I’ve been getting a lot of questions from folks on how I dropped the weight for the IC body fat challenge, so I wrote up most of what I did over the last two months.

Back story

No story is complete without context, so let me give you a brief recent history. I’m 44 years old and just a scosh under 5′ 10″. For most of my adult life I’ve been overweight at somewhere north of 185 lbs. As far as BMI goes this is squarely in the middle of the “overweight” category.

"A lot of people commented on why I wanted to do the body fat challenge as I wasn't heavy to begin with. Well I was, you just never saw me then!" -Gunther

Exactly, three years ago this week, I made a commitment to ride my bicycle to work everyday (about 10-12 miles R/T). That first year I dropped over 25 lbs without changing anything else. Two years ago next month, I started the IC 0700 boot camp MWF and traded a bunch of fat for muscle and lost another 6 lbs to put me somewhere around 154 on most days.

At the start of the challenge in February (seems so long ago) I was still carrying a holiday paunch at 159 lbs with a pretty good BF of 15.2% (norm for me has been 12ish since joining IC).  A lot of people commented on why I wanted to do the body fat challenge as I wasn’t heavy to begin with.  Well I was, you just never saw me then! I also felt like there were a bunch of healthy habits out there that I was ignoring by exercising a ton to compensate for my regular not-so-healthy habits. What would a truly “healthy” me look like? Here’s what I did to find out.

Month One

On the food front I started by doing the following: research! What did the last BF contenders do. I discovered the TT Path and implemented it all the way; I dropped all foods with sugar in them and anything with flour (even whole wheat), focusing on good whole grains like brown and red rice, beans, lentils, salads, greens, nuts (almonds, almonds, almonds!), dried and fresh fruit, nonfat yogurt, etc. No bread, no pasta, no muffins, no croissants, no cookies, no bagels, no chocolate, no ice cream, no exceptions.

Since my son has both Type 1 diabetes and is celiac (gluten/wheat allergy), this menu really works well for our family. Not overly carby and not the spikey carbs with a high glycemic index.  Whole grains and beans make good protein combinations and keep your body steady-as-he-goes after meals.  I also cut out second portions of anything and avoided fats as much as possible. Hardest part? Cutting back to low fat lattes! Oh, no! (I’m almost used to them now). Of course I didn’t hold my family hostage to the challenge at all, but there was spill over that everyone took part in. I also got tremendous support from my wife in planning good meals for all at the table.

A typical eating day for me looked like:

* green tea before IC with 1/2 a banana
* Protein/recovery shake after boot camp (2 cups nonfat milk, 2 scoops TJ’s MET-Rx vanilla protein powder, 1 scoop Endurox R4 orange).
* Breakfast on non-IC days was nonfat yogurt, berries and slivered almonds
* Nuts and a piece of fruit mid-morning.
* Green salad (TJ’s pre-made salad was a good cheat), bean soup, or lentil salad for lunch.
* More fruit and nuts in the afternoon.
* Rice & beans with greens for dinner, or salad with chicken breast, or greens and a small steak. No second helpings.
* For dessert: a cup or two of fruity non-caffeinated tea helped to quell the post dinner cravings

The first 2 1/2 weeks were the most difficult. For one, the lower blood sugars made me run a low grade headache, so I was a bit testy (apologies to all!). Secondly, my stomach was still used to larger meals, so I didn’t feel as satisfied. In week 3 I hit my stride, though, and the new eating regime became more than satisfying.

"For me, the key to burning calories has been combining exercise with function. Ride your bike or walk everywhere: shopping, pick-up/drop-off, work, play dates, hardware store, always, rain or shine, no excuses." -Gunther

In addition to boot camp, I would take a 2-4 mile walk at lunch, usually with a co-worker to do an errand or something. On non-IC days, I would typically extend my morning commute to 16-20 miles by riding the Bay Trail before work. This is an awesome, local, no-traffic resource that is great for riding/running.  For me, the key to burning calories has been combining exercise with function.  Ride your bike or walk everywhere: shopping, pick-up/drop-off, work, play dates, hardware store, always, rain or shine, no excuses. And there was a lot of rain! On the weekends I would try and shoot for a mountain bike ride just to mix things up a bit, or maybe a road ride with a friend. Also bike down to 4th Street with the family or walk the mile to Solano Ave or the Plaza for something or another.

At the end of the first month I was  down about 8 lbs to 151 and 12.3%  BF.

Month Two

At this point I felt like I was hitting a plateau at the 150 lb mark.  What’s left?  I’m eating so healthily and not too much. What’s that? What am I drinking? It was Don from 0700 who told me he stopped drinking alcohol at the beginning of the challenge. I thought, “Ouch, this is going to be hard”; first I have to resist the peer pressure about food: “Gunther, have some ice cream. I made it from scratch!”, “Gunther, have some birthday cake”, “Would you like something from the pastry cabinet to go with that low fat latte?” Try baking a fresh loaf of excellent gluten-free bread and resist buttering a slice off the end while it’s still hot. Or, one of the hardest days, when I had to pick-up three boxes of bagels in the rain, ride them to work, set them up with cream cheese for my work mates and then just walk away.Now I would have to resist the bev, too? Hmmmmmm.

So I quite the booze. My own private Lent. No wine, no beer, no cocktails, no excuses. Guess what happened? Nothing for a week and then the ponds began to melt off. About 3/4 lb a day until I got down to around 145, blowing past my original stretch goal of 149. At 145 I thought I was a doner, but the habits were just solid now and magically a few more pounds dropped in the last week before the weigh-in. I say magically because I had got to the point where I was eating almost constantly (my desk drawer at work was brimming with healthy snacks), yet still losing weight. My co-workers laughed because there was a constant crunching sound coming from my cube. I also got some great recipes going this month like the lentil salad I copied from the Pasta Shop on 4th street.  Or whizzed white beans (like faux mashed potatoes) topped with grilled asparagus and seared scallops.  Eat that and tell me I suffered on this “diet”!

Take-Aways

"You can't make excuses for skipping exercise and you can't use food and alcohol as a reward for a tough day or a job well done." -Gunther

What I learned is that everything you already knew works when it comes to losing weight, you just have to do it (“Let’s do it, people!” isn’t that what Steve always says?). You’ve got to get exercise every day, you’ve got to eat vegetables, fruits and nuts. You’ve got to avoid processed foods and sugar and flour. You can’t make excuses for skipping exercise and you can’t use food and alcohol as a reward for a tough day or a job well done. Tom R. from 0700 (isn’t 0700 great?!) put it like this: “There’s an excuse switch in your head and you just have to flip it OFF”. Watch out for Tom, because he will put an idea in your head and then every time you try and get around a good habit, you’ll hear his voice on your shoulder: “How can you put that in your body after working out so hard at the Ice Chamber?” Thanks for that, Tom.

I Can’t Because

As I shed the pounds I got a lot of questions from folks about what I was doing. Almost everyone would start to listen to the regime and then interrupt me with a, “Oh, you see I can’t do that because…” and then the excuse switch flips to ON: “I can’t ride because, it’s too cold/dark/rainy/I have a doctor’s appointment/I have to leave early/etc”. “I had to eat that bread on the table. it was free”, “I can’t just order a salad”, “I can’t give up my wine because I’m so stressed”. “I can’t walk at lunch because there’s no where to walk where I work”. “I can’t ride/walk because I have the kids.” Man! I can’t because is THE phrase you need to avoid if you want to change. You need to find a way: swim, don’t bike, walk, don’t run, just find the exercise path that works and stay on it and watch those simple carbs that don’t come from fruits. That’s it. And, of course, flip the switch to OFF.

Moving Forward

Will I keep this super-low BF and weight? Hell no!  I’m too skinny! But, oddly enough, my new BMI is, according to standards, squarely in the middle of the “normal” range. Still, I think it’s too skinny, so unless I get that TV role that puts another 10 lbs on, I’ll probably let myself drift up to 150. Regardless, the great thing about how the ICBF challenge was laid out is that it was over such an extended period that I think I’ve acquired some good habits that I will hang on to throughout the year. Bonus: Losing 18 lbs has turned my steel road bike into it’s carbon fiber equivalent, so I’ll have a lot less weight to take with me when I ride 100 miles for my favorite cause next month!

Thank you Ice Chamber and thanks to everyone in Team 0700 for the support and good times! YTB.

G out

IC Bootcamper and Chef, Melissa Fernandez, designed a unique culinary experience for the students in her first “Cooking in the Courtyard” series this past weekend.  Melissa skillfully crafted a curriculum which included healthy, quick, and delicious recipes.  She also provided us excellent tips on food preparation using fresh local ingredients and a “learn-by-doing” format within the intimate setting of her beautiful courtyard.

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This video captures some of the sights and sounds, but none of the amazing smells or yummy flavors of the afternoon.  Come experience them for yourself!  Her first class sold-out immediately.  If you are interested in registering for her 2nd class or having Melissa help you with your next special occasion, please sign-up at the gym or contact info@icechamber.com for a calendar of her upcoming events.

Lemongrass Pork Spring Roll… With leftover lemongrass pork; julienne and sprinkled w/rice powder, vermicelli noodle, Granny Smith apple, carrot, herb mix of mint, cilantro and pennywort and Nuoc mam cham (fish sauce dip).

Instructions:
In a large bowl filled with warm water, soak 1 rice paper wrapper for about 20 seconds or until soft. Lay wrapper out on a tea towel to absorb excess water. Transfer wrapper to a flat surface or plate. About 1/3 from the bottom of the wrapper, create a 3-inch long row by placing some vermicelli noodle, followed by carrots, apple, pork, cilantro, mint and pennywort leaves. Carefully fold the bottom of the rice paper wrapper over the ingredients. Turn in the sides and continue rolling up from the bottom. To serve, slice the roll in half on a bias. Serve with Nuoc mam cham (Vietnamese fish sauce dip).

Eating fresh and healthy doesn’t have to be boring… This was my Top Chef quick-fire challenge to myself. Using leftovers and what was immediately available in my fridge and cupboard. It is also my good parenting duty to teach my very picky 5 year old and his not so picky 3 year old little brother to eat healthy, to try everything at least once and to be mindful about wasting food.

One of my secret ambitions is to be a one of those “cheftestants” you see on Top Chef. I grew up in the kitchen and one of my first cooking experiences was at the tender age of 5. It was my duty to make the daily rice for dinner. In my mama’s kitchen we didn’t have many modern conveniences, certainly not a rice cooker so it was a tedious chore… Measure the rice, wash the rice until the water runs clear, then let it soak– “this will result in tender fluffy grains” –I can still hear her words echo in my ear. When it was time to cook rice, her instructions were to “use your ears to listen for the bubbles to recede, then turn it down; after that use your nose to smell when it is done”. I didn’t know it at the time, but she was teaching me how to use my senses around food. However tedious I thought my job was at that time, I now take pleasure in performing this ritual of prepping rice. Even though I own a rice cooker, I still often make it the old fashioned way on the stove, using my senses as my guide.

Speaking of senses, one of my favorite stalls at the farmer’s market is the herb and produce stall. Instantly I am excited as I lift the varied bunches of green and purple basil to inhale their pungent familiar smell, reminding me of a steaming hot bowl of beef Pho (rice noodle soup). The smell of fresh mint tickling my nose makes me want to have a frosty Mojito and the curly Asian cilantro with flowering leaf-tops would go great in a tarot soup. Fresh and raw herbs add seasonal bursts of flavor and color to any dish, as well as provide you with great health benefits. I invite you to visit the herb stall at your local farmers market and become inspired.

Finally, I know not every cook will stock their larder with ingredients like rice paper, fish sauce and pennywort. Don’t let that discourage you from getting into your kitchen and letting your creativity and taste buds be your guide. Why not introduce that tin of tuna to the lonely jar of capers and the ripe Meyer lemon just waiting for a squeeze? A healthy, tasty treat is waiting to be discovered.

-Nicki
Ice Chamber Office Girl

Since many of you have been asking about solutions for tasty, healthy, and time-sensitive meals, we found a possible solution for you.  Enter 0700 rockstar and professional cook, Melissa Fernandez.  She has made herself available for any requests/projects, large or small!  Not only is Melissa an incredible chef, she is also one of the sweetest mamas we know.

For those of you who don’t know Melissa, here is a short autobiography:

“Experience-  I’ve been working as a professional cook since 1995.  I started working as a cook in NYC. After 7 years, I decided to take a break from the city and move to the Bay Area to work at Chez Panisse for 1 year.  I fell in love with California (and my husband!) and I’ve been here for 7 years, working at Chez Panisse in both the Cafe & the Restaurant.

Food philosophy-  The most important thing that I’ve learned in my career is that we must not only take care of ourselves but we must take care of Mother Earth.  Maybe I think about this more now that I have a beautiful little girl that will be inheriting this land from us.  I support local organic, sustainable farms, fisheries and ranches.  Food nourishes your body and your soul.  I think it’s important to eat wholesome foods made with seasonal ingredients. I also think it’s important to splurge (without compromise…) every now and then with a great bottle of wine and a juicy ribeye steak!!

What I like to cook-  I love to travel. Learning new customs and cultures, meeting new people, discovering different foods.  I made sure to travel before motherhood hit full force and I like to take inspiration from that.  I’ve spent time in Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia…. and I can’t wait until Isa is a little older to continue the adventures.  Such different cuisine in all these places; but, the one constant is that in their everyday food, they all focus on simplicity and freshness.

My latest adventure- teaching cooking classes to individuals or small groups, catering dinner parties, consulting with clients on a meal plan and either cooking in their home or dropping off prepared foods at their home.”

Please contact info@icechamber.com if you are interested in having Melissa’s help with any of your culinary needs!

So much of sport camp in Greece went beyond kettlebells and included great food & culture, family, and fun. Here is a scene from Valery’s favorite restaurant around the corner from Coach Filikidis’ gym.

Check out 0700 star Samin Nosrat‘s writing in the S.F. Chronicle. She cleverly summarizes the Persian New Year tradition and provides two fantastic recipes to celebrate the occasion. Click here to read her article.

“I’ve been getting a lot of comments/compliments from people at the Ice Chamber about how my body is changing lately. Thanks for that. I have been turbo-charge motivated by the carrot of 6 months flex time! I’ve lost around 8 pounds and over 2% body fat so far. After a conversation this morning, Maya asked if I would share what I have been doing to reduce… Here’s a partial list of what I am doing and eating, and what I am not doing and eating.

I am:

• Exercising daily, pretty much. On “non-IC days” I am doing a combination of walking and running, sometimes throwing in a bunch of sit-ups, crunches, and maybe some hula-hooping. Whatever I can muster and fit in. Hopefully I sweat.

• Eating carbs in the form of whole grains, legumes, and vegetables. (I have done the low carb diet thing before and felt like crap and gained all the weight back and have since learned how horrible and dangerous it is for you…All I can say is whole grains, whole grains, whole grains. Oh, and legumes.)

• Eating less by about 500 calories less a day, which, as I understand it is the rule of thumb for losing weight. I read labels to help “guesstimate” my intake. You can also find caloric values online. My guidline: Middle aged (47) women who are 5ft. 7 inches should be eating around 1700 calories a day for maintaining weight. (So, around 1200 for weight loss).

• Drinking a lot of water.

• Avoiding standing in front of the dessert table at parties. And the cheese plate.

• Eating lots of salads with things like raw pumpkin seeds and vegetables on it (with homemade vinegrette made with olive oil). And lots of soups. And lots of beans.

I am not:

• Starving myself. If I really get hungry (this is the tricky one to evaluate for me: am I really hungry, or am I trying to feed something else??), I have a piece of fruit, or a carrot, celery, or some jicama, or a whole grain cracker (Rye-Vita Sesame are yummy) with some hummus on it, or a small handful of nuts. Or all of the above, in small amounts. I don’t want to feel starved and deprived.

• Drinking anything but water, and occasional herbal tea. This is pretty much normal for me, and I know some people think it’s weird. Oh well.

• Eating anything with white flour in it. As far as I can tell, there is no good reason to eat white flour products other than convenience. Yes, that eliminates most breads, most pastas, cakes, and so on. I’m training myself and my family to move beyond it. For example: We all love pesto around my house, so I put it on brown rice with veggies. It’s GOOD. Really. (And you can take the cheese out of the pesto, and add it on top for those who want to eat cheese…if you make it yourself).

• Eating very much in the way of meat, chicken or fish. I’d say on average, once a week, and more likely fish than meat…

• Eating any sugar, other than what is naturally found in fruits, vegetables and grains.

Well, I hope this is helpful to some of you. (Though not TOO helpful, ’cause I really do want to win!!) I certainly appreciate the kudos… Like most of the women I know and hear of, I have very deep rooted issues about my body, my eating, my image. It feels really good to have some positive feelings about my body, and to be able to recieve postive comments from those beyond my skin. Good luck! (We all win with this, don’t we?)”

-Tracy Tingle

You’re thinking the sun has got to me; that if I’m putting up Chicken Soup (a decidedly winter meal), and one with noodles in it, something must be batty in the belfry. But check me out:

First, there’s nothing like summer carrots and peas to remind you of what vegetables taste like. These particular orange babies are from 0600 Julie’s garden, and they were pure heaven. Second, because the flavor of vegetables is so much more intense than in the winter, this soup can be made in less than an hour from bird to bowl. Third, those aren’t just any noodles… these babies are made in quinoa, which is extremely rich in manganese. Manganese helps to regulate the fat and carbohydrate metabolism rate. It also helps with calcium absorbtion, and contains the amino acid lysine. And by the way, there are a total of 7 noodles per serving (1/4 cup). Any questions?

Soup is also a good hydrator in summer months, when you need extra fluids. Most importantly, for your waist-watchers, liquid fills you up without filling you out.

QUICK SUMMER CHICKEN SOUP

1 red onion, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
3 tbl olive oil
1.5 lbs boneless chicken breast, cut into chunks
2 tsp dried tarragon
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup fresh peas, shelled
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup dried quinoa pasta

Garanish:
2 tbl chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and celery in olive oil 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the chicken and cook 5 minutes more. Add remaining ingredients, up to the noodles, and simmer 25 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to directions.

Once the vegetables and chicken are cooked through, add the the cooked noodles, stir in the fresh dill, and add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy. Serves 4.

-Dish It Out Tsan!

Prior to becoming a legal goddess, Tsan worked in the food industry, both as chef (in Cambridge and New Hampshire) and as an event planner (in Vail). She also ran the Culinary, Hospitality and Restaurant Management Certificate Program at UCLA Extension.

Green beans are hitting their summer stride. When you’re at the market, don’t look for the biggest, but rather the greenest. Snap one and taste it raw. if there’s lots of flavor in them, even before you cook them, you’ll have a tasty side dish.

The absolute best way to cook green beans is in rapidly boiling salted water (drop the beans in after the water is boiling). This method seals the pores, brings out the color, and enhances their flavor. Two preparations are provided since most people are loathe to lug out the big pot in the summer.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb green beans
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil mixed with 2 tbl lemon juice
1 meyer lemon
1/2 tsp clay salt
pepper to taste

Clean and snip your green beans, rinse them with water and shake off excess, but do not dry completely.

BOILING METHOD: Drop beans in rapidly boiling salted water (make sure the pot has LOTS of room and the beans are not over-crowded), and cook for 6 minutes, until beans are al dente. Drain the beans in a colander and blanche under hot water. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with olive oil/juice mixture. Arrange them on a platter, sprinkle with extra clay salt (or your favorite salt), add pepper, and garnish with fresh lemon slices.

MICROWAVE METHOD. Arrange cleaned beans on a heatproof non-plastic cooking dish, add some lemon slices, and cover the beans with wax paper or parchment.

Microwave beans and lemon on high for 3-4 minutes under the wax paper, until bright green and al dente. Remove paper and cooked lemons. Toss with olive oil//juice mixture, pepper and clay salt. top with more lemon slices and serve.

These can also be served at room temperature with hummus or fava bean dip. Makes a great substitute for chips.

-Dish It Out Tsan!

Prior to becoming a legal goddess, Tsan worked in the food industry, both as chef (in Cambridge and New Hampshire) and as an event planner (in Vail). She also ran the Culinary, Hospitality and Restaurant Management Certificate Program at UCLA Extension.