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Created by Leslie J. Bonci , MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN
Retained Medical Advisor+ (biography click here)
Avocados are on trend, and although they are a great source of healthy fats, they don’t contain protein. So why not add protein powder to your guacamole for added nutritional value? This recipe is quick and easy. For additional nutritional value, serve with black or white bean chips to give you even more protein and fiber. Hip hip hooray for Klean Guacamole!
My name is Jon Weeks, and I am the long snapper for the Houston Texans®. I just finished my eighth season with the team, having been with Houston since 2010. I started long snapping my freshman year at Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale, Arizona, where I also played offensive and defensive tackle. After high school, I took my talents to Waco, Texas, at Baylor University, where I snapped all four years. From college I was invited to participate in the Detroit Lions® rookie mini-camp, and signed with the Houston Texans® in 2010.
As a professional athlete, I see it as essential to make sure I am properly fueling my body and properly training during the week, so that I can perform to the best of my ability all times. Without proper nutrition and hydration, I could risk injury, fatigue or even a lack of energy, all of which could hurt my performance on the field.
Meredith Atwood, Sponsored Triathlete
Athlete Diary
Progress is a funny thing. Progress is also a difficult thing to define. There is “progress” in all three scenarios below. But at what cost?
Progress always costs something, which leads me to believe that progress is merely a game of life monopoly, life motion and priorities.
Karlyn Grimes, MS RD LDN CSSD
Retained Medical Advisor+ (biography click here)
Let’s have a toast to the most critical nutrient to athletes – good old water. Water is hands down the most important molecule in biology. H2O acts as a coolant, solvent, solute, carrier, messenger, lubricant, shock absorber, ionizing agent and reactant, just to mention a few of its vital roles. To look at it simply, without adequate water intake, you will be left in the dust. So take a moment to see if you are abiding by the following hydration tips, which can safeguard your health and maximize performance.
Hydration Tip #5: Determine Your Hydration Rx
Women should aim for 95 ounces/12 cups per day of fluid while men need to strive for 130 ounces/16 cups per day. These values will vary depending on dietary habits, exercise intensity and duration, and environmental temperature and humidity. Lean muscle tissue is more than 75% water, so when your fluid intake is compromised, your strength, power, and aerobic and anaerobic capacity will decline. In a nutshell, you need extra fluids if you consume excessive amounts of protein or sodium, exercise for long periods of time, or train in hot or humid environments, including indoor training facilities.
My name is Saniél Atkinson-Grier and I’m a Jamaican National Team high-jumper. My love for track and field started when I was 9 years old with Marlboro Boys & Girls Track team in Maryland. In a short window of time I started competing at AAU and USATF Regional and Junior Olympics, earning All-American honors for high jump and the pentathlon. I attended Bishop McNamara High School in Maryland, where my passion for track and field grew even stronger, and it showed. I earned numerous awards, including being named Nike® All-American, 8x All Met, All-State, All-Metro and All-County first-team honors, and ESPN® Rise Athlete of the Week. In addition, I was honored as Bishop McNamara High School Female Athlete of the Year and Maryland’s All Decade High Jumper. During my time at the University of Georgia, I competed for the Jamaican National Team at the 2012 Senior Olympic Trials with a jump of 1.89 meters (6 feet, 2.25 inches), narrowly missing the qualifying mark to make the Olympic Team but securing the Women’s Senior High Jump National Championship Title. In 2013, I competed again at the National Championships and came away victorious, retaining the Jamaican Senior National High Jump Champion title. After that National Championship, I competed in the 2013 CAC Senior Championships in Mexico and won a Bronze Medal. The following season I competed at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, and finished in the Top 10.
Created by Leslie J. Bonci , MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN
Retained Medical Advisor+ (biography click here)
Dips and chips always make for a popular snack. But while some dips are very high in fat and low in protein, this one gets a high-five for both protein and fiber, and is lower in calories than many other dips! Klean Isolate™ boosts the protein, black beans and salsa provide the veggie content, and it’s very low in fat! To reap even more nutritional benefits, serve with vegetables and bean chips as the dippers.
Meredith Atwood, Sponsored Triathlete
Athlete Diary
I received an email from a reader, and it went something like this:
I am racing my first 70.3 in a few months. I do most of my workouts when my family is asleep — this translates to 4:30 a.m. mornings. Even still, the long runs, bikes, swims, strength, and yoga remain doable. My body can (and most of the time my head wants) to do the workouts. Many times I wish I could do more with my workout, but I am doing okay. The problem is I need sleep. And time with my kids and husband. Sometimes, I can’t justify another early wake-up and early bedtime. How do I balance all of this?
Ah, yes. This is the burning question. How do we tri-inspired people do it all: work, raise kids, swim, bike, run, maintain relationships and sleep? Sleep? What is that, especially?
Kevin Portmann, Sponsored Professional Triathlete
Athlete Diary
It’s a new year, new season! Like many of you, I enjoy the process of reflecting back on the accomplishments of the previous year and look forward to setting new goals for the new year. When it comes to jumping back into a training regimen, for me the challenge is always finding the right balance. It can be discouraging to see just how quickly fitness devolves in the offseason. My knee-jerk reaction is a desire to immediately go into an intense, hard training block to regain what I lost in the offseason; of course, that approach would only set me up to crash and burn. Here are a few ways I kick off my triathlon training while staying highly motivated, tempering the enthusiasm of “letting loose” and ensuring I’m setting myself up for long-term success.
Created by Leslie J. Bonci , MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN
Retained Medical Advisor+ (biography click here)
Sauces offer a great opportunity to boost the protein content of your meal by adding a little whey. Mole sauce is a wonderful mix of tomato, smoky and cocoa flavors. Take it to the next level by adding unflavored whey protein to the produce, for a fabulous boost to meat dishes or an even bigger bonus for plant-based proteins such as beans. Try Pro-Mole on a black bean burger to bring the pow and the wow!
I’m Tyler Heineman. I’m 26 years old and I’m currently a catcher in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. This past season I played with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. I’ve played baseball for as long as I can remember. I can’t even begin to imagine how much time I’ve spent at baseball fields.
After high school, I had no scholarship offers to play college baseball. But instead of giving up I was determined to keep playing. I walked on at the University of California Los Angeles and made the team. While I got some at bats as an underclassman, I didn’t play a lot until Junior year when I became the team’s starting catcher. The decision I made to bet on myself paid off and my dream of becoming a professional baseball player was realized when I was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 8th Round of the 2012 MLB Draft.