CrossFit Wellington

"Guns" Kipping Pull Ups!!

We are what we eat......

We are what we eat. We've all heard it, but most of us probably don't quite believe it. After all, you've had french fries and didn't sprout french fry antennae. So we're not really what we eat ... are we?

 

We are. It's every bit as true as it is hard to see. Just as our homes are made from lumber without looking like trees, our bodies are made from the nutrients we extract from foods without resembling those foods. The nutritional content of what we eat determines the composition of our cell membranes, bone marrow, blood, and hormones. Consider that the average adult loses roughly 300 billion cells to old age every day and must replace them. Our bodies are literally manufactured out of the food we consume.

 

That's why what we put in them is of utmost importance — and why "clean food" is an urgent priority and "junk" food is neither cute nor innocuous. In short, our bodies are only as clean as the food we feed them.

 

Before 1993, a list of the leading causes of death in the United States included heart disease, cancer, and stroke. But in that year, J. Michael McGinnis, MD, and William Foege, MD, changed this paradigm when they published "Actual Causes of Death in the United States" in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which looked at the causes of these diseases.

 

They concluded that fully half the annual deaths — roughly a million — were premature and could've been postponed by modifying behaviors, including smoking, diet and exercise, alcohol consumption, use of firearms, sexual behavior, motor vehicle crashes, and illicit drug use. Smoking and poor eating and exercise habits alone accounted for 700,000 premature deaths in 1990.

 

In 2004, a group of scientists at the CDC revisited this issue in JAMA and came to the same conclusion. This time, however, the toll from eating badly had gone up, due to obesity and diabetes.

 

Then, last summer, CDC scientists published a paper in the Archives of Internal Medicine analyzing records of more than 23,000 German adults enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study (EPIC) and investigated four behaviors: Are you eating well? Are you a healthy weight? Are you physically active? Do you smoke?

 

Those with four good answers (eating well, body mass index below 30, active, not smoking), compared with those with four bad answers (not eating well, BMI above 30, not active, and smoking), were 80 percent less likely to have any major chronic disease. (Imagine if a pill could reduce our risk of dying prematurely from any cause by 80 percent!)

 

You have doubtless heard of nature (genes) versus nurture (environment) — but this shows that lifestyle is so powerful, we can use it to nurture nature, or influence our genes. Various studies have shown this, but Dean Ornish, MD, and his colleagues have produced the most compelling results. Assigning men with prostate cancer to a "clean living" intervention that included a wholesome, plant-based diet; regular physical activity; and stress management, they demonstrated a marked reduction in the activity of genes that can promote prostate cancer growth and a significant increase in the genes that are able to control it.

 

That's the power and promise in clean eating, so it helps to know what it means. Is it organic? Not necessarily. Food can be organic without being nutritious — think organic gummy bears — or nutritious without being organic, such as conventionally grown broccoli. Organic is a good thing, but it's not a summary measure of "clean."

 

Clean foods are minimally processed and as direct from nature as possible. They're whole and free of additives, colorings, flavorings, sweeteners, and hormones. I particularly like foods with one-word ingredients, such as spinach, blueberries, almonds, salmon, and lentils. The longer the ingredient list, the more room there is for manufacturing mischief — additions of chemicals, sugar, salt, harmful oils, and unneeded calories — and the more likely it is that you should step away from the package so no one gets hurt!

 

There's also strong evidence that, as a rule, the closer to nature you eat, the fewer calories it will take for you to feel satisfied. The reason? Processed foods often have low amounts of fiber and water; a high ratio of calories to nutrients; and a mix of tastes from added sugar, salt, and flavoring that overly stimulates the appetite center in the hypothalamus. Clean foods are the opposite: lots of fiber and fluid, a high ratio of nutrients to calories, and free of added flavors — all of which send signals of satiety to your brain before you consume too many calories. As an example, think of how many raw almonds you eat before stopping, then compare that to honey roasted almonds — that sugary coating spurs you to eat more. By eating clean, you can control your weight permanently without feeling deprived or hungry or having constant cravings.

 

So, let's sum up the importance of eating clean. Our bodies are replacing billions of cells every day — and using the foods we consume as the source of building materials. Eating well is part of the formula that can reduce our risk of any major chronic disease by 80 percent and reach into our innermost selves to improve the health of our very genes.

 

I recall my mother admonishing me, as a child, to clean my plate because there were starving kids in China. These days, China, like us, has epidemic obesity. Forget about cleaning your plate — focus instead on choosing clean foods to put on it in the first place. You know what's at stake: life itself, the liberty that comes with good health, and the likelihood of happiness.

Shannon's Kipping Pull Up

Although she can work on her control of the descent of her kip, it is still very effective and demonstrates the importance of the getting the chest through on the bottom and being aggresive on the way up to the bar.  Ideally I would like her to keep her lower body back under the bar, send her chest through and head looking straight ahead on her descent.  However I'll take reall pull ups from her any day of the week and  we are all impressed by Shannon's strength on the pull up bar.  Keep it up ABS!!

Great Article found by one of our members check it out...

Dr. Andrew Weil

Founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine

Posted: July 2, 2010 08:00 AM

Fat or Carbs: Which Is Worse?

In my home state of Arizona, a restaurant named "Heart Attack Grill" does brisk business in Chandler, a Phoenix suburb. Waitresses in nurse-themed uniforms with miniskirts deliver single, double, triple and quadruple "bypass burgers" (featuring one, two, three and four hefty patties, respectively) dripping with cheese, to patrons who wear hospital gowns that double as bibs. The motto: "Taste Worth Dying For!"

Now, there is much for a medical doctor (as opposed to "Dr. Jon," the stethoscope-wearing, burger-flipping owner) to dislike in this establishment. If you visit, I implore you to steer clear of the white-flour buns, the sugary sodas and the piles of "flatliner fries" that accompany the burgers in the restaurant's signature bedpan plates. This is precisely the sort of processed-carbohydrate-intensive meal that, via this and other fast-food establishments, is propelling the epidemic of obesity and diabetes in America.

But the Grill's essential, in-your-face concept is that the saturated fat in beef clogs arteries, and hamburger meat is consequently among the most heart-damaging foods a human being can consume. As the Grill literature puts it, "The menu names imply coronary bypass surgery, and refer to the danger of developing atherosclerosis from the food's high proportion of saturated fat..." Aimed at a certain crowd, this is clever, edgy marketing. Some people enjoy flirting with death.

The problem? It's not true. The saturated fat lauded in this menu won't kill you. It may even be the safest element of the meal.

Saturated fat is made of fatty acid chains that cannot incorporate additional hydrogen atoms. It is often of animal origin, and is typically solid at room temperature. Its relative safety has been a theme in nutrition science for at least the last decade, but in my view, a significant exoneration took place in March of this year. An analysis that combined the results of 21 studies, published inThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that "saturated fat was not associated with an increased risk" of coronary heart disease, stroke or coronary vascular disease.

Although this was not a true study, it was a big analysis. It aggregated information from nearly 348,000 participants, most of whom were healthy at the start of the studies. They were surveyed about their dietary habits and followed for five to 23 years. In that time, 11,000 developed heart disease or had a stroke. Researcher Ronald M. Krauss of the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Center in California found that there was no difference in the risk of heart disease or stroke between people with the lowest and highest intakes of saturated fat.

This contradicts nutritional dogma we've heard repeated since 1970, when a physiologist named Ancel Keys published his "Seven Countries" study that showed animal fat consumption strongly predicted heart attack risk. His conclusions influenced US dietary guidelines for decades to come, but other researchers pointed out that if 21 other countries had been included in that study, the association that Keys observed would have been seen as extremely weak.

Meanwhile, in the years since, there has been increasing evidence that added sweeteners in foods may contribute to heart disease. Sweeteners appear to lower levels of HDL cholesterol (the higher your HDL, the better) and raise triglycerides (the lower the better). That's according to a study of more than 6,000 adults by Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and published in April in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

People who received at least 25 percent of their daily calories from any type of sweetener had more than triple the normal risk of having low HDL levels than those who consumed less than five percent of their calories from sweeteners. Beyond that, those whose sugar intake made up 17.5 percent or more of daily calories were 20 to 30 percent more likely to have high triglycerides.

Science writer Gary Taubes has done more than anyone else to deconstruct the Keys mythos and replace it with a more sensible view, informed by better science. I recommend his book, Good Calories, Bad Calories: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom on Diet, Weight Control and Disease. It presents more than 600 pages of evidence that lead to these conclusions:

1. Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, is not a cause of obesity, heart disease or any other chronic disease of civilization.
2. The problem is the carbohydrates in the diet, their effect on insulin secretion, and thus the hormonal regulation of homeostasis -- the entire harmonic ensemble of the human body. The more easily digestible and refined the carbohydrates, the greater the effect on our health, weight and well-being.
3. Sugars -- sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup specifically -- are particularly harmful, probably because the combination of fructose and glucose simultaneously elevates insulin levels while overloading the liver with carbohydrates.
4. Through their direct effects on insulin and blood sugar, refined carbohydrates, starches and sugars are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease and diabetes. They are the most likely dietary causes of cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other chronic diseases of modern civilization.

My point here is not to promote meat consumption. I've written here previously about humanitarian and ecological reasons to avoid a meat-centric diet, especially if the meat comes from factory-farmed animals. Instead, my purpose is to emphasize that we would be much healthier as a nation if we stopped worrying so much about fats, and instead made a concerted effort to avoid processed, quick-digesting carbohydrates -- especially added sugars. The average American consumes almost 22 teaspoons of sugars that are added to foods each day. This obscene amount is the principal driver of the "diabesity" epidemic, sharply increases coronary risks and promises to make this generation of children the first in American history that will die sooner than their parents.

My Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid emphasizes whole or minimally processed foods -- especially vegetables -- with low glycemic loads. That means consuming these foods keeps blood sugar levels relatively stable, which in turn lowers both fat deposition and heart-disease risk. If you make a concerted effort to eat such foods and avoid sugar, you'll soon lose your taste for it. The natural sugars in fruits and vegetables will provide all the sweetness you desire.

While saturated fat appears to have no effect on heart health, eating too much can crowd out vitamins, minerals and fiber needed for optimal health. So I recommend sticking to a "saturated fat budget" which can be "spent" on an occasional steak (from organic, grass-fed, grass-finished cattle, see LocalHarvest for sources), some butter, or, as I do, high quality, natural cheese a few times a week.

Andrew Weil, M.D., invites you to join the conversation: become a fan on Facebook, follow him on Twitter, and check out hisDaily Health Tips Blog. Dr. Weil is the founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and the editorial director of www.DrWeil.com.

More future Crossfitters....

Athlete Standards

Below are standards to use as goals to help you see where you are going and where you are currently at as a Crossfitter.

 BASIC



A Basic level CrossFitter has learned consistent mechanics and form. To attain Basic status, each of the athletic standards below must be met and verified by a Coach. 



WORK 

Kettlebell swings: 10 
Wall Ball: 25 
800 meter run: 4:20 minutes 
2000 meter row: W- 10:00, M- 8:30

HIPS 

Squats: 50 air squats 
Deadlift: 3/4 BW

PUSH

Pushups: 10 
Military Press: 1/4 BW

PULL 

Static hang: 30 seconds 
High pull: 1/2 BW

CORE 

Sit ups: 30 
Knees to chest: 10 sitting 
L-sit: 10 seconds

SPEED 

400 meter run: 2:04 minutes 
500 meter row: W- 2:30, M- 2:00 
Medicine ball cleans: 10



 

WORK CHALLENGE 



Christine: 15 minutes 
3 rounds for time-- 500m row, 12 
deadlifts, 21 box jumps 
1 mile run: 10:00 minutes

 

INTERMEDIATE

WORK 

Kettlebell Clean & Jerk: 25 each arm, 
W- 25 lb, M- 35 lb  
800 meter run: 3:50 minutes 
Thrusters: 25 reps at 1/2 BW
2k row: W - 9:20, M - 8:00

HIPS 

75 air squats 
Squat: 3/4 x BW 
Deadlift: 1 1/4 x BW 
Vertical Jump: 15 inches

PUSH 

Pushups: 20 
Bench Press: 3/4 x BW 
Push Press: 1/2 x BW 
Handstand Hold: 45 seconds 
Dip: 10 
Dips: 3 on rings

PULL 

Rope Climb: 10 ft. climb
Clean: 1/2 x BW 
Static  Hang: 1 minute 
Pullups:  5

CORE 

Overhead Squat: 1/2 x BW 
GHD situps: 20 
L-sit: 20 seconds

SPEED 

400 meter run: 1:45 minutes 
500 meter row: W- 2:10, M- 1:50 
Snatch: 1/4 x BW

WORK CHALLENGE 

Karen: 9 minutes 
150 Wall Balls 
1 mile run: 8:00 minutes

 

Advanced Phase

    At the Advanced Level the athlete has achieved a level of fitness most could only dream for.  Our Advanced Level athlete are strong, fast, and powerful.  Able to move their own bodyweight as great speed and external objects of high load, the Advanced Level member can be considered one of the fittest individuals in the Albany area (if you find this claim to be exaggerated I invited you to come down and physically compete with any Advanced member). 

    Requirements for the Advanced Level can be achieved with consistently performing the WOD.  Any Basic Level athlete who does the WOD at least four times a week will undoubtedly find that they will achieve the skills necessary to test into the Advanced Level.  CrossFit training produces well-rounded athletes and the Advanced Level of fitness requires a balance of speed, power, strength, endurance, and coordination.  Any other fitness training program will not yield the same results needed to achieve Advanced Level status.

    It is at the Advanced Level that we find the theoretical hierarchy of development for athletes come into play.  Some athletes will make it to the Advanced Level.  Attempting to test into the Elite Level requires more than consistently doing the WOD.  Now is the time when the athlete will have to choose whether they want to remain at the Advanced Level or go on to the Elite Level.  More on this topic and the theoretical hierarchy of development can be found in the Elite Level description.

    Advanced Level members need not but may scale the WOD.  At this stage of development, the WOD's will be able to be completed without alterations.  Some modifications may need to be made but most of the WOD's will remain as prescribed.  At the Advanced Level the athlete will be able to perform all the movements needed for the majority of WOD's including the muscle-up, the handstand, and the handstand push-up.

    The Advanced Level is the top of the Junior Levels.  Recruit, Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced are all Junior Levels.  The Junior Levels are the named this because the benchmark required for achieving them can be accomplished with regular training of the WOD and a commitment to improvement.  In order to break into the Senior Levels (Elite, Animal, and Mutant) the athlete may require added dedication in the form of proper nutrition (zone, paleo, or IF), adequate recovery (sleep, hydration, rest, etc.), and more focused training (in contrast to simply doing the WOD).

To attain Advanced status, each of the athletic standards below must be met and verified by a Coach.

ADVANCED

WORK 

Kettlebell snatch: 30 each arm, 
W- 16 kg, M- 24 kg 
Thrusters: 45 reps at 
1/2 x bodyweight

800 meter run: 3:20 minutes 


2000 meter row: W- 8:50, M- 7:45

HIPS

Squats: 100 air squats 
Squat: 1 x bodyweight 
Deadlift: 1 1/2 x bodyweight 


Vertical Jump: 18 inches

PUSH 

Pushups: 30 
Bench Press: 1x bodyweight 
Military Press: 1/2x bodyweight 
Handstand Hold: 1 minute 
Dip: 1 with 1/3 x bodyweight 
Dips: 20

PULL 

Rope Climb: 20 ft. climb, 1 trip 
Power Clean: 3/4 x bodyweight 
Pullup: 1 with 1/3 x bodyweight 
Pullups: 20 
Muscle Up: 1

CORE 

V-ups: 30 
Hanging knees to Elbows: 15 
L-sit: 30 seconds

SPEED 

400 meter run: 1:34 minutes 
500 meter row: W- 2:00, M- 1:45 
Power Snatch: 1/2 bodyweight



 

WORK CHALLENGE 

Helen: 11:30 minutes 
3 rounds for time-- 400m run, 
21 kettlebell swings, 12 pullups 


 

1 mile run: 7:00 minutes

 

Elite Phase

    The Elite Level Is the first stage of the Senior Levels.  In order for an athlete to get this far, he or she will have put in some serious effort into reaching the benchmarks.  These kind of numbers are not easy and it takes some added dedication to get your body to perform at this level.  There may be a select few individuals in the world who could reach the level of Elite without proper feeding habit, adequate recovery, or intense training efforts, but it is unlikely.  The human body requires maintenance in order to perform well and the quality and quantity by which the maintenance is performed has a direct and proportional effect on how well the body performs.  In order to reach the Elite Level, the maintenance for the body must also be at elite status. 

   Elite Level athletes are easily in the top 10% of the fittest people on earth.  The benchmarks required to reach the Elite Level suggest not only a well-rounded athlete, but also a high performance athlete.  If an individual can develop the capacity of a novice 800M track athlete, gymnast, and weightlifter, then he or she will be fitter than any world-class runner, gymnast, or weightlifter.  By extension, the Elite Level athlete has developed the capacity of a intermediate 800M track athlete, gymnast, and weightlifter - thus making him or her one of the fittest individuals on earth.

    Getting to the Elite Level takes time.  Lots of time.  Even the Advanced Level requires dedicated training and a commitment to elite athleticism.  The Elite Level goes beyond even that.  Dedication and commitment are not enough - patience is key.  Anyone determined to reach the Elite Level can do it - although it may take nearly a lifetime.  Serious training and focused goals are other important aspects to reaching the Elite Level. 

    If an athlete is so driven that they make it to Elite level status it is usually only a matter of more time before he or she inevitably attempts to achieve Mutant Level status.  The is the final step in the quest to develop elite athleticism.

An Elite level CrossFitter has passed the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Phases. To attain Elite status, each of the athletic standards below must be met and verified by a Coach.

ELITE

WORK 

Kettlebell snatch: 6 minute test, 
100 reps, W- 16 kg, M- 24 kg 
Fran: 7:00 -- 21-15-9 Thrusters/Pullups
800 meter run: 3:05 minutes 
2k row: W - 8:30, M - 7:30

HIPS 

Squat: 1 1/4 x BW
Tabata Squats: Score = 18
Deadlift: 1 3/4 x BW 
Vertical Jump: 22 inches

PUSH 

Pushups: 25 on rings 
Bench Press: 5 reps with BW 
Push Press: 1 x BW 
Handstand Pushups: 5 
Dip: 1 with 1/2 x BW 
Dips: 20 on rings

PULL 

Rope Climb: 10 ft. climb
High Pull: 1 x BW 
Pullup: 1 with 1/2 x BW 
Pullups: 30 
Muscle Up: 5



CORE 

Overhead Squat: 1 x  3/4 BW 
Knee to Elbows: 25 
L-sit: 45 seconds

SPEED 

400 meter run: 1:28 minutes 
500 meter row: W- 1:55, M- 1:40 
Snatch: 3/4 x BW

WORK CHALLENGE

Cindy: 18 rounds
20 minutes -- 
5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats 


1 mile run: 6:30 minutes

 

ANIMAL

WORK



Kettlebell snatch: 10 minute test, 
200 reps, W- 16 kg, M- 24 kg 
Sandbag Carry: 1 mile with 1/2 BW 
800 meter run: 2:50 minutes 
5k row: women- 21:00 
6k row: men- 21:45

HIPS 

Pistols: 10 each leg 
Squat: 1 1/2 x BW 
Deadlift: 2 x BW 
Vertical Jump: 25 inches

PUSH 

Pushups: 40 on rings 
Bench Press: 1 1/4 x BW 
Military Press: 3/4 x BW 
Handstand Pushups: 10 
Dip: 1 with 3/4 x BW 
Dips: 30 on rings

PULL

Rope Climb: 20 ft. climb, no feet 
Clean: 1 x BW 
Pullup: 1 with 3/4 x BW 
Pullups: 40 
Muscle Up: 10

CORE

Overhead Squat: 1 x BW 
Hanging straight leg raise: 20 
L-sit: 1 minute

SPEED 

400 meter run: 1:19 minutes 
500 meter row: W- 1:50, M- 1:32 
Snatch: 1 x BW

WORK CHALLENGE

Chelsea: 30 minutes 
Every minute on the minute-- 
5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats 
1 mile run: 6:00 minutes

 

Mutant Phase

The final stage of elite fitness training is the Mutant Level.  At this point, the athlete is all but untouchable in his or her ability to create explosive hip power and work capacity.  The benchmarks for this level don't look difficult on paper but in order for the body to perform the events takes a serious mind and training regimen.  A 90 second L-sit alone can take years to developmentally master.  That is why this level is appropriately named "Mutant". 

    This stage of athletic development needs no description.  The Mutant Level athlete has successfully proven to him or herself and those around them that the body is capable of much more than the mind believes is possible.  For anyone to start as a member candidate (Boot Camp) and progress through each stage to reach the Mutant Level of fitness is an incredible feat of mental fortitude and iron will.  Of course the training put on the body has some to do with this achievement as well, but it is at this stage of elite athleticism that the mind learns exactly what the body can do - ANYTHING! 

    It is only through union and cohesion between the mind and body that an athlete will reach this level of performance.  A little philosophy: the mind is the slave to the body because it is trapped inside of it.  There is nowhere the mind can go without the body - the body is the prison of the mind until the bodies eventual death.  The body is also the slave of the mind because the bodies actions are controlled by the mind.  The body is simply a machine and the mind the driver behind the controls of the machine - the actions and movements of the body depend on the thoughts that come from the mind.  This constant struggle between the mind and body is the "human condition". We are at constant odds between the body who has no free will yet can move freely in time and space, and the mind who is the commander of choice yet is trapped by the flesh and blood of the body.  The only way to end this struggle, this conflict, is to allow the body and the mind to work together for the common good.  When the mind makes choices that are good for the body (regular exercise, proper feeding habits, adequate rest and recovery), the body will reward the mind with high performance and longevity (death, after all, is as big a fear to the mind as it is to the body because the mind depends on the living body for EXPERIENCE, the lifeblood of the mind).  However, more often than not the choices the mind makes are detrimental to the body - that is the struggle for control.  Fast food diets, less than 6 hour of nighttime rest, drinking less than 1/2 gallon of water, little to moderate exercise - these are all examples of bad choices the mind makes for the body and in return the body refuses to perform, gets sick or injured, and dies early. 

    Now, what does all this have to do with Mutant Level athleticism?  It is our contention that only through a union between the mind and body can this level of fitness be achieved.  It there exists a struggle between the mind and the body reaching these levels of performance is difficult by definition.  The mind and body are using too much energy in the battle for control that any form of training effort is weakened.  IT IS CRUCIAL, NECESSARY EVEN, THAT THE MIND AND BODY BE ONE IN ORDER TO REACH THE FINAL LEVEL OF ELITE ATHLETICISM.

To become a Mutant Crossfitter, each of the athletic standards below must be met and verified by a Coach. Good luck.

MUTANT

WORK

2 KB/DB clean/jerk: 10 minute test, 
100 reps, W- 16 kg, M- 24 kg 
Sandbag Carry: 1 mile with 3/4 BW 
800 meter run: 2:20 minutes 
5k row: women- 20:00 
6k row: men- 20:00

HIPS 

Pistols: 25 each leg 
Squat: 2 x BW 
Deadlift: 2 1/2 x BW 
Vertical Jump: 30 inches

PUSH

Pushups: 60 on rings 
Bench Press: 1 1/2 x BW 
Military Press: 1 x BW 
Handstand Pushups: 10 full range 
Dip: 1 with 1 x BW 
Dips: 50 on rings

PULL 

Rope Climb: 20 ft. climb 
2 trips touch and go, no feet 
Clean: 1 1/2 x BW 
Pullup: 1 with 1 x BW 
Pullups: 40 dead hang 
Muscle Up: 15

CORE

Overhead Squat: 15 reps with 1 x BW 
Back lever: 15 seconds 
L-sit: 1:30 min.

SPEED



400 meter run: 1:04 minutes 
500 meter row: W- 1:40, M- 1:25 
Snatch: 1 1/4 x BW

WORK CHALLENGE

Mary: 15 rounds in 20 minutes 
5 handstand pushups, 10 pistols, 
15 pullups 
1 mile run: 5:00 minutes

***Adopted from Dave Werner at CrossFit Seattle and from CrossFit Human Evolution Labs***

TEAM WORKOUT AND NUTRITION SEMINAR SUNDAY

THIS SUNDAY AT 1230PM WE WILL BE HOLDING OUR LATEST SUMMER NUTRITION TALK, COVERING THE BASICS OF THE ZONE AND PRIMAL BLUEPRINT DIETS.  WE WILL ALSO BE DOING A WOD AFTER THE TALKING IS THROUGH.  

Upcoming Summer Body Transformation Challenge

We will be starting our summer 8 week summer challenge on June 8th.  The options are as follows:

1. Zone Diet - everything based on "blocks" per day, NO food prohibited
2. Zone Diet Paleo - "blocks" only using Paleo friendly foods
3. Paleo Diet - nothing processed, no dairy, no grains
4. Primal Blueprint - some dairly allowed

What Is a Zone Diet Block?

One Zone diet block contains 1 mini-block of each macro nutrient: carbohydrate, protein and fat. But they don't weigh the same.

• 1 mini block of protein = 7 grams
• 1 mini block of carbohydrate = 9 grams
• 1 mini block of fat = 1.5 grams

Seven grams of protein, 9 grams of carb and 1.5 grams of fat form 1 Zone diet block. One block of Zone food offers a balanced 40-30-30 ratio.

With the Zone diet block method there's no further need to count each gram of macro nutrient. Dr. Sears and other zone nutritionists offer ready-made lists of the weight of one block food. For example, we know that 1 oz. chicken breast equals 1 block of protein, 3 cups of cooked broccoli is 1 block of carb, and 1/3 tsp. olive oil equals 1 block of fat. To create a 4 blocks Zone meal we just have to multiply quantities of each macro nutrient by four

CrossFit Journal Entry:

 **To figure out how many BLOCKS a day you are to consume we base it on your daily PROTEIN blocks needed and to do that you will need to know your current bodyweight along with your bodyfat.  Use the calculator on the link below to find your protein needs:

protien block calculator

If you need 13 blocks of protein then you also need 13 blocks of Carbs and Fats for each day as well.

Inflammation Nation......

Many, if not all, disease processes in the world have an underlying common thread.....inflammation.  If we work to reduce inflammation or to NOT promote it we will all lead a much healthier life.  Everything from heart disease to cancer to obvious conditions such as arthritis all have some element of inflammation involved.  Diet and exercise can work to lower inflammation in the body if done correctly and consistently.

The Zone Diet and supplementation with fish oils actually have profound effects on the human body at a genetic level. The food intake in Western society has changed dramatically in the last 30 years, and our genes have not been able to respond, resulting in sickness caused by inflammation. By monitoring what you put in your body, you can silence the genes that cause inflammation and turn on genes that reduce it.

Food + Exercise + CONSISTENCY = health and fitness and performance

Post Workout Nutrition

Optimal PWO Nutrition

What should one consume for the optimal PWO “meal”? The answer to this question might cause a bit of a stir in the CrossFit community because the optimal PWO meal is a shake consisting of a combination of protein and carbohydrates at a minimum.

Why a shake and not a meal? The primary reason has to do with absorption rate. Liquid meals are normally digested and absorbed at a slightly quicker pace than a comparable solid-food meal. The faster you can make amino acids (protein) and glucose (carbohydrates) available to the muscle cells, the greater the potential PWO recovery response.

Your PWO shake should consist of, at a minimum, both whey and casein protein and a simple carbohydrate. Whey and casein each provide unique anabolic benefits in the PWO environment. Whey is quickly absorbed and provides a powerful protein-synthesis stimulus. Casein has a significantly slower absorption rate and stimulates protein synthesis to a lesser degree than whey, but it blunts protein degradation (catabolism) to a much greater degree, and its slower absorption rate allows for a longer delivery of amino acids and a better overall net retention. Contrary to some claims, consuming whey and casein together does not blunt the positive effects of either; rather the user enjoys the benefits of each.

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