WORKOUTS OF THE DAY
Friday – Hang Power Snatch / September 3rd
Paleo Challenge – Day 3 Olympic Lift : Hang Power Snatch Burgener Warm-up, then Find 1 RM WOD : Optional 5 km row for time OR Choose to do a missed WOD during week Read More →
FRIENDS of CROSSFIT
WELCOME TO CROSSFIT OVERDRIVE
Long Weekend Hours
Labour Day Long Weekend Hours:
Saturday
9 am Boot Camp
10 am Team WOD
11 am Open Gym
Sunday and Monday
Closed
Friday
Regular WOD instead of Open Lifting
SEPTEMBER 30-DAY PALEO CHALLENGE
***TO ALL OVERDRIVERS SIGNED UP FOR THIS CHALLENGE : BODY MEASUREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE TESTING TO BE DONE TUESDAY AUGUST 31 AND WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1ST***
CROSSFIT OVERDRIVE PALEO CHALLENGE: Starts September 1st, 2010 and ends September 30th, 2010.
Here are the Rules and Requirements:
Overdrive Paleo Challenge
Entry Fee- $20
Contest Date: September 1st, 2010 to September 30th, 2010
Requirements: Before and After Photos
Photo- Front, Side, Back(We can take these if you would like)
Measurements: Bodyweight, Waist Circumference, Body Fat
Final Measurements for Participants: Weight, Waist, and Body Fat
Performance Measurements: 1 Mile Run, Max Deadlift, Max Push-Ups
Winners- 1st Place: Takes Home Money Purse
2nd Place: 1 Month Free Membership
Daily Requirements:
1. Follow Paleo Diet
2. Keeping a Daily Food Log
3. Posting on the Overdrive site(WOD page or Home page) your Paleo experience – daily
4. Performing daily WOD
Judging System:
Coaches to review the following-
1. Before and After photos
2. Physical measurements
3. Tracking of daily food journal
4. Performance measurements
5. Frequency of WODs
Benefits of Fish Oil Intake:
1. Less Pain and Inflammation. Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly EPA, have a very positive effect on your inflammatory response. Through several mechanisms, they regulate your body’s inflammation cycle, which prevents and relieves painful conditions like arthritis, prostatitis, cystitis and anything else ending in “itis.”
2. Cardiovascular Health. Omega 3 fatty acids have also been proven to work wonders for your heart and the miles and miles of arteries and veins that make up your cardiovascular system. They help to lower cholesterol, tryglicerides, LDLs and blood pressure, while at the same time increasing good HDL cholesterol. This adds years to your life expectancy.
3. Protection from Stroke and Heart Attack. When plaque builds up on arterial walls and then breaks loose, it causes what’s known as a thrombosis, which is a fancy way of saying clot. If a clot gets stuck in the brain, it causes a stroke and when it plugs an artery, it causes a heart attack. Research shows omega 3 fatty acids break up clots before they can cause any damage.
Encouraged Foods
Lean Meats
Lean beef (trimmed of visible fat)
Flank steak
Top sirloin steak
Extra-lean hamburger (no more than 7% fat, extra fat drained off)
London broil
Chuck steak
Lean veal
Any other lean cut
Lean pork (trimmed of visible fat)
Pork loin
Pork chops
Any other lean cut
Lean poultry (white meat, skin removed)
Chicken breast
Turkey breast
Game hen breasts
Eggs (limit to six a week)
Chicken (go for the enriched omega 3 variety)
Duck
Goose
Other meats
Rabbit meat (any cut)
Goat meat (any cut)
Organ meats
Beef, lamb, pork, and chicken livers
Beef, pork, and lamb tongues
Beef, lamb, and pork marrow
Beef, lamb, and pork “sweetbreads”
Game meat
Alligator
Bear
Bison (buffalo)
Caribou
Elk
Emu
Goose
Kangaroo
Muscovy duck
New Zealand cervena deer
Ostrich
Pheasant
Quail
Rattlesnake
Reindeer
Squab
Turtle
Venison
Wild boar
Wild turkey
Fish
Bass
Bluefish
Cod
Drum
Eel
Flatfish
Grouper
Haddock
Halibut
Herring
Mackerel
Monkfish
Mullet
Northern pike
Orange roughy
Perch
Red snapper
Rockfish
Salmon
Scrod
Shark
Striped bass
Sunfish
Tilapia
Trout
Tuna
Turbot
Walleye
Any other commercially available fish
Shellfish
Abalone
Clams
Crab
Crayfish
Lobster
Mussels
Oysters
Scallops
Shrimp
Fruit
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana
Blackberries
Blueberries
Boysenberries
Cantaloupe
Carambola
Cassava melon
Cherimoya
Cherries
Cranberries
Figs
Gooseberries
Grapefruit
Grapes
Guava
Honeydew melon
Kiwi
Lemon
Lime
Lychee
Mango
Nectarine
Orange
Papaya
Passion fruit
Peaches
Pears
Persimmon
Pineapple
Plums
Pomegranate
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Star fruit
Strawberries
Tangerine
Watermelon
All other fruits
Vegetables
Artichoke
Asparagus
Beet greens
Beets
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Collards
Cucumber
Dandelion
Eggplant
Endive
Green onions
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard greens
Onions
Parsley
Parsnip
Peppers (all kinds)
Pumpkin
Purslane
Radish
Rutabaga
Seaweed
Spinach
Squash (all kinds)
Swiss chard
Tomatillos
Tomato (actually a fruit, but most people think of it as a vegetable)
Turnip greens
Turnips
Watercress Encouraged Foods
Nuts and Seeds
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Cashews
Chestnuts
Hazelnuts (filberts)
Macadamia nuts
Pecans
Pine nuts
Pistachios (unsalted)
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
Foods To Be Eaten In Moderation
Oils
Olive, avocado, walnut, flaxseed, and canola oils (use in moderation—4 tablespoons or less a day when weight loss is of primary importance)
Beverages
Diet sodas (These often contain artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharine, which may be harmful; you’re better off drinking bottled and mineral waters.)
Coffee
Tea
Wine (two 4-ounce glasses; Note: Don’t buy “cooking wine,” which is loaded with salt.)
Beer (one 12-ounce serving)
Spirits (4 ounces)
Paleo Sweets
Dried fruits (no more than 2 ounces a day, particularly if you are trying to lose weight)
Nuts mixed with dried and fresh fruits (no more than 4 ounces of nuts and 2 ounces of dried fruit a day, particularly if you are trying to lose weight)
Foods You Should Avoid
Dairy Foods
All processed foods made with any dairy products
Butter
Cheese
Cream
Dairy spreads
Frozen yogurt
Ice cream
Ice milk
Low-fat milk
Nonfat dairy creamer
Powdered milk
Skim milk
Whole milk
Yogurt
Cereal Grains
Barley (barley soup, barley bread, and all processed foods made with barley)
Corn (corn on the cob, corn tortillas, corn chips, corn starch, corn syrup)
Millet
Oats (steel-cut oats, rolled oats, and all processed foods made with oats)
Rice (brown rice, white rice, top ramen, rice noodles, bas mati rice, rice cakes, Rice flour (all processed foods made with rice)
Rye (rye bread, rye crackers, and all processed foods made with rye)
Sorghum
Wheat (bread, rolls, muffins, noodles, crackers, cookies, cake, doughnuts, pancakes, waffles, pasta, spaghetti, lasagna, wheat tortillas, pizza, pita bread, flat bread, and all processed foods made with wheat or wheat flour)
Wild rice
Cereal Grainlike Seeds
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Quinoa
Legumes
All beans (adzuki beans, black beans, broad beans, fava beans, field beans, garbanzo beans, horse beans, kidney beans, lima beans, mung beans, navy beans, pinto beans, red beans, string beans, white beans)
Black-eyed peas
Chickpeas
Lentils
Peas
Miso
Peanut butter
Peanuts
Snowpeas
Sugar snap peas
Soybeans and all soybean products, including tofu
Starchy Vegetables
Starchy tubers
Cassava root
Manioc
Potatoes and all potato products (French fries, potato chips, etc.)
Sweet potatoes
Tapioca pudding
Yams
Salt-Containing Foods
Almost all commercial salad dressings and condiments
Bacon
Cheese
Deli meats
Frankfurters
Ham
Hot dogs
Ketchup
Olives
Pickled foods
Pork rinds
Processed meats
Salami
Salted nuts
Salted spices
Sausages
Smoked, dried, and salted fish and meat
Virtually all canned meats and fish (unless they are unsalted or unless you soak and drain them)
Fatty Meats
Bacon
Beef ribs
Chicken and turkey legs
Chicken and turkey skin
Chicken and turkey thighs and wings•
Fatty beef roasts
Fatty cuts of beef
Fatty ground beef
Fatty pork chops
Fatty pork roasts
Lamb chops
Lamb roasts
Leg of lamb
Pork ribs
Pork sausage
T—bone steaks
Soft Drinks and Fruit Juices
All sugary soft drinks
Canned, bottled, and freshly squeezed fruit drinks (which lack the fiber of fresh fruit and have a much higher glvcemic index)
Sweets
Candy
Honey
Sugars
Daily Schedule— Follow this plan, eat the foods that we are meant to eat and stay away from processed, factory food. Your basic guideline is to eat lean meat, fish, vegetable, some fruit, no starch, and no sugar. You can eat tons of food on this diet; it is just staying away from the sugary and high saturated foods. Your goal is to eat less than 50 g of carbs a day. Carbs cause weight gain and also raise your insulin level, which creates a multiple of diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cardiovascular problems. Eat little fruit for now and have a lot of lean meat( ground beef 93% lean, 7% fat). Eat a lot of fish and get some omega 3 fish oil, as the average American diet does not receive enough omega 3 oils, but too much omega 6 oils. Omega 3 oils have been known to cure heart disease, lower cholesterol, and be a natural anti-inflammatory. Eat good fats, such as monounsaturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat. You can get these fats from all types of nuts, except peanuts, and all types of oils, such as olive oil, flaxseed oil, canola oil, etc…
Goals:
No sugary Foods/ Eat lean meat and chicken/ A lot of vegetables/ Little Carbs for now/ Healthy Fats
Your guidelines stay on the far right side and far left side of the grocery aisles. Stay away from middle of the aisles, as this is where all the processed food and sugary foods are. Eat what God gave us, not what man gave us. Eat real food and make sure it was alive before it was killed. If you can afford to buy vegetarian fed food, this is ideal, as cows and chickens are fed processed grains, which would be a deterrent for this diet. These are your guidelines. I will attach a spreadsheet and a 30 day paleo challenge, where you will write what you ate throughout the day. If you eat the Paleo way and have healthy amounts of protein, you will not be as hungry. Protein is a natural blocker of hunger, as it fills you up and you feel satisfied. When you eat carbohydrates like grain products, your insulin level shoots through the roof and a couple of hours later, you crash and you are hungry again, this is not healthy. We want to balance our intake of food. During meals, you want to have a balance of protein, carbs, and fat during your meals, to balance off your insulin sensitivity.
STAY AWAY FROM ALL GRAIN AND DAIRY PRODUCTS!!!! NUMBER ONE RULE….
SWEET TOOTH?
Why You Crave Sweets After Eating a Meal
Why You Crave Sweets After Eating a Meal
Overview
Sugar cravings often strike after a meal, despite feelings of fullness. Habits, brain chemistry and your diet’s makeup cause you to crave sweets. You can learn to fight the cravings, but only after you understand why they occur.
Significance
Adam Drewnowski and Allen S. Levine write in the “Journal of Nutrition” in March 2003 that added sugar and fat make up more than 50 percent of the typical American diet and contributes to the obesity epidemic. Craving sweets after a meal can hamper weight loss efforts. You try to deny the craving, only making it more pronounced. If you indulge the craving, stopping with a small serving may be impossible for you.
Drewnowski and Levine point to evidence that regular consumption of foods high in sugar and fat leads to “neurochemical changes” in the brain–hardwiring you to crave these types of foods. Food cravings often are a result of habit and association–if you have always had something sweet after a meal, you do not feel closure unless you meet that need. Sweet treats often are associated with rewards and positive feelings, so you feel good when you eat them.
Another cause of post-meal sweet cravings has to do with the mood-elevating brain chemical, serotonin. When serotonin is low, feelings of depression and sadness set in. You crave something sweet because sugars and simple carbohydrates prompt the body to release serotonin, improving your mood. Uneven blood sugar levels cause you to crave sweets after a meal as well. If you fail to balance macronutrients at your meals and eat primarily carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels soar–only to drop suddenly shortly after the meal. Your body seeks the “high” again, causing you to crave sugar.
Considerations
Deprivation also can set you up for cravings. If you are following a strict diet and avoiding all sweets, you can make cravings worse by denying your desire to satisfy your sweet tooth. Professor Peter Rogers from the University of Bristol notes in the online resource ScienceDaily.com that the desire to eat foods, such as chocolate, combined with knowledge that they should be eaten in moderation causes you to crave them more.
Solution
If your cravings are due to deprivation, allow yourself a small sweet–perhaps a cookie or a miniature candy bar. Sometimes, however, this sets you up for binging, in which case it might be best to go cold turkey for a few weeks. Over time, if your cravings are due to habit, they will subside. Make sure you are consuming adequate nutrition and calories during the day. Try to make each meal contain a serving of protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates such as whole grains. Techniques such as brushing your teeth immediately after eating or chewing a piece of minty, sugar-free gum also may help cut the desire to consume sweets after a meal. If you must have something sweet–opt for fresh or dried fruit, which offers nutrition along with natural sugars.
Misconceptions
If you seek to cut out sugar, eliminating cookies, cakes and candy may not be enough. Manufacturers add sugar to all sorts of products, from bread to salad dressings–so read food labels carefully. Artificial sweeteners may offer you a sweet taste with little or no calories, but they do little to curb your cravings. A 2004 study at Purdue University showed that artificial sweeteners may disrupt the body’s ability to count calories, setting you up to consume more calories overall. Also, because artificial sweeteners exhibit sweetness hundreds of times more intense than sugar, they may cause you to crave sweeter and sweeter products.
BEACH WOD THIS SATURDAY – UPDATE
***BEACH WOD HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER. NORMAL SATURDAY TIMES WILL RUN AT THE BOX. ***
TEAM WOD WILL BE AT THE BEACH THIS SATURDAY AUGUST 21(SPANISH BANKS?). WE CAN ALL MEET AT THE BOX AS EARLY AS 9 AM TO GET THINGS ROLLING. SO, FUN WORKOUT, THEN A LITTLE TOUCH FOOTBALL, VOLLEYBALL, AND LOTS OF FUN IN THE SUN!
PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON PARTICIPATING BY POSTING TO COMMENTS OR SIGNING UP AT THE BOX.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWLY CERTIFIED!
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING OVERDRIVERS FOR ACHIEVING THEIR CROSSFIT LEVEL 1 CERTIFICATIONS:
JARVIS, MICHELLE M, GRACE, AND JESSE! WAY TO GO GUYS, ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO FITNESS HAS COME A LONG WAY!
(L TO R : Jarvis, Michelle, Grace, Coach Marco, Coach Herbie, Jesse)
AMAZING LIFT @ 8 YRS OLD!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
To all Overdrivers,
All prospective new students will now go through our 1 on 1 intro sessions BEFORE attending any group classes. If any of your friends, family, co-workers, etc. would like to know more about what we do at Overdrive, have them contact us(information is on the “About Us” page) to schedule an appointment and consultation.
As for the FUN Saturday Team WODs, they will now be restricted to our regular students and any new students who have fully completed their 101 training. Our goal for the rest of the summer is to get outdoors for our Saturday Team WODs as much as we can. So, stay tuned for more summer fun!
MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D
Mental Health Benefits of Vitamin D
Overview
Vitamin D, commonly referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” plays an important role in your health. It is the only vitamin that can be made by the human body from sunshine. Research is suggesting a strong link between vitamin D status and basic cognitive function, mood and overall mental health. The recommended adequate intake (AI) level for the active form of vitamin D (vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol) is 5 micrograms (mcg) for adults aged 31 to 50 years. After the age of 50, the AI increases to 10 mcg.
Vitamin D: How it is Made
Vitamin D is unique because it is made by the body when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun. When this happens, a cholesterol-like compound is converted to a vitamin D precursor and then to vitamin D3, (or cholecalciferol). Vitamin D3 is activated by enzymes from the liver and the kidney. When activated, vitamin D functions as a hormone. Just 15 minutes under the sun (for most people, without sunscreen), three times per week makes enough vitamin D. It can be stored for several months in the body.
Vitamin D deficiency, or hypovitaminosis D, is common in Americans, especially those who live in colder, northern climates, as well as the elderly population. This is because our ability to produce the vitamin declines with age. Although the AI is expressed in mcg, most vitamin D supplements are expressed in International Units (IU). One IU = 0.025 mcg cholecalciferol.
In its active form, cholecalciferol travels through the bloodstream, targeting certain organs, such as the brain, affecting what that organ does. Vitamin D is essential for regulating cell growth, increasing calcium and phosphorus absorption, maintaining immune system integrity and cardiovascular health. It may play a role in cancer prevention. Vitamin D helps to maintain blood calcium levels high for building bone and teeth, muscle contraction, and the transmission of nerve impulses.
In regards to mental health and cognition, Vitamin D appears to activate receptors on neurons in parts of the brain responsible for behavior regulation. It stimulates the release of important brain chemicals and protects the brain by acting as a buffering antioxidant. Vitamin D also works as an anti-inflammatory agent against vascular injury.
Vitamin D and Depression
For many years, exposure to sunlight has been associated with a more positive mood, particularly in those with mild to moderate depression. Is it the sunshine, or is it the active cholecalciferol circulating in the bloodstream (made by the body) that affects the brain. More and more, experts are saying it is the latter.
A European study examined the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (blood levels of vitamin D) and depression in 400 overweight subjects and the effect of vitamin D supplementation on depressive symptoms. They were divided and given supplemental vitamin D weekly (or a placebo) for 1 year. Subjects with lower serum vitamin D levels scored higher (more depressive traits) on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scale than those with higher serum vitamin D levels. The group given supplemental vitamin D showed a significant improvement in BDI scores in 1 year. Other studies have shown similar results but more research is needed to draw conclusions.
Vitamin D and Cognitive Performance
Vitamin D has been increasingly associated with cognition and mental illness, especially in the elderly population. Hypovitaminosis D is prevalent among older adults. Several studies have looked into the link between blood vitamin D levels and basic cognitive function. A study published by the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry involved 80 participants (40 with Alzheimer’s disease) and the objective was to examine the relationship among vitamin D status, cognitive performance, mood, and physical performance.
Not surprisingly, 58 percent of the participants had low levels vitamin D in the bloodstream. Even after adjusting for age, race, and gender vitamin D deficiency was associated with the presence of an active mood disorder. The vitamin D-deficient group performed significantly worse on two of the standard cognitive tests. The conclusions drawn from this study were that, in a cross-section of older adults, hypovitaminosis D was associated with low mood and impairment on two of four standard cognitive performance tests.
Food Sources and Supplementation
It has been estimated that as much as 75 percent of Americans may not be getting enough vitamin D for optimum health. Ironically, the more we find out about how important this vitamin is in cardiovascular, bone and mental health, in addition to its role in cancer prevention, the less we seem to be consuming (on average). This is due, at least in part, to American’s attempt to avoid direct sunlight for fear of increasing the risk of developing skin cancer.
You could not consume enough vitamin D-rich foods to equal the amount your body can manufacture from just 10 minutes of sunlight exposure. Very good food sources of vitamin D include salmon, sardines, shrimp, milk, cod, and eggs. Those who do not go outdoors much should consider a 1,000 IU vitamin D supplement, daily (subject to approval by your physician).
FOODS FOR RADIANT SKIN
Things to Eat That Are Good for Your Skin
Things to Eat That Are Good for Your Skin
Eating a proper diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat proteins and dairy products is essential to overall health, both inside and out. However, there are a few foods that have been shown to be more effective than others in protecting the skin from damage while keeping it looking healthy and radiant for as long as possible.
Low Fat Dairy Products
Low fat dairy products such as skim milk and fat-free yogurt help skin cells regenerate at a faster rate because of their high vitamin A content. While other foods such as carrots contain vitamin A, some people cannot convert the enzymes to usable vitamin A. However, everyone can benefit from the vitamin A found in low-fat dairy products.
Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and cranberries are just a few of the berries that are good for your skin. Berries are particularly good for skin health because of their high antioxidant content, which can help keep free radicals that can damage and age the skin at bay. Berries also contain high amounts of vitamin C and fiber, which are good for your overall health.
Pomegranates and Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranates and pomegranate juice have been touted as being one of the healthiest foods you can eat for some time. This is because pomegranates contain an antioxidant flavonoid called anthocyanin, which help strengthen blood vessels while providing nutrients for the skin.
Foods Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, halibut, walnuts, sardines, soybeans and flax seeds, are excellent for overall skin health, as they can help to reduce the regularity of clogged pores while reducing inflammatory agents that can cause dry, red and damaged skin. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been linked to helping skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and dandruff as well.
Green Tea
Green tea promotes skin health, as it has a high concentration of antioxidants and vitamins, including vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin K. Green tea also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help give puffy or red skin a more natural, even look. You can commonly find green tea used in commercial skin creams and tonics.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are good for the skin because they are rich in essential B vitamins, which help regulate the displacement of dead skin cells and the growth of new skin cells. B vitamins also help strengthen the surface of the skin.
Foods Rich in Vitamin E
Foods that are rich in vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, papaya, collard greens and Swiss chard. Vitamin E can help protect the skin from sun damage while also helping the skin generate new skin cells faster.
Saturday/Weekend – RALLY RAI MEMORIAL FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
The box will be closed this weekend as the coaches will be competing in the 5th Annual Rally Rai Memorial Touch Football Tournament being held at King George Park in Richmond(No.5 Road and Cambie). The tournament is held every year in memory of Coach Herbie’s brother where all proceeds go towards a bursary fund at Langara College for student athletes to apply for each year.
The tournament features elite teams from all over the Lower Mainland. The coaches will be playing on the Bears team along with fellow Overdriver Dereck Griffin. Bears games are at 12:30 pm and 3 pm on Saturday.
To all Overdrivers, bring friends and family and come out to support this fun weekend of football, BBQ, and meet new friends.
