We are all so conditioned to believe that a number on the scale tells us that we are OK, and if we are healthy. A Number! Look around and read my post about Gretchen Kittelberger and how there are so many different body types out there. How can one small range of numbers apply to us all?

The past year I have shared a few of these pictures – pics that tell that story better than I can. Actual athletes who weigh more now than they did when they started. There is no way you can say that they don’t look more fit, healthier and BETTER!!

Tana Hurt from Quad City CrossFit

Leah from CrossFit Nation

There you have it. These are just 3 pictures but there are many many more out there! As I find them, you will see there posted here. I do it to help others but it’s a good, needed reminder for me too. It’s about being healthy and fit — not what number you see on the scale.

Today’s workout sucked. Yeah, it really did. And it was humid, so my asthma was bad and today’s workout had running in it. A lot of running — oh the joys.

warmup
50 Double Unders
2x–
10 wall ball shots
10 push ups
10 walking lunges
10 sit ups

push up progressions

Skill
Thruster

WOD

5 RFT

• 400m run
• 10 Thrusters

I decided to not go full on RX today. I have been feeling fatigued this week and Coach Conan’s WOD guidance was to pick a weight that you can go full steam and not have to stop. I chose 50#, however because I couldn’t breathe, I still stopped. I am working on being mentally OK with scaling when I feel it necessary. It’s not a sign of weakness or giving up – it’s assessing where your body is at at that particular moment and adjusting. 

And I am so proud of some of the younger women that I work out with. There are a few, when they first started, I smoked them each and every workout. Well the time has come –the student has at times surpassed the teacher! It’s motivating for me to see because how dare they smoke me by not just one, but sometimes two or more rounds!  I just love to see the change in people first hand. The fire, the gains, the progress they make. That’s what fills my tank up each and every day.

Stop Being A Slave To The Scale is a post from: Live Fit and Sore

“I felt like a bad ass.” Enough Said.

Why is CrossFit so Addictive? 

My body might have hated me in the days after the workout, but I can see why CrossFit works, especially for people who need that extra push. The gym setup and exercises may be extremely minimal, but by the end of that short spurt, I felt like a total badass. The ten minutes was all I needed to realize I need to push myself harder during my own workouts.

“I don’t think most people come in with the perception that they’re going to change big-time,” Brose says. “With CrossFit, if you can say, ‘I’m going to take the leap to do this. I’m going to be sore and tired. I’m going to change and meet people,’ then you’re going to love this.”

CrossFit: It’s Addictive is a post from: Live Fit and Sore

I grew up with Ms. Summer’s music. One of my first vinyl albums was Donna Summer’s Bad Girls.  Cancer sucks.

Cancer Sucks: Donna Summer, Disco Queen, Dead at 63 is a post from: Live Fit and Sore

Can going for a walk improve cancer survivors’ long-term prognosis? It may, according to new research showing that exercise can lower survivors’ risk of premature death, not only from cancer but from any cause. The findings are likely to resonate widely at a time when about 14 million Americans, and many more worldwide, have survived cancer.

In one report, a major new review published this month in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, scientists at the agency gathered available studies examining exercise and cancer survivorship, dating to 1950. Most had been published in the past five years.

“This is an area of growing scientific interest,” says Dr. Rachel Ballard-Barbash, the associate director for applied research at the National Cancer Institute and lead author of the study. “Exercise is an accessible, low-cost intervention. But before we can suggest that cancer survivors become physically active, we need to understand what effects exercise has” on the bodies and life spans of those who’ve been given a cancer diagnosis.

To date, messages about the effects of exercise on cancer patients have been mixed. Some physicians have worried that exercise might exacerbate the fatigue that is common after cancer treatment. Others have raised concerns that the physical stress of exercise could even create conditions within the body that might contribute to tumor recurrence.

Cancer Survivors Who Stay Active Live Longer is a post from: Live Fit and Sore

Think about it – you have people who have settled for less than they should in themselves their entire lives or for a long time, and you show them the way to ignite their inner fire. How powerful they feel. How in control they feel. Many for the first time in their lives – they feel in control and they see the change.  You are totally blowing up who they thought they were — recreating them into something they can be proud of.  Strong and In Control and all because of the effort they put into it.  No gimmicks, quick fixes. It’s contagious.

And they go to their CrossFit box regularly and are around the same kind of people, which feeds their inner fire. Then the changes bleed into their real life — they hear compliments, they feel great, they begin to notice how the rest of the world eats. They wake up.

I’m not saying this discovery doesn’t have its hurdles. It does. Sometimes the people around you don’t get it. They get annoyed by your re-definition of YOU. They weren’t ready for it and you are forcing them into a change they don’t have control over.  It’s not easy to get used to a partner, parent, friend that is not the same as they have always been.  It’s an adjustment for everyone.

All of the sudden, you want to go out and zip line and go out with your new fit community. Well, remember – the people that have been around you may need to take some time to get to know who you are and maybe, just maybe they will dip their toes into this world of wellness. But you can’t force it and it’s not for everyone.

I just know for me – I feel great, look better than I have ever and am inspired to want to help others feel it too. But I temper that with the reality that not everyone wants it, nor wants to go down the same path I did.  CrossFit is not for everyone. It WORKs for everyone, but you have to find your thing. The goal is to be fit and healthy and anyway you achieve that is fine with me.

But if you ever want to board the CrossFit Crazy Train, call me. I will be waiting…

Warmup

Dynamic Range of Motion/Stretching
Sprints/Suicide Drills
800m Run (4:07)

Skill

DeadLift

WOD

Deadlift
12 X 3
50-60% 1RM

My DL weight: 145#

Boarding the CrossFit Crazy Train is a post from: Live Fit and Sore

I have included the synopsis below but essentially it’s the every day guy – mr suburbia – who has let himself go. Has forgotten who he was and lost his way. He finally comes to a point in his life when enough is enough and he decides to make a change. It’s a true story and relatable – many of us, men and women, have been there. It’s a story about crushing his perception of WHO CrossFit is for and HOW focusing on himself can improve his life in so many mind blowing ways.

Killing the Fat Man Series

Twenty years ago, Gary Roberts was a 187-lb. Marine. Today, he’s roughly 270 lb. and starting to believe he’s destined for an early heart attack or open-heart surgery.

Join Roberts—and CrossFit HQ filmmaker Sevan Matossian—on the 16-week journey to “kill the fat man” at Oceanside CrossFit in California.

“Fit, to me, is the ability to do everyday things that I used to do when I was in shape and can no longer do,” Roberts says. “It’s about time I stopped looking at other people, looked at myself and said, ‘Hey, let’s change your habits.’”

For his first WOD at Oceanside, he does a short chipper involving a row, squats, sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups.

“Bam, that’s it,” says trainer Laura Patefield.

After struggling through his band-assisted pull-ups, Roberts says he feels good.

“Things are burnin’ I haven’t even known existed,” he says. “There’s … places I don’t think I’ve flexed in a long time.”

Patefield responds, “It’s going to change your life.”

Killing the Fat Man: Episode 9

Killing The Fat Man: Episode 8

Killing the Fat Man: Episode 7

Killing the Fat Man: Episode 6

Killing the Fat Man: Episode 5

Killing the Fat Man: Episode 4

Killing the Fat Man: Episode 3

Killing the Fat Man: Episode 2

Killing the Fat Man: Episode 1

CrossFit Series: Killing the Fat Man is a post from: Live Fit and Sore

Video: HS Teachers Pull Dancing Prank on Students is a post from: Live Fit and Sore

Although the precise mechanism of muscle memory is unknown, what is theorized is that anyone learning a new activity, or practicing an old one has significant brain activity during this time. The walking child is gradually building neural pathways that will give the muscles a sense of muscle memory. In other words, even without thinking, the child is soon able to walk, and the muscles are completely accustomed to this process. The child doesn’t have to tell the body to walk; the body just knows how to do it, largely because neurons communicate with the muscles and say, “walk now.”

In this article from Education Week: Teacher -What Neuroscience Tells Us About Deepening Learning, neurological pathways are discussed it in relation to a teacher teaching students in an educational model…

The more frequently a student’s brain retrieves and connects information, the better the chance that the student will recall it quickly and accurately.

The strongest—and most easily accessible—memories are created through dense, interwoven neural networks. Information has a much better chance at being recalled more quickly when it has been retrieved repeatedly and connected to as many other pieces of information as possible.

However (and this has been a significant reflection point for me as an armchair neuroscientist) even a densely connected, sensory-rich memory is essentially reconstructed when it is recalled. The recalled information can be shaped by context, influenced by the student’s emotional state, attention level, and receptivity.

There is so much connection between your mind and body — so much research and science behind it all.  Add to it the mental aspect of training and learning –  attitude and environment can interfere with muscle memory.  

Really interesting stuff –

Creating Neurological Connections is a post from: Live Fit and Sore

Well, what I had forgotten this AM is that I was recruited into helping my friend with her renewed quest to get fitness back into her life. She has issues – major beyond the word issues – getting up in the AM and demanded that I help her since I get up anyway. This took the form of me creating an iPhone reminder to call her in the mornings at 520A.  Well, my iPhone was on my charger in the kitchen which also works as a speaker for music. Well, 520A comes around and I hear the soothing chimes SUPER loud of my reminder!! Apparently, I am not taking a rest day today.

I hurry downstairs, get the phone, call her — she groggily answers Good Morning. I said get up — it’s time and I am not going to call again. She says ok, ok.

I go get ready — head back downstairs and decide to call her again because I know this lady — she ain’t up. I’m right of course — she says Ok I am up and I said no get up out of bed. She said are you up and out of bed? I said — um OF Course! I am dressed and ready to go in my kitchen and I refused to get off the phone until her tush was up and out of her bed.  I do not kid that I am seriously up and out of the bed when the alarm goes off on most days. I am committed to my lifestyle — and I know I feel better afterwards.  She will get the hang of it — or I won’t be calling!

You can not force someone to put in the work and commitment it takes to be healthy and fit. It’s not easy and some days- it does suck. But you owe it to yourself and others around you to take care of you. Yes, we have a ton of shit going on in our lives. We all do – but the alternative to not being fit is not ok.   And the ones that do put in the work and focus, it shows. No one that looks like your definition of fit and healthy got it by sitting on the couch eating cereal out of a box.

It’s not OK not just for cosmetic reasons – the long term toll it takes on your health is proven. The example you set for your kids is vital for their future health and fitness, and mentally, no one feels good when you eat shit food and don’t move your body. NO ONE!!!

I was at Costco the other day, and overheard this family’s discussion. It was a group of women, all morbidly obese sitting on the outdoor furniture display sold in the warehouse.  The younger daughter, probably 15-16 years old was holding the gigantic box of  some sugary cereal and telling the rest of the family that the box was hers and she was going to keep it in her room, all to herself.

A part of me judged them and her. I am not going to lie. How can they let themselves go like that? How can that young girl feel empowered and have strong self esteem? But mostly, I felt sorry for them. They probably have no idea how to turn the corner with their health. They all eat the same food, have the same role models. Unless someone comes into their lives that is willing to show them the way, how can they win the battle they are fighting. Heck, they may not even know they are fighting a battle.  They aren’t alone either.  I see this same family picture all over the place – at restaurants, at Target, at amusement parks, at grocery stores….

It’s scary and sad to me — and what can be done really? Setting the foundation for my own kids is something important to me and I recommit to that each and every day. We can all do our part by living what we think is the right way, walk the walk, talk the talk…

Today’s workout was all about the Sumo Deadlift High Pull!

Warmup
50 Double Unders
2x–
10 Pass Thrus
10 Squats
10 OHS
10 Front Squats

Skill
SDHP
Hang Cleans

WOD

15 Min AMRAP

7 SDHP (65#)
7 Wall (14#)

total: 10 + 2

Work and Commitment is a post from: Live Fit and Sore

He has worked hard all year, upped his game, shed some weight, focused his plan and guess what? It worked —  he knew what he wanted, and is going after it with focus AND hard work. If you put in the time and energy, you can get what you want.

He really believes in helping change people’s lives as well – a true coach and athlete. If you can’t tell, I’m a big fan of good people who use their talents to help others.

I love his story and how he put in the work – nothing was handed to him. A former overweight dude who changed his life and now is heading to the Games (for the fourth time I may add!).

He will definitely be one to watch at the games!

Watch this Video from the CrossFit Games site: Pacing It: Jeremy Kinnick

CrossFit Games Athlete: Jeremy Kinnick is a post from: Live Fit and Sore