Do Not Be Afraid To Fail

“If you don’t try at anything, you can’t fail…it takes backbone to lead the life you want.” -- Richard Yates

What does failure mean to you? Are you afraid of it, does it make you think twice about taking chances? Do you let it get you down or does it motivate you? Think of the last time you failed at something and then think about how you handled it?

Failure is, by definition is: "the lack of success in doing or achieving something; a person or thing that is not successful". Over the past couple of years, and especially this past year, I have been trying to work on how to handle failure. Not only how to manage failure, but how to tackle it and not be afraid of the outcome. Failure to me has a much different definition in life than it does in the dictionary. It has two meanings.

First, I do not agree a person who is unsuccessful is a failure; a failure is someone who doesn’t take the chance to be successful. If you are willing to dare, take the risk, and if it turns out to be unsuccessful, you are not a failure. If you try and fail; good, you either learned what not to do or are that much closer to success.

Secondly, failure is how you handle being unsuccessful. If you are unsuccessful but learned from the experience and let it motivate you, were you a failure? No. Are you a failure if being unsuccessful leads to sulking, quitting and not learning? Yes.

The most successful people in this world are often those who fail the most. Why, because they learn from their failures. They turn their failures into stepping stones to success. Let failure motivate you to be better. At the end of the day would you rather wonder what if, or know that you were unsuccessful and needed to work harder tomorrow to achieve your goals.

This goes for anything in life; sports, business, relationships, and school. Take a chance, it is worth the risk. Do not let being unsuccessful deter you from trying something new or pursuing your goals. Learn from each experience, let it teach you a lesson and move on. Do not sit around afraid of failing.

I have had to improve these qualities myself. I haven’t always been a person who was willing to take the leap and risk failure. However, I have gotten to a point in my life where I do not want to ask “what if” anymore. I have seen some of my failures turn into successes and lead me to where I am today. It has made me a better person, friend, and coach.

To subscribers, athletes, coaches and anyone else reading this: do not be afraid to compete and lose. Competition is awesome; you have to be willing to leave it all out there to get better. If you lose then you know, you have to work harder and learn from your mistakes. One of the quickest ways to become a loser is to want to win so badly that you are afraid to lose. Don’t use up your energy worrying about failing. Put the energy towards the effort needed to be successful.

My challenge to you is to attack your goals without the fear of failing. Go all in. Take the risk. You fail. So what! Work harder and try again. It could be as simple as trying a new class at CPC that looked too tough for you. It could be something bigger like going for that graduate degree or taking a chance on that new job. Whatever it is, do not be afraid to fail, it may very well lead you to your biggest success!

There will always be a next time, but it’s how you handle the past failure that produces your next result.

-- Wiltey

They’re Deadly for a Reason

I do not consider myself a particularly religious person but I would say that I am spiritual one. Understanding the difference between the two may be difficult for some but not all. There is one overwhelming aspect of religion that I grew up with and has carried with me for all my adult years. The Seven Deadly Sins. Greed, Gluttony, Wrath, Sloth, Pride, Lust and Envy. I truly believe that constant self reflection is necessary to not fall victim to any of these fatal flaws - yes they're fatal.

I want to reflect on Envy for just a moment. What is it to be envious and what is it to be jealous? I'm not saying I'm dead on, but it's my blog post so tough shit. This is the way I look at it. In my opinion, it’s not bad to be jealous. It’s not healthy to allow it to consume you but it is not good be complacent and let life pass you by. To me jealous means I care, it reminds me to push and to live everyday with my very best self forward. It's the fear that a worthy competitor will take the next stride in front of me, my lifting partner will get one more rep, or a colleague will get published before I do. To be jealous is to look at someone and WANT what they have but you COULD have it. You just weren't willing to sacrifice and go through pain to get it. It wasn't important enough for you to be uncomfortable. Do be jealous might mean you let yourself settle and accept your current situation because quite frankly you didn't give a fuck. So, what is it like to be envious?

Envy is all consuming. Envy will paralyze you with negative thoughts. Envy is to look at another person and be CONSUMED with jealousy that they are more *blank* or that they have more *blank* than you. They may have better cheek bones or thicker hair and that makes you envious of their beauty. They may have been born into a wealthy lineage or had a trust fund and you didn't. They have a genius level IQ or are the height you wish you were. Envy is to not just want but covet something that you have ZERO ability to change. The thoughts running through your mind no matter how hard you push, how badly you want something, and what you're willing to sacrifice can change that fact. THAT is envy! It is an ugly, all consuming and life altering state of mind. Be careful my friends - this is a question you may have to ask yourself more than you want to admit. "Am I jealous or?.. Oh shit! I'm envious!" Scary realization but not a dead end. We are are all blessed with amazing qualities and making sure we are thankful for our true character and what makes us beautiful is to be happy with yourself. 

I am a competitive son of a bitch and I need to reflect on that daily. As I said, I am not a religious man but I have my outlet to "pray". I have the place in MY life where I can connect inside my own head and be at peace with me.

To quote one of my favorite artists: "This is my church / This is where I heal my hurts / It’s a natural grace / Of watching young life change / It's in minor keys / Solutions and remedies / Enemies becoming friends / When bitterness ends / This is my church." He was speaking about the recording studio. I am speaking of CPC. It's not just a place of business or where I see my friends - It’s my outlet. It’s where I find MY peace. 

The realization is that we are surrounded by temptations daily that will pull us in towards those seven deadly sins. Being in touch with who you are and remain damn proud of the beautiful things you contribute to everyone else's lives will help keep you away from at least one... 

~Sully

Season's Eatings

We’re heading into that time of year when it’s getting colder, rainier, windier, and well - I’m not going to use the “S” word just yet. It’s also the time of year that we all start adjusting our diets. The farmer’s markets are all but done and gone and the availability of fresh local seasonal fare has once again taken a back seat to supermarket produce. Not only are the ingredients that we use changing, so are the cooking methods we use to prepare our foods. It’s no longer grill and chill season; it’s Crock-Pot and hoodie season.  

As I sit here and write this I’m finding myself veering off of my original plan and topic to slowly get myself into something that I might later begin to regret, but maybe not.  What I am proposing, suggesting, or requesting of those that actually follow/read this blog is let me know some of your go-to foods for the colder months.  You give me a bunch of recommendations for recipes, and I’ll come up with my own version and post it to the blog and other social media platforms.  This will have a two fold effect.  

1.  It will give us all a new way of looking at old possibly boring recipes that we have all have and continue to use. Spruce things up a bit!

2.  It will actually give me an excuse to start getting back into the kitchen; cooking food and meals that I have some what neglected to do in the past couple of months.  

Win win, I think. So go ahead let me know what cold weather standby you have that you’re getting tired of and I’ll revamp it for you.  

- MS

Mobility: The Missing Link

With the increased time we all spend working we dedicate fewer hours a week towards taking care of ourselves and our bodies. The little time that we do have is spent doing what we believe or what we have been told is the right thing to do. Whether that is running, lifting, metabolic conditioning, or another form of exercise/physical activity, a key component to any program that is commonly missing is mobility.

Mobility is often overlooked in programs. Mobility could be left out due to lack of time or lack of individuals feeling like they are benefiting from it because they aren’t breaking a sweat. Different people will develop different tight areas largely depending on what they do for work and/or leisure activity. I can confidently say that regardless of what you are neglecting to mobilize, it either negatively impacts your workout or causes discomfort.

Tightness develops in soft tissue when we don’t move through that range of motion. The body adapts to the shortened range of motion and develops fibrotic tissue preventing the body from traveling through the normal range. These are easy corrections to make, but the longer the body neglects the mobility component of their health, the harder it will be to regain that particular joints comfortable range.

Mobility is important to maintain because it can cause compensations that put stress on the incorrect body structures leading to injury. Overtime a lack of mobility will also contribute to aches and pains that accumulate and can develop into serious physical health issues.

Hypermobility is a tissue that has excessive range of motion, and we don’t want to overstretch that joint. Hypomobility is a tissue that lacks range which is an indication for mobility work. Mobility work is also extremely important for maintenance of proper range of motion and health of surrounding tissues. Ask one of your coaches for any clarifications on this. Educate yourself and take control of your body and how it feels and performs!

TM

Health is a Continuum

Soooo  … some of you may have picked up on the fact that my schedule has been kind of insane lately. I knew this craziness coming. I’m one of the luckys ones in that I get to do something I love day in and day out so it's all good. This is NOT a complaint. My average workday has been 13.5 hours for the last 3 weeks. No, I don't mean that I'm at work for 13.5 hours doing bullshit or emailing meme's between my friends. I'm out hustling and it's fucking awesome! Of course when that’s done there is the tracking of everything before the day starts, after it ends, making phone calls when driving, and connecting with other CPC staff on the fly. All in all, my life is nuts and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But even when you’re doing something you love there are risks involved. You need to be sure you’re not losing sight of the big picture and that you’re taking care of yourself. The last being the most important.

I promised myself that I was going to be kind to ME this fall and not constantly place ME last. In order to do that, I knew I needed to do a few things differently. First, I'm saying "no" a lot more than I ever have. I like it when people are happy and I love to give so it's really hard for me to say “no” and not help someone out or not be a part of things. However, I am good to no one if I'm tired and worthless. We all need to stay efficient!  

Second, I personally hired my friend and colleague Tim to write an exercise plan for me. When my schedule gets insane I want to do what I am good at. I will stick with the lifts and movement patterns that are comfortable for me and not work too much on imbalances or weakness. When I am this busy, I lose the ability to objectively evaluate myself, so why add one more thing to my plate? Tim wrote me a plan, I will meet with him one-on-one 4 times a month, and I am accountable to him. I mean, I just publicly identified him as my coach, so if I get fat or hurt it looks bad on him. I can't do that to Captain Glutes - he works too hard for that.

The last piece is UP. You’ve all seen the small device I’m wearing on my left wrist. This thing is freaking awesome. Why? Because you can't hide! The device comes with an app for your phone and helps you get a  get a grasp on all aspects of your health - sleep, food, and exercise. Tracking food has been an eye opener. I am a person who tends not to eat when I get busy. This app has a detailed food log which doesn't just count calories it gives you a "food score". On a scale of 1-10 it rates how healthy the foods you are consuming are, gives your day an overall food score, and provides you with relative tips. Let’s take yesterday.  I got a push notification telling me that my average fiber intake over the last three days has been down. And asked “Do I want to commit to bringing my daily average back up to the recommended 38 grams?" Fuck yeah I do! Drink your green smoothie and treat your immune system properly Sullivan! Second, It tracks my daily movement. UP tracks my daily steps and relative intensity of activity for the day. I know what times of the day I am most idle and I can set alarms to go off when I have been sitting for longer than an hour straight. Finally, it tracks my sleep. Yeah … a huge amount of work needed here. I average 6 hours and 3 minutes of sleep each night, I wake up on average twice during that time, and I do NOT sleep as heavy as I once believed! These stats have helped me to curb my eating behavior prior to bed, to not watch TV prior to bed, and adjust to less of a water intake later in the day. Trust me: it's helping.

My message to you: Health is a continuum. Understand the mission now? I value all aspects equally and I know that excelling in one area will not make up for others. I am committed to being strong, lean, agile, rested, fed, hydrated, calm, caring, attentive, and fun - just to name a few. I have never believed that information is power but rather what you do with information is power.

I'm interested to see if any of you will invest a little more and take a deeper look at your wellness.

It's been fascinating from this side of things.

~Sully

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

At CPC we take great pride in always evolving and doing our best to move forward with everything that we do. From the programming of class content to bringing in new equipment to finding new partnerships, it's all at the core of CPC's mission.  Keeping with that theme, we are launching a whole new Season of Giving initiative that starts today. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we are partnering with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to bring education and awareness about this disease to the forefront. We have educational handouts at CPC along with #GoPink bracelets and ribbons for the taking. Grab one to help spread the work and show your support. We'll also be highlighting the latest in research, support, and health on our various social media channels. 

Part of why I wanted to write post is obviously to let everyone know where our heads are at for this month and what we'll be talking about at CPC. The other reason is I wanted to see if our community had any stories to share about dealing with breast cancer; either you, a family member, or a friend?  This is a disease that is becoming more and more prevalent, and sadly there are probably a lot of us that have had to deal with it.  I've had to deal with it a few years ago when we found out that my mother had been diagnosed with it. Fortunately after treatment and several procedures she is now cancer free and has been for some time, but it's always scary having to deal with something that can be potentially fatal.  

For those of you that are comfortable enough to share a little bit of your story I encourage you to do so, post a quick message to the blog, put up a short comment to one of the many social media articles we will be putting up this month.  Know that you're not alone and the best way to tackle this issue is together.

- MS

What shoe are you?

My quick little blog post today is spurred by a question I got from a subscriber yesterday. I was asked about my opinion on minimalist shoes and making the switch from a traditional running shoe.  I thought this question may be one that a lot of you have so I will address it.  

A couple of things to think about:

The structure of your feet could play a factor in whether or not you should try a minimal shoe.  If you have flat feet, I wouldn't necessarily recommend you make the switch.  Our feet were made to absorb shock, especially while running. If your feet are without arches, then it's going to put increased stress on the foot, as well as knees and hips.  

If you are going to make the switch, make sure it is a gradual one.  Do not take your new Vibrams out of the box and go run a marathon; you will hurt yourself.  Your body adapts to new things, shoes included.  If you have never run in minimals, you need to wean yourself into it. Slowly let your body get used to the differences and adapt.  I think one of the biggest issues with minimal shoes, and the reason why they get a bad rap, is that people think they can just switch from one type of shoe to another. When they do, they realize they are sore or in pain and immediately blame the shoes.  It's not the shoes fault. The brain controlling the foot in the shoe is to blame.  Ease into it a couple miles at a time.  

Bottom line, we were built to run and to run with nothing on our feet.  Am I a proponent for either shoe type? No. I've used and liked both types. It's a personal preference if you ask me.  Below is a quick video that speaks to these points.  

Happy running!

MS

Be Inspired by Them. Motivated for YOU.

We all do it. We have those individuals, or find ourselves in situations, in which we are enamored by someone else. Whether it is their physique, performance, and/or accomplishments - it happens. I myself am guilty of this behavior on a regular basis. I'm a list maker - Type A. Still I feel myself getting wrapped up in the latest of things that I read or see: I want to win the CrossFit Games because I just watched it on ESPN 2, or I want to run a 3:40 marathon because he or she did, or I want to vacation in the Caribbean. Have you seen my skin?! I look like the underbelly of a deep water fish. The Caribbean Sullivan?? But really... is that what I want? Is that what YOU want?

I myself am a slender build and it's difficult for me to put on weight... Ok, now you know I'm bullshitting. I'm quite the opposite. I'm built like wrecking ball with a big ass and legs that make it difficult to buy pants. I work with a number of colleagues, whom I respect immensely, that have very lean builds and body types, muscular arms, and shredded abs. I find myself pushing towards THAT instead of embracing the fact that I might not have a 6-pack but I can squat a house. I find myself caught off guard by these thoughts and obsessing over physical aspects that were never important to me and I never wanted to accomplish in the first place. Why?

Don't get me wrong, I think that having this kind of stimuli in our lives is very important for consistent personal growth. Complacency can be the death of us all! Whether it applies to your health, profession, or relationships, complacency is the beginning of the end. So I welcome these stressors. I welcome these  in my life and these situations that cause me to push to be the best ME. I to need to remind myself constantly of that final point. Be the best ME!

We all fall victim to being caught up in what is popular or trending. I see so many of us waste time & energy, getting stressed and becoming distracted by someone else's accomplishments and/or their "highlight reel ". To borrow a quote from Will Smith: "Too many people spend money they didn't earn, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like". We see another person "happy" and we covet their life becoming jealous rather than inspired. Let's cut the shit. Seriously.

Ask yourself: what is important and motivating to YOU? Set some goals around what YOU want and allow yourself to be happy for others when they get what THEY want. Be inspired, not intimidated. It's amazing to let go. 

~Sully

IIFYM ... what?

What’s this new flexible dieting or “IIFYM” trend?

There are so many “diets” out there like Atkins, Paleo, and Gluten free, that I could go on forever. One of the newest diets taking social media by storm is “flexible dieting” or “IIFYM”, which stands for “if it fits your macros”. “Macros” is short for macronutrients, which consist of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. In short, this diet states that you have a set amount of calories based on your level of activity each day. You must try to eat X amount of carbs, fats, and proteins that total up to your daily calories, giving you the flexibility to treat yourself. Instead of regularly eating clean and then binging one or two days a week, this diet is encouraging people to eat clean and enjoy a small treat on a regular basis if they feel the need. However, this is quickly becoming one of the most misunderstood diets today. 

People automatically think that on this diet, you can eat junk food such as donuts, Pop-Tarts, etc. because “it fits your macros”. You may see people posting pictures of themselves eating donuts, ice cream, and other unhealthy treats, yet they are ripped. What you don’t see is that they’re eating a strict diet on a daily basis while leaving room to treat themselves. Do you really think that someone could just eat these treats on a regular basis and still look the way they do? No! It’s impossible to eat junk food throughout the day and have a healthy balance of fats, proteins, and carbs. 

My thoughts on this diet? 
I think the concept of eating a balanced diet of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates is great. We need to have all three to have a well balanced diet. Do I think that eating poptarts and other processed crap is good? Absolutely not! It’s good to treat ourselves once in awhile, but do it the right way. Don’t go for those processed snacks because all of the artificial stuff is doing more harm than good. Eat a well balanced diet and do what works for you; don’t let all of the social media images get in your head because a certain diet worked for someone else. What works for them may not work for you!

- SW 

You're on vacation ... That doesn't mean your training gets put on hold.

In March, I had the chance to travel south with the WNE Softball team to their spring training in Clermont, FL. Despite the much needed warm and sunny weather and the immediate switch in the brain to vacation mode, I knew there still was work to be done. Some of you may know I have a Half Ironman coming up the first weekend of May. A trip to Florida took me away from logging miles in the pool and on the bike, but I'll be honest I was looking forward to the change of pace. I would be willing to bet that when many of you vacation your workout routine gets a little lax too. Rest and relaxation are important components of our training programs! However, when on vacation don't throw all that hard work out the window by taking the week off completely. 

With April vacation just around the corner I've provided you with a few workout tips and ideas that you can take with you.

1. Pack your travel friendly TRX!

Yes! Take your TRX away with you. Vacation is the perfect time to break up the monotony of training. Take your workouts outdoors! Hang your TRX to the local playground system, palm tree, or hotel room door. You may not have one of the CPC coaches telling you what to do, but having the freedom to execute your own workout at your desired pace will be a welcomed change for a week. I was able to turn the playground behind one the practice softball field into my own personal gym. I got a few stares from the team but I got a kick ass workout in while they practiced. And the CPC coaches are here for you if you want a little guidance to take with you. 


2. Change things up!
Taking your vacation to the beach? Rent a paddle board or a kayak. Heading to the mountains? Go for a hike. Regardless of where you go there is something to do to get you out and moving. Do a quick web search and find local walking & hiking trails. While in Florida I stumbled upon a series of biking & walking trails surrounding the softball complexes the team was playing at. The website railtotrail.com is a great resource and you can find you almost any trail system in the US. They also have a free app to download for quick check when out on the trail! The South Lake trail in Minneola took me to the local lake's waterfront and beach front properties keeping me entertained during my 10 mile run.

3. Volume Down, Intensity Up.

You are on vacation after all, so bring the time spent working out down, BUT you still want to get a quality workout in. The intensity you work at has to be high. That means: your heart rate has to creep into that "unpleasant" range for awhile after a quality warm up. For example get a quick, but intense, 20min TRX or body weight workout in and then hit the beach or the pool with the family. This is the workout I created for my playground workout. Keep in mind I needed to get some miles in this day too so modify as you see fit!



4. Rest & Recovery
As important as keeping up with your workout routine is, rest and recovery is just as important! Don't take this too literally, but a day off is just as good for the body as it is for the mind. Kick back and enjoy a day of sleeping in and laziness. If you get a chance treat yourself to a massage, some time in the hot tub, and of course a tasty adult beverage or two. 

Cookies? Yes, cookies.

Yes! We sell cookies. Get over it!

We made the decision to bring in the full line of Liz Lovely cookies to CPC. Bringing this product line into CPC has raised a few eyebrows, and questions, so I'm going to try to address some of the concerns and inform everyone about our decision.

The cookies have been well received (particularly by yours truly), but there have been a couple of skeptics. We've heard things like, "OMG! that's a lot of calories!" or "Whoa, do you know how much sugar is in this?". The short answer: YEAH, I do. IT'S. A. COOKIE! Cookies are supposed to have sugar, otherwise it wouldn't be a sweet and delicious TREAT!  The fact is that these cookies are meant to be just that - a treat. All cookies, brownies, cakes, cupcakes, ice cream, etc. are meant to be consumed occasionally.   

For the record, the whole staff at CPC eats cookies. True story. And we all love the Liz Lovely cookies. We all love them but we don't have them everyday. We recognize that they are not a 'health' food and shouldn't be eaten regularly or in excess. Too much of anything can be bad for you. Avocados are delicious - and great for you! - but eat them 24/7 and let me know how you feel.  So have a cookie once-in-a-while.

Speaking of 'health'.  These cookies are not a health food by definition, but they are gluten free, dairy free, egg free, kosher, non-gmo, and vegan. All great stuff! To make a couple of comparisons: the sugar and calorie contents of the Liz Lovely cookies are right on par with some "100 calorie cookie/snack packs" that are out there and if we're being honest ... most people don't have just one pack.  The big difference between those packs and the Liz Lovely cookies? The ingredient list on the Liz Lovely cookies is half the size and we can pronounce the whole ingredient list.  Whether it's a cookie, or a salad, we want to choose something that is wholesome, minimally processed, high quality, and doesn't contain things you can't read. I don't know about you, but my health, and the health of my family, is more important than getting caught up in the sensationalized propaganda of calorie counting. Be concerned with where the calories come from rather than how many there are. 

One last thing: I know many endurance athletes who have a problem with eating before exercise and getting an upset stomach.  I encourage you to try a cookie, or half a cookie, as a pre-workout meal.  Just like the Garuka Bars, the Liz Lovely cookies have those sugars that can help fuel you but also keep you from having stomach issues.  Give them a shot.  

CPC is here to try to give you as much good information and products as possible to help you make good choices. We gave you the information. Now it's up to you to do what you will with it.  

- Mike 

Budget Nutrition

I hear people giving excuses as to why they can’t eat healthy constantly; “It’s too expensive.” and “I don’t have time” are probably the most common excuses. Whatever the excuse, it’s invalid. I follow a relatively strict diet and eat around 4,000 calories daily (which is much more than the average person consumes). I’m 22 years old, work between two jobs and am on a tight budget. I typically spend under $100 a week on food. If I can eat the way I should, why can’t you?

Instead of buying that pre-made, or even pre-seasoned, chicken; buy it fresh, season and cook it yourself. You can get fresh chicken breast for around $1.99/lb. versus spending upwards of $5.99/lb. or more on the pre-cooked or seasoned chicken breast.You can save quite a bit of money. Stop being lazy and take a little time to cook your own food! Visit local Farmer’s Markets, shop for items that won’t spoil if you don’t eat them, and try a little variety. Personally I love sweet potato, and these are one of the easiest foods to prepare. I poke a few holes in the potato and put it in the microwave for a couple minutes and it’s ready to eat. While your chicken, ground turkey, steak or whatever is cooking, you can be preparing your vegetables.

I’m on a tight schedule so I do most of my cooking on the weekend or a day off. I spend about 3 hours total preparing all my food for the entire week. Use that day off where you’re laying on the couch watching TV to cook your food. Prepare your food in advance and this will keep you eating healthier and save you stress once you get home from a long day of work worrying about what to eat. By having your food prepared, you’ll be less likely to stop and get fast food or raid your cabinets for snacks. Hope this gives you a different perspective that you can eat healthy while still on a budget.  

It may take a few extra minutes to do, but your wallet will happier and so will your body!

Steve

Do You Really Know The Truth About BPA?

BPA: another one of those hot button issues that has been circulating for the past couple of years. We've all heard about it, know what it is, know that it's bad, and know what it can do to you. I'm sure most of you are like me and ran out and bought a Nalgene or 7 because they were sweet bottles that didn't contain BPA. A cool, functional, nearly indestructible, and safe water bottle, what more can you ask for?

I don't want to be long winded in my post here, my intent was more focused on passing along this article to you and get your feedback. Take a look at it, think about the following questions, and post some comments. I'm curious to see what people have to say.

1.  Were we all right in going out and stocking up on our Nalgene bottles?

2.  What have you done / are you doing currently to lessen your use or exposure to BPA products (aside from purchasing BPA "free" products)?

3.  Will you do anything differently after reading this article?

via Mother Jones -- The Scary New Evidence on BPA-Free Plastics

Cheers,

Mike

Why Weight?

All too often I hear men and women saying females shouldn’t be lifting weights. Why not!? Nothing upsets me more than hearing those uneducated on the matter chime in with their misguided opinions. Not only should women be lifting weights, but they should be in the weight room more often than their male counterparts.

Here’s why:

Testosterone vs. Estrogen:

Many women that I have trained in the past are very apprehensive about picking up a dumbbell because they don’t want to become “muscle-y.” With the proper program and guidance, there is no way this would happen. In laymen’s terms, testosterone is far more superior to burning fat AND building muscle in comparison to estrogen. That is why men “bulk up”. Why is this important? Purely based on hormone composition between the genders, it is much harder for women to build muscle and therefore burn fat. Females simply don’t have the testosterone for that to happen. So in short, these effects won’t happen overnight! Relax, don’t listen to infomercials from SALES PEOPLE, and start incorporating some weight into your regimen.

Burning Calories:

It is fair to say, that a main reason a majority of people want to work out is calorie control. Most people want to feel great, be lean, and achieve overall health. Allow me to blow your mind with these next few sentences. At rest your body is burning calories. Muscle requires more calories to sustain itself than fat does – a lot more. A cheap and easy way to burn off those unwanted love handles: PUT ON SOME MUSCLE! 

Muscle? But I like cardio. Then get your ass in gear and stop moving at the same miserable pace as Betty White on the treadmill next to you. Higher intensity burns more calories. Higher intensity what you ask? ANYTHING! Speed, hills, resistance, intervals - the list goes on and on.

The evidence is all there. This isn’t abstract thinking, this is a professional relaying facts. The easiest way to feel better and move better is by working hard. Don’t hold yourself back, get yourself into the game and see what an amazing machine your body can be and will become. Get into a boot camp, or under a bar, and start sweating.  

Cold? That's Not An Excuse.

It's winter and that means it’s cold out. That doesn't mean you get a free pass to hibernate for 5 to 6 months! It's easy to fall into the trap, myself included, of not wanting to go outside and train in the freezing cold. Guess what people? It's time to suck it up and get out there! You can still train outside in the winter with the correct planning and preparation. I’ve included a few tips below that I use when my least favorite season of the year arrives and I still need to get out there.

1. Get a training partner:

It's SO easy to hit the snooze button when its still dark out and the only person counting on me to get up is me. When I know I have a friend, or a class full of CPC subscribers, waiting for me, waking up is just a little bit easier. Accountability is HUGE. Not only to yourself but to others. Don't leave your partner standing out in the cold waiting on someone that isn't going to show. Not cool!

2. Layer up:

When heading out for a long training run, Jay's 6am ROTC class, or to walk the dog, the key to enduring the freezing temps is LAYERS! The number of layers you want will depend on several things: how intense will your workout be? what is the air temperature and wind chill? how does your body respond to cold? There are no hard and fast rules here because everyone is different, but be sure to put on a light-weight wicking layer first, a moderate to heavy weight layer second, and depending on conditions a third layer. You can always shed if necessary. Last but most important: put a hat on! You lose the majority of your body heat through your HEAD and that’s the last thing you want when you’ll be outside for an extended period of time.  

3. Leave the ‘Rocky’ sweats at home:

It's 2014 and we live in a world of Dri-Fit, Cold Gear, Smartwool, etc. How many of you still rock a cotton t-shirt or sweatshirt to go outside and train in cold or warm temps? If you do, DON’T! Cotton holds onto all of the moisture your body is trying to get rid of. It's just sits there, against your skin, in the cold and wind, doing nothing but making you COLDER. Do yourself a favor invest in some quality cold weather gear. And while you're at it pick up a CPC wicking beanie. Once you've done that consult tip #2 and get outside!

4. Be Smart:

You and your training partner are all geared up, CPC beanies are on, and you’re ready to go. Now, look out the window and and consult the weather app on your phone. What are the road conditions like? What's the "feels like" temperature? Is it supposed to snow/rain? Just because you're all geared up and ready doesn't mean that you should. I've given you every possible way to be a badass and train outside in the cold, but the reality is you need to be smart. Be sure to have good footing underneath you. If you don't, and the idiot driver who hates seeing runners on the the side of the road doesn't either… well, we know how that ends. If the air temperature is hovering in the single (or negative!) digits and there is a wind chill factor don't be a hero. Move your training inside. Take an additional Rouge Boot Camp or TRX class. A slight adjustment to your training schedule isn't going to kill you.

They may seem like “no brainers”, but believe it or not these are the most frequently used excuses I hear during the winter months. So Layer up and get some badass cold weather training going! Spring is right around the corner.

SK

The Economics of "Diet"

The Economics of "Diet"

Mike put together a great recap on a “diet” last week and so I am going to “piggy-back” on that regarding the economics of a good diet.

As Mike pointed out there are many diets that come and go in the media and many scientists and dietitians refer to the "Mediterranean diet” as the pinnacle relationship with food. Many people draw attention to the rich concentration of omega 3’s and Omega 6’s that come from fresh fish or the use of extra virgin olive oil. With all of this information at our fingertips Americans did what Americans do best… We tried to create shortcuts. We developed supplements that contained high concentrations of omega 3’s and Omega 6’s to try to circumvent the positive behaviors of this culture rather than the detail of their food. So by copying this diet in our “American way” why are we still so fat and unhealthy? What are we missing? I believe It is the economic side of things.

The average American consumer spends 7% of their gross income on food. The average Mediterranean inhabitant contributes greater than 20% of their gross income on food…  We are blind to the fact that individuals that live in this region eat FRESH FOOD. They are not concerned with spending their money on a ridiculous cable bill so that they don't miss the season premiere of Homeland rather they use this money to invest in their health and wellness. Typically living in more confined spaces with little to no cabinet space because they do not purchase foods they can sit on the shelves and are full of preservatives. Every food item in which they place in their mouth was purchased within just a couple days. As we continue to question why as a nation we are so sick and unhealthy? We need to recognize that as a nation we are spending so much of our gross income on medicine and hospitalization to treat rather than spending to prevent…

Let's look at the Mediterranean “diet” (or way of life). Take your annual gross income and multiply it by 20%… THAT number. Yes that HUGE Number is what you should allocate to your food bill. It seems absolutely astronomical to spend that much money on food but really as we continuously bitch over the cost of whole food ingredients and organic vegetables and fruits… Is it really that expensive to continuously invest in yourself? I don’t believe so.

I am totally comfortable being a self-preservationist and investing in my well-being. I’m also completely okay about having no idea what happened in this past season of Dexter. Comcast can bite me I have food to buy…

Please be aware that I am in no way trying to solve the socio-economic constraints of poverty stricken areas. This is simple in reference to statistical averages and does not apply to everyone!

What Diet is Best?

What diet do you follow?  What do you think of this diet?  Is this diet healthy?  These are all common questions that we get at CPC, all of which are good legitimate questions.  Contained in what follows, I hope, are the answers to these questions, in my humbled opinion.  Since I've been somewhat labeled the "Food Guy" (just to put it out there, in writing, I'm not a chef) around here I figured I would speak on the topic after I got asked one of these very questions just the other day.  No, I'm not telling you who asked me the question so don't ask.

To start lets look at the definition(s) of Diet.

1.  the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.

2.  a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.

The definition that I like the most is #1.  A diet by all intents and purposes is boiled down to simply, the food that we eat.  There is no name attached to said diet, it's food, that you cook/prepare, and then consume, that's it.  In the "true" diet world there is no Paleo, Atkins, South Beach, Mediterranean, etc. With that being said, what I think your diet should consist of is a diverse group of wholesome, natural, unprocessed, and unrefined foods.  Know where your food comes from!  Buy locally if you can. Stick with organic and non-GMO when possible.  Cook at home, eat out less.  Stay away from gluten if you want or need to.  This is what your diet should reflect and consist of.  If you want to eat something then eat it! If you have a craving don't ignore it -odds are you actually need what you are craving.  More often than not our bodies are smarter than we are, or than we think it is.  Listen To It!  All your diet should be is you paying attention to, being conscious of, and being consistent with what you are eating.  

Diets in the socially accepted sense and definition are really only meant to be short term quick fixes for vain aesthetic hang-ups that we have about our bodies.  "I want to lose 15lbs" sure the South Beach Diet may work.  "I want to get rid of my muffin top" - yes, Atkins may be able to help that.  "I want six-pack abs" Paleo might be able to help you get them, but did cave men have six-packs?  I don't know, I would think not, even if they did you couldn't see it under all that hair.  Anyway, all these diets do is make you change your eating habits for a short time until you see the results that you want.  Once this happens odds are you forget about the "diet" and go back to your normal eating habits, and guess what you put weight back on, you sprout the muffin top again, you trade in the six-pack for a keg again, and in most cases it's even worse then when you went on the "diet" to begin with.  We were not meant to eat this way (yo-yo effect), and it's not healthy to eat this way either.  

Diets also restrict calories or whole food groups a lot of the time. "Carbs are the enemy". Well yes, refined sugars and crap like that is, but our body needs them (from good sources), they're a fuel source.  Ever try driving your car without gas?  It doesn't work very well. If you don't trust me then try it, just don't call me when you need a ride.  "Fats are so bad for you, they'll clog your arteries" true to some extent.  If we eat a diet high in fats and cholesterol we do increase our risks for heart disease, but we also need fat.  Our brains use fat for normal mental function. It's true look it up.  I can go on and on but you get the picture that I'm trying to paint, you need to eat everything. Our bodies need this stuff to work and function properly!

Another tip: We are all different, and what works for one person might not work for the next.  One way of eating isn't going to affect each person in the same way.  What you need to do is try things and see what works for you. Pay attention to what you are eating and how it makes you feel.  Half of the battle is just establishing a healthy relationship with your food, by that I mean, what you are eating, when, what combinations, how much, where, why you're eating (hungry, bored, craving) etc.  Trial and error it up, see what works. It's not going to happen over night so don't get discouraged - it's a process.  

That's pretty much my take on dieting. I could go on but I'm not a nutrition expert so don't hold me accountable for any dieting disasters. I'm just giving you some tips that I think are helpful and useful. Moral of the story eat GOOD food, stay away from the crap. If you have a big butt, so what, don't look to a diet to try to fix it. Embrace the butt (figuratively....or literally - your call) and be happy with who you are. Unless the butt is causing serious health issues then yes, get rid of it.  Stay away from the stereotypical diet trends and just work on your overall relationship with food.  

Any questions, comments, problems? Let me know. You know where to find me.  

Did you know? The truth about GMO...

Truth be told: avoid the GMO.

Recently, I've become aware that not everyone understands what a Genetically Modified Organism is or why it is receiving so much attention. The media does a very good job at making us believe that genetically modified foods are the solution to preventing famine for our future generations. They want us to think that these food-like substances are just as good as, if not better than, what nature produces. Genetically modifying a food is NOT the same as cross pollinating two tomato plants, making sure that we get the largest, most deep red color and delicious flavor. A GMO is a food produced in the laboratory - where gloves and facemasks are a necessity.

Right outside of our own front door, we've noticed a rather large weed growing up through the pavement, squeezing itself up through a crack in the parking lot. This weed has set itself up to become the perfect experiment to show everyone just what "GMO" means. For our experiment we decided to apply one "treatment" with RoundUp, the average weed-killer. Throughout the frames below you can easily see how quickly this plant completely dies off and turns to dust.

 

So what does this have to do with GMO's?

The manufactures of RoundUp also manufacture a GMO that they call a soybean - which happens to be resistant to RoundUp. This means that farmers can spray their entire soy field with RoundUP to kill the weeds but the soybeans continue to stand tall, unaffected.

Better yet, our RoundUp Resistant GMO soybeans have "friends" such as corn, canola, cotton, sugar beets and alfalfa. These RR crops are almost impossible to regulate because after an extended period of time, the weeds and insects become so genetically altered themselves that they are no longer affected by this particular RoundUp concoction. Instead, we are left with the creation of superweeds and super-insects, and the GMO seed must be changed.

So, the question exists - if people in laboratories are wearing gloves and masks to create RR crops that don't die off when this potent chemical is applied, then why in the world do we think that our bodies can ingest and digest these food like substances without consequence?

The CPC rule of thumb is: if it's made from a plant -eat it. If it's made in a plant - you can't!

One thing's for sure, CPC does not want to be part of this experiment. Knowledge is Power, ensure you are buying NON-GMO foods in order to keep yourself safe.

Sully