CrossFit

There’s something to be said for routine — it enables discipline and consistency, and those are key elements to any successful fitness plan. But when routine turns into being stuck, then it’s time to break free.  Variety… Adventure… Risk… Experience…Do those words scare you?  If so, good!  If you feel scared, it means you’re moving outside that comfort zone! And as this graphic shows, getting outside your comfort zone can move you closer to where magic happens!

The CrossFit regimen constantly pushes you to go beyond your comfort zone, but ultimately YOU are in control. Ask yourself, “Am I getting too comfortable with my workouts?” Have you been consistently working at the same level without even questioning if you can do something harder? Same weight, same distance, etc? Do you always choose the same partner/team for WODs that require teamwork? Remember that your mind is desperately trying to keep you as safe as possible. But YOU are in control!

Change things up, broaden horizons, learn new things,  reach new heights~ that’s where magic happens.

…every once in a while, we all have one.  Maybe it’s the weather bringing you down, maybe someone disappointed you or maybe it’s something you just can’t put your finger on.

The next time you find you really need to lift your spirits, here are some natural ways to do it that will leave you feeling so much better.

#1: Tweak your diet. The omega-3 fatty acids in cold-water fish help the brain respond to signals from the mood chemicals dopamine and serotonin. The antioxidants and flavonoids in colorful fruit and veggies work in combination with omega-3s to protect the brain from harmful inflammation that can trigger depression.

#2: Sleep off sadness. People who have insomnia have a fivefold risk of developing depression compared with those who are well rested, according to a study from the University of North Texas in Denton. Aim for seven to eight hours of shut-eye per night.

#3: Just say, ‘om’. Some studies suggest that regular meditation reduces the recurrence of depression as effectively as medication. If sitting and chanting aren’t appealing, start with baby steps by focusing on your breath. If your mind wanders, let your thoughts go and refocus on inhaling and exhaling.

#4: See the light. Sunlight is key for regulating your biological clock, which affects mood, sleep and energy. Depressed people exposed to bright light for an hour upon waking for five weeks experienced a 54 percent improvement in symptoms, finds a study from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. Get outside!

#5: Lean on a friend. Research from the University of Chicago suggests that having a close circle is critical; people who are lonely have increased levels of depression. Curling up on the couch with a pal can be restorative, too. A friendly touch puts the brakes on the brain’s stress-response signals. Give someone you love a hug.

And my personal favorite…

#6: Sweat to smile. Exercise may be as effective at relieving mild to moderate depression as the antidepressant Zoloft, reveals a study from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Physical activity stimulates the feel-good chemical dopamine, which increases our sense of well-being.

Cellulite refers to the appearance of dimpled skin usually found on the thighs, hips, buttocks and abdomen, which, by many accounts, affects nearly 90 percent of women.

Cellulite is common in areas of fat deposits and is the result of the unevenness of this fatty tissue beneath the skin surface. It may not be considered a serious medical condition, but for those who have it, cellulite can be a cause for great anxiety when it’s time to shed layers of clothing as the warm weather arrives.

It’s not so much your weight that determines whether you have cellulite, but more your genetics or hormones or inflammation—in other words, circumstances largely beyond your control. Cellulite is the result of the way your body stores fat , and that is genetic.

Many cellulite treatments, including massages or cellulite creams, is a billion-dollar industry that advertises remarkable results. But unfortunately, most of these treatments don’t live up to their claims. Researchers continue to study possible medical treatments..

So can anything really conquer these less-than-darling dimples?  Osteopathic physician Lionel Bisson, who runs a clinic for mesotherapy (injections of homeopathic extracts, vitamins and/or medicine designed to reduce the appearance of cellulite) in New York City, and is the author of the book The Cellulite Cure published in 2006 says there are some treatable components of cellulite: two of which are

~ reduce the fat

~ increase circulation.

And what’s one of the best ways to achieve both?  Yes, exercise!

Green and slimy are not exactly appetizing words commonly used to describe a delicious meal. But seaweed changes all that.

At one time, seaweed was just another trendy food for macrobiotic celebrities. And edible seaweeds are often overlooked on a Paleo diet. But they boast an unparalleled nutritional profile. “Seaweeds typically have a wide array of vitamins and minerals,” says Rachel Berman, RD, Director of Nutrition for CalorieCount.com, adding that the weeds are low in calories and fat, but pack a tasty punch. Perhaps that’s why Chinese and Japanese cultures have been eating seaweed (and using it for medicinal purposes) since 300 BC!” 

Among many essential nutrients, most kinds of seaweeds are also loaded with iodine, an essential trace element to life. Iodine is especially important for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Most seaweeds are high in amino acids, making them valuable sources of protein. Seaweeds also contain vitamins A, beta-carotene and C. In addition, seaweeds are high in potassium, iron, calcium,  and magnesium because these minerals are concentrated in ocean water.  Seaweed is a great source of fiber, which contributes to a feeling of fullness after eating.

Deep green kombu, dried black hijiki, red dulse, emerald wakame, sea lettuce and nori are edible seaweeds that have the same health benefits as vegetables grown on land. Each has their own taste and texture and are great sources of essential nutrients. Cooking and consuming seaweeds can be intimidating because they can seem quite bland, tough or bitter at first glance. With the proper seasonings and cooking though, they can become a real treat. Remember that the extra time spent in the kitchen is a very small price to pay for lifelong health and well-being.

Getting started is hard. Beginnings are rough for most of us ~ whether it’s beginning a project, working out, or a new way of eating. We all have our little voices that rationalize why it’s just better not to start.

Are you stuck at point zero? Think you’re too fat, too late, and too old?

Think about the people you care about most.  When they fail or disappoint you, do you still love them? Do you give them more chances? Do you still see the best in them?  Do you still cheer them on and encourage them? If you can try to extend the same generosity to yourself, it will make getting started quite a bit easier.

You can search for metaphors, quotes and sayings to inspire and motivate you. You can also just get yourself to MACF.  While we train hard and get amazing results, we are also known for cheering on our fellow CrossFitters and being most welcoming to those just starting.

CrossFitting may or may not be the solution to everything, but it is the best stepping-stone to better health, better fitness and a sharper you! But only you can press the start button. And once you do, you will be so happy you did, and you may even have some fun along the way.

Does having the best things necessarily mean you have the best life?

Overwhelmed by consumerism and sobered by the economy, more Americans are embracing the less-is-more philosophy of “voluntary simplicity,” trading possession obsession for personal fulfillment. The notion of voluntary simplicity has been around for centuries; Buddha, Jesus, Thoreau, the Shakers, the Amish. In 1936 a Quaker named Richard Gregg published an essay titled “The Value of Voluntary Simplicity,” thus coining the term.

And it’s a scientific fact. A 2005 study by Tim Kasser, associate professor of psychology at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and Kirk Warren Brown of Virginia Commonwealth University, compared 200 people who voluntarily simplified their lives with 200 typical Americans. According to their results, those who cut back were found to be “significantly happier.” Kasser says their results suggest wealth, status and prestige can lead to persistent feelings of depression and dissatisfaction. “If you orient your life around personal growth and family and community, you’ll feel better.”

While personal fulfillment remains elusive for many, It’s easy to get wrapped up in the endless excitement of technology: sending work emails from the comfort of your own home, catching up with old friends through social networking and constantly texting on your cell phone—no matter where you are. Part of the process to simplify means knowing when to draw the line, unplug from your gadgets and get back to what matters.

Because life is forever changing and evolving, and you are evolving along with it, you will never reach a point of perfect simplicity and endless happiness. But each moment you spend on the path to simplicity does have the potential to bring more serenity and happiness into your life.

Hmmm?  What to do with all that extra time you’ll have when you give up some of that TV, texting and internet time?

How about a WOD?

Are you walking as much as you should?  Do you take 10,000 steps per day (about 5 miles)? If you’re anything like the average American, you’re doing just 5,117 steps a day ,  about ½ of what  is ideal.

Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. Walking is a form of exercise accessible to just about everybody. It’s safe, simple and doesn’t require practice. And the health benefits.

Walking can help you achieve a number of important health benefits. Walking can help you:

Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol)

Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol)

Lower your blood pressure

Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes

Manage your weight

Improve your mood

Stay strong and fit

Modern life may not be ideal for walking. We drive to work. We drive to the grocery store. We drive our kids to school. We drive to the gym! So, here are some ideas for adding some steps to your day:

1. Regulate it. Every night, immediately after dinner, take a 20-minute stroll. Don’t let the weather stop you — that’s what jackets, boots, and umbrellas are for. Indeed, there’s something wonderfully refreshing and childlike about a walk in the rain or snow. Post-dinner is the perfect time for a walk. It gets you away from the television,, it’s a lovely time of day, and it stops you from eating more.

2. Develop a habit. Never sit while talking on the phone. Instead, walk around your home if you have a portable phone, and if not, pace back and forth. You’d be surprised how much movement you can do when you are concentrating on a conversation rather than the exertion.

3. Make it social. Plan events around walking. For example, rather than meeting friends for coffee or lunch, suggest meeting them for a stroll.

4. Step up to it. Take the stairs, take the stairs, take the stairs. You’ve heard it a million times, but if it is three flights or less, you have no excuse to take an elevator, unless your arthritis pain is truly prohibitive. In that case, take one flight of stairs instead.

5. Split your lunch. Divide your lunch hour in two: 30 minutes of eating, 30 minutes of walking. No one needs to eat for 60 minutes. Chances are, you’re just sitting and talking. Invite your lunch partner along for the stroll.

6. Escape the mundane. Find a park or a wilderness area near you and commit to a nature walk a few times a week. Nothing lifts your soul as much as a good walk in the woods (or by the lake, or even in the desert).

7. Make it secondhand. Come up with a personal “instant walk” trigger. For example, anytime you become drowsy, take a five-minute walk. Or, anytime you want a snack. Or, anytime you get angry, bored, melancholy, or stressed. Walking is a wonderful way to work out mental and emotional issues as well.

Sleep is an essential bodily function, just like breathing the air, eating, and drinking water. An estimated 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders, ranging from common insomnia to the truly unusual—sleepwalking, night terrors, sleepeating and even sleepsex.

Too little sleep can cause memory problems, depression, a weakening of your immune system, which increases your chance of becoming sick, and an increase in perception of pain.

Many studies make it clear that sleep deprivation is dangerous. Sleep-deprived people who are tested by using a driving simulator or by performing a hand-eye coordination task perform as badly as or worse than those who are intoxicated. Driver fatigue is responsible for an estimated 56,000 motor vehicle accidents and 1,500 deaths each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In fact, The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill off Alaska, the Challenger space shuttle disaster and the Chernobyl nuclear accident have all been attributed to human errors in which sleep-deprivation played a role.

If it takes you less than five minutes to fall asleep at night means you’re sleep deprived. The ideal is between 10 and 15 minutes. Researchers from the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Medicine have determined that getting seven hours of sleep is optimal for maintaining heart health. Getting too much, or too little, sleep can increase a person’s chances of developing cardiovascular disease, according to the study.

But here’s a bit of good news: Researchers have found that sleeping in after a few days of missed sleep can help pay back any debt, nearly erasing any lingering sense of fatigue and mental fuzziness, according to a study published in the journal Sleep. “The brain has a built-in reflex that helps you sleep deeper and longer when you’re sleep deprived,” says study coauthor David Dinges, chief of the division of sleep and chronobiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. “This recovery sleep seems to have a genuine benefit to restoring alertness.”

So how can you get some sleep?  Try these tips!

Avoid watching television, using a laptop, doing homework, eating, and discussing emotional problems in bed. Your bed should be used for sleep, not work. Minimize light, noise, and extreme temperatures while you sleep. The recommended temperature while you sleep is between 54 and 75 degrees.  We open the windows every night and shut the heat down completely!

Stop drinking caffeinated beverages for a minimum of four to six hours before your bedtime.

A light snack before bed is okay, but avoid eating heavy meals close to bedtime.

Regular exercise also is an aid to better sleep. Exercise helps get your body set for a restful and undisturbed sleep. Exercise gives your mind a break, and allows you to use your body. If your body isn’t active enough throughout the day, then it won’t want to lie down come bedtime. It is recommended that people exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Beware though; don’t exercise too close to bedtime. Exercise arouses your senses, so try exercising in the morning or afternoon.   A WOD is ideal.