If there’s one thing that makes my taste buds go crazy in the spring and summer it’s nectarines. Nothing satisfies my craving for summer produce like the sweet and tangy soft flesh of a perfectly ripe nectarine. For months I wait and wait and wait for these babies to hit the shelves of grocery stores and farmer’s markets. When they finally arrive it’s go time! Sweet fruits like this do [...]
Protein is known for its muscle building power. Proteins also take longer to digest and contain less calories per gram than fats. They can help us feel fuller longer, and are readily available in a variety of foods. So, do you need to eat a huge steak every day to meet your needs? Should you mix up protein shakes every morning? The average person needs about 0.8g/kg of protein daily [...]
It’s only human to want a treat or two here and there. Yes there have been times in the course of my swimming career when I have gone completely without any sweets, and I’ve seen great results in my performance while doing so. However, I don’t believe diet has to be black and white, there can be some room for sweets and treats from time to time. For those of [...]
My love for food and cooking goes with me everywhere. Every trip I take, every person’s house I go to, every restaurant I dine at I’m always thinking of new things to cook, take new ideas away from each experience, and learn something that can help me understand more about how to make delicious food healthy. My adventures around the world cooking in famous kitchens has helped me to create [...]
Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin that is found in animal proteins like meats, shellfish, dairy and eggs. Since many of us eat these foods on a regular basis, it’s unlikely we will develop a deficiency. Plus, B12 is stored for a year or more in our liver. So why is B12 such a big deal? B12 helps our bone marrow produce healthy blood cells, plays a role in DNA [...]
Good news everybody, this past Wednesday I went to the cardiologist for my yearly checkup and my blood pressure is in perfect form. They took an EKG which came back normal, and with a heart rate of 47. The nurse and the doctor both took my blood pressure and it was 122/70 and 120/70! It has been eight years since first being diagnosed with high blood pressure, and I’m really [...]
Shortly after learning to drive, at the age of 16, my parents bought me a Volvo. There was no question they wanted me driving something safe, so Volvo it was. I still remember exactly how excited I was when they pulled up with that 1994 blue 850 sedan. I literally couldn’t believe they had bought it…so cool! I’ve driven a Volvo now for over ten years. My story with Volvo [...]
A couple years ago the following post was one of our hottest blogs ever. My friend Tre Hardee is a decathlete who competed for the University of Texas, and now competes professionally. Tre recently won the silver medal in the decathlon at the London Olympics, and is still hard at work looking for even more internationals medals. Take a look at the diet at one of the best athletes in [...]
A lot of competing at a high level in athletics is about planning, but you can’t plan to be invited to speak at the White House. Athletes often plan specific training, what we eat, when we eat, when we compete, how often we stretch and get physical therapy, and even how much sleep we plan to get at certain times of the year. Often we don’t plan for unexpected changes [...]
Two weeks ago I received an email beyond my wildest dreams. It was one of those emails you have to read a couple times before you even believe what it says. In the email I was invited, by the director of the Let’s Move Campaign (Michelle Obama’s initiative to help fight childhood obesity), to come speak at the White House March 6. My heart immediately switched to another gear, butterflies [...]
