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  • Kaplifestyle – A Lifestyle and Fitness site by Gabe Kapler

    Our know it all editor, Stephanie, pays attention to detail in every aspect of life. When it comes to teaching people about cocktails, she’s even more meticulous. In today’s guest post, she demonstrates why. … [Read More…]

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  • Work Day Music

    Playing music in the office will absolutely elevate mood and increase productivity for you and your teammates. In every clubhouse I’ve ever been in, loud music has been a part of the culture. From merengue to country, from rap to R & B, the atmosphere was perpetually soaked with the playlist of our athletes. There was consistent competition…

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  • Open Thread: Week 23

    Welcome to our open thread. Charles dives right in with a question about the “training mask.” Hey Kap, Is there any training tools you like to use? Ever heard of the “Training Mask”/ thoughts, opinion? Big fan of your blog! -Charles Charles, You may be less of a fan after you read my reply. That’s…

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  • Optimizing Sleep Temperatures

    If you’re optimizing for improved sleep, cooler temperatures in your bedroom might be the move. Today, I spent some time chatting with former Navy SEAL and current sleep expert, Kirk Parsley. His life’s mission is to change the way the world views sleeping. He submits that when we are sleep deprived, we are essentially drunk.…

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  • Mood Music

    Hip-hop is poetry. Yes, this is a lifestyle/fitness blog, but we have no rules. We respond to our environments and get in moods. As such, I’m sitting in a Phoenix coffee shop, working, writing and reflecting. The speakers are pumping mid 1990’s hip-hop, the greatest era ever for the genre, hands down. I deem it apropos to illuminate some of…

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  • Intermittent Fasting Update

    [Editor’s note: Gabe has graciously agreed to let me use this platform to offer an update on my intermittent fasting. The following is from me. –Stephanie] If you read Kaplifestyle last week, you may remember that I decided to embark on a self-experiment and try intermittent fasting. As I write, I’m currently in day 9,…

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  • Selfish Behavior

    The greatest way to counteract selfish behavior is to model selfless behavior. This morning, I received a text from a respected and trusted former teammate of mine. Not surprisingly, he was looking for a way to be a better brother to his current teammates: How can I get guys who are on the extreme side…

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  • guest post

    If you’ve been reading this blog for a bit, you know one of our themes revolves around mining for the answer to the question “why?” I believe strongly in this concept. The modern day baseball player does too, and we are lucky to be in a generation where players don’t blindly follow direction. They require explanations…

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  • Kombucha

    There are plenty folks out there who believe that kombucha has some healthy upside. I’m less enthusiastic, but the downside is limited and, in moderation, it’s a fine drink. From cleancuisineandmore.com: Kombucha (pronounced “kom-BOO-cha”), often called “mushroom tea,” is a fermented beverage made from black or green tea, sugar and a fungus culture. It’s been…

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  • Body Language and Confidence

    It’s been well publicized that your body language can have a remarkable impact on the way people respond to you. More importantly, there is growing sentiment that your body language changes the way YOU respond to you. If you’ve been reading my posts, you know I use the word intuition quite a bit. I believe…

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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