Hi all,

just a quick note to wish our Crossfit  London throwdown team the very best at their 1st competition this coming weekend. I hope a lot of you are going to support them and meet other Crossfitters.

Colin, Me, kate and  Amelia  drew the short straw and are running  the gym this weekend, so for those who are not supporting, the schedule is the same on both days.

Good luck Tom. Alex, Paul, Katarina, Adrienne and  Pat

The start of our 40 days strict zone/paleo challenge is hurrying towards us. So it probably round about now that you ought to start thinking and experimenting with the type of diet you want to follow. There is a link on this site to the Zone diet, now Im adding the 1st of many links to paleo sources.

I’d like to begin  with a link to Wikipedia that seems to have assembled an interesting array of views on the subject: click here to  get Paleo info.

As most of you are aware, we have sort of steered clear of dietary advice as the whole area seems crammed with  fraudsters and religious nutters. Some times diets have a valid nuget of truth in them but this nuget can frequently be taken out of context.

So what is our role? Well, its to present you  with the outlines of the  popular diets associated with the Crossfit movement, encourage you to research the evidence that supports them, and to discuss with your doctor if this diet is appropriate for you.

But what are we actually going to do?

1) We are inviting lots of our members to write articles/ views/tips about these diets, so we hope to have this website alight with useful comments, critique. recipes, planning tips etc ( if you have an “article in you” email it  to Andrew@crossfitlondonuk.com)

2) We  are working on a series of “Paleo Parties” . Basically a mini party on  a saturday afternoon where we hangout, have a party but also learn “stuff” associated with the zone and paleo diets. There will be no charge, just you bringing some “healthy” booze and food. During the summer these will be at the gym with a BBQ sizzling in the background. In the winter months, I think we have  Kates, Kirsty’s and Sally’s flat on offer. (im sure others will want to offer too!)

the first “paleo party” will be at Kirstys (its just around the corner from the gym) on saturday 3rd march 2 till 5. you get to practise zone and paleo tricks, cook food, eat food, while drinking healthy  drink ( we may give you the afternoon off the lent challenge).  to keep control of numbers we will get you to register via the booking System ( ill get that done over the next few days). Get the date in your diary.

So, start reading, start researching.

We have now decided to stock PurePharma fish oil. It is a leading high dose fish oil. Loads of top Crossfitters use it, perhaps you should too?

120 capsules for £24

Pay on line, pick it up from the gym (we won’t post it out)

Click here to go to the online store

According to the  blurb:

Each PurePharma fish oil batch is tested by the most reputable and stringent third party testing lab, IFOS (International Fish Oil Standards), to ensure the highest purity, safety, cleanliness, concentration and stability.

IFOS tests Omega-3 products for PCB, mercury, heavy metals, and oxidation levels in accordance with Council for Responsible Nutrition’s voluntary monograph on Omega-3 products and safety standards for human consumption. Dioxin and furan levels are tested against the World Health Organization’s standard and Omega-3 concentration is tested and compared with the product label claim.

The 5 stars are only given for a product in compliance with all five points listed below, and PurePharma guarantees 5 stars on every batch

Another cracking day in the gym. Colin, Alex and I were joined by 15 enthusiastic trainees from all over the country. We kicked off the the famous CrossFit London Squat Workshop, and followed up by going through the snatch, clean and split jerk progressions.

Good times, and a great start to the year.

Well done everyone!

As part of my New Year fresh start, I decided to get a bunch of health checks done. I’ve been doing this Crossfit/Zone/supplementing thing for some time now, so I was hoping for good results. If you’re interested, this is the procedure:

• Go to Medichecks.com (I’m sure others are available, but I used these guys)
• Choose from a comprehensive list of tests. You can have screening for specific conditions, or a generalised screen such as Well Man and Well Woman (which covers over 40 conditions) They also do food allergy testing. Book online.
• Fill out the extensive health history form, enter weight height and waist size
• Attend their fancy clinic in Wimpole St for the blood, stool and urine samples to be taken.
• Results emailed within 48 hours
• Comprehensive bound report arrives in the post a few days later. This includes the lab report alongside a layman’s interpretation and summary.

• Option to discuss results with a medical practitioner over the phone.

I chose the Well Woman Plus series of tests. I can’t recommend this company highly enough for their efficiency and professionalism. The test cost a few hundred pounds, but I think it’s well worth the money.

My results were great. Normal across the board, with notably low results on the inflammation markers. For someone who has heart disease and cancer in the immediate family (1 sibling dead at 30, another survived breast cancer) this is the best news I could hope for. But there was an additional test I took appropriate to my age and sex. The lab report was there, but, unlike the others, there was no layman’s interpretation. I brought it up with the doctor when I phoned her.

I’ve always looked young for my age. Good genes I suppose. And when I was very overweight, chubby cheeks can do wonders for filling out wrinkles. As I get smaller, I can see more of the signs of aging. But it seems many other people don’t. I still enjoy the surprise on new faces when I mention I’m 50. “Oh my God, I thought you were about 35!” said one. “You’re an amazing advert for Crossfit!” said another. Most gratifying – even if they probably need an eye test! Regular compliments along these lines, hanging out with much younger people, training hard and eating well so I’m full of energy: all these things contribute to being able to overlook “Time’s winged chariot”

“Yes”, the Medichecks doctor said over the phone.”The indications are that you are menopausal”

Wow. For me, that was news.

I took the menopause test out of curiosity, rather than suspecting I was so because of a barrage of symptoms. I don’t have any. OK I can be a bit grumpy (sorry Andrew) – but so what! Arrest me! Sometimes I wake up feeling a bit hot, but I put that down to a good duvet (and an overheated boyfriend). Emotionally, I am completely neutral about it: If my reproductive years are over – well, so be it, that’s my reality. It makes no difference whatsoever to my life. It’s a life I love, and I am content.

Actually, I was more bothered at the thought of screwing up my Crossfit!

I’ll be gradually getting old, getting weaker, getting slower. My oestrogen factory is shutting down, so my bones will become weaker and more prone to osteoporosis. I suspected my performance in Crossfit had gone down over the last few months, and I suddenly panicked that this was proof: I was now an old lady and would have to use spinster’s weights! But even a cursory Google search throws up plenty of convincing evidence that weight training protects and enhances health in post menopausal women. Spurred by these thoughts, I raced to the strength catch-up session on Sunday and got to deadlifting like one possessed!

But what’s really got my goat is that a new front has opened up in my weight loss battle. Alongside oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone also plummet. Androgen increases. From what I can make out, this hormone smoothie seems to be single-minded in its goal – to make more fat and pile it relentlessly around the waist. There are good biological reasons for this – a chunkier body acts as a barrier against disease. Fading women are not to worry about doing up their jeans (Jeans? Cougar! Surely you’re too old for them now! Slacks will be just the thing). Aging women are exhorted to embrace the changes nature has brought. And get a nice, sensible cardie.

Sod that! I intend to be the best I can be.

Check out Mary Beth Litsheim’s stats. Winner in her category of the Crossfit Games 2011, she’s a similar age and build to me (the difference being – she’s a beast!) I don’t think she’ll be needing a zimmer frame any time soon. There are dozens of other grandmothers, into their sixties and above, who are just as impressive. All have Fran times and pullup numbers I can only dream about. Their achievements are the living example of the famous poem:

“Rage, rage against the dying of the light”

For me, I’ve worked too hard for too long to just roll over and take it lying down. I will train hard and eat well and fight to lose this last stone, and bloody well keep it off! As far as brittle bones and other disease are concerned, I’m hoping my Crossfit training stands me in good stead. (I’ve also arranged for a bone density scan to be taken, just to be sure. For a woman my age, and a couple of others like me at Crossfit London, I think we’re already ahead of the game.

And for all you others, you youngsters cluttering up the gym – be nice to your Mums: If she’s been a bit fretful and fanning herself a lot recently, this could be the best time to interest her in some good, strong Crossfit medicine. For you, all the hard training you putt in while young means you’re quids in when old. Let’s make 2012 our fittest, strongest and healthiest year yet.

Phew, is it just me or is it hot in here?…

A quick reminder that the Crossfit Games open  (on line qualifiers) are trundling there way towards us.

Check the http://games.crossfit.com/content/games-2012 for exact details, but, I think it all kicks off on the 22 Feb, but you can start to register on the 1st of February.

Seni is a massive martial arts and fitness event held at the Excel Centre ( Docklands) . This year, Crossfit london has been invited to run an area with the aim of giving both the public, and pre vetted  competitors, the opportunity of “Strutting their Stuff”.

For the “passing public”  we will have lots of easy to join in challenges: max pull ups challenge, max ring dips, fastest 500m row, even a  250m row, 10 pull ups (as many rounds as possible in 5 minutes) mini wod. As you can see, these are fairly “safe”  moves that we dont have to teach in advance. Obviously we will  attempt to arrange as many Crossfit friendly sponsors as possible so we can give prizes to the top scorers ( this is work in progress).

However, the focus of the weekend will be to discover who has the fastest Fran. For those who dont know, Fran is a classical Crossfit couplet which combines , for men, a 42.5kg (30kg for women) thruster and pull ups in the following rounds: 21, 15, 9.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVBgKB4Gnsw

However, bearing in mind our love of comparing like for like, we will have 3 sub categories

Fastest Butterfly kipped Fran

Fastest “normal” kipping Fran

Fastest strict pull up  Fran.

Obviously there will be a categories for women, and older folks

To decide the competitors for the weekend, we will run an on line competition, and probably charge a modest £5 to enter. ( you’ll need to submit a video for verification or be signed off  by a Crossfit affiliate)

Importantly, this isnt just about a small group of tough people, we will also be giving prizes for the biggest improvement in  your Fran time between mid Feb, when the on line qualifiers begin, and mid May when the final comnpetitors will be invited to take part. Everyone is welcome to enter.

Each month we  will encourage competitors  to re submit their score ( you dont have to, you can keep it quiet and play your cards close to your chest) and we will delight in any improvements. If you try Fran out and it takes you 15 minutes, well done. Hopefully, we can get you down to 9 minutes. Obviously, as in real life, the limelight of the day belongs with the “sub 4 minuters”, but, what if you can get the biggest improvement….

We will get around to  publishing how you can get involved, be it as a competitor, a supporter, or a sponsor in a few weeks time

For now, if you want to pre  register your interest in competing, drop me an email on Andrew@crossfitlondonuk.com

As if thats not enough, the Crossfit London coaching team will be delivering some elements of their  REPS CPD workshops, so if you are an exercise professional and you want to get some extra  CPD points, this will be the place to come.

I know  lot of  therapists. Physio, Massage, Nutritional, Angel ( yes there are angel therapists), Crystal ( yes there are crystal therapists): you name it , there’s a wankey therapist to treat it.

In many cases, therapists are harmless  jesters, prancing around the edges of health, but with some quite grounded messages: stretch a bit, dont eat too much refined shite,  be nice to your Guardian Angle, focus on a piece of quartz to solve your financial problems ( the Germans are buying a lot of this at the moment as you can imagine).

The problem with therapists is that they  often prey on the vulnerable. Selling quack cures to cancer sufferers is  a multi million pound market I bet. The real problem is that they can, if being stupid ( or revealing in the pretend power that “healing” brings), impede the  referral process.

The referral process is crucial in therapy: therapists should always ensure clients are in a dialogue with their doctors.  This is the major error exposed by the recent “Which” report on nutritional advise. I dont care if a therapist tells you to rub dock leaves up your bottom as  a cure for being short sighted: it could work. They go wrong if they  add, stay away from a doctor/or optician “because they dont understand”

Always, always, be part of the referral process. Check out the recent “which” review of nutritionalists

I was fascinated to read Barry Sears online review of the dietary strategies used by the biggest loser and some of the real secrets of their success.

1) Screening: the luxury of a tv programme is that you dont have to take all comers: poor knees, bad heart, bit of diabetes, theres probably no chance that you will be on the biggest loser

2) Choosing the motivated. One of the make or break skills (is that the right word?)  is motivation. Apparently the 1st show in 2005 had 225,000 applications. You should be able to find  10 or so ” specially motivated” people.

3) You get Paid………

4) an isolated environment away from white bread and sweets…

5) you get a camera put on you ( the effect can be magical)

6) you  basically get a Zone diet:  “According to the speaker, the real secret is that they are fed a Zonelike Diet with 45 percent of the calories coming carbohydrates (primarily non-starchy vegetables and fruits) with a very limited amount of whole grains, 30 percent of the calories from low-fat protein, and 25 percent from good fats, such as olive oil or nuts. The typical calorie intake for the females is 1,200 to 1,600 and for the males about 1,800-2,400. The typical 300-pound contestant will consume about 1,750 calories per day. Finally, you spread the balanced calories over three meals and two snacks during the day.”