Cook Eat Compete

I just need protein after my training right??💪🏽😍🔥
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Well, probably not just protein…🤔
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Challenging training sessions = carbs used for higher intensity efforts. Longer duration at moderate to higher intensities also use lots of carb energy.🥖🔋
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Having protein after training is definitely helpful to get muscle repair recovery started, but is generally only half the picture. Having carbs after training (along with protein) is important to support refueling muscle carb (glycogen) stores.⚡️
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This becomes more of a priority with less time between training, such as training twice in a day or training again in 24 hours time. People doing higher intensity and/or longer duration activity require more carbs to fuel up and replenish spent glycogen stores. Waiting too long to get carbs in following training and/or eating too little carbs during a recovery period can hurt performance of the next training session, especially with shorter recovery periods. 😞
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What carbs are good for refueling? Pretty much all of them! Pasta, breads, potatoes, noodles, rice, quinoa, tortillas, beans, corn, fruit, and more provide great sources of carb energy. 🥔🌽🍞🍌🍎🍠🫓🫘🍜
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This meal here provides great carb energy via soba noodles to refuel muscles after a hard training session. Plus, there is some chicken to get muscle repair started, a salty broth to help rehydration, and cucumber salad for foundational good health.
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Carbs: not the devil, and they just might be your missing answer 🤷🏼‍♀️🥯✨

10 not-salad ways to stop throwing away spinach each week (and actually enjoy these nutrient packed, delicious leaves!) 🍃

1. Roasted chicken, kimchi sautéed with onion, rice and spinach

2. Whole wheat rotini, olive oil-tahini-red wine vinegar sauce, chickpeas, red peppers, tomato, grilled chicken and spinach

3. Toasty whole wheat bagel (or English muffin) with sautéed spinach and melty mozz

4. Whole wheat penne, grilled chicken, grilled cauliflower and zucchini, Parmesan, olive oil, balsamic and spinach

5. Bagel sandwich with microwaved cheesy peppered eggs and spinach

6. Rice, roasted chicken, spinach, Parmesan, mozz, olive oil, lemon juice and zest

7. Miso mushroom soup with ginger, black garlic, rice noodles, tofu, spinach, and sesame oil

8. Seared tofu, roasted Japanese sweet potato, spinach, sweet and spicy gochujang sauce

9. Pesto with spinach, basil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, pepper, salt, Parmesan, walnuts

10. Roasty chicken, curried red lentils, garlicky bok choy and spinach, sesame oil, scallion

Spinach is a seriously fab source of antioxidants and provides micronutrients like vitamins A, C and K, folic acid, calcium and iron. It also is rich in nitrates that convert to nitric oxide in the body, helping to improve blood flow and even reduce blood pressure.💪🏽

Adding a handful or two of ready-to-go baby spinach to meals is a super easy way to increase nutrient density, and deliciousness of meals. Hopefully these yummy ideas help make that happen more easily, and prevent food waste while we are at it! 🍃

Build muscle or strengthen bone? 🤔

Pick 2! 🤗

Why choose when you can have both?🦴💪🏽

Strong muscle and bone are supported by many of the same habits! Another reason why making the basics happen consistently over time is one of the most impactful things we can do for string and healthy foundation.👌🏽

Wish your weekday meals could be as delicious as the ones you make on the weekends?? 🤩
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They can be! It’s as simple as planning to cook a few more servings of those amazing foods you are making this weekend. Then, enjoy these intentional leftovers/meal prep for upcoming meals. Future you will thank you 😉
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That’s all! Happy weekend! 🥳

Spending time in each of these roles, and also doing both roles at once, it is clear that while there is a lot in common between priorities of chefs and of dietitians, there are priorities that aren’t always shared.
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That is neither good nor bad. Each role has their own set of objectives, even if the shared medium ends up being a plate of food or a menu. It is important though to be aware of these differences in priorities between each role, especially when you find yourself in one role trying to work with someone else in the other role.
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There are far too many situations where chefs and dietitians work together towards a shared objective of nourishing and fueling people towards their goals, and the collaboration is not great, to put it nicely. There are many common reasons for that (and perhaps could be another post).
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Instead of building tensions, it is far more productive to build trust and relationships. That starts with understanding where the other person is coming from and what really matters to them. That’s what this visual attempts to summarize. Even if you don’t place the same value on the priorities of the other person, it is essential to respect them and keep them in mind when communicating. Use the same language whenever possible.
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Dietitian friends; imagine if a chef colleague asked about the macro and micronutrient targets that you would love to see for the target person/team/etc.
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Chef friends; image if a dietitian colleague asked you about what food experiences or dishes you would love to create and share.
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While great collaboration is often challenging between two such passion-filled roles, it is very possible and starts with understanding and respecting each other’s point of view.👌🏽