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Athlete Food

In search of new flavors for Athlete Food, I visited Bem Brazil @ 5 South Whitney Street, Hartford, CT and discovered fried plantain. Thus, I was inspired to cook sauteed banana at home. The maillard reaction produced a rich, refreshing flavor that parted the gloom of post-training recovery.  Furthermore, I have peace of mind knowing that my weight will not be compromised by the high intake of complex carbs of unprocessed fruit. I am interested in learning about what other dishes Brazilian Cuisine has to offer - knowing that hard labor was central to the culture’s development, I must be close to useful discoveries.

Boiling and steaming are amongst the healthiest ways to cook food. Herein, avoiding rich oils and fats aids in digestion and minimizes calories.

Below is dish that I created based on what was available to me at the local supermarket. The ingredients include: plum tomato, white mushroom, garlic, swai, linguine and soy sauce.

I wonder how this dish could be made more nutritious, tastier and to carry added benefits such as pain relief...

¡Buen provecho!

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Journal

Below is page 110 of Nick Evangelista’s Inner Game of Fencing, which I am reading on the bus to Kung Fu class in Boston. I applaud his steadfastness in holding to the principles of classical fencing, which has now lost ground to modern sport fencing. Herein, the main difference is that classical fencing, being the science of “hitting without getting hit”, requires greater time and commitment to master; sport fencing’s focus is on scoring, and thus, is devoid of the greater subtleties “paid for by blood”. I recommend this book to every boxer, and furthermore, aspirants to mastery of any art. It is said that sacred mountains are difficult to climb in order that the pilgrim learn humility. At times, I have lost heart. Thankfully, I am reminded of the depth of my hardship relative to my goal. Indeed, finding my way in martial art is a God send.

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Journal

For as long as I can remember, “fitting in” was not easy. In the Tao Te Ching, Lao Zi wrote of primordial unity giving birth to duality, which in turn, gave rise to the Ten Thousand Things that constitute what Man perceives through the five senses. My interpretation thereof is that life is a search for complements. Consummation is a feeling for which I have sought far and wide. My attention was brought to this matter through an encounter with a little girl, as I was waiting in our gym lobby to leave for 2017′s Golden Gloves Quarter Finals. Shortly after Coach Santos had joined us, with a box full of doughnuts in hand, our kids were about with their delicious treats. Sophia, who had been playing by herself, was now amongst the others. I noticed that she had taken to immediately licking off all of the chocolate on top of her Boston Creme. I was impressed by her affinity for a powerful sugar rush, and was reminded of my own preference to “turning up”. I empathized with her desire to transcend, which would be momentarily satisfied by the sugar high. Furthermore, I hoped to prevent her from suffering the pain I experienced in falling for the illusion and that she would ultimately find solace.

I brought her attention to my thoughts, speaking plainly, “Sophia, you will never find it in the sugar. You will be complete through art.” In other words, our truths lie within. Indeed, art is the process of knowing oneself, and thus, how one relates to life.

To have found my purpose as a teacher, I am indebted to a number of old masters belonging to the martial arts - herein, my late mentor Sean, Grandmaster William CC Chen, my trainer Jose “Papo” Colon and my shifu Zhou Xuan Yun. Honoring them means passing down the vital elements of their teachings, that of sincerity and being true to one’s heart.

In contrast to the prevalent attitude toward boxing, the names which I have mentioned are distinguished by the meaning they have ascribed to their work. Herein, I have come to know boxing as higher than competition and a means to gain. Ultimately, boxing breathed life into my soul: I was not prepared to face a best friend’s passing; when it happened, I broke down. The care I have received in training let me know that everything would ok. Their larger-than-life energies expanded my own spirit, and thus, I was able to absorb the shock of loss and progress to recovery.

Prior to entering the fight game, I did not know such grand characters to exist except in book and movies. Truly, I am blessed to live amongst my heroes. I am convinced that I am headed in the right direction given the same amazement in the eyes of a young boy who turned around to stare at me during a bout I had chosen to enjoy, after own. Riches and titles could not have afforded me the wonderful feeling that I felt in giving him a thumbs up and bringing my fist over my chest as I told him, “You can do it too!”.

I hope that one day he will come to understand the meaning behind my being there that night. One’s self is the ultimate beneficiary in giving back to others. Beyond an opening of the hands, giving is an exercise of the heart. Through experience, I have come to understand that it is by strength of spirit that we are able to transcend living at a base level in order to attain the higher treasures related to union with the eternal.

Some say that fighting is the height of self-destructive behavior. It is true that I put my health on the line when I step into the ring, nevertheless, I trust my corner to prepare me for being able to hit and not get hit, and to call the fight, if necessary. Furthermore, years of intense training will inevitably wear on my body; in combination with my work as a pantry chef, I have begun to feel tension in my cutting arm, however I believe that stretching will prevent tendonitis. Lastly, the rush that one gets from fighting is a powerful high. In approaching competition as a means to gratification, the boxer will see no growth. Thus, the activity is reduced to a waste of time just as a drunkard becomes incapacitated during the extent of his inebriation. Both fall for the same illusion of selfish pursuit. There will be no end to such grasping. Alternatively, learning to let go in the face of pressure is preparation for death itself.

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Journal

On the night of January 14, I arrived to St. Anthony’s Cedar’s Banquet Hall in Springfield, MA, with my stable mates and coaches, for the preliminary round of 2017′s Western New England Golden Gloves. My opponent did not show up, and thus, I moved on to the Quarter Finals. With my bout called off, I was free to explore the venue and enjoy all the fights. I applaud USA Boxing for such a professional setup. Upon my introduction to amateur boxing, I was impressed by the sport’s quality of infrastructure, and continue to be so. Given the love that I have developed for the sport and its organization, and my confidence in amateur boxing as a platform for youth development, to ensure the integrity and growth thereof is goal I now pursue. Herein, cultivating healthy eating habits and discipline of the inner state, are two innovations inspired by my work as a cook and study of Wudang Kung Fu, which I aspire to engender.

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Credit: Jason Diaz

My second go at winning Western New England Golden Gloves (2017) ended with defeat at the Quarter Finals. I applaud my opponent for his fortitude. Herein, I hold that I landed the most punches. Nevertheless, given my failure to make contact with the knuckle end of my left glove - rather, striking with the palm, I concede to have committed an infraction against the rules of the sport, and humbly submit to said consequence. Unfortunately, complete footage of the bout is not immediately available to me; an official videographer was not present this year. Fortunately, my coach Jason from Hartford Boxing recorded the first round via Facebook Live. Enjoy!

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Journal

I came up with a new way to lose water weight, and perhaps burn calories at a higher rate, when running: apply tin foil sandwiched between saran wrap to your abdomen. This may be the start of a new project - can a reusable prototype be developed? Can its effects on the body be studied in detail?

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Journal

Cardio: winter running, Fartlek, jump rope... daily.

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Journal

Upon moving out, lack of job security was an obstacle to training. In eleven months, I have been fired twice and resigned from four positions. Time lost in transition between jobs, and seeing my hours fluctuate to less than twelve hours per week saw me fail to attend class in Boston and caused great worry. Nevertheless, financial pressure produced an important realization: that I was passionate toward food service. Indeed, I found satisfaction in watching great chefs on Youtube as I was going broke - in particular, Chef Marco Pierre White’s Oxford Union Address. Thus, I committed to finding employment wherein I could learn toward mastering the trade. By making myself available on a “full-time, long-term" basis, I hoped to convince the hiring manager of my sincerity. This attitude evinced maturation of my relationship to my career as a cook. Fortunately, it would manifest in advancement. In the eleventh hour, I was hired as a pantry chef at a local scratch kitchen.

On pantry, I am responsible for making our salads and flatbreads. Upon receiving a ticket, it is important to read carefully. I follow the recipe, making adjustments (ex. placing a sauce on the side, removing an ingredient) based on the customer’s preference. In addition, I must ensure that the station is clean, well rotated and stocked - preparing different ingredients as necessary.

I work five days per week, in order that I may study kung fu on Mondays and Tuesdays; occasionally, I take a day off for USA Boxing competition. My shifts range from five to fifteen hours. In addition, I go to the gym four times per week. Given the need for my body and mind to heal in order to become stronger, I devote the rest of my time to rest and sound sleep. The grind of carving out a place amongst the best in my craft and to make a meaningful contribution to society, leaves me wanting of escape, at times. Nevertheless, I remember the helplessness of being without purpose, going through the motions as I watched life pass by on track to medical school. Truly, we live through our aspirations more so than on bread alone. This New Year’s Eve I was invited to dinner at my parents’ house, symbolizing their confidence in the direction I have decided to take my life. Initially, I was reluctant, given the resentment I felt toward past rejection. Fortunately, I heeded my trainer Papo’s advice and accepted the invitation. Through meeting my family on even terms, I realized the importance unity. Herein, love is the oil that keeps us going through the hardest trials.

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Journal

Time flies: the calendar turns to 2017. What will the new year bring? Reflect we must, lest we fail to learn from experience - passage of time does not guarantee wisdom; furthermore, each treads a unique path in life’s journey.

During the past year, I persevered in making my own way - seeing progression in my study of martial art and advancing to the role of pantry chef. In retrospect, it is clear that pain and disappointment are effects of growth. Herein, the new year heralds fresh appetite for life. Thus, we resign from bitterness in order that we may go the distance.

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Journal

Despite a top effort, I failed to master the skills requisite to passing my EMT exams. I walk on humbled to the fact that it is beyond me to balance boxing, my job and such a difficult course, at the same time. I will heed this lesson in regard to making better decisions in the future. Herein, my commitment to boxing has revealed itself to be bigger than I imagined. Indeed, sacrifice is the spirit of this art and sport.

But also, feedback from instructors and my own observations validated my belief in the need for improvements to be made in education. Some points that I wish to capitalize one are:

1. It is important for students to be aware of the ‘bigger picture’. For instance, how one’s actions or apathies affect one’s company, industry, country, the world, a decade, a century or more down the road.

2. Ability to think on one’s feet is imperative to survival in EMT and (I assert) myriad other professions. Inflexible, scripted behavior should be discouraged in preparation to entering the work force.

3. Healthy relationships must not be taken for granted. Great study and practice must be applied to developing and maintaining ties.

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KID_CONDO®GOTHEDISTANCE!

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Athlete Food

Deconstructed Pasta: keeping the tomatoes as fresh as possible.

I wonder, what are the effects the Maillard Reaction on digestion?

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Upon waiting for the bus one evening after work, I discovered this arrangement which provided form to a matter perpetually on my mind in regards to training, education and general personal growth. Notice that the lollipop, symbolic of overindulgence, is crushed. Indeed, failing to adapt to ever advancing levels of training, under-challenged boxers reach an early prime; overly-sheltered kids find it impossible to cope with the pressures of life. The clay fragment symbolizes the complementing polarity in that high pressure has rendered it able to maintain composure. For this reason, aspiring boxers push themselves constantly to the limit in the hopes of becoming better. But also, we are aware of the fine line between a solid effort and exhaustion. I have lost weeks of training time due to cramping of over-used, under-rested muscles. But also, from the perspective of said material being a manufactured object, another comparison can be made to the living plant matter supporting the sidewalk. The greatest fighters all possess a spark that distinguishes their styles and innervate their audience. Perhaps the greatest cost of over-training or over-education is losing said vitality. Indeed, the grass will continue to grow as the cement weathers away. Coup d’oeil has ever been a more prized trait than timeliness.

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R&D

Budgeting has been crucial to survival since I became financially independent. In the beginning, making sure that I had enough to eat throughout the week was difficult as I was in the habit of eating out. Thus, being a dishwasher earning barely enough to live on, I would end up with no food in the fridge and no money to order deliveries. Overtime, the experience of going to bed hungry half way through the week, and the effects of malnutrition (ex. cramps, fatigue, etc.), taught me what my body needed for training and the value of proper nutrition. Thereafter, I performed research as to how I may prevent said effects, and furthermore, formulated a plan as to how I may maintain a healthy diet. The first step was to give up eating out and go shopping at the supermarket. Even in this, mark-up from middle men creates inflated prices. This may be resolved by shopping directly from the farm. More research will be performed on said matter in the future. Secondly, being disciplined in keeping to my plan and foregoing extraneous purchases such as candy or junk food has helped me to achieve a more effective diet within budgetary limits.

From an entrepreneurial perspective, being on a shoestring budget has proven to be valuable as I was forced to economize. These habits will pay off exponentially in the future when more money is on the table, and therefore, at risk to be squandered. Furthermore, being one of many, opportunities have been discovered that may be capitalized on in the future.

From an educator’s perspective, it is wise to hold kids accountable for their well-being from an early age for the reason that it teaches the value of time and money - herein, setting spending for health as a high priority. But also, the student learns critical analysis and problem solving by encountering the cause and effects of poor nutrition, as well as, the costs of an inefficient supply chain. A good education serves society by engendering progress towards improving such fundamentals of civilization as the quality of our food and access thereof.

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Athlete Food

A principle that I wish to add to the Athlete Food concept is maintenance of high metabolic rate. Herein, servings must be small enough so as to require constant intake throughout the day, and furthermore, of the character that the body digests such with relative ease. Thus, fatigue (from overly generous portions) and indigestion can be avoided.

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Athlete Food

Traditionally, pasta is boiled in clear water then served under sauce. I have found this plain taste to be tedious - herein, it is unsustainable, as unsatisfying eats are abandoned after the novelty wears off. Furthermore, potential is wasted in underutilizing the mostaccioli’s absorptive capacity. Rather than simply saturating the dried good, the boiling process can also be used to add anti-inflammatory and pro-digestive properties per the addition of turmeric and black pepper. Ultimately, the second dimension of enrichment produces a more appealing product as the combination of healing spices and herbs are infinite, thus, pasta will cease to be bland again!