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  • Protein Powder Alternatives

  • almond milk

    Almonds are unquestionably better than almond milk, but almond milk is a healthier choice than some other substitutes.I’ll get straight to the point. I’m not a fan of processed products that mimic a desirable culinary experience. Between soy masquerading as bacon, Veganaise and other counterfeit products that attempt to bridge the gap, we’re led away…

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  • Kicking the Coke Habit

    One of the best catalysts to jump start your 2014 healthy living program is removing soda from your daily eating plan. Whether your goal is to lower body fat, improve vitality or just generally be healthier, replacing the sugary, carbonated artificially flavored beverages with water will drastically increase your chance for success. Everyone knows that…

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  • Almond versus Peanut Butter

    In Little League, everyone’s a winner. In the battle of almond versus peanut butter, we’re not teaching sportsmanship, but we don’t really need to crown a champion, either. In order to have an intelligent discussion on this topic, let’s state the obvious – this discussion is about the virtues of almonds and peanuts; their form…

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  • open thread

    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 my…

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  • Open Thread: Week 5

    Welcome back to our open thread. C’mon in, the water’s fine. Mike: Kap, on the 5×5 how do you breakdown the weight per set… Of course after doing it a few times you know where the final weight is for the last set so if your working weight is 225 for bench as an example,…

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  • dips

    When an injury robs us of our ability to train the way we are accustomed to, there is nearly always an alternative. After an injury left me unable to perform my usual routine, I focused on the best upper body workouts to keep myself fit and strong.Watching Richard Sherman on crutches during the final minutes…

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  • upper body

    When an injury robs us of our ability to train the way we are accustomed to, there is nearly always an alternative. After an injury left me unable to perform my usual routine, I focused on the best upper body workouts to keep myself fit and strong.Watching Richard Sherman on crutches during the final minutes…

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  • The Phases of Confidence – Cassidy Watton [Guest Post]

    Ever see greatness in someone, almost so much that it doesn’t seem fair? Sometimes others can see it in you before you see it yourself. I watch the way Cassidy Watton approaches her work, and I know she can assist us in becoming stronger, more physically confident, less anxious, fitter and bolder. She’s finding her…

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  • MLB

    Ensuring you have an appropriate warm up is essential to any successful program. Warm ups prior to exercise are important to prepare your circulatory system and muscles for exertion and reduce the chance of injury. Unfortunately, traditional stretching routines are ineffective. The most potent way to warm up for an athletic activity is by performing…

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  • Perpetual Learning

    Building your critical thinking muscle is just as important as adding lean tissue to your physique. Exactly one year ago today, I set out to write posts about health, fitness and food. You know the story of how we got started. I knew this blog would make me stronger, but I had no idea how.…

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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