We asked wonder woman Nicole Loher - a columnist, triathlete, professor & Global Digital Editor at Christian Louboutin what inspires her and how she changed her lifestyle to focus on wellness.
Q. We LOVE your new column Part-Time Athlete on The/Thirty. As a multi-hyphenate (Global Digital Editor at Christian Louboutin, a professor at New York University, a columnist at Byrdie), we also hear you are a competitive triathlete. How would you describe your first triathlon and how did you keep motivated training for it?
Thank you! My first triathlon was absolutely amazing – I wouldn’t have kept going if it weren’t! It was actually the Lavaman in Kona, one of the most prestigious triathlons in the world. I had an incredible team I trained with for about four months (hi, Team in Training!) and they really prepared me to be the best version of myself on race day. I ended up placing in my age division!
Q. As you mentioned in your column, everyone has their own unique journey in health and wellness. What brought you to focus more on your well-being?
My dad was diagnosed with thymus cancer a few months before I committed to competing in my first triathlon. Because Team in Training raises funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, it really came full circle for me and helped me keep all aspects of health and wellness in the forefront. Even after my dad was deemed “cancer free”, there still remained this emphasis within our family to be the most “well” versions of ourselves at any given time. And that isn’t just physical or what we put into our bodies (my parents were farmers so they care A LOT about sustainability and ethical farming practices for farm-to-table), but also mental. We spend a lot of time talking with one another about how we are doing. My parents always put pressure on us to do well, so it was always equally as important to them to make sure that we’re MENTALLY okay, as well. It really has been a top-down effect from them, which I’m so grateful for.
Q. What's on your training playlist?
It changes twice a week! I have a playlist on Spotify called let’s sweat that has amassed quite the following.
Q. What do you like to eat post training / workout? Any favorite go to healthy eating spots?
Sooo… I’m the worst when I say, I don't like eating out BUT I do love sweetgreen so, so much. I love the transparency that comes with their food. Post-training I try to bulk in the majority of my carbs and moderate protein so I usually have a smoothie with Vega protein powder, a frozen banana, spinach, fresh mint leaves, and unsweetened vanilla almond milk OR egg whites with roasted root vegetables, spinach, some fermented vegetables and a little avocado. And always coffee!!
Q. Many of us have busy, active lifestyles and need to pack our whole day into one bag. Tell us, #whatsinyourbag?
• Snacks - A huge part of refueling correctly is meal timing. I am pretty big on a plant-based diet right now with no processed grains or dairy so I've been loving RX Bars and a banana always feels substantial.
• Air Pods - I've spent about three years trying to find wireless headphones I like. Turns out I've just been waiting for Air Pods. Curious to what I'm listening to? Peep my let's sweat playlist on Spotify.
• adidas UltraBoost - I will not run in any other shoe.
• Shimano cycling shoes - Ask anyone who knows me, I have three pairs of shoes on me at any given time: Louboutin's, adidas sneakers to run or strength train in, and my Shimano clips for cycling.
• Ursa Major face wipes - because sweating is dirty business.
• Ray-Bans: I actually race in these most seasons because they fold up to half the size of a deck of cards, so they're easy to stash if I don't need them halfway through a run or bike.
• You Love Poon New York hat - I stole this from my fiancé because I love the hat so much. Dope gear and super rad guy who runs the whole thing.
