Dinner with Chef David Bull

Not everyday you get the privilege of having dinner with a great chef (he has battled on Iron Chef America) like David Bull. Tuesday night I did. Last month I met David at a chef's potluck I go to called Meaty Monday Madness. We really hit it off and have been going back and forth via email ever since. My excitement to learn more about food and cooking constantly grows and I'm very lucky to know people like David who can help nurture this. The dinner was great. We went to a new Argentinian restaurant called El Arbol. The chef and manager at El Arbol knew who David was and we got some pretty sweet treatment. I can't tell you how cool it is to eat with someone like this because he basically knows exactly what's in every dish and how they made it. Wow was it ridiculous. Meaty Monday Madness is coming up on May 3rd and David and I have plans to make a couple dishes for it together. It truly is an honor to know David. He's in the process of opening a new restaurant here in Austin called "Congress" which I'm sure will be phenomenal. I gotta run to practice now...so until next time y'all keep working towards your dreams:)

Friday Food Fact: Rabbit Anyone?

Rabbit anyone? Easter is right around the corner and my guess is that y'all are preparing to cook up some wild rabbits...no? Well since this is the season for bunnies I though it would be appropriate to feature them on the Friday Food Fact. Let me first apologize if any of you are offended and/or grossed out about the thought of eating a rabbit. To lighten the spirits you should know rabbit has been regarded as a fertility symbol and has long been included in Easter menus. So for those of you looking to reproduce yourselves, definitely go out and get a rabbit for the Easter table;) Rabbit has been domesticated and included on the table in France for centuries. If by chance you're not planning on cooking rabbit for Easter have no worries, I'll cook one in honor of you. You might recall that I attend a potluck here in Austin called Meaty Monday Madness. The host is my friend Zack who is the chef and owner of the wine bar and restaurant 'Mulberry' in Austin. The first Monday of each month Zack invites a bunch of his friends, which many happen to be local chefs, to his house for a grand eating festival. This month's featured item is, of course, rabbit. There will definitely be a future post on the Meaty Monday Madness extravaganza! So is rabbit healthy for us? The answer is yes and no. The Facts:

• A great source of protein which helps our muscles grow and stay strong.
• High in Iron which promotes red blood cell growth and health.
• Packed with Vitamin B-6 and B-12 which helps in the building and stability of red blood cells as well as helps keep our immune system strong.
• Good source of magnesium which helps keep our bones strong, regulate blood sugar and supports our immune system.
• Be careful rabbit is high in cholesterol.

Much like most things we eat there are positives and negatives in it's nutritient content, rabbit is no exception. If you'll be cooking rabbit this Easter I hope it turns out great! If rabbit is not your cup of tea then I respect that too. Enjoy!

Friday Food Fact: Red Meat

Are you a fan of red meat? Are some cuts better for you than others? Find out as I give you all the info in my "Athletic Foodie Tip of the Week" Please disregard the misspelling in the video...I have no control over that:/

Tuesday Tweet of the Week: Governor Perry’s Appointment

Never did I think I'd post one of my own tweets as the "Tuesday Tweet of the Week". I like to think of myself as a very humble and down to earth guy who is not one to toot his own horn. Last night I was thinking about what to feature for today's tweet. As I searched through tweets I'd seen in the previous week I couldn't stop thinking about the one tweet I've received the most response from. So I did it. I went there. I decided I had to blog my own tweet. So here it is people. Don't judge me;)

"Hot off the wire...@GovernorPerry appoints @G_WeberGale to his council on physical fitness and sport! http://ow.ly/1pkSn"

As many of you know I'm super passionate about food, cooking, and nutrition. This passion has led me to found AthleticFoodie, which is a company dedicated to helping people live a better life through better nutrition. Recently Texas Governor, Rick Perry, has appointed me to his council of physical fitness and sport. I am super pumped about this. I can't wait to help make a difference and promote, exercise, nutrition, and overall health. It is a great honor to have been appointed to this position and I look forward to working very hard to help in any way I can! Finally I think I'm actually starting to make a difference and get somewhere with all of this:)

Training Our Lungs with Underwater Bikes

I'm basically holding up over 250lbs there...no big deal baby! Just cruisin' Poppin' a wheelie. Holla! Just another sweet trick in my arsenal... Stretchin' out for max points

So Happy! Clearwater Tomorrow

A weekend of fast swimming followed by a week of hard training. Boom. Getting back into the swing of things fast. I am on a mission to get more fit. I want my core to become freakishly strong. The weight room is where I'll be. Iron is what I want. Power is what I want. Blazing swimming is what I expect. I'm so reinvigorated and excited for this summer season. Fast swimming is in store. Geeezzz and I'm soooo happy too. Why am I happy? I can't put a finger on exactly why I'm so happy. One thing for sure was some fast swimming last weekend. Training is going well this week. My relationship with both of my coaches is strong (so important to me). I'm cooking my little butt off. Being in the kitchen always makes me feel good and relaxed. My food career is coming along nicely with a couple cooking gigs planned in the next month. My social life is what I want it to be! Yikes...all is great with the world:) Tomorrow I'm traveling with my friend and training partner Matt Lowe to Clearwater, Florida to train with the big man, Randy Reese. I love going down and training with Randy. He's such a trip... First off he has the most dry and hilarious sense of humor of anyone I've ever been around. The man tells you exactly what he wants from you, exactly what he thinks of you, exactly what you need to do to get where you want to go... He's exactly my kind of guy...no BS! Matt and I will be there for a little over two weeks and expect to get our butts whooped everyday. I can't wait. Check back tomorrow for the Friday Food Fact. I hope y'all are doing great. Do what you love...all the rest will work itself out:)

Old school?? You bet, as tribute to Matt Biondi

When Aaron Piersol laid down the gauntlet, I had to give it a try. How about instituting a "Man Law"...? Check out this article in The Austin American Statesman gives the rest of the story.

Eating Like an Olympian…An Inside Look at the Olympic Village Dining Hall

Below is a story I wrote for The Austin American Statesman As the athletes of the 21st Winter Olympiad prepare for the sporting moments of their lives, one thing's for sure: They all need to eat. After winning two gold medals in the Beijing Olympics for swimming, I know firsthand what the athletes of Team USA are about to experience as they fuel their bodies to win gold in Vancouver. Over the years, I'd heard stories of the mounds of food, huge seating areas, desserts in droves and strangely, McDonald's. So when I approached the dining hall of the Olympic village in Beijing for the first time, my heart began to pound harder and faster in anticipation. It was if I were witnessing the parting of the Red Sea when the hall's sliding doors opened. Eyes wide, I was in awe of the rainbow of color and commotion. One foot in front of the other, I walked into this massive structure that seemed as big as two football fields. Surrounding me were all the colors of the rainbow. At the Olympics, each country's perfectly tuned athletes are draped in clothes that feature the colors and insignias of their homeland. Forget deciphering where you were based solely on the language. There were too many to have any idea what you were listening to. Fellow University of Texas swimmer and three-time Olympian Ian Crocker told me that when you first arrive in the Olympic village, you'll walk around completely on a high for the first couple days. He was right \u2026 at least on an emotional level. But my purpose in Beijing jolted me back to reality like I'd been grabbed by an internal force with the power of Goliath. It told me, "Hey, buddy, you're here to take care of business, and you can't afford to expend this much emotional energy on the simple act of eating." Through my nose I inhaled a deep breath of surprisingly clean Beijing air, and as the carbon dioxide left my mouth, so did the excitement. Now my mind-set was right: I came to Beijing to win gold medals \u2026 no time for people-watching. I began my search for the food my body required for maximum performance. The difficulty was where to begin. I turned on cruise control and began to peruse the massive dining hall. Cruise control? Think again. This was no open highway, but rather a New York City street during rush-hour traffic, much like the athletes in Vancouver will face in their own dining halls. In Beijing, as athletes walked into the dining hall, there were two huge salad bars with various types of greens, beans, veggies, pasta salads, pickled veggies, nuts, cottage cheese, fruits, cereals, granolas, yogurts and more. In the same area was a large bakery pumping out muffins, scones, croissants, pretzels, five-grain breads and bagels. At the end of the salad bar and opposite the bakery was the dessert area, with a huge spread of cookies, cakes, parfaits, bread pudding and candy bars. Throughout the games, I stayed strong and didn't touch a dessert until my events were over. Trust me when I say I was not the norm. The more substantive food was along the back wall. People waited in line at each food station, elbow-to-elbow with all sorts of famous athletes, from gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson to Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki. The aromas and flavors were all-encompassing. In keeping with the Olympic spirit, there was food from all around the world, including the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Asia, America and Italy (including a huge pizza bar) and a sushi bar. One section was dedicated solely to different preparations of duck (probably 15 to 20 per day). Depending on your desires and appetites, you could enjoy anything from baked salmon or chicken to curried lamb, blackened sea bass, chicken Parmesan, quinoa and black bean salad, mac and cheese, filet mignon, wild rice, sweet potato casserole and so much more. After filling my tray for my first meal at the Olympics, I found a seat among fellow Team USA athletes. Generally, athletes from the same country sit together, but this isn't always true. As I ate, I looked to my right. Lo and behold, who sat down literally five feet from me? Nothing short of the greatest tennis player in the world, Roger Federer. What a surreal experience. Not only was I taking in the Olympic experience for the first time on the first day, but I ended up sitting next to one of the greatest athletes of all time. Incredible. The real beauty was that for the most part, people left him alone. Every diet's different So what do the top athletes eat? Who decides the menu? Do they serve everything a world-class athlete needs? Many athletes have strict diets both in and out of competition, but a surprising number gorge themselves on McDonald's and desserts. Some determine their diets based on calorie counts, protein content, carbohydrate levels and vitamins and minerals. Incredibly, each food item

Get to Vancouver…For FREE!!!

• Help AT&T Support Team USA by downloading never-before-released songs, from top recording artists like Mariah Carey and 3DD

• You can also download ring tones and answer tones for these exclusive songs

• Proceeds from all downloads go directly to support Team USA

• Help AT&T Support Team USA by downloading never-before-released songs, from top recording artists like Mariah Carey and 3DD

• You can also download ring tones and answer tones for these exclusive songs

• Proceeds from all downloads go directly to support Team USA

• Text USA to 2257 or go to att.net/TeamUSA for more information