Mission Over Margin

This year was a challenging year as an operator. CPC went through many changes, a lot of growth, increased expectations and we certainly had our challenges. In no way, shape or form am I complaining about the last twelve months, but rather I am happy to reflect upon how much I learned. Every day. I think that way we handle or react to any situation is all about perception. If enter into something (situation, task, job or challenge) with a negative outlook then it will, in fact, turn out negative because it’s all you will see. If you enter it with the willingness to make it awesome and learn – you’ll do just that and win! I will not for a single second pretend that every time I conduct a session, program, meeting or phone call I am bringing a smile and the very best I could, I am human after all. I don’t LOOK for the negative, but there are times I get dragged down. However, I do think about what I can do to excel and be better the next time around. 

I carried that perspective with me this fall which was a wild ride! To say that a lot went on is a hell of an understatement. For those that are unfamiliar, we have built an amazing relationship with Western New England University over the last few years. We began handling the Strength & Conditioning for all nineteen Varsity athletic programs in the fall of 2014. The signing of this contract tripled the number of subscribers/athletes we were responsible for programming overnight. An undertaking of this magnitude was something all of us were incredibly excited about and learned a LOT from both scientifically and logistically over the last sixteen months.

The success of this relationship brought about the launch of a subsidiary brand under the CPC umbrella: CPC-EDGE. Last year marked the start of operating two businesses and the onboarding of more talent to make our dream a reality. But with the departure of our Director of Strength & Conditioning this summer, we were in a scramble and needed to make some adjustments. The subscribers that coach with us were unbelievably accommodating. The CPC staff never blinked an eye and took on whatever they were asked to do to keep this engine running. The fall of 2015 was the busiest I have ever been in my life and it was fantastic! From August 16 through December 12 I approached each day as if it were a game. I could get beat or I could make adjustments from what I learned to make it great and to win but never did I think about not stepping up. I only had three days off in those seventeen weeks and coached about 10,000 people but it was an awesome experience! I'm living the dream I had in college and would not dare to complain now that I’m doing it - so what's not to love!? 

So why did I name this blog Mission over Margin? Five years ago, CPC started from an idea in my brain into the business that it is. It started because I always believed that you could do it (make a living it fitness) with integrity and have people make informed choices and not spend money because they have to. At CPC no one is forced into a contract. You don't have to stay with a particular coach or come at certain days and times. It's all about what you want. Your coach should never hoard information from you but rather spend your session educating you and making YOU better. I believed you could have a group of professionals that work together every day to make each other better through support, training, encouragement and respect. Succeeding together and never back stabbing and under cutting one another. By creating this, the institution itself would foster an environment of learning and betterment and attract only those that are career oriented professionals in the field with a desire to be better. Complacency has no place in our sessions, our attitude or our programming. To maintain all of this as a startup has been HARD. This has been tough to manage, tough to budget and tough to stay on course. But we did. We stayed true to our mission no matter how hard the day, week, month or quarter - we accepted the challenges, rose above them and created solutions. I am proud to say that at no point have we made a single decision that compromised the integrity of our mission and NEVER in order to make a buck. Profits are important but the certainly aren’t everything.

As an example I, have been asked many times over the years what our Holidays card process is like? Is it expensive, time consuming or necessary? Do we really have to fill out each one or can we digitally sign a message and send them out? WHY? That’s not why they were started. In 2006 I started sending all my clients a holiday thank you card. Sending a hand written message and a thank you to allow you to know that your choice to work with me as your coach is appreciated and I am genuinely thankful for that. There IS a lot of time that goes into the creation of that card. Printing, mailing, addressing, etc. but it’s who we are because it’s not about checking off a box on my list of shit to do. It’s about taking a few moments to allow each person to know they impacted me this year. To let them know that this is a career for me and I love what I do. I take no client, no session and no day for granted and the moment you do you’re going to look around you and be alone. That’s why the Holiday card process is as much on an undertaking as it is and no matter how big we get it will remain that same, true to our mission.

We bring the best product we know how to our subscribers and allow them to make an informed decision to come back, refer a friend or add more to their plate. In five years we built a brand. CPC is its own "thing". Those that subscribe and have experienced CPC know what I mean. Those that follow us on social know what I mean. Those that hate on us know what I mean. We are a major player in the fitness world because we chose Mission over Margin. It's our fucking mission statement. 

-- GS

A Look Ahead

I know it’s hard to grasp because it doesn’t seem to have been a year, but 2015 is now behind us.  It went quick, yes, but I’m not here to reflect on the last 52 weeks but rather look forward to the upcoming 365 days.  

It’s hard to think too that the next 8,760 hours brings us into the 5th anniversary of CPC being in operation.  Having been here since the beginning, I can whole heartedly say that it’s been an adventure, honor, a privilege, a rollercoaster, a struggle, a rewarding experience and among many other things it has been an evolution.  We’ve taken this place from four people in a battered busted up building to what you have all come to know and love, now with a staff of 11+.  The evolution continues into another 525,600 minutes (give or take).  Let me shed some light into where we plan to go in 2016!  Curious?  Take the next 31,536,000 seconds to see for yourself.  

Staff
As with any business, our staff is constantly growing, changing, adapting, and evolving.  The start of next year will see the absence of 4 of our team members, all of which will be working towards and pursuing the completion of their higher educational journey.  With any luck, CPC will be fortunate enough to get most of them back in the summer.  Good luck and best wishes to the 4 of you, I know you will all do great.  
With the absence of some may come the addition of others.  As we move forward, there will be a need for help, some at 18 Maple Ct but also some behind the scenes that most of you don’t come in contact with.  At any rate, if you see new faces, please welcome them and make them feel at home just like you have with the other additions to our team.

Classes/Schedule
As you all know by now, our class content is always changing and evolving, this is due to a few things.
1. We don’t want you to get bored with it
2. We don’t want to get bored with it
3. It makes sense! To keep you progressing, moving forward, and evolving with your fitness goals, we need to vary the content of what we offer.  Our “classes” are more of a program and with every program, you need some change, variety, and progressions to get better and see results.  

Be ready for some fun, exciting, and new changes to the schedule for 2016!

Programming
In addition to our regular class schedule, CPC will be adding various “Programs” to the schedule for the year.  What’s the between a program and the regular schedule you say?  Let me tell you.  Programs will be specific, separate, and specialized classes that will work with a specific group or towards a specific goal for a specified period.  For example, in the past we have run out EAT program, Endurance Athlete Training program, which is geared towards endurance athletes on their off-season, it incorporates certain classes at certain times on certain days for a certain number of weeks.  We also have a Ski program running and will have a TRX Camps program coming up as well as many other over the next year.  Stay tuned.

Outings
You’ve gotten a taste of the CPC Subscriber Outings already with our kick ass visit to The Adventure Park in Storrs, but get ready for more!  First off in the new year, we have indoor rock climbing at Central Rock Gym in Hadley. Hopefully, you’ll be able to join us….if not, fear not!  Over the winter we may have a snow-shoe excursion coming your way, some rafting once the weather allows, zip-lining, who knows?  Keep an eye and an ear out for whats coming up every couple months.

Sarah Kelly
Adding yet another tool to her repertoire, SK recently completed the (lengthy) required course work to become an IRONMAN Certified Coach.  A big congrats to SK for all the time and hard work she put into it!  
What that means for you!  Well, you now have a certified professional and accomplished triathlete/IRONMAN (IRONWOMAN) to help you with your triathlon goals.  Much more information to come so keep in touch, but any initial questions, please see or contact Sarah.  

EDGE
Western New England University continues to be the focus of the CPC/EDGE programming and has seen much success since our relationship started.  As with everything this relationship continues to grow and evolve hopefully bringing with it many successes for the WNEU Athletics program.
EDGE also continues it’s relationship with American International College and working with some of their athletic teams.
Keep an eye out for EDGE making its presence know in other area sports team and athletic programs.  
2016 is going to be jam packed!  We have a lot coming your way, and we know that you will love it!  Constantly evolving is what keeps us ahead of the game and bringing you the best in the area!  Some have doubted our methodology, but you know what?  You all have stuck with us, reaped the benefits, believed in us and for that we are truly grateful!  To everyone else - It works, so screw you!  Here’s to a kick-ass 2016 done the CPC way!

-- MS

How Do You Top An Incredible Year? You Don't.

How do you follow up a year like 2014? A year in which I lost a job but got an even better one. Qualified for the IRONMAN World Championships, trained for and completed my first IRONMAN at the World Championships in Kailua-Kona. A year that gave me the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. You don't try. You just do. I can say that on paper 2015 may look a little anticlimactic in comparison, but it feels just as rewarding.

My goal for the year was professional growth. While I wasn't the newest addition to the CPC Team, I felt like I had to earn my keep. I took on whatever projects that were given to me. Some worked. Some didn't. Some just need more time to develop. I taught classes. For awhile there it seemed as if my name was on the schedule every other class, which is a lot when the expectation is to bring originality and enthusiasm to each. Every new person to walk through the door looking for personal training became my client. A handful have moved on for various reasons and in some way, I can't help but think I didn't do my job well enough to make them stay. However, the majority have stuck with me and achieved a significant amount of success within the last 12 months. 

Establishing myself in the walls of 18 Maple Court wasn't necessarily hard, but it took time. I learned very quickly that the lifestyle I once had before joining the Team at CPC was never going to be the same. As a collegiate coach, I made my schedule. I practiced when I wanted. I established my recruiting calendars. I worked out when it was convenient for me. I worked on an academic calendar and looked forward to Fall Recess, Winter Break, Spring Break, and, of course, SUMMER! I can probably count the number of days that I took off this year or wasn't planning and programming on two hands. The hours in which I once had to train was now being used to train others. The luxury I had to once walk lazily my dog in the morning was replaced with a 30 minute power walk thinking about how much time it would take me to navigate the 5 fire hydrants, 2 nasty dogs on the corner, the park with all of the squirrels, and one semi-well behaved Lab to be back in time for my next client. 

I've quickly learned that time in this profession is money. It is either directly billable or an investment that you make on yourself for later. One of the many things that I love the most about working at CPC is the expectation always to be better and to learn more. Mediocrity has no place inside the literal and expanding figurative walls that make up CPC. Education is paramount. I attended a Functional Movement System (FMS) course in Boston with Mike. I took the newly released TRX Functional Training Course. As a team, we attended the TRX Trainer Summit in Baltimore. And if on top of taking over group programming and a steady client load I decided it was time to pursue a certification to be a recognized Triathlon Coach. In August, I pre-registered for the online IRONMAN Coaching Certification. On September 9, I logged into the program for the first time and started the 90 day clock to completion. It was an intensive 11 module (think chapters) course that required more attention and detail than anything that I have done since college. I was a student again. I would grab a few hours of free time during the week to work on each module but the majority of my weekends from September to Thanksgiving were spent in front of the computer learning, relearning, and enjoying all fifty-one hours spent preparing to take the online and written exams. Add in another three hours to take the online multiple choice exam and another thirteen hours spent painstakingly answering questions about athlete-centered program design. The investment upfront was well worth the time and financial commitment on my end. The weight that lifted when I learned I had passed was significant but short-lived. The wheels are always spinning and putting my certification into action is what 2016 is all about.

Personally, this year was not about training and racing. There was no way for me to follow up 2014 and establish myself in a new job. I did train, and I did compete, but only twice. I completed my first stand alone marathon in May at the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington. I needed to make sure that I could do one without having to swim and bike before hand. I also took on the Sea2Summit Triathlon. A self-supported 1.2 mile swim, 90-92 mile bike, and to close out a "run" to the top of Mount Washington via the Tuckerman's Ravine trail. It wasn't an IRONMAN, but the adventure and the challenge was there. The self-imposed pressure to perform was gone. Honestly, I was more concerned about getting lost and dying on the mountain. As always once the gun goes off the fears and concerns go away, and it's go-time. Every part of the day was perfect...except for a slight bottle exchange error on my part at mile 75. Sometimes when you're lucky enough to have an almost perfect day you have a perfect finish making it to the top as the first female. No, it wasn't Kona but summiting Mount Washington in just over two hours after having been in Maine that morning makes for a pretty amazing experience. 

So what has 2015 taught me? 
When you think there is not enough time to train - there is! 
At some point, I will have to cut back on my coffee consumption.
Rest & mental health days are important. Take more of them.
Modesty has no place in this business. Sell yourself. (I'm still working on this.)
Know what you're good at and capitalize on it. 
I love my job and feel lucky to be part of such an incredible team.
Life will never be what it once was, and that's okay. 

-- SK

Doctor Doctor

2015 has been a very exciting year. I have finished my didactic criteria towards earning my Doctorate in physical therapy. I am very fortunate to be in a position to achieve this degree and it is something I have worked very hard towards achieving. My path didn’t always involve getting my doctorate, and if you talked to 18-year-old Tim, who knew it all, I wouldn’t have gone about it the same way. Regardless, I am in a position I am very happy with, and that is possible because I always took the time to reflect on small life events and large life events. The end of the year is typically a time for reflection so let’s take a look at things that may require reflection.

How did you do? Yikes! That may be the definition of vague – but it is vague on purpose. This statement can apply to a lot of different scenarios. How did you do in that plank? Did you use the right muscles? What about that squat you performed on Monday – how did you do? How did you do as a family member? How did you do in taking responsibility for that mistake you made? Knowledge is power – if you know how you are supposed to move – make an assessment. How did you do?

Did you meet your goals? Goals can be established to address anything! Did you meet your goal of completing one muscle up? Did you hit a new PR for a lift or a run? Did you get something done professionally that you have been striving for? Setting goals are important because they keep you on track and remind you what is important to you.

Are you consistently doing something that helps you strive towards your goal? This item is extremely important because we often fall off track in regards to our goals. Very frequently life takes over and things we want to accomplish get put on the back burner and eventually forgotten. This is understandable and completely okay – but if you want to minimize the detriment experienced during those times and make strides towards your goal, do something. That something can be small but keep you on track and keep you thinking about it. 

Are you working on your weaknesses? This item can also apply to fitness and life. If you are strong and consistently work on your strength but never your mobility you increase the risk that you may get injured. Also, if you want to be well rounded physically but only work on your strength but never your cardiovascular endurance are you striving towards your goals? Are you exercising/eating/resting properly? All of those components are so important to keep your body healthy. 

Are you happy? Whoa – loaded question. I urge all of you never to put this item on the back burner. Are you happy with all of the reflections completed above? Are you happy with what you have achieved professionally? Physically? Are you working on elements that you currently aren’t as strong. People who focus on the mind – body – spirit triad that Springfield College has adopted and preaches tend to have great success in living a well-rounded life when done properly. Relaxation is a buzz word that jumps into my head. It is very easy to plug in and get what you need to done but can you rest and relax just as well? 

If any of these reflections yielded responses you weren't pleased with – IT’S OKAY! THAT’S LIFE. The important thing is what are YOU going to do to change that? I was not always on the road that I am now. I had to perform a lot of personal reflections and always alter my road and my path. It wasn’t always easy – but it was always necessary. Now I can honestly say each day I’m a little happier than the last and I’m going to be a DOCTOR! I’m accomplishing something I never dreamed possible. Ask yourself those tough questions this holiday season and let’s get after it in 2016. Everyone can achieve their goals if they put effort into it and grind. The best thing? We are all here to help you grind when you need a boost – that’s why we have this community. Everyone deserves to be the “doctor” of their life – and achieve what they want. Let’s get it and crush 2016!

-- TM

Maximizing Our Potential

Think about this - Can you maximize your potential to feel and look your best at the gym or fitness center where you are currently a member (if it's not CPC)?  How many of you workout at the same gym that your friends do?  Don't get me wrong, I'm no professional at comparing one gym to another. But I do know one thing, I wish I would have chosen a smaller, local gym right out of the gate fifteen years ago rather than a commercialized, "big box" gym now that I am a professional in the fitness, health, and wellness industry.  

Now, I want you to think about this - would you choose "local, organic and specialized" or "commercial and processed?" You would choose local, organic and specialized as you know, (and it has been proven) that it's better for you, wouldn't you?  Apply that to the gym/center that you carefully chose as your oasis to de-stress, #EarnYourBetter, and overall look and feel your best. 

Now that I've got your attention, I want to share my professional gains in the last four months with my "local, organic and specialized gym". I now call CPC home. A place where I've learned more in the last four months about the fitness and wellness industry, the science, and its opportunities (for me) than I have in the last fifteen years as a gym member and group fitness instructor. 

I, too, started out where you are, a client or subscriber - but unlike you, I chose the "big box gym".  Sure, it was perfect for me at the time because all I wanted was the group fitness classes. I never liked the machines. I hated running on the treadmill (never understood why people like running inside, staring at a TV when you can enjoy the outdoors and fresh air), and most of all, it really bothered me that half the people there all knew each other and spent 80% of their time kibitzing - that's exactly how NOT to maximize your potential at the gym!  The funny thing is, I found myself working at a big box gym ten years later as a group fitness instructor. Why? Because it was fun - period. Flash forward July 2015 where I met Geoff at GREATHORSE. Two weeks later I was a Fitness Instructor for CPC, August 21 I taught my first class, August 30 I went through my first TRX training, by September I was scheduling my second training for TRX and in October I joined the CPC team at the TRX Summit in Baltimore.  By November, I booked my Level 1 TPI Training in Orlando, FL for January 2016 and discussed my golf fitness program idea that we will launch in early 2016.  Oh, and also added a class to the CPC schedule specifically for teachers. Yep - all that in just four months. I wish I knew about my "local, organic,  and specialized" performance center sooner - it would have saved me a lot of gas money driving back and forth to teach classes at the big box gym.

Allow this to prove to you that you chose the right team of professionals to work with to help make you your best.  In a short four months, I'm on track to being my best professionally and bringing my ideas to life thanks to the willingness and support of my leader and team. CPC is about real connections, real people who are committed to real results for their team members and their subscribers. It's about maximizing our potential.  

-- Lana

From Player to Coach

My path into the world of strength and conditioning is a bit unconventional compared to most. My path is far from straight. I started as an athlete, went to school for business, became a coach and recently discovered a passion for strength and conditioning.  When I think about why, I cannot help but think of this quote by Muhammad Ali -- “The fight is won or lost far away from witness – behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.” 

For me, it is all about the process, not just the result. There’s no better feeling than working your ass off to get the result you want and being satisfied with your effort. How an athlete handles being pushed to his limits in a workout or practice will tell you a lot about a person’s character before they ever step onto a field. Athletes often forget how important the process is when trying to achieve their goals; to be successful, they need to have the drive to compete day in and day out. Not only during games but in the gym and during practice. As an athlete, I knew it was up to me to put in the work. As a coach, it is my job to make sure each athlete has the opportunity to be successful while pushing them to be their best. 

A strength and conditioning coach is all of that wrapped into one. A strength and conditioning coach plays a huge part in the process and path to success. Yes improving the physical capabilities of your athletes is enormous, but the real power comes from your ability as a coach to bring a team closer together while pushing them beyond limits they ever thought possible. It is awesome to watch an athlete or a team after a workout in which they gave you everything they had to get better. What could be more gratifying than watching student-athletes reach their goals and knowing you played a part. 
Being a former athlete and a coach, I know what it takes to be successful. I can use all of the tools I learned as an athlete and coach every day as I transition more and more into the world of strength and conditioning. The fact that you can push someone to be better and make a difference is someone’s life is very gratifying. It is why I am enjoying every moment as strength and conditioning coach and looking forward to what 2016 has in store. 

-- Wiltey

Juggling It All

“There may be people who have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you.” - Derek Jeter

He is right. I know there are people who are more talented at what they do than me, and maybe they work harder than I do. With that said, I will do everything in my power to catch them. There are no easy ways around excuses. We all have thoughts that run through our mind steering us toward the easy way out. When you think you’re too tired, too busy, not good enough, it is how you conquer those thoughts that define your path. Mentality and perspective are key components to overall well-being and balance as a whole. When I think about school, lacrosse, and building a career, the balance of it all is a blessing. It is also often frustrating because I can not give my full time to just one. But then, that truly wouldn’t be a representation of who I am.

Each one of these factors in my life is not “juggling it all.” It is about fitting what I love into one harmonized schedule and working harder every day. Each thing is not categorized into a specific slot; one is not a sport, one is not school, one is not work. They are all a piece of me. Things I genuinely love. I want to be the best student, defender, and fitness instructor I can be. I will not be any of those things if I do not put in extra efforts to get there. Life is all about the perspective you take. We could all complain we’re too busy, that’s easy. But what if you raise that bar higher? What if you realize what you’re doing is nothing compared to the person next you? That’s how I feel every day. I always look up to achieve what the people around me are. My parents, siblings, coworkers, teammates, peers - they set the bar not me. With a lot of admiration and competitiveness, it is that inner drive that allows us to juggle what we do but never allows us to settle. You need to go above just getting by; it’s the extra time you see people put in that get them ahead of the rest.

Let’s go even further than that. We are all where we are for a reason. If you want something, you need to invest yourself. You may fail a thousand times, but every progress and lesson learned is a step forward. Balancing all of these things are anything but easy. There is no excuse for any of those people to work harder than you. It is all about perspective. Who is it going to feel more rewarding to at the end of the day? Nothing worth having is ever handed to you. I have learned this both through experience and through watching others. So if you ask me, how do I juggle it all? Simple, I don’t. Your life is what you make it.

-- Amber 

What I've Learned Along The Way

A year and a half ago, I started at CPC working primarily at Western New England University. Within that year and a half, I have grown so much as a person, a coworker, and a coach. The biggest thing I have learned while working at CPC is to be myself and never to want to stop learning. 

When I first started I held myself back a lot and questioned myself, but as time went on that shit got old, and it was tiring not being yourself. When I let my true personality out, trusted myself and opened up with my coworkers and athletes, that's when the real coach inside me came out. I learned when you start to question yourself; others will start to question you too. When you come out of the gate with energy and passion, that's when your athletes know they can trust you. Who doesn't trust someone that isn't passionate about what they do right? So, the more confident I got in my coaching and myself my relationship with my athletes and coworkers grew to a bond that is going to be hard to let go of when I eave for my internship at Notre Dame. When I go there, though, I am going to bring a very large piece of CPC at all times. I'm going to go there and be myself and be the coach I know I can be. I'm never going to want to stop learning, and I'm going to be excited to be able to bring some stuff back to WNEU next fall. 

Don't worry, I promise I'm coming back because Geoff legitimately made me pinky promise! Overall, I might learn some new things there at the big ND, but truly what I've learned so far (just within a year and a half at CPC) I think I'm going to teach them a year or two also! Thank you to all my athletes, everyone at CPC, and Geoff for everything. I wouldn't be who I am or where I am today without you all! I will miss you.

-- Madi 

Soup is On!

Let’s be honest, the colder the weather gets the more I crave a bowl of soup. Not just any soup, but a soup that will fill me up and keep me warm throughout the day. When I get a craving for soup I typically empty out my fridge into a pot, throw in some pasta or rice and have a few crackers on the side. Those days are gone and let me tell you why.

In previous blogs, from my Kona or Bust series, I wrote a lot about working with my Health Coach, Krystal Say, and the food combining rules she was asking me to follow. If you didn’t get a chance to read about it I’ll give you a quick refresher. Carbs and proteins should not mix. Each are digested differently and when sitting in your stomach together you’re left feeling overly full and bloated. To give you a point of reference, think about how you felt post Thanksgiving dinner and everything thing you consumed. There you have it; food combining at it’s finest. There are exceptions to the rules and not all carbs are created the same but in an attempt to continue treating my body well and encourage continued recovery from Kona I’m sticking with it. Hence, the days of chicken noodle soup, homemade turkey & rice after Thanksgiving, and beef & bean chili for Sunday Football are gone.

If you can believe me I really don’t miss the recipes I grew up with. I see the world of food differently now. I have to resourcefully tweak recipes to eat the way I want to eat. In my search for a hearty and filling chicken soup I pulled out a cookbook I received for Christmas several years ago, New England Soup Factory Cookbook by Marjorie Druker and Clara Silverstein. I sorted through a delicious plethora of recipes and settled on one, Caribbean Chicken Soup with Coconut.

Why? Simple I like chicken and I like coconut. Ginger is an anti-inflammatory and aids in digestion, so why not. The recipe calls for lots of vegetables and room to be creative.

I made a few adjustments along the way and was rewarded for all 30 minutes of my hard work. Seriously, once I started chopping and dropping veg, broth, and chicken into the pot I was surprised at how quickly it came together. You’ll notice I put a few ingredients in bold. These are the items I tweaked. I also took the liberty of adding a few items just to give it an added nutritional kick.

• I used olive oil instead of canola. You could also use coconut oil.
• Instead of celery I got adventurous and tried celery root. I’m glad I did.
• The red bell pepper didn’t make it into my shopping cart, despite being on my list so I left it out.
• I added turnip for extra bulk. Yes, I know.  Food combining. If I’m going to food combine I’d rather it be with starchy vegetables and protein rather than grains.
• The homemade chicken stock was very quickly, and easily, replace with packaged organic chicken stock. I mean really; who has the time to make homemade chicken stock?
• I also subbed out the cilantro for several big handfuls of baby spinach. Greens are good and I always need to get more into my diet. 
• Topping the soup with half an avocado gives it an additional "filling" element.
• The biggest piece of advice I can give about this recipe is that it serves a small army! If you don’t have a small army kicking around the house half the recipe and you’ll still be able to feed the whole family.

I hope you enjoy the soup as much as I did. Please let me know any of your own tweaks. I’d love to hear them.

SK

Caribbean Chicken Soup with Coconut

Serves 10-12

3 Tbps canola oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbps peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced

2 ribs celery, diced

4 carrots, peeled and diced

1 large red bell pepper

2 cups chopped cooked chicken meat

1 ½ cups whole corn kernels

1 cup shredded coconut

12 cups homemade chicken stock

Juice & zest of 3 limes

1 can (14 ½ oz coconut milk)

2 teaspoons ground coriander

½ tsp allspice

8 dashes hot sauce

1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro

Kosher salt & pepper to taste

In a stockpot over medium-high heat add the oil, garlic, ginger, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and red pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, corn, coconut, and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the lime juice and zest, coconut milk, coriander, allspice, hot sauce, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Taken from New England Soup Factory Cookbook by Marjorie Druker & Clara Silverstein

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

When you rush through it, it sucks.

I am a person that wakes up on a mission. I make lists and I like to get that list done before the day expires. If I don't complete that list I'm pissed. I evaluate what could I have done differently. Where was I off in my projection? Where did I made extra steps and become less efficient? Another question I regularly ask myself: when does efficiency make you suck?

I look at my productivity to find ways I could be faster, more efficient and crisp. I like the way I do things, but I certainly don't do anything perfectly. Quite frankly, I have never expected too - it doesn't exist. I understand that when doing a task you should do it with integrity, passion, and pride. Making sure that you devote yourself to IT; no matter what IT is. It leaves you with a sense of pride to say I did THAT. 

When I cut grass at the golf course, I wanted the greens to roll crisp and true. When I commercially cleaned carpets, I never left a job site with a spot on that floor. When I made sandwiches at the deli, every piece of lettuce was hand selected and certainly never just tossed on the roll and thrown in a paper. In all the jobs I've had (yes there are a lot more,) I have found it less "work" when I poured in that level of pride and walked away knowing that my job was an extension of what I had to give. 

Lately, I have found myself increasingly irritated with the lack of integrity placed into things by people. From a prepared coffee to a sandwich. The greeter at the storefront to the front desk attendant at a hotel. Waitress to electrician. Comcast Rep to the trash guy. I really don't get it. You're gainfully employed and earning a living. More importantly YOU filled out the application! It's not my fault you're tired or stressed. Or that you're hungry or hung-over. It's your job. Do it well, do it with integrity, and stop making it suck for everyone around you. I have never understood rushing through something to be left with doing nothing. Anyone? 

Rushing through life hoping that by chance at the end of tomorrow it's going to be different. Guess what? It's not! It's what you do right now that writes the script and allows you to find happiness. Oh yeah, It's not anyone else's fault, issue, problem or concern either. It's YOUR issue - OWN IT. That life you are unhappy with, complain about, and rush through everyday like you're going to escape it - you are the one making it suck. Slow down, face it head own, and devote your entire self to it, whatever it is. Trust me, do that and you will find joy in everyday you are given.

~Sully

Not enough time in the day to workout?

Not enough time in the day to workout?

You hear it all the time, "I don't have time for that; I have kids, work, school, etc." You're right, not everyone has time for an hour workout when it takes 10 minutes to get to and from the gym. Add in eating before, changing clothes, traffic; sometimes we're looking at a two hour ordeal to get in that workout that you sometimes don't really even want to do.

First - if you don't have time to go to the gym and truly don't, nobody wants to hear you bitch about it. Do something around the house - garden, clean, go out for a walk with the kids or just a brisk walk by yourself. That's a "functional" workout for you; it doesn't always have to be weights and running. I'd rather see you post a picture of yourself raking the yard as opposed to a picture of you squatting an insignificant amount of weight, with terrible form, while having a stupid duck face. But I'll leave that topic for another day.

Second - back to doing something you don't want to do. Why? I don't like to run, so I don't. Ever. Forcing yourself to the gym to do something you hate to do will make it seem like you have even less time than you really do. Funny how you find time to watch "Game of Thrones", check Facebook or find time to complain about not having time. Do something you actually want to do like hiking, biking, swimming, golf, tennis or anything active that's enjoyable. You'll find time for that.

Third and last - you don't always have to work out for an hour. Do a half hour blast, split your runs up, quick ride on the bike, mobility/Trigger Point session - anything is more effective than sitting on your ass especially if that's what you have to do for your day job. 

Move more, get out, and stay active.

CW

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

Activity Avoidance - Deadlifts Don't Bite

Most of the active community work towards their goal of being healthy. A healthy lifestyle 
encompasses many different domains, including exercise. The exercise domain can be broken down into resistance exercises, cardio, agility training, and many more. Without even knowing it, you subconsciously sabotage yourselves on your way towards being a well rounded person by avoiding specific exercises. 

“I HATE RUNNING!”

A statement I have heard so many times. Your body is a master at coping and will prefer the type of exercise that you are good at and your body is built for. In most cases, that exercise type or even specific exercise that you DESPISE, is the one that you need to do the most!

Early in my training career I would avoid deadlifts, sometimes on purpose and sometimes 
subconsciously. This effected the benefits I received from the exercise. A year prior, I had 
sustained an injury that, unbeknownst to me, would limit my hamstring strength on that leg. OF COURSE I liked to squat more, I was better at it! It was easier for me. My body knew that and directed me accordingly. This mechanism is the same way that people get hurt every day, through compensations and avoidance of at risk areas. 

This is an easy fix! Hold yourself accountable for your own health. Have someone asses your workout routine or have them develop a program for you altogether. Put the responsibility into the right hands to make sure that you give your body everything it deserves!

Switch it up

Why do subscribers spend their hard earned money on one on one sessions, classes, and bootcamps? To get results, correct? So why outside of "CPC workouts" aren't you putting forth the effort you do when you're in front of a coach? The results that could be achieved by doing your part (exercising efficiently and eating healthy) are so much more reachable if you just stay on top of your game when not at CPC. We've told you all along that if you need a program to follow outside of your CPC workouts just ask! We'll make you a program and set you up with someone to help with the nutrition side too. It's what we do, so stop making excuses!

Take a bootcamp, TRX class, boxing, swimming, go out to a park, go hiking, even walk - it's better than sitting on your ass. Anything new will re-energize you and get you closer to your goal.The weather is no longer a problem, so get out there and try something new!

- CW 

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