Tag: 3-weeks to shredded

Mike Dolce joined Joe Rogan Monday, September 8, 2014. Watch & listen now.

JRE #546 – MIKE DOLCE
Watch on YouTube
Watch on ONNIT

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Healthy Recipes for a Laid Back Weekend

Ahh, Labor Day. A day of relaxation, laughter and doing fun, non-work related activities. There’s usually a BBQ or two you’ll be invited to as a sendoff to summer. And like any other holiday, you don’t have to sacrifice all the hard work you’ve put in! Whether you are hosting a small get-together, or will be attending as a guest and want to bring something healthy, we’ve got you covered with Dolce-Approved recipes that you’ve labored hard for! I’m sure you’ve heard of the fashion faux paus no white after Labor Day, right? Well you also won’t be seeing any white, refined, processed ingredients in any of these fun recipes!

Appetizer

BLT Stuffed Tomatoes
8 ounces avocado, mashed
4 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tbsp. parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
green onions, for garnish (optional)
sea salt and pepper, to taste
about 20 cherry tomatoes
Directions:
Wash cherry tomatoes and slice them in half. Scrape out the inner membranes with a spoon or paring knife. Dab the inside of each tomato with a paper towel to dry it and then sprinkle with salt. Mix together the avocado, bacon pieces, parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper. Spoon or pipe the filling into each tomato and sprinkle the tops with chopped green onions (or more parsley).

Main Courses

The Chicken Burger from The Dolce Diet Living Lean Cookbook
1 lb. ground chicken
1 shallot, diced
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
½ cup crimini mushrooms
1 egg
4 tbsp. grapeseed oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 whole wheat or gluten-free buns
Large handful baby spinach leaves
1 large avocado, sliced
1 large vine-ripened tomato, sliced
½ cup oat bran or buckwheat
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. black pepper
Directions:
In large pan, add 2 tbsp. grapeseed oil and sauté the shallot, bell pepper and garlic until tender. Add in the mushrooms and stir for about 2 minutes or until mushrooms brown. Set aside and let vegetables cool. Next, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, vegetables, egg, oat bran, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients together and form into 8 patties. Heat 2 tbsp. grapeseed oil in large pan and cook each chicken patty over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side until cooked through. Place burgers on buns or lettuce leaves and top with tomato, avocado and spinach. Add ketchup or mustard to taste.

Side Dishes

Classic Baked Beans
1 tsp. grapeseed oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz) petit diced tomatoes
1 cup Annie’s Organic Barbecue Sauce
3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
Several drops of Tabasco, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large nonstick pan, heat grapeseed oil.  Add onions and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans and remaining ingredients. Mix well and cook on medium for about 5 minute. Pour flavored beans into a greased 2 quart casserole dish (or similar size) ovenproof pan. Bake until beans are bubbly, about 35-40 minutes and until beans are tender.  Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.

Dessert

“Chocolate” Cookie Dip
1 ½ cups chickpeas or white beans (1 can, drained and rinsed very well)
1/8 tsp plus 1/16 tsp salt
a little more than 1/8 tsp baking soda
2 tsp. maple syrup
1/4 cup almond butter or 3 tbsp. all-natural peanut butter
up to 1/4 cup almond milk, only if needed
1 tbsp. honey
1/3 cup carob nibs
2 to 3 tbsp. oats
Sliced fruit for dipping
Directions:
Mash chickpeas then combine rest of ingredients in food processor until well-blended and mixture is cookie dough-like consistency. Use as a dip or spread of sliced apples, pears and other fruits. Enjoy!

Drinks

Labor of Love*
1 sliced peach
1 sliced plum
1/2 pint blueberries
1/2 cup halved white grapes
1/2 pint raspberries or blackberries
1 sliced lime
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 sprig of fresh basil
1 bottle of sparkling water
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mash together in a pitcher
Note: For an adult version, replace 1 bottle of sparkling water with 1 bottle of Spanish or Italian sparkling wine, and add1 cup white whiskey tequila. Remember, 1 oz of hard liquor = 100 calories.

*Recipe adapted from Karen Borsari.

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Food Label Nutrient Claims:
Is It Really Good for You or Just a Gimmick?

Samantha Wilkinson, MS, RDN, LD

Nutrient claims on food packages boasting of added health benefits are meant to grab the customer’s attention. This is basically a marketing scheme to get consumers to buy more of a company’s products. However, beware of false or misleading claims. For example, foods CANNOT say, “WILL reduce the risk of heart disease.” Instead they must state, “MAY help reduce the risk of heart disease.” There are also certain criteria, set forth by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), that need to be met in order for the company to make that claim. What are those criteria? We’ve listed them below.
LOW CALORIE: 40 calories or less per serving
LOW CHOLESTEROL: 20 mg or less with 2 grams or less of saturated fat per serving
LOW SODIUM: 140 mg or less of sodium per serving
REDUCED: At least 25% less of the specified nutrient than the usual product
CALORIE-FREE: Less than 5 calories per serving
FAT-FREE/SUGAR-FREE: Less than ½ gram of fat or sugar per serving
HIGH IN: Provides 20% or more of the Daily Value of a specific nutrient per serving
HIGH FIBER: 5 or more grams of fiber per serving
GOOD SOURCE OF: Contains at least 10-19% of the Daily Value of a particular vitamin or nutrient per serving
So now that you know what the standards are, double-check the food labels to make sure they match up with the nutrient claim listed. Just do the math and if it doesn’t add up, avoid that product. If they are lying about nutrient values, what else could they be lying about (fillers, additives, preservatives)?

Source: Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics

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Food Marketing:
Understanding the Terminology

Samantha Wilkinson, MS, RDN, LD

Terms like “all natural” or “organic” get tossed around a lot on the packaging or signs of foods. This is referred to as “Food Marketing”, and is a way for manufacturers to boost sales by claiming that their products are as healthy as can be. There are strict, government-set criteria for certain terminology, while others are more loosely-based terms. Here we will explain some of the differences. You may find you’ve actually been using these terms incorrectly all along.

Natural

There is no official definition for the use of the term “natural.” However, the Food & Drug Administration follows a 1993 policy that states:
[FDA] has not objected to the use of the term on food labels provided it is used in a manner that is truthful and not misleading and the product does not contain added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances. Use of the term “natural” is not permitted in a product’s ingredient list, with the exception of the phrase “natural flavorings.”
The United States Department of Agriculture allows the use of the term “natural” to be used in meat and poultry labeling on products that are minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients or added color, and the label must state what is “natural” about the product (no artificial ingredients, etc.)

Processed vs. Unprocessed

Although the term “processed” tends to have a negative connotation since it is usually used to describe fast or pre-packaged foods, there is an actual definition for it. People just simply misuse the term. According to a 2008 federal law, “processed” refers to food that has been through a “change of character.”
Examples include:
Raw nuts (unprocessed) vs. roasted nuts (processed)
Edamame (unprocessed) vs. tofu (processed)
Head of iceberg lettuce (unprocessed) vs. cut, pre-washed iceberg lettuce (processed).

Local

This refers to purchasing food that is harvested close to where you live. This is related to environmental sustainability. But not every state has locally grown products in-state, so we must look for foods that have had the least distance traveled to get to us. For example, if you live in Nevada, you would want to choose California oranges or avocadoes over ones from Florida since it had to travel less distance to get to the local food stores.

Whole

“Whole foods” generally refer to foods that are not processed or changed in any way, and do not have any added ingredients, although there is no regulatory term for “whole.” This would include fresh produce, dairy, whole grains, meat and fish. Basically any food that appears in its most authentic form with minimal processing.

Organic

The term “organic” actually has the most detailed criteria and legality.
As defined by the USDA:
-Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.
-This would include, grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and turkey, non-GMO fed chicken eggs and milk without rBST hormone (a hormone that helps cows produce more milk, usually to profit the farmer/manufacturer).
-Organic plant foods are produced without using pesticides, fertilizers or radiation.
-A government-approved certifier must inspect the farm for proper standards, which include processing and handling.

There are 3 levels of organic claims for food:

100% Organic – Fully organic or made of only organic ingredients. “100% organic” qualifies for this claim and a USDA Organic seal.
Organic – At least 95% of ingredients are organic. “Organic” qualifies for this claim and a USDA Organic seal.
Made with Organic Ingredients – At least 70% of ingredients are certified organic. Here, a USDA organic seal CANNOT be used but “made with organic ingredients” may be stated on the front label.

Source: Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics

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20-MINUTE MORNING

by Mike Dolce
How many times do you slap the snooze button on the alarm clock in the hopes of gaining a few extra minutes of sleep time? I’ve done it so many times, but never felt any more refreshed when I eventually dragged my tail out of bed.
Unfortunately, those extra few minutes in bed rarely convert to extra energy or productiveness. In fact, they often put you behind schedule and scrambling to get out of the house in the morning, leaving many of your goals and dreams as just that…dreams.
Here is the routine I have found most helpful to me attacking each day and ensuring I am able to accomplish an ever growing list of goals.

COUNT BACKWARDS:

If I am going to wake up at 6am, I count backwards to determine what time I will go to bed. Personally, I function best off 9 hours of sleep. This means 9pm is lights-out at my house!

ESTABLISH A ROUTINE:

My alarm is always set for 6am but 9 times out of 10, my eyes open at 5:56am in anticipation of the day. I can’t quite explain this, but I’m sure many of you also have experienced this.

WASH, WEIGH AND RELIEVE:

At 6am, I slide out of bed, trying my best not to disturb my wife or dog (they are both sleepy!) and make my way to the restroom. I relieve myself, step on my scale, record my morning weight and wash my face and hands with ice cold water.

20-MINUTE MORNING

a)

When I walk into my office, I sit down in my chair, close my eyes and MEDITATE / VISUALIZE for 5 minutes to clear my mind and bring focus to my day. In this time, I often start by counting backwards from 300 and focus on deep inhales and forceful exhales. I set my alarm to a quiet, calming concerto from Johan Sebastian Bach to gently transition me from my bliss when the 5 minutes is up.

b)

Next, I perform 10 minutes of non-stop, rigorous bodyweight exercise to get my heart pumping and metabolism moving. My routine consists of 1 minute each of Bodyweight Squats, Pushups, V-Ups, Burpees and Planks. I repeat this cycle twice for a total of 10 minutes and try to outperform my previous best every time I run through this. Each 1 minute exercise is an all-out sprint with perfect form.

c)

Once completed, I sit back down (on a towel) and write down my personal GOALS for the day. These goals are personal to me and offer a challenge to my current skill set and comfort zone. These goals are not about taking out the trash or going to work, as those are basic responsibilities. I write down activities, education, exercises or acts of kindness that will make me a better person, husband, father, professional, friend and so on.

FUEL:

The last part of my day, is walking downstairs, flipping on my electric kettle and preparing a highly nutritious BREAKFAST BOWL to ensure I have all the nutrients I need to sprint out the door, ready to kick a$$!!!!
My personal Breakfast Bowl consists of:
¼ cup high fiber oat bran
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp hemp seeds
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup mulberries
½ cup blueberries
1 tbsp almond butter
*I also pour a cup of Caveman Coffee’s ‘White Gold’ spiked with 1 tsp of coconut oil.
(Go to CavemanCoffeeCo.com and use promo code DOLCE to save 10% off your entire order.)

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CrossFit Re-examined

by Mike Dolce

The sound of barbells crashing to the floor was like thunder. The glint of gym chalk floated through the air like snowflakes on the first dusting of winter. The temperature was 102°F at 10:30 am and bodies of athletes lay across the ground in a flowing river of sweat, with smiles on their face and ears filled with the supportive roar of the crowd.
I was standing at the Sin City CrossFit Police & Fire Games in Las Vegas, NV.

As a longtime athlete, coach and business owner in the health and fitness niche, I remember CrossFit hitting mainstream in the early 2000’s as I transitioned from powerlifting to mixed martial arts. One of my first muay thai coaches, Greg Mihovich, introduced me to this new way of training and I must say, it was intense and I enjoyed it.
As time went on, my own personal training methodology evolved as a hybrid of my experience as a powerlifter and competitive amateur wrestler. This I felt was the perfect blend to maximize athleticism, power output, metabolic conditioning, endurance, flexibility and injury prevention. My system has evolved many, many times over in the past 20 years, and I kind of forgot about CrossFit styled workouts.

With the advent of the CrossFit games being telecast on ESPN, and major sponsors like Reebok supporting the movement, it seems you can’t drive down the street without seeing a CrossFit BOX on the corner, or flipping through a magazine and seeing one of the ‘World’s Fittest Athletes’ looking, well… pretty darn fit on the inside pages.
I must say, I believed this whole CrossFit movement was a passing fad. In my protracted view, I couldn’t believe that soccer moms and workaholic dads, troubled teenagers and shift-working college students could thrive in such an environment of what appeared to be a very specialized system of advanced exercises at levels of intensity even the most seasoned professionals may turn around and run away from.
Boy, was I wrong!
At the Sin City CrossFit Police & Fire Games, I saw over 150 competitors giving it their all in the spirit of competition. There were at least three times the amount of spectators in the audience cheering on their family member, teammate or friend. I saw 55+ parents supporting their 30-something children, and I saw pre-school children cheering on their ‘super hero’ versions of mom and dad.
In speaking to many members of the event, both spectator and competitor, I found that these were regular people with regular lives. There were no professional athletes here, just regular folks that make up the lifeblood of ‘any town’ USA. I met a school teacher, a lawyer, a brick layer, a student, an auto mechanic, a stay-at-home mom, a high school kid, a cop, a gym owner, a real estate broker and so many more that would have to wake up for work at 7am on Monday and punch the time clock.
“What drives these people?” I asked myself, and the answer was within the question. These people drive themselves. They are internally motivated. They do this because they absolutely love it.
In CrossFit, you are truly competing against yourself. All day long, I heard athletes talking about their own PR’s (personal records). They were not as much concerned about their standing against the competition because they were competing against themselves.
When I realized this, I realized CrossFit is awesome and can have a place in anyone’s life.
Just like any other sport, you must do your research. Find a qualified instructor at a reputable gym and start slowly. Learn as much as you can about the training system and be honest with yourself as to how you will proceed. Once you have decided this is the course you will take, go all in and make it a lifestyle.
CrossFit is no different from the martial arts. Your experience will be as good as the facility, instructor and teammates allow it to be, and you will become an integral part of that experience for all those around you.
I could spend days writing articles on all the problems I have seen in martial arts gyms, but I have spent a lifetime experiencing the positive benefits this culture has brought me.
I look forward to exploring more of the CrossFit culture as I continue to evolve.

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PRE-ORDER IS NOW OPEN. BOOKS BEGIN SHIPPING SEPTEMBER 1.

THE DOLCE DIET: 3 WEEKS TO SHREDDED
(230+ page REVISED EDITION)

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:
“Mike Dolce has earned the reputation as one of the top coaches in mixed martial arts.”
MEN’S FITNESS:
“Dolce trimmed himself from 280 pounds down to 170 when he was competing.
It’s safe to say that he is an expert in training and nutrition.”
ESPN:
“Dolce is a lifestyle changer.”
ELLE MAGAZINE:
“Mike Dolce is the go-to guy in the world of martial arts.”
UFC WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION RONDA ROUSEY:
“The Dolce Diet’s Results were impossible to ignore.”
UFC WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION JOHNY HENDRICKS:
“When I have a fight scheduled the first person I call is Mike Dolce.”

Mixed Martial Arts is a sport known for its drastic weight cuts! For the first time in print, MMA’s 2013 Trainer of the Year, Mike Dolce, shares his powerful weight cut and rehydration techniques used with the world’s greatest combat athletes! 3 Weeks to Shredded includes not only the incredible new weight-cut method used for Thiago “Pitbull” Alves’ 2014 career-defining comeback performance, which earned him UFC Fight of the Night honors, but a bonus section detailing Mike Dolce’s original 2007 3 Weeks to Shredded meal plan in which he cut 42 lbs. in 6 weeks!
What’s Inside:
How to manage a weight cut
Exact meal plans used during real weight cuts
Hydration & Rehydration techniques
Traveling while cutting weight
Dangers of weight cutting
AND much more!

Called “the patron saint of weight cutting,” Mike Dolce has coordinated the high-profile weight loss for many of the world’s top athletes, including…
* “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey, UFC women’s bantamweight champion
* Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks, UFC welterweight champion
* Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort, UFC two-time world champion
* Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, UFC / Pride FC world champion
* Thiago “Pitbull” Alves, UFC world title contender
* Chael Sonnen, UFC world title contender
* Gray “Bully” Maynard, UFC world title contender
* Mike “Quicksand” Pyle, WEC world champion
* Duane “BANG” Ludwig, UFC/K-1 veteran & World MMA Awards 2013 Coach of the Year
* Michael “The Count” Bisping, The Ultimate Fighter 3 winner
* Nik “The Carny” Lentz, #6 ranked UFC featherweight
and many more!

Gilbert Burns enlists help of Mike Dolce for drop to lightweight

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Gilbert Burns talks about making his Octagon debut at UFC on FOX 12, looking for the finish against Andreas Stahl, working with Mike Dolce to drop to lightweight before his next fight, and more.-MMA Fighting

Watch the video

Hydration Standards

by Samantha Wilkinson, MS, RDN, LD, Dolce Dietitian

Hydration is often a frustrating subject. The standards change so frequently and there is almost no hard and fast recommendation. The 8×8 has come and gone so many times it’s baffling. Many of the guidelines are based on the size of the athlete, their intensity level, the duration of their workout, their sweat rate, concentration of sodium loss and environment/climate at which the athlete is working in. We will try to make some sense of it for you and help you stay as hydrated as possible to keep you going before, during and after your workouts.
For the most part, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) seems to have the most clearly defined recommendations on hydration levels. Their exercise physiologists spend countless hours testing athletes in the lab, getting as accurate information as possible.
Here are some guidelines:

Meal consumption improves hydration levels

-Don’t skimp on meals
-Fluid retention and intake increases with the presence of food
-Sweat losses need to be replaced, most of which can be replaced by the foods you eat

Fluids BEFORE Exercise

-Slowly drink 5-7 mL/kg body weight at least 4 hours before the exercise task
Example: 110 lbs. female = 50 kg, so she should try to consume 250 – 350 mL prior to her event
-If you do not urinate, or the urine is dark, you should slowly drink more liquids (approximately 3 – 5 mL/kg) about 2 hours before the event.
-It is very important to make sure you are producing urine while hydrating so as not to drown in your own body! It’s about BALANCE!! Equal input and output.
-Consuming beverages with sodium (20-50 mEq/L) and/or small amounts of salted snacks or sodium-containing foods may help retain consumed fluids and prevent an overload of sodium loss during exercise.

Fluid Replacement DURING Exercise

-Hard to recommended based on differences in sweat rates of individuals
-Average predicted sweat rates range from 4 to 1.8 L/hour
-Average recommendation for marathoners, for example, would be as needed from 0.4 to 0.8 L/hour
-Higher end for larger, faster individuals in warmer temperatures
-Lower end for smaller, slower individuals in cooler temperatures
-Keep up the carb consumption (for endurance athletes – exercise lasting > 90 minutes)
-30-60g carbs/hour to maintain blood sugar levels and prevent excessive sweat and electrolyte loss
-Goal is to lose no more than 2% body weight from starting body weight

Fluid Replacement AFTER Exercise

-Goal is to replace all fluid and electrolyte deficit
-2-3 cups (16-24 ounces) of fluid per pound of body weight lost through sweat

Rapid rehdyration

-1.5 L/kg body weight lost or 7 cups/lb of body weight lost
-Increased load accounts for rapid urine output (loss) to following rapid hydration
-Try to consume over time rather than in large doses to maximize fluid retention
-Consume fluids with snacks that have sodium to speed up recovery and ensure return to normal hydration status
Unfortunately, most recommendations are geared toward endurance athletes, like triathletes, since they go for so long without eating full meals and drinking regularly. If you are an athlete who participates in high-intensity, short-duration activities, hydrating prior is important and similar to the above recommendations. Hydration during activity should not be nearly as much in order to prevent GI distress, but enough that you feel satiated during the workout. Even during sprint intervals it’s ok to stop for a gulp of water. Mainly, try to drink when you feel that dry mouth sensation. And after exercise fluid replacement is still just as important, but maybe not at quite as large as the quantities outlined above. Get yourself some fluids, carbs and a little bit of protein to promote muscle recovery. The carbs and protein will help retain those fluids and electrolytes lost.
The main take away is to listen to your body and keep it satiated. If you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. If you are someone who sweats a lot, you will need more fluid replaced. If you are someone who produces a lot of sodium in your sweat (you can actually see a light, white film on your skin), you will need more fluid replaced as well. You know yourself better than anyone, so use the guidelines that work for you!
 

Source: American College of Sports Medicine.

 

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The Mike Dolce Show fitness podcast answers your wellness and diet questions! In today’s episode, Coach of the Year Duane “BANG” Ludwig joins us to talk about coaching newly crowned UFC Bantamweight Champion T.J Dillashaw to his dominant win over Renan Barao. Duane also shares the philosophy behind his successful BANG Muay Thai system. (BangMuayThai.com)
Also, Mike and Duane answer your questions! Topics include how to train your abs; 5 exercises to put on full body muscle mass; explaining ‘periodization;’ AND MORE!
Mike Dolce is the 2013 World MMA Awards Trainer of the Year. As the founder of The Dolce Diet & creator of UFC FIT, Mike Dolce is known the world over for his work managing the weight cuts of UFC athletes like Johny Hendricks, Gilbert Melendez, Vitor Belfort, Thiago Alves, Chael Sonnen, Nik Lentz, Jake Ellenberger and more!
His #1 international best-selling books include The Dolce Diet: 3 Weeks to Shredded, The Dolce Diet: Living Lean and The Dolce Diet: Living Lean Cookbook. For more information on Mike’s books, MMA weight cuts, weight management, gaining muscle, weight loss, overall healthy living, UFC FIT and so much more, visit TheDolceDiet.com, TheMikeDolceShow.com and UFCFIT.com.

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