04/17/10 – Nutrition Recap – Team WOD @ 9:30am

What I learned at Robb Wolf’s nutrition Seminar – Before I begin, I want to say that I am in no way trying to recreate Robb’s presentation or pawn off any of the information as my own.  I simply want to summarize some of the big picture nutrition ideas that Robb shared.  For any of the science behind the nutrition or further details, please refer to Robb’s website www.RobbWolf.com. Robb is writing a book that is set to hit stores in September.

There are a few major hormones in the body that have a lot to do with our physical health.  They are:

• Insulin – A storage hormone that, when released, lowers blood sugar (glucose) levels. Example – You eat a bagel, and your blood sugar rises due to the carbohydrates.  Insulin is released, stores some glucose in the liver and muscles as glycogen.  Anything additional will be stored as fat. Surprise, it does not take as many carbohydrates as you might think to fill your glycogen stores. i.e. your excess carb intake is leading to fat storage.
• Leptin – Energy Hormone regulating appetite & metabolism – Certain foods such as grains/legumes and dairy can block the leptin hormone, reducing satiety, increasing appetite and encouraging overeating of those foods.
• Glucagon – Counter hormone to Insulin secreted by the pancreas.  Glucagon converts glycogen to glucose, therefore raising blood glucose levels and counteracting the insulin response.  Protein and slight hunger cause a glucagon response.

Therefore eating a meal high in protein and fats and low in carbs will reduce the insulin response and in turn reduce the amount of fat storage. If you eat dense proteins such as meat, good fats such as avocado and nuts, and low glycemic load carbs such as vegetables and fruit, you have a sufficient leptin response, reduce fat storage, increase energy levels and remain satiated for longer periods.

The last hormone that gets ignored by the masses is Cortisol –

• Cortisol – Stress Hormone / Regulates energy levels
  • High Cortisol levels can cause insulin resistance, which is when insulin becomes less affective in your body and your blood sugar levels are not properly maintained (think type II Diabetes).
  • Several factors causing high Cortisol levels are overtraining, sleep deprivation, auto-immune compromised, too many or too few calories and emotional stress.

The science behind our body is amazing.  Robb did an excellent job of dumbing it down for people like me who don’t have a biology background.  There was so much more to his presentation, but I can’t in good faith write down any more information for fear of stealing what Robb has spent so much time creating.  Again, please refer to Robb’s site for an amalgam of nutritional info.

We’re all here at CrossFit 908 for some aspect of fitness, be it vanity or performance.  We want to be healthier.  Well, I would not be doing my job if I didn’t tell you that a huge % of the way you look, feel and perform comes from your diet.  Abs are made in the kitchen, corny but true.  If anyone wants a suggestion on what to eat/not eat I can certainly take some time and talk to you about it.  One thing I would suggest before coming to me is to write down EVERYTHING you ingest for a two-week period.  I need to know what you are currently eating and where you want to go in order to help you make the progress you desire.   There is no magic pill.  You have to work at it to get your nutrition right, but when you start to look and feel better you won’t want to go back.

The below pictures are of me from Feb 2006 and March 2010.  I started doing CrossFit in January 2008 and really began to change my diet around September 2009.  I would have showed a more recent before picture, but that’s all I have.

What’s the point?  I didn’t get to 200lbs overnight, so it took me a while to get to where I am now.  That should not discourage anyone, because you have the nutrition information and fitness information to get results faster.  I didn’t know about paleo or primal eating until last year.  You guys know it now; you’ve read what happens when you eat poorly.   Our country is the fattest in the world and type II diabetes is a major issue.  Stop tiptoeing around your health and take control.  We all need cheat meals and breaks, because we were all raised on this ridiculously low nutrient, disease forming food that tastes like heaven.  However, the more compliant you are, the more likely you are to enjoy life disease free.  That’s my rant.  Go to one of Robb’s nutrition seminars.  They are awesome.

Schedule – CrossFit 9:30am WOD

• Foam Roll / Mobility Warm up
• Teams of 3 – Complete the following reps for time.  Members can not move from their station until each member has completed the allotted reps.
• 6 Rounds for time
  • 7 Thrusters (95/65)
  • 10 Kettlebell Swings (53/35)
  • 15 Box Jumps (24/20)
• THEN….
• Run 4x around the building.  The last teammate to reenter the gym is when the clock stops.  All team members must leave for the run at the same time.
• Stretch / Coffee!  – See everyone on Monday.  Hope you like the workout.