Cheat Day Sweet Frits & Some Thoughts

Hands down, this has been the best, most enjoyable competition prep I have ever done. Oh yes, I am compiling a list of reasons why you should try a plant-based competition prep as we speak ~ coming soon! 

I am well aware of the sigma around fitness competitions being unhealthy, a form of extreme dieting, with a few open mouths even going as far as to say it is a way to mask or justify eating disorders. While there may be a handful of unfortunate people that this might be truth, the reality for most athletes is that it is a well monitored, nutritious diet and structured workout regime, with the function to improve and strengthen all areas of the human physique.  

The goal of this is to discuss some negative theories about competing that I have heard and then I will offer an accurate point of view from someone who is happy, healthy and on prep. The fries are down below if you prefer to scroll on... 

Theories of darkness: We obsessively track macros and calories, but we don't eat. We stop drinking and having fun altogether. Spend all our free time and regular time in the gym, which is unhealthy and antisocial. We allow our physical attributes to become our point of focus above all else. We utilize social media to post our "fit pics", which is because we are seeking attention.  

From a competitors point of view, we have personal goals and we work very hard to reach them. We track our macros to ensure we are getting optimal nutrition for strength and muscle building. We eat! We eat very well and very healthy - anyone who has ever competed knows, you won't do well if you don't look well. We don't drink alcohol while on prep, but we still have fun - and might I add that Im fairly certain this is healthier, either way you look at it. "On prep" means time in the gym! Of course it does - but that is not a bad thing. Working out is a pretty admirable thing to do with your spare time. Two hours of gym or two episodes of GOT? Pardon me for bursting anyone's happy bubble but, gym time is certainly more productive, unless you are The Dragon Queen herself. Competition prep or not, I keep my priorities in check, make lots of time for my family, keep my troops fed and my bed made. 

A competitor is the entire package. Yes, physique is very important, but passion for fitness and the sense duty to promote a healthy lifestyle is often the most motivating part of competing for an athlete. We take pictures to compare weekly progress for ourselves and our coaches. We use social media to post real life stories, progress and fitness transformations because we are proud to be healthy and strong, as well as to show that it can be done - yes YOU can do it too! We encourage this community of health and fitness seekers to grow. 

To those who don't understand why we go through all of this to get on stage and flex our muscles for a few minutes, look at it like this... if you played an instrument everyday, all year, would you not want to put on a concert? If you went to every practise and gave it your all every game, would you not want to go to the tournament? The stage is our concert hall, our game tournament. Everyone has different ideas of what goals look like, they should not be critiqued or judged. At the end of the day, "a goal is a commitment to excellence, that will enable you to attain to the success you seek." - Mario Andretti ... You are probably reading all this babble, looking at all these pictures thinking, "I thought this was a recipe for something yummy..." Let's get on with the goodies...😉 

Sweet Frits Preheat oven to 400 degrees. You will need: 3 medium sweet potatoes cut into strips 2 egg placers (I use PaneRiso - got it at Bulkbarn) 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast 1 teaspoon Paprika, onion powder, dried parsley flakes, but all to taste! Pepper - to taste Pink sea salt - to taste - After baking Mix up your egg replacer and pour over your cut potatoes. Stir them around with your hands to make sure they are coated. Next, add the rest of the spices and ingredients to the potatoes - mixing well. Spread out your fries on a baking sheet, lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Bake for 60 minutes total. Turn once at 25 minutes, again 45 minutes. At the hour mark turn to low broil for 2 minutes. Once out of the oven, let them sit for a bit, they get crispier as they cool. 

Chase these Sweet Frits down with your favourite dip ~ I used Diaya Homestyle Ranch. 

Enjoy your day, and your food!