We asked Olympian Colleen Quigley, a pro steeplechaser and Vital Athlete, to share how she fuels her workouts ahead of the upcoming U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track and Field to get the scoop on her training, nutrition and (of course) her favorite ways to incorporate Vital Proteins® collagen into her daily wellness routine. Check back on Lively for more insight into Quigley's workouts, mantras and more!
I usually get up with my dog sometime between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. and make a coffee that I drink while I take her for a walk. Then, I have some oatmeal for breakfast. My favorite is what I call "savory oats," which is steel-cut oats, sweet potato, a fried egg and then a couple veggies (like sautéed mushrooms and spinach or tomatoes and zucchini). I top it off with some parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast. (I have a video on my IGTV making savory oats!)
Leftovers For Lunch
Lunch is usually leftovers because I'm always rushing from my morning workout to get to treatment or hopping on a Zoom call. I love hearty salads like kale and quinoa salad with chicken or salmon. I make my own dressings which is key. My favorite dressing calls for ¼ C olive oil, ¼ C orange or lemon juice, 1 T tahini, salt and pepper. All you need to do next? Shake and evenly distribute in your salad.
In the afternoon, I'll have a snack, usually some hummus and carrots/celery/pretzels. I started making my own hummus lately and it's a game changer. It's super easy to make in a blender/food processor and SO delicious. My favorite flavor so far is balsamic vinegar.
Fresh Food Dinner (And Dessert)
Dinner could be a lot of different things. I don't have any specific dietary restrictions or follow any certain diets. I do try to eat as much fresh, unprocessed food as possible though. One of my go-to recipes is a Quigley family staple, yogurt fettuccini. It's a creamy pasta that feels super decadent but is made with yogurt and parmesan cheese so it's a lighter and healthier version of a fettuccini alfredo. (Get the recipe here.)
I like serving that pasta with some grilled chicken and a salad or some grilled veggies like asparagus or summer squash.
While I'm training I try to avoid processed sugars, but I have a huge sweet tooth. So if I’m craving ice cream one thing I love doing is blending up frozen bananas with some cocoa powder, vanilla extract, a little bit of honey or maple syrup and even some Vital Performance™ Vanilla Protein to make a decadent dessert that hits the spot!
[Fun fact: The Olympian is also a big fan of adding our Original Collagen Peptides to her smoothies, as shown in the photo above.]
Workout Fuel
I typically eat three hours before working out, because I want to give myself time to digest. I like oatmeal for pre-workout or sometimes a couple pieces of toast with some nut butter and a banana. I drink a lot of coffee, so caffeine is an important part of my pre-workout routine too.
