CFK Nutrition

All Done!

2011-11-27T04:00:00.000-05:00

I know I haven't posted anything in some time. I apologize for that. Been in a little bit of a research funk.

6 weeks have come and gone. I hope you had positive results by altering your way of eating. Let us know how you fared out!

Week 3

2011-11-06T01:48:00.000-04:00

It's been 3 weeks now. I hope everyone is starting to feel a change in your energy levels, quality of sleep, performance at the gym, etc. Share you experience in the comments section.

Paleo Song

2011-10-30T11:17:00.000-04:00

I'm sure this will soon be a big hit! Hahaha

WEEK #2

2011-10-30T11:07:00.001-04:00

I hope everyone is enjoying and dealing with the transition well. If you haven't noticed a changed in your body, energy, performance, etc, don't fret. It will happen soon. Stay strong and keep eating well and lots!

Share your comments or thoughts in the comments section.

WEEK #1

2011-10-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

Week 1 has come and gone. How are things progressing for you?

Share your comments or thoughts in the comments section.

Soft Drinks

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

What's the word on soft drinks? You know what I'm talking about. Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, etc. The colourful cans, fancy logos, animated commercials. That's what these companies are using to encourage consumers, mainly teenagers, to purchase these calorie-dense, nutrient-lacking, body-altering products.

Have you ever thought to yourself... "I don't want to feel younger today; I wish I was 80 years old; I want to wear dentures"? If you have, grab a can of pop, sit down, and continue reading. I know I sure as hell haven't thought that way. I wish I could be 21 every day (I'm well over 30 by the way). But we all know that is not possible. By consuming soft drinks you can bet your K-Car that you will speed up the aging process in your body.

Foundational Holistic Nutrition Seminar

2011-10-15T16:00:00.000-04:00

When: Tuesday October 18 @ 19:00 - 20:30 (7:00pm - 8:30pm)

Where: Calvin Park Library Room A 88 Wright Cres

Presenter: Ellie Steele, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Sports Nutrition Advisor

In this informative seminar you'll learn easy tips to improve your current state of health, and insure your health for years to come. Are you confused about which supplements are helpful and which ones are actually harmful?

Do you want to know which common health foods may not be so helpful after all?

Do you know which nutrients are ABSOLUTELY essential for optimal health that you won't get by accident in your diet?

Only bring $15, bring a friend!

Register at Nutrition House.

DAY 1

2011-10-15T03:00:00.000-04:00

Today is the first day of changing you dietary ways. I hope you will all be successful and will maintain this for the rest of your lives.

A few questions have been asked about the food log and I'll answer them below:

Download the food log and open it with Microsoft Word

If you have the "Notebook Layout View", it is best to use that . It's kinda cool too. If not, just open it in "Print Layout".

I would like you to fill to fill out the food log daily and email it to me once a week (Friday night or Saturday)
If possible, please indicate portion size. Last challenge people were not eating enough and didn't see any progress with training and were lethargic all of the time.
I will review your food log and, if needed, make subtle changes to it.

I think that's it. If any questions feel free to email me to approach me at the gym and I will try to answer them to the best of my ability.

Enjoy this new experience!!!

One More Day

2011-10-14T07:59:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone! Tomorrow you start a new chapter in your life. I hope that each and every one of you will make it through the 6 weeks and carry on this way of eating for years (the rest of your life) to come. The first week will probably be the hardest. Just stay strong!

There is an excellent offer on the table from one of our athletes. Ellie is willing to help us get through the really tough mental aspect of changing your diet. She is very knowledgeable about this and I would not pass up an opportunity to receive this information. Thanks Ellie!

Here is what she is willing to do:

"For anyone that has difficulty with sugar or other food cravings and it's stopping you from trying the challenge, I'd like to offer a free one hour teleseminar for CrossFitters on overcoming self-sabotage and emotional eating. If anyone is interested let me know and if there at least a few people interested, I'll run it within the first week of the challenge to give you some good tools for dealing with emotional eating or intense cravings that get in your way."

Fast Food

2011-10-09T09:21:00.000-04:00

How many of you eat fast food? How many of you that have families stop by McDonalds, Wendy's, etc with the kids because you had a really busy day and don't have time or energy to cook? I'm sure the question list can go on and on but I'll spare you the boredom.

Fast forward to 1:16 of the video.

Now why would you feed yourself or your kids this?

October Nutrition Challenge

2011-09-30T09:23:00.000-04:00

Back by popular demand!!! The 4th (I believe it's the fourth) CFK Nutrition Challenge! This is going to be very similar to the last challenge. There are 3 options to choose from:
Read more »

Nutrition Challenge

2011-09-21T15:05:00.000-04:00

I have been approached by several individuals about hosting another nutrition challenge. I am more than excited to do that for you. It's going to come at you fast so stay tuned. I may be nice this year and start it after Thanksgiving. That way if you choose to indulge during the festive weekend, you can. But you might find it quite difficult to cut out what you ate for a week or so into the challenge making the transition very hard.

If you are interested in partaking, please indicate your interest in the comments section. And if you have any suggestions for the challenge feel free to list those as well!

Sleep And Muscle Recovery

2011-09-18T09:16:00.001-04:00

A few months back I posted a poster that was quite informative and to the point about sleep. Now I am going to expand a bit and explain why sleep is very important and how it affects everything we do in life.
Read more »

Squatting

2011-08-30T14:10:00.003-04:00

I know this doesn't have anything to do with nutrition but I encounter this quite often.

How many of you wish you could squat like that? I know I sure as heck would like to. Chest up. Knees tracking over the toes. I'm sure this child has never been taught how to squat. How is it, that we as adults, with all this knowledge behind us, can't seem to perform feats as well as children do?
Read more »

Sugar Nation

2011-08-17T14:34:00.004-04:00

The following YouTube clip comes from the editor-in-chief of bodybuilding.com, Jeff O'Connell. He authored a book, Sugar Nation, in which he talks about the overconsumption of sugar and how it leads to diabetes.

Soy Lecithin

2011-08-10T14:50:00.001-04:00

How often do you read the nutrition labels of your food? Well, it shouldn't be too often because real food shouldn't come with labels or packaging. Unless you are buying meat from the grocery store.

If you do purchase foods with labels, always take a few seconds to read the ingredients and read the macronutrient breakdown. To refresh your memory, macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
Read more »

More Is Better???

2011-07-28T09:44:00.002-04:00

The simple answer... NO IT'S NOT!

Now I know this doesn't have anything to do with nutrition directly but rest and nutrition work synergistically (my big word for the day). People are always saying that more is better. If I run more, I'll lose weight more quickly. If I lift weight on consecutive days, I will lose weight AND get stronger. We hear that time and time again at CFK. I sent a linkto the proceeding post, which can be accessed below, to an athlete a few weeks back. She read it, understood the concepts, and implemented it. She told me that she has already lost weight by cutting down on the amount of training she does. And she was all smiles saying so. Rightfully so. There is proof, at our own facility, that rest helps.

Check out the rest of the post for an explanation as to why less is better. Or check out Dutch Lowy's site here and scroll down to the third comment by Stefan.
Read more »

Coconut Water

2011-07-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

Coconut water happens to be one of the healthiest drinksaround. This drink has been very popular in tropical nations and has beenconsumed for centuries. Its consumption is slowly, but surely, increasing inthe Western world.

Coconut is a wonderful food because it contains so many vitaminsand essential minerals. It’s naturally sweet making it very palatable.

Anti-Inflammatories

2011-07-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

I know we all get sore after a workout or a few workouts in a row. Every now and then we get repetitive strains or injuries that are a little more severe. A number of people have asked me what the best anti-inflammatories to take. I always say none because anti-inflammatories slow the process of soft tissue repair. So what are viable options you ask?

Dr. Robert Silverman, a chiropractor and human nutritionist, recently did an interview with an editor from Charles Poliquin's team. In it he discusses the importance of staying away from NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) and what he recommends to use instead.

If you are serious about training and trying to keep things as natural as possible, give it a read. Heck, give it a read anyway.

Click here!!! or read on...
Read more »

Elite Fitness Nutrition Guide

2011-07-13T08:56:00.004-04:00

The following guide is courtesy of my friends at Cape CrossFit in Cape Town, South Africa.

The guide explains the importance of nutrition and how it can impact your performance and health. It focuses on the Whole30 style of eating and touches on a few special topics like dairy, eggs, and grains/legumes.

Now one thing to remember, following a Paleolithic, Whole30, Primal, whatever style of eating affects everyone differently. Find what works for you and stick with it. This may mean playing with your diet for 3 months or so but when you find what works for you, your gains will be evident quickly.

Elite Fitness Nutrition Guide

So You Like To Weigh Yourself Eh?

2011-06-25T06:00:00.003-04:00

STOP!!!

The topic of weighing yourself comes up much too often at CrossFit Kingston. "I want to lose 'xx' pounds of weight". "I stepped on the scale this morning and I weigh more than I did yesterday. Did I eat too much? Am I not training enough?" Those are just some of the questions I've encountered in my time coaching. My reply every time is that you do not, I repeat, DO NOT need to weigh yourself. Especially every day. Your weight fluctuates daily. Unless you're going to box, compete in an Olympic weightlifting or powerlifting meet where you need to make a certain weight or you are doing a workout that requires you to lift weight at a percentage of your body weight, there is no need to step on that scale. Hide your scale. Throw it away!

Read more »

Transitioning To Paleo

2011-06-19T06:00:00.002-04:00

Some people at CFK have asked me about transitioning from a Western-type diet to a Paleolithic/Primal way of eating. I found this article from Straight To The Bar on how to transition to the Paleolithic style of eating. Enjoy!

I won’t go into detail on what the Paleo diet is, since that’s covered elsewhere. This article is about how to transition to it rather than what it is. However, it is worth briefly pointing out that there are a number of variants that loosely fall under the banner of Hunter Gatherer / Ancestral / Paleolithic / Primal living. The differences, where they exist, are pretty subtle and certainly not worth worrying about if you are planning to transition from some other eating plan to this one.

New To Real Foods

2011-06-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

So... You have finally decided to change your eating habits and focus on real, whole foods. Good for you. That is a step in the right direction to decrease any long-term illness (hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, auto-immune diseases, etc). There are so many websites and "diets" that really push their style of eating. Is it confusing? Damn straight. I have tinkered with my diet so many times over the past couple of years and finally found what works for me. I don't follow Paleo because I consume dairy and sprinkle some maple syrup and honey (raw if I can find it) every now and then on some stuff. But two things I do avoid is grains and stuff with added sugar. Only because they make me feel like crap after consuming them. I know I mentioned that I have a little maple syrup and honey but they do contain some nutritional benefits whereas table sugar, artificial sweeteners, and anything ending with -ose are nutritionally void.

In order to make things easier for you when it comes to selecting the right foods to consume, Nourished Kitchen has 10 simple steps to follow to steer you in the right direction. Check it out here!

Are They Worth It?

2011-06-11T05:55:00.000-04:00

Are the supplements you are taking working for the reasons you think they should? Or do you take the supplements just because "my doctor told me so" or "I heard it on the news"?

Below is a screen capture of the website that contains information as to which supplements are good for which condition.

To find out which supplements are good for a certain condition, click here to check out the bubbles. When you click on the bubble, it will direct you to scientific studies that will support the finding as to why the selected supplement will work, or won't be beneficial, for 'X' condition.

2011-06-06T05:50:00.004-04:00

Here is the continuation from Part 1.

So in Part 1 we discussed the body's composition with regards to water. Also, dehydration and how it can affect performance.

Many people detest the taste of water. Or even the lack of taste. A very easy solution to this problem... slice up some fruit and let it sit in the water container. Pour yourself a glass of water and enjoy! Another way is to enjoy a cup of tea. Some people are concerned with the caffeine content in some teas because caffeine has been found to exert diuretic effects. But it has been proven that the diuretic effect has little impact on the excretion of water.

Water (Part 1)

2011-06-01T07:56:00.002-04:00

I apologize about the delay between posts. Other than laziness, I don't really have a valid excuse.

Here is a post I did well over a year ago. I am reposting it due to the hot, humid weather we have encountered over the past couple of days. And now that summer is coming upon us, it is vitally important to stay well hydrated before, during, and after working out.

Water is an important substance that is required for pretty much everything done in the human body. It allows for chemical reactions to occur, lubrication, nutrient & vitamin delivery (in the form of digestion), waste disposal, heat dispersion, and temperature regulation.

The adult human body is composed of 45 - 60% water. The brain is made up of over 80% water. Muscle is composed of 80% water whereas fat is only 20%. As a result, the lower a person's body fat percentage, the higher the percentage of water.

Food Is Not Optional

2011-05-14T11:00:00.003-04:00

I had a conversation with an athlete recently about concerns of abdominal fat and how to get rid of it. I gave my answer of:

you can't isolate a particular body area to remove fat from (unless you look into liposuction - NOT RECOMMENDED)
performing high intensity workouts along with a clean diet will allow the body to start burning fat to be used as energy

Then I was asked about running and getting rid of abdominal fat. My jaw clenched for a second:

running is a great exercise to keep the heart rate elevated and experience the feeling of "runners high", like you accomplished something great
any type of moderate intensity, long-distance running causes a hormone in the body, cortisol, to be released

leads to a breakdown of muscle protein (that's why distance runners are skinny and possess no muscle mass) - NOT GOOD FOR OUR INTENTIONS

with prolonged cortisol secretion, the adrenal glands become exhausted and weak resulting in adrenal fatigue

can lead to increased body fat, depression, and other symptoms

so, if you're going to run, do sprint intervals

Afterwards, I remembered a great post the I had read with regards to how important nutrition is whether you are exercising or not. Click here for the site or continue on for the article:

What We Feed Our Kids (and ourselves)

2011-05-01T14:58:00.002-04:00

World renowned chef, Jamie Oliver, is determined on improving the diets of people in the United Kingdom and United States. He is also a strong advocate of removing processed foods from schools.

The following is an excerpt from his show Jamie Oliver Food Revolution.

Gestational Diabetes (Part 2)

2011-04-21T05:00:00.001-04:00

In Part 1 of the gestational diabetes article, we learned, in a nut shell, what gestational diabetes is and how it affects the fetus and mother. Now, without further adieu, is the second instalment of gestational diabetes.

How does GD occur?

It’s believed that pregnancy hormones such as progesterone (being the main culprit along with cortisol), human placental lactogen, prolactin, and estradiol all interfere with the action of insulin. These hormones bind to the insulin receptors on cell membranes.

Gestational Diabetes (Part 1)

2011-04-16T05:00:00.004-04:00

I have a couple of friends/family that have developed this all too common "disease" that seems to only affect women (thankfully). If you haven't guessed by the title, the "disease" I refer to is pregnancy. Hahaha. I know. I know. It's not a disease. Women only have this alien-like creature mature inside of them feeding off of the nutrients that the mother is taking in. Hmmm... Kind of like a parasite. Then this "alien" grows up to be an attractive person like you.

Read more »

Sleep

2011-04-12T06:00:00.005-04:00

What's more dangerous? Swallowing a sword or lacking sleep? Petting an untamed tiger or lacking sleep? Well, the untamed tiger would probably kill you before the lack of sleep does.

Check out the following poster regarding some quick facts about the importance of sleep.

Read more »

Maple Syrup

2011-04-03T11:00:00.001-04:00

There may be a few things that are more Canadian than maple syrup, but it ranks pretty high. Maple syrup is that golden, sweet nectar from the maple tree. Before the winter months, the trees store starch in their stems. When spring arrives, the starch is converted to sugar, mainly sucrose. Trees are tapped and the sap collected is then heated to evaporate the water. The result is the golden brown, sweet-tasting, sticky fluid we know as maple syrup. Did you know that Quebec produces most of the world's supply of syrup?
Read more »

Ten Commandments Of Health

2011-03-28T11:33:00.002-04:00

Even back in the 70's (or 80's) they were on the right track to living healthy lives.

Read more »

Carbs

2011-03-22T15:09:00.001-04:00

How often do you have people ask you why you don't eat "carbs"? (If you are following Paleo, Primal, or just cutting out "foods" with grains in them) I have this question asked to me weekly. I answer them with a simple, "Yes I do." Then they look at me weird and say, "Well... You don't eat bread, pasta, cereal, etc." I reply by agreeing with their statement. Trying to keep the reason why I don't eat "carbs" simple is sometimes a really tough thing to do. There is always that one person that is like a child constantly asking "Why?"

The L.A. Times published an article back on December 20, 2010 entitled "A Reversal On Carbs". The mainstream media is starting to listen to the warnings of a small group of scientists and nutritionists about the impact of grains, cereals, pastas, etc.

It's too bad the billionaire corporations have the means to keep misinforming the public just so they can pad their and the pharmaceutical company's wallets.

So what do you tell people when they ask you why you don't eat "carbs"?

Oils & Fats

2011-03-18T23:14:00.011-04:00

Have you ever wondered what oils/fats are good to use for cooking? Which ones should be avoided at all costs? The following is a list of oils/fats that can be purchased at your local grocery or specialty store.
Read more »

National Nutrition Month

2011-03-05T16:00:00.004-05:00

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has the month of March as the National Nutrition Month. It started off as being a week back in the early 70's. Since 1980, it was extended to a month due to the public's interest on nutrition.

Now fast-forward to 2010. The ADA released new dietary guidelines to the American public with the hope of improving overall health. Here is the new guideline:

End Of The Challenge

2011-03-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

I apologize for being late with this post. Andrew and I were in Montreal, well Varennes to be exact, this past weekend at a weightlifting workshop. It was held at Steve Dube's gym, FXV. It was a great experience.

I'm just curious how things went for you during this challenge. Please share your comments, feelings, etc.

Homemade Mayonaisse

2011-02-24T22:37:00.000-05:00

The following recipe comes to us from Melissa who writes The Clothes Make The Girl. I'm sure this post would have been better suited at the beginning of the challenge. Oh well.

After reading some of the comments, an individual recommended only using the yolk instead of the whole egg. It made the mayo more fluffy and less runny.

Click here for the recipe.

So You Want To Gain Weight Eh?

2011-02-16T12:00:00.007-05:00

A couple of women have approached me with regards to putting on weight. Only if we could all be blessed with having to ask that question. Hahaha.

Easiest answer... Eat more calories!
Read more »

What Have Wheat And Grains Done For You?

2011-02-11T06:00:00.002-05:00

Dr. William Davis, author of the blog Heart Scan Blog, recently did a poll and his readers replied in great numbers. Well, 538 replies. I still think that's pretty good. He asked people if they experience wheat re-exposure syndrome. The results weren't overly shocking, to me, as I experience undesirable gastrointestinal effects after eating any wheat or grain product. And the next day I feel like I'm hungover (I haven't had a drink in almost 11 years now).

I'm curious to see how you, CFK Nutrition readers, feel after consuming wheat/grain & sugar products. Feel free to pick an option in the poll section on the right and post a comment in the 'Comments Section'.

Oh yeah, Dr. Davis, if, by some far off chance, you are reading this, I hope you don't mind that I am using your idea.

Real Food Flowchart

2011-02-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder if the food that you are eating is real? Check out the following flowchart. As funny as it is, it is quite accurate.

From Summer Tomato

Sugar

2011-02-01T12:00:00.001-05:00

This video is from the New York City Health Department. I kinda get a little nauseated watching it. Too bad they had to promote low-fat milk when we all know full fat is better :)

Why You Crave

2011-01-27T06:30:00.000-05:00

Here is an article from Practice CrossFit giving reasons why you crave certain foods and what to do to ease those cravings:

Sometimes a pizza just does sound that good. Or maybe you're a pastry kinda person. Possibly a wine and cheese connoisseur, or even a beer aficionado...if there is such a thing. Clearly, sometimes you just want what you shouldn't have. Most of the time, just say no. However, sometimes your body could be "craving" a specific nutrient housed within the shell of whatever product contains it. Thus why instead of "salt", we think "pizza".
Read more »

Overtraining

2011-01-24T12:30:00.000-05:00

The following video comes from Catalyst Athletics. The speaker is Gant Grimes and he talks about overtraining and some cues to recognize overtraining. He also discusses the importance of rest and good/proper nutrition in order to enhance recovery. Near the end of the video he refers to GH and test. These hormones are growth hormone and testosterone.

WEEK 1

2011-01-24T06:30:00.000-05:00

One week under our belts. How is everyone doing? I can only assume that things are going well since I haven't heard too much. Some people have already succumbed to the temptations of foods not permitted during this 6 week challenge. Hopefully you have gotten back on track and will stay committed for the remaining 5 weeks.

Post any thoughts, concerns, progress, set-backs, etc to the comments section.

Whole 30 + Max Effort Black Box

2011-01-21T11:30:00.000-05:00

CrossFit Potential and CrossFit Orillia, both owned by James Gordon, recently did Whole9's Whole30 program and a strengthening program know as Max Effort Black Box (MEBB) designed by Michael Rutherford. Now this was in no way, shape or form a scientific study but the results of the experiment speak volumes.

All of the participants have been practicing CrossFit for some time rather than having brand new individuals in the experiment. New individuals will automatically show significant increases in performance over a short time whereas seasoned CrossFitters may have smaller gains.

Check out the post on the Whole9 website.

This shows that cleaning up one's diet can (and does) result in positive gains.

How to become diabetic in 5 easy steps

2011-01-19T07:00:00.004-05:00

If you would like to become diabetic in as short a time as possible, or if you have someone you don't like--ex-spouse, nasty neighbor, cranky mother-in-law--whose health you'd like to booby trap, then here's an easy-to-follow 5-step plan to make you or your target diabetic.

Day 1

2011-01-17T11:15:00.001-05:00

Here we go again with another installment of CFK's Nutrition Challenge. We have more people participating this time. We are happy to see that. I hope you will notice a difference in your body composition and performance by the end of the 6 weeks.

Feel free to log your food by clicking the button above or just post comments/questions/concerns there.

Please utilize the recipe box on the right-hand side if you come across an amazing recipe!

Train hard, eat well, and have fun!

I forgot to mention this... If you're going to measure or photograph yourself, here is what you need to do:

Photos
Take a frontal, side, and rear shot. Men in short shorts. Women in sports bra/bikini top and shorts short enough to expose thighs. Take the photos close enough so you can see definition.

Measurements
Women
Measure your waist at the belly button. Measure the widest part of your hips.

Men
Measure your waist at the belly button, your neck at the base, and your chest (just under the armpits).

Chili Four Loko

2011-01-13T10:41:00.000-05:00

Here is the link that Mark, I'm guessing Drummond (correct me if I'm wrong), left in the comments section of the Nutrition Challenge post. Looks tasty!

Whey Protein

2011-01-11T06:00:00.004-05:00

Ounce for ounce, whey protein has the most natural occurring branch chain amino acids than any other food. So a little goes a long way.

Whey protein comes in two different forms. Whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate. The main difference between the 2 is that the isolate form is more pure. Isolate contains 90-98% protein whereas concentrate is 70-85% protein. Most companies combine the two forms. Whey concentrates tend to be higher in fat and lactose content.Read more »

January Nutrition Challenge

2011-01-04T18:08:00.004-05:00

Back by popular demand is the third installment of CrossFit Kingston's Nutrition Challenge. It's going to be plain and simple with one rule...

EAT WHOLE FOODS!!!

What is a whole food you ask? Well, a whole food is something that had a face or was pulled from the ground. See... Plain and simple.

If you stick to the list posted on World's Healthiest Foods, and not deviate from it, you will be fine. The things you are NOT ALLOWED to consume from this list are GRAINS, BEANS & LEGUMES, and SOY PRODUCTS. If you choose to consume dairy it must be full fat and preferably raw (meaning not pasteurized). Butter is allowed but ghee is preferred. The sweetners listed on the WHFoods site are the ONLY permissible sweeteners but must be used in EXTREME moderation (1-2 teaspoons per day) as they will promote an insulin response much greater than fruits or vegetables.

If you fall off the wagon for a meal, don't worry about it. Just get back on track with your next meal.

Alcohol - must not contain any grain product. Fruit or vegetable based alcohol is permitted (6 oz wine or 1 oz spirits), Only one serving per day.

Date: Monday January 17, 2010 to Sunday February 27, 2010.

There are no other rules. if you want to weigh, measure, photograph yourself by all means. You don't have to share it with anybody but the pictures are HIGHLY recommended. That is the only way to notice a big change in yourself. You do not have to keep a food log although it is strongly encouraged. There will be a section dedicated for those of you who would like to keep a log online just like the last challenge.

Even though we would like to base results on physical changes, we know that the majority of you do not like the idea of submitting your photos. So, this challenge will be purely performance based. We will have a series of workouts throughout the 6 week challenge. Only Andrew and Dawson will know which workouts will be used. That way you can't slack on the workout on Day 1 then blow it out of the water at the end of the challenge.

Indicate in the comments section if you plan to participate in this challenge.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2011-01-01T10:00:00.003-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

2010 was a pretty good year. I have seen a lot of people get PR's on lifts and during WODs. And the smile on your faces as you got the PR's I will always remember. I have also seen a lot of people clean up their eating habits and made drastic changes in their physical appearance while still maintaining a great level of fitness. I am proud of each and every one of you. Simply amazing.

Unfortunately, some bad luck was bestowed on some of you this year. Rest assured that you have not, and never have been, forgotten. We think about you every day, in getting healthier and stronger and in hopes of returning to CrossFit Kingston for the "good times". You are a warrior and your return makes CFK what it is.

Now that we are in a new year, 2011, let's continue to change our lives by becoming stronger, faster, and healthier. Let's set a few goals for ourselves and crush them. Set yourself a one-month, three-month, and 6-month goal. Whether it be a weight you want to lift, a gymnastics movement you want to perform (an unassisted strict pull-up for example), a fast time on a WOD (sub-5 minute Fran for example), a specific body weight, etc. The world is your oyster on this one. If you have more than one goal then jot it down and let's work together to attain that goal and more! Let Andrew, Pete, Dawson, and, yes, Perry help you acheive these goals.

Let's make 2011 the year where we play hard, play safe, respect one another, and, most importantly, help each other out. We are a family (as seen with all of the generous donations as of late). Let's keep it strong! If you are new to the family, don't be shy to introduce yourself to the seasoned athletes and learn from them. If you have been in the family for a while, let's welcome the new athletes with open arms and show them what it's like being in the CFK family!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

2010-12-25T01:00:00.001-05:00

Remember, don't eat yellow snow and look up before you let snowflakes fall into your mouth.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Wanna Lose Weight???

2010-12-20T06:30:00.001-05:00

How many times have you tried dieting (Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, etc.) and seen success? I'm sure you were pleased with what you saw. Now, how many of those times have you gained that weight back? Probably the same amount of times.

The following are some simple steps to follow in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and lose unwanted body fat:

Eat until you feel satisfied, not full. Focus on high quality protein and fat which will keep you full longer.
Eliminating grains and dairy from your diet will decrease the amount of inflammation occurring in the body. Grains get converted into sugar quickly in the body which gets stored as fat.
Don't be afraid to eat fat. The body will look to use fat as energy rather than glucose/sugar. Fat is needed for the brain to function optimally and for the integrity of the cell membrane.
Lifting heavy weights and quick sprints are essential to raising the metabolism. Running on the treadmill or long distance running causes cortisol to be released. This causes the body to store fat.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

2010-12-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

SAD is a form of depression that is related to the change in seasons. It is usually seen during the winter months. The symptoms tend to recur and present themselves around the same time every year. Things that wouldn’t get to us during the summer months have a bigger impact during the winter months. Researches believe that with the lack of sunlight during the winter months, that we as Canadians experience, disrupts the Circadian rhythm, which, in turn, causes hormonal imbalances.

Supplements

2010-12-05T10:03:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wondered what supplements are important to maintain excellent health and performance? Do you know which supplements are right for you? Which ones do you buy?

The market today is flooded with supplements all the way from A to Zinc (was that a Centrum commercial???). And each supplement comes in different forms and dosages. My head spins looking at all the different combinations. Citrate? Maleate? Oxide? What the hell does all that mean.

If you are that person asking yourself all these questions, stay tuned. Coming sometime in the early new year, maybe January or February, Ellie Steele and I will be hosting a lecture for everyone to address the questions and others that come up.

Sweet Potato

2010-11-30T14:19:00.000-05:00

I can sum this up with one word... YUM!!! Here is my carbohydrate option for post-workout (and the occasional snack):
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Dietary Lifestyle Change #3

2010-11-24T16:25:00.000-05:00

Looking for some feedback.

How many of you would be interested in another dietary lifestyle change (DLC) starting in January? I haven't thought about it too much yet but I'm sure it will be similar to this last one. I know a lot of people did not participate in this last change because of having to submit photos. The next challenge will probably have photos as being optional.

If you have any ideas or things that you would like to be a part of the change please let me know. Either through email or in the comments section.

Celiac's Disease

2010-11-21T08:00:00.002-05:00

The following information about celiac's disease was found in an article from the L.A. Times.

Cases of celiac disease may be on the rise, in large part because people can develop the autoimmune disorder much later in life than previously thought, according to a study published Monday in the Annals of Medicine.
Read more »

How's It Going?

2010-11-20T21:15:00.000-05:00

It's been a little over a week now and I'm curious to see how everyone is doing. Have you reverted back to your old ways? Have you only added one or a few thing(s)? How did you feel after reintroducing some of the foods that were forbidden during the challenge?

IT'S OVER!!!

2010-11-12T08:26:00.002-05:00

After 6 weeks I have noticed HUGE changes in many of you. I want to applaud your dedication and determination. Enjoy the new you. Many of you have lost a great deal of weight and were still able to add weight to your lifts and shown great improvements on the metcon WODs. That is the result that I was looking for. Ecstatic is the best word that I can use right now to express how I'm feeling about each you. Friggin' awesome job everyone!

I'm hoping to keep this blog alive by posting recipes, information, etc. So if you ever come across a recipe that you would like to share, email it to me at angrif2010@gmail.com, along with a picture. I'll be sure to post it lickity split!

Day 42 - Last Day!

2010-11-11T06:00:00.001-05:00

The final day! Congrats to everyone that have made it this far. Now,whatever you do, please do not go back to your old habits and ways. You made it all this way and your body is thanking you for getting rid of the toxins that have riddled your bodies for years. Be proud of what you have accomplished and keep it going!

Post your meals for the day in comments section.

Day 41

2010-11-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

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Day 40

2010-11-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

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Day 39

2010-11-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

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Day 38

2010-11-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

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Paleo Shepherd's Pie

2010-11-06T19:16:00.001-04:00

I haven't had this dish in 10+ years since living with my parents in Ottawa. I remember eating it with peas and corn with white potatoes. Then lathering it with ketchup. Mmmmmmm... But today, the ingredients in this recipe differ from the traditional Shepherd's Pie because I wanted it to be Paleo.Read more »

No Thanks Required

2010-11-06T08:30:00.003-04:00

To everybody taking part in the dietary lifestyle change...

First of all, let me say thank you for your thanks and reply, "You are very welcome!", but all of you deserve the credit. I'm sure that sentence was littered with grammatical errors but oh well. I am obviously not an English major.
Read more »

Day 37

2010-11-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 36 - Last Week

2010-11-05T06:00:00.002-04:00

Alright! We are on the home stretch. I'm hoping all of you have noticed a difference in how you feel, look, and perform. Andrew and I have noticed a lot of big improvements when it comes to performance. How you look is a little more difficult to judge since we see you almost every day. But for some of you, it is quite evident that you have slimmed up tremendously.

Great work!

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Day 35

2010-11-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 34

2010-11-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Coconut Crust

2010-11-02T10:37:00.002-04:00

Here is a tasty alternative for pizza crust. I found it to be more tasty than the almond crust. I wanted to post this about a week or so ago but got lazy and I forgot. You may be able to see a bit of the crust under my thick-topped "pizza".

Ingredients (Crust)

1/2 cup coconut flour
3 eggs
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder

Day 33

2010-11-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Movember Donations

2010-11-01T19:00:00.001-04:00

To those interested in supporting a great cause please indicate how much you are willing to contribute for the burpee challenge I'll be doing in the near future. Date - Saturday November 27 after the 10:00 class.

Day 32

2010-11-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 31

2010-10-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 30

2010-10-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 29 - Two Weeks To Go!

2010-10-29T06:00:00.001-04:00

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Day 28

2010-10-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Great Work!!!

2010-10-27T11:47:00.000-04:00

I want to congratulate everyone who has made it this far. The end is quickly approaching and each of you is doing a pretty good job. I hear stories about all of the cravings that some of you are getting and how you are not caving. Stay strong!

Just a couple of "housekeeping" notes:
Read more »

Day 27

2010-10-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 26

2010-10-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 25

2010-10-25T06:00:00.001-04:00

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Day 24

2010-10-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 23

2010-10-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 22 - Bye Bye Prepackaged Foods!

2010-10-22T06:00:00.001-04:00

Now it's time to make sure you prepare your food from scratch. No more lunchables, fast food (including Subway, The Pita Pit, etc), shaved meats from the deli.

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Day 21

2010-10-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 20

2010-10-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

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"It's my opinion that most who ignore doing any warm-up movements or stretching do so because they're lazy." - Bill Starr

2010-10-19T13:12:00.002-04:00

I know this is off the nutrition path but I think it is very important for everyone to read.

Over the past 2 years (I'm rounding up), I can honestly say that less that 15% of all CFK athletes stretch before and/or after a workout. Stretching is what keeps our muscles and joints healthy. It also helps with our flexibility and makes our recovery times faster which allows us to train harder and lift more weight. Read more »

Day 19

2010-10-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 18

2010-10-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Primal Snacks

2010-10-17T16:00:00.000-04:00

If you have been wondering what to eat for snacks, check out Mark's Daily Apple Snacks. These snacks are approved for the challenge. But try to avoid the dairy in the recipes. Substitute oil instead.

Day 17

2010-10-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 16

2010-10-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Day 15 - No More Dairy!

2010-10-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

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Day 14

2010-10-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Agave "Nectar"

2010-10-13T18:35:00.000-04:00

There has been quite a bit of talk around CFK concerning agave "nectar" and all this Paleo/Primal cooking and baking that has been happening over Thanksgiving weekend.

Click here for information about agave "nectar".
Read more »

Day 13

2010-10-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

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Paleo "Pizza"

2010-10-12T10:03:00.002-04:00

There have been a few requests for this recipe so here it is:

"Paleo Pizza"

Ingredients

The "Crust"

1 cup almond meal
1/3 cup egg white
2 Tbsp nut butter
optional - any seasoning you want (I've used rosemary, basil, oregano, crushed chilies, pepper, etc.)

The Sauce

1 cup Thomas' Utopia Organic crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp dried basil
2 cloves garlic minced