#7: Food Matters
I haven’t had a drink in 15 years, but I am addicted to two things: caffeine and ice cream. When I started this last round of training, I had a gut. Konstantin was constantly harping on my daily ice cream habit.
What I finally realized is that it’s not only how much bad stuff you eat but how much good stuff that matters. Protein is really important if you are training hard. Konstantin advised me to get pretty much any 10-percent whey protein drink and drink it before and after every workout.
Over time, I realized that the protein cut my desire to pig out on ice cream or other empty calories. It also gave me a baseline of nutrition that made me tend to eat better.
Of course, eating during long athletic activities like the five-hour, 65-mile ride my buddies and I took the second time out in LA is essential too. Sports bars, sports drinks, and bananas are all really important to a solid performance.
Next: Gut Check Time
—Photo Nick Kauffman/Flickr
Why does it seem as though there is always a reference to Tom’s “alpha male” status? It’s the worst sort of humblebragging: I started out as an alpha male jerk, but congratulate me for getting in touch with my sensitive side now that mortality has come a-knockin’.
Shouldn’t all middle aged men be concerned about their health and fitness?
I was going to comment on the ‘a-word’ too Pedro. I agree.
Who cares about whether he is alpha or not?
Bonking is a slightly antiquated brit slang word for sex. It has a naughtysaucy seaseaside end-of-the-pier type feel to it, rather like the word ‘shag’.
‘bonk’ what a glorious word 🙂
David Lynch’s MULHOLLAND DRIVE is a great film. Naomi Watts gives probably her greatest performance in a hypnotic investigation of fame, love, and ambition in L.A. It’s not a really bad movie. It’s a brilliant piece of cinematic art.
You do look great, though.
Great photos! Looking hot, Tom! Interesting article….middle aged men trying to keep it all fit! My karate sensei ( a 46 yo 6th degree black belt who lifts 300+ lbs and does pushups on his thumbs) has had to face his own health issues: hypertension, a gastrointestinal illness that required an extensive work-up and scared him briefly about the possibility of cancer (all negative!), fertility issues (slightly low sperm count and facing future fatherhood), and stress from unemployment…..I kinda joined karate on a lark and have ended up dedicating a good portion of the last 3.5 years of my life… Read more »
Leia you should write about that, “I think I get men better through relating to them physically”
I liked the article, but could have passed on the “if he can do it you can” part. First, it’s a horribly lazy cliche. Second, it’s not even true — your first line notes your “background in swimming, rowing, marathon running, and kickboxing.” Is that really “if he can do it anyone can” baseline material?
Hi mates, its wonderful paragraph concerning cultureand completely explained, keep it up all the time.
Since you like Ice Cream, you should check here for some substitutes.
http://articles.elitefts.com/category/articles/efs-cookbook/