The battle of the bulge

Staying fit on the road amongst temptation, an update

I once had an opportunity to ask Anthony Bourdain a question. “How do you do this show of yours, on the road for so long eating and drinking everything in sight, and not just turning into a fat shit?” I asked. He said the reality was over those few months of shooting, everyone, himself included, on the production packed on the pounds and then in post-production did their best to shed them. I don’t have that luxury, as it seems there is no down time currently from the Wm Brown /Yolo production schedule—as our lives have turned into the search and discovery of content for our platforms. I was recently asked again how do I do it? How do I stay in shape on the road with temptations around every corner and at every hotel bar.

Well, I have found the crucial balance of enjoying and experiencing everything that is tempting on the road (as far as food and drink) and continuing to fit into my tailoring, being healthy, and feeling good about myself. I am not in my 20’s (or 40’s for that matter) anymore and quite honestly, I was a chubby kid that never seemed to have the metabolism to keep up with my cravings. SO, my love of all things F&B has to be met with serious regiment of exercise, controlled eating (no clean plate club members here) and fasting. My packing for the road ALWAYS includes running shoes, work out kit and a bathing suit. Every morning starts with some sort of exercise. It is not always easy but it is a necessary evil if you are battling the slowdown of metabolisms and getting older. A run is usually the easiest that requires no special equipment or gym situation. I love the run ( 30-40 min max) as a way to explore, and even when visiting cities I frequent like Paris or LA there’s always something new to discover. My head gets clear from the night before and I work through a lot of fantastical ideas (usually with Yolanda running next to me as my sounding board). I will admit I am a bit feline and do not like running in the rain so I have a few in-room workouts that work nicely ( see post with the 11 minute work out). A run followed by a swim is a very nice thing but not always possible. A steam, sauna or an infrared sauna (I bought one for Wm Brown farm) paired with a cold water plunge is a must when available. Weight training is also an important part of my routine—I think that load bearing exercising (re: weights) are really important as you get older and the testosterone begins to wane. The workouts designed by my trainer Alex Rosen are on his app, and can be performed in the smallest or leanest of hotel gyms. It usually takes me 45 -50 min to get through a pretty full body workout, which gives me some time to explore my daughter’s shared Spotify playlist (the podcast option is just too low energy for me). More Drake, Rihanna, Beyonce and Smiths please Clara… I also love the TRX system and when I am heading to a location that I know will not have a gym (like my recent trip to Cuba), I bring one along with some resistance bands. I also have a rigorous stretching routine each morning and always pack a small roller and trigger point ball to battle the aches and pains of travel and bad hotel beds. The factor that for me is really the most important is fasting. I have restricted dramatically the amount of calories I consume when ever I can, I sacrifice things (sweets) to cheat with the things I love (chips/booze). I also don’t feel like I have to finish everything on my plate (only my glass) and a routine of intermittent fasting has been a godsend. I am more of a coffee guy in the morning anyway so taking my next meal 12-16 hours after my last evening meal is easy for me. If I have had a heavy week I will fast for 1-3 days, schedule permitting. No food or booze just fluids like tea, water and broth, but, full transparency, I will cheat with coffee. I have also dialed down the red meat after my visit to the Buchinger Wilhelmi fasting clinic last January, where I fasted for 10 days and have never felt better in my life. No, I am not a vegan, not even close, but I do choose the pescatarian route more often now. I certainly do not say no when the red meat option is incredibly special—and that can be pata negra in Spain, an In and Out burger out west, a pastrami sandwich in NYC, stag in Scotland, or tripe in Rome.

I rely on my clothes and my reflection to tell me what’s up. I always seem to hover around the same weight +/- 5-8 lbs but its the waist of a beautifully tailored pair of pants or the button of blazer put under stress of a swollen belly that really tells the truth about gaining inches. If that is the case I buckle down, eat less, exercise more and stay on track. This is the easiest of course when I am not in some wonderful place with food and cocktail options I owe to everyone to explore and report on. But nonetheless this health routine continues on the road every chance I get. I owe it to myself, my family and my tailors to stay disciplined. I also feel less guilty at happy hour.