What is CrossFit?

You probably get this question every day. How do you explain it?

Many people think only the super- fit can take on CrossFit workouts. Not true! All workouts can be scaled to your ability. That's the beauty of it, right? No matter where you are in your fitness journey, you will get a good workout. Guaranteed.

Check out this video explaining the 10 elements of fitness. Have a great week!

FGB IV

Here is a letter from a Marine in Iraq, expressing her thanks for all of you who have helped raise money for FGB IV:

“My name is LtCol Sarah Deal. I am currently writing to you from Iraq where I am serving my second tour. As a CH-53E pilot for the Marines, my job involves carrying wounded soldiers to aid, so I see first hand the need for the Wounded Warrior Project.

I have 3 young sons and a husband at home. Some days, a word from home or a video is what gets us all through the hard stuff. And knowing about events like Fight Gone Bad makes us feel like we’re not forgotten about out here. I thank you very much. There are so many kids putting their lives on the line out here. The wounded need to know that there is support for them and that there can be life
after injury.

You have a great cause and I appreciate that you are doing it. I am sorry I can’t be there to cheer you on in person, but we’ll all be thinking about you on Saturday, watching on our terrible internet service, and know that we are grateful for your service and support and you are helping to put a smile on our faces. I just celebrated my 40th birthday on the 15th, and I consider it a birthday gift from all of you to me and the guys.”

In less than 12 hours, Fight Gone Bad IV will kick off at the Long Center. It is sure to be an awesome event with a live DJ, prizes, a kids' area, and much much more!

CrossFit Central has raised $30, 039 so far and is in 2nd place- wow!!

See you tomorrow...

A chili kinda day

Today is a perfect day for chili.

The windows are open. The rain is pouring, and it's a wintery 65 degrees here in the ATX.

Back in Feb. I made this chili recipe from our very own Mel's blog. OMG- it is hands down the best chili recipe ever. I loved it so much I made it twice in 2 weeks!

I think the secret ingredient is the unsweetened cocoa....mmmm....

I made the chili last week but made a slight mistake that I will share with you: don't use Pete's Wicked Ale or any kind of strong beer. She specifically says "light beer" so unless you want your chili to smell like a brewery, follow the directions!

Here is the recipe and make sure to visit Mel's blog for more goodness:

Mel's Favorite Chili

Makes about 6 servings of 1 1/3 cups each

Zone: 3P + 2F + 1C

Weight Watchers: 5 points, includes 1 healthy fat serving

Ingredients:
the base:
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 lbs. ground meat (lean beef, pork, turkey, veal, or a mix)
-
spices:
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 packet Splenda or 2 teaspoons sugar
-
liquids:
14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes
12 oz. tomato paste
14.5 oz. can beef broth
1 bottle light beer (Shiner Lite tastes great!)
1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and saute 'til soft. Add garlic and let heat 'til fragrant, about 2 minutes. DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC. Add the meat and sautee until browned and crumbled.

2. Blend all the spices in a small bowl. Add to pot and stir well, about 1 minute.

3. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, hot sauce, and beef broth to the pot. Stir well.

4. Crack open the beer and take a sip for luck. Poor the rest into the pot and stir well.

5. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low so the pot has a gentle simmer. SIMMER FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS. Do not skimp on the simmer. Just as rest time is the magic time when you build your strength, simmering is the magic time when the flavors meld.

Variations:
This recipe makes 6 3-protein-block servings of 1 and 1/3 cups each. You can make that into 8 servings of 1 cup each and eat it with 1 oz. of reduced-fat shredded cheese on top to make up the extra protein. That will also add 1-2 Weight Watchers points, depending on what kind of cheese you choose.

Add healthy carbs with a whole-grain tortilla alongside... or toss a 1/4 cup of your favorite legume (pinto, kidney, or black beans; chick peas) into each serving. Adds 1 carb block or 1 Weight Watchers point.

Add healthy fats with some chopped black olives, green olives, or avocado slices.

Add more veggies by serving over a bed of cooked spaghetti squash, grated zucchini, or baby spinach leaves.

Boosting your immune system

Cold and flu season is upon us. I have always thought it better to be proactive and preventative rather than spend the next few months in the doctor's office taking unnecessary antibiotics.

A good probiotic is a must. Did you know 80% of our immune system is formed in our gut? Probiotics are the good bacteria. We have them in our bodies, but when illness strikes, the bad guys take over. You can get probiotics at any grocery store: HEB, Whole Foods, Central Market, People's Pharmacy, etc. I also give it to my kids in powdered form mixed in apple sauce. You want a high potency probiotic with a variety of strains.

According to Dr. Mercola, "Total health begins in the gut, so if your GI tract is not in optimal health, then your overall health will be compromised."

Interestingly enough, Dr. M also states the following as essential components of staying healthy:

• avoid sugars, sweets, candies, cookies, etc.- sugar impairs your immune system
• avoid stress
• get plenty of sleep
• frequent handwashing (duh)

So if you are following a Paleo/zone diet along with the prescribed 9 hours of sleep, all you have to worry about is...washing your hands ?! I think you can handle that.

For more great info, make sure to visit Dr. Mercola's site.

One Step at a Time

"Look around at all the great accomplishments in your world. Each one, from the most simple to the most complex, was completed one step at a time.

An ambitious goal is nothing more than the joining together of many smaller goals. The small results may not seem like much, yet they are absolutely essential.

For it is upon those small results that the big results are built. And in that fact is a wonderful world of outstanding possibilities.

Do not back away from ambitious goals. Instead, look within them and break them down into small, easily manageable components.

Complex, massive success is nothing more than small, simple success carried out again and again with commitment and focus. As such, no goal is out of reach when you are willing to invest patience and persistence.

Choose your goals based not on how difficult you perceive them to be, but on how much they truly mean to you. When you're fully committed to every little step, anything can be yours."

-- Ralph Marston www.Greatday.com

Women's Challenge Part 2

Back at CrossFit Central, Teams geared up for a pretty insane workout. It was:

50 Barbell Power Snatch (45#)

200 Box jumps

175 Ab Mat situps

100 Pullups

125 Duo Deadlifts (95#)

150 Jumping ring dips

100 Duo shoulder press (55#)

400m run

Whew!

Each team was responsible for loading their own bars, hanging their own rings and bands, and counting reps. 3-2-1-go....and it was on.

Most fun to watch: duo deadlift. When they got a rhythm going, it was really cool to watch.

Most seemingly painful: duo shoulder press. It just looked rough. Especially if the heights were really different.

Nice form, Nichole!

Duo Press Showouts

This Team was my favorite. Mom Merrilee and sisters Mary Kate and Caroline. They kick so much butt every single day and are the most humble ladies you'll ever meet. I hope I can get my mom to do a CrossFit challenge with me one day! Keep inspiring us ladies :)

And a huge congratulations to all the amazing ladies of CrossFit Central who took on this challenge. It was really fun. I can't wait to see what Carey has in store for us next!

Women's Challenge Part 1

This may be the only time you'll see Leslie smiling when she's running, so I had to commemorate the occasion! Way to go girl!

Rain. Mud. Sweat. Smiles.

Saturday was a great day for a challenge. It hasn't rained all summer, and on Saturday morning it was pouring. The Teams met down at Shoal Creek at 7:45am to check in and show off their Team uniforms:

Next it was off to the 2 mile trail run. But first, Teams had to do a total of 150 mud-filled Burpees:

Halfway through, Teams stopped at the Kettlebell station to swing a total of 200 swings.

After running to the turnaround to get marked, Teams were back to do 200 very wet med ball passes and answer a few nutrition questions (Are you sure wine isn't a protein?!) Finally it was a race back to the beginning of the Trail to dry off and get ready for the next segment at the Gym...

Mmmm...

Justin's squeezable Nut Butter packets = yum. Just ask Jen :)

Have you tried these? They are super convenient, super delicious, and way better than lugging around a jar of almond butter. I got mine at Whole Foods, but I think they are also at HEB.

Justin's is a small company out of Boulder that does some great outreach. They are teamed up with Concious Alliance , an organization that provides food to impoverished communities across the U.S. - mostly Native American Reservations. Anyway, to know part of your money is going to a good cause makes it easier to fork over a few extra cents.

Get some for your Team this weekend- the Women's Challenge is only 2 days away!

Will CrossFit Kids Make Kids Smarter?

Nice squats!

No Child Left Behind...

In an attempt to raise test scores, kids across the U.S. have been bombarded with academics, in many cases at the expense of P.E. and Fine Arts classes. Illinois is the only state that mandates P.E. every day for every student...

In addition, because of the rising obesity rate, this generation of children run the risk of having a shorter life expectancy than their parents...

Studies have shown a direct correlation between increased physical activity and academic performance. But I didn't have to tell you that, right?!

Lisa Bakshi, CrossFitter and 2nd grade teacher in San Diego, provided the above information as well as a really compelling article about how she raised her inner city kids' test scores using CrossFit Kids programming. Read it here!

CrossFit Central Kids Classes:

Homeschool Class (ages 6-13)

Mon/Wed 10-10:45am

CrossFit Kids (ages 7-10)

Mon/Wed 4:00pm

CrossFit Teens (11-17)

Mon/Wed 4:45pm

CrossFit Kids @ Lake Pointe

Mon/Wed 4:45pm

CrossFit Kids at WAYA

Tue/Thur 4:00pm