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......
Showing posts with label paleo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paleo. Show all posts
Monday, December 5, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Finding new motivation.....part 1.
It has been a week since my last blog post and I feel like so many positive things have happened! So here is a quick recap.
A few Saturdays ago, Sage Burgener (who is an OLY coach at Crossfit Invictus) put on an OLY Meet at our box; it was open to all athletes who wanted to sign up. I really haven't done any snatch technique practice since the Windy City OLY Meet over 6 months ago, so I decided instead to just volunteer to help out Sage and Jen. I know, such a cop out. It was a relatively small meet but it packed a big punch with some amazing females lifting some amazing weight. You want some motivation? Watch a 19 year old who weights 116lb cleaning and jerking 150% her body weight. It was amazing.
Although being surrounded by awesome guys and gals pick up heavy weight all day was a cherry all in it's own, I will say that the highlight of my day was meeting Kris Clever. I was pleasantly surprised when she walked in the door before the meet; I didn't realize how close Valley Crossfit was to San Diego plus I figured she would be resting before any Games competition. Not only did I get to watch her lift, I also got to shoot the shit with her afterwards as we discussed the aforementioned amazing 19 year old who's name I can't remember to save my life. Even Kris found her motivating.
This past weekend also marked 2 weeks since I started my meal planning and nutritonal discussions with Coach George, and it was time to take some new measurements and pinching. Pinching hurts, by the way. I didn't think my jeans felt any looser but atleast they weren't feeling any tighter, so I wasn't all that optimistic going into the measuring session. He took some quick measurements and then, as if he was a doctor running tests, he told he would let me know how it went.
Later that night, I got this email from him:
"So you're weight didn't change, but your measurements did...4 out of 8 sites were significantly lower, to include the umbilical and supra-illiac (right about your hip). Your umbilical site went from 34.4 to 28.2!"
I don't know exactly what he was measuring as I know he didn't mean my waist is now at 28 inches but either way, it was motivating to see that my work is paying off.
A few Saturdays ago, Sage Burgener (who is an OLY coach at Crossfit Invictus) put on an OLY Meet at our box; it was open to all athletes who wanted to sign up. I really haven't done any snatch technique practice since the Windy City OLY Meet over 6 months ago, so I decided instead to just volunteer to help out Sage and Jen. I know, such a cop out. It was a relatively small meet but it packed a big punch with some amazing females lifting some amazing weight. You want some motivation? Watch a 19 year old who weights 116lb cleaning and jerking 150% her body weight. It was amazing.
Although being surrounded by awesome guys and gals pick up heavy weight all day was a cherry all in it's own, I will say that the highlight of my day was meeting Kris Clever. I was pleasantly surprised when she walked in the door before the meet; I didn't realize how close Valley Crossfit was to San Diego plus I figured she would be resting before any Games competition. Not only did I get to watch her lift, I also got to shoot the shit with her afterwards as we discussed the aforementioned amazing 19 year old who's name I can't remember to save my life. Even Kris found her motivating.
This past weekend also marked 2 weeks since I started my meal planning and nutritonal discussions with Coach George, and it was time to take some new measurements and pinching. Pinching hurts, by the way. I didn't think my jeans felt any looser but atleast they weren't feeling any tighter, so I wasn't all that optimistic going into the measuring session. He took some quick measurements and then, as if he was a doctor running tests, he told he would let me know how it went.
Later that night, I got this email from him:
"So you're weight didn't change, but your measurements did...4 out of 8 sites were significantly lower, to include the umbilical and supra-illiac (right about your hip). Your umbilical site went from 34.4 to 28.2!"
I don't know exactly what he was measuring as I know he didn't mean my waist is now at 28 inches but either way, it was motivating to see that my work is paying off.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Back to the recording board....
I'm nearing the end of Week 2 and I still do not have my daily diet tweaked for ultimate J-Performance. I'm getting in tons of protein and good carbs via veggies and the necessary fat but I just burn through food too fast sometimes. So my goal now is to find out what foods keep me the fullest, the longest and which foods give me the most energy. Unfortunately the only way to do this is to keep a 'food diary' of sorts; write down what I eat, when I eat, and record how I feel in terms of energy and hunger. Blah. This is not my favorite thing to do but oh well.
Today's Meal Plan:
Rest Day
Meal 1: Baked Bennes by Coach Michele
Meal 2: Leftover Lamb and Asparagus from last night
Meal 3: Ribeye Steak, Roasted Carrots and Salad
Meal 1's Baked Bennes were very tasty & filling, with endless possibilities. Just a caution: they come out of the oven very hot! I had to cut them up into bite size bits and let them cool for a bit before I could start eating. The link to the original recipe is above, but here is what I modified:
Ingredients:
2 Large Portabella Mushroom
2 eggs per Mushroom
S & P and Paprika
Directions:
Place mushroom bottoms up on a baking sheet. Crack egg and place inside mushroom cap. Sprinkle with seasoning. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes depending on how done you like the yolk. The white will be done in about 20 minutes and the yolk still runny. By 30 minutes, the yolk will be cooked all the way through. You can be fancy and cut them with a fork and knife but I just picked them up and munched away.
**After 20 minutes, I turned the oven to broil for 5 minutes. Then I topped with salsa after removing from the oven.
I probably would have been satisified with just 1 large mushroom and 2-3 eggs on it, as I didn't realize how filling this really was.
Last night's Lamb recipe was very tasty as well; however, this rack cost me almost $20 from Whole Foods so I don't foresee myself eating this every week. :) But if you'd like a nice treat or have access to inexpensive quality Lamb, I'd suggest you try this out. Coach George also has used this recipe for Pork Chops, a cheaper alternative.
Ingredients:
½ cup crushed almonds (or walnuts)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
*1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (7 bone) rack of lamb
*1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons coconut oil
*1 tablespoon mustard
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine crushed nuts, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
3. Season your rack (of lamb) with salt and pepper. Heat coconut oil in a large heavy skillet (cast iron works best) over high heat. Sear rack for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes. Brush rack with mustard and rub almond crumb mixture all over.
4. Arrange the rack bone side down in the skillet. Roast the lamb in the oven for 12 to 18 minutes. 12 minutes will give you a more rare rack, 18 for more well done. If you’re cooking two racks, this time will go up to 18 to 25 minutes.
5. Cover it with tin foil and let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes.
Today's Meal Plan:
Rest Day
Meal 1: Baked Bennes by Coach Michele
Meal 2: Leftover Lamb and Asparagus from last night
Meal 3: Ribeye Steak, Roasted Carrots and Salad
Meal 1's Baked Bennes were very tasty & filling, with endless possibilities. Just a caution: they come out of the oven very hot! I had to cut them up into bite size bits and let them cool for a bit before I could start eating. The link to the original recipe is above, but here is what I modified:
Ingredients:
2 Large Portabella Mushroom
2 eggs per Mushroom
S & P and Paprika
Directions:
Place mushroom bottoms up on a baking sheet. Crack egg and place inside mushroom cap. Sprinkle with seasoning. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes depending on how done you like the yolk. The white will be done in about 20 minutes and the yolk still runny. By 30 minutes, the yolk will be cooked all the way through. You can be fancy and cut them with a fork and knife but I just picked them up and munched away.
**After 20 minutes, I turned the oven to broil for 5 minutes. Then I topped with salsa after removing from the oven.
I probably would have been satisified with just 1 large mushroom and 2-3 eggs on it, as I didn't realize how filling this really was.
Last night's Lamb recipe was very tasty as well; however, this rack cost me almost $20 from Whole Foods so I don't foresee myself eating this every week. :) But if you'd like a nice treat or have access to inexpensive quality Lamb, I'd suggest you try this out. Coach George also has used this recipe for Pork Chops, a cheaper alternative.
Ingredients:
½ cup crushed almonds (or walnuts)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
*1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (7 bone) rack of lamb
*1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons coconut oil
*1 tablespoon mustard
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine crushed nuts, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
3. Season your rack (of lamb) with salt and pepper. Heat coconut oil in a large heavy skillet (cast iron works best) over high heat. Sear rack for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes. Brush rack with mustard and rub almond crumb mixture all over.
4. Arrange the rack bone side down in the skillet. Roast the lamb in the oven for 12 to 18 minutes. 12 minutes will give you a more rare rack, 18 for more well done. If you’re cooking two racks, this time will go up to 18 to 25 minutes.
5. Cover it with tin foil and let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Beast Mode: 2011!
I'm not a big fan of making "New Years Resolutions"; as a devoted Crossfit'er and Paleo lover, I try to live each day as "RX", as they say. So I don't make New Years Resolutions for myself and basically ignore everyone elses...however, I am definitely jumping on Crossfit Love's 30 Day Paleo Challenge. If I were to have any 'resolution' to start in January, it would be to use my crock pot slow cooker alot more often to make delicious, inexpensive Paleo-approved meals that I can 'nom' on for a week.
My first experiment? Beef Brisket. And it was a total success. Even my non-Paleo roommate loved it. This recipe made a huge crock pot full, which will last us for the week!
BEEF BRISKET WITH MIREPOIX
Mirepoix makes everything in life better.
For the meat:
3lb beef brisket
4c beef broth
1c red wine
4 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
3 bay leaves
For the mirepoix:
4 carrots diced very tiny
6 stalks celery diced very tiny
2 onions chopped fine
3 strips good salty, smoky, fatty bacon
Cute up Brisket into cubes and pre-cook the bacon in a pan. Pre-sauté veggies in the bacon grease, throw everything in the Crock pot. I cooked mine on high for 3 hours, and then on low for another 2-2.5. Meat came out perfect!
Today's MetCon at Lincoln Park Crossfit was a fun one for me! I really suck at Double Unders and have been practicing a lot this week; each day, they seem to be getting worse! Today was total beast mode though:
Strength: Push Press 3-3-3-3-3
Previous PR was on 10/28 at 105# x 2
Today I got 105# x 3 and 115# x 1
Conditioning: 225/135 and 24kg/16kg
21 Deadlift
21 Kettlebell Swings
50 Double Unders
15 Deadlift
15 KettleBell Swings
50 Double Unders
09 Deadlift
09 KettleBell Swings
I haven't been sleeping well this past week due to letting life get me down, so when I walked in to the 7am class exhausted this morning, I wasn't expecting Beast Mode at all. I did the MetCon at RX, got it in 12:24 and my DUs weren't so bad. I felt amazing after the MetCon - and rewarded myself with a nap :)
My first experiment? Beef Brisket. And it was a total success. Even my non-Paleo roommate loved it. This recipe made a huge crock pot full, which will last us for the week!
BEEF BRISKET WITH MIREPOIX
Mirepoix makes everything in life better.
For the meat:
3lb beef brisket
4c beef broth
1c red wine
4 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
3 bay leaves
For the mirepoix:
4 carrots diced very tiny
6 stalks celery diced very tiny
2 onions chopped fine
3 strips good salty, smoky, fatty bacon
Cute up Brisket into cubes and pre-cook the bacon in a pan. Pre-sauté veggies in the bacon grease, throw everything in the Crock pot. I cooked mine on high for 3 hours, and then on low for another 2-2.5. Meat came out perfect!
Today's MetCon at Lincoln Park Crossfit was a fun one for me! I really suck at Double Unders and have been practicing a lot this week; each day, they seem to be getting worse! Today was total beast mode though:
Strength: Push Press 3-3-3-3-3
Previous PR was on 10/28 at 105# x 2
Today I got 105# x 3 and 115# x 1
Conditioning: 225/135 and 24kg/16kg
21 Deadlift
21 Kettlebell Swings
50 Double Unders
15 Deadlift
15 KettleBell Swings
50 Double Unders
09 Deadlift
09 KettleBell Swings
I haven't been sleeping well this past week due to letting life get me down, so when I walked in to the 7am class exhausted this morning, I wasn't expecting Beast Mode at all. I did the MetCon at RX, got it in 12:24 and my DUs weren't so bad. I felt amazing after the MetCon - and rewarded myself with a nap :)
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Body By Burpees December!
Yay! Today is December 1st! Why am I so excited? First of the month = new challenge!
A few months ago, my now dear friend Heather was tweeting on Twitter about an October Burpees Challenge, which is how I found her on twitter and we've become great friends since! I did this challenge for a few weeks - yes, not all of October, but still, a few weeks in and it has greatly improved my speed and efficiency...just ask the cute guy at my box who I beat last week at a MetCon containing burpees ;)
The challenge: 15 burpees a day + the date. Simple math. (Oh Crossfit, how you've made me a better math student....)
December 1st: 15 + 1
December 2nd: 15 + 2
And so forth, until December 31st, which is 15 + 31 = 46....and then January 1st is the day of rest.
Doing this burpee challenge on your WOD days is not very difficult; it's really not that many burpees. What got me back in October was I would forget on my rest days to do them. And who wants to do 15+x twice for making up a missed day???
My goal for this month's challenge: Do as many as possible unbroken. Leading up to December 15th, I'm going to try to do all unbroken. Then we'll see after that. 30+ burpees is no joke!
One of the things I absolutely LOVE about this month's challenge is that my loud mouth has definitely paid off in support; I posted it in my Facebook status and all over twitter, and now I have seriously 20-30 people saying they will be doing this challenge with me! And these are not all Crossfitters, which is what I love.
#GetSome folks!
January's challenge....maybe Double Unders?? I'm taking suggestions!
A few months ago, my now dear friend Heather was tweeting on Twitter about an October Burpees Challenge, which is how I found her on twitter and we've become great friends since! I did this challenge for a few weeks - yes, not all of October, but still, a few weeks in and it has greatly improved my speed and efficiency...just ask the cute guy at my box who I beat last week at a MetCon containing burpees ;)
The challenge: 15 burpees a day + the date. Simple math. (Oh Crossfit, how you've made me a better math student....)
December 1st: 15 + 1
December 2nd: 15 + 2
And so forth, until December 31st, which is 15 + 31 = 46....and then January 1st is the day of rest.
Doing this burpee challenge on your WOD days is not very difficult; it's really not that many burpees. What got me back in October was I would forget on my rest days to do them. And who wants to do 15+x twice for making up a missed day???
My goal for this month's challenge: Do as many as possible unbroken. Leading up to December 15th, I'm going to try to do all unbroken. Then we'll see after that. 30+ burpees is no joke!
One of the things I absolutely LOVE about this month's challenge is that my loud mouth has definitely paid off in support; I posted it in my Facebook status and all over twitter, and now I have seriously 20-30 people saying they will be doing this challenge with me! And these are not all Crossfitters, which is what I love.
#GetSome folks!
January's challenge....maybe Double Unders?? I'm taking suggestions!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Pumpkin Brownies - Paleo style!
Each Fall, me and my girlfriends all have one huge "Girls Night" at our friend Corinne's house. The night consists of 12-15 girls who all bring atleast 2 bottles of wine each, plus a dessert; Corinne has a couple of pizza stones so she provides a variety of exquisite homemade pizzas. The whole night screams "NON" Paleo. So I figured now would be the perfect time to practice my paleo dessert baking skills. Don't get me wrong - I do plan to steal a bite of pizza and try some desserts.....and this girl is bringing 3 bottles of champagne!
But back to our Paleo talk. I love love pumpkin and wanted to do a dessert that incorporates pumpkin puree, since it was already in my cabinet. My girl Kelsey pointed me in the direction of a Pumpkin Brownies recipe found at her box's paleo blog (Found Here).
As I love organization, I first lined up all the ingredients on the counter, ready to be mixed. And then I looked at them with much doubt; I was to make brownies with JUST these ingredients?! I mean, how many times have you baked non-paleo desserts with a shit ton of flour, right?
Well, either way, I needed to give it a try! So according to this recipe, I added all of these ingredients into a bowl and mixed mixed mixed:
1 cup almond butter
3/4 cup mashed pumpkin (from a can)
1 egg
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps unsweetened baking cocoa (I added this)
This one is incredibly easy, just combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Pour into a lightly greased 8 x 8" pan. Top with a handful of pecans and/or walnuts if you prefer. Bake at 350 degrees for 26 minutes.
Of course, I had to taste-test the batter - and it tasted pretty damn tasty. I was starting to gain some hope in my lil baking experiment! The first batch didn't look very big when I put it in a pan so I decided to make a second batch:
For the second patch, I added 1/2 cup of coconut flour; why? Why not! I had the ipod going, the first batch looked promising, and I wanted to experiment! So 1/2 cup of coconut flour and more honey to taste; the batter wasn't tasting as sweet as I want it to be.
The recipe originally called for baking for 26 minutes; after cutting a slice for me and my lucky roommate to try, we decided it was still alittle too gooey so I put it back in for 5 minutes; the 2nd batch was still cooking. After that, I decided on an additional 10 more minutes for both, bringing the baking time up to 40 minutes. I don't want to dry them out and they are tasting good but I also don't want them too gooey.
The verdict....
Definitely a winner! After 40 minutes, they were still a tad mushy, but nothing eating with a fork or even just a napkin won't fix.
After eating so strict for weeks now, I've lost my desire for super sweet desserts. The only thing that really trips my trigger anymore is ice cream - and it always will. My second batch, with the coconut flour, was not very sweet at all and I found it delicious! But anyone making this recipe can taste the batter before baking to add or subtract honey to get the right level of sweetness desired.
I can't wait to serve these up tomorrow night! No one's going to know just how healthy they really are..... ;)
But back to our Paleo talk. I love love pumpkin and wanted to do a dessert that incorporates pumpkin puree, since it was already in my cabinet. My girl Kelsey pointed me in the direction of a Pumpkin Brownies recipe found at her box's paleo blog (Found Here).
As I love organization, I first lined up all the ingredients on the counter, ready to be mixed. And then I looked at them with much doubt; I was to make brownies with JUST these ingredients?! I mean, how many times have you baked non-paleo desserts with a shit ton of flour, right?
Well, either way, I needed to give it a try! So according to this recipe, I added all of these ingredients into a bowl and mixed mixed mixed:
1 cup almond butter
3/4 cup mashed pumpkin (from a can)
1 egg
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps unsweetened baking cocoa (I added this)
This one is incredibly easy, just combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Pour into a lightly greased 8 x 8" pan. Top with a handful of pecans and/or walnuts if you prefer. Bake at 350 degrees for 26 minutes.
Of course, I had to taste-test the batter - and it tasted pretty damn tasty. I was starting to gain some hope in my lil baking experiment! The first batch didn't look very big when I put it in a pan so I decided to make a second batch:
For the second patch, I added 1/2 cup of coconut flour; why? Why not! I had the ipod going, the first batch looked promising, and I wanted to experiment! So 1/2 cup of coconut flour and more honey to taste; the batter wasn't tasting as sweet as I want it to be.
The recipe originally called for baking for 26 minutes; after cutting a slice for me and my lucky roommate to try, we decided it was still alittle too gooey so I put it back in for 5 minutes; the 2nd batch was still cooking. After that, I decided on an additional 10 more minutes for both, bringing the baking time up to 40 minutes. I don't want to dry them out and they are tasting good but I also don't want them too gooey.
The verdict....
Definitely a winner! After 40 minutes, they were still a tad mushy, but nothing eating with a fork or even just a napkin won't fix.
After eating so strict for weeks now, I've lost my desire for super sweet desserts. The only thing that really trips my trigger anymore is ice cream - and it always will. My second batch, with the coconut flour, was not very sweet at all and I found it delicious! But anyone making this recipe can taste the batter before baking to add or subtract honey to get the right level of sweetness desired.
I can't wait to serve these up tomorrow night! No one's going to know just how healthy they really are..... ;)
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Where does your meat come from?
If you are following the Paleo diet, there's a very good chance the main component in your diet is meat, especially if you also do Crossfit. Protein, protein, protein! Growing up, I had the normal diet that is common in the United States, which is basically meat with every meal. In the winter of 2008, I moved to Chicago to be with my boyfriend, who only ate fish and chicken; no beef, no pork. I quickly adopted his diet, since we lived together and it was just easier when cooking our meals. I had no problems or stress with this diet change, since Chicago is a big city and living here does make it easier when you have 'dietary restrictions', as my coworkers call it.
A couple of months later after the move, I read the book "Skinny Bitch" and it changed my life and my views of the foods I was putting in my body. I quickly changed to a vegetarian, or rather, pescatarian diet, since I was still eating fish. I started buying soy milk instead of dairy, rarely ate cheese, and never bought eggs. After spending the weekend with a vegan in December of 2009, I decided to go all out vegetarian; no fish, no meat, no eggs of any sort. I still didn't drink milk, but I did enjoy cheese. And I had no problems with this diet. You can say the main motivator behind this diet choice for me was the inethical treatment of 'factory farm' animals, which is where most of the US meats come from.
Four months after that: enter Crossfit. Initially I went back right away to eating fish in order to get in my protein. But since I no longer live on the coast, where fresh ocean seafood is plentiful and inexpensive, it became difficult to afford eating fish all day, every day. It got pretty boring. So against my wishes, I started adding chicken back into my diet.
I hated it. I felt guilty with every piece of chicken I ate. But I knew it my body needed it and that my first and foremost concern should be my health. So to ease my guilt, I made it a goal of mine to try to find the best chicken around, in terms of healthiness and humane treatment of the chickens.
Thankfully, I didn't have to look far; Treasure Island in Lakeview/Boystown sells Miller Amish chicken. Although this chicken is much more expensive than your regular brands ($12 for 2lbs, which is roughly 3 large breasts), it is well worth it to me for what you get at that price and it helps ease my guilt.
1) The President's Message specifically talks about their humane treatment of the chickens
2) All of the farms and processing centers are in close proximity to each other in the Midwest and to me, which makes their carbon footprint minimal
3) They are fed an all-vegetable, drug free diet and are hormone and antibiotic free.
So long story short, what's my point? Know where your food comes from. Know how your food is being grown, how it's being processed. You work so hard to achieve great fitness, whether it's marathon training or Crossfit, so you should also work hard to ensure you are giving your body exactly what it needs, and nothing less.
A couple of months later after the move, I read the book "Skinny Bitch" and it changed my life and my views of the foods I was putting in my body. I quickly changed to a vegetarian, or rather, pescatarian diet, since I was still eating fish. I started buying soy milk instead of dairy, rarely ate cheese, and never bought eggs. After spending the weekend with a vegan in December of 2009, I decided to go all out vegetarian; no fish, no meat, no eggs of any sort. I still didn't drink milk, but I did enjoy cheese. And I had no problems with this diet. You can say the main motivator behind this diet choice for me was the inethical treatment of 'factory farm' animals, which is where most of the US meats come from.
Four months after that: enter Crossfit. Initially I went back right away to eating fish in order to get in my protein. But since I no longer live on the coast, where fresh ocean seafood is plentiful and inexpensive, it became difficult to afford eating fish all day, every day. It got pretty boring. So against my wishes, I started adding chicken back into my diet.
I hated it. I felt guilty with every piece of chicken I ate. But I knew it my body needed it and that my first and foremost concern should be my health. So to ease my guilt, I made it a goal of mine to try to find the best chicken around, in terms of healthiness and humane treatment of the chickens.
Thankfully, I didn't have to look far; Treasure Island in Lakeview/Boystown sells Miller Amish chicken. Although this chicken is much more expensive than your regular brands ($12 for 2lbs, which is roughly 3 large breasts), it is well worth it to me for what you get at that price and it helps ease my guilt.
1) The President's Message specifically talks about their humane treatment of the chickens
2) All of the farms and processing centers are in close proximity to each other in the Midwest and to me, which makes their carbon footprint minimal
3) They are fed an all-vegetable, drug free diet and are hormone and antibiotic free.
So long story short, what's my point? Know where your food comes from. Know how your food is being grown, how it's being processed. You work so hard to achieve great fitness, whether it's marathon training or Crossfit, so you should also work hard to ensure you are giving your body exactly what it needs, and nothing less.
Friday, November 5, 2010
OLY Meet and Homemade Shakes
I've been doing CrossFit religiously for just over 6 months now and as the result of this dedication, I've met a lot of small goals and have seen myself progress rapidly in some areas. (Remember when you ladies couldn't do even one push up or pull up?!)
As much as I love and appreciate all of these little victories, I am now super excited to have a big goal to work towards - the 2nd Annual WCCF Winter Weightlifting Meet! This OLY Meet is here in Chicago, exactly 5 weeks from tomorrow, and consists of a snatch and then a clean & jerk. This will be my first competition as a CrossFitter and I'm excited that its an OLY competition since that's my favorite part of CrossFit. I am on Day 5 of strict Paleo/no alcohol and plan on keeping that up until the competition.
As of today, my numbers are as follows:
Cleans: 3 Rep Max at 105# on 11/5/2010
Jerks: 1 Rep Max Split Jerk at 115# on 9/15/2010
Snatch: 1 Rep Max at 80# on 8/31/2010
One of my coaches told me last week that I have a pretty solid split jerk, which makes me happy, but as you can see I haven't worked on snatches in months! I'm hoping to drop into a 2 hour OLY class at CrossFit Coastal next Saturday and get in some more practice.
One of my dietary goals for this month is to try to get in more protein. I'm not a big meat eater and tend to only eat meat with lunch and dinner, so it can be hard for me to get in the recommended 120-160g of protein a WOD day that my body needs. If I were to guess, I would say that I am around 80-90g a day, so I am constantly trying to find ways to sneak in more protein when I can.
Even before CrossFit, one of my favorite post workout meals has always been the protein shake. I've always tried to stay away from sugar and processed products so I've always made them homemade, and find them delicious! I'm always looking for ways to switch up my shakes so let me know any suggestions you have.
My shake today:
1 Scoop Chocolate Whey Protein
1 Medium Frozen Banana
1 Raw Egg
1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
4 Fresh Strawberries
I have two canisters of Beverly Protein Powder; Chocolate and Vanilla. I like to switch off between the above recipe and a Vanilla Powder/Frozen Banana/Frozen Blueberries version. I use to love to put peanut butter in my chocolate shakes for the added fat/protein/taste but I'm trying to kick my peanut butter habit so that is forbidden right now. I find that the frozen banana gives the shake the condensity of a milkshake - such a treat after a hard WOD!
As much as I love and appreciate all of these little victories, I am now super excited to have a big goal to work towards - the 2nd Annual WCCF Winter Weightlifting Meet! This OLY Meet is here in Chicago, exactly 5 weeks from tomorrow, and consists of a snatch and then a clean & jerk. This will be my first competition as a CrossFitter and I'm excited that its an OLY competition since that's my favorite part of CrossFit. I am on Day 5 of strict Paleo/no alcohol and plan on keeping that up until the competition.
As of today, my numbers are as follows:
Cleans: 3 Rep Max at 105# on 11/5/2010
Jerks: 1 Rep Max Split Jerk at 115# on 9/15/2010
Snatch: 1 Rep Max at 80# on 8/31/2010
One of my coaches told me last week that I have a pretty solid split jerk, which makes me happy, but as you can see I haven't worked on snatches in months! I'm hoping to drop into a 2 hour OLY class at CrossFit Coastal next Saturday and get in some more practice.
One of my dietary goals for this month is to try to get in more protein. I'm not a big meat eater and tend to only eat meat with lunch and dinner, so it can be hard for me to get in the recommended 120-160g of protein a WOD day that my body needs. If I were to guess, I would say that I am around 80-90g a day, so I am constantly trying to find ways to sneak in more protein when I can.
Even before CrossFit, one of my favorite post workout meals has always been the protein shake. I've always tried to stay away from sugar and processed products so I've always made them homemade, and find them delicious! I'm always looking for ways to switch up my shakes so let me know any suggestions you have.
My shake today:
1 Scoop Chocolate Whey Protein
1 Medium Frozen Banana
1 Raw Egg
1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
4 Fresh Strawberries
I have two canisters of Beverly Protein Powder; Chocolate and Vanilla. I like to switch off between the above recipe and a Vanilla Powder/Frozen Banana/Frozen Blueberries version. I use to love to put peanut butter in my chocolate shakes for the added fat/protein/taste but I'm trying to kick my peanut butter habit so that is forbidden right now. I find that the frozen banana gives the shake the condensity of a milkshake - such a treat after a hard WOD!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Creamy Avocado Dressing
Avocados are definitely in my top 5 favorite foods. I love the texture, the color, the taste, how versatile they can be and of course, I love how healthy they are.
I don't remember how I happened upon this recipe but I will thank CrossFit Central Relentless Bootcamp for posting it. Normally my week day lunches consist of a big salad with tuna fish and some kind of Paleo dressing; today I decided to give this dressing a try since it basically contains all of the things I normally put in my salad anyways.
Recipe of the Week-- Creamy Avocado Dressing
1 avocado
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Place avocado, olive oil, lemon juice and water in a blender
Puree until smooth then blend in salt and pepper
Serve over green or chopped salad
Simple, fast and inexpensive. I already had all of the ingredients in my kitchen. This recipe made enough so I can store some in the refrigerator for tomorrow's salad. I also think this is the type of recipe that could be 'open to interpretation'; maybe add a little salsa or chipotle seasoning to it. Let me know if anyone comes up with a variation!
I don't remember how I happened upon this recipe but I will thank CrossFit Central Relentless Bootcamp for posting it. Normally my week day lunches consist of a big salad with tuna fish and some kind of Paleo dressing; today I decided to give this dressing a try since it basically contains all of the things I normally put in my salad anyways.
Recipe of the Week-- Creamy Avocado Dressing
1 avocado
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Place avocado, olive oil, lemon juice and water in a blender
Puree until smooth then blend in salt and pepper
Serve over green or chopped salad
Simple, fast and inexpensive. I already had all of the ingredients in my kitchen. This recipe made enough so I can store some in the refrigerator for tomorrow's salad. I also think this is the type of recipe that could be 'open to interpretation'; maybe add a little salsa or chipotle seasoning to it. Let me know if anyone comes up with a variation!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Day 10, Shoes, Road Trip & Shout Outs!
I've finally hit Day 10 of my 10 Day Advocare Herbal Cleanse Challenge. The results?
Weight: Started at 158.5#, ended today at 155#, although my lowest was 154#. I'm not too discouraged because I have been lifting heavy this week and as CrossFitters, we all know the scale doesn't always reflect our true measurements.
How do I feel and how hard was it? I feel fabulous. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be; I thought missing coffee would be the hardest part and it wasn't, thanks to Spark. I've been eating paleo on and off for months now so the clean eatting wasn't hard at all. Yeah, sitting in the bar with my friends over the weekend, watching football and not drinking wasn't my idea of a great time but being 100% sober actually let me put all my focus on the games, so I didn't miss a play. And I definitely didn't miss being hung over.
Did I cheat at all? I will admit, last night, Day 9, I did have two beers, two cookies and some chocolate at a celebration. How did I feel after? Like total shit. Was not worth it. I don't think it effected me too much but to be extra cautious, I may throw in a second WOD for today (just a run).
So my next steps? I'm going to continue on the Spark and Catalyst and I'm now officially an Advocare distributor. I may try some of the performance supplements but that won't be for a few weeks.
In the meantime....my new CrossFit "Toy"...my new INOV-8 F Lites 195s!! I'm so stoked to have a pair, as I was watching the AgainFaster.com website every day for a few weeks now. My Coach bought the same pair as well. So far, we love them. I did a big happy dance on my front porch when the post master dropped them off last week; he found it entertaining. :)
I got the shoes just in time for my big weekend road trip! Me and Navy Mike are starting in Davenport, IA on Friday morning to WOD at Quad City CrossFit, then shoot up to Rochester, MN to WOD at CrossFit Progression. Then on Saturday morning, it's Handstands in front of Lambeau (aka...Heaven on Earth < 3) and then to check out the new CrossFit Green Bay box. But I think the hardest part of the trip will be getting through my cousin's wedding that afternoon....after all that WODing, it will be interesting to see if I can stay awake during the ceremony.
And lastly today, I wanted to give a couple of shout outs! My buddy Khristian Moore was just interview on CrossFit Radio last week; it's an inspiring yet entertaining interview so I recommend everyone listen to it:
http://journal.crossfit.com/2010/10/crossfit-radio-episode-141.tpl
For those that haven't heard mine & Navy Mike's interview yet, you can find it here:
http://journal.crossfit.com/2010/09/crossfit-radio-episode-137.tpl
Also, my buddy Ric Stokes just started a Paleo challenge, on his way to a healthier CrossFit body and has started a blog to document with photos how his progress is going. I know he'll do great! :)
Weight: Started at 158.5#, ended today at 155#, although my lowest was 154#. I'm not too discouraged because I have been lifting heavy this week and as CrossFitters, we all know the scale doesn't always reflect our true measurements.
How do I feel and how hard was it? I feel fabulous. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be; I thought missing coffee would be the hardest part and it wasn't, thanks to Spark. I've been eating paleo on and off for months now so the clean eatting wasn't hard at all. Yeah, sitting in the bar with my friends over the weekend, watching football and not drinking wasn't my idea of a great time but being 100% sober actually let me put all my focus on the games, so I didn't miss a play. And I definitely didn't miss being hung over.
Did I cheat at all? I will admit, last night, Day 9, I did have two beers, two cookies and some chocolate at a celebration. How did I feel after? Like total shit. Was not worth it. I don't think it effected me too much but to be extra cautious, I may throw in a second WOD for today (just a run).
So my next steps? I'm going to continue on the Spark and Catalyst and I'm now officially an Advocare distributor. I may try some of the performance supplements but that won't be for a few weeks.
In the meantime....my new CrossFit "Toy"...my new INOV-8 F Lites 195s!! I'm so stoked to have a pair, as I was watching the AgainFaster.com website every day for a few weeks now. My Coach bought the same pair as well. So far, we love them. I did a big happy dance on my front porch when the post master dropped them off last week; he found it entertaining. :)
I got the shoes just in time for my big weekend road trip! Me and Navy Mike are starting in Davenport, IA on Friday morning to WOD at Quad City CrossFit, then shoot up to Rochester, MN to WOD at CrossFit Progression. Then on Saturday morning, it's Handstands in front of Lambeau (aka...Heaven on Earth < 3) and then to check out the new CrossFit Green Bay box. But I think the hardest part of the trip will be getting through my cousin's wedding that afternoon....after all that WODing, it will be interesting to see if I can stay awake during the ceremony.
And lastly today, I wanted to give a couple of shout outs! My buddy Khristian Moore was just interview on CrossFit Radio last week; it's an inspiring yet entertaining interview so I recommend everyone listen to it:
http://journal.crossfit.com/2010/10/crossfit-radio-episode-141.tpl
For those that haven't heard mine & Navy Mike's interview yet, you can find it here:
http://journal.crossfit.com/2010/09/crossfit-radio-episode-137.tpl
Also, my buddy Ric Stokes just started a Paleo challenge, on his way to a healthier CrossFit body and has started a blog to document with photos how his progress is going. I know he'll do great! :)
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Sleep : Quality over Quantity
Day #4 - Still Rockstar
Weight - 156#
Most "diets" are different; some are low cal, some are low fat, some are low carb, some are all three, etc. But the one thing that every diet or every personal trainer will agree on is that sleep is a very big key to anyone's fitness, whether you are trying to lose weight or just be healthy.
Sleep has always been a horrible thing for me; I've had sleeping disorders since I started sleep walking at the age of 3. Most of the disorders have subsided by now but anyone that has been following me on twitter over the last 6 months knows that sleep walking to the kitchen for a snack has pretty much been every night over the last 6 months. It's hard to lose weight and stay positive when your sleep quality is horrible and you are consuming an extra 200-500 calories at 2am.
I went to the doctor and got tests done; his only suggestion was to switch from a Paleo diet to a more rounded Zone diet due to a carb deficiency. I started eating oatmeal for breakfast and I was able to sleep 3 or 4 nights without sleep walking.
I've been talking to a couple of girls this week that I know who are doing the same Advocare cleanse that I'm doing and one of the first comments I made was that I wonder how I will sleep while taking these supplements; the smallest things can effect my sleep so I didn't know if I would be sensitive to the supplements or not. Sherris reassured me that she has never slept better.
And I have to agree! I'm on Day 4, and with each day, I'm feeling more and more rockstar. I know there is no one key reason to why I feel this way; but I do feel like all of the reasons are all fitting together in a way that makes me feel the best I have in months. This cleanse, the supplements and this diet are doing my body good, which is making me get fantastic sleep at night (whether it's 5 hours or 8 hours), which in turn is definitely showing improvement in my MetCons at the box. How could you not feel rockstar?
This picture is for my girl Kelsey :) Thanks to my influence, she has discovered the power of the knee high socks during her WODs and she's hooked. Get some, girl! <3
Weight - 156#
Most "diets" are different; some are low cal, some are low fat, some are low carb, some are all three, etc. But the one thing that every diet or every personal trainer will agree on is that sleep is a very big key to anyone's fitness, whether you are trying to lose weight or just be healthy.
Sleep has always been a horrible thing for me; I've had sleeping disorders since I started sleep walking at the age of 3. Most of the disorders have subsided by now but anyone that has been following me on twitter over the last 6 months knows that sleep walking to the kitchen for a snack has pretty much been every night over the last 6 months. It's hard to lose weight and stay positive when your sleep quality is horrible and you are consuming an extra 200-500 calories at 2am.
I went to the doctor and got tests done; his only suggestion was to switch from a Paleo diet to a more rounded Zone diet due to a carb deficiency. I started eating oatmeal for breakfast and I was able to sleep 3 or 4 nights without sleep walking.
I've been talking to a couple of girls this week that I know who are doing the same Advocare cleanse that I'm doing and one of the first comments I made was that I wonder how I will sleep while taking these supplements; the smallest things can effect my sleep so I didn't know if I would be sensitive to the supplements or not. Sherris reassured me that she has never slept better.
And I have to agree! I'm on Day 4, and with each day, I'm feeling more and more rockstar. I know there is no one key reason to why I feel this way; but I do feel like all of the reasons are all fitting together in a way that makes me feel the best I have in months. This cleanse, the supplements and this diet are doing my body good, which is making me get fantastic sleep at night (whether it's 5 hours or 8 hours), which in turn is definitely showing improvement in my MetCons at the box. How could you not feel rockstar?
This picture is for my girl Kelsey :) Thanks to my influence, she has discovered the power of the knee high socks during her WODs and she's hooked. Get some, girl! <3
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Coffee vs Spark
Rockstar Day #3!
Weight: 157#
I decided that I needed some sleep, as it's essential to all things health with me, so I skipped my 0630 WOD and sleep until 0730. It was a pretty good 8 hours of sleep and it totally paid off. I got up, had my morning Spark and Catalyst and within 30 minutes, I was so ready to go on a 4 mile run. It was definitely the best run I've had in weeks!....until the trenchal downpour with lightening and thunder. :)
I use to joke right before Lent that you can take away my alcohol, take away my facebook...even taking away my texting for 30 days but don't even think about touching my morning cup of coffee. Both my Dad and StepDad were Marines so every single morning, even to this day, a full pot of coffee is awaiting every morning. So it's safe to say I've been hooked on the black elixir since a very early age.
But, I stayed open minded and decided to give this 10 day, no coffee, cleanse a try. The first two days, although were great, were alittle rough at times. On Day #1, by noon, I was tired and had a headache. Yesterday, Day #2, I started experiencing the same symptoms, but they were alittle less in severity and they didn't show up until 1pm. I am happy to say that each day is getting better and better; I know that 8 hours of sleep did have a hand in helping but I have felt fabulous all day and didn't get tired until almost 230pm today. (And no headaches)
So where do I stand now on the topic of coffee? I will definitely not say I will never drink it again; however, I did order a new canister of Spark (Pink Lemonade!) so for now, I have decided to make that my daily drink instead of coffee. Coffee has never let me down, but there's no way I can drink a full serving of coffee and then go for a run 30 minutes later; coffee is just too heavy for me and well, makes me have to pee right away :) I will definitely enjoy a Starbucks drink here and there, and maybe a nice cup of Joe on a rest day or some cold afternoon. But I'm just happy I've found a great alternative that fits my needs right now.
When I tell people what my diet restrictions are, people tend to look at me like I'm crazy. Paleo?! No bread?! I can't live without my cheese! You must really hate being on this diet.
Well, please see above picture of my most delicious lunch. Baked salmon, with nothing but sprinkled BBQ spices, baked spaghetti squash, with nothing but pepper, garlic powder and alittle salt (thanks Michael for introducing me to this awesome vegetable), and a couple of strawberries to cleanse the palette afterwards. Oh yes, my friends, how I suffer on this diet. :)
Weight: 157#
I decided that I needed some sleep, as it's essential to all things health with me, so I skipped my 0630 WOD and sleep until 0730. It was a pretty good 8 hours of sleep and it totally paid off. I got up, had my morning Spark and Catalyst and within 30 minutes, I was so ready to go on a 4 mile run. It was definitely the best run I've had in weeks!....until the trenchal downpour with lightening and thunder. :)
I use to joke right before Lent that you can take away my alcohol, take away my facebook...even taking away my texting for 30 days but don't even think about touching my morning cup of coffee. Both my Dad and StepDad were Marines so every single morning, even to this day, a full pot of coffee is awaiting every morning. So it's safe to say I've been hooked on the black elixir since a very early age.
But, I stayed open minded and decided to give this 10 day, no coffee, cleanse a try. The first two days, although were great, were alittle rough at times. On Day #1, by noon, I was tired and had a headache. Yesterday, Day #2, I started experiencing the same symptoms, but they were alittle less in severity and they didn't show up until 1pm. I am happy to say that each day is getting better and better; I know that 8 hours of sleep did have a hand in helping but I have felt fabulous all day and didn't get tired until almost 230pm today. (And no headaches)
So where do I stand now on the topic of coffee? I will definitely not say I will never drink it again; however, I did order a new canister of Spark (Pink Lemonade!) so for now, I have decided to make that my daily drink instead of coffee. Coffee has never let me down, but there's no way I can drink a full serving of coffee and then go for a run 30 minutes later; coffee is just too heavy for me and well, makes me have to pee right away :) I will definitely enjoy a Starbucks drink here and there, and maybe a nice cup of Joe on a rest day or some cold afternoon. But I'm just happy I've found a great alternative that fits my needs right now.
When I tell people what my diet restrictions are, people tend to look at me like I'm crazy. Paleo?! No bread?! I can't live without my cheese! You must really hate being on this diet.
Well, please see above picture of my most delicious lunch. Baked salmon, with nothing but sprinkled BBQ spices, baked spaghetti squash, with nothing but pepper, garlic powder and alittle salt (thanks Michael for introducing me to this awesome vegetable), and a couple of strawberries to cleanse the palette afterwards. Oh yes, my friends, how I suffer on this diet. :)
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