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STAYING HEALTH DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

Back squats = good for your holiday health. Fact.

Happy middle of October gang. Let us pause and reflect upon the sheer insanity that is coming right around the corner health-wise.

I write this post every year around this time but am putting it up a little bit early so that we all can stop for a second and do some planning both internally and externally. In two weeks from tomorrow it’s Halloween (KJ, the whole gym is going to come to class in FULL COSTUME but no one’s going to say anything about it beforehand, make sure you go all out and come to class that day all dressed up.)

Once Halloween hits, most people tend to slowly spiral downwards for the rest of the year with their wellness and fitness. The deck is stacked against us with parties; get-togethers, work functions and the like. Tomorrow’s post will outline one of the biggest health detractors of the year in fact – our holiday party.

So what’s a CPC’er to do? How do we maintain the elite level of fitness and health that we’ve worked so hard for all year long? How do we keep what’s underneath that amazing holiday sweater ripped and strong?

The holidays are tough, but one thing has definitely helped Eric and I throughout the years and that’s this – control what you can control and let the rest go.

This means that if I’m going to a Christmas party where I know my food options will be Subway (which is considered healthy to Americans) and pasta, I’m going to shove as many veggies and meats into my mouth as I can before leaving the house.

If I know I’m going to the CPC Holiday party and will end up walking in circles in the street before projectile vomiting, I’ll make sure that I have a glass of water in between drinks.

Basically, I’m going to enjoy the shit out of the holidays. I’m going to eat my Aunt’s apple pie, drink more than usual, and be a merry little CrossFit coach. I’m also going to remember that feeling like crap sucks and is the inevitable aftermath of going too far astray and will counter that by eating as well as I can when I’m home and choosing the smartest options that still let me enjoy the season when I’m out.

Anyone have a holiday health tip that they’re willing to share? Please post to the comments.

Today’s Workout:


Bench Press 5-5-5-5-5

3 Rounds For Time:
5 Press (95/65)
10 Push Press
15 Push Jerk


9 comments
Kari
Kari

What Kristiana means to say, is that instead of changing from caveman to lion eating like Augie, we will be working on our tans, drinking skills, and guacamole recipes in Mexico. We need our drinking endurance up for the holiday party.

Malzone
Malzone

Augie may have forgotten to mention one thing...the spoon you use MUST be enormous. The biggest spoon you can possibly find

Kristiana
Kristiana

Snyder - we start at SBCC and do either track work there, hill work next to the track, or distance speed work along the water front. It's a well-lit area, so it's a little safer! Come join us sometime!

Snyder
Snyder

Where do you two run?

Baker
Baker

Augie, you magnificent bastard, I salute you.

Augie Johnson
Augie Johnson

The only 'tip' I can offer is when the turkey comes out of the oven, hit it hard. Hit it like Alabama’s CJ Mosley is going to hit the Tennessee quarterback this weekend. Gouge an enormous hunk off the side of it like a mature South African Great White on a harbor seal, smother it in a layer of oyster stuffing, build a New Orleans sized dyke of garlic mashed potatoes around it and cover the entire slab with fixin gravy. Then, give your kids “The Look” that causes them to back away and give you room to the table. Once there, you hit that thang. You hit it like it just bitch slapped your girlfriend. No talking. No ohhing an ahhing at the paper mache turkey decorations your daughter made at school. Mass full metal jacket turkilation. If you do it right, you are done before the next wave of family get up for seconds so you are free and clear to re-engage the turkey on Round two as the lion that you are before the jackals can gather enough strength in numbers to pull you away. Repeat this cycle through rounds three and four until the blackberry pies timer dings and they begin to pull the Ice cream selections out of the freezer. Then dig into the pies before they have a chance to cool. This way, the berry pie is still molten and when you dig into it, the extra berry filling flows out of the other side of the pie and you can scoop it up even though they see you only carving out ¼ of the pie. Use the hot berry spoon to dig into the ice cream which gives you an extra speed advantage there and again gets to you the table before everyone else so that you can get on to dessert round two unimpeded. Once you have annihilated everything in your path, only then mumble some well worn homilies acknowledging various visiting family members, ruffle the heads of a couple of wayward 2nd cousins and stumble drunkenly clutching your food baby to the couch securing prime football real estate and remote button control. This is how the holidays come down at the Johnson home. I am not proud and it ain’t pretty but it is forensically accurate and that is just the way it is on the Plains of the Serengeti. Survival of the craftiest.

Kristiana
Kristiana

Dave and I are running a marathon on December 2...Which means we will be running Monday/Thursday Mornings at 6am if anyone wants to join...it might be a good way to get through the next 6 weeks...just let me know!

Kristin
Kristin

Wow. Way to sell the Christmas party. On another note: Bench press. PRAISE SWEET BABY JESUS. Something that does not involve my quads. Because ... well, if you experienced Monday and Tuesday you understand.

Bwood
Bwood

I'm wondering if having a second child to deal with while getting over the worst hangover of your life will possibly keep a person (no names of course) from the mentioned circles in parking lot for second year in a row.