Which best describes you? Personally, I have been challenged lately by a feeling of heaviness, a feeling like everything I do is done with a weight vest on. Have you ever experienced this? Maybe you have but thought it was just a normal part of the Crossfit experience. Most people doing Crossfit workouts are pretty open about sharing, but it seems when admitting their shortcomings, many are more likely to be tight lipped.
That means many will be left to figure all this out on their own.
As I plotted my strategy for uncovering solutions and answers, I jotted down a ideas to look into in order to get to the bottom of why this may be happening. Getting back in to "fighting shape" is a huge motivator for doing the work to uncover the answers. The answer has got to be here, right?
The BIG 4
- How clean am I eating? Quality of food, Am I consuming gut irritating foods that lead to inflammation? Skipping Meals at all?
- Am I getting enough protein to start?
- What am I doing on my cheat days?
- How's my hydration?
- Having Alcohol at all, too much?
- Macro nutrient (Carbs, Fat, Protein) Ratio and Focus (weight loss, mass gain, performance)
- Post workout nutrition, yes, no, clueless
- use Books Like The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf to refresh your mind about nutrition
- How many hours?
- Quality?
- Wake up from alarm, or self?
- Dark room?
- Broken or Unbroken?
- Dreams-frequency and content?
- Home Bed or Traveling Frequently?
- Using/Needing Sleep aids ?
- Resource: Book -Lights Out Sleep, Sugar and Survival, by T.S Wiley
- Type?
- Frequency?
- Intensity?
- Length?
- Quality?
- Attitude?
- Group or Alone?
- Progress?
- What percentage is Met Con/O-Lift/Powerlift?
- Quality of Recovery- Slow, Sore, quick and complete?
(Rate level on 1-10 scale with 10 being super intense and overwhelming)
- Type (intense/constant)
- Job related?
- Training related (Exercise is Stress for the body)
- Family? Self-imposed?
- Mental? Physical? Emotional?
- What are you eating drinking that could be causing stress (Caffeine, Nicotine, Alcohol, Inflammatory foods)?
- What has worked in the past to relieve stress? (Massage, outdoor, playing!)
6 Comments
Hi Anne, so simple so true, yet not so easy to do. Especially the sleep part. Perhaps it is because I am in menopause, my sleep is terrible. I used to sleep sound, I once slept through an explosion in our house. Not so anymore. I would appreciate any tips or suggestions you have. I am trying them all. Thanks!
Hey Anne, loved the way you broke it down here. I often wonder how important sleep is? guess I need to work on that one! and the clean eating, it can be so easy to forget to eat when everything is going on and then eat whatever I can so I dont pass out. 2 things I must work on, thank you.
Your 4 basic areas are awesome. Thanks Anne for giving out this simple yet in depth advice.
Thanks for the BIG 4 fixes! I so agree and you are amazing to keep reminding what is important! the health comes first 🙂
Thanks for the Big 4 Annie. The one that I struggle with most is the sleep. I am both an early riser (especially spring) and I am also a late nighter. What I can say is that the sleep I do get is good quality and I wake up refreshed and raring to go again!
Well Donovan, it has been said that all the good eating and exercise in the world can be undone with bad or inadequate sleep. They are all related…So find a way to sleep as long as your body needs to! I love using a Magnesium supplement at night…look for the fizzy one…makes a person nice and sleepy!