My Paleolithic Adventure

New Blog!

2011-07-24T23:11:00.003-05:00

I'm moving!!!

I love this blog, but frankly I just haven't had the desire to write lately. I'm redirecting my "blog" focus more to my training. I have a new blog called "Stronger and Faster". I will still write about nutrtion, just not all time.

Thanks for all the motivation over the last few years to keep it clean!

Come visit!

Cinco de Mayo!

2011-05-05T09:18:00.002-05:00

It is the 5th of May. It is a day that Americans love to celebrate with lots of chips, salsa, beer and margaritas. Isn't it wonderful how we embrace other cultures? Days like this can be really tough if you are trying to keep a clean (or cleaner) diet. So how do you survive today when you are out and about with your friends?

If you are at home, forgo the chips an thinly slice some crisp cucumber. My mom taught me this and it is a stable at their home. We almost never have tortilla chips with salsa anymore. It is always cucumber. Believe me, it tastes pretty much the same. You still have the crispness of the chip and you still get to enjoy the deliciousness that is salsa.

Today is also a day to celebrate one of the most fabulous fats in the world...avocado. Put it on everything. I swear guacamole makes everything taste better. Delicious.

Are you hungry for a meal? Fajitas are the way to go. Forget the enchiladas or burrito today. Don't use the day as an excuse. Order fajitas! Go crazy and get steak or shrimp. Make them special. This is our go to meal at Mexican restaurants. We ask for just the skillet. No tortillas, no beans, no rice. Don't be scared about being specific. Your waiter won't care so why should you? Ask for extra salsa and guacamole, mix it up and go to town.

Now, if you love beer I can't really help you that much. If you must have some, try to limit it to one. If you are a margarita drinker, many restaurants have "skinny" versions. If you must partake try one of those instead! Also, stay away from the frozen ones. They are packed with a ton more calories than they other version because it is so dense. You can still have your beverage, but not ruin your diet while doing it.

Eating clean doesn't mean you have to miss out on all the fun so don't pretend it does. If you decide to have a few chips don't beat yourself up, but don't go crazy. Put a few on your plate and limit yourself to those. Eat them slow, laugh with friends and enjoy your night! If you feel like putting on a sombrero and dancing a little bit do that as well.

In CrossFit News:

The Open is over! The Open is over! I qualified for regionals and I have about three until go time. Excited. Nervous. Terrified. CrossFit OKC kicked some serious tail. Our team finished 4th in the region! We have a few individuals competing in addition to the team. Chicago here we come! Everyone was amazing.

What Is The Deal?!?!

2011-04-28T14:50:00.002-05:00

I'm starving.

Seriously, all I want to do is eat. I see food and my eyes feel like they are about to jump out of my eye sockets. I just finished lunch about an hour ago and I'm already on the look out for my next fix. I'm not sure what is going on. I'm actually working out less this week. One would think that would slow down my hunger pains, right?

I'm eating just like I normally do for the most part. No drastic changes. I'm drinking water with the occasional caffeine fix. Lots of fats because I can't function without my almond butter and avocado. I really have no idea what is going on.

My sleep is wacky too. I was up at 4AM this morning and could not go back to sleep. Awful. Of course, this is because my husband left the house before 4AM and I had to endure really early morning alarms. Ugh. I think I'm just "off" this week. Even at 4AM though the first thing I thought was, "Oh my goodness get me food this instant."

Suggestions? Thoughts?

I do have to brag for a second about myself though....I went to Outback last night and only had two small sized slices of bread. Yes, that is an accomplishment. Yes, everyone else I was with resisted, but I'm weak when it comes to Outback bread. Since I normally eat about three loaves on my own I'm claiming this visit victorious.

To Trevor - I'm actually still trying to find my favorite places to shop paleo in the area. Whole Foods is opening in October/November which will be wonderful. I can usually find really good produce at Homeland, but it is more expensive. I don't worry about buying organic so for the most part I shop wherever it is convenient and there is almond butter. If you find a a good place though please share and good luck!

Good News

2011-04-21T14:01:00.003-05:00

Today I went to the store for the first time in almost two weeks. I was trying out a new economical system. It was called, starving ourselves. :) Basically the plan was to just clean out the entire house before I went to the store again so we could save money. That worked OK, until all we had left were cans of beans, two mini Larabars and an avocado. The Mr. wasn't such a fan of my plan.

It actually worked out great that he kindly requested a shopping trip because now I have eggs, pork chops, lean steak, celery and almond butter (ahhhh heaven), bananas, natural almonds and some dried fruit for the Mr. to make his own trail mix. Yes, it feels good to have a house full of good food again.

The most amazing part is that we went one whole week without Diet Dr. Pepper in the house. For me, that is perfectly fine. For him, it is like asking someone to not breathe for one week. We survived though. No worries.

Probably the most exciting thing I can report, however, is that I only have one WOD left to go in the CrossFit Open! Hallelujah. I cannot tell you how excited I am to get the final WOD completed and in the books. If it wasn't for a phenomenal rip on my right hand during the fifth WOD, I would be doing WOD 6 this weekend and be done with it. Thanks toes to bar. I knew I hated you. Minor rips are major for me...I don't rip often so I don't handle the healing process well. More than likely it means I will wait until next week to get 11.6 completed, but that is fine with me.

This has been such a great learning process for me. Things that used to make me nervous now don't make me nervous at all (muscle ups). It has made me keep pushing myself because there is always someone somewhere that is kicking my butt. It has helped me stay in the moment and not freak out when a rep doesn't go well or I feel like I'm slowing down. Just keep moving. One rep after another. Stay focused. Just breathe.

Confession Time

2011-04-11T09:16:00.003-05:00

I posted this on Facebook yesterday:

"Thank God for Twizzlers and Cinnamon Rolls. Yup, I said that."

I did mean every word. Yes, I know it goes against a lot of what I say and what I normally do. I have also always been very upfront that I think it is 100% impossible to eat 100% paleo 100% of the time. At least, for me it is. It is unrealistic. I like treats too much. However, I know how restrain myself and not go overboard.

Let me set the scene so you know how I came to that Facebook statement.

This week was week three of the CrossFit Open. The wod this week was an AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of a squat clean and a jerk. Each movement counted for one point so a full clean and jerk was two points. The weight was 165# for men and 110# for women. Heavier, but manageable.

I had set a goal of getting thirty five reps. That is a lot. I know. On Friday I attempted the wod and got thirty full reps and one squat clean. I felt really good about the outcome. I knew I wanted more, but I was sitting in a good spot in the standings. No need to freak out and try again. However, I told myself if on Sunday I felt up for it I would give it another go. This is the type of wod I need to to more frequently. Heavier, fast and lots of reps. I actually want to start incorporating part of this into my weekly strength training with a shorter time domain. It is good to challenge yourself!

I worked out Saturday like normal. Sunday I was feeling fine so I showed up at the gym with a couple of other OKC'ers. I have to admit, prior to starting I was feeling very blah. The bar felt heavy and I wasn't feeling spunky. My approach was, "You already have a good score. Just pick it up and go. " I do so much better when I don't put pressure on myself. I knocked out thirty four reps. I had about six seconds to spare. My husband was kindly encouraging me to get another clean as I just turned around and sat down. I was done.

This brings me to my Facebook post. I was happy. My guilty pleasure is Twizzlers. They were the first thing I consumed after regionals last year and they are usually the first thing I want when I decide I'm going to indulge. It works for me. A small treat and when it is gone I am satisfied. I love my Twizzlers. On our way home we stopped to get a drink AND a nice little pack of Twizzlers all for me. I enjoyed every bite.

What is your guilty pleasure? Your special reward? Everyone has one and it is 100% OK to give yourself that wiggle room every now and then...even when you are training. It is good for your mental state. I know it is good for mine.

Don't worry, as I write this I'm drinking lots of water, eating turkey sausage and my almond butter.

Crystal Clear

2011-04-06T12:11:00.002-05:00

We go through dishes really fast at our house. It seems like all twenty four of our spoons (twelve small, twelve large) are dirty in three days. Between two people, that seems pretty fast. The same goes for our cups. We use a lot of plastic cups in our house. Not the disposable plastic cups, but the novelty kind. They don't match, but they are functional. We are pretty low maintenance when it comes to that kind of stuff.

Yesterday, all of our trusty plastic wear was dirty. ::sigh:: We have a set of really pretty glass glasses that we got for our wedding. They have a little bubble in the bottom that is so cute. I fell in love with them when we registered for our wedding five years ago. We just don't use them that often unless people are over. I grabbed one of the small bubble glasses for my morning water since all my other options were dirty.

As I was watching the glass fill up I noticed something...the water was really pretty and soothing. I know, that sounds so silly, but I was completely mesmerized by the bubbles and flow of the water in my glass bubble glass! I had never really noticed before because I always use plastic.

It made me start thinking about how simple and beautiful it was at the same time. How wonderful, pure, clean items are refreshing and lovely. It made me want to keep filling up my glass throughout the day. I drank SO much water. I felt awesome.

My new rule: Never drink water out of a plastic glass. I want to enjoy the purity of it. Seeing it helps remind me how clean items help keep my body clean. An easy reminder that I am making a good choice for my body and my health!

Wasteful

2011-04-04T12:02:00.004-05:00

I don't know what my deal is. I go to the store. I buy lots of wonderful, clean foods. Celery, carrots, strawberries, pork, lean steak, eggs, etc. I have great plans of what I will make each evening for dinner. I have visions of zucchini noodles dancing through my head. However, as I should know with my life track record, my plans almost 85% of the time do not plan out. Why? Because life is unpredictable. Sure, it doesn't help that I have a husband who has no control over his schedule. I like to eat with him. I hate cooking for one so when he can't make it home at a decent hour I tend to forgo my lovely meal plans and eat some hard boiled eggs and almonds. Ugh. The problem with this, besides the fact that my food choices for dinner get boring, is that all the good meat I buy goes out of date! It ends up going in the freezer on the "Use By" date and usually doesn't make it's way out of the freezer. Does anyone else have this problem? This morning I am going through my fridge trying to make sure nothing is out of date and what do I see?? A package of pork chops and two beautiful steaks that have a "Use By" date of TODAY. AHH! I was not about to let the freezer eat my food again. I just finished grilling my pork chops and the steak is being cooked for dinner tonight...no matter what. I swear I just bought them two days ago, but my weeks go by so fast that I'm pretty sure they have been sitting there for almost a week. I am so embarrassed. I think I'm going to make a calendar and post it on my fridge. I am going to mark the calendar with the expiration dates of all the fresh food in my fridge so I don't have to dig through it anymore. Hopefully this will cut down on waste AND encourage me to keep eating healthy, clean meals for dinner. CrossFit Open Update: WOD 2 is done and in the books. I'm really happy with how it went. I only hope the next four weeks are as positive regardless of outcome. Speaking of outcome, there has been a lot of negativity about The Open. I have had my few choice thoughts and words about it. Today on CrossFit Lisbeth she had a GREAT post. Please go here and read it even if you aren't a CrossFitter. It is all about perspective. Sometimes we all need a little bit of that when we get wrapped up in our own crazy world.

Failure

2011-03-23T16:08:00.002-05:00

Warning...

This post is not about food.

What is failure? To a lot of people failure is defeat. It is not accomplishing something you set out to accomplish. It is missing the mark. It is disappointment.

Being the crazy list maker/goal setter that I am, I have been faced with failure many times. Failure to check everything off my list in what I thought was an appropriate amount of time. Failure to hit my goal weight or time on a lift or WOD. Failure to be happy with the progress I have made.

So how do you handle failure?

When I was younger I would pout or get upset. Completely natural. With disappointment comes emotion. If you don't feel emotion then you probably don't care enough. If you don't care then what is the point in pursuing a goal?

However, now I am older. Now I know how to deal with failure and disappointment better. Does it mean I deal with it the right what all the time? No, but I try. I know I won't always win, but I will try. I know I won't make every lift, but I will try.

I say all this because currently I am going through the CrossFit Open to hopefully win a spot to participate in the North Central Regional in May. I have set goals for myself with skill work and lifts. I have decided the things I need to be able to do to get to my end goal. The Games.

In the past year I have 100% changed my outlook on CrossFit. I do my best to not compare myself to others, but to compare myself to ME. For instance, I am self confessed awful at overhead strength. I know it is all relative, but for me it is not where it needs to be. I have hurt both shoulders in the last year, but that is not an excuse. It is just a weakness that I have to work extremely hard to overcome. I'm getting better. Today, I push pressed 140. That was a 12 pound PR. I was happy. That was not failure. After that I attempted to set a PR on a push jerk. I failed miserably at 170. In my mind, anything under 180 is unacceptable even though I have never hit 180. Why? Because I know I am capable of that weight. Does that mean I am capable of it right now though? Maybe not. Have I put in the work to get there? Not yet. Will I continue to put in the work so I can get there? Yes. Will I get there. You betcha.

In the past, failing at that weight when I have my heart set on something else would destroy me. I would think about it for days. Let it consume me. Today, my failure motivated me. Today, my failure told me to keep working. Today, my failure pushed me to get better. It doesn't mean I'm satisfied, but it means I know to take progress in stride and be excited and proud of myself even when I don't get where I want to be. It takes time.

Success does not come overnight. Bring on the failed attempts. Bring on the less than stellar benchmark WOD times. Bring on anything to keep pushing me to work harder, get stronger and get faster. I like the motivation.

Breakfast Score!

2011-03-22T09:29:00.002-05:00

I love sausage. I love the smell of bacon, sausage and eggs cooking in the morning. It gives me a happy feeling inside. For the last year I have been making my own turkey sausage, which is great. It doesn't take a terribly long time and it is pretty tasty. However, sometimes I get in a rut and need a change.

Last week at the store I found something that changed my life. How I haven't run across this before is beyond me, but our paths finally crossed and all is now right with the world.

Jennie-O Turkey Breakfast Sausage Links.

There is something different about sausage links. They just taste more breakfast-y.

Fourteen come in a package. I cooked all of them on the skillet ::sigh::. I love cooking on the skillet. They keep really great in the fridge and are an easy treat during the middle of the day. Inexpensive and tasty.

Confession:

I also bought a jar of Nutella. Thankfully it isn't empty yet. I have a tendency to demolish it in two days. Shame.

I'm Having an Affair With...

2011-03-04T14:51:00.004-06:00

...Jason's Deli.

I have to apologize to my kitchen. I think it misses me. However, I am in heaven every time I walk in the doors....salad bar heaven that is. No excuses. No guessing. Tons of fresh veggies at an arms reach.

I will be honest. I have a problem eating enough veggies in my diet. I get plenty of protein. I get plenty of fruit. I get PLENTY of fat. Salad bars are a perfect fix for me. There is always protein in the form of hard boiled eggs. Sometimes you get lucky and have some chicken or turkey. There is always good fat in the form of sunflower seeds and olive oil. You really can't go wrong!

Today I loaded up with mounds of field greens, mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli, sprouts, onions, eggs, a little bacon, sunflower seeds and some paleo friendly dressing.

On busy days between coaching it is an easy, fast lunch. Clean and delicious.

Getting in the Groove!

2011-02-18T11:05:00.003-06:00

Ok, first of all I have to vent. I cannot find my favorite Larabar, Cocoa Mole, anywhere!!! It is also no longer listed on the Larabar website with the rest of their flavors. I'm very very sad about this. However, I did have the pleasure of trying a new flavor....Blueberry Muffin. It was delicious. I love blueberries. There is also a Carrot Cake larabar, but I have not tried it yet. If anyone happened to stock up on Cocoa Mole and wants to send me cases of it I would apprecaite it.

On to the better news....

I starting to feel like me again. My life, as you have read, has been in chaos the last year. Moving, moving again, new gyms, new jobs, new friends, old friends, etc. This past weekend I competed in a fun CrossFit event in Oklahoma called Cupid's Revenge. It was put on by CrossFit OKC in Edmond. I competed with my friend Denver from CrossFit Jenks, my old box home which I miss with all of my heart. We competed in 4 wods in one day. Absolutely brutal! It was so much fun being on a team. It pushes you even more because you don't want to let your teammate down. It has a very cool vibe. It has me going back and forth debating on whether I want to try to compete on a team or as an individual this year because I had SO much fun. We will see how it all goes!

We ended up winning the event, which was awesome. The day ended with a back to back FRAN. Yes, after three wods we did FRAN. If you aren't familiar with Fran, she is a good ole CrossFit WOD of 21-15-9 Thrusters (95/65) and pull ups. We finished with a combined time of 6:31....both of us set individual PR's which is kind of insane considering what we had already done that day.

I have done so many new things the past two months since I have been at new CrossFit gyms. I'm learning a lot more about mobility which is helping my shoulders out a lot. I'm also focusing more on core strength and skill work. I finally mastered pistols and did 37 in a WOD about a week ago. YAY! I'm stringing together four muscle ups, ten handstand push ups and now I'm working on getting my L-sits better. Core, core, core! I can tell it is paying off in other movements too. In the last two weeks I have PR'd my Overhead squat by 15 pounds, my back squat by 20 pounds, my front squat by 15 pounds, my clean and jerk by 15 pounds, squat snatch by 10 pounds (hate this one), deadlift by 20 pounds and my bench by 5 pounds!

I'm setting small, obtainable goals. I mark them off and set new ones. It lets me feel accomplishment, but also pushes me. Accomplishing these things has helped me to feel like me again. I'm in the groove. I'm getting stronger. I'm becoming much better at skilled movements.

So far I'm also sticking to my resolution of eating a clean, healthy breakfast! It changes my entire outlook on the day. I've been on a blueberry kick the last week (hence my excitement about the blueberry muffin larabar). I'm also back making my homemade turkey sausage. I'm going to try making some egg casserole or egg muffins next week. It will be a good change from the hard boiled eggs. Anyone have any suggestions?

Shrimp and Salsa

2011-02-15T11:19:00.002-06:00

We have been a one car family for the last five days. It was fine at first, but now it is just flat out annoying. I haven't been able to go to the store and my fresh food supplies are on the decline. I had to be a little inventive today.

Thankfully I had some hard boiled eggs on hand. I love to have those in my fridge ready to go when I need some quick protein. Plus, my dog loves the hard boiled yolk so I always give her a piece if I'm not eating all of it. I had one egg left today which I saved for lunch.

I have some ground turkey which I haven't got around to cooking yet. I was feeling lazy and not in the mood to drag out The George even though it is super easy. Then I remembered the other day I bought some shrimp! It was previously frozen, but had defrosted in my fridge over the last few days. I decided to fill a bowl with the cute pre cooked baby shrimp and I topped it with some fresh salsa!

It wasn't the fanciest of lunches, but it did the trick. It was fast, easy and full of protein. If you make sure to have good food on hand you can always turn it into something yummy!

Snowed In

2011-02-03T11:38:00.002-06:00

We have been snowed in for a few days. Today is the first day the Mr. was able to make it work....thanks to an all wheel drive car. Luckily I work from home. The biggest challenge when you can't get out of the house and you want to keep a clean diet is exactly that....keeping a clean diet.

If you keep junk in your house, you are basically done for. I challenge anyone to stay inside for three days and resist the temptation. I don't care how strong willed you are, it just won't happen. Boredom sets in. You get fidgety. You make excuses and go for it. In order to try to avoid disaster or starvation I hit the store Monday afternoon with all the other crazies. I'm so glad I did. In Oklahoma we have a tendency to "overreact" about winter storms. This was no overreaction. We had over a foot of ice and snow where I am and nearby parts of the state had almost 20 inches! Schools and businesses have been shut down since Tuesday.

So what did I stock up on Monday?
*Bacon wrapped fillets (3 oz each...perfect size!)
*Asparagus
*Spinach
*Grapefruit
*Eggs
*Turkey chili stuff
*Celery
*Archer Farms Almond, Peanut and Cashew butter (it is a combo butter and so delicious!)
*Mini larabars

I made the bacon wrapped fillets the first snowed in night and we had enough left over for lunch the next day. They were delicious! Tonight I'm making chili which makes me really happy. There is nothing better than some paleo friendly chili on a cold night.

Having some nice healthy snacks and our super awesome garage gym has kept us sane the last few days. I did enjoy some natural salt and lime popcorn...it was my treat and I enjoyed every bite.

Today I'm going to tackle some snowed in yoga. Flexibility and balance are not my strengths so what better time to focus on some weaknesses than when I have no where else to go?

What do you eat and how do you spend your time when you can't get out of the house?

Flashback!

2011-01-25T15:47:00.003-06:00

Today I did something that I haven't done in years....

I went to Taco Bueno.

A little background....Taco Bueno is awesome. It was a regular for me in high school. My crew would be there for lunch at least once a week. We always purchased the number 3. What was the number 3 you ask? Pure awesomeness. A mexi dips and chips (double beans, no guac!) and a muchaco. Total cost = $4.08.

We would arrive with exact change. I didn't get the guacamole because I thought it was gross. I didn't try guacamole until my honeymoon and now I am obsessed with it. I loved that thick pita like bread on the muchaco. I loved the cheese, the beans, the pure lard fest that went on ever single time I walked in that place.

Since I was swimming two hours a day and then usually going to some sort of softball or soccer practice it wasn't a big deal. Plus, I was seventeen. Oh seventeen year old metabolism!

Today's visit was different. I'm not sure what drew me to the TB today, but something did. I took a look at the menu and nothing really appealed to me....nothing I mean that would normally appeal to me at Taco Bueno. No tostadas, no bean burritos, not mexi dips and chips. I ordered a chicken taco salad sans cheese. I wasn't sure what else was on it, but I arrived home to find heaven in a take out bag. I scooped the sour cream off. I've never been a huge fan of sour cream anyway so no loss there. Then I saw it...a large, lovely scoop of guacamole. My first guacamole experience at Taco Bueno! I was excited this time.

I have to say the salad was quite good. I didn't eat the taco shell and I was quite satisfied when I was finished. The chicken was tasty, the lettuce and tomatoes were very fresh, I had plenty of salsa and lots of guacamole. I was a happy girl. Don't be afraid of fast food places. Honestly, I think fast food Mexican is about as good as you can get. There is always some sort of salad with lean protein and healthy fat. Today was a good reminder that there is no excuse to eat unhealthy...not even at Taco Bueno!

I've Become Obsessed With...

2011-01-18T08:18:00.000-06:00

...Eggs.

Every other day I boil four. I have four going right now. I love the sounds of the rolling boil. I've been eating two every morning. I know, two eggs a day. Wow. I only eat one yolk. I give the other one to my dog. She loves it. The great thing about eggs is that they are super easy and super tasty. I pair them with a simple fruit like blueberries or grapefruit and add a spoonful of nut butter and I am on my way to a terrific day.

Eggs are cheap and easy to manage. You don't have to use them right away like other proteins (chicken, turkey, etc.). I know there is a lot of conflicting thought on eggs and paleo, but I happen to think they are a perfect food. Pick up a carton today and start your day off right with some super protein.

Biggest Change

2011-01-06T09:47:00.002-06:00

Four days into my "realistic resolution" and things are going great. Yesterday I had some talapia with verde salsa and broccoli for breakfast. Yes, broccoli. Even during my strict strict paleo days I never had broccoli for breakfast, but it was fantastic. Once you get out of the mindset that breakfast should be sweet you can eat anything.

Eating broccoli, however, isn't the biggest change this week. It is how much water I have been drinking. I have two lovely ladies to thank for that. For Christmas I was given a super fabulous pink Camelbak water bottle. It is my new best friend. I now have 24 ounces of pure, clean water by my side at all times. I carry it around the house, drink it while I work, keep it in my car, put it on my bedside stand at night...it is my shadow. My pink shadow.

I've always loved water, but if it isn't in front of me I don't think about drinking water. If I see it then I drink it. It just proves you should keep bad things out of your sight and keep the good things within reach! Nothing keeps me feeling better during the day than water. I also like having my own bottle so I don't just run through store bought water bottles all the time. It is so much cheaper and eco friendly! Tap water is A-OK in my book.

Also, if you were concerned about my lack of almond butter (Allison)...we are getting a Whole Foods. It is scheduled to open at the end of 2011 so for now I'm still on the look out!

Re-Stocking

2011-01-04T14:54:00.002-06:00

So we moved.

Again.

Long, good story, but for the short version...we moved from Oklahoma to Michigan this summer and from Michigan to a different part of Oklahoma in November. Needless to say, my life has been in a bit of turmoil the last few months.

Today I went to the store. After a few weeks of holiday traveling it was finally time to restock the kitchen. I hadn't replenished anything since the move. I confess, the majority of our meals the last six weeks have not been cooked at home.

It is amazing the things that I'm so used to having on hand that make cooking healthy so easy. Coconut oil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, low sugar Italian dressing....I could go on and on....

Today I had the grocery bill to prove I was out of everything. Thankfully, after a good, calculated sweep through the neighborhood Wal Mart I think our house is ready to start cooking...literally. Eggs, chicken, pork, fresh green beans, carrots, celery (which will be the boat for my gobs of peanut butter).

Speaking of peanut butter, I'm on the search for some good almond butter. I don't have a place close to our new home where I have found almond butter. Natural peanut butter is going to have to do for now...which works for me because it is still delicious and I love it on celery. So does the Mr. I was going back and for between Smuckers natural and organic peanut butter. Same basic nutrition. Deciding factor....the organic cost $1.50 more. Sheesh! Natural won.

Realistic Resolutions

2011-01-03T10:01:00.003-06:00

I like New Year's resolutions in theory, but I hate them in practicality. I think people wanting to change and better themselves is fantastic. Deciding for yourself that a change needs to be made is amazing. No one is making the decision for you. You are making it for yourself. However, let's be real. How many people truly stick to a resolution for longer than a month? A week? A day?

Not many.

Too much too fast.

What happens to people who make the ever popular "I'm going to lose weight" resolution? They start going to the gym every day and after a week they are burnt out because they have never worked out before. Next thing you know they are back into the same routine of doing nothing.

Same thing with your diet. Saying, "Starting Monday I'm never eating (insert food) ever again." How practical is that? Now, I know when I started this blog I went "strict" paleo for a month. I kept to it. However, I had zoned before, I already ate very low grainy carb and loved lean meats. The change was not too drastic for me...it was a natural, challenging step.

I say all of this to encourage everyone to be realistic and practical in their healthy resolutions this year. Truly examine your situation and what your end goal is. What is that throws you off track? Do you need extra "me" time? Do you need to take a different route to work to avoid that donut shop on the way to work? Do you need to try to cook at home one more night a week instead of going out? Some examples:

If your goal is to work out more and you haven't worked out much in your life...shoot for two to three days a week of fifteen to twenty minutes and increase as you get more comfortable.

If you want to start running, but have never really ran any kind of distance before start slow. Run a half a mile three days a week for two weeks. The next week increase to 3/4 of a mile. Two weeks later try a mile. Before you know it you'll be running three miles like it is no big deal without feeling overwhelmed by the idea!

If you want to eat better find that one thing you think is causing you problems and limit it to twice a week (if it is an every day sort of thing). After a few weeks move to once a week and then cut it out completely. You have to let your body adjust. Sometimes shocking it to intensely too fast can cause you to get back into your bad habit and you'll never give yourself a chance to succeed.

I say all of this as I share my realistic resolution:
Eat a healthy, clean breakfast everyday.

For me, if I eat a great, paleo/zone friendly breakfast in the morning I have automatically set myself up for a great day. I already feel better. I am inclined to continue with healthy snacks and lunch. If I wake up and end up eating nothing or something not desirable my day, as far as eating is concerned, can fall off track fast.

2011 will be the year of a healthy, clean breakfast. Eggs, lean meats, nuts and lots of berries and grapefruit!

What is your realistic resolution for 2011?

P.S. I'm also going to try to blog at least once a week. Blogging helps hold me accountable even if I don't know how many people read it. Find something to help hold you accountable and stick with it.

Good luck and happy New Year!

Success!

2010-10-07T20:46:00.002-05:00

I'm still learning my way around. I don't know where anything is if it is not within a one mile radius of my house, the gym or hospital. Awesome. Tonight I was on the prowl for something decent to eat. I had nothing prepared at home and felt far too lazy to actually come home and cook.

When I say I don't know where anything is I'm serious. I drove aimlessly singing Britney in my car hoping to come upon something that sparked my interest. There are a lot of restaurants here that we did not have in Oklahoma and a lot of favorites from home that are not here. I made it out to Hall Road and saw Salsarita's. I had heard it was pretty good and I am always up for Mexican. (Ted's I miss you!) I decided to go for it.

I'm pretty excited about my find. It is a great paleo spot! I ordered a taco salad sans the taco shell. Remember, don't be afraid to be particular when you order! They had a great variety of meats. Grilled chicken, grilled steak, pork, shrimp (Yes, shrimp! Hallelujah!) and a few others. Not only that, but they don't charge extra for guacamole AND I had about two scoops. I do love my guacamole. I topped it off with plenty of fresh pico and was good to go. No cheese, no sour cream ::insert strange look from girl behind counter here:: but I was happy and hungry.

I made it home just in time to watch Grey's Anatomy. All in all it was a very successful evening.

Tomorrow I will be grilling a pound and a half of pork chops. I'm pretty excited. This weekend I'm making a care package for my sister who is deployed in Kuwait. She requested baked goods with chocolate. I love chocolate about as much as a I love guacamole...which is a lot...this could be a problem...

I'm Back...For Real

2010-10-05T16:26:00.002-05:00

After driving from Oklahoma to Michigan, moving into a temporary apartment, looking tirelessly for something permanent to move into, flying back to Oklahoma to move out and close on the house, flying back to Michigan, moving into a super, wonderful condo and moving out of a temporary apartment...I finally feel settled.

It only took one month.

I finally have all my stuff...and by stuff I mean, I have my kitchen back! I have all my pots and pans, my George, my coconut oil, my steamer bags, a big, beautiful fridge and lots and lots of storage. It is feels like heaven.

We have been in our new digs for six days. I cannot tell you how much living "in limbo" as I have called it will wear you down and let you talk yourself into eating things you don't normally even consider eating. I have sent far too many emails to friends "back home" admitting things like, "I just ate half a bag of Twizzlers" (movie night!) or "I just ate a meal from McDonald's." Welp, that is life for you. Thankfully, getting into a good routine is super easy.

I visited one of the natural markets, Randazzo's, that I live only .7 miles from (hooray!) last Friday. It is beautiful. Everything is fresh....nothing frozen! I purchased two pounds of flank steak which made me a little bit giddy. I love flank steak because I love red meat and it is super lean so I feel like I can eat it all the time. If you haven't made it before I highly recommend it. I prefer to broil mine. Here is what I did:

Marinate 2 lbs of meat in olive oil, worchestershire sauce, a little sea salt and pepper
Refrigerate for three to four hours
Broil on high for eight to ten minutes per side
Let meat "rest" and then cut into eight 4oz pieces

I steamed some asparagus (of course) to go with the steak. The Mr. was more than thrilled with dinner. I think I only cooked dinner for us twice during our one month stint in the apartment aka dorm room. Poor guy. I'm also making sure to kick the morning off right by boiling eggs. Having a nice, paleo friendly go to protein source for me is key to staying on track.

What do you do every day to make sure you stay the course?

I want to give a shout out to some of my Tulsa ladies who are embarking on a month long zone challange. Keep it up girls!

Michigan is treating us well. Our new gym is great. I'm looking forward to getting back into blogging and being in the kitchen. I will close with some famous words from little orphan Annie...I think I'm going to like it here.

I Made It!

2010-09-03T09:52:00.002-05:00

I finally made it to Michigan after a long thirteen hour drive north with my dog. I went through multiple bottles of water, cans of diet coke, an entire bag of twizzlers, a small bag of gummy bears, lots of trail mix, turkey jerky and a stop at Jack in the Box. Don't give me grief. It is a car trip and I was moving. I did what I had to do to make the drive bearable! Really, it was all Paige's fault anyway. Her treat bag was loaded with the good and the bad, which I 100% appreciated! Thanks Paige!

First order of business when I got to Michigan was to go to the store. Our temporary apartment had three items that you could consume:
1. Diet Dr. Pepper
2. Sliced deli ham
3. Pickles

I found a Kroger not far from our humble abode. I felt like a kid in a candy store. I was starting from scratch. I needed everything. I got my good old favorites like asparagus, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, blueberries and strawberries. I bought some pork chops and lean ground turkey. Then, I found heaven. An organic isle. Huge jars of almond butter and ten plus flavors of larabars! Oh me oh my. I no longer have to trek all the way to Whole Foods to get my treats!

There are a few really neat looking natural food markets here. I have been to one on a prior trip when we were scoping the place out. I'm going to try to visit them next week and report back on them.

Weird thing about Michigan...they sell alcohol in grocery stores. I know everyone probably thinks Oklahoma is strange because we don't, but I'm still getting used to seeing it when I walk in.

I honestly have to say I'm having a hard time eating regualr, full meals. I'm working from home now so my schedule is very differet. It will be 3PM and I realize I haven't eaten lunch. I know once I get in a better routine I'll be eating every two hours like before. :) I jumped right into the gym here. I'm going to start running some classes next week which I am very excited about. No sense in waiting around, right?

What a Difference a Week Makes

2010-08-23T16:33:00.003-05:00

A full week of strict paleo down. Feeling awesome. I am feeling so awesome in fact I am going to keep it up another week. I guess to say I was on "strict" paleo would be a bit of a lie. That was the goal, but I did have a few deviations. Nevertheless, I was eating clean about 98% of the time and my slight deviations were very slight.

I already feel leaner and lighter. Muscle ups and handstand push ups towards the end of the week are a true testament to that. Maybe I was having a good day, but moving through those movements felt like a breeze compared to how they had been feeling. I'm not a scale girl, but I think if I were to get on a scale I would be happy with what I saw.

The steamer bags have been phenomenal! Get them now. The best news is that last week we sold our house! YAY! This means I can start destroying my kitchen again. Of course, I will be packing up my car and making the move north this weekend...fingers crossed. I fully plan on demolishing that kitchen when I get there though.

I've been eating a lot of shrimp. A LOT. Tonight I'm cooking up a pound of beautiful, lean pork chops. I have some gorgeous blackberries and raspberries as well. Eating good food just makes me feel exactly that...good! I've needed to feel like this again and I'm so thrilled that after only a week I'm getting there. It doesn't take much to get back into a good routine. Make the decision and do it. I dare you.

Keep it Simple

2010-08-16T13:55:00.004-05:00

I do what I can to keep my life simple. I have a tendency to stress and worry and if you know me then you probably know I plan and over analyze...a lot. The older I get the more I try to get away from this part of my personality and just relax, but I kind of love this part of me.

I say it over and over again, but the last few months have been stressful. Regionals, moving, selling our house, our house still not selling, being a thousand miles away from my spouse for two months and counting, etc, etc, etc.

Today I am starting a week of super strict paleo. Just a week! A kick start if you will. However, one of the reasons I haven't been as "on" as I like is because I'm trying to keep my house incredibly clean for showings. This means the George stays under the cabinet unless I am cooking a lot of protein at one time. My skillets haven't seen the light of day. I have all of them packed in boxes except for my mini that I use for my eggs! I know there are ways to get around these issues, but I just haven't been motivated enough to really try. I still eat pretty well most of the time, but I'm not cooking at home anymore so obviously there is more deviation than I like.

Today I am picking up these little guys at the store.

I used to use them a lot and then I used them all and they were gone. I kept forgetting to buy more. God created these just for me. He wants me to keep it simple. You can store your ready to go meal in the bag for up to two days before steaming and eating! This means tonight I can prep a couple bags for lunches at work this week and then heat them up at the office. It will be just like our great stir-fry that we kept in the freezer, but I don't need a stove top to cook them! I can have shrimp with fresh veggies almost everyday! Sure, my coworkers are going to hate me again, but whatever.

Here is what I am making tonight. I know, start drooling now! I'm going with the rosemary instead of the dill weed.

Go here for more great steam bag recipes or make up your own. All you have to do is add your meat, veggies, spices and heat. What could be easier?

Powerful Food Combinations

2010-08-13T08:11:00.002-05:00

I get the "Eat This, Not That" e-newsletter from Men's Health. Sometimes they have some really great and interesting information. Today's e-newsletter talked about powerful food combination's. We all want to get the most out of what we eat, so I went through and grabbed the paleo friendly suggestions. Here is the article if you want to look for yourself. I paraphrased.

Combo #1
Tomatoes and Avocados
If you eat paleo I think it is a rule that you HAVE to like avocados. I wouldn't survive without them. The are my fat. Paired with one of my favorite fruit/veggies of all time (the tomato) you have got a powerful duo.

Tomatoes fight cancer and the fat in the avocado helps make the cancer fighting antioxidant in the tomato more viable. Can't beat that, right?

Combo #2
Broccoli and Tomatoes
Two great colors. Green and red! It is like Christmas on your plate. Basically, both of these help fight prostate cancer and when paired together they are even better. Experts don't really know why yet, but they say it does. I really don't think eating more broccoli or tomato is going to hurt you, so you might as well do it!

Combo #3
Blueberries and Grapes
Eating a variety of fruits gives you access to a variety of antioxidants. Blueberries and grapes are two of the best, so eat them together and you are doing great things for your body. If you are watching your sugar intake I would recommend to go heavier on the blueberry and lighter on the grape. Blueberries are a wonder food.

Combo #4
Lemon and Kale
I love lemon, but I have to admit I have only had kale one or two times thrown in a salad with numerous other things. Adding some vitamin C (from the lemon) to your plant based iron (kale) will help boost your immunity and muscle strength better (yay!) than if you were to eat these two things separately. Other good plant based sources of iron are leeks, beet greens, mustard greens and swiss chard. I haven't tried many of those so they are going on my list.

Combo #5
Red Meat and Rosemary
I feel smart because I do this one all the time. I throw rosemary on pretty much anything I cook protein wise. It is one of my favorite herbs. Many people are concerned about grilling because of the carcinogens that are produced on the charred meat. Rosemary contains two acids (rosmarinic and carnosic) that help lower the cancer causing stuff in charred meat.

Combo #6
Turmeric and Black Pepper
I do not like curry. I have not liked it since I was little and I do not like it to this day. Many people tell me I am missing out, but I just can't get into the flavor. However, if you are a curry fan you are in luck! Turmeric which is used in curry is known to fight cancer and help fight inflammation. Add black pepper to it and it helps make the spice more viable to your system. Curry lovers rejoice!

Combo #7
Garlic and Fish
Again, another staple of my diet...more the garlic than the fish, but I love both. Basically, eating your fish cooked with garlic helps lower cholesterol better than eating both alone. Does anyone actually eat garlic cloves alone? Hmmm...

Combo #8
Eggs and Cantaloupe
At first glace this combination does not sound too appealing, but if I think about it I pair these together at breakfast often. Cantaloupe was my favorite fruit growing up. I don't eat it as much now because I find it very time consuming to cut up, but when I visit my parents my mom always has a plate of cantaloupe cut up and ready to go! Basically, great proteins like eggs work better to when you pair them with good carbs like fruit, not other carbs like breads.

I hope you found this information interesting! Keep eating good food and you are bound to put together a great combination and not even know it!

A Few Things I Have Learned and a Challange

2010-08-06T16:19:00.003-05:00

This time last year I was embarking on a new adventure....a paleolithic adventure! I was only six days into my paleo challenge. I remember it being tough, but I remember being determined. A year later, I have learned a lot about nutrition and how the body works. I have learned that calories in and calories out are still important, but the quality of your food is just as important if not more. I have learned that splurge days are a must, splurge months (like what I have been on lately) are not. I have learned that I too can be lean and mean. I learned I like a lot of foods that I thought I didn't. I learned that playing with new flavors and spices in the kitchen can be fun even if it doesn't always turn into a "hit". I have learned you can eat fish for breakfast even if other people think it is weird.

Learning is fun.

I plan on reading the Primal Blueprint this month. I still haven't gotten around to it. Life kind of got in they way, but hey, that's life!

A new challenge to myself: I will only speak positively about myself! I have gotten into a very bad habit in the last few weeks of saying things like, "I suck", "I'm slow", "I'm huge". None of these things are true. I'm just in a valley after a very high peak. It happens. I will feel like me again soon. As my college coach used to tell me, "Only good hitters go into slumps...bad hitters are always in a slump!" I wouldn't say I'm in a slump...I'm just not on a streak! As fitness and health enthusiasts I think it is easy for us to be hard on ourselves when we have a bad day or two in the gym or eat something less that optimal for a few meals. We need to give ourselves a break. We need to remember that the ultimate goal is to lead a full and healthy life...not always win.

I'm a work in progress.

Gooseberry

2010-07-26T15:15:00.002-05:00

The other day I dropped into Reasor's after my workout. Pretty typical of me to walk in covered in chalk, sweat and other CrossFit goodness. I headed over to the produce because I was running seriously low on fruit. I typically go for berries and grapefruit. A man was stocking something I hadn't seen before. Gooseberries. Hmmmmm....

I have heard of gooseberry pie, but I really had no idea what you did with gooseberries. I decided to grab a small container. They weren't too expensive, less than the other berries. I was proud of myself for picking up something new.

The next day I headed to work with my little baggie of gooseberries. I was all excited to tell my co-workers what they were when they saw them. Then I ate them....

Sour. Not sweet. Not really good at all.

I did a little research on gooseberries. Here is what Wikipedia had to say about the very cute gooseberry and their culinary uses:

"Gooseberries are best known for their use in desserts such as Gooseberry Fool and Gooseberry Crumble. In some countries, like Portugal, gooseberries are very appreciated as a beverage, being mostly used mixed with soda, water or even milk."

Apparently most people don't eat the berry raw. Most people would cook it down. I read that helps bring out the sweetness. Well, I tried. I probably will not be making gooseberry pie. I'm just too lazy.

Have any of you ever had success with the gooseberry? It is just such a cute little berry...I imagined it tasting completely different!

In Skill of the Month News:
I got three pistols the other day AND I walked on my hands for about five feet. I have never done that before. Quite an accomplishment.

Starting the Week Off Right!

2010-07-19T15:06:00.002-05:00

Today I made a trip to Whole Foods. I put together a very colorful, healthy salad. I recently started adding beets to my salad when I go to whole foods. They always have them right next to the radishes, which I love. They are really fun combination. The radish gives a little kick and the beet is just a little bit sweet.

Nutritional Benefits of the Beet:

The pigment that gives the beet it's rich color is also a powerful cancer fighting agent.
Helps lower cholesterol levels
Beets contain betaine which helps lower inflammation. Chronic inflammation can be linked to heart disease, osteoporosis, cognitive decline and Alzheimer's, and type 2 diabetes.

How to Prepare Beets:

Grate beets and serve in salad (that is how Whole Foods has them. Delicious!)
Cut beets into chunks and add them to when roasting veggies in the oven.
Marinate steamed beets with fresh lemon juice, olive oil and herbs.

I felt so great eating a big box full of colorful greens and veggies. Their roasted chicken is marvelous as well so it supplied some great protein. Of course a trip to Whole Foods isn't complete without stocking up on Larabars and almond butter. I think I'm good to go for at least a few days!

As most of you know from reading, I started giving myself a skill a month to work on leading up to regionals. I went through muscle ups, handstand push ups and double unders. All three things I improved on drastically by just concentrating on putting in a small amount of time most days of the week. Quality work pays off, even if it is a short amount of time! After watching the 2010 CrossFit Games this weekend I have decided on my next skill.

The Pistol.

What is a pistol you ask? A one legged squat. They are horrible and for some reason (aka lack of practice) I can't get the hang of them. I think my weekly yoga will help as my flexibility continues to increase. I'm committing to about 10 minutes of pistol practice at least five days a week for the next couple of weeks. I've already found some videos that go through some good progressions to help get the feel of it. I have to up my yoga to twice a week...

They threw pistols in at The Games. Watching the ladies bang those things out this weekend made me realize how far I really have to go in the next year if I want to make it in 2011. I knew I had a lot of work to do, but watching those ladies really impressed me. I have to kick it up about ten notches and then some.

What is your new goal for your nutrition or fitness?

Benefits of the Blueberry

2010-07-12T11:19:00.003-05:00

I love summer for lots of reasons, but lately I'm loving it for all the wonderful fresh fruit! I've been on a blueberry kick the past month. I was also excited to find out that Michigan, my future home state, is one of the largest blueberry producing states. If you need other incentives other than great flavor to add the lushish blueberry into your diet, here are the top ten health benefits provided by the blueberry according to Women Fitness!

1. They have the highest antioxidant capacity of all fresh fruit.
2. Neutralize free radicals, which can affect the disease and aging of the body.
3. Aid in reducing belly fat. (remember, belly fat is the worst kind of fat...it is hard on your internal organs!)
4. Helps promote urinary tract health. I would explain how the berries help, but it is pretty "science-y"
5. Been proved to preserve vision.
6. Brain health. The good stuff in the berry helps prevent degeneration and death of neurons.
7. Heart disease prevention. High fiber content helps dissolve bad cholesterol!
8. Constipation and digestion benefits.
9. Cancer prevention.
10. They keep you fresh, active, fit, sharp and close to nature!

Enjoy summer time and hit up your local farmer's market for some wonderful summer fruit!

Judgement

2010-07-07T10:50:00.002-05:00

Yesterday during my lunch hour I was out running some errands. I decided to stop quickly at Qudoba and pick up some lunch. I was without food at work, which is always a mistake, but I can actually find some great paleo friendly meals at Qudoba. Right now they have a fabulous mango salad. It is basically greens topped with chicken and mango salsa. Instead of the dressing I get salsa verde and add a little guacamole. Oh my goodness it is so delicious and yes, very paleo and healthy!

Anyway, the line was moving at a very slow pace. This gave me the opportunity to observe the food choices made by those in front of me. I saw a guy about my age get a giant beef burrito filled with rice, beans, cheese and more cheese. I saw an overweight lady order a monstrous quesadilla and ships and salsa. I watched a teenage girl in front of me get nachos topped with ground beef, ladles of queso AND shredded cheese. The thoughts in my head were horrible. I kept thinking over and over what a horrible choices they were all making, how gross I would feel if I was eating that, etc. I wanted to run up to her and say, "No! Stop! Don't do it!" I wanted to smack myself in the face! Who am I to judge what other people eat? I started thinking about it and I do it all the time.

I have co-workers that talk to me about their "healthy" eating which includes loads of starchy carbs and dairy. I have to remind myself that at least they are trying to be conscious of their diet and make better choices. That is a very good thing. What works for me doesn't have to work for everyone else, but I do believe in the way I eat. I know people probably judge me all the time as I spoon sunflower seed butter from the jar into my mouth and follow it up with celery sticks. I am the "weird" girl.

Do others run into this problem as well? Do you think awful things about the choices others make? It makes me feel so guilty! I promise I'm actually a nice person.

I'm also having a serious craving from some trail mix today. I've been a little low on my fat lately so I am going to blame it on that. I need some macadamia nuts!

Finally...

2010-06-25T10:28:00.002-05:00

I have finally had a decent week of nutrition. I've been a bit lackadaisical about it since regionals, but that is over now. The Mr. has left for Michigan so I am on my own. Thankfully, he had a about five servings of our homemade stir fry in the freezer! These make for a fantastic, fast lunch or dinner. I have posted about the stir fry before, but here is a quick reminder if you want to try it for yourself!

Here is all you need:
4 to 6 ounces pre cooked meat (we use chicken, shrimp and scallops)
1 cup of spinach
2 cups of other veggies (broccoli, peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, squash, etc)

Take all that good stuff and throw it in a quart size Ziploc freezer bag. Toss it in the freezer until you are ready to eat!

When you are ready to eat pre heat a skillet pan with the fat of your choosing. We use olive oil and coconut oil. I like to add some minced garlic (and by some I mean A LOT) and pepper. Unload your freezer bag into the skillet and cook until everything is ready to go! Since your meat is pre-cooked this make the process go fast. Super bonus!

Towards the end of the cooking process we add a shake or two of low sodium soy sauce. Pour contents into a bowl and enjoy. This is an extremely paleo/zone friendly meal that takes only minutes from the freezer to your plate. If you lead a busy life and have trouble eating healthily meals because you are just "too tired to cook" try this out! Plus, clean up is easy. Another fantastic plus.

Use a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to prepare your stir fry. We usually make about ten individual servings at a time. Get to work!

I'm going to try to be better about updating! I am about to hit the one year mark in my paleolithic journey. I hope your journey is going well too!

Give Your Skin a Boost

2010-06-10T08:49:00.003-05:00

We all know eating paleo has a lot of wonderful benefits. Our bodies just work better when we eat what nature intended for us to eat. No big shock there. However, there are some added benefits that certain foods give your skin that you might no be aware of. I'm big about wearing sun screen and keeping my face in the shade so I was very happy to see that I'm doing some other things to help keep a youthful glow! I stumbled across some of these today and thought I would share.

Almonds
Yes, I'm in love with almonds. They are a wonderful fat, taste great and certainly satisfy when you need something crunchy. However, did you know they also are a natural sun blocker? The vitamin E that almonds are packed with help defend against sun damage! This doesn't mean you should stuff yourself with almonds and forget the sun block, but studies show that consuming 20 almonds a day can help reduce your risk of burning in UV rays. Take a bag with you to the beach, but still keep your SPF 30 on hand!

Flaxseed
These babies are packed with omega 3 fatty acid. Omega 3's actually erase and iron out fine lines. Yes ladies, wrinkles! Who knew?

Cooked Tomatoes
I love tomatoes. I like them raw, roasted, sun dried, in a sauce, however you want to give them to me I will eat them. Cooked tomatoes, like almonds, are a natural sun blocker. Tomatoes are packed with lycopene which helps eliminate skin-aging free radicals. Cooking helps concentrate the lycopene.

Spinach
This green gem is good for you for multiple reasons. A recent study published in the International Journal of Cancer shows that people who ate the most leafy greens had half as many skin tumors over an eleven year period. Get me a salad!

Canned Tuna
I love canned tuna when I am in a crunch and need some easy protein. Tuna has selenium which helps preserve the elastin in the skin. Elastin keeps your skin nice and tight. Enough said.

Carrots
Everyone had acne as a teenager and if you didn't then I hate you. Sadly, we still are prone to it as adults. Carrots are packed with vitamin A which helps reduce the overproduction of cells on the outer layer of the skin. In short, this helps reduce breakouts. Orange power!

I got this information from the Eat This, Not That blog from women's health magazine. Here is the link if you want to surf the site.

Reflection

2010-06-01T09:58:00.004-05:00

The weekend is over. I honestly don't think I could have done a single thing different than what I did. Every single event I gave it 100%. I had nothing left. I have no regrets and no doubts in my performance.

In all honestly, going in the WODs terrified me. I'm not very confident in the snatch, muscle ups are brand new for me and handstand push ups come and go with fatigue. I knew WOD 2 (weighted Cindy) was going to be in my wheel house and I was right. WOD 3 I knew I could handle, but I wasn't sure how I would compare to the other competitors. Here is a quick breakdown of how the weekend went for me.

WOD 1: Max Snatch and OHS
My PR prior to the Regional was 105. I have tried and tired to get 110, but I had been having a complete mental block. I have not been able to make myself get under the bar. I hit 110 my very first attempt with a power snatch after making it to the bar and knocked out my three overhead squats. I think I had a huge smile on my face the whole time. This put me tied for 15th with about four or five other girls.

WOD 2: 10 minute Weighted Cindy (AMRAP 5 pull ups, 10 push ups and 15 air squats)
I love Cindy. She is my home girl. Add a ten pound weight vest though and anything can happen. The standard for this event was new. Chin had to break the vertical plane of the bar (no problems there) and your push ups you could "snake". Basically they let you flop to the ground and the push up however you wanted into a plank position. Kind of strange, but whatever, I went with what I know....strict push ups. I blazed through six or seven rounds and then the vest got me. I got eleven rounds total, good enough to tie me for 5th. Only about five to ten total reps separated me from first place in that event. This pushed me into 6th after day one.

WOD 3: 100 double unders THEN 3 rounds of 10 Deadlifts (185) & 100m sandbag run THEN 1000m row
Mercy. I have never hurt like I hurt during this WOD. As you know, I've been working on the doubles. Thank goodness! I hit 76 (a new PR) unbroken and got in into the rest of the WOD fast. The deadlifts felt awesome and the sandbag run was the most miserable thing I have ever done. I got onto the rower holding a 2:13 pace, I was shooting for 2:08 as anyone who was standing around The Mr. would know because all you could hear him yelling was "2:08! 2:08!" Well, 2:13 was as good as it was going to get. I finished in 10:13, good enough for 7th. 3rd place finished in 10:10. Yes, three seconds separated four places. I felt awesome. I truly surprised myself on that one. I stayed in 6th place going into the final WOD.

WOD 4: 10 muscle ups, 15 HSPU, 20 squat cleans (105) and a run.
Ok, here is where terror had been lurking all weekend. I knew this event was coming, but I couldn't really think about it until after the other three. At this point I knew if I finished this WOD in the time limit (15 minutes) I would have an amazing chance of finishing top 4. I got my turnout on the muscle up Wednesday before the Regional. I have never been able to do muscle ups AND HSPU in the same workout. I was exhausted and just praying to get through it. I hit my first muscle up and it had never felt so good. I got a bit excited and over shot the 2nd one, but that was my only miss. I kept knocking them out one at a time. I was feeling confident. I moved to the HSPU. The game plan was to knock out at least three with out breaking. Well, my very first one my feet came off the wall before I was locked out. No rep. I had to settle down and take it one at a time. I did not want to waste any reps. I didn't have much time. I ended up missing one more about half way through, but I stayed calm and got through all fifteen. I had about three minutes left going into the squat cleans. At this point, I knew finishing the WOD was a long shot, but I was going to give it my all. I knocked out fourteen squat cleans before time was called. I was elated and devastated all at the same time. I did something I had never done before, ten muscle ups with turnout followed by HSPU's! However, I knew because I didn't finish that every other girl that finished would automatically finish ahead of me overall.

Six girls finished the last WOD within time. Four other girls (myself included) made it to the squat cleans. The rest of the field, thirty three women, did not make it either past the muscle ups or HSPU's. I was one of ten ladies to make it through those horrible movements. They are huge weaknesses of mine and I DID IT. Knowing that if I had finished within the time limit I would have probably qualified breaks my heart, but I could not have done it differently or faster. I just needed to be faster on my HSPU's and I wasn't.

It is what it is. I'm proud of myself and our team and all the other individuals from CFJ! I have a lot of years left and I am just now really starting to see how good I could be and will be. This was my last time to compete in this region for a while since we'll be moving up north. I can't lie, I'm not too sad about losing the heat. The sun definitely came out to play this last weekend. However, I'm really sad that I won't be representing CrossFit Jenks next time I compete.

I met some amazing people, saw some incredible performances and had a great time. I'm taking the next month to really let my body heal and work on my flexibility and speed. I'm also giving myself a week to not worry about my diet. Twizzlers never tasted as good as they did after that last event on Sunday!

There was some incredible paleo food at the regional! Beef fajitas sans tortillas and kabobs! Lots of guacamole which always makes me happy. GSX in Fort Worth put on a stellar event, but I'm incredibly glad it is over. Now I can relax. Hallelujah!

Regionals...and some food stuff....

2010-05-27T16:17:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow I make the journey to Fort Worth, Texas with ten other CrossFit Jenks athletes to compete in the 2010 South Central Regional. I am beyond excited. I'm nervous. I'm anxious. I'm ready to go. Last July when I started on this "weird" diet, I knew it was going to not only improve the way I felt, but also improve the way I performed. Boy was I right. I've seen benchmark times drop (I have sub 3:30 Fran now!) and my max lifts go up (200 back squat and 140 clean and jerk). I have a long way to go on my lifts, but I'm getting there. Nutrition has played a huge part in what I can do in the gym. I recover better. I can push harder. I feel stronger.

My goal this weekend is to place in the top four to qualify for the CrossFit Games in July. I have set a pretty lofty goal for myself. It is going to be difficult. Not all the WODs play to my strengths, but my ability to hurt and push through pain for a long time will be my biggest ally. I'm just downright stubborn sometimes. I've been drinking lots of water and getting lots of rest. I've also been coaching our affiliate team which has been so much fun. They are going to do amazing.

No matter what happens I know I have worked hard. I could not be anymore prepared than I am. This could be my last time to compete as a CrossFit Jenk's athlete so I'm going to savor every moment and keep a stellar attitude.

On a side note, my paleolithic attitude is spreading out to those I work with. Today, a vendor I work with brought me a big basked from Whole Foods! It is filled with larabars, walnuts, cherries (my favorite!!!), oranges, apples and bananas. She got online and looked up "paleo foods" and brought me the send off basket. It was the sweetest thing in the world. Spread the word! Eat clean!

Whew!

2010-05-20T12:47:00.002-05:00

Last week is a total blur. The Mr. graduated and now instead of just Mr. he can put Dr. in front of his name. Pretty exciting stuff! We have been trying to regain some normalcy in our lives this week, but it isn't happening. Eating clean while trying to sell your house is HARD. Yes, I am saying that....it is hard. We have to be ready at a moments notice to evacuate so strangers can come judge us. I'm not much of a housekeeper. I would rather be at the gym, walking my dog with the Mr. or watching Glee. Because of this, my George Foreman has been packed away into the deep trenches of our cabinets. I usually leave it out because it is huge and big pain to put away because of the size. Ours has a griddle attached to it. I bought that for pancakes...which I never make anymore.

Last night I made my first home cooked meal in over a week. I'm so embarrassed. We have been eating out a lot. I've been keeping it pretty clean for the most part, but I miss my home cooked protein. Last night I grilled up some pork chops in a skillet in some olive oil, garlic and rosemary. Oh my it was delicious! We have been having some terrible weather around here. With about three minutes to go on the pork chops our tornado sirens started going off. I made the decision that my pork chops were far more important than taking cover. Luckily, we didn't get anything bad, just a lot of heavy rain and small hail. My pork chops finished grilling and all was right with the world.

Regionals are eight days away. Next Friday we'll leave for Hell's Half Acre in Fort Worth, Texas. I'm so excited, so nervous and so ready all at the same time. This year feels very different from last year. I know what to expect and I know what I expect of myself. We have all been training so hard, individuals and our affiliate team. It is going to be a really exciting weekend for everyone!

Hard Work Pays Off!

2010-05-14T09:42:00.002-05:00

This morning I hit a BIG milestone for me. I did "Annie" unbroken. For those of you not well versed with CrossFit lingo, Annie is a workout that has two elements, double unders with a jump rope (two rotations for every jump) and sit ups (unanchored). The rep scheme is 50-40-30-20-10. Double unders have never been a huge weakness. I could get 15 or 20, but when I got fatigued it would drop to 10 or less. They were also never a huge strength. I always admired those at our gym that could knock out 50+ every time like it was no big deal.

Two weeks ago the Mr. had me start doing 200 double unders a day. Of course I wasn't getting better at them if I only did them when they were in workouts! Well, I have been doing 200 a day for the past two weeks. Earlier this week I hit 40 double unders unbroken which was a PR. Today I did Annie and I got every single double under unbroken! It felt effortless and wonderful. Hard work pays off. Set a goal and work towards it. It doesn't always happen fast (like my muscle up!), but if you put in the time it will happen...eventually. I got nine consecutive handstand push ups on Wednesday! I couldn't get one two months ago. My goal is to turn my weaknesses into strengths and that is exactly what is happening.

Tonight is making me a little bit nervous. The Mr. is graduating from medical school and I'm throwing him an after party. I'm having it at a really fabulous pizza joint here in the area called Savastano's. They have amazing deep dish pizza. I know, I can't believe I'm doing this either! Hopefully I'll stay strong, but I do plan on having a little sliver and a tiny piece of graduation cake. How many times will my husband graduate from medical school? Just once! Tomorrow it is back on the straight and narrow just like I have been all week. Like I always say, a small indulgence is fine, just don't let it become common practice!

I also just can't seem to drink enough water lately. It has been tasting sooooooooo good. So clean and refreshing! I must appreciate it more as the weather gets warmer.

And the Winner is...

2010-05-12T09:03:00.002-05:00

Lisa! Congratulations to Lisa who won my 100th Post Giveaway! She will be receiving a copy of The Primal Blueprint Cookbook. Pretty exciting stuff. Thanks to everyone that entered and thanks for reading! It is nice to know I'm not just writing to myself everyday. A little information about our winner....

Lisa's favorite paleo snack is a "jar of almond butter and a large spoon". A girl after my own heart! I happen to have both of those sitting on my desk at all hours of the day. There is never a wrong time for almond butter! Lisa was also the very first person to enter, however, the drawing was completely random!

In other news, I have a funny/sad story to tell. A few girls from my gym all went in with me to purchase some Paleo Brand meals. They were running a free shipping special when you bought a full order which is fourteen meals. This saved us about $45! Great deal! We were all excited and looking forward to our meals.

I ordered the meals on a Wednesday evening and received nothing telling me my order had been shipped. I happened to go out of town that weekend, but figured it would be until at least Monday before the package would arrive. In my confirmation of purchase it never said "Order should arrive in X amount of days". Nothing. If it had, I would have arranged for someone to check my porch! Over the weekend we were out of town we had two open houses. Our realtor was at our house all afternoon both days. We arrived back Sunday evening and there was not box on our porch or waiting in our home. By Wednesday I started to wonder where my package was. I had finally received a tracking number, but still not package. I looked up my tracking number to see it had been delivered on FRIDAY. Yes, the Friday we went out of town. Where was the box though? It was not on my porch, not in my garage, not on the side of the house and not in my kitchen.

I proceed to email the Paleo Brands people through the only method of contact they have...an online contact form. I told them UPS said the box had been delivered, but that I never received the box. I then called my realtor to see if she ever saw anything. Here is where the story becomes very sad and funny. It turns out they did see a box and put it in my hall closet. However, after the Sunday open house her associate never put it out where we would see it. I had unfrozen frozen food in my hall closet for five days.

My husband was home and went looking for it and found it right away. We never use our hall closet so we never would have seen it. The dry ice was completely gone and the food was room temperature. It immediately went into the trash. I went back to the Paleo Brands website and submitted another contact form telling them my situation to see if we could do anything. I have not heard back from them on either contact request and it has been over a week. I'm very disappointed in the customer service I have NOT received from them. Even a simple email saying, "I'm sorry we can not do anything" would have been enough. At least I would know they were paying attention to their customers. There is no phone number and no direct email address. I am VERY annoyed. As much as I want to try their product, I'm so unsatisfied with their unresponsiveness that I don't think I will ever try them again. We spent a lot of money on a product we could not use. It wasn't their fault, but it was a crummy situation. It would have been nice to at least speak with SOMEONE. ANYONE!

I'm devastated. I ruined my friend's food and my own. I guess it could happen to anyone. If anyone from Paleo Brands is reading this (which I know they are not) I'm very disappointed in your service! I was planning on trying each of your meals and writing about them on my blog and telling all my fellow CrossFitters how great your product was...if it was great. Now I don't get to do that. I suggest changing the way customers can contact you. What you have no is simply not good enough!

Paleo Food News:
On Sunday I found some GREAT 1oz lean turkey patties at Target. They are Archer Farms brand. They are raw and there are ten patties in each package. Each has 60 calories, 1 g fat and 13 grams of protein! I cooked them on a skillet and they came out great. I have been eating them for lunch and as a little protein snack during the day. Try them out! I hate making my own patties from raw turkey meat, but I do it because I love the end product. This just makes it super easy! You can find them with other raw turkey products at Target.

Go Gators!

2010-05-04T11:49:00.002-05:00

Yes, I was raised in Oklahoma, but I am really a Florida born, Gator girl. In honor of my southeastern heritage, last night The Mr. made us gator tail for dinner! It was a fun treat that we had something new and he did all the cooking!

I know, kind of crazy. I have had gator before, but it has always be fried. We all know fried anything is delicious. Don't deny it, you know you love the taste of little fried goodies. We just know better now than to eat them very often. Last night at Reasor's we stopped by the seafood section. He noticed a huge Alligator head and then fresh gator tail. I was kind of in shock when he asked for half a pound of it, but he was in an adventurous mood.

The cooking of the gator was left up to him. I have never even thought about cooking gator in my life so I had no idea how to approach it. The Mr. isn't scared in the kitchen. He went right to work. A little white wine, a little garlic and sea salt, some hazel nut butter in the bottom of the pan...(I know, he is way more creative than I am).

We had a bunch of grilled asparagus and green beans as sides. Yes, I eat green beans. Green = good. I honestly don't care if they are not "technically" paleo. They are healthy. End of story.

A few things that surprised me about gator:
1. It actually tasted really good. Whatever other stuff he used to cook it with was wonderful.
2. Gator is a bit tougher than I remember. Being a game meat I guess that makes sense. I really didn't know what to expect.
3. It was pretty fatty. I do not at all like the texture of fat. It is jelly. I don't mind it when it is marbled in with my meat, but if I can cut it off I always do. I had to remove quite a bit from my gator! He must have been in a well stocked swamp...
4. I would definitely eat it again! This is the great thing about finding a wonderful butcher...there will always be a good variety of meats. Mix it up!

I found this grilled Cajun gator recipe today. It sounds pretty good and insanely easy.

Don't forget you can still enter my 100th Post Giveaway!!! You have until Friday night.

On another note...I am seriously addicted to dried fruit. I might need an intervention.

Extending the Contest!

2010-05-03T10:09:00.001-05:00

I'm extending my 100th Post Giveaway until Friday, May 7th at 11:59PM. Good luck! Go here for all the details!

100th Post Giveaway!

2010-04-29T14:00:00.002-05:00

Well, this is my 100th post. It seems kind of crazy. 100 paleo posts! In honor of this milestone I'm doing a giveaway! Apparently that is the cool thing to do in the blog world. As a thank you to everyone who reads, comments, does not comment or has supported me through my transition to a cave-girl lifestyle, I've got something for you!

I love Mark's Daily Apple. He is publishing The Primal Blueprint Cookbook in Mid-May. I've been pretty excited about this for quite a bit of time. Not only am I going to get one for me, but I am going to be sending one of these fabulous cookbooks to one of YOU!

The cookbook has over 100 recipes that are paleo friendly, gluten free, low carb....everything a paleo loving person could want!

Here is what you need to do:

Post a comment on this blog post
In your comment tell me what your favorite paleo snack or meal is OR something that you now love that you didn't know you loved before changing your diet!
Make sure to leave your first name and email address in the comment in case you are not registered on blogger and it comes up as "anonymous" when you post.
This is open to EVERYONE.

One entry per person. I don't care if you have never commented before, join in! You will have until 11:59PM on Sunday, May 2nd. The winner will be picked at random. If I know you or don't know you won't matter one bit. If you are the winner I will contact you by email and get your mailing information and your Primal Blueprint Cookbook will be shipped directly to you courtesy of me!

Thanks to everyone for joining in on my paleotlithic adventure!

A Change in Attitude

2010-04-27T10:20:00.004-05:00

I’m taking a bit of a deviation from my typical paleo post for today. My mind has been spinning the last few weeks. There are a lot of changes coming up for me in the next couple of months. We’re moving to a completely different and very cold part of the country. We’re leaving jobs, friends, family…pretty much life as I currently know it. I put on a happy face about it because I really am excited, but I’m also terrified. For some reason fear gets the best of me sometimes. I don’t like to fail. I don’t like to appear weak. I know I am a strong person, but I am human. I get insecure. I get scared.

This morning I got up and I checked the CFJ website as I do every morning to see today’s WOD. The first thing I read, 30 handstand push ups. My first thought, “Crap!” A big weakness and also something I really need to keep improving. The last few weeks my shoulder has been acting up again. It has made me fearful. Fearful of ripping into muscle ups, of pushing the heck out of the ground coming out of a handstand, of getting under heavy weight on a push jerk. I’m not normally like that. I normally have the attitude that nothing will beat me, but after being rendered useless for three months last year because of the injury that is all I can think about. I get really mad at myself for it too. I’m so much tougher mentally than that. I can do and have done all of those things before. There is absolutely no reason to be scared. It is time to snap out of this funk.

Later this morning I checked the main site and noticed our workout today was also a main site workout. Then I noticed a picture of a girl that I know I had seen before. I remember when her profile was posted on the 2009 Games site prior to the CrossFit Games last year. Her name is Amanda Miller. She died on Friday from Melanoma. She was three years younger than me. We have the same birthday. Last year she competed in the Games. There was a link to her blog on the main site so I started reading. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Here was a picture of an incredibly strong, vibrant woman sprinting up a hill with a sandbag around her neck and less than a year later she is gone. The battle she went through, how she kept pushing and pushing despite pain and also how incredibly positive and strong she sounded through the entire ordeal was amazing to read. I didn't know Amanda, but it still really got to me. Here is a link to her blog so you can read it for yourself.

I’m not trying to be dramatic or incredibly inspirational, but I wanted to share all of that because the mindset you choose makes all the difference. I know my fear and what she was facing cannot even be compared to each other, but I can take a good lesson from how she handled what she went through. I choose to be positive. I choose to not be scared. Amanda did the same thing. She lost her life in the end, but she lived. I’m sure she was terrified through the process, but from what I can tell she didn’t live like she was terrified. She continued to work and push to get stronger despite what she was going through with her disease. I'm blessed to be healthy. I should wake up everyday thanking God for giving me another day to do what I love. I can run, jump, laugh, dance when I get muscle up and live my life. Yes, I'm leaving everything I know, but I will still be me no matter where I am. Life continues. We should all be grateful for the gifts we have been given and never lose sight of what is truly important.

No matter what you are going through professionally, personally, in the gym, with friends, choose to be happy. Choose to be positive. Good things will come from it. The outcome might not always be what you want or expect, but at least you can say you gave it your all and you had a good attitude. You will inspire others in the process just like Amanda inspired me today.

Paleo Brands

2010-04-26T16:03:00.002-05:00

There is a really cool thing going on right now on the Paleo Brands website. From now until April 28th they are offering free shipping when you place a full order. A full order is fourteen meals which is quite a bit. They run $8.95 a piece. I have been wanting to try some of these for a long time. I think what Robb Wolf and company have done for nutrition and the CrossFit community is just amazing.

I'm going in with a couple ladies from my gym on a full order. Gather a few friends and do the same. I don't know about you, but I don't have $140 bucks I can just drop at a moments notice. I'm going to try a couple meals and let you know what I think! It will be nice to have some paleo friendly meals on hand if I have missed a trip to the store or if I am feeling just plain lazy. Sadly, the latter will probably be the case most of the time.

Go here to check out all the options! They all look pretty delicious. I think I may become a food photographer....

Shopping List

2010-04-23T16:46:00.002-05:00

How are you spending your Friday evening? I plan on spending mine in a grocery store. I'm actually very excited about this because my fridge is hauntingly empty. Not a good thing when you are trying to eat good food! Here is what is on the list for purchase this evening:

Lean ground beef (for my taco salads)
Lean turkey cutlets
Turkey bacon (for the Mr.)
Broccoli
Avocados
Cucumbers (I love these with salsa. Such a great snack!)
Spinach. Lots and lots of spinach!
Shredded carrots
String cheese (again for the Mr.)
Raw nuts; cashews, pistachios, almonds, walnuts...
Garlic
Grapefruit
Bananas
Lemons and limes
Salsa
Egg. I can never have too many eggs around!

Tomorrow is the CFJ affiliate team tryout. I'm so excited! Lots of good action will be going down tomorrow morning. It should be a fun time. Good luck to everyone trying out!

I'm Not Sure What Just Happened...

2010-04-22T13:14:00.002-05:00

...but I totally fell of the wagon.

First mistake, I went to Merritt's for lunch with co-workers. Today is bring your daughter to work day so I tagged along with a group to celebrate the day. Merritt's, by the way, is an extermlely wonderful bakery in the Tulsa area. They have great little lunch deals. I got a turkey club wrap sans ranch dressing. I got the low carb wrap. There were no salads and I could have eaten everything minus the wrap, but I was in a wrapy kind of mood. At least they had a low carb option although still not a great choice on my end.

Here is where it gets bad....

Merritt's gives you free dessert with lunch. Yes, I should have just said, "I don't need the cake." I didn't. I let them give it to me. I didn't know what kind it was. I'm not a huge cake fan so I was fairly optimistic that I wouldn't eat it. To my displeasure they gave me the one and only kind of cake I can. not. turn. down. Lemon cake.

Let me tell you about me and the lovely lemon. We love each other. I L.O.V.E. citrus. Lemon is my favorite. Lemon bars, lemon cake, lemonade....extremely hard for me to turn down. Thankfully it was a small piece and I only took about four bites. I threw the rest away. I had a few nibbles and felt satisfied.

Once I got back to the office a media rep/friend of mine stopped by just to say hi and thanks for the business. I buy media for a living. It's fun. One "perk" is that reps bring me treats occasionally. Today this particular rep brought me a really cute bowl filled with Jelly Belly jelly beans. Seriously? Jelly Belly's are my favorite. Jelly beans in general give me goosebumps. That is all I ever wanted in my Easter basket. My dad has a Jelly Belly machine on his desk at home. It is a family affair. Anyway, that just did me in. I grabbed a couple and then removed it from my line of sight. Hopefully my co-workers will eat the rest of them before I see them again. There is no telling what might happen...

What do you do when you have these kind of days? I'm not going to beat myself up. I enjoyed everything I ate. Maybe I needed a little splurge. The next few days I'll keep it good and clean to get back on track. No Larabar for me today. The ironic thing is the flavor I have in my purse right now....lemon.

Happy Land Run day!

It's a Great Day to be Alive

2010-04-21T14:20:00.003-05:00

And I mean that! Today is a wonderful day to be alive. Why? Well, there are a lot of reasons. I'm healthy, happy, employed, motivated and I get to watch GLEE tonight courtesy of my fabulous DVR. It's the Madonna episode!

OK, that is all fine and dandy, but let me get to the heart of why today is such a great day...

Today I went to Whole Foods....

I bought fourteen Larabars!

Wow! I know what you are thinking... "You're right Ginny! Today is a great day for you to be alive. You lucky, lucky, Larabar loving girl!"

I love Larabars. When I discovered them last year during my introduction to paleo it was like I discovered a hidden treasure. Not only are they gluten, dairy and soy free....but they are tasty. Scary tasty. The kind of tasty that makes you want another immediately after finishing one. I guess that also makes them kind of dangerous, but what girl doesn't like a little danger in her life?

In honor of my Larabar extravaganza at Whole Foods today, I have decided to rank my top five Larabar flavors.

5. Pistachio
4. Banana Bread
3. Key Lime Pie
2. Lemon Bar
1. Cocoa Mole

Cocoa Mole is like the goddess of all Larabars. She is sweet and spicy. Oh sweet goodness.

A quick note on Larabars...

Even though they are 100% paleo that doesn't mean you should eat them all the time. I try to save mine for post workout snack time when I need some carbs in my system. They are good to have around if you are in desperate need of something paleo friendly, but don't over eat them. They still have a lot of sugar in them from the dates. I really try to watch my sugar intake with fruit so just be aware.

What is your favorite Larabar flavor?

I Need to Make an Effort to....

2010-04-19T13:49:00.002-05:00

...eat more fish!

I love seafood. It is a good thing I love it because it is a wonderfully healthy source of protein. Fish is also a great source of omega 3 essential fatty acids. Here is a good website about some of the benefits of fish. This probably goes without saying, but the healthiest way to prepare your fish is to either poach, bake or grill your protein.

I have a lot of wild caught salmon in my freezer. I'm hoping to not be too lazy to take time to defrost it and broil some up this week for dinner. I'm starting to get a bit burned out on some of my go to proteins so it is time to mix it up!

Do you feel a little hesitant about buying fresh fish? I was at first because I had never bought fresh fish. It can be kind of intimidating. Don't be afraid to ask you butcher questions. They are always nice and very knowledgeable. Here are a few things to keep in mind when buying your seafood. Thanks to Reasor's for the list! I love that place...

So here is your challenge for the week. If you never eat seafood...eat it! Shrimp, scallops, crab, tuna, grouper...take your pick and go for it. If you eat a lot of seafood, switch it up. If you always eat salmon and tilapia, go try some orange roughy or trout. Look for wild caught fish, not farmed raised if at all possible. Wild caught salmon is simply marvelous....

On a side note....
I have consumed more water today than I have in months. I will be on a bit of a different routine the next few weeks as I am covering a 6AM class at the gym. It is only a few days a week, but I'm making an effort to workout at 5AM prior to my 6AM class on those days. 4:30AM came early today...not like that is surprising to anyone. I keep thinking if I drink more water it will help my eyes feel more "awake". Hmmm....at least I'm staying hydrated. And yes, I went to bed early. 9Pm! I think tonight will be another early night was well.

Sancky Snacky

2010-04-16T15:51:00.003-05:00

I love to snack. I like crunchy, munchy things. I love trail mix, but I don't usually take time to make my own so I desperately miss it right now. A friend of mine who I did my Level 1 Certification with posted what looks like a really good, paleo friendly trail mix on her Facebook page today. If any of you try it before me, let me know how it goes.

Paleo Granola

5 cups nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, pecans, and sunflower seeds; you can use whatever you want, but make sure you use at least 2 – 3 cups slivered almonds, as these take the place of what is normally oats)
1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup or any other Paleo-approved sweetener)
1/3 cup Paleo-friendly oil ( coconut works well)
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup raisins
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Mix honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small saucepan and bring to a boil on the stove. Let it cool. Spread the nuts and seeds out on a greased baking sheet and pour the cooled honey mixture over the top. Mix it around to get everything covered, and bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees. Allow the pan to cool slightly and then put the mixture into a bowl. Mix in raisins and coconut, and enjoy!

Tip from the creator: “Your biggest key to success with this (and really any) recipe is to go a little crazy. Add your own twist to it or branch off in another crazy direction. The granola you see in the picture, for example, was mixed with almond butter, pressed into a brownie pan, and is now chilling in the freezer to make granola bars.”

Thanks to Jennifer at CrossFit Fort Hood!

In other news, I finally knocked one of my pre-regional goals off the list. I got my muscle up! Not only did I get one muscle up, but I got two. You might remember at the end of March I set some goals for myself. I have improved in most of these areas so far. Here are the updates:

(muscle up used to be #1...but it is gone now!)
275lb deadlift - I hit 250 (5lb PR) last Friday. I'm maxing out next week. Going for at least 260.
40 consecutive pull ups - Did 36 in the first round of Nicole a couple weeks ago. Prior PR was 35.
Improve my 400 m run - I've been doing extra sprint work and hill runs. Getting there.
Improve my flexibility - I haven't made a good enough effort here. Shame on me.

Making Excuses for Myself

2010-04-15T11:06:00.003-05:00

That is what I am doing today. I'm not one for making excuses, but I actually have a good one.

Yesterday afternoon I sat in the dentist chair for two hours. First, I think if anyone sits in a dentist chair for any amount of time you should get to do whatever you want. It can be completely traumatizing. Sorry to any of you that may be dental professionals, but it just isn't my favorite place to hang out. I have a great dentist. She is super nice and is really great at what she does. Her office also gives free pedicures while you are getting worked on....no lie. My toes look so cute today.

I'm in the process of getting some crowns replaced. I will be making a few more lengthy visits in the next few weeks. The bottom line is, I left the dentist after two hours of drilling at 6:30PM. My face was numb, my head was pounding and I was just in a flat out bad mood. Nothing sounded appetizing, but I was starving. Starving to the point of dizziness. The idea of chewing made me cringe. I needed something soft and easy.

Jamba juice popped into mind, but I had already had my fruit for the day.

What to do....

What to do....

Then it hit me. Tomato soup. I love tomato soup. The Mr. had been talking for days about the tomato soup he had been eating at the hospital. Apparently he makes it himself somehow. That is another story. I sat and pondered a little bit more... What place has the best tomato soup in the world?

Panera.

That was it. I was done. The minute the idea popped in my head I was a goner. I waited for the Mr. to get home, I looked at him with my "feel sorry for me my mouth hurts bad" face and we jumped in the car.

It was not paleo. I knew that. But I did know that all 370 calories and 23 grams of fat of that creamy tomato soup made my mouth feel so much better. Seriously, creamy tomato soup is not the worst you could do....right? This morning I thought I would take a gander at what exactly was in the soup I ate. Normally I never have to wonder what is in what I'm eating. Chicken is chicken, almonds are almonds and cucumbers are cucumbers.

Here is what was in my soup:

Creamy Tomato Soup (tomatoes [tomatoes, tomato puree, salt, citric acid], water, cream [cream, milk], onions, seasoning [sugar, modified corn starch, salt, spices], butter [cream, water], corn syrup [light corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, salt, vanilla], pure olive oil, garlic puree [fresh garlic, citric acid], Croutons (unbleached enriched flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], water, Asiago crouton mix [margarine {soybean oil, water, mono- and diglycerides, salt, whey, soy lecithin, sodium benzoate, natural and artificial flavor, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color), asiago cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes], contains less than 2% dehydrated garlic and onion, spices and salt], enriched durum wheat flour [durum flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], Asiago cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes], enriched semolina wheat flour [semolina, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], Parmesan cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes], salt, Romano cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes], yeast, dough conditioners [ascorbic acid, microcrystalline cellulose, corn starch]).

Maybe I won't make any excuses anymore. That ingredient list straight up shocked me. Sheesh! I think I will just try to make my own from now on....

I Did Some Research

2010-04-14T10:12:00.003-05:00

I found a couple websites that are going to teach me how to cook eggplant. Apparently I was doing it all wrong. In my defense, I'm an eggplant newbie. I will try again. I'm not giving up. Here are some websites with some good tips on how to prepare eggplant in different ways:

How to Cook Eggplant to Tender, Silky Perfection
Learning How to Cook Eggplant
Best Ways to Cook and Prepare Eggplant

There you go. Have some fun with the reading. Go buy some eggplant and try it this week. I will probably make another go at it after I use up the rest of my veggies.

I Had a Theory...

2010-04-12T11:15:00.002-05:00

...that anything would taste good if it was roasted in olive oi and garlic. Seriously, garlic is a life saver. I don't want to say I would eat garlic by itself, but I actually might. I love it that much. Last night I had the last of my grilled turkey cutlets and roasted some eggplant. Instead of using olive oil I used avocado oil. The bottle said it was supposed to be good on salads and tomatoes so I assumed that meant it would be good on roasted eggplant as well. Hmmmm....

I'm not sure where I went wrong. I have had eggplant before, but I grilled it on my George. Maybe roasting eggplant isn't the way to go? It got very mushy, but it was a spongy mushy. Off the grill it had a firmer texture which I enjoyed more. Or maybe it was the avocado oil? Maybe I should have stuck with the EVOO. The garlic was wonderful...nothing went wrong there!

Needless to say, I had to force myself to choke down my veggies last night. That is the worst feeling. Maybe I just thought I liked eggplant last time I had it? Maybe I like the idea of eggplant more than the actual act of eating eggplant?

They are a gorgeous looking vegetable. Anyone have some suggestions on how to prepare this little wonder? I want to really branch out with my veggies and I'm very disappointed in my taste buds today!

Saturday Night...Oh No

2010-04-10T19:07:00.002-05:00

I normally eat very clean. I'm usually spot on during the week. Saturday nights, however, have gradually become a different story. I don't go crazy, but I do splurge. I think this is completely healthy and many times necessary so you can stay pumped up about eating clean. If it becomes a tedious task and something you dread then why are you going to continue doing it?

This Saturday is different. This Saturday is the first Saturday during the challenge. This Saturday night I'm without the Mr. who is working. He would never know. I could totally go steal some of his oatmeal or string cheese right now. I could be sneaky...

Nope. Not going to happen. Why? Because I just grilled up 1.5 pounds of turkey cutlets. Yum. I really do love those things. Super lean and a nice change from a turkey burger. Plus, I have a fridge full of fresh veggies. I have a good variety so I can keep it different this week. On Friday I purchased eggplant, asparagus, squash, and some cucumbers. Cucumbers with salsa are a great treat if you are craving something crunchy. Treat them like your chips!

What is your Saturday night routine? What "treat" are you going to miss this most while keeping it clean? After almost a full week of the challenge, are you craving anything? Pay attention to how you feel. Find ways to fight the urge to splurge.

On a different note, I'm climbing 50 flights of stairs next Saturday with the CrossFit Jenks team in the American Lunch Association's 2010 Fight For Air Climb. I need to raise $100 in a week. Yikes! Here is the link to my donation page if you are interested in supporting me.

Keep up the good fight!

Don't Neglect....

2010-04-08T09:51:00.004-05:00

...Your bed!

I preach about this a lot and I'm not always the best about keeping it in good practice. Get your sleep! I need to take my own advice this week. My life right now is in a bit of a whirlwind. We are gearing up for our move to Michigan. That means lots of free time is spent cleaning out closets, boxing up stuff, cleaning and trying to get our house ready to sell. Not to mention, the Mr. is working nights in the ICU which means even if I do get in bed a decent hour, I wake up when he gets home. On top of this, I'm working my full time job, training for regionals and trying to get in my eight plus hours of sleep a night.

This week it has not been happening.....

I've been lucky to get in six and a half hours. I'm not a girl that functions well on lack of sleep. I need my full eight or more. I am not writing this so you will feel sorry for me. I am writing this because I need to remind myself that the one thing I absolutely cannot neglect is my sleep!

You're eating clean, you are getting in your exercise, but are you ruining all of it by not getting your shut eye? The body is an amazing thing. The next few nights challenge yourself to get at least eight hours. I promise you will feel a difference.

Take the TV out of your bedroom and cut the caffeine out before bed. I hope you are cutting most caffeine out of your diet anyway! If you are not, don't have it with dinner. It will make a difference.

Here are few great articles on the importance of sleep. I promise it is just as important as your diet and workout routine. Maybe even more important. We put our bodies through a lot. Give it the rest it needs and deserves.

Six Reasons Not to Scrimp on Sleep
How Sleep Works - This one has some pretty interesting info!
How Fatigue Can Negatively Affect Your Athletic Performance
The Importance of Sleep for Athletic Performance - Good sleeping tips in this one!

Angie:
In response to your question about almond butter, I try to keep it to a serving (2 tablespoons) which is extremely difficult because I L.O.V.E. almond butter. Of course, I might eat my almond butter with three different meals as my fat. I like to spread it on cut up apples or just eat it with a spoon. Don't worry, I don't share my jar with anyone else! Complete sanitary, right?

Stir Fry Prep!

2010-04-07T09:25:00.004-05:00

Like I said in my last post, the Mr. and I spent Monday getting prepped and ready for the paleo/zone challenge. Since I have been doing paleo since last August, I have a pretty easy time just cooking my protein and figuring out what carbs (veggies or fruit) I'm going to eat with my protein. The Mr., on the other hand, is the kind of person that needs it to be easy. Since he has a busy, unpredictable schedule sometimes he needs to be able to have snacks and meals ready to go. He is zoning, but trying to keep his carbs mainly veggies with little fruit. He is not giving up dairy.

To help him out we spent the day chopping veggies and cooking chicken to make ready to go stir fry that he can grab out of the freezer and just heat! It was his idea. So smart. Here is what we did:

He chopped and chopped veggies. We ended up with three huge Pyrex bowls full of squash, zucchini, red and green peppers, onion, mushrooms, carrots and spinach.

I was in charge of the protein. My specialty! I had a five pound package of chicken that only cost me $9.50! Ziploc bags are also a must when portioning out your snacks. We stocked up.

This is my George...my best friend. Look at all that fat it gets rid of. Marvelous! I love my lean, mean grilling machine.

The finished product! We made thirteen freezer bags full of six ounces of protein and three cups of veggies! We used the chicken I cooked and also some frozen mini shrimp and scallops.

If you are interested to know what meal that I eat looks like, here is today's breakfast. I have a four ounce chicken breast, a half cup of black berries, my glorious jar of almond butter and a full bottle of water. I have a bag of three cups of veggies including celery, carrots, tomatoes and cucumber that I will munch on during lunch and throughout the day. Prepared!

Let The Games Begin!

2010-04-06T09:44:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was the official kick off for the CrossFit Jenks Paleo/Zone 12 Week Challenge. We all know I love a good challenge. I'm not in it to win the money, but I did get all my measurements taken so I can see the before and after. I was pleasantly surprised to know my weight has stayed steady since the end of my two month strict challenge last year. I hardly ever step on a scale. I despise scales. If my clothes fit and I feel strong then I am happy. Numbers mess with your head too much. The only numbers I care about are my PR's.

Yesterday, the Mr. and I ventured to the store to stock up for the next two weeks. Luckily, I had the day off on Monday so I was able to get prepared. Keep that word in your mind during this challenge everyone...preparation! If you are prepared you cannot be defeated! If you leave yourself open to go off course sooner or later it will happen.

Every other Sunday is now food prep day! The Mr. has two weeks worth of lunches prepped in the freezer. Individual servings of stir fry! Too cool. I have pictures to post later tonight. Very exciting stuff.

Since I had the day off, yesterday was a little bit odd. We slept in (I never get to do that) so breakfast happened about 10:30. By the time we got back from the store and done prepping it was almost 3PM. I had not had lunch and was going to be going to be doing "Fran" in about two hours! I was feeling week and needed food pronto. Honestly, yesterday I ate about half of what I should have quantity wise. I managed to hit a decent PR on Fran. Amazing what you can make your body do when you don't let it stop. I will admit, I was not expecting anything great after the weekend of Easter goodies and a Mexican meal of quesadills on Sunday evening. Sheesh. Can't wait to see what happens in 12 weeks.

Good luck everyone! Feel free to post questions, thoughts, random comments of joy or frustration on this blog! Give it a couple weeks to start feeling normal. Don't give up. You can do it! Your body will thank you!

Get Pumped!

2010-03-24T11:34:00.003-05:00

I'm really excited.

I'm really pumped.

I'm utterly and completely fired up.

CFJ is starting a paleo/zone challenge! Twelve weeks. All out. Take no prisoners paleo. Yes, I have been trying to eat like a cave-women since August. However, I feel like I have become a bit lackadaisical about it. Now is a chance to reignite that flame for good, clean food. I'm not saying I was ever wavering from my culinary lifestyle choice, but it is always good to have something to hold you accountable. That is why I started this blog when I challenged myself to go strict paleo for a month.

It worked. I got hooked.

I'm so excited for all the CFJ members who are going to experience this for the first time.

Yes, it can be a difficult change, but the benefits....Oh the benefits! No more feeling disgusting after a starchy, (bad) fatty meal, more energy, better health and a lean, mean body. I find if very difficult to believe that anyone who takes this challenge for twelve weeks will be able to go back to not thinking about what they eat ever again. Sure, people will tailor their diet to fit their needs after the challenge. I know I did. There are things I let myself have every now and then that aren't paleo.

Honestly, I might go clinically insane if I ate 100% paleo 100% of the time.

90% I can handle. 90% is an awesomely clean diet.

We are also offering incentive to stick with it. Details will be announced soon. This is not my brain child. Nicole and Matt got the ball rolling and got everyone excited. Way to go guys! My husband is convinced he is going to win. Honestly, he probably has a pretty good shot. I have always admired and hated his ability to lean out so fast when he gets serious. I want a male metabolism.

Along with getting strict again with my diet, I have a few goals I am setting for myself before regionals come along at the end of May. I may not reach all of them, but if I don't set them I won't have anything to work towards. Goals are a must. Set some for yourself today. Write them down and tell someone else. That makes it real. Here are mine:

Get a muscle up
275lb deadlift (My least favorite lift. I hate working heavy sets.)
40 consecutive pull ups
Improve my 400 m run (no time goal, just get faster overall)
Improve my flexibility so I can do a legit L-sit with my legs fully extended. Currently, I'm not flexible enough to do this. So pathetic. Yoga once a week will help me out tremendously!

Don't be afraid of failure. You learn from failing.

What are your goals? Feel free to post them hear loud and proud for the world to see! 3-2-1- GO!

Enough!

2010-03-22T12:55:00.006-05:00

My week of binge eating is over. OK, maybe it wasn't binge eating, but I assure you that I did not worry too much about what kind of food I put in my mouth last week.

Last night I kicked off the week on the right note. I grilled up some delicious, lean steaks for me and the Mr. I also roasted some asparagus and carrots in olive oil and garlic. Yum! Prior to cooking dinner I grilled up four pieces of chicken to have them ready for lunches for the next few days. Sadly, I think something went wrong. The chicken just has a very strange taste. No, the chicken had not gone bad. I did grill some kabobs the day before on my George. I don't think I cleaned it off well enough and some of the remains of the marinade soaked into my chicken breasts. They don't taste bad, they just taste...strange. I love the George, but I'm not the best at cleaning it extremely well every time I use it which is horrible, I know.

Water is my best friend this week. Water makes me feel better than anything else I put in my body. It is fresh and clean and just down right refreshing. I have just over two months until regionals and my diet is going to be clean as a whistle until then. Luckily, I already have my post regionals meal planned thanks to Nicole. Joe T's in Fort Worth...watch out!

A final thought today, take care of your body. You only get one. If it is hungry, feed it good things. If it is tired, give it good rest. If it is weak, make it stronger.

A few other side notes:
I have a sinus infection. Annoying.
I'm going to get a muscle up this week. Determined.

Sectionals Update and More Confessions!

2010-03-16T16:32:00.005-05:00

Sectionals was this weekend and it went great! I felt prepared, I felt rested and I felt healthy. I had goals for myself and I achieved most of them. I'm very happy with how it all played out. All of the competitors from CrossFit Jenks did outstanding! It was so awesome to see everyone out there giving it everything they had. No one gave up. Everyone rocked it.

I want to take a quick second to brag on these ladies:

This is a picture of myself (far right) and the three fabulous females from our gym (Jennifer, Christina and Paige) that also competed. We have all been training hard together for months. Any given day in the gym any one of us will beat the other. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. We all push each other. I know that none of us would be the well rounded athletes we are without the others. Way to go this weekend ladies! All four of us qualified to go onto regionals in May. What an accomplishment! Along with us, two other men from our gym qualified as well. Way to go guys! Over all, our gyms will have seven athletes at regionals. We already had one pre-qualified male. Seven athletes! That is amazing.

Confession Time:
I told myself after the competition was over I was going to give myself a treat and boy did I! The very first thing I ate after sectionals was a glorious cookies and cream ice cream shake. I could not tell yo the last time I had real ice cream. Oh. My. It never tasted so good. Since I went on my post sectional binge, it has a bit hard to get back on track. Granted, it is has only been three days and I had been spot on with my diet for months leading up to sectionals. I'm giving myself through St. Patrick's Day to enjoy the ride and then get back on the straight and narrow. I have regionals to prepare for!

One thing I do know, if you are going to enjoy something that is off your normal clean diet, make sure it is worth it. I had a real ice cream shake...not a fake one. My shake satisfied my sweet tooth and I didn't need more. I enjoyed every single bit of it. I enjoyed every bite of my chicken quesadilla that evening and every bite of my Chick-Fil-A sandwich last night! Who is this girl, right? There is never anything wrong with indulging, just make sure that is all it is...an indulgence and not a way of life.

Remember, when you eat clean you can do things like this...fast!

Healthy is Easy

2010-03-09T15:16:00.003-06:00

I just have to rave a bit about my dinner last night. I love Mexican food and I love a good salad. Last night I made paleo taco salads. I guess there really isn't much "taco" about it, but still....yum.

I grilled up about 3/4 lb of 93% lean ground beef and split it equally between myself and my hubby. My meant went on top of a huge portion of beautiful, leafy greens.I diced up an avocado and split it equally as well. He got a nice portion of some shredded cheese on his and then I topped both off with lots-o-salsa. I did use some taco seasoning for the meat

It was extremely simple. I thought I would maybe miss the beans and cheese, but I didn't. I devoured that thing like I hadn't eaten in weeks. So good! Meals like that are a good reminder that it is extremely easy to eat healthy and still have yummy food. The whole dish took me fifteen minutes max...and that included cleaning my skillet.

Tonight I am grilling turkey breast chops and roasting some asparagus. I have become an asparagus lover lately. Very strange, but with a little garlic and sea salt it is delicious. I also have a sweet potato that might be calling my name.

Water and lots of sleep are going to be my two best friends over the next few days. Saturday will be here before we know it! I'm excited to see how the last seven months of paleo are going to help me this weekend. I think I'm going to be a big bundle of energy...which is exactly what I'll need!

Sectionals Week!

2010-03-08T11:03:00.002-06:00

The week is upon us. This Saturday and Sunday I will be competing in the South Central Sectional along with many other men and women from CFJ. What does that mean for my diet this week? Clean, clean, clean! I plan on keeping my carb portion a bit higher for some added energy...of course this will come in the form of fruits and veggies. I'm planning on having a beautiful taco salad for dinner tonight. Lean beef, greens, avocado, tomatoes and salsa. Yum yum. I'll be grilling up another few pounds of chicken to get me through lunches and snacks.

It is getting close to fruit season. I've been lucky to find some really great blueberries my past few trips to the store. I think blueberries are one of the most fantastic fruits out there. I try to have them on hand whenever they are good. Grapefruits are also a staple of my diet. I wish I mixed it up more sometimes, but hey, I like what I like. I can't help it!

Last night we had some great grilled chicken and zucchini noodles. My husband has become obsessed. I used four zucchinis for the two of us and it was barely enough to satisfy him! I'm so excited he loves them. Pistachios are still a new favorite of mine. I need to find some good raw pistachios in bulk. I can only find them in mixes right now, which of course is fine too. I'm planning on getting lots of rest this week and just taking care of my body in general. There are some nasty colds and stomach flu bugs going around. I'm keeping my hands washed, staying hydrated and running as fast as I can in the opposite direction of sick people!

So do I plan on splurging a bit after sectionals? This might surprise you, but YES! I've always loved ice cream. It is something I really miss when I'm being strict with my diet. I'm planning on treating myself a perfect ice cream treat Sunday evening. I'm looking forward to my sweet treat!

I'm so excited about competing and cheering on the rest of our crew. I think we're going to make a great showing. Everyone has put in a lot of hard work. It is about to pay off!

A Few Things I'm Excited About

2010-03-01T13:20:00.002-06:00

Sectional are less than two weeks away. I've been training hard, my shoulder is showing tremendous improvement and my diet has stayed clean. I'm feeling GOOD!
Paleo Brands is ready to ship pre-made, frozen, paleo meals! They have five different varieties of entrees for the caveman or cave woman in your life. Pretty awesome.
Sleep, sleep, sleep. Along with focusing on a clean diet, I have also been making sure other areas of my life are balanced and clean as well. I have been sleeping like a baby the last few weeks which is out of the normal for me. It is amazing what a good eight hours of sleep can do for your body. Make yourself get some shut eye this week!
Archer Farms Raw Mixed Nuts. I came across this little gem in Target last week. It is a mix of raw, unsalted cashews, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts and walnuts. It is a dream come true. My 30 ounce container cost about $11 and has 30 servings. Who eats just one ounce of nuts at at time though? :) Pick up a jar. You'll be happy.
Speaking of my shoulder feeling good, I got three consecutive handstand push ups on Saturday. Rejoice! Two weeks ago my shoulder still wouldn't let my head get closer than four inches from the ground. I am on happy lady.

What Do You Do When...

2010-02-22T13:51:00.002-06:00

....you have been out of town all weekend and return to an empty refrigerator?

That was the question I was faced with this morning. I was out of town all weekend and returned home early this morning. I gave myself just enough time to drop my dog off at the house, grab clothes for the gym and head off to work. I tried to scrounge up some paleo friendly food for lunch knowing that I would be unable to venture out to grab anything. Busy day. The only problem was, I had no cooked meat. I didn't even have raw meet or frozen meat. I had some spinach that would probably be better cooked than eaten as a salad and a bag of carrots. Apparently someone is heading to the store this evening.

Luckily, I had some Johnsonville Turkey Sausage links. I had bought these in case of this very situation. I need protein and need it fast! Yes, it is processed, but when you are left with the choice of a processed turkey sausage link or oatmeal and granola bars...I'm going with the turkey sausage every time!

This turkey sausage is actually pretty decent. 110 calories, 6 grams of fat (only 1.5 saturated), 10 grams of protein and 4 carbs. In a perfect paleo world my protein would be over 20 grams per serving, a little lower in fat and no carbs. Today, however, I did not live in a perfect world. Today I lived in a, "This is hectic and you're busy so do the best you can" kind of world. My nuts aren't raw and my fruit is dried. Did I mention I was completely out of food? Thanks goodness for my water and carrots! Tonight I'm grabbing a giant salad at the Reasor's salad bar. My body is craving some greens.

By the way, if you live in the Tulsa or Oklahoma City area check out Sports Night Oklahoma tonight on the Cox Channel. I'm going to be on talking about CrossFit! 6:30PM and 10PM on Cox Channel 3 in Tulsa and Cox Channel 7 in OKC. Here is hoping that I don't make a complete fool out of myself...

Day Four...

2010-02-16T15:33:00.002-06:00

...Of strict paleo! After last week's complete mishap I decided I would go strict this week to kick myself back into gear. I'm feeling great. I found some great turkey burgers at Target on Sunday. They are Jennie-0 93% lean. The package comes with four perfectly portioned 4oz patties. Each has 120 calories, 5g fat and 24g protein. woo! woo! Do I sound like a product placement pitch on the Biggest Loser? I think I do. Biggest Loser loves their Jennie-O turkey!

Anyway, instead of mixing ground turkey meat with my bare hands it is nice to be able to just throw the already sized burger on the George. I had my last one today for lunch with some avocado and a V8. I know, a V8 may not technically be strict paleo, but I couldn't look a salad if my life depended on it today. Sometimes I just have those kind of days. I needed some veggies and it did the trick. I had a Lemon Larabar for a snack this afternoon which satisfied my sweet tooth. I love lemon. Ohhhh how I love it.

Tonight I will be grilling up chicken for the rest of the week. I have one zucchini left for a small portion of noodles one night. Also, I found some beautiful portobello mushrooms that will be grilled as well! I think I'll slice up some red onion to go with it. Suddenly I really love onions. It is a completely strange transition for me. Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought I would use the words love and onions in the same sentence. Apparently you can train yourself to like anything if you try hard enough.

One month until sectionals. Keeping it clean!

What A Week

2010-02-12T15:20:00.003-06:00

Yes, I've been absent. We have had quite a week in my household. We found out we will be moving to a completely foreign (to me) part of the country this summer. My husband will begin his medical residency that will last for five years in Michigan. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr.......

I have come to love Tulsa and I truly love my CrossFit gym. It has literally become like a second home to me. The idea of leaving my CrossFit Jenks family is really tough. I love you all and I do mean that...every single one of you. You make me better and make me smile. Who could ask for more? We laugh together and hurt together. It's awesome. I get to train with a stellar group of athletes. I don't think I am lying when I say it will be almost impossible to find a group like ours anywhere else. I may be biased, but it is the truth.

Anyway, I tell you all of this because this week has been emotionally draining. A lot of ups and downs. Everyone reacts to stress differently. I am not a person that does not eat when I get stressed. I am a person that eats and makes excuses like "I need it because today was tough". I'm not like that on a regular basis, but when it comes to life changing events, I let myself off the hook. Here are a few things I indulged in that I am admitting to all of you:

Chick-Fil-A
Chili's Chips and Salsa
Chocolate Lucky Charms (Seriously? What the heck!)
Bread dipped in olive oil
Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream
Cheese, cheese, cheese

I tell you all of this because I want everyone to know I am human. I don't eat perfect all the time. When life throws me curve balls I do react in ways that surprise me. Did I really just eat that? What was I thinking? During this week I did eat pretty clean most of the time minus listed indulgences above. To the average person my diet would still have been stellar. However, to me this week was completely unacceptable. My almond butter and bottle of water are back on my desk. My apple is in my purse. I'm ready to get back to being me!

Thankfully, one week of so-so eating didn't kill my performance. I PR'ed Grace this morning at 2:55. That makes me feel better. Learn how you react to stress so you can be prepared when life comes at you too fast. I can paleo no matter where I live. I will have no excuse. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited about what is ahead of us. I'm just sad about what I have to leave behind.

Now grab some carrots and go watch the Olympics!

For Your Viewing Enjoyment

2010-02-05T11:35:00.002-06:00

I thought this was somewhat entertaining and since it is Friday I believe a video is in order.

Be smart on Super Bowl Sunday. Enjoy, but don't overindulge. Swap out your chips for celery and carrots. Have fun and eat smart!

I'm Completely In Love With...

2010-02-04T09:49:00.003-06:00

Zucchini noodles and raw cashews.

I have been going through cashews like they are going out of style. I'm forcing myself to stop for a few days. I'm getting a bit concerned that I might bee eating too much fat. I usually don't worry about that, but if you knew how many cashews I have been eating lately you might tell me to stop too. They are just so darn good. I eat five and then I need five more and then five more and then...it just keeps going and going.

I'm so excited I discovered zucchini noodles. I honestly can hardly tell a difference from the pasta. If you haven't tried them yet, you really need to. They are so easy to make and will fill you right up. I'm getting better and slicing the noodles. The first time I had a quite a battle with my peeler, but the last few times I am getting into the groove. I'll be a zucchini noodle slicing pro in no time.

There have been lots of grainy treats brought into the office this week. Amish friendship bread, bagels and a huge box of cookies and brownies from on of my vendors. I'm not going to lie, this week it has been a bit of a challenge to walk past all of it and not reach out and grab just a corner of the bread or tear off a piece of bagel. I just have to rush back to my office, grab a few cashews, guzzle some water and the temptation is gone.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

Paleo and Inflamation

2010-02-02T11:30:00.002-06:00

As I have posted about numerous times I have been battling a shoulder injury since late October/early November. I'm finally over the hurdle, throwing weight overhead, doing pull ups and even burpees are back in the picture. I'm not 100%, but I'm not in pain.

I was never exactly sure what was wrong with me, but after numerous orthopedic specialists in my family examined me it was determined I was suffering from a shoulder impingement and really annoying tendinitis. An impingement can take anywhere from one month to three months to fully recover non surgically. While my workouts were limited to lower body and cardio for months, I really tried to focus on my diet. There is research that supports that the paleo diet helps with anti inflammatory response in the body by removing things from our diet that keeps us, well, inflamed.

Read here for information from The Paleo Diet Update on anti inflammatory responses.

Take the information as you will. I'm certainly a believer in modern medicine. I grew up with doctors in the family and will be married to one for the rest of my life. I believe in resting your injured areas, listening to your body, ice, heat and Ibuprofen. I also believe that I benefited from a clean diet during my injury. Food that God intended for us to eat can only do positive things for our bodies. At least, that is the way I look at it. I don't believe that only eating a clean diet and not taking proper measures to help your body will heal you.

I do believe that a clean diet will never hurt.

Take care of your bodies.

In food news:
I made a great mix of coyote squash and sweet potatoes last night. The flavors were a great combination together. Chop them up, drizzle with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes @ 350. Yum.

Paleo During Power Outages

2010-01-26T10:29:00.003-06:00

The weathermen are scaring Oklahomans. Word is a horrible winter storm will hit Wednesday night bringing an inch of ice and multiple inches of snow. This also means we are at a very high risk for power outages across the area due to thick ice accumulation. Tulsa had a horrible ice storm a couple years ago that left most of the city without power. We went without for three days. I had to throw out all of our food. The power outages were totally unexpected.

This time we have some warning. I hope the forecast is wrong and it will just be cold. I'm heading to the store today just in case. However, I started thinking about how I can stay on paleo if in fact I am stuck in my house with no power. I can't heat up meat, cook my veggies, etc. What to do?

Here are some items I am going to make sure to have on hand. I may have to make a few sacrifices, but I can still stay as clean as possible given the situation:

Enough pre cooked meats that are cooked well enough to eat cold (cooking tonight!)
Canned tuna
Beef Jerky (may have more salt and other stuff than I like, but an easy source of protein that will does not need to stay cold)
Larabars
Fruit (apples and oranges)
Veggies like carrots and celery that do not need to be cooked
Almond butter
Nuts
Bottled water
Hard boil eggs (making a batch tonight)

Knowing it will be super cold, I will store all my items that need to stay cold in an ice chest and keep in the garage where I know it will stay below 40 degrees. Foods that are perishable (meats, cheeses, eggs) that stay above 40 degrees longer than two hours should be discarded and not eaten. Be smart and don't make yourself sick! When in doubt, throw it out.

Here is a good site with information on how long certain foods are good in the fridge and freezer if the power goes out. It never hurt to be prepared. I hope everyone stays warm and enjoys lots of wonderful power so you can keep eating the way nature intended. :)

Inner Turmoil

2010-01-25T12:32:00.002-06:00

I have this problem. I'm too competitive. Sure, I come off as a nice, sweet girl. Inside, I'm actually quite evil. Ok, I'm not evil, but I really really really like to win. I get very upset with myself when I do not "win". I want to be the best. Let me clarify what I mean by winning. I don't necessarily mean beating others, but I also mean bettering myself, setting PR's, etc. All my friends know this about me. I'm Jekyll and Hyde.

As my shoulder is slowly getting better, I am able to do more and more in the gym. Thank goodness. The past few months have been complete torture on me. Watching everyone else go for it, hit new PR's, get better...and I am...healing. I'm having trouble reeling myself in. Do I go for it and lift heavy because I feel "OK" or do I do the smart thing and continue to build back up slowly so I don't re-injure myself. Of course, my brain wins out, but believe me it is an inner battle every day I walk into that gym. To not be able to put "as Rx'd" by my time everyday anymore makes me want to scream.

I'm so lucky to workout with a phenomenal group of females. Seriously, I know some gyms have some good girls, but I know our group is one of the best. Any of us could beat another on any given day. It keeps us motivated and working hard. To all my fellow CFJ ladies, thank you for kicking butt. You are all awesome.

The inner turmoil doesn't just happen when I step into the gym, it happens every day when I think about what I put in my mouth. Every day a sales rep brings in a plate of cookies or bagels. Every time my boss brings in a new batch of twizzlers (my absolute favorite mind you). Mental toughness. That is what it takes to be great. Diligence, patience and flat out hard work.

You don't lose fat and get a six pack by eating well some of the time. You don't get a sub four minute Fran by going to the gym and working hard every now and then. Five seconds...I just need to drop five more seconds...Those are all things I'm still striving for and I will continue working hard to achieve. This inner turmoil will make me better. It is teaching me patience and that when you are down you are not out. You just have to be smart.

Slow and steady wins the race. Be awesome today.

Zucchini noodles for dinner tonight. Can't wait.

When Life Gets In the Way

2010-01-19T12:13:00.002-06:00

We all lead busy lives. In a perfect world we would always be able to make it to the gym, have perfect paleo meals and snacks and get our eight to nine hours of sleep all while balancing work and family. Today is not one of those weeks for me. I have a busy work week that will bring me in early and keep me late, plus other commitments that are going to keep me from getting the gym as much as I would like.

So what do you do when life throws your perfectly balanced life out of whack? Fight back. This week will not throw my nutrition into the toilet not matter how easy it might be for that to happen. I will not suffer from lack of sleep and I will get to the gym at least a couple days.

Since I knew in advance that this week was going to be chaotic, I planned ahead. I have five separate four ounce servings of pork cooked and waiting for me in my fridge. This will keep me from dreading cooking and hitting a drive thru late at night when I finally make my way home. I have apples and pears because they travel well and I don't need to keep them a fridge all day. I have mini bags of carrots and a couple of Larabars for when I am in a pinch and need fuel.

I may not be in a gym as much this week as I like, but my nutrition will be stellar and I will keep up with my sleep which is more important than most people realize. If I don't get a good nights sleep (less than eight hours) and can only make it to the gym at 6AM then I forego the gym. As much as I hate that, I know it does my body more good to get an extra two hours of sleep than to suffer through a pitiful work out. This doesn't mean I use that as an excuse, I love being at the gym. I just know my body will benefit more from rest at this point. Rest does a body good.

Some other quick, no prep needed snacks I have on hand this week:
Blackberries
Almond butter
Unsalted, raw cashews
Celery
Water...lots and lots of water!

Remember, preparation is the key.

What do you do to make sure you stay on track when you get busy with work, kids, family...life?

Lecture and Fruit

2010-01-15T10:45:00.005-06:00

It has been over a week since my last post. No, I have not fallen off the wagon, it has just been a crazy week.

Tomorrow at CrossFit Jenks there will be a nutrition lecture. There will be lots of good information about the zone and then I will be speaking briefly about paleo. I'm really looking forward to it. I have a brief outline ready to go, but I'm hoping a lot of it will be Q&A. There is so much information it is kind of hard to know exactly what to say so I am going with the basics.

I've been enjoying some great fruit this week. Kumquats and grapefruit. I love my citrus. If you haven't had a kumquat before they are a pretty fun fruit. However, they are pretty high in sugar so eat them sparingly. They are a fun snack though if you need some quick carbs. I have never been able to find them before and I found them Monday at Reasors! Apparently they are in their prime December through June. Enjoy!

On a personal note, this week I have started using both arms again!! I know, it is very exciting. I have been resting my right arm for two entire months. I'm feeling great and using lighter weight to get back in the groove. I've got to build my muscle back up. Today we are doing Jackie. This will be a great benchmark for me since it is light weight. The last time I did was in August when I was feeling great. Hopefully I won't be too far off my PR.

Miss the Pasta?

2010-01-07T14:39:00.004-06:00

I came across an interesting concept as I was CrossFit blog hopping today. Zucchini noodles. Thanks CrossFit OKC! I'm not a huge pasta fan. It was a fairly easy thing for me to give up since I don't eat it too often. However, I love love love some good tomato sauce so occasionally I'll find myself craving a spicy marinara. I think these "noodles" just might help satisfy! An added plus is that I like zucchini. There are lots of variations of this recipe as I discovered, but this is the only one I found that uses olive oil instead of butter. I think some added shrimp would make it just divine!

Zucchini Noodles

Take a Dip

2010-01-06T13:38:00.005-06:00

It can be hard to get in all your veggies. Sometime it can be hard to make snacking on them interesting. I get that. I'm constantly laughed at during work for walking around with a bag of baby carrots or a tub of cut celery. Yes, my office tends to smell like an orchard/produce aisle, but you do what you gotta go, right? I've never been a big fan of ranch dressing (thank goodness) or other veggie dips. What I am a fan of though is SALSA! I love me some good salsa. Hot salsa, mild salsa, chunky salsa, I love it all. I usually keep a jar of it in the fridge for my carrots if I want to add some flavor.

I'm also a huge fan of hummus. Even though hummus is made with chickpeas (not paleo my friends) it has loads of good fat from the olive oil. If you aren't going 100% paleo then I think hummus is fine in moderation with veggies. I had some the other night. Roasted Red Pepper...my favorite. If you are eating cups of it at a time, however, you might want to think about finding an alternative. I found this great hummus substitute from Son of Gork back in August. Here is the recipe:

Not really Hummus but could be Hummus

If you are looking for something fun to dip your apples or celery in, grab some almond butter. Always check your labels. It should have one ingredient...almonds. Lots of paleo followers rave about Sunbutter (sunflower seeds), but I have yet to try it. I can't find the organic stuff in the store...only the kind with added cane juice (sugar).

Here is a past post on a fun topic:
Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load

Confession:
I had some tortilla soup during lunch at McAlister's today with my salad. It was a cup and I ate about half. 13 grams carbs, 4 grams sugar and 10 grams of protein for a serving. Let's get real, it wasn't that horrible of an off paleo meal, but it did have some cheese. I did have them leave off the tortila strips. Since I'm keeping my paleo about 90/10 right now.

What is For Dinner Tonight!

2010-01-05T15:48:00.002-06:00

I'm in the mood for something tangy to go with my Biggest Loser season premiere.

I posted this recipe back in August.
REALLY AWESOME SHRIMP I made this up so it is not a very technical recipe!
1 TBS olive oil
minced garlic (eye ball it...I like a lot)
chopped cilantro
1 cup peeled shrimp
1/2 avocado (chopped)
Fresh lime juice
Pico de Gallo

Heat Olive oil, garlic and cilantro. Add shrimp. When fully cooked place shrimp in bowl. Add pico de gallo and chopped avocado. I bought my pico pre made. Make sure to check the label for added salt! Squeeze a fresh lime over the shrimp and eat. Oh my, so yummy. It is really good the next morning cold.

Your Questions:
If you post a question in the comments I will answer it in that same comment sections. Some questions may need more explanation/research. If that is the case, I'll let you know that I'll be posting information on it later in the week!

Really Great Balsamic Vinaigrette

2010-01-05T13:24:00.003-06:00

I'm doing my best to keep my paleo up about about a 90/10 ratio. That is a percentage that I can live with and follow with a lot of ease. Today for lunch I went to the Reasor's salad bar, my favorite lunch stop. I did grab a little bit of their tabouli salad because I think it is wonderful. When I say little, I mean little. It was probably only about 1/4 of a cup. I loaded up with greens, grilled chicken, broccoli, mushrooms and sunflower seeds.

I know a lot of people struggle with what dressing to use when trying to keep salads healthy and interesting. I confess that when I started on the paleo journey five months ago I got burnt out on olive oil pretty fast. I know balsamic vinegar is full of sodium, but I love it so so much. I have found a great Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing that is exceptional in taste and nutrition. Maple Grove Farms of Vermont Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette. Pick up a bottle next time you are at the store. It comes in a glass bottle. Five calories per serving, no fat, no sugar and pretty low in sodium as far as balsamic can go. I always have a bottle of it on hand at work for when I need a break from the olive oil.

So if you are new to Paleo, CrossFit, The Zone, or just trying to get your health in order for the first time in your life I hope you'll use this blog and myself as a resource. I don't know everything, I'm still learning as I go. Check out my past entries and links for good information on veggies, recipes and the thought behind paleo. Feel free to ask me questions and I'll try to find an answer. I don't have a degree in nutrition, but I know how important nutrition is to my training and everyday life so I am passionate about it. That is all you need!

For you Lynne....
Baked Walnut-Cinnamon Apples

Fit Day

2010-01-04T12:50:00.003-06:00

My Fit Day journal is back up and running and it will stay that way as much as possible. Over the last five months I have definitely learned what is a proper portion size and how to shop "clean" at the store. However, writing down everything you eat is a great way to get back on track if you have been floundering a bit. I'm sure we are all in need of a bit of help after the holidays no matter how good you are on a regular basis about your diet.

I don't think it is necessary to weigh, measure and write down everything you put in your mouth all the time. I do think it is a great way to figure out what you are doing wrong and right. If you feel like the holidays just destroyed your diet, then keep a journal for the next two weeks. It will keep you mindful of what you are putting into your body. You'll think twice before snapping a cookie in half and telling yourself "it is just half a cookie!". Trust me, I am as guilty of that as anyone...and one half of a cookie can turn into about four full cookies in no time.

Thanksgiving, Christmas and all the other food driven holidays are over. No more excuses. Take the new two weeks and be diligent. I will be too. Keep tabs on what I'm doing through my Fit Day journal in the sidebar. All comments and criticisms are welcome.

Happy New Year!

And it Begins...Again...

2009-12-28T14:13:00.002-06:00

My fridge is full of good food. Leafy greens, squash, broccoli, asparagus, celery, sweet potatoes, apples, chicken breast, lean ground turkey, lean pork loin and almond butter. Christmas did me in and it is time to get back on track. Sectionals are in two and a half months. My shoulder is healing, slowly. I'm doing everything my power to heal it quickly and be ready to jump into gear when my shoulder decides to like me again. I'm finally to a point where I can do some rehabilitating exercises with five pounds weights. It sounds very sad to be excited about lifting a five pound weight, but trust me, it is better than nothing. I would give anything to be swinging from that pull up bar again. Hopefully another few weeks and I'll be there.

Now my diet is my sole focus. Eat clean. Eat clean. Eat clean. Leaving out the grains and sugar has become second nature, until home baked holiday goodies are around of course. :) Lots of water, protein and fat are in my sights. I made a visit to the Reasor's salad bar during lunch today and it felt like home.

Hallelujah.

What To Do When Your Shoulder Hates You

2009-12-03T12:49:00.003-06:00

My shoulder is still on the fritz. It is getting much better, but it is still not there. I highly recommend never getting a shoulder impingement. They take forever to heal and are utterly annoying. On the bright side, having my upper body out of commission has helped me focus on some things I don't normally focus on. I'm running a lot...which I love. I used to run four to five miles a day five days a week pre CrossFit. The past few weeks I've been focusing on 5K's to build my running endurance and 400's and 800's for speed. I can already tell a difference.

I'm becoming an expert at subbing out exercises. I know that just because my right shoulder is down, my left one is great. I can do dumbbell snatches, presses, cleans, etc. No need to let the left side of my body suffer when it is ready for battle. Keeping one side strong will benefit me greatly when the right side decides to rejoin civilization. I'm squatting a lot, wearing weight vests during workouts, doing 24" box jumps instead of 20" box jumps. GHD sit ups and back extensions are incorporated into almost every workout I do now. Keep my core strength is going to be a big plus! Pull ups, push ups, heavy weight...that will all come back quickly to me. I build strength fast...I always have. At least I have that going for me. The goal is to keep my legs strong and my endurance up so when I am 100% I can rock it again.

Being injured forces you to get creative. The worst thing you can do is give up. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't envious of all my healthy fellow CrossFitters and that it wasn't a big deal. To me it is a big deal because I love CrossFit.

I'm Still Here!

2009-11-19T15:57:00.003-06:00

I've been a horrible blogger lately. Partly because I have been busy and partly because I have been a little bit down when it comes to my training.

As I had said earlier I have been battling some hip and shoulder issues over the last month. Overuse, inflammation...bottom line...annoying. I am now a certified level 1 CrossFit trainer which I am incredibly excited about. I had a great certification in Dallas at CrossFit Strong and learned a lot. The nutrition aspect was wonderful. The CrossFit nutrition speakers are amazing and incredibly encouraging. I am happy to report my nutrition has been pretty much spot on the last few weeks. Hooray!

Now my shoulder needs to join the party. My goal is to rest it up the next two weeks. No upper body...even if it doesn't hurt. Pull ups have not bothered it so I was doing them anyway. Probably not incredibly smart because I am not getting better. No more. Two weeks. Total rest.

I must get it better so I can start focusing on getting ready for sectionals in March. They are going to be here soon and I want to be ready. Better to rest now than to hurt later. I hope my nutrition will help me recover quickly or at least keep me at a level where it will be easy to return to where I was fairly fast. Thankfully my hip is on the mend I can still run and jump like a perfectly healthy me.

Hungry Anyone?

2009-11-04T14:26:00.003-06:00

I have had something happen to me over the last few days that has never happened to me...ever.

I haven't been hungry.

I know, crazy right?

Part of me thinks it is because I'm not working out as hard due to my injuries. Which, by the way, are getting so much better! Part of me thinks it could be due to a lot of things going on in my personal life that I am apprehensive about (husband's future job plans). Part of me thinks this second go at strict paleo is just going much better than the first time.

The first month I did paleo I was hungry all the time. I ate things I was supposed to eat, but just in large abundance. Now that I have become much more comfortable with this style of eating, going strict is pretty easy and my body is reacting really well. Instead of snacking on a handful of almonds I have discovered I really only need to eat about six or seven to be satisfied. Instead of craving fruit as a snack in the middle of day, I'm eating 2 oz pieces of chicken breast or homemade turkey sausage. I'm rockin' it!

I made another fun discovery. Avocado oil. I use olive oil on everything, but I have to admit it was getting a bit tired. I picked up some avocado oil last week and have been using that with my lean meats and veggies. It has a great flavor and is still totally paleo friendly! Sometimes it just takes a minor adjustment to make something new and exciting again. I love little victories like that.

New Challange

2009-11-02T09:40:00.002-06:00

This time of year it is easy for everyone to make excuses and indulge. Of course, I am a firm believer that sometimes you need to indulge a little to stay sane. It is when the indulging becomes continuous that it becomes a real problem.

Today, for instance, everyone in my office brought in their leftover Halloween candy and treats. Ugh. It is everywhere. So much for out of sight, out of mind. To keep me on track I'm starting strict paleo again today until Thanksgiving. Like I have said, I've been staying pretty clean in my eating, but I need to reignite the fire. I need to get pumped about eating clean again.

Thanksgiving is twenty five days away.

My brother in laws wedding is twenty seven days away.

My week long trip to Mexico is thirty three days away.

I don't need to lose weight or trim down for any of these events, but the challenge to myself to be strict with my paleo diet until these events will make sure I am on point when these events come up and I don't go overboard with mashed potatoes, wedding cake and the constant availability of food during my all inclusive vacation.

What are you doing to get yourself mentally prepared for staying on track during the holidays? Have you been able to make any of your holiday favorites paloe friendly? I hope some of you will join in with me again during the next four weeks of super strict paleo. I'm excited!

Sweet Potato Hash

2009-10-28T11:07:00.003-05:00

A couple of weekends ago my mom and I went to brunch at Bravo in Edmond. It is a fantastic Italian restaurant and I had never had their brunch. There was a new brunch item that day, Sweet Potato Hash with Chicken. Our server just raved about it. It was normally served with two fried eggs, but I requested scrambled egg whites instead. It was FANTASTIC. Ever since then I have been craving it. Last night, I tried to make my own. It wasn't as good as Bravo's, of course, but it was quite tasty and easy!

Ginny's Sweet Potato Hash
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
6 0z diced chicken (I already had this cooked for the week so I didn't' have to precook it!)
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs minced garlic (or to taste...I like garlic)
Dash chili powder
Dash cumin
Dash sea salt
Dash pepper

Heat olive oil in skillet. When hot, add sweet potatoes and let them brown up.
Add diced onion and garlic. Let cook until onion and garlic are browned slightly.
Add chicken and spices.
Cook for an additional couple of minutes until sweet potatoes are soft and it smells awesome.

Obviously, my recipe isn't very technical. I threw it together. It is a hash! That is what you do. I would have liked to add some peppers, but I didn't have any in the house last night. It makes enough for two servings. I didn't do eggs with it last night, but it is so good with eggs. I've seen some recipes where people have added diced apples to add some more sweet. I liked mine just fine the way it was. I might throw some salsa on it tonight for dinner just for kicks.

Totally paleo friendly and great right after a good workout.

Cheat Meals

2009-10-26T14:40:00.002-05:00

Here is a great article on "cheat meals". I love everything about it. His take is completely realistic and do-able!

Here it is. What do you think?

My shoulder is officially impinged. When it rains, it pours, right? I'm doing everything I can do to get it ready for my level 1 cert in two weeks. Basically that means I am doing nothing. Rest. Rest. Rest. Oh yeah, and Ibuprofen.

Healing Time

2009-10-23T10:14:00.002-05:00

It has been almost three months since I started this paleo experiment. I started with the intention of doing it for one month to see what happened and how I felt. After one month I though, "What the heck, I'll go one more!" Now I am almost up to three months on the paleo lifestyle. Sure, there have been bumps in the road. I'm not eating 100% paleo all the time, but for the most part, I am as clean as a whistle.

The past two weeks have been pretty tough. With my hip being a pain..literally, and now my shoulder jumping on the bandwagon, I have been at a loss. I can't run, I can't squat, I can't do dips or push ups, no heavy weight for any part of my body. What gives? Thankfully, my diet has been pretty steadfast. I cant' imagine how horrible I would feel if I wasn't eating clean during this time. I imagine I would be a pretty miserable person to be around.

I know I've lost muscle the past two weeks, but I know I'll gain it back pretty fast once I can get back into the gym for real. I still feel lean, I still have lots of energy and I am ready to get back into the game! I'm confident that my diet has been extremely beneficial during my "healing" time.

Now if I could just get in the gym and throw around something really heavy without my hip or shoulder flaking out I would be a happy girl....

Smart Choices

2009-10-21T10:25:00.002-05:00

During my daily stroll through multiple media websites I found this very interesting article about the Smart Choices program. I haven't paid much attention to it because I don' t think I need a symbol to tell me if something is a good choice or not. I feel like I can decide that on my own with the knowledge I have about nutrition. Again, I know I'm not an expert, but I pay attention to it, research and try to stay as educated as possible.

Here is the article.

The first sentence just jumped out at me. Froot Loops and Coco Puffs are Smart Choices? What? Why in the world would someone think a sugary cereal like that would be smart for kids or anyone for that matter?

I proceeded to the Smart Choices website to do some research. What was their criteria? What other products are labeled as Smart Choices that probably aren't? How many parents are giving their children these products and think it is the best option?

Here is the Smart Choices Program website.

I started by taking a look at the nutrition criteria to become a Smart Choices item. As I strolled through and looked at the criteria for fat, saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol all of that made sense to me. Yes, foods with less that 35% calories from fat are a smarter choice. Yes, foods with 0g trans fat are smarter choice. Yes, foods with less than 60mg of cholesterol (per serving) are a smarter choice. Then I came to the added sugar portion. Not just sugar, but added sugar.

Desserts make the Smart Choices list if they have less than 100 calories or 6g of added sugar. What? 100 calories of added sugar is smart? How about 0 calories? Cereals make the cut if they have 12g or less of added sugar. My. Oh. My.

Now, I know not everyone on the planet is going to give up grains and dairy. I know not everyone wants to eat paleo or zone or somewhat clean for that matter. I have to believe there are much smarter "Smart Choices" than some that are listed. Here are some cereals that made the Smart Choices list that blow my mind:

Apple Jacks (100 calories, 12 grams sugar per 1 cup serving)
Corn Pops (110 calories, 12 grams sugar per 1 cup serving)
Froot Loops (110 calories, 12 grams sugar per 1 cup serving)
Frosted Flakes (110 calories, 11 grams sugar per 3/4 cup serving)
Cocoa Puffs (110 calories, 11 grams sugar per 3/4 cup serving)
Lucky Charms (110 calories, 11 grams sugar per 3/4 cup serving)

If those cereals are good for you, then what cereal is not considered a smart choice? I did a search for cereals high in sugar. I found a list that rated some of the worst cereals high in sugar that are marketed towards children. Here is the ironic thing: a lot of these same Smart Choices cereals showed up on this Consumer Reports list for the Top Worst Rated Cereals High in Sugar. Wow.

Those cereals were never in my house growing up, with the exception of the occasional box of Frosted Flaks for my dad. We were Cheerios and Rice Krispies people.

Now of course there are lots of items on the Smart Choices list that are actually fairly smart choices for the non paleo/zone person who is trying to be smart. Here are a couple of the cereals.

Special K (120 calories, 4 g sugar per 1 cup serving)
Cheerios (100 calories, 1 g sugar per 1 cup serving)
Crispix (110 calories, 3 g sugar per 1 cup serving)
Quaker Life (120 calories, 6 g sugar per 3/4 cup serving)

But let's face it, what kid gets excited about Special K and Cheerios? Plus, what person only eats 1 cup or 3/4 cup of cereal? Not me. I was a two bowler back in my cereal days. Anyway, I was just shocked. Knowing that people are probably eating two servings of cereal in one sitting and around 24 g of added sugar before your day has barely started is nuts.

I'll stick with my egg whites, veggies, turkey sausage and almonds thank you very much. I think those are pretty smart choices for me. No sugar high/crash here.

Lunch Bust

2009-10-19T13:28:00.002-05:00

My fridge is in desperate need of a grocery store run. I've been spending my weekends away from home, so Monday is always an interesting day. I usually pick up something for lunch and go to the store Monday evening after CrossFit to load up on real food. Today for lunch I ventured out to Panera. They have a Chopped Chicken Cobb Salad that I remembered as being fairly decent. I ordered it without cheese and got a low fat balsamic vinaigrette on the side. I don't like a lot of dressing so as long as it is an oil based and not cream base dressing I don't worry too much. I know it has more sugar than I would like, so a little drizzle is about all I need.

I got the salad back to my office, picked out the fatty pieces of bacon, added about a tablespoon of dressing, shook it up and went to town. My first big bite reminded me of why I don't go to Panera that often anymore...I hate their chicken. Seriously, the chicken drives me nuts. I always seem to get weird pieces that are anything but a good piece of meat. It is so depressing. I used to love Panera, but that was when I ate bagels and the black bean soup. Sandwich places have become much more difficult and I try to avoid them at all costs unless they have a decent salad. Some people love Panera chicken. I am not one of those people. I remembered why today.

Now I sit here in a bit of bind. Luckily, I have about 3 oz of roasted chicken in my office fridge for a snack later today with some almonds. This is exactly why I like to prepare my own food and bring it to work. I know exactly what I am getting and I know I will like it.

Trying to Behave

2009-10-16T10:41:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to be on my best behavior. I'm doing my best to stay patient with my hip and eat as clean as possible. Being away from the gym is driving me crazy. Everyday I visit CFJ's site and gaze longingly at the WOD and the posted times. I want to post a time. I want to be on the leader board. I hate waiting, but wait I must.

I've cut out almost all fruit this week due to my lack of physical activity. I miss my grapefruit in the morning. I had cut back to one serving a fruit a day a few weeks ago and usually I would eat that right after my workout. It has been easier than I thought, although that pesky tub of raisins just calls out to me when I am eating my walnuts and almonds.

My hip is feeling a lot better. No pain unless I move it awkwardly. I think it will probably be another week of no weights/squatting. Hopefully next week I can start doing some elliptical, biking and swimming. I have been walking and stretching this week and doing upper body that doesn't put a strain on my hip (pull-ups/push-ups). I'm continuing to be cautious and not come back too early.

Must. Get. Well.

Eat clean.

Quick Tid Bit...
I got a massage earlier this week. I have had a gift card for almost a year and decided to go for it. She kept remarking about how tight I was. Shocker. I felt bad for her trying to work out all the tension in my back and shoulders. She did though, and it was awesome. She comments, "Do you drink a lot of water?" I replied yes and told her how I quit Diet Coke there months ago. She proceeded to tell me she could tell because my skin looked so good and was really soft...softer than the twelve year old she had seen earlier that day. Score for water.

Water...the fountain of youth. Drink it.

Chayote Squash

2009-10-14T10:33:00.003-05:00

The other day at Reasor's I was feeling adventurous. I was on the hunt for something new. I picked up a chayote squash. I had never had one before, but it looked interesting. I love squash so I thought I would go for it. Last night I decided it was time to give it a try. I cut up my chayote squash along with some sweet onion and fresh garlic. I put it in a baking dish, drizzled with olive oil, gave it a dash or two of pepper and baked it for about twenty five minutes.

Oh. My. Goodness. My house smelled so wonderful. Honestly, nothing smells better than something baking with fresh garlic. I love that stuff. I was pleasantly surprised with the squash. I think I have found a new favorite. Don't you just love finding new foods that you enjoy?

Chayote squash is a great source of amino acids and vitamin C. Try it out.

Out of Commision

2009-10-12T09:34:00.002-05:00

I'm depressed. My hip hurts and I can't do anything about it. This happened to me last fall and I was miserable. I have a trochanteric bursitis. It is just a fancy way of saying the bursa in my hip is inflamed and hurts like crazy. I can't do anything that puts too much stress on my hip until it calms down. I didn't do one thing to hurt it. It happened because of over use and the fact that I have no flexibility in my hip at all. I've always known I wasn't very flexible, but when my dad was testing it out on Sunday my worse fears were confirmed, I have the flexibility of a steel building. That needs to change.

This week I will be doing a lot of walking and stretching. This weekend I thought I was being smart by swimming and doing some work on the elliptical. No impact = no problem. Right? Wrong. Apparently doing the breaststroke kick really aggravated my hip. I thought I was being so smart. Figures. Anyway, another lesson learned. I know it will be at least a week until I'm back in my CrossFit gym doing what I love. The important thing is to rest it now before it gets worse and takes longer to get better. Oh frustration.

Maybe I will just perfect my handstand push ups this week....

On the positive side, this is a great week to really keep up my nutrition. Since I won't be getting in the workouts I want, nutrition will be very important until I am back to normal. This morning I started off with egg whites, turkey sausage, about a 1/4 of an orange and some almonds.

I'm going to keep a good attitude and follow the doctor's orders. I'm not always the best patient. It is not a trait I am too proud of.

Update

2009-10-07T15:54:00.004-05:00

It has been awhile since I really wrote about how I was doing. There is a reason. The past ten days I have been very good. I let myself eat some grains almost every day. I ate french fries (gasp!) last weekend at Red Robin. I enjoyed some light Chocolate Covered Cherry ice cream from Braum's (yum). I celebrated birthdays and ate lunches with vendors. I enjoyed every bit of my week. I have felt every bit of everything I ate.

I've been sluggish, moody and just downright out of it. The last three days have been great. I am back to focusing on lean proteins, healthy fats, veggies and very little fruit. I even started my Fit Day journal back up today. I had quit keeping up with it and boy does it make a difference.

I haven't hit my first muscle up yet. My goal was to have one by the end of September. I am closer than I have ever been. I'm just missing something in that transition. It is beyond frustrating. My new goal is to get it by my CrossFit Level 1 Certification in November. Hopefully sooner. Goals are a good thing to have, even when you don't meet them. Just keep going. You'll get there eventually.

Eat This, Not That

2009-10-01T16:48:00.002-05:00

I get a weekly email from Eat This, Not That. It usually has some pretty interesting stuff. Anyone that pays attention to nutrition could probably tell you most of what is in the newsletter, but they always put together somewhat entertaining and educational lists. Here are a few from today's email that I thought you all might enjoy.

The Purest Packaged Foods in America
Really? Pure packaged food? A favorite pale standby actually makes the list.

The 20 Worst Packaged Foods in America
If you weren't staying away from these already, then maybe you should start.

Sugar Sugar

2009-09-30T17:08:00.001-05:00

I found this while paleo/CrossFit blog stalking today. Any comments? Uh-mazing.

Confession

2009-09-28T13:06:00.002-05:00

This Saturday our gym traveled to CrossFit OKC to participate in the annual CrossFit Fight Gone Bad fundraiser. OKC has a great facility and a lot of great people. We all had a fantastic time. Thanks for having us guys! On top of a great workout, they hosted a fabulous post FGB cookout. I love post workout eating. I had some grilled chicken (which was to die for), a great cabbage salad (must find the recipe) and of course lots of fruit and veggies. I did indulge in a mini piece of so papilla cheesecake which is a long time favorite among my college friends. Yum.

It started out as a great, healthy CrossFit/paleo kind of day. That was until....Outback. My husband returned Saturday morning from a two month stint in Michigan for medical rotations. I was beyond excited to see him. We decided a date night was in order. Outback was all over the TV during the Florida/Kentucky game that day. They kept advertising this honey dijon chicken with sweet potato fries. Needless to say, we were both craving some Aussie goodness by halftime. Florida had the game well in hand so we headed to Outback.

Never in my right mind did I think I would fall off the wagon like this:

Half loaf of the best bread ever
Two chicken quesadillas (appetizer)
Caesar Salad (I did resist the croutons)
Honey Dijon Chicken (OK in my book)
Every last sweet potato fry on my plate (oh goodness)
HALF Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Pie (no comment)

I almost needed to be rolled out of there. Meals like that are great reminders of why I am sticking with paleo. I never want to feel like that after I eat ever again. It was so good while it happened, but so wrong when it was over. Hopefully we both learned a lesson in self control. I had to share my sins. Today is a new day and my salad full of chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, sunflower seeds and olive oil never tasted better.

Don't let a bad meal or a bad day ruin your pursuit of nutritional perfection! Tomorrow is a new day! Keep it up.

Salad = Yum

2009-09-24T14:02:00.003-05:00

I used to think that eating salad was boring. It is easy to see why. What do you normally get when you order a side salad at a restaurant? Some iceberg lettuce, carrot shavings, a cherry tomato or two, heaps of cheese and croutons. Even when you order a salad as a meal your limits are many. Most have some sort of breaded chicken, cheese, and minimal extra veggies. I have become the queen of the annoying orders. I like to specialize my salad to perfection so it fits the caveman lifestyle. The best place to do this is not at a restaurant, but at home!

The past few nights I have deviated from my normal protein with veggies as sides. I've just been throwing everything together in a big bowl and let me tell you it is the only way to go! Tonight, don't think, just grab. Pull out your lettuce and four or five veggies. Make sure you have your protein and fat and create your own salad combination. Here is what mine consisted of last night:

Field greens
Radish
Onion
Tomato
Avocado
Sunflower seeds
Grilled chicken (already prepared by me for the week)
Dried cranberries (organic, no sugar added...my 2nd serving of fruit for the day)
Olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar

Oh me. Oh my. It was yummy. Not only yummy, but insanely satisfying. Tonight I'll do the same thing, but I'm going to throw in some zucchini. Salads can be a meal. Salads can fill you up. Salads made from a variety or "whatever is in your veggie drawer" are awesome. Get crazy and mix it up.

What do you put on your salad to make it extraordinary?

Cookies!...and Other Stuff

2009-09-22T15:38:00.003-05:00

I saw this website on Son of Grok's site today. Caveman cookies! Sweet! I might have to try some.

In other paleo news, I fell off the wagon on Sunday. It was deliberate and premeditated. I went to my future sister in law's bridal shower. I enjoyed pistachio cookies (amazing) and mini strawberry shortcakes. I didn't let myself feel guilty. I just enjoyed it and moved on. I didn't feel completely horrible afterward and the rest of the I ate very clean. It is so wonderful to have been able to make the transition from super strict paleo to occasionally adding in non paleo items. Of course, the sugary treats remain very minimal and only during very special occasions. That sugar fix should last me quite awhile. Back to lean meats and veggies!

Speaking of veggies, I can tell such a difference in my body since I have increased my veggie intake. It is amazing. I'm holding steady at about two servings of fruit at day and veggies with every meal and as snacks. Cucumbers have become my best friend. I love that crunch! I've also been getting at least eight hours of sleep a night for the past few weeks. I can honestly say I have never felt better. Sleep is a marvelous thing. I hope all of you are getting enough of it!

Baked Walnut-Cinnamon Apples

2009-09-17T10:57:00.002-05:00

It is becoming apple season. This time of year apples are amazing. My mom used to make these all the time when I was growing up. I love baked apples. I am going to try this recipe out for a fun dessert in the next week. I might even try it out tonight to eat as a treat during The Office premier!

Baked Walnut-Cinnamon Apples
4 apples
1 c raisins
1/4 c walnuts
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp natural vanilla extract
1/2 c water

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Core and pierce apples with a fork in several places around the center, to prevent them from bursting. Mix raisins, nuts, cinnamon and vanilla in a small bowl. Fill center of each apple with mixture. Place in a glass baking dish and pour water into pan. Cover with foil and bake for about thirty minutes or until tender. Serves four.

Veggie Up

2009-09-14T14:51:00.004-05:00

The transition to cut my beloved Larabar intake down is going well. As you know, I have swapped the Larabar for veggies as my mid day snack. I have been pleasantly surprised at my response. Sure, I miss the sweet goodness of the fruit, but my veggies last so much longer. I can munch on them for hours and I don't feel hungry. I am really excited about this and anxious to see what happens over the next few weeks.

The Radish
My parents love radishes. Growing up they would occasionally show up in my salad. I know my mom was trying to get me to like something new. I would usually eat them if they were there, but I ate them so fast I never really developed a taste for them. I just tried to get them down because I knew I did not like them. This weekend, for the first time ever, I actually took time to taste a radish while chewing. I was visiting my parents and my mom made this great veggie plate. I have to admit I am now a radish fan. Hooray! I am quite ecstatic that I found another veggie to add to my list of usual fall backs. Why the radish? The radish is rich in folic acid and potassium. Did you hear that ladies? Folic Acid. It is also a good source of B vitamins and calcium. Plus, one cup of these babies only has twenty calories. They have a great peppery flavor to them. Toss them in your usual salad to spice it up or eat them raw. If you haven't had one before then your project this week is to incorporate the radish into your diet.

Old Chicago
In other paleo news, I went to Old Chicago on Saturday to watch some of the OU game. I made the conscious decision to have my first real non paleo meal since I started all of this over six weeks ago. I came to love Old Chicago while visiting my sister in Colorado Springs during her time at the Air Force Academy. "OC's" was a hang out for the cadets. They have the most amazing pizza dough on the planet. I tried to play it a little safe and ordered a thin crust individual pizza topped with Canadian bacon, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes. I asked for very minimal cheese. They listened well because I could hardly see the cheese. It wasn't even worth having cheese. As much as I love Old Chicago pizza, and boy do I love it, this just didn't have the same thrill. About thirty minutes after eating my stomach started to cramp and ache. After a few laps around Super Target it felt better, but I kept thinking to myself how eating that pizza just didn't have the same effect anymore. I didn't like how it made me feel. It was a good experiment. Plus, I got to see the OU game for free.

So what about you? Is there a food you used to love that just doesn't appeal to you the same way now that you have tried paleo?

Priorty Number One - Fresh Foods

2009-09-10T16:35:00.002-05:00

Flu season is quickly approaching. It actually may have never left with H1N1 swirling around the globe. It is as important as ever during this time of year to keep your immune system in tip top shape. How do you do that? Eat fresh foods! If you eat fresh veggies, fruits, meats and seafood as often as you can, then you will dramatically increase the trace nutrients in your diet. There is a lot of evidence that shows that the immune system works better when it is nourished in the correct way. Cookies, pizza, and Baked Lays don't nourish anything.

I have been completely guilty in the past of buying large amounts of fresh food, throwing them in the fruit and veggie drawer in the fridge, forgetting about them and tossing them in the trash two weeks later. What a shame. Remember how ridding your home of non paleo foods keeps you from indulging? Well, if your fresh foods are out of sight the same thing happens...except we want to eat those foods. We need to see them.

Quit using your fruit and veggie drawer. Give your shelves in the fridge a good scrub down and properly display all your fruits and veggies where they are the first thing you seen when you open the door. Keep your celery and carrots washed so you can grab them and random for a quick snack. Keep your grapes and apples in bowls. All the colors will help your fridge stay bright and inviting. No one likes to open the fridge and see there is nothing to eat. Keep it stocked!

Be careful though, you don't want to buy too much at once. Keep enough on hand to hold you five to seven days. This way you will always have crisp veggies on hand. No one likes to eat wilted veggies. That is not the way nature intended.

Muscle Up Update:
Yesterday I started my new game plan to hit the muscle up. I officially have twenty days to get it done. I'm working on getting a good dead hang false grip pull up and super super deep ring dips separately. After some good work on those I'm going to try to string them together. My wrist is pretty sore today from that stupid false grip. It is the price I must pay. It will happen.

Conventional Wisdom

2009-09-09T13:28:00.001-05:00

Read this great post from Mark's Daily Apple. Really interesting.

CrossFit Games 2010

2009-09-09T10:47:00.003-05:00

A few details regarding the 2010 CrossFit games were released on the games site website yesterday. Yes, it is September and the games aren't until July, but it is never too early to start getting mentally prepared. Believe me...I am a planner...I'll be obsessing about it from now until game time.

In May I competed in the my regional and placed 10th. The top five qualified for the games. It was a great learning experience. It was a chance for me to see how I really stacked up against other females and what areas I needed to improve on to be more competitive. I've been working extremely hard since the qualifiers. My goal is to make it to the games. This year, however, things are going to be a little bit different.

Ever since I read the few details on the games site my head has been spinning. What kind of area are the sectionals going to cover? How early are the sectionals going to be? What do I need to start doing in my training right now to get me as prepared as possible? Our qualifier was stacked. Three of the top five females actually placed in the top ten at the 2009 games. Wow! We had some amazing females. I've already competed against some of the very best. I know I have it in me to do well. Training does not start in December or January...training starts now.

I'm also so grateful that I have made the adjustments in my nutrition. I can see the results paying off in WOD's. I am more motivated than ever to keep it up so I can keep seeing the great results. Why stop something that has done nothing but positive things for me? I've been incorporating a lot more veggies into my diet the past week. The Reasor's (Tulsa's grocery store wonderland) salad bar has been a life saver. I head over there during lunch and load up on leafy greens, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, egg whites, grilled chicken, sunflower seeds and olive oil. Yum.

I love setting goals for myself. I need something to work towards. My current goal is to get my first legit muscle up before the end of the month. I feel it coming any day now.

What goals are you setting for yourself? What keeps you motivated to keep your nutrition and workouts on track?

A Good Cause

2009-09-04T12:16:00.002-05:00

It is not too late to donate to my Fight Gone Bad team! Any amount will do. So far I have raised $70! Thank you to everyone who has donated. You guys are awesome. I compete on September 26th!

Go Here to Donate to My Team!

Here is more information if you didn't see my initial post about the fundraiser.

There is still plenty of time to sing up to compete yourself!

Feet go Paleo?

2009-09-03T15:58:00.002-05:00

Just like the paleo diet takes our nutrition back to the stone ages, some runners are taking their feet back to the stone ages too. That is right...running barefoot.

Check out this article about the new craze. Running barefoot.

By they way, I have sat through two lunches at Mexican restaurants this week and have not wanted to snag a chip once. Not once! Since I am now allowing myself an open meal or two during the week I thought for sure my hand would be on the move towards the chip basket. It was actually quite content picking up my water glass while waiting for naked fajitas. Awesome!