Pursuing Health

Motivation isn’t enough to create lasting behavior change. The secret to success?  Focus on consistency.   In the words of behavior scientist BJ Fogg, Ph. D., it’s important to “make the habit so tiny you can do the baseline habit on any day.”   Dr. Fogg is the author of the New York Times bestselling book “ Tiny Habits ” and the director of the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University. He has s...

Caffeine: It’s likely the most widely used mood- and performance-enhancing drug. However, have you ever noticed that some people are wired all day from one cup of coffee in the morning while others can drink it right before bed? The CYP1A2 enzyme is largely responsible for caffeine metabolism, and our genes may give some information about our individual response. Interested in harnessing the perfo...

The average American spreads their food consumption out over 15 hours a day, which basically means they’re eating from the time they wake up until the time they go to bed and fasting only during sleep. Increasing this fasting window by even just a few hours can provide a multitude of health benefits, ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) including: Decreased rates of obesity Improved blood pressure Decreased insulin resi...

It’s a familiar scenario: Your client understands what they need to do to improve their health, and yet they just can’t seem to consistently follow through on eating right, exercising more, getting quality sleep, etc. Enter motivational interviewing, a way of conducting conversations about change to strengthen clients’ motivation and commitment. Dr. Stephen Rollnick is a pioneer in the field of mo...

It probably comes as no surprise that alcohol has a negative impact on sleep quality, but why does something that seems to help you drift off actually turn out to be problematic? Mike Stone, MD, shares two main reasons why alcohol and sleep don’t mix: Alcohol disrupts normal sleep architecture, leading to nighttime waking and reduced sleep quality. Alcohol suppresses REM sleep, which is critical f...

Jacki Hillios, Ph. D., is Deputy Executive Director of The Phoenix, an addiction recovery program that uses physical activity and community friendships to support members on their sobriety journey. In her role, she focuses on oversight and leadership in program design, implementation, evaluation, and expansion.  Jacki is a former clinician who worked with youth and families struggling with mental...

“We like to say heart rate variability is the range of motion of your nervous system,” Lindsey Mathews, DC, says. Put another way, heart rate variability (HRV), or the variance in time between the beats of your heart, can provide insight into how your body is responding to the many different stressors in life. This is a valuable tool to help guide women’s training through pregnancy and postpartum....

Mealtime with kids — Is it possible for it to be low-stress AND nutritious? Nicole Christensen wears many hats: CF-L4, owner of CrossFit Roots, Seminar Staff Flowmaster, CrossFit Nutrition Course Director, and, most importantly, mom of two. Her best tip: Keep it simple and offer a small selection of healthy options to keep the decisions and negotiations to a minimum. At breakfast, she keeps it qui...

Erin Donaldson is a board certified Family physician and graduate of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.  After starting her career practicing hospital medicine, she transitioned to her true passion, providing preventative care through wellness and disease prevention.     While working in the hospital system, Dr. Donaldson developed a deep respect for the capacity of our healthcare system t...

Fats and oils are important parts of a healthy diet and support functions such as vitamin absorption, brain function, and nerve function — but did you know not all fats and oils are created equal? When choosing the right oil for your meal, consider two factors: -The degree of processing the oil has undergone -Smoke point (the temperature at which the oil starts to burn and smoke) Seed oils such as...

Focusing on QUALITY food can have a huge impact on health, but many individuals reach a point where they hit a plateau. That’s when food QUANTITY comes into play. Stephane Rochet, CF-L3, shares a simple method to begin measuring food portions. At each meal, load your plate with: Protein: Between 1 and 2 palm-sized servings, depending on your size and goals Vegetables: Double the size of your prote...

You probably know it’s important to reduce stress for your mental health, but did you know stress can impact your body all the way down to the level of gene expression and immune system activation? Dr. Slavich recently joined me for a live Q&A-style webinar hosted by CrossFit Health with a focus on stress and its effects on health. Dr. Slavich is a leading research expert and the founding director...

Can giving birth increase your heart rate variability (HRV)? Research conducted by OB-GYN Shon Rowan, MD, indicates that it can! In a study following women who were already exercising and planning to become pregnant, Rowan used a wearable device pre-, during, and post-pregnancy to track HRV and resting heart rate. The results provided several fascinating insights: Several participants were able to...

Friday, Jan. 21, and Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, CrossFit will host the 2022 CrossFit Health Conference, a virtual event that will bring together world-class experts in science, fitness, and healthcare for a series of lectures and panel discussions on ways to improve our health and quality of life.    The conference will focus on the latest scientific research and advances in areas such as nutrition,...

Jenn Hunter-Marshall is a CrossFit Level 4 Coach, and Seminar Staff Flowmaster, affiliate owner, and former CrossFit Games athlete. In this episode we discuss her struggle to find a diagnosis for celiac disease, her journey with infertility, the importance of advocating for yourself within the medical system, and why its so important for everyone, including fit-appearing individuals, to regularly...

“Trying harder is usually not the answer” when you’re making changes to your nutrition, says CF-L3 Sarah Hopping Estrella. Instead, try these strategies to set yourself up for nutrition success. Adopt a positive mindset. Recognize the habits that aren’t moving you toward your goal. Set up your environment to support your goal. Identify challenges or barriers to success and plan ahead for those sce...

Making a lifestyle change doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Stephane Rochet, CF-L3, offers tips for getting started and overcoming plateaus. “There’s nothing harder than taking that first step,” Rochet says. His advice: Start small. Master the basics before moving on to more advanced steps. Once you get started, he emphasizes the importance of being patient and focusing on the process rather than t...

Dr. Geoffrey Mire is a small-town family medicine practitioner who is using CrossFit to transform his life and the lives of his patients. Several years ago, Dr. Mire, a former Ironman, found himself out of shape and unmotivated. When an affiliate opened in his town, his passion for fitness was reignited.  He’s since become a CrossFit Level 1 trainer and now his passion for fitness with his patient...

It’s well recognized that lifestyle factors are key in preventing cancer — quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, avoiding obesity — but did you know incorporating regular exercise has an impact as well? Exercise reduces the risk of developing cancer by approximately 20% and decreases cancer mortality by about 20% as well. Exercise oncologist Allison Betof, M.D. and Ph. D., shares some of the many wa...

Your skeletal muscles make up nearly half your body weight, and while they are widely recognized as critical for locomotion, their lesser-known functions include increasing metabolism, protecting neurological health, and more. Dr. Lyon recently joined me for a live Q&A-style webinar hosted by CrossFit Health with a focus on why it’s important to maintain adequate muscle mass to promote long-term h...

Kelly Starrett, DPT breaks down the most common causes of shoulder injuries in CrossFit athletes and explains what can be done for prevention. Starrett attributes most injuries to: Poor preparation or taking insufficient time to warm up Athletes lacking the necessary range of motion Generally not treating the shoulder with the same care as the rest of the body To address shoulder discomfort before...

Dr. Rodrigo Jasbick is a clinical cardiologist and the chief medical officer in the intensive care unit at the Hospital Clínica do Esporte in Goiânia, Brazil.  Dr. Bruno Cardoso is a doctor of sports medicine and regular member of the CrossFit Games Medical Team. The two have teamed up to help educate their colleagues on the power of the CrossFit methodology and to promote what they know from firs...

Being a frequent flyer doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice healthy nutrition habits. Nicole Christensen, CrossFit Nutrition Course Director, has spent a significant amount of time on the road as part of CrossFit Seminar Staff.   To stay on track while on the go, she recommends visiting the grocery store as soon as you land and keeping a phone note of go-to portable meals so you don’t have to think...

Sarah Hopping Estrella started CrossFit in 2009 after narrowly missing qualifying for the 2008 Olympic Games in the hammer throw.  Since then, she’s been involved with CrossFit in just about every way imaginable: Regionals competitor, coach, affiliate owner, Seminar Staff, Nutrition Course contributor, and member of the CrossFit Sport virtual events team. In this episode, we talk about how she’s n...

Nagging aches and pains? According to Jason Garrett, DC, rest and myofascial release are often the best first line of defense. If your aches or pains persist for more than a few days without improvement, he recommends you seek professional assistance from a provider who employs a combination of manual therapy and corrective exercises. Your provider's goal should be to not only take away the cause...