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Ali Isham wins Week 2 LiveFit Raffle! RPM Ninja Rope! Watch out Double Unders...@swimali @mauiref44 @rpmfitness #livefit310 #crossfit310

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Audrey and Scott in the middle of today's WOD! Great training day: Back Squats for strength and Lunges in the WOD. Any wait for 430. Stay tuned for the Tuesday night LiveFit Raffle. We're drawing for an RPM Jump Rope today! #crossfit310 #crossfit #livefit310 #speedkills @rpmfitness #ninjarope #theopeniscominggetyourdoubleunder

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Week 1 LiveFit310 raffle result!! Brendon Maxwell wins...only he'll never know because he never looks at his Facebook or Instagram account. Just kidding, we'll send him a letter To let him know :) PS I'm laughing at the end because people were happy for Brendon but mad they didn't win at the same time. Funny. Brendon! The $50 Rogue Gift Certificate is yours. #crossfit310 #livefit310 #crossfit #roguefitness

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Hydration for Athletes

We all know drinking more water is important and that we probably don't drink enough, but do you know why it's especially important for athletes? Fitness expert Dan Trink, Director of Personal Training Operations at Peak Performance NYC, answers 5 questions about proper hydration for athletes. (From mensfitness.com)

1) Dehydration Detection: what's the easiest way to detect dehydration and how will it effect my weight training?

“Your greatest natural detection system for dehydration is thirst. But, unfortunately, by the time this warning sign kicks in you are likely already dehydrated. As little as a two percent loss of hydration will effect performance in the weight room, so you want to make sure that you hydrate before and during your session. A foolproof way to see if you are doing an adequate job is to weigh yourself before and after your session. The pounds you lose during training are almost entirely composed of water, so ending the session lighter than you started is a good sign you didn't take in enough fluids.”

2) Recommended Water Consumption: What's the recommended amount of water to consume for training athletes? Is there a difference for endurance athletes vs. weightlifters?

"Recommendations of water consumption for both endurance and strength athletes really depend upon individual metabolism, sweat rate, climate and level of exertion. However a good blanket recommendation for both weight training and endurance athletes (assuming they are fully hydrated before training or the competitive event) is to drink 7 to 10 oz. of fluid every 10 to 20 minutes. If you are someone who perspires more than average or if you are competing in extreme climates or altitudes those amounts should increase."

3) Increased Consumption: Are there instances when you should be consuming more water? For example with specific supplements or training regimens?

"Obviously, the longer you're training, the more water you should consume to keep up with demand. Also competing in extreme temperatures or altitudes drives up your body's need for extra hydration. Since creatine works by drawing more water into muscle cells, you would do well to add extra water while supplementing with it, especially if you are going through a loading phase. Also certain powdered sports drinks are designed with a mechanism that drives fluid into your cells so they would be best consumed with extra water to function properly. "

4) Tracking Intake: Do you have any tricks to keep track of how much water you're consuming in a day?

"There are water containers that actually have counters on them which you 'click' every time you refill. This is a good way of keeping track of how much water you consume. You can also set an alarm to go off every 90 minutes as a reminder to grab another bottle or glass of water. Also, keep an eye on the color of your urine. If you have 2 nearly-clear urinations a day, chances are you are properly hydrated. It's a low-tech method that works."

5) Body Composition and Water: How exactly does hydration effect muscle growth, recovery and weight loss?

“Hydration effects all three of these factors in a big way. Keep in mind that 75 percent of muscle tissue is water. So it is not hard to see how critical proper hydration is to muscle growth. Also, as mentioned above, a small amount of dehydration affects performance. And if you are not performing up to your maximum potential, you certainly aren't growing to your maximum potential. Water is used for countless metabolic processes, many of which effect recovery. From muscle repair, to protein synthesis to nutrient absorption (digestion) water and hydration levels play a huge role. To put it simply, you cannot recovery properly without adequate hydration. Lastly, staying hydrated is a key component to a smart weight loss plan as it flushes toxins out of your system, keeps your digestive tract healthy and can even help you feel more full, cutting down the risk of binge eating or consuming excess calories. So many people are looking for a pill or 'magic bullet' when it comes to fat loss, but it's actually hard to beat good old H20 as a weight management 'supplement'."

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My LiveFit Experience: Gary

Last year's LiveFit experience was definitely an eye opener for me. It was a great experience due to the fact that I made permanent habit changes. The biggest was nutrition. I was eating a lot of what I thought was the healthy option (wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, etc...) to nearly wiping it out of my routine. For me the LiveFit program transferred from a strenuous struggle to a way of life. I personally feel that it's a lifestyle and I couldn't last day in and out with a cheat day or meal to look forward to. That's why this so great, I can live with healthy options 90% of the time and not feel guilty when it's time to stray. I got caught up in the points initially and was frustrated due to lack of sleep points. I felt like I was putting all this time into getting all my points and then one call after I was asleep at work ruined all my points for the day. Then it clicked, this isn't about winning the weekly prize, it's about making a permanent positive change.  What I found out is that you mold your lifestyle to make the LiveFit routine work for you. Bottom line is I felt better and was making great gains in the gym from this program. I'm actually having a lot more fun this year having my wife as a partner. It's nice to have someone that you can bounce ideas off of and keep each other accountable. It also doesn't hurt that she makes all the recipes taste good.  My advice is to stick with it through the first week and things become a lot easier. 

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Koach's Korner: Home Stretch

The cleaver falls, and week 3 is officially dead to us all. The points are carved on your paper and the numbers tell a story in a language that we're all fluent in now. The story of my sleep got a little better, but the water was harder for some reason (I am currently pounding 32oz before bed--not the right way). I made a better choice or two on food this week, and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything big. I had a fairly complete cheat day that has satiated a number of whispering food demons. :)

On one hollow, transparent note: we did not have a 100% turn in their sheets for week 2 as I had dreamed. But, we did have 44/57 people drop their story into the mailbox, and I am ecstatic about that.

As I've said in the weeks past, this is such an exciting year. I have been having so much fun carrying on a conversation that would never have lasted this long were it not for the excitement and excuse of a contest. The strange thing is, I feel like I've gotten more out of this year than either of the last two, and participating with people is the difference maker. More conversations have led to more insight and more encouragement, which leads to more excitement.

In short, these are the things that are lifting me up this year: • Doing this with my wife. • Amanda Trefethen gives up a latte that she's been drinking every day for over 10 years. Amazing. • Vinny Giglio and his diet baptism. • Megan Wiles and her year of success! What a great story. • Checking in with Chris Cannon, Jeremy Brandt, Joe and Corey and Kristen and Vanessa, Virginia, Sami, Katie, Amy, AJ and Gary. This is my group plus a few more.

These are the things that my LiveFit experience hinges on this year. Of course it's connection and challenge and accountability that ends up fueling the excitement--like every thing else we do.

Week 4 here we come!

Turn in your sheets! Give your LiveFit coaches the opportunity to shout Revolution!

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Eating Clean On the Go

Convenience is a huge part of successfully changing eating habits, so here are some suggestions for eating clean on the go (from the November 2013 CrossFit 310 newsletter).

Making good food choices while eating or snacking on the go can tough, but with some advance planning (and an insulated lunch tote or cooler) you can still eat clean even when you don’t have time for a sit-down meal. Here are some tips for getting by in a pinch:

1. Snacks and meals that don’t require refrigeration Nuts, fresh fruit, dried fruit, jerky, dry sausage, canned tuna, raw veggies with nut butter, trail mix, kale chips, plantain chips. Packaged bars are another convenient option, but the ingredients and nutritional value can vary so go for those with the cleanest ingredients such as Larabars and Oh My Bars. Always read labels and watch out for added sugar in dried fruit, or sugary add-ins like chocolate chips in trail mixes. Choose jerky and other cured meats without nitrates, if possible.

2. Snacks and meals that you can eat cold Hardboiled eggs, cooked shrimp, deli meat, rotisserie chicken, tuna salad, chicken salad, smoked salmon. Throw any of these on top of any kind of green leafy salad along with some sliced avocado or guacamole and you have a perfect quick meal. Many Paleo and primal blogs have recipes for cold side dishes (like ceviche, cole slaw, chopped pepper salad, roasted sweet potatoes, etc) if you want something other than a leafy salad.

3. If you’re starving, have no snacks on you, and see only fast food places nearby Make your own LiveFit-friendly choices, such as by getting your sandwich, burrito or burger in a salad bowl or wrapped in lettuce instead of on bread or in a tortilla. Starbucks sells a protein snack box with a hardboiled egg, fruit, cheese and peanut butter.

4. If your only option is a vending machine or gas station Hopefully such dire circumstances are a rare occurrence, but if you do find yourself in this situation, go for the packaged nuts, packaged pepperoni or salami, or a Powerbar.

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My LiveFit Experience: Megan

The picture above is basically what LiveFit 2013 did for me and I can't wait to see more results this year and in the months to come!

The hardest thing for me was having the discipline to NOT EAT JUNK. I have a very, very sweet tooth and having to cut that out cold turkey was tough. Well worth it, but tough. I finally got to the point where I wasn't craving licorice or a donut every 5 minutes and thankfully that's stuck with me this past year. (Trust me, I still have moments of weakness, they're just few and far between)

Another rough spot for me was sleep. Working a graveyard shift I had the tendency to get up after getting only 4-5 hours of sleep because I couldn't stand the thought of "sleeping the day away." I forced myself sleep 7-8 hours a day and holy moly I had acquired all this energy I never knew existed!

Now I'm healthier, stronger, and more fit than I think I've ever been and it all started with LiveFit. To my fellow LiveFitters: don't give up! It's going to suck and you're going to want to give in (Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, every Friday night), but when you start seeing results, and you WILL start seeing results, it'll alllll be worth it. :)