Challenge for next week...8 hrs of sleep

5 Benefits of Sleep

1. "Health: Not getting enough Z's can compromise your immune systemmaking you more susceptible to viruses. Plus, living in a constant state ofsleep debt can contribute to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. 

2. Smarts: Even though your body is at rest, your brain is buzzing. During sleep is when the brain sorts and processes information you absorbed while awake. 

3. Weight Control: Recent research indicates a relationship between insufficient sleep and inability to lose or even maintain weight. 

4. Coordination: Trying new activities that require coordination like step aerobics and playing the piano can be made more difficult after a bad night's sleep. 

5. Beauty: They don't call it "beauty sleep" for nothing. While you sleep, your body repairs itself. Experts say you need 8 hours of sleep to avoid puffy, bloodshot eyes, as well as dark under-eye circles and a pale washed-out complexion.

Here is another great site about the importance of sleep to our heath and how much sleep our kids need: www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping "
 

WOD #40

21-15-9 reps for time of:

Dumbbell squat clean, 20 lbs
Crossfit sit-ups

WOD #39

Oh what a slacker I am...

5 rounds for time of:

9 Deadlifts, 40 lbs
6 Hang power snatch, 20 lbs 
3 Front squats, 40 lbs

WOD #38

3 rounds for time of:

Run 1000 meters
50 Crossfit Sit-ups
Run 1000 meters
50 Push-ups

WOD #37

Life has been a circus lately so I'm not getting these posted in time...sorry

Complete as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:
10 Kettlebell swings, 15-20 lbs
10 Box jumps, 18 inch box
10 Bench dips
10 Crossfit sit-ups

WOD #36

12-9-6-3 reps for time of:

Thrusters, 20 lbs
Burpees

Week challenge: no fried foods

"Deep-fried foods may be tasty, but they are definitely not healthy. Foods like french fries, onion rings, fried wontons and deep-fried candy bars offer little in the way of nutritional value while putting you at higher risk for certain health conditions. However, you don't necessarily have to give them up totally to have a healthy diet.

Nutrition Concerns

Deep-fried foods are usually high in fat, particularly the types of fats that are bad for your health. Many restaurants fry foods in oils containing trans fats, and since many deep-fried foods are coated in batter, they absorb more fat than they would without the batter coating. Because of the high fat content, they are also high in calories, making it more likely you will eat more calories than you need and possibly gain weight.

Health Risks

The saturated fat and trans fat in deep-fried foods increase your risk for high cholesterol and heart disease. If you eat a high-fat diet, you are also at higher risk for certain cancers and for obesity. Deep-fried foods also may contain acrylamide, a possible carcinogen, with foods fried at higher temperatures or for longer containing more than those fried for shorter times at lower temperatures.

Healthier Deep Fried Foods

If you can't give up fried foods, you can make them healthier. Use unsaturated oils to fry your foods, such as canola, corn, peanut, safflower, soybean or sunflower oil. Heat the oil to the proper temperature, as oil that isn't hot enough leads to increased fat absorption by the food. Make sure the oil returns to the right temperature in between each batch of food you fry in it.

Considerations

As long as your overall diet is low in fat, saturated fat and trans fat, you can eat deep-fried food in once in a while. Eat just a small amount of deep-fried food, and pair it with healthy foods, such as fruit and vegetables, that are low in calories. In a healthy diet, all foods are OK in moderation."

"Mamas, I don't believe in extremes that are unmaintainable or that leave you feeling like you are always failing or cheating. I believe in moderation. I want all of us to try to cut out fried food for the rest of this challenge. If you steal a french fry from your hubby's plate or eat a chip from your kids lunch, you aren't cheating or failing, you are just living. We are cutting back. We are trying to be heathier every day and making changes that can last longer than 90 days. Next time you go to your family's favorite burger place, don't order your own fries, just steal 1 or 2 from someone else at your table. ;)"

WOD #35

 6 rounds of:

400 meter run
10 burpees

WOD #35

6 rounds of:

400 meter run
10 burpees

WOD #34

Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:

18 Box jumps
15 Knees to elbows
12 Push-ups

WOD #33

Complete as many rounds as possible in 45 minutes of:

Run 800 meters
80 Squats
8 Pull-ups (jump up, slow down or reverse pull-ups)

WOD #32

7 rounds for time of:

7 Push press,  20 lbs
7 Crossfit sit-ups
7 Burpees

This weeks challenge: drink more water

5 Ways Drinking Water Can Help You Lose 

Weight

Does drinking water help you lose weight?

The benefits of drinking water are as plentiful as this substance is on the earth. And like the earth, our bodies are about 70% water, yet so many of us deprive our bodies of this readily available, free drink. By filling up your body's "tank" with water every day, you will definitely begin to lose weight and feel better.
If you have ever wondered, "Does drinking water help you lose weight," you're not alone. Here are five reasons why drinking water helps you lose weight ... And "drinking water" means 2-3 quarts per day.*

1. Drinking water makes you feel more full and less hungry

Various research shows that if you drink 2 cups of water 30 minutes before a meal then you will consume 75 calories less on average during that meal. That full-feeling, helping you to shave off 75 calories a meal, may not sound like anything significant to you, but think about it this way. If you ate 75 calories less for 2 meals a day, then in one day that is 150 calories less, and in one year that is that is 52,800 calories less. Divide that by 3,500 (the number of calories to lose 1 pound) and you've got yourself a 15 lb. weight loss in one year!

2. Drinking water helps your body burn stored fat

When you are trying to lose weight the parts of your body that you're focused on probably are not your kidneys and liver, but these parts are vital to weight loss. So a quick bio lesson is in order. The job of your kidneys is to eliminate waste. One job of your liver is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy. If your kidneys don't get enough water to do their job (eliminate waste), then they "ask" the liver to help out. The liver dutifully says, "yes," but it is your body that suffers. You see, if the liver is doing the work of the kidneys then it has less resources to do its own job well - and remember, its job is to burn fat. So you can help your liver do its job better, by helping your kidneys out, by drinking more water. Pretty simple.

3. Drinking water gives you more energy

Even the slightest bit of dehydration can leave you feeling sluggish and that's not a good thing if you are trying to lose weight. Look back at the bio lesson on the liver. Recall that one job of your liver is to burn fat intousable energy. You do not want to be lacking in usable energy if you want to lose weight. Losing weight involves activity, moving, exercise, and if you are sluggish what is the first thing you do - probably sit on the couch in front of the television instead of going for a brisk walk or run. Being sluggish just weighs you down (pun intended). But you can turn it around by filling up with water, feeling more energetic, and becoming more active.

4. Drinking water helps build muscle

Anyone who has ever been interested in weight loss probably knows that muscles burn more calories at rest than fat. So the more muscle you have, the more fat your body burns even when it's at rest. If you just look down the aisle at the store, you will see protein product after protein product to help with muscle development and to give you energy. And while protein is certainly necessary, water should not be overlooked. Think of it this way, blood plasma is 90% water and so water is like an ever-flowing stream in your body that carries oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, organs and entire body. This water transportation system, delivering nourishment, is not only vital to keeping your muscles hydrated so they contract, function, and build up optimally, but necessary for your entire body to have an overall feeling of well-being.

5. Drinking water increases metabolism

When you think of metabolism, think of fat-burning. If you could burn fat faster and more efficiently then you could lose more weight. German researchers once conducted a study where they measured the participants' resting metabolism before and after they drank about two cups of water. The results showed that after 10 minutes their rates of metabolism began to pick up, after 40 minutes their metabolic rates' were 30% greater, and they remained at this faster rate for at least an hour. Simply put, increased metabolism burns more calories and when you are losing weight calorie burning is a critical piece of the equation.

WOD #31

Been a rough weekend.  Here is a very late post.

1000 meter run
50 Thrusters, 20 lbs
30 push-ups

WOD #30

Sorry I didn't post this...

1000 meter run
50 Thrusters, 20 lbs
30 push-ups