Beer Review for March 2013: Samuel Adams Alpine Spring

You may be wondering why there is a beer review on a blog dedicated to fitness, diet, and health. I've loved beer and trying new brews for a long time and if I'm going to expend some of my precious daily calories on beer I want to make sure that it is worth it. I've nobly decided to share my experiences with you so you can make an informed decision about your precious calories. I don't have a refined set of beer tasting skills so, I won't be going on about bouquet and mouth feel. I may make a formal rating system at some point but for now I'll just go with my gut. Just because I like to exercise doesn't mean I have to stop liking beer!

I was tired after having just flown from Germany to Newark Liberty International and I had a four hour layover. I could have gone to my gate and done some push ups or maybe dropped down into a few warrior poses but, I was lacking energy and motivation. I also had the sinking feeling that I would probably be detained or tasered if I did anything more then just sit there. I began walking around checking out the shops near my gate when I came upon the Samuel Adams Brew Club. I knew the choice to enter would be pricey but with 4 hours to kill on a Monday afternoon what better to do then grab a beer or two?

I sat down and scanned the small collection of taps and was unimpressed by the selection. I had already tried every beer on tap multiple times before except for one so I easily decided to have the Samuel Adams Alpine Spring. With the upcoming change of the season and my never ending thirst to try new beer I was drawn into this beers hazy web of taste.

I was actually surprised when it was poured because I was expecting something clearer but was greeted by 22 ounces of unfiltered orange haze with a thin white head. It looked good so I dove in mouth first. After having had mainly German beer for a whole year I was interested in seeing an American twist on German beer. I was promised aspects of a Helles, spring bock, and Kellerbier by the description and was intrigued that they somehow managed to cram all of that into one glass. I'm often impressed with German beers consistency (this also has it draw backs in lack of diversity) and American beers willingness to push boundaries (although sometimes I think this just means trying to overload every beer with hops) and it was interesting to see these two worlds come together. The beer tasted crisp and refreshing with a nice balance of smooth malt and light citrus hops. I can see where this brew pulls inspiration from German beer but this beer tastes in no way German. This was a great beer to have after an eight hour flight and I enjoyed it enough to order a second one!

This beer is tasty and would work well on a cold or warm spring day. Despite its delicious taste and reasonable 5.5% alcohol content the 191 calories per 12 oz serving is hefty enough that it might be better suited to pack on a few pounds for winter hibernation then help chisel out that six pack for the summer beach season.

Overall: 8/10 

Random Road Workout 1: Deadlift, Row, & Press

Working out away from home is always a challenge. It is difficult to find the time let alone the energy or the place to workout. I'm currently back in West Virginia where I grew up and I don't have access to very much workout equipment. I do have a straight bar (not Olympic sized), 50/25 lb metal plates, 30/15 lb dumbbells, and a chin up bar. I do have plenty of time to work out on this trip so I've decided to do some improvised workouts. Monday was one of the few days during my trip with a dry and warm forecast so I decided to take my workout outside.

I wanted to just work out with the plates and bar so I did deadlifts, bent over rows, and presses. I also decided to do one set of barbell squats because, I was getting tired doing the deadlifts. I did one one set of deadlifts with just the 50 lb plates on to warm up and then did 3 sets with the 50 and 25 lb plates on the bar. I did 5 sets or rows and 5 sets of shoulder presses with the plates and straight bar. I also added in one set of the barbell squats to get a fifth set for my legs. Overall it was a decent workout and as far as I can remember the first time I've lifted weights outside. I really enjoyed being under some sun but that might also be because I don't see the sun very often in Germany.

The only negative I found with the workout is that the ground isn't perfectly solid or flat outside. It wasn't a problem but it could be dangerous trying to move a heavier weight during a deadlift. I never felt unsteady but the ground felt so much different under foot then lifting in a gym.

What is Your Food Weakness?

Mine is pizza!

Well not this pizza exactly ... 

Getting closer ... 

The tuna fish pizza tasted alright but one time was enough.

There is just something about it ... thin crust, thick crust, just cheese, or with all the toppings I just love it. I've gotten better at treating it as a treat and not leaving it as a viable dinner option but I can't have just one slice. I can go to a pizzeria and just order a couple slices but that's not quite the same. If I get delivery I'll eat half the pizza and if I make a frozen pizza there is a good chance I'll eat the whole thing.

So what is your food weakness? How do you deal with it? Moderation or abstaining? Only for special occasions?

Beer Review for February 2013: Franziskaner Weissbier

You may be wondering why there is a beer review on a blog dedicated to fitness, diet, and health. I've loved beer and trying new brews for a long time and if I'm going to expend some of my precious daily calories on beer I want to make sure that it is worth it. I've nobly decided to share my experiences with you so you can make an informed decision about your precious calories. I don't have a refined set of beer tasting skills so, I won't be going on about bouquet and mouth feel. I may make a formal rating system at some point but for now I'll just go with my gut. Just because I like to exercise doesn't mean I have to stop liking beer!

Here is a murky delicious hefeweizen. Living in Germany, as I do currently, you would think that there would be endless amounts and selection of great beer available. Although there are endless amounts it is difficult to find much in the way of selection without spending some time and going out of your way for it. That has helped to make this widely available beer one of my favorite German beers and in my top three favorite hefeweizens that I've tried.

This beer is hazy with a great orange color. The head is prominent, white, and lasting. The taste has some banana with an enjoyable spiciness. There is also some maltiness which helps to round it out. I definitely like this beer and if it wasn't for one small issue I would drink much more often.

I'm not sure if you have had many unfiltered beers before but that means that the yeast is still in there. Although this doesn't happen to everyone, some of us (ahem) have lingering after effects from drinking unfiltered beer. To put it more bluntly I've been amazed and horrified at the pungency and amount of horseradishy/ wasabi-ishy/spicy gas that can be produced. If you want to do some further reading on the subject you can look here and here.

Despite some of the interesting side affects, I do find this beer delicious and I highly recommend it (unless you are looking for romance).

9/10

This guy definitely likes it too!

Exercise Progress Update - February 2013 Edition

This month I've been doing a P90X and Insanity hybrid. I previously completed P90X and then I did P90X2 so I was looking for a new challenge. I knew from watching the Insanity videos that I didn't want to exclusively do the program because it is very thin on resistance training and very heavy on the cardio but I did want to up the intensity of my HIT workouts. Overall I've been happy with the hybrid program and my results but sometimes I feel like I might benefit from exercising just a little less. I have to modify some of the moves in Insanity since they involve so many push up variations and I don't want to do push ups two days consecutively. I will publish a review of P90X, P90X2, Insanity, and my hybrid program in the coming months.

Since I have felt at times like I was possibly over training I decided to eliminate some of the arm work from my resistance days. Although I don't have a problem with some isolation work I do feel that the P90X program actually wastes time with so much of an emphasis on just working the biceps and triceps. I'm pleased with how it has been working and my arm strength and size haven't decreased. I'm also still on a diet where I'm switching between low and moderate carb depending on my activity level so I'm glad that I'm not losing muscle. I do feel after completing P90X/P90X2 and now going back through a modified P90X that I am ready for a change and hope to get a gym membership soon so I can get back to lifting weights and get away from some of the body weight training. Since I might not get a gym membership I've also been designing a body weight routine which I may use.

Next month I'll be back in the United States for a few weeks so I'll be doing an experimental workout routine using the very small amount of weights I have at home. I will be utilizing the scenic beauty of West Virginia to do some hiking and will probably not be doing much if any HIT cardio. I'll post more about my experiment next month.

The Most Essential Tool for Improving your Fitness

What if I told you that one item can help improve both your weight training and your cardio? This item is simple, small, and affordable and if you haven't been using it you may very well have been holding yourself back. So are you wondering what innovation, method, or routine can transform your workouts?

The exercise journal!

If you haven't been keeping track of your progress and your routines I implore that the next time you are out  buy a small notebook to start keeping track of your workouts. For a few dollars you can track your progress and see if you are actually improving. Another great aspect of the exercise journal is that if you aren't making progress you now have a record to look back and see when your improvement stopped. There are so many similar numbers week to week it is virtually impossible to keep track without writing it down. Can you actually remember all the weights you used and reps you did last week? Is it time to take a week off from training? No more guessing if you are in week ten or eleven of your routine.

An exercise journal just doesn't have to include the number of sets of squats and rows you performed or your resistance and time on the stationary bike. It is helpful to write down how you are feeling before and after your workouts. Has your shoulder been sore? An exercise journal is the perfect place to record this information so if you are wondering why your reps on the military press went down you can look back and see that it could be related to a strain or not enough recovery time between workouts. Did you complete your sets of sprints just a little slower a few weeks back because of your sore knee? Now you can look and know for certain. To get in better shape we have to push past what we were capable of before and an exercise journal is the first step to being able to do this.

Quick Body Weight Circuit

One of the biggest obstacles to working out for most people is time. Just changing and driving over the gym often seems to take more time then we think it will. Another obstacle for some people is access to a gym. The last time I moved and didn't have access to a gym I found this body weight routine very helpful.

Quick Body Weight Circuit

It consists of doing eight moves without resting in between them. If you don't have any exercise equipment to work with then this is great and quick way to stay in shape. If you have a pull up bar adding in a ninth move consisting of pull ups will  help to up the intensity level and add in some back work.

Do you have a quick body weight routine you'd like to share in the comments?