August 2014

I love fresh veggies, flowers and trees. I love them even more when they’re grown in my own yard. Manure is phenomenal organic planting material, but it attracts flies. I hate flies; my home currently houses them. … [Read More…]

I grub on Japanese sweet potatoes almost daily. I’ve made a bunch of new friends since January 8th, so I won’t assume you know why this is my carb of choice. Go ahead, catch up with this post and then rejoin the OGs … [Read More…]

We train for many reasons, but sometimes the process itself breeds confidence.Roughly 30 days ago, we (that’s me, Ben Lindbergh and some of you) began a 30 day calf-workout-challenge-thingy. If you haven’t been … [Read More…]

I just completed my 5 x 5 workout with a new twist, and I’m anxious to share the results.As you might remember, I recently decided to press the pause button on my squats after my right hip started cursing like an inebriated seaman. It’s been about a calendar week since I last dropped my hips back with any significant quantity of weight bearing down on my shoulders. Instead, … [Read more…]

Young athletes are constantly striving to be bigger, stronger, faster. Peruse professional sports and you’ll discover examples like Giancarlo Stanton to Adrian Peterson, from Lebron James to Lolo Jones. No matter what your girlfriend tells you, size matters.For that very reason, when a young man or woman approaches me about gaining weight, I take it seriously. I’m often … [Read more…]

I’ve learned over the course of my studies and experience that nearly all sweeteners have their downfalls, and the state in which we consume them is immeasurably important. I don’t use any sweeteners in my food anymore unless I’m purposefully indulging. I understand, however, that folks are looking for healthier options when it comes to savory’s counterpart.Every Thursday, … [Read more…]

In an effort to cross the finish line of the caffeinating race with you, we started with a discussion of the French press. Now, I’m adding in one more small recommendation. Get a coffee bean grinder.We go to great lengths to produce a delightful cup of coffee for our daily fresh start. To maximize the flavor and crispness from your java, you must grind your own beans.I … [Read more…]

There isn’t much I won’t do for my readers. I’ll be putting my body (and reputation!) on the line to experiment with showering without traditional soap. It turns out that that Johnson and Johnson, among other soap producing companies, have been selling us a form of perfume masquerading as detergent for our skin. As a general side note, I’m becoming my father.I admit that my … [Read more…]

Stalling out achieving your training goals? Work out with a partner.

How many times does this happen to you? I stare at the squat rack while picking up my phone, I tweet something meaningless about John Coltrane, then check my email, back to twitter. I stroll to the water fountain for a drink, then waltz back through the gym and say hello to my peeps on a scenic tour to the rack. Six minutes have now passed between sets. I finally settle under the bar and step out, the weight steadily attempting to crush me like an accordion. I internally agonize about the weight, how heavy it is and how much pain I’m going to be in when I drop my hips. I do four of my five scheduled reps. I excuse myself with an “I’m just having an off day.”

Inevitably, these workouts happen. Nobody is on point all the time.  However, if you have a partner to train with, those sessions will happen substantially less regularly.

It’s difficult to spend time typing nonsense onto your phone with an impatient partner in front of you rolling their eyes. I can only be valuable by encouraging them, by discussing their set, their goals, etc. I want them to feel strong. I get under that bar sooner and with more explosiveness with their support and with the fear of workout embarrassment driving me. A spotter makes me feel safer dropping deeper, pushing more and digging within myself to grow, both emotionally and physically.

I have trained with and without a partner spotting me now on a roughly fifty-fifty basis for the last 90 days. During the sessions I was able to work with a spotter, I pushed 10% more weight.

10% more strength translates to…well, something better. Intuitively, my workouts are just flat out more productive with someone by my side.

A study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise concluded “Directly supervised, heavy-resistance training in moderately trained men resulted in a greater rate of training load increase and magnitude which resulted in greater maximal strength gains compared with unsupervised training.”

I discussed the importance of consistency in any workout regime. When you work out with a partner, you’re accountable for your workout. It’s inherently more difficult to find your way to the pool, gym, court or wherever if nobody is on the other end to disappoint.

Next time you’re at the gym and see someone performing some of the same exercises that you’re doing, be brave and connect. You’ll be stronger and healthier in mind and body as a result.

Stalling out achieving your training goals? Work out with a partner.How many times does this happen to you? I stare at the squat rack while picking up my phone, I tweet something meaningless about John Coltrane, then check my email, back to twitter. I stroll to the water fountain for a drink, then waltz back through the gym and say hello to my peeps on a scenic tour to the … [Read more…]

Stalling out achieving your training goals? Work out with a partner.How many times does this happen to you? I stare at the squat rack while picking up my phone, I tweet something meaningless about John Coltrane, then check my email, back to twitter. I stroll to the water fountain for a drink, then waltz back through the gym and say hello to my peeps on a scenic tour to the … [Read more…]

Kale is certainly the trendy kid on the block when it comes to dark leafy greens. It has earned a place in my kitchen, but some other greens deserve consideration as well.

One cup of kale has 36 calories and 0 grams of fat. Who cares? Almost all your greens will boast exceptionally low calories, and we all know by now that fat doesn’t make you fat, sugar makes you fat. From this standpoint, the green (or purple!) beauty isn’t all that special. Just like evaluating a pitcher in baseball though, the peripherals are what give kale that “booya.”

Let’s see how it stacks up against three other nutritional beasts in mustard greens, collard greens and swiss chard, and we’ll crown a champion.

I’m a stats guy, so let’s start with a few numbers that count. You’ll get vitamins A and C in abundance from kale. From Huffington Post:

Kale does exceed the other greens in vitamins A and C, but Swiss chard has 16 percent more iron than kale. Collard greens has 18 percent more calcium per serving of kale and double the amount of protein and iron. And mustard greens holds its own by having the least amount of calories and slightly more protein and calcium than kale. All four types of greens are also rich in many other nutrients, including manganese, folate, copper, choline, magnesium, potassium and vitamins E, K, B2 and B6.

Have a look at the chart below. It’s featured on numerous reputable sites and easily accessible with a quick web search:

It’s obvious that each representative has its virtues.

I’ll take the protein component out of this discussion. I’m a believer that our protein is most appropriately delivered in the form of animal flesh. For my vegetarian and vegan friends, you’ll have to work a little harder. From the Harvard School of Public Health:

Some of the protein you eat contains all the amino acids needed to build new proteins. This kind is called complete protein. Animal sources of protein tend to be complete. Other protein sources lack one or more “essential” amino acids—that is, amino acids that the body can’t make from scratch or create by modifying another amino acid. Called incomplete proteins, these usually come from fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts.

Vegetarians need to be aware of this. To get all the amino acids needed to make new protein—and thus to keep the body’s systems in good shape—people who don’t eat meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or dairy products should eat a variety of protein-containing foods each day.

So what else have we learned from our chart? Collard greens boast the most fiber and calcium, chard comes out on top for iron and kale takes the day for Vitamins A and C. Since there’s no clear winner here, eat them all. Throw the chard and kale in a salad for lunch, then cook up a batch of collards with some stock, butter, garlic and onions for dinner. You’ll cover all your bases.

Remember to mix in some spinach, Popeye.

Kap

Kale is certainly the trendy kid on the block when it comes to dark leafy greens. It has earned a place in my kitchen, but some other greens deserve consideration as well.

One cup of kale has 36 calories and 0 grams of fat. Who cares? Almost all your greens will boast exceptionally low calories, and we all know by now that fat doesn’t make you fat, sugar makes you fat. From this standpoint, the green (or purple!) beauty isn’t all that special. Just like evaluating a pitcher in baseball though, the peripherals are what give kale that “booya.”

Let’s see how it stacks up against three other nutritional beasts in mustard greens, collard greens and swiss chard, and we’ll crown a champion.

I’m a stats guy, so let’s start with a few numbers that count. You’ll get vitamins A and C in abundance from kale. From Huffington Post:

Kale does exceed the other greens in vitamins A and C, but Swiss chard has 16 percent more iron than kale. Collard greens has 18 percent more calcium per serving of kale and double the amount of protein and iron. And mustard greens holds its own by having the least amount of calories and slightly more protein and calcium than kale. All four types of greens are also rich in many other nutrients, including manganese, folate, copper, choline, magnesium, potassium and vitamins E, K, B2 and B6.

Have a look at the chart below. It’s featured on numerous reputable sites and easily accessible with a quick web search:

It’s obvious that each representative has its virtues.

I’ll take the protein component out of this discussion. I’m a believer that our protein is most appropriately delivered in the form of animal flesh. For my vegetarian and vegan friends, you’ll have to work a little harder. From the Harvard School of Public Health:

Some of the protein you eat contains all the amino acids needed to build new proteins. This kind is called complete protein. Animal sources of protein tend to be complete. Other protein sources lack one or more “essential” amino acids—that is, amino acids that the body can’t make from scratch or create by modifying another amino acid. Called incomplete proteins, these usually come from fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts.

Vegetarians need to be aware of this. To get all the amino acids needed to make new protein—and thus to keep the body’s systems in good shape—people who don’t eat meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or dairy products should eat a variety of protein-containing foods each day.

So what else have we learned from our chart? Collard greens boast the most fiber and calcium, chard comes out on top for iron and kale takes the day for Vitamins A and C. Since there’s no clear winner here, eat them all. Throw the chard and kale in a salad for lunch, then cook up a batch of collards with some stock, butter, garlic and onions for dinner. You’ll cover all your bases.

Remember to mix in some spinach, Popeye.

Kap

Improving sleep seems to be a pretty common goal. Turn on a TV and you’ll see dozens of ads; Lunesta commercials are my personal favorite. I’ve always wanted that electric green butterfly to visit me. Good sleep is so delicious that folks are willing to chance aggressiveness, confusion, hallucinations (the good kind?), risk of suicide in depressed patients, unpleasant taste, dizziness…well, at least the people in the ad sure are sleeping soundly.

What is it about a quality night’s sleep that makes people dream these risks might be worth it?

Sleeping less than your body needs, even by an hour or two a night, has several major consequences.

Adequate sleep is necessary for optimal brain function. During sleep, the brain commits memories to long term storage ¹ and forms new connections ². Lack of sleep affects your mood and decision-making ³; too little sleep and you may find yourself irritable and prone to bad choices.

The cardiovascular system needs regular periods of sleep in order to function optimally. Increased risks of heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke are all associated with too little sleep ⁴.

Sleep deprivation is also a serious public safety risk. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (pdf link) estimates that 20% of people injured in car crashes are directly related to driver fatigue.

During exercise, the body’s lymphatic system clears out waste products produced from exertion, keeping the body healthy and fit. New research indicates that the brain may have its own system to perform the same function, but only while we sleep. This may accelerate neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s) and contribute to generalized signs of aging.

In addition to the health risks, not sleeping enough will make it much harder to achieve your fitness goals. Short amounts of sleep decrease your ability to regulate your appetite and are associated with obesity ⁵.

Sleep is important for the production of growth hormone. It is difficult to overstate the importance of growth hormone for anyone looking to increase their fitness:

Growth hormone promotes muscle building and fat loss. It works with testosterone to build muscle. GH helps to regenerate/strengthen our bones and connective tissue crucial to support increased muscle size and strength. GH appears to affect every organ in the body, has been shown to support protein synthesis, a positive nitrogen balance, increased amino acid uptake, lipolysis (fat breakdown), stimulate cartilage growth, and enhance immune cell function.

Growth hormone is primarily produced during the deepest sleep phase. Up to 70% of growth hormone secretion in adult men comes during this period. We need to get to that stage if we want to see success from our training.

With all that in mind, I wholeheartedly agree with the drug makers that the satisfaction derived from a deep, quality night’s sleep is worth taking significant steps to achieve, but popping a pill isn’t the way to go.

A handful of times during my MLB career, after night games and before day games I took the drug Ambien. Let me just say, that shit is dreamy. I can look back and authentically say that my experience was lovely. On those nights I don’t remember falling asleep, waking up during the night or at all for that matter. That butterfly, however, never did come land on me, unfortunately.

For those of us training or trying to be healthier and looking to improve sleep, I suggest the following lifestyle adjustments:

Establish a relaxation routine leading up to bedtime. Read, meditate, listen to quiet music, whatever you do that helps you chill, do it starting a few hours before you go to sleep. For me, a long shower is helpful.

I stressed drinking tons of water in a recent post, but if you want to sleep well, cut off the fluids two hours before you hit the pillow. This step will help prevent those sleep interrupting, middle of the night bathroom trips. Your blanket is cozy; the walk to the toilet isn’t.

Regular exercise has been shown in numerous studies to improve sleep quality, but I suggest eliminating late night workout sessions. Training increases your energy, and a spike in adrenaline is not conducive to a deep, satisfying slumber. Aim to hit your last set 4 hours before sliding comfortably under your top sheet.

Here comes the advice that I don’t follow closely enough, but I know works for me when I do. When I work later in the evening, I make the trade off of sharper, more alert mind in exchange for a less productive sleep by reaching for a cup of joe. Life is a give and take, I suppose. Coffee in the morning tends to work well for most people, but as soon as the clock strikes noon, if sleep is the most important factor, avoid caffeine in foods and drinks. Caffeine interferes with the deeper stages of sleep, so even small amounts found in chocolate and some desserts should be avoided.

I’m a pretty ambitious guy and my mind is fairly active. I have ideas that pop frequently into my head as well as issues that have come up for me throughout the day. I have successfully used a legal pad and a pen to scribble thoughts down before bed, but more importantly, if I wake up in the middle of the night with a thought, I can scribble it down and fall back asleep. I’m essentially making a deal with my brain, “I’ll get this down on paper and you can have permission to not think about this, dig?”

The value of a good night’s sleep is clear. What changes are you making to your lifestyle to help improve sleep?

Kale is certainly the trendy kid on the block when it comes to dark leafy greens. It has earned a place in my kitchen, but some other greens deserve consideration as well.

One cup of kale has 36 calories and 0 grams of fat. Who cares? Almost all your greens will boast exceptionally low calories, and we all know by now that fat doesn’t make you fat, sugar makes you fat. From this standpoint, the green (or purple!) beauty isn’t all that special. Just like evaluating a pitcher in baseball though, the peripherals are what give kale that “booya.”

Let’s see how it stacks up against three other nutritional beasts in mustard greens, collard greens and swiss chard, and we’ll crown a champion.

I’m a stats guy, so let’s start with a few numbers that count. You’ll get vitamins A and C in abundance from kale. From Huffington Post:

Kale does exceed the other greens in vitamins A and C, but Swiss chard has 16 percent more iron than kale. Collard greens has 18 percent more calcium per serving of kale and double the amount of protein and iron. And mustard greens holds its own by having the least amount of calories and slightly more protein and calcium than kale. All four types of greens are also rich in many other nutrients, including manganese, folate, copper, choline, magnesium, potassium and vitamins E, K, B2 and B6.

Have a look at the chart below. It’s featured on numerous reputable sites and easily accessible with a quick web search:

It’s obvious that each representative has its virtues.

I’ll take the protein component out of this discussion. I’m a believer that our protein is most appropriately delivered in the form of animal flesh. For my vegetarian and vegan friends, you’ll have to work a little harder. From the Harvard School of Public Health:

Some of the protein you eat contains all the amino acids needed to build new proteins. This kind is called complete protein. Animal sources of protein tend to be complete. Other protein sources lack one or more “essential” amino acids—that is, amino acids that the body can’t make from scratch or create by modifying another amino acid. Called incomplete proteins, these usually come from fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts.

Vegetarians need to be aware of this. To get all the amino acids needed to make new protein—and thus to keep the body’s systems in good shape—people who don’t eat meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or dairy products should eat a variety of protein-containing foods each day.

So what else have we learned from our chart? Collard greens boast the most fiber and calcium, chard comes out on top for iron and kale takes the day for Vitamins A and C. Since there’s no clear winner here, eat them all. Throw the chard and kale in a salad for lunch, then cook up a batch of collards with some stock, butter, garlic and onions for dinner. You’ll cover all your bases.

Remember to mix in some spinach, Popeye.

Kap

Kale is certainly the trendy kid on the block when it comes to dark leafy greens. It has earned a place in my kitchen, but some other greens deserve consideration as well.

One cup of kale has 36 calories and 0 grams of fat. Who cares? Almost all your greens will boast exceptionally low calories, and we all know by now that fat doesn’t make you fat, sugar makes you fat. From this standpoint, the green (or purple!) beauty isn’t all that special. Just like evaluating a pitcher in baseball though, the peripherals are what give kale that “booya.”

Let’s see how it stacks up against three other nutritional beasts in mustard greens, collard greens and swiss chard, and we’ll crown a champion.

I’m a stats guy, so let’s start with a few numbers that count. You’ll get vitamins A and C in abundance from kale. From Huffington Post:

Kale does exceed the other greens in vitamins A and C, but Swiss chard has 16 percent more iron than kale. Collard greens has 18 percent more calcium per serving of kale and double the amount of protein and iron. And mustard greens holds its own by having the least amount of calories and slightly more protein and calcium than kale. All four types of greens are also rich in many other nutrients, including manganese, folate, copper, choline, magnesium, potassium and vitamins E, K, B2 and B6.

Have a look at the chart below. It’s featured on numerous reputable sites and easily accessible with a quick web search:

It’s obvious that each representative has its virtues.

I’ll take the protein component out of this discussion. I’m a believer that our protein is most appropriately delivered in the form of animal flesh. For my vegetarian and vegan friends, you’ll have to work a little harder. From the Harvard School of Public Health:

Some of the protein you eat contains all the amino acids needed to build new proteins. This kind is called complete protein. Animal sources of protein tend to be complete. Other protein sources lack one or more “essential” amino acids—that is, amino acids that the body can’t make from scratch or create by modifying another amino acid. Called incomplete proteins, these usually come from fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts.

Vegetarians need to be aware of this. To get all the amino acids needed to make new protein—and thus to keep the body’s systems in good shape—people who don’t eat meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or dairy products should eat a variety of protein-containing foods each day.

So what else have we learned from our chart? Collard greens boast the most fiber and calcium, chard comes out on top for iron and kale takes the day for Vitamins A and C. Since there’s no clear winner here, eat them all. Throw the chard and kale in a salad for lunch, then cook up a batch of collards with some stock, butter, garlic and onions for dinner. You’ll cover all your bases.

Remember to mix in some spinach, Popeye.

Kap