CrossFit PTC – The Gym – How We Are Training Through COVID-19

by ricthompson | Mar 13, 2020 | Blog, Coach Corner

Hey CrossFit PTC Fam,

Thanks to COVID-19 it seems that the world has gone crazy, but we want to share some great news with you.

First:  You are already doing all that you can to prepare yourself for sickness.  Strong, fit people that are eating a healthy whole-food-based diet are hard to kill and they bounce back quickly.  You have already focused on sound nutrition and smart supplements. If I were the virus, I’d be more worried about you.  

Second:  Despite the outside craziness, by all appearances, locally we are well ahead of whatever comes.  There are places overseas where folks are already overwhelmed. 

Third:  Spring is here and warmer weather will allow us all to get out a little more (when it stops raining).

Fourth: CrossFit PTC is a member of a strong group of gym owners worldwide, and we are learning and collaborating as a group so we can help you. (Special thanks to Mike Warkentin).

General Plan:

• We will remain open and doing a fun mix of functional fitness with friends.
• Please do not come to the gym if you feel sick or show any symptoms.  Even if you have something else, in the current environment you may spook others.  
• Listen to all the guidance being put out.  Wash your hands for 20s, try to avoid touching your face, cough into your elbow, give others space, etc.
• We love high fives, hugs and handshakes…but for now, let’s stick with elbow bumps! 
• Clean everything you touch, we will ensure that all of our disinfectants are mixed to ensure they have maximum effect.
• Wash your hands before and after the workout
• We are limiting some of the things that are harder to clean or people have expressed concerns about (rope climbs, assault bike)- They are available but we won’t be using them in regular group classes.

Long Term Plans

Due to the worldwide situation, there is a potential that gyms and other public spaces may be forced to shut down.  We will adhere to all government regulations and requests.

Should we be forced to shut down, we will not stop coaching or running training sessions. We will use social media and internet tools to instruct workouts.  We take pride in being a beacon of health and fitness and that is not going to go away. We will not go dark! We want you to keep working out, even if the government says we can’t do it here.  We will also look for alternate venues (park, the track at Wisdom Road, outside, etc)

If forced to close we will continue to post workouts with detailed descriptions every day.  We will create options using every day/common household items. We will use technology to connect and lead classes.  We are up for the challenge.

Some things you can do:

1.  Go out and buy a kettlebell or a set of dumbbells.  You can probably get something for $100 or less, Dick’s, Academy Sports, Play it again sports and even Wal-Mart are local stores that usually have them.  You can also order them online. Select a weight that you would use in a longer wod. You can also swing a dumbbell like a kettlebell. Don’t worry, you can stay very fit with just one kettlebell or a pair of dumbbells.
2. If you don’t have the $$ right now, then fill some jugs with water, or find a heavier object that you can lift with a handle or a strap.
3. Make a space where you can do “CFPTC online”.  Think about 8×8, garage is awesome. Make sure you will be able to do a burpee without killing the cat.
4. Get back on FB for just the duration.  It is likely that we will be using that platform.  
5. Send the cable guy or whoever provides your internet some flowers.

We are very hopeful that we will not have to close.  If we are required to, we will obey the authorities.

We will not leave you high and dry.  We will look for any and all ways that we can provide enthusiasm, community, programming, energy, and fun.  

You are someone who works out no matter what.  This is your happy place.

We are going to make sure that continues.

Supplements- Cold and Flu

by ricthompson | Mar 11, 2020 | Blog, Coach Corner

As Nutrition Coaches we often get asked if there are supplements that can “keep me from getting the flu”  or more recently COVID-19. This is the first of at least two posts on nutrition and cold/flu.

Well, the answer is complicated.  First, we are not giving medical advice.  If you think you may have the Flu, a bad cold or anything else get medical attention. Second, there are not a ton of solid studies, but there is pretty good evidence (both cohort studies, and real trials) as well as a plausible mechanism for some things.   Also, most of the supplements help you AVOID getting something, and/or shorten the effects of an infection. (Note: I pull a lot of my info from different sources, I suggest Examine.com, Suppversity.com, PubMed, and the National Institute for Health (NIH)). Third, and probably just as important.  There are a bizillion micronutrients and helpful chemical compounds in the food we eat that impact the way our bodies grow, perform and protect us. The best advice I have ever heard is ‘eat the rainbow’. Eat as many different types of colorful veggies and fruits that you can. Start there. Variety and diversity of nutrients.

That being said let’s talk some supplements with a pretty good history of studies.

The Big Three.

Three vitamins/minerals that we would recommend almost all of the time, even if you weren’t sick (and probably better to take before you are sick).

Vitamin C

OK, so this is a pretty easy one.  Vitamin C makes sense because vitamin C is intimately involved in the function of your immune cells and skin (among a bunch of other things). Unlike most other animals, our (Human) bodies can’t make Vitamin C so you need to consume it. The good news is that studies have shown that if you are actively exercising regularly (CrossFit anyone?) while also regularly taking vitamin C you are half as likely to catch a cold and if you do catch one it will likely be shorter and less severe.  The bad news…if you aren’t exercising intensely, regularly and taking vitamin C before you catch a cold, it isn’t likely to help that much. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. 

How much 200mg-2000mg (and it almost always comes with Vit E)- depending on how much fruit and dark leafy greens you eat.

Vitamin D

I could go on for a long time about Vitamin D as it is involved in everything from cognition to bone health, cancer prevention, etc.  However the bottom line in this context is that Vitamin D is involved in the regulation of immune cells when they are dealing with infections as well as a whole lot of other functions.  Unlike Vitamin C our bodies can produce Vitamin D from cholesterol when we are exposed to sunlight (specifically UVB). We just don’t get enough sunlight due to a large number of factors (latitude, sunscreen, inside…you get the idea). 

Suggested Vitamin D supplementation, 1,000 -2,000 IUs of D3 (not D2).  You should take this with food that contains fat as D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin. We highly recommend you get your levels of Vitamin D checked regularly by your Doctor.  (For reference 20-50 ng/ml is considered adequate…if you are older 35-40 ng/ml is considered optimal for bone health)  

Zinc

Sucking on zinc lozenges can limit virus replication and reduce respiratory tract inflammation.  Studies have shown the ability to reduce the duration of a cold by 2-4 days. The important thing is that this is effective because it affects virus replication in the throat and nose.  If you chew the lozenge, it loses its efficacy. Also, please know that the dose to reduce the duration of colds (75-95 mg/day) is above the safe upper limit (NIH). This is not usually a problem for the duration of a cold (2 weeks), however, if you start having additional stomach problems (nausea, cramps, diarrhea, headaches) stop supplementing with zinc.  (Also watch other sources of zinc, it is in many multivitamins and other supplements…for example some of the fizzy Vitamin C drinks like Emergen-C contain zinc).  

The next post will be on some other things that seem to have some pretty good support and you see a lot on the interwebs.  (Elderberries and Umckaloab – African Geranium)

How CrossFit PTC can help you be in the top 8%

by ricthompson | Jan 6, 2020 | Blog, Coach Corner

You are probably not taking advantage of one of the most powerful tools at CrossFit PTC.  A tool designed to help you reach all of your goals.

According to Forbes Magazine, only 8% of the people who make New Year’s resolutions keep them. 

How do you become part of the 8%? 

You create actionable goals.  Goals and the steps to achieve them have legs because they have meaning.  This makes the New Year a Perfect time for a Goal Review or Check-In with one of CrossFit PTC’s Coaches. We will help you clarify your goals, determine the why behind it, help you map out the steps, and the biggest part…Help you create a plan including accountability that will help you achieve your goals.

The best part?

Goal-setting sessions are free.  Goal setting or a Coach Check-in is a feature of your membership that you have not been using.  You are missing out on one of the best ways to leverage your membership to get better results.

The other benefit?

We get to find out what you are most proud of and share that with others! 

So, don’t miss this opportunity to start off 2020 with your goals in mind.

Sign up here  https://CrossFitPTC.as.me/goal-setting

Not a member yet?  Click here and get a free Fitness Consultation

It only takes one minute.

by ricthompson | Dec 11, 2019 | Blog, Coach Corner

How does one minute ruin your health?

I just listened to a podcast where a writer was talking about getting up at 4:30, going to his special writing space, and then just writing one sentence a day before sitting back and enjoying his cup of coffee.

That’s it.

Just one sentence.

He wanted to create a positive reinforcement of accomplishing the task in order to create a habit.  Sure, after some time this one sentence might transform into a paragraph, then perhaps a chapter. The length of time was not the key, the experience was.

I have seen the opposite happen. 

Someone was a regular in the gym, and then something happened to break their habit. Perhaps an illness, travel, family emergency, the list is long.  The key is that the positive vibe of friends in the gym, the feeling of finishing the workout, the feelings of the endorphins or ringing the PR bell were all kind of forgotten. 

One day turned into a week.

That week turned into 6

Then they dropped, not just from CrossFit PTC, but from exercise.  The brain is a funny taskmaster. A slow reversal of all of their accomplishments ensued:  unwanted weight gain, lack of energy, a steady downhill movement.

Things come up, life changes, you still need to be in control of your health and physical well being.  How do you do that? The same way the writer did. You commit to one little thing. Just come to the gym.  Don’t worry about anything else…heck do the warm-up and go home. Get a win in. Feel good. Do the workout at half speed/weight/time and feel good about it.  Do that for 2-4 weeks and you are back.  

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Lao Tzu

A detour on your journey is overcome with the same small step – Ric

Scary Obesity Facts, part 3

by Andrea Bauer | Nov 11, 2019 | Blog, Coach Corner

Here we go. Part 3 in this series. I am glad you have been sticking with me.

So, you learned about the very real, very scary facts facing our society today. Obesity and overweight are killing us, quite literally. How can you get yourself and your family off this track and on to a healthier one? How can you stop making each generation bigger than the last?

Start with your diet. Todays diet of convenience and packaged foods is killing us. I know that we are so much busier than we were 30 years ago and the fast food industry knows it too. Big food companies are guilty too and are trying to trick you with their marketing. Using words like “natural”, “high protein”, “low fat” or so many more.  These companies have taken advantage of the fact that we are aware we need to be healthier and are so busy. Not only is our health taking a hit, but so is our wallet. They are cashing in on our declining health.

Start making small changes in your daily nutrition.

1. Don’t eat things out of a package
2. Shop the perimeter of the store, this is where the whole healthy foods are, and try to stay clear of the aisles. The aisles usually have the highly processed foods with ingredients that we cannot even pronounce
3. Eat mindfully, be slow and go to 80% full
4. Drink lots of water to stave off hunger
5. Get lots of sleep

Start moving.

For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends these exercise guidelines:

Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity.

What does that look like?

30 minutes a day for 5 days of

1. Aerobic Activity (running, walking, rowing, biking)
2. Some resistance type activity (weight bearing)
3. Some activity that is higher intensity

Good nutrition, physical activity, and a healthy body weight are essential parts of a person’s overall health and well-being. Together, these can help decrease a person’s risk of developing serious health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. A healthful diet, regular physical activity, and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight also are paramount to managing health conditions so they do not worsen over time.

We need to start making these changes today to stop the growing epidemic facing us.

Need some help to get started? Schedule your free consultation HERE and get your life back on the right track. Families are welcome.

To your health,

Andrea

Andrea Bauer
Head Nutrition Coach
CrossFit PTC
(678) 519-2302
http://www.crossfitptc.com
andrea@crossfitptc.com

CF-L2, CF Kids, USAW
Precision Nutrition L-1
Healthy Steps Nutrition Certified