Nutrition

August 07, 2017  /  Ryan Yohn

Nutrition should not be complicated. I don't believe in magic formulas or adopt any particular diet. Simply, fuel yourself with clean food. To begin a clean eating lifestyle, you must first purge all junk out from your kitchen. 

Throw out: all sugar added junk (candy, frosted flakes, ice cream, etc), sodas, chips, and unhealthy oils like vegetable, canola, and corn oil.

Forget how much you spent on it. No cost is worth the damage it does to your overall health. It is addicting, useless and harmful for our physical development. Even Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and Sprouts sell junk, but it "looks" healthier. Don't be fooled. Organic sugar will give you organic diabities. 

Restock with:

  • fresh local SEASONAL produce,
  • grass fed beef, wild caught salmon, and other clean protein sources,
  • dairy and butter from grass fed cows untreated with hormones and antibiotics, 
  • whole grains and some processed grains (for ease of digestion and a quicker source of energy on race day),
  • treats like 75% dark chocolate, homemade baked items with pure ingredients in which you control the variables and know exactly what is in it,
  • use sparingly sweeteners like honey, real maple syrup, and or agave for selected additions

The surest and best way to eat clean is to eat at home with home cooked meals. Crazy schedules and convenience entices us to eat out all the time, but even "healthier" eateries use toxic oils and added sugar to make you want more. 

You and your kids need the best fuel possible. Their bodies are working hard, are breaking down, and require the proper building materials (nutrition) to adapt stronger, faster, and healthier. 

Don't use their skinny appearance as a measure of health. It is completely possible to be fit, but unhealthy. 

If we feed ourselves right, sleep enough, and manage our stress levels we can slow down the aging process, get sick way less often, and feel generally happy and physically optimistic.

Remember, being an athlete is not a 1-2 hour per day obligation. It is a 24 hour obligation and a commitment for life.