Klean Athlete protein...its not just good, its good for you

As an endurance athlete we are always taught about "carb loading" but more often than not we don’t have an appreciation for and/or don’t eat enough protein to build muscle in order to power us through training and racing. After getting schooled by a dietician friend of mine that I was WAY under what I should be taking in daily for protein I made it a priority to get more protein in my diet. Turns out, that’s easier said than done. While I’ve been trying to increase my protein intake I realized I’m just not one of those people that can eat big meals…so I've been looking for a protein supplement that could give me the protein I need, that was easy to take and didn't mean ingesting a boatload of calories. Well luckily enough I got this little gift package on my front doorstep thanks to Klean Athlete and it was JUST what I was looking for.

While I try to be good about diversifying my meals and trying to get in all the vitamins I need…I realize that cereal with milk as my “go to meal” ain’t cutting it. I’m sorely lacking in needed vitamins: Omega 3′s, folic acid, certain B vitamins and minerals like calcium and magnesium and the like so I was stoked to receive Klean Athlete’s multivitamin too. As silly as it sounds, the multi doesn’t taste bad. Yes, I know it’s only in your mouth for a second while you swallow but those of you that have had to deal with that the god–awful taste of “vitamin” in your mouth (or from your stomach after you burp later) that never seems to go away know what I mean. An added bonus is that multivitamin isn’t HORSE PILL sized and is easy to take.

Now…onto the protein powder! I was also given the Klean Isolate whey protein powder. I use protein powder every day. Now you might think protein powders are protein powders..but you’d be wrong. First off, no off putting smell or taste. It has a mild maltose or vanilla smell (it is whey protein after all) and it mixes well with darn near everything. I’ve added it to everything ranging from shakes/smoothies up to white sauce for pasta…to almond milk for my daily cereal fix! Unlike other protein powders, Klean Athlete’s have no yeast, wheat, gluten or artificial coloring/flavoring/sweeteners. So you get a great source of protein, giving you 20 grams of it per serving, at only 85 calories.

Another reason to get on the Klean Athlete bandwagon and use their products? Well, “Klean Athlete™ is tested and certified by the NSF Certified for Sport® program, which was created to meet the growing demands of athletes, coaches and healthcare professionals to certify that sports supplements are safe and free from banned substances.” Now most folks might not think that’s a big deal but I DO! Being a member of U.S.A Triathlon, Cycling, Track and Field and other sports bodies means that I can be tested at any race or after any podium win. The only reason for amateurs don’t get tested often now is because the governing bodies don’t have the staff or funds…as of yet. But there have been plenty of instances that when they do make it out to test their athletes, people fail either because of PEDs or supplement ingredients that are “on the list”. I’d rather have the peace of mind to know what I was talking was good to go in the first pace rather than have to scan the NSF list to see what’s banned or not.

Bottomline? I not only like...but trust Klean Athlete’s products…and that means EVERYTHING to me! Get over the Klean Athlete website ASAP and get some for yourself!

Healthy eating just got a whole lot easier...

You've seen me write and expound upon the fact that one of the biggest challenges I face is eating properly or enough in order to fuel what some consider my hectic training and racing schedules. I am notorious for living off sandwiches and cereal because its an easy to prepare/easy to consume sort off meal that I don't have to slow down for or "prepare". Now if I have that issue and I'm working to make my food as healthy as possible its not hard to see why most Americans with their busy schedules want to eat "on the move" as well ...and reach for quick foods...most of which are high fat and contain empty calories.

Here's where a company like "Diet-to-Go" (diettogo.com) and their “diet meal delivery” service comes in.

Each meal comes sealed and ready to eat either after opening or after a few minutes in the microwave. The first meal I dug into was breakfast on the first day that consisted of "Egg and Broccoli pie" (think quiche) and apple juice. I microwaved it and within a few minutes I was sitting down to a hot, fresh, perfectly seasoned breakfast (it is the most important meal of the day after all) meal that completely satisfied me and even more...filled me up. Too often when I try to make something quickly for myself I start getting hungry not long after I eat. Not the case at all with ANY of the Diet-to-Go meals I had. I was impressed by the variety of meals that I was sent including: Michigan Turkey salad (I don't know what they do in Michigan but they make a damn fine salad!), whole grain french toast with mango cranberry syrup, turkey swiss sandwich with tomato relish, whole grain pancakes with turkey sausage, curried shrimp with basmati rice and minted peas (a favorite of mine), Tuscan boats with wheat salad, chicken brunswick stew, and blackened turkey loin with carrot chipotle puree asparagus risotto and Italian vegetable blend. Ya, this ain't no "Lean Cuisine" folks! This is LEGIT delicious food that's nutritious.

I found my entire menu of meals to be outstanding in quality, convenience and most importantly taste. Yes I know we eat with our eyes but I'm a guy. The fact that I can put a delicious meal in the microwave and be eating it in its microwavable container is like nirvana. You can see in the image above that the meals look awesome in the microwave container or "plated"...but taste the same when eaten. No muss, no fuss! 

Now while you might not have heard about Diet-to-Go before, there are a few things you should know:

- It’s the most inexpensive fresh "diet meal delivery" service on the market. 

- There are zero cancellation fees, NO gimmick pricing and even more important NO commitments or contracts. 

- They were recently rated #1 diet delivery company by Epicurious

- And…MOST importantly…100% satisfaction guaranteed

So if you're looking for convenient, delicious meals that are healthy and made for people on the go...this is a no brainer, you HAVE to try out Diet to Go! 

And...and...and...if you head over to their website and enter coupon code "fitfluential"...you get 20% off any meal plan!

FitFluential LLC compensated me for this Campaign. All opinions are my own. However, my taste buds and full belly really appreciated my work. 

The response has been overwhelming!

I put this photo up a couple weeks ago because of a discussion I was having where I was told "what do you know about being fat?! You're this fit, training-monster triathlete!"...my response, "you have NO idea what you're talking about...let me show you this picture".

Then the conversation changes in tone and I get "oh my god...you were FAT!". Yes, yes I was. Most people either know me as the skinny kid in high school and college or the fit guy you see today but very few know the "fat guy" you see in the picture. That wasn't by accident my friends. That picture of me on the left, taken at my heaviest - 245lbs with a 40 inch waste (yes, FORTY inch waist), is the only one I know of. That time was spent "hiding" from family, friends, life...I was hiding from almost everything but food. I refused to "see" myself. It wasn't until I saw that picture, and realized I was going to need to go up a size in jeans, that the shocking realization sat in that I was a mess.

 What's funny is the even people I work with everyday don't even remember that I was that big now. The change you see in that picture did not come quickly nor without hard work. I went out at bought a weight set for my home because I was ashamed to be "that guy" in the gym... lifting small weight and being out of breath with every effort. There were lots of hours spent on a bike trainer in the dark, watching the Tour de France on DVD, literally sweating my ass of. I spent many months on the bike because my ankles, knees and back (all broken and/or repaired through time) couldn't handle the shock of running at that weight. I started walking, then jogging, then running...then running fast :) It was a slow progression that I had to focus on. Then there was my relationship with food. It was an unhealthy one that I had to train myself to get over. That has been just as much of a struggle as getting and keeping the weight off. 

I will be honest, whenever I see myself in the mirror or pictures I still identify with the guy on the left. My friend Donna calls it FFG (former fat guy) syndrome and the world has piped in that I suffer from BDD (body dysmorphic disorder). I train and race very hard (sometimes too much so) because fear ever turning back into "that guy". It is not easy and whatever I do, rest days I take or food I eat always comes with that nagging voice in the back of my head..."will this make you fat". But...I'll be the first one to say that the only way to conquer your demons is from within and I've worked hard to come to grips with the athletic guy I've become.

What amazes me is the response I've gotten from friends (some I haven't heard from in years), coworkers and strangers alike in response to that picture. From people telling me they've followed my transformation over the years, to those that share their own stories and ask for any tips/guidance/advice I can provide to a number of people who've told me that my story is inspirational and knowing the work I went through to get where I am today is just what they needed to hear to get back in the gym. I don't know about being inspirational but I have always said that if I can drag my broken, fat ass off the couch and train that same ass off to be a competitive age-grouper, multi-sport athlete...ANYONE can! I owe a huge thanks to Chris at Polar USA. He and that company's products have been instrumental in my "transformation"!

By no means am I done! I have 2 Half Ironman events I'll be racing this year and I hope to accomplish a lifelong goal of competing in an Ironman event (hopefully at Kona...fingers crossed). Then maybe I can have that piece of chocolate cake. Sweat on my friends...sweat on!

Seriously, what interview were YOU watching?!

I  had planned on letting my last post be the only one I wrote about Lance but after watching the interview (yes it was ONE interview that Oprah broke up over 2 nights to bolster her struggling network) BOTH times they were aired each night and then hearing/dealing with the ridiculousness that followed I just had to pipe up.
I will start by saying this, the comments and opinions are ALL OVER the board and are best summed up by one's Facebook status "...well, people on Twitter are comparing Lance to a pedophile. Almost convinced that it’s impossible to have a logical conversation about this". Wow! Yup, that about sums it up. But I do think that people (being me) need to give the discussion a fair chance. Now I had to deal with some of that myself when wearing my Livestrong hoodie into work on Friday (what? It was casual Friday) and a coworker asked "how could you wear that sweatshirt now after Lance's interview the night before"? Um, the foundation has nothing to do with Lance's cycling career and has been recognized internationally for its efforts in cancer awareness. My response? How could I not?! To which another coworker replied with "because I know lots of people who succeed without cheating". Really? DO you?! Can you name anyone else in the sport of cycling that was even close to, much less on the podiums of ANY of the races in the years that Lance won the Tour de France, or even now for that fact?! But we'll get to that later…

Before even talking about what was discussed during the interview…can we just quickly talk about Lance. Did you LOOK at him. The guy that was 10 feet tall and bulletproof his entire cycling career, full of piss and vinegar…and is now graying and tired...and tired looking. The guy that people could never keep up with, on a bike or not, looked wiped out. His answers were not snapped or accusatory. The guy we saw on camera looked/acted nothing like the guy we saw win 7 Tours. He looked like a man defeated.

 
What he said:
He admitted to using banned substances/procedures during all seven of his Tour de France victories. In his opinion, it was not possible to win the Tour without the use of banned substances. “Not in that generation, ” he said. You know what? History has proved him right! All the top pros in cycling during that 10 year span tested positive for some kind of substance and either had titles stripped and/or served suspensions. Can we just be honest about that time in cycling and quit trying to make it go away?! Doping was the NORM in the pro peloton. Unlike in sports today where everyone says “for every 1 person that dopes there are 99 athletes that don’t”…it was the COMPLETE opposite in cycling in that decade. Lance even made reference to its normalcy referring to it as “…another step like putting air in the tires, or filling the water bottles…” He did say that “no one ever put a gun to my head and that it was my choice and I’m responsible”. He didn’t lay blame or implicate anyone else. He apologized and said "I made my decisions. They're my mistake. And I'm sitting here today to acknowledge that and to say I'm sorry for that."  Lance not only apologized on numerous occasions but said that he completely understood everyone's anger and will spend the rest of his life reaching out and trying to make amends.

Lance did admit to testing positive for corticosteroids during the 1999 Tour de France. He confirmed former USPS soigneur Emma O’Reilly’s story that a conversation was had in which team officials agreed to backdate a medical certificate to make it seem as if the steroids had been prescribed for saddle sores. Lance did admit to being a bully in the case of O’Reilly, someone who he feels “got run over” in the process of all this. He confirmed some of the incidents pointed out by both Tyler Hamilton and Floyd Landis in their statements/books. On a side note I’d like to address these guys that people harp on Lance about “running them” over too. Tyler Hamilton reaped the benefit of the culture and doping, went on to captain his own team with a multimillion dollar contract and only after getting busted…TWICE…for doping and losing it all decided he’d “come clean” about cycling and implicate Lance and the USPS team. Floyd did the same and after getting busted at the Tour de France (which he won and was later stripped of the title), got upset that no one wanted him on their team after serving a suspension (including Lance on during his “comeback” to racing) and with no other option started revealing USPS team procedures.

Yes, during this portion of the interview it was less about his feelings about doping that it was about how it worked because of the questions from Oprah. I do think it’s very interesting that Oprah made the point of saying that while Lance didn’t tell anyone else on the team to dope or fire anyone who didn’t, couldn’t he see that because he was the team captain and he was successful, that his teammates would feel pressure to do the same? Which he acknowledged. So tell me this…if we expand that out to the WHOLE of cycling…why doesn’t Lance get the same consideration?! Even though no one had a gun to his head or told him to dope…the bulk of the pro ranks (the winning and successful members of the pro ranks mind you) were doping and Lance should’ve felt no pressure to do the same in order to stay competitive?! Just something worth pointing out I think.

There was discussion about how when the news broke, he started getting calls from sponsors…Anheuser Busch, Nike, Trek and the lot all calling to say there were pulling out. In total over the span of a couple days he lost $75 million in monies but it wasn’t until having to sit down and explain it to his son (the son who’d been defending him all along to all naysayers in daily interaction on all the social media platforms) that it hit home with Lance and he realized it had all gone too far and broke. Not just with his family but it was at that point of the interview that Lance struggled to keep his emotions in check. And people were criticizing him for that being what it took to resonate with him?! Doesn’t it normally only “hit home” with anything: drug use, stealing, bad behavior…ONLY when family or loved one is suffering pain from it for the person to finally see?!

People were also upset when Oprah asked if he should be allowed to race again and he said “yes, I don’t think I deserve to suffer the death penalty” in regards to a life time ban. First off, what do you want  him to say? No, I never want to race anything again? Get real! I appreciate the guy being honest about his drive to compete. And what he meant with the earlier comment was all those people that not only testified to having doped but also gave testimony implicating Armstrong were only given SIX MONTHS SUSPENSIONS!!! Which oh so happened to coincide with the cycling “off season”. Does that stink to anyone else?! Im not even gonna talk about the fairness of that but the precedent of the ruling has been set by the UCI, USADA and WADA but it can’t ALSO apply to Lance? He must be banned for life? We look over all the other doping to get Lance?! That’s BS. A great case in point? His lieutenant George Hincapie who raced with him on all the TDF wins, not only testified that he doped but also gave evidence against Lance and had NONE of his wins taken away NOR had the TDF record he now holds as most TDF raced taken away…are you kidding me? Bjarne Riis a Tour de France winner who later went on to be the Director Sportif for successful pro cycling squads not only DIDN’T get his name removed from the list of TDF winners but also was allowed to continue to participate in the sport after admitting he doped. Are you f’ing kidding me? And you don’t see why Lance would think he shouldn’t get a lifetime ban?

And for all of you out there that think he should, including runner Laura Felischman who said it should be “one and done” and you’re out of the sport for life…how about guys like David Millar? Here’s a guy who was hailed as the next great cyclist, tested positive for doping, served his 2 year ban and has not only returned to winning but is a beloved and outspoken member of the peloton on the subject?! There are lots of athletes that have been “popped”, served their suspensions and come back to sports successfully. So now everyone wants to just harp on the fact that once you’ve messed up, there’s no recovery. Ya, there’s a great lesson for kids. Lance could become the GREATEST ambassador for cycling, running and triathlon, sports has ever seen. He could be the beacon that “just because you’ve made mistakes, you can still turn your life around and use sport as the way to be a better you” AND inspire a whole new generation of athletes to participate.


Lance closed the interview with admitting that he mishandled the USADA investigation. “I’d do anything to go back to that day. I wouldn’t fight. I wouldn’t sue. I’d listen.” People balked at that comment. What? He’s not allowed to have hindsight? There are a few quotes that stick in my head, attributed to Ironman Champion Craig Alexander that he said while I was at his book signing in Boston recently: “…people hate Lance? Don’t hate the player, hate the game…” and “…really? All these people that talk about his cheating? So you’ve never cut a corner on a race, or false started or drafted or rode into transition a little too long? It’s all cheating!...”  and most importantly “…we have no idea what his life was like or what he had to deal with, who are we to judge?...”. And…not that I’m a religious guy in the least but I think it’s funny that people are so happy to throw the  “let he who is without sin cast the first stone” but that can’t apply here. Lance has admitted to being responsible for his own undoing. "Certainly, I'm a flawed character. I am flawed, deeply flawed" he said. His “reckless desire to win” led him down the path he chose.  He is, as is every person however, worthy of redemption. Let him race, deal with the stigma of the past on a daily basis and see what he does with it. History has judged the “doping age” in cycling so let it have a chance to judge Lance as well.

This is all posted from a guy that LOVES the sport of cycling. I consider it “my” sport. I’ve been racing since I was a kid, I’ve been lucky enough to see a number of Tour de Frances, ride on the same roads and have long discussions/dinners with pros. I can rattle off damn near every major winner of all races (big and small) since I can remember and honestly believe that if there is a heaven, its achieved looking over the front wheel pedaling as hard as possible. So to refer back to the people at the beginning of this post who questioned my hoodie choice or “know” lots of people who don’t dope…you don’t know ANYTHING about MY sport, so do me a favor and keep your uninformed opinions to yourself. The only way to fix the past in the sport is to talk about it out loud and do everything to show that people can be successful in spite of it.

Although I think its a topic that can spawn intelligent discussion, based on the people participating, for years to come I just wanted to get my thoughts out there. Lance isn't a murderer or the devil, he is a man who made mistakes and that doesn't preclude him from doing better. I'll gladly line up beside him at the next triathlon and wait for the gun to go off...