From Couch Potato To Crossfit Games Competitor

It's been a long time since I've posted a blog. I guess I was looking for that "drive" to come back and tonight it did.

For those of you who are new to the blog I just want to give you a quick rundown of who I am and who I used to be.

Six months ago I learned about PSKC after seeing it on a friends Facebook page. At one point in my life I had always been interested in fitness, getting healthy, and enjoying life but these are three major things that six months ago I had no desire to do. I was a depressed individual, out of shape(still am but not as bad), and my fitness consisted of 12oz curls and thumb presses(remote for the tv).

I had been wanting to find something, a hobby if you will. So I read up on PSKC and sent the owner an email. Told him basically I was a fat slob who didn't value my life and after reading the story of Troy Staker aka The Machine I wanted to change that for many reasons.

Fast forward six months and now look at me! A Crossfit athlete... That's right an athlete! Long gone is the fat, depressing, hating my life individual. Now I'm the motha fuckin' Grizz.... A 2012 Crossfit Games Competitor. However I didn't get here on my own. Like Dale has told us all.... I'll pave the path for you but it's up to us to walk down it. It's because of each and every individual at PSKC I am who I am today. From the countless text messages during my month hiatus to seeing someone from the gym out in public wanting to know where the hell I'd been and the cheers, high fives, and hugs I got when I returned and tonight.... This is why I am who I am.

PSKC isn't just about lifting weights..... No its much more than that. It's about supporting one another to be better, to laugh, to smile, to be faster, stronger, or as Dale would say..... Be Awesome!!

Turns out I found more than a hobby. I found a second family. One I always look forward to seeing each and every day I can.

If you haven't signed up for the 2012 Crossfit Open do it! You won't regret it and you'll have an entire family supporting you during the next five weeks.

Also I just want to say one thing to Zak Lafontaine. Thanks for telling my ass to sign-up! Thanks for the friendship we've made over the past six months too. And oh yeah, thanks for not letting me embrace the suck alone tonight!

To everyone who was there tonight and cheered Zak and I on thank you from the bottom of my heart! Pretty sure you accounted for a few reps!

Now..... Go be awesome! You got this!

Back to Basics....

I read an interesting blog on "Mark's Daily Apple" this morning about the 80/20 rule. After reading it I let it sink in like a spaghetti sauce stain on a white t-shirt, the kind of stain you can't get out, before even attempting to let my mind put the first thought in to this blog.

I've never read "The Primal Blueprint" but that day is coming soon as I constantly follow Mark's Daily Apple. I had heard and read plenty about the 80/20 rule and after reading the PSKC blog last night I started questioning myself also. So what's a guy to do but pull out the iPhone and read, read, read, in hopes to get his MoJo back.

First I want to say I've been slacking here lately. Not necessarily with my food choices, but over the past month I've drank a little to much Yuengling. Okay, a bunch .....guilty as charged! I've tried to convince myself that it's okay, but after last night's blog, Dale was right ....Man The F@$K Up! If I want this to work I can't make excuses any longer! I mean when it comes fown to brass tax how can I encourage Primal/Paleo to other individuals or give them advice on it if I don't practice what I preach?

Mark made it perfectly clear to me why, when he said this:

"If you set out to make your Primal commitment 80%, guess what? It will likely fall below that. If you set out to make your commitment 100% you will find yourself somewhere in the 80-95%."

He's absolutely right, you know?! When I workout in the gym I feel like I gave 100% and I can leave knowing that. Sure you're going to have that day when it might not reflect 100% but if you truly feel it than you did. So why should it be so hard to do the same with our eating habits? (Insert your reason here).

Starting tomorrow I'm committing myself again. Not that I've failed on Primal/Paleo but I've definitely slacked. I bought into the 80/20 rule. I began to find convenience .....I found it to convenient to buy Terra chips(Which I had no idea what kind of crap these things contained, read the ingredients) to go with lunch instead of steaming some vegetables, I've found myself reaching more for that diet pop than water, I've also slacked on my fish oil and L-Carnitine, and last but not least(This one's for you Wifey) I've slacked on responsibilities I have as a husband and father to my family. You're probably thinking, "That last statement has nothing to do with diet." Oh but it does young Padawan....
When you make your spouse stressed, you get stressed, which leads to bad choices via food or booze. As Dale would put it ....No Buenos Amigos.

However, I am damn proud of myself that I can admit my faults and know that I have the will inside myself to make that change! I just need to remind myself of that in order to turn the negatives into positives .....the mistakes you can fix. I've said it before but one of the greatest quotes I think back to when I know I made mistakes and get to feeling bad about them is from the movie Batman.....

"Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up."

I knew I could always count on Bruce Wayne!

If you've fallen off the horse do just that, pick yourself up, dust the dirt off, pull your belt tight, take a deep breath, and climb back up on that f&@k. You're in control of the reins!!

There's 10 rules to the Primal Blueprint. Take a second, think about it, then answer truthfully to yourself.

1. Are you eating lots of plants and animals?
2. Are you avoiding poisonous things?
3. Are you moving frequently at a slow pace?
4. Are you lifting heavy things?
5. Are you sprinting every once in a while?
6. Are you getting adequate sleep?
7. All work no play?
8. Are you getting adequate sunlight?
9. Are you avoiding stupid mistakes?
10. The most important rule ....Are you using your brain?

I could answer questions 1, 2, 4, and 5 with a yes. I've got a bunch of work to do and that's okay because I'm sure I'm not alone.

Remember, trying to be 100% in your diet equals 80-95%. Thats the benchmark. The 20% percent isn't there for you to have a cheat day, like I thought it was. It was purposely put there to keep you sane and to be there for the unexpected when Primal just isn't an option.

If you want to read the article, and you really should, click the link. I assure you it would be worth your time.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dear-mark-8020-revisited/

Stay Strong and Get Back To Basics!!

Closing in on 90 Days....

"It's not about the destination. It's about the journey." - Dale King

It's nearly 90 days into my lifestyle change doing the paleo diet and I couldn't help but think about how much he's right now. When I first started my challenge all I could think about was being a certain weight, losing so many pounds.

Nearly 90 days later and it's become a totally different view on things. I find myself caring less about what my weight is, how many pounds I've lost or what my body fat percentage is. I mean sure those are all great things but the thoughts of just enjoying life, lifting weights, smiling, laughing more, and sharing moments with family and some kick ass people are what it has become now.

90 days ago I didn't know the first person when I went to the gym other than Dale, but even that was just by a few emails we exchanged. Fast forward to today and I find myself with people who I call friends, go out to dinner with, game it up with via Xbox, and really miss when I can't get to the gym. I'm forever grateful for that.

I'm glad I know now what Dale meant that day when he said what he did. It truly is the BIGGER picture. So, I don't plan to get on the scales again to see what my weight is. I'm going to do just what he said. I mean I ultimately know my destination, we all do if you think about it.

So in my journey I plan to continue eating healthy, working out, meeting new people, doing as much with family as I can, and seeing where the road takes me. My only hope is I can do it for a long time. Thanks Dale for reminding me that it's far more about those things than the numbers on the scale....

Black Friday PSKC Style...

Today at PSKC sucked... No other adjective describes it better than that. For me it was the worst workout yet. I knew what to expect physically after reading the white board, but was not prepared at all for it mentally. It was a true "gut check" to say the least and I have to admit, that for the most part of today "The Fear Dog" was winning. I too just want to confirm that puking up an Iced Cappuccino in your mouth and swallowing it is not recommended. F'N Wizard got me twice today! The second time I just dry heaved though so I guess that counts as half.

I hated today. Every minute of it and I wanted to quit, but when I looked around and saw everybody hurting as bad as I was I knew I was bound and determined to finish, despite how long it would take me. 

I just want to say to each and every person who suffered through the suck with me, thanks. Seeing everyone else sweating their butts off, making pain faces, and seeing The Fear Dog in their eyes reminded me that I wasn't alone and to keep battling. Today wasn't about time. Today was just about finishing, slaying "Goliath" and today's WOD was definitely that too. 

If you didn't get a chance to enjoy some good livin' with us this morning you definitely missed out!

I want to say that we all eventually get to a point where we get frustrated about our times, the weight we lift, the rounds we do, but we cannot and should not ever let that shit eat at us. When we walk out the door we should leave what happened in the gym, in the gym. It's like work, we should never take it home with us. It will eat at us every hour on the hour and leave us with a sour taste in our mouths if we let it and trust me I know from personal experience. As long as we give each workout everything that we have that's good enough. If we didn't think we did then the next time we step foot back in the gym make up for it. 

I would rather hear somebody tell me that they went as hard as they could for as long as they could then the other person telling me what their time was or what weight they used. It's all about pushing ourselves to the max and breaking down the wall. If we are drenched in sweat, making crazy ass pain faces, struggling from one rep to the next, and maybe even letting The Wizard get at us, chances are we are going at max capacity. Just remember that. It's took me a long time to finally realize that, but I'm glad I have.

Remember we all conquered today... Be proud of that if nothing else! In my opinion that should be the main goal when we walk in the gym..... To Finish. I can't say enough about how proud I am to sweat it out with each and every person at PSKC and how proud I am of each and every person who survived "Black Friday". Everyday I'm there I know that I'm growing healthier.... not just physically, but mentally, and it's because of all of you who keep me coming back. All of us should hold our heads high and stick our chest out for what we have and will accomplish, be proud and remember.... It doesn't matter where we finished. It mattered that we finished.

I'm glad I didn't quit or go grab the 35lb kettlebell like I kept telling myself I should today and it's because of you guys and gals I didn't. I'm glad you didn't quit either. You guys and gals are animals! Thanks PSKC members for keeping me strong!

Those Were The Days...

I was in Walmart this morning picking up some things for my aunt that she needed before I went to sit with my grandpa for the day. As I walked around I couldn't help but notice the amount of processed pumpkin pies, pecan pies, pre-cooked turkeys, and the list goes on and on. It reminded me of how a society who used to find joy in the effort it took to make that Thanksgiving Day meal perfect, has now become to grow into a society of convenience .....and I'm sure it will only get worse with each passing year. Is this what we have become?

Whatever happened to the days of slaving in the kitchen prepping a turkey or ham? Or walking into grandmas house and helping her create the American classic pumpkin pie? Have we forgot those days of the past that we found the most happiness in?

I'm sure for some on the holidays they haven't forgot. They still anxiously await each year to walk through the door of their loved ones homes, hear the family gossip, see kids or grandkids running around the house, see the newest addition to the family, meet the new boyfriend or girlfriend, smell the rich aroma of a turkey baking in the oven, see the table covered with food that would be sure to feed a family of one hundred and still have enough left over to feed the same amount of people for two more days, and see people who they haven't seen all year.

I understand convenience, especially with the economy today. I'm sure it's easier to buy a pie in a box or turkey that's already been cooked from your local Bob Evans or Kroger, but where did the fun or love go into making something of our own? What happened to the feeling of joy and happiness to hear people say how good something is, see the smile it puts on their face, or hear people argue with one another because great grandma doesn't want to give up the family secret recipe? You can't and wont ever find that in a box. The only comments I've ever heard out of a store bought pie is, "It's okay for store bought." or "I sure miss a good homemade pie."

If you're fortunate enough to be like me and still enjoy these small treasures that come along with Thanksgiving Day
remember to be thankful that you have these loved ones to share it with and that your family still believes in tradition. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have it any other way.

What A Relief It Is....

This was the first thought that popped in my head today when I got out of bed. Last week was rough on me both mentally and physically between my grandpa being in the hospital and the death of my wife's aunt. I was also busy. Between work, birthday parties, taking care of my grandpa now that he's home, I was beginning to feel the stress taking its toll on me starting Friday. It got to the point over the weekend where I found myself starting to make bad choices, especially when it came to food. Trust me... You don't want to know what I ate or how much beer I consumed to, what I hoped, would wash away the stress.

That all changed today though when I walked through the doors of PSKC and saw people smiling, telling war stories of Tough Mudder from the weekend, seeing people who I hadn't seen in over a week, and just hearing somebody say, "Grizz!" Thoughts of everything I had to do today quickly subsided and it was time to get rid of the stress PSKC style.

My thirst was definitely quenched today in the hour I spent there. In the beginning I had been addicted to barbells, times, and numbers but that addiction quickly changed within a month to what I mentioned earlier. I mean sure it's still about barbells, times, and numbers but my addiction/love of PSKC is all about the people and the bond we share.

To be honest I didn't even want to come today. I'm exhausted from the weeks previous events, but I needed to hear laughter, weights hitting the mat, screams, and cheers along with seeing smiles, pain faces, and sweat-lined shirts. It's definitely one of the many reasons I enjoy life much more now.

I've heard people say, "My friends tell me I'm addicted to Crossfit." Well I guess in a way we are seeing how Crossfit is a community. I often think about could I have done this on my own? The weight loss, the diet, becoming a more solid minded individual? To simply answer, no, I couldn't have. I'm sure you've heard the infamous quote, "There's strength in numbers!" PSKC proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt. You can't and won't ever find that at your glo-bo gym. I know without these things even if I'd worked out on my own I'd still have the stress I lost today at the gym.

I was also reminded today how thankful I am to have PSKC in my life again. It was relief to focus on performing an Overhead Squat for an hour than having to worry about everything else that's being served up on my plate right now. It's funny how holding weight over top of your head can quickly shut the brain down and force you to hold, squat, and explode. God it felt good....

I'm glad this week is here. I need it now more than ever. I'm grateful I'll be able to make every class this week. PSKC will without a doubt give me the strength I need to get through these hard times..... I have no doubts the negativity will also quickly find itself stuffed back down where it belongs....

It's what actions we choose to take when we find ourselves laying flat on our back to define who we are. Do we choose to lay there and let the bell ring or do we unbury the strength tucked deep inside us and rise to our feet to continue the fight and come out victorious?

This is something I've thought about all week. Find the strength and you'll find happiness... For a brief time today it was found and I'm grateful...

"Ain't No Party Like A Protein Party"

"Got Protein?"

Chris Spealler Doing What He Does Best

So yesterday I did a blog on "The Paleo Diet" in my own words due to the several questions that I came across on Facebook from people at the gym and today I wanted to do my own take on "Protein Shakes" as I've seen some questions about them also so I wanted to give a shot and try and shed some light.

First I just want to say everything I'm going to write in this blog is stuff that I found researching for countless hours and from personal experiences. I'll try to not make it sound over your head. My main goal on my blog is to keep you interested, motivated, and to help you reach your goal. Why? I'm just the type of guy that wants to pay it forward. I don't want you to be like I was, depressed, fat, out of shape, and feeling worthless. It's no way to live, trust me. I'm better for it though, because it's taught me that I can be successful and I can change.

First off all protein powders are not created equal. Yes, there is a difference. You'll find whey protein that is high in fat, low in fat, high in carbs, low in carbs, high in sugar, low in sugar and the list goes on and on. Also you're going to find that whey protein is going to contain different stuff. From what I've found through research their are three different types of protein. Here's how they break down:

Concentrate
Isolate
Hydrolysate 

Here is how they are classified:

Concentrate: Whey concentrate is the most common and cheapest form of whey protein. Whey protein concentrate is a common athletic supplement used to increase dietary protein intake, often with the goal of maximizing muscle hypertrophy. Concentrate is usually a low level of fat and cholesterol but, in general, have higher levels of bioactive compounds as well as carbohydrates in the form of lactose, they are only 29%-89% of protein by weight.

Isolate: Whey isolates have had their base component, which is water, removed and are generally considered almost lactose and cholesterol free — they are at least 90% protein by weight. Two filtration methods are widely used. One method, utilizes ion exchangers which denature the proteins with heat, and may or may not damage the proteins. The second method, microfiltration, uses other filtration methods. Both methods yield a very high protein to non-protein product ratio. Whey and other protein powders can be reconstituted at the time of usage by the addition of a solvent such as water, juice, milk, or other liquid. Whey proteins are highly bioavailable, are very quickly absorbed into the body, and have a high concentration of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) which are highly concentrated in muscle tissue, and are used to fuel working muscles and stimulate protein synthesis. The difference between the whey protein forms is the process used to filter the proteins. Whey isolates yield a higher percentage of pure protein and can be filtered enough to be virtually lactose free, carbohydrate free, fat free, and cholesterol free.

Hydrolysate:  Whey protein hydrolysate is considered the gold standard of protein powders. Unlike concentrate of isolate forms of whey protein, hydrolysates are enzymatically predigested for maximal speed of absorption. This additional processing often comes at an increased cost, but is considered superior for post workout muscle hypertrophy. Additionally, some individuals who experience intestinal problems with WPC or WPI will not experience problems when consuming hydrolysate. Whey protein hydrolysate is distinct from hydrolyzed collagen. Hydrolyzed collagen is produced from collagen found in the bones, skin, and connective tissue of animals. The amino acid content of hydrolyzed collagen is the same as collagen, which is deficient in one of the nine essential amino acids. This distinguishes hydrolyzed collagen from whey protein hydrolysate, which is derived from the whey protein fractions of cow's milk. Whereas hydrolyzed collagen is often used to improve skin, bone, and joint health, it is not typically used for weight training because it does not contain all of the essential amino acids.

So what does all that mean? Well to put it to you in a way that you can easily understand, Whey Protein Hydrolysate because of it's quality, absorption speed, and the amount of amino acids it has is the best of the best. However, the drug dealer rule applies that, "Da betta dat powda, da higha da price."

Personally, I use Progenex, because it's Whey Protein Hydrolysate and with the types of WOD's I do I want that quick absorption time to recover. Another reason I use it is because of the amount of amino acids it contains. I also have this thing about taking glutamine and from what I understand Progenex doesn't contain it. I don't like taking things with glutamine in it because glutamine fuels cancer cells. Not saying I have cancer cells, but who is to say it wouldn't cause them? So I try to reduce my risk. Cancer is a nasty sum bitch. I watched my mom suffer through it and it's not something I want or want my kids to see me go through so I take every precaution I can. Progenex is also easy on my stomach. I don't do good with milk based products. Thank God I do Paleo and yes I know that Progenex contains milk, but I'm not a "Paleo Psycho" and the stuff is low in fat and carbs. It along with organic butter is the only type of milk based products I use. So that's the basics on the types of protein powders and what I use. There is so much information out there on the internet it would take me the rest of my life to read up on it and I'm trying to keep this simple.

So what type of protein powder is for you? Well it all depends on what you're looking for. I found a great article by Robb Wolf aka "The Paleo Guru" and you should really take the time to read this. It's great info!

Low Carb PWO-Why

When we talk health and longevity we are talking insulin management and carbohydrate flux. For many people insulin resistance is more important to deal with than performance, at least initially. If one is sick, or just less than optimally well, it’s tough to imagine optimum performance. Also, from a purely aesthetics (gasp!) perspective we might want to lean out for summer and not be a fatty. That was certainly my situation and I feel a good bit better at sub 10% body fat, especially when Chico is a balmy 106*F. I have tinkered with higher carbs PWO for several months and my signs of insulin resistance were simply not budging. I still have some cortisol issues that are likely driving some of this…multi time zone travel really kicks my ass! So I finally wised up and went back to what has worked so well for me in the past.

I re-read the article by Mauro Dipasquale, and thought back a bit to what Poliquin had recommended to me at the Biosignature seminar last year: No carbs PWO, not till one is LEAN. For men that is below 10%, for women below 15% and in both cases, no sign of insulin resistance (high insulin readings at the love handles).

The Purpose of the PWO meal can vary based upon desired effects. Fasting produces a different effect from both low carb and high carb PWO meals.  People get pretty spun out about which way is “right” but it’s really just a spectrum of options. In this situation the PWO meal of whey protein + coconut milk is providing quickly digested protein which will reverse catabolic actions of training, with just a bit of fat to suppress the normal glucose release of a large protein meal via glucagon. This would not be the end of the world but part of what we want with this PWO meal is the MAINTENANCE of insulin sensitivity. If we totally top off our glycogen stores PWO we impair insulin sensitivity and make it damn tough to lean out. So, one way to look at this is the a LC-PWO meal is focusing on muscular recovery and growth, while minimizing or limiting the effects of insulin or carbohydrate. This is in stark contrast with what we will see in the case of the high carb PWO meal. From my perspective this is THE PWO meal of choice from a health promotion standpoint. Insulin management, cellular stress mechanisms, hormesis…all the crap I’ll cover in the book are adressed when we choose a LC-PWO meal MOST OF THE TIME.*

Low Carb PWO-How

I used ~ 50g of Whey protein from a brand called Isoflex. It’s a mix of whey protein isolate, hydrosolates, glutamine peptides, some insulin sensitizers and other goodies. I ran with a vanilla flavor that is sweetened with sucralose. To this I added about ¼ can of coconut milk (legit Thai coconut milk…hardly any English on the can, not Whitey watered-down crap!) and 2 heaping tablespoons of coco powder. I shot this concoction down as soon as I wrapped up my CrossFit Football or ME-Black Box session. Recovery was good as in I was not particularly sore and miraculously, I started to lean out again, especially when I upped my fish oil to about 15g/day (Kirkland brand). Overall I was getting in less than 50g of carbs per day and feeling pretty damn good. Strength was solid, short met-cons were “ok” and I started to look like someone who “strength trained”.

Low-CARB Reality Check

If you are a strength oriented athlete you might thrive on this regime. Low carb in general, one or two higher carb meals per week (or maybe not). You will NOT however win the CrossFit Games or optimize performance in longer Met-con oriented activities. Several of the folks in the comments section were a little startled by the protein+fat PWO meal which seems completely at odds with what I talk about in 42 Ways to Skin the Zone. It is simply a different tool for a different situation. If one is overweight or showing signs of insulin resistance, a low carb PWO meal is the way to go. Solid food is just fine and likely even better.

Can’t everything be Fat Fueled?

This is a sub-category of low-carb reality check. In general, I think there are activities/work outputs that just run better with SOME glycogen. I have noticed in myself and in some other people a surprising level of work output while in ketosis…but I still think there is a bit more to be had from a properly glycogen fueled athlete. This article from theJournal of  Nutrition and Metabolism sheds some light on the opportunities and possible limits of a fat-fueled existence. Keep in mind, even if you do not EAT carbs, your body makes some. This might be a natural way to structure training…what hepatic (liver) glycogen production can support…but we will look at that in the book!

High Carb PWO-Why

In the LCPWO scenario we are concerned just with the anabolic/muscle growth aspects of recovery. This MAY play towards performance if our game is strength oriented but it will likely NOT do us many favors if we desire to be the CrossFit Kid or some other glycogen dependant athlete. The HC-PWO meal becomes appealing when we need to replenish not only damaged muscle tissue but also the glycogen stores that fire intense activity. We can do this a dumb way (perfectly balanced protein/carb/fat meals the same proportion, every day, all the time) or we can be smart and take advantage of heightened insulin sensitivity PWO to fly protein and carbs into our muscles with less of a hit from insulin. In this scenario we should see not only solid muscular recovery due to our protein intake, but also rapid glycogen repletion due to the smart carbs we throw into the PWO meal. How much carb/protein is a great question and I honestly do not have a perfect answer.  If you have followed OPT’s Blog you will have noticed that he scales the amount of carbs and protein based on volume/intensity of an effort and percent body fat. That friends, is damn smart. I know of some fairly technical formulas that involve weight, duration of activity and some other factors, but it all relates to fairly static state endurance activities. I find it tough to extrapolate much to the CrossFit world from this information. A nice rule of thumb I have found effective is find your Zone block allotment. From this use about ¼ of your daily protein for PWO meals, and ½ your days carbs PWO for “big” WOD’s, ¼ of your day’s carbs for “small” WOD’s. This does not mean you need to weigh and measure every meal, just use this as a tool to find a nice PWO carb/protein level. By the numbers this would look like: My block allotment would be 17 blocks. PWO protein would be 4-5 blocks, PWO carbs would be 4-8 blocks. Huge variability? You bet, you need to pay attention to how much carbs you need to recover from a given beating. This IS where writing down what you eat pays big returns.

What about Multi-event days?

Glad you asked, I hear there is this thing, the CrossFit Games looming in the near future. How should one fuel/refuel for events? You should have figured a bunch of this out already…now is NOT the time to alter your game plan dramatically but the formula above is a good place to start. I’d say most WOD’s would necessitate 50% of the days carbs PWO. If you have three WOD’s you are obviously not following Zone parameters today! You should have easy to digest foods (yams+ applesauce is a goody) as is a shake you know you tolerate well. A little protein is good for balancing things out, nuts are good for between event snacks. Whey protein in the yam+applesauce=damn yummy and very useful. Nothing new on game-day…gas while running “The Hill” seems like a horrid day.

High Carb Reality Check

I hope you see that a spectrum exists here…if I throw 10g of carbs into a PWO meal, it’s still pretty “low”. This is where people need to understand a little of the theory and then just get in and tinker.

I also had an asterisk* up above. It denotes the fact that although a low carb PWO meal is preferable for health, for longevity I think an OCCASIONAL HC-PWO meal is of benefit for a variety of reasons. Some of what I will cover in the book relates to two facts which seem at odds:

What is the metabolic profile most associated with EFFECTIVE aging? Answer: the ability to metabolize fat for energy.

What Helps to ensure this profile? OCCASIONAL bouts of glycolysis (large amounts of carbs).

To this end, once one is healthy, but following a low-carb approach drop in one HC-PWO meal every 5-7 days. Post burner is a perfect time.

I know that's a bunch to take in and yes I could have linked it, but I really wanted you to read it. Don't look to much into it though. There's some stuff in there that probably won't even apply to you so don't get confused. I just mainly wanted you to ask yourself, "What am I trying to do and which is right for me? Low-Carb or High-Carb?"

I started taking the Progenex Recovery roughly 1 1/2 months ago and it's helped. It's main purpose is to help you recover and that's it. It isn't formulated to make you gain muscle. I remember before I was taking it I was constantly sore all day long after a WOD, but now I'm not. Just my own little testimonial there. Here is what Progenex Recovery is designed to do in the company's own words:

How It WorksWhen you exercise, your muscle cells work by detecting a flow of electrical impulses from your brain. Through a chain of events linking the nerve impulse to the contraction mechanism, calcium is released from a storage compartment inside the muscle cell, which signals the cell to "go" or contract. As you work out, the amount of calcium released from the storage compartment progressively diminishes. Less calcium translates into weaker contractions, which in turn diminishes your strength. For the average athlete, it can take up to three days to reset that calcium-depleted environment. PROGENEX Recovery accelerates that reset process from days to minutes, leaving you feeling strong enough to do it again.

 Science

Taken within 30 minutes of your workout, PROGENEX Recovery gives your muscles exactly what they need to recover faster and stronger—so that you can do it again. And again. And again.The key to PROGENEX Recovery is Promorphogen,™ the highest quality whey protein isolate available, that has been hydrolyzed through a proprietary enzymatic process. This procedure "cuts" the protein into the tiny peptide sequences that can be quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Fast absorption is essential to the recovery process, and these minute protein fractions have been proven to do just that.How much better do athletes perform with PROGENEX Recovery? A university clinical trial demonstrated that athletes who consumed whey protein hydrolysate post workout not only recovered faster, they recovered stronger, than athletes who consumed water or a generic whey protein isolate.

Last Wednesday I added the More Muscle and the results in the gym have been great for me. Today I PR'd: 

Thruster @ 135

Clean @145

The finisher for today was the WOD from Back At The Ranch:

10 Min AMRAP

5 Thrusters 135/95 (I did 95 because I wanted to make sure I could rep them out and keep the heart rate going and not rest.)

10 Over Head KB Swings 53/35 (RX)

15 Pullups (I did 3 rounds with the blue band and finished with the green. I was wasted)

I missed 5 rounds today by 5 pullups. I was happy with that. I also did every single thruster unbroken. No rest in the rack position. The only time the weight hit the floor was when I was done with a set. To some 5 rounds might not be that hard or that big of a deal, but to me it was. It was just two months ago I was doing 65 on my clean and 45 on my thrusters.

So do I think I the More Muscle is working? I feel like it is. I have plenty of energy during WOD's and I'm not completely so busted up that when I come home all I do is lay on the couch. I also feel stronger and leaner. I'm not contributing all that to Progenex, but I think it's part of it.

In closing if you're looking for a protein powder get something that's going to work and work well. There is several of us at the gym that are using Progenex. Also if you're interested in trying some let me know. I have my affiliate with Progenex and I can get you some samples. Now you're probably thinking, "Well you just put all that crap about Progenex on here so I would buy it and you would get a kick back." You're right and wrong. First I didn't have my affiliate until Monday afternoon. Why did I get? There's so many of us at the gym using it now I wanted to help us out and get a nice discount. Cha Ching! This stuff isn't cheap dude! The plan is to do a bulk order once a month or as needed. If we have a $1K order we get 25% off and free shipping. If we have close to that we get 20% off and I was told personally by Progenex that they would "Help Us Out" if you know what I mean. Also if you want to order anything when we don't do an order let me know. You'll save 10% on your order and it gives me a 10% kick back, but I'm not keeping the money. I talked to Dale the other night and told him that I had my affiliate and my plan with the kick back is to set up a fund to help out members at PSKC when they need it most. Just my way of paying it forward. If you don't think I'm going to keep my word then why would I write these blogs to help you out? I care about you guys and want to do whatever I can for you, especially when you need it most!

I nearly forgot to mention how I take my protein shakes. For the most part I workout Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. I don't take anything before a workout, part of that whole fasting experiment I'm doing that I'll talk about later in another blog. When I get home I take More Muscle and Recovery, put in a blender with 8oz coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of Almond Butter, 1 Tablespoon of Pure Honey, and a couple handfuls of ice and I blend it, of course after I remove my hand. Nobody likes a bloody protein shake. 

On the days I don't workout or the days I workout in the evenings I do the More Muscle as I described above in the mornings around 10 or 11, again fasting. I don't do the Recovery if I don't workout. Why? It doesn't serve a purpose if it's not post WOD. If I workout in the evenings I just do a Recovery Shake with 8oz of water.

I hope this blog shed some light on what protein is, what types there are, the differences, how it's used, and the results. Remember, if you want to learn about all this crazy shit we're doing, Crossfit, Protein, Paleo, use "Google" it's the greatest tool out there. 

See you guys in the gym!