Welcome back Patrick!

Looked Good Naked Sign-up.

Sign-up for the Look Good Naked Challenge opens today.

Click here to register.

Read below for an overview of the challenge.  For ALL the in-depth details, click here.

Here’s a quick overview of the challenge:

• Strictly Paleo with a Paleo/Zone option 
• Before and after indicators including mobile hydrostatic body fat testing 
• 40-day challenge
• Food log monitoring guidance and feedback on an every 2 day basis
• Resources including weekly meal plans and shopping lists
• Required shop attendance
• Awesome prizes for challenge winners (male and female)

Weekly food preparation is part of healthy eating habits. The alternative is to buy pre-made food. Both options work. Here, 2.5 hours of food preparation on a Sunday made all breakfast, lunches, and 1/2 dinners for the week.

Announcing the Spring 2012 Look Good Naked Challenge

You asked for it and it’s here!  The Spring 2012 Look Good Naked Challenge starts Sunday, April 22nd with a week of prep work beginning April 16th.  

Hears a quick overview of the challenge:

• Strictly Paleo with a Paleo/Zone option 
• Before and after indicators including mobile hydrostatic body fat testing 
• 40-day challenge
• Food log monitoring and guidance
• Resources including weekly meal plans and shopping lists
• Required shop attendance
• Awesome prizes for challenge winners (male and female)

Read below for a thorough outline of the challenge dates, overview, and structure.  Post to comments any questions.  

Sign-up for the challenge opens Wednesday, April 11th and is limited to 30 people.  The registration link will be posted online.

challenge overview

• This spring’s challenge was designed to be a perfect starting point for individuals who have not yet explored the world of Paleo eating.  In addition, we designed the challenge for Paleo veterans who are moving in a great direction with their Paleo efforts but need to look at some fine tuning.
• The challenge will be 40 days in length
• The challenge focus areas are: before and after indicators (hard numbers!), accountability in food consumption and logging, and consistency in shop attendance.   Each area will be measured or tracked throughout the 40 days.
• The challenge will crown a male and female winner.  Read below for prize information!

challenge calendar

• Wednesday, April 11th – challenge sign-up made available on MBO
• Monday, April 16th – mobile hydrostatic body fat testing and Challenge Meeting at 7:00 AM or 6:00 PM (mandatory)
• Sunday, April 22nd – challenge begins
• Thursday, May 31 – mobile hydrostatic body fat retest, prizes awarded, and challenge end at the May Cool Cruel Summer Benchmark WOD evening event!

challenge structure in relation to overarching themes

1. Indicators (before and after) - pictures, body fat percentage and lean body mass, weight.  We have arranged for a mobile hydrostatic body fat truck to come to Roots before and after the challenge (see challenge calendar above for dates)
2. Accountability – daily food logging and coach monitoring, notes/feedback in log on 2-3 day basis, email communication for questions and guidance
3. Consistency – workout 5x/week.  Four of those workouts must be WODs (no specialty classes).  Fifth workout can be another WOD, a specialty class, or an outdoor activity.

Post questions to comments.

Ladies, manicure season is here, but beware! Be sure to allow proper dry time after your manicure before involving yourself with any hook grips. Grrrrr....

The Alternative to Sickness, Disease, and a Dismal Life

Hopefully the last few days of posts got you thinking (or renewed your thoughts) on the impact your nutrition can have on your health. We painted a pretty grim picture of the current state of nutrition in America.

The average American consumes 70% of their diet from refined sugars, cereals, grains, refined vegetable oils, alcohol, and dairy products. Research has strongly associated the modern Western diet with the current epidemic levels of obesity, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, and inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.

So what’s the alternative?

It is our experience at CrossFit Roots, both personally and professionally, that a Paleo style of eating is the first step in the journey to health. It yields the greatest results for athletes in a host of areas including athletic performance, physical appearance, cholesterol levels and other blood indicators, mental clarity, and inflammation-related diseases and problems. In addition, athletes find it enjoyable to eat this way. That’s right, enjoyable.

Below is information on the Paleo style of eating. We understand that food and the way people eat is a very personal thing, almost like a religion. We invite you to learn about the way many of our athletes eat. We are always willing to share our own experiences and results from eliminating certain food groups and transitioning to a Paleo diet.

What is Paleo?

The Paleo way of eating mimics the way our ancestors ate during the Paleolithic Era before the invention of agriculture. In short, this means we eat meat, vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar. Read on for a description of what you can eat in each of these food areas.

MEAT

You can eat any protein from a source that once had a face and a soul. You should consume meat with at least 2 meals per day. Make sure your meat is not contaminated with sugar, soy, or processed sweeteners. It’s more common than you think, so get in the habit of reading labels! While you are at it, learn to recognize the sneaky ways that food companies disguise sugar.

VEGETABLES

There are so many to choose from! Get creative and learn to cook a vegetable you’ve never tried. Non starchy vegetables should be a standard in your meals – even for breakfast.

FRUIT

The Paleo way of eating encourages fruit consumption; however, consider the origin of the fruit you consume – the geographic location as well as the way it was grown. Sugar, whether in a banana or a Snickers bar, is still sugar, the only difference is in the quantity of sugar in each food item. Consume fruit in moderation.

NUTS & SEEDS

For some of you, the elimination of calorically dense and nutrient deficient foods will require some level of effort to replace the calories you need to thrive. Nuts are packed with fatty acids, enzymes, antioxidants, and lots of vitamins and minerals, especially potassium and magnesium. Be aware that, while they are a great part of the Paleo equation, it is possible to over-consume them. We will talk more about this later, but for now, think “moderation”.

FATS

Fat is good for you and supports the brain! It is also a great source of fuel in the Paleo diet. Slowly, your body will make the transition from utilizing carbohydrate to utilizing fat for energy. Fat triggers our sense of being full. Fat is an essential part of many of your cellular and hormonal processes. There’s no room for fat phobia in the Paleo world!

Have you tried this way of eating?  What was your experience?  Have you not yet tried this way of eating and are hesitant to do so?  Post to comments.

How We Got Here – State of US Health Continued.

Yesterday we dove into some of the how the state of health and fitness in the US came to be so dismal.  Today we want to share with you a bunch of resources for you to explore the topic some more.  Here are a few of our favorite resources, from books, to articles, to blogs, to videos.  Enjoy.

What additional resources would you like to share?  Post to comments.

Articles

What if it’s All Been a Big Fat Lie

Is Sugar Toxic?

Books

Good Calories, Bad Calories

Why We Get Fat

Protein Power Life Plan

Blogs

The Paleo Diet

Everyday Paleo - this woman has it down.  And she has 4 kids so we don’t want to hear “it’s too hard.”

Inherent Appetite - our very own Shane Upchurch, coach at Roots, delves into the world of clean eating.  The recipes are 99% Paleo;)

Dr. Eades - a blog from the author of Protein Power Life Plan

Americans have purchased over 100 million diet books in the past 30 years. That's a lot of trees.

State of US Health.

Yesterday, Dizon sent us a recent 60 Minutes report titled Is Sugar Toxic?  The new research presented by Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Dr. Robert Lustig states that American research institutions have concluded that sugar is a toxin – a poisonous substance.

You can read the article here.

If sugar is a toxin, that would mean it is in the same category as alcohol, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and cocaine, to name a few.  That’s exactly what researchers are trying to convey – in the same way your parents told you that smoking was bad, they should have also added sugar to the list.

Next Monday we release the details of the next food challenge.  As always, it will be based on a quality approach to food (with some added twists to look at quantity).  We thought we’d take the next few days to review the current state of health and wellness in the US as well as ways to avoid becoming a statistic.

Here is the Theoretical Hierarchy of the Development of an Athlete.  It’s CrossFit’s full view approach to the development of any athlete:

The Theoretical Hierarchy of the Development of an Athlete first appeared in the CrossFit Journal in October 2002.

What’s the base of the pyramid? – NUTRITION.

Many people start CrossFit to address the exercise component of their health and fitness but ignore the nutrition component. The fact is; however, that fueling habits play a massively underestimated role in how we feel, perform, and look.

Before we delve into our approach to nutrition and fueling let’s look first at the current state of health and wellness in America and how we got here.

In the 1950s a scientist named Ancel Keys published a study showing the relationship of fat consumption to heart disease. He collected data for his study from several different countries but could not draw a definitive correlation between the two. But you can’t publish a study that doesn’t draw a clear conclusion so he tossed out the data that didn’t agree with his hypothesis (really) and published data that showed that a diet high in fat was directly related to an increase in heart disease. No joke! This is not paleo paranoia or conspiracy theory, just bad science. Don’t take our word for it; check out the blog tomorrow where we’ll list a few great resources to learn more.

Keys was an influential figure at the time and marshaled support from various government agencies including the FDA and the American Heart Association. His recommendations eventually reached the public ear and molded the dietary beliefs and habits of an entire generation. In the late 70s and early 80s the United States began the low-fat, high-carb craze. The thought was that a diet low in fat and high in carbohydrates was not only good for you, but that it would also prevent heart disease. Then what happened?

In response to growing consumer demand and anticipated demand for low fat foods, US food makers began to crank out food products with little or no fat. Only, there was a problem; fat tastes good. When the fat was removed from products such as crackers, cookies, peanut butter, and ice cream; food makers found that they had to add exorbitant amounts of sugar to the product in order for it to taste good to the consumer. So not only did we decrease the amount of fat in the American diet, we drastically increased the amount of sugar. The addition of large quantities of sugar (real and fake sugars) in the American diet fueled the rise of Type II diabetes.

Check out these facts:

- 65% of adults in the US are overweight or obese;
- 30 million Americans take cholesterol lowering medication
- 50 million Americans have hypertension;
- 11 million Americans have Type II diabetes;
- Diet related chronic diseases are the single largest cause of mortality (death) and morbidity (severe illness) in America;
- Refined sugar consumption in the US has increased 30 pounds/person/year since 1970.

To further the problem, the Food Pyramid was introduced in 1991 recommending that the foundation of our diet be grains (high carb / low fat). The recommendation to eat large quantities of cereals, breads, crackers and other refined carbohydrates as the majority of our calories steered us solidly down the path of insulin response destruction and unexplainable fat storage. In fact, both obesity and diabetes began a sharp increase within a few years of the introduction of the Food Pyramid. Yikes!

It’s no secret that obesity is directly related to diabetes (Type II), as well as a host of other diseases; and that diabetes is directly related to heart disease. As a society, we are obsessed with how we look in the mirror. We define fitness as a six-pack of abs and the ability to wear small sizes of clothing. The problem with these gauges is that they overlook the long-term health effects of the way we eat. Being “thin” or working out to balance overeating does nothing to prevent the onset of heart disease, Type II diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, or stroke. The food you put in your mouth does.

Since the incorporation of the food pyramid and the high carbohydrate/low fat recommendations our nation has become sicker, weaker, and largely pathetic. The deadly quartet – obesity, heart disease, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia – are all linked to Type II diabetes which results from the long term ingestion of a high carbohydrate / low fat diet.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

- 70% of the American diet is made up of processed grains and sugar;
- Children today are the first generation to have a life expectancy SHORTER than their parents’ generation;
- 31% of children in the US are obese;
- Modern Americans live principally on three varieties of plant foods: corn, soy and wheat – of which all three convert to SUGAR once eaten;
- 57 million Americans are pre-diabetic;
- Americans have purchased over 100 million diet books in the last 30 years, but it hasn’t helped much…

The tunnel of front squats - big efforts all around.

Food For Thought

Last week, a Harvard Medical study was released that concluded, “Eating red meat — any amount and any type — appears to significantly increase the risk of premature death, according to a long-range study that examined the eating habits and health of more than 110,000 adults for more than 20 years.”

You can find a link to the article here: 
Risk: More Red Meat, More Mortality 

An LA Times subtitle read: “A long-term study finds that eating any amount and any type increases the risk of premature death.”

After an uproar among the meat eating folks of the world, Gary Taubes, author of Good Calories, Bad Calories responded to the claim on his blog.

You can find a link to his article here: 
Science, Pseudoscience, Nutritional Epidemiology, and Meat
And a link to a dissection of the study here: 
Red Meat & Mortality & the Usual Bad Science 

Check out the articles.  What do you think?  Is meat eating the silent killer that will send all of us CrossFitting-Paleo-eating-folk to an early death or is this a big claim supported by little science?  Post to comments.

Davis and Jeff during CrossFit Open WOD 12.1

What Did You Have For Breakfast?

Hey!  As you sit here reading this post are you happy with your nutrition for the day so far?  Are you sitting there reading away while munching on 3 hardboiled eggs, an orange, and a few macedemia nuts or are you feeling stuffed and lethargic after giving in to the coffee shop muffin and latte?

The old adage that breakfast is the most important meal of the day has a lot of truth.  How we start our day has tremendous impacts on how we act and react to situations in the rest of our day.  Start the day off well and you chances of success are greatly improved.  Don’t believe me?  Think about it from the opposite end of the spectrum.  When was the last time you started your day with a sever hangover and felt that kicked you off for a great day?  It just doesn’t happen.  Don’t start your day with a food hangover.

Dedication to food must be  priority if you truly wish to perform better, get stronger, lean out, or all three.  It starts with breakfast.

So what to eat for breakfast?  There are so many options but in the end, we find that picking one and sticking with it works best.  I know what you’re thinking, “eggs and an orange EVERY DAY!?!?, how boring.”  Take a step back to your cereal consuming days – most people relied on one maybe two staples for breakfast.  You can do the exact same with Paleo.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Hardboiled eggs, nuts, and an orange
2. Veggie omelet with sausage or bacon on the side
3. Chicken and walnuts (amazing combination!)
4. Scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit

The first example is great to pack the night before.  The second option is great but does require a lot of kitchen time and clean-up as well as cutting depending on how fancy you make your omelette.  The third option is great at home or on the go and pairs great with coffee!  The last, well, you can never go wrong with that!

Start your day on right trajectory!

15 minute AMRAP:
250 meter row
30 Abmat sit-ups
30 squats

Saturday morning crew after the Samurai push for time!

Fuel Your Journey Challenge Options

Paleo Kit Pre-Order

With the school year back in session next week we had a number of requests for another Paleo Kit order.  We’re happy to help out.  Read below for all of the details.

Paleo Kit pre-order starts today!  We will run the pre-order from Wednesday, August 10th through Friday, August 19th. After the pre-order, we will stock a select variety of Paleo Kits at the shop for purchase.

What is a Paleo Kit?
Paleo Kits are pre-packed meals of grass fed beef jerky, dried strawberries and cranberries, and nuts including pecans, macademia nuts, and almonds.  For the pre-order we’ll also have available the coconut Paleo Kits, Just Jerky Kits, as well as the PaleoKrunch bars.

How do I pre-order?
Click here to place your order. Fill in your name and the quantity of each item you would like.  All pre-orders will receive a 5% discount. There is a 5 order minimum per item type.

What’s the cost on these babies? Here are the pre-order prices.  After pre-order prices listed in parenthesis.

Paleo Kits
Grass Fed Large: $6.18 (also available after pre-order, cost: $6.50)
Grass Fed Small: $4.70 (available for pre-order only)
Coconut Large: $5.65 (available for pre-order only)
Coconut Small: $3.75 (available for pre-order only)
Meat Only Kits
Just Jerky: $5.45 (also available after pre-order, cost: $5.75)
PaleoStix: $5.25 (available for pre-order only)
Bars
PaleoKrunch Bar – $2.70 (available for pre-order only)

Expensive you say?
Oh please.  Let’s compare the costs of a salad on the Pearl Street Mall, a grab and go lunch from Whole Foods, and a Paleo Kit. All meals bought for a Paleo female eating lunch…and never doubling the meat which is hard to believe!:)
1. Pearl Street Mall salad: $7.95 
2. Grab and go lunch from Whole Foods: $7.02 (1 avocado, 1 peach, 1/2 cup bluberries, 3 ounces meat from the salad bar) 
3. Large Paleo Kit: $6.15 (DING DING DING, WINNER!)

Not only are you making an economically informed decision when selecting a Paleo Kit over other “fast food” options, you are eating high quality ingredients, making a conscious decision to eat well even when on the run, and you’re supporting the youth athletes at Steve’s Club in Camden, NJ.  Take the time to click through and read about Steve’s Club.

When will they be here?
Paleo Kits will arrive the first week in September.  You will receive an email when they are available for pick-up.

What are the different kinds?
The Grass Fed are the “original” – beef jerky, nuts, and dried fruit
The Coconut are the “tropical” – beef jerky, coconut, and dried fruit (no nuts)
Just Jerky – beef jerky only
PaleoStix – think grassfed SlimJims!
PaleoKrunch Bar - think a grainless and gluten-free granola bar

What do I use them for?  Here are a few ideas:
- a solid meal on the go
- help in a pinch
- long bike rides
- camping/hiking trips
- plane rides to avoid airport food

Bodyweight front squat

Knees to elbows

Ben and Piper move through the final phase of the Saturday workout. We hear Ben's Mom is coming back to Boulder for a visit. Keep an eye folks, this woman rocks it!