Nutrition Energy would like to thank all who spoke and all who attend this #FixWomensSports event at FinishlinePT!  

While not everything about women's sports is broken, or needs fixing, there certainly are aspects that need our help - and the important conversations are now happening.

To learn more or follow the speakers of the event, find their Instagram handles below:

Coach Cane @coachcane

Marci Goolsby @marcigoolsby

Colleen Quigley @steeple_squigs

Jacqueline Elbaz @jay_e

Mary Johnson @itsamarython

 

Eating a healthy snack between your meals can keep your energy on the right track for the rest of the day. Fuel your body with a fruit or vegetable and a side of nut butter, cheese or guacamole. Combining both of these items will not only taste great, but will also help you stay both satiated and energized until your next meal. Getting in the habit of snacking on fruit is also a great way to ensure you get a serving of fruit in each day. Easy ones to try include apples, celery, or banana with nut butter, baby carrots with hummus, or pears, cucumbers and strawberries with cheese.

2. Eat vegetables with your lunch daily.

Yes, we said lunch. Eating 5 servings of vegetables daily can seem like an impossible task, but we're here to tell you that it isn't. Start the habit of incorporating vegetables into your lunch daily. Not only will it make it easier to reach 5 servings daily, but it's also a great source of fiber, which we know can help you feel full longer, control cravings and is a must for a healthy digestive tract. *Note that afternoon exercisers might need to be careful about which produce items they choose a noon before their afternoon sweat sessions. Try ½ -1 cup cooked spinach, mushroom, tomato or carrots.

3. Energize yourself with your usual coffee or tea from home.

Notice we did not say anything about reducing your AM caffeine fix, and we are not going to-ever! Not only will you be you saving money (which I am sure will come in handy if you have any holiday shopping to do!) but making your beverage at home stands to save you from the possibility of choosing the seasonal sugar-laden beverages that are abound at this time of year. Note: A regular cup of joe contains a bit more caffeine than a frappuccino, which is important to note because let's be honest, that's what most of us are really after with this ritual.

 

Adding "seasonal" spices into your usual recipes will give you that holiday feel in your meals without causing you to make impulse purchases of seasonal smelling or tasting goods at the coffee shop. Try:  Cinnamon, rosemary, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and allspice. Cinnamon is one of the most popular holiday spices around, and it's also easy to incorporate into your daily foods and drinks. Add it to oatmeal, yogurt, coffee, cereal, hot cocoa, baked sweet potatoes, workout shakes or even your fruit bowl.  

5. Save room for dessert!!

Yes you read that right. While this recommendation may surprise some of you, being that it is coming from a team of Dietitians, those of you who know us well know that we eat and include all foods! We believe that we should all enjoy our holiday meals and savor every bite of our favorite desserts when we really want them. With this in mind, we propose contemplating eating a bit less of your main meal and saving room for dessert when you know you're going for a slice of your family's famous apple-cranberry walnut (or peanut butter chocolate chip) pie after dinner! Doing so will help you avoid that all too familiar, " I am feeling too stuffed for dessert but really want to eat it anyway" syndrome, and allow you to both have your cake and eat it too! (Sorry, we just couldn't resist!)! 

6. Continue exercising! 

For our athletes who are currently in the off-season, this is your gentle reminder that you want to keep moving in fun ways at this time of year. You don't need to work as hard as you do during your main season, but you don't really want to take 2-3 months complete off, do you? Use the "extra" time you now have to connect with your friends who engage in other sports or activities by staying active together. For our other friends who haven't been very consistent with a workout routine in 2019, we say why not start now? Get a jumpstart on the rest of the world who will be joining you in exercise New Year's Resolutions in a few weeks. As we all know, resolutions are notorious for being made to be broken, so get an early start and begin your workout habit now. 

7. Allow Yourself To Order Takeout More...with one Caveat!

We understand that the holidays can be hectic for most of us, and cooking unfortunately tends to suffer as a result.  First of all, please know that this is completely okay! We don't need to add more pressure to our already time-pressured lives.  The caveat here is to order similarly to the way you WOULD cook at home most of the time. Meaning, just because you didn't have time to prepare lunch or dinner on any given day doesn't mean you have to throw your nutrition and health goals out the window as you order. When you are really craving a certain food, go for it. But when you are ordering only because you are time-pressured, remember that every healthy choice counts and will get you one step closer to achieving your goals.