If you’ve followed the blog, you know my take on supplements. I’m not a fan. They’re dangerous, because they’re highly processed and poorly regulated. They’re expensive. These supplements also have a more pernicious effect. Taking supplements lulls you into a pattern of poor decisions and subsequently diminished health.If I believe I can get my nutrition from a capsule or a … [Read more…]
When you find yourself with a cold, don’t avoid the milk.You may have heard the myth that drinking milk will make a cold worse. Our regular readers know we don’t fall for a catchphrase without doing our due diligence. From listverse.com: A lot of people think that drinking milk while you have a cold is a bad idea because it causes more mucous to build up. Actually, milk … [Read more…]
I’ve never understood it. Men and women reach middle age and it hits them. They tell their friends and family, “I’m running a marathon!” Whether it is the need to get in shape or an attempt to prove viability, running 42.195 kilometers (26 miles and 385 yards) has become the standard benchmark. Train for and run a marathon if you wish, just be aware that you’re not necessarily … [Read more…]
Remember when there were no immunization shots and folks prevented disease with whole foods and exercise? Me neither. There has never been a moment in our lives when that statement was totally true.Yesterday, we touched on colds. Today, we’ll take a look at some of the more serious diseases out there. This post will take a deep dive into the world of vaccinations and their … [Read more…]
I’m crowning the berry the king of the cold-fighting fruit.Y’all know my diet consists of mainly animal flesh, eggs, veggies and fruit. Sure, I’ll throw in a few slices of sprouted wheat toast with almond butter in the mornings, and I’m no stranger to a steaming pot of black coffee, but my staples are consistent.I dig all fruit, but it’s not all created equal, … [Read more…]
Regularly, inspiration for the day’s post comes from my workout or menu, often from readers and occasionally, my muse appears in the form of an old man. When that occurs, I have no choice but to whip out my phone and grab a few notes.While at the track by my house to get in my sprint workout, I watched an old dude throwing a discus around on a football field. He was likely … [Read more…]
Regularly, inspiration for the day’s post comes from my workout or menu, often from readers and occasionally, my muse appears in the form of an old man. When that occurs, I have no choice but to whip out my phone and grab a few notes.While at the track by my house to get in my sprint workout, I watched an old dude throwing a discus around on a football field. He was likely … [Read more…]
Regularly, inspiration for the day’s post comes from my workout or menu, often from readers and occasionally, my muse appears in the form of an old man. When that occurs, I have no choice but to whip out my phone and grab a few notes.While at the track by my house to get in my sprint workout, I watched an old dude throwing a discus around on a football field. He was likely … [Read more…]
Lars Anderson was the most cerebrally unique member of the club I managed in 2007 in Greenville, South Carolina. He and I chatted about world topics with baseball sprinkled in. Even then, at just 19 years of age, he had conscientiousness unfamiliar in the pro sports world. His thoughtful post comes as no surprise to me. I was proud to call him a friend then, I’m even prouder … [Read more…]
Lars Anderson was the most cerebrally unique member of the club I managed in 2007 in Greenville, South Carolina. He and I chatted about world topics with baseball sprinkled in. Even then, at just 19 years of age, he had conscientiousness unfamiliar in the pro sports world. His thoughtful post comes as no surprise to me. I was proud to call him a friend then, I’m even prouder … [Read more…]
Drinking alcohol and training for performance and lean tissue are not mutually exclusive. In this post, I’ll be sharing why whiskey, weight training, muscle building and fat burning can harmoniously exist. I’ll also be breaking down why more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean tastier when it comes to liquor. Let’s roll.
If you’ve been following this blog, you probably remember that I believe the best gifts are food and drinks. Because my friends know this about me and are likewise aware that I appreciate scotch, some of them give me bottles as a gifts. I’m a pretty lucky guy. Needless to say, my home is decorated with beautiful bottles as a result of the generosity of my loved ones. I have plenty to sample when the opportunity arises.
Speaking of which, I recently had a late night sampling session with a friend. Before I get to that experience, I’m going to talk about my training session the next day.
Three lifts performed: Deadlift, overhead press, front squat (in that order).
Despite my moderate drinking the night prior, my energy levels were above average, and my lifts were as good or better than they’ve been recently. I was able to get 555 on the DL, 225 on the overhead press and 335 on the front squat x 2 (eye rolls are fair).
Granted, there were other variables involved like amount of sleep, quality of sleep, morning meal, caffeine, and on-and-on. It’s difficult to point to my Scotch drinking as the catalyst for my performance and subsequent semi-veiled brag, but the alcohol likely didn’t affect my training.
Ethanol did not increase circulating epinephrine, norepinephrine, or cortisol concentration (Cort) above Ex elevations. At 60-120 min, only ExEt Cort was greater than control Cort. Concentrations of testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and corticotropin were not affected by either treatment. It is concluded that, although this blood ethanol concentration is insufficient to acutely increase Cort above that caused by Ex alone, it appears that ethanol may have a prolonged effect beyond the Ex response. This blood ethanol concentration does not further stimulate the sympathoadrenal system during the postexercise response.
Other studies have indicated an incredibly small drop in testosterone for a short period of time in some men as a result of drinking. To get there, however, you’d need to drink the equivalent of 3 beers a day, every day, for 3 weeks, or a dozen shots right before exercising.
The combined effect of alcohol and physical exercise on the serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and cortisol was studied in healthy male volunteers by performing an exhaustive ergometer exercise (1) followed by alcohol intoxication (induced by 1.5 g of alcohol/kg body weight), (2) during alcohol intoxication (induced by 0.8 g of alcohol/kg body weight), and (3) during hangover (13 hr after a dose of 1.5 g of alcohol/kg body weight). Physical stress immediately before alcohol administration prolonged the depressant effect of alcohol on testosterone secretion. This seemed to be mainly a consequence of direct inhibition at the testicular level, even though the role of luteinizing hormone as a contributory regulatory factor cannot be totally ruled out. Cortisol response to exercise was not modified by alcohol under any of the experimental conditions.
So we know that sensibly indulging in alcohol consumption is unlikely to affect our performance the next day. But I can hear your objection already. You’ve put all the time into the gym to get that sliced midsection, you’re not ready to trade it in for a “food baby.”
Insulin resistance is a predictor of weight gain and poor metabolic health, and moderate intake of alcohol can reduce our risk of succumbing to it.
The age- and sex-adjusted insulin levels and insulin resistance index decreased with elevating alcohol intake, while fasting glucose levels remained unchanged, suggesting that alcohol improves insulin sensitivity. Among nondrinkers, the age-adjusted incidence of hypertension significantly increased with elevating insulin tertiles in both sexes (P =.048 and.002 for trend in men and women, respectively), but not among drinkers.
Now that I’ve given you the good news and permission to indulge your senses, let’s point out the obvious. If you’re throwing back beers every night, then pairing it with a sausage and fresh pineapple pizza (giving some shit away here), your waistline might expand. Likewise, if your beverage of choice includes sugar laden sodas and bottles of neon liqueur, unwanted body composition may follow.
Dry wines and straight spirits (whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, vodka, cognac, etc.) all derive the majority of their calories from alcohol. Our bodies process these calories differently, and it’s nearly impossible for them to add to our body fat stores. Though we generally consume more calories while drinking, we consume less of the stuff that is stored as fat.
Drinkers had significantly higher intakes of total calories than nondrinkers, but only because of their intakes of alcoholic calories. Among drinkers, the intakes of nonalcoholic calories decreased as alcohol intakes increased, and it was estimated that between 15 and 41% of the alcoholic calories replaced nonalcoholic calories. Despite their higher caloric intakes, drinkers were not more obese than nondrinkers, suggesting that alcoholic calories may be less efficiently utilized than nonalcoholic calories, or may interfere with utilization of nonalcoholic calories. The most salient difference in nutrient intake between drinkers and nondrinkers was the substantially lower carbohydrate intake of drinkers.
Adding in carbs (from beer) or sugars (from mixers and flavored drinks) doesn’t alter the way our body processes the alcohol but does contribute to a higher overall load, obviously.
I prefer my Scotch unadulterated anyway, regardless of the calorie count. I can get lost in the world of flavor and aroma, and working on picking out a variety of notes each time I sip. My brother schooled me years ago, when he was working at a Trader Joe’s in the San Fernando Valley, that one could pick up a great bottle of wine for $30. The same can be said for Scotch.
Obviously, a gift isn’t about it’s value. That said, I believe it’s important (human behavior is fascinating) to point out that people notice the amount of money spent on gifts. Gone are the days when removing the price-tag is a meaningful gesture. You unwrap your gift, and if you don’t know its approximate cost, you’re a simple Google search away from finding out.
When I received a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch, I knew that my friend had dropped some cake. I knew when I opened my Glenrothes Alba Reserve Scotch, that it was less pricey. Who cares?
Let’s not shy away from the obvious. Drinking JWB and Glenrothes are very different experiences. We’ve spoken before how the price tag can influence our perception of tastes – but when we know that, we can compensate. I definitely found both to be equally rewarding and palatable indulgences.
On the nose of the Glenrothes, I get honey and orange. Taking a sip, my palate receives vanilla and coconut notes. By contrast, the JWB offers a perfume-y, woodsy and smokey bouquet. Upon tasting, I sense a bolder sip with smoky and peaty notes (peat is partially decayed vegetable matter and is cut and used as a fuel source, a note you’ll often see in Scotch).
Tasting the Scotches in this exploratory manner allowed me to immerse myself fully in the experience. I felt fulfilled by my choices the next morning, and my lifting session reflected that mental strength. We don’t need to place a series of artificial rules on ourselves while training. The more often we do so, the less likely we are to consistently meet our goals. Rather, we should be deliberate about our choices, moderating our excesses and optimizing for interesting life experiences.
We are coming to understand that the mental side of sports is just as (if not more) important than the physical, particularly at the highest level. More accurately, mental strength is the separator when talent is comparable. Sure, basketball players should be knocking out their free throws deliberately and linemen need thousands of sound blocking reps. But in the world of competitive sports, where the stakes are high and the stresses are higher, staying mentally strong enough to handle the ups and downs (and grow from them) is the delta between success and failure.
Traditional coaching revolves around identifying the most recent issue. We’ve all seen it – the hitting coach and the hitter after a punch out, or the receiver who ran the wrong route and runs back to the sidelines to get blown up by his coach. The blowing up part occurs more frequently in football, of course, but each vertical has its version of poorly timed, poorly executed version of instruction.
Do any of us think that the hitter is thinking critically after a strikeout in a key moment? Are we conveying any applicable information by flagging a new mechanical flaw in a moment of seething? The word “discipline” comes from the Latin disciplinare and means “to teach.” Yet discipline and punishment are far from the same things. Punishment (yelling, lecturing, running laps, cleaning the weight room) may attempt to stop a unsavory behavior, but it doesn’t teach. Our athletes have learned nothing by the coach screaming out his frustrations or pissing on a player to mark his territory.
Collectively, the sports world is moving beyond this, because we’ve learned that it’s relatively unproductive. We review game film the next day, we perform early work in the cage, and, just as importantly, we have modern day “chalk talks” – discussions in which both parties can openly discuss what happened and how to improve.
This isn’t applicable just in sports. In parenting, the stakes are much higher, and the principle applies even more. Yesterday, my 13 year old son had a birthday party and was heading to Magic Mountain, a theme park in Southern California flush with roller coasters. About 30 minutes before he was set to be picked up by his friend and his friend’s pops, he said, “Dad, do you know where my season pass is?”
Damn.
I was working, making him breakfast and looking out for the needs of his older brother. This wasn’t ideal timing. Frankly, the timing pissed me off. I was frustrated, and he could sense it. I wanted to know why he’d wait to ask the question. Deep down, I knew. He’s 13 and doesn’t plan beyond now.
During our conversation, he was visibly upset. I was too, and despite our best attempts to sharpen in the moment, emotions were running too high. This is not the time that we can learn or grow as men. When we’re feeling angry, our brains are being flooded with chemicals triggering defensive mechanisms and our “flight or fight” response. Our ability to process new information, to understand the situation, and to control our reactions is shut down. At those times, we’re focused on venting emotions, not teaching and developing.
At one point during the conversation, Dane said “I’m not organized, I lose things, that’s just what I do.”
Knowing there was nothing productive to be gained here, I pulled back from the emotions of the moment. “Dane, let’s not talk about this right now. I’m upset, and I can see you are too. Let’s just take care of the problem right now, and we’ll address the rest of it later.”
This morning, Dane and I had some “chalk talk” about what went down. We used the analogy of watching game film – it’s something we have to do every day, and this was the game film of life. First, we tried to change his language. In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to slip into the fixed mindset. His “it’s just what I do” was this mindset coming up. With some time to process the situation, we were able to transition into a growth mindset and discuss what he could do differently and how I could support.
He started with the basics. He shouldn’t have waited until the last minute, etc. I encouraged him not to focus on what had already happened, but rather, what we could do to put him in a better chance to succeed?
“22, why don’t you call Magic Mountain, ask them to send you a duplicate, and then find a space to keep the pass?”
We identified an appropriate location, talked through how to store the pass when not in use, and how to plan appropriately in the future. He was receptive over a glass of orange juice, some crisp bacon and a calm father. Timing is everything.
Developing these mental skills is like developing any other muscle memory. Just as we practice our delivery or swing before games so that in the pressure situation, it is instinctive, we should practice our coping techniques away from the emotional ups and downs of life. The more deliberate practice we gain, the more naturally it will come to us when we need it.
Brining bone-in pork chops is my new thing. If you want your chops to be crazy juicy and flavorful, try my recently discovered method of preparation. Oh, and if you’re that experienced brother or sister snickering because you’ve had this in your back pocket for years, stand down. This post is not for you. Go read Bon Appétit.
For years, I’ve prepared pork chops in an identical way. I’ve sprinkled them with salt, pepper, olive oil and a dash of garlic powder, then onto the grill. I’ve always had moderate levels of success, so I never felt the need to venture into fresh territory. Now, I’ve discovered what I was missing. Before today, I had never experimented with brining a protein cut. Let’s start with a clear explanation of brine. From stellaculinary.com:
In its simplest form, brine is a salt and water solution that food products, most commonly meats, are soaked in for a given period of time to improve the product’s overall quality. When food is brined correctly, the process yields three major benefits:
Textural improvement, especially when brining proteins.
Brines can and will enhance overall flavor. Not only does the salt contained within a brine help to season the food product (assuming the brine is applied correctly), but brines also commonly contain secondary flavor profiles such as herbs, spices and aromatics, that are chosen specifically to enhance the overall flavor of the food product being brined.
By far the biggest reason food is brined, and that’s moisture retention. Especially when it comes to cooking lean proteins such as chicken breast, pork tenderloin and even fish, brining allows proteins to retain more moisture throughout the cooking process resulting in a moister finished product.
That moisture was especially noticeable in my final product.
Part of the reason I never gave brining a shot is because I imagined it to be a complicated, time-consuming process. I had visions of needing to start my food prep the night before, and I wanted no part of that. The opposite was true for my quick jaunt, and for smaller cuts, brining can be effective in relatively short periods of time. From thekitchn.com:
Brines work by breaking down some of the muscle tissue and helping the meat to draw in moisture. On large cuts like Faith’s corned beef, this process can take several hours or days. But on small cuts, even a short brine while you prepare the rest of the meal will improve the flavor and tenderness of the meat!
Obviously, brining is but a single step on the path to badass pork chops. Here’s what worked for me:
Step 1: Brine your bone-in pork chops. Add of 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) salt to 1 quart of water. Stir well. Throw your chops in a dish and completely submerge in the salt water mixture. Sprinkle rosemary and black peppercorns in the water. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Remove from water, pat dry and season. I used olive oil, salt and pepper.
Step 3: Sear your chops in a screaming hot, oven safe skillet for 3 minutes on one side.
Step 4: Flip your chops. Then throw the skillet in a preheated, 400 degree oven for 7-9 minutes.
Step 5: Rest your chops. Loosely foil over the top and relax with a glass of wine, raw milk or Scotch for 5-10 minutes.
Step 6: Serve and enjoy.
A few days back, we discussed occasions to celebrate. Successfully executed pork chops are a better reason for a party hat than ½ the holidays on the calendar.
If you need a quick and easy way to feel healthier, try saying thank you.
My ex-wife Lisa and I had a Carl’s Jr. fixation as teenagers. She’d grab a Western Bacon Cheeseburger and crisscut fries. I was all about the Santé Fe Chicken Sandwich (funny what passed as healthy back then). We’d approach the window in her black Nissan Sentra with the dent in the bumper, and I’d do the ordering. With all the charm of a cocky teenage boy, I laid out my list of demands. Her death glare came as I wrapped up my less than humble request. “You didn’t say thank you,” Lisa would say.
She went on to explain her position many times throughout 1993 until it finally sank in for me. I began to articulate my appreciation regularly. My grandfather isn’t sold. He believes being overly thankful to folks doing a job for you gives away the upper hand. I disagree with him. Saying thank you to others is an important part of caring for yourself. From berkeley.edu:
Recently scientists have begun to chart a course of research aimed at understanding gratitude and the circumstances in which it flourishes or diminishes. They’re finding that people who practice gratitude consistently report a host of benefits:
Stronger immune systems and lower blood pressure
Higher levels of positive emotions;
More joy, optimism, and happiness;
Acting with more generosity and compassion;
Feeling less lonely and isolated.
We can all use those benefits in our lives. It’s not just about manners. Gratitude makes others feel respected. It is a give and take that makes the world a more negotiable space. Saying thank you makes folks want to continue to help you because they feel valued. It is a sensational motivator. A 2010 study set out to prove it. From psychcentral.com:
In the first study 69 participants were asked to provide feedback to a fictitious student called ‘Eric’ on his cover letter for a job application. After sending their feedback through by email, they got a reply from Eric asking for more help with another cover letter.
The twist is that half of them got a thankful reply from Eric and the other half a neutral reply. The experimenters wanted to see what effect this would have on participant’s motivation to give Eric any more help.
As you might expect, those who were thanked by Eric were more willing to provide further assistance. Indeed the effect of ‘thank you’ was quite substantial: while only 32% of participants receiving the neutral email helped with the second letter, when Eric expressed his gratitude, this went up to 66%.
I don’t mean to suggest that we should be disingenuous. Thanking folks for less than stellar effort is easy to sniff out and smacks of manipulation. I make sure that I express my appreciation with an accurate correlation to the work or help someone has provided. As we head toward the Thanksgiving holiday, exercise this muscle. Write down 2 or 3 things you feel grateful for every morning. From the New York Times:
Cultivating an “attitude of gratitude” has been linked to better health, sounder sleep, less anxiety and depression, higher long-term satisfaction with life and kinder behavior toward others, including romantic partners.
Gratitude for others creates an atmosphere of positive vibes and optimizes taking care of ourselves. Here at Kaplifestyle, we always try to check both boxes.
