Superfoods Make You Superfly

By now, many of you know about my not-so-secret crushes on Rich Roll and Brendan Brazier.  They both happen to be amazing triathletes and also vegan.

Reading Brazier's book Thrive and following Rich Roll's journey unfold from a busy 'couch potato' lawyer to an endurance athlete who competed in Ultraman (a double Ironman) made me very curious about how they fueled their bodies using plants alone.  Seeing how their plant-powered nutrition was a key factor in their ability to recover from hard workouts that clearly 'made a dent' and how they were able to follow it up with an equally difficult training day with just as much mojo meant their nutrition was top-notch.  Reading about the foods they incorporated into their diets inspired me to add some natural plant 'superfoods' into my own.

I started using Maca powder in my morning green smoothies, and Monday through Friday, this replaces my morning coffee.  I feel amazing.  Goji berries became a new snack, perfect for before and after swimming sessions when I need some quick sugars without a full stomach.  Goji berries are packed with essential amino acids, rich in Vitamin A and a good source of Vitamin C.  For 1 oz, you get 3 g fiber and 4 g of protein.  Not too shabby!

The fact that I could swim my 100s on the 1:20 interval
without puking in the pool makes me a believer!

Cacao nibs have also become a fun dessert addition.  I've baked them into banana muffins, and now started adding them to my homemade 'ice cream' made from my Vitamix.  RIch in flavanols and polyphenols, cacao nibs are a mayan superfood that contain one of the highest dietary sources of magnesium.  In 1 oz, you also get 4 g of protein and 9 grams of fiber! 

Homemade banana muffins with cacao nibs.
Taste soo much better than GU gels on a long bike ride.

Frozen bananas, almond milk, cinnamon and cacao nibs = dessert.

Variation #2. This time with matcha green tea powder
and organic spinach. (you can't taste the spinach!)

It's been pretty fun experimenting with different superfoods and seeing how it has been benefitting my recovery from harder workout sessions.

The hugest breakthrough this weekend was being able to log a total of 16 miles running without heel pain!  I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!  I'm still rolling out with a golf ball along that plantar muscle and doing my daily exercises, but I've been so happy to finally hit the trails and get that runner's high; something that swimming and biking don't do for me.  

Yes, folks. This is what flat feet look like and the lengths I have
to go to in order to prevent blisters and chafing.

Just started running after work. Had my headlamp. Felt good.
Logged 10 miles.

Logged some awesome trail time with Cammy (aka Pinecone) after
a good masters swimming practice. This gal is a rockstar!

And yes, today is Day 27 of my Yoga-a-Day challenge.  Today's pose was the bow pose...

Bow pose up high in a tree.  Hunger Games style. 

Another bow at the top of the trailhead. You know,
since variety is the spice of life.

Hope everyone has a super week filled with superfoods...