Dropping into Crossfit boxes can be a very fun and exciting experience for many Crossfitters, whether it’s your first box away-from-home or you are getting the chance to drop into one of the big names like Rogue Fitness, Invictus, Crossfit Central, Catalyst Athletics, etc.
We had a few visitors this morning to the 7am group class at Invictus, and it got me thinking about my recent experiences when dropping into various boxes all over this country. As most of you know, my job requires me to travel extensively and in the past 2 years, I’ve been to over 60 boxes all over this country. Recently, I’ve had some really good and really bad experiences so I thought I would share these tid bits for all of you Crossfitters out there; this isn’t just for affiliate owners either – this is for everyone. This is for the community.
I think that many many people often forget that Crossfit is a business; yeah it’s a very cool, very fun passion-type job. But it’s still a business, and word of mouth can sometimes make or break a box. In today’s technology-advanced times, people travel a lot for work and if your box is in a decent sized city, it’s a good chance you’ll get drop ins. Jen told me recently that Invictus gets 75-100 drop-ins a month! Granted, Invictus has had a lot of publicity, especially after Josh Bridges killed it last year, so some boxes get drop ins simply by word of mouth. That’s how I pick a lot of my drop in locations – I get on twitter, forecast to the TweetVille where I’m going next for work and ask for box recommendations.
Another thing often forgotten is the community aspect – and when I say ‘community’, I don’t mean the little cliques that frequently form at your run of the mill Crossfit box. I’m talking about the collective “community” – worldwide. I’ll never forget the first time I was in an airport, sporting a CF shirt and some random dude came up to me and was like, “Hey Crossfit! Awesome! Which box? I go to so and so! What’s your (enter benchmark WOD here) score?” I felt like we were a part of some secret club and it was totally cool, especially since I dig talking to strangers (especially when they are cute CF boys <3). I’ll also never forget my experience last week when I had high hopes for an amazing experience while dropping into a big named Crossfit – which I’ll leave un-named – and then having a not so great experience while there (see below for more details).
As more and more Crossfits begin to sprout up all over the US, people will have a lot more to choose from when making their decision on where to join or even where to drop in. It’s my prediction that the boxes that focus more on the community and the word of mouth of their athletes will be the ones to succeed and not the ones who simply rely on spending big bucks on advertisement. Sure, my $15 drop in fee isn’t going to make or break your bank per say - but I do have over 1,500 followers on Twitter and almost 1,000 on Facebook and my word of mouth goes a long way! (Granted, yes, many are spammers – but they probably exercise too, so who knows.)
You all know how I hate long winded blogs so I’ll try to wrap this up but I did want to share some of the good, the bad and the ugly in terms of my experiences over the last few years. If I am talking negatively about an experience, I’m choosing to leave the box’s name out of it. However, feel free to hit me up for recommendations at any time.
Friendliness and Inclusion is the key! Encourage your athletes to be welcoming! I’m not just talking about the owners or the coaches. I’m talking about the entire class. At Invictus (and many other boxes I’ve been to), our coaches announce during warm up that we have a visitor, what their name is and where they are from. Sometimes, Coach Nuno will even make us all shake hands. At Grapevine Crossfit (Texas), I actually dropped in multiple times during the month of January and each time there was a new coach that I hadn’t met yet, they approached me immediately and introduced themselves.
I don’t expect everyone to be a chatty cathy like me but I do expect some friendliness at boxes. Last week, I had two very different experiences. I dropped into a very big named box, was super excited about it, the coach never announced me as a visitor or tried to pair me up with someone and basically every single person in our 12 person class ignored me. Not one peep from anyone. The only reason I even chatted with the coach is because I initiated conversation with him after class. On the other hand, the next day, I dropped into a box that was a mile down the road from aforementioned box, and for the 6am class, it was just me, the coach, and 3 guys – who treated me like I was their long lost sister! We spent the morning laughing, joking, conversing and sweatin out to 12.5. Whereas I never felt like just some visitor at the 2nd box, the first box made me feel like an outsider.
Drop In Policies - be realistic and be upfront. Again, within the past few weeks, there was a box that I was excited to drop into – not because they were a big name or anything; it was just because I knew a few athletes there. The drop in experience itself was ok – friendly people, friendly coach, etc –but at the end of class when I went to buy my standard usual t-shirt, I was met with a very unpleasant surprise when the owner charged me $50! Yes folks, $25 for a tshirt and $25 for a drop in. And yes folks, this was my first drop to the box. Had I known he was going to charge me for both, I would have not bothered with the tshirt. Personally, I feel like the website or the coach should have stated right away about their drop in policy. It was almost like they were trying to discourage drop ins.
Extra special stuff…… Just a few cool things that I’ve seen over the past few years that aren’t necessities but add that little extra touch to a drop in experience. Jen from Invictus tries to personally reply back to all drop in email requests, thanking them for stopping by. I’ve had a few boxes do this to me as well. Some boxes will take photos during the work out and post the ones of the visitors on their blog the following day while others give shout outs on their Facebook or Twitter accounts to visitors.
So the next time you see a visitor at your box, make sure you go up to them, shake their hand and make them feel welcomed. Because you never know - your actions (or lack there of) may make a world of difference in their experience while visiting the place you love.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Keylime Pie and Jesus
It's not very often that I come up with my own concoctions in the kitchen; I would like to think I am a creative person but really, I am no recipe maker; I'm a total recipe follower. Steph introduced me to coconut milk whipped cream, which by basic nature is not very sweet on it's own. It is, however, very much like whipped cream, which I use to love, pre-Whole30. So as I'm licking the spoon, I think to myself....how can I give this already awesome treat some zing with what I already have in my fridge?
Enter lime juice and crushed almonds. Just mix together with a spoon and viola! "Keylime pie pudding". Man, I'm genius. Just go very easy on the lime juice; you don't need much. Yum!
Although I am not a very religious person, I saw a quote today from Jesus while doing some reading for my religions college class that I thought even the most God hating atheist could relate to some point in life.....
"Do not be unbelieving, but believing" - Jesus to Thomas (John 20:27)
Of course, there was more to this quote but I removed all of the religious stuff so that it is relatable to everyone. And of course, I don't need to explain how this quote can be motivational and I know every one is triggered different by motivational quotes; this one speaks volumes to me in all facets of life. I hope it means something to you to.
BELIEVE! :) <3
Enter lime juice and crushed almonds. Just mix together with a spoon and viola! "Keylime pie pudding". Man, I'm genius. Just go very easy on the lime juice; you don't need much. Yum!
Although I am not a very religious person, I saw a quote today from Jesus while doing some reading for my religions college class that I thought even the most God hating atheist could relate to some point in life.....
"Do not be unbelieving, but believing" - Jesus to Thomas (John 20:27)
Of course, there was more to this quote but I removed all of the religious stuff so that it is relatable to everyone. And of course, I don't need to explain how this quote can be motivational and I know every one is triggered different by motivational quotes; this one speaks volumes to me in all facets of life. I hope it means something to you to.
BELIEVE! :) <3
Monday, February 6, 2012
Meatloaf Cupcakes w/ Sweet Potato Frosting
As I start a new round of Whole30 this week, I decided to explore some new recipes. You know, just to shake things up. A few weeks back, my P.I.C (partner in crime) Steph sent me the link to this potentially amazing recipe for "Meatloaf Cupcakes with Sweet Potato Frosting".
I made these last night. Amazing doesn't even cut it. They were AH-MAZING.
Here is the link to the original recipe and below are my modifications:
http://www.janssushibar.com/?p=12965
- Since it's just me, I used only 1 pound of ground beef, mixed with red onion and bell peppers and 1 egg. I didn't have any steak seasoning but I did have some "Mesquito" seasoning, so I threw that in. I used a regular cupcake tin, and this made roughly 8.
- Instead of topping with chili sauce or ketchup, I topped it with homemade paleo approved "pizza sauce" that I made on Saturday....recipe can be found here:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/homemade-tomato-sauce-i/
- For the Sweet Potato frosting, I cut up 1 small sweet potato, 1 small yam, cooked per instructions, then mixed with a splash of almond milk and clarified butter.
Pretty easy and inexpensive recipe for such an amazing dish!
I made these last night. Amazing doesn't even cut it. They were AH-MAZING.
Here is the link to the original recipe and below are my modifications:
http://www.janssushibar.com/?p=12965
- Since it's just me, I used only 1 pound of ground beef, mixed with red onion and bell peppers and 1 egg. I didn't have any steak seasoning but I did have some "Mesquito" seasoning, so I threw that in. I used a regular cupcake tin, and this made roughly 8.
- Instead of topping with chili sauce or ketchup, I topped it with homemade paleo approved "pizza sauce" that I made on Saturday....recipe can be found here:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/homemade-tomato-sauce-i/
- For the Sweet Potato frosting, I cut up 1 small sweet potato, 1 small yam, cooked per instructions, then mixed with a splash of almond milk and clarified butter.
Pretty easy and inexpensive recipe for such an amazing dish!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Grapevine Crossfit
As many of you know, if you follow my (infrequently updated) blog, I spent basically the whole month of January in Dallas for a work project. Granted, there are worst places in this country to be stuck in for a month, but as someone who is as dedicated to fitness and health as I am, it can be very hard to stay on track with such a dynamic schedule.
Thankfully for me, I was super lucky to discover Grapevine Crossfit. Grapevine is located just west of the Dallas Fort Worth Airport/Northwest Dallas, which was the area I was working in for the month. Before dropping into GVCF, I emailed the owners (Bevin and Brandon Head) and we had a chat about my situation. They were extremely welcoming and we were able to work out a very reasonable drop in fee schedule for whenever I was able to make it to class.
Another super cool thing that worked out great for me was the fact that they had a dedicated OLY class, which I also have at home at Invictus, so I wasn't missing out! Between 6am Group and 630pm OLY, I was able to hit not one but two big PRs while at GVCF; a 280# 1RM Deadlift and a 50kg Snatch.
Alas, as happens, the project is now over. I'm very happy to be back home but I do miss the GVCF crew and I hope to have another project in that area sometime this year so I can drop in again. Here's some pictures I took my last week there.
Me and my OLY girls:
Me and Coach/Owner Brandon:
Me and Travis, co-founder of the awesome Skilled Athlete software utilized at Invictus (small world!!):
Me and my 6am homie, Beth:
My 280# Deadlift:
Thankfully for me, I was super lucky to discover Grapevine Crossfit. Grapevine is located just west of the Dallas Fort Worth Airport/Northwest Dallas, which was the area I was working in for the month. Before dropping into GVCF, I emailed the owners (Bevin and Brandon Head) and we had a chat about my situation. They were extremely welcoming and we were able to work out a very reasonable drop in fee schedule for whenever I was able to make it to class.
Another super cool thing that worked out great for me was the fact that they had a dedicated OLY class, which I also have at home at Invictus, so I wasn't missing out! Between 6am Group and 630pm OLY, I was able to hit not one but two big PRs while at GVCF; a 280# 1RM Deadlift and a 50kg Snatch.
Alas, as happens, the project is now over. I'm very happy to be back home but I do miss the GVCF crew and I hope to have another project in that area sometime this year so I can drop in again. Here's some pictures I took my last week there.
Me and my OLY girls:
Me and Coach/Owner Brandon:
Me and Travis, co-founder of the awesome Skilled Athlete software utilized at Invictus (small world!!):
Me and my 6am homie, Beth:
My 280# Deadlift:
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
How Whole is your Whole30?
I am always giving mad props to those who want to make positive changes in their lives, especially when it comes to diet and fitness. I’ve been at this for a while now, so cutting out everything bad and going super strict a la Whole9 is no problem for me. And I understand when noobs who are just now starting to explore healthy eating and the paleo life style don’t necessarily follow all of the rules in the beginning; if you are just starting out, cutting out all sugar, dairy and gluten at once is a very hard, cold-turkey approach that I don’t recommend.
No, this blog post is aimed at those veterans who say, “I’m doing a strict challenge for 30 days!” And when I ask them, “Cool! So you are doing like, super strict? Whole30?”…in which some people reply, “No, well, I’m doing strict paleo. Except I’m allowed dairy. And protein shakes. And splenda in my coffee. And this. And that. (insert other NON paleo/strict items here)”.
To which, I reply with a silent shake of head. That’s not “strict” people. That’s not even a form of lenient paleo. But, who am I to judge?
Except, of course, judging myself. I did a Whole20 stint back in December before the holidays and then took two weeks off. Most of my meals were paleo but there were cookies (damn neighbors!) and there was chocolate (LOTS) and there was wine (oh, how it flowed!). So after those two weeks, of course I’m jumping on the Whole30 bandwagon starting on January 1st. Even if I was the only soul out there doing it, I was going to do it either way. But of course, it helps when I have friends to do it too :)
Anyways, so of course I’m smack in the middle of my reoccurring challenge of Whole30 during business travel. Le sigh. I’ll be in Dallas for pretty much the whole month of January. Usually what I’ve been doing is hitting up a Whole Foods/Sprouts, buying a bunch of already cooked meat and veggies and nuts, and basically making my own lunch and dinner every day. But really how Whole9 am I being? Even if I am eating whole meats and veggies, I don’t know if the “quality” of my meals is exactly up to Whole9 standards. (I’ll have to discuss with Mel and Dallas!)
This week, I’m re-exploring the “My Fit Meals” option. My Fit Meals is a great little company that sells already prepared meals for a rather inexpensive price. When a coworker told me about this, at first I was skeptical that I would find anything on my specific diet. However, they have a rather large “low carb” section with many options that qualify as paleo. Plus, you can buy stuff in bulk, like a pound of cooked chicken breast and a pound of cooked asparagus, etc. I tried this place back in July and I was pretty pleased. Some things I like about them:
1) Again, inexpensive. Meals range from $7-9 each. When you are on work travel and have a per diem or get to expense your meals like I do, you’ll find that this is pretty cheap
2) You can order online and then pick it up the next day or you can just go in and hope they have what you want already prepared
3) The labels are awesome. They tell you nutritional info like calories/carbs/fats/proteins, they tell you exactly what is in each container, and they have “best by” dates.
My lunch today is their low carb Salmon and Veggies meal. As you can see from the picture, all of the ingredients are listed out and are all pretty much Whole30; Salmon, Squash, Zucchini, Red Onions and Bell Peppers, Carrots, Mushrooms, Lemon Juice, Roasted Garlic, Macadamia Nut Oil, and Spices. Generally I like to go with the “best” meats in the good/better/best range for Whole30; I’m pretty sure this Salmon isn’t wild caught. But, I make do, and as I’ve said before, this is MY diet and MY way of eating, and I can just do the best I can and make it work for me. I think being Whole9 on travel is an amazing feat in its own, if I say so myself (pats my own back!).
So anyways, clean it up people! If you are not a newbie to a healthy eating life style, I don’t want to hear any more excuses. Be strict. It’s only 30 days. And if you are saying you are ‘strict’, well by golly, be effin strict. Strict means no exceptions. Trust me, you’ll thank me after 30 days :)
No, this blog post is aimed at those veterans who say, “I’m doing a strict challenge for 30 days!” And when I ask them, “Cool! So you are doing like, super strict? Whole30?”…in which some people reply, “No, well, I’m doing strict paleo. Except I’m allowed dairy. And protein shakes. And splenda in my coffee. And this. And that. (insert other NON paleo/strict items here)”.
To which, I reply with a silent shake of head. That’s not “strict” people. That’s not even a form of lenient paleo. But, who am I to judge?
Except, of course, judging myself. I did a Whole20 stint back in December before the holidays and then took two weeks off. Most of my meals were paleo but there were cookies (damn neighbors!) and there was chocolate (LOTS) and there was wine (oh, how it flowed!). So after those two weeks, of course I’m jumping on the Whole30 bandwagon starting on January 1st. Even if I was the only soul out there doing it, I was going to do it either way. But of course, it helps when I have friends to do it too :)
Anyways, so of course I’m smack in the middle of my reoccurring challenge of Whole30 during business travel. Le sigh. I’ll be in Dallas for pretty much the whole month of January. Usually what I’ve been doing is hitting up a Whole Foods/Sprouts, buying a bunch of already cooked meat and veggies and nuts, and basically making my own lunch and dinner every day. But really how Whole9 am I being? Even if I am eating whole meats and veggies, I don’t know if the “quality” of my meals is exactly up to Whole9 standards. (I’ll have to discuss with Mel and Dallas!)
This week, I’m re-exploring the “My Fit Meals” option. My Fit Meals is a great little company that sells already prepared meals for a rather inexpensive price. When a coworker told me about this, at first I was skeptical that I would find anything on my specific diet. However, they have a rather large “low carb” section with many options that qualify as paleo. Plus, you can buy stuff in bulk, like a pound of cooked chicken breast and a pound of cooked asparagus, etc. I tried this place back in July and I was pretty pleased. Some things I like about them:
1) Again, inexpensive. Meals range from $7-9 each. When you are on work travel and have a per diem or get to expense your meals like I do, you’ll find that this is pretty cheap
2) You can order online and then pick it up the next day or you can just go in and hope they have what you want already prepared
3) The labels are awesome. They tell you nutritional info like calories/carbs/fats/proteins, they tell you exactly what is in each container, and they have “best by” dates.
My lunch today is their low carb Salmon and Veggies meal. As you can see from the picture, all of the ingredients are listed out and are all pretty much Whole30; Salmon, Squash, Zucchini, Red Onions and Bell Peppers, Carrots, Mushrooms, Lemon Juice, Roasted Garlic, Macadamia Nut Oil, and Spices. Generally I like to go with the “best” meats in the good/better/best range for Whole30; I’m pretty sure this Salmon isn’t wild caught. But, I make do, and as I’ve said before, this is MY diet and MY way of eating, and I can just do the best I can and make it work for me. I think being Whole9 on travel is an amazing feat in its own, if I say so myself (pats my own back!).
So anyways, clean it up people! If you are not a newbie to a healthy eating life style, I don’t want to hear any more excuses. Be strict. It’s only 30 days. And if you are saying you are ‘strict’, well by golly, be effin strict. Strict means no exceptions. Trust me, you’ll thank me after 30 days :)
Monday, January 2, 2012
2012: Year of being uncomfortable!
Yeah yeah....it's a New Year....blah blah etc. It's not that I'm not a fan of the whole "New Year" concept; I'm just not a fan of "New Year's Resolutions". I believe that making a positive change in your life isn't something you just plan to do at the start of a new year. It takes work and dedication 365 days of every single year of your life.
But, with that being said, of course I do have goals in mind for 2012. I have goals in mind all of the time. I did a strict diet for 3-4 weeks before Christmas and now I'm back on Whole30 to erase the mistakes I made for 2 weeks of "free eating". (Ugh!) It will be challenging since I will be on work travel to Dallas for the first four weeks of January (Double Ugh!)
I think my number one goal/focus right now is to make 2012 as uncomfortable as possible! I seriously need to be jolted out of my comfort zone, in all facets of my life. Fitness, Diet, Work, School, Personal Life.....the only way to progress and accomplish all of my smaller goals (ie...a muscle up and a 325lb deadlift) is to get out of my comfort zone and get at it.
I'm also looking forward to coaching some of my friends in their new diet/health goals for 2012. :)
But, with that being said, of course I do have goals in mind for 2012. I have goals in mind all of the time. I did a strict diet for 3-4 weeks before Christmas and now I'm back on Whole30 to erase the mistakes I made for 2 weeks of "free eating". (Ugh!) It will be challenging since I will be on work travel to Dallas for the first four weeks of January (Double Ugh!)
I think my number one goal/focus right now is to make 2012 as uncomfortable as possible! I seriously need to be jolted out of my comfort zone, in all facets of my life. Fitness, Diet, Work, School, Personal Life.....the only way to progress and accomplish all of my smaller goals (ie...a muscle up and a 325lb deadlift) is to get out of my comfort zone and get at it.
I'm also looking forward to coaching some of my friends in their new diet/health goals for 2012. :)
Friday, December 30, 2011
Christmas Vacay & Crossfit
For the first time in years, I decided to take the week of Christmas off from work so I could go back to the Midwest for a nice holiday with the family. Not only was I excited for the time off of work and a relaxing vacay in Wisconsin, I was also excited to drop into a few new boxes. Each box was roughly 2 hours away from where I was staying in Oshkosh, but both boxes are special to me in that I am personal friends with the owners.
Thursday, Dec 22nd: OLY at Crossfit Connex in Madison, WI (Box #55)
I first met Emily over a year ago when she dropped in to workout at the new box that I had just joined, Lincoln Park Crossfit, in Chicago. Six months later, we both happened to be in Columbus, OH for our Level 1s at the same time. After passing her Level 1, Emily moved up to Madison and opened Crossfit Connex. It was an open/rest/make up day so I was able to do my OLY workout from Invictus.
When Emily asked me what box number this was for me and I told her #55, she replied with "You should start a blog!"....in which I mumbled something back about how I've had one for a while now, I'm just too busy/lazy to ever update it :)
Friday, Dec 23rd: Heavy and Hard at Badger Crossfit
I met Tyler, the owner of Badger Crossfit in Wauwautosa, WI, during one of my visits to Crossfit Green Bay last Christmas Eve. From there, we kept in contact on Facebook and then later on Twitter; I was super proud to follow his progress during the Central Regionals during the Open last year. Seeing that I am a big WI Badgers fan, I definitely had to drop in and check out Tyler's new box.
I also stopped in for my annual Christmas visit to Crossfit Green Bay but sadly, I don't have any pictures from that trip.
Thursday, Dec 22nd: OLY at Crossfit Connex in Madison, WI (Box #55)
I first met Emily over a year ago when she dropped in to workout at the new box that I had just joined, Lincoln Park Crossfit, in Chicago. Six months later, we both happened to be in Columbus, OH for our Level 1s at the same time. After passing her Level 1, Emily moved up to Madison and opened Crossfit Connex. It was an open/rest/make up day so I was able to do my OLY workout from Invictus.
When Emily asked me what box number this was for me and I told her #55, she replied with "You should start a blog!"....in which I mumbled something back about how I've had one for a while now, I'm just too busy/lazy to ever update it :)
Friday, Dec 23rd: Heavy and Hard at Badger Crossfit
I met Tyler, the owner of Badger Crossfit in Wauwautosa, WI, during one of my visits to Crossfit Green Bay last Christmas Eve. From there, we kept in contact on Facebook and then later on Twitter; I was super proud to follow his progress during the Central Regionals during the Open last year. Seeing that I am a big WI Badgers fan, I definitely had to drop in and check out Tyler's new box.
I also stopped in for my annual Christmas visit to Crossfit Green Bay but sadly, I don't have any pictures from that trip.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Whole9 on Travel
Wow, has it really been 3.5 months since my last blog post?! In my defense, I haven't been blog-lazy....I've just been stupid-busy! Full time work while striding to get all As in full time school classes plus training 10+ hours a week and getting 8 hours of sleep a night has left me with almost no free time. :-/
But, finals are over, I don't have school again for 6 weeks, so here I am!
My new challenge this week? Whole9 while on travel. Today is Day um....11?....on a Whole9 diet. This is pretty major for me as I never make it past days 3 or 5. I always give in to my sweet cravings and bulk. Meh. And why am I not calling it Whole30? Well, technically this round is Whole27; the day after Thanksgiving until 12/21 when I fly to Wisconsin for a week to spending Christmas with the family, where I do plan to indulge and be merry.
If you've read my blog in the past, you know that I'm not stranger to travel and paleo. I've even guest blogged about it (read it here). I'm pretty good with hitting up grocery stores or just making do with what I can find. However, you can't really do Whole9 and "make do", so tonight when I land in Dallas, I'm hitting up the Sprouts Farmers Market (lucky me!) that is within 10 minutes of my hotel.
What's on my list? Well, I was able to secure a hotel room with a microwave and refrigerator and I'm bringing one container of tupperware in my luggage, so the list will contain....
- Packets of Tuna
- Whole9 approved Smoked Salmon
- Packets of Almond Butter
- Avocados, Sweet Potatoes...veggies that can be steamed....
- Coffee and Coconut Milk
- Green Tea packets
- Already cooked chicken/meats from the deli
It's all about planning. My main concern is lunch and afternoon snack; I usually fast in the mornings with tea and coffee, so I just need to make sure I bring plenty of healthy, approved options with me to the customer site.
We'll see how this week goes. Usually I lose weight on travel since when I'm not on travel, I am working from home, just a few steps away from my kitchen......
But, finals are over, I don't have school again for 6 weeks, so here I am!
My new challenge this week? Whole9 while on travel. Today is Day um....11?....on a Whole9 diet. This is pretty major for me as I never make it past days 3 or 5. I always give in to my sweet cravings and bulk. Meh. And why am I not calling it Whole30? Well, technically this round is Whole27; the day after Thanksgiving until 12/21 when I fly to Wisconsin for a week to spending Christmas with the family, where I do plan to indulge and be merry.
If you've read my blog in the past, you know that I'm not stranger to travel and paleo. I've even guest blogged about it (read it here). I'm pretty good with hitting up grocery stores or just making do with what I can find. However, you can't really do Whole9 and "make do", so tonight when I land in Dallas, I'm hitting up the Sprouts Farmers Market (lucky me!) that is within 10 minutes of my hotel.
What's on my list? Well, I was able to secure a hotel room with a microwave and refrigerator and I'm bringing one container of tupperware in my luggage, so the list will contain....
- Packets of Tuna
- Whole9 approved Smoked Salmon
- Packets of Almond Butter
- Avocados, Sweet Potatoes...veggies that can be steamed....
- Coffee and Coconut Milk
- Green Tea packets
- Already cooked chicken/meats from the deli
It's all about planning. My main concern is lunch and afternoon snack; I usually fast in the mornings with tea and coffee, so I just need to make sure I bring plenty of healthy, approved options with me to the customer site.
We'll see how this week goes. Usually I lose weight on travel since when I'm not on travel, I am working from home, just a few steps away from my kitchen......
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Let's Get Visual!
I know that a large part of the human population is made up of 'Visual' people. I'm usually not that type of person; I just need some kind of concrete goal (such as an upcoming competition) and alittle peer support and I'm good to go.
However, lately on Twitter, all I've been hearing about is "Dream Boards" and "Visual Boards" and "Dream Books" (like scrapbooks). As I was cleaning out my closet the other day, I looked up at the big empty wall behind my bed. I really haven't done much with my room since moving here four months ago because I may be moving to a new neighborhood soon, so why bother? Everything is currently pretty plain in my room.
Well, I may not be a fully visual person, but when I see an empty canvas, I see lots of opportunity. (Have you seen my full back tattoo?! Enough said) So I hightailed it to Target this past weekend and bought some corkboard tiles for my wall. Observe....
I decided on the tiles instead of a board so I can add and organize and rearrange as necessary. I know, it's pretty empty as of now; I'm still trying to figure out how this thing works! :)
While I was at Target, I ran across a sticker sale. Who doesn't like stickers?! Some of the coaches at Crossfit Invictus have even given out stickers after MetCons....what can I say, we're a fun bunch! Anyways, I picked up some nice shiny star stickers for only a $1, and here is what I'm using them for:
Between all of my travels, Crossfit events/competitions, and personal appointments, the only way to keep everything straight sometimes is by using a big ol' wall calendar. So now, at the end of the day, I have started awarding myself with stickers if I had a personal excellent day.
What does that mean, exactly? Well, at first I was going to do it only if my diet was spot-on for the day. But then I decided to expand that to include days where my diet might not be 100% the best, but I did accomplish other things such as PR on a lift, spent some time meditating or reflecting and making great decisions for my future, or setting time aside to do some personal writing.
The stars are a great visual aide for me, to set a goal to see how many days I can get in a row. Every time I think about cheating or making a decision that isn't the best for me, I think about how badly I want to put the star on the calendar at the end of the day, and it has thus far kept me on track.
How do you stay motivated? I'd love to hear other ideas!
However, lately on Twitter, all I've been hearing about is "Dream Boards" and "Visual Boards" and "Dream Books" (like scrapbooks). As I was cleaning out my closet the other day, I looked up at the big empty wall behind my bed. I really haven't done much with my room since moving here four months ago because I may be moving to a new neighborhood soon, so why bother? Everything is currently pretty plain in my room.
Well, I may not be a fully visual person, but when I see an empty canvas, I see lots of opportunity. (Have you seen my full back tattoo?! Enough said) So I hightailed it to Target this past weekend and bought some corkboard tiles for my wall. Observe....
I decided on the tiles instead of a board so I can add and organize and rearrange as necessary. I know, it's pretty empty as of now; I'm still trying to figure out how this thing works! :)
While I was at Target, I ran across a sticker sale. Who doesn't like stickers?! Some of the coaches at Crossfit Invictus have even given out stickers after MetCons....what can I say, we're a fun bunch! Anyways, I picked up some nice shiny star stickers for only a $1, and here is what I'm using them for:
Between all of my travels, Crossfit events/competitions, and personal appointments, the only way to keep everything straight sometimes is by using a big ol' wall calendar. So now, at the end of the day, I have started awarding myself with stickers if I had a personal excellent day.
What does that mean, exactly? Well, at first I was going to do it only if my diet was spot-on for the day. But then I decided to expand that to include days where my diet might not be 100% the best, but I did accomplish other things such as PR on a lift, spent some time meditating or reflecting and making great decisions for my future, or setting time aside to do some personal writing.
The stars are a great visual aide for me, to set a goal to see how many days I can get in a row. Every time I think about cheating or making a decision that isn't the best for me, I think about how badly I want to put the star on the calendar at the end of the day, and it has thus far kept me on track.
How do you stay motivated? I'd love to hear other ideas!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Mmmmmmm....Paleo Meatloaf!
While visiting my girl Heather in Seattle last weekend, she introduced me to a meatloaf recipe so yummy, that I had to make it first thing when I got home on Monday. Since I was, of course, bragging about it on Twitter, it has been requested many times that I post the recipe. So here ya go! This is one of my favorite types of dishes - inexpensive, easy prep, paleo, and can be cooked in your crockpot, which also means it makes enough for 3-4 days worth of meals.
For this recipe, I chose to use 1 pound of ground turkey and 1 pound of ground grass fed beef. Heather told me that the original recipe called for ground pork and ground grass fed beef; either way, you can use whatever type(s) of ground meat that you want.
Turn your Crockpot on low and throw in a big can of diced tomatoes. Dice/chop up your choice of 'stew' veggies and mix them in with the diced tomatoes. For this particular batch, I chose carrots.
Using my Ninja, I pureed spinach, onions and red bell pepper. I combined those in a bowl with 1/3 cup of coconut flour and an egg, and then mixed everything together with a hand beater.
After that mix is blended well, I added in 2lbs Ground Meat of choice and continued to blend with the hand mixer. Shape the mixture into a football and place on top of the stew mix in the crock pot. If you desire - and you should - wrap that baby in bacon and then cover for 5 hours.
Sooooo yummy! Enjoy.
For this recipe, I chose to use 1 pound of ground turkey and 1 pound of ground grass fed beef. Heather told me that the original recipe called for ground pork and ground grass fed beef; either way, you can use whatever type(s) of ground meat that you want.
Turn your Crockpot on low and throw in a big can of diced tomatoes. Dice/chop up your choice of 'stew' veggies and mix them in with the diced tomatoes. For this particular batch, I chose carrots.
Using my Ninja, I pureed spinach, onions and red bell pepper. I combined those in a bowl with 1/3 cup of coconut flour and an egg, and then mixed everything together with a hand beater.
After that mix is blended well, I added in 2lbs Ground Meat of choice and continued to blend with the hand mixer. Shape the mixture into a football and place on top of the stew mix in the crock pot. If you desire - and you should - wrap that baby in bacon and then cover for 5 hours.
Sooooo yummy! Enjoy.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
No-Oats-Meal!
It's time for another recipe! Always my go-to blog item for when I'm not feeling very inspired and don't want to waste your time with fluff.
Thanks to my Chicago girl Jenni (@TinyDancer06) for sharing this link with me.
As I'm always saying, I don't really miss gluten or wheat; it's always sugar. I don't miss pizza or bagels or sandwiches....but I do miss oatmeal. This recipe is a good substitute for when you need that comfort food. Depending on how big your 'handful' of nuts is, this recipe actually makes 2-3 servings for me. I've recently cut out fruit so I've subbed canned pumpkin for the banana and it has worked out great! I was also excited to test out my new Ninja food processor.
No Oat Oatmeal....No-atmeal!
1 small handful of walnuts
1 small handful of pecans
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/2 – 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch of ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 banana, mashed
3 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (add more if you prefer it a little runny)
2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds for topping
1 handful of goji berries or fresh berries for topping
Directions:
Add walnuts, pecans, flax seed and spices to a food processor and pulse it down to a course grain, making sure to stop before it’s totally ground into a powder. Set aside.
Whisk together eggs and almond milk (Doug uses a Blender Bottle) until the consistency thickens a little bit into a loose custard. Thoroughly blend together the mashed banana and almond butter and add it to the custard, mixing well.
Stir in the nut mixture. Microwave or gently warm on the stove until the “no-atmeal” reaches your desired consistency; this should only take a few minutes. In both cases, stir the mixture frequently as it cooks.
Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and berries on top. Add more almond milk if you want. Lick the bowl clean!
Thanks to my Chicago girl Jenni (@TinyDancer06) for sharing this link with me.
As I'm always saying, I don't really miss gluten or wheat; it's always sugar. I don't miss pizza or bagels or sandwiches....but I do miss oatmeal. This recipe is a good substitute for when you need that comfort food. Depending on how big your 'handful' of nuts is, this recipe actually makes 2-3 servings for me. I've recently cut out fruit so I've subbed canned pumpkin for the banana and it has worked out great! I was also excited to test out my new Ninja food processor.
No Oat Oatmeal....No-atmeal!
1 small handful of walnuts
1 small handful of pecans
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/2 – 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch of ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 banana, mashed
3 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (add more if you prefer it a little runny)
2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds for topping
1 handful of goji berries or fresh berries for topping
Directions:
Add walnuts, pecans, flax seed and spices to a food processor and pulse it down to a course grain, making sure to stop before it’s totally ground into a powder. Set aside.
Whisk together eggs and almond milk (Doug uses a Blender Bottle) until the consistency thickens a little bit into a loose custard. Thoroughly blend together the mashed banana and almond butter and add it to the custard, mixing well.
Stir in the nut mixture. Microwave or gently warm on the stove until the “no-atmeal” reaches your desired consistency; this should only take a few minutes. In both cases, stir the mixture frequently as it cooks.
Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and berries on top. Add more almond milk if you want. Lick the bowl clean!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
My Community - Part One
Call it a good cult. Call it a bad cult. Call it whatever you want - but I call it a "Community". And that is only because I haven't found the right word for it yet, as I feel that 'Community' is an understatement at times.
I'm currently on my fourth straight week in Dallas; it has been 30+ degrees hotter here than in San Diego every single day, the travel back and forth is exhausting, and I miss my dog & my gym. However, I still consider myself one of the luckiest girls around. The Dallas Crossfit community has been more than welcoming, and everytime I drop into one of the boxes, I feel like I'm WODing with homies versus just being some visitor from out of town.
The first box that I got to visit when I first started this project was
Crossfit Strong (Twitter: @CrossfitStrong). I was invited to drop in by Jake, owner of Compete Every Day (Twitter: @CompeteEveryDay), who I had met recently on Twitter. I was pretty shell shocked by the heat, even at 630am, but I made it through the WOD plus got my hands on a sweet tank - the Tahiti Compete Every Day tank. I highly recommend you check out his line of shirts & tanks; I loved my Tahiti tank so much that I bought the same one as a gift for my P.I.C. back in San Diego.
During my second week in Dallas, I decided to drop into Crossfit Richardson to throw down with Mr. WODStack himself, Brandon (Twitter: @bgadoci).
Oh course, the WOD contained Double Unders, which I am horrible at right now so lets just say I did not represent Crossfit Invictus very well. Either way, I still had a great time & met some awesome people. Turns out, two of their box members were just in San Diego and paid a visit to Crossfit Invictus the week before.
I love both CF Strong and CF Richardson, but it was recommended that I also hit up Crossfit Dallas Central and meet up with Chase (Twitter: @CaptAmericaXFit). So that is exactly what I did for Week 3. The WOD was Diane, and I was super excited for it, despite the heat, as I've not had a chance to do this one yet. The 155# Deadlifts were cake but lets just say it was good practice for my HSPUs. Congrats to Crossfit Dallas Central for placing 13th at the Games last weekend!
This week should be my last week in Dallas for a while, and although I'll be happy to be home for a bit, I will miss my Dallas homies alot! (Just not the heat, ha!) Mike (The Common Sense Warrior Blog , Twitter: @TCSWarrior) was visiting the Dallas area for work as well and suggested that we drop in on Jake again at Crossfit Strong. Cesa and Jared from Fight Through (Twitter: @FightThrough) also
decided to join us for what would be the hottest WOD I've ever done. I was a bit excited to see that the WOD for yesterday was the 11.2 Sectionals WOD; Deadlifts and Push Ups are easy for me, but Box Jumps, not so much. But either way, I was hoping for a PR. Did I get it? Not so much, ha. I wanted to die. The temperature capped off at 111 degrees, and I'm just not built for heat. Either way, we all had a great time meeting each other, killing ourselves in the heat and the enjoying some paleo dinner afterwards.
Although all of my travels can be pretty cool at times, it does really make me miss home when I'm forced to be away from it for weeks on end. But being part of an awesome community and knowing some great people makes the world of difference and I'm very thankful for the Dallas Crossfit Community!
I'm currently on my fourth straight week in Dallas; it has been 30+ degrees hotter here than in San Diego every single day, the travel back and forth is exhausting, and I miss my dog & my gym. However, I still consider myself one of the luckiest girls around. The Dallas Crossfit community has been more than welcoming, and everytime I drop into one of the boxes, I feel like I'm WODing with homies versus just being some visitor from out of town.
The first box that I got to visit when I first started this project was
Crossfit Strong (Twitter: @CrossfitStrong). I was invited to drop in by Jake, owner of Compete Every Day (Twitter: @CompeteEveryDay), who I had met recently on Twitter. I was pretty shell shocked by the heat, even at 630am, but I made it through the WOD plus got my hands on a sweet tank - the Tahiti Compete Every Day tank. I highly recommend you check out his line of shirts & tanks; I loved my Tahiti tank so much that I bought the same one as a gift for my P.I.C. back in San Diego.
During my second week in Dallas, I decided to drop into Crossfit Richardson to throw down with Mr. WODStack himself, Brandon (Twitter: @bgadoci).
Oh course, the WOD contained Double Unders, which I am horrible at right now so lets just say I did not represent Crossfit Invictus very well. Either way, I still had a great time & met some awesome people. Turns out, two of their box members were just in San Diego and paid a visit to Crossfit Invictus the week before.
I love both CF Strong and CF Richardson, but it was recommended that I also hit up Crossfit Dallas Central and meet up with Chase (Twitter: @CaptAmericaXFit). So that is exactly what I did for Week 3. The WOD was Diane, and I was super excited for it, despite the heat, as I've not had a chance to do this one yet. The 155# Deadlifts were cake but lets just say it was good practice for my HSPUs. Congrats to Crossfit Dallas Central for placing 13th at the Games last weekend!
This week should be my last week in Dallas for a while, and although I'll be happy to be home for a bit, I will miss my Dallas homies alot! (Just not the heat, ha!) Mike (The Common Sense Warrior Blog , Twitter: @TCSWarrior) was visiting the Dallas area for work as well and suggested that we drop in on Jake again at Crossfit Strong. Cesa and Jared from Fight Through (Twitter: @FightThrough) also
decided to join us for what would be the hottest WOD I've ever done. I was a bit excited to see that the WOD for yesterday was the 11.2 Sectionals WOD; Deadlifts and Push Ups are easy for me, but Box Jumps, not so much. But either way, I was hoping for a PR. Did I get it? Not so much, ha. I wanted to die. The temperature capped off at 111 degrees, and I'm just not built for heat. Either way, we all had a great time meeting each other, killing ourselves in the heat and the enjoying some paleo dinner afterwards.
Although all of my travels can be pretty cool at times, it does really make me miss home when I'm forced to be away from it for weeks on end. But being part of an awesome community and knowing some great people makes the world of difference and I'm very thankful for the Dallas Crossfit Community!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Never Shop When Hungry!
Everyone knows they should never shop when hungry. I made that mistake yesterday and this is what I ended up with - all for dinner!
Sure, it's all veggies, it's all healthy. But I bought this on a Saturday night and I'm flying to Dallas for another week on Monday - and I hate to waste. :-/ Looks like I'm packing up this following recipe with me to take with me on the plane tomorrow. It has been awhile since I've posted a recipe and I made one of my favorite dishes last night; it's easy, healthy and a perfect one to share!
I think one of the things I love the most about this recipe is that it can potentially make a crap ton of food to last you throughout the week.
"Pork Loin and Veggie Hash"
Pork Loin
Any Veggies you want
Seasonings
I like to rub the pork loin with olive oil and then sprinkle on curry powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. For the veggies, I like to cut up a nice variety of low, medium and high starchy veggies, throw them in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Throw it all in a pan and roast on 375 for 35 minutes. Let the pork sit for 10 minutes before cutting into it. Easy, simple, fast, inexpensive.
Right now, I'm trying to cut all sugar from my diet and remain strict paleo without going down the low carb route. If I consume a 'sweeter' veggie during my meals, such as a bit of sweet potato, butternut squash, or carrots, then I find that my sugar craves aren't as bad throughout the day. Of course, I can't just nosh on those three veggies alone, as I don't want THAT many carbs. :) I try to ensure I mix up the hash with healthy greens, like collards, brussel sprouts and broccoli.
I recommend going to your farmers market and buying up any and all veggies that look appetitizing to you and then spending just one hour in the kitchen, cutting everything up and making a big bowl of this hash for the week. You'll find that it goes well with everything - any kind of meat or even with eggs for breakfast.
Sure, it's all veggies, it's all healthy. But I bought this on a Saturday night and I'm flying to Dallas for another week on Monday - and I hate to waste. :-/ Looks like I'm packing up this following recipe with me to take with me on the plane tomorrow. It has been awhile since I've posted a recipe and I made one of my favorite dishes last night; it's easy, healthy and a perfect one to share!
I think one of the things I love the most about this recipe is that it can potentially make a crap ton of food to last you throughout the week.
"Pork Loin and Veggie Hash"
Pork Loin
Any Veggies you want
Seasonings
I like to rub the pork loin with olive oil and then sprinkle on curry powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. For the veggies, I like to cut up a nice variety of low, medium and high starchy veggies, throw them in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Throw it all in a pan and roast on 375 for 35 minutes. Let the pork sit for 10 minutes before cutting into it. Easy, simple, fast, inexpensive.
Right now, I'm trying to cut all sugar from my diet and remain strict paleo without going down the low carb route. If I consume a 'sweeter' veggie during my meals, such as a bit of sweet potato, butternut squash, or carrots, then I find that my sugar craves aren't as bad throughout the day. Of course, I can't just nosh on those three veggies alone, as I don't want THAT many carbs. :) I try to ensure I mix up the hash with healthy greens, like collards, brussel sprouts and broccoli.
I recommend going to your farmers market and buying up any and all veggies that look appetitizing to you and then spending just one hour in the kitchen, cutting everything up and making a big bowl of this hash for the week. You'll find that it goes well with everything - any kind of meat or even with eggs for breakfast.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
The law of the farm
I'm in Dallas this week, as some of you know, and I've been communicating with one of my coaches, George, who is also my nutrition guide, via email concerning my diet. I was telling him how hard it is to be patient, and how I'm worried I'll be a certain eating plan and then months down the line, we find that it was the wrong one and I have to start over and lose all the months of trying. He responded by quoting the following article.....it speaks volumes......
"This is an old message from a strength coach named Mike Boyle. Seems like a good time to share it...
I think I remember Stephen Covey in his book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People making reference to what I believe he called “the law of the farm.” The reference was meant to show that most of the truly good things in life take time and can’t be forced or rushed. Covey described the process of farming and alluded to how it requires patience and diligence to grow crops properly. In addition, farming requires belief in the system. The farmer must believe that all the hard work and preparation will eventually yield a long-term result.
As a strength and conditioning coach, business owner and personal trainer, the concept has always stuck with me. The process of exercising is much like farming or like planting a lawn. There are no immediate results from exercise and there are no immediate results from farming.
First, the seeds must be planted. Then fertilizer (nutrition) and water must be applied consistently. Much like fertilizer in farming, too much food can be a detriment to the exerciser. Only the correct amounts cause proper growth. Overfeeding can cause problems, as can underfeeding. As I sit and wait for my lawn to sprout or crops to grow, I feel many of the same frustrations of the new exerciser. When will I see results? How come nothing is happening? All this work and — nothing.
The key is to not quit. Have faith in the process. Continue to add water and wait. Farming and exercising are eerily similar. Continue to exercise and eat well and suddenly a friend or co-worker will say, “Have you lost weight”? Your reaction might be, “It’s about time someone noticed.” Much like the first blades of grass poking through the ground, you begin to see success. You begin to experience positive feedback. Clothes begin to fit differently.
When my friends or clients talk to me about their frustration with their initial lack of progress in an exercise program, I always bring up the farm analogy. We live in a world obsessed with quick fixes and instant results. This is why the farm analogy can be both informative and comforting.
An exercise program must be approached over a period of weeks and months, not days. The reality is that there is no quick fix, no easy way, no magic weight loss plan, no secret cellulite formula. There is only the law of the farm. You will reap what you sow. In reality, you will reap what you sow and care for. If you are consistent and diligent with both diet and exercise, you will eventually see results. However, remember, much like fertilizer and water, diet and exercise go together.
Try to grow crops or a lawn without water. No amount of effort will overcome the lack of vital nutrients.
The law of the farm.
Plant the seeds.
Feed and water properly.
Wait for results; they will happen, not in days, but in weeks and months.
To your success,
Mike Boyle
http://www.FunctionalStrengthCoach3.com
http://www.OnlineBodybyBoyle.com"
"This is an old message from a strength coach named Mike Boyle. Seems like a good time to share it...
I think I remember Stephen Covey in his book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People making reference to what I believe he called “the law of the farm.” The reference was meant to show that most of the truly good things in life take time and can’t be forced or rushed. Covey described the process of farming and alluded to how it requires patience and diligence to grow crops properly. In addition, farming requires belief in the system. The farmer must believe that all the hard work and preparation will eventually yield a long-term result.
As a strength and conditioning coach, business owner and personal trainer, the concept has always stuck with me. The process of exercising is much like farming or like planting a lawn. There are no immediate results from exercise and there are no immediate results from farming.
First, the seeds must be planted. Then fertilizer (nutrition) and water must be applied consistently. Much like fertilizer in farming, too much food can be a detriment to the exerciser. Only the correct amounts cause proper growth. Overfeeding can cause problems, as can underfeeding. As I sit and wait for my lawn to sprout or crops to grow, I feel many of the same frustrations of the new exerciser. When will I see results? How come nothing is happening? All this work and — nothing.
The key is to not quit. Have faith in the process. Continue to add water and wait. Farming and exercising are eerily similar. Continue to exercise and eat well and suddenly a friend or co-worker will say, “Have you lost weight”? Your reaction might be, “It’s about time someone noticed.” Much like the first blades of grass poking through the ground, you begin to see success. You begin to experience positive feedback. Clothes begin to fit differently.
When my friends or clients talk to me about their frustration with their initial lack of progress in an exercise program, I always bring up the farm analogy. We live in a world obsessed with quick fixes and instant results. This is why the farm analogy can be both informative and comforting.
An exercise program must be approached over a period of weeks and months, not days. The reality is that there is no quick fix, no easy way, no magic weight loss plan, no secret cellulite formula. There is only the law of the farm. You will reap what you sow. In reality, you will reap what you sow and care for. If you are consistent and diligent with both diet and exercise, you will eventually see results. However, remember, much like fertilizer and water, diet and exercise go together.
Try to grow crops or a lawn without water. No amount of effort will overcome the lack of vital nutrients.
The law of the farm.
Plant the seeds.
Feed and water properly.
Wait for results; they will happen, not in days, but in weeks and months.
To your success,
Mike Boyle
http://www.FunctionalStrengthCoach3.com
http://www.OnlineBodybyBoyle.com"
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tuesday's Progress
I personally do not like to write out my blogs each day with a list of food I ate and what my WODs/results are. Nothing against people who do that; whatever helps people stay accountable, more power to them. My food isn't that fantastic and I'm not busting out Josh Bridges and Katie Hogan like WOD results so I don't see the need in doing it on my blog every day.
However, this week will be somewhat different. Since starting a whole new training program last week, I wanted to track my progress between the weeks, plus stay accountable for with my Whole 30.
Le sigh....life again throws me a curve ball. I'm starting to really love this program and now, I'll be in Dallas on Mon thru Fri for atleast the next 3 weeks :( I'll get programming emailed to me from my coaches, but it's not the same. I'll miss the benefit of having them watch me and correct my form. Oh well. I'm lucky to be healthy and with a job, so I can't bitch too much.
Tuesday's WOD:
45 mins Prior to Rowing: Lots of stretching, plus 1 push up OTM every minute for 20 minutes.
5K Row at 530p: We did this on the first day of Row Club 6 weeks ago so this was a re-test. Totally sucked; it was hot and humid out today and I swear I lost 5lbs of sweat. Did it in 22:50 w/ a 2:17 split; last was 23:29 w/ a 2:20 split. Shane said that taking 2-3 seconds off your split is the norm so atleast I did that. Rowing a 5k is my least favorite thing to do in this world.
Deadlift at 630p: 3R x 5; 2 warm ups, 3 working. Last week I ended my 5R x 5 with 3R of 200lb; got really ugly on the 4th so stopped & didn’t count it. This week, I worked on my breathing and I used runner’s body glide on my quads. Ended up doing 123-155-175-200-210 (2). My 200 x 3 looked really good tonight; so much better than last week!! My 210 wasn’t so hot; but Calvin watched the whole time and pointed out my problem areas; my upper back is weak and my inner quad is weak. So I have some exercises now to strengthen those. But my improvement in breathing from the 200 last week to the 200 this week was night and day. Progress :)
Shoulder Press at 700p: 3R x 5; 35-50-60-70-75. Nothing exciting here. 75x3 is probably a PR as I’ve never really tested at this.
Although I had about 56 hours of rest between hiking on Sunday morning and working out on Tuesday night, I was super beat after this class. I made sure to drink some natural, no sugar added coconut water in between classes to replace my electrolytes, plus I did about 45 mins of stretching/rolling prior to row class. Watched Josh Bridges (BW ~160lbs) doing 375lb Deadlifts tonight; definitely motivating.
Meal 1: Leftover Broiled Salmon, Sauteed Zucchini in Coconut Oil
Meal 2: Sausage, 2 Eggs and Berries
Meal 3: Broiled Sea Bass w/ Salad (Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, Bell Pepper, Strawberries and lots of Bean-o)
Meal 4: PostWOD: Chicken Breast, Chicken Thigh, Beets & BCAAs
No soreness today from last night; I thought I'd atleast be sore in the booty between all the rowing and Deadlifts. My back is a little tight but no worries there.
Today was a killer. It’s getting humid and hot, even at 7am, especially in the back of the gym!
7am Group Class:
15 AMRAP Testing Day
10 Hand Release Push Ups
15 Wall Balls (20/14)
20 KB Swings (24/16)
I got in 5 rds + 25. Push Ups were 5-7 each set, Wall Balls were 10/5 and KB swings unbroken. I was dripping sweat so bad. The average was 4-7 rounds. Rest the rest of the day until CFE at 630pm. Yes, 2 a day for 2 days in a row. But then just one a day for the next 2, then some rest!
Meal 1: Chicken Breast, Chicken Thigh, Beets & BCAAs (830am)
Meal 2: Leftover Broiled Sea Bass w/ steamed carrots (1130am)
Meal 3: 2 Eggs, 2 Bacon & Berries (4pm)
Meal 4: Steak w/ steamed broccoli & mushrooms (8pm)
And before you call me out, my bacon is Whole 30 approved :)
However, this week will be somewhat different. Since starting a whole new training program last week, I wanted to track my progress between the weeks, plus stay accountable for with my Whole 30.
Le sigh....life again throws me a curve ball. I'm starting to really love this program and now, I'll be in Dallas on Mon thru Fri for atleast the next 3 weeks :( I'll get programming emailed to me from my coaches, but it's not the same. I'll miss the benefit of having them watch me and correct my form. Oh well. I'm lucky to be healthy and with a job, so I can't bitch too much.
Tuesday's WOD:
45 mins Prior to Rowing: Lots of stretching, plus 1 push up OTM every minute for 20 minutes.
5K Row at 530p: We did this on the first day of Row Club 6 weeks ago so this was a re-test. Totally sucked; it was hot and humid out today and I swear I lost 5lbs of sweat. Did it in 22:50 w/ a 2:17 split; last was 23:29 w/ a 2:20 split. Shane said that taking 2-3 seconds off your split is the norm so atleast I did that. Rowing a 5k is my least favorite thing to do in this world.
Deadlift at 630p: 3R x 5; 2 warm ups, 3 working. Last week I ended my 5R x 5 with 3R of 200lb; got really ugly on the 4th so stopped & didn’t count it. This week, I worked on my breathing and I used runner’s body glide on my quads. Ended up doing 123-155-175-200-210 (2). My 200 x 3 looked really good tonight; so much better than last week!! My 210 wasn’t so hot; but Calvin watched the whole time and pointed out my problem areas; my upper back is weak and my inner quad is weak. So I have some exercises now to strengthen those. But my improvement in breathing from the 200 last week to the 200 this week was night and day. Progress :)
Shoulder Press at 700p: 3R x 5; 35-50-60-70-75. Nothing exciting here. 75x3 is probably a PR as I’ve never really tested at this.
Although I had about 56 hours of rest between hiking on Sunday morning and working out on Tuesday night, I was super beat after this class. I made sure to drink some natural, no sugar added coconut water in between classes to replace my electrolytes, plus I did about 45 mins of stretching/rolling prior to row class. Watched Josh Bridges (BW ~160lbs) doing 375lb Deadlifts tonight; definitely motivating.
Meal 1: Leftover Broiled Salmon, Sauteed Zucchini in Coconut Oil
Meal 2: Sausage, 2 Eggs and Berries
Meal 3: Broiled Sea Bass w/ Salad (Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, Bell Pepper, Strawberries and lots of Bean-o)
Meal 4: PostWOD: Chicken Breast, Chicken Thigh, Beets & BCAAs
No soreness today from last night; I thought I'd atleast be sore in the booty between all the rowing and Deadlifts. My back is a little tight but no worries there.
Today was a killer. It’s getting humid and hot, even at 7am, especially in the back of the gym!
7am Group Class:
15 AMRAP Testing Day
10 Hand Release Push Ups
15 Wall Balls (20/14)
20 KB Swings (24/16)
I got in 5 rds + 25. Push Ups were 5-7 each set, Wall Balls were 10/5 and KB swings unbroken. I was dripping sweat so bad. The average was 4-7 rounds. Rest the rest of the day until CFE at 630pm. Yes, 2 a day for 2 days in a row. But then just one a day for the next 2, then some rest!
Meal 1: Chicken Breast, Chicken Thigh, Beets & BCAAs (830am)
Meal 2: Leftover Broiled Sea Bass w/ steamed carrots (1130am)
Meal 3: 2 Eggs, 2 Bacon & Berries (4pm)
Meal 4: Steak w/ steamed broccoli & mushrooms (8pm)
And before you call me out, my bacon is Whole 30 approved :)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Strength and Fitness Goals
I realized yesterday that I spend hours each week talking about, thinking about and planning for all of my nutritional goals. And yes, I know all of this thinking-talking-planning is important, but I feel like I have been neglecting any strength and fitness goals as well. I do keep up with going to all of my scheduled Crossfit classes, but except for a few ideas that randomly float around in my head, I haven't actually set any goals lately.
So yesterday while I was sitting on my couch, lost in the awesomeness that is Game of Thrones, I decided to grab one of my many log books and right out, on the first page, all of my Strength and Fitness goals.
Without further adieu, here they are:
5 Pull Ups - 7 Pull Ups - 10 Pull Ups
1 Dip - 3 Dips - 5 Dips
215 Back Squat - 225 Back Squat
275 Deadlift - 300 Deadlift
BW Bench Press
1 Muscle Up
15 Push Ups - 20 Push Ups - 25 Push Ups
1 HSPU - 3 HSPUs - 5 HSPUs
15 DUs - 20 DUs - 30 DUs - 50 DUs
8:30 minute Mile
Whole 30
My current Back Squat is 200, Bench Press is 130, and Deadlift at 255. I'm pretty sure I can get the 1 Dip, the 5 Pull Ups and maybe the 15 Push Ups now, but I need to retest this. And of course, the format is, once I get the first goal, I move on to the second...ie...once I get 5 Pull Ups down, then my next Pull Up goal is 7, etc.
My Whole 30 started yesterday, with the stipulation that I am allowed 1 packet of Stevia a day in my morning coffee. It's that, or no Whole 30. But you know, I don't feel bad; this is my diet, so I need to do with it what I need to do for me and no one else.
I've had a couple of people offer me suggestions on some training tips to get me to these goals as fast I can; I will post future blogs on some of the training methods that I am doing and any results.
So yesterday while I was sitting on my couch, lost in the awesomeness that is Game of Thrones, I decided to grab one of my many log books and right out, on the first page, all of my Strength and Fitness goals.
Without further adieu, here they are:
5 Pull Ups - 7 Pull Ups - 10 Pull Ups
1 Dip - 3 Dips - 5 Dips
215 Back Squat - 225 Back Squat
275 Deadlift - 300 Deadlift
BW Bench Press
1 Muscle Up
15 Push Ups - 20 Push Ups - 25 Push Ups
1 HSPU - 3 HSPUs - 5 HSPUs
15 DUs - 20 DUs - 30 DUs - 50 DUs
8:30 minute Mile
Whole 30
My current Back Squat is 200, Bench Press is 130, and Deadlift at 255. I'm pretty sure I can get the 1 Dip, the 5 Pull Ups and maybe the 15 Push Ups now, but I need to retest this. And of course, the format is, once I get the first goal, I move on to the second...ie...once I get 5 Pull Ups down, then my next Pull Up goal is 7, etc.
My Whole 30 started yesterday, with the stipulation that I am allowed 1 packet of Stevia a day in my morning coffee. It's that, or no Whole 30. But you know, I don't feel bad; this is my diet, so I need to do with it what I need to do for me and no one else.
I've had a couple of people offer me suggestions on some training tips to get me to these goals as fast I can; I will post future blogs on some of the training methods that I am doing and any results.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Look at those buns!
The question I always ask people when they say they are on the paleo diet is what do they miss the most? The answers are pretty split up; half the people miss the sugar (such as myself) and half the people miss the grains. I could easily go the rest of my life without eating rice, grain, pasta or white potatoes ever again and it will never be a problem. But I'm not gonna lie - I don't get the same satisification when eating a burger with a knife and fork. Sure, I could always go the In-N-Out "Protein Style" route (burger wrapped in lettuce) but still, it's just not the same.
As I was scrolling around Jen's Gone Paleo's blog, one of my favorite stops for tried and true paleo recipes, I found her recipe for Paleo "Sliders", including buns. The ingredients looked simple enough; I already had all of them minus the arrowroot powder so I decided to give it a try. Again, I don't really miss bread that much, and if this recipe had a) complicated ingredients that cost a fortune and/or b) was complicated to make, I wouldn't have given it the time of day.
But I'm super glad I did. You can find her recipe here: Paleo "Sliders", and below, with my notes of modifications.
Paleo "Slider" Buns:
3/4 Cup Coconut Flour
2T. Arrowroot Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
6 Eggs, beaten
1T. Braggs Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Melted Ghee (if you don't do ghee, try coconut oil...but, know that I haven't tried it, so don't know how it will work)
For topping:
1 Egg, whisked
1 T. Sesame Seeds
Preheat oven to 325F.
- Sift coconut flour, arrowroot powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a bowl.
- Add beaten eggs and mix to combine.
- Add melted ghee and vinegar, mix until smooth.
- Scoop batter onto a silpat or parchment paper- lined baking sheet, in 1 T. balls (I used a small ice cream scooper). You should have about 30 buns.
- Brush the tops of the buns with whisked egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and slightly puffed.
- Remove from oven and transfer to a baking rack, to cool.
- Slice in half and serve with "slider" patties and toppings.
My modifications....
1) I didn't have any vingear or baking soda, so I didn't include those. And I forgot the toppings instruction
2) I used 1/2 cup of melted coconut oil instead of ghee
3) Right after mixing everything up, in the correct order, my batter resembled more like pancake batter, so that's what my 'balls' looked like on the wax paper; big pancakes. Which worked out great, as you can see in the picture above. I had some leftover and had to cook in shifts, and I found the batter that sat resting on the counter for 20 minutes was much thicker than when I first mixed it up. So if you want to form the 'buns' ball form that Jen did, let your batter sit for a bit.
So how did it taste? It was amazing, and guilt free! I plan to try this with almond flour/meal next.
And yes, that is mayo on my burger. Don't judge :)
Also in the picture is Every Day Paleo's Purple Cabbage Slaw.
As I was scrolling around Jen's Gone Paleo's blog, one of my favorite stops for tried and true paleo recipes, I found her recipe for Paleo "Sliders", including buns. The ingredients looked simple enough; I already had all of them minus the arrowroot powder so I decided to give it a try. Again, I don't really miss bread that much, and if this recipe had a) complicated ingredients that cost a fortune and/or b) was complicated to make, I wouldn't have given it the time of day.
But I'm super glad I did. You can find her recipe here: Paleo "Sliders", and below, with my notes of modifications.
Paleo "Slider" Buns:
3/4 Cup Coconut Flour
2T. Arrowroot Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
6 Eggs, beaten
1T. Braggs Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Melted Ghee (if you don't do ghee, try coconut oil...but, know that I haven't tried it, so don't know how it will work)
For topping:
1 Egg, whisked
1 T. Sesame Seeds
Preheat oven to 325F.
- Sift coconut flour, arrowroot powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a bowl.
- Add beaten eggs and mix to combine.
- Add melted ghee and vinegar, mix until smooth.
- Scoop batter onto a silpat or parchment paper- lined baking sheet, in 1 T. balls (I used a small ice cream scooper). You should have about 30 buns.
- Brush the tops of the buns with whisked egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and slightly puffed.
- Remove from oven and transfer to a baking rack, to cool.
- Slice in half and serve with "slider" patties and toppings.
My modifications....
1) I didn't have any vingear or baking soda, so I didn't include those. And I forgot the toppings instruction
2) I used 1/2 cup of melted coconut oil instead of ghee
3) Right after mixing everything up, in the correct order, my batter resembled more like pancake batter, so that's what my 'balls' looked like on the wax paper; big pancakes. Which worked out great, as you can see in the picture above. I had some leftover and had to cook in shifts, and I found the batter that sat resting on the counter for 20 minutes was much thicker than when I first mixed it up. So if you want to form the 'buns' ball form that Jen did, let your batter sit for a bit.
So how did it taste? It was amazing, and guilt free! I plan to try this with almond flour/meal next.
And yes, that is mayo on my burger. Don't judge :)
Also in the picture is Every Day Paleo's Purple Cabbage Slaw.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Look Mom, one hand!
I know, call me crazy (or stupid). 30 hours after almost losing my thumb, I was back in the gym. In my defense, the first 12 hours sucked with pain but when I woke up yesterday morning, I had virtually no pain. Also in my defense, I chose to attend the 530pm class, which is taught by CJ, so that I can ask his personal permission to work out, out of respect. (CJ Martin is the owner of Crossfit Invictus and is a genius)
The WOD involved heavy deadlifts and tall box jumps as the strength component, and pull ups, kb swings and running as the MetCon component. CJ showed me how to modify the first part as a one handed, one legged KB dead lift. Basically, I was balancing myself with my injured left hand on a rack and of course would use my right hand to lift the 53# Kettlebell. I started with standing straight up, then I would bring my hips back and as I squatted down to grab the kettlebell, my right leg would go straight back and up in the air so that I felt my left hamstring engage. Hence, why it was one legged as well as one handed. For the MetCon, we subbed out 20" box jumps for the pull ups, and I did all of my kettlebell swings as one handed.
The result? I learned that I can do 25 unbroken kettlebell swings with only one handed at 1 pood weight in all 3 rounds - heck yeah. As for today....such a weird feeling! My left butt cheek is soooooooooooooooooooo sore and my right leg is just fine so when I'm walking, it feels really weird and off-balanced. One legged/one handed KB deadlifts are now one of my favorite things, as I am pretty aware now that this is one helluva strengthing movement for the glutes.
No more hitchhiking for me until this baby heals :(
The WOD involved heavy deadlifts and tall box jumps as the strength component, and pull ups, kb swings and running as the MetCon component. CJ showed me how to modify the first part as a one handed, one legged KB dead lift. Basically, I was balancing myself with my injured left hand on a rack and of course would use my right hand to lift the 53# Kettlebell. I started with standing straight up, then I would bring my hips back and as I squatted down to grab the kettlebell, my right leg would go straight back and up in the air so that I felt my left hamstring engage. Hence, why it was one legged as well as one handed. For the MetCon, we subbed out 20" box jumps for the pull ups, and I did all of my kettlebell swings as one handed.
The result? I learned that I can do 25 unbroken kettlebell swings with only one handed at 1 pood weight in all 3 rounds - heck yeah. As for today....such a weird feeling! My left butt cheek is soooooooooooooooooooo sore and my right leg is just fine so when I'm walking, it feels really weird and off-balanced. One legged/one handed KB deadlifts are now one of my favorite things, as I am pretty aware now that this is one helluva strengthing movement for the glutes.
No more hitchhiking for me until this baby heals :(
Monday, June 20, 2011
You can't have goals without obstacles.....
....or atleast, it seems like I can't. Just when I was finally getting rid of my below the knee injuries and getting back into full-blown motivation mode, I decided to go and try to cut my thumb off. Well, it didn't exactly happen that way but close enough.
I did not get to attend SoCal regionals this past weekend as I was instead in Springfield, IL for my best friend, Debra's, wedding. But of course, as everyone at the wedding will attest to, I was glued to my phone the whole weekend. Before leaving town, I modified my twitter settings to get a text message of whatever the SoCal regionals twitter account was tweeting about. So between a million text messages from them plus friends who were actually there giving me live updates, I knew how awesome Crossfit Invictus was doing as soon as they were doing it. My Crossfit brother, Craig, was attending the Regionals up in the North East so we were swapping updates as well.
All of this, of course, left me super motivated, just as anyone who watched Regionals or participated in them would be. After indulging in wine and wedding cake on Saturday and taking Friday-Sunday off from Crossfit, I jumped right back onto the paleo eatting train on Sunday and planned to hit Crossfit at lunch today (Monday).
Alas, there is no rest for the clumsy. As I was cutting into a spaghetti squash this morning, I actually reminded myself to slow down, take it easy so I don't nick a finger. So I did. Which had the total opposite effect. I don't know exactly what happened, it happened so fast, but the knife slipped and sliced up the outside of my left thumb. I saw bone right away, grabbed a towel as blood came, literally, pouring out and realized that in the 2 months that I've lived here, I never once took the time to find out where the nearest ER was.
Long story short, I called my scientist roommate, he told me how to quickly wrap it, I went to the urgent care by my house, which then rewrapped it and directed me to an ER, where I sat for almost 2 hours, crying in pain and frustration until it was finally determined that I am one lucky son of a gun who somehow, by the grace of God, missed my tendon and I will eventually be just fine. Seriously, I almost lost the use of my thumb.
11 stitches and a vicodin prescription later, here I am. I won't post any gore pictures on here but if you are interested in seeing the damage, check out my tumblr: http://supervixen13.tumblr.com/
The stitches should come out in 7-10 days, which if you think about it, is not a long time at all. Just a week, really. But that means I'm very limited in what I can, exercise-wise, for this week. Which pisses me off, especially since I'm all back to being super motivated. I emailed my coach, CJ, to see what he recommends in terms of modification. Fingers crossed I can still participate, as I love my CF Invictus crew and will hate to be away from the gym for 2 weeks.
On a sidenote - it is extremely helpful to have a scientist as a roommate. Granted, he's not a doctor or even a paramedic/EMT, but he had a whole stock of medical supplies already in our bathroom and he knew how to undress and redress my wound. I'm already starting a list of other things he can do for me around the house while I'm "injured".
I did not get to attend SoCal regionals this past weekend as I was instead in Springfield, IL for my best friend, Debra's, wedding. But of course, as everyone at the wedding will attest to, I was glued to my phone the whole weekend. Before leaving town, I modified my twitter settings to get a text message of whatever the SoCal regionals twitter account was tweeting about. So between a million text messages from them plus friends who were actually there giving me live updates, I knew how awesome Crossfit Invictus was doing as soon as they were doing it. My Crossfit brother, Craig, was attending the Regionals up in the North East so we were swapping updates as well.
All of this, of course, left me super motivated, just as anyone who watched Regionals or participated in them would be. After indulging in wine and wedding cake on Saturday and taking Friday-Sunday off from Crossfit, I jumped right back onto the paleo eatting train on Sunday and planned to hit Crossfit at lunch today (Monday).
Alas, there is no rest for the clumsy. As I was cutting into a spaghetti squash this morning, I actually reminded myself to slow down, take it easy so I don't nick a finger. So I did. Which had the total opposite effect. I don't know exactly what happened, it happened so fast, but the knife slipped and sliced up the outside of my left thumb. I saw bone right away, grabbed a towel as blood came, literally, pouring out and realized that in the 2 months that I've lived here, I never once took the time to find out where the nearest ER was.
Long story short, I called my scientist roommate, he told me how to quickly wrap it, I went to the urgent care by my house, which then rewrapped it and directed me to an ER, where I sat for almost 2 hours, crying in pain and frustration until it was finally determined that I am one lucky son of a gun who somehow, by the grace of God, missed my tendon and I will eventually be just fine. Seriously, I almost lost the use of my thumb.
11 stitches and a vicodin prescription later, here I am. I won't post any gore pictures on here but if you are interested in seeing the damage, check out my tumblr: http://supervixen13.tumblr.com/
The stitches should come out in 7-10 days, which if you think about it, is not a long time at all. Just a week, really. But that means I'm very limited in what I can, exercise-wise, for this week. Which pisses me off, especially since I'm all back to being super motivated. I emailed my coach, CJ, to see what he recommends in terms of modification. Fingers crossed I can still participate, as I love my CF Invictus crew and will hate to be away from the gym for 2 weeks.
On a sidenote - it is extremely helpful to have a scientist as a roommate. Granted, he's not a doctor or even a paramedic/EMT, but he had a whole stock of medical supplies already in our bathroom and he knew how to undress and redress my wound. I'm already starting a list of other things he can do for me around the house while I'm "injured".
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
One round at a time.....
I found out late Thursday night that we would be doing "Murph" on Saturday at Crossfit Invictus, so after such a wonderful but exhausting week in Austin and my first ever attempt at "Murph" on deck, I decided to take Friday as a rest day and chill at home for the night. One of the movies I had to watch that night was the new "Hubble 3D" documentary; little did I know that this short film would be a source of inspiration and motivation for the weekend.
Let me explain. The baseline for the documentary follows one of the last crews that had to visit the Hubble in order to do repairs before the every day wear and tear became too much to cease function. Since they are were up there, they had some upgrades to install as well. Of course, I don't have to tell you that any of this was not an easy task and some of the documentary consisted of the interviews that they did with the astronaunts, describing afterwards what they had to do and the dangers they faced while this or that.
The way one of the astronaunts described a task really stuck with me, and it was just a great coincidence that I watched this the day before doing Murph. The astronaunt had to replace two mirrors within the Hubble, and in order to do this, he had to oh so carefully remove 20 tiny screws in an almost impossible way. When asked how he handled the stress of such a difficult task, he stated that he looked at each screw as it's own separate task and concentrated on just one screw at a time. As he was unscrewing the tiny pieces of metal, he wasn't thinking to himself how many he had done or how many he had left to do; he just conquered one screw at a time.
Going into Murph on Saturday, I had the same mentality and same line of thought when facing this monster workout. I had already decided that I was going to partition the WOD into Cindy; 20 rounds of 5/10/15 for the pull ups, push ups and squats. So once it was game time, I told myself I was not going to agonize and concentrate on how many rounds I had left throughout the work. After round 5, I wasn't going to think about how I still had 15 rounds left. I had a post-it note on the rack and pen near by and after each round, I did my tick mark on the paper for tracking purposes and then just moved on to the next round. I tried hard to think of each round as an individual task, just something that needed to be done. And when I was done with that one, I was just going to move on to the next, and not agonize over how much work I still had left to do. 5-10-15, done. Tick mark. Breath In, breath out. Repeat.
And for me, it worked. Before I knew it, I was finishing round 15 and still going strong. It's easy to get intimidated and even a little scared right before performing some of Crossfit's work outs; everyone is guilty at sometime or another of overanalyzing and overthinking a WOD, and over planning how they are going to tackle it. Sometimes it's better to just not think about it at all. Turn off your mind and just do it. Don't think, just lift. And sometimes when you do that, you'll find that the work out wasn't as bad as you thought it would be.
Let me explain. The baseline for the documentary follows one of the last crews that had to visit the Hubble in order to do repairs before the every day wear and tear became too much to cease function. Since they are were up there, they had some upgrades to install as well. Of course, I don't have to tell you that any of this was not an easy task and some of the documentary consisted of the interviews that they did with the astronaunts, describing afterwards what they had to do and the dangers they faced while this or that.
The way one of the astronaunts described a task really stuck with me, and it was just a great coincidence that I watched this the day before doing Murph. The astronaunt had to replace two mirrors within the Hubble, and in order to do this, he had to oh so carefully remove 20 tiny screws in an almost impossible way. When asked how he handled the stress of such a difficult task, he stated that he looked at each screw as it's own separate task and concentrated on just one screw at a time. As he was unscrewing the tiny pieces of metal, he wasn't thinking to himself how many he had done or how many he had left to do; he just conquered one screw at a time.
Going into Murph on Saturday, I had the same mentality and same line of thought when facing this monster workout. I had already decided that I was going to partition the WOD into Cindy; 20 rounds of 5/10/15 for the pull ups, push ups and squats. So once it was game time, I told myself I was not going to agonize and concentrate on how many rounds I had left throughout the work. After round 5, I wasn't going to think about how I still had 15 rounds left. I had a post-it note on the rack and pen near by and after each round, I did my tick mark on the paper for tracking purposes and then just moved on to the next round. I tried hard to think of each round as an individual task, just something that needed to be done. And when I was done with that one, I was just going to move on to the next, and not agonize over how much work I still had left to do. 5-10-15, done. Tick mark. Breath In, breath out. Repeat.
And for me, it worked. Before I knew it, I was finishing round 15 and still going strong. It's easy to get intimidated and even a little scared right before performing some of Crossfit's work outs; everyone is guilty at sometime or another of overanalyzing and overthinking a WOD, and over planning how they are going to tackle it. Sometimes it's better to just not think about it at all. Turn off your mind and just do it. Don't think, just lift. And sometimes when you do that, you'll find that the work out wasn't as bad as you thought it would be.
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