For time:
400m Run
40 KB walking lunge steps w/ KB on the right, 24kg(16kg)
40 KB swings, 24kg(16kg)
800m Run
40 KB walking lunge steps w/ KB on the left, 24kg(16kg)
40 KB swings, 24kg(16kg)
400m Run
Post times to comments and BTWB
The oils of the fishes. . . . .
Let’s talk fish oil. If you eat according to CrossFit’s prescription,
“Eat meats and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that support exercise and not body fat.”
Which basically means eat whole foods. Weigh and measure your food so you eat the right amount. If you do this, then you will surely get all the macro and micro nutrients your body needs, hence why CrossFit does not recommend any additional supplements. . . except for one. Fish oil.
Fish oil’s components can be hard to get from our whole food sources and it’s benefits have been shown to be great. These benefits include improved cognitive function, decreased risk of heart disease, reduced triglycerides, and decreased inflammation. Fish oil is anti-inflammatory. Fish oil contain Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the amounts of each vary depending on brand.
Before I go on, I must first say, consuming fat does not make you fat. There are 7 types of dietary fat and they are not all created equal,
“From best to worst, they are: omega-3, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, medium chain, omega-6 and trans fat. Generally speaking, the healthiest fats are those from plants and animals, while the unhealthiest are those created during the food-manufacturing process.
Omega-3 fats can be found in wild fish and algae, while monounsaturated fats can be found in olive oil, avocado and some nuts. Polyunsaturated fats are also present in nuts, as well as in seeds and fish. Saturated fats are part of foods such as fatty meats, butter, cheese and cream. Medium-chain fats are man-made by processing coconut and palm-kernel oils. Corn oil, safflower oil and soybean oil are some examples of omega-6 fats.
And finally, artificial trans fats are those created by industrial-food producers; one example is partially hydrogenated oil that can be found in margarine and shortening.”
Let’s talk about Omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, these are found in vegetable oils, cooking oils and most commercially prepared food. Omega 6’s are very pro-inflammatory. Chronic inflammation is associated with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. We actually want both pro and anti inflammatory responses to happen in our body, so we want a balance of Omega 3: Omega 6. In our more primitive times, prior to the excessive production of processed foods, our ratio of O3:O6 was 1:2. Now, that ratio sits closer to 1:20. We walk around chronically inflamed. CrossFit recommends supplementing with fish oil in an attempt to restore that balance. I’ve been asked, “wouldn’t it be easier to just avoid Omega 6’s?” Yes, yes it would. But in today’s current climate, that’s a pretty tough task, those Omega 6’s find their way into our diet in many forms. It is recommended, at minimum, we consume 3 grams of combined EPA + DHA per day. That means you need to turn any bottle of fish oil over and look at the amount of EPA, add it to the amount of DHA, and then take the serving needed to get you 3 grams.
Individuals that already battle with some chronic diseases, are highly active and tend to beat up their bodies more than the average person, can work to increase their daily amount over time. But you definitely cannot go from 0-10 grams in one day or, in the infamous words of Matt Chan, “you will end up peeing out your butt.”
It’s important to know that fish oil is a blood thinner. So if you will be having surgery or possibly deploying to a combat zone where help is few and far between, it will be highly recommended you stop taking it.
Well, that sounds all well and good. I want to invest in my health. I want to create a hedge and buffer against chronic disease. This seems like something I would like to add into my daily routine. . . so which fish oil do I take? I am not here to endorse any one brand. I will simply give a few words of wisdom. Verve does not carry any brand of fish oil that we ourselves have not tried and found to be of high quality. Therefore, if it is at Verve, we will recommend it. Higher quality fish oil generally has higher levels of EPA and DHA, making serving sizes smaller. There is less filler. Higher quality fish oil does tend to come with a price tag. If you find a brand at Costco and you get 1,000 pills super cheap, just be prepared to find out you may have to consume 20 pills/ day to get the recommended dosage. Thats leads to the next question, pill or liquid? This will come down to personal preference. Some people simply cannot stand liquid fish oil, but again, liquid is often higher quality requiring you consume less. Liquid also means your body does not have to digest gel caps. . . which can be a lot for the body if you take 20 a day. Verve currently has pills stocked, on the way we will have a liquid fish oil, and we will be adding in a new brand that is a squeeze gel.
Fish oil is life for me (Courtney). Especially as I work to recover from surgery, my body took an inflammation gut punch, I’m trying to restore that balance. Again, there is not a fish oil product at Verve that I have not thoroughly tested, I liked them all, and my only advise I would give would be to find one that you can tolerate the taste and texture, so that you will consistently take it. If you have any questions beyond that, put them in the comments or send me an email.
**Remember this weekend Verve hosts the Sport Specific Seminar. We will have a 6:30am class on Saturday and Sunday, we will be closed the rest of the day. Sign up in MBO.
**Also this weekend Anna has organized a Verve community event for The Delores Project. They will be looking to feed upwards of 70 people and would love your participation either through cooking food or helping to serve it. You can check out the Verve Social page or e-mail annam@crossfitverve.com for more info. Please take a look at thedeloresproject.org so you can learn more about the community they support.
*info in this blog comes from CrossFit Journal article “Devil in the Diet”, click here.
