How a Healthy Lifestyle Can Help You Save Money

Living a healthy lifestyle can help you feel better, look better, and remain well, and it can also help you to save money. When you think of healthy habits, your mind may go to expensive equipment or personal trainers, but there are alternatives. You can exercise at home or in a public park with friends or join a group fitness gym. You may not be ready to spring for all organic fruits and vegetables, but if you eat fewer processed foods, your costs will drop as your well-being increases.

Read on for some tips from CrossFit Gotham.

Money-saving tips for a healthier lifestyle

Everyday Power notes that if you walk or bike some of the time rather than driving, you’ll save on gas, parking fees, and wear and tear on the car. Giving up unhealthy habits such as smoking, drinking sugary soft drinks, or drinking alcohol to excess can save you money since you won’t have to pay for those things.

If you cook at home rather than ordering take-out, you’ll be able to consume more fresh foods and fewer pre-packaged foods, and the cost will be less. If you like to garden, you could even grow some of your own food. When your healthy habits lead to better health, you’ll be able to use fewer sick days, spend less on costly medication, and it may reduce the cost of your health insurance, too.

Clean your own home

Rather than paying for a cleaning service, Family Handyman points out that you can save by cleaning your own home and using homemade do-it-yourself cleaners made from non-toxic substances such as baking soda and vinegar. Be sure you dust before vacuuming floors for maximum impact. Then you can take a good look at where the problem areas are, pick up small pieces of debris, like cat litter, and take your time, particularly in vacuuming carpets. You can definitely make your home a healthier place by vacuuming thoroughly to reduce pet dander, dust, pollen, and other allergens.

Although it may seem too good to be true that a healthy lifestyle can save you money as well as boost your energy, health, and general well-being, with persistence, all these things are possible. While nobody can guarantee that you’ll avoid illness or accidents forever, if these things should happen, you’ll be far more resilient if you’re living a healthy lifestyle. Getting adequate exercise, eating nutritiously, updating your resume as you monetize your lifestyle, and
keeping a healthy and clean home can all help. You can begin with gradual changes and shift to
healthier habits that are sustainable. You won’t regret it.

6 Tips So You Don’t Ever Fall Out of Love with CrossFit

I have been an active CrossFit participant for many years. In fact over 5 years, which seems like forever considering that’s longer than some of you have been out of college!  I started CrossFitting in Hoboken and have been to several gyms around the country.  A bit about me, I’m female, 38, never played sports growing up and I will never be a games athlete, I will never win an adventure race, I will never be the first to finish at my box.  Your probably saying ” hold up, wait a minute” doesn’t everyone want to be a games competitor, doesn’t everyone want to win?”

Read the rest here.

Health Isn’t Hard, and These Steps to Wellness Prove It

 

Are you struggling with meeting your health and wellness goals? If so, you are not alone, but it doesn’t have to be that way, and there are many basic self-care practices that you can engage in right now that will help you look, feel, and be healthy, happy, and whole. CrossFit Gotham provides a few daily steps in the right direction.

 

Find a mentor and motivator.

 

Many of us, unfortunately, fall into the belief that we have to tackle our days on our own. This isn’t true, and having a mentor and motivator in your corner can help you harness your inner power to make positive changes, lead you toward your own potential, and provide you with the accountability you need to succeed with your exercise and weight loss goals.

 

Working with a personal trainer is a great way to get started on your fitness journey. And when you join a gym like CrossFit Gotham, you can also take advantage of group classes. You’ll find that having proper training, accountability and community support makes a big difference in how you feel and how you progress.

 

Tap into additional motivation by creating some killer playlists that make you want to move. You can also invest in a pair of sweat-friendly headphones, or even a tricked out smartwatch that tracks your movement and gives you updates in real time.

 

Eat for your brain and body.

 

Food is what fuels your body, but many people don’t realize that it has a profound effect on your brain as well. If you’ve noticed that your mental health has started to suffer, perhaps you have depression or recurrent anxiety, there are plenty of foods that will help your brain power through it. Carrots, beets, bananas, avocados, and beans all come to mind. These and other foods are great for your mental health. You can also turn to natural remedies and supplements to boost your brainpower without resorting to pharmaceutical concoctions.

 

Relieve financial stress

 

Stress and anxiety about money can have a major impact on our overall health and well-being. If you’re currently dealing with financial problems, find ways to lighten your load. Ways you can save each month include brewing your own coffee, cooking at home more often (which is healthier as well), and ditching cable for streaming services. Another idea is to refinance your home which can either lower your monthly mortgage payment or give you a cash infusion which can be used to pay off debts.

 

Let go of negative thoughts and energy.

 

A negative environment at home will have an unwelcome effect on your mental health. When the tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife, it’s time to boost your home’s positivity. Start by cleaning and decluttering the rooms you and your family are in the most. Next, head to the bedrooms and, finally, clear out the garage. Today notes that living with less clutter is a great way to reduce visual distractions. And, if nothing else, you won’t have a dirty house weighing on your mind at night, and you’ll likely get to bed earlier and enjoy all the benefits of a good night’s sleep.

 

Shut down your devices.

 

One healthy habit that everyone can do is to step away from technology and clear your mind. Clutter is not the only visual distraction, and social media, the news, and a constant barrage of screens can cause mental confusion and irritability. Plus, as Bellin Health acknowledges, leaving technology behind can improve your focus and give you an opportunity to enjoy nature. If, because of work or other factors, you can’t take a digital sabbatical, do at least try to meditate in a quiet room for a few minutes each day. This will help you be more mindful of your surroundings, including helping you to acknowledge how digital and physical clutter scrambles your health.

 

The simple actions above won’t alter your routine terribly, but they will put you that much closer to living a healthy, whole, and happy lifestyle. Choose one to start with, and then build upon your healthy habits. Soon, you’ll find that being well is the norm, and you’ll be better off for it.

 

Image by Pexels

How Entrepreneurs Stay Healthy and Effective

By Stephanie Haywood

The initial stages of entrepreneurship are filled with excitement and superpower drive. Your passion for your business keeps you on a fast-paced high, but after a while, those long hours spent building your business can get overwhelming. You may find it hard to step away, but it is important to understand that the time you spend relaxing and taking care of yourself is just as important as the hours you spend managing your business.

 

Make Work-Life Balance a Priority

Creating a work-life balance is critical in relieving daily stress. Prolonged stress leads to negative physical and mental issues such as headaches, chest pain, loss of sleep, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and depression. None of these symptoms will make you a better business owner, and they can negatively affect your personal life. Prioritizing your time for your business and for you creates a healthy balance that promotes the physical and mental strength you need to be efficient and successful in your work and home life. 

 

Set a Schedule and Stick to It

At times you need to work extra hours, but otherwise create a daily schedule and commit to it. That includes work-related appointments, lunch breaks, exercise and quality time for family and friends. Keeping a calendar prioritizes what’s important, decreases procrastination, relieves anxiety, saves time and ensures you are setting aside sessions each day for yourself.

 

Taking small breaks from the business and employees is a good stress reliever. Rely on your workers to operate the business while you take quick walks and run errands. Just as important is taking longer breaks by scheduling a day or week off. You can also create a change of scenery by committing to working from home one or two days a week. If you run your business at home, schedule daily breaks to get out of the house or make sure you do something completely different than work.

 

Commit to Routine Exercise

Skipping exercise is one of the first things many people do to save time in their busy day, but neglecting physical activity takes its toll on your overall health. Routine exercise not only makes your muscles and bones stronger, but it also creates happiness, reduces stress and makes you more energetic. Do what you enjoy so you are motivated to do it. Take a walk, bike ride or jog. You can also explore CrossFit Gotham’s training programs to experience the overall benefits.

 

Create Time for Yourself

To help manage your work and home life, hire a professional to take on one or two responsibilities and give you time for beneficial exercise and playtime. For your home, hire someone to clean or assume the lawn care.

 

For your business, hire an accountant. One study found that 28 percent of small businesses had received a notice from the IRS or had been audited. Give yourself time back and relieve yourself of that anxiety. If you are ever audited, your accountant can take that burden as well.

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance means taking care of yourself. Neglecting physical activity and time for relaxation in order to build your business often results in negative stress that can cause illness. Setting time aside each day for you benefits your mental and physical health, which in turn brings you more happiness in your relationships and additional energy and cognitive strength for operating your business.

Memorial Day Weekend  Means Murph for CrossFit Gotham

As evidenced by Simone’s daily upload to her Instagram account, Coach Mike is known for programming intense WODs at CrossFit Gotham. There are, however, some workouts that go above and beyond the box’s usual intensity level: “Hero WODs”. A “Hero WOD” is a tribute to a first responder or member of the armed services who died while serving honorably in the line of duty, which makes them somewhat more meaningful than the average daily workout. Among the toughest, meanest, and most notorious of these “Hero WODs” is Murph!

 

But what exactly is Murph? In a nutshell, Murph is a prolonged challenge that combines an athlete’s endurance, strength, and mobility, with a whole lot of time in their own head – a head that is continually telling you to slow down or tap out. The workout is named after Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy who was killed during Operation Red Wing that took place in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005.

 

Lt. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed force. Since Lt. Murphy’s actions on that fateful day embody the values and spirit of true heroes, and to immortalize his courage, bravery and most of all – self-sacrifice, a “Hero WOD” was named in his honor. 

 

This workout, originally called “Body-Armor”, was created by Lt. Murphy himself and comprises of a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air-squats, capped off As the story goes, Lt. Michael Murphy was part of a four-man Navy SEAL team entrenched “deep behind enemy lines” in a remote area of Afghanistan, when local farmers observed the team and reported its position to Taliban fighters. Soon, the four were under attack, each of whom was wounded as they made their way down the side of the mountain. With the situation worsening, the communication officer “sought to place a distress call back to base,” but before he could, he was shot in the hand. Lt. Murphy, wounded at the time, “fought his way into open terrain – knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire”, to aid the communication officer and make the call himself. While attempting to contact base, Lt. Murphy was shot in the back, causing him to drop the transmitter. According to the action summary, however, “Murphy (then), while severely wounded, picked it back up, completed the call, and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in. Severely wounded, Lt. Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle.” 

 

Because of his brave and daring actions on the field of battle, by another one-mile run – all while wearing a 20lb vest (Yes Mo, you have to wear a vest). Murph is not easy, it is a high-volume workout and requires the respect it deserves. Because of its intensity, Murph has become a Memorial Day tradition at CrossFit Gotham and many CrossFit boxes around the country as a way to pay tribute to those who put their lives in harm’s way so we don’t have to. Interestingly, COVID-19 has made Murph even more infamous: On Memorial Day 2020, Hunter McIntyre set an unofficial record, allegedly completing Murph in 34 minutes 13 seconds (Jason!!), and Lee Davis of Rhapsody CrossFit in Charleston, South Carolina, did Murph 16 times in under 24 hours. But most astonishingly, Graham Dessert completed Murph every day for 365 days straight, with the last time being on February 20, 2021 (James, this may be a way to lose those twenty pounds – just a thought).

 

So, this Memorial Day weekend, as a way to pay tribute to our first responders and military personnel, join CrossFit Gotham in its annual Murph challenge. Just remember that even though your palms may be ripped and bloody, your chest feels like it’s about to explode, and your legs can barely take two more steps (And no matter how long it takes, Alley), put it aside, stop listening to that voice in your head and keep pushing forward to honor those who fight/fought for us and, most importantly, for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Just remember to bring your 20lb vest.

 

Happy Memorial Day

Robert J. Romano, JD LLM

CrossFit Gotham

NOTE:  CrossFit Gotham’s Murph will be held on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at 9:00am.

 

 

Gotham Gets Ready for the CrossFit Open

Gotham Gets Ready for the CrossFit Open!

The 2021 CrossFit Open, one of the world’s largest participatory athletic events, is now upon us with athletes being allowed to register for the event as of January 7, 2021.

 As most CrossFit Gotham Athletes are aware, the Open is the qualifying stage of the CrossFit Games. But more importantly, any athlete, no matter what age, background, experience or skill level is encouraged to participate as a way to compare themselves with others within their own box, city, age group, or whatever, and as a way to set goals and push towards individual fitness goals.

This year’s CrossFit Open begins on March 11th, and consists of three workouts over a three-week period. A new workout will be announced each Thursday (March 11, 18, and 25), with athletes submitting their scores on games.crossfit.com through the following Monday at 5 p.m. PT each week (March 15, 22, and 29).

 Due to COVID-19 however, this year’s CrossFit Open will have a different format in that it will feature a flexible option so that athletes can compete either at their box or at home, should they face local closures or have health concerns. In addition, for those athletes not competing at a box, CrossFit announced that there will be two divisions: basic equipment and equipment-free.

The CrossFit Open from home equipment option will require the athlete to have the following:

  • A dumbbell*
  • A barbell and plates*
  • A plyo-box*
  • A jump-rope
  • A pull-up location

*Weights and heights have not been specified yet.

For athletes without access to equipment, CrossFit will offer “a gearless version of each Open workout,” for which only a clear space to work out is needed.

Notable changes for the 2021 Open and/or Games season include:

  • New worldwide quarterfinals that will allow for approximately 10% of Open athletes to compete online from their local gyms. 
  • The return of the Affiliate Cup with affiliate teams competing around the world to advance to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and Games.
  • In addition to masters and teenage divisions, a new adaptive division will ensure all members of the CrossFit community have a chance to compete and win. 
  • Ten in-person semifinal events hosted by CrossFit partners across six continents, ensuring at least one athlete from each continent qualifies for the Games. Each event will operate under strict safety protocols, including contingency plans for an online competition, depending on local conditions and restrictions.
  • A “last chance” qualifier for athletes who narrowly missed the cut in semifinals.
  • A live and in-person Games finals the week of July 26th for all qualifying athletes and teams in Madison, Wisconsin, with online contingency plans, if needed.

Previous Open Workouts:

The Open challenges athletes with a series of varied, high intensity, functional movements based on a combination of gymnastics, weightlifting and agility. The workouts themselves typically involve Olympic lifts – such as clean and jerks, snatches, deadlifts and thrusters, gymnastic movements – handstand push-ups, pull-ups, and muscle-ups – together with burpees, box jumps and rowing.

Historically, some of the most common Open movements are as follows:

  • Gymnastic Movements:

Highly likely to be part of this year’s Open: Toes-to-bar, chest-to-bar pull-ups.
Likely to be part of this year’s Open: Handstand push-ups, muscle-ups (bar or ring).

Athletes take note that toes-to-bar have been included in almost every previous Open. Therefore, practicing and perfecting this movement can be the difference between completing the workout scaled or Rx.

  • Cardio:

Highly likely to be part of this year’s Open: Burpees, double-unders.
Likely to be part of this year’s Open: Rowing.

Athletes take note that double-unders have been in every Open and are often paired with a second barbell movement.

  • Weightlifting

Highly Likely to be part of this year’s Open: Thrusters, snatches, wall ball shots. 

Likely to be part of this year’s Open: Deadlifts, cleans. 

In this area, Athletes should focus on form and technique.

So, CrossFit Gotham Athletes, in a country that is currently facing both a pandemic and an epidemic of diseases related to poor health and fitness, the next few weeks offer every member no matter what age, level, or skill set the opportunity to take their fitness goals to the next level.  

If you are a new CrossFit Athlete, the Open lets you assess your current skill level so you can measure it over time to see how you have improved.  For those not so new to CrossFit, the Open will give you the opportunity to test yourself against another box member, your favorite CrossFit athlete, and most importantly against Jason.  There is no downside in competing in the Open, and you just might surprise yourself.

Just remember, there is a reason why people are passionate about the community aspect of CrossFit: It works.

Best of luck,

Professor Robert J. Romano

#NOTTHEOLDGUYFROMUP

 2021 CrossFit Season Calendar

Date Event Location (Format)
January 7 Registration starts games.crossfit.com
Week of March 8 Open – Week 1 Local gyms, athletes’ homes (online)
Week of March 15 Open – Week 2 Local gyms, athletes’ homes (online)
Week of March 22 Open – Week 3 Local gyms, athletes’ homes (online)
Week of April 5 Quarterfinals – Individual  Local gyms (online)
Week of April 19 Quarterfinals – Teams Local gyms (online)
Week of May 3 Masters/Teens Qualifier Local gyms (online)
Week of May 24 Semifinals – Week 1 Worldwide (in-person*)
Week of May 31 Semifinals – Week 2 Worldwide (in-person*)
Week of June 7 Semifinals – Week 3 Worldwide (in-person*)
Week of June 14 Semifinals – Week 4 Worldwide (in-person*)
Week of June 28 Last-chance qualifier Local gyms (online)
Week of July 26 CrossFit Games Finals Madison, Wisconsin (in-person*)

*With online contingency plan, if needed

Again, registration for the 2021 CrossFit Open will begin on Jan. 7, 2021. The first workout of the Open will take place on March 11, 2021.