The Edge Volume 46

[sam_pro id=”1_45″ codes=”true”]

Glenn T Goodwin, PhD, DABFE

So you’re not a big wave surfer living in Maui. You can still be be healthy surfer living wherever. These days, nutritious food, superfoods and beverage is all relatively accessible and easy to get. Its simply a choice you can make over and over until it becomes habitual. Once your diet is habitual, you become a creature of habit. Once you become a creature, its all over and you just might become a better surfer.

In my opinion, you don’t need to be super strict and/or restrictive with your diet, but rather get into a routine of making healthy choices most all of the time. Your mind and your body know what you are putting into it and an occasional splurge into an episode of embellished eating and a little decent drinking won’t kill the creature. Let your conscience be your guide, unless of course, your conscience is already seared…LOL!

I have folowed Ian Walsh and his lifestyle…he’s definately dedicated. He charges and the results are usually epic. This short article from Adventure Sports Network highlights the lifestyle of the Walsh brothers…

‘Big-wave surfer Ian Walsh is well-recognized in his Maui community and across the world for charging some of the biggest waves on the planet, most notably at his home break, Jaws. Lately, he and brother Luke Walsh have honed in on another passion: healthy eating. Because of their surf-centered lifestyles, the Walsh’s were early adopters of acaî – which they use to fuel their pre-surf mornings, mid-day breaks and post-surf recovery.

Several years ago, they took that affinity to the next level, opening Paia Bowls with help from friend Sam Custin and their family in Maui’s namesake neighborhood, just a few miles from their small home town of Kuau. “It’s difficult to eat a heavy meal that will weigh you down and continue to surf throughout the day,” Luke explains. This is how he and Ian initially got turned on to acaî, which he says acts as a light, healthy energy source – not to mention is packed with antioxidants and essential Omega-3 fats.

Above all else, the brothers are devoted to eating foods that support an active lifestyle, and both are firm believers in the saying “you are what you eat.” They’re focused on a farm-to-table mentality and have gone to great lengths to locally source many of the ingredients they use and consume on a daily basis (such as bananas, papaya, strawberries, honey and bee pollen).

“You can see a lot of the farms where we grew up and we drive past them all the time,” says Luke. “It’s nice knowing that the item did not have to cross the Pacific in a shipping container for you to consume.”

Ian follows a strict diet that allows his body to hold up to any endurance challenge he may face – whether that’s surfing 50-foot Jaws for seven hours straight or doing two to three gym sessions per day. With meal planning always front of mind, he’s focused on only consuming foods that won’t slow him down.

Sweet potatoes – a solid source of anti-inflammatory compounds, antioxidants and essential vitamins – are a consistent staple that Ian incorporates into his dinners as often as possible.

Water is also a huge priority. “Ian is notorious for drinking as much water as possible,” Luke adds. “He constantly has a Hydroflask on him and consumes as much as he can throughout the day.”

In between running the business and charging waves, Ian and Luke recently shared their favorite custom bowl recipes, based on the staples that Paia whips up on a daily basis.’