Nutrition Energy

06/11/2025

I really do LOVE speaking to people about how to actually put their efforts and intentions towards reaching their health, fitness and nutrition goals and dispelling all of the diet culture and current/trendy (+ usually incorrect or unhelpful) messaging around what one “should” or “should not” do or eat.
This week I spoke to a group at an and had a blast!
I spoke about why eating pre workout is essential 🍌 + 🥛 and how to maximize their training efforts by supporting their bodies with adequate fuel (food!) and hydration post workout. 🏋🏼‍♂️
We covered how much protein 🥚and carbs 🍞actually is enough post workout (more than most people think!) and much more.
It was a really fun and smart group of people, who each came to Orange Theory for different reason.s, but all of us want to include fun and purposeful training to feel better and improve our strength, fitness and emotional and physical health.
Everyone is making choices that align with those goals, and often are doing things they think are a good idea, but may not be helping them- for ex: Eating an egg 🍳 post workout “for protein”, but not knowing that 1 egg is not meeting their protein needs for recovery after these hard sessions!!
It is super fun to be able to share things that will make them feel better. This is why I am still excited and passionate to do what I do and have done every single day since I started my private practice back in 2005.
What do you want to check in on nutrition wise? Ask me here or in a DM, and I’ll answer in a future post!

01/26/2025

12/05/2024

This just arrived in the mail! 🏅
Thank you for sending this to me! We were soaking wet after the turkey trot this year and didn’t stick around for awards.
Third year winning “first old lady” as I affectionately call it. 😂
Top Masters Female is what it says on the letter.
I will continue to run, race, laugh, play, and FUEL and see how long I can keep this streak going.
Just for fun, any bets on the age at which I will no longer be able to be top female masters in our local turkey trot?
Either way, does this make me a professional athlete now??
-thanks for running with me. I’ll take us both out for brunch after our next run.

11/30/2024

2024 Turkey Trot in the books!
Lots of laughter and fun was had by my sister and I.
The remainder of our family bailed due to rain, but we simply unearthed two windbreakers I had won during my HS track and xc career, zipped them up and had a blast.
I ran this course a lot slower than I had two and three years ago, but that was to be expected. I ran a marathon 2 weeks ago, have not been doing any fast training, and was just out there to have fun with -which I did! 🙂
That said, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that seeing my finish time (which was ~ 2.5 minutes slower than the last two times I ran this course) was not momentarily disappointing.
Then my 18 yo son texted me: “How was the race”
Me: “Might have been my slowest 5k ever”
Him: “out of curiosity, what was your time?”
“Did you have fun?”
Me: Yes! Rach and I had a blast!
And THAT is what it is really all about 🙂

11/16/2024

All ready for another 26.2!
Today it is the , which I am running with three good friends that I have known and run with for a long time.
The energy and environment here is like no other marathon I’ve ever done.
They’ve all been great, but this is really all women supporting each other. Giving encouragement to first time marathoners (half of all participants who’ll be going 26.2 today are first time marathoners!)!
One of my friends forgot to pack a sports bra (we’ve all been there 😳), and a complete stranger offered to lend her one she had just purchased at the expo.
Here is to everyone running/walking and moving today.
To anyone who is doubting whether they can-we are all here for you.
And to all of us who doubt ourselves-surround yourself by others who believe in you and make it happen!
💜

10/31/2024

Quick reminder that Halloween can be about many things depending on what YOU want and what works for you.
My day started with a fun run w a great friend. She is the type of person and friend who is not afraid to be silly, and I value and appreciate that.
We ran and chatted and had a blast!
We both have kids who will be trick or treating later and there will certainly be candy! And that is also ok!
Candy can certainly be a part of Halloween and we ALL can & deserve to eat our favorite candies without guilt or shame.
AND, we can also make our own choices to decide to do things that will make us feel good throughout the day.
A few conversations I have had with clients today include:
1. A right to say no to office drinks and snacks if you don’t want them (even if others think you “should “ want them.
2. That it is AOK to not exercise today and still eat three meals and snacks AND some Halloween candy.
*What aspects of Halloween do you WANT (to go walk around and look at people dressed in costume? Walk around a decorated neighborhood even if you are not trick or treating? Skip the whole thing and go home and relax?
All answers are AOK. This day is another reminder to me that we get to make our own choices and while that MAY include eating some candy today or getting dressed up, it also may not.
#/

09/23/2024

If you had asked me a year ago how I feel about my next upcoming birthday I would have honestly not sounded excited about it.
Fast forward to this year and I could not be more excited to enter this next decade of life.
I am still the same little girl I always was. I love being outdoors, moving my body, laughing with friends and eating ice cream (scroll through pics if you either don’t believe me, or want a good laugh!)!
I am happiest when I am either surrounded by nature, helping others reach their most free, fun and empowered selves and spending time with the people I love most (every single one of you knows who you are). I pack snacks wherever I go and love to eat a wide range of foods, but at the end of a work day or on my birthday my husband, kids, sister and friends know exactly what to choose- which always includes ice cream 🤣.
I still love to challenge myself both intellectually and physically, but am more interested in how I FEEL than my exact time.
That does not mean I’m not still competitive, bc I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t, but again, it’s not for the sake of winning or awards, but for feeling strong and capable and free.
To that end, I will again say a huge thank you to my friends and sis who ran the 10k w me on Saturday Elyse and ! And to my amazing husband and three awesome teenagers for all being who you are-I am lucky to have you all in my life and don’t know what I’d do without you.
Here’s to my new Age Group!
50-54 yo runners and triathletes here I come! 😉


#50

09/21/2024

My last running race/last day in my current age group was shared w great friends and full of smiles.
Thank you to for putting on such a great event, to steveuresk for the idea and “invite” and , elysecohen and for helping me celebrate my birthday weekend with some of my favorite things- great people, a fun race and a great meal.

08/03/2024

I am finally running the Chicago Marathon this year, after literally 20 years of my good friend inviting me to come join her.
Today I ran 12, starting from my mom’s and running down and around to my old HS xc course.
I planned ahead (as you might expect I should), and brought my running vest and filled two collapsible Nathan bottles with high-sodium hydration drink mix (1/2 in each bottle), took in a package of caffeinated energy chews and 2 fuel sachets.
I refilled my bottles at a water fountain in the park, and got as wet as I could as I ran past the moat.
It was hot and humid as it could be, but with smart lacing and solid hydration and fueling I finished feeling as strong as I started.
If your feeling tired, experiencing dead legs or poor recovery after long training, it might be time to take a look into what your fueling (carb) and hydration (fluid and sodium) needs are and experiment with how you can meet them.
Leave questions below and I’d be happy to answer them.

08/02/2024

Today is August 1, 2024.
Today would have been my dad’s 81st birthday if we had not lost him to cancer just over ten years ago.
He was always there for me.
Supporting me.
Encouraging me.
Being silly when I needed it.
He loved being a dad and being with family and friends.
He loved his grandchildren so very much and every day one of my three kids does or says something that makes me wish he could be here to watch, encourage, support and love them.
I love you forever and miss you often, dad!
💕😘

07/27/2024

What did you do that brought you joy this week?
It may have been accomplishing something at work, it might have been visiting a friend, or cooking a great meal, or being out in nature, or a great conversation with a stranger…or something different entirely.
This week Mia and I went to see the Broadway show Six and it was incredible! I never liked history class in school (I am sorry to say!), but I do love learning about history through travel and through shows such as this.
After the show I asked Mia where she wanted to eat and she picked . When Mia asked, the waiter said he recommended ordering dinner first and then one of their over the top milkshakes as a “reward”. And while we loved our waiter, I also respectfully disagreed with this thinking.
So what did we do?
Mia and I ordered the crispy Brussels sprouts, a burger and sweet potato fries (because we like them better, not because we think they are “healthier” and a cookies and cream milkshake.
We happily shared and enjoyed all three and left full, satisfied and happy.