Guest Blogger

If you currently want something in your life that you don’t have then there is a 100% chance that you are human. (Phew!!) How you define yourself is by the action you take towards bringing those into your life. Some people make declarations about how they are finally going to make the big change
Generally, if you have a goal you haven’t achieved yet you fall into one of these three camps. 

• You don’t know what to do and you don’t know how to do it.
• You don’t think you deserve it.
• You haven’t put in the work.

So what’s really keeping you from achieving your goals? Let’s find out…

1. You don’t know what to do and you don’t know how to do it.
This is generally the first challenge you encounter when you have a new goal. Luckily it is also the easiest barrier to address when it comes to making positive changes in your life. Whether you seek to earn more money, improve your health, or find your soulmate there are websites, coaches, books, podcasts, and more resources than you know what to do with. Success leaves clues and in the information age we live in you have access to the tools and resources you need to get started on the path to your goal.
“When action is our priority, vanity falls away.”  – Ryan Holiday
Let’s say your goal is to lose 10 pounds and keep it off. Like forever keep it off. Many adults find themselves at a weight they don’t feel comfortable and confident at. The problem is that if you have only ever gained weight since you were a kid and never seen the scale go (and stay) in the opposite direction then you are a total novice. Being a professional weight gainer is easy for you, you’ve done it your whole life. If you want to lose weight then you have to start fresh. It’s time to throw out what you think is true about nutrition and exercise because all of the information you have is through the lens of a person who has only ever gained weight. Let go of ego. Let go of pride. If you want to make the change then you have to start with fresh eyes.

2. You don’t think you deserve it.
This could be thought of as self-sabotage. Maybe since you were a child you have been conditioned to think a certain way. Many of the long-standing beliefs humans hold are instilled by parents, environments, or traumatic experiences. Long ago the brain accepted as fact that “this is the way it is”. If you have a long-held belief that is clashing with one of your current goals then your first order of business is to remove that roadblock. No amount of will power or strategy can overcome a fixed mindset. You are an adult and you are responsible for your own life. You have the power to change any condition that you don’t want. 
“How have I been complicit in creating the conditions I say I don’t want?” -Jerry Colonna
Executive coach and author Jerry Colonna asks a powerful question to himself and his clients. “How have I been complicit in creating the conditions I say I don’t want?” Ask yourself this question in the context of your current goal. If you are struggling to lose weight, what are the things that you have been “okay with” lately? If it’s the food in the fridge that you snack on, skipping your workout, or surrounding yourself with people who have unhealthy habits then that is entirely on YOU to change. That starts by demanding more of yourself. You have to consider yourself worthy of the goal you claim to want. When you are mentally ready to be the person who achieves this goal you will be able to receive it.

3. You haven’t put in the work.
This can be the most frustrating camp to fall into when it comes to not achieving your goals. You may be doing everything right. You hired the coach, you have a strategy, and you’re executing on it every day. So why haven’t you accomplished your goal yet?! 
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” -Vince Lombardi
Whether growing a business or growing your biceps it can be tough when the results haven’t shown up yet. So what should you do?
KEEP GOING! 
Constantly ask yourself: What else could I be doing? Continually revisit camps one and two in this post. Are there any additional resources or tools that could be getting you to your goals faster? Could you work with someone who has proven results in the exact area you are trying to grow? Are there any roadblocks you are creating for yourself? Is there an area where your behavior is inconsistent with the outcome that you seek?

Frustration or anger can itself be a powerful tool. If you are fed up with your lack of progress then you should use that as fuel for your fire. If you have the bandwidth to be upset about your situation then you most likely have the bandwidth to work harder (or smarter 😉 )
If you still don’t know why the results won’t come then you should consider working with a mentor or coach who can help you get there. A great coach will help you set up a framework for success. They will help you develop a SMART goal that aligns with your mission and current state. Understanding the time frame and order of steps necessary to achieve a goal can dramatically improve your mindset and the way you tackle each day. You can break your goal down into manageable chunks and as you check them off you will build momentum towards your big goal. The best coaches will be clear and neutral in their feedback about what it takes to get to you to your goal. 

You want to surround yourself with people who will be supportive and honest your path to success. Avoid the detractors. That includes anyone who tells you they support you, but that you can’t achieve what you want and to “get real”. This life is yours to choose and you can’t waste time with the people that will only hold you back. 

 

If you need help identifying what is hold you back from your goals, meet with one of our coaches today.  We can help you on your fitness journey!  Coach@CrusherCrossFit.Com or Visit our website at www.CrusherCrossFit.Com

How To Become A Fat Burning Woman

Evolutionary women were built for childbearing. Unlike men, women have survival techniques that are unique to their bodies in order to prepare them for growing another human. While this is a beautiful miraculous trait, it comes with some conditions that specifically come into play when we are talking performance and body composition.

The human body is quite unique and knows how to maintain homeostasis. It knows what it needs. A woman’s body must have enough vital nutrients and the right structure to have a smooth pregnancy. Bigger hips and a tendency for fat storage are a few of these obvious traits. 

Once at the age of childbearing, a woman’s body will begin to make sure it has enough fat to feed a baby. DHA, a brain developing nutrient, is usually found in these fat stores, a technique the body uses to save enough of this nutrient for breastfeeding a newborn. This is extremely important for any baby, but can result in unwanted fat retention for women currently not trying to have kids.

Just because something is natural, doesn’t mean it’s optimal for everyone or everything at all times. Depending on your goals, the female metabolism “naturally” seems counterproductive to many of our goals and ideals when it comes to body composition. But there is a way to use this knowledge to your advantage and get your metabolism to work for you! You can achieve the goals you want in a healthy way, regardless of your hormonal and genetic predisposition.

Let’s circle back to DHA and fat storage. We talked about how crucial this is in a woman’s body during pregnancy. You get DHA from consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids. This is commonly found in foods like salmon, flax seeds, and chia. Since the body is already hardwired to store fat this is a very important time to focus on the quality of fats in the diet. Omega-3’s are not only key for brain and eye development-they also play a key role in the body’s inflammatory response.

If you consume a diet high in inflammatory fats you this will results in more fat storage. Get the right amount of fats by increasing Omega 3 consumption so you’re body knows it has enough to meet its needs. 

Next, balance your hormones.

• Eat a clean and nutritious diet
• Manage your stress levels with yoga, meditation etc.
• Talk with your doctor about any hormonal imbalances you may have. Having too much estrogen circulating in your body  is just as bad as not enough, so get some tests done and work with your doctor to find a solution. A lot of the time hormonal imbalances stem from nutritional issues and chronic conditions like chronic inflammation and stress. 

Lastly, don’t be afraid of the heavy weights. Muscle development will help you shape up and lose fat. The more muscle you have, the more fuel your body will need to burn each day. (Crazy right?!) This will let your body handle carbs better, using them to fuel your muscle rather than to store them as fat. A body with more muscle is like a car with a bigger engine, it will burn more fuel! As you start lifting weights you’ll notice changes in body measurements as you swap out fat for muscle.

These tips not only shape your body into a fat burning machine, but they’re going to help with your performance level. Having the right body composition, muscle mass and good nutrition will improve your performance in the gym or in training 10x. Have fun designing the body of your dreams!  

Are you currently not exercising, but want a little guidance? We offer small group classes as well as personal training. Schedule a no sweat intro on our website! We would love to have you.

 

We welcome Dr. Lindsey from Waconia Family Chiropractic as a guest on our blog.  She has been a member for some time now, and serves a lot of the community in her practice.  As Dr. Lindsay says, “Movement is medicine for the body!” Check out what she has to say:

Movement Is Medicine.

I was first introduced to Crusher Crossfit from a patient and friend. After months of raving about it to me, she convinced me to sign up for a bootcamp. I’ll admit, I was hesitant. I thought to myself, “there is no way I can do those movements that “those crossfit people do” what am I even thinking?!” However, once I bit the bullet and finally started, I’ve never looked back! Crusher Crossfit is a community of supportive people who all have some version of the same goal, which is to improve their life by moving.

As a Chiropractor, I work directly with the neuro-musculoskeletal system. Patients typically first come in to see me because they are unable to move due to pain. However, the body was giving them symptoms before the pain even began because pain is the one of the last symptoms we experience before our body says, “enough is enough.” My job is to find and remove “subluxations” or misalignments in the joints throughout the body. This is not limited to just the spine. When there are misalignments of joints, the body is unable to move as it’s designed. This lack of movement affects not only joints, but the surrounding muscles, tendons, nerves, and even organs. For example, if you have low back pain, that may not necessarily be where the root of the problem is stemming from so checking the pelvis, knees, and ankles are also important. Therefore, increasing motion in the joints through a Chiropractic adjustment, decreases pain, increases range of motion, and allows your body to function as it’s designed, which helps us heal and adapt to stress more quickly.

I am passionate about educating my patients on the importance of our health. It is very dependent on 3 factors: physical, environmental, and emotional stressors. Our bodies are designed to adapt to these stressors; however, we can only handle so much before we can’t adapt anymore and symptoms start to present. Symptoms may include fatigue, irritability, insomnia, digestive issues, lowered immune system as well as muscle and joint aches and pains.

I typically find in my practice that the less my patients move, the more pain they are in. The more pain they are in, the less they want to move. My first goal is to help people get out of pain though muscle work and adjustments. However, it is important to educate them on what they can be doing outside of my office to prevent their pains from returning.

My advice for you today is to START MOVING, because movement is medicine for the body. If you’ve ever thought about joining Crusher Crossfit, let this be your sign to check them out! They are able to help modify workouts not only based on your current level of fitness, but also if you have restrictions due to injury, there are ways you can still move and get a great workout while avoiding further injury.

 

In your health,

Dr. Lindsey Engmark, DC

Waconia Family Chiropractic

9384 Oak Avenue, Waconia

952-442-3220