Feed The Beast

@Jack In The Box

Chocolate Fix

Trader Joe's has a good chocolate bar that is a better alternative  for folks who need a chocoalte fix.

The Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar is less bitter and smoother than a lot of other ones.  It is 85% Cacoa.  It does have a small amount of sugar, but the ingredients list is short.  A package comes with two bars for around $1.50. Cheat smart.

Away From the Cave

It is getting easier to eat when you are out and about. This is from Ruby Tuesdays. Fish, shrimp, zucchini and spaghetti squash. Leave off the cream sauce if you want to keep your deadlift below 500.

What should I eat?

So, a guy goes to the doctor and says, “Doc! I’ve eliminated 99% of the fat from my diet, I’ve stopped drinking, no desserts or candy, and I only eat meat once a week! Will I live longer?” And the Doctor says, “No, it will only seem that way.”

We enjoy the best health and longest lifespans of any of our ancestors yet we worry more about our physical health more than ever. Health is about a lot of things, a combination of factors.  "Overweight" people are healthy, skinny people are "fat."  People that cannot deadlift their bodyweight are sick, but asymptomatic.  Your overall health is more than a number on a scale.  It is even more than an expensive report from the doctor.  It is a combination of these plus your strength, plus how the people you interact with perceive you, plus your spiritual well-being, plus....plus...plus...The list grows and varies depending on the listmaker.  If you limit it to a number on a scale or a body fat percentage you will, ultimately, be unhappy and unhealthy. 

So food ought to be enjoyed. And, to be critiqued are the modern tendencies to fret excessively about foods, categorically demonize them, scold others who enjoy them, moralize and give frequent and unwanted advice to others for their food choices, and especially doing this at the very time of communal eating. If someone asks for salt, (butter, bread, or cake) cheerfully oblige him. You are neither his doctor, nor in possession of his medical records. So smile, and as you pass the shaker say, “Ah, salt! The spice of life!”

Contained within the post of this blog is a prescription for eating that will aid in weightloss, recovery, muscle gain and some very tasty eating.  Nothing here will, on the other hand, solve all your problems or make up for any shortcomings.

All things in moderation, including moderation, for there is a time to feast.  And CFS knows how to feast.

Food is good, excesses cause problems to be sure. But don’t work so hard to stay alive that you forget to live.

(Adapted from an article by Msgr. Charles Pope, AoD Washington)

Because we are here to make you better at life

Crossfit Spartanburg makes you better at life.  As you inspire your family with tells of heavy lifts, pull ups and various awesomeness, don't fall face first in the mashed 'taters if you are asked to carve the turkey.

From Lifehacker.com;

How to Properly Carve a Turkey

Thanksgiving is coming up, and if the presentation of your last few turkeys has been less than stellar, it's probably a good idea to brush up on proper turkey carving method. Here's the easiest way to do it.

There are a number of different ways to carve a turkey, but you can't go wrong with this method from kitchen hacker extraordinaire Alton Brown. Follow along with the video above, and go through these steps:

1. Take the turkey out of the oven and let it cool before you start carving. It'll be easier to carve if it isn't straight out of the oven. Also, carve it before you take it to the dining room. Tradition may say "carve at the table", but it'll be a lot easier—not to mention less messy—to carve it in the kitchen on a cutting board.
2. Cut a straight line from the bird's sternum all the way down to the bottom of the turkey. Then, disconnect that breast from the thigh by cutting through the skin in between, and you should be able to remove the breast completely and slice it up at your leisure.
3. Next, pull back the drumsticks and find the joint. All you need to do is cut the joint connecting it to the thigh and it should slide right off. If you find yourself sawing it like a Christmas tree, you're probably cutting the bone instead. Move down to the joint and cut it apart there. If you're having trouble, see the video below for more tips on finding the joints.
4. Flip the turkey over and cut the wings off just like you did the drumstick. Pull it away from the body and cut through the joint. Again, if you're putting a low of elbow grease behind it, you're probably too close to the bone.
5. Next, cut off the thigh. This is similar to cutting the breast, in the sense that most of it is attached to the rest of the body, so get as much meat off as you can. Then, as you reach the end, pull apart the joint like you did for the other pieces and cut through it. If there's only one thing I'd disagree with in the above video, it's never to cut toward yourself—but that's because I've learned that the hard way.
6. Before you slice the thigh, you'll need to take out the bone. The easiest way to do this is to turn the thigh over and slice it out with your knife. Cut along the sides of the bone to remove it from the thigh, then start slicing.
7. When you slice the thigh and breastmeat, slice against the grain for maximum tenderness. And remember—the thicker you slice, the longer the pieces will stay warm, so it's okay to go against the more traditional "thin slice" method here. Stick everything on a platter and serve.

 Alternatively, if you prefer to slice the breast lengthwise, you can skip the first step, remove the thigh, drumstick, and wing as described above, then slice the breast right off the bird itself (as demonstrated in the video to the left). It'll give you larger, thinner slices (perfect for those post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches). Plus, dark meat will stay moist a bit longer than white meat, so if your turkey's in danger of being a bit on the dry side, this'll help you keep the breastmeat moist as long as possible by cutting it last.

 

 

Dark Days of Winter, time for a repost

Since the dark days of winter are upon us, consider supplementing Vitamin D3 if you cannot be in the sun enough.

Soak Up the Sun

 

Vitamin D3 is one of the most useful nutritional tools we have at our disposal.  That's why it earns the first post in the Crossfit Spartanburg nutrition blog. For over a century doctors and scientist have recognized Vitamin D3's role in bone health.  Technically not a "vitamin," vitamin D is in a class by itself. Its metabolic product, calcitriol, is actually a secosteroid hormone that targets over 2000 genes (about 10% of the human genome) in the human body. Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.

There are ongoing debates and research as to how much Vitamin D3 we should have each day.  The overwhelming consensus, however, is that the US government's daily recommendation of 200 to 600 IU (international units) is way too low.  Just looking at nature tells us that because the skin produces approximately 10,000 IU vitamin D in response to 20–30 minutes summer sun exposure.  So now that the weather's nice try doing some of the WODs out in the sun.  Not only will you be hammering out some elite fitness but you will be dosing some FREE Vitamin D.

Obviously we are not doctors, so talk to yours about taking Vitamin D3 as a supplement.  Here are a few quotes from people who are doctors.

Humans make thousands of units of vitamin D within minutes of whole body exposure to sunlight. From what we know of nature, it is unlikely such a system evolved by chance.~ Dr. John Connell, Executive Director, Vitamin D Council.
Because vitamin D is so cheap and so clearly reduces all-cause mortality, I can say this with great certainty: Vitamin D represents the single most cost-effective medical intervention in the United States.~ Dr. Greg Plotnikoff, Medical Director, Penny George Institute for Health and Healing, Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.
I would challenge anyone to find an area or nutrient or any factor that has such consistent anti-cancer benefits as vitamin D. The data are really quite remarkable.~ Dr. Edward Giovannucci Vitamin D expert.

Recovery Revisited

I have posted on the importance of recovery as it relates to our training in the past.  It is always worth revisiting as new athletes join us, current athletes hit unexplainable "walls," or new-found increased work capacity leads to new-found aches or aliments.  Pictures always help me, so consider the following.

When we train, we are breaking down our bodies.  It is a catabloic process that necessarily breaks down larger components into smaller ones so energy can be produced.  We reduce our body below its current fitness level and it will remain there for a period of time.  We can assist in recovery by giving our body macro nutrients post workout.  Proteins and carbs need to be introduced withing 30 minutes of training.  This is when your body is able to use those macro nutrients most effectively.  Avoid fats during this time because they slow absorption of nutrients.  I prefer you chew your post workout meal(aids in digestion), however a protein shake is quick and easy.

Your body, being the miracle machine that God made it, wants to supercompensate after a training session so the next session will not be as "hard" on the body (less catablosim).  We help it with our immediate food intake but then hurt it with things like stress, lack of sleep, and poor nutrition.

Two thinkgs that can aid supercompensation are fish oil and ZMA. 

Learn more about fish oil here.  You should be taking 2-4 grams of EPA/DHA per day.  Understand that you may buy a brand that says 3000 mg of fish oil on the label, turn it over and you will probably only see about 500 mg of EPA/DHA or less.  Here are two I recommend. 

   


Note the amount of EPA/DHA on each.  It may look like it cost more, but break it down in terms of cost per unit of EPA/DHA

Anabolic Sports Recovery
with Zinc, Magnesium & Vitamin B-6

ZMA is a synergistic combination of Zinc and Magnesium designed to maximize absorption and promote recovery from exercise. Zinc plays a central role in the regulation of cellular growth and tissue repair, as well as the maintenance of a healthy immune system. Magnesium is essential for the maintenance of electrolyte balance, energy production and normal neuromuscular function. Because physical activity can increase the need for these two minerals, ZMA is the ideal supplement to aid in their replenishment

ZMA has been shown to increase free testosterone by 30% while boosting IGF-1 levels significantly.

Recipe Sighting

From today's Herald Jornal

The following post may save your life

People are picky about their eggs, some more so than others...Exhibit A

 

With that in mind, I invite you over to the Art of Manliness for information that could save your life should you ever A) encounter a dancing outlaw or B) wake up in a trailer in Boone County, West Virginia(sock on hand is optional).

Punkin' Spice Latte

Cooking Steps

From  http://coastalcavegirl.com/!

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of coconut milk, 1 T of 100% pure canned pumpkin, and 1/2 T honey and heat (stirring often) until steaming. Pour mixture into blender and add 1 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice and 1 tsp of vanilla. Blend until frothy. Pour into mug and add a hot cup of strong coffee or espresso. I used my favorite Keurig coffee and brewed the smallest size. Top with coconut whipped cream and a few dashes of cinnamon.