by Henry Gould – Sept 12th, 2019

This recipe might sound like something you made in college when there was quite literally 2 items left in the cupboard. But never fear! This is a delicious meal you can make week in, week out.

Do you like healthy lunch / dinner ideas you can make in ~30 minutes? Do you like food that is super cheap to prepare (~$6 for 2 people), can be done with minimal ingredients, and will help refuel sore muscles following a grueling #YARDHARD workout?

***huge cheer of people saying YES erupts***

AWESOME!

Fried rice is a blank canvas. You can throw almost anything in and it will likely be good. Use this recipe as a guideline and adjust as your taste dictates, or as you have things in the fridge that need using before they go bad.

Try to opt for tuna canned in oil (Rio Mare Tuna in Olive Oil being one of the best).

If you’re a real fancy pants, you can obviously use fresh tuna, or salmon, or even cod, chopped up very fine, then added to the pan at the same time as the tuna below.

Tuna Fried Rice

• 1 can of oil packed tuna (~150-200g), drained
• 1 cup of cooked and cooled rice (jasmine or sushi rice)
• 4 green onions, sliced finely
• Soy Sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 eggs
• 1 leek, green part removed, white part chopped finely
• 1 carrot, chopped finely
• 1 jalapeno, chopped finely
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1 pinch of sugar
• Olive oil
• 1 bunch Thai basil (optional)
• Dried Bonito flakes (optional)

First things first, get everything prepped. I mean, everything. Take the soy sauce out of the fridge, chop all the vegetables and put into bowls, crack the eggs. It will make cooking much easier.

Get a large frying pan over medium heat, add some oil, then add the leeks and carrots. Fry for a few minutes until they start to turn brown. Add the garlic, ginger and jalapeno, stir for a second, then add the tuna. Break up the tuna with a spatula until there are no big chunks left.

Crack both eggs into the hot pan, then add the rice. Use your spatula to scrape everything off the bottom of the pan, then do little “chop” motions downward to help break everything up and mix it together. The egg will start to cook with the rice, coating each grain.

Keep cooking, scraping the bottom (so the rice doesn’t stick) then mixing around. After ~5 minutes, sprinkle with a small pinch of sugar, then drizzle over soy sauce; probably more than you think. This is the main seasoning for the rice. Keep stirring, stirring, stirring until everything looks evenly coated. Taste a little bit… does it need more salt? Add more soy sauce.

Turn the heat off, add the green onions and Thai basil (if you’re using it) and stir around just so they begin to wilt a bit. Sprinkle with the Bonito flakes and serve with lime wedges.

The post RECIPE – Tuna Fried Rice appeared first on Yard Athletics.

by Yard Athletics – June 21st, 2019

Bad news! We got word through the grapevine that more of those pesky weightlifting myths were piling up in our absence… unacceptable!! There’s nothing worse than bad information, especially when it comes to health and fitness. We at Yard Athletics are very confident in the formula we use (fundamental movement patterns, done correctly and safely) and believe this will get you the results you want, every single time.

Today we hand the reigns over to Sam Shaw; mainstay of Yard Athletics since the early days, and guy who can lift double the weight of a man his size.

What’s todays myth all about? Diet. Let’s get right to it!

Q: Many people say “abs are made in the kitchen”. Is this true?

Sam Shaw: I would say it’s “partially” true. Studies have been carried out comparing the effect of dieting and exercising (or both) on overall weight and body composition that explain things pretty clearly:

• Diet focus alone can achieve more weight loss than strictly exercising and eating whatever you want
• Exercise in combination with diet leads to the most significant changes in body composition
• The combination of resistance training and diet is more effective than endurance training or a combination of endurance and resistance training at altering body composition*

*this conclusion is not based on one simple study but rather over 60 clinical studies that all came to the same conclusion

Essentially what I’m saying is that focusing purely on diet or “the kitchen” can lead to significant weight loss with some body composition change. However, a more balanced approach to dietary restrictions and exercise training will lead to more change in the long run.

First, determine your body composition goals. If your goal is to lose fat and gain more definition, then you’re going to have to eat at a calorie deficit. If your goal is to increase lean body mass and lose fat, then your diet and exercise regimen may look different.

At the end of the day, the most effective exercise/diet plan is one that you will be able to sustain. Once you determine the right approach for yourself, you can make it a lifelong habit. BRING ON THAT SIX PACK

Q: How important is diet to fitness and overall health? What do you eat and what should I be eating?

Exercise and diet are pivotal to determining a persons overall health, and making them both part of your lifestyle can make a dramatic difference in how you look and feel. While I may be a little biased in that my interests/career relate to these fields, a regular dose of dieting and exercise has been proven to lead to a host of benefits including increased energy, happiness, health, and longevity of life.

There are so many avenues of nutrition and fitness that I could go down, but no one wants to read “20 pages by Shawzo”. Let me just list you the main benefits I think about when talking to people about these concepts:

• Disease prevention (I mean… this alone should really be enough??)
• Mood and energy
• Sleep
• Weight

What I eat and what you should be eating might be completely different. Like I mentioned earlier, dieting should be specific to the individual as you will need to find the type and quantity of food (calorie intake, macro/micro nutrient intake) that is most suitable to your goals and lifestyle.

For me personally, I don’t really mess around with household ‘diets’ or energy restrictions because it effects my mood and sleep in a way I don’t really enjoy. That being said, I’m not eating whatever I want at every minute of the day.

My weekday diet mainly consists of a 5:30am smoothie (500cal – fruit, protein, almond milk, unsaturated fats), followed by a post workout meal (Roughly 1000+cal – simple carb, protein, heavy veg) and then a late night dinner as I am usually home between 7 to 9pm (Roughly 1000+cal – complex carb, protein, heavy veg). Throughout the day I will sprinkle in snacks ( fruit, nuts, bars or anything relatively low calorie that gives me enough energy to maintain a smile on my face throughout a 14 hour day :). Weekends are a bit of a write-off depending on what events are scheduled, but I do my best to not go overboard!

I have based my diet on years of learning how my body is impacted by particular macro nutrients. For some reason I respond well to carbohydrates and seem to be resistant to weight gain. This may not be the same for whoever is reading this. There, my advice would be to explore different nutrients or ‘diets’, find out what works best for you and then begin implementing dietary restrictions on a small scale as opposed to large scale change.

Most importantly, try to enjoy what you eat! At the end of the day, drastic dietary change that you hate will not be sustainable!

SHAWZO OUT

The post The Myths Of Weightlifting: PART 5 w/ Sam Shaw appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Henry Gould – June 11th, 2019

The last few years have seen a huge uptick in a number of health and wellness trends, including stuff like ketogenic diets, fermented foods, intermittent fasting and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Some we’ve covered on this blog before; others like intermittent fasting seem worthy of a longer discussion in the future.

One item that seems to have somewhat missed the “health buzz word” news cycle is something called Resistant Starch (RS). RS, as will be explained below, is a longer chain, less digestible form of starch (i.e. sugar) that is not as easily turned to glucose in the body, thus keep your blood sugar and insulin levels lower while still allowing for a feeling of fullness, a production of short-chain fatty acids, and other nutritional benefits.

I found it particularly interesting because many times when we think of the food we’re planning to eat, “carbs” all get lumped into the same negative pile. In reality they can have vast differences in terms of their effect on our body. A bag of skittles and a boiled potato are both technically carbs; both contain sugar, but one is going to have a much different impact on your health.

Let’s dive a a little deeper…

What is Resistant Starch (RS)?

RS is a form of starch (starch = large chain of glucose molecules) that is not digestible – resistant – in the stomach, or digestible only in certain forms (RS1, RS2, RS3).

What foods do you find RS in?

RS is found in many foods, however the temperature of the food can also play a factor in how much RS is available. For example, a cooked and cooled potato will contain more RS than a hot boiled potato, as the RS molecules have had a chance to consolidate and reform. When the food is hot, they denature and break apart, thus becoming easier to digest, and subsequently more glucose is available in the body.

Foods that are high in RS include oats, potatoes, legumes / beans, grains, green bananas, and cooked and cooled rice. As mentioned above, all these foods generally have more RS once cooked and cooled, or not cooked at all.

Why is RS good for you?

Despite what you might hear from strict followers of ketogenic or carnivore diets, the human body needs glucose to function. Typically that glucose comes in the form of fruits, vegetables and grains. All these items contain differing amounts of glucose, some in very simple forms (i.e. sugar in an apple), others are in longer chain, more complex forms (i.e. the RS in a potato).

RS is a chain of starch so long that is either not able to be digested, or can only be digested by gut bacteria fermentation. If it’s completely undigestible, the RS will pass through the body similar to fiber, thus helping to create regularity in the digestion which has its own positive effects on the body. It can also lead to a feeling of fullness without severely impacting the blood sugar. This can be particularly useful if one is trying to lose or maintain weight, but has a hard time feeling full after a meal. Many times we eat a healthy dinner (salad + protein) only to feel hungry an hour later, thus becoming prone to snacking on less healthy things, or just overeating entirely. If a small amount of cooked and cooled chickpeas are added to the same salad, the feeling of fullness is much greater without sacrificing an increase in bad carbs.

Since some types of RS are fermented by our intestinal bacteria, which can lead to the production of many beneficial compounds including short-chain fatty acids and butyrate. These and other compounds have a variety of benefits to the body including the promotions of healthy colon, lowered risk of colon cancer, as well as increased absorption and production of vitamins.

Some people have taken it to the very extreme, putting scoops of potato starch in water and drinking it on a daily basis. By all means try that out (it sounds disgusting!) but overall, eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains will likely help increase your RS levels.

The post What is “Resistant Starch”? appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Yard Athletics – June 7th, 2019

For the last several months, Yard Athletics founder Ilan Cumberbirch has been teamed up with Blonyx nutritional supplements as a brand ambassador, helping to get the word out on their great line of products specialized for the #YardHard athlete out there.

Today we have the pleasure of chatting with John Abreu, director of sales and strategic partnerships at Blonyx, so help us learn more about their product line, as well some clear up some of the misconceptions around supplements in general.

Hi John! Tell us a bit about yourself?

Despite being born to parents who were both university professors, I was involved in sports through my youth – This eventually led to me studying Kinesiology, which satisfied both my academic and athletic sides.  From there, I went on to work in high-performance sport as a strength and conditioning coach, having the opportunity to work in the NCAA, and with a few Canadian Olympic teams. After a decade in the field, I decided to switch careers, and sought a job where I was able to be part of something special – That’s how I ended up with Blonyx.

Give us the Blonyx “elevator pitch”

At Blonyx, we’re creators of better sports nutrition products focused on fueling athletic ambition. Our mission is to instigate a revolution in the sport nutrition market bringing real science, simplicity and integrity back to an industry we feel needs to show more respect to the athletes it serves.

It seems supplements still get a bit of a bad rap, sometimes being lumped in with PED’s and steroids. How does someone in the industry set the record straight?

It starts with full transparency and education. Instead of relying on fancy marketing, one can aim to arm consumers with the knowledge to make educated decisions as to if a product works, if it’s right for them, or even what company they should buy from.  This can be done by directly linking scientific articles that back up a company’s marketing claims, sharing the way the company sources and manufactures their products, companies allowing themselves to be scrutinized by third-party testing, and also companies being transparent about who their products are or aren’t for.

Are the Blonyx products only for athletes, or can weekend warriors take them too?

Blonyx products are aimed at those who have athletic ambition, and that can cover a wide spectrum – From the professional athletes we work with, up to a “weekend warrior” who is working to post a better time in their next 10km race.

With that being said, we need to understand that having good lifestyle and training habits can provide more benefit to health and performance than supplements alone can.  If someone is pretty consistent with their lifestyle (including diet and sleep), and training (including frequency, duration and intensity), then supplements could certainly provide added value.

How does Blonyx differentiate itself from the competition?

Number one would be that we value the trust the athletes put in us when they buy our product, above all else.

We use three guiding pillars – Simplicity, depth, and integrity.  We keep our products simple, making them with as few ingredients and as little processing as possible, and simple to understand.  We only create products that are backed by a depth of scientific research on humans (not just cherry-picking animal studies), and base our research and development on the science as opposed to industry trends.  Lastly, we make sure to market all our products with integrity, opening ourselves to third-party testing, ensuring we only make claims we can back up with evidence, and providing education on all our products.

Is it true creatine makes you bloated?

Bloating is a bit of a broad term, but it is true that creatine increases total body water.  It is true that creatine draws more water into muscle cells, but it doesn’t cause a puffy or bloated look.  We get feedback that it helps people have a look of improved body composition, which makes sense, because as creatine draws more water into muscle cells, it increases the relative size of lean tissue.

If someone has never taken a nutritional supplement, what kind of things should they know first?

Before someone takes a supplement, I always start them with something that we all learned in school – The 5W’s and the H.

First, ask yourself – WHY are you considering taking a supplement? Is it for general health or performance? Am I just taking it because someone suggested it? How can you measure if something is working? For any intervention, you should always know your personal WHY.

Then, think about WHEN you should be taking a supplement. Is your lifestyle and training at a point where you could be getting the full benefit of the supplement?  Or are there other pieces you could be paying attention to first?

Once you know why you’re thinking of taking a supplement, look for WHAT you should take.  Don’t just listen to influencers or your peers, I suggest you always look into whether a product is supported by the science.

You’ll also want to be clear on WHO this product is intended for.  Some products have contra-indications or may not be necessary for an individual.

After you’ve done your homework, be clear on HOW you’re supposed to take it. What kind of training do I need to do to support the changes? Is there a timing that will help you get the most out of the product?

Lastly, do your research on WHERE to get your product from.  There is a price you can pay for choosing the lowest-priced options, so look for companies that share your values, that have good manufacturing practices, and that are third party tested for quality, purity, and cleanliness.

How did the partnership with Yard Athletics start?

I met Ilan when I was still working as a strength and conditioning coach.  We both wanted to network a bit and sat for a coffee to talk about different ideas, and he struck me as someone who wanted to strip away the unnecessary fluff from fitness, and build a community where he could bring back real training and hard work.  The more I got to know him, the more I realized he is also a good person who wants to see everyone around him get better, in or out of the gym. When I started with Blonyx, I knew he was someone I wanted to work with more, and the partnership has grown from there.

What is next for Blonyx?

We’re at a really exciting point in the journey of our company where we are starting to branch out into other markets and expand our product line with innovative (and tasty) products.  We are about to release the first ever egg white protein isolate, which we formulated with minimal processing and ingredients you’re likely to find in mom’s pantry – A true “clean-label” protein powder that is as close to real food as it gets.  We’re also releasing a few more products this year, and looking to continue working with our community to get the right products into the hands of the right people.

The post INTERVIEW: Yard Athletics X Blonyx appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Henry Gould – May 28th, 2019

Judging by the weather, summer has officially arrived in Vancouver. The days are longer, the willpower to resist patio drinks is basically zero, and the desire to turn an oven on to make dinner is definitely out of the question.

The solution? A lovely chilled noodle salad! This recipe is great for a number of reasons:

• It’s vegan (unless you add other protein)
• It’s gluten free (soba / buckwheat noodles are GF)
• It tastes amazing
• It will keep for a few days
• There is very minimal cooking required
• It’s a blank canvas for any other vegetables or items you want to add

Obviously the base recipe is vegan, but feel free to add whatever protein you like to the finished product (cooked chicken, hard boiled eggs, canned tuna, roasted chickpeas, tofu, prawns, etc etc).

Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Salad w/ Tahini Dressing

• Soba / Buckwheat noodles, 125g per person
• Baby spinach, 1 handful per person
• 1 red pepper, julienned
• Green onions, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, grated finely
• 1 small piece of ginger, grated finely
• 5-6 tablespoons Tahini
• 1-2 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons Sesame oil
• Honey
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Get a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Season the water with salt. Drop the baby spinach in and blanch for 10 seconds then take out with a strainer and drain in a colander and allow to cool. Set aside. Add the buckwheat noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions. Remove from the water and drain thoroughly, then give a quick rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

To make the dressing, add the garlic and ginger to a bowl along with the tahini, sesame oil, juice of half the lemon, soy sauce, a pinch of salt, black pepper and some honey. Add a little water and then mix thoroughly. If it’s too thick, add a bit more more water and keep stirring. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning with more lemon juice, honey, salt and soy sauce to your taste. You can also add hot sauce / sriracha if you like it spicy.

Add the spinach, red peppers and green onion to your buckwheat noodles in a bowl and dress with the dressing.

The post RECIPE – Chilled Soba Noodle Salad w/ Tahini Dressing appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Yard Athletics – May 1st, 2019

The Yard Athletics Summer Shred train keeps rollin on down the line! It’s gaining momentum, an unstoppable juggernaut, ready to blast through that winter weight and shred all participants into chiseled marble statues.

April’s Summer Shred sale was a massive success, so we are back for May with one little change – no limits on number of packages you can buy! That’s right folks, get em while they’re hot because May 3rd is the last day to get all the below deals.

To recap, see below for all deals which are now LIVE on the MindBody app.

May 1st, 2nd and 3rd, monthly flash sale on Customized Strength & Conditioning (1:1, 2:1)

• For Drop-In sessions, you will get 20% off the 1:1 and 2:1 packages.
• 5 Pack purchase, 15% off
• 10 pack purchase, 10% off

There’s still a strict 1 month expiry on all packages because we want to see you in the gym! The goal is still to shred, shred, shred, so buy those packages and then book in ASAP using the MindBody app.

Saturday group classes have also been a massive hit, so we are still rollin on those, with the first Saturday of this month (May 4th) free of charge.

• 1st Saturday of every month is FREE
• May 4th
• May 11th
• May 18th
• May 25th

All packages must be purchased through the MINDBODY app, or directed to “info@yardathletics.ca”

See you in the gym!

The post MAY SUMMER SHRED STARTS TODAY!!! appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Yard Athletics – April 26th, 2019

We are BACK with a very special 20 Questions this week! In our humble opinion this series has only been getting better and better, and it’s all due to our #YardHard community and their involvement. Want to get featured?? Drop us a line! info@yardathletics.ca

Today we have the special pleasure of introducing Kelly Lamb and Phil Cabrita, who you may know better as the one and only DJ Flipout.

How does Kelly describe Phil?

“From dj’ing the hottest parties in town, to the 5’oclock traffic Jam, to being Redbull Music 3STYLE’S Official Host, he’s also a legendary BBOY who also acts?! Whoa. A man of many talents with a great sense of humor. He’s also the biggest Kanye West fan who knows every lyric to every song and every sample to ever exist.”

How does Phil describe Kelly??

 “This is Kelly. Born in Osaka, immigrated to Canada when she was 6 years old! Grew up in Ladner. Born from parents who are both creatives, she was heretically gifted with bounds of energy to build upon. Grew up dancing ballet and involved in other arts, a natural athlete, who is also the ring leader for the best parties. From conception to the little details that make whatever she’s involved in, if she’s planned it, it’s special. She has a huge heart and is uber-empathetic. SHES CUTE AF TOO.”

Sounds like an intriguing couple! Now time to read below and see what the perfect weekend plans are, whether you can “Amazon Prime and Chill” and whether Wreck Beach is still a thing.

1. Hometown(s)?

Phil: Burnaby/East Van

Kelly: Osaka, Japan! Our family moved to Ladner, BC when I was 6. Japan will always be home.

2. How did you first get started with Yard Athletics?

Phil: Recommended by Jordan from AllCity. Needed additional help balancing my beer intake vs. body weight

Kelly: All credit goes to our guy Jordan from AllCity. He encouraged me try weightlifting at Yard and was adamant that it was the missing component in my workout routine. He was right.

3. It’s 4:59pm on a Friday afternoon; what’s the plan for the perfect weekend?

Phil: Beer

Kelly: Tommy Cole’s 4PM Hip Hop ride is hands down the best way to kick it off. The perfect weekend consists of early mornings, tough workouts, Slickity Jim’s, a good bottle of Cab Sav or Chianti, Pepino’s, a bike ride, and a movie or patio.

4. Favorite restaurant, favorite dish?

Phil: Pepino’s – Chicken Piccata

Kelly: Pepino’s – Bolognese or Yuji’s – Curry calamari

5. Company you wish would sponsor you?

Phil: Discogs

Kelly: Neighbour & Lagree West

6. Top 3 desert island records?

Phil:  Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of life. Flume – Hi this is Flume Mixtape. Kanye west – Entire discography

Kelly: Kanye West – The Life Of Pablo. Destiny’s Child – Writing on the wall. Anderson.  Paak – Malibu

7. Tell us something we don’t know about you?

Phil:  I was a rapper signed to a recording label in San Francisco

Kelly: I went to a Medium last year and connected with some very important people. Changed my life forever.

8. Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Crave TV?

Phil: Netflix but shoutout to Crave for Letterkenny

Kelly: Netflix!

9. You can change one thing about Vancouver, what is it?

Phil: Liquor Laws and transit hours

Kelly: Reducing stigma about our Downtown Eastside community

10. Wreck Beach, yay or nay?

Phil: Nay

Kelly: Yay but those stairs?

11. Best post-workout snack?

Phil: Beer

Kelly: Stokes Purple Sweet Potatoes or a lil shake with Body Energy Club’s protein powder (Clean Isolate Vanilla)

12. Most exotic place you’ve ever traveled?

Phil: Beirut – Best food, people and history

Kelly: TBD.

13. Ilan, Same or Joce; who’s the toughest trainer at Yard?

Phil: Well we’ll have to set up a boxing match between the three of them for them to sort it. My moneys on Joce

Kelly: They’re all savage

15. Celebrity crush?

Phil: Rihanna & Rupaul

Kelly: Pharrell & Alicia Keys

16. Dream vacation?

Phil: Caribbean or somewhere super rich people go

Kelly: 6 months in Japan to explore all of the places I haven’t yet been to & an exotic place so I can answer #12.

17. Best advice you’ve ever been given?

Phil: Die empty from Jazzy Jeff (via Todd Henry)

Kelly: “Be more compassionate” – My mom

18. Least favorite exercise in the gym?

Phil: That f****** bike. F*** that bike.

Kelly: Assault bike. Sam knows.

19. Can money buy happiness?

Phil: “Money can’t buy me happiness but I’m happy when I can buy the things that I want” – By The Great Canadian MC from Rexdale, Jelleestone

Kelly: No but it can buy you a nice bottle of Cab Sav amirite??

20. Tell a stranger about Yard Athletics in 10 words or less.

Phil: Fun, challenging, safe, not boring, great trainers, good people, DOPE.

Kelly: An inclusive space to work hard, laugh and reach goals.

The post 20 Questions w/ Kelly Lamb & Phil Cabrita, AKA DJ Flipout appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Henry Gould – April 19th, 2019

As we approach the Easter Long Weekend, I’m sure many of you are counting on sleeping in a few extra mornings. Turns out that extra time on the pillow is very, very important for our overall health, both in terms of short-term gains (rest and recovery) as well long term general health.

A lot of our media culture still glorifies lack of sleep (“The Secrets Of How CEO’s Sleep 4-5 Hours And Run Huge Companies”) despite the vast majority of research saying this is detrimental to our health. Whether one chooses to prioritize business success over personal health is a choice they are free to make, it’s worth noting what the overwhelming research on sleep has to say about human wellbeing.

10 Very Wrong, Unhealhy Assumptions About Sleep

This article summarizes 10 myths of sleep that are pervasive in western society, particularly that lack of sleep can be accustomed to, alcohol helps one go to bed easier, and that all sleep is created equal. Apparently not so!

Some highlights I found interesting:

• “Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but that’s where the benefits end, Robbins said. Instead, it traps you in the lighter stages of sleep and “dramatically reduces the quality of your rest at night.””
• Another important stage of sleep is deep sleep, when your brain waves slow into what is called delta waves or slow-wave sleep. It’s the time when human growth hormone is released and memories are further processed.
  “The deeper stages of sleep are really important for generation of neurons, repairing muscle and restoring the immune system,” Robbins said.
• “Come on, we all do it — or we check our laptop or smartphone before we power down for the night. Unfortunately, that sets us up for a bad night.
  “These devices emit bright blue light, and that blue light is what tells our brain to become alive and alert in the morning,” Robbins explained. “We want to avoid blue light before bed, from sources like a television or your smartphone, and do things that relax you.””

Personally I have found reduction in screen time – as well as dimming lights closer to bedtime – to be hugely beneficial for getting ready for sleep. Alcohol can also be a major sleep disruptor, both in terms of the stages of sleep you get into in addition to hydration / dehydration, which can lead to getting up and going to the bathroom thus interrupting sleep.

9 Things Every Athlete Needs To Know About Sleep And Recovery

Sleep is important for everyone, but particularly important for those of us living an active, #YardHard lifestyle that needs to be recovered from. Strenuous exercise causes micro-tears in the muscle fibers, which when recovered from allow for improved performance and muscular output.

This takes time, and sleep is a huge part of this recovery. The following article highlights why this is so important for athletes, including how sleep helps recharge your Central Nervous System (CNS), how quality can sometimes be better than quantity, and how specific sleep rituals can be an important part of your daily routine.

Sleep Expert & Neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Walker – Joe Rogan Podcast

A particularly fascinating podcast which features UC Berkeley Professor Dr. Matthew Walker talking all about sleep, and how it’s the greatest “legal performance enhancing drug that most people are probably neglecting”.

Dr. Walker has a very easy to follow approach, and makes a lot of extremely compelling arguments for why sleep is so important to overall health and wellness.

YouTube Link

The post Sleep: The Secret Weapon Of A Healthy Lifestyle appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Henry Gould – April 11th, 2019

First they tell us eggs will kill us, then they tell us they’re good again, then back and forth and back and forth… same with alcohol, lard, bread, coconut oil. It’s enough to make you give up and just drink Soylent for all 3 meals.

Instead of reporting back on another article saying what foods were definitely, 100% sure, no-if’s-and’s-or-but’s going to kill us, I found the below article interesting for saying what foods we WEREN’T eating as the biggest problem.

What We Aren’t Eating Is Killing Us, Global Study Finds

According to the study, not even smoking and high blood pressure are bigger risk factors for premature death than lack of a healthy diet consisting of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Diets high in sugar, trans fats and salt obviously contribute greatly, but it seems those particular things could be somewhat outweighed if the rest of the diet was made up for in healthier foods.

One of the most consistently underrated elements of any healthy diet is Fiber.

What Is Fiber?

Fiber is any part of a plant that can’t be digested by the body. This can be broken up into two parts:

• Soluble Fiber

  • Dissolves in water to form a gel
  • Found in oats, beans, apples, barley and other grains
  • Ever opened a can of chickpeas and drained that gel-like liquid, or chia seeds in water? That’s soluble fiber

• Insoluble Fiber

  • Insoluble, can’t be digested by the body
  • Promotes “movement” of food through the digestive tract
  • Whole wheat flour, bran, nuts, potatoes are all examples

Fiber has many crucial benefits on human health, and cannot be overstated how essential it is to a healthy diet. The majority of the time, it’s less about the vitamins and minerals you might be getting from a few carrots and celery, and more so the fiber they contain.

Some of the reasons fiber is so important to our diet include:

• Satiation

  • Fiber makes you feel full, and for longer
  • Eating a diet high in fiber allows you to feel satiated after a meal without ingesting excess calories elsewhere
  • Imagine eating a can of unseasoned chickpeas… you probably couldn’t do it, but if you did, you’d feel full for hours. That right there is fiber at work!

• Cholesterol

  • A diet high in fiber has been shown to regulate low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, by stopping the re-uptake of them into the bloodstream
  • The fiber acts as a barrier to these LDL’s being reabsorbed from the gut into the bloodstream, therefore lowering their levels systemically
  • Also been shown that high fiber foods can lower blood pressure and inflammation

• Gut Bacteria

  • The good bacteria in your gut feed off severals things, one of which is fiber, which our bodies can’t digest on their own
  • These good bacteria eat the fiber, giving off chemicals that promote healthy gut function, among other positive benefits
  • A diet high in sugar and other processed foods amplifies the bad bacteria in our guts, who eat these things and overpopulate the good bacteria, leading to negative health effects like increased risk of colon cancer

• Bowel Health

  • As we’ve known for a long time, fiber keeps you… “regular”
  • Obviously this is good for its own sake, but has other improved benefits on the overall health of the body

• Blood Sugar

  • Fruits and vegetables contain sugar – some more than others – but because a lot of the sugar is locked into fiber, we can’t get access to all of it
  • Imagine a glass of orange juice, which might have taken 4 oranges to make. You likely wouldn’t sit there and eat 4 oranges whole, but if you did, you still wouldn’t be able to get all of the sugar out of those oranges because a lot of it would be trapped in the fiber of the orange
  • If you juiced the 4 oranges and drank it, that’s basically an IV bag of straight sugar into the bloodstream… not good!

Whether this means you can eat fast food all the time just so long as you have some raw vegetables along with it, I’m not so sure. But it should inform our thinking and how and what we eat, particularly if you’re living an active #YardHard lifestyle.

Think less about what specific fruits, vegetables and grains you’re eating for their supposed health miracles (i.e kale, acai berries) and more so the fiber they contain as being just as important, if not more so.

The post Study: A Diet Lacking In These Foods Could Be Killing Us… appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Yard Athletics – April 5th, 2019

Oh baby, do we have a special edition of 20 Questions for you today.

Obviously we are #YardHard faithful at heart, but that doesn’t mean we don’t put the weights down every once in a while and get a sweat somewhere else. All-City Athletics is a perfect example of that “somewhere else”.

Introducing Anna Farrant and Jordan Bowers, co-founders of the insanely popular Gastown boxing gym whose workouts will have you feeling like Mike Tyson – minus the tigers and face tattoos.

If you haven’t been to All-City, it’s as warm and welcoming an environment as Yard Athletics, but think punching bags and left-right combos instead of kettlebells and squats.

We are huge fans of All-City so wanted to know what makes Jordan and Anna tick… find out below if Ketogenic diets are bogus, where the best dive bar is, and the 5 worst words to hear in an All-City workout.

Enjoy!

https://duer.ca/collections/womens

https://allcityathletics.ca/

10. Fastest time up the Grouse Grind?

Anna: Woof.

Jordan: You go on ahead, and carry me with you.

11. Best post-workout snack?

Anna: Avo Beet Smoothie from Body Energy.

Jordan: Like what do I eat, or what would be the best? I spend a lot of money at Tacofino.

12. All-City aside, what’s your favorite workout?

Anna: Lifting weights at Yard #NotAnAd

Jordan: Sprints! I’ve been throwing some weights around with Loaded Athletics and the Yard Hard crü. So, sprints and chin ups if chin ups weren’t so damn ruthless.

13. Ketogenic diets; way of the future, or unsustainable fad?

Anna: I think eating fats has had a bad rap but I also think people take it too far. Eating bacon or cheese exclusively cannot be good for you. But I’m not a doctor **see Jordans answer

Jordan: Unsustainable. Also, what is the environmental impact of all this coconut harvesting? But really, the way we raise and slaughter animals is brutal and gross and contributes to global warming. Let’s lay off the bacon. Probably scrapping all the wheat and refined carbs is good idea. Can’t we brew beer without hops too? Asking for a friend. Messes with your estrogen, right?

14. Favorite dive bar? 

Anna: I grew up in shit bars and now they have lost their appeal.

Jordan: I’d love a crispy brewski in the park any day. Low overhead.

15. Favorite “classy” bar?

Anna: Pourhouse! Best cocktails 🏽

Jordan: Lighting is everything. The drink is max $6, the atmosphere is the other $12.

16. Dream vacation?

Anna: Puglia on the coast of Italy.

Jordan: Boxing Camp vacation in Cuba or Mexico. I told Anna I want to do an ocean vacation where you sail and dive around collecting trash out of the ocean. I swear I’m not a nature boi, but I did buy a pair of OCIN swim trunks made from recycled polyesters and nylons.

17. Best advice you’ve ever been given?

Anna: Trust yourself and you will know how to live.

Jordan: ”I wouldn’t think too much into it.”

“Everything is always working out for us.”

“Stop talking and do it.”

18. Pet peeve in the gym?

Anna: Boxing gym – when people shadow box profiled to the mirror but watch themselves ; Regular gym – headphones on which equals loud grunting or nosies they don’t think everyone else can hear.

Jordan: When peeps are punching from their waist not their face.

19. Plans for the future?

Anna: Head to Hawaii! Oh and live a blessed life.

Jordan: They are secret right now, even from me.

20. The 5 words no All City client ever wants to hear?

The post 20 Questions w/ Anna Farrant & Jordan Bowers of All-City Athletics appeared first on Yard Athletics.