The following post is written by Teri-Lynn aka “TL”. She has been a member of the Shinobi clan for 10 months. One of her strengths is her determination to improve and wanting learn more advanced movements. She recently competed in her first fitness competition in June, The Southeast Showdown, hosted by CrossFit Steinbach. Her positive upbeat and cheerful attitude motivates the members around her. Sometimes you can catch her bust out a dance move between sets.
Written by TL
I’m not sure if it was my competitive spirit or my student budget (I really couldn’t afford to buy new pants) but I forced myself to exercise. Turns out it wasn’t so bad. I got home and joined a relay team for the MB marathon, and there I saw the half marathoners.
I thought to myself.“I could never do that,” Two years later I ran my first full marathon. So fine, I admit it, I am competitive but mostly with myself, it’s not like I am winning these events.
I’d heard of CrossFit when one of my running pals crossed over to the dark side. I’d heard of all the terrible things people say about CrossFitters and I had ZERO desire to join such an intense sport. I’m a fitness enthusiast, but I like donuts and ice cream. But I really like my friend, and I had grown kind of tired of running. I had plateaued, my times weren’t getting any better so I lost motivation. Her persistence eventually wore me down so I decided to check out the free trial class the gym near my workplace offered.
I was SO nervous.
First off, I run alone, I was not a group class kind of person. Secondly, I only own a set of 8 and 10 lb dumbbells so anything over that was intimidating. Then there is the skill required: Running (to me) is one foot in front of the other, at whatever pace I wanted. Simple. Weights, well they are heavy and you can hurt yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing. Plus I didn’t know what to wear. I didn’t know the lingo. I had a bunch of excuses but for whatever reason, I still walked through that door.
First Class
My first class, I saw what the guys were doing (some Shirtless, this is CrossFit) and once again, I thought, “I can’t do this.” This time though, there was something different because all of a sudden there was a coach next to me saying, “Yes you can.”
WHAT! Did he just read my mind? Umm no, turns out I speak most of my thoughts out loud and “I can’t do this” or some variation, was my common refrain for probably the first 7 months. The great thing is that all of the workouts are structured to your current abilities, to help you get stronger and increase YOUR fitness.
Trust the process
With my coaches whispering, “Yes, you can” I shaved a full minute off of my best mile in the last 6 months and PR’ing my 5k. With that voice chirping in my ear, By showing up a few times a week, and trusting the process (ie. giving it a try even though I’m skeptical) I have been able to accomplish things I would never have attempted on my own.
My highlight reel includes:
– Before starting I used to suffer from back pain, but not anymore.
– I went from not knowing what a deadlift is, to deadlifting 195 lbs.
– Being intimidated to do a box jump, to Jumping 30″
– I learned Olympic lifting (from the ground, I can pick up 125lbs and put it over my head)
– Doing my first fun CrossFit competition
– I look and feel stronger, and I am more confident
It’s not always fun to be pushed and sometimes, I wish my coaches would just leave me alone when I feel like I can’t take another step, or do one more lift. But it’s oddly satisfying to be held accountable and pushed to do your best, so I guess you could say I’m hooked! And yes, I still enjoy ice cream, only now I have more friends to enjoy it with.
If you are ready for a change and ready to challenge yourself. I highly recommend you walk through those doors.
-TL
Continuing with our Super Food subject from last week here some other examples of foods you should consider consuming regularly:
Kiwifruit also tops many a list of popular superfoods. Its benefits are similar, for the most part, to berries, melons, citrus fruit, apples and pears, all of which are high in vitamin C and rich in antioxidants. Kiwifruit is labeled a superfood perhaps because it contains a wider range of nutrients compared to some other fruits. A very small study published in 2011 in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggested that consumption of kiwifruit (which also contains serotonin, a hormone that helps induce and maintain sleep) might promote a better night’s rest in people with sleep disorders.
Beans and whole grains are standard additions to the superfood lists. Beans are a source of low-fat protein. Beans contain insoluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol; soluble fiber, which provides a longer feeling of fullness; and loads of vitamins and trace minerals largely absent in the typical American diet, such as manganese. Whole grains — named such because, unlike refined grains, they are not stripped of their nutrient-containing bran and germ during processing — have similar benefits to beans, though they don’t contain as much protein. Quinoa is not a grain, but it cooks up like one, and this too is a remarkable source of protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.
Nuts and seeds contain high levels of minerals and healthy fats. Although these are common additions on superfood lists, the downside is that they are high in calories. Portion control is key. Shelled nuts and seeds, in this regard, are ideal because they take time to crack open and slow you down. A quick handful of shelled nuts could contain more than 100 calories, according to Hyde.
Kale lives up to the hype of a superfood. But so do most dark, leafy greens: Swiss chard, collards, mustards (including radish greens), spinach (and others in the amaranth family), and cabbages. Add broccoli to that list, as well. It’s in the cabbage-mustard family; the modern version is merely grown for its floret instead of leaves. These dark vegetables are loaded with vitamins A, C and K, as well as fiber, calcium and other minerals.
Sweet potato and squash also usually make the superfood list, for similar reasons as those listed for leafy greens. Both kinds of food are generally excellent sources of fiber, vitamin A and much more. They are also naturally sweet and don’t require the butter, cream or salt typically added to potatoes.
Salmon, sardines, mackerel and certain other fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. The benefits of eating fish may far outweigh the risk of harming your health from the mercury these fish contain, according to Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. If you worry about the contaminants your fish dinner may contain, you can try eating lower down on the food chain. Certain fish, such as sharks, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish, contain higher levels of mercury than smaller fish, like sardines, smelt, and anchovy.
source: www.livescience.com
These days we hear a lot of people use term Super Food. But what is it and how does it help my diet? Lets try to answer this in few simple words.
If you google Super Food you will get something like that:
“So-called ‘superfoods’ — such as spinach, beans, sweet potatoes, salmon, fruits, nuts, whole grains and berries — are said to be rich in nutrients. Superfoods are foods — mostly plant-based but also some fish and dairy — thought to be nutritionally dense and thus good for one’s health.”
However, there are no set criteria for determining what is and what is not a superfood. Superfoods don’t have their own food group. Consuming foods that are packed with nutrients (as many so-called superfoods are) is certainly a good idea, but the key to a healthy diet is to consume a variety of nutritious foods in the right quantities.
Superfoods have extra-large doses of vitamins and minerals that can help us ward off diseases and live a longer, healthier life.
Some of the nutrients that certain superfoods contain include antioxidants, thought to ward off cancer; healthy fats, thought to prevent heart disease; fiber, thought to prevent diabetes and digestive problems; or phytochemicals, the chemicals in plants responsible for deep colors and smells, which can have numerous health benefits.
Lets take a closer loo at some of those foods people today call Super and examine the most popular ones over the next few weeks.
Blueberries often top many lists of superfoods because they are rich in vitamins, soluble fiber and phytochemicals. But the same nutrients found in blueberries are also found in many other kinds of berries, including strawberries and cranberries.
Main Benefits of consuming Blueberries include:
If you want to dive in a learn more check out the link below
https://draxe.com/health-benefits-blueberries/
Source: ” Livescience.com”
What is Food? Well, its sounds like a silly thing to ask because most will say its the stuff we eat that fuels our body. However food is soo much more than that and I think people often forget that outside of the things like micronutrients : vitamins and minerals , phytohemicals, zoochemical and some other molecules Food is LIFE
What I mean by that is that our bodies aren’t just some dumb machines that process food for energy. Food deserves a lot more recognition and with todays DIET society and obsession about our looks we loose site of what really matters.
So let me quickly remind you what FOOD IS:
So next time you think about food in categories of Good and Bad, if you should have that piece of someones birthday cake stop for a second and remind yourself that Food is LIFE.
Food from coach Suavek’s recent trip to Europe
Coach Suavek
Sept. 4 – Team WOD
Monday September 4 at 10am will be the Labour Day team workout.
Sept. 5-9 – Testing Week
You don’t need to study for this one. This is a chance to see where your current fitness level is.
Sept. 11-16 – Friends and Family Week
Friends and family of members train free this week
Sept. 16 – Team WOD & BBQ
To celebrate Friends and Family Week, we will host a Team Workout and end it off with a BBQ after
-Harvey
This is where we recap the the picture or video that got the most views, likes, or comments of the week. “Ashley’s Deadlift” was the highlight of the week.
Intention of these posts is to share things we dug out in the world of nutrition like tips, hacks, useful information that can help you improve and/or maintain good overall health . Sometimes those will be original posts, other times shared articles, videos from different sources etc.
Today we are talking about the importance and benefits of MEAL PREP.
Some of those benefits include:
Go on and give Meal Prepping a Try – do it regularly, stay committed, turn it into a habit and you won’t be disaapointed.
If interested in reading more please take a look at the article below describing the topic in more detail:
Source: Harvard
Coach Suavek
Growing up we have all heard the saying ” Eat Your Vegetables” often used by your mom or grandma. Its likely something they’ve been harping on for years. Well as science and research has demonstrated your grandma was on to something 🙂
Fruits and Vegetables have many benefits to our overall health and here are some of the most important ones:
So what do you do now?
Simple , aim to include vegetables – at least 1-2 fist sized servings with every meal , and add about 1 cupped handful of fruits with most meals. Don’t be afraid to experiment, try new kinds, new colours, prepare vegetables in different ways, in other words – EAT THE GARDEN!
Lacross Balls
We now have some lacross balls for sale. Go grab yourself a ball and dig into those muscles at home. They are available for $5 each.
Team WOD
Jose’s family came from out of town to join our team workout on Saturday.
Canada Games
The Canada Games has started and I will be volunteering. I’ll be at the soccer venue next week.
-Harvey
This is where we recap the the picture or video that got the most views, likes, or comments of the week. “Matt’s Ab routine” was the highlight of the week.
Hike
In the spirit of trying new things, Coach Suavek and I tried to conquer the Hunt Lake Trail. We laced up our new trail shoes and attempted this down and back trail. The suggested time was 6 hours but we completed it well within that time.
Climbing into the cave
Congratulations
Congrats to Coach Rich and Jose in getting engaged. To celebrate, JD brought in some beverages and snacks for everyone.
Pouring the drinks
Cheers!
-Harvey
This is where we recap the the picture or video that got the most views, likes, or comments of the week. “Matt Overhead Squat” was the highlight of the week.
Marathon
Congrats to Matt and Marydelle for running in the Manitoba Marathon. Matt raced the full marathon and Marydelle was part of the team relay.
Birthday WOD
Thanks to everyone who came out to do my birthday workout on Saturday. It was a nice surprise to see Brad and Grant come out. Coach Rich did a good job designing this one. The workout was hard and fun.
Canada Day WOD
Canada Day falls on Saturday this year. We will have our regular class at 9am on Saturday. The holiday workout will be on Monday July 3 at 10am and the regular classes will be cancelled that day.
-Harvey
This is where we recap the the picture or video that got the most views, likes, or comments of the week. “Motivational Coach” was the highlight of the week.