Thursday, December 31, 2015
Brewed for January: The Best New and Seasonal Beer Releases
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Fuel Your Goal Contest Terms and Conditions
Official rules for the #FuelYourGoal Contest.
Bodybuilding.com “Fuel Your Goal” Contest
Official Rules
U.S. Residents Only
- ELIGIBILITY: The Bodybuilding.com “Fuel Your Goal” Contest (“Contest”) is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia (excluding Puerto Rico, Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and any other U.S. territories and protectorates, and individuals with an APO or FPO military address), who are eighteen (18) years of age, or the age of majority, whichever is older at time of entry (“Contestant”). Employees, contractors, members, and agents of Bodybuilding.com, LLC and Liberty Media Corporation, and members of their immediate family (including spouses, parents, siblings, children and their respective spouses) and persons living in the same household with any such individuals are ineligible. In order to be eligible, Contestant must follow these Rules. Failure to comply with these Rules will result in ineligibility of Contestant. No purchase necessary. This Contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law.
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- HOW TO ENTER: During the Enrollment Period, Contestant must upload a photograph or video illustrating their 2016 goal (“Submission”) through Instagram, Twitter or Facebook using the hashtags #fuelyourgoal and #belitefuel and tag @bodybuildingcom. Membership to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook is free. All submissions must be publicly viewable to be judged for the Contest. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any Contestant in their sole discretion. False, deceptive, or incomplete entries shall render the Contestant ineligible.
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By submitting a photo or video, Contestant assigns all right, title and interest to Sponsor and on their behalf or on behalf of the copyright holder (if different from Contestant). Sponsor is not obligated to publish a credit to the original copyright holder for the publication of the photo. Contestant agrees to hold Sponsor harmless, defend, and indemnify Sponsor from any and all liabilities, loss, claims, or causes of actions, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses that may be incurred by Sponsor, arising out of or relating to Contestant’s breach of any representation or warranty related to the photo or any other violation of these Rules. - JUDGING CRITERIA: All eligible Submissions will be judged by Sponsor, in its sole discretion, and whose decisions are final and binding in all matters relating to the Contest. Submissions will be judged based on the following criteria: (a) creativity and originality of the photo or video and (b) the best representation of the Bodybuilding.com brand (“Judging Criteria”).
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Sponsor is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate entry information, human error, technical malfunction, failures, omission, interruption, deletion, or defect of any telephone network, computer online systems, computer equipment, servers, access providers, or software, including any injury or damage to Contestant’s or any other persons’, computer relating to or resulting from participation in this Contest; inability to access the entry website or any pages thereof; theft, tampering, destruction, or unauthorized access to, or alteration of entries; entry submissions that are processed late or incorrectly or are incomplete, garbled, or lost due to computer or electronic malfunction or traffic congestion on the Internet or any website. Contestant agrees proof of entering information at website is not considered proof of delivery or receipt. All dates set forth in these Official Rules are approximate.
NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES TO THE CONTRARY, SPONSOR SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO ENTRANT OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF SPONSOR HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Sponsor reserves the right to terminate, suspend, withdraw or amend the Contest for any reason. - ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: All Selected Winners agree to sign any documentation requested by Sponsor, including, without limitation, an Affidavit of Eligibility/Release of Liability/Prize Acceptance Form when selected and upon presentation of said form(s) by Sponsor. If any document is returned to Sponsor as undeliverable or if Sponsor does not receive a response from any Selected Contestant within fourteen (14) business days of attempted notification, such Selected Contestant may be disqualified and the prize will be awarded to an alternate Selected Contestant. Selected Contestants will be required to participate in media coverage and/or events at Sponsor’s request. Should the Selected Contestant be unable or unwilling to fulfill the obligations outlined in the Rules, a substitute winner will be named.
- SEVERABILITY: The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these Official Rules shall otherwise remain in effect and shall be construed in accordance with its terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein.
- GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION: This Contest will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Idaho without regard to conflict of law principles. Any controversy arising under, in connection with or in any way relating to this Giveaway shall be adjudicated before a state or federal court of competent jurisdiction located in Boise, Ada County, Idaho. Contestant and Sponsor: (i) accept, generally and unconditionally, the exclusive jurisdiction of such court and any related appellate court, and irrevocably agree to be bound by any judgment rendered thereby in connection with this Contest, and (ii) irrevocably waive any objection it may now or hereafter have as to the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court or that such court is an inconvenient forum.
'Alaskan Bush People' Recap: Armed & Dangerous
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Are Essential Vitamins Lacking In Your Diet?
Vitamins A and D are crucial for optimal health and performance. Meet the recommended amounts of these fat-soluble vitamins each day with these nutrient-packed foods!
For optimal health and athletic performance, you need to fill your belly with foods that provide not only calories from macronutrients like protein and carbohydrates, but also adequate amounts of certain must-have micronutrients and vitamins.
Sadly, the so-called "standard American diet" (indeed, it is SAD) is replete with processed foods that don't do a very good job of providing the most important vitamins in optimal amounts. Sure, some vitamins are pumped back into refined foods like white bread, but this is hardly the best way to get what you need. If you buck the trend and focus on consuming nutrient-rich foods, you'll be supplying your body with many of the raw goods it needs to perform at its best.
Part 1 of this six-part nutrient blast focuses on two of the fat-soluble vitamins, A and D, which provide an abundance of health and performance benefits. Not coincidentally, all of these foods also jive with a macro-focused eating approach, so dig in without reservation!
Vitamin A Why you need it, and how much you need
Humans require vitamin A for proper cell growth, which in turn plays a role in forming and maintaining organs such as the heart, skin, and lungs. Vitamin A is also necessary for vision, immune health, and bone health.
There are two main sources of vitamin A: animal sources, which contain preformed vitamin A in the form of retinol, and plant sources, which contain provitamin A carotenoids that the body converts to retinol. The most important carotenoid is beta-carotene which provides the bright orange color in vegetables like carrots and orange bell peppers.
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin A is provided as micrograms (mcg) of retinol activity equivalents (RAE) to account for the different bioactivities of preformed vitamin A and vitamin-A precursors. Yeah, its confusing stuff. Just eat a bunch of the foods below and you're good to go. Adult men need 900 micrograms RAE daily, while women should obtain 700 micrograms RAE.
Beef Liver
3 ounces = 444% RDA
Perhaps it's time to start serving liver and onions for dinner more often. Since vitamin A is stored in the liver, it should come as no surprise that this organ meat from beef and other animals is a top-notch source. In fact, liver is more concentrated in a variety of nutrients like vitamin B12 and copper than standard cuts of steak. And not to be overlooked are the 21 grams of muscle-sculpting protein in a small 3 oz. serving.
Nobody craves eating liver with a texture akin to shoe leather, so cook it quickly in a smoking hot skillet so that the outside sears while the interior remains tender and still slightly pink. This usually takes about 3 minutes per side. Soaking liver for up to 8 hours in water spiked with salt and lemon juice before cooking can help reduce its notorious strong flavor as well as tenderize the meat.
Sweet Potato
1 medium potato = 438% RDA
Here's another good reason to be sweet on this tuber. The vitamin A you'll obtain from a sweet potato hails from the plethora of beta-carotene it contains. On top of being a source of vitamin A, beta-carotene acts as an antioxidant in the body which has been linked with a lower risk of developing diabetes.1 Other nutritional perks include ample fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium.
Kale
1 cup = 206% RDA
Here's more proof that this hipster green is worthy of its superfood label. Like sweet potato, the vitamin A in kale is mainly in the form of the orange pigment beta-carotene. The high amount of chlorophyll in the leafy green is why it's not orange in color. Other nutritional highlights include plenty of vitamin C and vitamin K.
If you're not a fan of kale's bitter side, a quick steaming or sautéing can mellow its flavor. Also consider stripping the leaves from the stem, which is far more bitter. If that's too much work, buy frozen kale, which is flash-frozen soon after harvest to lock in the beta-carotene and other nutrients.
Of course, the list doesn't end there. Other good sources of vitamin A include pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, milk, cod liver oil, broccoli leaves, Swiss chard, spinach, goat cheese, turkey and chicken giblets, eel, Bluefin tuna, egg yolk.
Vitamin D Why you need it, and how much you need
To maintain bones of steel, it's essential to get enough vitamin D. This nutrient is necessary for proper calcium absorption, and also impacts the function of compounds called osteoblasts, which are involved in bone formation.
But in recent years, research has shown that vitamin D's role in the body goes well beyond strengthening your skeleton. Adequate vitamin-D status has been linked to everything from improved heart health and brain function to lowered risks of diabetes and obesity.2,3
Many genes in the body are impacted by vitamin D, which is why it has such a varied resumé. Those who like to spend time working up a sweat should take heed of recent data suggesting that vitamin D may help improve athletic performance and muscular strength, reduce inflammation, and even bolster testosterone production.4 This is most pronounced if you're vitamin D-deficient, which well over half of the population is.
Similar to vitamin A, there are 2 forms of vitamin D. Vitamin D derived from sunlight is in the form of vitamin D-3, also known as cholecalciferol. When ultraviolet (UV) rays strike the skin, a molecule in the epidermis—7-dehydrocholesterol—is triggered to initiate vitamin-D synthesis. Vitamin D-3 is also found in animal sources, such as egg yolks and fish.
Vitamin D-2, on the other hand, is derived from mold and yeast. D-2, also known as ergocalciferol, can also be found in plant sources such as mushrooms.
Vitamin D-3 has been shown to be the more potent of the two, and most the likely to exert effects within the body.5 It is also the form used most extensively in clinical trials.
Adults who get minimal sun exposure should aim for at least 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily.
Herring
1 ounce = 115% RDA
No fish provides more vitamin D than herring; it's one of the best sandwich meats for building muscle, providing plenty of muscle-friendly protein and vitamin B-12 as well.
The availability of fresh herring can be hit or miss, so keep an eye out for pickled or smoked versions, which can instantly up the nutritional ante of your lunch sandwiches.
Canned sockeye salmon
3 ounce = 162% RDA
Here's more proof that the canned-food aisle is somewhere you should spin your wheels. Canned salmon is a convenient way to load up on vitamin D. Other nutritional perks include protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and even calcium if you eat the softened bones. Less expensive canned pink salmon also supplies notable amounts of vitamin D, just not as much as the richer-tasting sockeye. For the sake of the environment, seek out a brand such as Wild Planet that uses only sustainable wild Alaskan salmon.
Other good sources of vitamin D include cod liver oil, sardines, mackerel, fresh sockeye salmon, shrimp, milk, egg yolks, and fortified foods such as yogurt, nondairy milks, orange juice, and cereals.
Very few foods are really packed with vitamin D. Your vitamin-D status is primarily influenced by sun exposure, your location relative to the equator, the amount of time you spend outside, your skin pigmentation, and your use of sunscreen. Have your vitamin-D levels checked by your physician via a simple blood test. If you are deficient, or have suboptimal levels, consult your doctor about supplementing with 2,000-5,000 IU daily of vitamin D-3.
Is there such a thing as too much vitamin A or D?
It's possible to overconsume vitamin A, but you'd have to make a consistent, prolonged effort to do so. Eating copious amounts of liver, guzzling cod liver oil, or overdoing other high-level animal-based sources may lead to hypervitaminosis A (toxic levels of vitamin A). Consuming large amounts of beta-carotene (from orange and yellow fruits and veggies), however, will not make you sick.6
With vitamin D, the ceiling is far higher, and far less clear. Plenty of individuals deficient in vitamin D take upwards of 5,000 IU daily safely, and there's been a lot of clamoring in nutritional circles in recent years to raise the RDA from the current piddling 600-800 IU up to around 4000 IU.
References
- Sluijs, I., Cadier, E., Beulens, J.W.J., van der A., D.J., Spijkerman, A.M.W. & van der Schouw, Y.T. (2015). Dietary intake of carotenoids and risk of type 2 diabetes. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 25(4), 376-381.
- Gonzalez-Molero, I., Rojo-Martinez, G., Morcillo, S., Gutierrez, C., Rubio, E., Perez-Valero, V., Esteva, I., Ruiz de Adana, M.S., Almaraz, M.C., Colomo, N., Olveira, G. & Soriguer, F. (2013). Hypovitaminosis D and incidence of obesity: a prospective study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67(6), 680-682.
- Munger, K.L., Levin, L.I., Massa, J., Horst, R., Orban, T. & Ascherio, A. (2013). Preclinical serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and risk of type 1 diabetes in a cohort of US military personnel. American Journal of Epidemiology, 177(5), 411-419.
- Dahlquist, D.T., Dieter, B.P. & Koehle, M.S. (2015). Plausible ergogenic effects of vitamin D on athletic performance and recovery. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12(33), 1-12.
- Wolpowitz, D. & Gilchrest, B.A. (2006). The vitamin D questions: how much do you need and how should you get it? Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 54(2), 301-317.
- Grune, T., Lietz, G., Palou, A., Ross, A.C., Stahl, W. & Tang, G. (201). Beta-carotene is an important vitamin A source for humans. The Journal of Nutrition, 140(12), 2268-2285.
Monday, December 28, 2015
The Making of TV's Dark-Horse Drama, 'Manhattan'
The 5 Best Cuts Of Beef You're Not Eating
Tired of eating the same old meats? Practice nose-to-tail cooking with these 5 unique cuts of beef that support muscle growth and your sense of culinary adventure!
Our spear-wielding ancestors didn't get their sustenance from turkey sandwiches and hot dogs. Instead, when they took down their game, they practiced nose-to-tail cookery, which meant using all parts of an animal, from brain to hoof. Alas, it's a shame that this practice has fallen by the wayside and so many of today's carnivores seem to think that "meat" means only sirloins, pork chops, or chicken breast—but never beef cheeks or heart.
Offal, which literally means "off fall," or the pieces including tongue, thymus, and liver that fall off a carcass when it's butchered, are downright nutritious and delicious! Sure, you have to be a little adventurous, but your culinary efforts will be rewarded. Plus, eating offal does the planet a good service by reducing the unnecessary waste of animal protein.
To help you take the plunge into new culinary territory and join the nose-to-tail movement, here are my top picks on how to make better use of some of the neglected parts of the cow, proving that offal ain't so awful after all!
Heart
Take this to heart: Beef heart is one of the easiest organ meats to work with in the kitchen. Since it has a taste and texture similar to more common cuts of steak such as sirloin, you could easily pass it off to eaters as such without them being the wiser. The ticker of a cow also provides a larger nutritional windfall for a cost that's friendly to your bank account—often less than a buck a pound.
Beef heart is low in saturated fat and high in muscle-friendly protein (20 grams in a 4-ounce serving), vitamin B-12, iron, and the potent antioxidant selenium. A 2015 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that maintaining optimal selenium levels can help keep you feeling chipper by improving mood and reducing the risk of depression.1
Best of all, depending on the size of the animal the heart was gleaned from, the organ meat could weigh as much as 3-4 pounds, letting you eat your heart out for a number of meals.
Eat It
You want to look for a heart that's firm, moist, and deep reddish-brown with a layer of fat around the top. Before cooking, simply slice off the fat as well as any connective tissue or silvery skin. You can then thinly slice the meat and cook it in a skillet on the stovetop or over the flames on the grill.
A word of caution: Since beef heart is very lean, it can quickly become unappetizingly tough if overcooked. So it's best cooked fast over fairly high heat and not past medium-rare. Heart works great in stir-fry, or try adding cooked slices to salads to beef up your greens.
Cold slices of cooked heart are even a stellar addition to sandwiches. The meat also takes well to all sorts of marinades.
Tongue
Once you get over your understandable squeamishness, overlooked cow tongue can deliver truly seducing, tender meat with praise-worthy flavor. In fact, when poached with aromatics like onions and garlic, tongue meat tastes very reminiscent of pot roast. I kid you not! And since a whole beef tongue can weigh up to 4 pounds, you'll get some serious nutritional bang for your buck. Among tongue's nutritional highlights are good levels of protein, testosterone-boosting zinc, and B vitamins including vitamin B-12.
Eat It
The biggest hurdle to getting tongue onto your dinner table is its thick skin, which needs to be peeled off, and it's nearly impossible to do so from the raw meat. What you want to do is gently poach tongue in some liquid, after which you can easily peel off the skin.
Place the tongue in a large saucepan. Add 1 quartered onion, 4 peeled and smashed garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 bay leaf, and enough water to cover the tongue by 2 inches. Bring the mixture to a slow boil over medium-low heat, reduce the heat, and simmer very gently, partially covered, until the tongue is tender and easily pierced with a knife at its thickest part. This takes about an hour for each pound of tongue.
Remove the tongue from the poaching liquid and let it cool only to the point where you can handle it. Using gloves can help. If you let the tongue cool too much, the skin again becomes difficult to remove. Reserve the poaching liquid to use as a flavorful broth. To peel off the skin, start at the throat end of the tongue, and use a small knife to lift up some of the skin. Then scrape off any bumpy areas on the meat with the back of a chef's knife.
After peeling, slice the tongue thinly against the grain. Serve with salsa, chutney, herb sauce, gravy, or even in stir-fry or tacos. Cold slices of tongue are great in sandwiches or atop salads, too. Cooked tongue can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four days if stored in some of the strained cooking liquid. You can reheat slices for a couple of minutes in a skillet or the microwave.
Liver
While it was once a common cut of meat cooked in many households, liver has largely fallen out of favor with newer generations. That's a shame, considering that it provides a welcome relief from more pedestrian meats—yes, I'm looking at you, Mr. Chicken Breast—and delivers a bounty of nutritional goodness.
A mere 3-ounce serving of liver contains an impressive 18 grams of protein to keep muscle growth going in full force, and it's flush with vitamin A to help maintain your immune system in tip-top shape. Liver also blows away most other foods when it comes to vitamin B-12, a benevolent vitamin that's required for your nervous system to function optimally.
Look for liver at the butcher counter that's firm to the touch and shiny. There should not be any odd smell, dry patches, or slimy film.
Eat It
Before cooking liver, peel away any membrane that might be present by loosening it with a sharp knife and gently pulling it away from the meat. While most liver naysayers recall being served appetite-killing meat with a texture similar to shoe leather, the key to great-tasting liver is to cook it quickly in a hot skillet (ideally, cast iron) so that the outside sears while the interior remains tender and still slightly pink—about three minutes per side for a one-pound cut.
Soaking liver for up to eight hours in water spiked with salt and lemon juice before cooking can help dampen any strong flavor and work to tenderize the meat.
Kidney
It might sound strange, but this organ meat is a true pleasure with a rich flavor not that different from liver. From a nutritional standpoint, kidneys can show your muscles some love by providing an excellent protein-to-fat ratio of 7:1. Kidney is also chock-full of a range of essential nutrients including vitamin B-12, vitamin A, riboflavin, and selenium. Kidneys come in pairs, and you only want to purchase those that are shiny and firm with no dry or discolored spots and free of any "off" odor.
Eat It
As with liver, soaking kidneys in acidulated salt water prior to cooking will help reduce the strong, tangy flavor that can be off-putting to newbies. If you buy kidneys whole—which you should, for better quality—be sure to slice them in half lengthwise and remove the gristly white center of the organ before proceeding with a recipe. Also remove any membrane if present.
Cook the kidneys fast and hot until they're still slightly pink in the center, or long and slow in a braising liquid—anything in between will result in an unpleasantly tough meat. Cutting kidneys into bite-sized chunks makes for a quick skillet preparation.
Oxtail
While not technically an organ meat, inexpensive oxtail is a relatively underutilized cut of beef that you should embrace. In olden days, oxtail came from oxen, but now it hails most often from the tail of regular cattle. The tail is skinned and then cut into sections; each section has a marrow containing bone that's surrounded by meat.
Most people find oxtail looks less, well, odd than other odd bits of beef and tastes similar to more common cuts of braising meat, both of which make it very approachable. As with other red meat, oxtail brings energy-boosting iron and even creatine to the table, to help improve your feats of strength.
Eat It
For ease of preparation, have your butcher cut the oxtail into several pieces, which will become progressively smaller as the tail tapers to its end. Oxtail requires a long cooking time, since it's relatively gelatinous and fatty. This makes it a perfect, typically budget-friendly option for braises, soups, and stews.
When cooked low and slow in a liquid, oxtail meat becomes fall-of-the-bone tender. It's also a good candidate for crockpot cooking. Before simmering, it's best to first brown the pieces in a pan with some hot oil to help lock in the juices and bolster flavor.
References
- Conner, T.S., Richardson, A.C. & Miller, J.C. (2015). Optimal serum selenium concentrations are associated with lower depressive symptoms and negative mood among young adults. Journal of Nutrition, 145(1), 59-65.
Friday, December 25, 2015
5 Tough Tents for Camping Season
Thursday, December 24, 2015
3 Delicious Protein-Rich Treats!
Next time you get the hankering for something sweet, sink your teeth into these macro-friendly protein treats!
A sweet tooth doesn't have to sabotage your progress. Instead of eating clean all day just to cave when the cravings hit, whip up these protein-rich recipes from Team Grenade! They'll help you stick to your diet, fuel your muscles, and please your palate.
Banana and Cinnamon Protein Milkshake
This winter, give yourself the gift of post-workout gains. When you're looking for a shake with a little bit of edge, reach for this dessert-like option that's a favorite of NPC physique competitor Melih F. Cologlu.
Not only is it a great way to make the most of overripe fruit, but the classic combination of sweetness and spice is sure to hit your taste buds with delightful, protein-rich goodness. Channel the flavors of the season—without packing on the pounds—with this muscle-building shake!
Skim milk: 4 oz.
Low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt: 1/2 cup
Hydra 6 (Killa Vanilla): 1 scoop
Banana: 1/3
Ice cubes: 6
Cinnamon: to taste
- Blend all ingredients.
- Top with more cinnamon to taste. Drink and enjoy!
Serving size: 1 shake
Recipe yields: 1 serving
Protein Frosting
NPC Physique competitor Preston Noble is a fan of having his protein—frosted! Forget store-bought icing that's full of fat and added sugar. This recipe for protein icing can be added to any baked good for that extra bit of gains-friendly sweetness.
The topping can even be used to add a little clean to your favorite cheat meal. Hint: Preston's personal favorite is protein-glazed monkey bread!
Hydra 6 (Killa Vanilla): 1/4 scoop
Vanilla greek yogurt: 1 tbsp
Almond milk: 1/4-1/2 cup (depending on desired consistency)
Coconut oil: 1 tsp
Cinnamon: 1 tsp
Vanilla extract: to taste (a few drops)
- Mix all ingredients together. Apply directly to baked treat. Enjoy!
Serving size: 1 batch
Recipe yields: 1 serving
Protein Flower Pastry
Who knew that vegetable you tried to push off your dinner plate as a child could actually form the base of a delicious protein dessert? This pastry combines vitamin-rich cauliflower with protein for a surprisingly yummy combination.
It's a favorite of physique competitor Vinny Russo and helps satisfy his sweet tooth without breaking his daily calories.
Raw blended cauliflower: 1 tbsp
Hydra 6 (Strawberry Siege): 3/4 scoop
Whole egg: 1
Egg white: 1
Water: 1 tbsp
- Add blended raw cauliflower to a medium-sized bowl.
- Mix in protein, egg, egg white, and water. Stir until blended.
- Microwave for three minutes.
- Top with your favorite Walden Farms syrup or peanut or almond butter.
Serving size: 1 pastry
Recipe yields: 1 serving
Try More Great Recipes From Grenade!
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Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Alice Got Back Into Fighting Shape At Age 36!
Alice's athletic lifestyle was derailed by an injury. Then she committed to becoming a professional fighter in her 30s and found a new reason to get fit!
Vital Stats
Name: Alice Yauger
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Growing up, Alice Yauger was a fighter—literally. She was a professional boxer as a young woman, even participating in the first all-women National Golden Gloves tournament in 1999, at the tender age of 21. She went on to become a pro, battling through five tightly contested bouts before she got pregnant and hung up her gloves.
Many athletes struggle to maintain their fitness once they are out of the limelight, but Alice continued to hit the gym regularly. Or at least, she did until she suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in a judo bout. "It was kind of all downhill from there," Alice remembers.
Unable to fight or train intensely for several years, Alice turned to food for comfort. "I'm an emotional eater, so I would drive down the road, stop at Sonic, and grab a double cheeseburger," she says. "I just ate a lot." Her busy schedule, packed with work, travel, and her kids' activities, made getting back into a healthy lifestyle seem all the more daunting. "I like healthy food, but because of the way my schedule was—with my husband working nights and me off work late and caring for the kids—I needed fast and easy," she remarks. "We ate a lot of fast food. I didn't have the time to prep."
Alice topped 200 pounds before she made the decision to get back into the gym and ultimately, back into the ring. With steadfast support from her family, she was able to do it.
How did you get your start as a boxer?
I started training in muay thai—the Thai version of kickboxing—and taekwondo as a junior in high school in 1995. Unfortunately, there weren't enough tournaments for me to easily compete in either sport. Boxing was much more common than martial arts in Texas, so I took that up and gave it my all until I got pregnant.
I started training in judo in 2006 because my husband and children were learning. I tore my ACL and meniscus in my second competition, which put me out of training for several years.
However, I always had the idea that I wanted to somehow get in the ring again, whether it be boxing or MMA. When I finally got serious about it, my husband and I just decided that he was going to stay home so I could pursue that. It was kind of tough at first. We paid a few things off and then said, "Let's do it."
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 205 lbs.
Body Fat: 30-35%
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 135 lbs.
Body Fat: 12-14%
My husband manages the kids, my training schedule, and my food. I still work full-time, but he takes care of all of the other stuff so I don't have to worry about it. Every morning, I leave with a lunch that he's already prepared for me. It's kind of sweet.
It was a quick transition. One day he was working, and the next day he was home. Financially, we can't do the things that dual-income families get to do, like vacations, but we have quality time together, and that's more important to us than the money.
Your busy schedule was an excuse for you before. How do you fit your training in with work, kids, and other responsibilities?
I wake up at about 5:30 a.m. and hit the treadmill. Then, I get ready and go to work, where I occasionally work out at my desk during lunch, doing push-ups and triceps dips. After I'm done at work, I either go to my MMA gym or cross train at another gym.
Some nights, I coach until about 7 p.m. and train in MMA until around 8. On those nights, the kids are usually at their sports practices. When we get home, we do homework, dinner, showers, and then it's bedtime.
How did MMA help you get fit?
It's not a traditional bodybuilding workout, but MMA fighting works all of the muscle groups in the body. For instance, hitting the heavy bag is equivalent to lifting weights. When your back is against the cage and you're working to get your opponent off you, that's equivalent to doing weighted squats and bench presses. You do training camps to prepare for fights, and that means sticking to your diet religiously and working out hard. It's not an easy lifestyle, but it keeps you fit.
I reached my goal of becoming a fighter 5-6 months after starting my transformation—and 12 years after my last fight. By deciding I wanted to fight again and training hard, I went from 200 pounds to weighing in at 135 pounds for my debut.
I lost my first fight, but it didn't feel like losing. Even if I lose every single fight, the fact that I'm able to do this again—at a lighter weight than before I had kids—is such an accomplishment.
Have there been any other milestone goals you've hit?
Having abs! Even when I was boxing in my early 20s, I didn't have a six-pack. To be in my late 30s and have abs is so awesome.
After losing your husband's income, how did you make healthy eating affordable?
It was very bland. I ate a lot of frozen vegetables, canned tuna, canned chicken, protein shakes, raw nuts, and oatmeal. That's basically it. Those are the things we could afford.
It sucked, but I got to the point where I just looked at food as my fuel. I was—and am—especially strict during a training camp, which is 6-8 weeks before a fight. When I have to make weight, things really kick in, and I don't stray from my diet at all.
I've learned what foods work for me, and those are the foods I stick with.
How do you fight cravings on such a bland diet?
I crave the other foods, but it's not like a nuclear bomb is going to take out all of my favorite restaurants while I'm in training. I know that food will still be there for me if I want it after I fight. My favorite is Vietnamese food, so if I have cravings, I find ways to reward myself by eating things I can have, like spring rolls. You have to live a little. The key is not to overindulge. You have to know where to stop, which just comes with practicing self-control.
A food journal helped keep me on track and accountable during the early part of my transformation. If I went over my calorie intake, I'd feel guilty and work out harder the next day to make sure I burned off those calories.
A big problem for me before was not knowing where to stop. Having goals keeps me on track now. My goal is to win the fight, but my first goal to achieve is to make weight. When cravings hit, I keep the goal in mind.
What was the diet you started on?
Tuna: 1 can
Unsalted cashews: 2 oz.
Green salad
Lean protein: 4 oz.
Unsalted cashews: 2 oz.
Did you use any supplements?
On one income we could only afford protein, a multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin C, vitamin D, and calcium.
What does your training schedule look like?
Treadmill intervals
Alternate 5 mph one minute; Then 3.5 mph one minute for 5 minutes straight; Then 2.5 mph one minute. Repeat 5 sets.Walk on 5-10% incline 20 minutes.
Increase speeds up to 7 mph when able.
Treadmill intervals
Alternate 5 mph one minute; Then 3.5 mph one minute for 5 minutes straight; Then 2.5 mph one minute. Repeat 5 sets.Walk on 5-10% incline 20 minutes.
Increase speeds up to 7 mph when able.
When did you discover Bodybuilding.com?
My husband and I discovered Bodybuilding.com about a year ago. We followed the Facebook page first. It's so helpful because I get to see other people complete their transformations. I get to see their journeys. Whenever I get really down, when I gain weight or something, friends who aren't on a fitness journey don't understand.
When you go to the site, you see other people who are going through the same things. It's such a huge motivator. Going to the site and seeing other people overcome the same challenges I have really motivates me.
In addition to being motivated by transformations, I loved seeing comments on my photos. You don't see any negativity in BodySpace like you do on other social media, where people claim that your pictures are manipulated using Photoshop; you just don't see it.
All I've seen are people who are there to promote positivity. Even though I don't let negative comments get to me, it's so nice to be part of a like-minded community.
Has your family's sacrifice been worth it?
It has. My current habits are setting a good example for my kids. Now they know that if they want something, they have to earn it. Seeing me work toward my goals shows them that hard work pays off. Yeah, there have been sacrifices, but in the end, they've all been worth it.
What are your plans for the future?
I still have a ton of fight left in me, so I'll be hitting the gym hard in the coming weeks. I had to take a little time off from my last fight to let my body recover and to live normally for a while. Hopefully, I will have some offers for 2016 fight cards soon.