To perform well in elite sports, you must train hard. But you can’t stop there. To make the most of your training, you need to eat right and take the right supplements. And for any of that to matter, you need to start with a healthy lifestyle. If you want to excel in your sport, start here.

 

How to Eat Healthy

Nutrition is a complex topic, so there is a lot to cover. Here is my advice on what to eat, when to eat, and where to eat (yes that includes fast food restaurants). This is how to eat healthy in your daily life.

My personal favorite post to start with would be How to Eat Healthy on a Budget.

Ask Levi: Does Cooking Diminish All Health Benefits?
While it is a good idea to eat your fruits and vegetables and other health foods, is that enough? Sometimes you may need to eat
Rolled Oats and Steel Cut Oats – Is There a Difference?
There is a big debate about which is healthier, rolled oats or steel cut oats. Let us compare the various types of oats and oatmeal
5 Reasons Oatmeal Is The Perfect Breakfast for a Long Day
If I have a long day ahead of me, there's only one option for breakfast - oatmeal. Oatmeal is quite simply the perfect breakfast for
How To Eat Healthy At Fast Food Joints
Whether you want to or not, you're going to end up eating at a fast food joint. Perhaps you're traveling in a new area, strapped
5 Proven Strategies To Prevent Holiday Weight Gain
If the sales flyers and shopping bargains haven't tipped you off yet, the holidays are here! And, as usual, they brought along friends like cold
How To Really “Have It Your Way” At A Restaurant
Have you ever gone out to eat and made a special request for your food to be prepared in a more healthy manner? Sometimes you'll

 

Precision Nutrition

Check out the Precision Nutrition Eating System – a set of books and manuals – to discover exactly how to eat. Covers everything you need to know to design your own nutrition plan.

(To take it a step further, you could even become your own nutrition coach.)

 

Sports Nutrition Tips and Guides:

When the goal is to improve sports performance, things get even more detailed. Here are my guides on what to eat before, during, and after your workouts.

Jump right in to my sports nutrition guide for what to eat and drink to fuel your workouts.

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Top-Rated Energy Bars, Gels, and Drinks:

Here are my thoughts on some of the most popular sports nutrition products from Powerbar, Hammer Nutrition, and other top names.

Energy Bars

Tested: Doctor Will Bar
While there are plenty of health food bars on store shelves around the country, there are also harder-to-find bars that are even more interesting. Take
Tested: Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bar
The trend toward organic and raw foods is fast underway, with many snack bars and health drinks offering these more natural versions. One bar that
Tested: PowerBar Energize Fruit Smoothie Bar
The good ole Powerbar Performance bar has been around since before I considered myself an endurance athlete. But they made a recent update - the
Tested: Clif Bar
Clif Bar is a classic energy bar that provides the standard energy bar nutrients, but actually tastes good. Here is my taste test and review
Tested: Clif Bar Holiday Seasonal Flavors
For the holiday season, Clif Bar releases some limited-edition flavors that match the goodies we love to chow down on during the holidays - gingerbread
Tested: Zoe’s Everyday Health, All Day Energy Bar
One of my latest energy bar purchases came from a company called Zoe's Foods. Looking over the packaging, it sounded like a cool company doing
Tested: Balance BARE Nutrition Energy Bar
Here's another one from Balance Bar. It's called the BALANCE BARE bar because it contains "real ingredients you can see and taste." To see if
Tested: SoLo GI Energy Bar
The SoLo energy bar is yet another energy bar to stock the shelves in the growing sports nutrition aisle - but it has a few
Tested: Peak Bar ‘Breakfast To Go’ Bar
Many years ago when I first started consuming the delicacies known as energy bars, there was this one giant bar called the Peak Bar. It
Tested: Quaker Simple Harvest Fruit & Nut Bar
As soon as I saw those bars, I was sure I was staring at what could be called "the low-price LARA BAR." According to the
Tested: Nutra-Fig Cheetah Bar Energy Bar
Lately I have been realizing that there is a world outside the Powerbar, and my latest find is the Cheetah Bar. While "Power" is good,
Tested: Dancing Star Chunks of Energy
Despite living in Massachusetts for four years, the Dancing Star food company (based in Buckland) and their "Chunks of Energy" managed to elude me. But

Energy Gels

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Sports Drinks (Hydration)

Tested: Hammer Endurolytes
There is a notoriously big problem on hard rides in hot weather - cramping! When you're sweating more and riding harder than usual, you have
Tested: Hammer HEED Sports Drink
If there is one sports drink company that stands out from the rest, it would have to be Hammer Nutrition. They pride themselves on (and
Tested: Gatorade Tiger
Despite going in the wrong direction with the low-calorie G2, Gatorade is back on track with their latest addition, Gatorade Tiger. At first I thought
Tested: Gatorade A.M. Thirst Quencher
Gatorade keeps impressing me with their latest formulas, and Gatorade AM did not disappoint. Gatorade AM is the same formula you know and love, but
Tested: Gatorade Rain
Cool. Crisp. Clean. That is what the newest version from Gatorade promises to be. And luckily, it delivers! Here is my review of Gatorade RAIN.

Protein Bars & Shakes

Tested: Gold Standard Natural 100% Whey Protein Powder by Optimum Nutrition
While whey protein is a staple for bodybuilders, it's also a good source of protein for anyone who may need it in their diet. Such
Tested: Accelerade Sports Drink with Protein
I've always liked the idea behind Accelerade. It's a sports drink, so it's high in carbs for energy and packed with electrolytes we need, but
Tested: Detour Energy Bars
There's no shortage of energy bars these days, but with the way some of them taste, I always welcome new varieties. So I was happy

Supplements

Tested: The Ultimate Meal
Are you looking for a healthy meal replacement powder for help with your diet or just the convenience factor? Then read my review of The
Tested: Gold Standard Natural 100% Whey Protein Powder by Optimum Nutrition
While whey protein is a staple for bodybuilders, it's also a good source of protein for anyone who may need it in their diet. Such
Tested: Barlean’s Greens
If you have a healthy diet but you want to be completely sure you're getting every sort of green vegetable out there, look at a
Tested: Beverly International Lean Out Fat Transport System
In a desperate attempt to slim down for a big bike race in July (and get six pack abs in the process,) I was actually

Snacks & Fast Food

Tested: triYUM Bars
If I'm at Big Lots and I see something on the clearance shelf that's marketed as a healthy snack, I'll
Tested: Larabar Uber
If I see something that says Larabar on it, I've gotta get my hands on it! Such was the case
Tested: Vitalicious VitaPizza
Though I generally avoid diet foods, I do like to find healthier versions of stuff I like - frozen pizza,
Tested: ZonePerfect Nutrition Bar
I was looking for a cheap protein bar at Wal-Mart and I ended up with the ZonePerfect Nutrition bar. Here
Tested: Clif Mojo Bar
If you're looking for a tasty snack rather than an energy bar, you might want to consider the Clif Mojo
Tested: Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bar
The trend toward organic and raw foods is fast underway, with many snack bars and health drinks offering these more
Long Term Test: Pizza Hut’s “Pizza Mia”
Apparently I have weird tastes, because I really like the Pizza Hut Pizza Mia pizza. Here is my follow-up taste
Tested: Peak Bar ‘Breakfast To Go’ Bar
Many years ago when I first started consuming the delicacies known as energy bars, there was this one giant bar
Tested: Kashi TLC Crackers, Fire Roasted Vegetable
I love zesty, spicy flavors, and I love all Kashi's healthy cereals and granola bars, so it was only a
Tested: Quaker Simple Harvest Fruit & Nut Bar
As soon as I saw those bars, I was sure I was staring at what could be called "the low-price
Tested: Flat Earth Veggie Crisps
Last month I mentioned where to get a coupon for a free bag of Flat Earth Veggie Crisps. I printed
Tested: Dancing Star Chunks of Energy
Despite living in Massachusetts for four years, the Dancing Star food company (based in Buckland) and their "Chunks of Energy"

 

Vitamins & Dietary Supplements:

I don’t recommend a lot of supplements, but when you’re putting your body through intense training, supplements can come in very handy. Here is my advice on who should take what (and when).

Start with my guide to the must-have supplements for endurance athletes.

The Endurance Athlete’s Guide to Calcium
Calcium is a very important nutrient. Road cyclists especially should get more calcium - because studies show road cyclists are

 

How to Cook Your Own Food (Healthy Recipes I Love)

These are some of my favorite recipes that fit well into an endurance athlete’s diet. They include lots of carbs for energy, protein for muscle recovery, and high quality fats to keep your body functioning at an optimal level.

How to Cook Steel Cut Oats
How do you cook steel cut oats? They don't always come with instructions, so here is a complete guide to preparing your steel cut oats...
How to Make Your Own Natural Peanut Butter (With One Ingredient: Peanuts!)
I eat every type of natural peanut butter I can find, but not only do I like to try new brands, I like to make
Cooking with Coach Levi: Protein-Packed Banana Smoothie
If you are looking for a convenient way to get nutrients like carbs, fat, and protein from whole foods, the smoothie is the way to
How to Cook Chestnuts
Chestnuts fall off trees just like walnuts, but they seem much less common. They taste so good though, it's worth going out of your way
Cooking with Coach Levi: My Personal Favorite Oatmeal Recipe
I love oatmeal. I cook it myself almost every single day. (The pre-made packets are alright, but they usually contain too much extra sugar.) Nevertheless,
Cooking with Coach Levi: Toasted Peanut Butter Banana Sandwich
My recipe for the perfect peanut butter banana sandwich. It sounds like a simple sandwich, but a few tips and tricks go a long way
Cooking with Coach Levi: Maple Walnut Protein Bar Recipe
Are you fed up with paying $2 or more for a protein bar? I sure am, which is why I've been making my own energy
How to Make Your Own Oat Flour
Like to cook healthy food at home? Then you might use one of my favorite ingredients - oat flour. Oat flour is great because it
Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub To Be Featured On Rachael Ray Show
Denny's Beer Barrel Pub, home of the world's largest hamburger, will be featured in a segment of the Rachael Ray show Monday, January 7, at

 

FREE 5-Day Nutrition Coaching Course

I highly recommend enrolling in this totally FREE 5-part video series from Dr. John Berardi, one of the sharpest minds in sports nutrition and fat loss. You'll discover how to create a nutrition plan and follow through on it!

pn certification video

Just click play!

 

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