APRIL 2022 | ISSUE 41

#QUOTEOFTHEMONTH

A message from Founder and Owner, Coach Tristan Mitchell:

Eating great tasting, nutrient dense meals can be very simple if we don’t overcomplicate things. A few nights ago, Haley and I got out a piece of tri tip steak that we had in the freezer, we threw it in our sous vide (more on that in a second) and we went out for the day. We didn’t have a game plan beyond the steak, but we knew at the very least we had a nutrient dense protein source cooking away that we could add on to when we got home.

We ended up getting home a little later than anticipated and instead of preparing and cooking vegetables, potatoes, or some other side like we normally do we opted for an easier route – we just cut up some fruit, an avocado, a few slices of cheese, and some sliced pickled onion to top it off. I took the steak out of the sous vide and threw it on the grill for about 5 minutes and we had a wonderful, delicious, simple, and nutritious meal ready to eat (pictured above).

When we have healthy foods in the house, we are far more likely to eat them and these meals don’t need to be time consuming endeavors to prepare and cook. My recommendation would be to have the center piece of your meals be your protein source – essentially meat or fish. Pair that protein source with some vegetables, fruit, and/or healthy fats and you have the makings for a deeply nutritious meal. Our favorite no hassle way for cooking meat lately has been to use a sous vide (thanks for recommending, Jim!) not only does it cook unbelievably good meat, but it is so simple to use and requires no real oversight once you’ve got the meat, or vegetables, in the water. I can’t recommend adding this to your cooking tools enough!

If you’re wondering what is healthy or not – keep that simple too, if it comes out of a bag or a box (excluding frozen fruit or veggies) it deserves a close look and often isn’t going to be particularly nutritious. Stick to whole foods – prioritize your protein and put your healthy fats and carbs around that. Don’t let nutrient deficient grains and starches make up the foundation of your diet. It’s easy to default to these types of foods and convenience often drives that but stick with well sourced meats and fish as your foundation, surround that with healthy fats, and quality carbs and your body will undoubtedly thank you.

If you have questions on how to simplify your diet and add in more nutrient dense foods contact us today, we’re here to help!

Mental Strength Training with Coach Colin

Growing up in rural Colorado climbing trees, jumping creeks, and running through fields prepared Colin to eventually compete in baseball, basketball, football, and running. This diverse athletic background contributed to a successful high school cross country and track career culminating in an athletic scholarship at the University of Vermont. Despite having a trove of physical gifts, Colin’s collegiate and post-collegiate career were less than impressive. Self-doubt, and poor self-reflection skills were the primary performance inhibitors. After three years as a high school teacher, a love of educating others and helping them strive for their own personal excellence, led Colin to pursue a Master’s in Applied Sport Psychology from Adams State University. Since graduating, Colin has dedicated his energy to helping athletes and teams develop the skills and tools to consistently perform at or near peak levels.

A consultation practice driven by a holistic understanding of high performance means Colin will seek to understand each athlete/performer as a complete person who brings a trove of life experiences and strengths to their pursuits. These experiences are derived from our professional, personal, social, academic, and other aspects of our lives, shaping our many strengths. It is these pre-existing strengths that serve as the foundation for individualized mental strength training plans.

Many of us are too externally oriented, meaning that our motivations and perceptions of ourselves are based upon external sources. Unfortunately, this external orientation is not conducive to consistent peak performances. Therefore, Colin helps you develop an internal orientation, one that generates its power from within. When we are driven by internal factors, we are more attuned to what is within our control instead of focusing on elements that are not within our control. To help re-orient our focus to the controllables and the present, Colin developed one of his core concepts: T.A.P.E. (Trust, Attitude, Preparation, and Effort). These four elements are within our control when we are performing under pressure. By focusing on these four controllable elements, any performer is more likely to experience consistent levels of peak performance through remaining in the present. It is this present focus orientation which is often described as “flow” or being in the “zone”.

If you would like to more consistently perform in the “zone” or experience a “flow” state, schedule a free 15 minute initial consultation with Colin now.

Colin’s Mental Strength Training Services Offered at Lions Den:

What

Customized 1-on-1 Mental Strength Training - $90 a session (60-80 minutes). Youth and High School athletes who are looking to gain a competitive advantage. Adult and Master’s athletes who are still looking to compete at high levels. Young Professionals looking to develop skills/strategies to consistently reach and surpass career goals while maintaining a balanced lifestyle.

Why

Despite hours and hours of preparation you are not achieving the results you want in high pressure situations. Nerves so severe they cause nausea, self-doubt so powerful you question skills and abilities. Inconsistent results cause motivation to decrease, everyone else is getting better and you have stagnated or are getting worse!

How

When working with Colin, you receive a holistic mental strength training plan that incorporates interventions such as mindfulness training, relaxation techniques, re-focusing skills, effective goal mapping, constructive self-reflection, and deliberate practice skills. Developing your mental strength increases your ability to focus on what is within your control when seeking to perform at high levels.

When

Mental Strength Training is not a quick fix, we need to constantly work on our mental well-being. Therefore, Colin designs your training to be practiced year-round and in all areas of your life. Unhappy and unwell athletes do not perform well let alone exceptionally. Let Colin help you develop life-long well-being skills for a balanced life.

#NutritionTip with Tammy!

Slowing down, taking a few breaths, and actually chewing your food makes a huge difference in nutrient absorption.  Up your game a bit by cooking your own food.  Digestion starts in the brain, so the simple act of preparing and smelling food helps the brain signal the release of digestive juices.  

What really happens when we scarf down our food in the midst of our fast-paced life? In a fight-or-flight state, we divert blood away from the gut to power the muscles and brain so we can run to safety.  Digestion is not essential during a threat, so we keep putting it off.  That’s okay when the threat is acute.  However, when stress never ends, digestion suffers.  

Let’s use protein as an example. If we don’t secrete enough acid in the stomach, we won’t activate the enzymes that help us break protein down into amino acids.  Amino acids help us with tissue repair and growth, immune function, enzymes, and neurotransmitters.  Lack of protein is associated with things like cravings, fatigue, injury, immune challenges, depression, and anxiety.  

In addition to not adequately breaking down proteins, chronic stress and rushed eating is also associated with difficulty regulating blood sugar; immune responses to undigested foods; mineral and vitamin deficiencies (as they get scarfed up by our nervous system); inability to properly hydrate; inadequate saliva enzymes to start digesting carbs; and ineffective breakdown of dietary fats.  

Put as much effort into how you eat as you do what you eat.  You may feel like you don’t have time to prepare, breathe, sit and chew your food, but consider the consequences.  Optimizing digestion should be your ultimate priority! Need some help with your health and nutrition goals? Reach out for a complimentary consultation today.

#MOBILITY

Lower Leg Smashes by: Coach Joel

What’s up Lions, last month I showed you some of my favorite smashing tools, this month you’re going to learn how to use one of them for a specific smash. Track season is upon us at Lions Den and therefore that means more mileage on our legs. You can guess that's probably going to lead to increased leg soreness, particularly in the lower leg. The hypervolt is one of my favorite tools to combat this and help maintain soft lower leg tissue. It is super effective and at times can reduce soreness and tightness immediately. If you don’t have one, no need to worry there are other options for you with a LAX ball(s) or similar ball(s).

My favorite way to do this exercise is with a hypervolt and a small ball because you can squash the lower leg between the ball and hypervolt. Anytime you can surround tissue or attack adhesions from both sides you’ll be able to loosen tight tissue more effectively.

#PODCAST OF THE MONTH

Peter Attia’s The Drive: #194 Rick Johnson, M.D. | How fructose drives metabolic disease