Newsletter #17 September-November 2021
AS ALWAYS, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING IN THIS NEWSLETTER, OR WANT MORE INFO,
PLEASE TALK TO ANY COACH, OR EMAIL ADMIN@FEAST-FITNESS.COM.
COMMUNITY UPDATE
WELCOME anna stuck: CROSSFIT Coach
We couldn’t be happier to welcome Anna Stuck to the Feast Family and our coaching team. We hope that by now you’ve had a chance to get to know Anna a little bit, and that you’re enjoying having her around as much as we are. Here’s some of Anna’s background in her own words:
“For a majority of my life I lacked confidence and struggled to feel comfortable in my own skin. In 2015, I decided to try CrossFit as a new way to stay in shape. CrossFit shifted my focus from how I looked to what I was capable of physically and mentally. This shift helped me overcome my insecurities and changed my life! I became a healthier, happier, fitter, and much more confident person.”
“When you join a CrossFit gym, you join a community of people who get you excited to show up each day. There is nothing like suffering through a workout with your people and cheering each other on along the way. The community goes beyond the gym doors too. I have made so many great friendships through CrossFit.”
“Pretty soon after starting CrossFit, I knew I wanted to coach. As a coach, I love getting to know each and every member and becoming a part of their journey. My mission is to help others find health, happiness, and confidence like I did through CrossFit. I want every member to feel welcomed and safe within the gym. My favorite thing is when a movement finally clicks with a member or when they PR. Whether it’s simple or complicated, it’s awesome to see someone do something that they couldn’t do before!”
AND THANKS TO Matt Trauner: Endurance Coach
Thanks Matt Trauner for picking up with endurance where Ryan left off. Many of you have seen Matt beasting workouts as he used his incredible engine to progress to the quarterfinals in the CrossFit Open last year, but you may not know that Matt has an extensive background as an endurance athlete. In Matt’s words, “I have been lucky enough to have fitness be a major part of my life since my parents tossed me in the pool with I was three. I swam though high school and played club water polo in college, and since then have run 8 marathons (including Boston) and have completed a bunch of of triathlons (including the Ironman Wisconsin).”
“Since falling in love with CrossFit in 2015, I have learned how to integrate it into endurance programming by using weights and bodyweight to accelerate fatigue, forcing the athlete to work to maintain good form and efficiency while building strength and muscle memory. Whenever I am asked for fitness advice or help with a training plan, I start with the question, ‘What do you enjoy doing?’ and build from there. Fitness is our adult playtime and should be something we love and look forward to rather than something to be checked off a list!” Be sure to join Matt’s endurance classes to improve your engine.
the feast ‘fridge is open for business
We’ve always welcomed members coming behind the front desk to grab themselves a FitAid, recording their name on the retail sales sheet. But we wanted to make it even more obvious that members can self-service the beverages available for sale. So going forward, we’ll stock the large ‘fridge in the lobby with FitAids and other drinks for sale. You can check yourself out for a drink by writing the date and your full name on the sales sheet, and circling your purchase. We’ll run all purchases every few days.
SAVE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11 FOR THE FEAST HOLIDAY PARTY
We’d like to say you remember how much fun the holiday party was two years ago . . . but if you’re like many of us, you probably don’t remember much at all. Except when PJ accidentally stole that lady’s jacket. And when the new kid’s mom decided he couldn’t hang out with us any more. And all those other things that happened.
Save Saturday, December 11 to create new holiday memories with your Feast Fam. We’ll start at Feast with catered food, non-alcoholic beverages, beer, seltzers, and of course the holiday walnut cider cocktail. And then we’ll wind up someplace else fun. We call this plan: Boosh Option 3.
COVID UPDATES
100% of our Members + Staff are vaccinated! Thank you all for protecting this community!!!!
Our state-of-the-art HVAC system regularly recycles the air in the gym, and if it senses increased respiration (with its CO2 sensors), it kicks into overdrive, sucking air out and bringing fresh air into Feast.
We have never had a suspected case of transmission.
Your mask must be covering your entire face the entire time in our 6:30pm classes.
You must have a mask on your neck/ears 100% of the time during open gym and in our other classes, but you can pull it down away from your mouth/nose if you feel the need to during high intensity exercise.
Be respectful. Keep your distance and/or keep your mask covering your mouth and nose if you’re not certain about a classmate’s mask comfort.
sweaty and scary
We got spooky Friday night and Saturday morning before Halloween! Thanks to all who showed up for costumes and cocktails. Congrats to our prize winners. And a special thanks to Sam Erwin for leading the gym decorating efforts.
FITNESS UPDATE
Welcome to our new cycle: Ramé
Ramé is Balinese for something that is simultaneously chaotic + joyful. Why does that describe this cycle? We’ll be challenging you to move heavier loads within metcons and to improve your gymnastics skills. Most of us have experienced trying to manage our “chaos brain” while pushing hard through a workout. And we know that managing our bodies through a next level gymnastics skill can definitely feel a little chaotic the first few times. But powering through the workout and nailing that new skill definitely bring the joy. Here’s what you can expect during Ramé?
Monday: Front Squats * Tuesday: Gymnastics + Strength Building (especially on the bars and rings)
Wednesday: Structural + Core Strength * Thursday: Olympic Weightlifting (focus on Split Jerks + Overhead Squats)
Friday: Thrusters * Saturday: Team Workout * Sunday: Rest Day
Functional bodybuilding with coach cole starts saturday, nov 13
If you’ve been around Feast the past 18 months, you may have noticed the serious muscle mass Coach Cole has packed on while he has been hitting PR after PR in his weightlifting. Now you can have access to some of his programming designed to help you replicate the GAINZ through the new Functional Bodybuilding track Cole will be running at Feast on Saturdays at 11:00am.
Here’s what you can expect, in Cole’s words: “Functional bodybuilding has its eyes on increasing capacity in your given sport. If you've ever wanted a barbell to feel lighter, a pull up to feel easier, 100 wall balls to feel like cruising, or if you generally want a more bullet proof body, functional bodybuilding can help. The functional bodybuilding class will be offered once a week and will consist of 2 compound lifts, sometimes as a super set and sometimes as two separate sections, with accessory finishers/conditioning to isolate muscular development. Care is being taken to avoid interference with Feast's CrossFit cycle, with our aim that it reinforces the capacity development we are focusing on. We will begin by pushing aggressively into tempo and volume at submaximal percentages.
Classes start Saturday, Nov 13, at 11am—Come and check it out!
OTHER SPECIALTY trackS
Don’t forget we also offer Endurance, Gymnastics, and Yoga speciality tracks. Check Zen Planner for class times.
NUTRITION UPDATE
BEING FESTIVE WHILE STAYING ON COURSE DURING THE HOLIDAYS
We love gathering and celebrating with friends and families for holidays. And we know from experience that these next couple of months can be enjoyed without blowing up nutrition goals. Here are some tips for navigating holiday parties:
+Fill up on a healthy meal before you attend a gathering that won’t have nutritious food options so that you won’t be driven by hunger pangs AND sugar cavings.
+Bring to the party something you would like to eat, like shrimp cocktail, mini turkey meatballs, chicken skewers, or fruit.
+Indulge in one or two holiday food or drink items instead of food you can have any time of year. Having a couple holiday treats in not going to make a difference over the long term.
+Each time you drink an alcoholic beverage, follow it with a glass of water. Alternating this way will help keep you in control and help you feel good the next day.
+Get rid of the candy or other high sugar foods that are left over or come into your house as gifts. Lots of us feel guilty about throwing away food, but it is better the food disappears into the trash can than into you!
+If you overdo it, do not beat yourself up. Just try to get back to nutritious food at your next meal.
Healthy habit: +Protein
In November and December we’re pivoting from +Water to +Protein as our Healthy Habit. Again, we want you to think about adding good stuff to your diet, rather than taking stuff away. Why do we want you to add protein? Consuming a sufficient amount of protein does so much good for your body, including building lean muscle, reducing muscle loss, curbing hunger, speeding recovery after exercise and/or injury, and helping maintain a healthy weight. Feast’s new healthy habit challenge is to make sure you are eating protein at every meal, including breakfast. In the US, breakfast tends to be carbohydrate heavy, so adding protein in the morning can really boost your intake. Some protein breakfast ideas: no sugar added or low sugar Greek yogurt, eggs with extra egg whites, chicken sausages, turkey bacon, cottage cheese or other cheeses, or even leftovers from last nights dinner. Coach Terri suggests making baked egg cups with veggies and maybe ground turkey. Make a big batch on the weekend, and they will last throughout the week.
produce of the month
Thanks to Coach Terri for buying, prepping, and coming up with recipes for the kiwis that we gave away in October. Those treats nailed at least four of the Feast Healthy Habits: (1) + fruits; (2) + colors; (3) + whole foods; (4) + fiber. We hope you tried some, and that you’re trying out those Habits.
CREAMY TURKEY PUMPKIN CHILI WITH WHITE BEANS
Coach Terri shared this delicious and healthy fall recipe that she adapted from one by Karen Tedesco at https://familystylefood.com.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
2 large carrots, chopped (1 ½ cups)
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon crushed red chili
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ pounds (675 g) ground turkey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, rosemary or sage (or a mixture of one or more)
1 15-ounce (285 g) can unsweetened pumpkin purée
2 15-ounce (850 g) cans cannellini beans, drained
2 cups (500 ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Kosher salt
½ cup (125 ml) plain Greek yogurt, optional
Pour the oil into a 4 or 5 quart soup pot or Dutch oven and place over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until the vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and all the spices through the black pepper, stirring to coat in the oil. Add the turkey and cook until it’s no longer pink, stirring and breaking the meat up with a spoon, about 8 minutes.
Add the herbs, pumpkin, beans, broth and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer, partially cover and cook 20 minutes, adjusting the heat so it doesn't boil.
Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt, if using. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve warm in bowls.
meet the feaster: sam erwin
Workout Time: Mostly noon,but I occasionally pop in in the afternoon if my schedule changes.
Where you grew up and live now: I grew up just a few blocks away from Feast in Ravenswood and now I live in Lakeview.
One Thing You Could Not Live Without: My Bullet Journal – I have literally trained my brain to not be able to function without it.
Favorite Free Time Activity: I’m a huge hockey and baseball fan! I don’t really get many chances to play either anymore, but I go to as many White Sox and Blackhawks games as I can.
CrossFit Movements You Love and Hate: I love cleans of any variety and hate burpee box jump overs.
Best Moment at Feast So Far: Being able to share Val’s amazing skills with everyone back home at Feast during the Games this year! I’m excited to watch her compete again next year!
October
Josh Hoyt * Margarita Camacho * Bobby Corro * Maureen Ventura * UK Jaiswal * Jeff Steinberg
Michael Fiddler * Mason Bowman * Eric Lundy * Helen Astar
November
Corey Abad * Christine Gallagher Kearney * Matt Keeler * Todd Chalem * David Bonilla * Lynn Coe * Brad VandenBerg
Callie Baird * Ed Coleman * Liz Soudan * Matt Thalhamer * Connor Kaminski * Bridget Montgomery * Evan Hughes
december
Ted Cappas * Val Cohen * Nick Barin * Caitlyn Flynn * Dominika Hertsberg * Stephen Reineccius * David Pfest
Gabriela Sales * Helen Richmond * Brett Bernstein * Joe Trungale * Lauren Bobowski * Huong Pham