Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings 🤤

I love chicken wings. But having fried food on a regular basis jacks up your calorie count substantially. The healthier alternative would be to bake your favorite fried foods instead (fries, potato chips, wings, etc.). However, when you bake chicken the skin usually ends up rubbery and chewy. I came across a recipe from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt and Cooks Illustrated and man, was I blown away. This recipe is stupidly simple, inexpensive, and absolutely delicious. If you have been refraining from wings because you don’t eat fried food, you have to try this recipe. NOTE: The recipe calls for baking powder not baking soda. Keep that in mind!

Ingredients:

• 4lbs. chicken wings

• 5 teaspoons baking powder (NOT BAKING SODA / BI-CARB SODA!!)

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• Oil spray

Recipe:

1. If you are organized enough, uncover the chicken wings and leave them in the fridge for a few hours to dry out. Otherwise, use a paper towel to pat the wings dry.

2. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions.

3. Preheat oven to 250F/120C (all oven types - standard/convection/fan).

4. Line a baking tray with foil, then place a rack (like a cooling rack) on the foil. Spray the rack with oil spray.

5. Place wings in a large bowl or in a Ziplock bag. Add the baking powder and salt, then toss to coat evenly.

6. Place the wings on the baking tray in a single layer with the skin side up. They should just fit snugly. They will shrink when they cook because the fat renders out so don't worry if they look too snug.

7. Place wings on the lower middle oven rack and bake for 30 minutes.

8. Move wings up to the upper middle rack and increase the oven temperature to 425F/220C. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through.

9. Remove baking tray from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes.

10. Toss wings in sauce of choice or serve it on the side to dip / drizzle on the wings, then serve.

I paired these wings with Noble Made Buffalo Sauce, which is a gluten free and paleo friendly buffalo sauce that is relatively low cal.

Enjoy!

Diaphragmatic Breathing For Aging Athletes

Over the last 7 years, I have utilized exercises to improve breathing mechanics (Postural Restoration Institute) for not only warm-ups and cool-downs but for progressing athletes and clients in advanced movement. Take the back squat for example; you are trying to simultaneously flex the hip and knees while supporting a load on the back of the shoulders (axial loading on the spine). This may seem like a simple and easy thing to do, but as we look at what it takes to progress the squat in load and get the most out of it, we see that the position of the ribcage plays an enormous factor in whether or not the movement is being used properly. To improve squatting, pressing, and hinging mechanics, we must create a solid foundation to build on. Enter diaphragmatic breathing.

Diaphragmatic breathing is something we are born to do. However, we learn compensatory breathing patterns through our modern day living that ends up ruining what we are biologically made to do. Take a look at a baby/infant breath, move, squat, etc.. This is how we are born to move. The more we sit in chairs, avoid primal moving patterns (squatting, hinging, crawling, pressing), and overuse certain movements/exercises the deeper these new patterns are ingrained.

Fortunately, we can relearn how to properly move, and it starts with understanding optimal breathing to access the widest capacity of movement (NOTE: NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST SINCE BEST IS SUBJECTIVE). It's not as simple as sucking air in and pushing it out. If we focus only on those actions, we are not addressing the root problem: What strategy are we using to execute inhalation and exhalation. In this video, I review breathing mechanics we use for postural exercises (influenced by Zac Cupples, Bill Hartman, and The Postural Restoration Institute), including points of emphasis for aging athletes. Aging athletes tend to have less mobility in the ribcage (influenced by aforementioned activities) and need special consideration when relearning how to use the diaphragm in breathing.

The biggest take away: practice your breathing mechanics daily and you will see your mobility (both upper and lower body improve) and chronic pain diminish. Need a personalized touch to your mobility routine? I'm here to help. Click the link below to see up a free assessment today and let's move toward the best version of you.

Does Fat Make You Fat?

“But shouldn’t I not be eating any fat?” I was asked at a recent nutrition consultation.  “It’s not that simple,” I replied.  

You see, fat is fairly benign when it comes to affecting blood sugar and insulin, so fat can be a helpful macronutrient when it comes to adding in calories to your diet without having it affect energy levels and food cravings.  And since fat is calorically dense, it can help under-eaters or those who are looking to put on some lean body mass consume more calories.  On the other hand, fat is also the macronutrient I will adjust during a weight loss phase of dieting in order to regulate the number of calories the client is consuming.  However, I make sure clients are getting enough fat (though minimums can be pretty low) in order to maintain healthy hormones, regulate inflammation, and aid in vitamin absorption.

So where does this idea that fat makes you fat come from?  From best selling author Gary Taubes, “Starting in 1977, the government started telling all Americans to eat less fat, and starting in the mid-'80s, we started producing these low-fat products that in effect replaced the fat in the yogurt or the cookies or the whatever with carbohydrates. We went from being a country that ate about 40 percent of their calories in fat and 45 percent carbohydrates, to 34 percent fat and that much more carbohydrates. Conceivably, this belief that set in, that carbohydrates could be eaten to excess and wouldn't cause weight gain, that they were both heart healthy and the ideal diet, might have had some effect on weight.”

But it turns out, eating fat won't make you fat. In fact, research shows that low-fat diets don't seem to aid in weight loss or in reducing risk of disease compared to higher fat diets. And all those refined carbs you've been eating to replace that fat might be the real issue.

At the end of the day it’s about finding the right balance of calories and macronutrients in order to feel good, and accomplish your individual goals.  That’s where I come in.  I work with clients to break down exactly what their goals are and how we can use healthy eating practices to achieve those goals.  If you are ready to get started, click the link below to book a free assessment today!

6 Months Ago, My Life Changed...

6 months ago, my life changed forever.  I now have a profoundly different perspective on staying fit and healthy while raising a child.

I know being a father is a very normal thing in society, but look at it from my perspective, I’ve never been a dad before.  The first time I changed a diaper was in the maternity ward at Bethesda Hospital.  I am grateful for the experiences in my life thus far that have led me to this point, and even more grateful for the last 6 months where I have grown as a man more than ever in my life.

Thank you to my fiancé Lauren for being the absolute best mother to our child.  Your growth as a mother and a partner has been a miracle that I am grateful for every day.  We will continue to grow as a fit, happy, and healthy family.

Shout out to all the parents out there who are doing the very best they can to keep their health a priority for themselves and their family. 

If you are looking to make a change in your fitness or nutrition, I’m here to help! Book a free assessment today by clicking the link below.

2021 Fitness Predictions!

This last year has caused all of us to make significant changes in our lives. This includes how we keep our bodies fit. There have been zoom classes, people have bought Pelotons, and many decided to let their fitness fall by the wayside. There is one fact that is certain, the world is not going back to “normal” any time soon, and in some ways it may never be the same. The fitness industry is no exception. In this week’s Fitness, Wellness, and Longevity podcast, Scott Hagnas and I discuss our predictions for the fitness industry in 2021.

Our conversation includes:

• The future of wearables (apple watch, fitbit, amazon)

• The death of Globo Gyms and the rise of boutique fitness.

• Breathing exercises will become part of many people’s wellness routine

• Mental health will be a part of people’s fitness and wellness routine

• Alcohol consumption will go down

And so much more.

If you have any questions or topics you'd like to hear Scott and I cover, please send your requests to sean@flochfitness.com

If you like the podcast, please subscribe, rate, review, and share with your friends!

See you next time.

Simple Fix For Right Shoulder Pain

The most common complaint for aging athletes is aching shoulders, especially when performing bench press, push-ups, burpees, dips and many other horizontal pushing exercises. In the video below, I break down one of the most common reasons why you might experience right shoulder pain when horizontal pressing, and a simple breathing exercise to fix it.

We are naturally asymmetrical, but sometimes the asymmetries go overboard and they cause us pain and dysfunction.  The reason why the right shoulder is limited in internal rotation and extension (bottom of the push-up) is because our right rib cage tends to tip back due to overactivity of the right abs (Postural Restoration Institute).  To compensate, the right shoulder blade must tip forward, thus shortening the pec muscles and elongating the lower trap muscles.  These compensations make it harder for us to find stability when the bar is on our chest in the bench press or in the bottom of the push-up.  We then rely on the anterior capsule, biceps tendons, and other structures of the shoulder joint that are made to take that much load in that way.  This may lead to biceps tendonitis, labral tears, and other rotator cuff issues.

To fix this problem, we have to treat the root cause first, and then work out from there.  The root cause of the issue is the right rib cage being tipped back.  To get us out of this position we are going to use our left lower abs and our right arm reaching to drive the trunk back to the left (see video).  2 sets of 5 breaths on the right side only twice per day is a good place to start.  Testing the bottom of the push-up and then resting will ensure you are doing the exercise properly.

Thank you to Zac Cupples,PT and Bill Hartman,PT for the inspiration for this blog/video.  They are geniuses when it comes to movement, and they are worth a look.

If you need any other help fixing your shoulder issues, I’m here to help.  Click the link below to book a free assessment and let’s have you moving pain free today!

Better Side Plank for Relieving Back Pain

Since following Postural Restoration philosophies, I have changed the way I think about certain movements. One of those movements is the side plank hold. The side plank is a staple in any performance, prehab, or rehab routine, but it usually isn't hitting the muscles that it's supposed to hit. Let me explain.

The traditional side plank is used to increase strength in the obliques. Feet stacked and hips perpendicular to the floor. Because of the positioning and natural tendency for most to use their lower back (QL) during the exercise, the traditional feet stacked plank usually emphasizes back muscles rather than core muscles. When we stagger the stance and rotate the hip slightly so that the belly button is pointed more toward the ground, we get a much better internal oblique and transverse abdominas emphasis. This would lead to better breathing and trunk stability (helping with back pain).

The next time you do planks, switch up the foot position and rotate the hips. You'll feel more abs! Looking for more help with your back pain? I'm here to help! Book a free assessment today!

How the Paleo Diet Changed My Life...

There I was sitting in an ER with an IV in my arm writhing in pain.  I didn’t realize it then, but that trip to the hospital was a tipping point in my life.  Let’s take a look back and see how a gallbladder attack forced me to take a good hard look at the food I was putting in my body.

I had just finished up a training session at The New York Sports Club, swimming roughly a mile of intervals and running 40+ minutes on the treadmill.  I was 9 months in Ironman training and I was just hammering myself with two-a-day workouts four days per week.  I rushed home to get some food in my stomach, and an hour after downing an entire entrée of whole wheat linguini, the area just below my sternum started to ache.  I knew this wasn’t a stomach issue because of the location of the pain.  An hour went by and the ache turned into a stabbing pain.  An hour later and the pain did not let up.  I knew something was up so I drove over to the ER to get checked out.  An ultrasound and physical examination later, the ER doctor told me I was having a gallbladder attack.  He recommended that I see a gastroenterologist for a follow up.  The attack subsided later in the evening, but I booked the appointment anyway.

I followed up with the gastroenterologist and she ran tests on my liver, stomach, and blood lipids but didn’t find anything out of the ordinary.  It was recommended that I reduce the fat in my diet drastically, as the gallbladder is key in fat breakdown as it releases bile into the small intestine.  I scratched my head.  “I really don’t eat a ton of fat,”  I said to the doc.  “In fact I eat mostly whole grains. I am a triathlete,” I followed up.  She didn’t give me much else but said if the symptoms persisted, she would recommend me to a surgeon to have my gallbladder removed.  I did some research and found that approximately 20 million people in the United States have gallstones. Of these people, there are approximately 300,000 cholecystectomies performed annually.  These numbers made me think this wasn’t such a big deal, but I wasn’t in love with the idea of getting surgery.  Thankfully, my instincts were correct.

As luck would have it, my good friend at the time, Max El-Hag (Training Think Tank), recommended I read Paleo Diet for Athletes by Dr. Loren Cordain and try out a Paleo Diet.  The idea behind the Paleo Diet was that the traditional western foods I was eating contained tons of anti-nutrients and gut harming proteins that were reeking havoc on my digestion.  This systemic inflammation was causing my gallbladder issues and potentially killing my performance.  I trusted Max and gave a strict 30 day Paleo Diet a try.  Once I took wheat, legumes, and dairy out of my diet and replaced them with sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and other paleo friendly products, my gut issues disappeared (and I haven’t had them ever since).  That next April, I took 13th place out of hundreds of participants at the Nautica South Beach Olympic Distance Triathlon, winning my age group as well!  Not only was I feeling better, but my performance was great too! 

Needless to say, changing my diet was a big step, but I felt forced to.  I couldn’t live with the way I was feeling anymore.  Luckily, I had guidance and someone to give me “permission” to make the change.  That’s why I am so passionate about nutrition, and why I have helped thousands of clients over the past decade change their diets too!  If you are dealing with gut issues, chronic fatigue, or stubborn weight loss, it’s time to book a free assessment today.  The best version of you is waiting.