Fuel Your Game And Your Life With New Cookbook From Nutrition Coach (And Pickleballer) Sherri Hozler
Sherri Holzer, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and avid pickleball player, will launch her new cookbook, Everything But the Kitchen Dink, later this summer. The author of the popular website, Simply Sherri, promotes the sport of pickleball and encourages her visitors to eat foods that nourish the body. Be prepared for a landslide of healthy recipes to fuel your energy and life on and off the court.
Cooking is a natural for Sherri. Her Greek heritage and embrace of the Mediterranean lifestyle are the blueprints for her healthful recipes, which she shares with her clients and students. As a cooking instructor, Sherri teaches her students that food is just one part of a healthy lifestyle. Self-care, exercise, and mindfulness all play a role, as her motto, “Simply, your best, one meal at a time,” reflects. According to Sherri, “This motto means more than just the power of healthy eating and nurturing your body; it is rather an all-encompassing practice applying to all facets of living your best life, one step, one meal, one day at a time.”
With a pickleball passion and nutrition coach experience, Sherri is paving the way to educate exercise enthusiasts about how certain foods increase your performance. For instance, pickleball is an intense sport and requires bursts of energy and agility. Players must include a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Here’s why.
Complex carbohydrates are best as a primary source of energy. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables will sustain energy levels throughout a match. Brown rice, sweet potatoes, and quinoa can provide sustained energy and prevent fatigue. Think rice or quinoa bowls loaded with vegetables.
Lean protein sources are good for muscle repair and growth. Fish, beans, tofu, and chicken are all welcome in your mix to aim for balance in the diet. Another great source is making your own protein powder, which you can mix hemp seeds, ground flax seeds, chia seeds and spice it up with cinnamon or vanilla extract and add into smoothies for hydration as well. Sherri advocates a high protein, high fiber regime, including legumes such as chickpeas, to help regulate your blood sugar and keep your energy balanced.
Omega-3 fatty acids provide fats essential for endurance and muscle soreness reduction. Fatty fish, such as salmon, flaxseeds, nuts, and olive oil, all possess anti-inflammatory properties to also aid in cardiovascular health. Have a handful of almonds at the ready for in-between game snacking.
Antioxidants play a vital role in nutrition, but why are they important? Free radicals that can damage cells can be generated after intense physical activity. To help neutralize free radicals, eat colorful antioxidant foods such as berries, spinach, kale, carrots, broccoli, beets,and asparagus. Simple steps make great changes!
The most important element of all is water. Staying hydrated is vital for all pickleball players to maintain optimal performance. It also prevents dehydration, which can trigger muscle cramps, fatigue, and decreased cognitive function. Stay on your game and drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after your matches.
Keep in mind; water need not be the only liquid you consume. Sweating results in electrolyte loss, so replenishing sodium, magnesium, and potassium is essential. Water with electrolytes, coconut water, or your favorite mineral water, will do the trick. Other sources of electrolyte-rich foods are lentils, dried apricots, pickle juice, oranges, tomatoes, olives, yogurt, bananas, and avocados.
Based on these guidelines, Sherri’s creative collection of pickleball recipes is now ready to share with the world. Using simple ingredients and fresh foods, even a beginning cook will find them easy to follow. Discover a sampling of her pickleball snacks on Pickleball Opinion. Matcha Energy Balls, Mango Mint Smoothies, and No-Bake Pumpkin Protein Bars are just a few of her specialties.
Sherri sees a strong link between food and pickleball. Many times a simple lifestyle change can have a big impact, whether your goal is to lose weight, become a better athlete, or eat in alignment with wholesome ingredients. Her new cookbook, Everything But the Kitchen Dink, will feature how to eat the foods you love healthily, bringing her love of community and pickleball players together.
