Protein-Packed Salad Dressing, Gut Health + Athlete Limiters | The Consummate Athlete Newsletter
THE CONSUMMATE ATHLETE NEWSLETTER...
Live a healthy, adventurous life
Hellooooooo!
Hopefully as it gets hotter out, you're getting outside for most of your activity, and staying happy / not-sunburned / properly hydrated. I always feel silly wearing long sleeves on the trails this time of year, but my skin is pretty thankful for it--and Peter is known for his white sunsleeves on the bike! (Pro tip: You're gonna need to soak those in bleach often to keep them looking new.)
Anyway, lots of good stuff going on in our world of food, anyway: We got a barbeque this summer and have been loving grilled veggies, our tomato plants are starting to come in, and I'm remembering why salads are a great meal option in the summer... but making sure that I'm taking the time to balance them out with plenty of protein and healthy fats, plus some kind of carb depending on what's going on. It's really easy to end up with a salad that skimps on your basic macro needs, and on the flip side, it's also easy to go overboard on a salad as soon as bottled dressing and cheese and nuts and seeds come into the mix. So while I love a summer salad (favorite new dressing recipe below), I urge everyone to make sure that their salads are satiating and serve you well. OK, end salad rant.
Last reminder: if you're local-ish around Collingwood, Ontario, and hoping to work on MTB skills this summer, Peter is starting to run sessions again! Info on that is right here.
Stay safe,
Molly + Peter
WORK YOUR LIMITERS
We've been talking on the podcast and the website about some common limiters for athletes -- specifically fitness-based ones, but we touch on some mental ones as well -- and how to actually work on correcting / strengthening those weak points now that we have time. Check it:
THE EASIEST HIGH PROTEIN SALAD DRESSING
This Green Goddess taste-alike is heavy on the protein, light on fat and carbs, so you can soak your salad in it. I'm obsessed with Panera's Green Goddess cobb salad so I wanted to make a similar version to have at home, and I figured out a way to make it more nutritious: their recipe called for mayo as the base, which... yikes.
So... In a blender, drop:
1 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
2 big handfuls of chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon agave syrup
Sea salt
Blend, and decant into a mason jar -- store in the fridge, obviously!
You could mix that up with other herb options, but I'm really loving the protein-packed Greek yogurt base!
(More easy but effective salad hacks here!)
SPEAKING OF GUT HEALTH
We just had Dr. Patrick WIlson on the podcast talking about his new book, The Athlete's Gut, and we got into all things digestion. Around 90% of runners report GI issues on the run, so if you've ever had to sprint for a port-a-potty, know that you're not alone.... but there are some tweaks you can make to your daily and in-workout food choices to minimize gut distress! Check it:
A few favorite books, including 2 on gut health: What Athletic Reads We’re Loving: Summer 2020
Podcast: Digestion, Fueling and Your Gut – Patrick Wilson PhD, Rd
CATCH UP ON THE CONSUMMATE ATHLETE
Get caught up on the content:
Podcast: Limiters and Ways to Get Faster
Your Athlete Body Image Right Now (And When You Can’t Train)
Podcast: Digestion, Fueling and Your Gut – Patrick Wilson PhD, Rd
Your Summer Race is Cancelled… You May Need a Cycling Pivot Plan to Keep Progressing
