Day 3: Ron, Miles

… and that means another round of staff nutrition thoughts!

Ron

Ron’s Goals
Gain an extra 10 lbs of clean, lean muscle. I drink 40-50 oz of water a day. Go to bed at 9/9:30pm and up around 5:30/6am

Ron’s Food Choices
Potatoes, rice, noodles, vegetables (love Brussels sprouts), fruit (typically grapefruit, blueberries, or raspberries), peanut butter, coffee, typically a macaron or two a day before working out.

I avoid red meat, foods with high added sugar count, foods with high preservatives or refined ingredients, highly processed foods. That said coconut ice cream is my kryptonite. I go in spurts. If I have to have it I’ll buy a pint and shave an even layer off each night. Typically lasts at least a week this way.

Chili is my favorite food, love making protein balls as a snack, macarons are my favorite sweet, addicted to espresso thanks to my fiancé André.

Ron’s Eating Habits
Breakfast first thing for fuel to start, my lunch is typically two hours before working out, my dinner is normally an hour after working out, and whenever I’m hungry in between. Normally over 3,000 calories a day total.

Ron’s Last Thoughts
The type of food you take in enables health & body function. Food fuels training when done correctly and at the correct times.

Miles

Miles’ Entire Take
I like to think that my relationship with food is less dysfunctional than your average American but I’m far, far, far away from perfect. Being a tall and skinny guy it’s always been easier for me to lose weight than gain it, so my eating habits over the years have been a constant battle to eat enough to maintain my weight alongside a moderate amount of lifting and training.

I’d really like to eat an additional 1,000 calories per day, with a diet full of healthy carbs and lots of protein. That, however, requires discipline, and when I’m just “getting by” I’m not as motivated to change!

The bare truth: my days almost always have one or two healthy meals (spinach smoothies, chicken and veggie dinner) packed in them, but in between I eat a lot of crap! Snacks, candies, empty carbs, fast food, frozen food, pancakes. Ice cream is definitely my kryptonite, and my method of avoidance is to just not buy it (unless its on sale at the store…). Also, I almost always eat at a caloric deficit.

I eat almost anything, I’m not picky, though my favorite recipes are often the easy ones: meaty stews during the winter and cold chip-dipping snacks in the summer (ceviche!!!). I eat at almost any time of the day. It all starts with my sleep: My sleep habits have never been consistent, with many nights staying up well past midnight and getting an average of 5-6 hours per night. The average color of my pee is a custard yellow. I need more water. See what I mean about being far from perfect?

I know it all starts with diet, and I want to get that hammered down. When I’m at a calorie deficit or my tummy is full of crap, my training at the gym suffers. And my mood. I must and want to eat more and better food!

SEE MORE:
– Tony and Ryan aka “Moonboots”
– Nathan and Kelsi

CrossFit WOD for Wednesday 2/5/2020

for time:
70 burpees
60 sit-ups
50 kettlebell swings, 24/16/12kg
40 pull-ups
30 overhead kettlebell lunges, 24/16/12kg

Performance does
for time:
70 target burpees, 6″
60 GHDSU
50 perfectly-vertical kettlebell swings, 32/24kg
40 chest-to-bar pull-ups
30 overhead kettlebell lunges, 32/24/16kg

Share time to whiteboard. Post-workout is an easy walk/jog around the block to flush out that metabolic waste from the workout. Hips of Glory then Super Pigeon 1:00/position/side then Seated Shoulder Extension for as long as you can bear it.

READ: Training Vs. Competing – CrossFit Vashon
WATCH:

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Day 2

Day 2 of the 4-week Nutrition Journaling Challenge is here. Hit up the comments of today’s post and share what you eat/ate!

We’ll continue sharing how our staff thinks and acts in regards to their nutrition.

Nathan

Nathan’s Goals
My goal is to keep myself at a weight and my body fat at a point that supports a high level of fitness. This means eating a good balance of proteins, carbs, and fats, and keeping my calorie intake at a point that doesn’t make me gain weight. And on a superficial level, having my body fat low enough to show abs would be nice 😉

Nathan’s Food Choices & Habits
When I’m being disciplined and healthy, my diet doesn’t vary much and it’s actually kind of bland. Nuts, almond butter, an apple, and 2 eggs in the morning. Ground turkey, grilled veggies, and carrots for lunch. Oatmeal and 2 more eggs for an afternoon/pre-workout snack. Protein/carb shake after working out. And some sort of protein (usually fish or chicken) and rice for dinner.

However, I haven’t been as good lately and my diet has kind of been all over the place. I still try not to over-eat too much, but I’ve been finding myself eating a lot more sugar (damn snack table at my office) and my dinners have been more sporadic and not as balanced as they should be.

As much as possible, I try to avoid foods with little nutritional value. Snacks high in sugar or other high-carb foods such as bread or chips.

I tend to eat more smaller meals throughout the day rather than 3 big meals. I start eating at 8am and usually don’t have dinner until about 9pm. I don’t go more than 3-4 hours without eating something.

I try to keep my calorie intake to around 2000 cals a day. At that number, I am able to stay at the body composition I am now and still have enough energy to hit 4-5 workouts a week.

Nathan’s Favorites & Kryptonite
I’m a big meat fan. Give me a stacked juicy burger, a medium-rare steak, or a meat lovers pizza and I’ll be in heaven.

Sugar is the devil! I said it already, but I’ve been pretty bad lately about giving into that temptation. If it’s in front of me, I have a hard time saying no which is something I need to start focusing on again because I have been successful in avoiding it in the past. It started during a nutrition challenge where I had a certain goal in mind. Plus other people were in it with me which kept me accountable. If you have an end goal in mind, or even an end date, it makes things a little easier.

Nathan’s Hydration and Sleep
My goal for water is half my body weight in ounces, so 90 oz. I usually come up a bit short though, usually hitting more around 60-70oz. I do my best to get 8 hours of sleep a night, with 7 being my minimum in order to feel well-rested and functional the next day.

Nathan’s Nutrition Beliefs
Food is by far the largest factor when it comes to health and fitness. I am coming up on 9 years of doing CrossFit, and only 2 years ago really dialed in my nutrition and took it seriously. I was able to drop 15 lbs and 3% body fat in just 2 months, and have been able to keep that weight off since. The 7 years before that, even though I had been working out the same, I was never able to lose that weight or body fat because my nutrition was average at best.

Kelsi

Kelsi’s Goals
Food as fuel: 1.) cut back on extra/filler calories, 2.) avoid meat as much as possible, 3.) to supplement my workouts, and 4.) help me sleep better and recover quicker.

Kelsi’s Food Choices
Whole foods (not the grocery store) whenever possible—fresh fruits and vegetables, minimal bread/pastas. Avoid processed foods and I’ve eliminated meat from my home-cooked/meal-prepped meals. 

Trying to be better at intuitive eating, meaning eating when I’m hungry (versus when I’m bored or stressed, or simply because the clock says lunchtime).

The recipes in Half Baked Harvest are fantastic!

Kelsi’s Hydration & Sleep Habits
Building the habit of drinking a water bottle upon waking or at least before my first meal. Having my water bottle at my desk throughout the day. Drink water before deciding to eat. Set a bedtime alarm (iPhone) so I know when it’s time to start getting ready for bed so I hit ‘X’ hours.

SEE MORE:
– Tony and Ryan aka “Moonboots”

CrossFit WOD for Tuesday 2/4/2020

4 rounds:
3/2 (strict) muscle-ups
25 box jump overs 20/16/12″
50 pushups
25 box jump overs, 20/16/12″
3/2 (strict) muscle-ups
Rest 2:00

Post slowest and fastest time to whiteboard! Post-workout should be rolling out the arches of the foot with a PVC pipe. Calf stretches then Soleus stretches.

READ: 10,000 Steps to Better Health? – Tyler Hass for CrossFit.com
WATCH:

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Day 1: It Begins!

Today is the start of our Nutrition Journal Challenge! Participation is simple:
a.) Log what and when you ate in the comments
b.) Repeat for every blog post for February.

This week we’ll be sharing how the team at FCF eats, starting with Ryan (aka Moonboots) and Tony.

Ryan

Ryan’s Goals
My current goal is to lose 5kg. Because I travel a lot I frequently eat in restaurants where I try to choose the healthiest thing on the menu. While at home, I want to avoid eating out. I’d like to reduce my alcohol intake and get back to a place where I can completely cut-out processed sugar. When I go to the office, breakfast is a nightmare — they only have baked goods. I want to cut out baked goods entirely and get back to a mostly paleo situation.

What Ryan Eats and Drinks
Small breakfast (e.g. half avocado, cottage cheese and coffee), then a pretty sizable lunch and dinner. Usually 1-2 whiskeys in the evening. I eat lots of mexican (e.g. meat, corn shells, salsa), salads, avocados, steak… I really enjoy shrimp. Steak. Ice cream. Arugula. Watermelon.

I go through about a liter of sparkling water and half-liter of still water each day. Sleep is variable based on travel circumstances. If possible, I like to go to bed around 10pm and wake at 6am.

Ryan’s Kryptonite
Ice cream. I don’t have a system, but I generally try to limit to 1 pint every two weeks. Occasionally, I’ll keep yogurt in the fridge as a substitute.

How Ryan Thinks about Food, Health, and Training
I’ve been disciplined about food in the past. I take a slightly more relaxed attitude these days. I know when I’m eating poorly and the consequences it will have to my mood/performance/training. It’s a trade-off.

Tony

Tony’s Goals
My dietary goals support my training and competition lifestyle. I allow myself break periods after meets, knowing that I still need to be moderate in the foods I eat.

Tony’s Habits
I eat lean protein, all meats, eggs, lots of green veggies. I avoid sugars, pastries, dairy. I usually eat in the morning, midday after training, dinner, and a small snack before bed. I eat less than an American portion. Probably 6 ounces of protein and a plate/bowl full of cooked veggies. When I’m leaning out, I would drop out about 25% of overall calories for about 4-8 weeks.

One recipe I really like is easy to make, and I put it on a base of protein pasta is this.
Hydration and sleep habits are generally not the best, I could be drinking twice as much water as I currently am. Sleep depends on the coaching and work schedule, but I try to sleep by 11pm, wake up by 6:30am.

Tony’s Kryptonite
Soda. The new batch of seltzer waters have been a good substitute for the fizzies.

Tony’s Advice on How He Reaches His Training Goals
I find it useful to have a training goal in mind – strengthening and leaning out. I will tend to hover around a training weight and then lean out to competition weight when needed.

Come back for more tomorrow!

CrossFit WOD for Monday 2/3/2020

“HOLLEYMAN”
30 rounds for time:
5 wall ball, 20/14/8lbs
3 strict hspu
1 power clean, 102/70/45kg

35:00 cap. Compare to 17DEC2019. Share time (or rounds completed) to whiteboard and comments! Post-workout is a banded chair stretch for 2-3:00 per side.

READ: February 2020’s Nutrition Challenge at Foundation CrossFit (PDF)
WATCH: Adee’s Best Tips for Eating Out by Working Against Gravity

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PP & T2B

HSPU phases

CrossFit WOD for Sunday 2/2

5 rounds for max score:

max unbroken push press, 61/43/29kg

max unbroken toes-to-bar

Share score (total push press/total t2b) to whiteboard! Post-workout is a Bully Stretch

READ: How Much Food Should I Eat? – CrossFit Journal

WATCH:

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The Middle

Noah going overhead

Today we have our NUTRITION 101 discussion and our Nutrition Challenge Q&A at 12pm. Everyone’s invited!

Otherwise here’s a PDF of all the details about it!

CrossFit WOD for Saturday 2/1

3 rounds for time:
15 thrusters, 43/29kg
15 pullups

(Or FRAN if you’ve NEVER tested it before)

Share time to whiteboard! Post-workout is a 2:00 chair stretch followed by 3:00 of foam roller each side.

READ: Macros For CrossFit: Everything You Need to Know – Beyond Macros
WATCH:

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Who Purposefully Skipped Yesterday?

[Septa Unella yelling SHAME!]

Well we still have a long one today where you have to work hard to earn rest.

James

TOMORROW: Nutrition 101 and Nutrition Challenge Q&A at 12pm!

CrossFit WOD for Champagne Friday 1/31/2020

complete one round every 2:00 for 30:00
21 (jumping) squats
15 (rolling) v-ups
9 (target) burpees
(3/2/1 handstand pushups)

Everything in parentheses is an optional challenge to those who usually Rx workouts. Only do what you can complete fully.

Share rounds completed to whiteboard. Post-workout is working on SLIPS like this.

READ: https://feedingthefrasers.com
WATCH: How Mat Fraser Eats for Four – NIKE

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Cardiovascular Endurance

Devin and Zheng at the 2019 Cascade Classic

Fitness, in the CrossFit philosophy, was always meant to challenge all physical skills:

cardiovascular endurance
strength
stamina
flexibility
power
speed
accuracy
agility
balance
coordination

Most seasoned CrossFitters tend to fall into only wanting to develop or play with strength, stamina, and power. This means your cardiovascular endurance isn’t challenged as often, leading to complaints about how bad your endurance is. Training is tolerance building! Show up and do the workouts you don’t want to do.

Like today.

CrossFit WOD for Thursday 1/30/2020

AMRAP in 45:00
100-200-400-800-400-200 run
125-250-500-1000-500-250m row
50-100-200-300-200-100 double unders

Share total meters covered! Post-workout should be a lower leg foam roll.

LISTEN: Why Fasted Cardio? Episode 40 – The MisFit Project
WATCH:

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Weightlifting

Melissa getting her arch set before benching

Yesterday was all bodyweight control. Today is all about lifting heavy barbells!

CrossFit WOD for Wednesday 1/29/2020

bench press 5-5-5-3-3-1-1-1
deadlift 5-5-5-3-3-1-1-1

Share heaviest lifts to whiteboard. Post-workout should involve lower back SMR on a foam roller, pec smash with a lax ball on the wall, hamstring stretching and overhead tricep smashing.

READ: What Happens to Your Body When You ‘Cleanse’ or ‘Detox’ – Lifehacker
WATCH: Bench Press Pillars Playlist by Juggernaut Training Systems

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Nutrition Challenge – Winter 2020

Next Monday we’ll begin our Nutrition Challenge! The simple goal is to stick with the main tenants of whatever Nutrition Path you choose and comment each day on the blog.

Overview

Problem:

“With the ever-increasing obesity and chronic disease epidemics, we clearly aren’t eating the right quantity or quality. And it’s so easy to see why. Processed food, which is calorically dense from carbohydrates and fat, is quite literally everywhere. At every checkout line, at every social event, holiday, or celebration, at concerts, hospitals, airports, gas stations, and even most office breakrooms are stocked with these calorically dense goodies. These foods comprise almost 60% of our caloric intake (2)! Let me make this very clear: no one is overeating chicken breast, tofu, baby carrots or apples. No one. It’s the ice cream, french fries, chips, cookies, bread products, and alcoholic beverages where you don’t have to eat much to get too much quantity (calories) without quality (vitamins and minerals).”

  • E.C. Synkowski, CrossFit OG and Optimize Nutrition creator.

Answer:

There is a ton of good and bad info out there. The goals will be difficult to see long-term unless you build some good nutritional habits. Let’s do that together through

  • An informal goal-setting and Q&A this Saturday 2/3/2020 at 12pm at FCF.
  • Journaling daily on the blog for accountability, encouragement, and discipline.

If you want better metrics please take it further with blood work (chemistry profile) and/or a body-fat test (DEXA or hydrostatic weighing).

How to Participate

Leave a comment on the daily blog post every day for four weeks.

We will have TWO overall standout athletes prize packages which will include a personal training session, a nutritional consult, a Guided Training template for March 2020, and their name on our NUTRITION CHALLENGE ATHLETE PLAQUE. Plus some other goodies!

Nutrition Guidelines

These are very brief descriptions of popular dietary guidelines in the fitness world. Please research further on your own and form your own opinion. We believe the following work well for most active individuals and can help you achieve your goals.

  • CrossFit: “Eat meat and veggies, seeds and nuts, some fruit, little starch, no sugar.” The preferred dietary menu for CrossFit athletes to improve overall health.
  • Low/No Sugar: Cutting out foods high in sugar and foods with added sugars. To lower blood sugar levels and cut carbohydrate numbers.
  • Paleo: Eat meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, monounsaturated fats and oils. Remove processed foods, sugar, soft drinks, grains, most dairy products, legumes, artificial sweeteners, vegetable oils, margarine and trans fats. Focus on these foods to lower inflammatory gut and skin issues.
  • 800g Challenge: Prioritize eating over 800g of fresh vegetables and fruits daily along with quality proteins and fats, especially for those with busy lifestyles.
  • “Macros”/Macronutrient Prescription (The Zone, RP, WAG, IIFYM*): Working on adhering to an individualized macronutrient breakdown prescribed using specific carbohydrates, protein, and fat amounts. Generally for those who eat to perform.
  • “Keto”/Ketogenic Diet: A low-carb diet to drop into ketosis for better fat-burning capabilities, eating less than 50g of carbs/day and prioritizing quality proteins and fats.
  • Intermittent Fasting: Only allowing oneself to eat within a 6-hour-or-less window every 24 hours to reduce insulin resistance and chances of metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperglycemia.
  • Vegetarian: Eliminates meat, fish, and poultry
    • Ovolactovegetarian: allows eggs and dairy products
    • Lactovegetarian: allows dairy products
    • Ovovegetarian: allows eggs
    • Pescatarian: allows fish and sometimes eggs and dairy products.
    • Flexitarian: a mostly-vegetarian diet that incorporates occasional meat, fish, or poultry.
  • Dietary Veganism: Abstaining from consuming animal products: meat, eggs, dairy, and any other animal-derived substances.
  • Whole30: full nutritional reset using whole foods. Read: It Starts With Food

Requirements

To be successful you will need to

  • Look at how you actually eat your meals: are you always on the go scarfing your food down? Preoccupied watching TV or looking at your phone? Do you eat alone or with people?
  • Make better choices when going  out to lunch and dinner
  • Be able to cook and maybe meal prep at home
    • Through your own recipes and recipes shared on the blog.
    • Through a ready-to-cook mealservice like Hello Fresh, BlueApron, Green Chef, Freshly, etc
  • Subscribe to a meal prep service such as NW Fit Meals, who deliver straight to FCF if you don’t want or like to cook.
  • Share your journey through commenting on the blog so you can see everyone else’s struggles and triumphs.

Goal-Oriented Eating

There are some extra habits you’ll need to develop if you want to

CHANGE BODY COMPOSITION: Generally these athletes want to lose body fat and increase lean tissue/muscle. Adherence to weighing and measuring food is paramount.

GAIN MUSCLE: These athletes want more muscle mass. They need to eat more, and more frequently. Hydration needs to be prioritized as well.

INCREASE PERFORMANCE: Athletes competing in a sport or activity need to eat in a way that energizes them and maximizes whatever their performance goals may be.

Next Steps

  1. Say hi in the comments and state your goals with nutrition. Which set of guidelines do you plan to follow or already follow?
  2. Keep looking on the blog: we’ll have a tone of relevant information flow: deeper dives into some of the guidelines; improving eating habits; recipes; what health markers are and their importance; an understanding of body composition (lean body tissue vs adipose tissue); how to alter plans and make adjustments; and Nutrition basics like Macronutrients (cho/pro/fat) vs Micronutrients (vitamins & minerals), Hydration, Food sourcing, Weekly Events, and so much more!

Important Resources

Here are some of the FCF Staff’s favorites!

CrossFit WOD for Tuesday 1/28/2020

AMRAP in 6:00
muscle-ups
– OR –
AMRAP in 8:00
8 pullups
8 dips

Post score to whiteboard! Roll out them lats, triceps, and biceps. Open up those hip flexors.

READ: The ‘Dark Side’ of Compostable Take-Out Containers – EATER
WATCH:

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HSPU Ladder

Congratulations! We completed the 8-Week Pullup Strength Ladder- now it’s time to apply it to handstand pushup strength development.

What pointers could you give AB in 2007?

Our goal is to make you stronger for workouts when we demand more work capacity. During these sessions in class remember that we want to focus on strength, which means control and tension over speed and “completing a rep”.

Starting today we will work on hand balancing skills every other day for the next two months. Enjoy!

Also: this Saturday will be our Nutrition Talk for Foundations, but also the Q&A Session for our Nutrition Challenge beginning next Monday! All the details will be posted tomorrow. Stay tuned.

CrossFit WOD for Monday 1/27/2020

2-4-6-8-10-etc in 12:00
  kettlebell snatches/side
  overhead kettlebell reverse lunge/side

Share total completed reps to whiteboard! Post-workout is the shoulder capsule stretch: 2:00 per side followed by at least 2:00 of tricep smashing per arm.

READ: The Standard: Results & Comparison – Morning Chalk Up
WATCH: Tricep “smashing”/self-myofascial release with Scott

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