Nutrition for Athletes

Sport has been an integral part of my life for as long as I can remember. I simply don’t feel right if I haven’t moved and challenged my body in some way. My sports resume spans from playing competitive soccer as a teenager, to playing field hockey for Carleton University, to running half-marathons. I also dabble in sprint distance triathlon and enjoy swimming and biking on my trainer.

I thought cutting out starches would make it difficult to train for distance running since foods like oats, quinoa and bananas were a big part of my pre-race fueling routines. I now fuel myself primarily on healthy fats and carbohydrates that come from low- to no-starch fruits and vegetables. If I had to categorize the way I eat for performance, it would be Paleo with a little Ketogenic thrown in. I eat a lot of fruits (berries & apples mostly) and vegetables, a moderate amount of lean, properly sourced animal protein, and higher amounts of healthy fats such as avocadoes, coconut oil, grass-fed butter, nuts and nut butters.

I now fuel myself primarily on healthy fats and carbohydrates that come from low- to no-starch fruits and vegetables. If I had to categorize the way I eat for performance, it would be Paleo with a little Ketogenic thrown in.

Having fueled myself using a healthy carbohydrate approach (ie. whole grains, pseudograins, fruits and vegetables) and a Paleo approach (grain-free, starch-free, legume-free), I now specialize in consulting with clients about either method. I also believe in the importance of supporting the athletic body with antioxidants and other superfoods that promote cell health (ie. tackle free radicals), regulating the stress response produced by the adrenal glands in response to endurance and high performance sport, and building immunity which can also be taxed by high level sport.