Whole Life Challenge

CrossFit Asperitas is extending our Whole Life Challenge discount to any members of HCFR looking to make a change with there health and fitness.  You do not have to be a member of our CrossFit community, or any gym.  This 8 week challenge will reward you for being accountable and honest to yourself.  If you join in this challenge you will have the opportunity to hit that reset button to your body and begin rebuilding the most precious thing you have.

What is the Whole Life Challenge?


The Whole Life Challenge began with the notion that regular training for your lifestyle in the world is as valuable as regular training for your body in the gym. It grew into a game in which your world is the field, your choices are the movements, and your life is the prize.

The Whole Life Challenge is not something you win in the way you are used to winning something. The Whole Life Challenge is not a competition like any you've ever taken part in. This is not the Olympics. The goal is not to be perfect. The goal is to be honest and create from there. You won't best the other players or beat the competition. Make no mistake, however, this is a game and you can win.

The Whole Life Challenge is a brand new way of looking at your life. Your whole life. How does it work? Where are your opportunities? What does a life lived inside of a commitment to real, long term, sustainable, practical health, fitness, and overall well-being look like? It certainly isn't about beating your brains out in the gym day after day. It can't be about a restrictive, ascetic dietary regimen. And it definitely isn't living like your health is a problem to solve and your life is something to fix.

The Whole Life Challenge is an extraordinary tool. For building. It doesn't fix anything -- it only builds new things. What do you want your life to look like? What excites you, enlivens you?This challenge will have you living a life where you can have it all. You want vibrant health and you want to enjoy all of the exciting things the world offers -- work that rewards and play that rewards. When this is over, your work will be integrated with your play. They will cause and support each other, the will no longer sabotage each other.

Play this game like you want to know, not like you already know. Be great -- Own your perfect days and your breakdown days. Be clear about what works and what doesn't work. See where you can make a difference that lasts longer than the 8 weeks of the challenge. Do that, and you will transform your life more than you imagine. You can have it all. This is where it starts.

Welcome to the Whole Life Challenge? What will you build with it?

Important dates for you:
August 1: Early Player Registration
August 8: Player Registration
September 7: The WLC Starts!

The group will meet regularly for progress meetings, fellowship and group physical activities.  

PRIZES to be won!!


Sign up here:
https://www.wholelifechallenge.com 

https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/wlcfall2013/partners/crossfitasperitas


Cost: $49

 Sign up before August 7 and save!  $39 with  AffiliateCode: WLCRYGacArWe

Sign up after August 7 cost is $44 with Affiliate Code: WLCRYGacArWe

Friends & Family Welcome
No CrossFit Experience Needed.


This will change your life!

Any questions or concerns don't hesitate to contact Mike Noreck 

(843) 222-7003 or mike@crossfitasperitas.com

Warmup Stretch

The South Carolina Firefighter Fitness Initiative Team (SCFFIT) have been working on the Awareness course for over 9 months. Here is a video from that program on Dynamic Stretching. Thanks to Mark Hankins for the setup. CLICK ON LINK IF VIDEO DOES NOT LOAD

                        httpgs://vimeo.com/68206250

South Carolina Firefighter Fitness Initiative Team SCFFIT

The first podcast with the association on Fitness & Health with members of the SCFFIT. A new program is coming soon, look for it!
http://scfirefighters.org/2012/08/firewire-podcast-episode-7-fitness-and-wellness-committee/
http://scfirefighters.org/2012/08/firewire-podcast-episode-7-fitness-and-wellness-committee/

Proper Rest & Rehab

The responders in the Fire/EMS service find themselves overworked and sleep deprived. The IAFC has come out with information about the lack of sleep and the consequences. Check out the link below!

http://www.iafc.org/sleep

April Safe Firefighter

A congratulations to our April Safe Firefighters, Matthew Waldroup and Richard Skrip. They have both excelled in the area of Safety & Health standards for the month of April as per their Officers. Each will receive a Safe Firefighter Certificate, as well, tickets for the Pelicans baseball games. A thank you to the Pelicans for sponsoring our Safe firefighter program.

Richard Skrip

Matthew Waldroup

Great job fellas, keep up the good work!

Healthy Recipes

Quick Chicken Chili

Description

4 servings

about $2.47 per serving

Cooking spray
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins  or 1 pound ground white meat chicken or turkey
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped (any color)
1 teaspoon or 3 cloves minced garlic
2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth (or 1 16-oz can)
2 ( 15.5 oz) cans no-salt-added or low-sodium beans, drained and rinsed (mix or match pinto, red, kidney or navy)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
1  medium jalapeno, chopped (optional if you like spicy chili)
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1/2 cup low-fat or fat free sour cream (optional)

1.     Remove visible fat from chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces.

2.     Spray large pot with cooking spray. Add chicken, onion, garlic, chili powder (optional) or jalapeno (optional) cooking over medium-heat until chicken is no longer pink (about 7 minutes)

3.     Lightly mash the drained, rinsed beans with a fork.

4.     Add all remaining ingredients to chicken mixture and simmer on high for 10 minutes.

5.     Spoon chili into bowls and top with chopped fresh cilantro and/or dollop of sour cream (optional)

Budget Tip: when buying chicken, tenderloins are often less expensive than breasts – in recipes like this one where you cut the chicken into bit-size pieces the cut makes no difference so pick whatever’s cheaper! Be sure to check for specials or sales.

Per serving:

Calories	344
Total Fat	3.0 g
Saturated Fat	0.5 g
Trans Fat	0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	0.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat	1.0 g
Cholesterol	73 mg
Sodium	174 mg
Carbohydrates	41 g
Fiber	10 g
Sugars	7 g
Protein	39 g

Dietary Exchanges:  2  1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat

Boston Marathon Charities

We are all aware of many valid and possibly invalid charities for victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Unfortunately the incident is closer to many of us here, our good friend Bill Petritonio (retired FF from Everett MA) who now lives in Winston Salem and comes down to train with many of our guys on the challenge circuit, had his daughter-her boyfriend & brother badly wounded in the race. Jacqui is doing much better though had to have multiple surgeries. Her boyfriend Paul and his brother are still in the hospital and they both lost a leg from this tragedy.

Here you will find the link to a specific fundraiser just for the 3 of them. The family thanks any and all the support possible.    

http://www.gofundme.com/2mwd0c

TEAM HORRY

Check out the TEAM HORRY Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/188619067841835/

March Safe Firefighter Winners

March was a busy month with the call volumes as well with safety issues. We are glad to see that there were 4 Firefighters that stood out and who all received the nomination for "Safe Firefighter of the Month". Please take a moment to congratulate this guys for their efforts and continued approach to Safety & Health. Your March Safe Firefighters are:



 

  

JOHN CLARK 

    

  

RICHARD MURDOCK      

 

 

EHREN PRAVEL

 

    

RUSSELL SMITH

 

Each one of these guys will receive a Safe Firefighter of the Month Certificate and some gifts from local businesses and sponsors. March's Grand prize winner was Lt. Russell Smith with the most points. Congratulations to you all!

HERE IS THE BREAKDOWN OF CRITERIA TO BE CONSIDERED FOR SAFE FIREFIGHTER

• Each candidate has to meet atleast one of the criteria, most have many of these completed when considered.                                                                                                    Points

• 1. Defines and advocates change in safety, management, accountability..	2
  2. Enhances personal and organizational accountability for health and saftety	3
  3. All firefighters must be empowered to stop unsafe practices	2
  4. Develop and implement national medical & fitness standards	1
  5. Utilize available technology wherever it can help with health and safety	1
  6. Thoroughly look over firefighter fatalities and near missess, learn from	2
  7. National protocols for response to violent incidents, developed	1
  8. Advocacy must be strengthened for ensuring homes with fire alarms	1
  9. Safety must be a primary consideration in the design and layout of rigs	1
  10. No write up's or disciplinary actions, this month	3
  11. No accidents with county property on duty	3
  12. Is on and keeps up with Human Resources Wellness program	4

RESISTANT BANDS

RESISTANT BAND WORKOUT

When performing these exercises, hold the band so that you get a fair amount of resistance.  You should be able to perform the exercises, but the band should be taut.  You can cut the band if it is too long for you.

Here are some resistance band exercises to get your started.

Resistance Band Rowing

1. Step on the band with your left foot.  Step back with your right foot.  Hold the ends of the band in each hand.
2. Bend over slightly, keeping your back flat.
3. Pull the bands up toward your shoulders, keeping your elbows tucked in.
4. Perform rowing motion, keeping shoulder blades squeezed together.

Alternate Chest Press

1. To begin, lie on the floor on your back with the band under your back.  Hold the ends of the band in each hand.
2. Start by raising your left arm up toward the ceiling and then returning it to the beginning position.  Repeat the exercise with your right arm.
3. Start with 8 – 10 reps. You can increase the number of reps on these resistance band exercises as you grow stronger.

Diagonal Wood Chopping

1. Step on the band with your right foot and grasp the ends with both hands.  Keeping your hands together, stretch your arms down towards your right foot.
2. Bring band up and away in a wood chopping motion.
3. During this exercise your feet stay still and your torso rotates.
4. Start with 8 – 10 reps and then repeat these resistance band exercises in the opposite direction.  You can increase the reps as you grow stronger.

Triceps Extension

1. Start by holding the resistance band in your left hand.  Put that hand behind your back.
2. Hold your right hand above your head.
3. Now grab the other end of the band with your right hand.
4. Straighten your right arm until it is fully extended.
5. Start with 8 – 10 reps.  You can increase the reps as you grow stronger.
6. Repeat with the other arm.

Lateral Rows

1. Stand on resistance band with feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly flexed.
2. Grasp then ends of the band in either hand with palms facing each other.  Your arms should hang down at your sides with your elbows slightly flexed.
3. Raise arms up and out to shoulder height, keeping elbows slightly flexed.
4. Start with 8 – 10 reps.  You can increase the reps as you grow stronger.

These are great exercises for developing strength.  For best results, do your resistance band workouts three to four times per week.  You can alternate your resistance band workouts with cardiovascular exercises like aerobics. 

Safe Firefighter of the Month-February

We would like to congratulate Firefighter Michael Kaiser for receiving the "Safe Firefighter of the Month" for the month of February. FF Kaiser has shown leadership and safe practices on the job above and beyond. His devotion to health & safety is evident in his job performance while performing his duties. He will be receiving a certificate of appreciation as well, some gifts donated by local sponsors!

Congrats Mike!

Quick Anytime Workout

Short on time, setup in your living room, office, classroom, bay, yard or even at the gym, a clock or stopwatch. Set up for 10 minutes. Once the count down or timer starts, commence Burpees. Perform as many Burpees till time runs out. At the 10 minute mark, rest then drink some water. Finish with some stretching. Keep track of your max number for the next time you do this workout.
- you can rest throughout the 10 min period but just don't stop for too long so that it keeps you from giving up.
- the clock keeps running even if you take rest periods.
- suggestion, do as many as you can, rest for 15 seconds, do as many again, repeat rest, this will keep you going throughout, if you cannot finish you can mark your time and reps for the next time you try!

Sodium in Your Diet: Using the Nutrition Facts Label to Reduce Your Intake

From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

---

Available in PDF (2.24MB)¹.

También disponible en Español (Spanish).²

You’ve probably heard that most Americans eat too much salt. Salt contains sodium and too much sodium can raise blood pressure – which can have serious health consequences if not treated.
Despite what many people think, use of the salt shaker is not the main cause of too much sodium in your diet. In fact, over 75% of dietary sodium comes from eating packaged and restaurant foods.

• The Nutrition Facts Label on food and beverage packages is a useful tool for making healthful dietary choices and monitoring how much sodium is contained in a food you are considering.
  
• Full nutrition labeling is not required of restaurants for their menu items, unless nutrient claims are made, such as “Low Sodium” or “Low Fat.”  So, you may not learn how much sodium is in a food unless you ask.

Check the Label!

High levels of sodium may seem “hidden” in packaged food, particularly when a food doesn’t “taste” salty – but sodium is not hidden on the Nutrition Facts Label!

• The Nutrition Facts Label lists the Percent Daily Value (%DV) of sodium in one serving of a food.
  
• The %DV for sodium is based on 100% of the recommended amount of sodium, which is less than 2400 milligrams (mg) per day.
  
• The %DV listed is for one serving, but many packages contain more than one serving! Look at the serving size and how many servings you are actually consuming – if you eat two servings you get twice as much sodium (or double the %DV).

Use the Percent Daily Value (%DV) to Compare Products

The %DV tells you whether a food contributes a little or a lot to your total daily diet.

• 5%DV (120 mg) or less of sodium per serving is low
• 20%DV (480 mg) or more of sodium per serving is high

You can also check the front of the food package to quickly identify foods that may contain less sodium. For example, look for foods with claims such as:

• Salt/Sodium-Free → Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving
• Very Low Sodium → 35 mg of sodium or less per serving
• Low Sodium → 140 mg of sodium or less per serving
• Reduced Sodium → At least 25% less sodium than in the original product
• Light in Sodium or Lightly Salted → At least 50% less sodium than the regular product
• No-Salt-Added or Unsalted → No salt is added during processing, but not necessarily sodium-free. Check the Nutrition Facts Label to be sure!

Sodium’s Health Connection

Sodium attracts water and a high-sodium diet draws water into the bloodstream, which increases the volume of blood and over time can increase your blood pressure. High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) forces the heart to work harder and can damage blood vessels and organs – increasing your risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.
And since blood pressure normally rises with age, limiting your sodium intake becomes even more important each year.  The good news is that eating less sodium can often help lower blood pressure to within the normal range…which can, in turn, help reduce your risk of developing these serious medical conditions.

Potassium Helps

Research shows that eating foods high in potassium can lower blood pressure by reducing the adverse effects of sodium on blood pressure. Examples of foods rich in potassium include potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, apricots, bananas, beans, low-fat or non-fat milk and yogurt, and juices (prune, carrot, tomato and orange).

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HEALTH FACT

• High blood pressure affects approximately one in three U.S. adults, or 75 million people.
  
• An additional 78 million adults suffer from slightly elevated blood pressure, which can turn into high blood pressure.
  
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death, and stroke is the fourth leading cause of death among men and women in the United States (U.S.).

Know Your Numbers
The human body needs a small amount of sodium to maintain a balance of body fluids, keep muscles and nerves running smoothly and help certain organs work properly. However, about 90% of Americans eat too much of it – and they may not even know it.
Americans eat on average about 3,300 mg of sodium a day.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day – that’s equal to about 1 teaspoon of salt!

You should reduce your intake further to 1500 mg per day if you are in any of the following population groups who have been shown to be more susceptible to sodium’s blood pressure-raising effects.

• People with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease
  
• African-Americans
  
• People ages 51 and older

These specific populations account for about half of the U.S. population and the majority of adults, so talk to your healthcare professional about whether you are at risk for high blood pressure … and use the Nutrition Facts Label as your tool to evaluate how much sodium you are eating and drinking.

Salt/Sodium: Defined

The words “salt” and “sodium” do not mean the same thing, but they are often used interchangeably. Salt, also known by its chemical name sodium chloride, is a crystal-like compound that is abundant in nature and is used to flavor and preserve food. Sodium is one of the chemical elements found in salt.  

Sodium as a Food Ingredient

Salt has been used as a food preservative for centuries. As a food ingredient, it has multiple uses – like curing meat, baking, retaining moisture, covering up less desirable flavors, and even enhancing the flavor of other ingredients, like making sweets taste sweeter.
Salt is the main source of sodium for most people, but some common food additives – like monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium nitrite, and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) – also contain sodium and contribute in lesser amounts to the total amount of “sodium” listed on the Nutrition Facts Label.
Surprisingly, some foods that don’t taste salty can still be high in sodium, so don’t use taste as a guide. For example, some foods that are high in sodium taste salty – like pickles or soy sauce. But there are also many foods – like cereals and pastries – that contain sodium but don’t taste salty. In addition, some foods that you eat several times a day, such as breads, add up to a lot of sodium even though each serving may not be high in sodium.

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Food Choices Matter!

More than 40% of the sodium consumed by Americans comes from the following 10 types of foods:

• Breads and rolls
  
• Cold cuts and cured meats (such as deli or packaged ham or turkey)
  
• Pizza
  
• Fresh and processed poultry
  
• Soups
  
• Sandwiches (such as hot dogs, hamburgers and submarine sandwiches)
  
• Cheese (natural and processed)
  
• Mixed pasta dishes (such as lasagna, spaghetti with meat sauce, and pasta salad)
  
• Mixed meat dishes (such as meat loaf with tomato sauce, beef stew, and chili)
  
• Snacks (such as chips, pretzels, popcorn, and crackers)

But remember, the sodium content can vary significantly within food categories – so use the Nutrition Facts Label to compare the amount of sodium in different products. Make sure the serving sizes are similar, and select products with the lowest sodium.

The Surprising Truth about Sodium Consumption

Americans’ sodium intake breaks down like this:

• 77% from packaged and restaurant food
  
• 12% is naturally occurring in foods
  
• 11% from adding salt to food while cooking or at the table

Start the Shake-Down:

10 Easy Steps for Cutting Sodium
Learning about the sodium in foods and new ways to prepare foods will help you to achieve your sodium goal.  And, if you follow these tips for reducing the amount of sodium you are consuming, your “taste” for salt will gradually decrease over time – so eventually, you may not even miss it!

1. Read the Nutrition Facts Label to see how much sodium is in the foods you are considering. All Americans should consume less than 100% of the Daily Value or less than 2400 mg of sodium each day. Check the label for lower sodium choices and compare sodium in different brands of foods — like frozen meals, packaged soups, breads, dressings/sauces, and snack foods — and choose those with lower sodium.
   
2. Prepare your own food when you can.  Don’t salt foods before or during cooking, and limit salt shaker use at the table.
   
3. Add Flavor Without Adding Sodium. Use herbs and spices instead of salt to add flavor to your foods. Try rosemary, oregano, basil, curry powder, cayenne pepper, ginger, fresh garlic or garlic powder (not garlic salt), black or red pepper, vinegar or lemon juice, and no-salt seasoning blends.
   
4. Get fresh when you can. Buy fresh or frozen (not processed) poultry, pork and lean meat rather than canned, smoked or processed meats like luncheon meats, sausages and corned beef. Fresh foods are generally lower in sodium.  Also, check the package on fresh meat and poultry to see if salt water or saline has been added.
   
5. Watch your veggies. Buy fresh, frozen (without sauce), or low sodium or no-salt-added canned vegetables.
   
6. Give sodium the “rinse.” Rinse sodium-containing canned foods, such as tuna, vegetables, and beans before using. This removes some of the sodium.
   
7. Examine your dairy products. Choose fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese and fortified soy beverages (often called soymilk) in place of processed cheese products and spreads, which are higher in sodium.
   
8. “Unsalt” your snacks. Choose unsalted nuts and seeds, and snack products such as chips and pretzels, that are marked “low sodium” or “no-salt-added” – or have a carrot or celery stick instead.
   
9. Consider your condiments. Sodium in soy sauce, ketchup, salad dressings, and seasoning packets can add up. Choose lite or reduced sodium soy sauce and no-salt-added ketchup, add oil and vinegar to a salad rather than bottled salad dressings, and use only a small amount of seasoning from flavoring packets instead of the entire packet.
   
10. Speak up at restaurants. Ask to see the nutrition information in restaurants and choose a lower-sodium option. Ask for your meal to be prepared without salt and request that sauces and salad dressings be served “on the side,” then use less of them. You can also reduce your portion size – less food means less sodium! For example, ask the server to put half of your meal in a take out container before it comes to your table or split an entrée with a dinner companion.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm315393.htm

As a general guideline, make snacks that include at least two food groups. For example, pair apple slices with cheese or a mini bagel with peanut butter.
 

Snack Ideas from the My Pyramid Food Groups
	Grains	dry cereal, whole grain crackers, mini rice cakes, sliced bread, mini bagels, graham crackers, whole wheat tortillas
	Vegetables	veggie “matchsticks” (thin sticks) made from carrots* or zucchini,* bell pepper rings, cherry tomatoes*, steamed broccoli, green beans, sugar peas, avocadoes
	Fruits	apple slices*, tangerine sections, strawberry halves, bananas, pineapple, kiwi, peach, mango, nectarine, or melon, grapes*, berries, dried apricots*
	Milk	low-fat cheese slices or string cheese, mini yogurt cups, fat-free or low-fat milk, low-fat cottage cheese
	Meat and Beans	egg slices or wedges, peanut butter*, bean dip, hummus, slices of lean turkey* or chicken*, shelled pumpkin seeds

More snack ideas that combine two or more of the food groups:

	•	yogurt topped with diced peaches or berries
	•	whole grain bread spread with peanut butter and sliced bananas
	•	graham crackers to dip in yogurt
	•	a small portion of last night’s leftovers (Make sure leftovers are safe to eat.)

The current issue of HCFR Health & Safety newsletter can be found at this link:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/oggc948ktun2pzw/newsletter%2001%2001%2013.pdf

J-RAT TRAINING

• Note: If you haven’t been physically active since the last test, this may help a little but, remember that to improve you have to work at it!

Items that you will need:

1. Section of 2.5” hose rolled up.
2. A step or the tailgate of an engine.
3. Hose dummy, or the real thing, or hose sled.
4. Hose sled or charged line.
5. Hammer and a block of wood, or truck tire.
6. Section of 2.5” folded into a high-rise pack.
7. Barbell or 14’ ladder, or tripod light.

Start with warming up doing a light walk around station. You can also do some lunges back and forth from road to bay. Body weight squats are also a good warm-up.

Next, have the block of wood or tire ready and stand on it, hit the object between legs for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Now walk a hundred feet out of station and back a hundred feet. If you want to, do this twice to build up your leg strength.

Grab the hose sled or a section of hose attached to some weight and drag it 75 feet, if this is a weak spot for you then walk it 100 feet and back 100 feet. This will really build.

Pick up the high-rise pack and walk 100 feet and back 100 feet. Then step up on the step or bench or tailgate for about 20 steps. That’s two feet up and two feet down.

Now walk 100 feet with pack then back. Then drop pack and take the barbell or pipe or ladder or whatever you have and do 20 extensions. You can also do this with a 14 foot ladder up against a wall and drag it up and down 20 times.

Pick up high-rise pack and step up and down 20 x. Then walk another 100 feet and back.

Now, step up 40 x up and down. Then drop pack and grab the 2.5” hose roll and lift it from a bent over position, pulling it upward to a standing position alternating arms. The roll should be taped or tied and you should be standing on an elevated platform like the tailgate, picnic table or a step. You can do it from standing on the ground, just make sure when you bend over you use your legs, DO NOT DO THIS WITH STIFF LEGS, BENT LEGS ONLY.

Lastly, take the hose sled, or dummy and drag it backwards 100 feet.

* You can do this once or twice and double up the reps, this will help. Remember that if you have been doing the JOSET programs that are at the stations, this JRAT will be a cinch.