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  • Protein Powder Alternatives

  • supplements

    Powders are for snorting. If you want protein, you should be eating real food.You know my views on shortcuts, and protein powders undoubtedly belong in that blender. I get my protein in a form my body recognizes, via the flesh of humanly raised animals. But I’ve finally cracked. For you, not for me, I’ve researched…

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  • weight lifting

    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…

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  • Time Off: A Vacation from Working Out

    Long periods of active rest are optimal for recovery after long periods of intense training. The season is now over for the Tigers and the Angels. The majority of MLB teams ended their grind a few days prior, with the close of the regular season. In my playing days, I started my offseason training programs…

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  • Open Thread: Week 12

    Hello, my friends, and thanks for joining week 12 of our open thread. We don’t have time to waste. Let’s roll. Charlie says: Being an elite athlete, I am sure you have dealt with your fair share of injuries. I recently suffered a torn labrum which required surgery. I rehabbed slowly but surely, returned to…

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  • caffeine

    I’m asked often about the health benefits and effectiveness of energy drinks.I can gracefully answer the first part of the question. The nutrition label on a Rockstar or Monster can tells me all I need to know – stay far, far away.The effectiveness part is a little trickier because once I read how unhealthy these…

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  • recovery

    I woke up this morning feeling like telling a couple of stories. You should gather by now that I’m not a doctor, so don’t browse for medical advice in this post. I’m simply sharing a few of the things that came up over the course of my professional baseball career. Hopefully you can extract a…

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  • Strengthen Your Core with Planks

    Sit-ups are not ideal for your body. Planks are a solid substitute to replace them. From Harvard Health Publications: One reason is that sit-ups are hard on your back — by pushing your curved spine against the floor and by working your hip flexors, the muscles that run from the thighs to the lumbar vertebrae…

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  • Reality Break

    The barber shop shave is an experience that all men should have at least semi-regularly. You know I encourage indulgences around here. Not all of those indulgences have to be food related, however. You may remember my discussion on getting a massage. Likewise, I encourage us all to find a master with a straight razor…

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  • injury

    The Romanian Deadlift (RDL) is a good fill in for your star player, the squat.I was a role player with the Boston Red Sox during 2003-2006. I usually started versus a tough lefty, I pinch ran, played defense and generally kept the line moving as necessary. The Red Sox and their fans knew that our…

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  • stress

    Stressed? Consider this your official excuse to go get a rubdown. Stress kills and massage may significantly reduce stress. Booya, you’re justified.I was at the studio earlier today prepping for my work at Fox Sports Live when I received an email from tonight’s producer, Zeus (he’s not Greek, he’s Turkish). Don’t think we will have…

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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