Food that feeds a champion: what craves Candace Parker

It is easy to assume that there is little common ground to share with the 26-year-old basketball star Candace Parker. After all, not many women share their outlook (literally: she is 6'4 ", not stilettos required) or experience. The outstanding forward, in his second Olympic appearance, is trying to help United States women's basketball team to its fifth consecutive Gold Medal of rivet. She seems to thrive in this type of pressure: leadership of Parker on the Court of the University of Tennessee sent him to the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, where in his first year, was named the 2008 MVP and Rookie of the year. He also made his first trip to the Olympics, where she helped United States team to pick up his fourth gold medal consecutively, with a perfect record of 8-0.

She takes her job seriously (just check the inside of your wrist, where his dedication is written: "To whom much is given, much is expected"), but that does not mean that it is easy, especially when it comes to your diet. Any woman who works hard to defend your healthy diet of constant anxiety, Parker and they have something in common.

As a champion of fuel
Tip: The answer rests on the plate of Parker. "Generally eat four meals a day, especially in the days of the games," she says. "Stick to whole grains and not to eat red meat more than once or twice a week." (I stick to chicken, fish, things as well.) "But his busy schedule (a typical training day includes two practices) means keeping a pretty regular routine." To avoid the been and keep their energy, Parker begins his day with a breakfast pre-practice - usually oatmeal, cereals cold (such as Honey Nut Cheerios) or waffles ("my guilty pleasure"). After practice, time for your second meal of the day, it is usually a ham, egg and cheese with fruit such as strawberries and juice sandwich. She sleeps turned off, wakes up a dish with pasta and number two practice runs. Parker finished his night of its "big meal": chicken to oven, broccoli or carrots and some kind of starch, such as sweet potatoes (your favorite).

Meet your sweet as an Olympian
As soon as she can vibrate off their eat healthy go to Parker wasted battery up your Favorites without hesitation: Golden Oreos, bought yellow cake with vanilla custard and cream ice cream Cold Stone Sweet with biscuits and strawberries in a wafer - to name a few. "I used to have a huge sweet, but now instead of Oreos I have grapes, rather than a great sundae I have granola," says Parker.

Sounds great, but we are not convinced exchange of fruit by cookies will satisfy, so we turn to health dietician Keri Glassman women for advice. "If you are a generally healthy Eater who exercises regularly, there is space to make aware indulgences that suits you well leave - not overwhelmed and lamentable - about your options," said Glassman. His recommendation: do not ignore a craving. Instead, consider the most healthy way to satisfy that desire, just like Parker. Here, some Favorites Glassman surprises swaps tempt us more:

If you're craving a cream...
Dig into Greek with mixed bananas yogurt 1 cup and 1 tablespoon of chocolate sauce. You will still need to treat frozen - and chocolate! -to satisfy your sweet cravings I, but full of protein yogurt Greek is a better option than ice cream loaded with fat and sugar.

If you're craving cookies (and you can not stop at one or two)...
He made some air-popped popcorn and pull with 1 tablespoon of dark chocolate chips. ?Here to calm your cravings: popcorn is filled with fiber, which is filling. The dark chocolate chips soften when mixed with hot popcorn kernels and he will NIP that sticky craving in the bud. Also, the abdominal muscles of popcorn like a cookie, sugar, fats or artificial ingredients purchased many varieties.

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If you're craving pastel - loaded with frosting...
Sub a cracker with a high content of fiber with 1 ounce of goat cheese with pureed strawberries. Do not taunt. Goat cheese is creamy, like icing and pureed strawberries give the sweet punch icing shaped fewer calories without refined sugar.

If you're craving sweet...
Opt for dried fruits. Known as sweet as candy, it has less calories than the typical fruit dries and is free of artificial ingredients and added sugars.

If you're craving chocolate...
Enjoy 1 ounce of dark chocolate bites that are at least 60% cacao (and preferably organic). Dark chocolate is an antioxidant and believed to promote the health of the heart with other cardiovascular benefits. It also strengthens the immune system and has anti-cancer enzyme. In addition, its vertical chocolate, by what should not complain their sweet tooth. (And if you do)? (Mix 1 teaspoon raisins to counteract the bitterness of dark chocolate, milk chocolate fans tend to dislike).