By:  Todd Anthes

I am a snob when it comes to my gear.  Giordana Snob (/jee-or-dahn-oh snäb/)    

• a cyclist who believes that their tastes in cycling apparel are superior to those of other cyclists.

Girordana is hands down the best cycling clothing I have ever worn. For me, a cycling kit comes down to the chamois and seams. If either of these are not right, the whole thing is off; as evidenced by kits and other gear I have that I have only worn once.

I am also a bibs guy.  I like everything high and tight.  I wear Giordana Scatto Pro bibs. These bibs use a Cirro Omniform pad. The upper layer utilizes a nylon microfiber that incorporates aloe vera. Below that layer is a waffled memory foam that aids in ventilation and perspiration management by moving moisture to the outside of the short where it can evaporate quickly.  Under all that is highly ventilated open-cell padding that is handsewn to the materials above and cut to a unique smaller shape that “protects and supports the rider at crucial points against the saddle.”  And that verbiage simply means to knowledgeable cyclists that your taint doesn’t hurt after a ride.

The leg opening of the bibs do not have any rubber gripping products.  I can’t stand that type of tech as it ends up rubbing my generous leg hair (yeah, I’m not a roadie); and while I can stand to lose some leg hair, losing it in that manner doesn’t feel the best.  These bibs instantly make your muscles feel instantly fresher by the compressive support and cut of the fabric.

I also wear a Giordana jersey. It is not the “tightest” fit Giordana offers, it is the second most form-fitting cut.  For me, it is the perfect blend of aerodynamic and technical fabrics. The shoulder offer an all-way stretch with sleeve panels with just the right amount of spandex for an aerodynamic, yet extremely breathable, fit. The jersey offers seamless laser cut cuffs and mesh inserts under the arms. And what’s better than seams that don’t rub or irritate?  No seams!  

The front and back panels of the jersey wrap the torso with their side-panel-free design which is woven to move moisture away from the body to the exterior of the fabric where it can evaporate quickly. The jersey has three back pockets with pocket lip and a fourth zip pocket for valuables. The construction of these pockets keeps all my gear inside, yet getting items out is a snap and doesn’t require a stop.

Both the bibs and jersey, as well as other Giordana cycling gear, incorporate reflective tabs on all sides. A nice safety feature that is tastefully done.  They also have a UPF rating of 50+, which means 97+% of UV radiation blockage.

If you want to wear what the pros wear, then put on Giordana cycling wear and join many of the top cycling teams in the World!

Giordana started in the 1970s in Italy. And while Italy is certainly known for fashion, sometimes fashion is not synonymous with fit or performance.  However, this is not the case with Giordana gear. It is significant to note that the product development that to this day still occurs in Italy produces what Giordana says is “apparel that works in perfect concert with the human body, giving riders the ability to perform at their highest possible level.”  In other words, the gear fits great, adds to performance, and is stylish to boot.  Want to hear more about the company from the owner of Giordana, check out this video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbctWMy35hk

The post World Renowned Giordana Cycling Apparel appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

By:  Ross DiFalco

To start things off, I am no runner. I have tried my hand at running in the past and it usually ends in injury. Like many of you out there, your friends include endurance athletes. These people, just like most friends, tend to try and convince you to do something stupid from time to time. Racing up buildings is not something I normally choose to do for “fun”! We started this adventure off with some good old fashioned peer pressure.

First off, let’s talk about stair racing. This is a sport (I had no idea it existed) that involves running up sky scrapers and other venues with long staircases. Like other endurance sports, most events offer different length races. The race I participated in had two distances, a single ascent and a power hour. The single time is definitely a sprint. The building is a 28 story structure in Southfield, MI so a single effort is hard, but not crazy. Things get interesting when you contemplate the power hour. The way this race works is that you try and run up the building as many times as you can in an hour. The catch is that you are only timed on your way up and you ride the elevator on the way down. I didn’t fully understand this until afterwards. This piece of information is critical if you want to be competitive. It’s a balancing act of conserving energy between climbs, and not wasting the hour.

So let’s talk about how I got in this situation in the first place. I work with a great guy named David Garcia. David runs a weight loss blog called www.keepitupdavid.com and he is super into stair racing. David had the terrible great idea to make it a work event and get the group I am on to participate. David held a few stair specific workouts to teach us the best technique and to help us prepare. The best tips were to double step (skip a stair with each step) and to use the hand rail when you are exhausted. Come race day, most people opted for the one climb, doing the power hour was completely my fault. Also, considering this was a work event, I had to wear a work t-shirt so I represented Athletic Mentors by wearing one of our hats.

When the race started I learned quickly that stairs are not forgiving to pacing flaws. My heartrate quickly went above 170bpm and I started breathing hard. For those of you that don’t know me, I am a very competitive person and will never enter a race purely to finish. To avoid congestion in the stairwells, racers start about 10 seconds after one another. This means you can hear the person ahead and it makes you chase. Chasing is not what you want to be doing in the beginning. When I reached the top for the first time I had passed numerous people but I also knew this level of exertion wasn’t sustainable. I hopped in an elevator and collapsed to the floor to get 30 seconds of rest. For the next 9 ascents I was able to keep myself more or less together. My heart rate was sky high each time and I longed for the elevator rides. The eleventh time entering the the stairwell, I see the guy in first place. In my head, I am wondering why he is just standing at the bottom chatting with the race organizer. It’s time to make my move and go! I charge as hard as I can up the stairwell and hear him follow after me. I am able to keep him from catching me about half way up the building. By the time he catches me, I am absolutely destroyed and he knows it. We make eye contact as he passes and we both know it’s over. I am not ready to give up so I dig in and go with everything I have. I figured that if I started after him, I might be able to win on time. Cresting the top step was bitter sweet, I took a deep breath and up comes my gels and water. Not the way I wanted to finish this race but I gave it my all.

After the race you realize the real mistakes that were made! Lots of stairs without training equal very painful knees. Overall, The Gift of Adoption Stair Race is a race with a great cause. It’s fun to push your boundaries and try new things. Best of all, it was with some great people. I may be done with stair racing but you should get out and give it a try! I was able to come in 2nd or 3rd place? They gave me 2^nd but  the timing was weird and it says 3^rd online so who knows where I placed. Two of my co-workers also were able to do very well.  If I were to sum up this experience, I would say this:  “Stair racing hurts and it hurts real bad!”

The post The Sport of Stair Racing appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

There are some workouts that we don’t want to finish or even start, however when this happens more often than not, it may be clear that you’re suffering from burnout or overtraining. Burnout is especially detrimental to training because it is not something like sickness where resting for a few days or taking medication can fix, it’s something that must be mentally worked through and has no quick fixe. It’s not a matter of lacking the strength or endurance to finish a workout but instead the motivation, which can be much worse. Personally, I’ve had fleeting experiences with burnout but none to the degree I experienced near the end of this past off-season. That being said, here are some things I learned recovering from overtraining.

All my time spent training this past season revolved around two options; strength/weight workouts and indoor cycling. I did two strength workouts per week and six cycling. The issue was a lack of variety. Therefore, strength training had always seemed like a breath of fresh air to me each week. When I initially “cracked” there weren’t other forms of exercise to fall back on. Even if you don’t do these sports on a regular basis having them in your armory will be beneficial to keep your training on tract when you get sick of indoor cycling. Some sports/disciplines that would be beneficial are: cross-country skiing and fatbiking (if you have the trails), indoor track cycling (if you’ve got the track), weight lifting/strength training, snowshoeing, running, or swimming. Other activities that will at least get you outside would be: downhill skiing/snowboarding or snowmobiling. And if you're new to snow snowmobile activities,  get in touch with a dealer to buy shop used snowmobile parts at Straightline Performance, at reasonable prices. 

Relax:

• Find other hobbies you enjoy
• Find other sports that cross-train well (especially for winter)
• Invest in things that will make indoor riding more comfortable/easier (a new fan, Zwift, more towels, a better saddle, etc…)
• Take note when the workouts start to become mentally harder to complete. In my experience by the time I realized I was in a rut, it was already too late.
• Understand that every workout isn’t life or death. You can occasionally take it easy  if you are very sore or mentally taxed.

By:  Dawn Hinz

Athletes view physical training as a means to sharpen mental fortitude; to see obstacles as challenges to be overcome. This applies to workouts and to life.  Total Plastics Int’l rose to the recent challenge of a worldwide pandemic by creating and producing protective equipment on a large scale. While they might not be interacting face to face with confirmed COVID patients they are doing their utmost to protect those who are.

Overall, TPI’s collective focus has been on getting face shields made and out the door as quick as possible.They started to see serious demand after March 13th, when many states implemented the “Stay At Home” mandate, including school closures. They’ve shipped more than 2 million face shields in the past month, a number that’s continuing to grow. They credit their production teams for getting the face shields into the hands of medical professionals as quickly as they did.

TPI’s sales teams have done an incredible job working with and taking care of customers. In the past month they’ve created more than 600 new accounts in 45 states, including Alaska and Hawaii. In New York and New Jersey alone, they’ve added more than 100 new accounts. They’ve also been working with many long-time customers to supply them with face shields. In addition to hospitals, they’ve supplied face shields to correction institutions, assisted living facilities, medical labs, urgent care facilities and physician offices.

 As the name, Total Plastics, Int’l, implies TPI has produced a broad spectrum of plastic products since 1978. TPI has been in the personal protective equipment (PPE) market for years, so this fell well within their core competencies. They had the capabilities in house and manufacturing partnerships (material suppliers) to quickly respond to the rapidly growing demand. 

In addition to the face shields, they’ve also worked on several other products. They’ve supplied clear plastic partitions used at check-out lanes at grocery stores, providing the store employee an added level of protection. Many hospitals have requested “aerosol boxes” to place over patients during the intubation process. The Javits Convention Center in New York was transformed into an overflow hospital and TPI provided the material (white foamed PVC board) that was used to create different rooms.

They’re continuing to work with customers on a daily basis on different applications in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The COVID pandemic is an obstacle many thought we’d never face in our lifetime. TPI utilized their experience to protect others overcoming this obstacle so we may come out stronger. COVID will likely change the world we live in. We will be more cautious about infections and how we interact with others. Total Plastics Int’l will be there to supply many of the essential protections required by our changed environment.

The post Total Plastics Int’l Protecting The Frontline appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

By: Dawn Hinz

What’s the weakest link for triathletes? … Most would say “Swimming”. Which is why Athletic Mentors encourages athletes to swim 3 times a week. But that isn’t always possible. Pools are not readily available. Plus if you work, travel or have children just finding the time to get to the pool is real work. Or perhaps your pool is closed for maintenance or… Let’s just cut to the chase; there’s a world wide pandemic forcing you to stay home for weeks on end. 

Long ago we figured out how to bike and run from home, lots of indoor and outdoor options there. But how can you keep your swim fitness up without a pool? I admit that I have spent some time daydreaming about an endless pool. It always ends the same way; no money in the bank. So I return to reality where there really is a way to maintain your swim fitness and for only about $30 bucks of resistance bands.

I encourage you to purchase two types of bands. One small flat circle resistance band, about 20” around and one tubular resistance band with handles on the ends. You want light to moderate resistance as we’re building muscular endurance not bulk. With these two bands and some general strength work you can keep your swim muscles engaged and ready to go when the pools re-open or water is warm enough for open water swimming.

Perform the following workout at least 2 times a week or as much as every other day. You can add it on to an existing strength training workout or use it separately. Start with a brief warm up of jumping jacks or other dynamic move and lightly stretch your shoulders and arms. Then perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions of each exercise. 

Shoulder Band 4-ways: Using the flat resistance band around your wrists you’re going to pull your arms apart a few inches and then bring them back to start in 4 positions. Use slow controlled motions. (I use this shoulder series to avoid “swimmer’s shoulder” even when I am hitting the pool.)

• Position 1: Elbows by your waist, hands straight out from your elbows, parallel to the floor.
• Position 2: Arms straight out in front parallel to the floor; roll your shoulders down and lock them into place.
• Position 3: Arms in front of your shoulders bending your lower arm up to the ceiling forming an “L”    Position 4: Arms straight directly overhead.   Swim Sets: Attach your tubular band with handles around a solid object; I use the leg of my treadmill. A door handle will also work; just make sure the band can’t slip off. You don’t want it hitting you.Catch: Bend over with a flat back hold your arms straight along your head as though they have just entered the water; hands holding on the handles. Have both arms simultaneously perform the “catch” of the swim. Pull your fingertips towards the floor while maintaining a high elbow. Return to start and repeat.
• Push: Bend over with a flat back and hold your arms in the catch position (Fingertips to floor and elbow high); hands holding the handles. Push your hands straight back to your thighs. Return to start and repeat.
• Push: Bend over with a flat back and hold your arms in the catch position (Fingertips to floor and elbow high); hands holding the handles.
• Push your hands straight back to your thighs. Return to start and repeat.
• Swim: Bend over with a flat back hold your arms straight along your head; hands holding the handles. Swim with alternating arms. Perform the Catch and the Push with one arm and then repeat on the other side.

In addition to these swim specific exercises be sure to include core work and lower body strength work such as planks and dryland flutter kicking. I’d also suggest finding a yoga video to focus on controlled breathing. This workout will keep your swimming muscles primed so you’re ready to dive back into swimming.

The post No Pool? No Problem! appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

By: Dawn Hinz

What’s the weakest link for triathletes? … Most would say “Swimming”. Which is why Athletic Mentors encourages athletes to swim 3 times a week. But that isn’t always possible. Pools are not readily available. Plus if you work, travel or have children just finding the time to get to the pool is real work. Or perhaps your pool is closed for maintenance or… Let’s just cut to the chase; there’s a world wide pandemic forcing you to stay home for weeks on end. 

Long ago we figured out how to bike and run from home, lots of indoor and outdoor options there. But how can you keep your swim fitness up without a pool? I admit that I have spent some time daydreaming about an endless pool. It always ends the same way; no money in the bank. So I return to reality where there really is a way to maintain your swim fitness and for only about $30 bucks of resistance bands.

I encourage you to purchase two types of bands. One small flat circle resistance band, about 20” around and one tubular resistance band with handles on the ends. You want light to moderate resistance as we’re building muscular endurance not bulk. With these two bands and some general strength work you can keep your swim muscles engaged and ready to go when the pools re-open or water is warm enough for open water swimming.

Perform the following workout at least 2 times a week or as much as every other day. You can add it on to an existing strength training workout or use it separately. Start with a brief warm up of jumping jacks or other dynamic move and lightly stretch your shoulders and arms. Then perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions of each exercise. 

Shoulder Band 4-ways: Using the flat resistance band around your wrists you’re going to pull your arms apart a few inches and then bring them back to start in 4 positions. Use slow controlled motions. (I use this shoulder series to avoid “swimmer’s shoulder” even when I am hitting the pool.)

• Position 1: Elbows by your waist, hands straight out from your elbows, parallel to the floor.
• Position 2: Arms straight out in front parallel to the floor; roll your shoulders down and lock them into place.
• Position 3: Arms in front of your shoulders bending your lower arm up to the ceiling forming an “L”    Position 4: Arms straight directly overhead.   Swim Sets: Attach your tubular band with handles around a solid object; I use the leg of my treadmill. A door handle will also work; just make sure the band can’t slip off. You don’t want it hitting you.Catch: Bend over with a flat back hold your arms straight along your head as though they have just entered the water; hands holding on the handles. Have both arms simultaneously perform the “catch” of the swim. Pull your fingertips towards the floor while maintaining a high elbow. Return to start and repeat.
• Push: Bend over with a flat back and hold your arms in the catch position (Fingertips to floor and elbow high); hands holding the handles. Push your hands straight back to your thighs. Return to start and repeat.
• Push: Bend over with a flat back and hold your arms in the catch position (Fingertips to floor and elbow high); hands holding the handles.
• Push your hands straight back to your thighs. Return to start and repeat.
• Swim: Bend over with a flat back hold your arms straight along your head; hands holding the handles. Swim with alternating arms. Perform the Catch and the Push with one arm and then repeat on the other side.

In addition to these swim specific exercises be sure to include core work and lower body strength work such as planks and dryland flutter kicking. I’d also suggest finding a yoga video to focus on controlled breathing. This workout will keep your swimming muscles primed so you’re ready to dive back into swimming.

The post No Pool? No Problem! appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

By:  JoAnn Cranson

Disappointment, Discouragement and Depression.  In these trying times, it’s pretty normal to be feeling the 3 D’s.

Many of us are experiencing disappointment right now, whether its a canceled trip, all races stopped, graduation, weddings, parties, work layoffs, and get togethers halted.  In my thoughts I think to myself it’s silly to be so disappointed over a race or my plans that have been changed, but we need to let ourselves feel the disappointment so we can get beyond it.  Give someone a call that you know who understands how sad you are about a race canceled or another activity that you practiced for all year that isn’t going to happen, we need to express ourselves and let our sadness out.  Once that is done, then it’s time to move upward and onward.

But then discouragement seeps in.   Why should I continue to train hard or practice for a goal that may never happen this year?  What do I have to work toward?  I don’t even know when this is going to end.  It’s the unknown that can lead us to be discouraged to move forward.  I think it’s a normal feeling, but we need to look for other ways to stay motivated.  I’ve always wanted more time to work on my techniques and improve my form on the bike and running.  Really the best time to focus on this is when you are alone and can really think about what you are doing.  Well…. that time is now.

I’m planning to have one of my family members video me on my stationary bike or outside in the front, side and back of me so I can see my position, look at my form, pedal stroke,etc.  Then I’ll send the video to my coach or if you have an experienced rider or mentor to view and see if they have suggestions for you.  The same with running form. Check out this link to get custom help remotely on your running.  https://athleticmentors.com/endurance/running/custom-run-coaching/

There are also various training programs that you can sign up for on the Athletic Mentors website to feel the motivation of live training right now, check it out. https://athleticmentors.com/live-workout-remote-wellness-coaching-package/  

Maybe you always wanted to learn to play a different instrument or language.  There are so many online lessons now to take advantage of.  Give yourself some fresh things to look forward to.

Last, as time goes on and you are more alone, depression can creep up on you.  Well Fight It!  Get outside and take in the fresh air.  Be active in walking, hiking, biking, running, skipping, jumping, whatever you want to do.  Get off your phone or computer or out from in front of your TV to stimulate your brain by doing puzzles, cleaning closets, painting something you’ve been meaning to spruce up.  Better yet, think of something you can do to encourage your neighbor, friend or family member without coming in contact with them.  Set up new routines that keep you moving and stimulated.

The unknown can be scary and unsettling, but don’t let it get the best of you.  We all have so many things to be thankful for.  This is just a moment in time that we all need to be patient and work through in our own way.  Give yourself a break to feel the 3 D’s, just don’t live in them.

The post Overcoming the Three “D’s” appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

• Allowing your muscles to rebuild and recover from a hard workout.
• Preventing over-training or burnout.
• Managing consistent weight and body composition.

Improve your digestive system.

By Jared Dunham

As an endurance athlete you may be faced with many early morning or otherwise inconveniently timed workouts to your daily schedule. To fuel for one of said workouts it’s easy to reach for a protein bar, cereal or a similar product, however a better and more holistic option is oatmeal. Oatmeal is an empty canvas as far as food goes, it can be served in many ways and variations. Admittedly I’m an emerging oat addict myself, eating mostly oatmeal for a great deal of my past breakfasts. Nowadays I don’t eat oats nearly as much as I did in the past but still thoroughly enjoy the dish every now and again. With that being said, here are some of my favorite recipes for oatmeal. I hope they help break you out of your daily oat rut or make you take a shot in the dark and try some oats for the first time.

Quick Notes:

• These oat recipes can be made easily in 15 minutes or less with the caveat that you use a microwave for cooking.
• Most microwaves have an “Oatmeal’ setting on them, however cooking them for about 3 minutes is a good substitute.
• Boiling oatmeal on the stove in a cooking pot also works, however this requires a little more time and cleanup, so I usually opt for the microwave if I’m trying to whip up some oats quickly.
• All my recipes are based on one serving and are a ½ cup of dry oats each.
• When cooking these oats, I use about ¾ cup of water.
• Milk is a good substitute, which some of the recipes call for, but I use water most of the time.
• Lastly, the amounts of ingredients in these recipes are in the eye of the beholder and all these meals are open to editing so if there’s something you wanted to change then go ahead and try it.

Classic Recipes

Pumpkin Spice

While the season for pumpkin spice lattes may be over, you can still enjoy this meal anytime.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 268
• 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Spice Carbs: 38.5g
• 1/8 Cup Pecans Fat: 10.3g
• 1/4 Cup Canned Pumpkin Protein: 8g
• ½ tbsp Brown Sugar

Directions:

1. Begin cooking oats, about halfway through mix the canned pumpkin in with the water and oats.
2. Finish cooking.
3. Mix in brown sugar to be sure it melts while oats are hot. Afterwards stir in other ingredients and enjoy.

Cinnamon Apple

Cinnamon apple is a very simple recipe that is a good option if you are trying to fuel for a workout or day without many bells or whistles attached.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 204
• ½ Finely Chopped Apple Carbs: 41.7g
• 1 tsp Cinnamon Fat:3.2g

Protein:6.3g

Directions:

1. Chop up half an apple while aats cook.
2. When oats finish mix in Cinnamon and Apple.

Cooking Notes: If you’re looking to sweeten up this recipe then add half a tablespoon of brown sugar or maple syrup.

Maple Nut

This recipe was crafted to mimic the taste of the “Maple Nut” glazing that coats a doughnut of the same name. The main difference is this one speeds you up instead of slowing you down.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 300
• 1 tbsp Natural Peanut Butter Carbs: 45.1g
• 1 tbsp Real Maple Syrup Fat:11g
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract Protein:9.5g

Directions:

1. Cook oats, then mix all ingredients.

Carb Load

Sweet Potato Oats

Sweet potatoes and oatmeal can be a match made in heaven especially if you’re looking to pack in a few extra all-natural carbs before a ride. This bowl combines the two with a dash of sweetness and salt.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 321
• 1/2 Sweet Potato Carbs: 52g
• 1 tbsp Brown Sugar Fat: 10g
• 1/8 Cup Chopped Pecans Protein: 7g

Directions:

1. Chop up the Sweet Potato while Oats cook.
2. Stir in Brown Sugar to melt after Oats finish.
3. Cook Sweet Potato in microwave if you need to.
4. Mash Potato in with Oats until desired texture is achieved.
5. Mix in Pecans.

Cooking Notes: The fastest way to make this recipe is to microwave the potato however, if you steam it, that will allow the spud to mix better with the oats. If you’re looking for more carbs add the whole potato.

The Fruit Bowl

Let’s see how many different fruits we can mix in with oatmeal. This is less of a standout than some of the other recipes but still holds true with how great oats taste when your average fruits are mixed in.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 259
• ½ tbsp Honey Carbs: 55g
• 1 Sliced Strawberry Fat:3.3g
• 1 Sliced Orange Wedge Protein:7g
• 1/4 Chopped Apple
• 1/4 Sliced Banana
• 6 Grapes

Directions:

1. If Fruit isn’t already prechopped then do that while Oats cook.
2. Mix Honey followed by Fruit when Oats are finished.

Cooking Notes: This recipe requires various fruits, but you can use whatever may be at your disposal. If there’s any leftover fruit salad, simply use that or chop up fruit to be used for several servings and then store in the refrigerator.

Beet Oatmeal

Studies have shown that beets can help improve performance in endurance sports when consumed before exercise. It only makes sense that we add them in with oats.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 260
• ¾ Cup Beet Juice Carbs: 54.4g
• 1/2 Finely Chopped Apple Fat: 3.2g
• ½ tsp Cinnamon Protein: 6.4g
• ½ tsp Vanilla
• 1 tbsp Brown Sugar

Directions:

1. Add Beet Juice instead of Water to Oatmeal for cooking.
2. Chop Apple while Oats cook.
3. Once Oats are finished, mix in: Cinnamon, Vanilla, Brown Sugar and Apple.

Cooking Notes: Unless you have a juicer or direct access to beet juice then mixing dried beet powder in with water will be your best option. That is what I do here.

Protein Packed

Greek Oats and Berries

For this recipe the Greek Yogurt provides a nice contrast to the citrus flavor of the mixed fruit.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 210 to 235
• ½ Cup Frozen Mixed Berries Carbs: 38 to 40g
• ¼ to ½ Cup Greek Yogurt Fat: 3g

Protein: 10 to 15g

Directions:

1. Cook Oats.
2. Cook Berries separately.
3. Mix warmed Fruit with Oats and Greek yogurt.

Cooking Notes: I prefer to leave the fruit juice that comes with the frozen fruit in when I mix with oats.

Strawberry Dream

I was a little hesitant on mixing cottage cheese in with oatmeal but soon discovered that the pair have a similar flavor that jives perfectly.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 279 to 334
• 6 Chopped Strawberries Carbs: 48 to 50g
• ¼ to ½ Cup Cottage Cheese Fat: 5 to 8g
• 1tbsp Strawberry Jam Protein: 8 to 17g

Directions:

1. Chop Strawberries while Oats cook.
2. After Oats are ready; mix in Cottage Cheese and Strawberry Jam.
3. Lastly, add Strawberries.

Cooking Notes: This recipe can be adapted to any fruit, EX: Chopped Peaches and Peach Jam.

Savory Oat Bowl

Here’s another one you may have to be open minded about. Trust me though, there’s nothing under the sun that doesn’t taste great with bacon and cheese.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 361
• 2 Eggs (Runny) Carbs: 28g
• 1 Crumbled Slice of Cooked Bacon Fat: 18.3g
• 1 tbsp Shredded Cheddar Cheese Protein: 22.8g
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Fry Eggs while Oats cook.
2. Mix Cheddar Cheese in with oats after they’re finished.
3. Add Bacon to mixture.
4. Mix in Salt and Pepper to taste, then top with Runny Eggs.

Cooking notes: I prefer using runny eggs for this recipe because the yoke adds more flavor to the bowl, however I have tried mixing scrambled in with oats. Something I haven’t tried is mixing precooked oats in with scrambled eggs as they cook. If you want to make this recipe much faster with less cleanup make sure to pre-fry your bacon and then simply store in the fridge till you need to use it, then microwave to warmup for this recipe.

Indulgent Recipes

Elephant Ear

As the name would suggest, the main objective of this recipe was to have a similar taste with that of an Elephant Ear. This one is surprisingly low calorie compared to a lot of the other recipes that made it onto the “Indulgent” list.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 271
• 1 tbsp Sugar Carbs: 32G
• ½ tbsp Cinnamon Fat: 14.5G
• 1 tbsp Melted Butter Protein: 5G

Directions:

1. Begin cooking Oats
2. Near the end of their prep add Butter to be melted.
3. Mix Butter in with Oats and add other ingredients.

Almond Joy

We’re going for an Almond Joy candy bar here, enough said.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 577
• 1/8 Cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes Carbs: 64.6g
• 1/8 Cup Chocolate Chips Fat: 31g
• 1/2 Cup Whole Milk Protein: 18.6g
• 1/8 Cup Sliced Almonds

Directions:

1. Cook Oats with Milk instead of Water.
2. After Oats have finished mix in Chocolate Chips till they melt, followed by other ingredients.

Cooking Notes: Obviously if you’re looking for a leaner version of this recipe it can be done. I’d recommend replacing Whole Milk with Almond and lessening the rest of the ingredients.

PB&J

Here’s an idea to shakeup that average, packed lunch, peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 397
• 1 tbsp Natural Peanut Butter Carbs: 49g
• 1 tbsp Natural Jelly Fat: 17g
• 1/2 Cup Whole Milk Protein: 15.3g

Directions:

1. Cook Milk with Oats instead of Water.
2. After Oats have finished mix in other ingredients.

Cooking Notes: If you’re looking to save a few calories, skimp out on the Whole Milk and replace it with Almond or Skim.

The Usual

The Usual was probably my favorite recipe for quite some time, it capitalizes on the banana and peanut butter combination that works so well with oatmeal. A note however, this recipe has a lot of horsepower so you may want to save this one for a hard workout or race.

Ingredients: Estimated Nutrition Facts:

• ½ Cup Oats Calories: 436
• 1 tbsp Natural Peanut Butter Carbs: 64.5g
• 1 tbsp Sliced Almonds or Other Nuts Fat: 15.3g
• 1 tbsp Natural Maple Syrup Protein: 11.6g
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Chopped Banana

Directions:

1. Slice up your Banana while Oats cook.
2. When Oats are finished mix ingredients in as followed: Maple Syrup, Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon, Natural Peanut Butter, Sliced Almonds, and Banana.

Enjoy your Oats!!

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