Introducing Smye's Fitness - Homemade Kettlebells

 Prep: 15 minutes                                Build Time: 1 hour                         Cure: 24 hours

I know this blog is typically a space reserved for the breaking of digital bread and the celebration of good food. Don't worry, this will still be the case 90% of the time. But at the end of the day, this blog is really about maintaining a healthy lifestyle after (or even before) bariatric surgery. To that end, I wanted to share with you a few of the things I learn along the way in terms of physical conditioning beyond diet.

Before I begin, let me be clear that I do not believe one needs any formal equipment to develop and maintain a high level of fitness - I'm all about natural movements and the joy of using your own body in work & play. However, I also recognize the desire among many of us for something a little more formal. I am not a physiologist, nor am I a fitness expert in the true sense of the word - nor will I pretend to be. I will not be offering workout tips or WODs here, just a tip or two each month that have made my life easier and more affordable.

25 Pound Kettlebell - $4.00 and 1 hour

Now the fun part. We've all seen kettlebells in the gym, maybe we've even used them a time or two. They're typically big hunks of iron with handles - tools that allow us to tap into that primal 'URGH!' of weight-training and are actually pretty fun in the process. The trouble is that they're expensive - $1.50/lb for the poorly made ones and well over $4.00/lb for anything high quality. Until now.

Greens, Eggs, & Hash

Prep Time:  10 minutes                       Cook Time:  25 minutes                        Add to MyFitnessPal

One of my all-time favorite breakfasts pre-op was a quick hash with fried eggs. Turns out, it's also a perfect high protein way to start your day post-op as well. Not to mention the fact that you can either reheat it later for eating on over 3 or 4 days, but you can also serve this to family and friends without fear that it will taste like 'diet food' to them.

A big heaping mess of yum!

This recipe is also incredible with turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, or sweet potato in place of the cauliflower!

Chili Lime Chicken Burgers

Prep Time - 15 minutes                       Cook Time - 10 minutes                        Add to MyFitnessPal

Normally I'm a staunch advocate of beef, bison, or goat-based burgers. I can't stand those dry hockey-puck turkey patties you can buy at the big box stores. They taste like the sport they're most reminiscent of.

These, on the otherhand, are juicy, fully of flavor, and tender as can be. There's nothing lost from the omission of red meat. In fact, only chicken could highlight the interplay of the chili and the lime so well as this. Oh, and you can make a bunch ahead of time, freeze them and then cook them up later without loss of flavor or texture.

Just enough kick to really bring out the flavor without being overpowering for your guests

Catsup

Prep Time: 5 minutes                               Cook Time: 0 minutes                       Add to MyFitnessPal

It can be hard to find a good catsup that fits with a bariatric lifestyle. The ones on the shelves of your local grocer are either full of high in sugar, loaded with high fructose corn syrup, have a sodium count through the roof, taste terrible, or cost a boatload. And maybe paying a boatload is worth it to you - in that case, more power to you (feel free to let me know, I'll gladly make you catsup myself for half of whatever they're charging at your grocer for catsup with the same ingredients.)



There's no reason to ever live without condiments again.

That said, it turns out you don't need my help or the help of Catsups-R-Us. This bari-friendly catsup is easy and fast to make. Oh, and it tastes pretty good too!

Grilled Chicken Strips

Prep Time: 5 minutes                         Cook Time: 30 minutes                Add to MyFitnessPal

We all know the delicious grilled chicken strips you find on a restaurant salad or buy frozen at the grocery store are pumped full of saline, spices, starches, MSG, and a dozen difficult-to-pronounce ingredients, not to mention wicked expensive.

And we've all tried to make our own without success - they're dry, flavorless, or undercooked almost every time we try to make them. What's the secret? How can we get juicy, succulent, and incredibly delicious chicken strips for our salads without having to buy it premade?

Chicken strips make the perfect salad topping

Paella

Prep Time: 25 minutes                 Cook Time: 1 hour                       Add to MyFitnessPal

Originating in Valencia on the east coast of Spain, Paella is the quintessential seafood smorgasbord - representing the history of when the Romans and Arabic peoples came together, each bringing their traditional use of spices, herbs, and seafood.

New and improved paella through the magic of a Dutch oven

Paella is a dish of deep, earthy flavors with aromas that grab you by the sinuses and don't let go until you've finally had your first bite. Highlighting the unique flavor of each ingredient in a harmonious blend, Paella is one dish that's worth every last second spent making it.



Chipotle Philly Cheesesteak

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes                   Cook Time: 3 minutes                          Add to MyFitnessPal

Another food I thought I'd have to say goodbye to when I had WLS, the Philly cheesesteak was a sandwich I first tried in second grade while on vacation with a friend's family. It was greasy, rich, and, from that day forward, reminded me of walking down the boardwalk with my buddy on a warm spring day. Satisfaction in food form.

Many years later my first roommate, a recent émigré from Juarez, introduced me to homemade chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. I introduced him to the Philly Cheesesteak. A new sandwich was born. And what do you know, given only a few small modifications, it fits a bariatric lifestyle perfectly!



Not half bad, despite being only half a sandwich