Yes! Judgement Day Has Come

If you are trying to maintain adherence to a strict Food Plan you are probably also reading labels.

Here is the FDA’s explanation of US Food Labels.

Here is an 8 minute video about food labels in general.

Here is a little video explaining calories from fat and how to understand the information provided on the food label.

Here is a Poster from the FDA that you could print (8.5 x 11) and keep on hand since most fresh fruits don’t fall from the tree wearing a snazzy label.

Same problem with veggies? Print this Poster.

And, of course fish come with gills and scales but no label. Here ya go. And it includes information on some shell fish, too.

Most of those food choices are not too tricky and most of us don’t have too many questions about Calories and Calcium content. But, “Light”, “Lite”, and “Free” seem to be the most confusing thing to understand. Technically, the FDA says this is what those words mean. And, what about “Organic”, “Healthy”, and “Natural”? The FDA warns, “The terms "natural," "healthy," and "organic" often cause confusion. "Consumers seem to think that 'natural' and 'organic' imply 'healthy,'" says Schneeman. "But these terms have different meanings from a regulatory point of view."
According to FDA policy, "natural" means the product does not contain synthetic or artificial ingredients. "Healthy," which is defined by regulation, means the product must meet certain criteria that limit the amounts of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, and require specific minimum amounts of vitamins, minerals, or other beneficial nutrients.
Food labeled "organic" must meet the standards set by the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Organic food differs from conventionally produced food in the way it is grown or produced. But USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food.
For example, says Schneeman, "A premium ice cream could be 'natural' or 'organic' and still be high in fat or saturated fat, so would not meet the criteria for 'healthy.'"

I happen to really enjoy my organic food choices. I have been eating foods from an awesome little service that provides locally grown products to its patrons with stellar variety and sweet customer service. But, I still had to wonder about the word organic. There are websites talking about it, and this is the best quick summary that I have found:
USDA Organic: In 2000, after a 10-year development process, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rolled out its rules covering use of the word "organic" on foods. The USDA accredits independent certifiers, who then check the claims of producers. The system has three levels:
"100% Organic": Can only contain organic ingredients, meaning no antibiotics, hormones, genetic engineering, radiation or synthetic pesticides or fertilizers can be used. Can display the USDA organic logo and/or the specific certifying agent's logo.
"Organic": Contains 95% organic ingredients, with the balance coming from ingredients on the approved National List. These products can also display the USDA organic logo and/or the certifier's logo.
"Made with Organic Ingredients": Must be made with at least 70% organic ingredients, three of which must be listed on the package, and the balance must be on the National List. These products may display the certifier's logo but not the USDA organic logo.

I liked that link in particular because it led me to another post about what is in organic food that is not really organic. Huh? How is that possible? This is how! People, come on! You know you gotta flex your “Buyer Beware” muscles when you are shopping for food just like if you were shopping for next Yugo.

According to a brochure produced by the USDA, “Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

Here is one outstanding post that sums up some of what I have been saying by my nutritional crush, Whole9. I agree with Melissa. Follow some simple rules to ensure you are getting what you want out of the food chosen to put on your plate in your mouth.

Eat Fresh Foods that are locally grown in a chemical free environment.

Eat foods that are packaged only if you can actually pronounce the ingredients. Once the ingredients start getting science-y you are no longer eating food.

If the food you are eating came prepared it will have an ingredients list. Ensure that all of the ingredients are something that you could produce or hunt down. I am not saying that I go on a regular beef slaying mission the third Thursday of every month. I am quite grateful for the butcher who does that for me. But, you get the idea.

Enjoy food that is in ‘season’. It keeps your menu varied and has far less of a chance to have been preserved. (I still think preservatives are creepy. Are you really trying to embalm yourself before your dirt nap?)

Ok – if you are trying to Kill Your Coward, it is up to you to have a plan. I hope this helps you stick to YOUR Food Plan and not get tripped up by labels and lingo that can be a slippery slope.

Your Memorial Day grilling will taste even better without a bunch of junk in the yummies. So get out there, judge your food, and have a safe and sun screen slathered beginning to your summer.

Posts coming up: Another visit to the important idea of Rest and Rest Days, being in The Zone, and why Peanuts should only be consumed as a Comic Strip and not your mouth. What else do ya want to hear about?

2010 CrossFit Regionals

The only way you can win is to do the most work the quickest. The content of the games is unknown until just before the Event. It. Is. Crazy.

And, of course, our very own April Garner made it all look amazingly simple. Just pick up that weight. Move your feet. Focus. Breathe. Do it all again. It is like she puts herself in a zone and simply works. You don’t see her get frustrated, although you do see her try even harder as the workout progresses. You do not see her give up, instead you see her find a way to give even more.

I did not get to see April do the first workout on Saturday morning. It was a lifting Complex. (I was still doing that Mini Marathon in Indy.) She was not pleased with the components of this doozy. But, I heard that she did a very good job and probably should have gotten more credit for all of the work that she did. Bummer on the judging...

I also missed the 5k run. Ok, 5k run does not describe it nearly well enough. April (SuperFastWoman) came in 4th in Women’s Division and her time beat 26 men. Yeah, that pretty much Rocks!

Deadlift was in the late afternoon, and I did get to see April finish this one. She worked hard and did really well. I cannot imagine how exhausted she must have been walking up to that bar. But, of course, she picked it, loaded more weight and picked up, and just kept going until the end. She got a Personal Record, of course giving every bit of effort she could find.

Finally, her day was over and it was time to shake it off, eat something (and a lot of it!) and get some rest. Sunday was going to be at least one workout. The top 20 finishers after the first Sunday workout would get to progress to the Final Workout of the Regional competion.

April got to consult with her Judge prior to the workout starting. I was surprised – she was working with strict form and there were some of her efforts he would not count. I could not see why that was, but he is the Judge…

And so, after talking to the Judge the crowd held their breath for a moment after we heard 3 - 2- 1- Go. And then the crowd went into a CrossFit Frenzy!!

50 Box Jumps (20”)

40 Kettlebell Swings (16kg)

30 Burpees with lateral jump over sandbag

20 Sandbag Cleans to Front Squat

10 Overhead Dumbell Press (65/40lb)

(Sorry everyone... I was too excited to snap pictures during this part.)

April was starting to show what she really had. She was starting to pull ahead of the pack. It was awesome!

Now that was done. Sort of. Go back and do those previous movements, again!

Off she went for more of those sandbag squat cleans.

Then more of the burpees with a jump.

Then more of those KB Swings.

Finally, time to end with the Box Jump. She was ahead! The crowd was rallying! It was too much - how on earth could she do more!?!

If you look close, you can see many of the other CF180 addicts cheering her on, right in front of her. Dig Deeper April!

Ok. She is so far ahead now, we are all convinced that no one in this Heat could possibly catch her. Is it possible to hold your breath and scream at the same time? I think we found a way!

And then it was over. Done! First in her Heat.

Her accomplishments just can't be explained with words. The pictures might help. But, to be there. And to witness her pour her heart out into not just one workout but an entire weekend. It became clear, she had done far more. She had put her heart into this for many months to prepare. She had a dream, she had a plan, she had dedication. I hope that you all take the opportunity to congratulate April on such an amazing performance. If you ask her about she is going to grumble about a muscle up and something about the Deadlift. Tell her to zip it up and that she did great! Once you are done congratulating her, you need to sit down and make some plans to go to one of these competitions. It will light fire under your behind that you never knew you had. And, then, how about you set up a challenge for yourself? Wanna join April at the next competion? She would love the company!

Ok April - Job well Done! I hope your Mother's Day was a special evening at home with the girls!

April is what the Games are all about. Digging deeper until the end… Way to go April!! I cannot wait to see you and many other CrossFit 180 peeps tear up CrossFit Sectionals 2011.

I have uploaded the video and pictures of CrossFit Sectionals 2010 to my FaceBook account. CrossFit 180 FB account admins are welcome to link it on over to the CF180 FB page. Later I will publish many more photos of Regionals on my FB page too.

Posts coming up: Food Labels, another visit to the important idea of Rest and Rest Days, being in The Zone, and why Peanuts should only be consumed as a Comic Strip and not your mouth. What else do ya want to hear about?

When it comes to CrossFit, there is nothing ‘mini’ about it…

So, many of us 180 gals did the 2010 Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon. Other than the fact that I am still very curious about why none of our tough guys did it, I was curious about some other things.

Why did those girls go for it?

What did they have to gain from the experience?

What did they sacrifice along the way?

I went into the challenge knowing full well that my body was not ready and that I hate running. That was exactly why I wanted to do it. Some would say that is backwards. CrossFit says otherwise. We intentionally do things that others wouldn’t do. And, in my opinion, that IS what makes CrossFit folks ‘better’. We ARE fitter than most folks because we do not look at physical fitness on a single level. To us, it is about the ability to do all of the following:

Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance - The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.

Stamina - The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.

Strength - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.

Flexibility - the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.

Power - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.

Speed - The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.

Coordination - The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.

Agility - The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.

Balance - The ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base.

Accuracy - The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity

As it stands now, I don’t have all of those things down pat, so I did that half marathon thing. But, just finishing the event does not mean I am done. I have to keep trying to be a better runner. It improves many of my weak points. It makes me fitter. The idea was to take myself completely out of my comfort zone and finish the darned thing. And, I can tell ya, I don’t think there is anything MINI about a half marathon. No matter how miserable it was running in the evenings after CF180 wods, no matter how windy it was that morning of the actual mini marathon, etc... I am really glad I have the sense of accomplishment that came from crossing the Finish Line.

CrossFit folks do other things to improve their overall fitness. CrossFit even encourages this via other ‘branches’ (CrossFit Endurance and CrossFit Football). I think most CrossFit coaches believes you should not focus solely on CrossFit. The idea is for that your workouts be constantly varied after all. Participate in a volleyball league, run around town, go hiking, whatever. Just Get Fit.

Get Completely Fit. There are two questions to ask yourself. What are your weak points and then how can you beat them down? Go over that list above and see what you are weakest on. You might think you have a good handle on all of them. Hey, Congrats! But, there is probably something on that list that either you hate or are not as good at. Now you have identified the weakness. Now, get to work.

The amazing competitors of the CrossFit Games understand the benefits of overall fitness - people like April Garner. More on her and the competition later... It was amazing!

Posts coming up: CrossFit Regionals wrap up, Food Labels, another visit to the important idea of Rest and Rest Days, being in The Zone, and why Peanuts should only be consumed as a Comic Strip and not your mouth. What else do ya want to hear about?

Double Down and Dirty

April 12 was Double Down Day. Did you hear about it? KFC has been in the news for a couple of different things lately. One was the launch of their Double Down sandwich, the other is their note worthy BucketsForACure. To be clear, I totally support the sale of chicken breasts to help raise awareness and / or money for cancer, specifically cancer of the boobie. I get the connection; thanks for helping a gal out Colonel Sanders!

But, the thought of this Double Down thing had me feeling a little dirty. I admit it, I was interested in it and I seriously considered trying one, just for the sake of research. But, I resisted the urge… err, I mean craving for a little scientific satisfaction. Instead I did my initial research using only other people’s reactions. Certainly, this has to be one of the dirtiest deeds I could do to my pre half marathon body. The following quote was shamelessly stolen from the official KFC Double Down website. “The new KFC Double Down is real! This one-of-a-kind sanwhich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel’s Sauce. This product is so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!” Oh my gosh, this just cannot be good. Well, it may be tasty, but it cannot be good for me.

Here is the initial experiment that I ran: I work at a software company. My little cubicle happens to be very near the Technical Support Call Center, which happens to be staffed by some pretty awesome 20 somethings. Most are guys, most of which celebrate all things meat and they do that with an uncensored volume of meat. Only the size of their stomach can restrict the consumption of meat. We even have Meat Can Fridays where The Can is walked around the building, dues are paid, and then magically an amazing assortment of grilled meats are readied for unbridled consumption on many Fridays from Spring through Fall. Meat Can Friday even has a FaceBook page, so the Tech Support Cube Land was sure to provide a perfect source for my Double Down research. It was a Monday, and there was so no Meat Can Friday indulgences to interfere with the experiment.

The cube dwellers work a variety of shifts to cover the 7 am – 7 pm hours. Some folks eat earlier than others. Many of them ate a Double Down on April 12. It was craziness. I heard moans and groans. I heard hiccups and burps. Yeah, I heard a lot. I heard some people say, “It’s just a sandwich” (which is not entirely true given that it does lack bread) and others say things that I would not feel comfortable putting here but suffice it to say that their Meat Can needs had been met. And, it went on and on all day. Many ended up in a Meat Coma, which Meat Can subscribers have deemed to be the indication of a successful meal.

I was totally grossed out. I was 100% convinced that there was nothing redeeming about the Double Down. It simply had to be a full on wrong decision. So, I started to Google. It is like this thing has a Fan Club. It has bloggers typing, foodies in a frenzy, and I had totally missed the boat. It turns out that the Double Down itself is not all that bad. If you go grilled it is about 460 calories. It does contain cheese, which is not on everyone’s Food Plan but that may be a nice Treat if planned for accordingly. I am not opposed to bacon itself, but I bet KFC is not using the nitrate free variety that I prefer. The one major flaw I could find was its sodium content, which was pretty high. But, it is fast food and you should probably expect that. I did not do a lot of research on the sauce. I figured it was sauce, so it probably does not have any positives, but you do have the draw your line in the sand somewhere between responsible food consumer and CrazyTown. I will let the sauce go as an uninformed transgression….

So, as I post this Blog I am here to tell you that I did get a little dirty with the Double Down today. I went Grilled this time, and I served it up with some sautéed vegetables. Next time I want to get really dirty, I just might go with Original Recipe to get the full effect. Either way, I am happy to be wrong this time. There are not many reasons to go Double Down once in a while. And, if you feel bad about it when you do, no reason you can’t just Split it. It would increase your odds that you enjoy the indulgence even longer.

Posts coming up: Half Marathons are NOT at all anything Mini, CrossFit Regionals wrap up, Food Labels, another visit to the important idea of Rest and Rest Days, being in The Zone, and why Peanuts should only be consumed as a Comic Strip and not your mouth..
What ya hear about?