Fish Oil. It's What Your Body Is Begging You For!!

CrossFit Round Rock Retail Store has something new and amazing for you ladies! It's what your body is begging you for! Take some time and read the many health benefits #SFH Fish Oil provides our bodies, I think you will agree it's just too good to pass up! 

For the month of October, for every 8oz. bottle of WSO3 sold SFH will donate $5 to THE Breast Cancer Fundraiser.

• More than 3200mg EPA+DHA  and Vitamins A, D3, K2, B6, B12 and folic acid in 1 tsp! 


• Each teaspoon delivers 1000IU of Vitamin D3 and 150% RDA of Vitamins A, K2, B6, B12 and folic acid.


• Soy free, gluten free and sugar free


• Natural Berry Flavor


• All natural concentrated omega-3 oil


• Liquid form to optimize absorption efficiently


• Third party tested: our SO3 oil meets or exceeds CRN, GOED, IFOS, WHO and Prop 65 Standards.


• Our product is prepared from sardines, herring and anchovies using molecular distillation making it possible to concentrate EPA and DHA.


• Mercury free, no heavy metals, no toxins

3 REASONS YOU SHOULD TRY FISH OIL

Even if you get in every second of the recommended 75 weekly minutes of vigorous exercise, your body isn't a timeless vessel. To have a happy, healthy and long life, it's important to do all you can to reduce your risk for potentially harmful ailments and improve your overall well-being. Many individuals use fish oil supplements to advance their health. That's because this dietary add-on is full of omega-3 fatty acids, including the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids DHA and EPA. Are you wondering what the fish-oil hype is all about? Check out these three reasons you should try our omega-3 oil:

1. It's healthy for your heart, a muscle that has a big impact on your overall health
According to the American Heart Association, omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of both healthy individuals and people at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Specifically, omega-3s can reduce the risk for abnormal heart beats and lower triglyceride levels and inhibit plaque growth in the arteries.

A healthy heart is crucial for your overall well-being. The Mayo Clinic explained that cardiovascular disease can lead to heart attack or failure, stroke and aneurysms, just to name a few complications. Plus, certain heart conditions can restrict how frequently and intensely you can safely work out, which may deprive you of the benefits of staying active.

2. A better mood can lead to a better you
Fish oil is not intended to be used as a treatment for depression, but it may alleviate mild symptoms of the blues by increasing the body's release of serotonin, one of the neurotransmitters responsible for boosting your mood. Getting this extra bit of happiness is advantageous for more than just brightening your outlook on life. It can increase your productivity, decrease your levels of anxiety, improve your health and broaden your scope of creativity. As a result, a positive mood can help you be your best self.

"Omega-3 oils may assist in fighting against dementia."

3. Boost your brain power
Fish oil benefits may help delay cognitive decline, allowing you to maintain brain function for later into life. As a result, omega-3 oils may assist in fighting dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. However, the benefits are apparent only when you consume enough fish oil, meaning supplements may be a viable option for those who either can't or don't want to eat fish several times per week.

Aside from providing all these health benefits, adding omega-3 oil supplements to your diet is simply easier than acquiring these nutrients through other mediums. You don't necessarily have to cook an entire meal to get the DHA and EPA you need, and you reduce your risk of consuming mercury by opting for omega-3 oil over regular fish. Our omega-3 oil products go through a certification of analysis process that indicates mercury is below detectable levels. Finally, our liquid formulation delivers a higher strength of omega-3 oils than gel capsules. Plus, with delicious flavors like lemon, peppermint, vanilla, chocolate and orange, taking a teaspoon can be tasty, too.

http://www.sfh.com/blog

Inspiration At It's Best

It's easy for some of us (including me) to forget how blessed we are on a daily basis. We get up, roll through the motions of the day and quite often take for granted our nearly perfect health. We may have some aches and pains, or feel run down, and tired. But, overall it's nothing compared to what some people are fighting through each and every day.

As I watched this video last night with tears streaming down my face, heart aching, and feeling incredibly proud of CrossFit and our community in it's entirety, I realized how much I have to be grateful for in my life. Each day is a gift, and I intend on staying healthy, fit, strong, and thankful for all that God has given me. 

I hope you find the same appreciation and feel as inspired by Whitney and her story as I do.

We only have one life, let's live it to it's fullest!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEU43TYepnc

2 Simple Thoughts

There are two things I would like for every athlete to think about when you find yourself feeling frustrated with the time and patients it takes to master a movement, or the progressions you must work in order to reach to your goal.

1. "No matter how advanced you are as an athlete or mover, the best way to keep improving is to master the basics" -Carl Paoli 

2. "Build the beginning, build the end. Work the middle!!" -Carl Paoli 

Master the basics and keep moving forward!! You will never get there by quitting or resisting the process!

Trust and listen to your coach, because you reaching YOUR goal, is OUR dream come true!

Understanding The Importance Of Bracing The Spine

Bracing The Spine....

As part of my continuing education I have learned an extremely important tool that has been a bit overlooked, or possibly misunderstood. It took me some time to truly grasp what 'bracing the spine' really meant, but when that light bulb came on, it gave an entirely different meaning and understanding!

In hopes to shed some light and offer you the same knowledge, here is a brake-down for you to refer to. Take a few minutes and go through each step-you will definitely have an 'ahh-ha' moment!

*Please note, these are not my words-this comes from Dr. Kelly Starrett who in my opinion is brilliant, and has an art for effortlessly breaking down information making it easy to comprehend. His New York Times Bestseller Becoming a Supple Leopard is hands-down one of the best books I have ever read, and learned from.

The Bracing Spine Sequence is the bedrock from which ALL safe, dynamic, and high volume athletic movement is generated.

Go through this sequence anytime you are setting up for a dynamic movement.

Start in a compromised position: It doesn't matter what position you start the bracing sequence in-whether you're rounded forward or over extended-the end result is the same.

Step 1: Screw (aka torque) your feet into the ground, this will stabilize your hips. Torque is the turning force generated by the hips and shoulders which causes limbs to rotate.

Step 2: Squeeze your butt! This will set your pelvis in a neutral position.

Step 3: Take a deep breath-breathe in through your diaphragm as you inhale.
                                                                         

Step 4: Balance your rib-cage over your pelvis and get your belly tight as you exhale.

Step 5: Set your head and shoulders in a neutral position.

Finish: Let your arms fall to your side, keeping your thumbs pointed forward and shoulders externally rotated.
                                                                               

The goal is to align your ears over your shoulders-your rib-cage over your pelvis- and your hips over your knees and ankles.

I hope this helps put in perspective how important bracing your spine is before you begin any dynamic movements. I promise if you start applying this, and make it a habit, you will use and feel muscles you have never felt before. You will feel more in control of your movement patterns, and will improve all around as an athlete!

You Ask, And You Shall Receive!!

I am SO excited to announce TWO new classes to my schedule!!

Due to #hardCOREcardio being on hot demand we have decided to create an ADDITIONAL class and time!!

Starting in October 2015 #hardCOREcardio will be offered to all members at CrossFit Round Rock on Monday's at 7:00AM!!!

This is in addition to 5:00AM Tuesday's and Thursday's as well as Friday evening at 5:15PM!

HARDCORE CARDIO

This class consists of isolated abdominal work to strengthen your core, while also combining HIIT, plyometrics, body and/or low weight CrossFit movements and “old school” isolation exercises (curls anyone?) to increase cardio endurance.

Cant wait to see you there!!

Last, but not least.....we have officially opened our Friday 4:00 PM- 5:00PM OPEN GYM to ALL members at CFRR!!! This is time for you as an athlete to work on your skills, mobility, and strength!! I will be there to offer assistance, and coaching for the entire hour as well as top level DJ for your listening pleasure! This is a great opportunity so I hope you take full advantage of it!

If you have ANY questions please feel free to email me at kali@crossfitroundrocktx.com or info@crossfitroundrocktx.com

#HCC #CFRR #OpenGym #ReachingGoals 

At Home CORE WOD

Labor Day weekend is just a few days away!! You may be asking yourself...."what am I going to do without CFRR on Monday?!"

I am here to save the day!! In true #hardCOREcardio fashion I present one of my most favorite at home WODs!!

Hope you enjoy and feel the burn ;)

 

Let me know how it goes!!

Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful weekend!!

Whole Life Challenge!!

It's that time of year again, the summer is coming to an end, the school year has started, and yes, the holidays are just around the corner!  I know its sad to hear, but all good things must come to an end. The good news is this also means it's finally time for us to get back on track with our health and fitness!!

We all understand how difficult certain "healthy" lifestyles can be to maintain, especially during the fun summer months, but you and I both know it time to shape up!

In the past we would be gearing up for our big Caveman Challenge right about now, but this year I am thrilled to introduce something NEW for ALL of our members, clients, friends, and family!!

Before I get into all of awesome details, lets think about the difference between two words.....

Challenge:  something ​needing ​great ​mental or ​physical ​effort in ​order to be done ​successfully, or the ​situation of ​facing this ​kind of ​effort:

Lifestyle: the way in which a person or group lives.

For most of us when we set our selves up for a nutrition challenge for let's say 6-8 weeks, we are already telling ourselves that its just for 6-8 weeks-that's it-then we can get back to normal. This is the reason so many people fail to hold on to it, even when they have NEVER looked or felt better before in their life. It's just a matter of time and you are right back where you started waiting for the next challenge to begin so you can finally feel that great again! 

When we think about lifestyle, we imagine it's simply the way we live. There is no timeline or needing of great mental or physical effort to be done successfully. We can just live a healthy lifestyle without the clock ticking and countless restrictions that we all  know we will never really give up for the rest of our lives.

This year we are changing it up with a little something special called Whole Life Challenge! It has success written all over it, and we are inviting all of you to join us! 

The ultimate goal for these 8 weeks is to learn how to apply these tools to your everyday life and for a lifetime!!

The Whole Life Challenge is a 56-day online, community-building, habit changing game that challenges you and your friends to create happier, healthier lives by making small, daily changes. 

Playing with your friends and family, you’ll score points every day, focusing on 7 key areas of health and well-being: Nutrition, Exercise, Mobility, Supplementation, Hydration, Lifestyle Practices, and Reflection.

• Eat by the WLC rules you choose at the level that is right for you. Make conscious choices that support your vision for a healthy lifestyle. Earn up to 5 points daily for nutrition.
• Exercise for at least 10 minutes each day. We recommend 3-5 “workouts” each week. The other days you’ll earn your points by being active. Ride your bike, surf, hike, even take an invigorating walk at sunset. This is your time to move daily. You earn 2 points for exercise.
• Stretch for at least 10 minutes each day. You earn 2 points for stretching.
• Water One third of your body weight in oz. of water each day (20 ml per kg). You earn 1 point for water.
• Supplement with a dietary supplement that would make a difference for your body if you took it every day. You earn 1 point for your supplement
• Live the WLC weekly lifestyle practice – things like sleep, meditate, & supporting others. You earn 1 point each day you complete the weekly lifestyle task.
• Reflect at the end of each day and check in with how it went and how you’re doing. No amount of numbers can paint the whole picture. Your daily reflection helps you see how the challenge is really going. You earn 1 point daily for your reflection.

Not only will this be FUN, it will change your life!! 

Lets DO THIS together!

#CFRR #Community #WLC 

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
– Aristotle

Are you ready?!

http://www.wholelifechallenge.com/

https://youtu.be/GQ7xGRc4ibc

Make friends with the problems in your life!

                                                                               

I would like to share something I read earlier today. It is from a book filled with devotionals and words of encouragement. It is a great reminder of what is truly important, and how to deal with problems in your life.

Each and everyone of us has problems from one day to the next. I hope this can shed some light on how to better handle them, accept them, and deal with them.

Make friends with the problems in your life. Though many things feel random and wrong, remember that I am sovereign over everything. I can fix everything into a pattern for good, but only to the extent that you trust Me. Every problem can teach you something, transforming you little by little into the masterpiece I created you to be. The very same problem can become a stumbling block over which you fall if you react with distrust and defiance. The choice is up to you, and you will have to choose many times each day whether to trust Me.
The best way to befriend your problem is to thank Me for them. This simple act opens your mind to the possibility of benefits flowing from your difficulties. The next step is to introduce them to Me, enabling Me to embrace them in My loving Presence. I will not necessarily remove your problems, but My wisdom is sufficient to bring good out of every one of them.

Romans 8:28 AMP;1 Corinthians 1:23-24

I started stripping and got stronger!

                 
                                             

I have mentioned in a couple of my recent blogs my new found appreciation for focusing on form, mechanics, and stripping off the weight stacked on the barbell. It has now been a couple of months, and I am still learning the correct form and proper way to use my muscles. Yes, my ego has been bruised a couple of times, I have felt frustrated and eager to get more weight back on the bar, but truth be told, every time I push my limits, I am slapped in the face with the reality that this is a process and cannot be rushed. It's going to take time to relearn a couple things, and that's okay! The flip side is what really matters.... I am getting more out of each and every workout, I feel stronger, my muscles are more defined, and best of all, I am sore where I am SUPPOSE to be sore. I am using muscle groups I haven't ever used before, and I am loving it!

Having 100% proper form in each rep may not mean very much to some athletes, trust me, I was one of them. I wanted the weight on the bar, I wanted the kipping pull-up (even if I couldn't do strict pull-ups) , and the highest box jumps. All I wanted was to just kick ass no matter how I looked, or if I got hurt. Thinking to myself....this is CrossFit damn it-I'm here to kill it! I couldn't have been more wrong! That is NOT CrossFit-and certainly not what we want at CFRR.

Once I re-set my focus, and let go of my silly little ego I discovered I was doing most everything with improper form. No wonder my shoulders hurt all the time, no wonder I couldn't get that PR no matter how hard I tried and trained for it. This lead me to thinking....what else can I improve on?! That's the magic word right there!! IMPROVE! So I quickly stopped beating myself up and started learning how to improve in all aspects of training. I soon discovered that it isn't just about the barbell. It's the squat, the push up, the lunges, and the burpee!! Do you know what it feels like to do 20+ burpees start to finish with perfect form?! It's a little shocking to be honest, and has motivated me to an entirely different level. It is my personal goal to get through an entire workout, at the speed I use to with 100% proper form!! It's a challenge for sure, but I am more than willing to put in the time, work and effort to make it happen!

If you think you may have a few things to improve on, or are feeling like you should have reached one of your goals by now, and can't understand why you haven't.....PLEASE, I urge you to go back to the beginning and find the missing link!! Take the time to see what your body is capable of when you are not rushing it-or demanding too much from it. I assure you, reaching that goal will be so much more attainable!

Do you play well with others?

How well do you play with others? When I say 'play' I am speaking of your teamwork, and how well you get along with others. How much are you willing to sacrifice, and how much time are you willing to give to your team?
Back in elementary school we all received report cards. They typically started with grades and comments regarding reading, then writing and arithmetic, and then the fourth item was usually something similar to "plays well with others" Many of the basic aspects of our personalities don't change from kids to adulthood; the principles of 'play' still matters. Most people are part of a 'team' whether they are at home, work, or both.

Personally speaking, if my husband, kiddos and I did not have good, solid  teamwork we would never survive!

It's the exact same thing when it comes to work. A successful business will always have a strong team.
 People who respect one another, lend a helping hand when needed, reach out if a teammate may need guidance or just a listening ear, and steps up to the plate at a moments notice to get the job done.

 A good team player will be loyal, trustworthy, hardworking, and will go above and beyond for the success of the company. A team is much more than just a group of co-workers, these are relationships being built (that if you're lucky can last a lifetime).

I am one of the lucky ones, not only do I have a strong team at home, but I can honestly say our #ATEAM at CFRR is the best I have ever been a part of! We are a family....we fight, we love, we support, we encourage, we listen, we work hard, God knows we play hard, but best of all, I don't think there is anything we wouldn't do for each other.

So. Thank you #ATEAM-thank you for being my home away from home-my family away from family! I love you all!

                                                                   

And the truth comes out....

Self Improvement Check! 

It's that time again-gotta call BS on myself!....

Do you ever sit back and realize you're just going through the motions? As if to be on auto pilot day after day, just doing what you gotta do, but not putting too much effort into it? Well, that's where I have been for the past several weeks. I can come up with about a dozen excuses for it, but I know better than that by now! I'm speaking primarily for my nutrition and exercise, because everything/everyone else is well taken care of. Hence the lack of proper food (calorie) intake and consistency in training. I don't have struggles with eating poorly as far as "junk" food goes, my issue with food is not getting enough. Truth is, I have days where I may only eat 600 calories! Eeeeek! I can't believe I'm confessing this! I know how terrible it is and I don't have one single good reason for it. I get busy with task, after task and don't stop long enough to sit down and eat! Due to my serious neglect of calories I lack the energy for a great workout. So I end up just going through the motions, demanding my body to use sources I haven't provided it with to sustain the kind of workout I am wanting to get in for the day. That right there is a big NO-NO! 

I'm sharing these nasty little details with you for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, something's gotta give, it's time for me to make changes. And if I speak up about it, I can no longer ignore it.  Second reason is to shed light on the other side of food struggles. I'll bet some people reading this may be saying to themselves "wish I had that problem" but the truth is...I am no more healthier than someone overweight. It is bad, bad, bad for our bodies to not get enough food or get too much food! This is why there is a recommended calorie intake for all sizes, all athlete, and specifically for both men and woman. Our bodies absolutely need and desire fuel! 

Now that I have opened up about it, I have to follow through with making the  necessary changes. Starting with logging my food again EVERY DAY. Setting an alarm on my phone every 2 hours reminding myself to take a break and eat. I will get my act together and prep my food every week. I may even reach out and ask for some accountability. 

 As you can see, knowing all of this information and constantly coaching it doesn't necessarily mean I (the professional) automatically does it 100% of time without the same struggles others may have.  It does however mean that I have no excuse for not applying thus knowledge and doing something about it. 

This self improvement doesn't start Monday, it starts tomorrow! #BOOM

GGTD!

This Saturday is Garage Gym Throwdown, and the first group competition I have ever been a part of! I am crazy excited for this comp, and thrilled to be slangin' sweat through with 3 amazing athletes! I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little nervous, life has gotten in the way of how I would normally like to prepaire for a tough competition. I have recently been exhausting myself with home improvements, kiddos on summer break and to top it off a little sprain in my right wrist 4 days before the event! I could easily tap out of this competition, and my teammates would understand, but that's pretty much the last thing I want to. The "old" athlete in me would have in a heartbeat, there was no way I was ever going walk into a competition as a coach and not be 100% confident and ready! But, the new athlete in me has learned a few things in the past several months-I have gone back to basics, re-learned my form, and made some serious self improvements on what this sport is all about! People say all the time how much they love CrossFit for accepting all athletes, especially those who finish last. Why? Because they finished it and didn't give up. I'm certainly not aiming to finish last, but I won't be beating myself up (old me) or my teammates up if we do. We are going into this competition just like any other one, it's about testing your limits, pushing yourself a little more beyond your comfort zone, and doing it surrounded by same minded, passionate people!! Its going to be incredibly fun, hard, and probably exhausting, but I have no doubt it will also be extremely rewarding! And that's what counts. 

I want to wish all the competitors the best of luck this Saturday!! 

Tight butts and sweaty nuts are comin' in HOT!

A Huge Gift from Her Little Boy.

Four weeks ago, I received a phone call from a very close friend of mine asking for my help with fitness and nutrition. We have had many conversations in the past surrounding this same subjects, but never once had she really asked for my help. You see, this dear friend of mine has devoted 100% of herself into her sobriety for the past nine years, as a result she put on significant body weight. She has made a few attempts in the past to make some healthy changes, and she would give it all she could for about two weeks before going back to her old habits. It wasn't until her 11 year old son, who also battles with body weight asked her if they could both work on losing weight, and start exercising! This was the "wake up call" and an incredible gift from her son.

Being that I love these two precious people with all of my heart, I jumped at the opportunity to help them in any way I could. We started with a few workout ideas and hit the nutrition at full speed, 100% devotion, and nothing "dirty"! Imagine two people who's every meal came from a restaurants or fast food, completely changing their habit to eating ONLY from their own kitchen!! Mother and son prepping their food together on Sunday's and packing it all up for the week!! I get choked up just thinking about it, and have never felt so proud!!

They have both lost more pounds than they thought they would in such a short amount of time. They have more energy than they ever had before, they can physically see the changes in their bodies, and most importantly they are happy! Both are on the road to success, they are proving to themselves and each other that they can do it!

Here is the BEST part....yesterday I got a text that read 'I was having a tough day, pulled up to the drive through of Burger King, when the lady came to the window I said " I'm sorry, I don't need anything, thank you" and drove like hell out of there!' 

YES! YES! YES!! HUGE VICTORY!!

The moral of the story is, today might not be your day, or the day after that, but believe me, one day in the future a little spark inside of you will ignite and you will feel that fire so strongly that nothing will get in your way! 

#CarryTheLoad

This past Memorial Day gave me an entirely different view on the day we honor our fallen solders. To be perfectly honest, I am a bit embarrassed to say I went most of my life not really understanding the true difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. After experiencing Carry The Load along side hundreds of people dedicated in showing their respect in various ways, I have a new understanding, and appreciation for Memorial Day. A day in which I will from now on respect much differently than in the past.

I have Big Sarge, Chris Adams, and Paul Martinez to thank for getting #CFRR involved in an event I am sure none of us will ever forget. The love and appreciation I have for this incredible group of people is indescribable.

Together, we can move mountains!
#cfrr #CarryTheLoad #MemorialDay #Honor


                                                                               

Thank YOU #Emerson

                                                                             

For the past year I have had the pleasure of coaching a group of athletes who we refer to as "the Emerson group".  Every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 5:00 pm we gather either inside the gym down stairs from their office, or out on the rooftop of the parking garage. Our first few sessions together consisted of 4-6 athletes, and quickly grew to become 15-20+ ready for anything!! What I love most about this group of people is their dedication to be present, and do the work. I can imagine how easy it would be after a long day of sitting in front of a computer to grab their things and head home as fast as they can, but not for this group! Sometimes I am even a little shocked that they keep coming back, I'm not easy on them by any means.:) I know what they are capable of, and I program every workout to show them how strong they are, and how much they can do. I want them to feel like they really accomplished something in the hour they spend with me, and not ever feel it was a waste of their time.

Now that I have done my best to describe my beloved "Emerson group" I would like to say THANK YOU to them.....
                                                                         

Thank you for welcoming me with open arms, and smiling faces. Thank you for continuing to show up every week, and talk so much about class that we have new faces joining us all the time. Thank you for trusting, and listening to me-so much as to actually do 200m of burpee broad jumps!! Thank you making my job so incredibly rewarding, and fun! I hope to always spend my Tuesday and Thursday evenings in your company (kicking your butts) because you all mean the world to me!

CHEERS to our 1st year down, and many, many more to come!!

Love,
Coach

                                                                             

I have recently started to pay close attention to my attitude, and the attitude of others on health and fitness. I have learned a few things along the way, and would like to pass on a little advice.

I understand better than most how difficult this lifestyle can be, and how much it can test your limits. Whether you have a family with children and a spouse who seem to almost fight agents you when it comes to working out, training for a competition, and/or eating clean, or you are fighting agents your own self to become a better, healthier, stronger, faster version of yourself. For what ever reason you cannot seem to keep it together for long periods of time. Something takes your focus away from your goals, and diminishes your motivation to achieve what you really want. Before you know it, one day turns into a week, and a week turns into a month and so on and so forth. Your excuses become your new focus, and you feel resentful to the entire process. The question is how do we stop this cycle from happening? How do we keep that fire inside of us, where nothing, and no one can do or say anything to make us lose our focus? 

First and foremost, we need to learn how to forgive ourselves when we have a bad day, and make a unhealthy choice. The sooner you can accept what you did, and forgive your actions, the sooner you can get back on track. When we continue to beat ourselves up over and over it's only inevitable that we will sabotage the entire day or week, instead of just that short moment when we lost focus. You have to shake it off, and stop punishing yourself. YOU have the power to change the outcome of your day, NO ONE else has that power. 

Change your attitude. This lifestyle isn't suppose to be a punishment restricting you from everything you love, it's a gift to keep you around longer to enjoy everything you love! Don't tell yourself  "I can't eat that" instead you should be thinking " I CAN eat that, but I don't want it" 

Your attitude will absolutely determine your outcome in what ever you do, there is no going around that. 

Find someone who is on your side, who can motivate you, empower you, and hold you accountable. It's makes all the difference in the world to have someone simply ask you to see your food log for the day. Or care to hear how your training is going, and if you made a personal record! This is one of the many reason I love CrossFit as much as I do, we have an entire community cheering each other on, supporting one another, and helping without judgement to reach our goals. We want nothing more than for the person standing next to us to succeed!

If you can relate to these challenges in any way, I hope you can take something away from this and use it to help you along the way. If you have fallen off track, change your attitude and get back on again!! If you are going strong, keep it up! No one ever regrets being healthy! :)

I was doing some research this morning on mentality, and how it correlates with fitness, health, and wellness. I found what I am about to share with you, and read it a few times. It was written 5 years ago, the author at the time was 29, and in my opinion, wise beyond his years. 

Please forgive for not finding my own words to write, but I have found there are times when you simply cannot say it better, this is one of them! 

I hope you can take away the value of his message, and the great advice he gives. I promise it is worth your time reading!

I wanted to share with you my thoughts on how we can automatically change our motivation to exercise with a shift in our mentality. I've used this for myself and explained it to many others who were then able to get into gear, so hopefully it will have the same effect here. It's a very basic explanation, but I think you'll get the gist of it.

First

To start off, our motivation to do something - and then continue following through with it - is based on 2 things. The first is an emotionally compelling reason, the second is our self-perception of who we are relative to the rest of the world (in short, our identity).

Second

The initial motivation to become fit results from the desire to fulfill a presently unfulfilled emotional need. Everything we ever want has some sort of emotion tied to it. Everything we want and actually get has a strong enough emotion behind it that it drives us to follow through.

The key to lasting motivation then is to find a strong enough emotional reason to take action. This doesn't need to be complex, and very often it is in fact quite basic. For instance, the desire to feel attractive, confident, respected, etc., are very basic emotions we all want to experience. However, if an individual does not actively experience one of those feelings, it creates an emotional void that needs to be filled. Obviously there is more than one way to go about fulfilling this need, but if we mentally link physical fitness as an effective way to fulfill this need, we create an internal motivational force to get us going.

This is what happens at New Years. Many people associate excess weight as the cause of some emotional problem, and realizing that losing this weight will resolve this issue, they go to the gym. They are motivated to make change... at least initially.

Third

The problem is, having an emotionally compelling reason isn't going to be strong enough unless you identify yourself as being someone who can achieve the desired result. Whether your goal is to lose weight, put on muscle, or anything else, if you don't perceive yourself as being capable of achieving it, your motivation will fizzle, regardless of your reason.

Fourth

This creates the need for us to change our internal perceptions of who we are. This is done through what I identify as a self reinforcing mental cycle I call the "FIT Circle". F = Feelings, I = Identity, T = Thoughts. Feelings affect Identity which affects thoughts which affect feelings. The FIT Circle is a representation of our mental conditioning, and if you understand how yours is set, you can change it.

Fifth

I like to introduce how this works by looking at identity. Everyone of us has an self perceived identity of who we are. If you are overweight you may identify yourself as a "fat person". If you are in great shape you may identify yourself as an athlete. Now what's interesting about identities is that they are all made up of a certain belief system. You could say that your belief system is the DNA of your identity.

Here's how it affects your motivation. If you have a compelling reason to take action but you don't believe you can achieve your goal, you are identifying yourself as someone who won't succeed. And this is the problem a lot of people run into. If you don't see yourself as someone capable of making changes, ie. identify yourself as a fat person, you quite simply won't make the changes.

This is because seeing yourself as incapable spawns thoughts that reinforce this belief. For example, when I was overweight I would think things such as, "I can't do this I'm not fit," or, "I don't have the genetics to lose weight so why bother trying. It won't work." Obviously thoughts like this kill your motivation quickly.

As you continue thinking negative, self defeating thoughts like this, it will make you feel terrible about yourself. And if your feelings coincide with your identity, it reinforces the whole cycle. For instance, many fat people feel bad about being fat, and this reinforces their identity that they are a fat person who can't do anything.

Fit people are obviously the opposite of this, thinking things like "I CAN do this", feeling good about being fit, and as a result of feeling good about their identity, they continue doing things to reinforce it, ie. exercise.

Sixth

The beauty of this is, anyone can take control of their FIT Circle and change how they think about themselves. With a strong reason to take action coupled with the mentality that success is possible, they create the motivation to take action regardless of how tough things get.

The easiest way to this is a two step process.

The first step is to constantly visualize/imagine achieving your goal. If you can see yourself doing something in your head, your mind starts to accept the possibility of it happening in reality. This is because your brain can't distinguish between an imagined experience and a real one. So by doing this, you start to shift your identity from someone who can't to someone who can.

The second step is to consciously monitor and replace any negative thoughts you have. If you have a thought like, "I can't do this because ___", immediately cancel it and replace it with a positive thought that affirms you CAN. This is going to make you feel better about taking action, and work through the cycle to reinforce your newly changing identity. The better you feel about exercising etc., the more motivated you will be to do it.

Keep this up long enough, and you will discover that your whole mentality has changed to someone who view themselves as a FIT person, and you will then be self motivated to take action with very little mental effort.