Winter Time is over so that means enough with the BBQ Hot dogs and Hamburgers. Winter Time indulgence tapers off as we settle in for great summer veggies and a fresh look at our Nutritional foundation. If you are not looking at Nutrition as seasonal then now is the time to wake up to this very primal tendency. Here are the top 5 foods you should incorporate into your diet for optimal heart Health this Summer.
Physiology changes with the seasons. Mammals, especially our big-ass variety have super high metabolic rates. For a long time there was an assumption that our bodies responded minimally tot he change in seasons but that has been found to be not true. According to the Journal NATURE there has been definitive studies done on bone and metabolic changes as the seasons change. Therefore it is necessary to eat along with the seasons. The benefits are two fold;
1. A diverse menu and Nutritional Foundation ensures the broadest spectrum of Nutrients in your diet .
2. Changing your menu with the seasons avoids more of the 'commercial' food options out in your supermarket. Eating with the seasons allows us to avoid excess GMO, pesticides and otherwise crappy food.
No Muscle is more in need of adaptation and need than the Heart. Heart Muscle cells work their ass off and the seasons change the metabolic rate of these cells especially as we train hard through the colder winter months. Eating for Heart health has been shown to spread the benefits throughout the GUT and brain as well. Weird??... These important systems all working together!! Go figure eh!!
Here are the top 5 Foods that you should be incorporating in your diet this fall for optimal Heart Health;
1. Salmon. Well C'mon.. If you read my stuff regularly you know that I am a HUGE fan of Wild Caught Salmon, Smoked Salmon, and all manner of varieties. Salmon is really a complete food with a high protein content and Omega-3 fatty acid profile. Studies have shown for some time that Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for heart health through a reduction in inflammation throughout your circulatory system, decreasing the chances of heart Disease.
2. Dark Green Leafy Veggies. Swiss chard, Kale, Box Choy, Brussel Sprouts. These powerhouses of Nutrition contain a host of Vitamins including A,C and K. They benefit the heart through the GUT by packing your diet with plenty of Fiber, keeping your digestive system free of harmful crap that might slip past your lips when you are feeling like a cheat day! Most importantly dark Green Veggies pack a lot of Folate (folic acid) which aids in clearing the arteries of plaques and can lower your chances of heart Related illness by a staggering amount.
3. Albacore Tuna. Known also as White Tuna, funny to say.. but this canned fish (usually) has amazing health benefits for the heart. Like Salmon it is packed with Omega-3 fatty acids which reduce inflammation but the real gem is in the Protein Content. Albacore Tuna has a whopping 40g of protein per serving. Amino Acids that are necessary for heart cell rebuilding and maintenance are very present in this potent fish. Try to minimize too many cans per week because of the assumed BPA in aluminum can construction but otherwise it is a great option for lunges and snacks.
4. Zucchini is diverse and nutritionally very high and NON-GMO! Butternut Squash. As you may well know, squash come in all different shapes and sizes and COLORS. The colors of squash represent the amount of carotenoids (think beta-carotene in carrots) which are powerful antioxidants. Through the environment we live in and how much we train our body is constantly under stress. These anti-oxidants protect healthy cells and help remove bad ones that can cause inflammatory diseases like cancer.
5. Go Nuts! Pecans, Almonds and Macadamia Nuts are full of good fats that are vital to heart health. A small serving of nuts 2-3 times per day provides a good source of Fiber which I mentioned before helps the GUT and the heart by clearing the system of crap you eat. Along with Fiber you also get good fat. These unsaturated fats will help lower total blood cholesterol and especially LDL (da bad kine) that have been linked to Heart attacks and Heart Disease. Vitamins like Potassium, and Magnesium are also some killer reasons why you should have nuts on hand at all times.
Simply Put, protect your heart and you increase your performance. Changing with the seasons is easier now than ever. With the prevalence of farmers markets and a push for going Non-GMO, we can find really good options to get us through summer. Consciousness is all this is going to take. Take this list of foods and simply put them on your shopping list for the next couple months and watch yourself evolve into something greater and become more enlightened along the way.
Keep pushing to be the best, most positive person you can! I love you all,
E
Programming Notes 6/11-6/15
6/11
Baseline:
Roll Out Calves and T Spine for 3 Minutes
2X :30
-High Knee Jump Rope
-Divebomber Push Ups
-Elbow TO Instep Lunges
-Russian Twist
-Side Lunges
Double Under Prep
-High Singles
-Cadence Drill 3 singles/1 Double
-Cadence Drill 2/1
-Cadence Drill 1/1
WOD:
15 Minute AMRAP
12 Dumbbell Snatches 50/35
12 Box Over Burpee
24 Double Unders
*Compare to 3/28/17
6/12
Baseline:
Banded Hip Activation
Banded Squat
Banded Good Morning
Banded Press
Banded Pull Apart (supine and Prone Grip)
500m Row
3X
10 meter Bear Crawl
10 Barbell Press
10 Jump Squat
Clean and Jerk Warm Up:
7@ Each
-Romanian Deadlift
-High Pull
-Muscle Clean + 3 Press
-Front Squat+ 3 Push Press
-Hang Clean + 3 Push Pres
-Clean + 3 Split Jerks
-In 6 Minutes, Build to a Clean and Jerk Weight ABOVE Workout weight
WOD:
“Grace”
30 Clean and Jerks For Time 135/95
Cool Down:
400m Jog/ 1 mile Bike
:45 Couch Stretch (each Leg)
6/13
Baseline:
Agility Warm Up @ 10m Each
High Knee Pull
Quad Pull
Squat 180 **stepping the leg high over hip, swing opposite leg to 180, squat
High Knees
Butt kickers
Marching High Kicks
Groiners
Straight leg shuffles
Fig 4 Drill
Lateral Shuffle
Carioca
Lateral Bounding
Sprint W/ Change of Direction
**Squat Therapy for 5 Minutes on Wall and then moving to Barbell Front Rack
Power/Strength:
Front Squat
4X4 @75% (Tempo 3,2,1) *ensure slow eccentric lower and 2 second pause. Adjust Weight if necessary.
Back Squat
3X3 @ 20-40# less than Front Squat Weight. Focus on speed through reps.
Conditioning:
5X 2 Min EMOM
100m Sprint
15/10 Push Ups
6/14
Baseline:
Lat Band Mob
Bully Mob
Scapula Distraction
10X
Samson Lunge
Walking Reverse Lunges
Inchworm W/ Push Ups
Alternating V Ups
Midline Stability:
(Not For Time)
21-15-9
GHD Sit Ups
Single Arm Ring Row
Overhead Kettlebell Reverse Lunges
*Spend 5 minutes covering the Muscle Up and HSPU progression
WOD:
3X
400m Run
2 Rounds Of “Nate”
Nate- (2 Muscle Ups, 4 handstand Push Ups, 8 2 Pood KB Swings)
6/15
Baseline:
:40 Work/ :20 Rest W/ Single Kettlebell (moderate weight)
Dumbbell Plank Row
Dumbbell Alternating Press
Dumbbell Skull Crushers
Dumbbell Goblet Squat
Dumbbell Sit Up
Dumbbell Snatch
WOD:
2X
3 Min AMRAP
12 Sandbag Cleans (Heavy)
6 Ring Dips
Rest 1:00
3 Min AMRAP
6 Toes To bar
12 Single Arm Dumbbell Push Press (Heavy)
Rest 1:00
(Repeat)
