An Interview With Your Coaches
In honor of March being National Nutrition Month, we thought it would be fun to do this month’s blog post interview-style. Sometimes you can read about or listen to someone tell you about the importance of eating more veggies, or making sure you’re getting enough protein, but in the end, you’re left thinking, “That all sounds well and good, but what does that actually look like?” We’re hoping this blog post helps.
Each of our team members here at The Union was given three questions to answer about what they personally do when it comes to something relating to nutrition. Here’s what our team had to say:
Sandy:
What is your family's favorite gluten-free, vegan meal?
It’s a toss-up between Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos and Spaghetti Squash Tacos. Both are such fun flavor combinations and easy to modify for the family preferences.
Fun fact: we use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Although it's still milk-based, our bodies typically digest it easier because it doesn't have Casein, the dairy protein that we have a hard time digesting. Yogurt also gives us a little probiotic boost of healthy gut bacteria.
2. What are the things you do personally to increase your intake of vegetables every day?
I try to incorporate veggies into every meal. My son decided to go vegetarian several years ago, and while we'd been eating pretty plant-based already, this challenged us to play with some new recipes to get a more diverse nutrient-dense plate that tasted great. We've found that we all love eating plant-based and vegan as much as possible, though we still enjoy animal protein here and there.
3. How do you make sure you get enough protein at every meal and snack?
Intentional plant-based sources is the simple answer. Since I personally can't eat eggs or dairy, and I limit my animal protein, I've tried to challenge myself to add lots of protein-packed veggies to my meals. For example, I start the day with a cup of oatmeal, 13g in one cup. When I have a salad, I load it up with chickpeas, edamame, artichoke hearts, almond slices, black beans, and quinoa. For snacks, I add hummus, nut butter, and seeds to veggie sticks or fruit to add protein and fats that make them more satiating and nutrient-dense. Then I supplement as needed in my post-workout recovery smoothie.
Lesley:
What is your go-to breakfast?
I love a good smoothie. Depending on the ingredients you use, you can make them taste different every day. They are also a super easy way to get veggies into my breakfast and ensure I'm getting enough protein. When making a smoothie, I always make sure there is a healthy fat (such as almond butter, coconut oil, avocado, etc.), fiber (chia seeds, flax seeds), protein (protein powder), and greens (spinach, kale, etc.). I usually also add 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup of fruit, almond milk, and any other superfoods I have on hand (spirulina, hemp hearts, acai, etc.). It fuels my body perfectly to start the day and keeps me full until lunchtime.
2. Are there any foods you avoid?
I do my best to limit processed and fried foods and sugar. I stick to drinking water and coffee and an occasional kombucha. After several rounds of testing, including food sensitivity, gut health, and hormones, I have discovered that my body does not agree with gluten or dairy. Therefore, I aim to only eat these groups of foods on very rare occasions. It has definitely been a challenge to overhaul my meals, but it makes it worth it when it helps me to feel so much better.
3. Do you meal plan?
I meal plan my family's dinners every week. I try to always make leftovers so that I can eat them for my lunches. I sit down with my calendar to see what our family activities are for the week. That helps me figure out which nights I have the time to cook and which nights I need to either use the crockpot or be prepared with leftovers. After I figure out which meals I am making, I then create my grocery list and go to the store. I don't usually follow my meal plan exactly. Some nights I don't feel like cooking what I've written down, but I at least know that I have all of the ingredients for every meal on my list so I can choose to make a different meal if it sounds better. I really just use it as a list of ideas for the week. It helps provide some flexibility, but at the same time, allows me to be prepared.
Nicole:
What is your kids' favorite after-school snack?
For us, after-school snacks can vary between something light to get us through a sports practice or activity, until dinner time. Or, a larger more nutrient-dense small meal if activities are scheduled during dinner! We have to stay flexible, right?! Our favorite grab/go after-school snacks are nuts- raw almonds, cashews, or pistachios; fresh fruit- apples, bananas, mandarin oranges; freeze-dried fruits- strawberries, apples, peaches; string cheese; popcorn; and trail mix- nuts, raisins, chocolate chips.
2. What does meal prepping look like for you?
Meal prepping in our home is directly related to our schedule. I like to look at our weekly and monthly calendars and work backward from our busiest times. On the days/evenings that are the busiest, we plan a leftover night. Then, I find the evenings (or even days!) that work best for cooking meals. Something that has been very helpful is cooking double the amount we would need for one meal so the remainder of the food can either be frozen for use at another date or can be used on leftover nights. Getting the most out of the work of cooking! Another key in our household is choosing a day that is less busy to spend time cutting up grab/go veggies, fruits, and pre-cooking some proteins. Front loading on days that are less hectic makes choosing healthier and nutritious meals and snacks easier on the days that feel chaotic.
3. What is your go-to lunch?
On days I work from home, my go-to lunch is eggs. Either a scramble or omelet, using whatever vegetables are on hand (spinach, peppers, mushrooms) and feta. When I'm packing a lunch, I prefer chicken (usually from our meal prepping earlier in the week) with a salad or leftovers.
Oakley:
What is your go-to pre-workout snack or meal?
My go-to pre-workout meal is overnight oats. I do one cup of oatmeal, one serving of protein powder, and around 14-16 oz. water or milk.
2. What’s your favorite post-workout snack or meal?
My favorite post-workout snack is Greek yogurt paired with either fruit or nuts.
3. What are your favorite sources of protein?
I love chicken breast as a source of lean protein. It is highly versatile- I use it for chicken quesadillas, cauliflower crust chicken pizza, and air-fryer “wings”.
We hope this month’s post gave you some new nutrition ideas. Reach out to us at info@theunionwellness.com if you have any specific questions we didn’t get answered here!
