9 Tips to Healthy Eating
People of all different walks of life get married. Carissa Moore, Hawaii native and one of the most celebrated World Champion female professional surfers in the world, got engaged a few months ago to long-time boyfriend, Luke Untermann and we’re going to get a peek into the journey to their wedding day. This article about healthy eating is the first in a series of articles from Carissa. We look forward to what’s to come! Congratulations Carissa and Luke!
As a surfer, what I’m eating is super important to my daily life. It’ll effect how I train, how I compete and how I feel. With my engagement, I’m finding it’s equally as important! When it comes to finding the energy to plan my wedding, keep up with my fiancé, or getting ready to wear my wedding gown, It’s super important I stay on track with my eating habits.
I’m not necessarily a big fan of the word ‘diet’ because it tends to represent restriction and a short term way of eating, not a lifestyle change. It also makes you feel like you have to eat celery or are missing the joy of eating a great meal. For me, food is celebratory, a reward and a social or cultural moment. Diet just doesn’t seem like the right word. Here are some of my habits and tips for keeping myself sane and eating healthy through my training and my engagement:
- If I recognize I’m snacking even when I’m not hungry, I try to make choices like air popcorn or veggies, so I still get the satisfaction of crunching without much cost.
- I eat a lot of rice, eggs and avocado as a simple healthy meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I sometimes make a big pot of rice and just have rice in the fridge at all times. It’s the simplest meal to just put rice, veggies and any sort of protein together in 5 minutes. Little cooking needed. Then when I get back from a ride and am starving, I eat something good instead of bad.
- Eating well starts in the grocery store. I don’t buy cookies or crackers or snack things in packages because it’s just too easy to open a box and you never eat just one. Buy good food and you’ll eat good food. Shopping wisely is half the battle. I buy frozen edamame for snacks, popcorn (that I air pop), veggies, etc. I try to avoid buying much food in packages. This also helps me make better meals.
- Bad eating habits form because of two reasons normally – ‘sad or bored’ eating and ‘rushed’ eating. To avoid that, think of food choices that you can make really simply and apply to daily life. If you slip, it’s OK, tomorrow is a new day!
- I always eat breakfast. Most important meal of the day to keep your metabolism cranking away. I prefer Acai Bowls.
- Water, water, water. When I’m starving and when I first wake up, I make a point of drinking a full glass of water before I put anything else in my mouth. It hydrates your whole body and makes you feel full. When you’re training, keep a Red Bull and a bottle of water on hand.
- For a sweet tooth, tea with honey often does the trick.
- Spice it up! Go international! When cooking, learn a few spices and use those for added flavor instead of cheese or heavy sauces. I usually find great spices when I travel to other countries and I bring them home. You can google some great spices online too.
- Don’t skip meals as it always ends badly. Starving yourself is not the answer. Smoothies are awesome. I love Vitamix and how satisfying and filling a great smoothie can be. Tons of veggies, fruit and it’s easy to make. Look up recipes online and keep frozen spinach, kale and veggies in your freezer for a fast healthy fix.
Categorized in: Unique Ideas / Just for Fun