WLC Day 6: First, CONGRATS to those actually meditating!! I’m psyched for everyone getting on the Headspace bandwagon and I hope you keep it going beyond week 1. I’ve added 10 minutes of mindful meditation to my morning routine. I’m on day 3 (my goal is 4-5 times per week) and I can tell a difference in my perspective on the day when I step out of the front door to head to work. Whether you’re part of this challenge or not, I (and Tim Ferriss) am recommending you download Headspace and treat your head right.
One of the best parts of taking on this challenge is that, eventually, you will find yourself sleeping like a baby. You will fall asleep more easily, and sleep soundly without tossing and turning. You’ll also awaken with as much energy as you did as a kid, refreshed and ready to go. Amazing, right? But if this doesn’t sound like your current state of sleep or energy, don’t worry—you’ll get there.
Sleep matters. We make ours a priority—above exercise, reading, socializing, and especially housekeeping. Adequate sleep helps to improve your memory, mood, judgment, athletic performance, and overall health, and today we want to help you optimize the amount and quality of sleep you are getting each night. Your energy levels are (no surprise here) largely dictated by your food choices. Change your food, and you change your blood sugar regulation, your hormonal response to food, your sleep quality, and your ability to maintain consistently high energy levels throughout your day, without resorting to sugar or coffee for a “boost.” Today, we’ll talk about how those rockin’ energy levels progress during your challenge, and how long you’ll have to wait before you experience the magic. (Not long, we promise!)
If sleep is something you’re struggling with and you need a supplement still: try magnesium. Magnesium is a powerhouse for good health. It improves muscle function, boosts absorption of vitamin B6, and helps prevent osteoporosis, heart attack, hypertension, migraines, kidney stones, and gallstones. It can also help you enjoy a good night’s sleep, and keep your digestive system running on a regular schedule.
From Melissa & Dallas, Whole30:
Energy: Sugar-Burner vs. Fat-Adapted
One major goal of the Whole30 is to get you out of “sugar-burner” mode, and make you “fat adapted.” A sugar-burner is one whose body is used to running on carbohydrate for energy. A constant excess supply of carbohydrates will tilt your metabolic “preference” toward burning what’s most plentiful—sugar— when fuel is needed. If there is an overabundance of sugar, the sugar takes precedence over fat as a source of energy in many metabolic processes, and stored fat doesn’t get burned for energy.
Sugar Burner = Energy roller coaster; “needing” to eat every two hours; cranky when you’re hungry; regular cravings for sweets or caffeine; dysfunctional hormonal response to food.
The Whole30 takes you out of sugar-burner mode, and transitions you into being fat adapted— efficiently able to utilize fat as energy. This process starts in just five days, but can take weeks to really kick in to the point that you notice the effects. When it does, however, your body will begin to utilize fat as fuel more readily, helping you avoid between-meal cravings, energy slumps, and brain fog. In addition, once you’re fat-adapted, you’ll be able to start whittling away at your fat stores—something you are unable to do when you’re running on nothing but sugar.
Fat Adapted = Even energy all throughout the day; no need to eat between meals; stuck without food — no crankiness or raging hunger; reduced cravings for sweets or caffeine; improved body composition and hormonal response to food. Yeah, that sounds better to us, too. But remember, while you’ve already started your fatadaptation process, it can take weeks to fully kick in.* Practice patience and dedication to your new, healthy habits… because this one is worth waiting for!
*Good news: most Whole30’ers report the energy “magic” kicking in around days 7-11… right around the corner!
Have a great Day 6!
Starting prepping for your weekend: Yoga is Sunday at 10 am with Danielle.
Level 1/2 Test: Monday, September 28th at 7 pm.
Warmup
Run to Sessions 2x
10 Minutes
10 yd Downdog Walk
10 yd Frog Hop
10 yd Lateral Ape Walk
10 yd Reverse Downdog Walk
10 yd Reverse Frog Hop
10 yd Lateral Monkey Walk
Start to increase speed in the movements we’ve been practicing for several weeks: don’t sacrifice the basic movement quality, but see how moving a little faster feels.
For the Monkey, rather than keeping the hips low as in the Ape walk, let your hips come up high–even over your shoulders if you can–as you swing your legs up one at a time tand bring them down softly with control.
Skill
15 Minutes Handstand Practice
L4 – Practice Cartwheel to Face the Wall Handstand: the only thing touching the wall should be your toes and possibly your nose, body should be in a tight hollow position; then continue practicing sub-maximal sets of handstand push-ups (not facing the wall, NO KIPPING)
L3 – 60 second hold, then HSPU partials or negatives
L2 – accumulate 60 seconds total time in handstand hold, pike push-ups with feet on tire or box
L0/1 – practice kicking up to the wall, pike push-ups
***ALL LEVELS: Between sets of HSPU/pikes, practice the HOLLOW/ARCH drill 2-3x
Conditioning
“Rista Blodörn”
Run 400 Yd
25 Push-ups
50 Double Unders
25 Toes To Bar
50 Overhead Lunges (in place, NOT walking)
25 Toes to Bar
50 Double Unders
25 Push-ups
Run 400 Yd
L3/4 – 45/35
L2 – 25/15
L1 – goblet lunges (14/12), 125 single unders per set, v-ups