the whole picture

One of the attracting things to the QT2 Team and Coach Jesse is the attention they give to nutrition and body composition. Jesse was recently mentioned in an ESPN segment with professional UFC fighter Kenny Florian (before I forget), who is speaking about nutrition.

This is an area that many coaches, including myself fall short. I think it's because of the touchy subject that nutrition is with athletes. especially female athletes.

As a recovering Bulimic (15 years!) many females will come to me because I understand EDO's. I certainly do. I am also known to take a very hard stance on them. But I am not a nutritionist or a registered dietitian. I am a Registered Nurse however and just by interest have a good understanding of nutrition and body composition.

I'm not entirely comfortable however dictating to an athlete what they should eat, what their body composition should be, etc. Like many coaches I use some resources.

Deb Iovoli, located in Rochester, is a Dietitian specializing in Sports Nutrition, a triathlete, runner, Ironman finisher and our local Moms in Motion Leader.

Beth Shutt, who recently opened the Athletes Eutrophia is located near Pittsburgh PA. Beth is also an accomplished triathlete and a Registered Dietitian who focuses on Sports Nutrition.

Cyndi Weis the owner of Breathe Yoga in Pittsford (where I am so very very proud to be celebrating my fifth year of teaching yoga) is also a Registered Dietitian, is incredible. She's the one who turned me on to the wholefood way of eating so to speak. Getting an appointment with her is tough, I don't know anyone who can present it better than her!

So as a coach I use resources to help my athletes with nutrition. I am hesitant to tell someone they need to be heavier or leaner because of the touchy nature of nutrition and athletes.

As a member of the Qt2 team I will be working with Jesse and the RD's of the team to determine where I currently am in terms of body composition and where I need to be. It would be the first time in my eating disordered history I am feeling very comfortable in doing that. It's also the first time I have worked with a coach who has placed such importance on both training and body composition, and the first coach I have worked with who talks in terms of body composition. It's a great learning experience for me in many ways.

I feel like I have finally reached the stage in my recovery where I don't have to run from it, it doesn't bother me, rule me, but with that being said I have to be careful. While I am such a different person than I was when I was actively Bulimic..... the memories of how that felt and the physical repercussions of that part of my life are forever.

My teeth need to be re enameled every 8-10 years. I am coming up on the second round. I had a dental reconstruction that will need to be updated in a few years as well. Want to rob me..... there is value in my mouth. I see a Cardiologist regularly, with no problems, but I still have to go. I must manage my stress level due to ulcers I developed, while they are dormant now I have to manage my stress properly or else they get bad and they bleed. I have a healed tear in my esophagus that is watched. Fine, but watched.

The worst part is that these are all things that didn't need to happen. The guilt and shame of eating disorders run deep. It was my choice in the end to do that to my body and I had plenty of people to try to help me along the way.

But back to there here and now....... I will be working closely with a QT2 RD to determine where I should be. I will be given the daily menu much like I am given my training. The menu will also revolve around a very detailed race fueling plan. And I like that. I like to be told what to do :-)

Nutrition on this team revolves around the Core Diet that they have developed. It's very similar if not the same as the way of eating I have been gravitating to this season. For the most part I don't eat refined foods..... I don't eat bread, I instead eat Ezekiel 4:9 sprout bread. Everything from Peanut Butter to Peanuts is organic, and I have given up Diet Sodas. That was a tough one.

Now what about coffee? I am not sure we can talk about that yet. I am a nurse, it kind of comes with the territory, I am a massive coffee drinker. I have a couple of big cups a day. I define a cup as Venti. I drink it black, I like it strong. I could drink a Venti pure Espresso. I never ever fluff it up.

I like it straight up.

I can drink a pot of coffee and go to sleep. That, therein lies the problem. In athletics we can use caffeine to help us. Used at the right time it can benefit performance. Right now I would not say I am addicted to it (denial), but I drink enough of it that it doesn't affect me.

We will be keeping the morning cup for now. But starting Monday I can have 2 cups per day.

So think about how much time you put into training and competing. Think of the money you spend as well. By not paying attention to what we fuel our bodies with, we are in fact cheating ourselves of health and performance. I think it's worth the investment in ourselves to determine where we are and what we need to do to become the healthiest we can become.

I'll drink a Venti to that!