Where the Fitness Folk Eat Healthy in Charlotte.

#truth.

No matter how hard you work out, it’s basically calories in, calories out.  At least for those of us who make our living at something other than working out.

And that’s just for the weight part.  To be healthy as well as fit, it’s definitely about WHAT you eat and when you eat it as much as it is about doing doubles, triples or ultras.

Still, the fitness pro’s spend a lot of time thinking about fueling their bodies for peak performance. So we thought, who better to ask about where to enjoy a healthy meal in Charlotte than our favorite fitness folk?  We reached out for restaurant suggestions and meal picks from some of the best bods in Charlotte.

ORANGE THEORY FITNESS

Alec Dragelin – The Quinoa Salad with chicken from Zoe’s Kitchen:
As both a fitness and food enthusiast, I sometimes find that my two loves can be at odds with each other. However they don’t have to be. One of my favorite, guilt-free dishes that satisfy my taste buds to no end is the quinoa salad with chicken from Zoe’s Kitchen. The fresh crisp greens and veggies, juicy chicken, and super grain quinoa leave me feeling refreshed, re-energized and ready to tackle whatever lies ahead of me. And the best part is, it’s enough food to fill me up (not easy to do)! Also, I’m a firm believer that everyone needs and deserves a cheat day once a week. On those days, I like treating myself to Zoe’s larger-than-your-face chocolate chip cookies. They are absolutely unreal.

Frank Moran – Braised Chicken Tinga from CHOPT: 
Hard to eat healthfully and heartily for about $10? I don’t think so. The life of salad enthusiasts is made easy at Chopt.  Chopt life is for the sharp, the keen, the lean– and lastly, those who are about the “greens.”  My go-to lately is one of their hot-top salads (perfect for the cooler weather), the BRAISED CHICKEN TINGA:  Slow-cooked FreeBird chicken tinga, brown rice and black beans SERVED HOT OVER avocado, scallions, tortilla chips, cotija cheese, kale, spinach and cabbage.  Mmmm!  The eats are clean. The digs are clean. The attitude is clean. PRO TIP: I only eat here during off lunch and evening hours because Chopt is popular with the business day work crowd.  You were warned.
You can order ahead via the Chopt website/app. Do it if you must eat at high-traffic hours. You can thank me later.

HILLIARD STUDIO METHOD

Carrie Deaton, Director of Operations, Hilliard Studio Method: Stagioni’s

Stagioni is our go-to spot!  Whether it’s post-workout or an evening with the team, Jessie and Lee Ann take good care of us. We love to nosh on their marcona almonds, cannellini beans, truffled eggs or house made pickles to start.  For our entrée, they always have delicious seasonal roasted vegetables, salads, and we love the whole fish special when available.  Plus, Stagioni’s has the best pizza in town (comes with scissors).  Oh, and the wine selection is hard to beat : )

FLYWHEEL / FLYBARRE STUDIO

Sarah’s Picks:

1. Sunflour Bakery – Breakfast: Egg, spinach and avocado on multigrain toast; Lunch: Avocado melt add turkey, no goat cheese
2. Zoe’s Kitchen – 1/2 turkey sandwich with no mayo, 1/2 greek salad with no feta cheese
3. Whole Foods – my main go-to, make a salad with all the vegetables you can give me plus a protein (eggs or chicken and beans) plus cranberries and slivered almonds

Kelly Johnson’s Picks:

1) Crisp (lunch) I order the steakhouse salad. I typically substitute avocado for the mushrooms and skip the dressing.

2) Bleu Barn Bistro (lunch) This food truck has amazing locally-sourced ingredients in their “farm to truck” lunches. I love their sunny farmhouse burger made with free range grass fed beef.

THE TRACK & FIELD STORE IN SOUTH PARK MALL

Maiko Soares
Store Manager at The Track & Field Store Charlotte

Buffalo Chicken Salad from Crunch Bistro
Healthy eating is a priority for me. I care the most about eating a good amount of fruits and veggies so Crunch Bistro at the food court of Southpark Mall does it. There I can choose what type of greens (spinach, romaine, iceberg, or baby greens) I want for the day, and also additional veggies such as celery, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. The variety of fresh cut veggies is great so you can change your choices daily. I love spicy food AND hot chicken wings so the buffalo chicken fulfills my desire for super crispy hot chicken wings. The dressing I choose is olive oil and lemon juice with a hint of salt. I love their salads too because of the container it comes in: you add the desired amount of dressing, close it, and shake it up – dressing up your salad perfectly. It is also light enough that you come back to work feeling energetic, not sluggish. The other big plus is that Crunch Bistro is a family and locally owned business! Plus, if you’re a mall employee, they also provide you with a small discount. It’s a win-win!

Ron and Silvia Skufca
Owners of The Track & Field Store Charlotte

Grilled Salmon Salad from Crisp
We are super busy with full time jobs, running a business, and raising three busy kids. We work out as much as our time allows, usually very early in the morning.  Eating healthy is super important for us and our family.  When we have time, Ron and I meet for lunch in the middle of our busy day at Crisp on East Blvd for one of their amazing salads.  We both love the Grilled Salmon Salad, with fresh spring mix, vine-ripened tomatoes, parmesan cheese, roasted peppers, Kalamata olives and pesto drizzle .  It’s a perfect size size portion and the salmon provides the substance and protein we need to feel satisfied and not be hungry in the middle of the afternoon.  The Kalamata olives and pesto add the perfect amount of unique flavor to this delicious salad!

Thanks to our fitness foodies for sharing.
Tag us @scoopcharlotte on social media with your favorite healthy eats in CLT.