Off Topic Healthy Eating

[gymgymgymnast08]

I've recently started trying to eat really healthy. I started making fruit smoothies with kale and chia seeds in them for breakfast or for a snack and I eat a lot of Greek yogurt. Does anyone have any ideas or recipes for healthy eating? I'm getting tired of the few things I have found to be really healthy. Thanks so much!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Eat as little processed food as possible - you would be amazed at the muck ( and sugar - the US corn lobby is huge) goes into processed foods.

Its easier to be a little bit healthier all the time than super healthy most of the time.

 

[bogwoppit]

Avoid anything prepackaged, refined and processed and you should do great. If it comes in a box chances are it has been messed with and no longer resembles anything "fresh".

 

[fliptwisttwirl]

"No sweets, no cokes, no fast food" is our motto. And it works great.

 

[rockyrose]

You could try to limit the amount of soda or other sugary drinks you consume. I don't really drink much other than water & milk because soda isn't something I usually crave, but I've heard it's a good place to start. But one thing to remember is- if you really want that cookie or cake, let yourself have it! You shouldn't feel guilty about indulging once in a while.

 

[Newandlovingit!]

Hmm. One of the things I would do is eat lots of fruit. Maybe you could do a banana/strawberry smoothie with eggs and whole wheat toast for breakfast. For other meals, try to do lots of green stuff on the side. And grilled chicken is great as well. Otherwise, drink LOTS of water. After about 2 months of just water and chocolate milk my guess is you will no longer want soda as much. And don't forget to let yourself indulge every once in a while. After all, you are still human, and that tiny piece of cake isn't going to kill you in the long run.

 

[gymmom1974]

I have a wonderful smoothie recipe my SIL made for me. It has been "tested" by my 13 year old gymmie who is super picky and doesn't like vegetables! So, I'm pretty confident in sharing it. Here goes:

In blender (we have an individual one):

A hand full of fresh spinach (about 1c)
4-5 sprigs of fresh parsley
1 Tbsp liquid probiotic
1/3-1/2 c coconut water
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
**Blend this together until completely liquified**

Then, add:

1/2 fresh banana
5-6 pieces of frozen mango
2-3 ice cubes (and a little bit of water if its too thick)
**blend again until smooth.

*my husband likes to put a scoop of protein powder in also: if you do this, add it with the banana and mango. You can also add chia seeds or flaxseed meal for more protein.

Another awesome recipe that has passed the "test" is Oat Balls:

1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup flax meal
1/3 cup honey
1 tbs chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla
Mix and refrigerate for at least one hour, then Form into balls.

**these would be great to eat as a snack before or during practice. I make them into 20 gram balls: it may look small, but it is filling! Here's the nutritional information on these recipes:
(Note: I don't have any chia seeds, so my oat ball nutritional facts are without them):

 

[bogwoppit]

I have a wonderful smoothie recipe my SIL made for me. It has been "tested" by my 13 year old gymmie who is super picky and doesn't like vegetables! So, I'm pretty confident in sharing it. Here goes:

In blender (we have an individual one):

A hand full of fresh spinach (about 1c)
4-5 sprigs of fresh parsley
1 Tbsp liquid probiotic
1/3-1/2 c coconut water
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
**Blend this together until completely liquified**

Then, add:

1/2 fresh banana
5-6 pieces of frozen mango
2-3 ice cubes (and a little bit of water if its too thick)
**blend again until smooth.

*my husband likes to put a scoop of protein powder in also: if you do this, add it with the banana and mango. You can also add chia seeds or flaxseed meal for more protein.

Another awesome recipe that has passed the "test" is Oat Balls:

1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup flax meal
1/3 cup honey
1 tbs chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla
Mix and refrigerate for at least one hour, then Form into balls.

**these would be great to eat as a snack before or during practice. I make them into 20 gram balls: it may look small, but it is filling! Here's the nutritional information on these recipes:
(Note: I don't have any chia seeds, so my oat ball nutritional facts are without them):

View attachment 3970View attachment 3971

I use my fitness pal too. I love how it breaks down the nutritional values of recipes. I find it very handy to check I am getting enough protein. Thanks for the smoothie recipe, I was looking for ways to change it up a little. I like Vega One chocolate protein powder usually with presoaked cashews, banana, greek yogourt, whole mik and ice. I add ground almonds and dark choc chips to my protein balls, love those.

 

[kittycatcat5]

I eat normally-my gymnastics life just doesn't change it...
My partners only allow me to have coke on the weekend night so Friday and Saturday and I'm only allowed sweets on Friday too...
Otherwise I eat what my mum makes me for dinner-spaghetti...
And I eat as snacks fruit.
I would recommend on Instagram an app-maybe you have it-to check out @teensfitness
Hope I helped!

 

[flipandtwist]

If your looking for a few things beyond the obvious (fruits, veggies), I highly recommend going to the market and checking out some things like dried apricons, lightly salted plantain chips, and dehydrated bananas. I love the bananas with a bit of peanut butter, kind of like the peanut butter crackers but better for your the plantain chips are almost like potato chips.
Also, you can look for popcorn kernels ( thy have some natural ones) and then make them on the stove and add a bit of sea salt or if your craving sweets, a bit of dark chocolate shavings and cinnamon.

 

[Luvs2coach]

Try this website:
http://stayfueled.com/

A few of my athlete have purchased the nutrition plan. It comes complete with a grocery list for a family of 4 I believe. I've heard great things about it. Good recipes.

 

[catou]

I moved out of my parents house 2 months ago so I had to think of ways to eat healthy. I cook as much as I can. I try to cook my meat at the beginning of the week so on the days I work, I know I always have something ready. Then I only have to cook rice, couscous or a potatoe for example and vegetables. In a maximum 0f 10 minutes, supper is ready and I'm not as tempted to eat processed food. I mostly eat white meat, salmon and tuna. I always have frozen veggies. A couple of minutes in the microwave and it's ready! I always keep spaghetti sauce and pastas just in case. You can also replace sugar by apple sauce in a lot of recipes. And read the nutritional information on packages. Try to find products containing less salt and less trans and saturated fats. Try to drink more water, eat fresh fruits instead of drinking juice.

Most importantly, I eat healthily by not eating when I'm not hungry anymore and I allow myself to cheat occasionally (My strawberry ice cream dipped in dark chocolate tonight was so good ).

 

[coachmolly]

Get creative, especially with spices! They can add a lot to a meal and make things much more fun and exciting than plain grilled chicken and steamed veggies every night.
Do you have a local farmer's market? That's a way to introduce to new fruits and veggies and lots of times the local farmers are more than willing to offer tips on the best way to prepare their product. And fruits and veggies taste better fresh anyway.
As we head into the fall there is an abundance of squash in a lot of places, meaning you can get it pretty cheap. I really like spaghetti squash- just roast in the oven and it shreds to a texture very similar to spaghetti. You can just add sauce and some veggies and it makes a great dinner.
And it's amazing what you can add veggies to beyond salads- smoothies, eggs, pasta sauce, burritos, pizza. This is especially good if you're someone who doesn't particularly enjoy the taste of veggies.
Read ingredients! Lots of people check nutrition labels for calories and fat but totally skip checking what is actually in the food. So many processed foods are low in calories or fat but are packed with chemicals and junk in their place. I'd much rather have a few more calories from something naturally produced!
As far as recipes:
I love these for breakfast and they are super easy to put together the night before:
http://www.theyummylife.com/Refrigerator_Oatmeal

These are great for snacks and you can change the ingredients around to fit what you like. For example, I usually substitute almond butter for peanut butter (or you can use sunflower or hemp butter if you're nut free):
http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/

And I just love this website for recipes in general, lots of good homemade stuff with natural ingredients:
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/

I hope the all the links are okay.

 

[BlairBob]

I like meats and veggies and some fruit because I'm too lazy to cook carby stuff other than maybe a potato or chili with beans. Rice dishes at restaurants or beans then.

It's time to lean out so maybe I'll let myself cheat on fri or sat.