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What is Holistic Nutrition?

Holistic nutrition is one of the fundamentals of living a holistic lifestyle and is a natural way to approach diet and nutrition. Evidence-based studies are used to improve health with proper nutrition.

As a holistic nutritionist, I will look at your medical history, lifestyle habits and emotional health and factor these aspects into your specific diet plan. My goal is to educate and empower you towards better all-round health through the benefits of healthy nutrition.

What ‘Holistic Nutritious’ Foods Do You Eat?

Holistic nutrition helps the body function at its best by feeding it with ‘SOUL’ foods. The acronym ‘SOUL’ stands for Seasonal, Organic, Unprocessed and Local. Therefore, if you want to adhere to holistic nutrition, and reap its endless benefits, you can expect to be eating more whole, unprocessed, organic and locally sourced foods.

The reason there is an importance on eating whole and organic foods is because they are heftier in terms of nutritional content, and they are less likely to (or ideally shouldn’t) contain any chemicals and/or preservatives.

This is one of the reasons why sourcing local is an important part of holistic nutrition. You can personally ask the growers or sellers if the purchased goods, such as fruits and vegetables, have come fresh off the farm, and if they have been grown organically.

If they have been grown organically, it means there haven’t been any health-inhibiting chemicals applied at any time.

Whole, Unprocessed Foods

The nutrients obtained from eating whole and unprocessed foods helps ensure the optimal processing of vital body functions. Holistic nutrition puts greater emphasis on the consumption of foods that are excellent sources of the macronutrients which include fats, protein and carbohydrates.

Foods rich in micronutrients are also an important part of holistic nutrition. These micronutrients play a crucial role in the body’s ability to produce and synthesize proteins, enzymes and hormones.

Holistic Nutrition for People with Illness

In relation to health issues, concerns or medical problems, I can sometimes also consult with your medical doctor, as well as my own Medical Advisory Board. Your own medical doctor or professional can help provide better insights about your health history for me. We then work together to get an understanding of the biochemical imbalances that might be contributing to the illness. Together, we can prevent the illness from progressing or from other illnesses arising in the future.

By being provided with a patient’s medical records, I can provide diet recommendations using evidence-based science and sound holistic nutritional principles.

The Role of a Holistic Nutritionist

Holistic nutritionists are committed to adhering to the highest standards of accountability and integrity. By understanding the role of a holistic nutritionist, people can understand what to expect if they follow our principles.

Holistic nutrition is not only about engaging in treating disease or illness, and we do not make unproven health claims or use techniques that are unproven.

The focus is on utilizing nutrition to make the mind and body stronger, more vital, and more resistant to illness and disease. This allows you to overcome any existing conditions and symptoms and buffers you against future health problems.

As your nutritionist, I advise and teach you to consume fresh, natural foods for optimal health through nutrition. There is always an emphasis on educating you, the patient, on the role of better nutrition and the modification of certain lifestyle habits that inhibit optimum health. Your nutrition plan is then based on the particular needs of YOU. and not based on other methods.

***Beaux Dyson is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP), Cert. Holistic Nutritionist and Certified CrossFit Trainer, L3 in Wylie Texas. Click HERE to schedule a consultation with Beaux at No Charge.

Why Eat Whole Foods, Coach?

Listen Up!

For optimal functioning, your human body needs fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and plenty of water to transport them. These are the main sources of energy that fuel the cells so that all the body’s functions are performed. Unfortunately, most food is now being processed and has undergone many modifications. This is done because of flavoring preferences or for ease in preparation.

Processing is also done to ensure the food retains its flavor or freshness, as many foods remain on store shelves for long periods of time. These processes usually entail the use of preservatives and other chemicals that can be harmful to our health.

This is why adherence to a whole foods diet is highly recommended. With numerous advocates and programs implemented for healthy living, you often hear about the consumption of whole foods around CrossFit Alanis.

Whole foods are not genetically modified or chemically altered. When we talk about whole foods, it means that fruits and vegetables are grown with minimal chemical intervention. Ideally, you can consume organically-grown produce.

Meat obtained from free-range or pasture-raised animals also belong to the whole foods category. If meat is sourced from factory-farmed animals, there is a greater likelihood that they were fed with hormones, antibiotics, and other chemical additives. Feedlot-raised animals are fed a high-grain diet, and this is almost always obtained from non-organic sources and is quite often GMO grain.

If you choose to pursue a whole foods diet, it means eating foods in their most natural state. They are prepared and cooked without the use of additives and other artificial flavor-enhancing agents. Here are a few of the benefits if you follow this diet.

Your Body Will Obtain More Nutrients

When you eat whole foods, your body will have more access to unaltered vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional content. When you do, your body will obtain the most amount of nutrients from the food eaten. For example, if you compare fresh juice sourced from organic oranges to one from a bottle with hard-to-pronounce ingredients on the label, the first option will more likely give you a higher dose of Vitamin C in the form most needed and easily assimilated by your body.

You Minimize Your Deadly Risks Associated With Processed Foods

Eating whole foods will minimize your body’s risk of being exposed to the dangers associated with ingesting preservatives and additives. A common example of preservatives is nitrate. This is often used in meat products to prevent bacterial growth. However, according to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, excessive intake of this preservative can lead to increased risks of cancer. Nitrates are commonly found in bacon, ham, sausage and hot dogs.

You Will Find It MUCH Easier To Manage Your Weight

If you are watching your weight or trying to lose weight, whole food consumption is the best way to go. Processed foods that are high in calories and low in fiber are known to contribute to weight gain and obesity. This is partly due to the fact that foods that have no fiber are less likely to make you feel full and sated. In turn, you increase your tendency to eat more than you need to.

You Will Spend Less When You Adhere To A Whole Foods Diet

Although processed foods reduce the hassle of preparation because they can be eaten in an instant, the preservatives and other chemicals added add to the higher production costs. These costs will then be shouldered by you, the buyer.

Wouldn’t it be better to just buy an apple and eat it raw than fall in line at your favorite smoothie shop for a sugar-laden apple-flavored drink? With processed foods, you are also paying for the packaging that your body does not even consume.

At least with whole foods, you are only buying what you eat, which includes all the nutrients and benefits to your health, so it’s worth every cent spent. Whole foods won’t subject you to side effects and health problems commonly linked to processed foods. In other words, fewer visits to the doctor and less money spent on medicines.

You Will Have Reduced Risk Of Diseases

Whole foods not only give you vitamins and minerals. They also provide your body with much-needed phytochemicals. Phytochemicals can be found in a wide variety of fruits, plants, and grains. Ingesting foods that contain phytochemicals lessens your risk of contracting cardiovascular disease. It also protects your body from the risks of cancer and type-2 diabetes. Bright colored fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of phytochemicals.

You Will Be Spared From The Dangers Of Sugar

One great advantage of being on a whole foods diet is that you will spare yourself from the dangers of excessive sugar intake.You will be eating more fruits and vegetables that contain natural sugar, and their fiber content helps offset the adverse effects of sugar. Processed foods are often devoid of fiber and taste sweet due to the added sugars, so it is easy to overeat these products. Regularly ingesting processed, sugar-laden foods is when health problems can start.

Generally, maintaining a whole food diet can prevent diseases and promote overall well-being. If you aim to make positive changes to your diet, a simple and healthy way is to start with eating whole foods.

~ Want to sit down and take a look at your current eating situation together with Coach? Go to https://CrossFitAlanis.com to book your free No-Sweat Intro consultation, now!

Coach’s Seven Elements of Holistic Fitness

Achieving overall health and fitness does not start and stop at eating a healthy diet and engaging in regular exercise. Physical health is just one element out of seven elements of holistic fitness.

Better health can be achieved, and diseases prevented if all seven elements of holistic fitness are addressed. The seven elements are:

Emotional Fitness
Physical Fitness
Spiritual Fitness
Occupational Fitness
Social Fitness
Environmental Fitness
Intellectual Fitness.

Emotional Fitness

If you can feel happy and smile at the day, rather than wallow in negativity, it will absolutely reduce your stress and allow you to feel more positive. You will be better able to deal with your emotions, and the people and events that trigger them. Instead of overloading yourself with tasks, seek balance by setting time aside for yourself. When you can do this, it will allow you to stop feeling overwhelmed with life and improve your emotional fitness.

Physical Fitness

Physical fitness can be achieved by adhering to the basic requirements of physical health, such as exercising regularly and eating a healthy, nutritious diet. It is also imperative to have quality sleep every night and make absolutely sure you drink plenty of water too!

Spiritual fitness

Spiritual fitness goes deeper than your religious beliefs. It also includes your values in life. For example, a big part of achieving spiritual fitness can be found in practicing gratitude. Being grateful allows you to become more positive in life and to look at life differently.

There’s the ancient saying, “I complained because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.” Acknowledge where you can be grateful for what you have in life. This greatly reduces your risk of developing depression and feelings of worthlessness.

Occupational fitness

The majority of the population worldwide are workers. That doesn’t only mean employees, or those that engage in physical labor. Business owners and anyone in the managerial chain is still a worker. Most of us will have to work in our lifetime. What’s important for your occupational fitness is that you evaluate whether the work you do makes you miserable or happy.

Don’t waste too much time in a career that can cause your health to suffer. Yes, this can be difficult if you think you don’t have a choice. However, you need to make changes if you want change. If your job causes you stress and anxiety, then only you can do something about it. Waiting for someone else to make changes is disempowering, and usually glacially slow.

Social Fitness

To better understand yourself and your social needs, first identify your own needs and values. Knowing ‘your self’ is paramount in your ability to set your own boundaries. This will help you to establish positive relationships with only the people you want in your life. It will help you connect with like-minded individuals, which are those people who share the same values as you.

Surround yourself with positive people and keep in contact with your family. However, let go of toxic people that make your life miserable, even if they are family members. Negative or vindictive people can easily drain your energy and emotional fitness, while contributing to your anxiety and stress.

Getting involved in the community where you live is another way you can boost your social fitness. You may not be a ‘people person’, so this may not be something you would like to do. However, if it is, it will help develop your sense of social consciousness as you become more in touch with the needs of your society and the people living around you.

Environmental Fitness

Our environment has a huge impact on our overall health. We can’t be healthy if we live in an unhealthy environment. Just look at fish in a dirty pond, our fate is the same. Therefore, live in a place that not only promotes your own health, but make sure your own personal environment is healthy too. You can start by maintaining cleanliness in your own home and by removing harmful substances. Even if you feel that some things are beyond your control, take charge of the areas where you can influence the outcome.

Intellectual Fitness

When we stop learning, we stop living. Make it a point to keep learning new skills! Read books, play music, learn a language, or two or three, just don’t stop. If you keep learning, you are not only becoming more educated by the day, but you are also opening your mind to more opportunities and possibilities. You’ll continue expanding your knowledge and values in life. You’ll be exploring a world full of wonder if you allow yourself to.

There are so many things you can do to improve your intellectual fitness. If you don’t like reading or playing music, don’t let that stop you. Play intellectually stimulating games that sharpen your brain and/or play against other people and sharpen your wit.

As you can see you can make many changes in your life to develop complete holistic fitness. It all starts with you. Why not start working on one element or all seven elements today, right now? It’s your decision.

Want to sit down with Coach Beaux Dyson for a 30 minute Free Consultation? Go to CrossFitAlanis.com to schedule right away!

What’s the Big Deal With Sleep?

There is plenty of scientific evidence which proves the health benefits of getting quality sleep. Sleeping for at least 8 hours( the more, the better) can improve your health considerably.

Alternatively, chronic sleep deprivation is problematic as it increases the risk of disease, obesity and many other serious illnesses, which is why it is crucial to get high–quality sleep every night.

Unfortunately, sleep remains under-appreciated by many people, as they continue to steal their sleep time for ‘catch-up’ work or playtime. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the increase of Alzheimer’s and other mental health issues are on the rise.

Sleeping Cleans Your Mind

A good nights sleep can greatly help our brain restore and consolidate memories. Think of your brain as a computer. A computer needs defragging when it gets clogged to help put all the files back into place. Your brain is similar! Scientists have discovered that it is only when a person sleeps that the brain activates its nocturnal cleaning services. Therefore, the brain undergoes its detoxification process during sleep.

The Brain’s Cleaning System

A group of researchers discovered that the brain’s glymphatic system is highly active during sleep. The glymphatic system basically cleans out the trash, toxins, and waste, which can be the primary culprit, not just for Alzheimer’s, but for many other neurological problems. Researchers have also revealed that during sleep the brain removes much of the beta-amyloid protein, that when left to accumulate can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.

Brain Cells Shrink During Sleep

Another interesting fact is that brain cells shrink up to 60% during sleep. This shrinkage allows easier cleaning in and around the spaces of the brain’s cells. This means more cerebrospinal fluid can enter the brain, enabling faster and efficient toxin flushing. The cerebrospinal fluids pass through the gaps in between the neurons, then flow through the bloodstream and into the liver for detoxification. This process gets rid of the toxins and wastes for good.

During sleep, there are certain parts of the brain that are more active than any other periods within the 24-hour cycle. This is because there are other functions that need to be carried out during sleep besides cleaning, and some of these include the following:

Sleep for Brain Health

Sleeping greatly dictates what and how much information we either remember or forget. Through sleep, the brain will be able to enhance and/or preserve certain parts of our memory. Research reveals that the memories that have the greatest emotional value will be enhanced through sleep, while those memories with lesser value will be downgraded.

People also need to have at least 7-8 hours of sleep so their brains will be able to carry out automatic processes of the body, such as hormone manufacture and secretion, in an optimal manner.

Sleep for Bone Health

Better bone health requires quality sleep. Yes, diet and exercise play a part, but sleep is a necessary requirement. Sleep is necessary for the production of healthy bone marrow, which contains stem cells that form healthy blood cells. This complex process cannot be performed without sleep. So if you want to have healthy bone marrow, make sure you get plenty of shut-eye.

Sleep for Hormone Health

Our body is full of hormones, all of which do different, essential things. We have our stress hormones, such as cortisol, adrenaline hormones, our sexual hormones, thyroid hormones and more. All these essential hormones are affected by sleep or a lack thereof. If our hormones are out of balance, so too is our health, either mentally or physically. Therefore, getting the right amount of sleep will help rebalance your hormones and your health.

Sleep for Heart and Liver Health

Again, sleep is important for two more major parts of our body, the heart, and the liver. The health of these major organs is essential to our total well being, so it makes sense to start caring for them by getting quality sleep.

Although sleep appears to be an easy task for the body to perform, it is actually a complex process. It is definitely more than just a period of quiescence for the mind and body.

If you want a healthy mind and body, you need to care for it the best and easiest way possible, and that is to sleep! It doesn’t require you to measure food portions or count carbs or calories, or whatever your preference for maintaining a healthy weight may be, or running around the park, or pushing weights at the gym. It simply means making the time to sleep, and sleeping for an adequate period of time.

Beaux Dyson, CFL3, HHP
CFL3 CrossFit Coach, Master Nutritionist, Holistic Health Practitioner, Father & Husband — Wylie, TX.

5 Benefits Of Appreciating Yourself

Most of us know what it’s like to appreciate other people, and most of us hope that others appreciate us. But how many of us strive to appreciate ourselves?

For you today, I have five benefits of appreciating yourself, as well as ways that you can try to appreciate yourself a little more to get to those results.

Holding Yourself To A Higher Standard

When we don’t appreciate ourselves, we tend to set the bar pretty low. Meeting our expectations becomes less impressive, but more acceptable. If we learn to appreciate ourselves, we are likely to expect a bit more from ourselves. This kind of attitude makes us reach for higher goals, and it makes it easier to quit bad habits.

To develop this kind of attitude, consider trying to set the bar for yourself a little higher the next time that a challenge comes up. Or think about getting out of your comfort zone by taking on new responsibilities at work or in social groups.

Contentment With Life

When we don’t appreciate ourselves, we tend to have a “get what we deserve” attitude that makes us accept things about our life that we don’t like and take for granted things about our life that we do like.

When we learn to appreciate ourselves, we are more likely to take pride and comfort in our achievements and our standard of living. We also become more likely to address things in our life that we aren’t fond of, like a job that doesn’t challenge us, or a living space that doesn’t meet our needs.

Work on this aspect of self-appreciation by taking a moment to consider all of the good things that you have done for yourself, like your job and your house or apartment. If you are a younger reader, consider the work that you put in at school. Next consider some things that you would like to change. You don’t have to have an action plan ready now on how you might address those things but think about how you could work to achieve them.

Self-appreciation Leads To Self-Compassion

When we don’t appreciate ourselves, we are more likely to be hard on ourselves when things don’t go as planned. It can be easier to beat ourselves up when we make mistakes by blaming everything on ourselves instead of thinking about what went wrong and why.

When we learn to appreciate ourselves, we learn to treat ourselves more like we would be likely to treat other people if they had a bad day: with compassion. Treating ourselves with compassion is better than beating ourselves up for a number of reasons. First, it is more educational. If we immediately blame ourselves when things go wrong, it can be difficult to figure out a creative solution. Second, it creates a loop that makes it easier for us to feel better about ourselves.

The next time that something goes well, consider all of the factors that were involved, and which ones failed. The idea isn’t to remove yourself from the equation, maybe you really did make a mistake. But maybe you received faulty instructions. Maybe someone else didn’t do their part adequately. Then, instead of wallowing in your self-blame, come up with a solution and address the problem again.

Appreciate Others More

Some experts believe that when we don’t appreciate ourselves we are likely to have a harder time appreciating others. Think of the previous section: If we immediately blame ourselves for everything that goes wrong in our life, why would we not assume that everybody’s problems are entirely their own fault?

Looking at our life and realizing that while our shortcomings are certainly our own responsibility to deal with, they are not all entirely our own doing can help us to understand where other people are coming from when they struggle with things. This can make it easier to appreciate other people just as it can help us to appreciate ourselves.

Better Self Care

Finally, appreciating ourselves can lead us to taking better care of ourselves.

Self Care is more than just not beating ourselves up when things go wrong. Self Care is about giving ourselves the tools that we need to protect our mental state in the long term. It’s easier to take care of ourselves when we appreciate ourselves and it is easier to appreciate ourselves when we take care of our own needs.

Friends, you deserve to at least try to practice some of the above suggestions in this article, like thinking about your needs and being grateful for what you have. You will definitely be on your way to developing a Self Care routine.

Hopefully, this has shown you some ways that you can learn to appreciate yourself, and that learning to appreciate yourself is more than just a feel-good objective. It’s a practical goal that can help us all to live a more meaningful and enjoyable life.

Coach 10/04/2021

How Much Protein During Dieting and Training?

“Yo, Coach – how much protein do I need?” I hear that question all the time, I sure do. While the long lengthy answer is always “it depends,” that answer is not very helpful or applicable, so let’s dive into the research and take a look.

The biggest way to divide it up is by calories. Are you in a calorie surplus or deficit? If you are looking to get leaner then you will (hopefully) be in a caloric deficit. Those two caloric states are very different.

You may want to look better “nekkid” or may compete in weight classes; thus, you will restrict calories to decrease body fat stores but not decrease body mass. This is done in an attempt to gain a better strength to weight ratio which would be a competitive advantage – on the field or at the bar.

Retention of lean body mass (LBM) serves several important functions. The primary component of LBM is skeletal muscle tissue which functions as the largest disposal site for post-prandial glucose and lipids (1) (aka burning a bunch of fats and carbs) and is the greatest determinant of our basal metabolic rate (2). Keeping as much skeletal muscle is a key component to resist future weight gain (3) (aka you STAY looking good nekkid and kick glute max at the gym).

The downside is that hypocaloric (low calorie) diets to get leaner may result in a loss of lean body mass (including precious muscle tissue – eek) which will negatively affects your chance of maximizing your lifts and odd / ratio at the next dance night. Could you keep more muscle by just eating more protein? If so, how much more?

The RDA – Is It Enough?
The standard Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein according to U.S. government standards is 0.8 gram per kilogram of body weight for the adult, or just under 4 grams per pound.. This protein RDA is said to meet 97.5% of the population’s needs (4). This is roughly 60 grams of protein when you convert it – aka about how much I ate for dinner last night.

Protein intakes above this level can be considered “high-protein,” but still represent a wide range. Research by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) in a position stand on protein and exercise stated that,

“..protein intakes of 1.2-2.0 g/kg/day (for physically active individuals is not only safe, but may improve training adaptations to exercise” (5).

While it is beyond this article, confusion can arise since there are various methods by which the total amount of protein can be determined with many early studies using various nitrogen balance methods to determine the optimal amount. Newer methods use a tracer of some form to “track” protein around the body to see what happens. While both of those provide information, what we really want to know is if you feed one group more protein, another group lower protein, and then do that for many weeks, does one group lose lean body mass? The fancy propeller-head term is a chronic intervention study. To bring the research into focus, we are going to investigate studies that used an athletic/active population and intervention studies comparing high to low protein in relation to body composition since these data more directly related to the primary outcome. Boom!

Bring Me The Studies
#1) Layman Study

Hang on for a bit of geek-speak. Layman et al. in 2005 (6) conducted a 16-week randomized study on 48 women aged 40–56 years using 5 days per week walking and 2 days per week of resistive exercise. The higher protein group received 1.5 g protein/kg body mass/day while the lower protein group received about half the protein at 0.8 g protein/kg body mass/day. The higher protein and exercise group decreased their body fat by almost 6%, with almost all of it coming from fat and not lean body mass. Yep, more bro-tein here resulted in a big loss of fat.

These data show that to drop the most body fat without much (if any) lean body mass loss, exercise and a higher protein intake of around 1.5 g protein/kg/day may be needed.

Score: High protein 1, Low protein 0

#2) Mettler Study

The above study was in women who were active, but not high-end athletes. “So what about the athletes?” you cry. Glad you asked.

A study by Mettler S et al. (7) from Dr Tipton’s lab studied 20 athletes that had been exercising for over 6 months before the study started. They also exercised on average about 360 minutes per week over 5 training sessions and were relatively lean (about 16.5% body fat). For the study, they were divided into a control (low protein) group at 1.0 g protein/kg body mass per day while the high protein group was set at about 2.3 g protein/kg body mass per day. After a familiarization period, all subjects were fed a hypocaloric diet of 60% of their habitual intake. Eeeek, that is a big drop overnight.

They found that the higher protein group lost much less lean mass than the low protein control group. Protein wins again! These data match the data from Layman showing that higher protein intakes significantly reduce the loss of lean mass, despite caloric intakes of about 60% of maintenance. In summary, even in an extreme situation where there is a fire sale on calories, more protein kept lean mass.

Score: Higher protein 2, low protein 0.

#3) Walberg Study

The science train rolls on. Walberg et al. (8) conducted a similar study with the low protein group consuming about 0.8 g per kg per day and the high protein group twice that amount at 1.6 g per kg per day. This study was quite short in nature clocking in at only 2 weeks. They found that once again both groups lost similar amount of body fat around 2 kg. However, both groups lost more lean body mass. The higher protein group lost less lean body mass with a loss of 1.4 kg versus a 2.7 kg loss for the low protein group.

The increased protein intake saw only about a 20% decrease of lean body mass compared to the low protein group. Further evidence that increased protein during times of low calories helps preserve lean body mass.

Score: High protein 3; Low protein 0.

#4) Mero Study

Lastly, Mero and colleagues in 2010 (9) investigated 15 women who participated in recreational resistance training and were divided into two groups with one group at an energy deficit of about 1,110 kcal/ day and other at 550 kcal/day deficit. Both groups were fed a high protein diet at about 1.4 g/kg body mass/ day for 4 weeks.

Both groups saw a significant reduction in weight of 2.0 kg in the 550 kcal/ day deficient and 3.8 kg in the 1,110 kcal/ day deficient group. The weight loss was from fat mass as lean body mass stayed consistent during the study, showing once again that moderate to high levels of protein intake combined with exercise can selectively reduce body fat.

Mero et al. (9) provides further data to drive home the point that higher protein intakes combined with exercise, especially resistance training, can result in selective loss of fat while simultaneously holding on to lean body tissue. Performance that places a premium on strength to body weight ratio may also improve.

Final Score: High protein 4; Low protein 0.

Summary – How Much Protein?
The score is in; and the high protein intervention is a clear winner, skunking the low protein group.

How much protein does that mean you should get per day based on the studies above? You should get around 0.7 grams / pound of bodyweight (note the studies above used metric and I converted it to English here for you non-math lovers).

If you weigh 200 lbs, that is about 140 grams of protein per day on the low end.

A few caveats:

This is on the low (minimum end) to reduce loss of lean body mass when calories are low.
Some of the subjects were recreationally trained, and none were elite athletes.
This is based on the consumption of high quality proteins such as any meat (fish, chicken, beef, pork, etc), whey protein supplement and/ or eggs.
Go forth, and have some protein to keep your hard earned muscle!

References:
1. Petitt DS, SA Arngrimsson, KJ Cureton. Effect of resistance exercise on postprandial lipemia. J Appl Physiol. . 2003; 94(2):694-700.

2. Johnstone AM, SD Murison, JS Duncan, KA Rance, JR Speakman. Factors influencing variation in basal metabolic rate include fat-free mass, fat mass, age, and circulating thyroxine but not sex, circulating leptin, or triiodothyronine. Am J Clin Nutr. . 2005; 82(5):941-8

3. Tipton KD, RR Wolfe. Protein and amino acids for athletes. J Sports Sci. . 2004; 22(1):65-79.

4. Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Dietary reference intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids (macronutrients). (Washington, DC): National Academies Press; 2002.

5. Campbell B, RB Kreider, T Ziegenfuss, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. . 2007; 4:8.

6. Layman DK, E Evans, JI Baum, J Seyler, DJ Erickson, RA Boileau. Dietary protein and exercise have additive effects on body composition during weight loss in adult women. J Nutr. . 2005; 135(8):1903-10.

7. Mettler S, N Mitchell, KD Tipton. Increased protein intake reduces lean body mass loss during weight loss in athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. . 2010; 42(2):326-37.

8. Walberg JL, MK Leidy, DJ Sturgill, DE Hinkle, SJ Ritchey, DR Sebolt. Macronutrient content of a hypoenergydiet affects nitrogen retention and muscle function in weight lifters. Int J Sports Med. . 1988; 9(4):261-6.

9. Mero AA, H Huovinen, O Matintupa, et al. Moderate energy restriction with high protein diet results in healthier outcome in women. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. . 2010; 7(1):4.

Working Through Mistakes and Frustration

All of us, at some point, are bound to make mistakes or experience frustrations at some point within our lives… although some of us are making mistakes and facing frustration on a pretty regular basis! Am I right!?

The two are part of life, but if we don’t learn how to navigate mistakes and frustration properly we run the risk of those mistakes and frustrations defining us and overtaking us. So how do we navigate mistakes and frustrations in a way that helps us rather than harms us?

Reframing

A major reason why making mistakes proves to be so frustrating for many people is because of the way making mistakes is typically framed. Society seems to push the narrative that making mistakes is bad and proof of intellectual inferiority. However, that’s not at all the case. Mistakes are in fact a great foundation to build upon, and if we reframe the way we think about making mistakes as a positive, we’ll be able to better manage and cope with it when it happens.

Responding

Emotions are powerful, and it is a completely normal emotional response to react to mistakes or challenges with frustration, avoidance, and even fear. However, properly acknowledging and channeling these emotional responses is essential if we are to grow from the experience. Negative emotions that arise due to mistakes and frustration should be acknowledged, not avoided. Once the emotions have been acknowledged and released, there is clarity of mind needed to channel those emotions for the good.

So, instead of responding with panic and frustration, we absolutely need to actually learn from the experience of making a mistake or failing and then improve upon our skill set based on what we learned. This learning is applied to future situations and helps us evolve and increase our intelligence.

Flexibility & Creativity

Continually operating from a place of flexibility and creativity will prepare us to be able to manage mistakes and frustration well. Those of us who are flexible tend to respond to sudden changes and risks with an optimistic attitude and the ability to adapt to new situations. Those of us who operate in a continual state of creativity tend to approach unfamiliar or challenging situations with determination and excitement to learn from the experience.

Plan Ahead

It may seem counterintuitive to say that you should plan ahead after what I just explained about being flexible, but it makes sense. Plan to make mistakes. When we enter into a process or situation knowing ahead of time that we may make an error, we won’t overreact when we actually do. Having planned for such a thing to happen, we’re now emotionally prepared to cope with what has happened and move forward (Kane, 2018). And in the rare instance we are able to execute a plan without any errors, we’ll have the satisfaction of knowing we did much better than we intended to perform.

Mistakes are not a cause for dismay. Instead mistakes should be valued and celebrated for the knowledge they provide. When we are able to understand that mistakes don’t define us, we can embrace the chances they offer us to develop more skills and more knowledge. In doing so we can continue to mature and learn as we grow.

Why I Use Drive Nutrition Whey Protein

These intense workouts we are attacking each day here at CrossFit Alanis shred muscle fibers, and your body wants to repair that damage as soon as possible. Making the most of the muscle-building state requires two things:

Protein (preferably in an easy-to-digest form)
Branch chain amino acids, or BCAAs.

DRIVEN WHEY™ Protein combines both of these essential muscle-building ingredients in one delicious, easy-to-digest powder that dissolves quickly and completely.

Our bodies literally can’t create new muscle without protein. Research proves that taking protein before and after workouts is the best way to speed muscle tissue repair and gain more lean muscle. Whey is the go-to protein to take after your workout because it’s absorbed faster than other forms of protein. And DRIVEN WHEY™ also includes a full array of vital BCAAs and other amino acids to fuel your muscle growth.

This is my all day, everyday “go-to” for a number of reasons…

I actually enjoy taking my protein with this complete range of delicious flavors. I can avoid uncomfortable, embarrassing digestive problems so I can feel good in and out of the gym. I get more results from less product, thanks to cold whey processing. I get more protein actually assimilated into my body per serving, and more servings per container than other brands. I build new muscle faster and easier by giving my body the protein and aminos it needs in one convenient mix. I can protect the muscles I’ve already built, because the naturally occurring amino acids in DRIVEN WHEY™ help keep me out of the catabolic state during my workouts. I can easily stack DRIVEN WHEY™ thanks to its low-carb formulation, or use it in low-carb recipes.

Whether our goal is to increase muscle mass, lose weight, burn fat or just add pure, lean protein to our diet, DRIVEN WHEY™ is the optimal supplement to help us meet our performance goals.

Four Key Elements of Training for a Marathon

Running a marathon seems like an impossible task. There’s no denying that 26.2 miles is a very
long distance, but we believe that anyone can complete their first marathon if they train smart
and commit to following a plan.

If you can run a 5k, then you can run a half marathon. If you can run a 10k, then you are ready
for a marathon. All it takes is some courage, time, and a solid training program.
So how should a marathon training program be designed? Here are our four keys elements:

Start Slow

Just because we said that you could run a 10k that you are ready for a marathon doesn’t mean
that you should lace up your fresh kicks and run a 20 miler. Take your time building up your
distance. A good rule of thumb is that your weekly distance should not exceed more than 10%
of the previous week’s volume. Soon you will feel more and more like completing a marathon is
a definite possibility. Stick with it and trust the process.

Prioritize Your Long Runs

Throughout a 12 to 20-week training program, you are bound to miss a few runs and workouts.
Don’t panic and stress over it! Things get in the way, and it is all about how we respond to
adversity. Your long runs (usually done on the weekends) are your primary focus. As long as you
hit these distances, you will be fine! An occasional missed easy run or speed day won’t kill you!

Cross Train

One of the biggest running myths out there is that I don’t need to strength train because I run
every day. Without strength training and other endurance activities, you are almost guaranteed
to get injured while training. Strong legs are fast legs. By training your quads, hamstrings, glutes,
and core, you not only feel physically stronger, but you will recover faster.

You will also be able to push harder on speed and hill workouts, have better control of your
breathing, and power through the late miles.

Other great options for cross-training include swimming and cycling. These activities allow you
to get a solid cardio workout with minimal impact on the knees and ankles.

Listen to your body!

Listening to your body might be the most crucial piece of training for a marathon. Most people
follow a plan and think that it has to be done 100% as written.

The problem with doing this is that these are GENERAL programs, not SPECIFIC programs for
you, your schedule, and your body. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a
template program, your body may need more rest than is included between runs.
If your body is telling you to rest, then rest!!!

Allowing your body to recover is much more important than an easy 4 miles or 4x800m sprints.
Make sure you take care of any potential aches and pains from the get-go and cycle through
your shoes every 200 miles or so!

For more information on marathon training, programming, and nutrition, contact us at this link and let’s get the conversation started!

Good Training Habits

While it’s our responsibility as coaches to teach you movement, program intelligently, and keep you safe, it’s your responsibility as athletes to develop good training habits. Here is an overview of three great habits that will significantly enrich your training experience.

1. Be Proactive With Your Movement Prep
Everyone needs to do a little personalized maintenance on their bodies. Even 10 minutes of DIY movement prep before class can go a long way in keeping you fit and pain free. After you’ve signed in and changed, take advantage of the time you’ve got and start moving.

Warm-up
Row an easy 300-500m on the erg. Get your heart rate up a little and try to get a light sweat going. We recommend holding 20 strokes per minute and rehearsing good form.

Stretch/Foam Roll
Many of us know where our tightest areas are—they’re the ones that make it difficult to squat below parallel or press a barbell overhead. Spend a few minutes mobilizing and doing some soft tissue work (foam roller/LAX ball, etc.) on your “problem areas.” If you don’t know where to begin, ask a coach what you should be prioritizing and we’ll help you out. We also regularly refer our members to out Active Recovery classes and MobilityWOD.com. This is great resource for folks who need simple, effective strategies to help them move better.

2. Log All of Your Workouts
Training without logging is like driving without a road map. You don’t know where you’ve been or where you’re going. Taking notes on each training session helps you track your progress and helps us make informed decisions about how to assist you in choosing weights and scaling movements. Each day should list some quantitative and qualitative notes about your training session. Here is an example:

Warm-Up:
3 rounds NFT
5 Snatch PP (22lb bar)
5 OHS
5 Muscle Snatches
10 Push-ups on knees

Move up to yellow bar

AMRAP 15 minutes:
Row 350m
12 Overhead Squats, 45lbs

4 Rounds + 320m

Kept rows at about 2:23 splits, felt hard but doable. Don’t shift forward during overhead squats…. Mid foot!

You can track your workouts in a journal or online. As coaches, we LOVE to read the details of the WODs that you leave comments on. It gives us a deeper perspective into your training and the programming in general.

3. Start Slow and Maintain Perspective
We take our training seriously at CrossFit Alanis and with that comes with a good deal of responsibility. Our movement pool uses serious strength and conditioning exercises in order to develop broad, inclusive fitness. If we don’t treat these movements and workouts with respect, training plateaus and injuries are sure to follow. The best way to ensure your success and training longevity with us is by starting slowly and developing a rock-solid technical base. In fact, the first few months you start CrossFit, intensity should not be a significant concern. The movements are potent enough that just consistently performing them will create a favorable adaptation. After you feel really comfortable with most of our exercises and have a working knowledge of your weights, only then should you start ramping up the intensity.

Training with a lifelong perspective is incredibly important. Remember that you’re here to build yourself up, not break yourself down. Scaling workouts properly, listening to your body and checking your ego at the door will allow you to work out successfully for years to come. Most importantly, have fun with this stuff and enjoy the process.