I’ve hestitated to talk about tonight’s topic for a while. Initially because I was uncertain what qualified me to speak on body stereotyping and shaming. I didn’t want to write another vapid, rambling, whiny post like so many on this topic- lots of words, lots of pain and questions, but no real answers.
Then I just decided to change how was going to write it. Less as a complaint, and more as a testimonial.
Less questioning, more examining.
First of all, let me share something with all of you- I was not always lean. Those of you out there who have known me personally for years are well aware of how I used to look, but for the rest of you:
In May 0f 2012, I made the decision to lose weight and get fit once and for all.
I knew exactly what was stacked against me:
– the habits of a lifetime: stress eating, inactivity, poor diet.
– genetics: my family has a predisposition to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and more.
– time constraints: I was then working at a hospital as well as going to school and starting up the Black Hat Bakery. My time was at a premium.
But I also knew what I had going for me:
– willpower
– genetic predisposition to a strong metabolism.
– cheap access to a gym.
– the support of a friends
– the knowledge that nothing good lay ahead if I stayed as I was.
With the support of friends and family, I set myself on a fitness regimen. I used a couple of free apps on my phone, MyFitnessPal and Fitocracy, to help me keep track of my eating and exercise and to motivate me along.
This is me, May of this year:
There is a common joke maxim: “Never trust a skinny chef.” The joke is that the guy obviously doesn’t eat his own food.
Joke this may be, I have met several people that hold it to be true. I regularly hear that I’m “too skinny” or “too fit” to be a pastry chef, followed by the question “How do you DO it?! Surrounded by all that sweet stuff, I’d turn into a blimp!” The general conception is that I either A. don’t actually eat what I make, or B. I’m on some crazy diet/ diet pill.
How do I do it? Simple.
1. Yes, I try everything I make. A chef that isn’t CONSTANTLY tasting what’s around them or what they are working on is like a typist working with one hand, or a driver with an eyepatch. What these inquistive people don’t seem to get, however, is that you know when to STOP. If you are a baker and you have done your job well, you don’t need to eat a dozen cupcakes to know how ONE tastes.
2. Being a professional baker is a VERY physical job. You are constantly bending, lifting, and moving. You are on your feet at LEAST 8 hours a day, and most bakeshops won’t hire someone who isn’t capable of physically lifting at least 75 lbs. The exercise is exhaustive and nigh- constant. You are NOT just standing in place and cramming icing down your throat- you do not have the time.
3. Incredible as it sounds, you lose your desire for sweet stuff VERY quickly. After spending a day surrounded by the smell of sugar, butter, and flour, the smell nauseates me. All I want when I get home is meat and vegetables.
4. I exercise intensively, and regularly. Not just to burn calories, but stress. I wake up at 4:30 every morning so I can exercise for at least an hour before I go to work. Exercise relieves stress and tension, boosts energy and metabolism, and triggers endorphins which improve your mood. All of which can make the difference between a happy baker and one that holes up in the walk-in fridge with a bottle of whiskey and a rolling pin.
5. My diet is very simple- I DON’T. I can eat whatever I like, and I do- but I am very picky about WHAT I choose to eat. This is where MyFitnessPal comes in handy. I know what a serving looks like, and I know when to stop. I know how many calories I can consume in a day, and I can look at that last piece of chocolate cake and say “Am I going to enjoy that enough that I won’t mind just having a salad instead of a hearty stew tonight?” Nine times out of ten, the answer is no. As a result, my tastes have developed and my palate refined. If I am going to blow calories on something sweet, it is going to be WORTH IT.
All of this came about with a lot of hard work, self-control, and willpower. Implying that I got to where I am because of a miracle diet or pill- or worse, that I’m a poor chef that doesn’t try his own work- ignorantly cheapens and denies all of that.
I am a pastry chef, and a damn good one if I say so myself.
I also now weigh 170 lbs, now that I have lost the weight and am looking to build muscle.
I exercise at least 6 days a week.
My knees and back no longer bother me.
I regularly deadlift 250 lbs kettles in the kitchen.
And just last Saturday, I ran my first 5K. I completed the track in a shade under 22 minutes, at a pace of 8:14 minutes per mile.
Stay Classy,
The Black Hat Baker 