SUP Yum!

So at 9:30 tonight I decided it would be a good idea to eat a half pound of scallops wrapped in a pound of bacon...yup I did...probably not my best idea right before bed but what the heck! I'm betting I'm not the only one that eats loads of salty meat before bed.  Really? You don't eat salty meat before bed?  Well what the heck do you eat then?  Oh wait, I bet you eat ice cream before you hit the sheets don't ya...well I can't argue with you on that one.

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Okay, so what do you eat when you are out paddling then? You sure as heck can't be eating ice cream my friend.  I'm trying to picture you paddling and licking your cone at the same time...that would be a site.  Anyway, my point here is that your body is the fuel that propels that beautiful board of yours, and what you fuel your bod with...well you catch my drift.

I'm not going to pretend that I'm an expert on paddle nutrition but I'm gonna give you a few things to consider the next time you decide to paddle. First and foremost you must hydrate. Before, during, after...all of it!  I'm not talking about chugging a bud light, although I have been known to pack a few cold ones in my cooler when I'm out on a SUP picnic.  I'm talking about water, and you should be drinking a bunch of it anyway but especially when you are headed out on a long paddle in the heat. Consider adding in a sports drink to perk up those lost electrolytes if you're going to be out longer than 1.5 hours. Before I purchased a fancy camel back type hydration system I use to throw a gallon of water on my board in front of me and it worked just fine. 

So we covered fluids, now the food part.  I like the basics...carbs, fat, protein. My body likes it when I mix them all up in a nice little bowl, then shove a fork in said bowl and take aim for my pie hole.  If I'm going out for a morning training session then I fill my tank with scrambled eggs and add veggies and meat (and a cup of coffee, I gotta have my coffee) My favorite things to eat while I'm paddling....chop up grilled chicken breasts and mix with your favorite salsa and mashed up avocado....tada! I also love chopped up grilled chicken breasts mixed with celery, walnuts, apples, cranberries, a little mayo, celery salt, and some maple syrup....holy yum.  Okay, one more chopped up grilled chicken entree, mix it with broccoli slaw, nuts & dried fruit and just a little otria cucumber dill feta greek yogurt dip. I swear it's not gross.  Nuts, fruit, meatballs....ya know, whatever I have on hand I find a way to bring it along. I tend to leave out grains and dairy for the most part because it makes me feel like crap but to each his own. If you wanna jam a sandwich down your throat then I say go for it.  But consider keeping your fuel natural and not ingesting the bulk of your nutrition from the innards of the grocery store isles....just sayin'.  Now go forth, pack a picnic, and paddle!