Melissa's Blog

  September is here and it is one of my personal favorite months of the year. I enjoy the weather in Chicago, the start of football season, the “back to school” transition, and of course my racing season! But of course there is more to it than that. The ancient wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine tells us that each season has its own rhythm and character related to the temperature and weather changes. During the autumn and winter seasons there are many things to look forward to: cooler weather, brilliant shades of yellow and orange leaves, cozy fireplaces and holidays...

  As I sit here with my compression tights on during my taper week, floods of emotions aregoing through me. Tapering is hard, your body is trying to heal, recover and get some well-needed rest. It is also hard emotionally, doubts and questions start entering your mind, why did I sign up for an Ironman, did I do enough hill training, did I swim enough laps in the pool, did I run enough miles in zone 3? The list goes on and on. My OCD kicks in and find myself researching countless websites researching Ironman Canada’s course- how to attack...

  Food is a huge part of our society and for good reason, it is the life force that keeps us going on day after day. Because of this, it has become the center of focus of so many aspects of our lives. We have three meals a day, plus snacks. Celebrations, get-togethers, even business meetings involve food these days. Everywhere you look there is a restaurant, a fast food joint, a grocery store, or some other retail operation that provides food. With food this central to our society, it is no wonder that we have weight issues and disordered...

Grilling is a major part of any American summer, whether you are a carnivore or a vegetarian. It is an integral part to many get-togethers as well as the major summer and fall holidays like Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day. But did you know that grilling can actually be harmful to your health?   Most foods have protein in them, no matter how little. This means not only your meats, but your grains and vegetables too. All of these products also contain sugars. When you grill these proteins, or even just cook them over high heat,...

  Everyone needs fiber in their diet, yet who really knows anything about it? Fiber is the part of plants that you do not digest. When you strip away the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein, and fat, what you are left with is fiber. Some plants have more fiber than others, like legumes are very rich in fiber (upwards of 20 grams for a half cup) whereas an onion has barely any (0.2 grams in 1 tbsp). In many fruits and vegetables, like apples and potatoes, the most fibrous part is the peel. By eating your fruits and vegetables whole you...