adventure

Authenticity

“Don't let the expectations and opinions of other people affect your decisions. It's your life, not theirs. Do what matters most to you; do what makes you feel alive and happy. Don't let the expectations and ideas of others limit who you are. If you let others tell you who you are, you are living their reality — not yours. There is more to life than pleasing people. There is much more to life than following others' prescribed path. There is so much more to life than what you experience right now. You need to decide who you are for yourself. Become a whole being. Adventure.” 

Roy T Bennet -    

Photo by Bruce Klumph

Photo by Bruce Klumph


Being honest and true to yourself is one of the greatest things you can do for yourself to improve your health, happiness, and self confidence. Often times I hear the saying, be in this world, not OF this world. So much of what I have learned is that our culture (US predominetly) is not conducive of real happiness, real health, or real purpose. We are surrounded by values and pressures like

"Fake it till you make it"

"Black Friday"

"Consumerism"

"Keeping up with the Jones"

"Stable job so you can afford the nice house, nice car, nice things" 

Not everybody buys into these values and that's abundantly clear, but it is very easy to get sucked into and before you realize it, the twister of false happiness keeps you from escaping. 


Being a health and fitness professional, something that I believe is one of the most important aspects of helping others create success is being honest and transparent about your journey and what they can and should expect. 

I am on The Road to Better Health just like everyone else, and like everyone else, I have areas that I struggle with and am continually learning and improving in. Just because I have a degree and several years experience does NOT mean that I am perfect and have everything figured out. I am real, just like you. 

I struggle with consistency on my workouts. Throughout the year I find that there are times that there is a close to a week between my workouts and at times maybe even a little more. Staying consistent with training when work is really busy (Ocean lifeguard for me) or while traveling  (lots of road trips and traveling to see family). I do often find ways to "play" during those times with things like surfing, hiking, and maybe even some skateboarding, but I am less consistent with getting training in. Don't get me wrong, I train regularly and I would consider myself in great shape, but sometimes life grabs you and it takes a little while to figure out how to wiggle free. 

Another thing I struggle with is DONUTS, I am someone who really enjoys donuts. I always have, and always will. I have done several things to help me figure out how to better control how many and how often I eat these. I often used to buy a dozen donuts at a time and I could eat them all in one sitting or over the course of a couple days. I NEVER felt good after eating those donuts but would continue to do it to my body over and over. In 2016, I vowed to stay away from donuts for an entire year. after about 2 months it was much easier to stay away for the rest of the year. Nowadays I let my self have a donut here and there when I really feel like having one. No longer do I let my self eat SEVERAL at one sitting or let myself do it nearly as often. No I still don't feel great after eating a donut, but I enjoy it while I eat it and I don't feel guilty or shameful for doing it. 

I also struggle with productivity when times are slow. Most of every summer the past few years I have been lifeguarding for Los Angeles County and also coaching and training, during the winter when I am not lifeguarding I work significantly less hours and find myself twiddling my thumbs looking for things to do (a few hours here, a few hours there) and know there are better things I can be doing with my time from planning some adventurous trips, to taking continuing education courses to further my knowledge in the health and fitness world, deepening my friendships, playing, even taking some time to do some leisure reading that I have been wanting to do. There are endless possibilities and I need to step out and turn those possibilities into realities. In the past year I have been developing this site and writing blogs more and more. I have even stepped in front of the camera a few times to share. One of the biggest fears of mine and possibly a reason why doing these things takes so much intentionality is my fear of failure. I let the idea of failure or the actual act of failing paralyze my actions. It has been increasingly humbling to understand that failure IS normal and that in fact a necessity to move forward and learn, grow, and mature.  


Sometimes joining The Road to Better Health can be pretty terrifying but I am here to tell you that despite what everyone tells you, we ALL struggle to keep our journey on the right path. Don't be deceived by by the cool photos, awesome websites, and miraculous before and after stories. Don't get me wrong, they are awesome and are absolutely a TRUE part of the journey but they are not the ONLY part of the journey. Be ready to embrace the hardship alongside all the benefits and remember that you want someone who understands those struggles to be along side you with you during your victories.


I leave you with with this quote from one of our former presidents Mr. Teddy Roosevelt:

"Nothing in the world is worth having or doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty... I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many of people who led difficult lives and led them well."

Now grab a friend and go do something worth doing, live authentically  

What do you do with your boredom?

Boredom is something that some people find themselves in A LOT and others have so much on their plate that all of their free time is taken up by something on their schedule. But it's something that we all deal with, if you've never been bored, you're not human ;).

Are you aware of your boredom is the real question. The next time you're sitting somewhere twiddling your thumbs, be very conscious of  your tendencies. Do you let your mind wander into day dreaming, do you get up and do some air squats, do you reach for your phone to check Facebook or Instagram? We all do SOMETHING in our boredom and I want you to be aware of what it is for you. 

It's next to impossible to change something until you're aware you are doing it. Here's an example. Recently I started filming myself more and more and became aware of my tendency of saying UM alllllllllll the time! It was something that I didn't even realize I was doing, not to mention 2 or 3 times in a sentence. Now that I was aware of my actions (even if it was at a subconscious level) I can hear myself saying it and start to make changes away from what I was doing. 

This challenge goes out to everyone who realizes that they turn to their electronic devices to cure themselves of boredom (myself included). What if every time you found yourself bored and wanting to check the internet, make the realization and choose to do something else! That could be holding your breath as long as you can, it could be trying a handstand, it could be learning a new skill that you've always wanted to learn, it could be sitting and being mindful for a few minutes, it could be any number of things.


I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU START DOING TO CURB YOUR BOREDOM, POST NEW HABITS TO THE COMMENTS! OR POST WHAT YOU FIND YOURSELF TURING TO WHEN YOU ARE BORED!


ESCAPE TO CALIFORNIA'S HAWAII

Last weekend Liz and myself and a few of our friends went on an adventure to Catalina Island and did a little exploring and I want to share our adventure with you! Check out our video on YouTube and while you're at it be sure to subscribe to get our latest videos and content. Just our way to stay outside playing! 

Malibu Half Marathon

As some of you already know, I was selected to be an ambassador for the Malibu Half Marathon here in Malibu in November and I'm excited to announce that I'm teaming up with Malibu's 5 Point Yoga owner, Ted McDonald to share our training with those of you in the area!


On a weekly basis we will post different spots we plan to be to get a workout in and would love for you guys to come get a workout with us. The majority of our workouts will be trail running, mountain biking, and ocean swimming, but there will be other stuff mixed in there every once in a while (think yoga or CrossFit) 

We want to share with you how we get outside to train and play in our home environment, so be on the lookout (Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor) for early morning workouts or mid day get togethers and put yourself on the road to better health! 


Malibu local or not, don't forget to sign up for the Malibu Half using my discount code: MALIBUKOLBY17 for $15 off and experience one of the prettiest runs you'll ever do.


If you enjoy any of my content, subscribe below to stay up to date with health tips and life in Malibu! I'd love to have you along for the ride. COMING SOON: reviewing a book that I read recently that has changed my take on how I want to live my life.

 

The Choice is Yours

Welcome to the last week of The Whole Life Challenge! Our final lifestyle challenge is a little bit different this week. Over the past 7 weeks we have been experimenting with a new lifestyle challenge each week in order to find healthier habits that we can incorporate into our life after the "challenge" is over. 

This week YOU are going to choose one of the previous seven lifestyle challenges and finish off week 8 by completing it each day 

Here is the list of the seven previous weeks that you can choose from:


Create Your Future - Identify 3 short, medium or long-term goals at the beginning of the week. Re-write them each day by hand...simple daily reminder of what you’re shooting for in your life.

Support Your Teammates - Commenting daily on 3 of your team members' reflections

Meditation - Spend 10 minutes every day sitting silently watching your breath, observing your thoughts, repeating a mantra, or following a guided meditation

No Media Meals - Turn off all media during meals - whether you're alone or with someone. This includes computers, mobile devices, TV, and radio

Bedtime Ritual - Spend 5-10 minutes before bed taking actions to wind or quiet down before bed

See the Beauty - Take 3-5 photos during your day of things you think look beautiful, cool, or inspiring

Journaling - Spend 10 minutes daily writing in a journal

Post what you have chosen in a comment below to share with others


As we approach the end of this challenge I want you to reflect back on how these past 8 weeks went for you. You made specific goals at the beginning of this road. Check back in- where did you land amidst these goals? We all had different reasons for signing up for the challenge, but we all share the common goal of leading a healthier life. For some of you it was losing a few pounds, for others it was getting out and sweating more often, and yet for others it was to become more disciplined in the fuel you supply your body with. There was no right or wrong answer to why you signed up, only that you did. 

I feel very strongly that I have been called to create opportunities for others to meet and excel goals of their own in the realm of health and fitness. With that being said, I am here for YOU. Please send me a text, email or heck even give me a call so I can answer any questions you might have pertaining to The Road to Better Health.

I want to create value in your life and I do this in a couple different ways;

Personal Training 1 on 1 instruction where we tackle constantly varied functional movement performed at high intensity, taking on complex motor patterns to make you a better prepared human in your every day life.

Remote programming for 1 month at a time where we work together to create a fitness prescription to best fit your goals with weekly progress check-ins.

Or a free health and fitness consultation where we talk about your goals and some ways to get you cruising on the road to better health. 


KOLBY.KRYSTOFIK@GMAIL.COM (480) 636-0355


In the last week of the challenge, I want to offer something very special in place of a raffle. I am going to give away a month worth of Remote Programming ($65 value) to every participant who can post perfect scores from this Saturday, March 11th to next Saturday, March 18th. I want to see YOU finish this challenge strong and learn as much as you possibly can! 

The road to better health isn't always paved, sometimes it can be quite adventurous

The road to better health isn't always paved, sometimes it can be quite adventurous

Sugar, Take a Step in The Right Direction


YOU CAN NOW SIGN UP TO GET NOTIFIED WHEN I POST A NEW BLOG! CHECK THE BOTTOM THE PAGE TO SIGN UP :) PLEASE SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE 

We expected change, but we were
astonished by the magnitude of the
changes.
— Dr. Robert Lustig
fall is an amazing time for change...

fall is an amazing time for change...

We all are well aware that sugar isn't good for us. One thing that we might not be aware of is how much sugar is in the foods that we eat everyday that we don't even think about! reducing the amount of sugar we take in each day can have a big effect on our everyday health and wellness. With thanksgiving coming up around the corner I want to challenge you to be more aware of the food you are eating, not even changing them. 

A lot of CrossFit boxes and other health and wellness establishments are jumping on board in trying to help others reduce the sugar intake of anybody who is willing to give it a try. These events can be called many different things from detoxes, to challenges, to diets, cleanses. When first thinking about the change to a low sugar, or no sugar diet that jump seem insurmountable! I think that these events help those of us who are a little bit timid of trying something so new. If we can do it with some other people, then maybe it won't be so bad. After doing a version of these called "The Whole Life Challenge" I feel like I am better equipped to keep sugar intake at an all time low in my life. 

When I participate in this challenge, my energy levels are higher, I sleep better, I workout harder, and I find myself more productive every day. On top of this, my body composition also changes for the better. (I am not out of shape by any means but it still makes significant changes in my performance and appearance.)

I have no doubt that with as small of a change as taking sugar out of your everyday diet you will feel lasting effects for the better. This weeks article talks about the addiction we all have to sugar (even if we don't admit it) and what it is like to start the journey away from it. By no means is it easy, but it is plausible. Plus, doing things with a group of people makes it seem a little bit easier, whether its because we all can complain to each other, or keep each other accountable, or it gives us all a shared struggle to overcome.

If you are interested in doing one of these "challenges" to put you on the road to better health please feel free to email me or text me and I would be more than happy to talk to you about the one I par take in, "The Whole Life Challenge" and how it isn't as scary as you might think and how you can get started! 

The link to their site is HERE

Clink the button below and read this weeks article on sugar, what it is like to cut it from your diet, and the effects on your overall health. 


Mid-week Colorado trip


This past week I got to make a short trip to Denver, Colorado. One of the coolest impromptu trips I have ever taken. It was one of the first times that I have gotten to see a "fall", and boy was it beautiful! The crisp morning air reminded me of mornings in Arizona but with so much more beauty. The colors were vibrant and the sky was so blue!

I spent a little time up in the Red Rock Amphitheater, just a twenty minute drive from the city is a cool little museum and concert venue carved right into the mountains overlooking Denver. Then not too far from there is a little town called Evergreen, where you guessed it, there are thousands of evergreen trees! got to cruise around the biggest public ice skating rink on a lake in the USA. Of course it wasn't frozen when we saw it but I can imagine in the winter how beautiful it must be! 

Then I made my way to Littleton to visit the gym that a few of my friends (Jordan Smith and Erin Lee) work at called Project Move, you can check out their website HERE. Their facility was AWESOME. They have created a space not only for CrossFit classes but sports performance of any kind, teams, individuals, kettle bells, and even have several doctors offices in the same building that are a part of the team, chiropractors, physical therapists and foot doctors. If you are ever out in Denver, I highly recommend that you check them out! 

I also ate in downtown Denver at a brunch place called Snooze, one of the most hyped about brunch restaurants in the area. You can see a few of my selfies at the Union Station that has been converted to a hotel over the past few years and the trains have moved underground. The downtown is nice because unlike LA, it is WAY less chaotic. 

I really enjoy a good cup of coffee and boy did I get a pleasant surprise at THE coffee place called Corvus coffee. Awesome atmosphere and amazing coffee Definitely  a place to check out if you are a coffee fan or are around the area. Take a look at their website to learn about the cool things they are doing for the world. HERE is the link to their site. 

Enjoy these photos and remember you can click on them to make them bigger! 


Treat People Well

IMG_4857.jpg
When it comes to being happy and healthy, she says, “There’s no secret. Treat people well. They treat you well. We all care about each other, and now the world’s a better place.
— Leanda Keahi-Bevans

Sometimes I am not going to be able to say something better than someone else. I am posting a video from the CrossFit Journal this week and please, please watch it all the way through. You'll understand why afterwards, and this doesn't necessarily have anything to do with CrossFit. 

So much of health and wellness seems to be divided into several complicated components and I want to challenge that perspective and help others (and myself) discover that often times simple changes put you on the road to better health. See what I did there? ;)

This is my goal with what I am currently doing in this stage in my life. It is awesome to know that I am not the only one who has this desire to treat people well.


Pepperdine Alumni Water Polo


Soccer field above the Pepperdine pool

Soccer field above the Pepperdine pool

This Past weekend I got to play in my first alumni water polo game for Pepperdine University. I only have one photo from the experience afterwards but holy smokes was this a blast. I played water polo for Pepperdine from 2010 to 2011 before being told (by no ones fault, a story for a another day) I could either take financial aide or I could play. I chose to take the money and finish school at Pepperdine University where I was so incredibly lucky to be able to attend. This who event threw me into a strange rut that has kept me out of the water and from playing water polo for many reasons, until this weekend. 

The alumni all got to play the current Pepperdine water polo team for fun. I am definitely out of water polo shape even after all the things I do to keep myself fit, ouch! Nobody on the alumni team stayed in for more than a couple minutes at a time so we got plenty of rest ;) It felt like a lifetime ago that I had been in the water playing the sport that I spent 11 years playing. It was truly a blast to get back in and play again. 

After the game (of course, we won) they had a big BBQ gathering where we got to talk and hangout with all of the Pepp alumni ranging from graduating in '77 all the way to '15! It was also amazing to see some of the guys that I personally got to play with and the guys that I spend obnoxious amounts of time with. We shall see what this weeks brings for adventures! 


Not just for kicks and giggles

 
CrossFitters see physical education as a primary vehicle
for teaching virtues essential for achievement. For us,
the world of physical challenge and achievement have
become metaphors for harvesting life’s riches and battling
its plagues.
— Greg Glassman, CEO, CrossFit

Often times when I am asked why I do CrossFit I have about a thousand answers that go through my head but I get to say one before someone loses interest in what I am saying, so most of the time my answer is, "because it works." only because I try to be as concise as possible. I try to use the least amount of words to mean the most I can. But I will talk about a few of the other reasons I do CrossFit under that "because it works" realm. Greg Glassman is quite the speaker and knows how to be extremely concise and is very eloquent with his words, so I highly suggest that you read the article that he wrote back in 2005 about why he created CrossFit. Here and Below. 

"Because it works" I want to talk about a couple ways that I feel this statement is true concerning CrossFit. First of all, observable, measurable, repeatable, means we work for results and can see them not only in person but on paper as well. CrossFits community tends to bring people together, whether it is for a WOD or for a dinner, or backpacking trip. When people live in community they thrive. People inside the CrossFit community change and see themselves becoming better people, they achieve their goals quicker, they become better parents, they become more disciplined with their habits, and you could even say that they smile more. I am not saying that if you don't do CrossFit that you don't get any of these, in fact there are MILLIONS of people who have nothing to do with CrossFit who are achieving these things. What I am saying is that they are all present within the culture of CrossFit. 

Results, results, results. It is undeniable that CrossFit delivers tangible results. Not only results that you can feel, but results that are observable, measurable, and repeatable. The scientific method is applied to fitness where through good recording habits, your results in fitness are obvious. Stick with it and you will run faster, squat heavier, jump higher, do more pull ups, touch your toes better. The further you get into your training the wider the breadth of your physical results will be. We write in journals every workout and write exactly how it was done so that if we were to repeat it, we would replicate it exactly. We do exactly that, every so often we will do a workout that has been done in the past and because we can look up the date and repeat it exactly how it was performed before. We get to test our fitness. 

The community is something else that CrossFit offers that I believe supports my statement "because it works". A supportive community is something that is vital to everyone's overall health and wellness. It is encouraging in times of hopelessness, it is demanding in times of lacking, it is fun in times of sadness, it is understanding in times of brokenness, and it provides in times of need. I am not saying that these are not things that you can find in other communities outside of CrossFit but it is sure easy to find it within the CrossFit culture. So often are people planning crazy awesome adventures with other members, housing members who are in need, doing fundraisers for causes within the community, and supporting each others goals and hard work inside and out of the gym. 

The last portion here is what Greg talks about heavily in his article, about becoming better people. When you spend time within one of these environments, that you are driven toward success, toward achievement. He talks about fitness developing your will. Your will is such a key to your success that improving it only brings you to a better version of your self. One of the biggest things that I have been learning lately is that in order for you to give, love, and support others you have to give, love, and support yourself. I feel better equipped to do that because of CrossFit and the confidence it gives me, the capability, the fitness, the knowledge, and the love that I receive from it. Go hang around a box and tell me that you don't feel more driven. 

Now its time for me to get out there and give to you. 


If you're willing to take a few reads through this short article I promise you that you will take away some great information and be inspired to be better. 


If your wondering what I did this week I won't waste your time by typing some explanation. Just take a look! I will try to take more photos and videos so that you can experience these things with me! Enjoy! oh, and it was amazing to have my family in town for the weekend. They are from Arizona, and God has blessed me with some pretty amazing people.