Monthly Archives: January 2009

4 Rounds for time
   25 GHD Sit-ups
   25 Back Extensions
   10 Burpees
 
 
 
 
What is High Fructose Corn Syrup?
 
 
ARTICLE:  Straight Talk About High-Fructose Corn Syrup

It is not meaningfully different in composition or metabolism from other fructose-glucose sweeteners like sucrose, honey, and fruit juice concentrates.  HFCS was widely embraced by food formulators, and its use grew between the mid-1970s and mid-1990s, principally as a replacement for sucrose. This was primarily because of its sweetness comparable with that of sucrose, improved stability and functionality, and ease of use.

Most of you wear fairly nice clothes when you work out.  I on the other hand look like I’m still celebrating Christmas.

5 x 3 Power Cleans

“Heracles”
Complete 5 rounds of:
   1 Shoulder Press
   3 Push Press
   5 Push Jerks

Increase weight each round
Record weight for each round.

Do you have a headache from sugar withdrawal? The article focuses on sugar as it relates to diabetics but the points are germane to our nutrition discussion.

ARTICLE: Type 2 Diabetes An Addiction?

Sugar as addictive as cocaine, heroin, studies suggest. Start your day with protein.

5 Rounds for time
   Run 200m
   25 Ball Slams
   15 Thrusters, 75/45
 
 
More on the syrupy goodness of High Fructose Corn Syrup.
 
 
ARTICLE: Why HFCS Is Worse Than Sugar…And Why It’s Not
  

So let’s put two and two together…first, too much fructose decreases the body’s response to leptin’s signal to stop eating. Second, fructose increases fat storage. So you eat more and the body stores more fat. Any wonder why the world is getting fatter?

I think it’s obvious that high-fructose corn syrup is some pretty insidious stuff. Contrary to what the Corn Refiners Association wants you to believe, it’s far from natural. The process to make HFCS is complicated and chemical-laden; cane or beet sugar production is slightly cleaner, mainly requiring boiling water, a lime bath, and a centrifuge. One could probably do that at home if desired. Agave nectar is produced in a similar way. Honey is the least processed, at least by human hands.

Our freezer filling up with grass fed beef from Acres of Zion 

5 x 5 Deadlift

AMRAP 10 min
   10 MedBall Cleans, 20/10
   10 One Arm Snatch, 40/20
   10 Walking Lunge
Our ban on sugar has led to a good deal of conversation about what kind of sweeteners are OK. The article for today, from the Modern Forager, discusses some of the more popular sweeteners and their sugar content. Don’t worry. We will start in on artificial sweeteners soon enough.
ARTICLE: What Sweetener Should You Choose? Sugar? Honey? Agave Nectar?

Fructose is a sugar found mainly in fruits, which undergoes metabolic processing in the liver. The main problem with fructose is that little piece about needing to be metabolized by the liver. Studies have suggested that consuming too much fructose messes up all kinds of things in the body.(3) Some show a correlation with obesity. Fructose tends to promote an increase in triglycerides in the blood, which are a definite marker for heart disease. Other studies have shown that fructose pulls important minerals from the blood, chelating them out of the body. This little gem also increases levels of uric acid in the body, an abundance of which brings about the symptoms of gout. Studies have shown fatty liver disease from too much fructose, making the liver look like that of an alcoholic. And finally, fructose reduces circulating insulin, leptin, and ghrelin levels, hormones which control satiety and appetite.

 

“Ares”
3 rounds for time
   15 Power Cleans
   15 Push Jerks
   15 Sumo Deadlift Highpulls
No sugar this week. Mark Sisson from Mark’s Daily Apple lets you know what you’re missing.

ARTICLE:   

Within a few minutes, your pancreas kicks into overdrive and sends out a flood of insulin to try to sop up all the excess glucose that’s suddenly rushing through your bloodstream. Remember, while glucose is muscle fuel when it’s in the muscles, it’s toxic sludge when it stays in your bloodstream.

And that’s only the beginning, it gets better…