Nutrition

  • Gravel Riding,  Nutrition

    Nutrition for Endurance Gravel Riding

    Now, I’m not an expert at endurance cycling events, but I’m no stranger to long distance activities.  I’ve run a handful of marathons and finished the 46 high peaks, both of which require adequate nutrition for long hours of intense activity. The Farmer’s Daughter was the longest ride I’ve ever done at 65 miles, with eight hours of pedaling and seemingly never-ending climbs, requiring a lot of calories and hydration. Fueling for long cycling events is easier for me than it was for marathon running because I can tolerate real food and actually prefer it over gels and blocks. My strategy was to keep stuffing my face every few hours…

  • Cooking,  Food,  Nutrition

    Adventures with an Instant Pot

    I got an Instant Pot for Christmas! If you haven’t heard, Instant Pots are all the rage right now. It is a 7-in-1 multi-cooker that acts as a slow cooker, saute pan, pressure cooker, steamer, rice cooker, yogurt maker, and warmer. It also has 14 smart built-in programs. With a touch of a button, you can set it to make Soup/Broth, Meat/Stew, Bean/Chili, Poultry, Sauté/Searing, Steam, Rice, Porridge, Multigrain, Slow Cook, Keep-Warm, Yogurt, Pasteurize & Pressure Cook. I have a slow cooker that I love using. But I think the IP will soon take it’s place because the IP is like a speedy version of a slow cooker! It can…

  • Nutrition

    How I Studied for the RD Exam

    I am not a good test taker. I was always the student that had to study A LOT to do well on exams. This time was no different! In mid-July I got the email that I was able to schedule my RD exam. There weren’t any test dates open for a few months, so I originally scheduled it for Sept. 8, which would give me a good few months to study. I had actually already started prepping to study back in June, but I started a new job and then went to Norway, so I really hadn’t started seriously studying until August. Finding time to study with a full time…

  • Food,  Nutrition

    Blueberry Mango Protein Smoothie

    I came across this great post yesterday written by Australian Sports Dietitian, Dietitian without Borders, entitled “Do You Need Protein Supplements?” – I tend to share posts like these on social media because they align with my views on supplement use. Overall I think most athletes and those that are active in “gym culture” tend to over-consume supplements–specifically protein supplements. There are so many products available these days, it’s overwhelming and mostly unnecessary, not to mention a waste of money, since many of these products claiming health benefits are way overpriced. The bottom line is that unless you have a hard time getting protein from actual food sources, you don’t…