CFDV "SOS" Challenge-Weeks 5&6. Proper Supplementation.

[Katie Connolly-Staffelbach]

Today starts Week 5 of the CrossFit Delaware Valley SOS (“Straighten Out Shit”) Challenge.  In addition to eating real food, exercising regularly, and losing body fat by limiting carbs, my next habit to add is “Proper Supplementation”.  So here comes adding fish oil, Vitamin D3 (in direct sunlight or vitamin form) and post-workout nutrition with a proper protein/carb ratio of 2:1.

 

I’ve been taking fish oil on and off for a few weeks now, when I remember.  From now on I’m just going to keep my supplements in my workout/work bag so I don’t have to remember to pack them everyday. Whole9’s website has a great fish oil primer and calculator for the amount you should be taking.  Check them out at http://whole9life.com/fish-oil-faq/. Why should you take fish oil?  Because it helps with all the crappy stuff we, as police officers (or anyone with a Type A personality), do to ourselves on a daily basis.  Not getting enough sleep, eating crap, and over training are a few of those things. 

 

So I can just take fish oil and it will reverse all the damage from years of hard living?  The answer here is a resounding NO! Whole 9 states, “Hear us clearly – you can’t fish oil your way out of poor dietary choices, lack of sleep, over-training or any combination of the above. It’s of the utmost important that you get your dietary and lifestyle house in order!”  Hey, isn’t that what I’m doing?  I guess I AM straightening out my shit! 

 

The Vitamin D3 can come in two forms: 20 minutes of direct sun exposure or 3,000-5,000 iu in vitamin form.  I’m choosing the latter because of my shiftwork schedule.  There’s tons of research out there regarding Vitamin D3 deficiencies and all the problems it’s causing, especially in the last 20 years or so.  Mark’s Daily Apple has a ton on sunlight/Vitamin D. Our increasing work-indoors society, along with the sun=skin cancer phobia (pass the SPF 1000 please?) has caused us as a whole to become deficient in this essential vitamin.

 

As for post-workout nutrition,  I’m sticking with eating real food instead of using a protein shake.  It’s just easier for me and I’m doing it anyway, since I eat dinner post-workout.  Most of my carbs will be pre/post workout from now on in the forms of sweet potatoes, or fruit, making sure I stick below my 100g carbs/day.  I’m keeping a food journal and using an iPhone app (Tap&Track) to count my carbs, sugar, and protein intake. 

 

Now it’s off to pack dinner and get ready to teach basic firearms, then nightwork.  A tactical cavegirl’s work is never done!  Stay safe, everyone!