Category: Myth Busting Monday

2/18 Myth Busting Monday

2/17/2019

Jeremy has done Femme Fatale 2 years in a row now! He's on team Night Owls for the 2019 Intramural Open.
Are you ready for the Open? We love how Femme Fatale Week gets us all ready and excited for The Open. Let's do this!

Myth Busting Monday -
The Myth of the Perfect Human Diet

There is no one size fits all perfect diet. The perfect diet is the one that gives you enough energy to do all of the things you want to, provides enough macro- and micro nutrients to keep you fully functioning, and enough calories so that you don't accumulate excess calories as body fat.
For the most part, humans are meant to eat real food. We are meant to chew, swallow and digest a variety of foods. While we may elect to drink some or our calories, the majority of our calories need to be masticated.
When I was attending the Masters Training camp at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) nutrition was front and center for all athletes. Resident athletes and campers get special classes on nutrition and supplementation and we are given plenty of educational materials on the value of real whole foods. Nutrition education and counseling at the OTC is a food first approach.
For the past 4.5 years I have been writing weekly about food and nutrition and I also take a food first approach. I endorse the CrossFit guidelines of eating meat, vegetables, nut & seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. You'll notice that this nutrition prescription is a food first approach. There's nothing about shakes, pills, bars, and other diet supplements.
However, within the context of food first, there are a variety of eating strategies. For example, you can be vegetarian, vegan, keto, paleo, Mediterranean, pescatarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, alcohol-free, locavore, etc. There are so many strategies because there is not one perfect human diet! Keto works for some, but it might not work for others. Some folks are just happy being vegan, whereas others might falter and fail.
There's not one perfect diet because we are all so different. Our gut biomes are different, our hormones are different, our food tolerances, food allergies, taste bud abundance, are all different. The perfect diet is the one you can stick with and that makes you feel and look good. The challenging part of finding what works best for you, is that you must do just that - find out what works. It involves a lot of experimentation and a realization that what worked for you when you were a teenager will not necessarily work for you in your 30s, and what worked in your 30s will probably need to change as you continue to age.
The best way to begin to find your perfect diet is to just take stock of what you're eating now. How do you feel eating this way? How do you look eating this way? If you don't feel and look good, something needs to change. Focus on food first, get rid of junk food and reduce overall processed carbohydrate and refined sugar intake. If you buy food in a box, bottle or can, these are probably processed foods. Try switching to processed food with less than 5 ingredients, and make sure all the ingredients are recognizable sources of food.
If you're still not sure where to start, I recommend scheduling a Nutrition Consultation with Coach Audy. She has helped many folks get their eating habits and lifestyle on track so they look and feel their absolute best.

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2/11 Femme Fatale Week Day 1 & Myth Busting Monday

2/10/2019

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Today's Femme Fatale Workout is Coach Amanda's favorite:-)
Every day this week you will meet a different CrossFit Femme Fatale. A Femme Fatale is an irresistible, alluring and seductive woman who leads men into difficult situations. Don't you think that is an appropriate description of the CrossFit "Girl" workouts? They are seductive and alluring and every time we meet them we find ourselves in a difficult situation.
Today's dangerous woman has not visited us for Femme Fatale week since 2015. She missed us and now she's back.
She was first introduced to the CrossFit community on June 25, 2004. Here is that original description:
"This is 3 rounds; the first at 21 reps, the second at 15, and the third at 9 reps. It's expected that you'll need to partition the sets, e.g., Deadlift 7-7-7 & Handstand push-up 3-3-3-3-3-3-3 as a first round. Interval management - work/rest timing to optimize time - is an essential skill.
If the load is too much under any partitioning scheme, reduce it. If you need help with the handstand push-up, take it in any manner you can get it. If the handstand push-up (HSPU) is clearly beyond your current capacity, substitute a standing dumbbell shoulder press (hip and leg free). Though a less functional press, the standing shoulder press is a closer simulation to the HSPU than the more functional push-press or jerk. The point is that there's a manageable substitution for this workout for everyone that preserves both its mechanical and metabolic characteristics - this will be your Diane."

The Myth of: Food=Happiness and Exercise=Sexiness

I recently had a realization that we've been fed a lie. This lie is pervasive, persistent, and perturbing. We've been lied to our entire lives by the media, our families, our friends, doctors, food companies, exercise "experts," and all manner of well-meaning acquaintances. The lie is this: eat certain foods to feel a certain way and do physical exercise to look better. The realization I had is this is the complete opposite of the affect of food and exercise.
The food we eat has the most significant affect on our physical appearance. Six pack abs are not made through a thousand sit-ups, they're made through counting your macros. The food we eat can bloat our bellies, alter our hormones, give us GI distress, make our skin break-out, and make us look puffy, tired and sick. But, all of the messages about food is that we eat it to feel good. It's a treat. It's comfort. Have you had a rough day? Drink wine and eat chocolate to feel better. Want to celebrate a special occasion? Eat some cake and drink some champagne. Just had an epic bike ride or a big ski day? Go out for nachos and beer. Eat this to feel that.
We are told that eating and drinking will make us feel better. But, that's a lie. Physical activity makes us feel better. How many times have you dragged yourself to the gym in a dark and foul mood only to skip out the door after your workout feeling happy and unconquerable?
We are told that we can get a beach body, six pack-abs, big guns, tight buns, and "toned" (whatever toned means) by exercising. But, that's a lie. We get a beach body and all the rest of the things by eating meat, vegetables, nuts & seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar in amounts that support exercise but not body fat.
You can't out exercise your diet and you can't eat your way to happiness. Oh sure, you can try; but, the results will not be what you want. If you want to be happy and feel good, then you need to exercise (even when you don't feel like it.) If you want to look good naked, then you need change what you eat.
What should you eat? Well, a damn good place to start is to eat meat, vegetables, nuts & seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.
What should you do for exercise? Well, a damn good place to start is practice and train major lifts: deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc., hard and fast. Five or six days per week, mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.

Want to do Femme Fatale Week? You MUST Sign up TODAY!

We are ready to offer all of our class times everyday this week, but only if YOU sign up for Femme Fatale Week!

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2/4 Myth Busting Monday

2/3/2019

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Sarah and Marissa are focused and strong.

The Myth that Rest=Recovery

Every Sunday is a rest day from the gym. We encourage everyone to take it easy, get outside and play, and take a nap. While a rest day is super important to prevent over-training, rest alone is not enough in an effective recovery program.
CrossFit is the sport of fitness, meaning it is more than just an exercise program, it is a sport in its own right. Ask any athlete about rest vs. recovery and they'll tell you rest is the absence of of effort, movement or exertion, while recovery is a set of specific actions that aid the body, mind and spirit in recuperating from current training and prepares us for our next training session.
We all have heard about the deleterious affects of over-training, e.g. fatigue, weight gain, performance decline, sleep disruption, pain, and a lack of excitement for training. In reality, over-training is really under-recovering. The folks at Whole9 Life describe recovery as, "...the restorative process by which you regain a state of 'normalcy'; health and balance. (If your 'normal' is not 'healthy,' perhaps you should spend some time considering that.) Recovery is far more than just taking a day off from training. Genuine recovery includes adequate rest, proper nutrition, hydration, and also must include the engaged, deliberate execution of a cogent plan to offset the (physical and psychological) cost of your training. Foam rolling, yoga, soaking, massage and mobility are all practices that will help you recover for your next workout. Rest is simply taking a day off from exercise or sport, napping, chilling on the couch, watching movies or TV, and going to bed nice and early so you get adequate sleep. All of that is fine and good, but resting is only one small part of true recovery."
Are you actively and deliberately recovering from your CrossFit workouts, competitions, and other physically stressful events? Answer these 10 questions from the Whole9 Life folks to see if you're under-recovered from your CrossFit workouts.
Check out last week's Live with Laini and Leslie as we discuss an important component of rest and recovery, your breath. â€‹â€‹

Are you ready for Femme Fatale Week?

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1/28 Myth Busting Monday

1/27/2019

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You can't put a price on friendship

Myth: CrossFit is Too Expensive

When most folks start looking into CrossFit they are surprised at at the price of a monthly membership. I know I was when I joined my first CrossFit gym in March 2010. For years I had been a member of Gold's Gym. I paid $49 a month for the opportunity to workout (on my own) at Gold's and I probably attended an average of twice a month. This may surprise you since I own True Spirit CrossFit; but, I too, struggled for years with motivation to go to the gym.
When I found CrossFit in 2010 and I had sticker shock at the $135 monthly price tag for a 12 class membership. Was I seriously considering more than doubling my gym membership to only be able to attend 12 classes per month? I mean I had been paying $49 to attend whenever I wanted to. Why would this be so much better? And why was it so damned expensive?
First, I had to compare what I was purchasing. A membership at Gold's Gym did not include group classes, coaching or programming, it only paid for access. If I wanted to attend group classes it was an extra charge. If I wanted a program to do on my own it was an extra charge. If I wanted a trainer to hold me accountable and make sure I did things correctly it was an extra charge. Everything that was included in the monthly CrossFit membership was an extra charge at Gold's Gym. By the time all of the extra charges were summed up it was more expensive that the CrossFit membership.
Second, after my first CrossFit class it was clear to me that the community and camaraderie of the group class was a much more powerful motivator than my solo sessions on the treadmill listening to my own music via earbuds. I used to walk into Gold's Gym and avoid eye contact. I used to be intimidated to go to the "free weights" section because of all the meatheads. There was no way I could ever befriend someone next to me on the elliptical because, they, too had earbuds inserted and eyes down.
Third, I no longer had to create my own workouts. I had purchased books, repeated my college rowing workouts, bought exercise videos, you name it in order to come up with a fun program that would keep me engaged. I was so frustrated with life after rowing. I had couldn't believe that after years of high-intensity erg and on the water training sessions and dry-land weight sessions that included back squats, power cleans, box jumps, etc., that now my fitness was supposed to be sustained with 60 slow minutes on the elliptical and some random "free weights." After my first week at CrossFit I was sore and happy and I felt just like I did when I was a competitive athlete. I had a coach who told me what to do and adjusted my training to meet my needs. I knew that CrossFit programming could get me back into shape.
Fourth, the cost was a motivator to attend classes. At $135 for 12 classes per month it cost me $11.25 per class. At that price I made damn sure I made all 12 classes. Not only did it make economic sense to get what I was paying for, but the fun I was having and the success I was having totally motivated me to continue.
Now, on the other side of the fence, I absolutely believe in the value of our Coaches and the efficacy of our programming, and the power of our community. I've also learned that Gold's Gym low cost and the low costs of all the other "Globo" gyms is purposeful. They intentionally set those prices low so that you willingly pay each month and rarely attend. Take a listen to this NPR Plant Money podcast on this very issue.
Finally, as a small business owner, I can tell you how important it is to support a family business. We don't have the power of a large corporate entity to do our marketing and business administration. James and I, with collaboration of all the Coaches, decide on our own best practices and ensure that our services meet the unique and ever changing needs of our community.

RSVP For Femme Fatale Week NOW!

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2/18 Myth Busting Monday

Myth Busting Monday -
The Myth of the Perfect Human Diet

2/11 Femme Fatale Week Day 1 & Myth Busting Monday

The Myth of: Food=Happiness and Exercise=Sexiness

Want to do Femme Fatale Week? You MUST Sign up TODAY!

2/4 Myth Busting Monday

The Myth that Rest=Recovery

Are you ready for Femme Fatale Week?

1/28 Myth Busting Monday

Myth: CrossFit is Too Expensive

RSVP For Femme Fatale Week NOW!

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2/18 Myth Busting Monday

Myth Busting Monday - ​The Myth of the Perfect Human Diet

2/11 Femme Fatale Week Day 1 & Myth Busting Monday

The Myth of: Food=Happiness and Exercise=Sexiness

Want to do Femme Fatale Week? You MUST Sign up TODAY!

2/4 Myth Busting Monday

The Myth that Rest=Recovery

Are you ready for Femme Fatale Week?

1/28 Myth Busting Monday

Myth: CrossFit is Too Expensive

RSVP For Femme Fatale Week NOW!

Special Events

Categories

Archives

Myth Busting Monday -
The Myth of the Perfect Human Diet