Tri Talk Tuesday: Food, Glorious FOOD!

Now that things are somewhat back to normal, I can get back to blogging a little more regularly, yay!  That also means that I'm back to eating the way I normally do....which ironically is the topic of todays Tri Talk Tuesday.  I'm linking up with Courtney at the Tri Girl Chronicles, Miranda at The Cupcake Triathlete and Cynthia at You Signed up For What? to talk about one of my favourite things:  FOOD.

 While we were away in Europe, I tried to eat as normally as possible during the week leading up to the race.  That mean no real crappy food (i.e fried or refined or sugary).  We were staying in an apartment so we had the option to make our own meals.  We usually made breakfast and lunch and then ate out for dinner which was a nice compromise.  I indulged a wee bit here and there with the occasional dessert and I definitely didn't shy away from alcohol, although I didn't have any the day before the race.  The two weeks after the race all bets were off.  I ate more pizza, croissants and gelato than I care to admit...but I enjoyed every bit of it. 

I don't follow any really strict dietary rules, other than "don't eat crap".  I try to make a point of eating whole foods, nothing prepackaged.   I find the less crap I eat, the better I feel and perform.  Go figure.  That being said, I do enjoy a really good burger or pizza on occasion.  And of course a frosty beverage to wash it all down because, really, it's all about balance.  And I have a bit of a chocolate problem...

If you follow me on instagram, you'll see that I often post food pics.  I love to eat.   I also happen to love healthy food and I really enjoy cooking.  I like variety in my diet.  I can't eat the same thing day in and day out.  I am a big fan of salads but they need to have protein in them.  So you'll usually see a can of tuna or a chicken breast or if I'm in a vegan kind of mood, some tempeh mixed in.  

I try to do some food prep on Sundays but it was difficult when I was training for my 70.3.  I was usually pretty wiped out by Sunday afternoon so I wouldn't do much.  Now that I'm back home and won't be dealing with that crazy training volume, I should be able to prep a bit more.  A few of my staples are usually turkey burgers, lamb meatballs, quinoa and a big veggie frittata.  

A typical day of eats usually looks like this:

Breakfast - either a piece of fritatta, or a chia pudding (peanut butter / chocolate is my fave).  Pancakes on weekends! 

Post workout I usually have a smoothie with protein powder and some whole grain toast or an english muffin with some kind of nut butter or avocado spread on it + an americano with cream and sugar.  On days where I've done a really intense workout, I will usually have steel cut oats & fruit along with my smoothie.

Lunch will usually be a protein and a huge pile of veggies or salad.  Sometimes a bit of carbs, like sweet potatoes or black beans.  I find if I have too many carbs at lunch, I feel sluggish and lethargic by mid afternoon so I tend to shy away from them.

Mid afternoon I usually have a snack.  Sometimes its greek yogurt and fruit, or a chia pudding or some nuts and veggies.  In a pinch, I'll have a Lara Bar (love them!)

Dinner will usually be protein & veggies.  If I've done an intense workout, I may have a big bowl of pasta or a homemade pizza. I'm also a big fan of breakfast for dinner so sometimes I have pancakes.

And of course there's usually dessert.  Sometimes its a couple of squares of dark chocolate.  Other times its fruit or a mug cake.  Or, my favourite, chocolate cherry "Ice cream"

When I'm busy and we're shooting, my normal eats go right out the window.  I usually over indulge in all the less than ideal things no matter how hard I try to be "good".  And I generally pay for it by the end of the day.  I always end up dragging my butt and feeling like a sack of hammers.  But that's ok, I usually bounce back fairly quickly. 

I've learned over the years that what you put in to your body has a direct result on what you can get out of your body.  I didn't always eat this way.  I changed my diet almost 4 years ago and lost over 20lbs, most of which I've kept off.  I can honestly say that eating the way I do has helped me perform better.  It's gotten me lighter, it's kept me healthier (I don't often get sick whereas I used to get at least 2 colds every winter) and it's given me an appreciation for what REAL, good for you food tastes like.  
What are your go to healthy meals?

What's your favourite indulgence?  I have a few:  burgers, french fries, pizza, ice cream.