John Stammerman – Fern Creek CrossFit

3 Reasons Why You Can’t Lose Weight

We’ve been in the fitness industry for many, many years and one of the most popular questions we get is this:

How do I lose weight and keep it off for good?

Let’s start by saying there’s no secret diet or magic pill that will get you real results. Our goal at Fern Creek CrossFit is to teach you healthy, sustainable habits that will move you towards your goals each and every day.

Here are 3 of the most common reasons why you may not be shedding those unwanted pounds:

1. You’re over-estimating the amount of calories you’re burning

Virtually every cardio machine in the gym gives an estimate of the number of calories you are burning while working out. If you wear an Apple Watch or a Fitbit (or another similar device) the amount of calories you burn during an activity are being tracked. Unfortunately, studies show that these devices may be inaccurate in these calculations… by quite a bit. For instance, a 2010 study from the UC San Francisco’s Human Performance Center found that the elliptical trainer (who hasn’t been on one of those for 45 minutes of your life that you won’t get back), over estimates the number of calories burned by an average of 19%! Here’s the breakdown:

Treadmill: overestimates by 13%
Stair climber: overestimates by 12%
Elliptical: overestimates by a huge 42% ?

The number on the screen does not give you permission to grab an extra donut.

When you start a new workout program where you’re up and active at least 3-4 days a week, you will be hungrier throughout the day. This is not a bad thing! If you already have unhealthy eating habits, you’re now just eating more food with refined carbohydrates which may stall results or even cause weight gain.

Track what you eat using a tool like MyFitnessPal or MacroStax. The simple task of writing down what you eat will help you eat better foods and get your daily intake to a level supported by your activity. We can help you figure out those numbers. Just let us know.

2. You spend the weekend “un-doing” all of your hard work.

After pushing yourself in the gym all week, it’s easy to give yourself a pass on the weekend to order dessert, eat your favorite snacks, or ask for another bowl of chips to go with that queso. You earned it, right? There’s certainly nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while to some of your favorite foods. But people oftentimes underestimate how easy it is to “out-eat” the workouts they did. Breaking this habit requires a mindset shift from the idea that you “earn unhealthy food choices” to pursuing a lifestyle of health and nutrition. We want you to properly fuel your body, enjoy a few intentional treats here and there, and rewrite your story to the weight/size/dress/pair of jeans/etc. you’ve been dreaming about for so long. That feeling is the best dessert!

Proper nutritional habits partnered with all the hard work you’re putting in at the gym and proper amounts of rest will do wonders for your body!

3. You’re looking at the wrong number.

The number on the scale doesn’t tell the whole story. Your weight is one single point of data. That’s it. Don’t get so hung up on it in the first place. We don’t worry so much about how many inches tall we are, right? The scale doesn’t define what you’re capable of. It’s an indicator. I can give you a long list of indicators that are just as important:

Skeletal muscle mass in pounds
Body fat percentage
Total daily energy expenditure in calories
Triglycerides and Cholesterol
1 rep max front squat in pounds
Mile run time in minutes and seconds
Max pull-ups in 60 seconds
Max push-ups in 60 seconds
Max plank hold in seconds
3 rep max deadlift in pounds
Time to complete Fran
Time to complete Grace
Time to complete Isabelle
Time to complete Jackie
Time to complete Diane

All of these are indicators that help define who you are an a continuum of wellness and fitness (and happiness). We believe if you can deadlift twice your bodyweight, run a 9-minute mile, and finish Grace is under 5 minutes, your health metrics are good and headed in the right direction.

We’ve seen members gain a few pounds on the scale after 6 months in the gym only to find out that they lost 3% body fat and gained lean muscle mass. The best part was, they lost inches around their waist and fit into clothes they hadn’t worn in years. We have an InBody body composition scanning machine in the gym just for this reason. We can give you a better understanding of what’s going on with your body that the number on the scale cannot.

Bottom Line

Realize where you are now is simply a starting point. The only way to make real progress is to put in the effort each day on a consistent basis. The destination is the journey.

Essentials, Motivation, News

Who am I?

Your life is your story. Write well. Edit often.

What’s the story you tell yourself? It’s always evolving and changing based on your experiences. The facts about your past can’t change, but the story you tell yourself about them absolutely can.

Rewrite Your Story

Rewriting your story isn’t about denying the bad things that happened or pretending that they’re good things. It’s about finding meaning in the events of your life, to recognize the learning and growth. It’s about how those events made you who you are. It’s about appreciating that person and taking ownership of where you want to go next.

Fitness Leads to Happiness

Fitness sits on a spectrum that starts on the left with sickness, then moves to wellness, next to fitness, and finally to happiness. We’ve experienced it firsthand, both in our own lives and with our members. When people are healthier and fitter, they are happier.

That’s not to say that bad things don’t still happen to us. We’re in the middle of a 100-year pandemic with COVID-19. Not many saw that coming. The world is a rough place. It will knock you down. We just have to keep getting back up. We have to prepare for the fight in whatever form it comes next. Our fitness is the tool that helps us. We need to be stronger than the world is bad.

So what monsters do you face in the story you tell yourself? We know they seem too big to overcome. We once thought ours were too. We can help you start to rewrite your story. Time to exercise your demons – they’ll be doing jumping jacks before you know it!

Who am I?

I want to be healthier and stronger, both physically and emotionally. I want to be a more functional human being and a better version of myself for as many years of my life as I can. I want the same for my family my friends and my community.

I want to embrace the journey and learn from my mistakes. Failure doesn’t define who I am, because it paves the road ahead for me to become better. And I want to be associated with the community that encourages me, supports me, and values my success as much as their own.

I am a member of Fern Creek CrossFit. And this is where I go to get healthier, stronger, and feel great.

Health, News

Your New Gym

After this current pandemic, folks are finding themselves in one of two situations:

You have concerns about going back to your previous gym due to safety concerns.
You haven’t been exercising and this pandemic has shown you how important it is to make your health and fitness a priority in your life.

Our coaches and staff have been involved with exercise, fitness, personal training, and team sports for more than 20 years. We’ll do our best to explain the various options out there for you, in hopes to make your return a safe and positive experience.

And don’t worry, this isn’t going to be us telling you why our gym is the best and everyone should be a member at Fern Creek CrossFit. It’s not for everyone, nor do we want everyone.

Here are 3 types of gym options/memberships:

Globo Gyms
Think Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, YMCA or similar. These gyms have low ($10-40/month) “access” fees. They usually involve a lengthy contract and very little help once you join. There are endless rows of cardio equipment and plenty of free weights and machines. Some of these gyms may even include large group classes of 20+ members. If low cost, and little coaching or direction is your “thing”; this may be a good fit for you. That’s not a bad thing, however, this style of gym is usually best suited for a very motivated gym goer who doesn’t require much oversight, help, or accountability.
“Boot Camps”
Here is where businesses like Orange Theory, F45, Burn Boot Camp, Fit Body Boot Camp land. These gyms will have a higher price point than Globo Gyms ($99-199/mon). They almost always have an initial offer of 2-4 weeks free, to help get you in the door. They provide high intensity interval training (HIIT) and often include some piece of technology to measure your effort during the workout. You’ll perform mostly bodyweight movements with some additional equipment like sandbags, battle ropes, dumbbells and kettlebells.
The “Wellness” Center
There is a growing trend in fitness to collaborate with other health and fitness professionals in effort to offer more to their clientele. At facilities like these, you may see massage therapists, chiropractors, physical therapist, nutrition coaches, fitness coaches and others all working together as a team, to best meet the clients needs.

All in all, these kinds of gyms are super popular and do a good job motivating people to make a change.

The biggest complaints we hear from people that leave these kinds of places and join with us is the classes are too large or there’s not enough individual attention towards the members needs and goals. In other words, they don’t really get coached and there’s a bit of a cookie-cutter feel.

Our Take on Fitness

At our facility, memberships starts with a conversation. We need to learn our member’s individual needs and goals first. From that discussion, we prescribe options for the best way to reach their goals. This may include one on one personal training, individualized nutrition coaching and/or some group classes.

Depending on the individual and their specific needs, each of the options above can be beneficial. The truth is that none of them will work if you cannot show up consistently. The best facilities in the world, with all the top professionals and equipment don’t matter if you’re not willing to show up.

We believe in having coaches and a community to hold you accountable, keep encouraging you to make progress, and have fun along they way.

Motivation, News

Ultimate Guide to Getting Back to Where You Used To Be

We have the secret to get all your gains back. We have the means to catapult your Fran time and Grace time back to what they were years ago.

Except it doesn’t happen quickly. And it’s really not a secret. Here it is:

Mechanics
Consistency
Intensity

(Specifically in that order)

Mechanics refers to technique—your ability to move properly through our core movements (squats, presses, lifts, body weight movements & gymnastics holds). For us, this means moving yourself and external objects in the most efficient, effective and safe manner possible.

Consistency has a two-part application: 1) That you are consistent in performing the mechanics of the movement; and 2) That you are consistent in workouts. Both are necessary! High intensity, functional workouts are very potent medicine; too much too soon and you can severely hurt yourself. Luckily, the body adapts quickly, and before you know it, you will be hitting each workout with maximum personal intensity.

Intensity is the independent variable most commonly associated with the rate of return on favorable adaptation. More simply put, intensity brings about all the good results from working out. However, we also have to realize that intensity is relative to our physical and psychological tolerances. This is a process, and one that takes an indeterminate amount of time, so be patient. Elite-level athletes may be ready to ramp up their intensity in a couple of weeks, while de-conditioned athletes can take months or longer.

Our goal is to improve your fitness for life; no one ever got in shape overnight. If you gradually exceed what you have done before, soon enough you will be doing the mainsite workouts “as prescribed.”

All three together: Now that you understand mechanics, consistency and intensity, here’s how they all fit together: While many assume that safety is the main concern with proper mechanics – it is certainly the safest way to train – we can’t emphasize enough that sound technique is the most efficient and effective road to fitness. Proper movements will allow you to lift more weight, perform more repetitions faster, or both. More work in less time means higher average power (force x distance / time = power). Higher average power means higher intensity. Higher intensity means better results. Therefore, proper mechanics are the ideal supports for the bridge to fitness.

Set Smart Goals

Rather than chasing old lifts or old WOD scores, set up a goal specific to today’s workout. For example, today we did the following:

Set a goal of finishing every portion of the 15 air squats in each round of “Strict Cindy” unbroken with consistency and great mechanics. You can move slowly through them, but you won’t stop until all 15 are done each round. Small, smart, and attainable goals add up over time and leave you feeling accomplished and re-motivated. No need to chase someone else or one of you old scores.

“Please remember to take things slowly and scale as needed. Please have grace with all of us and one another as we navigate these new waters together. It will take some patience”
– Coach Meg

COVID-19, News

Reserving and Checking In to a class

With our new Coronavirus gym & facility procedures in place, we now have to RSVP for each class we’d like to attend and check in once we arrive. Using the Zen Planner mobile app is the easiest and fastest way to do this. Check out a quick video tutorial:

Limited Class Sizes

We have to limit the size of each class to follow the guidelines of our local Kentucky health officials. While this is different than how we ran the schedule in the past, it’s not a bad thing necessarily. Our coaches will have more time to spend with each member in a smaller class, meaning you get more dedicated attention every time you’re in the gym.

To start off in June 2020, we’re limiting attendance to 3 sessions a week for each member so we can make sure everyone gets an opportunity to adapt to these new procedures. RSVP’s can only be made 24 hours in advance of a scheduled class. If you’ve RSVP’ed but can’t make it, please cancel that reservation at least 3 hours prior to the class so that any member on the waitlist can attend.

More Help and Information

Here’s a few more links you can review for more help on using Zen Planner to RSVP and check in:

COVID-19, Health

Coronavirus (COVID-19) & Your Fitness

Wellness
To Fitness
To Happiness

Even in the midst of a pandemic like COVID-19.

Are you concerned about COVID-19 and going to the gym to workout? We get it. We are too, but that doesn’t mean your fitness goals go on hold. It means you have to be mindful and even more diligent with what you do each day. Here’s some recommendations for Louisville residents:

Do things that push you into the “fitness” category.

CrossFit has a great model for Sickness – Wellness – Fitness (see the continuum image below), but we believe the next phase after fitness is happiness. When you have fitness your body is better prepared for disasters of any form (common colds, accidents, seasonal flu, etc.). Plus you’re a fully functioning human and can choose to focus on whatever you want to do.

If you’re sick, the only thing you can focus on is getting well. Once you’re well, we want you to be better prepared for what life throws at you. To do that you need fitness. To push past wellness into the fitness category, consider the following:

Eat Real Food (think things that grow from the ground, run on the ground!)
Exercise Daily (include conditioning & strength ie CrossFit)
Sleep 7-9 hours
Hydrate with at least 80oz water
Practice Daily Stress Relief for 5 – 10 mins

Practice standard precautions to prevent any contagious disease.

These seem like no-brainers, but they bear repeating, especially in the midst of bad seasonal influenzas or pandemics like Coronavirus COVID-19. Follow these guidelines (and check with your state department of health – in Kentucky that’s here):

Wash Your Hands for at least 20 seconds with soap & water
Cover your mouth when you cough
Avoid sharing drinks / finger food
Fist bumps or elbow taps vs high fives
Wipe down equipment at the gym – before and after if you’re unsure the last person cleaned it
Stay home if you’re feeling ill & monitor your temperature

At higher risk for complications? Do you care for with someone at higher risk?

If you’re living in the “sick” category mentioned above on the continuum, you’re at a higher risk for complications. Follow the CDC recommendations which includes avoiding large groups.

In our gym, we are taking all the same precautions we have been throughout flu season (and really all year round). That includes wiping down equipment after each use with sanitary wipes, encouraging hand washing, and cleaning surfaces and floors multiple times each week. We even have at home workouts members can do. We’re also planning remote coaching options.

We encourage you to focus on living a healthy life so that you will bounce back regardless of when unexpected illness hits. We want the best for you and everyone in our local Louisville community.

Stay safe and be well!

Author: John Stammerman

3 Reasons Why You Can’t Lose Weight

1. You’re over-estimating the amount of calories you’re burning