As a volunteer firefighter, there have been several days after we have had a bad or frustrating call…
October 25, 2019
Written By: James Wilbee
My CrossFit journey began December, 2015 and it has been a whirlwind of ups and downs, huge accomplishments and frustrating days, and a new career that I never would have imagined. Through it all, one thing has always remained, I can not wait until the next workout to challenge myself in a new and exciting way.
Growing up, I have always had the good fortune to be able to be active and participate in a variety of sports. Like most, it reinforced many values taught to me by my parents, those of hard work, dedication, commitment, compassion for others and teamwork. Life lessons that are so important to make us a valuable teammate but even more important to make us a valuable member of society.I had been hearing some talk about this thing called CrossFit, but really didn’t have much knowledge about what it was or what I was getting myself into. So, after a discussion with a friend that suggested I should “give it a try”, that “I would really enjoy it,” I went to a trial class offered by Kaleda.
I was hooked, and at the end of the class, signed up to become a member!
There was a huge learning curve for the first few months but it was so great coming in everyday and learning a new skill, or getting a little more efficient with ones that I had already been taught. One amazing thing that I learned was that even though CrossFit is an “individual” sport, and you are doing each workout as an individual, you are not alone! The CrossFit community in general and especially at our box at Degree, ensures that you are never alone, everyone cheers you on, everyone lifts you up when you need it and also gives you a kick in the pants if required (but in a loving,compassionate way). Just like a Team, or even more appropriately, just like a Family. Another thing I learned is that CrossFit is a very humbling sport. What I mean by that is, no matter how in shape you think you are, no matter how strong you are, CrossFit will always find a way to challenge you! That being said, CrossFit will always have a way to prove to yourself that you are strong, that you can meet and surpass your goals and that no matter where you start, you can accomplish big things. For me, I have always been fortunate to have good aerobic capacity but I have done very little with weight and strength training. So starting CrossFit opened my eyes to a new level of training that I had never done before. When I look back on my early days and my scores and compare them to the weights that I am able to lift now, it makes me proud to see how far I have come. However, there are still many many days that I leave the gym frustrated with myself that I didn’t lift a heavier weight, or didn’t do as many reps as I wanted to. That is what fuels my drive to keep coming back and trying it again. One more lesson that I learned, and maybe the most important one for me, is the ability for CrossFit to be a stress relief. As a volunteer firefighter, there have been several days after we have had a bad or frustrating call, I will come to the gym and perform the workout and the stress I was feeling will fade away. I don’t know if it is the fact that you are putting your body under stress in a different way, or if it is the fact that you can just shut your mind off from the rest of the world for an hour or if it is the sense of security and “family” you get from all the members and coaches. Maybe it is a combination of all of these, but whatever it is, it allows that stress to dissipate and makes the rest of the day much easier to deal with. My “why” for doing CrossFit remains the same, to get into better shape, try new things and test myself each and every day. What I have gained beyond that has been amazing, and such a wonderful bonus, that being strength. Strength in the traditional way, through lifting heavy weights and performing many reps. Mental strength, gained from pushing yourself to finish a long, tough workout and the ability to block out the world on a bad day and just be in the moment for an hour. And finally the Strength of the community/family. Through the good, the bad, or the ugly, that is what has been created (very deliberately) at Degree.
We are a family, a community, we all have our own unique qualities but we come together to bond, struggle, succeed, and push each other to new and unimaginable heights.
For me, that is pretty incredible and something that I am very proud to be a part of, both as a member and as a coach.
Your Coach,
James
I was hooked, and at the end of the class, signed up to become a member!
There was a huge learning curve for the first few months but it was so great coming in everyday and learning a new skill, or getting a little more efficient with ones that I had already been taught. One amazing thing that I learned was that even though CrossFit is an “individual” sport, and you are doing each workout as an individual, you are not alone! The CrossFit community in general and especially at our box at Degree, ensures that you are never alone, everyone cheers you on, everyone lifts you up when you need it and also gives you a kick in the pants if required (but in a loving,compassionate way). Just like a Team, or even more appropriately, just like a Family. Another thing I learned is that CrossFit is a very humbling sport. What I mean by that is, no matter how in shape you think you are, no matter how strong you are, CrossFit will always find a way to challenge you! That being said, CrossFit will always have a way to prove to yourself that you are strong, that you can meet and surpass your goals and that no matter where you start, you can accomplish big things. For me, I have always been fortunate to have good aerobic capacity but I have done very little with weight and strength training. So starting CrossFit opened my eyes to a new level of training that I had never done before. When I look back on my early days and my scores and compare them to the weights that I am able to lift now, it makes me proud to see how far I have come. However, there are still many many days that I leave the gym frustrated with myself that I didn’t lift a heavier weight, or didn’t do as many reps as I wanted to. That is what fuels my drive to keep coming back and trying it again. One more lesson that I learned, and maybe the most important one for me, is the ability for CrossFit to be a stress relief. As a volunteer firefighter, there have been several days after we have had a bad or frustrating call, I will come to the gym and perform the workout and the stress I was feeling will fade away. I don’t know if it is the fact that you are putting your body under stress in a different way, or if it is the fact that you can just shut your mind off from the rest of the world for an hour or if it is the sense of security and “family” you get from all the members and coaches. Maybe it is a combination of all of these, but whatever it is, it allows that stress to dissipate and makes the rest of the day much easier to deal with. My “why” for doing CrossFit remains the same, to get into better shape, try new things and test myself each and every day. What I have gained beyond that has been amazing, and such a wonderful bonus, that being strength. Strength in the traditional way, through lifting heavy weights and performing many reps. Mental strength, gained from pushing yourself to finish a long, tough workout and the ability to block out the world on a bad day and just be in the moment for an hour. And finally the Strength of the community/family. Through the good, the bad, or the ugly, that is what has been created (very deliberately) at Degree.
We are a family, a community, we all have our own unique qualities but we come together to bond, struggle, succeed, and push each other to new and unimaginable heights.
For me, that is pretty incredible and something that I am very proud to be a part of, both as a member and as a coach.
Your Coach,
James
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian We all know drinking enough water and staying hydrated is important - and even more so in the summer! But with so much information out there, sometimes it's hard to know what you need to focus on! Check out these answers to the most common hydration questions! How much should I be drinking? For most healthy adults, aiming for about 30ml per kilogram of body weight per day will meet your needs. You can also take your weight in pounds, and drink half that number of ounces of water daily. The math will work out pretty similar! In warmer weather or for those who are sweating a lot, you may need more water than this. What counts as water? Generally plain water is considered best to meet your hydration needs, although technically all fluids (except alcohol) do count. Aim to meet your fluid goals mainly with plain water, unsweetened soda water, unsweetened coffee and tea, and try to limit sugar-sweetened beverages, such as pop and energy drinks. Does caffeine dehydrate me? Some people are concerned that their coffee is causing them to lose twice as much fluid as they're putting in! While caffeine is a diuretic, meaning you will pee more often, it does not dehydrate you. Aim to make most of your fluid intake non-caffeinated, and you will stay hydrated! Can I drink too much water? Yes! Despite what you may see on social media, drinking gallons and gallons of water can actually be hazardous and causes mineral imbalances in your body, causing you to feel sick or even need medical attention. You do need to drink enough but you don't want to overdo it. You're likely properly hydrated if your pee is a pale yellow colour. If it's consistently clear, you might be drinking too much. Do I need electrolytes to stay hydrated? Electrolytes are everywhere right now! These minerals do help your body maintain it's fluid balance, and are lost in sweat. If you are working out or active for long periods of time in the heat or know you're a "salty sweater" from seeing salt stains on dried workout clothes, you may want to consider using electrolytes. However, these products don't take the place of drinking enough total fluid in the first place to help you stay hydrated. Help! I can't remember to drink water! It can be hard to drink enough when you're busy! Try bringing a water bottle with you wherever you go to encourage you to drink throughout the day. Use a straw to help you take bigger sips. Set a goal to finish your water or drink a certain amount by certain times in the day. You could even set reminders in your phone or use an app that will help you remember to drink! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info about our Nutrition Programs or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian We all know that vegetables and fruit are good for us and key part of a healthy diet. They are packed with fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are low in calories, for those watching their portions but still wanting to stay full. A diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. But actually getting those fruits and vegetables in can be hard work, especially for families! Fortunately, there's lots of ways to make produce more fun for everyone - from parents who know what they should be eating to kids who just don't want to. For kids, even if they don't love their produce, continuing to explore and be exposed to fruits and vegetables is still helping them learn about healthy eating! Check out these tips to help everyone eat more produce! 1. Explore new options! There are so many fruit and vegetable options out there! If you're feeling bored with your usual produce standbys, it's time to look for more options. Go explore the produce department of your favourite grocery store - the bigger the store, the more new options there may be. Kids especially can have fun checking out all the different new-to-them ideas. Pick one or two to bring home and try, and repeat the whole adventure as needed! Even for adults, this can add a much-needed dose of whimsy to your fruit and vegetable game. 2. Add produce to your snacks! Sometimes we just need more opportunities in a day to get that fruits and vegetables in. If you're not already, adding them to your snacks can give you just that! Easy options on the go include apples, bananas, and raw veggie sticks. It doesn't need to be complicated, and can be an easy options for kids and adults alike. For longer lasting energy, make sure to pair your produce with some kind of protein, such as cheese, nuts, or hummus. 3. Cook them in different ways! Maybe the rut you're stuck in is that you're preparing your produce the same way every time. If you always go for a basic salad or steamed veggies at dinner, try roasting a medley of whatever's in your crisper drawer. Maybe do a family experiment to see how many different vegetables you can find that make great oven fries! (Spoiler alert, it's way more than just potatoes!) For fruit, try making fruit salads, or adding them to more savory salads, baked goods, or your favourite breakfast cereal. Mixing it up might be just the way to get everyone more excited about fruits and veggies! 4. When in doubt, add a dip! Kids love dip. Adults love dip. This can be such an easy win! While dips sometimes have a bad reputation due to their higher fat content, the veggies or fruit you have with dip is still better for you than having no produce at all! In fact, the fat you find in many dips actually helps your body better absorb certain vitamins, including vitamins A, E, D, and K. While the obvious dip pairing is with raw veggies, roasted or other cooked veggies may also be fun to dip, and fruit pairs well with yogurt-based dips! Would your family try any of these ideas this summer? When the goal is to help everyone include more vegetables and fruit in their diets, sometimes you just need new ways to make them more fun! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!
Written By: Coach Sienna The media portrays fitness as looking a certain way and creating this picture of a “perfect person” who eats clean and works out everyday and does everything right and never messes up. When you're always being shown this version of fitness it’s easy to start to think, is this what being fit is? ..... And suddenly you find yourself comparing yourself to unrealistic standards. Fitness is much more than the shape of our body! It's about what your body can do for you and how it can support your daily life and how movement makes you feel strong, accomplished, proud, empowered! Here is how we can overcome the negative impact that some Media has on us, and fitness in general: Redefine Fitness Fitness is more than your body, it's strength, endurance, mobility, energy and how you feel. It's not supposed to be perfect or linear, your body will change and life will happen. What matters most is showing up for yourself and moving your body. Even a little bit can go a long way! Positive Self Talk You don't have to be perfect to love yourself. Be kind to your mind and speak to yourself with kindness. Remind yourself of what your body can do for you, remember you are WORTHY! :) Focusing On The Little Wins We often have such a heavy focus on how we look but what if it was never about how we looked but more about how we felt. Do you notice after you get in a workout or a session you always tend to have a lift in your mood and a shift in perspective. Movement has the power to make us feel strong and happy and more like ourselves! Do Movements You Enjoy Fitness should be fun and functional. You are more likely to stick to it if you enjoy it! Find movements that excite you. Like lifting, walking, running, dancing, gymnastics etc. When you focus on what your body can do and not what it looks like, you can start to see how strong and capable you really are! Set Goals Related To Movement-Mood-Function Movement - touching your toes or doing your first push-up Mood - Having more energy during the day and feeling less anxious Function - Carrying groceries, running around with your kids, etc. Remember - you are already enough! You don't need to look a certain way to be fit. You just need to move your body in a way you enjoy, take care of yourself and celebrate what your body does for you everyday! If you've been feeling stuck, or wanting to start working out with a Coach, or in an environment that is inclusive, inviting, safe, honours all body shapes and sizes, we can help! CLICK HERE to book a free meeting with one of our Coaches to learn how you can get started at Degree or, email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com .