Wednesday Feb 25, 2026

🎉🎈🥳🎁 Happy Birthday today to Jenna Kobiela!!

Jenna K, In The Open

Push Ups Today: 60

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Know

In past millennia, sugar cravings were useful. They encouraged our ancestors to scarf down sugary foods (like raspberries) and fatten up for times of famine. Humans even evolved a mutation that helped them store sugar as fat. The mutation provided a survival advantage, so now everyone has it! 

But while our genes haven’t changed much since paleolithic times, our lifestyles and environments have shifted dramatically. We’re now surrounded by sugar-laden foods and drinks, allowing us to constantly indulge sugar cravings and store fat reserves many of us won’t ever need to tap into.

So which physiological and psychological mechanisms make us crave and overeat sugar? Let’s look at four of them. 

#1: Dopamine

Dopamine is a chemical that gives you a pleasurable feeling. Your brain releases it as a reward to reinforce (and motivate) “positive” actions and behaviors, like checking something off your to-do list or taking a quick jog. The body rewards us with a hefty dose of dopamine when we consume sugar, motivating us to keep eating sugar and store up for leaner times. And who doesn’t want a feel-good pick-me-up?

#2: Blood sugar spikes and dips

Picture a kid eating candy, bouncing off the walls, then suddenly crashing (and getting hungry) shortly after. These spikes and crashes in energy result from spikes and crashes in blood sugar. Put another way: Consuming refined carbs and sugar spikes blood sugar, and what goes up must come down. 

Worth noting: “Carb cravings” and “sugar cravings” are not exactly the same thing, but they’re close. Sugar is a type of carb, and it’s processed in the body quickly, leading to those blood sugar spikes. Other refined carbs like pasta, white rice, and bagels can cause similar blood sugar fluctuations and cravings, so a lot of this article applies to those “traditional” carb cravings as well. More complex carbs like fruits, tubers, and vegetables contain fiber that blunts blood sugar effects and reduces cravings. 

Keep Reading

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Eat

Ingredients

1 stick pack LMNT Chocolate Salt

1 can of full fat coconut milk⁠

1 tbsp unsweetened cacao powder⁠

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp PB2 Peanut OR Almond Butter powder⁠

1 tbsp maple syrup OR stevia (optional) ⁠

2 bananas

Directions

Blend all ingredients together.

Pour into popsicle stands, mixing in whole bananas intermittently.

Freeze for at least 4 hours.

Enjoy!

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Do

OTM x 7:

Strict Pull ups for reps

or work to 1RM Weighted Pull up

10-8-6-4-2 Power Clean*

30-24-18-12-6 Sit ups

*🚹135-155-185-205-225

🚺95-105-125-145-155

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9:30am Legends Class

8 Rounds for time:

8 Pull Ups

16 Dumbbell Hang Clean and Jerk - 8 per side

8 Ring Rows

Farmer Carry 2 DBs 100 ft - 2 laps/4 lengths of the gym

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Upcoming Dates:

• 💚Neon Night 26.1 Friday Night Lights - Feb 27

• 🤠Hoedown Throwdown 26.2 Friday Night Lights - Mar 6

• 🤘Rock The Reps 26.3 Friday Night Lights - Mar 13

• CrossFit Level 1 Course at BRIO - May 2-3