Gladiator Quest: From Rib Eye to Tri-Tip

If I were a steak, I'd be a "well-marbled" one. Yum, marbles!

Of course, the marble of the steak refers to the fat that runs through it, and a well-marbled Rib Eye steak is good to eat, in that "tender, juicy" way, but it looks a little icky before you cook it, if you think about all that fat. Of course it tastes good in the end.

A Tri-Tip cut is lean, though. Not much fat there, so you have to cook it carefully, or it will be tough and chewy. But if you marinade it? Delicious.

I'm getting a tiny bit tougher these days, apparently, and I'm less marbled than I was a month ago when I started my sports nutrition program with Cathy Sassin, the former American Gladiator.

This is good news for me, I don't mind being a little tough. I'm also learning that a little marinade can go a long way, and that real progress takes time.

Turns out I've lost 2 pounds of fat already, although I gained one pound in the first 4 weeks. Cathy says I've gained one pound of lean muscle, according to her high-tech measuring devices and scientific scale. I'm impressed with myself, and with this new way of eating, since it seems to be working.

Here are my unscientific observations about my "Gladiator Diet":

1. I'm not as hungry any more, and I think the flax seed has something to do with it. Cutting out the crap (refined foods) and adding the "healthy" fats to my diet seems to really fill me up for much longer.


2. My clothes fit better and my skin looks better. Bonus points, always.


3. I seem to have lost my taste for alcohol, although I still drink some out of habit. Turns out I can only manage half a beer. Weird. I just don't crave it like I used to. This is probably because I'm regulating my blood sugar levels and don't crave sweets or carbs like before.


4. I don't care as much about coffee, either. I still drink it, but not as much. There's nothing wrong with coffee, but I don't "crash" as hard when my fix wears off, when I drink less.


5. It's easier to run faster and longer if you have more muscle, and drink less wine. Amazing, but true.

I'm on my way to a Chubby Mommy Runner "Fitness Makeover," I can just tell already. Every little step makes the big steps easier. I doubt I'll run a marathon, but I'm feeling like a tortoise now; slow and steady wins the race.

But it's a sweaty journey, I tell you. It takes some effort, about 50 minutes of serious exercise a day, to burn off these pounds of fat. I probably spent at least 50 minutes a day putting it on, though. At least.

If anyone in Bend is interested, Cathy is giving free nutrition lectures at the Athletic Club of Bend on Saturday, August 23rd at 10:00 a.m. You can email her for more info at cathy@intrafitt.com