Come One, Come All!

As many of you know, the 2014 CrossFit Open starts up this Thursday and will run for the next five weeks. We are going to make an event out of it this year and hold a special time each week where those athletes who have officially signed up. Each Friday at 6:30pm the gym will go into Open-mode. At this time athletes can get judged to officially submit their scores. The regular 6:30pm class will be postponed until after the Open.

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Not competing in the Open? No worries! You can still do the workout (with scaling options) during one of Friday’s regular classes. We still want you to come and hang/cheer on those who are though. Come at 6:30pm this Friday and get loud! Each Friday evening event will be BYOB.

New Prep Course Announced!

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Want to get started at EDCF? Ready to hop into the Prep Course? The next one is this coming Monday, February 24th. Before you become a full member you will have to either go through the group (8 sessions) or private (6 sessions) prep course. These classes are designed to foster confidence and coordination with the main movements you will see in regular classes. Everything from an air squat to the olympic lifts is covered with an experienced coach. Sign up for the next one by clicking HERE!

Let’s Define Clean Eating.

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What is “Clean Eating”?

This post begins a series on performance & fat loss nutrition, which is commonly called “clean eating”. There’s a lot of debate regarding “clean eating”. Really, what does that mean? Are organic, grain-free pancakes “clean”? Is a broccoli head cooked with canola oil “not clean”? The phrase “clean eating” is ubiquitous, and I think most of us would consider it sort of confusing.

This humorous Jezebel post  lists 89 actual scientific studies with completely different “results” about how to lose weight. I think it illustrates the total confusion most people experience around nutrition, exercise, and fat loss.

Here’s a clip:

“1. First of all, don’t work out.

2. Or, wait: Exercise. But not too much. If you’re doing intense exercise, then it’s time to exercise less.

3. But this thing called cardio is good.

4. And you should definitely do Zumba!

5. No, actually, you should do interval training.”

….and there are 84 more studies for you to peruse. You know, if you have the spare time.

How does one know how to eat or how to exercise? We have too many things going on to wade through all of the conflicting data. It’s overwhelming.

Here is the simple truth:

1) You should exercise. Specifically, you should do exercise that you you enjoy. This is because people adhere to exercise programs that they enjoy. You should also pick something that is effective. That’s another post for another day, but suffice it to say that Crossfit fits the bill. Crossfit methodology, specifically the way Crossfit is programmed at EDCF, engages all major muscle groups in a functional way, and also targets all energy pathways to produce a powerful physical response.

2) You should eat real foods; not processed junk. Choose foods with a lot of nutrients, and not a lot of calories. Eat to promote 1) optimal health and athletic performance and 2) to maximize lean muscle and minimize excess body fat. Broccoli is still better than paleo pancakes, even though they are both “paleo”.

Two of the most famous short summaries are as follows:

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” (Michael Pollan)

“Base your diet on garden vegetables, especially greens, lean meats, nuts and seeds, little starch, and no sugar.” (Greg Glassman)

A great way to define “clean eating” is this: eating in a way that favors athletic performance, health, and optimal body composition.

3) Quantity matters, both in exercise and food consumption. If you want to gain mass, you will need to be in a caloric surplus (eat more than you burn). If you want to lose weight, you’ll need to be in a caloric deficit (burn more than you eat.)

So, there you have it.

Exercise & Eat Whole Foods. Do both in the appropriate quantities.

Easier said than done, though.

Look for upcoming posts  to answer  questions like “How do I eat clean?”  and “How much do I need to be eating?” We’ll go through all of the nitty gritty how-tos of making your clean eating dreams a reality. Hint: It’s easier than you think.

Want a few new recipes for your clean eating arsenal? Check out this paleo recipe: Paleo Orange Chicken! Yum! Bonus: Broccoli Straccinati (it sounds fancy, but it’s ultra simple!)

Want some additional motivation in your quest to become healthier? East Dallas Crossfit will be hosting a body composition challenge in March. You can win by coming to class consistently and eating well! Lose some fat, improve performance, and win a prize!

Want more? Check out these three posts!

EDCF Nutrition Part 2:  Paleo Zone is the Way to Go! 

EDCF Nutrition Part 3: The Easiest Path to Paleo Zone

EDCF Nutrition Part 4: One Week of Meal Prep 

 

 

The 2014 CrossFit Open

The 2014 CrossFit Open is just a few weeks away. What does it mean to be part of the Open? The Open is composed of 5 workouts set over 5 weeks. You will have 5 days to complete each workout and send in your results under our Gym’s profile. The Open is for those of you ready and willing to test their fitness against others across the globe. It’s an opportunity for you to gain an appreciation for your strengths, weaknesses and mental toughness.

The first Open workout will be released on Thursday, Feb. 27. The fifth and final Open workout will be released five weeks later on Thursday, March 27. Athletes will have from Thursday evening until Monday evening to do the workout and submit their scores.

It is recommended that only athletes comfortable with RX weights and movements sign up. There will be a chance every week for our entire community to experience each workout as it will be part of our normal programming. There will be scaling options of course! On the fence about signing up? Ask a coach to see if it is right for you.

The workouts will be on each Friday at the gym. The 6:30pm class will be put on hold for these 5 weeks as this time will give those athletes who’ve signed up for the Open a chance to complete the workout with a judge. If you are not interested in officially signing up please plan on attending and supporting those athletes who are. Please come and hang out, judge, cheer and make the atmosphere all around awesome for those competing.

Interested? Sign up HERE.

Six Pack Abs

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Photo Courtesy of Muscleandfitness.com

Raise your hands if you want six pack abs.Everyone? Go ahead and put your hand down.

First, let’s acknowledge that asking this question on a CrossFit blog is ironic. No one in CrossFit talks about wanting six pack abs. Or eight pack abs. Or ab definition. It’s part of the (awesome) CrossFit culture to eschew modern fitness goals like “get six pack abs fast” and “lose weight and tone up”.

However, one look at the top CrossFitters will tell you that CrossFit & abs go together. CrossFit and great arms go together. CrossFit and great legs go together. We don’t chase aesthetics, but the method of training that we follow (ironically!) produces the aesthetics our peers (ineffectively!) chase.

Why is that? Why does the program that never talks about aesthetics seem to produce the best look? Two reasons.

1) Crossfit uses potent movements done at a high intensity. The lifts that you see in CrossFit all use your abs. Heavy Back Squat? Using your abs to keep your torso upright. Kipping Pull Ups? Using your abs and glutes to produce a powerful kip. Burpess? Oh, even burpees use your abs to get you up from the ground. Each of these movements can create a stronger response than your typical crunch or sit up.

Kipping Pullups at the CrossFit Games
Kipping Pullups at the CrossFit Games

2) Performance goals are more fun than aesthetic goals. The goal “six pack abs” is painfully dull. The goal “complete Fran in under 5 minutes” is challenging, engaging, and fun. When a person is engaged in their goal, they are more likely to actively pursue it.  Working out with your friends, perfecting skills, and chasing performance is fun. Starving yourself and doing 1000 crunches is not fun. It’s not rocket science…people are more likely to continue doing things they consider to be fun, and they’re less likely to keep doing things that they consider dull.

At the end of the day, six pack abs aren’t the goal. Toned legs aren’t the goal. Bulging biceps aren’t the goal. Because (let’s be honest) those things don’t  matter. The goal is to be fit, healthy, and capable of living life to the fullest. CrossFit will get you there, and you may get a few bonus perks along the way, too!

Ten Paleo Recipes You Haven’t Tried Yet

Kale & Chicken Stew

Nutrition is the foundation of great health and great athletic performance, but it’s often an area that people struggle with. It’s hard to know what to eat and how much to eat. It’s hard to meal plan, and it’s hard to find the time to cook. There are just all sorts of barriers to overcome. But, just like the physical challenges we overcome in Crossfit, the challenges associated with eating clean can easily be conquered.

A killer blog post is in the works to give you the ins and outs of making this eating clean process as painless as possible. But, to tide you over, we’d like to share some really excellent fresh paleo recipes that you may not have tried yet! Pick one out to try next week…you won’t regret it!

Grown Up Chicken Soup

I always present this kale, sweet potato, and chicken stew from Hunter Beless as “Grown Up Chicken Soup”. 100% of the time, it is a crowd pleaser. It feels filling and hearty, but also light and clean at the same time!

“Chick-Fil-A” Nuggets

This is a great appetizer, snack, or meal. The pickle juice makes the chicken uber-moist, and the seasoning mixture makes this dish exceptionally tasty.

Sriracha Lime Chicken Skillet

This recipe is so quick and so flavorful. Maybe ten minutes of total work…marinate the chicken, put it in the oven, and eat!

Chocolate Chili

Cocoa powder in a warm and comforting chili? Yes. Please. Enjoy this easy one pot recipe!

Spinach & Pork Meatloaf

Who knew eating paleo could be so decadent?! This spinach packed meatloaf is divine with some tomato basil sauce on top!

Avocado Tuna Wraps

These wraps can be whipped up in a matter of minutes. The tasty filling can easily be kept in the fridge and eaten with a spoon!

Spinach Bacon Salad

Like salads? This Spinach Salad from the Pioneer Woman is so savory and paleo!

Ratatouille

This French dish is extremely hearty. I will warn you that it takes a lot of time to prep those veggies…but it is so worth it!

Ethiopian Cabbage

This easy-to-saute dish is so delicious, and it has quickly become part of my weekly veggie prep. It does require quite a few spices, but it’s worth buying them for this rich veggie dish!

Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potato Fries

Bacon and sweet potato are two of the tastiest items permitted on the paleo diet. Why not combine them both for a decadent appetizer?

Meet Kaitlin Starrett

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Hi East Dallas Crossfit!

Over the next few weeks, you’ll see an increasing number of posts to social media and this blog. My name is Kaitlin Starrett, and I’ll be the one producing some of them! I love to write, I love social media, and I love Crossfit, so (as you can imagine!) I’m excited about adding some content to help you get the most of your time at EDCF!

A little about me: I did my undergrad at UT-Austin and my master’s at Baylor, both in Kinesiology. After graduating from Baylor, I was hired on as a lecturer for undergraduate human performance courses. During that time, I taught several classes for Baylor and I launched a personal training business. I worked with a variety of clients, and I focused on nutrition and fat loss. I realized that I loved helping people reach their goals, but that I didn’t know what type of goals to set after their physique goals had been met. Then, I became exposed to Crossfit and holistic nutrition in 2012, and my world was rocked. I loved chasing performance rather than aesthetics, and I’ve had so much fun mastering my first pull up, first 1.5x body weight deadlift, first pistol, and more. There are truly no limits to what you can accomplish when you do Crossfit! As well, I adopted a paleo-zone style of eating, and I saw really great results, both in my body composition and in my general feeling of well-being. I now teach full time at Southern Methodist University as a lecturer in their Applied Physiology & Wellness department. I love teaching my students about weight training, nutrition, and the benefits of functional physical fitness. It is such a joy to share my love of fitness with my students and clients, and now I’m so excited to share with you!

When I’m not writing about fitness or working out, you can find me teaching at SMU, cooking delicious paleo meals, reading, or hanging out with friends, family and my soon-to-be husband, Brad!

I want to post about things that you are interested in, so feel free to find me at the gym (I’m usually in the evening classes!) or comment here to let me know what you want to learn about!

Wanna Try Us Out?

Join us for a free Introduction to CrossFit this Saturday at 11am. These free sessions happen every 1st and 3rd Saturday or each month. During this session you can expect to:

  • learn exactly what CrossFit is and is not
  • see what differentiates our gym from other CF gyms
  • go through a group warm-up
  • learn new movements and how to scale movements properly
  • partake in a beginner level workout
  • have any and all questions about the gym or CrossFit methodology answered

Ready to hop into the Prep Course? The next one is this coming Monday, February 3rd. Before you become a full member you will have to either go through the group (8 sessions) or private (6 sessions) prep course. These classes are designed to foster confidence and coordination with the main movements you will see in regular classes. Everything from an air squat to the olympic lifts is covered with an experienced coach. Sign up for the next one by clicking HERE!