Today, I’m loaning out the blog to my great friend, Katie!  She’s about to embark on a really neat journey (I’m a little jealous!) and she needs YOUR help!  I’ve known Katie for three years now and I’m truly excited to see this epic year unfold for her.  Take it away, friend!

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Hi everyone!  In case you don’t know me, I’m Katie and I blog over at Talk Less, Say More.

I had the pleasure of meeting Lindsay at the very first Blend Retreat in Boulder and have been lucky enough to attend every year since, get to know her more and ultimately, call her a friend.  I shared a kind of crazy idea with her a couple months back and now that this crazy idea is coming together, I’m so excited that she’s allowing me to share it with all of you today!

It’s called 50 States In A Year and it’s a charity fundraising tour!

I guess I should start by telling you all that I’m a bit of a dreamer but when something feels right (or wrong!), I can’t ignore it.  And as crazy as this whole thing is, it feels right in my heart and in my gut.  The puzzle pieces have been falling into place and when a friend was as passionate about this as me and committed to joining in, there was no doubt we could pull this off!

We will visit all 50 states.  We will do it in a single year. We will give back to charity!

But let’s back up… in May I finally decided to try CrossFit.  I say finally because it was something I had been considering for awhile but found myself unsure if I would actually like it, worried I’d get hurt, and not thinking I’d enjoy people yelling at me to hurry up and finish the workout.  But once I finally dove in, I learned how silly my fears were…I immediately LOVED the workout structure, learned the coaches are there to help you get the right form before increasing the weight, and realized my fellow athletes weren’t yelling, they’re an encouraging and supportive community (in and outside the box).  I was immediately hooked.

So when I started dreaming this idea and deciding which charity to give back to, it was important for me to find a way to get the CrossFit community involved, while also bringing them closer together.  That’s when I found CrossFit for Hope!

CrossFit for Hope helps fund research for childhood cancer, as well as other important efforts.  But what really got me is that every cent donated to CrossFit for Hope is delivered straight to the target recipient.  All costs (administration, accounting, etc) are covered by CrossFit headquarters.  Therefore, every dollar donated goes further!  For more on CrossFit for Hope, visit their website.

A trip of this magnitude is a huge undertaking and we’re working hard to partner with sponsors to keep our costs as low as possible, but to make this a success and to give the best donation possible as the end of the year, we need YOUR help!  Whether you’re into CrossFit or not, this is about coming together and making a huge impact!  The more we raise, the more we can donate!

Here’s how you can be a part:

• Follow along via our blog, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and share with friends!
• Via our GoFundMe campaign where you can donate in exchange for a postcard from the road, t-shirt/tank top, or even dinner cooked by us as we come through your area!
• By inviting us to your CrossFit box to host a fundraising event when we come through your area! (50statesinayear at gmail dot com)

What started out as a simple and kind of crazy idea has turned into so much more and I can’t wait to see the impact we can make together as a community – I hope you’ll join us!

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QUESTION:  Isn’t this a cool idea?!?  Please help Katie out!  What’s your favorite state??

splendid…lindsay

Holla!  Hola!  Either one. 

Today I’ve got a guest post that I think will provide us with something to think on regarding WEIGHT LOSS.    Today’s guest Dylan lost 10 percent of his body weight and it helped him tremendously.  For me, losing 10% would be a hard goal and I’m not sure it would be healthy (I weigh around 148 and don’t think I have 15 pounds to lose).  I’m hoping you’ll all chime in on the comment section and tell me what has helped YOU lose weight in the past – was it healthy? Was it sustainable?  Did you lose MUSCLE mass??

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Baby Steps for Health: The 10 Percent Weight Loss Benefit

One-hundred years ago, ‘weight loss’ wasn’t much of a conversation.  However, once the fads and lose-fat-quick regimens began churning out, being ‘fit’ wasn’t just for the beach or summer, but an all-time need.  Health and the best ways to achieve it are constantly on our minds.

[source]

Return to Basics

Here’s an age-old maxim that seems to have slipped the minds of newfangled health gurus: slow and steady wins the race – being slow yet persistent is effective.  It works with school studies, martial arts training, learning to type, etc.  Why not translate the patient philosophy onto your health?

The Small Things

Rather attempt to scale a mountain, begin climbing a small hill.  Losing just 10% of one’s bodyweight produces significant increases in health.  So, rather add the weight of anxiety on yourself and thinking about ‘losing mass,’ focus on a small number.  Even those considerably overweight will have a much smaller number to target.

Benefits for Ailments

As people gain weight, they grow exposed to a number of health detriments, such as diabetes.  Those who are diabetic report a stabilization of blood glucose levels.  Those with hypertension report lower blood pressure.  Those with abnormal cholesterol see improvements in blood lipid levels.  Also, regardless of ‘overweight’ labels, dropping 10% of one’s body weight decreases the risk of developing heart disease.

[source]

Maintenance

Here’s the hardest part of the ‘diet.’  Once you lose the weight, the added benefits can’t take influence over your body unless you keep it off.  You must maintain the weight loss, which likely means changing the way you eat, exercise, and live.  Being healthy is a lifestyle and not a fad.  It’s important to re-engineer the way you approach meals, prepare food, and treat your body.

Most diets fail because losing weight is the easy part.  It’s easier to suppress hunger and starve oneself of carbs…for a while.  After some time, we return to old habits or bodies modify back to prior conditions after a diet regimen.  For maximum weight loss ideas, peruse a number of online sites for additional ideas and suggestions from pros.  Find solutions that last.

Water is Your Friend

Water is a major staple of healthy living.  Water is a dieter’s best friend and a key element in losing the 10% of weight.  The great thing about water is that the more you consume, the healthier you become. The trick is finding creative ways to make it tasty and an alternative to fatty snacks, etc.

Consider infusing water with fruits and/or vegetables.  Think of the Snapple company and how many delicious and natural combinations the beverage brand derived. Furthermore, increase the number of selections by finding hot teas to enjoy, helping to curb your hunger.  Of course, water is no substitute for food but drinking more water can satiate an ‘urge.’

Add, Don’t Subtract

Dieters consider how they’re ‘giving up’ a number of foods that they love.  While you may want to curb intake of pizza and burgers, think of a diet as opportunity to meet more foods, adding them to your eating repertoire.  A number of foods actually help you burn calories rather than put them on.  Negative calorie foods require energy for your body to process, burning more calories than foods contain.

No Gym is No Problem

Going to the gym and ‘working out’ is another anxiety of dieters and those looking to get healthy.  Sure, you can facilitate health by going to the gym but it’s not a requirement to getting fit and feeling healthy.  Actually, those who are not familiar with the gym may do more harm than good going if they are not experienced or utilize a trainer.

That’s it.  Dedicating time toward a smaller goal, losing 10% dramatically influences health.  Start now!

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Dylan Newbold has lost that ten percent, and he feels great. A passionate writer, he likes to share his life’s journey by blogging online.

QUESTION:  What do you think about the 10% weight loss idea?  Too much?  Attainable and healthy?

splendid…lindsay