Three Professional Athletes Speak Exercises, Diet, and Staying Motivated

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Finding the right snacks for training can be difficult for anyone. If you eat the wrong foods, you can experience lousy energy and digestive problems. And if you’re a serious athlete, these side effects can be even more frustrating.

Because of this, triathlete Jesse Thomas and his wife, professional runner Lauren Fleshman, decided to create Picky Bars, energy bars specifically for athletes. Thomas jokes that “stomach problems” led him to create the bars. “When I first started training for professional triathlons, I ate 5,000 to 6,000 calories a day and got a bunch of stomach problems that my wife was dying to fix,” he says. “She wanted to create something that spurred my training, but also spared my stomach and still tasted good.” The two joked that the combination they were looking for was very “picky” and the name “Picky Bars” stayed.

Fleshman, who has a degree in human biology from Stanford University, knew how to put the right items together to help her husband. She designed Picky Bars as portable snacks for active people who “optimize sports nutrition principles, digestibility and taste,” she explains. The couple soon discovered that a lot of other people wanted the same items in a sports bar, and the company hit it off.

Picky Bars was recently acquired by Laird Superfood, which was founded by big wave surfer Laird Hamilton. Hamilton calls Picky Bars a “natural fit” for its brand because they share similar values ​​and missions.

But these three don’t just spend their time sitting around creating bars and other superfoods – they have athletic goals that they want to crush. So, these professional athletes work to maximize their performance and what they do to keep motivated on a regular basis.

Jesse Thomas, triathlete

Jesse Thomas

Jesse Thomas was an NCAA athletics All-American (in the 3,000-yard obstacle race) at Stanford University in hope of becoming an Olympian. But a bicycle accident ended his running career. “I started swimming to rehabilitate my neck after the accident,” he says. “Years later, after working in an office and not competing, I felt like I was missing a part of myself.” He tried a triathlon “for fun” and fell in love with the competition again.

Among other things, Thomas was a six-time winner of the Wildflower Triathlon. And even though he’s now retired, Thomas still likes to push himself on. “In a given week, I might ride my mountain bike, run, surf, play pickup basketball, Nordic skiing, kayaking, climb, lift and do a little yoga,” he says.

Eating a healthy diet will keep your energy levels high. “Lauren and I are all about moderation and balance,” he explains. “We don’t have any foods that are forbidden, but we also rarely eat too much.” His shopping list includes lots of fruit and vegetables, grains, healthy proteins and fats, and unprocessed or underprocessed snacks. “I’ve always said that I like to follow a ‘B + diet’ – I eat damn healthy, but not perfect,” he says. “Ice cream and beer make up the menu. I have found that for me this is the optimal balance between physical and mental health. ”

Thomas’ performance must-haves

Like New

Like New

lairdsuperfood.com

$ 19.95

This bar is a mixture of chocolate, mint, almonds and almond butter and was created on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Picky Bars. Thomas calls Mint Condition his “favorite taste”.

Garmin Vivoactive

Garmin Vivoactive

This smartwatch tracks energy levels, stress, sleep, hydration and more to get a ton of data about your exercise and everyday life. “You never get the data dork out of the triathlete,” says Thomas.

Garmin HRM Dual

Garmin HRM Dual

This monitor transmits real-time data to keep track of your heart rate during exercise. “Even though it means so much less than it did during my race, I still follow data from almost every training session,” says Thomas.

Lauren Fleshman, professional runner

lauren fleischmann

Lauren Fleshman

Lauren Fleshman’s path to becoming a runner began as a child. “As a kid, I loved every excuse to run and enjoyed almost every sport and outdoor activity I tried,” she says. She joined the high school cross-country team and ran for Stanford University, becoming a five-time NCAA champion and the fastest runner in the US women’s 5,000 meters – twice.

Fleshman says she is “fitness flexible” and “socially motivated” when it comes to her workout. “For me, exercises are mostly a game,” she says. “I have more friends with mountain biking and Nordic skiing than with running, so I’ve developed a love and appreciation for these activities.”

“Every movement counts as a movement.”

That’s not to say she hung up her running shoes. “My point of contact is three to six miles from my front door – nothing special,” she says. “When I was a professional runner for 13 years, a 20-minute run was a warm-up – hardly something to be logged. Well, a 20 minute run has my deepest respect. Every movement counts as a movement. ”

Fleshman’s performance must-haves

Laird Superfood Hydrate Mix

Laird Superfood Hydrate Mix

lairdsuperfood.com

$ 15.95

Just add water to this Laird Superfood Mixture for an easy way to fix your coconut water on the go. The completely natural mixture of freeze-dried coconut water powder and calcium extracted from algae contains essential electrolytes and trace elements.

Salomon Ultra Glide

Salomon Ultra Glide

“My favorite shoes are the Salomon Ultra Glide, with the perfect cushioning and technology for trails, but they also work well on concrete, which is good because a lot of my runs are a mixture of both.”

Oiselle Firecracker reflective tights

Oiselle Firecracker reflective tights

“The Firecracker collection offers highly visible running clothes that keep me active and feel safe, even when I’m running out of daylight. Nobody makes women’s running clothes better. “

Laird Hamilton, professional surfer

Squire Hamilton

Laird Hamilton

Laird Hamilton started surfing at the age of two. “I drive whenever conditions allow,” says Hamilton. He has become a big wave surfing legend, tackling some of the biggest and most dangerous waves out there, and even co-developing the technique of big wave tow-in surfing, which involves pulling a surfer into a wave with a jet ski.

“I still have a lot of waves that I want to ride, and I’m always motivated by the gift of my health,” he says. “I’m a better person when I work hard.”

When he’s not surfing, Hamilton is still on the move. He does underwater XPT pool workouts (“great workout that won’t squeeze your joints”), along with HIIT workouts, stretching, and breathing exercises.

His nutritional approach is simple. “I eat when I’m hungry,” he says. “I look for variety and try my best to eat things the way nature intended. If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it. “

Hamilton’s performance must-haves

Laird Superfood Turmeric Superfood Creamer

Laird Superfood Turmeric Superfood Creamer

lairdsuperfood.com

$ 18.95

This coffee creamer mixes turmeric, coconut milk powder and coconut oil for a tangy-sweet taste that is easy to mix in coffee, tea, smoothies and milk.

Men's R5 Yulex full suit with front zip and hood

Men’s R5 Yulex full suit with front zip and hood

“When I’m in cold water, I rely on my Patagonia wetsuit,” says Hamilton. It consists of 85 percent natural rubber and an integrated hood ensures even more warmth.

Dr.  Bronner's Pure Castile liquid soap

Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile liquid soap

“For general use, I’m a Dr. Bronner soap type,” says Hamilton. This concentrated organic mixture can be used in a variety of ways, from body and face washing to laundry washing.


Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellbeing, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work on men’s health, women’s health, self, glamor, and more.

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