Beach Volleyball sensation Kerri Walsh Jennings is a true champ of nutrition. The three-time Olympic medalist tells Healthy Hollywood eating right is a big part of her game plan.
“I’ve lived life where I didn’t pay attention to what I eat and I live now where I’m very mindful of what I put in my body and the difference is night and day. Youth is for experimenting and taking things for granted and learning the hard way. What I know now is I feel so much stronger and better inside and out because of the knowledge I have as far as nutrition. It is such an easy way to feel good and there are so many healthy options out there.”
As a professional athlete and mother of three, Kerri tries to load up on lean protein to keep her energy revved. “I love salmon and a nice arugula salad that’s my favorite. I’m a mommy on the go and sometimes it’s hard to find good food. I use designer whey protein because it is quick and fills me up. A lot of people when they’re trying to get in shape or lose weight they think they need to starve themselves and it’s the opposite, you need to feed your body if you want to get the best out of your body. If you want your metabolism to increase you need to feed your body, otherwise it goes into starvation mode,” adds Kerri.
Kerri’s ultimate superfood is honey. Honey has been a huge part of her diet since she was a child and after the London Olympics she’s relied on it as part of her training regimen.
“If you need a quick burst of energy or feel like you’re lacking then have some honey. It’s going to give you the carbs you need to help burn quickly and it will bring you back. It’s been a staple of my training, during time outs in matches and throughout my day. It’s such natural wonderful alternative compared to some of the other things out there and my kids love it,” notes Kerri.
Kerri joined forces with the National Honey Board to help sweeten up other’s lives. “I put it in my smoothies and my teas. There’s a detox tea I drink a lot. You just boil some water and add a couple teaspoons of cinnamon and a couple teaspoons of honey into your tea. They say to start and end your day like that. It will help your GI tract and your intestines. I feel if your tummy is straight then your mind is going to be straight,” explains Kerri.
To learn more about honey’s benefits and find some recipes, check out www.honey.com
— Terri MacLeod
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