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Sunday Story…Simple, not Easy A day rarely goes by that I don't get asked about the latest trend in eating, exercise, or some other special supplement or drug. The fact is, simple is better. There is no magic pill. There's no special diet, workout, or anything else that's going to work for everybody all the time, all the time. The next best thing might be a little better or a little worse than the last best thing. The thing is that improvement, consistency, and simplicity don't sell. They don't get you likes on Instagram. They don't get you another client. What sells is innovation. The new, the latest, the unique thing, and the promise of the magic pill or the shortcut. That's what sells. Numerous people have told me over the years that they had to get in shape to start CrossFit, martial arts, or anything else. The fact is that all those things will get you into shape. That's the point. That's how simple it is. If you haven't been doing strength training for over a year, start by picking a program and sticking with it for 12-16 weeks. See what happens and then decide whether to change it at the end of 16 weeks. Keep it simple. It doesn't have to be complicated. I've spent a number of these weekly missives talking about longevity and what's the best way to live your best life. The fact is that if you're starting from scratch, the most important thing is to begin; walk through the door, get on a bike, get on a rower, get out on the road, and start today. This is the simplest, most straightforward way to do it. Don't worry about whether you have the right program, or whether the food you're eating is right, or whether the supplements are this or that - just get started and keep it simple. It is simple…not easy. If you're interested in learning how to build muscle and strength, sign up for a free fitness assessment at www.crossfitodyssey.com or reach out to me directly, and let's get you started on your journey to extraordinary results. John Mariotti www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com www.crossfitodyssey.com 775-338-2412

Sunday Story…Hydration! We're going to take a detour today and talk about consuming water. It's August in Texas. It's hot. Whether you spend most of your time indoors in air conditioning or outdoors without it, water is your best friend. When we have high humidity and high heat, we're going to sweat. In order to replenish your fluids, you need to hydrate. We often say that 100 ounces is the minimum you should have. If you're sweating, working out, or spending time outdoors, you likely need to increase your intake by 20-30%. So, 120-130 ounces of water, and that's a lot of water. Okay, now you can count your other fluid intakes if you drink a smoothie or a Gatorade. You can’t count coffee or alcohol because they are diuretics, so they make us sweat and urinate more. The bottom line is that a lot of bad things can happen if we don’t get enough fluids. It makes it harder to think when you're not adequately hydrated; it makes it harder to do almost everything. You can get heat exhaustion, heat stroke, or several other heat-related maladies if you become dehydrated. If you're trying to work out, 2-3% dehydration will result in a 20 to 30% reduction in your performance. This is not good. So, the bottom line is to drink more water. If you have a hard time with that, put an LMNT in it. If that doesn't work for you, consider stepping up to a Gatorade or lemonade, or something else that makes it more palatable. But get that liquid into your system. Your brain will thank you. If you're interested in learning how to build muscle and strength, sign up for a free fitness assessment at www.crossfitodyssey.com or reach out to me directly, and let's get you started on your journey to extraordinary results. John Mariotti www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com www.crossfitodyssey.com 775-338-2412

Sunday Story…Injuries. Injuries happen. As we age, we need to take every precaution to prevent injuries that could prevent us from working out. The fact is, we're always going to get a little tweak here, a little pull or strain there. However, the idea is that we won't have an injury that stops us. When we must stop training, that's when we go backwards. We need to avoid going backward at all costs. That being said, we also need to push ourselves to the edge of our comfort zone occasionally. So, how do we do that and avoid injury? One way to do that is with a proper warm-up. A proper warm-up will: 1. Raise my core body temperature 2. Get my muscles warm and supple 3. Have my heart rate raised just enough to be ready to work Another way to prevent injuries is to engage in some form of mobility training. This is not part of your warm-up, but rather something you regularly do. Mobility includes both strength and flexibility exercises. Another part of injury prevention is knowing when to stop. If we have a very sharp pain and it feels like you're stabbed with an ice pick, that is an indicator that you need to stop. We need to stop and assess: "Is what I'm doing wrong? Is the movement causing that pain? Or is the pain now going to exist without the movement?" If the pain persists without movement, you must stop. If I make a minor adjustment here and there, I can continue to work. I might bring the weight down, reduce the load, and lower the intensity, but I can continue to move. It might be strained or tweaked, but it's not injured. As we age, it becomes increasingly important to understand our bodies. Back in the day, when you were in your 20s, you could work through injuries and recover more quickly. That may no longer be the case as you get into your 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. Be smart, train hard, live long and healthy. If you're interested in learning how to build muscle and strength, sign up for a free fitness assessment at www.crossfitodyssey.com or reach out to me directly, and let's get you started on your journey to extraordinary results. John Mariotti www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com www.crossfitodyssey.com 775-338-2412

Sunday story…Movement is Mental Health Last Friday, Andrea Reich and I filmed a short video on the mental health aspects of working out for Instagram. You can find it on our Instagram page, @CrossFitOdyssey. What we're discussing today is the mind-body connection that occurs during exercise. Regular exercise, as we know, is celebrated for its physical benefits. However, a lesser-known benefit is the impact on shaping your mental and emotional well-being. Participating in physical activity creates a complex cascade of biochemical events in your brain that promotes feelings of happiness, reduces anxiety, and can alleviate some symptoms of depression. Your muscles move, your heart rate increases, your respiration increases, and your brain begins to release endorphins. Endorphins are those natural chemicals that act as mood elevators and painkillers. These endorphins, along with neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, can help foster feelings of optimism, resilience, and even provide a sense of calm. Regular exercise serves as an effective outlet for stress management. Physical activity can break the cycle of negative thoughts. Activities like running and yoga, swimming, and even a quick walk can be meditative, focusing your intention on the present moment. The mindfulness effect of exercise will help with your self-awareness and emotional regulation. When we participate in group sports or fitness classes, we experience feelings of connection and have opportunities for social interaction and support. Setting and achieving exercise goals, no matter how small, helps us build self-esteem and eventually develop a sense of mastery. These are critical components for maintaining long-term mental health. Making movement a regular part of your life is a simple and effective strategy for promoting good mental health and well-being. Movement is medicine for both the mind and body. If you're interested in learning how to build muscle and strength, sign up for a free fitness assessment at www.crossfitodyssey.com, or reach out to me directly, and let's get you started on your journey to extraordinary. John Mariotti www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com www.crossfitodyssey.com 775-338-2412

One of the interesting things about the recovery process is watching the data change on my Whoop strap. As many of you know, I have been a Whoop user since 2017. Over the years I have amassed a treasure trove of data. But I have never tracked it during a surgical intervention like this. Of course, I have never had surgery like this either. The data the Whoop provides has been invaluable to my progress as an athlete. One critical point is resting heart rate. In general, a lower resting heart rate indicates better fitness. A low resting heart rate indicates a strong heart muscle that can pump more blood with every beat, so it can beat less. Resting heart rate is measured at the end of your sleep cycle when your body is in its most restful state. Before surgery, my RHR was 45. In the month after surgery, it went to 54. In the second month, it went down to 51, and last week it went down to 50 with 4 days in a row under 50. This is the power of training and most particularly zone 2 training. Currently, I am doing 5 days of zone 2 work varying between 30 and 45 minutes using either the rower or the Echo bike. Without the data, I would not know any of this. How important are those 5 or 10 beats? I have no answer to that question, but I know that having a low resting heart rate is essential to cardiovascular health and thus, my overall health. When my RHR is consistently below 50 BPM I can begin to cut down the Zone 2 training and ramp up more high-intensity work. Having a low RHR allows my heart to be more efficient at higher rates. That’s a big win across the board. John Mariotti www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com  www.crossfitodyssey.com 775-338-2412