Weights on a Jock Brain #1:

A Quest for Python Legs by Christy Ringgenberg

I am a jock. I have been my entire life. Played every sport growing up, received a jock degree (Kinesiology Major), and continue to rearrange my life to play the sport I currently love.  As a jock I mostly think about where my 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th meal are coming from and  how I am going to get errands done around my workouts that day. Sometimes interesting issues do pop up. When working toward being a National Team Rugby player, you can't let those pesky thoughts slow you down. This column is my release of heavy thoughts. Who knows, maybe you are thinking these things too. Welcome to “Weights on a Jock  Brain”.

First, I have to get the food topic off my mind before I can move on to super “heavy” thoughts.

I often get teased about my chicken legs. I am strong and lift heavy weights but my legs never get bigger. In feedback sessions with coaches, I am always told to gain weight. I put on ten pounds, they take one look at my legs and say “gain ten more.” My upper body gets larger which makes me resemble a box on toothpicks. My mentor, Coach Wiley, tells me I have to eat a ridiculous amount of food. She says eat until I am full and then eat more. (Most women are most likely not very empathetic to my plight at this moment. In fact hatred is probably a good word for their feelings.) But this is difficult. How do you fit in all that healthy eating into days filled with jobs, school and aims of being an USA rugby player? How do you do it without spending all your money eating out?  Even if you don't want massive legs like me, here are 5 steps to eating healthy on a budget, a tight schedule and with very little cooking skill.

Step 1: Make all food for the week on Sunday.

Step 2: Pack 2 backpacks. One for work, school and workouts. One for food.

Step3: Eat every 2 hours

Step 4: Date a Prop

Step 5: Let him/her cook dinner.

Here is how I cook for the week.

3 containers of the following: 

-Cottage cheese with spinach (or leafy greens) salt and pepper

-Plain Yogurt, Frozen fruit, Whole Oats and honey optional

• 
  
  The fruit keeps it cold through the day. The yogurt soaks into the oats and makes tasty oatmeal.

-Trail mix: almonds, raisins, soynuts, pumpkin seeds

• 
  
  The bulk foods isle is my friend.

2-3 containers of 2 of the following:

-Chicken sandwiches (whole chicken or chicken salad*)

or

-Brown Rice and beans

• Usually just take a can of bean soup or lentil soup to pour on rice. Super easy! Amy's Organic Soup brand is my favorite.

or

-Peanut Butter and dried cranberry sandwiches

• the bulk cranberries are less sugary than jelly with the same great tang.

or

-Bean and cheese tortillas 

• must always remember to pack Franks Red Hot Sauce. This is clutch.
• I also sometimes add part of a taco seasoning packet to the beans for flavor. Watch out for sodium.

or

-Chicken and wheat pasta

• To some people wheat pasta tastes like cardboard. Pesto or Thai peanut sauces spice up cardboard and are still good when cold. Trust me its good.

-Sweet Potato chips

• Throw some thinly sliced sweet potatoes in the oven with rosemary and salt. 350 Degrees watch closely and cook until it looks tasty to you. Again, these are good cold.

Planning and cooking ahead gives you options everyday to prevent boredom. It is as and easy as grabbing  prepackaged foods except it's cheaper and you know exactly what is in it.  Maybe someday I will have respectable rugby legs. For now I will just eat.