Drum role please… 3 months ago I decided to put Protandim to the test. To cut a very long story short, Protandim makes great claims about protection against oxidative-stress, hence the nickname ‘anti-aging wonder drug’. These are big claims that make me raise an eyebrow. Which raises the question, does Protandim work?
If you have not seen part 1 to this blog post click here first then it will all make sense.
Mate: So you can actually compete against each other in CrossFit?
Me: Yep…Pretty cool hey!
Mate: So what exactly will you be doing?
Me: Well, I’m not really sure. But somewhere along the lines of running, jumping, throwing weights around…You know, the usual…
Mate: Umm, that’s about as clear as mud.
So what is CrossFit? This is a question I get asked often. After my competition last weekend the question I get now is…Well what’s this CrossFit competition thing you did then?
I’m still trying to answer both so I thought I’d put this post together.
If you have been following my crossfit journey, a few months back I mentioned that my coach Cassie had entered myself and Stu into our first CrossFit competition at CrossFit Feel Good in Sydney. Well that day had finally come. Continue reading →
I’ve volunteered for a 3 month self experiment. I want to see if the natural supplement Protandim protects against oxidative stress. In this post there is also a very short video of my blood under a microscope to show how much oxidative stress I have, amongst other cool tests and results.
Does this sound familiar? You get home late after hitting the gym, you are tired, hungry and really don’t feel like cooking. You want food that serves you and helps your recovery the best you can. There’s no way you’re gonna do a microwave frozen lasagne or some synthetic chemical laden protein supplement. How about a meal replacement shake that’s totally natural in under 5 minutes?
In this video I show you what I do every time I get back from CrossFit Bare Sydney late in the evening. This is my saviour and it works for me every time. My best late night post WOD (workout) meal replacement shake.Continue reading →
What is CrossFit? I’m still struggling with this question when I get asked. But when I tell people the first thing I do in the morning is check the CrossFit Bare website to see what today’s WOD is, I usually get two responses that go something like this:
Uh? Don’t you think that’s a little obsessive? What’s wrong with you mun!
If you were looking to improve your finances, would you rather take advise from Richard Branson or a financial advisor who is struggling to pay off his credit card and mortgage (not that they are all like this, but you get the gist), who would you prefer?
When it comes to health and weight loss, I hear a lot of opinions along the lines of ‘I eat a healthy diet but I just can’t seem to shift this flab’. If you want real results it would make sense to learn from people who are living and breathing examples of where you would like to be, then simply copy them. Many people talk it, but the best advise comes from people who walk it.
My fellow CrossFit Bare comrades Josh and Stacey are fine examples of health and athleticism. Stacey also happens to be a CrossFit HQ coach and has her own nutritional business – Paleo Star – She’s also a qualified dietitian. Even if your not much of a CrossFit or exercise enthusiast, there’s a lot to be learned by simply looking at their typical daily eating habits listed below.
In Josh’s own words
My general eating philosophy is that I eat from natural & unprocessed sources. Grass-fed red meat, hormone free chicken and eggs, and the most notable change in the past 6 months is the elimination of processed sugar. A lot of fresh veggies and dark leafy salads. Fresh (cold pressed) juice every morning and fibrous pulp saved for 180 Nutrition carrot slices (no plug intended). Continue reading →
A big thanks to the guys at MeasureUp in Sydney for helping me get an extremely accurate reading of my body fat, muscle mass, bone density and overall weight. It’s a very cool machine and a fantastic place to start if you are serious about tracking yourself whilst on any kind of health journey.
In this video (length 3:04sec)
What is a Dexa scan?
Why it is a non-intrusive way of measuring body fat
Get accurate measurements for muscle mass & bone density
And much more…
The Dexa scan results
The first thing I asked Luke (who is also a gun CrossFitter & coach at CrossFit Active in North Sydney) is how accurate are they? He said accurate enough for the Wallabies rugby union team and Hugh Jackman (would be interesting to see Wolverine’s x-ray) to be using it… Sold! That was enough for me…
At the end of the consultation they also give you a very groovy looking report with several scans and x-rays of your body, with my body fat being in orange and muscle mass in red. I’ll let you guess what the blue is!
Before & after photo of Lynne Knapman. She lost 25kg with the help of CrossFit.
Why CrossFit can be for anyone & everyone
What are progressive exercises
And much more…
What is CrossFit?
It’s a question I honestly struggle with. For me CrossFit is an ‘experience’ and it is near on impossible to sum up in one sentence. When I get asked what do I do for training, I say CrossFit. Nearly every response I get receives a vague look with questions like ‘CrossFit rings a bell but…isn’t it for the fanatical?’. Then others simply have no idea what I’m on about.
My Journey at CrossFit Bare in Sydney
Over the next few months I’ve decided to blog about my CrossFit journey at CrossFit Bare in Bondi-Junction, Sydney. I’m enjoying it that much I wanted to help reveal a side to CrossFit that I feel can be easily overlooked by many.
I’m from a village in Wales. I would walk down my street to the local shop which was 200m away. This could take me up to an hour on times from bumping into people and talking. I would pretty much know everyone, and this is an experience I don’t get as much from living in the big smoke.
I have a lot of experience when it comes to commercial gyms, and whilst there is all the glamour with bells and whistles, I feel a lot of them lack soul. I may have been a member but I never felt like I belonged. Maybe this is just my country ways.
People who know me know that I like to chat, be part of something bigger than myself and embrace others. CrossFit has given me that. That community feeling that I crave and I’m loving it.
I hope I do CrossFit justice and that you enjoy this discovery with me as I start my journey at CrossFit Bare…Warm regards, Guy.
Ps. The picture in the video was taken of Lynne Knapman pre-CrossFit and 25kg over weight (Cassie’s maths teacher) and was taken in June 2010. The picture of Lynne post-CrossFit is her competing in this years Australian Regional CrossFit Games in April 2012. She is an amazing inspiration! Continue reading →
By Guy Lawrence
I’ve volunteered for a 3 month self experiment. I want to see if the natural supplement Protandim protects against oxidative stress. In this post there is also a very short video of my blood under a microscope to show how much oxidative stress I have, amongst other cool tests and results.
