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No such thing as a natural athlete

If you’re a fan of professional sports, it can be easy to look at the athletes on the field and assume that it all comes too easily for them. Sure, all of the pros running around on our TV screens were born with physical gifts that distinguish them from the great, unwashed Us. On the other hand, genetics only gets you so far, take the example of formerly portly Phillies slugger, Ryan Howard:

Howard was getting fat. Not just a wee plump, either. Between the long 2008 season and the celebrations for Philadelphia’s championship, Howard was carrying around 275 pounds on his 6-foot-4 frame. He knew the history of fat hitters, too. Mo Vaughn and Cecil Fielder and countless others faded in their early 30s, waistlines expanding and hitting zones contracting. Howard turns 30 in November. He refused to peter out like the others. So Ryan Howard, the one legitimate threat to the single-season home run record, the man who hit 200 faster than anyone in history, did something drastic.

The drastic step that Howard took was to take control of his eating habits.

He ate organic for the first time. He cut out fat. He feasted on lean meats and whole grains. He ate chicken covered with an almond crust instead of bread.

You can read the whole story @ Yahoo Sports. And then go check out this video of Ryan Howard getting a tour of the White House garden from Chef Sam Kass.

Posted by: Dan

2012

There certainly is a lot of hullabaloo about the upcoming year 2012. Movies, television documentaries, and the Internet seem to have a fascination with the year because that’s when the Mayan calendar ends…and so does civilization, as we know it!

Earthquakes, meteors, giant murderous poodles—it’s all rather unclear exactly what will happen, but it has a lot of people freaking out. Me? I’m not worried. Our calendar ends every year and usually the worst thing that happens is a New Year’s hangover.

 Super famous calendar aside, the ancient Mayans introduced the world to many foods we eat every day, like tomatoes and corn.  Not only were they great astronomers and mathematicians, they were also masters of agriculture. Some of my favorite foods—chocolate, vanilla, and avocado—all owe a tip of the hat to those old Yucatáns.

 Anyways, 2012…don’t buy into the fear mongering.  Instead of fretting about the future and doubtful catastrophes, I suggest you make a nice cup of cocoa (thanks again, Mayans!), and think nice thoughts.

And, stop worrying about killer poodles.  It’s not going to happen.

10 Maya foods that changed the world’s eating habits

Posted By: Kelly K.

Is the milk still good?

Back when I was a young man, my refrigerator was the nightmare of mothers and epidemiologists everywhere. I kept food until it turned moldy, smelled bad, or started to move. Now, I’m a lot better about tossing old fruit and vegetables.  I know carrots taste better when they’re fresh, oranges are juicier, and celery crunchier. Still, I need help when it came to knowing when some food was past its prime and that’s where StillTasty comes in.

StillTasty gives me the recommended storage length for thousands of foods and beverages. It tells me how to identify when a fruit or vegetable is ripe, how long its good, and how to store it to maximize its freshness. It’s also got a FAQ section where I learned I should never eat the pizza that’s been lying on the coffee table all night long, no matter how tempting.  Dang.

StillTasty – Save Money, Eat Better, Help The Environment

Posted by: Kelly K.