Quick water snippet...how much do you need?!

How much water do you need?
Every day you lose water through sweating - noticeable and unnoticeable - exhaling, urinating and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you need to replace this water by consuming beverages and foods that contain water. So how much water, or more precisely fluid, do you need?

This isn't an easy question to answer. A healthy adult's daily fluid intake can vary widely. Most people drink fluid to quench thirst, to supply perceived water needs and "out of habit." At least three approaches estimate total fluid (water) needs for healthy, sedentary adults living in a temperate climate.

• Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is 1.5 liters a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your fluid intake, so you if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups), along with your normal diet, you can replace the lost fluids.
  
  
• Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the "8 x 8 rule" - drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Though this approach isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this basic rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.
  
  
• Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine recommends that men consume 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. These guidelines are based on national food surveys that assessed people's average fluid intakes.
  

Intensity...bring it!

Intensity!

If you haven’t heard it a thousand times already then let me say it once more; Crossfit is a Strength and Conditioning program based off combining constantly Varied Functional movements operated at a High Intensity.

Those three elements; Functional, Variety, and Intensity are really the back bone to Crossfit. What separates us from “them” is the intensity itself during the actual workouts.

It is something we as trainers must ease every new person into, regardless of their athletic background. As the form of the movements operated becomes “beautiful” or “pretty” or “perfect” the intensity must be increased so that the form starts to fall apart. This in turn allows the individual operating to increase their Power, work capacities and thresholds. A common thing we hear in the garage is, “well I want to get the form down before I really go hard.” Even though this makes sense, it is not applicable for what we do. Coach Glassman (founder of Crossfit) has always had a simple answer for this concern/statement; “that’s like asking your boss, do you want me to be in the right place or on time?” which Glassman continues “damn it, I want both! I want the form at least 90-100% perfect and the intensity really high. This program, in certain contexts is really simple, what you put into it, is what you get out of it.

So the question becomes; how much intensity should we be operating at?

Well, we have a mascot, Pukie, who is a vomiting clown. We have countless videos of people crying, throwing up, passing out, begging, pleading, praying, zoning-out, etc. I personally use to explain to people that in Crossfit we aim to either throw up or pass out. I added, once starting with the Rios team, that I will settle for crying and collapsing. Those of you that have been doing this for months now know what I am talking about; that final rep countdown until all you can do is hit the mat, close your eyes, and thank whatever you believe in that it’s over. Andy, Cathy, or I had nothing to do with that, it was all your output.

Recently over the past month or two I have seen several people “hold back” in the gym, even those who are getting the best time. Most of us usually started doing Crossfit just hoping to get through the workout, and then moved on to getting a good time, and finally moved on the getting the best time. But it shouldn’t stop there. Most metabolic conditioning workouts should be approached with the intention of going all out, leaving nothing in the tank. Truly the last thing anyone should be asking for is a “cool-down” but instead an oxygen tank, or my favorite “the bucket.” Team Rios and I can only go so far as to encourage, yell, or even persuade others to “pick up the bar,” “sprint,” keeping moving,” etc, its up to the actual athlete to push even farther. As Gerard Butler, the actor who played King Leonidas in the movie 300 once said in an interview that his idea of a workout was to “go until you are actually in fear of your life and then go further. Then, you do more.”

This should be the idea in everyone’s head the moment they pull up to the garage; “I am going to go until I can’t anymore.” If you show up and say “I’m not feeling too good,” “I was up late,” “I’m sore,” we are only going to tell you “3-2-1-go.” The intensity concerning this program is one of the most crucial elements. Don’t aim for a good tabata score, aim for failure. Don’t tell us about the healthy (or unhealthy for some of you) breakfast you had this morning, show us. If you pass out, we will catch you.

Listen to Coach Glassman explain the importance of intensity and why it is so important: Coach Glassman on Intensity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svSoicWZkuY

If you don’t know what you should look like after a work out check out this video that inspired me by Gym Jones (warning graphic language in video). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUaNHvJm_60&feature=related

Other videos that are must watches for inspiration of increasing intensity are:

Nasty Girls: (watch the last girl, Nicole, cry)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iavq_y20thc

Tabata Squats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDh1Cspl0jI&feature=related

Tosh Does Grace (watch his rest time)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g6u9xOlHYs

Thanks Steph!

10 Tips For The CrossFit'ers

10 Useful Tips, from the rookies to the fire breathers

courtesy of crossfit delaware, via LARRYPALAZZOLO, ON JANUARY 27TH, 2011

Stepping into a Crossfit gym for the first time can be a bit intimidating and overwhelming.
You might see a bunch of half-naked hard bodies showing off their ink and abs, ripping out butterfly kip after butterfly kip. You might ask yourself, “Is that person having a seizure or doing pull-ups? What’s with all the Chuck Taylors? Do they get a group rate? What’s with the guy in the corner wearing only sweatpants, shirt off, all tatted up and muttering to himself? Is he on a work-release program?” Fear not newbie; these people won’t bite. They’re actually pretty friendly and overly supportive once you get to know them. It can be a lot to take in at first glance, especially if you’ve had limited exposure to Crossfit prior to stepping into a box. But don’t worry; we’ve got your back. The following are 10 things to keep in mind as you forego your Crossfit journey.

1.) You’re Competing Against Yourself, Not Others
When it comes time to throw down in a wod, don’t feel like you have to do everything RX’d or be able to complete 20 rounds of Cindy right off the bat. Go at your own pace. Let the intensity find you. You need a solid foundation of strength and flexibility in order to progress into more demanding workouts. Start light, get your form down, and don’t worry about the mother of three who is deadlifting 250 as you struggle with the bar. Chase your own capacity before chasing the person next to you. Which brings me to my next point…

2.) Don’t Be Too Proud To Scale
Sing it with me now:

Ain’t too proud to scale, sweet darling.
Please don’t leave the wod. Don’t you go.
Ain’t too proud to scale, baby baby.
Please don’t leave the wod. Don’t you go.

Tony Budding (of Crossfit HQ) describes scaling as another form of programming. Scaling is such an individualized topic that it’s hard to make sweeping generalized statements. You have to know your own body and its limits. But most importantly, there’s no substitute for common sense.

3.) What You Eat Is More Important Than What You Lift
Nutrition is the key to every aspect of your life. It affects your energy levels, your recovery, and your overall defense against disease. To quote the late Jack Lalanne, “You put junk in, junk comes out. You put good in, good comes out.” When you’re first starting out, the quality of your food is far more important than the quantity. Call it whatever you want: Paleo, Primal, Hunter-Gatherer, Pretentious D-Bag Diet; just eat clean. If you’re eating as clean as possible, you don’t even need to worry about the quantity. You are a Ferrari. You wouldn’t put regular unleaded fuel in a Ferrari, would you?

4.) Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Clarification, Over and Over and Over Again
It’s your time, money, and most importantly, health. If you don’t fully understand something, ask. If you still don’t get it, ask again. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you don’t fully grasp the concept or you think others in the class will get frustrated with you for taking up too much time. We were all newbies at one point. We’ve all been there. Learning the mechanics of certain movements like the kip, squat, deadlift, or any of the olympic lifts takes lots of practice and critique from a trained eye. If you need help, just ask.

5.) Crossfit Isn’t Everything
Crossfit is a strength and conditioning program that focuses on building general physical preparedness (GPP). It is quickly evolving into a sport of its own, but that doesn’t mean that it has to be your sport or your lifeblood. I Crossfit so that I can do whatever I want: Go out, play sports, learn new things. Having that GPP allows me to take on new challenges. Crossfit is not my life. I Crossfit so that I can have a life…and be awesome at it.

6.) It Doesn’t Get Easier, It Just Sucks Less
The longer you immerse yourself in the suck, the less it sucks. You get stronger, build a greater aerobic capacity, and become mentally tough. All of these aspects, combined with experience, allow you to know when to push yourself and when to back off, so that you can attack each workout to the best of your ability. Soon, you’ll come to love the beatdowns. Much like Kevin Bacon in Animal House, you’ll be screaming, “Thank you sir! May I have another?” Well, maybe not. But you get the point.

7.) You Won’t PR Every Day
Don’t mistake intensity for hard work. Even if you’re having a bad day and the intensity just isn’t there, you can still get a lot out of your time in the gym through hard work. Intensity and hard work are not the same thing. Don’t skip a planned session just because you don’t think you’re going to kill it and leave everything out on the table. Not feeling too strong that day? That’s fine; scale the weights and/or rounds or time domain back. Something is better than nothing

8.) Have Fun
Let’s face it, some of the workouts are not fun. Frankly, some of them just plain suck. I’m looking at you, Hero wods. But when it’s over, you feel a sense of accomplishment and maybe a little queasy. You shouldn’t be pissed that you didn’t get as many reps as the person next to you. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Smile. Laugh. Introduce yourself to people you don’t know. If you’re not having fun, why are you here? Do you enjoy your overall time spent at the gym? Do you enjoy the people, the community, the knowledge and support that it provides? If so, then don’t be too concerned with your competitive nature until you have a strong grasp on the 9 Foundational Movements.

The things you’ll learn in a Crossfit gym are fun: gymnastics, olympic lifts, new swear words (see: Mary Martin). You can’t do this stuff in a globo gym. The attitude is different too; no one is going to get in your face and cheer you on as you knock out those last five minutes on the elliptical. And the feeling you’ll have the first time you get an unassisted dead hang pull-up or full squat snatch is an amazing sense of power and accomplishment.

9.) You Are All Firebreathers
The term “Firebreather” comes from Crossfit legend and bad ass Greg Amundson, and he defines it as such:

Firebreather –Fie-r-bre’-th-er: (n) 1. One who faces the triumphs and tribulations of great physical opposition with an indomitable spirit. 2. An optimistic energy associated with the heart of an athlete.

You don’t have to be an “elite” Crossfitter to embody the essence of a true Firebreather. It’s not your Fran time, it’s the spirit you bring to Fran that makes you a Firebreather. Don’t forget that.

10.) Respect Rest and Recovery
Too many newbies (and even those of us who have been doing this a while) get caught up in overtraining. Don’t be afraid to schedule in a deload day once per week, or a deload week every 4-6 weeks where you cut the weight, rounds, and intensity in half. You have to think about this from a longevity standpoint. If you’re killing yourself every time you step foot in the gym, week after week, month after month, year after year, you’re going to eventually break down. You need to respect your time outside of the gym. There’s an old weightlifting adage that goes something like: “You don’t get bigger and stronger from lifting weights, you get bigger and stronger from recovering from lifting weights.”

Proper nutrition, hydration and sleep all play their part in recovery, but you also need to listen to your body. If you continuously beat yourself down, you’re going to get hurt, injured or worse. Stay on top of your mobility work. If you haven’t done so yet, pay a daily visit to Kelly Starrett’s MobilityWOD. The information there is invaluable.

So, what now? You’ve signed up for the Elements class. You’re about to start eating like a caveman. And your vocabulary will soon include words like burpee, thruster, and snatch. Welcome to Crossfit Delaware Valley. Have you tried the Kool-Aid? Don’t worry, it’s Paleo

http://crossfitdelawarevalley.com/2011/01/27/10-tips-for-success-for-the-crossfit-newbie/

B.A.M

Enough said...

Genghis Grill aint ready...

All kinds of stir fry dainty delight going on!

Carrots

Sno-peas

Bean sprouts

2 Eggs

Broccoli

Water chestnut

Beef

Coconut aminos(this stuff rocks)

Get creative, you had an endless possibility of options here & takes about 5-10min cook time.

It would be a great idea to invest in a stir fry pan, makes this process 10x easier. Make sure to oil the pan. I had some previously cooked beef & previously steamed veggies, chopped it up & threw it all in. Ill reiterate the obvious here but stir it about every 20 sec or so to get a nice even brown across the board here. I cooked the eggs in a separate pan then mixed them in. Right before I turned off the stove I threw in a bit of the coconut aminos, dont mix this prior to cooking or youll fry the hell out of your pan, this is the last step but after that done deal! TIME TO EATTT!

_______________________________________

Found this on CF main site. This woman lost 100lbs!!! Fkn awesome article

Click here!

Gone fishing...

Broiled Ahi Tuna...

Hunk of Tuna

Garlic

Onions

Coconut Juice Seasoning(choose what you like)

Sea Salt

Paprika

I let the steak marinate for a good 30-45min. In doing this you can realllllly heat up your oven, the hotter the better.

Put a bit of olive oil on the pan or foil. (I put some squash in the pan also & broiled that, was actually outstanding!)

Now cooking, you want it as close to the heat as possible. I cooked 4min on each side & turned out great. If you like well done go a min or 2 longer & rare maybe 2min each side.

Cooking time is next to nothing, quick & simple. All the time is in the preparation.

Good stuff & great dinner!

Progression or Regression...

Is this the direction mankind is headed? What has happened over the centuries & decades?

Man used to hunt & run down an animal, survival of the fittest.

Man used to do nothing but manual labor, functional movements.

Man used to use their body as a tool, for every day life.

Man now pushes a pencil all day.

Man now sits in a office 5 days a week.

Man now thinks less work is more work.

By no means am I saying go run down a frekkin deer & spear the thing but has "convenience" sent us in the wrong direction? What if there was a meat & veg market in place of every fast food joint in America? What if the media marketed paleo/zone/water/clean eating vs fast food/soda/90% sugar/GMO corn based foods? Far fetched idea, yes, but where did the world take the "wrong turn" in this direction?

How common is this...I eat fast food 5x a week & I have high or low blood pressure. Taking pills that thin out my blood & increase my heart rate aka blood pressure medication and now in the mindset that theres a pill to fix everything.

If you put diesel in a gas engine, it wont run for shit!

If you put trash & crap in a human body, it wont function for shit!

Clean it up & fire on all cylinders!!!

__________________________________________________________________________

Ok so I was given a few helpful Paleo links(see below)

http://thelabelsayspaleo.com/

http://cosmopolitanprimalgirl.wordpress.com/primal-eating/

http://paleodietlifestyle.com/

http://robbwolf.com/

Thanks Tricia!

If a caveman had a fridge...

Not that cavemen ever did have fridge's but IF they did this would be in it...STACKED with meat, fruit, veggies.

• Beef, chicken, bison(HEB), try to find organic or free range if possible
• Fish(all types are awesome)
• Nitrite free bacon.
• Eggs. Sometime the Omega-3 brand, sometimes organic free range. Stack up on eggs, they're packed with all kinds of awesomeness!
• Look for organic fruits. Usually apples, strawberries (when I can find them), oranges, bananas(I eat them to help with recovery), kiwi, pineapple
• Coconut juice or milk...I buy the juice w/ pulp by the case, this makes my day anytime I drink one. Leave it in the freezer for about 45min & it will slush up inside YESSSSS!
• Always, always avocados. I could eat these suckers like an apple!
• Look for organic veggies. Broccoli, spinach, mixed greens, cauliflower, cucumbers, purple or onion, garlic(cloves, minced, pre-peeled) sno-peas, bean sprouts
• Im a big fan of squash and yams. Love me some sweet tatttersss!
• Load up on some good spices, makes a world of difference in cooking all this stuff

Short simple list, try to keep everything in your fridge fresh foods that WILL spoil if not eaten. If your food wont spoil, its been processed to hell to increase shelf life & all the "goodness" has been taken out of it.

Remember...IF YOU CANT KILL IT OR GROW IT, DONT EAT IT!!!

Egg head...

Simple & quick paleo breakfasssst.

2 eggs

4 slices of turkey bacon

2 tablespoons of salsa

1 tablespoon olive oil

Good stuff right here, you can cook your eggs as you desire...scrambled, over easy, sunny side up or if your rocky uncooked in a glass(not suggested) but hey, whatever floats your boat.

Grease the pan up with a tad bit of olive oil(great source of fat!) Heat it up a bit & I cook the turkey bacon 1st & crisp it up a bit. I personally like to dump the eggs on top of the bacon & cook it like that. Takes about 5min total cooking time & you dont need to be a chef to cook this meal up. I usually eat a banana or apple with it to get a nice carb protein & fat balance. Quick, easy & its a well balanced source of fuel that is MUCH needed after a long night of slumber.

Rest Days

CAKED OUT!!!

How many days a week are you CrossFitting/working out? Do you listen to your body? Are you more sore somedays then others? Just not feeling the WOD that day?

Theres a ton of other questions that follow along the same lines. Todays topic is one often overlooked...REST DAYS. Is it pride? check the ego at the door. Want fast results? Nothings going to happen overnight. Want to get stronger? Well buddy, you'll get weaker without adequate rest.

Overtraining is a very common "problem" in the CF community. Do you remember the 1st WOD you did? Now next question, do you remember the soreness the 2nd & 3rd day after your 1st WOD? Pretty rough ehh! Well thats your body telling you a number of things, to name a few...

1. Yes, a bit out of shape.

2. What the hell was that!!!

3. Give me some rest & recovery.

4. This is what I was designed to do, so lets stay with it.

5. I need to stretch.

You need to be in sync with your body & listen to these things. Your brain & your body are 2 totally different beasts. Unfortunately they usually contradict each other, 2 prime examples at both ends of the spectrum.

1. Your sore as a mofo & feel like you almost need a walker, but your brain says "yeaaaa, I need a WOD today." Where on the other end your body is telling you, BREAK TIME!!!

2. Your mid WOD, the suck factor is banggin' at redline & your brain says "I cant go, I need a break, fu*k this sh*t!" Where your body is capable of much muchhh more.(this topic is for another day)

Example 1, you need to listen to. Its not going to kill you to take an extra day off & let yourself recuperate. When your beyond sore, your prone to injury, your form will lack, you lose that pep you have in the WOD. So your not a failure, a weenie, a slacker, useless or lazy in taking an extra day off. Every human body is different, so listen to YOURS. The days your DAMN sore/borderline hurting sore...just relax, YOU need it!!!

Perfect Fit Meals...

Decided to try them out for dinner last night, end result. Great meal for on the go paleo. I tried the Steak Salad...this suckers LOADED with spinach(pure awesomeness), good amount of meat & they had a great paleo dressing too. Worth the money & a very very simple way to eat paleo.

Suggestion...

For those who always say "I dont know what to eat as far as paleo" Heres the solution. Eat Perfect Fit for 1 full week solid(7 days start to finish), might be a bit on the expensive side but think of it as an health, performance & well being investment. In doing this for 7 days not only will you be eating paleo meals & getting your body accustomed to this new way of clean eating but this will give you an excellent idea of what you should be eating! In the 7 days you will start to develop the habit of paleo friendly meals, foods you should eat & balanced meals. Its only 7 days, give it a shot!

Fit for a King

Paleo friendly meal 1.7.10, yes a couple days late but better late then never!

Beef Spare Ribs(4)

Sweet Taters(2)

Garlic

Paprika

BBQ Sauce(yes I used a small amount...not 100% paleo but im close enough damn it!)

Fairly simple preparation & cooking. Season how you desire, get a good size pan & line it with aluminum foil(leave extra along the sides...this is crucial) Heat up your oven @ 325. Now pop the lovely looking ribs in the pan with about a 1/4 cup of water. Cover the ribs up with the excess foil, not too tight but lets say a "snug" fit. Will take a solid hour or so @ 325. Next step, take them out...make sure theyre cooked(critical also!) Then this is when I put a tad bit of bbq on & popped them back in the oven at 375 for about 15min or so. THIS is where all the goodness happens, sears the outside sealing the flavor in. Next step, take them badboys out & let them cool for a few min...get your hands & face messy, chow downnnn & have one happy belly!!!

The yams I left in a separate pan & cooked for the same amount of time as the ribs, if you "overcook" sweet taters for a bit they become super soft & had my paleo version of mashed taters.

Leave the scraps for you pup, significant other, neighbor, or turn the bones into a spear to hunt sabertooth tigers.

Pure goodness.