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  • Nutrition and Meals – Page 31

    I have an unhealthy obsession with achieving the perfectly cooked, easy to peel hard boiled egg. As a quick reminder, according to Dr. Jeff Volek, “Whole eggs contain more essential vitamins and minerals per calorie than virtually any other food.” I can trace my fascination back to clubhouse in Arlington while a member of the…

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  • Standing at Work

    If you’re interested in calorie burning value at the margins, stand more and sit less. We’ve discussed how to improve posture, but it’s time to advocate for standing while we work. There is actual science to support the fact that standing burns more calories than sitting. From Keith Barr, Ph.D, a renowned scientist in the…

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  • Gratitude

    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…

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  • Chewing Gum (with natural gum recipe)

    During my playing career, I was definitely a pack a day guy. I might go through 10-15 during every nine inning game. Cigarettes? No. Chewing gum. I wasn’t alone. Look around the league and you’ll see endless examples of dudes chomping while manning their respective positions. It’s just habit for us. For me, it actually…

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  • Kaplifestyle – Page 2 – A Lifestyle and Fitness site by Gabe Kapler

    Striving to avoid slipups isn’t noble. Striving to take bold action, knowing that you’ll inevitably fail and look foolish, is a strong strategy. Recently, an inspiring colleague of mine shared this with … [Read More…]

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  • Guilty Conscience

    The other day, I ran over a squirrel. You know by now that we range far and wide on this blog, exploring many themes. Today, we’re pondering guilt. When I ran over the squirrel, I didn’t feel any. Don’t get me wrong; I didn’t take any pleasure in it. I simply didn’t really feel anything,…

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  • Cocktail Class 3: Wine

    I recently watched the documentary film Somm. The film follows four young hopefuls valiantly pushing towards acquiring the prestigious title of Master Sommelier. These men train tirelessly for the exam. They stumble. They celebrate triumph. I couldn’t help but see some similarities between their process and that of an elite athlete training up to an…

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  • Beef Broth

    I swear this post is about two things, the taste and health benefits of beef broth. There will be diversions along the way. Hang in there with me. It will all simmer (see?) down to these two focal points. I’ve been making beef broth all day with bones from the ½ cow I have outside…

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  • Gabe Kapler – Page 4

    Being able to physically defend oneself can lead to and maintain confidence. One of my closest friends has always been a self-assured individual. We recently shared a meal, and I identified how comfortable he was in his own skin, even at 15 when we met (and began partnering on finding efficient ways to skip school).…

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  • Bone Marrow

    I love my field research for this blog. I may have found a new Red Bull alternative for y’all: bone marrow. From lahealthyliving.com: Bone marrow is a fatty, jello like substance found in the core of bones. It’s a nutrient dense and rich in energy substances that all types of animals are primarily drawn toward…

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I aim to plan and consciously choose all of my indulgences. I have the knowledge and willpower to do so, but occasionally, I will have a substantial misfire.

I was in Boston, my home away from home, for the 2004 World Series reunion. I splurged nutritionally as I had intended, but I didn’t map out my large nutritional stumble while watching the game.

I had it all pre-navigated. My two men (12 and 14) and I love to experience travel through food. We think it’s the most efficient and interesting way to explore the culture of a city. We discussed the trip ahead of time and decided on three restaurants where we would fully indulge and eat like kings. We’d start with the team dinner at a fine steak and seafood house, follow it up with breakfast the next morning at a bakery, and finish it out with lunch at a tapas joint in the South End.

The first night the three of us shared bone in filets, swordfish steaks, oysters, giant shrimp, crab cakes, lamb chops, chocolate cake, apple crisps and cold vanilla ice cream. I enjoyed a few glasses of whiskey, neat, and my boys drank Sprite. We left the restaurant 1 for 1. Remember, this indulgence was planned.

The next morning, we went to a bakery suggested by a Boston-based chef friend. The boys picked up scones and French toast; I scored big with a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a crusty roll with spinach and tomato. The bite came complete with a Dijon mustard finish that struck a chord with me, managing to last all day. 2 at bats, 2 knocks.

After mobbing around on the T train all morning, making our way to Harvard and back to Downtown Crossing, we landed at our destination for lunch, Toro. Theo Epstein made the recommendation after I mentioned that my boys and I were on a food adventure. This is the guy who went out to get the “washed up” 2002 version of David Ortiz, so he’s proven his scouting mettle. If he thinks it’s a worthwhile trip, I’ll take his advice.

Back to food.

Rather than turn this post into a restaurant review, I’ll keep it simple. I had an out of body experience. Every small plate that arrived was visually captivating and stunning on the palate. We sprinted the gamut. From spicy curry beef empanadas to cauliflower with golden raisins and pine nuts to the pièce de résistance, roasted bone marrow with radish citrus salad and oxtail marmalade. This dish, holy fuck. Our waiter described it exquisitely as “like rich, hot, beef flavored butter.” I was now 3 for 3 and ready for my final at bat.

A theme throughout this entire trip was advance planning. My first mistake was not preparing for this final meal. I figured my boys and I would just eat at the ballpark and didn’t put much thought into it. I knew that the options would be plentiful and come in large quantities. I wasn’t necessarily wrong, but I quickly got off course.

I was running around at Fenway from this place to that, answering questions and meeting folks. My boys were on their own and already up in the suite by the time I arrived around the start of the first inning. They had eaten pizza, snacks and fruit, totally what I expected for them. I walked in starving, my second mistake.  I reached for a plate and piled on decent looking veggies, a huge mound of guacamole, and the only available protein, stale fried chicken strips. I could have reached into my bag and opened a can of wild caught salmon. I didn’t. My defenses were down. I hadn’t snacked. I ingested that garbage and suffered strike one.

You know my stance on processed foods. Those frozen chunks of flour covered meat product provide little nutritional value. I had already experienced a whirlwind day filled with emotion and exertion, and the pizza under the heat lamp began to look lovely.

I advocate indulgence, but I advocate planned, quality indulgence. This was neither. I scarfed down a piece and the drugs hit my bloodstream. I couldn’t chew fast enough. Strike two.

The final pitch of the at bat came in and I chased it. I scarfed down a few more slices, knowing even as I did so that it wasn’t my finest hour.

3 for 4. In baseball that’s a hell of a day. Nutritionally, I expect 4 for 4s from myself almost always. I’m in control, so the high bar is appropriately set. Rather than dwell on it, I’ll do what Manny tells us to do after a rough at bat. “Turn the page, papi.”

I write this from the plane the following morning. I’ve turned the page. Today, I’ve ingested steel cut oats, fresh organic blueberries, a pile of kale, a chunk of a ham steak, a few fresh scrambled eggs and organic black coffee.

In my bag, I have a large salad with tons of fresh veggies, almonds, chicken, organic Hannah yams. I also still have that wild salmon I passed over for pizza in a box.

I’m back on track. I remember last night’s at bat and will make the adjustment without carrying the emotion of yesterday over into today’s game.

I hope you’ll share your stories of strikeouts or home runs in the comments section below.

Kap