Crossfit Blog
3.31.10
by Bennett
“Some people wonder all their lives if they’ve made a difference. The Marines don’t have that problem.
- Ronald Reagan
One of my biggest regrets in life is that I didn’t serve my country in the military. More specifically, I regret not challenging myself both mentally and physically and taking the ultimate challenge of either the Navy SEALs or Special Forces. I had the opportunity too. After graduating college, I was commissioned to be an Officer in the Air Force, I turned it down. They wanted me to be a Navigator, and I wanted to be a Pilot. My rationale, Maverick got the girl in Top Gun, and well we know what happened to Goose (R.I.P. brother!).
There was a CrossFit Journal article that struck a chord with me a few years ago. It was entitled the “Hard Routine.” The basic premise came from Andy McNabb’s depiction in “Bravo Two Zero,” a narrative on his experiences in the British Special Forces. Basically, they would call going into a mission the ‘hard routine,’ meaning that they would be without many of the superficial vices and comforts that we have grown accustom to in modern life. Simply speaking, they would be without their morning lattes and enjoying the warmth of their home with a nice glass of wine (these guys actually strike me more as Scotch drinkers).
So, I usually spend one month a year, challenge myself, my discipline and pay homage to those that simply live the ‘hard routine,’ while I merely mimic it. Here is the schedule, feel free to join me. It doesn’t have to be to honor our service men and women; however, maybe to detox from some unhealthy habits and take your fitness and health to the next level. What the reason is for the ‘hard routine’ is less important than simply having a reason…you hold yourself accountable when there is a grander purpose, some overarching the goal that is bigger than your own personal pride. Some of you may have already given up something during the Lenten season, now is your time to make that change a habit. Bye Bye Ben Jerry’s, hello sacrifice.
Week 1
* Take a personal inventory of weight, body fat, sleep, and energy levels
* Limit alcohol consumption to 2 days/week (no more than 2 glasses)
* Limit caffeine consumption to 2 servings/day
* Eat only Paleo foods (no cheats or sweets allowed)
* Minimum of 4 workouts this week
* Regularly take fish oil and vitamin D
* Go to bed by 11pm
Week 2
* Limit alcohol consumption to 1/day week (no more than 2 glasses)
* Limit caffeine consumption to 1 serving/day
* Eat only Paleo foods (limit starchy vegetables, limit fruit)
* Minimum of 5 workouts this week
* Regulary take fish oil and vitamin D
* Go to bed by 10pm
Week 3
* No alcohol consumption this week
* Caffeine is allowed twice this week as needed
* Eat only strict Paleo foods
* Minimum of 5 workouts this week
* Regularly take fish oil and vitamin D
* Go to bed by 9:30pm
Week 4
* No alcohol consumption this week
* No Caffeine consumption this week
* Eat high fat and strict Paleo foods
* Minimum of 6 workouts this week
* Regulary take fish oil and vitamin D
Take an inventory of weight, body fat, sleep hygience, and overall energy. If needed, reapply.
Let’s do this…
3.8.10
by Bennett
When you think of hygiene, you typically think of brushing your teeth, flossing, and grooming. Have you ever considered that hygience may apply to how you prepare yourself for sleep.
The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends the following habits to help you for a more restful night sleep…
Your Personal Habits
- Fix a bedtime and an awakening time. Do not be one of those people who allows bedtime and awakening time to drift. The body “gets used” to falling asleep at a certain time, but only if this is relatively fixed. Even if you are retired or not working, this is an essential component of good sleeping habits.
- Avoid napping during the day. If you nap throughout the day, it is no wonder that you will not be able to sleep at night. The late afternoon for most people is a “sleepy time.” Many people will take a nap at that time. This is generally not a bad thing to do, provided you limit the nap to 30-45 minutes and can sleep well at night.
- Avoid alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime. Many people believe that alcohol helps them sleep. While alcohol has an immediate sleep-inducing effect, a few hours later as the alcohol levels in your blood start to fall, there is a stimulant or wake-up effect.
- Avoid caffeine 4-6 hours before bedtime. This includes caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and many sodas, as well as chocolate, so be careful. Dark chocolate does contain trace amounts of caffeine.
- Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods 4-6 hours before bedtime. These can affect your ability to stay asleep. Avoid sugary foods in general…these spike insulin and impact your overall energy and sleep chemistry.
- Exercise regularly, but not right before bed. Regular exercise, particularly in the afternoon, can help deepen sleep. Strenuous exercise (e.g. Crossfit) within the 2 hours before bedtime, however, can decrease your ability to fall asleep. If you attend our 8:15 class, you will likely struggle to go to bed before 11.
Your Sleeping Environment
- Use comfortable bedding. Uncomfortable bedding can prevent good sleep. Evaluate whether or not this is a source of your problem, and make appropriate changes.
- Find a comfortable temperature setting for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated. If your bedroom is too cold or too hot, it can keep you awake. A cool (not cold) bedroom is often the most conducive to sleep.
- Block out all distracting noise, and eliminate as much light as possible.
- Reserve the bed for sleep and sex. Don’t use the bed as an office, workroom or recreation room. Let your body “know” that the bed is associated with sleeping.
Getting Ready For Bed
- Try a light snack before bed. Warm caffeine free tea with chamouille is great as are foods high in the amino acid tryptophan, such as bananas, may help you to sleep.
- Practice relaxation techniques before bed. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and others may help relieve anxiety and reduce muscle tension.
- Don’t take your worries to bed. Leave your worries about job, school, daily life, etc., behind when you go to bed. Some people find it useful to assign a “worry period” during the evening or late afternoon to deal with these issues. Simple mental exercise is to envision that your “worries” are files in a file cabinet, imagine that you are burning those files in a huge bonfire…mental focus on yourself and the fact that everything from the day is behind you.
- Establish a pre-sleep ritual. Pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath or a few minutes of reading, can help you sleep.
- Get into your favorite sleeping position. If you don’t fall asleep within 15-30 minutes, get up, go into another room, and read until sleepy.
GOOD SLEEP IS THE KEY TO GOOD RECOVERY!
Most of my blog posts are inspired by interactions that I have with friends, family and athletes. I was giving an athlete a ride home the other night, and they asked me about time management. They told me that they were struggling with their training, but more importantly, with their diet due to work, travel and effectively managing their time. At first glance, it would be easy to say, well that is convenient excuse or out to not managing your diet, but in reality it is a very real challenge for most working professionals.
For example, my typical day might include the following:
5am Wake Up
5:01am Espresso!
5:45am Train Athletes
7:30am Grab Breakfast, Leave for Work
Noon Take a brief 15 minutes to grab some form of lunch
5:30pm Leave work, and head to gym
6:00pm Train Athletes
8:15pm Train Myself
9:00pm Head Home and Eat Dinner
If I am traveling my time might be occupied from as early as 5am to 11pm at night…that is just the reality of corporate America. So how do you stay on top of your diet, given the constraints of daily life…effective time management and planning!
#1) Prioritize What Needs to Get Done!
Each day segment what needs to get done, what would be nice to get done, and what can be a lower priority. Your inclination will be to do this with just your work projects, but you also need to take yourself into consideration. You need to make sure you get adequate calories and the right food all day…that is consistently on your list of things that need to get done. You might also include your training for that day. Prioritize your diet and training as a part of your every day schedule and create barriers with work assignments, travel, and every other distraction to stay on top of your game
#2) Plan your meals!
You have a good idea of what a Paleo, Zone meals look like. Start by planning on what you are going to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner that day.
Breakfast – Lox (Cold Smoked Salmon), Avocado, and Blueberries
Lunch – Chicken Salad with Olive Oil Dressing
Dinner – Lamb Chops with vegetables and Sweet Potatoes
Snacks – Walnuts, Think Thin Bar, Grass Fed Jerky, Apple, etc
Post Workout Meal – Banana and Apple, 8 Oz Whole Milk
#3) Spend Sunday Evening Shopping and Cooking
One of my favorite events of the week is Sunday evening shopping. Typically, I go to the local Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods and load up for the week. I have a pretty consistent shopping list:
Proteins
3 – Chicken Breasts
4 – Lamb Rib Chops
1lb – Ahi Tuna
4 – 4 oz packs of Wild Alaska Smoked Salmon
Fats
4 – Avocados
1 bag – Almonds
1 bottle – Olive Oil
2 jars – Almond Butter
1 dozen eggs
Carbohydrates
4-5 – Sweet Potatoes
2 bags – Brussels Sprouts
2 bags – Broccoli
1 bunch – Bananas
2 – Zucchinis
4 – Apples
1 pint – Blueberries
2 – Limes
2 – Lemons
Note: Fruit and Vegetables vary by season and try to vary them for different nutrients
While you don’t have to implore all these things, simply dedicating an hour a day to your diet, nutrition and eating will carry health benefits that make you more energetic, productive, leaner, and healthier. If you think that this is too much work or your destined to fail, then maybe it isn’t a time management issue, but merely time to reflect on what is important to you. For me, health and especially nutrition is paramount to happy, healthy and successful life.
2.16.10
by Bennett
What Makes a Great Leader?
Leadership, you know it when you see it, but what defines a good leader. Is it motivation? Is it their ability to influence? Is it simply the person with the most power and authority? All these things are potential elements of leadership, but real leadership starts with three basic principles.
1) A Leader must be willing to do whatever it takes
In the HBO Series, “Band of Brothers,” during a night where they were in enemy territory during one of the most heated parts of WWII, the Colonel volunteered himself to check out an area for enemy mines. He could have easily delegated this task to a private, but by leading the charge he showed his men courage, valor, and a willingness to take more risk than his team. A leader must be willing to do whatever it takes.
2) A Leader must be able to give his/her people a “piece of the rock”
Ever sat in a lecture being talked to for an hour without any engagement. How did that make you feel? Were you excited to be there? Probably not. Look at the converse, and what if the speaker called you by name, asked you about your personal experience, and engaged you for the full hour. Would you feel different? At Crossfit Hoboken, we have many leaders…one such example is Chris Sullivan. He has taken the initiative to get members engaged in recreational activities outside of the gym (e.g. mud runs, triathlons, etc.). The leader has empowered Chris to take a role in the community, and he is embracing it. A Leader does not feel threatened when others take the ball, they embrace it and keep people engaged.
3) A Leader must “protect his/her puppies.”
Protect his/her puppies? What the heck does that mean? Well, it means that you protect your people and show that you have their back in any situation. I can think of a situation where one of my reps (going back to my sales management days) was being harassed by a customer in her territory. While it is a precarious situation to address, I removed the customer from their call panel, reported it to HR, and went one step further. A written notice and live conversation were made with the customer. I had an additional conversation with the representative and made it clear that they were a valued employee and no one should have to deal with that situation. You must protect your team…they will be forever loyal to you as a result.
There are many more facets to leadership, but stick to these basic tenets and you will emerge as a leader in whatever you are involved in!
“Next to the assumption of power is the responsibility of relinquishing it”
- Benjamin Disraeli
2.15.10
by Bennett
Grass Fed vs. Grain Fed Beef
(Some Excerpts taken from Mark’s Daily Apple)
You have recently walked into Whole Foods or some other specialty store, only to see the signs that say 100% vegetarian diet, hormone free beef. You look at the price premium and ask yourself, “What’s the big deal with Grass Fed Beef?” The first big deal is the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content. As seen in some studies, CLA is believed to offer anti-cancer properties. It can also help decrease the risk of insulin resistance. The key difference? A pastured diet results in a nearly 1:1 ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. This is the ratio believed to characterize our hunter-gatherer ancestors (Dr. Courdain and Mark Sisson explore this often in their literature). What does a grain-fed ratio look like? Try 6:1. This ratio has been demonstrated to inflammation and precursors for chronic conditions (click on the link of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids above).
There’s also the E-Coli issue. With all the concern about food safety in the last decade or so (thank you Jack in the Box), one fact has been seriously overlooked: grass fed (and finished) beef is considerably less likely to be infected with E-Coli (abstract), particularly acid resistant E-Coli that cannot be effectively “disarmed by our digestive systems.
Love that marbleized rib-eye and wonder how they go so much fat into that cut…It’s worth noting that many cattle start off grass-fed early on in their lives but are nearly always switched to grain in the months before slaughter to fatten up to deliver that rib eye to your kitchen table. Most of the initial omega-3 stores and other nutritional benefits are lost during that time. Grass-fed and –finished are not synonymous.
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