of the wall. Absolutely any noise (a occasional poof, fart, plop, splash or grunt depending) was going to be heard. I tried to time every sphincter action with the ebb and flow of his movement to cancel out any sound. I had to hold onto what little reputation I had left. Then I thought, what am I doing? Why do I feel so self-conscious about doing something that is not only necessary but healthy and across-the-board normal in every living being? Imagine, a woman who poops! How long has this anxiety been going on?

The first time that my would-be husband stayed the night at my apartment I had to go in the morning. I lay in bed thinking about how I could execute the task without being discovered. I ended up taking an early shower to mask the action.

It seems that every time I enter a bookstore or library I have to go. I am convinced that there is something about looking at shelves of books that signals peristalsis in the intestines. Seriously. I usually have to end up leaving before I am able to truly shuffle through the magnificent stacks of brilliant writing.

In public restroom stalls I would choose the furthest one from the door in the hopes that no one would notice that my feet were immovable while I sat there, waiting. Other women filtered in and out with their polished Mary-Jane shoes, brief tinkles and soon-after-flush, primping their face and hair with a sudden pout-face at the mirror before exiting. Was I the only one that ever had to go? Was this some conspiracy of feminine hygiene taking precedence over a necessary biological function?

Everyone is affected by poop anxiety. Still to this day I do not know if my husband has ever gone in his life. Every morning he enters the bathroom, locks the door and turns on either the faucet or the shower. Who knows - maybe he is a time traveler and the running water is the catalyst. He has very specific parameters of where he can go to the bathroom when on trips. The only acceptable place for such an act is the hotel bathroom. I think he has gone days without just for this reason. If the urge comes on without the right outlets in place then his body is out of luck.

My daughter's classroom has a bathroom that is right next to all the desks. She says that she just cannot stand the thought of going there. So, the moment she gets home she has her after-school poop (we sometimes sing a song called 'Poopy time' to celebrate the occasion)- a moment of pure relief from the anxiety of holding it in all day. One of my dearest friends in high school would always do the same. We would walk home from school together and then he would disappear for 15 minutes when we got to his house.

Your prim and proper mother does it. Your teachers, friends, colleagues and bosses do, too. Every famous person goes everyday, just like you. Come to terms and let go of the inhibition!

You may have poop anxiety if you do any of the following:

• Can only go at home.
• When in public restrooms can only go if no one else is there.
• Let half of it out only to squeeze your bumhole for a break off because it has been just too long and someone might find you out.
• Flush the moment the first one falls.
• Use different toilets or bathrooms at work so you do not become 'known' as the work-shitter.
• Turn on the faucet or shower to mask any noise.
• Have left a party or event because of having to go.
• Wait for someone else to flush before you do.

Defecating, although it may seem like a funny topic, is actually an important action that is necessary for health and vitality. If you hold it in then you are also holding in the waste, congestion, excess mucous, fat and toxins that your body is trying to get rid of.  Here are some of the benefits of letting it go:

• More energy
• Feeling lighter 
• Weight management
• Stronger immunity
• Relaxation
• Clearer mind
• Clearer skin

I challenge you to go when you feel the need!

Nat

Day 36 - Garlic Lemon Chicken Fajitas

The product of boredom.

Tonight on the menu was yet another intense full-body craving item. The desire was triggered by a simple Mexican inspired salad at the local coffee joint, Seven Suns.

It was a Sunday morning and besides the request from my daughter to play bunnies in the bathtub we could not come up with something to do that was collectively received by the family tribunal. It is not that I do not like being silly and spending time with my daughter in that kid-like way, because I do. I value the moments of pure idiocy as we throw our bodies onto her bed only to be catapulted back onto the floor - the pain more hilarious every time we attempt. Lately, though, there is dissension in the ranks of play land. It seems that my ideas or tangent in the game are not being received well.

"Mommy! The bunny is magical and cannot get eaten by a crocodile!" Cammie declares. I shoot her a cynical look. She is on to me. I want to end the game and the bunny-hungry creatures of my creation are making her frustrated.

"Why? That makes no sense! The bunny is a vulnerable animal with absolutely no defense system."

"Mommmmmm!"

"I mean, you have aptly described the ecosystem of bunny land and it is only natural for predators to not only exist but to be running rampant." 

The compromise was to go to the local cafe, buy some lunch and take a card deck to play Spit. I thought we had a blast - but later when I looked on my camera I saw the pictures to the left. I think she was bored.

When Cammie's order arrived I realized how hungry I was. The dark, black sliced olives in the corner beckoned me. The avocado slices and caramelized, fajita-seasoned chicken strips lay as a moist masterpiece on top. The moment I put a combo of the three (with a little lemon vinaigrette mixed in) onto a fork and then on my palate I knew I had to recreate it in mass at home.

Garlic Lemon Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon cilantro
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 pounds of free range chicken breast, cut into think strips
1 small red bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 small green bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly
2 garlic cloves, diced
More salt to taste
Corn Tortillas
Avocado
Salsa
Spinach
Cheese

Directions:

Mix the juices, oil, salt and all of the spices in a bowl. Measure out 1/4 cup of the marinade and place aside. Place the chicken strips in the bowl and mix, using your hands to massage the solution into the chicken. Let sit and marinate while you continue to prepare the meal.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees to prepare to toast the tortillas.

In a large heated skillet on medium high heat some olive oil and begin cooking the onions until they are translucent. Add in the sliced bell peppers and garlic and cook until tender (about 5 minutes). Add the marinated chicken to the pan and cook until heated through (8-10 minutes). Add more salt and cumin to taste.

Heat the tortillas in the oven, grate the cheese, and slice the avocado. Spoon the fajita chicken mixture into a corn tortilla and add your favorite toppings (I ate it in a bowl with salsa spooned on top).

Enjoy!!

Nat

Day 35 - Italian Tonno Vegetable Salad

In the two-time sit down exercise post I did last month I featured one of my favorite salads that is both hearty and down right delicious on a winter evening. Here it is:

Warm Italian Tonno Vegetable Salad

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

1-1/2 Pounds of Purple Potatoes (or Yukon Gold, Red Skin, whatever is your favorite), diced in cubes
1 Pound of Green Beans, trimmed and cut in half
8 Medium Roma Tomatoes, diced into chunks
1 Bunch of Scallion, sliced
1 16 Oz. Can of Olives
2 Cans of Chunk Light Tuna, drained
1 Bushel of Fresh Basil, chopped
2 Tbls. Chopped Oregano Leaves
1/2 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbls. Red Wine Vinegar
1 Lemon, Juiced
1 Teaspoon of Himalayan Crystal Salt or Celtic Sea Salt
1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Directions: 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes and cook until tender, 6-8 minutes. Use a strainer to dip into the water and remove the potatoes, placing them in a large salad bowl. Add the green beans to the pot and cook just for 3 minutes (we still want them bright green and crispy) adding them to the potatoes. Add the tomatoes, olives, scallions, drained tuna, garlic and chopped basil.

In a separate dish make the dressing. Combine the oregano, lemon juice, and vinegar. Slowly pour in the olive oil and add in the salt and pepper. Toss the dressing with the warm salad, adding more salt and olive oil to taste.

Serve immediately.

Nat

Day 34 - Decadent Curry Chicken Stew

After some requests for the amazing chicken curry I talked about in a previous blog I decided to post the recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 Pound of Free Range Chicken Breast, Sliced
2 Cans of Whole Coconut Milk
4 T of Curry Powder (to taste)
1 Bag frozen Butternut Squash Cubes
2 Carrots, Sliced
1 Head of Broccoli, Chopped
2 Cups of Crimini Mushrooms, Sliced
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Onion, Diced
2 Cloves Garlic, Diced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Saute onion in a soup pot until they are carmelized (about 3 minutes). Add the carrots and red bell pepper and saute for another 5 minutes. Add in the remaining vegetables and garlic and stir fry for another 5 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add the curry powder to taste and cover for another 10 minutes. Add in the chicken, and salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer until the chicken is still moist but cooked through (another 5-10 minutes).

Serve with brown rice and garnish with cilantro.

Make sure to read my blog on the superfood coconut to remind you of the benefits you could be receiving from this creamy stew!

Nat

Day 33 - Flat Tire Complex

THE FLAT TIRE COMPLEX: When we allow external friction to make or break our day.  

Driving home at a leisurely pace my daughter and I were talking about what play food we were going to get at the grocery store for our slumber party that night. We were both elated. We had been waiting all week for this night; her getting through many days of babysitting by grandma and subsequent boredom while I rushed through the week to finally have a chance to soak in her company.

The same ol' usual storefronts and quaint houses rolled by as pockets of streetlights illuminated Cammie's sparkly t-shirt in rolling waves. As a car passed in the opposite lane the front of a suicide-mission car was revealed right after only inches from my driver's seat door. I could see the two young teenagers in the front seat of the low lying car. I swerved to the right and a crunching impact reverberated through our car. Pulling to a parking space on the side of the street I turned to my daughter.

"You okay?"

"Yes." She mumbled, a bit in shock.

"Stay here." I said, hardly even waiting for her answer, as I catapulted myself out of the car with adrenaline pumping and anger coursing up from my wobbly legs. I approached their door, cussing and making large gestures with my hands. The teenager boy's face was emotionally wounded and apologetic. I heard a hissing sound as he cautiously eased his way out of his vehicle and vehemently apologized. I turned around to see my back left tire was slowly dying. It went flat.

I have been in car accidents before - way worse in scope and potential than this one. In a lot of ways it was not a big deal. Everyone was physically fine and resolution will be easy. For some reason though the rest of the evening was challenging. I could not relax and the tension and sheer anger was affecting my every thought. I could not sleep and now, throughout the day, I have felt like a troll; walking around ready to pounce on anything or anyone.

The Flat Tire Complex is something that everyone of us has experienced. Some event occurred that triggered a cascade of negative emotion so persistent or intense that climbing out of it can seem daunting if not impossible. It is the dynamic of allowing our reaction to an experience influence and affect every moment thereafter. The Flat Tire Complex is essentially dwelling on a feeling of deflated and dis-empowered thinking, instead of processing and letting go.

We all have a Flat Tire Complex weak spot. Perhaps we dwell on creative criticism or a insult given by a stranger. Maybe someone cutting us off in traffic or in line can ruin our whole day. Something as simple as slipping and falling on the way to the car in the morning or an argument with a spouse can set the tone for the rest of the week.

What do we do when, as Bono from U2 says, "we are stuck in a moment that we can't get out of?"

1. Practice the Power of Three Exercise. This is taking the thoughts that were created or conjured up from the negative reaction of the experience and viewing them from a different, more positive perspective. Here are examples of mine this morning with three alternate thoughts to counter it:
1. I am so angry at this idiot.
• Everyone makes mistakes and false judgments. 
• I know loved ones who have been in his exact shoes.
• It must be challenging to be the person at fault. 
2. I am not capable. If I were, this would not have happened.
• I did a great job. I immediately responded by swerving and minimizing impact.
• This was not my fault. 
• I am strong and handled myself very well (potty mouth aside).
2. Distraction: Although distractions during eating are not a good thing - distractions from negative flat tire thinking can be a catalyst for a whole new mood experience. 
1. I called my best friend and vented for three messages.
2. I did 30 push ups and felt my body become strong and grateful.
3. I wrote this blog.
3. Relaxation: The Flat Tire Complex is essentially maintaining a holding pattern of stress. If we can somehow bring ourselves out of the stress cycle we can pump ourselves up. 
1. I consciously began taking deeper breaths. 
2. I did more push ups (this helps me relax for some reason).
3. I closed my eyes and imagined the Italian countryside that we will go to for vacation.
4. Visualization: No matter what feeling you are having in your body there is one simple way to dissolve it. Your brain does not know the difference between when you imagine something and when you are actually physically experiencing it in the hologram of reality (think about how real dreams feel!). Here are two that I employed today.
1. Resolution Visualization: Imagine the situation or experience that you are holding onto becoming resolved. See all people involved smiling, happy and content. It is important to imagine it after the fact and not to get caught up in the details of how it will happen. Just imagine the end product of success. For me it was imagining myself having a new slumber party next week with my daughter with everything behind me. 
2. Rewrite the Main Character Visualization: This one is fun! Rewrite history and imagine that you reacted totally different than you did previously. This is about taking what you have learned and applying it to the situation. This helped me A LOT! I imagined that I was like Jason Bourne in the Bourne Identity, scanning over every headlight and responding subtly with my driving. I was able to maneuver around the chaotic driver before they could interact with my car. I did another rewrite where I still got hit but treated the situation with absolute hilarity. I got out of the car, got the information I needed and then proceeded to ask the man to go get me an ice cream cone. "Do it. Do it." Cammie would totally be the cowboy character saying it behind me.

When you have a really bad day, and you have a bad case of the Flat Tire Complex, nip it in the butt with the above suggestions. And know that someone else has been there.

Nat