“Failure is not the opposite of success – it’s a part of it.” William Ritter
HANGING PICTURES. As we head into the new year we are all tempted to set some ambitious goals for ourselves, especially after coming off of the holidays..the parties, the family gatherings, and office events. Yet most of us know that only a small percentage (8%) of people actually stick to their resolutions. Established habits take over. So should we forsake our resolutions and give up on change? Nah, I think resolutions are part of the positive self-talk process that ultimately leads to better behavior. And, I also think there are strategies that can help make resolutions more likely to stick.
Last week, I began a big project that I’ve been putting off for several months: relocate the CrossFit Games jersey picture frames from the lobby to the main gym areas. I put it off because hanging multiple pictures correctly (level) is a pain in the ass, I didn’t have a plan, AND we have more than 55 to hang. Since things slowed down a bit in the gym over the holiday, the time was right to begin. Instead of writing down a plan, I decided to just take the first step: take the pictures down in the lobby. It was the easiest part of the project. And, as I took each picture down, a plan started to formulate in my head. And by the time all of the pictures were down, I knew what the next step would be: organize the pictures by year. That gave me the data I needed to find the right wall spaces in the gym to put the pictures which allowed me to visualize the final results. Once I could “see” the results I was very motivated to finish quickly.
I think many people fail resolutions for the same reason I put off the picture project for so long: it’s overwhelming and the results are hard to visualize. I recommend starting with one small step: “take the pictures down,” ie, go for a 5 minute walk instead of 30. Eat one “clean” meal a day, instead of all meals. Go to the gym 2 days a week, instead of 5. Stop drinking Mon – Thu instead of 7 days. Start small. Achieve small victories. Build upon them slowly. As you make small steps, a clear vision (path) will emerge and motivation will grow. And, if you fail, start again.
I’m a huge fan of James Clear’s “Atomic Habits”. I listen to it on Audible often. Follow him on IG for daily tips as well.
HEALTHY HABITS CHALLENGE 2023 Diablo begins every new year with a challenge to help with accountability for healthy New Year’s resolutions. This year our 2023 Healthy Habits Challenge focuses on 5 totally do-able habits that will guarantee positive health benefits for you:
- No Alcohol
- Sleep 7 Hours
- Workout Of The Day
- Walk 15 Minutes
- No Added Sugar (fruit ok)
Our HHC runs from January 1st until the start of the CrossFit Games Open on Feb 16. Log your results on Sugarwod each day! Prizes for top points earners at the end.
INTRAMURAL OPEN IS COMING! The CrossFit Games Open begins on February 16th The Open is the worlds largest online participatory fitness competition with 3 workouts spread over 3 weeks. Diablo will be hosting “Friday Night Lights” each week, bringing our community together to compete in the Open. And, in 2023 we’re bringing back the Intramural Open! Teams will be selected in the coming weeks and will compete for points based on:
- Team member workout completion
- Friday Night Lights participation
- Individual performances for Open & Scaled
- Judging!
- Spirit of the Games.
To participate, you must first register for The Open!
ROW’D ROYALTY STARTS JAN 12 If you want to get ready for the Open and test your fitness on the rower, register for our Row’d Royalty Competition. RR has more than 1500 participants representing 20+ countries around the world! More information & registration.
TWEET OF THE WEEK: “What you eat between New Year’s and Christmas matters infinitely more than what you eat between Christmas and New Year’s.
Read that again.“
THE WEEK AHEAD: January Calendar & Newsletter. PRsAllDay is beginning the “Open Season” Phase. In January, we prepare for the Open. Lifts will have no linear progressions to allow more GPP style. We’ll focus on barbell cycling and gymnastic skills likely to be seen in the Open. And, every Friday will feature an Open workout.
Primary Strength: Constantly Varied Lifts
Secondary Strength: Barbell Cycling
Skill Focus: Gymnastic Skills with Open EMOMs
Mon: Snatch. Metcon: Amrap 7min – 10 WB + 35 DUs
Tue: T2B Skills. Metcon: Row, T2B, HR Pushups
Wed: Power Clean. Metcon: 3RFT – 200m Run, 15 Squats, 10KB SDHP
Thu: 5RFT – 15/20c ABike, 16 DB Snatch, 25 Situps
Fri: CFG Open 11.6 / 12.5 / 18.5
Sat: Amrap 16m – 15 DL, 400m Run, 5/8 DL #155/225
Sun: Amrap 4Rnds – 1min: SPress, DUs, Row Cals., Rest
CRAIG’S LIST:
Podcast: Joe Rogan with Siddharth Kara #1914. This is a very powerful podcast. 75% of the cobalt used for ALL rechargeable batteries (devices & cars) originates in the Congo. Almost all of the Congo cobalt is mined by local residents digging by hand for a $1 or less per day, including women & children. Siddharth Kara risked his life to visit and witness the mines and see the absolutely horrific conditions for workers who are essentially slave labor. The stories are truly heart breaking – and there is no end to the crisis in sight. Demand for cobalt is rising as a result of the growth of electric vehicles & devices – essentially supporting slave labor in the Congo. His book “Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives,” will be available on January 31, 2023. https://carrcenter.hks.harvard.edu/people/siddharth-kara
Resarch/Article: Diabetes Rates May Surge in US Young People – This is scary and very sad. The number of people under age 20 with type 2 diabetes in the US may increase nearly 675% by 2060 if trends continue according to recent research. Tragically all of the news articles related to this research do NOT talk about the known causes of T2 diabetes in children – calorie dense food & beverages and reduced physical activity. The solution is obvious and our media and our Government will not acknowledge it. Follow the money…
Article: White Supremacist Origins of Exercise and 6 Other Surprising Facts About the History of US Physical Fitness. I’m sharing this because of the click-bait headline – it’s over-the-top provocative and not representative of the content. The article is actually interesting and discusses the origins of various types of fitness. It is NOT anti-fitness. In fact, the author is pro-fitness.
Watching:
1923 – Yellowstone Prequel – Paramount. Helen Mirren & Harrison Ford are outstanding.
The White Lotus – Season 2 – HBO – A murder mystery, but the murder doesn’t happen until the last episode. Very creative with an excellent cast.
Make it an awesome week!
Craig
