Announcement: Ever try outrigger canoe paddling? Think Hawaiian war canoes with the outrigger or float on the left side. They are an absolute blast and a great way to test your core strength! You have a chance to try to paddle a 6-man, 2-man or 1-man canoe. You must be able to swim or at least not sink. Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club and CFSB are getting together for a Redondo Beach CrossFit Paddle Day: 2/18, 10:30-12:30.

I plan to place a large order from US Wellness Meats on Friday 2/17. Please have your order to me by 2/15. I will have the shipment sent to CFSB, and will notify you when your order is ready for pick up. Send me (mariessa@crossfitsouthbay.com) your detailed order (in Excel if possible) with the following info:

• Full name of product
• Quantity
• Size (weight, count, etc)
• Price
• Comments (optional)

Wellness meats or Grassland Beef offers fully pastured or mostly pastured meats and wild caught seafood. All animals have regular access to pasture to ensure optimal health. Stock up on beef, lamb, poultry, pork, bison and rabbit. They also sell wild caught seafood. All meats contain an excellent Omega 3:6 fatty acid ratio. This is key in reducing inflammation in your body.

Beef
The beef is pastured from birth to slaughter. The cows are constantly rotate through fresh pastures for fresh grasses and optimal grazing. The animals graze until snow no longer permits. They are then fed grass that was harvested, and freshly vacuumed-packed. These cows are getting optimal nutrition year-round.

Pork
The pigs are offered outdoor access as much as they desire, and shelter for harsh weather. If an animal has a need for antibiotic treatment, that animal is treated to health and then removed from the program. None of the pork sold at Wellness meats has been given growth stimulants or hormones or antibiotics.

Poultry
While Wellness Meats is moving towards selling 100% soy-free chicken, they currently have both options available. The chickens have access to fresh pasture every 24 hours. They eat grass, grubs and insects. About 50% or less of the chicken’s diet is supplemental feed.

Lamb/Bison
Both are 100% grass-fed and finished.

Seafood
Most seafood is sustainably caught off of the west coast. The shrimp is caught off the coast of Mexico.

Dairy
All dairy is from Amish dairies, and is from 100% grass-fed cattle.

I prefer to buy as much meat as possible locally (Torrance Farmers Market is an excellent source of beef and bison). My staple buys from Wellness Meats include bacon, pemmican (see my post on pemmican here), liverwurst, braunschweiger, and beef snack sticks. I have never tried the rabbit. Although, I admit that I am intrigued.

Workout of the Day 2/7/2012

A. Gymnastics Testing
Handstand/Headstand – For max time both on & off the wall
L-Sit/Ring Support – For max time both on & off the rings
Max Skin-the-Cats/Muscle-Ups – For max reps without coming off the rings Frogstand/Frog Tuck – For max time
Pistols – Max reps on a single leg
Hollow Rock – Max rocks

Fundamentals 2/7/2012

A.Front Squat 15-15-15
Between each set, perform 5 strict pull-ups

B.AMRAP 10
100m sprint
8 Burpees
8 Knees to Elbows
8 Air Squats

First, what you can expect from me:

1. Do no harm. My first goal as a coach is to avoid causing any physical harm to any of my athletes. An injury is detrimental to not only your performance, but your life, as it brings with it pain, frustration and lifelong changes. Doing no harm also includes working to heal past injuries, whether through rehab or mobility, in addition to smart programming and coaching to minimize future injuries.
2. Improve athletic performance. My second goal as a coach is to improve your athletic performance as quickly, safely, and easily as possible. This includes all ten of CrossFit’s general physical skills: cardiovascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, accuracy, agility, and balance.
3. Educate. My third goal as a coach is to educate my athletes on both what they believe is important, as well as what I believe is important. This includes nutrition, programming, mental health, etc.
4. Achieve goals. My final goal as a coach is to help my athletes achieve challenges they never thought possible. This is what fuels me when I wake up every morning. From your first push-up, to your first 5k, to your 500lb deadlift, to your CrossFit Games preparation, I want to help you guys achieve everything you are capable of.

1. Avoid injury. Just as my first goal is to do no harm to you, I expect that your first goal should be to do no harm to yourself. This often gets lost in striving for new ground on athletic improvement, but is important to your lifelong development as an athlete. This includes informing your coaches of pain, weakness, or general malady that we should be aware of.
2. Be coachable. Simply stated, the athletes most willing to learn and be coached will see the best improvements, from health, to body composition, to movements patterns, to injury prevention. Those that listen and learn will always come out a step ahead.
3. Show up. Don’t make excuses, make commitments.
4. Ask questions. It is what we are here for, to help you guys. Often, we have a huge amount of knowledge, but only give a little bit in a class setting due to time constraints. So, if you want to know something, ask. We will either have an answer, or find one out.
5. Use common sense. While often taken for granted, every single one of you is smart, so act like it. You know when something doesn’t feel right, or when you should take a second to figure something out on your own.
6. Respect others. This means cleaning off your sweat, picking up your bar, and cheering on your classmates. It’s the golden rule, enough said.

Finally, as both a coach and an athlete, I expect that you will never stop believing in yourself, that you will never stop dreaming of what is possible, and that you will never stop attempting to better yourself on a daily basis.

If you don’t know already, I am an advocate for Barbells for Boobs, and while I rarely campaign for things, this one is super easy for all you Facebook fanatics. For every “like” SicFit (think Facebook for CrossFitters) gets between January 18 and February 18, they will donate $1 to Barbells for Boobs. So go and like the page already.

Workout of the Day

A. Deadlift 5-5-5

B. 5 Rounds For Time (>365/225 DL: Use a Vest):
7 Deadlifts (225/155)
11 Burpees
(Josh Everett: 4:06 with 25lb vest)

Rest exactly 5 minutes, then run 1 mile. Score is total time.

* Compare to 9/19/11

Fundamentals

A. Pistols and Pull-ups (review scaling)
4 Rounds:
5 pistols each side
5 Pull-ups

B. 3 rounds
10 Pistols, left leg
10 Knees to elbows
10 Pistols, right leg
10 Push-ups
100m Run

Bisphenol A or BPA is a compound used to make plastics. The potential for concern lies in BPAs ability to mimic the hormone estrogen. When a synthetic substance interferes with the role of a naturally occurring hormone in the body, you can expect problems to develop. Many of which are unexpected and surprising.
BPA generally improves plastic’s strength, brittleness, corrosion and heat resistance. Manufactures use the compounds in water bottles, toys and paint. Most food containers contain BPA, including canned goods. Recently, receipts have been the big BPA news focus. Manufacturers coat the receipts (also movie tickets, airline boarding passes, prescription drug labels and lottery tickets) with BPA. When heat is added the BPA reacts with dye to form the ink or print on the paper. In this case the BPA is absorbed through the skin and into the blood stream.
BPA has been linked to all sorts of bad stuff: heart disease, infertility, diabetes, ADHD, cancer, obesity, etc. Pregnant women, fetuses, infants, children and the chronically ill are especially at risk. BPA acts like estrogen in the body by binding to the estrogen receptors particularly of the endocrine system. Your endocrine system secretes hormones regulating many of the body’s functions including metabolism, mood, tissue function and a child’s growth and development. Interestingly enough the kidney, liver, heart and gonads participate in the endocrine system. When the endocrine system is altered by an estrogen imposter, bad things happen.

BPA is released from plastics in extremely small amounts at room temperature. When exposed to heat (i.e. boiling water) BPA is released 55 times faster. UV rays also increase the release rate. If your disposable water bottle has been sitting in the sun, toss it. Love your microwave? Don’t put anything plastic in there. Microwaving plastics increases the release rate of BPA as well.
Many plastics companies are removing the BPA from their products and selling them labeled “BPA-free”. Baby bottle and reusable water bottle manufactures (i.e. Nalgene) sell BPA-free products. Many toy manufactures are also on the BPA-free bandwagon.
So if I buy BPA-free plastic ware, stop drinking from disposable water bottles, remove any plastic packaging from food, stop using plastic wrap, stop using canned goods, wash my hands after handling receipts, etc. and I’m in the clear, right? Well, it’s a great start. Unfortunately, plastics (even BPA-free) contain other chemicals with estrogen activity or EA. Silicone is suspect as well.
BPA is just one of many chemicals with EA properties. ALL plastics are suspect. In today’s plastic-focused world it will be impossible to eliminate all EA chemicals from your diet, but there are steps (including those above) that you can take to reduce your and your family’s exposure. Recycle all Tupperware-type containers, and invest in pyrex or other glassware and stainless steel storage containers. If I run out of pyrex, I will line my plastic storage containers with aluminum foil before storing food. Of course aluminum has its own set of problems. Many people have started using glass jars for refrigerator storage. Make sure the tops are not coated with plastic. If they are, make sure the food is not touching the top. Weck makes a 100% glass jar. Switch to glass baby bottles. Kleen Kanteen is a great stainless steel water bottle.

More sites to help reduce plastic usage:
• My Plastic-Free Life
• Plastic Is Forever
• Life Without Plastic

Chris Kresser sums up three arguments of reducing your plastic exposure:
• in vitro data overwhelmingly show that exposures to chemicals with EA (even in very low doses) change the structure and function of human cell types;
• many studies present clear cellular, molecular and systemic mechanisms by which chemicals having EA produce changes in cells, organs and behaviors; and,
• recent epidemiological studies strongly suggest that chemicals with EA produce measurable changes in the health of various human populations.

There are counter arguments to the dangers of BPA and EA to our heath. Most of the “scientists” performing “studies” claiming that the effects on the human body are not harmful work for large corporations that make or rely on plastic. Is your health worth it?
My information is from Chris Kresser and The Week with definitions from my old pal, Wiki.

Workout of the Day 01/17/2012

A. 4 Sets of:
3-5 Backsquats (3 for advanced 5 for int. beg.)
Rest 30 Seconds
Max Strict Pull-ups
Rest 3 minutes

B. 3 Rounds
20 Wall Ball (20/16)
300M Row
40 Double Unders
2 min. Rest

Fundamentals 01/17/2012

A. Front Squat

B. 15 Man-Makers: untimed

C. AMRAP 12
100 single unders
10 Push Ups
10 Front Squats
100m run

For me 2012 is the year of letting go and having more of the great stuff. Over the past few years, and as I get older I’ve learned that you’ve got to take life a little less seriously. All my priorities have changed, my attitude has shifted about what’s important in life and I’m slowly developing strategies for enjoying it every day.

In my 20’s I was worried about what other people thought, I was worried about the image I portrayed, how I looked, was I good enough, and all those other silly things that seemed critical at the time. I was focused like crazy on my marketing career, getting ahead and fighting my way to the top.

In my 30s, my priorities shifted quite a bit. I discovered pilates and made the dramatic shift from brand manager to pilates instructor in one big swift move. Life turned around almost overnight. The 6-figure income was no longer the priority or available; rather comfortable happy living became the focus. I struggled with my decision about 3 years in and briefly went back to the marketing stint. I was miserable, discontent and overall lacked a true purpose. The last year has been a dramatic shift back to what I love most – educating people on how to achieve their ultimate health through pilates, Crossfit and overall wellness. I’ve always said, there is nothing more rewarding than helping a client or athlete reach a personal goal be it defining their arms more, losing weight, fitting into their favorite jeans, getting ready for their wedding or getting them back in shape after having a baby. At CrossFit it seems even smaller than some of these examples: finally getting an athlete to squat correctly without props, help them accomplish a PR, or watch them get their first pull-up. All these accomplishments I get to witness make my life that much more rewarding.

Letting go and having more is not as simple as it sounds. In my late 30s I’m still aware of my failings, of my misgivings and of my lost opportunities but rather than lull on what I’ve failed at or not accomplished, instead I’m devoting more time to being in the present, in the NOW.

The life of a baby. It's all in the "NOW".

“ ‘How’ you do something is more important than ‘what’ you are doing. It’s important to give more attention to the ‘doing’ than to the result you want to achieve through it.” Eckholt Toll. Essentially life is more about the journey than the destination.

“As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. Do not be concerned with the fruit of our action – just give attention to the action.” Eckholt Toll

So in 2012, there is less focus on what I haven’t done, what I should be doing, but rather it’s the year of giving myself permission to do the following things:

Enjoy my job, but not let it take over
When I first started teaching pilates, I would take clients whenever possible, Saturdays, Sundays, even as late at 8:30pm. Now I don’t work on Sundays. It’s my one day off (even from exercise). I love what I do but there are so many more facets to who I am. My work does not define me. However, I am passionate, driven and excited about what I do because I love every aspect of this incredible world of fitness.

I think Forrest and I have a similar approach to work. We love our jobs and we have fun doing it!

Eat something yummy and splurge every now and then without any guilt
Most of the time, Sunday through Thursday/Friday (day time), I eat very healthy. My meals are paleo with the exception of my full fat Greek Yogurt; I rarely drink alcohol on a school night, but don’t kill myself if I do. And when I’m invited to friends for dinner for a yummy braised short rib with polenta and roasted artichokes – you’re damn right I’m eating some polenta and having at least 2 glasses of wine. I just don’t do the guilt trip afterwards. Why? I live in the moment, enjoy the action of eating and drinking with friends. For a friend’s birthday, I’ll definitely have a slice of cake and make sure I get the edge for the extra butter frosting. But guilt, absolutely not!!!

I will never ever pass up a slice of chocolate layer cake. It's seriously the bomb!!!

Work out how I want, when I want, and where I want
I remember during my late 20s, early 30s, I was obsessed with exercise and diet. I would be one of those crazies waiting outside Spectrum for them to unlock the door at 5am. I’d do my interval training on the treadmill, Body for Life weightlifting, followed by a strict protein, carb, fat ratio’d meal. And then be back at the Gym at 6pm for a Two-a-Day. Today, I need to take a different approach. I love CrossFit and the energy and excitement that it brings to all of us, but I know I need to balance it out with pilates, yoga and running. I scale my workouts especially if my body is feeling off, I take a day off around Thursday some weeks if I know it’s been a hectic WOD series and I need to rest. But most recently, with my injuries I’ve started listening to my body, and my physical therapist. I’ve enrolled in a yoga certification which will span over the next 4 months – 200 hours of intense coursework not to mention at least 5 hours extra a week of practice. My body is dying for this transition, this help and this healing. I know I will need to back off a little on the CrossFit front in terms of heavy lifting and Rx’ing everything. But without the yoga, I’m still about protecting my body and making sure I don’t overdo it. Outside of CrossFit, I do a master pilates class with other instructors, I do vinyasa yoga and try do a gentle stretching class 2x a week. Working out is now on my terms. And I’m loving it.

Andrew doing the air splits. Pilates and Yoga help restore the body. Love this stuff.

Never step on a scale (unless my doctor tells me)
I don’t live my life by the scale. I haven’t owned a scale for over 10 years. When I get on the scale, I’m surprised how heavy I am, but then I know 82% of me is lean muscle mass. My weight fluctuates a little depending on the season. I go by how my clothes fit rather than focusing on that number. I’d rather enjoy life than deny myself something because of a number on the scale.

Make time for myself and my partner
You know that part about my work and making sure it’s not the one thing that controls me, well most important is the time I make for myself and my amazing partner. We will call him Mr. Big – based on one of if not the most sexiest men on TV (SATC’s Carrie’s Mr. Big). We are doing the long distance thing at least for now – but given an opportunity to spend a weekend here or there with him is critical. I know when we are apart it’s about work and focus. However, at the end of the day, my job is not going to kiss me goodnight, it doesn’t make me laugh until I almost pee my pants, it doesn’t make me giddy or say sweet things back to me; it’s not going to cheer me up at the end of rough day. It’s my job and I love it, don’t get me wrong. But having a full-filling life with an incredible partner who cherishes me and whom I cherish is the most important. Having a solid teammate with the same goals for life makes my life full.  So making time for myself and Mr. Big is invaluable.

This guy rocks my world.

Refuse to obsess over my body
I gave this up years ago. As someone in the fitness industry, of course it’s my responsibility to take very good care of myself, be it diet, exercise or maintaining a certain physique. If I let myself go, I’d be no example to my clients. I’m a role model to them and they seek advice and support on a constant basis. I know there are parts of my body that will always be “problem areas”, but then there are parts that are my assets, the parts I’m proud of. No one is perfect. Do the best you can, do what you say you are going to do, but don’t obsess over trying to accomplish unrealistic goals with your body. If you have hips, you have hips – nothing will change this short of shaving off your bones. If you have a belly, work on it – change your diet, quit that bread you keep eating, and strengthen your core. But do we really need to go to the extremes: the fat melting injections, the lipo, the laser treatment? I care only that I’m happy. I’ve got a lot more going for me other than my body.

So we drink beer and lift weights. Who's obsessing?

Spend a little time unplugging from the world
When I went back to South Africa for 2 months last February, a friend of mine gave me a journal, and I bought a Kindle with plenty of awesome books from relationships, to Paleo, to sappy romances, to New Age “Power of Now” stuff. For two months I wrote about life and meaning and random thoughts. I wrote affirmations and goals, lists of what I want and what I don’t want, and I read like a fiend. While I don’t have quite the fervor I did back then (and of course the free time), I still turn to my journal, my meditation and reading to sooth the soul. TV has become less important, in fact (due to Verizon’s abysmal service), I’ve been without TV for almost 4 weeks, prior to that it was the holidays and Mexico – so technically, I have not watched much if any TV for almost 2 months. I think I’ll survive. Before I go to bed I love to: make a hot cup of tea, talk or Skype with Mr. Big, write in my journal and/or read a few pages of something. And if I remember I turn on my Yoga Nidra (sleep meditation from friend Julie Rader), and slowly unwind and unplug from the world.

I love to unwind with my friends in Ojai and ofcourse their Golden Pua.

Buy the best food for cheap
Cooking is one of my favorite things to do. And I literally prepare 99% of my meals every day. Eating out is expensive and we have very little control over how the food is prepared. I once asked a friend who ate out most days what he spent: $1500 – $2000/month dining out. That’s rent. Farmers Markets are one of my favorite places to get fresh produce. And if I’m in town you’d almost always see me at the HB Farmers Market on Fridays. I buy organic grassfed beef either from Sprouts or CFSB; I get my funky dark leafy greens from Whole Foods most of the time (they have the best organic selection); and I love Trader Joes for veggies, eggs, my Greek yogurt and other necessities. Big braised meals last for a couple days, the Crockpot is God’s gift to the kitchen and eggs are my saviour for breakfasts.

Fit in time for my friends and family
Even if I have to get up early for a 5:45am class, I will try and squeeze in some time with close friends and family. I often cut off my Friday short to make time for some wine with girlfriends. My sister and best friend and I talk every day at the crack of dawn, while my parents (in Cape Town) and I connect at least 2x a week. My schedule is pretty slammed during the week, so quick coffee breaks or phone calls are the way I keep up, but I never fail to fit them in. Friends are the beautiful colored threads of our lives – they are what keep us together when we are down, they rejoice in our moments of glory, and they create some of the funniest stories of our lives that will keep us laughing forever. So when you feel you just don’t have the time, create a moment or two. My family and most of my closest friends are spread across the world – DC, Cape Town, Tucson, Seattle, Austin, Durban, but with Facebook, Skype and cell phones there is no excuse.

Richie reaching out to a buddy.

These are just a few of my daily strategies for enjoying life, being in the moment and simply making sure I don’t let life slip right by me. This blog was not about CrossFit, or muscle groups or exercise. It’s about life. Live it, Enjoy it, Feel it. Don’t let it slip away without you noticing.

Workout of the Day 1/11/2012

A. Push Press 5-5-5

Between Each Set Perform:

3 Sets of Pistol Work in order of progression:
10 Pistols on a Band (weight in heel)
10 Pistols to a High Box (knee is not crashing in)
10 Pistols using a Pole (only for balance, not for help)
10 Pistols on a Box (lightly touching the heel to the floor)
10 Pistols

B. AMRAP 10:
4 Pistols
8 Box Jumps (30/24)
12 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1)

Fundamentals

A. Medicine Ball Cleans
10 – 10 – 10

B. 5 AMRAP
Pull-ups
Push-Ups
1 rep – 2 rep – 3 rep – 4 rep – 5 rep …..
Rest 1 minute,

THEN
Repeat in descending order starting from last set
5 reps – 4 reps ….
(Complete same amt of reps from Set #1, aim for same time)

I wish I had studied nutrition more in college because it’s so interesting. Overwhelming at times, but we really are what we eat. Everything that goes into our body affects the way we move and feel. I don’t know about all of you, but I haven’t been feeling or moving well since the holidays…..thanks to the peppermint popcorn, red velvet whoopie pie, cheesecake, fudge,  etc . Happens every year, so I don’t think it’s something to sit around and feel bad about. But I do think it’s time to knock it off and get back to eating healthy again.

Last year I tried a detox that my nutritionist, Renee Love, recommended and it really helped me feel better and get back on track. This detox required a few supplements and protein shakes to help detox. This year, I’m trying one that my professor recommended (because it’s cheaper). It’s basically 2 weeks of a diet similar to Paleo, then 3-5 days of pure juice, and back to 2 weeks of Paleo. There are a ton of detox plans out there and I’m not really sure which one is the best. I’ve heard about the cranberry juice or lemonade “cleanses” and those just seem too intense for me. However, I’ve heard of people having good results from them. I think there are different one’s that work for different people based on your current diet and health. I’ve learned that some detox plans are pretty aggressive too, and that it’s important to have some professional guidance while you do it.

There are also debates on whether detoxing is good for you and/or effective. I don’t know the answer to that question, except that I don’t believe there’s one specific detox that works for everyone. I spoke to Remy briefly about this topic and she said she would rather make a permanent lifestyle change rather than put someone through a detox. My nutritionist and professor like the occasional detox to reset your body and clean out any toxins that you have picked up from food, as well as the environment. I continue to cheat off of Paleo, so I figured why not try the occasional detox and see what happens.

I’m not recommending that everyone go do a detox……I don’t think it’s really a Paleo thing to do. I just wanted to share some basic tips that I have learned to help get rid of toxins in a less aggressive way than a detox/cleanse……possibly while you are getting back on your Paleo lifestyle or just cutting out some of the bad habits you picked up during the holidays. Some of these recommendations are a little quirky…..but at least you’ll get some entertainment out of it!

Fun and easy detoxifying tips (taken from Designs for Health)

1. Drink 1 cup of hot water with ¼ lemon and 2 pinches of cayenne pepper first thing upon waking (on an empty stomach). This is very simple but you would be amazed how many people say they can’t live without it once they start!

2. Use a ‘dry brush’ to massage your entire body before getting into the shower. Use a circular motion and work towards the heart. Then shower or bathe. Facilitates circulation and toxic elimination through the skin.

3. Take a warm bath with Epsom salt added to soothe, relax and detox. Additionally you may rub on the salt with a warm, wet washcloth in bath or shower. Very invigorating.

4. Jump on a mini trampoline for 3-5 minutes at a time. This shakes up your whole body and is particularly useful for stimulation you lymph drainage system, thereby moving those toxins OUT!

5. Try your own ‘hydrotherapy’ in the shower by alternating hot/cold. This stimulates circulation and your immune system. You can also do a sauna/cold shower/sauna etc. Not for the squeamish! But it is very invigorating! You’ll feel like a million bucks when you’re done.

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Workout of the Day 1/6/2012

A. 3-3-3-3 Power Clean

B. AMRAP 15
5 Handstand Push-Ups
10 Walking Lunges
200m Run

Fundamentals

A. Push Press/Push Up Combo
10-10-10
(Untimed, focus on getting chest to deck on Push-Ups)

B. 3 rounds for time
15 Pull-ups
20 Wall Balls
25 Sit-ups
30 Ball Slams

The holidays bring good cheer and tons of food (read alcohol and sugar). If you have been loading up on Christmas cookies, eggnog, pecan pie, hot chocolate, fudge and divinity; you probably wake up each morning craving more. Sugar is addictive. Carbohydrates are addictive. They are one in the same as far as your body is concerned. It doesn’t really matter. Your body uses the quick source of energy, and then turns the leftover into fat.
If your norm is to follow a low carbohydrate/sugar, high quality fat; the sudden jump in carb intake may leave you feeling lousy. You may notice an instant sugar headache, and maybe even nausea. A food hangover may make your mornings miserable. Your body recovers rather quickly, however, and you start looking for your next fix. Blueberry muffins and pancakes, anyone?

After a few days or weeks of shocking your fat burning body with an unusually high dose of carbs, you will probably have to wean yourself off the juice. Sugar is as nasty as drugs in some cases. With it comes inflammation, sugar crashes, moodiness, trouble sleeping, hormone imbalance, loss of performance both at work and in the gym, and a ballooning waistline.
Rest assured you can kick the habit. Just remember the cravings will stop and the sluggishness will come to an end. There are two ways to return to superstar status: wean slowly or go cold turkey. To wean slowly eat some fruit or sweet starches (winter squash, sweet potato) each day. I would suggest filling up on fat and protein, and drink a lot of water. If you are still craving sugar, look to your fruit and starches. Consume less and less until you are back to your normal amount of daily carbs. If you go cold turkey, stick to high quality/low carb green veggies with your protein and make sure to get tons of fat. With either method make sure your fat is quality: pastured animals, wild caught fish, olive oil, etc. Expect some withdrawals and cravings, and be patient with any setbacks.

Here are a few other ideas that might help you kick the sugar habit. Stay busy. If you have time to think about carbs, your chances of caving are greater. If you are not back at work, this is a great time to clean out your closet or the garage. Stay hydrated. Don’t mistake hunger for thirst. Snack! If you let yourself get too hungry, your willpower might slip. Plan ahead. Have your meals and snacks planned, and take them with you if you are back at work or on the road. Your joints, organs and hormones will thank you and you will be back to a fat-burning beach bod in no time.

Workout of the Day 12/27/2011

A. Split Jerk 2-2-2-2
For time:
10 Jerks (155/105)
20 Pullups (Chin-Over-Vertical-Plane)
8 Jerks
16 Pullups
6 Jerks
12 Pullups
4 Jerks
8 Pullups
2 Jerks
4 Pullups

Fundamentals 12/27/2011

Warm-up:
500m Row
2 Rounds:
:30 Push ups
:30 side plank hold (each side)
:30 jumping squats
:30 burpees
:30 jumping lunges
:30 air squats

A. Back Squat
10 – 10 – 10

A. 3 Rounds:
300m Run
8 Ring Pulls
8 Back Squats
8 Kettle Bell Swings
8 Knees to Elbows
300m Row

Fat
Remember fat is THE most important part of nutrition. We need quality fat for our basic cell functions to give us energy. You will likely open the cabinet of a non-paleo eater, and find vegetable and canola oil. You also might find olive oil (bonus!) In the fridge you will find grain-fed butter or, worse, margarine. Most, if not all, salad dressings will have hydrogenated and other crap oils. The bacon will be full of preservatives and nitrates/nitrites.
I came up with some options to help keep your quality fat intake to a maximum. Pack a tub of pastured beef tallow. It travels well especially in the winter as it stays solid at room temp. I just put my tub in a Ziploc, and threw it in my suitcase. Find a grass-fed farm in the area to purchase tallow, lard, bacon or butter. Also, add olive oil to salads or cooked veggies. Don’t use olive oil for cooking as the smoke point is too low. Add it after cooking is complete. If your system can handle it, eat nuts (no peanuts) for fat. Make your own mayo with olive oil and eggs or bacon grease and eggs. Try Ashley’s recipes from Paleo Madeline . Coconut oil is wonderful for cooking as well. Lightly toasted coconut chips with a little cinnamon added makes a wonderful snack on its own, sprinkled over fruit or eaten with some dark chocolate. Don’t forget about pemmican . I ordered a bunch before I left and brought about 5 bars with me on the trip. I use it more as a nutritious snack than a meal for myself and Pumpkin, but it’s a guaranteed vitamin/mineral-packed food.

Carbs
Most grocery stores will have an organic section or at least a few choice organic veggies. Carrots, broccoli, lettuce and apples are usually pretty easy to find organic. Most fruits and veggies that you peel will be fine to eat non-organic for a short time. Stay away from pesticide laden sweet bell peppers, kale, lettuce, spinach, celery, all berries, apples, peaches, nectarines, grapes, and regular potatoes (not common in a paleo or primal diet). The pesticides used in this list are especially nasty both in quantity and potency. It is fine to eat the occasional in-organic sweet potato. Just make sure you don’t eat the peel.
I use balsamic vinegar and Dijon/brown/German mustard to make a yummy dressing for salads or to drizzle on veggies. Pork also is quite yummy when dipped. A yummy fat/carb joy: sauté some apples in coconut oil or pastured butter and add cinnamon- yum! If you really want some tastiness, drizzle grass-fed raw heavy cream on top.

Protein
If you can find pastured protein, then capitalize. If not, choose lean cuts. Try your best to seek out hormone- and antibiotic-free meat. I was pleasantly surprised that wild caught fish is available at Walmart. I also found a grocery store that carries antibiotic/hormone-free beef, bacon and chicken. My parents live in Small Town, TX. They literally have one street light. I drove 15 miles to find a Walmart and a grocery store that carries a few organics and some almost crap-free meat.

If you are in a real pinch and can’t find the quality foods you want or can’t resist the low quality foods available, just know that indulging for your visit or vacation won’t kill you. Jump back on the bandwagon when you get home. Enjoy your trip!!

Workout of the Day 12/20/2011

A.Test Unbroken Box Jumps
2 min. Rest
Max Burpees in 1 minute
2 min. Rest
Max Sit-Ups in
2 minutes

B.5 Rounds:
10 Thrusters (95/65)
10 Pull-ups
200m Run
Advanced: Do Chest 2 Bar

Fundamentals 12/20/2011

A.Row for Calories
Partner effort, one rows while the other rests, switch until all rounds done
Row 40-30-20-10 calories
B.AMRAP 10
Use Dumbbells for the following circuit:
10 Front squats
20 Alternating bent row
10 press

Since all of the water has been removed from the lean meat, the original recipe could be stored for up to 20 years without refrigeration. This made it excellent to use for long expeditions or to store for a time of need. You can sustain on a pemmican only diet without developing any type of condition caused by malnourishment or vitamin deficiency. It’s extremely calorie dense with about 70% of calories from fat. Don’t run screaming. Remember fat is your friend especially pastured animal fat.
I buy Pemmican from Wellness Meats (http://www.grasslandbeef.com). They have a version with honey and dried cherries, and one without. You can buy both versions with or without salt. Their pemmican bars contain 45% tallow and 55% dried jerky. An entire 3.2 oz bar contains about 380-400 calories with 20 grams of protein. The cherry/honey version contains 4 grams of carbohydrate for you carb counters.

Wellness Meats has a pemmican blog (http://blog.grasslandbeef.com/bid/40499/Pemmican). They explain that their pemmican does have a shelf life:
“We are using a Cherokee recipe but the reason we have limited shelf life is our processor is unable to grind air dry pemmican with his equipment. The processor is leaving more moisture than the Native Americans in order to grind the jerky without damage to the grinding equipment. The Native Americans removed all the moisture and their product was shelf stable. We have a test batch dated October 10, 2009 and it is still ok in December 2010. Many have asked for shelf stable pemmican, and we have encouraged our processor to update to a better grinder soon.”
Pemmican isn’t something that I can eat a lot of quickly. For me it’s a nibble food. Some people eat it with fruit. Others use it to cook their eggs. I can see melting it over veggies or a sweet potato. Time to experiment! Remy took some plain pemmican and added cinnamon. I added a dot of honey to her cinnamon, and I was eating heaven!

We'll miss you, Troy!! Come back to visit!

Pemmican is my household’s new go to snack. My husband takes a bar to work each day. My daughter and I share about half of a bar daily. It doesn’t take a lot to fill you up. We love this stuff! There is no sugar high, and no insulin spike. Your blood sugar, hormones and mood stay even keel. Your body knows what to do with almost every morsel. It will nourish, fill and satisfy you.
I recently purchased a bulk pack of the plain version and the cherry/honey version. Let me know if you want to try a bar. I have a few at the gym for sale. Nom-nom-nom!

Workout of the Day 12/13/2011

B. 5 Rounds:
45s. Power Snatches (95/65), 15s. Rest
45s. Row for Calories (If a rower is not available, sub 1 burpee/10m rowing), 15s. Rest
45s. Wall Balls (20/16), 15s. Rest

Advanced:
3 Rounds of above

Fundamentals 12/13/2011

Are you traveling during the holidays? Chances are you will be away from your grass-fed sources, year-round farmers markets, favorite spot
to workout (CFSB), and possibly even Whole Foods. I put together a few things to think about if you are traveling during the holidays.

Find a gym:

Go to the CrossFit Affiliate page to find a CF gym. I would call or email ahead, and mention that you are part of another affiliate.
Most affiliates will welcome a CrossFitter with open arms and a drop in fee. If you need a reference, use one of your coach’s info. We will definitely vouch for you. When you go take note of how they run things, and what you really liked about their gym. Bring back any suggestions on how CFSB can improve your experience.

Globo:

If there are no affiliates close by, visit a globo or the local gym. Be aware that many non-CrossFit gyms don’t like CrossFitters because we are vocal, perform dangerous acts (kipping pullups and snatches) and drop weights. Try to control the urge to be obnoxious until the last day, then give them hell! Tell us your story about how you got kicked out. Better yet: film it.

No gyms:

Eva T. has a great website with workouts that require no-equipment. If a gym isn’t an option, but you still want to workout; try her website. You can also make up your own workouts. 5 rounds: jumps on a wall or tree stump, pushups, squats. Hold something heavy during squats or put your feet on the tree stump or wall during pushups. Don’t forget sprints. They are a great workout in themselves or as part of a workout.

Pastured/Grass-fed/wild protein and fat:

I have had the most success with Eat Wild. They have a great search option to find high omega 3’s meats near your destination. You may have to visit the farm to purchase. Others will ship.

Whole Foods:

Grocery stores that carry grass-fed meats can sometimes be tough to find. This may take some research, and a lot of phone time. Call the 5 closest grocery stores and see what you come up with. For a Whole Foods location search, click here.

No dice:

If you can’t find any quality protein/fat, just stick it out for a few days. Keep quality plant fats in your diet such as nuts, seeds, olive oil; and supplement with some fish oil to keep your Omega 3:Omega 6 ratio at a healthy level. Don’t stop eating fat!

Plan ahead, and make sure to do a little research before you leave. If you plan to take the time to indulge in the couch, cocktails and cookies,
live it up. Your goal may be to keep it clean and active for the most part, but splurge Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. Hopefully some of these tools will help you in your journey. Have a great Holiday Season!!!

Workout of the Day 12/6/2011

A. Power Clean 3-3-3-3-3

all at thesame weight

Advanced: 85-90% of max

B. 7 Rounds:

5 Power Cleans (135/85)
7 Burpees

Advanced:

5 Rounds:

5 Power Cleans (155/105)

5 Bar-Facing Burpees

Fundamentals 12/6/2011

A. Press 10 – 10 – 10

B. Dirty 30s -

1 Round for time:

30 reps each

Pull-ups/Ring Pulls

Burpees

Box jumps

Push-ups

Sit-ups

Walking lunges (OH optional)

Knees to elbows

Tricep Dips on floor/bench

Single unders

Squats

The Functional Movement Screen(FMS) is happening again on December 16 and 17! You can find the sign-up link to the right of the blog, under Forrest’s moment of fame.

Each screen is 30min long.At the end you will be given specific recommendations to help correct any imbalances/dysfunction found. First screen is $30, including a follow-up screen a month or so later to see your progress. It’s good to continue to track your progress as you become more fit because new problems can arise. Additional screens are $30 each and the plan is to have 2 days/month available  to sign-up.

If you have trouble signing up, please let me know. If you don’t remember what the FMS is read here. Or you can ask Mannie and Aaron why they are doing funky exercises during the warm-up. I will go into more detail about the results of the first round of screens in next week’s blog, but overall it is going to be a great way to help the CFSB athletes avoid dysfunctional training and injury.

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While researching for Uncle Rhabdo, I came across a great article by the American College of Sports Medicine (ASCM) titled “Exercise and Fluid Replacement.” I thought this would be a great topic to share with all of you because of the amount of sweat that is lost during a single WOD. It’s hard to rehydrate after a hard workout, and even harder if you weren’t hydrated before you began exercising.

Why is it bad to be dehydrated? The human body can not function the way it should if it is not properly hydrated. The human body is around 60% water, which means the human body needs water. Dehydration reduces your exercise potential, contributes to heat illness, increases risk for Uncle Rhabdo and can also lead to death if enough salt is lost through sweat. There are also situations where too much water can cause damage to the body (also leading to decreased sodium in the body), so the main goal is balance. Just like losing weight is based on calories out and in, hydration is based on fluid out and fluid in.

Fluid OUT

The amount of sweat lost during specific activities varies from person to person, based on the following:

• genetics
• body weight
• metabolism

The amount of sweat lost is also based on various factors regarding the exercise/sport:

• duration
• intensity
• environment/temperature
• type of clothing or equipment worn

For example, a male swimmer will lose 0.37 liters of sweat per hour and a football player will lose 2.14 liters per hour. Knowing the exact amount of sweat lost during each workout is not as important as just realizing that you may have lost a little more water if you did Murph with a weighted vest (or football pads if you wish) in 100 degree weather. If you really want to get picky there is a specific method for determining your exact sweat loss in the article here.

Other things that increase dehydration besides exercise:

• Some medications are diuretics (i.e. blood pressure meds) and cause increase in urine production, thus decreased water in the body
• Alcohol and caffeinated drinks are natural diuretics that have the same affect
• Flying also causes your body to become dehydrated from the high altitude
• Protein has a diuretic effect, so just drinking a protein shake after a WOD is not sufficient for rehydration

Evan balancing out his Bud Light with apple-sweat-germ-water....great way to rehydrate

Fluid IN

This is where most of the problems happen. A lot of people don’t enjoy drinking water. Maybe I’m just crazy for loving it, but my body seems to crave it all day. And it’s because it needs it. Your body needs water, but sometimes it’s hard to drink enough throughout the day. Most of the time water is replaced by that mid-day soda or 5th cup of coffee. Sometimes we are just too busy throughout the day to know when we are thirsty. The ability to detect when you’re thirsty also decreases with age. And if you wait until you are thirsty to drink water, you are probably already dehydrated.

Food consumption is super important to help your body absorb and retain the water. Especially because when we sweat other things are lost besides water (such as sodium, potassium, magnesium). This is why it’s also important not just to drink water, but to also drink things with electrolytes in them. “Consuming beverages with sodium and/or salted snacks or small meals with beverages can help stimulate thirst and retain needed fluids.”(ASCM).

I took a sports nutrition class a few years ago and learned the best drink to have after a long workout. Vegetable juice! Yuck. And that’s why sports drinks were created because no one actually wants to chug a V8 after a long workout. The problem with a lot of the sports drinks is that most of them are loaded with a ton of sugar. So try to find one that is not loaded with sugar or fake sugar.

This method is not really scientific, but these are the rules that I try to follow:

1. 1 cup water per cup of coffee, starting with water first
2. Water with meals because the food helps to absorb and retain the water
3. Electrolyte beverage when I’m not eating (which is not often)….sparkling water with sodium
4. Coconut water is really sugary, but great for rehydration because of the magnesium and potassium in it. I will usually save that for a time when I’m really dehydrated. Chocolate flavored of course
5. Having chocolate daily will improve your body’s ability to rehydrate (totally a lie, but I like to make any excuse to eat more chocolate)

How much water and electrolytes you need to consume after a workout depends on how intense the workout was as well as how long it was. Short workouts usually only require you to drink water, with electrolytes needing to be replaced with workouts longer than 1 hour. Most CF workouts fall in the short category. HOWEVER, this is only true when you start a workout in a hydrated state. Which is hard to do, but really important to 1. improve your workouts and 2. improve your recovery time. So preparing before a workout is just as important as replacing fluid after a workout. “Prehydrating with beverages, if needed, should be initiated at least several hours before the exercise task to enable fluid absorption and allow urine output to return toward normal levels”(ACSM).

A good way to test your hydration status is looking at your urine. It should be a light yellow. If it’s dark, you probably need to drink a little more. If you haven’t gone in a while, you probably need to drink more. You can also take your thumb and press it into the skin on the front of your shin bone. Your thumb will make an indent in your skin, but then your skin should go back to normal pretty quickly. If the skin remains indented, you are dehydrated.

Good after exercise recommendation:

“After exercise, the goal is to fully replace any fluid and electrolyte deficit. The aggressiveness to be taken depends on the speed that rehydration must be accomplished and the magnitude of the fluid-electrolyte deficit. If recovery time and opportunities permit, consumption of normal meals and snacks with a sufficient volume of plain water will restore euhydration, provided the food contains sufficient sodium to replace sweat losses (72). If dehydration is substantial with a relatively short recovery periods (<12 h) then aggressive rehydration programs may be merited (87,88,128).”

Hydration is just another part of living a healthy lifestyle, that all you Crossfitters strive to have. Which is great! If you want to read more about fluid and exercise, check out the article from the ACSM. It looks long, but it’s just because there’s a lecture (in Dutch) at the end of the article.

Reference:

American College of Sports Medicine. “Exercise and Fluid Replacement.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. February 2007 – Volume 39 – Issue 2 – pp 377-390.

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Workout of the Day 12/2/2011

A. Accumulate 3 minutes in a handstand, facing the wall for advanced athletes
then, muscle-up skill work:
<30 seconds of ring support: Accumulate 2 minutes of Ring Support
< 5 strict pull-ups and 5 strict dips: Perform 15 Skin-the-Cats
> 5 strict pull-ups and 5 strict dips: Muscle-Up Skill Work from your knees
> 5 Muscle-Ups: 3 x Max Strict Muscle-Ups

B. 7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Weighted Strict Pullups (35/10)
Weighted Strict Dips (35/10, Subsititute 2-3x Strict Pushups if you do not have 1 Strict Ring Dip)

*Technique and Good Form are more important than time

FUNdamentals

A. 3 – 4 Rounds
40m Prowler

B. 20 Man-Makers

C. AMRAP 10
100 single Jump Ropes
10 Knees to Elbows
10 Push Ups