Tip of the Iceberg
Tip of the Iceberg
The additional work required to stay healthy in the gym
Much like the tip of an iceberg, what people see you do in the gym is only the beginning of the work needed to stay healthy. As shown in The Iceberg Illusion, athletes progressing through their CrossFit journey need to include more work outside of the gym to perform optimally. Many of our CrossFit athletes spend no more than four to five hours a week in the gym. Therefore, there are additional tools one must include to gain success. These tools include nutrition, sleep, yoga, chiropractic care/physical therapy, and massage.
Nutrition
Courtesy CrossFit Level 1 Training Guide Theoretical Hierarchy
Nutrition is the foundation for the theoretical hierarchy of development for athletes. Properly fueling the body is essential to ensuring adequate energy to perform the workouts at the desired intensity. Like putting regular gas in a supercar, if we’re not putting quality foods into our bodies, we can’t expect optimal performance in the gym. We are not suggesting you can’t “live a little” and enjoy foods like pizza. However, the majority of your daily calories should come from healthy food sources. If you need help understanding where to start, reach out and ask your OVC coach. All of our coaches are doing the best to walk the walk, so they are a great resource to give you a starting point. Remember, like all aspects of your journey, nutrition needs a “Crawl, Walk, Run” approach.
Sleep
Like nutrition, sleep is an area that many of us could improve. Growing research supports the need for humans, especially athletes, to get at least eight hours of sleep. If you’re like most CrossFit athletes, you have a very busy schedule which may include supporting your child’s athletics as well. All of this running around means that you are most likely not getting to bed until late, then up early to start all over again. Making time in your busy schedule to get adequate sleep is just as important as prepping healthy food for the week. In addition, many of you peruse through social media for 15-30 minutes before you actually fall asleep. Experts recommend avoiding the use of electronic devices before bed to help wind down the brain and prepare for rest. Making sleep a priority will help lead to improved recovery and overall performance in and out of the gym.
Yoga
Using yoga as an additional tool for recovery and mobility can significantly improve your experience in the box. There are multiple forms of yoga that can be useful. The one I’ve been able to incorporate into my recovery is ROMWOD, or yin yoga. Yin yoga is slow-paced with poses held for longer periods (between two and four minutes). Longer held positions allow moderate stress to be applied to the connective tissue of the body (tendons, fascia and ligaments) in order to increase circulation and flexibility. ROMWOD programs 20 minute sessions six days a week with Thursday being designated for their “Warrior Series” which last 45 minutes. Performing ROMWOD four to six times a week has significantly helped with my flexibility and recovery and has been one of the most vital parts of my recovery process. We highly recommend subscribing to ROMWOD and utilizing their programming. As we discussed in the sleep section, you are most likely spending 15-30 minutes lying in bed scrolling through your phone. Consider replacing this time with ROMWOD.
Chiropractor / Physical Therapist
There are two major components to the human body needing to be addressed that help with all body function: the central nervous system (CNS) and skeletal structure. Both of these systems can be addressed by a chiropractor or physical therapist. The CNS controls all communication between the brain and the rest of the body. When there is a block in a signal, the body has to adjust or adapt. This sometimes can be harmful. For example, if the lat (the big muscle of your back) is unable to fire correctly when performing a movement, the body will engage other smaller muscles around the Lat to perform the movement. This increases the risk of injury in those areas, simply because the body couldn’t communicate correctly. We look at these professional services as someone who can help push the reset button on the body. This is not something that will help you when using once every three to four months. To gain the most benefit, you should try to see a professional at least every two weeks. If possible, the more you can use this tool, the better.
Massage
Like recovery methods for the skeletal structure, deep tissue massage is the second major recovery method to help keep the body healthy. We recommend deep tissue massage over other methods due to its focus on the deeper layers of tissue and fascia. Research has shown that deep tissue massage, or sports massage, has shown to help improve lactate clearance, delayed onset muscle soreness, and injury prevention. If we allow the muscles to fire correctly and perform at their peak potential, we will not only perform better, but reduce the risk of injury. In terms of frequency, we recommend that athletes try to see a massage therapist at least once every two to three months. If the athlete needs additional recovery work, seeing a therapist more frequently will help.
Taking Control
We understand that the cost (dollar amount and time) of recovery can be expensive. We also understand the level of importance of having all of these recovery methods in your corner. Think of these as tools in a toolbox; you wouldn’t use every tool every day, but there are some important tools that if used correctly, can make the job easier.
OVC "OPEN" Performance Challenge RESULTS!
Over the past 12 weeks we have challenged ourselves to work harder and eat healthier as part of the 2018 OVC "OPEN" Performance Challenge.
We experienced the excitement and struggles of the CrossFit Games Open together and grew as individuals, teams, and a community within OV CrossFit.
In this time we improved in every aspect of our fitness leading to amazing results during our check-out assessments over the past few weeks:
- 330lb. Cluster Improvement
- 942 second Assault Bike Improvement
- 440 rep Wallball Improvment
- 211lbs. Weight Lost
- 97.7lbs. Body Fat Lost
- 2,204 Individual Classes Attended
This was named a "Performance Challenge" because at the end of the day nutrition is about what you put in your body to fuel its performance in life, work, and sport. What you choose to eat is a direct result of the output you will get, whether too much or too little. We hope that everyone was able to realize this in some way during the challenge and make changes that will improve their fitness and life.
After calculating all scores we are excited to announce Team Ionic as the winner of the 2018 OVC "OPEN" Performance Challenge! Congratulations to them, as well as all the other amazing teams on their performance.
We additionally want to award several individuals for the improvements they were able to make in nutrition and performance on a personal level throughout the challenge.
Most Improved Body Composition
Dawn Schoolcraft
Gaby Martin
Most Improved Performance Results
Mark Waters
Karen Norman
Thank you again to everyone who participated in this year's challenge. We look forward to doing this event again next year, as well as adding other performance challenges throughout the year for our members to take advantage of!
This Is CrossFit
"We've got three times the number of affiliates that have carved a hundred pounds off a member, than have sent someone to the games. So what's the real work in the box?... It's the good stuff... It's the good stuff." - Greg Glassman
The Shocking, Un-Sugar Coated Truth about Sugar
The OV “Open” Performance Challenge is in full swing and we have been seeing the gym packed with members working towards their goals and completing additional challenges. We had previously touched on both the importance of and how to approach the nutrition aspect of this challenge. Hopefully this helped to point you in the right direction. This week we would like to dive into the not so sweet issues with sugar. If you are finding that making big changes to your diet is difficult or that you’ve switched to a different way of eating but are still feeling like you are lacking energy and are looking for a bigger change, maybe its time to get familiar with what sugar is really doing to your body.
Sugar has been making headlines everywhere for quite some time. Spend a little time researching online and you will see it referred to as toxic, addictive and labeled as the underlying cause of many diseases. Can sugar really be that bad for you? Well, the truth is that added sugar can have a negative head-to-toe impact on the human body. The sugar industry has actively fought to change public opinion about the health effects of sugar. However, today we know that sugar impacts just about every organ system in the body and not in a good way.
Lets quickly dive into some of the facts and a little bit of the latest science on what sugar is really doing to your body.
Some quick facts to familiarize yourself:
Refined sugar (ie. table sugar, white sugar) is a carbohydrate known as sucrose that is made up of two smaller carbohydrates: fructose and glucose.
Examples of added sugar include white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrup, malt syrup, maple syrup, pancake syrup, fructose sweetener, liquid fructose, honey, molasses, anhydrous dextrose, crystal dextrose and dextrin.
Refined sugar has no nutritional value and is empty calories.
Brown sugar is white sugar with brown coloring added either in the form of burnt sugar or molasses.
Fruit sugar, also called fructose, is a nutrient that is a naturally occurring in fruits and some vegetables.
Most carbohydrates are broken down into glucose – the sugar your body uses to form energy. It either becomes stored energy in your muscles and liver, or your body uses it immediately.
Sugar is actually addictive. When consumed it releases an opiate-like substance that our brain perceives as a reward, encouraging our body to want more.
4 grams of carbs is equal to 1 teaspoon of sugar
The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar a day and the average child consumes 32 teaspoons.
Carbonated soft drinks are the leading source of refined sugar in the American diet.
Sugar overload can obstruct your taste buds from evolving thus making accepting bitter greens etc. much more difficult.
Now let’s take a look at the top ways added sugar is destroying your body:
Increased sugar consumption is one of the leading causes of degenerative disease.
It makes the digestive system acidic, which leaches vitamins and minerals from the body, particularly calcium from bones and teeth. It will also deplete potassium and magnesium which are both essential for cardiac health.
Sugar suppresses the immune system and causes an overproduction of digestive enzymes. In turn, this puts stress on your pancreas.
It impairs liver function, which can lead to high blood pressure, skin issues, and acne.
It inhibits blood flow and affects aging contributing to dental issues, wrinkles and dry, aged skin.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is on the rise in the U.S and sugar is largely to blame due to the high fructose corn syrup in drinks and processed foods. Tuft University researchers discovered people who drink JUST ONE sugar-sweetened beverage a day face a higher risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease compared to those who steer clear of beverages containing added sugars.
Research is starting to show that added sugars appear to increase the risk of breast cancer and metastasis to the lungs
Sugar changes the gut microbiota in a way that increases intestinal permeability leading to diseases like leaky gut.
So, the bottom line is that sugar can be scary. Does this mean you should eliminate all sugar/ added sugars from your diet? Saying yes would be both untruthful and probably scary. The truth is that because of the effect has on your brain, it is not always that easy. Brain scans after sugar consumption are remarkably similar to brain scans after you do cocaine. Dopamine floods the brain, making the body feel good. This makes beating the sugar habit a bit harder. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make big changes.
Both during and after this challenge, regardless of the nutritional path you have chosen you will see more physical results and benefit from granting your body better overall, long-term health if you become significantly more conscious of your sugar consumption.
You can do this by ensuring that you do the following:
If you do use sugar, use less processed forms, but use them sparingly. Maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, raw cane sugar and potentially Stevia would fall into this category.
Avoid packaged/processed foods at all costs. Even the protein bars, protein shakes, yogurts, store bought oatmeal, and many products marketed towards athletes are packed full of unnecessary amounts of sugar.
If you are using a system such as counting macronutrients, do NOT use this as an excuse to eat unhealthy packaged, processed foods just to hit your numbers. You would bedoing your body a serious disservice.
Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup at all costs. This is a sure way to know that a food product is cheap. It is directly correlated to fatty liver disease and cutting this out of your diet, along with soda are some of the best possible things you can do for your overall health.
Instead of buying flavored foods, always flavor them yourself. Buy things like plain yogurt and oatmeal and add your own toppings.
The best thing you can do is be aware. Check the food labels of all of the products you are buying and read the ALL the ingredients. A helpful hint is that the closer to the top of the ingredient list an ingredient is the more of it the product contains. Ensure that you are getting enough high-quality protein, fiber and fermented foods to help lose your sugar cravings over time. When you are craving something sweet reach for things like fruit that are naturally sweet. We all know that the 2018 “Open” is right around the corner. We want to see how far we’ve come and we need our bodies performing optimally. Watch out for our upcoming article on “Eating and Supplementing for Increased Athletic Performance”. If you are wondering if you really need supplements and what might be best suited for you then you won’t want to miss this. Also we will be discussing “How to Get the Most Out of Your Macronutrients”.
Make sure you are showing your face in the gym, completing our challenges and leaning on your teammates, gym members and coaches for encouragement. Challenging ourselves to be our healthiest physical selves can be just that- a challenge. Good thing we are all in it together!
The “OPEN” Performance Challenge has begun…. Now what?
With last week marking the beginning of the “OPEN” Performance Challenge and the teams being released, we want to make sure that we arm you with as much information as possible to set you up for success. Hopefully you have been following along with our e-mails and blog posts and saw our post highlighting some of the different information, diets, and options for you to make the most out of this challenge. Be sure to check it out here. (needs hyperlink) If you are still feeling overwhelmed or confused by macro counting, Whole 30, The Zone Diet, Paleo, clean eating, or the multitude of other options-this information is meant to further guide you in the right direction.
One of the most important things for you to understand about the human body is that each one is unique. The technical name for this is bio-individuality and it is a critical factor to remember in deciding what nutritional plan best suites you. Each of you are unique and have unique nutritional requirements. The diet or style of eating that works best for you may or may not be the one that works best for someone else. The key here becomes listening to the needs of your own body and incorporating principles that you know you will be able to follow.
During the 2 months of The “OPEN” Performance Challenge you need to make decisions that will benefit both your physical and training goals. You also want to ensure that the nutritional path you embark on is sustainable once the challenge is over. Whether you are choosing to dive into the Whole 30, count your macros, embark on the Zone Diet or just clean up your eating habits there are a few fundamental principles that everyone should be employing throughout this challenge not only to see the best physical results but also to reduce your risk for disease and be emotionally and mentally healthy.
1. Nutrient dense foods should ALWAYS be prioritized
No one principle is more likely to support healthy eating than the principle of nutrient density. The nutrient density of food is the amount of nutrients you get for the amount of calories. You want to look for foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. Regardless of the diet you are choosing, nutrient dense foods will ensure that you pack in the most nutrition while staying within your calorie limits. By consuming nutrient dense foods your body will receive concentrated amounts of valuable nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fibers, proteins, essential fatty acids and phytonutrients.
The nutrient density of food varies and you can find plenty of complex lists and information online. But simply what you need to do is prioritizing eating nutrient dense foods by consuming more fruits and vegetables-especially leafy greens, whole grains-if they fit into your diet, and getting your protein from clean sources such as meats, eggs and seafood.
2. Say no to sugar and processed foods as often as possible
Processed foods are readily available and easy to grab and go, but at what cost? These foods do not contain valuable nutrients or fibers and they are often packed with added sugars, refined carbohydrates, trans fats and processed vegetable oils. While it is true that some processed foods may be better than others, it is best to avoid them altogether. Your body will absorb and make use of the vitamins and minerals from natural sources better than they will from processed.
Refined sugars are calories with no essential nutrients, proteins, healthy fats or enzymes that have a negative head to toe impact on the human body. There is no one person who wouldn’t benefit from drastically reducing or eliminating added sugar from their diet. They put stress on the liver, increase bad cholesterol and triglycerides, create an addictive sugar response in the brain and can contribute to leptin resistance (which then causes weight gain, cravings, sleep trouble, etc.). Cutting out refined sugar completely can be very difficult and in a later post we will go into this a bit further. If you are consuming a lot of refined sugar and aren’t ready to do a complete detox from it try to use honey and maple syrup in its place whenever possible.
3. Avoid all artificial Trans Fats
If you are already avoiding processed foods this one will be pretty easy. If you are struggling to avoid processed foods, be sure to pay attention. The process that makes partially hydrogenated oils creates trans fats that aren't found in nature. You will find these oils in a wide variety of food from cookies, cakes, donuts and frozen pizzas to salad dressings and even foods disguised as healthier boxed options. There are companies that have phased them out but you can still find them hiding in many food options-especially things like protein bars. These fats greatly increase your risk of heart disease and raise your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lowers your HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
Again, the best way to avoid trans fats is to eat only whole, real food but if you are grabbing something on the go be sure to check nutritional label and go straight to ingredients and look for the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated”. There is a usually a trans fat marking on the top but companies are allowed to still have a certain amount of trans fat and mark it at 0 so always check the ingredients just to be safe.
4. Fruits and Vegetables should always make up half of your plate/meal
This one is pretty straightforward. Fruits and vegetables are full of important nutrients like vitamins A and C, folate and minerals like potassium and magnesium as well as fibers. These nutrient packed foods keep you healthier, your digestive system regular and your bones strong. When you are planning out your meals be sure that you are stacking half of your plate or half of your meal up with them. If you feel like you are struggling with less sugar, fruits are the perfect way to get in that dose of sweet.
Here are a couple of things you should ask yourself before choosing a nutritional plan:
1. How much time are you willing to put into calculating what you are eating?
The Zone Diet and counting your macros can be very effective but they are not the only way to revamp your eating habits. Make sure you are willing to commit the time to tracking and weighing your food. For some who are busy, you may find this difficult and again the key here is to find something that is sustainable for your lifestyle not something that you stop doing after a week or two. If you feel like that applies to you you could choose to kick off this challenge by eating only clean, unprocessed foods or moving into a Paleo diet. Remember, you are doing this challenge to increase your athletic performance and your quality of life, not to cause yourself unnecessary stress. The best diet you can go on is the one you think you can stick to.
2. Do you suffer from any food allergies/intolerances, struggle with autoimmune disease or chronic illness or suffer from serious fatigue issues?
If the answer is yes, make sure you take this into consideration when choosing a diet. If you are looking for something to truly help heal your body and are up for the commitment to yourself, The Whole 30 is likely the best option for you as it can be tailored to help with many different conditions. If you are looking for something more intense than Whole 30 you would want to look into Autoimmune Protocol or a GAPS diet.
A Few General Tips:
- If you are choosing to count your Macros you should be aware that on its own this is not a diet. If you want to see the most success with it, you should couple it with another specific way of eating such as eating clean or The Whole 30. Be careful not to use this method as an excuse to allow just any food into your diet. This may still sway the scale a bit but your athletic performance and general health will plateau much sooner and since this is a performance challenge and not a weight loss challenge we want to see your body improve as a whole.
While changing your eating patterns could result in feeling a bit hungrier than usual, you should never feel ravenous. When you are hungry, your body doesn’t necessarily want food, it wants nutrition. As discussed, if you feed it foods that are nutrient-poor, your brain and body will never really feel totally satisfied. The key is to feed yourself real and fresh foods that are high in nutrients that will satiate your hunger. If you are finding that any one of these nutritional plans is leaving you starving be sure to consider what you are eating and ensure that you are consuming enough.
While some supplements can prove useful, they are certainly not necessary. However, focusing on having a healthy gut is essential. Eating all this healthy food is great but having a healthy gut is imperative to your bodies ability to digest and absorb this food. Your gut is where nutrients are absorbed, assimilated, and incorporated into the body and the health of it dictates every other process, system, organ, and cell within you! Basically, all of your bodily systems revolve around your gut. So be sure to make the most of all the hard work you are doing in the kitchen and get yourself on a high quality probiotic. Some brands to consider are Klaire Labs, Garden of Life and Active Balance.
Remember, this is a community challenge and we have an awesome community. Be sure to lean on the members of your team and the gym to support you and share tips and tricks while learning from each other along the way! Stay tuned throughout the coming weeks while we cover in detail different topics including eating for energy and increased athletic performance, how to get the most out of counting your macros, what sugar is really doing to your body and much more.