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Why They Make Us Do It
Heavy Lifting
The room pulses with nervous energy, as each of the dozens and dozens of CrossFit enthusiasts await their turn on the platform. Both excitement and dread scream through their veins. Will they be able to do it? Will they be able to do it?!
Finally, a name is called. It is the moment of truth. The chosen one takes her place in front of the crowd. She inhales deeply, grasps the bar, lifts it from the stand. Minor adjustments are made to form, then with practiced coordination, she lowers swiftly into a deep squat, and with every muscle fibre in her being, grinds her way back up to standing position. After a moment, the judges each raise their thumbs in approval. The lift was good!
This intense scene was what we experienced on a field trip to CrossFit Eastside in Redmond, Washington, to test our strength in CrossFit Total. Mark Rippetoe, a 28 year veteran of the fitness industry, including 10 years as a competitive powerlifter, and owner of CrossFit Wichita Falls, explains “The CrossFit Total is the sum of the best three attempts at the squat, the press, and the deadlift.”
The goal, when it comes to CrossFit Total, is to achieve your PR (or Personal Record) in each of these three lifts, which Rippetoe says are the three most effective for developing and testing functional strength.
But why would anyone, other than the most extreme CrossFitters, have any desire to take part in a competition that tests absolute strength? Is it really functionally necessary to be able to deadlift twice your body weight? Well, you may never have to lift that weight outside a CrossFit workout, but the benefits of having that strength are worth more than their weight in gold.
For example, did you know that every year beginning in our 20s, we risk losing up to a half a pound of muscle mass if we don’t work to maintain it? The result is a slowed metabolism, reduced athletic ability, reduced power and speed, increased odds of developing osteoporosis, increased risk of injury, and the list goes on.
Over the long term, incorporating heavy lifting helps to maintain that muscle mass. But if you’re the kind of person that likes more immediate results, heavy lifting will allow you to train at a higher intensity now, helping you to develop more speed, power, cardio endurance, and stamina.
But have no fear, it will not necessarily "bulk" you up. If you put on a few pounds of muscle when you’re training heavy, you may weigh more, but in all likelihood, the increased mass will result in a speedier metabolism, thus burning through fat. The outcome? You may be heavier, but you’ll look better, feel better, and train better.
In order to incorporate heavy lifting in your exercise schedule, you don’t need to spend two hours a day at the gym trapped under a barbell. In fact, you can continue doing your regular CrossFit workouts by pulling in one specific lift and mixing it with things like box jumps, push ups, and sprints.
However, to obtain maximum results in terms of strength, you may wish to do a full heavy workout with the back squat, shoulder press, and deadlift at least twice a week. The intensity and frequency under which you do this depends on your goals.
While heavy lifting does offer some great benefits, there are a few tradeoffs that you should be aware of. First, you may find your bootie is a bit perkier, and no one wants that!
Seriously though, until you adjust to the added muscle mass, you may find you run a bit slower and getting your "butt on a box jump," as Jenika puts it, may also be a little harder than before.
On the other hand, heavy lifting is key to maintaining muscle mass and muscle mass is key to functionality in later life. If you want to be independent and mobile into your 80s and 90s, building strength today is essential.
Still think heavy lifting is just for extremists?
Nutrition Matters With Carmen
Tracking Temptation: Using Food Journals to Meet Dietary Goals
We’ve all been there. We’re trying desperately to stick to our healthy eating plan, but we just can’t fight the temptation any longer. But do we really know the impact of one little indiscretion here and there?
We will if we keep a food journal. Whether our goal is to simply eat healthier, reduce body fat, or ensure we are getting enough calories in a day, a food journal is an effective way to track progress. Although it requires a time commitment, the tradeoff is the collection of invaluable information about eating patterns, achievements of success, and even unexpected results related to new eating habits. A food journal is also a great way to remain accountable and motivated.
Although food journals may all seem to have the same basic purpose – to track your daily intake of food – they do vary in purpose and complexity. The type of food journal you decide to use needs to correspond to your eating goals. The thing to remember is that your food journal is about you and therefore, it should track the things that are crucial to helping you meet your goals.
So, first decide on your goals and then think about what information you need to ensure you meet those goals. The most basic option is to write down what, how much, and when you ate. You can also include more complex information like your daily intake of calories, fat, carbohydrates, protein, sugar, caffeine, water, etc. Your journal can also record your daily, weekly, or monthly targets.
Journals can be used to document other relevant pieces of information, as well. A journal can track hunger and energy levels, emotional well-being, or any other behaviours that may be relevant. Adding extra details may provide you with crucial tidbits that will allow you to re-evaluate what you need to put in place to accomplish your goals.
The journal is your tool and it will help you reach your goals – if you remain committed to it and the achievement of those goals. Therefore, you should not be afraid to record any information. Your food journal is a chance for you to honestly analyze your dietary strengths and the areas where you feel particularly challenged. The more honest you are with yourself about all your habits, the more likely you will be to change the things that hinder your progress. The journal is there to help you reach your goals and not to make you feel like a failure.
Here are a few tips to help you in setting up a food journal:
Be consistent – make sure that you complete your entries as quickly as possible after eating. This is one case where ignorance and forgetfulness is not bliss!
Be complete – date your entries, make sure you include everything you ate and drank. The more detail you include, the more information you will have to help you make adjustments along the way to ensure you meet your goals.
Be organized – before you start, buy a journal or sign up online, bookmark all your reference pages or keep photocopies of nutritional charts in convenient locations. Create an easy reference list of the nutritional value of your most commonly eaten foods.
Be reasonable – set goals that you know are achievable. Make sure the timeframe within which you want to achieve those goals is also realistic.
Be kind – set mini goals along the path to your ultimate goal. If you document the small successes along the way, the ultimate goal will seem more achievable.
Online resources:
Find free diet journals at:
http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/
Access databases for reference on calories and macro/micro nutrient content at:
Lifestyle Dining
Sunday Brunch: Servin’ Up Simplicity, Kits Style
This month, we checked out brunch at Tomatoes Fresh Food Café. Tomatoes used to be located on Cambie, but has since relocated to Bayswater and West Broadway. For those of us Kits dwellers, the restaurant is a welcome neighbour.
The venue, the old Mark’s Fiasco, is light and airy, with big windows looking out into the street. If you can get a seat by the glass, it’s people watching paradise. But you better get there early, as this breakfast hot spot is clearly the place to be on the weekend.
We’d decided to dine at Tomatoes because of the restaurant’s commitment to local organic fare. Ingredients are regionally sourced and simplicity and freshness are at the heart of the restaurant’s menu items. But simplicity is not synonymous for boring at Tomatoes.
We tried their signature breakfast item, the Tomatoes Omelette, which was a mouthwatering plateful of fluffy free range eggs, shredded parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and yup, you guessed it, tomatoes. Watching our waistlines, we opted for fresh fruit instead of the pan fried red skinned potatoes. And we barely missed them, as the spread of fresh melon, pineapple, grapefruit, and grapes filled the void. A breakfast must is the fresh baked, ultra-hearty, multigrain bread that is served with butter and enticingly tart berry preserves. The restaurant got my vote when I discovered the butter was room temperature and could actually be spread with the gentlest of knife strokes rather than the standard of mashing hard lumps into the toast.
We also tried the fresh turkey sandwich, as we’d been told it was a Tomatoes favourite. Served on scrumptious, mile high sourdough bread, the turkey was succulent and perfectly accented by the skim of cranberry sauce, juicy tomato, and crisp lettuce. It didn’t automatically come with a side, which was a bit of a disappointment, but the price was good (only $8.75), so we didn’t complain.
Overall, we enjoyed our dining experience at the longtime Vancouver favourite with a new address. The food was uncomplicated, but didn’t lack in flavour, and the price was comparable to any other brunch joint in the ‘hood. The proportions were not skimpy and we all left feeling comfortably full, but also content in the sense that we knew the food we had eaten was local and organic. Not a bad way to start off the day.
Our only advice? If you head there for breaky, be prepared to take it easy. Brunch is popular among the locals and service is relaxed.
Tomatoes Fresh Food Café is also open for lunch and dinner. Check out the restaurant’s website at www.tomatofreshfoodcafe.com.
Major Chow
Goat Cheese Spinach Salad (Makes one three block serving)*
Dressing: (makes 6 – 2 tbsp portions)
¼ cup olive oil
6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
¼ cup shallot
1 tbsp seed mustard
Salad: (makes 1 portion)
8 pecan halves
1 tbsp water
½ tbsp honey
2 cups spinach
½ medium beet
½ medium carrot
¼ medium apple
2 ½ oz grilled chicken
½ oz soft goat cheese
(we recommend goat cheese produced by the Salt Spring Island Cheese Company which can be found at Granville Island)
Dressing:
1. Finely chop shallot.
2. Add balsamic vinegar, seed mustard, olive oil, and shallot to blender. Blend until smooth.
Salad:
1. Heat honey and water in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add nuts and cook until liquid is absorbed. About 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Peel vegetables. Julienne carrot, beet, and apple.
3. Measure spinach, arrange carrot, beet, and apple over top. Crumble goat cheese, add sliced chicken and nuts. Drizzle with 2 tbsp dressing.
* Although every effort is made to ensure this recipe follows Zone Diet proportioning, measures are approximate and may not exactly match the 40/30/30 breakdown.
CrossFit Westside Newsletter – February: Finance Sucks, CrossFit Rocks!
Letter from the Editor:
Welcome to CrossFit Westside’s first newsletter! Our cool CrossFit Coaches, Jenika and Robyn, are very excited to offer you another tool in the continuum of training support they provide to assist you in your quest for optimum health and fitness.
In the inaugural issue, we wanted to start you off with some background on CrossFit Westside, which you’ll need to read to find out why this issue is called “Finance Sucks, CrossFit Rocks.” We also wanted to give you a preview of the regular sections you can expect to see over the coming months, starting with our CrossFit Fanatics section. Each month, we’ll profile the people that make CrossFit Westside the fun and inspiring entity it is: you. We want to share your successes, both in and out of the gym, to motivate and encourage fellow CrossFitters.
Our next section, Why They Make Us Do It, will focus on a key aspect of training. We’ll discuss different foundational movements, as well as other areas that are crucial to overall health and fitness.
The newsletter will also cover the important, albeit dreaded, subject of nutrition. First up is Nutrition Matters, which will have Carmen Buchmann, an avid CrossFitter, with a keen interest in nutrition providing easily digestible bits to help you get on track with your nutrition and stay there. Next you’ll see our Lifestyle Dining section, which will provide information on Vancouver based restaurants where local, organic fare is served up. We’ll also be looking for Zone friendly items for those of you trying to keep it in “The Zone.” Finally, Major Chow will feature recipes based on Zone principles created by local Chef and Director of Culinary and Bar Development for Earls Restaurants, Reuben Major.
Our last section, CrossFit in the Community will be a monthly events calendar highlighting group events put on by CrossFit Westside.
We hope you enjoy this month’s introductory newsletter. We want your feedback, so please let us know what you loved and especially what you hated. This newsletter is about you and we want to make sure we are providing something useful – something you’ll look forward to tuning into on a monthly basis.
Happy CrossFitting,
Asja Major
Editor, CrossFit Westside Newsletter
Finance Sucks, CrossFit Rocks!
It may surprise many of you that while CrossFit seems to be built into their genetic code, Jenika and Robyn were not born with the CrossFit emblem tattooed across their backs. It may surprise even a few more of you to learn that both caught the CrossFit bug less than three years ago.
Jenika first became aware of the training program in 2005 when a friend introduced her to a couple of guys in the process of establishing a CrossFit affiliate in Vancouver. On their invitation, Jenika went to a session in California, became the first woman in Canada to receive certification, and from then on knew she would be a CrossFit junkie for life.
While Jenika was feeding her passion for CrossFit, Robyn was working for a Mutual Fund company. She knew spending her days ensnared in a tiny cubicle by telephone lines, dollar signs, and a mountain of paperwork was not where it was at for her.
As a potential outlet, Robyn had decided to pursue her personal training certification on the side. Eventually she left the financial sector to complete this goal. At about the same time, a friend who knew about her love of fitness described a recent session with Jenika. It didn’t take Robyn long to meet up with Jenika for a workout. It took even less time for Robyn to cast aside the “standard” training she had been doing and open her arms to the CrossFit program. Some might say it was love at first box jump!
Jenika identified with her passion and suggested Robyn attend an upcoming CrossFit certification. Robyn headed off and for the first time saw what seasoned CrossFitters were ripping out. She was so enthralled that she now had no doubt that leaving the financial sector to pursue fitness was the best decision of her life. She had found her calling.
Robyn headed back to Vancouver full of excitement and plans. When she and Jenika met up again, the two were so hyped that they couldn’t even do their scheduled workout. Robyn simply paced around the gym saying, “We gotta open a gym, we gotta do this.”
This was exactly what Jenika had been waiting to hear. She had big ideas of her own, but few people understood her passion for CrossFit. She now had someone to bounce ideas off and a partner with whom to pursue her dream.
And the rest, as they say, is history. Jenika and Robyn registered as the 88th CrossFit affiliate in 2006. Now, close to two years later, both are so thankful for the huge success that CrossFit Westside has become. According to Jenika, the best thing in life is to do something you love and to be around great people while you’re doing it – and for both she and Robyn, that’s what CrossFit Westside represents.
Nutrition Matters with Carmen
The rules of food are rather simple: if we do not eat, we will die, and no matter how large our last meal, we will be hungry again.
The very basic call of our stomach is in many ways the driving force behind much of all human enterprise. Collectively, we spend mass amounts of our lives dedicated to finding food, cultivating it, ‘hunting’ it, making plans for it, storing it, preparing it, and finally, serving it. The absolute climax of all these efforts (and the easiest part), is to eat it.
Clearly food plays an integral role in our lives and it is absolutely fundamental to our basic existence. Food supports us – from our cellular infrastructure to our bones, organs, and tissues. It also has a huge impact on our psychological well-being and vitality.
Nutrition matters because it determines health, for better or worse. Unfortunately, at no time in history have we eaten so poorly or been so unhealthy.
As a result, many of us live sub-optimally, far from our natural state of balance, wholeness, and vitality. We have become accustomed to relying on a diet which leaves us low in energy, struggling with a muted sense of well-being, and perhaps worst of all, living with the affliction of diseases of modernity, like obesity and diabetes.
In a society of over consumption and convenience, this is no surprise since there is an abundance of ways to be seduced away from good nutrition, despite every best intention. Adding to this, dietary advice is about as fickle as fashion and seems to have us careening between good and bad eating habits as quickly as we cast aside boot-cut jeans for skinny, and skinny jeans for flared.
Our aim here at Crossfit Westside through Nutrition Matters is to help you sift through ever changing dietary trends. This section will provide information on healthy decisions about nutrition, to assist you to not only live well, but to thrive – with you in control.
Your health is wealth after all, and so integral that it merits full attention and effort. It is through good nutrition that each day of your life can be lived with energy, strong mental acuity, a sense of well-being, and best of all, without disease.
Major Chow – Seared Ahi Tuna with Julienne Vegetable Salad
Even as a precocious five year old who needed a stool to reach the counter, Reuben Major took great pleasure in creating kitchen delights for his family. Back then his interest didn’t go far beyond cooking up a round of pancakes, but nowadays his area of expertise certainly extends beyond the breakfast table.
Reuben, who is currently the Director of Culinary and Bar Development for Earls Restaurants, has spent the last 12 years working behind the scenes in several of the company’s local restaurants. After adding the title of Chef of three of the restaurants to his resume, Reuben was afforded the Director position which allows him to pursue his true passion of culinary creation.
In this new job, he is responsible for, among many other things, the development of new menu items for the Earls group of restaurants. Reuben loves combining ingredients in unexpected ways to excite and intrigue the palate.
That’s why we are so excited at CrossFit Westside to have snapped him up to undertake the section, Major Chow. Using his love of eating well, Reuben will create inspired Zone recipes that will benefit from a hint of Westcoast zing. He’ll add some flair, point out local sources for ingredients, and do his best to make Zone dining at home fun and functional.
Up this month is Seared Ahi Tuna with Julienne Vegetable Salad, which is an excellent dish for entertaining family and friends. It looks complicated but is actually quite simple, tastes amazing, and provides a well balanced three block Zone meal without your guests having a clue!
Seared Ahi Tuna with Julienne Vegetable Salad
4.5 oz Ahi Tuna* Steak per serving (Season to your liking with coarse salt and pepper).
1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
*Good quality Ahi Tuna can be found at the 7 Seas Seafood store at 2328 W. 4 Avenue.>
Julienne Vegetable Salad (4-8 oz Portions)
10 oz Daikon (mild-flavoured East Asian giant white radish available at most produce stores)
6 oz Carrot
6 oz Cucumber (seeded)
3 oz Yellow Pepper
3 oz Celery
2 oz Red Onion
2 oz Apple or Pear
1 oz Pea Shoots (for garnish)
Dressing (12-1 fl oz Portions)
5 oz White Onion
2 oz Ginger Root
4 fl oz Olive Oil*
3 fl oz Soy Sauce
2 fl oz Sesame oil
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
1 teaspoon Mustard Powder
Salt + Pepper to taste
* 1 fl oz = 2 tablespoons
Tropical Fruit Salad (4-1 cup Portions)
1 Kiwi Fruit
1 Medium Mango
6 oz Pineapple
4 oz Red Grapes
4 oz Watermelon
4 oz Strawberries
4 oz Blueberries
½ Pomegranate (seeds only)
2 fl oz Fresh Mint
For the Tropical Fruit Salad:
1. Cut all fruit salad ingredients into bite size pieces.
2. Chiffonade (finely shred) mint and toss through salad.
3. Refrigerate.
For the Julienne Vegetable Salad:
1. Pulse all ingredients for the salad dressing in food processor. Final consistency should be thick and pulpy.
2. Julienne all salad ingredients (1/4″x1/4″x 2.5″).
3. Toss together salad ingredients ensuring even distribution
For the Tuna:
1. Heat non-stick frying pan over high heat. You will know the pan is ready to go when a drop of water evaporates immediately.
2. Add the vegetable oil to the pan. It should spread thin immediately.
3. Add the tuna to the frying pan. Cook on the first side for 1-1.5 minutes depending on how rare you enjoy it. Flip and cook for an equal amount of time on the opposite side. Once you have reached your desired doneness, remove from pan and let rest on a sheet of dry paper towel.
6. Slice the seared tuna in ¼” slices against the grain of the fish.
Final touches:
1. For each 8 oz portion of Julienne salad, toss with 1 fl oz of dressing. Pile neatly on an entrée sized plate.
2. Garnish with ¼ oz pea shoots.
3. Fan the tuna neatly in front of the julienne salad.
4. Serve 1 cup portions of Tropical Fruit Salad for dessert.
What is Crossfit Westside?
Crossfit Westside in downtown Vancouver offers Group Classes and Private Training using the Crossfit Strength and Conditioning philosophy. We take functional movements such as the the squat, push up, pullup, deadlift, clean n jerk, running, rowing, skipping, and jumping, mix them up, and execute them in short intense workouts. Each workout has a different combination of exercises with varied repetitions, rounds, and time. To learn more about what we do at Crossfit Westside contact us at info@crossfitwestside.com
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