Let me start by saying I am not at all what I would describe as a natural athlete. In fact, I joke that I'm the girl that failed PE. I started climbing pretty late in the game and didn't get dedicated until I was almost 40. Now, at 43, I'll take whatever edge I can get.
With the goal of climbing 5.13 by 45, I already had a solid
training plan. However, my job as a sales manager has me on the road almost every week, and even though I try to make smart food choices, my nutrition definitely needed some help. So when I came across
this post on improving climbing performance with Trailside Kitchen, I immediately got in touch.
I've since been through two rounds of the
Trailside Kitchen Method Strength Training Course. The eating method has become a lifestyle for me, and I've seen not only significant gains in my climbing, but some pretty dramatic improvements in my overall health.
Julia Delves is the founder of Trailside Kitchen, and during the course of our one-on-one coaching sessions, she's also become a friend. Julia recently launched Trailside Kitchen Dark Drinking Chocolate with grass fed collagen. This product has quickly become both a climbing and travel essential that I wanted to pass along, so I invited Julia to share a little bit about her inspiration, the development process and what's so special about grass fed collagen.
What was the inspiration for Trailside Kitchen Dark Drinking Chocolate?
In working with clients, one of the biggest issues that kept coming up was getting a good source of protein after a long day outside for muscle recovery purposes. Most bars were too sweet and not a good protein source or eating a big meal with meat wasn't appetizing if experiencing that queasy feeling after intense exercise. I noticed I kept recommending over and over again that people use collagen powder as a great source of shelf stable, high-quality protein. It is kind of a unique ingredient that is unfamiliar to incorporate into your daily routine, so I decided to do something about it!
Can you tell us a little bit about the development process?
Around the time that I had the inspiration for "a collagen product," I had the opportunity to take an entrepreneurship class in my MBA program at Sonoma State University. It was the most academically challenging thing I've ever experienced, but also the best thing I've ever done for my business. The first day of class my professor said, "Get used to having me call your baby ugly," and that's exactly what happened.
Through a series of interviewing, testing, pitching and intense critique sessions constantly getting asked, "Why do I care?," I finally had my product. I interviewed over 75 outdoorsy people to find out what's important to them and where they struggle in terms of food, nutrition and performance and learned that if you ask the right questions and listen carefully, they will create the product for you.
I kept hearing the word "indulgence" over and over again. As outdoorsy people, we go outside because we love the feeling we experience in nature (physical indulgence) over the experience at the gym (function). But our food options outside don't match that. Usually, it's peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, bars, trail mix, etc. The options available are for function, not indulgence. That's how I landed on a dark drinking chocolate collagen product. It's rich, but not too sweet and easy to stomach after an intense exercise session. It feels naughty to have, but it does wonders for your body in the recovery process. It's also portable, lightweight and easy to carry even for the most intense backpacking.
What's most unique about this product?
Definitely the versatility. There is nothing more amazing than a good cup of hot chocolate around a campfire after a long day of backpacking or climbing. I love that this product allows people to bring that feeling home with them, but how often to people drink hot chocolate in their normal lives? This product is designed to benefit outdoor adventures, but also at home when people are running out the door and about to have coffee on an empty stomach or get home from the gym late and don't want to eat a full meal right before they go to bed. Not only can the drinking chocolate be mixed into coffee for a mocha feel, but it can also be mixed into different meals like oatmeal, smoothies, banana pancakes, yogurt, etc. I have even built
a whole section on my Website dedicated to all the different ways customers have used it.
Why is collagen so special?
Collagen is the most abundant source of protein in your body that makes up your connective tissues (joints, ligaments, tendons and cartilage) and makes up 70% of the protein in your skin. Most widely known for its use in skincare products, collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed through the topical application, so getting it from the inside out is the best way to reap the benefits!
Collagen contains amino acids such as proline, glycine and lysine not present in high quantities in muscle meat (steak, chicken breast, etc.) and is derived from the skin and bones instead. Most recently the benefits of collagen have hit mainstream media in the form of homemade bone broth. If you’ve ever seen your homemade broth gel, that’s the component we’re talking about here. Gelatin is what causes your bone broth to gel and is a broken down form of collagen through the simmering process when making your broth.
Unlike bone broth, collagen powder is flavorless, odorless and shelf stable. In short, having collagen in the drinking chocolate is getting all the benefits of homemade bone broth, but you can bring it anywhere, have it anytime and it tastes like Oreos.
What's your favorite TK Dark Drinking Chocolate recipe?
Definitely mixed into the
Banana Pancakes. Being in the culinary industry for a long time and also being a teacher at a culinary school, I typically look at food in a critical way, always wondering how to improve what I'm making, so it is very rare for me to impress myself. The first time I mixed the drinking chocolate into the pancakes I started dancing while I ate it, which is my husband's indicator for how much I like something, and realized that I had struck gold with that combo.
Other essentials in your crag pack?
My favorite crag food is actually leftovers. I store them in an
insulated food container and put them in the fridge overnight so that they stay cold all day when I'm out there. There's nothing more amazing than eating real food outside when everyone else is having goldfish. Other than that, I try to get as close to real food as possible, so sometimes I'll bring packets of tuna, sun dried tomatoes, olives and Brami's snacking beans and make a little antipasto mash up like I talk about
here.
Favorite way to spend a rest day?
I still try to be outside as much as possible, so rest days are usually spent with my husband, Pat, and dog, Rosie, going on an easy hike or hanging outside at a winery, which is definitely a perk of living in Sonoma County. If not that, I love projecting in the kitchen, especially in the world of fermentation. Not usually something that creeps into Trailside Kitchen world since it's a bit of an odd hobby, but I love making kimchi, saurkraut, kombucha or curtido. There's usually something fermenting on our counter at all times.
Any pre-climbing rituals?
A deep breath, a look around to take in the view and a very conscious reminder that I live the best life. During the week it's so easy to get caught up in the stress of a busy life and being an achievement-oriented person, I'm always working with my head down towards that next goal. My time outside is where I let that go, have fun and enjoy everything I've accomplished. I've been blessed with the passion and drive to do what I love for a career, the health to be active in the sun and the relationships to turn it all into a community. Life really doesn't get better than that.
Best piece of nutritional advice for climbers and active outdoor enthusiasts?
It all starts at home and is about consistency. How you eat consistently is how you perform consistently, there is no magic pill for getting the best performance results. Living a healthy lifestyle all the time focused on strong digestion, immune system and blood sugar balance is the key. Eat as many vegetables as you can, eat the best quality animal proteins, eat whole grains and legumes and limit alcohol and caffeine consumption. Also get 7-9 hours of sleep a night and drink plenty of water. This is the foundation of the Trailside Kitchen Method Strength Training and Cardio Endurance Program that you can learn more about
here.
Can you share a little bit about your long-term vision for Trailside Kitchen?
The long-term vision is to help as many people as possible get the best experience outside. I want to grow the program offerings and work with groups of young adults who are training for sports in order to teach them healthy habits around food and nutrition to set the stage for long-term health. I want to have a product line that is oriented to the outdoor crowd with ease of portability and being shelf stable, but I also want it to be accessible to everyone — travelers, busy moms and professionals on-the-go. I feel really strongly about empowering underserved populations outside, so while I don't know what that looks like yet with what I offer, I hope to contribute to that movement in some way.
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Now that's a vision I can definitely get behind! With the response to the Trailside Kitchen Method Strength Training and Cardio Endurance Program and the launch of her Dark Drinking Chocolate, something tells me we'll be seeing a lot more of Julia and Trailside Kitchen in stores very soon.
Julia's Trailside Kitchen Dark Drinking Chocolate is now available online here. Enter code ELEMENTSFOUND to get 20% off your first purchase.
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Julia Delves
Founder, Trailside Kitchen
Sonoma County, CA
