Common Traits

It might seem a little weird that I am posting a picture of Mr. Olympia but I want to make a point about training. Jay Cutler has won back the title of Mr. Olympia after a tough loss in 2008. Even though us crossfitters do not strive to be muscle bound and flex our muscles in such a way as a bodybuilder, we do share something in common. It doesn't matter what your goal is....your training has to be intense, it has to be focused, you have to be commited and you have to push through the hard times. Elite athletes in every sport share these common traits.

Everyone should carry these same traits whether you are elite or not. It doesn't matter what you are doing in life, you should still go after the things you want with intensity ( a never say die and I don't want to be second attitude), be focused about your goals (I want to lose 10lbs, not I want to lose weight), and be committed (even if you slip up and fall off the paleo wagon....get back on with the next meal).

So, no matter what your sport or what your goal is, live like you are an elite athlete. Challenge yourself, push your limits and notice the difference.

What a Challenge!

This past Saturday was the Women's Get Some Challenge. What an impressive day to see all of the women that were participating give everything they have (even suprising some of themselves with what they could really do with an all out effort). Not to mention any names or anything but Jessica....9 push ups with strict form? You told me that you didn't even think you could do one! Awesome job!

Now for the really hard work. How committed are you to beating your previous scores? 8 weeks may seem like a long time, but it will sneak up on you in a hurry. If you really want to make improvements then you have to put in some extra work. This means that you will have to do some homework.

Think plank holds while watching TV, think sit ups during comercials, think handstand holds while waiting in lines... (just kidding). There are many things that you can do to improve your strength and endurance for the body weight exercises at home. The answers are out there, just ask the questions.

Again, great job to all of the women that participated Saturday, you all were amazing!

Are You Dialed In?

The other day while looking for something totally unrelated, I found some of my old diet and workout journals. As I was flipping through the pages I noticed just how bad my diet was and how hard I made my workouts to be. I was severely malnourished. I was eating the typical "healthy diet" that included breads (whole grain of course), milk, not to many vegetables, lots of protein (mostly in the form of shakes), and stayed as far away from fat as possible.

Even though it looked like I was making good progress with my fitness there was something missing and I still had not met my personal goals with body composition, I wasn't sleeping well, my recovery was not the best it could have been and more days than not, I felt sluggish. I also noticed that I missed several workouts because I was sick or too sore. I thought that exercise was supposed to keep you healthy and strong.

When I moved to Tucson, I met Jen and was introduced to crossfit. I was hooked from the start. Coming from the belief that to be strong and healthy you had to spend hours working at it, I'm so happy to know that I can get a better workout in 20min or less than I ever did spending 2 hours in a gym. Constantly varied, high intensity, functional movements sure beat the hell out of the long boring routines that I was used to. Jen also introduced me to the Paleo diet which I have to admit was a little hard at first (what??? give up bread and peanut butter?), but now I can't even imagine another way of eating. I dialed in my diet and exercise routine which was now much more simple than before.

As I kept reading through my journals I noticed something.... as my diet changed, so did my performance. I was feeling better, lifting more and had better recovery. I also noticed that I was not missing workouts because I was sick. This was not a coincidence. Good nutrition is the foundation of health and wellness. Since I changed my way of eating I have achieved my goal and feel great.

Whatever your goals are... whether it is to hit a new PR, lose that extra weight, just be healthy and fit etc... take an honest look at your nutrition. Are you dialed in? Are you doing everything that you can to achieve your goals?

Do what I did. Start asking yourself before you eat that "cheat" meal or wash it down with the soda or tequila (my personal favorite)...." is this going to get me closer to my goal?" Your desire to get to your goals has to be stronger than the excuses you use.

Use the resources that you have at the gym. Look for the upcoming seminar on Paleo eating that Jen is giving. A great start to better nutrition.