Kill Your Coward

Get Yourself a Cheap Piece of Meat

2011-03-14T14:23:00.000-07:00

But, you know I want it to be good quality.
I am stealing this post from the folks at Whole9 who were kind enough to share this awesome post about the different types of meat that we could choose to spare some change.

Eat Up!
http://fuelasrx.blogspot.com/2011/03/buying-meat-on-budget.html

Get into the Games!

2011-03-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

You all know I love the Games Fever, and 'tis the season.
Some of you have jumped into a competition, others are considering participating in their first via the Open.

Lemme tell ya ~ Just Do It!

Bring $10 and show up. Give it your all. Whatever you have that day. It does not matter how prepared you feel, how competitive you will be. Just be there. And get sweaty. CrossFit is an amazing community. Competitions are one more element. You deserve to feel completely involved.

And, just so ya know, it is not just me that is a competition junkie knowing full well that I will not be standing on a podium at the end, read this!

Sick - Digest This!

2011-03-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

http://whole9life.com/2011/02/stm-feed-a-cold/

'Tis the season. It seems like we are all getting sick, or getting over being sick. Here you will find reasons why you should not go completely off of your food plan JUST because you don't feel well.

There are recipes to keep you full, rationale to keep you on track, and humor too.

Eat Up!

Love the one you’re with! The people AND the food choice

2011-02-12T19:35:00.000-08:00

Click this, allow it to play in the background while you read through this amazingly simple yet impressive Dinner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5IVuN1N6-Y

Today is a great day for you to love whoever it is you are with, and love your food. This menu is easy people. I will walk you through step by step just in case I have any tips that might serve you well. Most of the time I post a recipe for a side dish, an entree, or maybe a salad that is an entree. This post is long. Hang in there, it is worth it. This is a full meal.

Balsamic Roasted Chicken with Cripsy Seasoned Potatoes and Spaghetti Squash tossed with red peppers.

The roasted chicken recipe was inpsired by the Balsamic Roast Chicken recipe found in the Clean Eating Magazine, May/June 2010 edition. The basic spaghetti squash instructions can be found here: http://killyourcoward.blogspot.com/2010/10/eat-some-spaghetti.html
The Crispy Potatoes are based on a recipe found in the Cusine at Home Magazine.

Love your Food Plan. Love this Menu. Love how easy it is to prepare. Share it with someone you Love!

I would say this takes an hour and half to prepare. Enjoy the adventure! (Servings - 3/4 cup chicken, 1/2 cup potatoes, 1/2 cup spaghetti squash)
For that effort you will get about: 319 calories, 10 g total fat (3 g saturated fat and 5 g monosaturated fat, 5 g polyunsaturated fat), 93 mg cholesterol, 537 mg sodium, 23 g carb, 4 g fiber, and 34 g protein.

Gather the Goodies!

For the Roasted Chicken

One whole chicken. About 5 pounds is plenty big.
Aluminum Foil
Large Roasting Pan, and a rack if you have one.
salt
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
About 3 feet of cooking string (butcher's twine) (Kid's kite string will work great, if it is clean.)
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
Black pepper
4 tsp olive oil
Small bowl
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

For the Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash
Baking dish with cover.
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 tsp. garlic
1 red pepper

For the Crispy Potatoes

1 1/2 pound of russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes. (If you do this prep in advance, store them in water so they do not brown in the open air.)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Large non stick skillet
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Collander to catch your boiled potatoes
Clean kitchen towel to rest your boiled potatoes on so they dry
Large pot of cool and salted water

Get Cooking!

Get the chicken out of the fridge, out of its bag and rinsed well inside and out. You need to get your hand all over the inside of that bird and make sure you remove any hearts, giblets, livers, and whatever else the butcher stuffed in there. If there is a neck still hanging on, cut it off. Allow your bird to air dry for a bit while you work on your oven. Wash your hands please.
You are going to need room in your oven to cook that bird in a roasting pan and the squash in a covered dish. Arrange your racks accordingly before the oven gets hot. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Start by prepping your spaghetti squash. Follow the previous post listed above. Cut it in half, remove seeds, place in a large baking dish, add about a half inch of water to the dish to make the cooking process go quicker, drizzle olive oil and spread, season with salt and pepper, and add garlic if you want.
Clean and chop that red pepper. Set it aside for now.
Next, work on getting your chicken in the oven. Your bird is clean, empty of extra parts, and no longer dripping wet.
Line the chicken roasting pan with aluminum foil. You will hate me if you skip this step. Ask my mom.
Rub the bird all over, front and back, with 2 tbsp of olive oil. On the breast side, loosen the skin by poking your fingers in and around. Go easy, but keep at it. Wash your hands now please.
In a small bowl combine the thyme, rosemary, 1 tsp salt and several grinds of pepper. Pour half of your herb mixture into your hand and rub that under the breast skin right onto the actual breast meat.
The remainder of your herb mix goes all over the outside of your bird, front and back. Feel free to put a little inside the chicken, too.
Drizzle the chicken with the balsamic vinegar.
Ok, the chicken is almost perfect for roasting. Put it in your roasting pan, on the rack if you have it.
See how his wings and drumsticks are loose and could flop around?
To make this bird cook evenly, you do need to truss it. The idea is to tie him all together. Never done that? Go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KECQggg-Rvk
It is finally time to cook. Get the bird and the squah in your oven. Set a timer for 25 minutes.
The bird and squash are cooking, and you have the chopped red pepper set aside. We need to work on those cubed potatoes now.
Boil the potatoes in the salted water for about 5 minutes. You want them to be fork tender.
Drain them well and then dry them.
Now you get to wait for that timer to go off. When the timer does go off, check on your chicken. Is it pretty and brown? If not, continue cooking uncovered until it is. This may take another 10 minutes, but not much longer than that.
Once the chicken is browned well, cover with aluminum foil and set the timer for 25 more minutes.
Add the red peppers to the wells of your spaghetti squash.
Again, you are on a break. Start cleaning up your kitchen and setting your table. If get your beverages prepped and update your FB status. By now your kitchen should smell amazing and you should feel all proud of your Betty Crocker self.
When the timer goes off again pull the squash out of the oven carefully. Don't forget about that water that is in the bottom of the pan; don't let it splash you. Is the squash fork tender? If not, put it back in the oven. If your water has evaporated, add more.
Check the chicken to see if it is done. Mom taught me a cool trick so I did not have to use a meat thermometer. (Sticking a thermometer in the bird releases juices, making them dry.) Twist the drumstick. Gosh, be careful. That bird is HOT! The drumstick is probably tied up but it will still twist only a bit. Just rotate it clockwise. Does it release easily from the joint or does it resist? I promise, when it releases you will know it. If it resists then not much is happening and you may feel unsure. That means it is not done. Bake it longer.
When the Chicken is done, pull it from the oven and leave it covered.
When the squash is done, pull it from the oven and remove it from the baking dish. Let it cool while you start crisping those potatoes.
In a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat, add vegetable oil. Add the parboiled potatoes and allow them to sautee WITHOUT stirring them for five minutes.
This is a great time to prepare your bowl of spaghetti squash. Scoop out the red peppers into your serving dish.
If you have time start forking the squash off of its rind.
Once the potatoes sauteed for 5 minutes it is time to turn them and cook another 7 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Keep working at the squash and toss well to distribute the red peppers throughout. Taste, and add salt and pepper if desired. Congrats, the squash is ready.
Place that beautiful bird on a platter. Yeah, you should probably pat yourself on the back now.
Once the potatoes are done cooking, transfer them to a serving dish and season them with thyme, salt, and pepper.

It does not matter if you are cooking for you and a parent, you and a loved one, or you and some yummo leftovers. Love where you are, celebrate it. Do it in a healthy way!

Eat up!

Why I participate in CrossFit Competitions

2011-01-27T20:30:00.000-08:00

You do get a T-Shirt.

I am not a competitor, yet. I am unstoppable! My showing up meant there is no such thing as failure. You just have to do YOUR best!

I know I can’t if I don’t even try.

I cannot think of a better reason to do 4 workouts in one day.

Being last in a group this amazing is FINE by me!
Is there a good reason not to? Ha! As if?!?

It is a challenge. I happen to like a challenge.

It makes other WODs easier. Knowing that I participated in the physical goat rodeo of the GLI gives me a boost of confidence at the end of any workout.

I get to watch a lot of other people get sweaty and learn from them.

I like knowing you were too scared to even try. Yeah, I just said that.

The Events are amazing – what else amazes you these days?!?

The camaraderie of the competitors. Good sportsmanship abounds.

Seeing CF in action – the physical work output is a mind-gasm!

Seeing CF in action – Yep! This philosophy does work for everyone, even me!

Because I have a gym crush on April Garner and you can bet your butt she will be competing in the competition.

The spectators at the Competition relish hard work. They will do these WOD’s later on their own because they are jealous they have not done it yet. But, I did!

This guy summarizes it pretty well. So, What He Said!

The other cool kids are doing it. Other 180 folks are starting to catch the Competition Fever.

Because Brad Garner is my CrossFit Coach and he told me to live life as Rx’d. He says I have passion. That is pretty damn cool!

Because Amanda Miller can’t anymore. That is one Epic Fail thanks to Melanoma!
This list was inspired by a Catalyst Gym Blog Post referenced by CFHQ main page.

Superfoods

2011-01-24T18:25:00.000-08:00

Here are 10 foods everyone should have in their diet:
1. Blueberries. Contain the highest amount of antioxidants per capacity than any other fruit. A great alternative is strawberries. One 53 calorie cup has more vitamin C than an orange. These berries may also help reduce blood pressure and control levels of stress hormones. They are also a great help to ease muscle pain and soreness after one of our WOD's.

2. Red Wine or Beer. (There you go Joy!) They are made with an antioxidant rich plant. Women who drink one drink a day, wine or beer have lower risk of developing high blood pressure than nondrinkers. Beer has also been linked to higher bone density.

3. Almonds or Peanuts. Nuts have been proven to lower both total and bad cholesterol. It can be a great weight loss snack. People who eat peanuts and peanut products tend to have lower BMIs than those who nix them. Stick to one-quarter cup of peanuts or two tablespoons daily.

4. Tomatoes or White Button Mushrooms. These two are very high in antioxidants! Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene which helps protect against cancer and heart disease. Mushrooms contain vitamin D, which aids calcium absorption for strong bones.

5. Flaxseeds or Sunflower Seeds. These seeds are packed with omega-3 fats and fiber. One-quarter cup has three grams of fiber to help keep you full, plus almost half your daily requirement for antioxidant-boosting vitamin E.

6. Broccoli or Cauliflower. Broccoli is packed with vitamin C and may fight cancer. One cup of cauliflower supplies about 3/4 of the vitamin C you need daily.

7. Salmon or Trout. Packed with omega-3's, these foods are the best sources of healthy fatty acids you can find. These fats reduce inflammation, lowering your risk for cardiovascular disease and even easing post-workout soreness. The American Heart Association recommends getting two servings of fatty fish per week; one three-and-a-half-ounce trout fillet give you half the recommended amount.

8. Olive Oil. This oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, which has been shown to fight the dreaded-and dangerous-muffin top. Some experts believe that when this belly fat wraps around your internal organs, it may release fatty acids into your liver and trigger insulin resistance, which is linked to diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

9. Edamame or Black Beans. Edamame supplies four grams of fiber in just a half cup, and a healthy dose of protein. Cooked black beans, which have 7.5 grams of fiber per half cup, get extra points for having tons of healthy plant compounds called phytochemicals.

10. Brown Rice or Barley. Brown rice is a super side dish contains more nutrients, minerals and cholesterol-lowering fiber than its white counterpart. With Barley, you can get 16 grams of fiber per half cup!

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

With many of the unrealistic New Year’s resolutions people make, like “I’m giving up sweets,” or “I’m going to work out every day,” it’s no wonder that only 40% to 46% of people who make resolutions will be successful after six months. To make resolutions that will actually stick (and improve your health and well-being), I’ve included 10 ideas for resolutions you can actually keep.
Small changes = big results. Consider two simple diet substitutions—like a side salad instead of fries and dessert once a week—rather than a complete overhaul of your lifestyle. Simple changes can add up to big health and weight-loss payoffs and are more likely to stick, compared to resolutions that are too restrictive.
Commit. You’ll be more likely to succeed if you write your goal down and put it where it’s visible. You’ll see and read it most days, and sharing your resolution with family and friends adds additional incentive to improve your chances of success.
Limit liquid calories. Since beverages are less filling or satiating than food, limiting your liquid calorie count to 150 a day is one of the easiest ways to cut calories without increasing hunger. Aim for nutritional beverages like antioxidant-rich tea and 100% fruit juice.
Break the fast. Enjoy a daily breakfast of whole-grain cereal to improve your diet, reduce caloric intake, and help with weight loss.
Snack smarter. Choose fruits and veggies as snacks for a big weight-loss payoff. Since snacks currently account for one-quarter of your total calories, produce will help slash between-meal empty calories by filling you up with fiber.
Make a list, check it twice. Make a grocery list for each shopping trip and stick to it to limit impulse purchases that may occur on the snack food aisle. And when you are in the grocery store, stick to the peripheral of the store, where you’ll find fresh produce, lean protein, and whole grains.
Find your inner chef. Eating out less and trying to cook at home will slash calories and fat from your diet.
Write off pounds. Those who track what they eat and how much they exercise lose more weight than those who don’t. Take advantage of online food and exercise logs—sign up for a program and begin documenting what you eat and how much you move. Two of my favorites are LoseIt.com, which is iPhone compatible, and FitDay.com.
Find fitness that fits. Fitness resolutions are among the most likely to fail because they are too rigid and essentially impossible to achieve. Making fitness a part of your daily schedule will aid in your success. Do an activity that you love or try to sign up for fitness events—like 10Ks, marathons, or charity walks.
Have a fall-off-the-wagon plan. Have a strategy for when/if you cheat or break your resolution so that you can get back on track without derailing all of your efforts. Think progress, not perfection.

‘Tis the season for Resolutions

2010-12-26T19:21:00.001-08:00

If you spend the slightest amount of time in front of the Televsion, you will notice that it is time to come up with the obligatory list of New Year's Resolutions. It is time to:

Welll... hrmpf! I don’t do Resolutions. To me they are a kissing cousin to a Diet. Kissing a cousin is poor form, and I hate diets. Diets are a short term change from your traditional food plan, that will make adjustment in order for you to hit a goal. I am all for goals. I am big supporter of you hitting your goals. But, that should be a lifestyle. Not a temporary plan. We deserve to consistently succeed. We do not deserve to succeed, go back to our traditional food plan, and then NEED to Diet again. To me, that has FAIL written all over it. I think, instead, your food plan should meet your goals. And your goals should be aligned with the lifestyle you want. And, I bet you want to succeed.

Resolutions, to me at least, are the same as a Diet. Generally they are a flouncy idea built upon some brief thought about the previous year and its disappointments or failures, and then BAM, the list of resolutions is born. Gah! That can’t be good.

I even went to Wikipedia, they agreed with my stance. “Recent research shows that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, (a system where small measurable goals are being set, such as, a pound a week, instead of saying "lose weight"), while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends. Despite each goal having its own specific rewards and challenges, there are deep commonalities in the mindsets which start change."

I found a link to an interesting post that applies well to people who are interested in setting good goals rather than temporary New Year’s Resolutions. I liked the point made about not just pondering What you want to accomplish, but also Why you do. And, that we should consider What and Why we have accomplished so far. Hmmm… that IS some smarty pants stuff!

What did you do in 201o? Why?

What do you want to do in 2011? Why?

When thinking about those goals, continue to use the SMART acronym that many of us have seen before but add in the Why to the mix.

I hope you enjoy the process of establishing some goals, planning to succeed, and them reaching them! I would like to encourage you to go one step further. Consider how empowering it will be to your 2012 goals when you meet the 2011 goals.

Cheers!

Healthy Fats, Proteins, and Carbs

2010-12-16T19:09:00.000-08:00

Healthy Fats, Proteins, and Carbs

Healthy Fats

Olive Oil = 1 TBS = 120 cals = 13.5g fat
In order to reap the benefits of olive oil, it should be added to food AFTER the food is cooked. Drizzle on salads and fresh vegetables. Topping a tomato with a bit of olive oil will increase your body's ability to use the lycopene in the tomato. Pretty cool, eh?
Natural Peanut Butter = 1 Tbs = 100 cals = 8g fat
A reasonable serving of natural peanut butter is one tablespoon for a snack and two tablespoons for a meal. Please understand that you must eat the NATURAL peanut butter. Read the ingredients and if it lists hydrogentated anything, put it back on the shelf.
Almonds = 1 oz. (22 whole) = 170 cals = 17g fat
Avoid salted as they are high in sodium. Add a small apple and you have an easy-to-pack, healthy, mid-afternoon snack!
Avocado = 1 medium = 115 cals = 15g fat
Avocados are so yummy! Try them on your salad, on top of black bean soup, with salsa on your eggwhites, or in your tuna wrap. They add a creamy, tasty and satiating bit of fat to your meal so that you stay full until the next feeding.
Ground Flax Seeds = 1 Tbs = 50 cals = 4g fat
I add a tablespoon to my morning oatmeal. It adds a fun, nutty flavor. It's also quite delectible in yogurt or on top of cottage cheese and strawberries.
Flax Seed Oil = 1 Tbs = 115 cals = 15g fat
Combine with balsamic vinegar for a twist on your typical salad dressing. If you are into that whole nutty flavor thing, try substituting it for peanut butter in your protein shakes.
Salmon = 4oz = 200 cals = 9.2 g fat
Salmon is high in protein (19grams per 4oz. serving) and low in carbs (0). It is best to eat it broiled, baked, poached or steamed.

Healthy Proteins
Eating a little high protein food at each meal helps reduce the appetite, plus the body uses energy to convert protein to carbohydrates; a process known as Gluconeogenesis.
If too much protein is consume regularly, then it can be converted to fat (indirectly) and stored, the same as carbohydrates can be converted for fat storage. However, protein contains Nitrogen, an important chemical essential for the production of antibodies, so the body prefers to hold onto this Nitrogen. Thus, protein is more likely to be converted to carbohydrates rather than fat. These complex chemical reactions use up extra energy and help us burn more calories at rest!

Although, it is NOT wise to assume that consistently eating a high protein diet would necessarily be better for burning off even more calories at rest. A diet should always have a good balance of all essential macro, and micronutrients for good health!

High protein food Protein Carbs
EGGS ( 1 medium size ) 6 grams 0 g
MILK ( 1 pint or 568ml ) 19 grams 24 g
MILK ( 1 glass ) 6.3 grams 8 g
SOY MILK Plain (200 ml) 6 grams 1.6 g
TOFU (100 g) 8 grams 0.8 g
LOW-FAT YOGURT (plain) 150g 8 grams 10 g
LOW-FAT YOGURT (fruit) 150g 6 grams 27 g
FISH (cod fillets 100g or 3.5 ounces) 21 grams 0 g
CHEESE cheddar 100g ( 3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0.1 g
ROAST BEEF ( 100g or 3.5 ounces ) 28 grams 0 g
ROAST CHICKEN 100g ( 3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0 g
OTHER MEATS AVERAGE (100g or 3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0 g

List of High Protein Foods from Processed & Meat Products

High protein food Protein Carbs
Sausages (100g or 3.5 ounces) 12 grams 13 g
Bacon (100g or 3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0 g
Ham (100g or 3.5 ounces) 18 grams 0 g
Beefburgers - freezer type average(100g) 2 0 grams 6 g
Corned Beef (100g or 3.5 ounces) 2 6 grams 0 g
Luncheon Meat (100g or 3.5 ounces) 13 grams 5.5 g
Meat Paste (100g or 3.5 ounces) 15 grams 3 g
Protein supplements are a fast and efficient way to gain all your high protein diet needs.

High protein Supplement Protein Carbs
Met-RX Big 100 bars 27 g Metamyosyn 26 g
Myoplex Protein 42 g 24 g
Precision Protein 20 g 4 g
EAS Products 21 g 0 g
Whey Protein 2 3 g 3 g

Healthy Carbohydrates

All-Bran cereals
Apples
Artichokes
Asparagus
Bagel
Baked beans
Bananas
Beans
Broccoli
Brown bread
Brown rice
Brussels Sprouts
Buckwheat
Buckwheat bread
Cabbage
Carrots
Cassava
Cauliflower
Celery
Chick peas
Corn
Cornmeal
Cucumbers
Dill Pickles
Dried apricots
Eggplant
Garbanzo beans
Granary Bread
Grapefruits
High fiber breakfast cereals
Kidney beans
Lentils
Lettuce
Low fat yogurt
Macaroni
Maize
Muesli
Multi-grain bread
Navy beans
Oat bran bread
Oat bran cereal
Oatcakes
Oatmeal
Okra
Onions
Oranges
Other root vegetables
Pastas
Peas
Pinto beans
Pitta bread
Plums
Porridge Oats
Potato
Prunes
Pumpernickel bread
Radishes
Ryvita crispbread
Shredded wheat
Skim milk
Soy milk
Soybeans
Spaghetti
Spinach
Split peas
Sprouts
Strawberries
Sweet potato
Tomatoes
Turnip Greens
Water Cress
Weetabix
Whole Barley
Whole grain flours
Whole meal bread
Wholemeal spelt
Wholegrain Cereals
Wild rice
Yam
Zucchini

Drink more Water and you may Drop more Weight...

2010-11-15T09:14:00.000-08:00

Many people do not care for water. I am one of those people. I don't like the smell, the taste and I think it is just boring. Well, here's the deal. Water is great for you and great for your body! Clinical evidence shows that drinking water prior to eating can be an effective weight loss tool. A study led by Brenda Davy, PhD, RD, at Virginia Tech showed that middle-aged and older people who drank 2 cups of water right before eating a meal consumed 75-90 fewer calories. Over the course of 12 weeks, dieters who drank water before meals three times per day lost about 5 pounds more than dieters who did not increase their water intake. Water is so effective because it fills up the stomach with a substance that has zero calories. People feel fuller as a result and eat less calories.

Eat well!

2010-11-15T06:46:00.000-08:00

http://robbwolf.com/2010/11/10/long-hard-road-out-of-hell-or-why-fat-girl-went-primal-the-unabridged-version/

As many of you know, I stalk several websites. I think they have important information about health, fitness, intake and mental aspect of it all. I also think that simply being fat makes you even more unhealthy than being fat itself. Add to that, my thinking that food choices make us perform poorly.

I don't know it all, but I know I like the story told by the gal in the Robb Wolf link above. Give it a read.

Are you an Emotional Eater?

2010-11-03T17:36:00.000-07:00

Eating is more than something we do to nourish our bodies with vital nutrients. It's also an activity we do out of habit, like nail biting, hair twirling, or finger tapping. And sometimes, we habitually turn to food in response to certain emotions. Whether you feel angry, sad, bored—even excited—food can act as a buffer against these emotions, something 82 percent of you know all too well.

Emotional eaters know that it's easier to stuff down our feelings with each bite. We know that the fleeting "high" we get from food blocks the pain or discomfort of dealing we might be feeling, even if only temporarily. We also know better; in the long run, we still feel bad and we know that we shouldn't eat for purely emotional reasons. But that knowledge isn't enough to stop what feels like an addiction to food and eating. So where do you start if you want to stop eating emotionally?

It may be cliché, but the first step is awareness, recognizing that you do eat emotionally—and WHY. Each time you reach for foods (or even feel a craving come on), ask yourself, "Am I really hungry or am I just responding to something else that is happening?" If hunger isn't the reason, it's not always easy to pinpoint the reason why you feel like eating. Tracking your food can help, especially if you note the times you eat and how you were feeling before, during and afterward. By tracking your food (and related notes) more regularly, you could notice trends, like a tendency to overeat on Mondays, for example, and then pinpoint your true feelings from there. Ask yourself what it is about Mondays that leads to overeating (Stress from getting the kids to school? Anger over going to a job you hate?) Notice if you tend to munch in the evenings. Is it out of boredom, loneliness, or an unhappy relationship? Journaling (or blogging), in addition to tracking your food intake, can help you examine the causes of eating episodes so you can pinpoint your feelings.

While emotional eaters soothe themselves with food to avoid feeling and examining uncomfortable emotions, that gratification is temporary—and still painful, just like the emotions you're trying to avoid. But if you learn to recognize the emotional triggers that lead to eating, you can also learn to stop emotional eating before it starts by choose healthier ways to deal with your feelings. Here are some alternatives to eating that can help you deal with three of the most common emotions that can lead to eating.

Stress and Anger
Stress is part of our everyday lives, and it can create the same physiological responses as anger, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure. If you are eating as a response to anger and/or stress, some of these activities will help you calm down and deal with the issue at hand, instead of covering it up with food.
Remove yourself from the stressful situation. If you’ve had an altercation with a friend or family member, take some time away from each other to calm down and get your thoughts together. Make a list of what you want to say to the person with whom you’ve had the conflict, and revisit the issue later when you're both calm.
Take some deep breaths. Deep breathing has been shown to reduce blood pressure and promote feelings of calmness.
Exercise. It's a known stress buster and you may even find that it helps you deal with anger. Go for a short walk outside, hit some tennis balls, or push around some heavy weights at the gym—these are all constructive ways to deal with stress and anger.
Listen to music. We can all think of some songs that calm us down. Make a special CD or playlist that you can turn to when you need it. Identify this as a trigger of emotional eating.
Prevent stress from happening again. If mornings are so busy that you're barely able to get out the door on time, put some time-management skills into practice so that you don't have to rush or feel stressed each morning.

Sadness and Loneliness
These two emotions often go hand in hand. Loneliness can result in sadness, and sad people can often become withdrawn. Especially if you're dealing with grief or spending a lot of time alone, it's easy to turn to comfort foods or soothe yourself with foods that you associate with happier memories. Instead, work to replace these uncomfortable emotions with a positive action. Learn to use alternative activities as sources of gratification. Just as you've learned to turn to food for a pick-me-up, you can learn to use other activities in the same way.
Exercise. It boosts mood, releases endorphins (feel-good chemicals in the brain), and has even been reported to be more addictive than drugs. Anything you do to get yourself moving will work. Leaving the house for a short bike ride or walk will also help you avoid food temptations at home.
Play with your pet; animals have unconditional love and promote health and emotional wellness, too. If you don't have a pet, volunteer at a local shelter, which will expose you to both animals and more social interaction to combat your loneliness.
Write a letter to a friend. Reaching out to friends and family members, even if you haven’t talked to them in awhile, will remind you of all the wonderful people in your life who care about you. Spark up an old friendship!
Volunteer. People who volunteer feel better about themselves, and it's hard to feel down on yourself when you're helping others.
Post on the message boards! Even if you feel like you don't have a friend in the world, there is always someone here at SparkPeople who can help pick you up when you are feeling down.

Boredom
We have hundreds of TV channels, phones that surf the web, online social networks, and movement-sensing video games, but when it comes down to it, we still feel bored in our lives. Eating adds another layer to our entertainment options (like popcorn at a movie) but also becomes an easy thing to do when we don't know what else to do! After all, eating is fun and enjoyable, and it passes the time. Fortunately, many boredom-busting activities don't involve eating.
Pay attention to what you consume. Make a new rule that you will not multitask while you eat. That means no chips while on the computer and no ice cream while watching your favorite TV drama. If you're going to eat, you're going to be present and focus on the food you're enjoying to help avoid mindless overeating.
Develop a new hobby. Even without cash to spare, you can learn to knit, join a local book club, or train for a 5K race. By scheduling these activities regularly, you'll have plenty to do—and practice! Make a list of all the things you ever wanted to learn, from cooking to speaking a new language, and start investigating how to get started.
Read. We don't spend enough time reading these days, and while you may claim that you don't have the time, everyone has a few minutes here and there. Carry your book, favorite newspaper or magazine with you and steal minutes whenever you have downtime. Set a goal to read just 15 minutes each night, and you may find that stretching longer (and keeping your mind and fingers busy enough that they won't miss eating).
Play a game. Remember how fun board and card games can be? Some even take hours! Bring out a fun game for your next party or set up a game night with your best friend. If you're by yourself, crossword puzzles are a good alternative.
Connect with friends and loved ones. Some might argue that we feel so bored during this digital age because we're missing real-life interaction and friendships. After all, if you can post on your friend's Facebook wall or text your brother anytime, why call? Make a point to write letters, send personal emails, make phone calls and meet up with the important people in your life.
With an arsenal of activities you can do besides eating, you're on the right path to stop the emotional eating cycle. You might not be successful every time, but if you accept your mistakes and move forward, continuing to work on your issues by tracking, journaling and distracting yourself in a positive way, you'll overcome your emotional eating problems once and for all. With so many enjoyable experiences in life, food doesn't have to take center stage. Make sure you are taking time to enjoy all of them equally!

Sweet Potato Crisps

2010-10-31T14:36:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am struggling with insulin resistance and anyone who carries our extra 'us' around our torso may be fighting the same battle. You may have slightly elevated fasting blood sugar even though you eat pretty darn well. Cinnamon has been shown to help our bodies with insulin resistance. My doctor says that the best way to combat the insulin monster is to lose the torso bunchiness and work out alot. Yay for CrossFit and cinnamon!!

The other thing I like about this recipe is that it does keep my hands out of the bag of traditional store bought chips. It will take a little time to make these, and the recipe is not very strict. (I promise, that will become clear once you read through the process below.) The more potatoes you start with, the more cinnamon you need and the longer the process takes. But, it is totally worth it.

This recipe inspired by a post on Whole9, http://whole9life.com/2010/10/stm-pwo-sweet-potato/, and served at the food fest following Barbells for Boobs. My mom took on the majority of the work for these chips and we made some observations along the way. Here is the recipe tweaked in a way that we think will serve you well.

Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes. We used 6.
Cinnamon. We used several tablespoons.
Coconut oil. I could not find it. Mom says it comes in a can or a jar and it is more solidified, like lard or Crisco. Trader Joe's probably has it. Since I could not find it, we used Peanut Oil. You will need about a half cup of (liquidfied) oil for 6 potatoes.

Stuff ya need:
Baking sheets
Baking sheet liner
Small paring knife
Space to cool the crisps, and a cooling rack would move that process along.
Vegetable peeler
Zip top bag or air tight storage container
Small bowl to hold the oil when basting
Basting brush, or your fingers would probably work

Get started:
Spread your sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and cook them on the middle rack of your oven at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Turn the potatoes and continue to cook them for another 30 minutes.
Remove the potatoes from the oven, allow them to cool for one hour. We found that they are easier to peel when warm, not cold.

Crisp 'em!:
Gather as many baking sheets as you can and get excited to start your assembly line. Line the baking sheet with something - Silpat works great, other silicone sheets would be fine, or parchment paper on a traditional baking sheet worked good too.
Peel the potatoes.
If you are using coconut oil you will probably need to warm it so that it is liquid rather than chunky. Small pot, low heat, watch it so it does not scorch.
Slice the potatoes 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. The thicker you cut them, the longer the crisp process will take and the chewier they can be. Up to you, crispy or chewy.
As you slice the potato, place it on a baking sheet.
Pour oil into a small bowl so you can baste when it is time.
Up the oven to 350 degrees.
Fill the lined sheet as you slice your potatoes, and brush the sliced potato with the oil.
Dust the sweet potatoes with the cinnamon. Be brave, coat them well.
Get that sheet in the oven. They will need a good 30 minutes so you have some time to fill the other sheets you might have on hand.
Once those 30 minutes have passed, pull the sheet from the oven. Allow the sheet to cool for a few minutes. The potatoes will crisp as they cool. If they are not quite crispy enough for you, return them to your oven for a touch up.
Once the sheet of crisps has cooled a bit and you have decided they are crispy enough for you, move them over to your cooling station.
Once the crisps are completely cooled to room temperature you can store them in an air tight bag or container.

Eat Up!
If you wanted to serve these as a treat, a mustard sauce would be a great dip for them.

How Soda Affects your Body!

2010-10-28T09:26:00.001-07:00

Since I can't get to video to post of our page, here is the link. I tried!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hbgv4q57yY

You need to hear this!

2010-10-24T19:22:00.001-07:00

2010-10-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

From fat to fit ~ it is so much more than physical

2010-10-24T09:59:00.000-07:00

January 2009 I decided to lose weight. I knew I was unhealthy. The litany of health concerns were strikingly like that of an unaware 68 year old woman and no longer something I could ignore or excuse.

Elevated blood pressure – to the extent that Emergency Room visits occurred at least twice.

Elevated Triglycerides and Cholesterol. My blood literally appeared fatty

instead of clear and fluid. Gross!

Chronic dizziness. 2 car wrecks, walking into walls, multiple stops by police, and falling down at work. Not fun.

Chronic ankle swelling controlled by medication

Insomnia

Elevated blood sugar Decreased self esteem a generally crappy attitude and a self imposed level of stress that was sad.

For me to even spend the night out of town for one evening required an entire bag of medications that could have competed with most drug stores.

My doctors were polite enough about it. Not one of them ever said, “if you would just loose the weight” about resolving any of the concerns. No, they never said anything all that helpful. Instead, they prescribed medications and made more appointments. That was not really working, so instead I made appointments for myself at the gym.

The group I was working out with was varied. Some had physical injuries to tend to, some had emotional fears to get past, some were just trying to figure it all out. I was one of them. How had this happened? How had I gone from a spry 16 year old that played volleyball with enthusiasm, dated and had a fun circle of friends; to a wandering 20 something, US Amy Reservist, curious about what life would have in store for me; to a scared 30 something, knowing that I had somehow lost track of my strong suits and now literally wore very large suits.

From January 2009 – May 2009 I worked out as if my life depended on it, and I do think that it did. I was on a mission. I even had family come into town on surprise visits and would simply NOT skip a workout while they were here to share time with me. They were gracious; they respected that I had a lot going on with school, work, and my dedication to get healthy. But, the fact that I had gotten myself into such a mess spoke volumes, and still no one really said how far I had gone off track.

May 2009 came and the folks I had been working out with were faced with the opportunity to make one amazing change. We had the chance to stop working out and instead get CrossFit. Huh?

By then I was no longer taking the medication for blood pressure or for fluid retention. I had not yet learned a thing about my food choices, but I had gained a return to joy in JamieLand. I was finding that sweat was actually good for you, injuries were not a reason to not work out, and a committment to yourself is incredibly important.

So, this CrossFit thing came up. And I jumped in. I learned that being strong is not really impressive to me. Nor is the ability to run and run and run and run long distances. But, being fit is amazing! The chance to be strong AND be able to run long distances would prove to be invaluable. Turns out that CrossFit would rehab me right out of the majority of the dizzy spells far better than the drugs or therapy had done.

But, still, I had this thing with food. Ok, I have a big thing with food. When I am bored, or lonely, or stressed, or happy, or sleepy, I eat. Nachos are the best thing ever intented. They fill my tummy and my heart. While I was happier and healthier, the next key for me to turn would be my relationship with food.

And so, since September 2009 I have been working on that. Nachos will always have a place in my heart, but not in my hands. At least not every other day. It turns out that, at least for me, being fat was not the worst thing in the world. The worst thing was NOT being fit, not having my own self respect, not understanding why I chose the foods that I did, why I sometimes ate without even making that action a choice, and not knowing how foods impact my mood, and my health. It is amazing to me that I could actually lose 40 pounds, and then when hit with one too many life challenges, actually permit myself to gain all of that back. Clearly, I had had successes or I would not have lost that 40, but had missed out on something key. Food. It is a key, for me. Some people battle alcohol, some people battle with faith, I battle with food.

We all have a burden. Not everyone has CrossFit. For me, CrossFit has been more than just physical. It has been an amazing learning curve. It has taught me about measuring successes, being honest about your efforts, and that working out is better for us than just well defined abs or biceps popping out of your short sleeved shirt. It is about community, and team work, and change. We may all be seeking different changes - increased strength, decreased body fat, increased cardio capacity, etc. I am looking for all of that, and more. And, because I am looking for it within the CrossFit community, I will find it. And in the mean time I will continue to learn more about food, how it impacts me and my health, and I will continue to post recipes for you to try.

Given the way food impacts me, the recipes I try out are foods that serve me well. They do not generally include sugars or dairy. Until I get my blood lipds and sugars under control and my wishy washy relationship with food is more consistent, I am going to enjoy learning about what the alternatives are that leave me feeling full and proud of what I just ate.

What are you hungry for? Don't think just food, think about what fuels you, your inner athlete, your level of satisfaction with yourself. I am willing to bet that for each of us, getting fit involves far more than just NOT being fat and are not solely related to the amount of time we spend in the gym.

Sweet Potatoes and Flank Steak over Wilted Greens

2010-10-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

Serves 4

Ingredients
Flank Steak, trimmed as needed
Spicy marinade of your choice

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 yellow onions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons red chili flakes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
2 teaspoons cumin
1 can of purreed pumpkin

1 bunch of kale, removed from the stems and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Get Ready -
Marinade your flank steak with some something a little spicy for a few hours.

Get Cookin'!
(Now would be a good time to get the steak out of the fridge and let it come up to temperature for grilling and start up the grill.)

Grab a large sautee / frying pan and allow it to get hot.
Add olive oil to the pan. Sautee onions until they caramelize.
Add paprika, balsamic vinegar, and red chili flakes.
Add sweet potatoes, cover the pan with a lid and allow the potatoes to soften, stirring from time to time.

Throw the flank steak on the grill and cook to your preferred temperature.

While the potatoes are cooking, wilt the kale. In a warm skillet, put the kale, salt, pepper and a tablespoon of water. Cover. Allow the kale to hang out and wilt. It may seem like the kale wont fit but it will be fine. Just put the lid on and check it in a few minutes. As it wilts, turn the kale. Once wilted, divide the kale up over 4 plates. You are not going for mush here, no need to soften the kale until it is a glob in the bottom of your pan.

Return to your large pan of sweet potatoes and onion.
Add cumin and pumpkin purree. Stir well, and season with salt as needed.
Allow the pumpkin to heat through while the steak is grilling.
Remove the steak from the grill and set aside to rest.
Add the sweet potatoe to the bed of kale.
Cut the flank steak on the bias, and add to your plate of veggies.

Eat up!
I made up this recipe last week so I dont have a good calorie and nutrition count. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
If you are making this to heat up later for lunch at work, etc., then do not wilt the kale in advance. Instead put the kale in the bottom of your tupperware, top with the cooked sweet potatoes and sliced steak. When you heat up your meal to eat it, the kale will wilt in the microwave just fine. Also, you may want to cook your steak a bit less than to your preferred temperature so that when you reheat the meal, the steak will not be too overdone.

Roast Your Seeds

2010-10-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

(Recipes inspired from links found at http://allrecipes.com//HowTo/roasting-pumpkin-seeds/Detail.aspx.)

Many of you have been working from a Paleo Plate, and still others are just trying to eat better using other plans. Turns out that Pumpkin Seeds are good for us! And now is the time to harvest the gourds, scoop out their goodness and roast them.

From now until the end of the month gasoline station convenience stores will be stocking roasted pumpkin seeds and you might feel like grabbing a bag. Well, I say you should do it one better, and just do it yourself. Get the kids involved, make a few different varieties, have some fun in the kitchen, and eat something you made yourself.

The General Goods:
1. Line a baking sheet with Parchment Paper. If you do not already have this stuff, it is worth a trip to the grocery store. You can find it in the same aisle as the aluminum foil and plastic cling wrap. A good substitute is a silpat if you have one. The point is that it makes it keeps your baking sheet from being ruined by a bunch of baked on stuff.

2. Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out alot of the pulp and strings. (This is easiest just after you've removed the seeds from the pumpkin, before the pulp has dried.)

3. Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet, stirring to coat.

4. Sprinkle with salt and bake at 325 degrees F until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring after 10 minutes.

5. Let cool and store in an air-tight container.

Kick it up a notch!

Same recipe but use some extra seasonings for some Mexican Flair:
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Spooky Seeds:
Same recipe with the flavors of the season.
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice.

Slim Down for Good

2010-10-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

#1-Keep it simple-Do not eat processed foods. Eat whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean protein.
#2-Eat often. Eat a protein (the size of your palm), carb (the size of your fist), and fat (the size of your thumb) PLUS as many green veggies as possible at each meal. Eat every three or so hours. Going too long between each meal slows down your metabolism.
#3-Fill up with Fiber. Eat foods with fiber all day. Your fiber intake should be 25-35 grams per day. Slightly more for men.
#4-Stay hydrated. Aim for 8 cups of water per day. Limit your intake of caffeine.
#5-Write! Keep a journal of your food and liquid intake each day will help you stay motivated and more conscious of your consumption.
#6-Sleep! Not getting enough sleep can cause MANY problems in our bodies. Strive to get at least 7 hours eat night.

I have currently been following this "diet" for a little over a week...no cookies, no sugar, no bread! I have honestly never felt better. I am not always happy, but I am sure my body will adjust to not having any sugar and I just won't want it anymore.

Have a great day!

Are you eating the right things??

2010-10-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/exclusives/nutrition/healthy_eating/dining-out-tips.shtml

http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/exclusives/nutrition/healthy_eating/lunch.shtml

http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/exclusives/nutrition/healthy_eating/eat-regular.shtml

Here are some great and helpful websites to live nutritiously!

Spaghetti Squash Soup

2010-10-02T18:28:00.001-07:00

The base of many lovely spaghetti squash soups start with this recipe from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/spaghetti-squash-soup.html

Prepare the squash for its meeting with meaty goodness:Start by following along with the Spaghetti Squash preparation.

Soup Ingredients, other than the Spaghetti Squash:

4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 Garlic clove finely chopped
½ cup parsley
1 chopped onion
1 chopped tomato
1 box of low sodium Chicken or Vegetable stock
Diced Carrots and Spring onions
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the soup:

In a stock pot, heat some olive oil, add the chopped garlic and onions, sautee them till they soften and brown.
Now add the tomatoes and the other vegetables with parsley and sautee until the tomatoes soften.
Add the baked and then raked spaghetti squash and mix all ingredients well.
Pour the chicken stock in and stir well.
Heat the mixture on a low flame till the soup is of a thick consistency.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Eat Up!
Mix this soup up a little.
If you like your soup creamier, add one can of coconut milk.
Add thawed chopped frozen spinach for a heartier soup.
Add Oregano and/or Red Pepper Chili flakes when sauteeing the onion for more flavor.
Diced cooked Chicken would be a nice addition.
Many spices, like Nutmeg, would be nice in the soup also.

Spaghetti Squash stuffed with Ground Turkey

2010-10-02T17:38:00.000-07:00

Yay for a hearty, simple, seasonal meal! Recipe inspired by a similar recipe found at http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t--2773/harvest-stuffed-spaghetti-squash.asp.

Prepare the squash for its meeting with meaty goodness:
Start by following along with the Spaghetti Squash preparation. You will need 2 medium spaghetti squash for this recipe. In this case, it would be ok if the squash does not seem completely done, it will cook another 15 minutes once the meat mixture is prepared and has been sprinkled on top of your good gourds.

Stuffing Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey or turkey sausage
1 medium onion, diced
1 large apple, peeled and diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
½ cup figs, craisins, raisins, or dates
8 ounces of fresh mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons teriyaki, soy, or Worcestershire sauce
sprinkle of favorite herbs - Rosemary and or sage would be nice
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup roasted pine nuts

While the squash is cooking, prepare the turkey stuffing.

Start by cooking the turkey product, breaking it up well as it cooks. Add the cut onion, apple, mushrooms, garlic, and the figs (or craisins, raisins, or dates).

Cook this until the meat is slightly browned and then sprinkle in the flour. Stir this well and then add the teriyaki, soy, or Worcestershire sauce. Bring this to a boil, reduce heat, stir, and allow the sauce to thicken. Season with herbs, salt and pepper.

Remove meat mixture from heat while you wait for the spaghetti squash to finish its initial cooking. Once the squash is done cooking, divide the meat mixture on top of the four squash havles, and return to the oven for 15 more minutes.

Remove from oven, top with toasted pine nuts and serve hot.

Eat Up!

This turkey stuffing could also be paired with other squash or even prepared as a skillet meal with other veggies served on the side.

Eat some Spaghetti!

2010-10-02T16:41:00.000-07:00

No, not the pasta. I mean the squash!

Gourds are in season now, so it is time to eat up something hearty and healthy that you might not be able to get year round.

Spaghetti squash is great in a variety of recipes and meals. Some of you have heard of it, and I know some of you have even grown it. I am on a mission to give you all enough reasons to make sure that by the end of this beautiful fall season, you all have EATEN and ENJOYED some spaghetti squash. It is easy to prepare. Once cooked it can be added to other recipes or served as is.

Get Cooking!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the squash in half, lengthwise. Please be careful, it is easy for that knife to slip when going through such dense goodness at such a long distance.

Now that you have the gourd in half with the insides facing up, place it on a baking sheet or in a casserole dish. Yes, I do realize it may fall over since the gourd is not flat on the outside. It will be fine if your squash flops around a bit.

If you are going to put the cooked spaghetti into a soup go for the casserole dish with a small amount of water. If you are going to serve the squash as a pasta or a side item and you want it to come out with less liquid to run all over your plate, use a baking sheet.

Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds from each half. (They are great roasted, or you can toss ‘em. Up to you.) Now you should have two halves, each with a small well where the seeds were.

Lightly baste the fleshy squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake until fork tender and spaghetti like strands appear when raked with a fork. If you are baking it covered in the casserole dish, the water will create steam and decrease your cooking time. I am generally pleased with the outcome close to 45 minutes. If you are doing this on the baking sheet, it may take a little longer.

Once the squash is done, carefully remove your goods from the oven and allow to cool a bit. Take a sturdy fork and rake the strands loose. The majority of that gourd is up for grabs, so dig deep.

Stay tuned for some recipes!

Eat Up!

Set Mini Goals!

2010-09-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

In order to succeed, it is best to set small goals along the way to reach your long term goal. For instance if you want to start eating vegetables, and you currently do not eat any, a great mini goal would be to eat 1 veggie a day. If you are currently not eating any, you shouldn't expect yourself to be able to start eating 5-6 servings a day! It is too overwhelming and you will give up. Many of us think, okay I am really going to eat healthier, but then it is too much for us to handle and we just quit. Small, attainable goals is the way to go. Once you can complete the mini goals for about two weeks, make a new mini goal. Mini goals will help you attain your long term goal with a lot less stress!

What is your long term goal? Now make a mini goal that will help you attain the long term goal with ease.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Spinach, Apple and Peppers

2010-09-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

(Recipe stolen from PaleoChix and editted just a bit.)

Apples are a must during the MidWest Autumn and a moist chicken breast is a great start to a meal worthy of a caveman.

Stuffing

Stuffing Ingredients:

1 chopped Red Pepper
3 cloves of fresh Garlic chopped
3/4 cup Spinach (if frozen, drain very well.)
1/2 cup fresh Mushrooms
1/8 cup finely chopped Apple
Salt and pepper to taste

Stuffing Preparation:

Dice the peppers, mushrooms, garlic, and apple. Put that in a bowl with the spinach. Toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add crushed red pepper if you would like a little more flavor.

Get Cooking!

4 Large Chicken Breasts (Large enough to butterfly and fill)

Butterfly slice the chicken open. Fill with the stuffing and wrap the chicken back around. Keep the birds closed while they cook with 3 toothpicks.

You can stuff the chicken ahead of time, and store in the fridge for a little while. Prior to putting the bird on to cook, allow the chicken to warm a little bit so it does not get tough.

The chicken can be cooked on a grill or in the oven. If using an oven, go for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees. The more you stuff the chicken breast, the longer it will take to cook. Try to spread the stuffing out evenly or the bird wont cook evenly. No one liked a dryed out bird!

Eat Up!

I would cut the stuffed chicken breast in half and serve it with some vegetables.

This recipe could be used over and over with different stuffing options. A few suggestions:

onion, mushroom, and dill

red onion, diced sweet potato, kale, and cumin

onion, basil, and tomato

Fresh pears or peaches would be a great fruit in the chicken, too.

I also think the stuffing would do well in a pork loin that were butterflied open, stuffed, then rolled closed and then baked.

Are you doing the paleo thing for the first time and struggling to find recipes or meal ideas? Let me know - I would be happy to see what I can find for you.

2010-09-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

Mini Egg Frittatas

Inspired by a recipe that can be found at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Muffin-Frittatas/Detail.aspx. Many of us struggle to get in a good breakfast, especially when you are trying to keep to a paleo food plan. It is hard to avoid cereals and pop tarts, our mornings are so hectic. Try this recipe - except for the cheese it is a caveman's friend!

6 eggs
½ Almond Milk
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheese
¾ cup diced zucchini
¼ cup diced red pepper

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat the eggs, stir in the Almond Milk, season with salt and pepper. Add the cheese, zucchini, bell pepper and onion; mix well.
Spoon evenly into 12 greased muffin cups, about 1/4 cup each.
Bake in 350 degrees F oven until just set, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool on rack 5 minutes. Remove from cups; serve warm.

You eat with your eyes, then your nose, finally your mouth. Substitute any veggies you want, just chop ‘em up small. Keep the colors lively, that is why the recipe used red pepper instead of green. Tomatoes might work too, but they have a high water content so you may need to adjust the recipe and / or cook time if you choose to go that route. Sauteed onion and mushrooms would be great!

For ease in the morning, consider making these ahead of time, but reduce the cook time a bit. Heat to serve warm and finish the cooking.

If you enjoy two muffins you will have consumed about

175 Calories

12.8 grams of Total Fat

197 mg of Cholesterol

364 mg of Sodium
3.5 grams of Total Carbs
0.4 grams of Fiber
11.2 grams of Protein

Thai Beef Salad

2010-09-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

(Inspired by a recipe found in the May / June 2010 edition of Clean Eating Magazine and edited slightly)

Ingredients

½ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
3 tbsp sweet chile sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 ½ lb flank or skirt steak
Olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped (1 ¼ cup)
2 medium tomatoes, wedged into bite sized pieces
6 cups romaine lettuce, torn or chopped
1 cucumber, sliced thin (1 ¼ cup)
2 tbsp fresh chopped mint
2 tbsp unsalted raw cashews

Prep ahead:

Combine the lime juice, cilantro, chile sauce and garlic in a bowl. (Yeah, you agree huh? Already smells gooood!) Pour half of the bowl of sauce into a zipping plastic bag, put the steak in with it, and let the marinade begin to work its magic in the fridge for up to 8 hours. I recommend doing this in the morning before you head to work, or just before you go to your CrossFit180 workout. Store the remainder of the sauce to finish the salads later.

Cook it!

Once you are home and ready to get your grub on, pull the steak from the fridge to allow it to come up to room temperature. Putting a cold steak into the heat will toughen the meat. Boo!

While the steak warms up, start up the grill or set your broiler to medium – high heat. Now heat a large nonstick skillet with a small bit of olive oil. Start small with the oil, you can always add more if you want to. Sautee the onions, allow them to soften and even caramelize for more flavor. Add the tomatoes when the onion is close to done, just long enough for the tomatoes to soften. Once the tomatoes are softened, pour the contents of the skillet into a large bowl, add the mint, lettuce, and cucumber to that bowl and toss to combine.

Cook the steak, on the grill or in your broiler. I prefer the steak to come off at about medium rare. Allow the steak to rest for a few minutes, it will continue to cook some. After the steak has rested, slice it on the bias (diagnonally) so you end up with lots of thin strips.

Eat it!

Place a bed of the dressed lettuce on a plate, top with strips of steak, pour a bit of the remaining sauce you made earlier on top. Add some cashews to the top, serve, and enjoy.

After it took you about 45 minutes to throw this together, if you serve this with ¾ cup salad and 3 oz of steak, you will get only about
167 Calories
6 grams of Fat
8 grams of Carbs
2 grams of Fiber
2 grams of Sugars
20 grams of Protein
87 mg of Sodium
30 mg of Cholesterol

If you are looking for some extra healthy fats, add some avacado to the bowl of marinade. The lime juice will keep it from browning.

Eat Up!

Exploring Better Food Choices

2010-09-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

When I first starting blogging for CrossFit180 I posted some thoughts about the way we eat and some things to consider about the way that you approach food.

1. Some folks stick to their Food Plan better when they write down their intake. There are lots of options for this, pick the one that works best for you.

2. Don't diet - it is a temporary plan that most of know fails.

3. It is YOUR Food Plan, and it has to meet your needs to hit your goals. I think Paleo is the way to go, but it is up to you. Eat what makes you feel good and hit your targets.

Now that 180 has entered its new era at the amazing new location, some folks are going to be excited about tweaking their Food Plans so they can optimize their workout accomplishments, fitness improvements, and possibly even changing up their body shapes. But, no one needs to actually walk around tweaking for their next Food Fix. As April gets us interested in kicking some of the crud we eat to the curb, considering reading that intial post.

Click the link: http://killyourcoward.blogspot.com/2010/01/you-are-what-you-eat.html

I will be posting about fun in the cave over the next month. Hit me up with questions! But, the questions have to be GOOD questions for me to be able to help ya. Tell me your goal and more about the hurdle you hit (avoiding sugar, understanding more about healthy fats, getting past cravings, feeling less hungry). I want to tailor the answer to YOUR Food Plan. I encourage you to be brave, make some changes, see how they make you feel, and cheer on the others who are playing along.

So, who is up for some Food Fun?

Don't forget! Wednesday PM WOD moved up to 5:30...get loose when you get there, no excuses!

2010-06-29T22:27:00.000-07:00

Sweet Series on Exercise is coming. For now, please chew on this

2010-06-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

http://whole9life.com/2010/06/sugar-sugar-sugar/

I think by now you all know that I think these guys get "it". I like their no nonsense approach, the straight forward information, and those AHA! moments that I seem to have while reading their stuff.

I have heard rumblings lately about how some of you are trying to kick sugar out of your Food Plan. Congrats! My last blog post was about how to read labels, and some of the trickery involved when thinking about words like Low Fat and Organic. Well, the Whole9 peeps have out done themselves again. There are alot of synonyms for the word sugar.

Read their post on Sugar using the link at the top of this post. While you guys digest that, I am working on a series about exercise, what it does to our bodies, the need for rest, and what happens during recovery / rest.

Yes! Judgement Day Has Come

2010-05-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

If you are trying to maintain adherence to a strict Food Plan you are probably also reading labels.

Here is the FDA’s explanation of US Food Labels.

Here is an 8 minute video about food labels in general.

Here is a little video explaining calories from fat and how to understand the information provided on the food label.

Here is a Poster from the FDA that you could print (8.5 x 11) and keep on hand since most fresh fruits don’t fall from the tree wearing a snazzy label.

Same problem with veggies? Print this Poster.

And, of course fish come with gills and scales but no label. Here ya go. And it includes information on some shell fish, too.

Most of those food choices are not too tricky and most of us don’t have too many questions about Calories and Calcium content. But, “Light”, “Lite”, and “Free” seem to be the most confusing thing to understand. Technically, the FDA says this is what those words mean. And, what about “Organic”, “Healthy”, and “Natural”? The FDA warns, “The terms "natural," "healthy," and "organic" often cause confusion. "Consumers seem to think that 'natural' and 'organic' imply 'healthy,'" says Schneeman. "But these terms have different meanings from a regulatory point of view."
According to FDA policy, "natural" means the product does not contain synthetic or artificial ingredients. "Healthy," which is defined by regulation, means the product must meet certain criteria that limit the amounts of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, and require specific minimum amounts of vitamins, minerals, or other beneficial nutrients.
Food labeled "organic" must meet the standards set by the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Organic food differs from conventionally produced food in the way it is grown or produced. But USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food.
For example, says Schneeman, "A premium ice cream could be 'natural' or 'organic' and still be high in fat or saturated fat, so would not meet the criteria for 'healthy.'"

I happen to really enjoy my organic food choices. I have been eating foods from an awesome little service that provides locally grown products to its patrons with stellar variety and sweet customer service. But, I still had to wonder about the word organic. There are websites talking about it, and this is the best quick summary that I have found:
USDA Organic: In 2000, after a 10-year development process, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rolled out its rules covering use of the word "organic" on foods. The USDA accredits independent certifiers, who then check the claims of producers. The system has three levels:
"100% Organic": Can only contain organic ingredients, meaning no antibiotics, hormones, genetic engineering, radiation or synthetic pesticides or fertilizers can be used. Can display the USDA organic logo and/or the specific certifying agent's logo.
"Organic": Contains 95% organic ingredients, with the balance coming from ingredients on the approved National List. These products can also display the USDA organic logo and/or the certifier's logo.
"Made with Organic Ingredients": Must be made with at least 70% organic ingredients, three of which must be listed on the package, and the balance must be on the National List. These products may display the certifier's logo but not the USDA organic logo.

I liked that link in particular because it led me to another post about what is in organic food that is not really organic. Huh? How is that possible? This is how! People, come on! You know you gotta flex your “Buyer Beware” muscles when you are shopping for food just like if you were shopping for next Yugo.

According to a brochure produced by the USDA, “Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

Here is one outstanding post that sums up some of what I have been saying by my nutritional crush, Whole9. I agree with Melissa. Follow some simple rules to ensure you are getting what you want out of the food chosen to put on your plate in your mouth.

Eat Fresh Foods that are locally grown in a chemical free environment.

Eat foods that are packaged only if you can actually pronounce the ingredients. Once the ingredients start getting science-y you are no longer eating food.

If the food you are eating came prepared it will have an ingredients list. Ensure that all of the ingredients are something that you could produce or hunt down. I am not saying that I go on a regular beef slaying mission the third Thursday of every month. I am quite grateful for the butcher who does that for me. But, you get the idea.

Enjoy food that is in ‘season’. It keeps your menu varied and has far less of a chance to have been preserved. (I still think preservatives are creepy. Are you really trying to embalm yourself before your dirt nap?)

Ok – if you are trying to Kill Your Coward, it is up to you to have a plan. I hope this helps you stick to YOUR Food Plan and not get tripped up by labels and lingo that can be a slippery slope.

Your Memorial Day grilling will taste even better without a bunch of junk in the yummies. So get out there, judge your food, and have a safe and sun screen slathered beginning to your summer.

Posts coming up: Another visit to the important idea of Rest and Rest Days, being in The Zone, and why Peanuts should only be consumed as a Comic Strip and not your mouth. What else do ya want to hear about?

2010 CrossFit Regionals

2010-05-11T15:11:00.001-07:00

The only way you can win is to do the most work the quickest. The content of the games is unknown until just before the Event. It. Is. Crazy.

And, of course, our very own April Garner made it all look amazingly simple. Just pick up that weight. Move your feet. Focus. Breathe. Do it all again. It is like she puts herself in a zone and simply works. You don’t see her get frustrated, although you do see her try even harder as the workout progresses. You do not see her give up, instead you see her find a way to give even more.

I did not get to see April do the first workout on Saturday morning. It was a lifting Complex. (I was still doing that Mini Marathon in Indy.) She was not pleased with the components of this doozy. But, I heard that she did a very good job and probably should have gotten more credit for all of the work that she did. Bummer on the judging...

I also missed the 5k run. Ok, 5k run does not describe it nearly well enough. April (SuperFastWoman) came in 4th in Women’s Division and her time beat 26 men. Yeah, that pretty much Rocks!

Deadlift was in the late afternoon, and I did get to see April finish this one. She worked hard and did really well. I cannot imagine how exhausted she must have been walking up to that bar. But, of course, she picked it, loaded more weight and picked up, and just kept going until the end. She got a Personal Record, of course giving every bit of effort she could find.

Finally, her day was over and it was time to shake it off, eat something (and a lot of it!) and get some rest. Sunday was going to be at least one workout. The top 20 finishers after the first Sunday workout would get to progress to the Final Workout of the Regional competion.

April got to consult with her Judge prior to the workout starting. I was surprised – she was working with strict form and there were some of her efforts he would not count. I could not see why that was, but he is the Judge…

And so, after talking to the Judge the crowd held their breath for a moment after we heard 3 - 2- 1- Go. And then the crowd went into a CrossFit Frenzy!!

50 Box Jumps (20”)

40 Kettlebell Swings (16kg)

30 Burpees with lateral jump over sandbag

20 Sandbag Cleans to Front Squat

10 Overhead Dumbell Press (65/40lb)

(Sorry everyone... I was too excited to snap pictures during this part.)

April was starting to show what she really had. She was starting to pull ahead of the pack. It was awesome!

Now that was done. Sort of. Go back and do those previous movements, again!

Off she went for more of those sandbag squat cleans.

Then more of the burpees with a jump.

Then more of those KB Swings.

Finally, time to end with the Box Jump. She was ahead! The crowd was rallying! It was too much - how on earth could she do more!?!

If you look close, you can see many of the other CF180 addicts cheering her on, right in front of her. Dig Deeper April!

Ok. She is so far ahead now, we are all convinced that no one in this Heat could possibly catch her. Is it possible to hold your breath and scream at the same time? I think we found a way!

And then it was over. Done! First in her Heat.

Her accomplishments just can't be explained with words. The pictures might help. But, to be there. And to witness her pour her heart out into not just one workout but an entire weekend. It became clear, she had done far more. She had put her heart into this for many months to prepare. She had a dream, she had a plan, she had dedication. I hope that you all take the opportunity to congratulate April on such an amazing performance. If you ask her about she is going to grumble about a muscle up and something about the Deadlift. Tell her to zip it up and that she did great! Once you are done congratulating her, you need to sit down and make some plans to go to one of these competitions. It will light fire under your behind that you never knew you had. And, then, how about you set up a challenge for yourself? Wanna join April at the next competion? She would love the company!

Ok April - Job well Done! I hope your Mother's Day was a special evening at home with the girls!

April is what the Games are all about. Digging deeper until the end… Way to go April!! I cannot wait to see you and many other CrossFit 180 peeps tear up CrossFit Sectionals 2011.

I have uploaded the video and pictures of CrossFit Sectionals 2010 to my FaceBook account. CrossFit 180 FB account admins are welcome to link it on over to the CF180 FB page. Later I will publish many more photos of Regionals on my FB page too.

Posts coming up: Food Labels, another visit to the important idea of Rest and Rest Days, being in The Zone, and why Peanuts should only be consumed as a Comic Strip and not your mouth. What else do ya want to hear about?

When it comes to CrossFit, there is nothing ‘mini’ about it…

2010-05-11T14:42:00.001-07:00

So, many of us 180 gals did the 2010 Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon. Other than the fact that I am still very curious about why none of our tough guys did it, I was curious about some other things.

Why did those girls go for it?

What did they have to gain from the experience?

What did they sacrifice along the way?

I went into the challenge knowing full well that my body was not ready and that I hate running. That was exactly why I wanted to do it. Some would say that is backwards. CrossFit says otherwise. We intentionally do things that others wouldn’t do. And, in my opinion, that IS what makes CrossFit folks ‘better’. We ARE fitter than most folks because we do not look at physical fitness on a single level. To us, it is about the ability to do all of the following:

Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance - The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.

Stamina - The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.

Strength - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.

Flexibility - the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.

Power - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.

Speed - The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.

Coordination - The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.

Agility - The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.

Balance - The ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base.

Accuracy - The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity

As it stands now, I don’t have all of those things down pat, so I did that half marathon thing. But, just finishing the event does not mean I am done. I have to keep trying to be a better runner. It improves many of my weak points. It makes me fitter. The idea was to take myself completely out of my comfort zone and finish the darned thing. And, I can tell ya, I don’t think there is anything MINI about a half marathon. No matter how miserable it was running in the evenings after CF180 wods, no matter how windy it was that morning of the actual mini marathon, etc... I am really glad I have the sense of accomplishment that came from crossing the Finish Line.

CrossFit folks do other things to improve their overall fitness. CrossFit even encourages this via other ‘branches’ (CrossFit Endurance and CrossFit Football). I think most CrossFit coaches believes you should not focus solely on CrossFit. The idea is for that your workouts be constantly varied after all. Participate in a volleyball league, run around town, go hiking, whatever. Just Get Fit.

Get Completely Fit. There are two questions to ask yourself. What are your weak points and then how can you beat them down? Go over that list above and see what you are weakest on. You might think you have a good handle on all of them. Hey, Congrats! But, there is probably something on that list that either you hate or are not as good at. Now you have identified the weakness. Now, get to work.

The amazing competitors of the CrossFit Games understand the benefits of overall fitness - people like April Garner. More on her and the competition later... It was amazing!

Posts coming up: CrossFit Regionals wrap up, Food Labels, another visit to the important idea of Rest and Rest Days, being in The Zone, and why Peanuts should only be consumed as a Comic Strip and not your mouth. What else do ya want to hear about?

Double Down and Dirty

2010-05-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

April 12 was Double Down Day. Did you hear about it? KFC has been in the news for a couple of different things lately. One was the launch of their Double Down sandwich, the other is their note worthy BucketsForACure. To be clear, I totally support the sale of chicken breasts to help raise awareness and / or money for cancer, specifically cancer of the boobie. I get the connection; thanks for helping a gal out Colonel Sanders!

But, the thought of this Double Down thing had me feeling a little dirty. I admit it, I was interested in it and I seriously considered trying one, just for the sake of research. But, I resisted the urge… err, I mean craving for a little scientific satisfaction. Instead I did my initial research using only other people’s reactions. Certainly, this has to be one of the dirtiest deeds I could do to my pre half marathon body. The following quote was shamelessly stolen from the official KFC Double Down website. “The new KFC Double Down is real! This one-of-a-kind sanwhich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel’s Sauce. This product is so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!” Oh my gosh, this just cannot be good. Well, it may be tasty, but it cannot be good for me.

Here is the initial experiment that I ran: I work at a software company. My little cubicle happens to be very near the Technical Support Call Center, which happens to be staffed by some pretty awesome 20 somethings. Most are guys, most of which celebrate all things meat and they do that with an uncensored volume of meat. Only the size of their stomach can restrict the consumption of meat. We even have Meat Can Fridays where The Can is walked around the building, dues are paid, and then magically an amazing assortment of grilled meats are readied for unbridled consumption on many Fridays from Spring through Fall. Meat Can Friday even has a FaceBook page, so the Tech Support Cube Land was sure to provide a perfect source for my Double Down research. It was a Monday, and there was so no Meat Can Friday indulgences to interfere with the experiment.

The cube dwellers work a variety of shifts to cover the 7 am – 7 pm hours. Some folks eat earlier than others. Many of them ate a Double Down on April 12. It was craziness. I heard moans and groans. I heard hiccups and burps. Yeah, I heard a lot. I heard some people say, “It’s just a sandwich” (which is not entirely true given that it does lack bread) and others say things that I would not feel comfortable putting here but suffice it to say that their Meat Can needs had been met. And, it went on and on all day. Many ended up in a Meat Coma, which Meat Can subscribers have deemed to be the indication of a successful meal.

I was totally grossed out. I was 100% convinced that there was nothing redeeming about the Double Down. It simply had to be a full on wrong decision. So, I started to Google. It is like this thing has a Fan Club. It has bloggers typing, foodies in a frenzy, and I had totally missed the boat. It turns out that the Double Down itself is not all that bad. If you go grilled it is about 460 calories. It does contain cheese, which is not on everyone’s Food Plan but that may be a nice Treat if planned for accordingly. I am not opposed to bacon itself, but I bet KFC is not using the nitrate free variety that I prefer. The one major flaw I could find was its sodium content, which was pretty high. But, it is fast food and you should probably expect that. I did not do a lot of research on the sauce. I figured it was sauce, so it probably does not have any positives, but you do have the draw your line in the sand somewhere between responsible food consumer and CrazyTown. I will let the sauce go as an uninformed transgression….

So, as I post this Blog I am here to tell you that I did get a little dirty with the Double Down today. I went Grilled this time, and I served it up with some sautéed vegetables. Next time I want to get really dirty, I just might go with Original Recipe to get the full effect. Either way, I am happy to be wrong this time. There are not many reasons to go Double Down once in a while. And, if you feel bad about it when you do, no reason you can’t just Split it. It would increase your odds that you enjoy the indulgence even longer.

Posts coming up: Half Marathons are NOT at all anything Mini, CrossFit Regionals wrap up, Food Labels, another visit to the important idea of Rest and Rest Days, being in The Zone, and why Peanuts should only be consumed as a Comic Strip and not your mouth..
What ya hear about?

Where does she get this stuff?

2010-04-04T18:08:00.000-07:00

It's a small world after all...

When you think about the wealth of 'wisdom' that is on the internet, magazines, TV, etc. regarding working out, health, fitness, diet, etc. it is not surprising that some of it is interesting, most of it is commercialized, some of it is garbage, and only some of it is worth the paper it were printed on (if you actually chose to print it). In the CrossFit community, it seems like there are a few well respected resources that we can lean on.

Blogs -

These are the posts of other affiliates. Often they talk about a road they have been down, and I don't know that there is anything more valuable that someone's own truth. But, their perspective may not fit you. The information is good, but you do have to put it into context. It is up to you to decide if the information fits well for you and your needs. It may not, that does not hurt my feelings. In fact, if it does not, I would like to know why not. Help me see your perspective so that I can link to information that has more use to more of the 180 peeps.

I happen to be a big fan of Whole. Whole 9, Whole life, etc. They have it going on. I believe that they do indeed have the Whole Package. It used to be Byers gets Diesel, then Urban gets Diesel. Now, it is just plain awesome. But, they are Paleo. And, CrossFit is not, exactly. More on that in a few.

http://whole9life.com/

CrossFit Journal -

http://journal.crossfit.com/

Well, let's be honest. It is equivalent to the bible. It is some good stuff! The only reason that I do not link you to it in my blog posts is that not every 180 member subscribes to the Journal and so the links will not always work. But, let me make it clear, that it DOES HAVE Good STUFF. The fact that the subscription is so cheap should not at all make you think IT is cheap.

My Own Life -

No, I do not at all think that I know it all. I just have a big mouth. I don't mind sharing my opinions, my experiences, or my insight (if I may be so bold) with you guys. I do not think that I am all that different from you all. I would like to think that we share some common concerns, similar goals, and similar questions. Here is where I need your help. I need to know more about your questions and concerns. If you need me to elaborate on a point I have made before, or even defend it better, please speak up! If you need me to trial an idea for you, I just might!

Which leads me to the final point. Some of you know about it, and some of you don't. I have been thinking about this one for months, and I think I have finally decided to do something about it. CrossFit official stance on nutrition is Zone. I happen to subscribe to Paleo. There is a big 'ole controversy going on behind the scenes regarding Paleo vs. Zone and I don't really care how that part is going to all get settled. I do care how it impacts me, my health, my gym performance, and my mental fortitude. But (here comes my list of excuses that are one notch above lame) between working full time, going to grad school, working out with the stellar CrossFit 180 folks, participating in my recovery from cancer, having a good life, and generally being easily distracted, I have never gotten on the Zone bandwagon 'cause I have way too much to do than measure and weigh everything I consume. Maybe it is time. Maybe, if I am going to say that Paleo serves me best, maybe I need to know how Zone treats me. And, so, once this awful Spring Semester that I swear has lasted for an eternity plus two, I am gonna go into the Zone. I am going to give it fair shot. I think I need to do it for at least two months so that I can say I truly worked the program, and I will probably have oodles of opinions to share along the way.

Between now and then, here are some posts that are coming up:

Food Labels

Why Peanuts should only be appreciated as the comic strip rather than a food source

Whatever you want me to.

Please sound off - who is still in on the PushUp / SitUp Challenge. 30 was the day I could no longer do consecutive pushups and complete the day's requirement. It was slow at the end, but I got 'em. How 'bout you? What is your magic number?

Also, please do not forget about the CrossFit 180 folks who are preparing to run the Indy 500 Festival Mini Marathon and April Garner who is preparing for CrossFit Regionals. The month of May at CrossFit 180 is gonna rock!

Rest, Relaxation, Recuperation, Rejuvenation, Revitalization… I don’t really care what ya call it, but you NEED it.

2010-03-25T20:26:00.001-07:00

We all have our own word for it, but we all need time to heal. But, by heal, I mean physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. The idea of healing physically and mentally might seem somewhat obvious – good. But, I am still going to talk about it. The idea of healing emotionally and spiritually might make some sense when you stop and think about it, but you might not have automatically associated it with your CrossFit experience, and I think that maybe you should.

Physically, this topic would cover bed time rest, post workout recovery, and injury recovery. They are all important and each of us will have a different need for each of those. It depends on the intensity of your workouts, how messed up your health is, your Food Plan (and if you are sticking to it), your mental state, your emotional status, and your spiritual strength.
When I say Rest, I mean sleep. I am talking about quality sleep. I have no idea how parents do this, I can only hope that you do get at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep on occasion. (Parents are pretty amazing peeps!) Most of us recognize the value of sleep. It is nice to feel well rested rather than feeling like you are hanging on by a thread until you get your next fit of sleep in just to have another crazy day. But, did you know that the lack of sleep can slow down your efforts to lose weight? Or that it can mess with your cortisol levels which are associated with stress and belly fat, and that the lack of quality sleep jacks your insulin around. Some people believe so strongly in the need for sleep, that they put it on the top of their list of how they take care of themselves. That is right, it is above workouts and high quality food.
Post Workout recovery is different for each of us too. Post WOD recovery includes tending to the muscles you just pummeled and some high quality replenishment. There is also some thinking about a Contrast Shower. I would love to hear your feedback on that if you have tried it. Effective Active Warm Ups prior to your WOD is actually the first step to your Post WOD Recovery. And, stretch it all out when you are done and still warmed up. And, you gotta drink oodles of water! And, not just on the workout days. All the time. If you keep well hydrated during your Rest Days, it is easier for your body to flush toxins out of your system. Seriously consider the fact that you work hard at your job and you get paid for it. Well, after a workout, your muscles would appreciate a paycheck or two also. They worked hard for you, give ‘em some love!
Then there is that other issue: Injury Recovery. I am pretty smart, and I can find some slick sites to point you to, but I aint no doctor. I am not here to push the Lawson Health Care Reform Bill. But, if you saw a doctor, follow the instructions you were given. If you do not like the directions, seek a second opinion. If you still don’t like them, you might want to consider where the problem really lies – patient or doctor??? With that said, there are some smarty pants out there who are bold enough to offer advice on managing injuries. I have read it, and it made some sense to me.

Mentally, this topic would cover the day to day frustrations that we all encounter, the snarky comment made by the boss that eats at you, problems at home, etc. While I am certainly not going to say that the need for mental recovery means you should skip a workout, I do think you need to make a decision. As you know, I had cancer in December. Prior to having the surgery, I would have been an uncontrollable basket case if I had not had the chance to workout some of my stresses. But, I went into each workout knowing that my mind was not in a good place so I was not going to be disappointed with lack luster performance. I just needed to keep moving. As much as I do think that was a good way to handle a tough situation, it also meant I did a lot less mental healing when I should have. I delayed the inevitable. I still had concerns that I needed to deal with, and just moving and sweating was not going to get that done. Again, I am not saying that a workout should be skipped when you have things on your mind, but I am saying that I don’t want you to kid yourself. Physical work will probably not be a good substitute for the work you need to do in your mind, but it just might be what you need to do to get through the concern that is on your mind. And, I hope that each of you have far more fun things on your mind anyway.

They say there are four very basic emotions: Glad, Sad, Bad, and Mad. Glad covers happiness. Sad covers regret, sadness, and loneliness. Bad covers things like guilt, fear, and anxiety. Mad covers anger and frustration. But, we all know, it is not that simple at all. Emotionally, things are a complex mixed up bag of who knows what from day to day and sometimes minute to minute. When our emotions are so strong that they are our primary motivator, we are not our selves. You need to take time to acknowledge the emotions, decipher where they are coming from, tend to the uglies, and embrace the warm and fuzzies. If you are an emotional mess, it is up to you to fix it. Lowe’s does not have the tools but there are tools out there that could help. I don’t want to go on about this too much, although I do think it is humongously important. If you need more information, post a comment (even anonymously) and I will expand on this.

Spiritually, we all get mired down. Whatever church you go to or philosophy is your religion, I venture to say that we all have a set of spiritual beliefs that keep us centered. But, things go awry and we all get off center for all sorts of reasons, many of which are outside of our own control. The thing is, when you loose that centered feeling that is such a core part of who you are, other pieces of your life will demonstrate less strength. Your emotional fortitude will suffer, your mental state will be less steady, and I bet your physical stamina will end up in the toilet at some point. Keep working out, but get your heart where you need it to be so that the rest of you can fall back in place too.

Sometimes we need to take time off. It sucks, hard. But, you have to. My month off to heal from surgery was not optional. I hated it. I missed you guys so much. It messed with my mind, a lot. Here is a post that helped me with the situation. I hope you never need a WOD sabbatical, but if you do, that post has some interesting insight.

So, put all of this together, and you get your much needed chance for your body, mind, and spirit to take a collective inhale and then sigh deeply.
∞ Go to bed early.
∞ Take a walk with a loved one, hold their hand, and smile the whole way. When done, give your strolling partner a hug. Wasn’t that nice?
∞ Go fly a kite. Feel the breeze in your face.
∞ Play some music and sing out loud. Dance if you are not driving, especially if you are not a good dancer. Thanks for being my cheap entertainment!
∞ Attend a church service or some synonymous event.
∞ Family Game Night – and it is ok if your kids beat you.
∞ Commit a random act of kindness. Often.
∞ Delegate, and I mean really let them do it. Appreciate the work they did.
∞ Ask for help. I promise, it is so worth it!
∞ Laugh with your pals, a lot.
∞ Arrive to things on time or early. Arriving late is stressful to you and the others who were waiting.
∞ Know of something to look forward to next week, next month and next year. If you don’t already know what those would be, figure it out.
∞ Make a decision, and stick with it. You have thought about it long enough.
∞ Plan time for yourself and then actually use it for yourself instead of others.

There, doesn’t that feel better?

2010 CrossFit Sectionals Qualifier for the Central East Regionals

2010-03-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

Some people do not realize that CrossFit can also be defined as a sport. Outside of our daily WOD’s, rest, injury management, and Food Plans, there is this amazing thing that happens in July in Aramos, Californa called the CrossFit Games. Each year the Games get bigger and better, and the winner is crowned the Fittest Person on Earth. They actually have two crowns, one for women and one for men.

CrossFit 180 has their own little queen, as if you did not know. April Garner has been busy preparing her body for the Sectionals and I got to watch her compete at the Central East Sectional Qualifier against athletes from Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, and Ohio at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH on Sunday, March 7. I did not get to walk around and see much of what was going on at the Classic, I just focused on the CrossFit piece. That was cool enough, I did not need anything else to try to keep track of.

Saturday, March 6 was the morning of the Indy 500 Festival Mini Marathon 10k training run. So, I did that run, dashed home to shower and pack an overnight bag and headed East to grab some sleep before April’s big day. The day was huge, on so many levels. Pretty much anyone was welcome to register and participate in the first three workouts. If you had physically survived and done well enough you got to participate in the fourth workout. The TOP 20 ladies TOP 20 men get to go to Regionals.

I got to the facility just in time to see the area with the equipment set up and give April a big ole hug. The place was amazing. The spectator set up was not perfect, but the equipment that the athletes were going to be using was awesome, and that is the part that counted the most. Rogue Fitness provided a snappy set up.

WOD 1 - Sandbag Relay Sprint, for Time!
Ok, that title really does not do the work justice.
Start facing forward, turn around, pick up the first Sandbag, sprint to the other side, sprint back, pick up the sandbag and sprint to drop it off, etc. Each sandbag got heavier as they worked through the pile, as their legs became more and more fatigued. They had to shoulder the sandbag prior to starting their sprint. It was more than ‘keep moving’, they had to work smart and not make mistakes with their feet.
I was so nervous for her. The first workout heat was to start at about 8 am, but the men went first, so the ladies had to wait for what felt like forever to get going. They had a little area off to the side where the athletes could warm up. They had weights and Concept 2 Rowers and some elbow room to do some air squats and stretch. Many athletes were running warm up sprints in the convention center lobby.

During the workout many tripped, in fact many tripped multiple times. Some were so destroyed by this first workout, they just could not continue through the day. Groin pulls and hamstring tears were just a few of the injuries. April did not like her score after this workout. She walked it off, talked it out, and kept going like the machine we know that she is.

Event First place finisher time – 01:13
April’s time – 1:27

WOD 2 - Burpee, Deadlift.
7 Reps - Deadlift #155 - 11 Reps - Weighted Vest Burpees 15LB - 5 Rounds For Time!
We all know that April loves a Burpee and she is fond of a DeadLift too. But, try doing the Burpee with a weight vest. Holy cow, and Wow! Again, aside from the fatigue they were fighting, the weight vest is tricky. You can get it tight so that it does not flop into your head each time you drop for the Burpee, but then you cannot breathe to do the DeadLift.
Of course, April did really well in this. As strange as it sounds, I think she started to feel better with this one out of the way.

Event First place finisher time – 03:48
April’s time – 06:01
Her time was so competitive she moved up in the overall standings. Nice Job April!!

At some point before the third Workout Arnold Schwarzenegger showed up. It was pretty cool and funny when someone in the crowd yelled “You can DO IT!”. Sorry 'bout the phone in the pic... you take what you can get. ;)

WOD 3
Row 500M - 15 Reps OHS 65LB - Row 500M - 15 Reps Toes to Bar - 2 Rounds for Time!

April found a great rhythm for this one. She seemed to be in a zone and nothing was going to stop her. Obviously, she does not get to Row very often so this was a huge challenge for her. But, she toughed it out, did her very best and did well enough to continue progressing up in the standings so she was In for WOD 4!

Event First place finisher time –11:43
April’s time – 14:53

WOD 4 – The Final WOD
15-12-9 of Clean & Jerk (105#) / Pullup, Chest to Bar / Box Jump / Followed by one Sled Pull

Seriously, this had to suck on an epic level. April was wore out. She was sweating wet, but shivering because of the craziness of the day. Everyone was exhausted by then. 3 workouts already in one day, then this?!? Even the Event Judges seemed to be on edge. The crowd had thinned out as some competitors took their toys and went home since they did not get to proceed to the final WOD. Worked out great for us, that got us in better position to cheer on April.

My goodness, she rocked it. We yelled, we screamed and remembered to breathe once in a while. We jumped up and down and stood in awe when it was over. I cannot imagine doing that Sled Pull after all of the work she had done, but of course she pulled with all of her might and secured her slot at CrossFit Games Central East Regional.

Event First place finisher time –8:52
April’s time – 13:25

I have a cool video of April's final workout, but I cannot get it to upload now. If I can figure out what this techno tard is doing wrong, I will upload it for you all.

It was a long ride home that night; there was so much to think about. The idea that someone can accomplish completing all of those workouts in just one day was amazing. Add to that the idea that you are competing and so completing is not enough. But, it was not even that simple. Sure, you had your Heat to compete against and maybe that adrenaline would push you through. But, there were other Heats. To sit and watch others compete was a blessing and a curse. There was no way to control that outcome. What if your Heat was relatively slow? Then maybe you had less of a competitive advantage. April found a way to get this done on her own. Yeah, we cheered and we screamed and we wanted the best for her. Not just the few of us that got to travel over, but all of you who knew what was going on. But, in all reality, April did this amazing thing with her own strength and guts. And, she did it really well.

Thanks to Brad, April, and Brent B. for including me in on the fun. Next up for April is the Central East Regional. I think that you should all take the weekend of May 8 and 9, head to Logan, OH, and get your scream on. I know April would love to see more familiar faces in the crowd, and I am certain the experience will amaze you! I will be running the Mini Marathon in downtown Indy that morning, so I figure I better run quick so I don’t miss out any of the fun at Regionals!

I hate that I did not get better pictures of April, but the spectator area just did not lend itself well for that and she is too darned fast for my camera. I can only hope that this blog post somehow described how incredibly cool it was see what these athletes did, what CrossFit 180 April Garner did, and how hard she worked mentally and physically to make it Regionals. You go girl! The next time you see April wearing her Sectionals T Shirt, give her a pat on the back. That thing might not have diamonds on it, but it is prettier than any crown ever worn!

The only way to win is to do more work faster. Oh yeah, that's April!

For those who do not get to watch at Regionals, be sure to become a Fan of CrossFit 180 and Friend Jamie on FaceBook. I will keep the updates coming as best I can like I did for Sectionals. If I do get to talk to April, I will forward along all of your well wishes until you get to see her again.

2010 CrossFit Road Trip ~ 1385 Miles of Smiles

2010-03-13T08:23:00.000-08:00

When two gals spend 6 days in one car with 4 pieces of luggage, 2 lap top bags, 2 coolers, countless bags of groceries and attempt 8 workouts, stuff happens. Most of it is good, some of does not go as planned, and with the right attitude it all turns out funny. While our plan was to get through the workouts, it turned out we had fun getting lost, getting frustrated, getting stuck in car washes, and getting stuck in traffic. Here are just some of the things that happened along the way, in no particular order:

Hotel Location?
The maps were printed, hotel location identified, and nesting was definitely needed before the next workout. So, we arrived at said location. But, hmm… it had a different name than the one in memory. Umm… Oh, wait! Well, yeah. See, we wanted to stay at that hotel, but they had no open rooms. So, the reservation was for a room 20 miles away. But, the maps had not been updated. Whoops! Got cell phone navigation?

Car Wash
Ok, really? It is not the first time at this rodeo. But this time, it took three trips through the car wash to actually complete a wash rinse and dry cycle. For pity sake. We both just wanted to be in the hotel, use the bathroom and get ready for the next work out, but no… it just could not be quite as easy as entering the Wash Code and proceeding into the automatic car wash. I get it, this was a CrossFit Road Trip. We were supposed to do this by hand, and for time. Yeah, that’s it.

CannonBall!
The hotel that we did have a reservation for and did end up finding after the car wash fiasco had a hot tub. Halelujah! And, it was warm and bubbly. And, there was an indoor pool. Hmm… wonder how cold the indoor pool would feel compared to the hot tub? I dare ya. Cannonball. On 3. or just after you say 3? I still did not believe Amanda would actually go for it. I figured she was pranking me, ‘cause she would. But, apparently not when it comes to a cannonball. Woot! I did jump, just a second late, when I saw how big her splash was, I had to make mine even better. I think she won.

De Pants-ing
Jamie’s mom and dad’s house is always fun.

This time was Amanda’s first time there, and we are pretty sure she will be invited back. And, Jamie’s twin sister was there too. John and Jeanne named her Christi when she was born. But, all in fun, she has been called many other things. She is a prankster. We were all standing in the kitchen while mom cooked up some sort of yummy vittles. Christi, thinking she is all cool, decides she should de pants Jamie. It did not work. Ha! I keep those gym pants tied when around Christi, I am wise to her shenanagins. Of course, Christi being the persistent one, and not caring that she has just met Amanda, goes in for a second attempt. With a shuffle and a sashe she strikes. But, FAIL. Instead of landing a successful tug, Christi landed flat on her back, with Amanda’s pants still in place. Sock feet and a hard wood floor make for slippery slope. It had the makings of a Saturday Night Live Skit ending with “Super Star!”

Snotty Communication
Both Amanda and Jamie had some nasty head cold going on. Sniffle and snort, bless you, cough, ugh, and blehk were a constant piece of our communication. But, we laughed a lot too. We were sick, but we had a sense of humor about it all. Good thing. At some point along the way, one was driving and the other was adjusting in the seat while trying to say something. But, instead the driver got snotted on. Ok, good that we are friends! Driver, "Here honey, need a tissue?" Passenger, "No, not now. But, now you do!" Driver, "Oh my gosh, you snotted me!"

Jamie Cheats on her Food Plan, and has some seriously ugly hair
Jamie had just told Amanda that she should NOT eat any of those pastries. The picture of the cinnamon roll enterring her mouth with that stellar hair do on her head says it all. Busted!

Maybe the new hair dryer will come in handy...

Dog Barking = Cheerleading
Jamie is scare of dogs. It comes from a dog incident years ago, and she makes it worse than it is. But, that is Jamie. Jamie has a brother who is engaged. The couple has a dog. Molly is a pit bull. Molly is a pretty girl.

Jamie is a scaredy cat. Literally, there were not enough furniture or floor space that could separate us. But, Jamie did try. Matt and Jamie found some quiet time and introduced Molly to Jamie and Jamie did not have a full on melt down.

When we could not find an open gym on Sunday, we headed to mom and dad’s basement. Matt’s fiancée, Jo Ellen, joined us. Yay! Molly came too. Molly was so concerned for Jo. Tabata is tough. Jo is tougher. Molly was vocal. Very vocal. It was loud and proud. At first, Jamie was scared to death and just kept working. Jamie eventually realized that the dog was cheering on Jo.

Beer Trucks and Steak Trucks
After workout 5, nothing sounded better than a hearty meal, a cold beer, and a massage. Driving down the road, still panting from the previous workout, it was there… right in front of us. A truck full of steaks.

And, then, the Beer Truck. It was like a mirage. Sort of. It was real, but not to be. No matter if we honked, or flashed our lights, we were surely not gonna get served. At the time, licking the side of either truck sounded like a good idea.

Stinky feet
There is something to be said for the land of lotions and potions that girls emerge from smelling like the wonderful women that we are. Then, there is the other side of the coin. Well, the other side of the foot maybe.

And, it is awful. When the phrase was exclaimed, “Oh my gosh, Febreeze your feet!” it was a fair statement. Given that the moment occurred in the car, it was just not fair. “Is that really your feet!?!”. I think we had about two more hours to drive. While the situation was certainly naturally occurring, the only solution was a shower and the disposal of those shoes, never to be worn again.

John Mayer ~ Off tune, too
You know how John Mayer makes funny faces while he sings, but we try to ignore it ‘cause he is a talented musician? Well, the same thing goes for what your face does while picking up heavy stuff. That is what full on effort looks like, baby!

We are both pretty glad that no one caught our renditions of Girl Scout Camp Songs or the Colbie Caillait Concert.

And, all the while the car told the tale of our journey.

Next blog post will include Jamie’s summary of the CrossFit Sectionals. I know that there is just no way I can put into words the coolness that it was, but I am willing to give it a shot. Posts that are coming up after that one: The importance of rest and sleep, Peanuts, Food Labels, and Where I get my Info From. What else do you want to read about?

CrossFit Road Trip ~ WOD 8, The Final WOD

2010-03-03T16:41:00.001-08:00

For those of you not in the know, WOD is workout of the day. It was only fitting that this gem of a trip would end where it all began for Amanda and I - with CrossFit 180 at Lebanon Sports and Fitness. This trip was about so much more than the number of air squats or total pounds picked up. It was mentally draining, physically fatiguing and down right crazy.

We showed up, just in the nick of time for the final workout of the trip. We were exhausted and scared to death that we would not be able to finish it, no matter what it was.

With one final slam of the brakes and set of air squats to warm up, it was on.

180 WOD, 03-01-10

30 seconds Wall Ball

30 seconds Box Jump

Rest One Minute

10 Rounds, track your total.

Jamie:

Wall Ball, 10 lb for first 5 Rounds, 12 lb for last 5 Rounds - 130

Bleacher Step Ups - 131

Amanda:

Wall Ball, 10 lb - 143

Bleacher Step Ups - 131

And then, Let The Bodies Hit the Floor!

Lessons Learned:

It is time for a great big shout out to CrossFit 180. We don't know how you guys have done it, but the formula here is perfect. We saw alot of cool equipment while out on the road and we got some amazing feedback. But, with all of that said, we like our home gym the best. One thing that no gym has got on the 180 is the people. We missed you all terribly. Working out with each of you is an honor, and we just can't wait to sweat with ya again.

We went into this workout thinking it was the Final WOD. But, we realize now that it certainly is not. Life continues, WOD's will continue to face us, and we will continue to do our very best with each and every one.

The funny thing is, after it was all said and done, we both just want to do it again, Harder. And so, we will. Who is up for a 2011 CrossFit 180 RoadTrip? Sound off peeps, let me know what you would want to do, and why. What motivates you to take on the next challenge?

Please stay tuned for one more 2010 Road Trip blog post. We gotta share the funny stuff that happened along the way. I promise pics to tell the story well.

CrossFit Road Trip ~ WOD 7, The Total Package

2010-03-02T07:41:00.000-08:00

Oh yeah, we are on the home stretch, and we were ready for a big ole Challenge. Amanda is new enough to CrossFit that she had not yet had the chance to do CrossFit Total. And, since she had gotten so much one on one coaching over the course of this trip, it just made sense to see how far she had really come. And, for Jamie – it was time to get over that 215 DeadLift.

CrossFit Old School @ Bowling Green, KY was the place to be on Monday morning. This place is 100% awesome.

The is a new Box that has just opened for business, and they are off to a stellar start.

We arrived on time and without any mapping or address issues (Finally. Ha!) and got a welcome from Erin. This gal just returned from the Arkansas Olympic Lift Certification the night before, and was surely a bit whipped. But, like all folks at the gym, could not have been nicer to us. Bob helped us onto the Concept 2 Rowers and showed us around the equipment. Amanda had rowed before, but Jamie had not. OK, I need to row more often. Those things are way cool.

CrossFit Total
Maximum weight on each:

Strict Shoulder Press
Dead Lift
Back Squat – done with free weights, not Smith Machine.

I went into the workout knowing it would either be a really cool idea, or it might lack a little luster. Amanda and I had already pushed ourselves further than we had before during this adventure. We were determined to find the energy to have some fun picking up heavy stuff, but I was not sure our bodies would let us put big numbers on the board. But, check this out, WE DID!

Shoulder Press
Jamie – 45, 65, 75
Amanda – 45, 65

Dead Lift
Jamie – Previous PR was 215.
145, 165, 195, 215, 235

Amanda – Previous PR was 95
65, 95, 115, 135, 145, 165, 175

Back Squat
Jamie – Previous PR was 130 on a Smith Machine
95, 105, 115, 125

Amanda – Previous PR was 95
95, 105, 115, 125

And so, there ya have it. You can't if ya don't even try. Go For It!

WOD 7, DONE, Well!!

CrossFit Old School is a place you should all stop by to visit! When ya do, tell 'em we said hello!!

Lessons Learned: Take more pictures! As Amanda and I have looked back on this trip, the pictures have been a source of giggles. Lots of giggles. (We will be posting an Out Takes blog later – you guys gotta see some the shenanigans!) But, in all seriousness, we learned a lot from the pictures that showed form mistakes.

Next Post will be all about our HomeComing WOD back at the 180. And, I do think it is fair to say that both Amanda and I have truly done a mental 180. This has been one crazy ride. Thanks CrossFit, you make us Rock!

CrossFit Road Trip ~ WOD 6, Basement Tabata

2010-02-28T12:59:00.001-08:00

Ok, we are south of the Mason Dixon Line so it is impossible to find an Box that is open on a Sunday. No problem - to the basement we go! This was cool since we did not have to worry about getting the address correct this time. ;) We are finishing up our time at Jamie's mom and dad's house, and the family was here for Christmas which meant Jamie's brother's fiancee was here and she joined in on the Tabata fun.

Tabata Air Squat

Jamie (Jumping) - 3

15, 15, 15, 3, 12, 10, 10, 8

Amanda (Jumped first 3 Rounds) - 11

14, 14, 13, 12, 12, 13, 11, 12

Jo Ellen - 10

16, 14, 14, 10, 10, 12, 11, 13

Tabata Push Ups

Jamie (No Knees) - 5

10, 10, 10, 9, 8, 5, 8, 8

Amanda (Knees) - 6

12, 11, 9, 7, 7, 6, 7, 6

Jo Ellen (Knees)- 10

17, 17, 14, 12, 11, 10, 10, 13

Tabata Sit Ups

Jamie - 7

10, 9, 10, 9, 8, 7, 10, 10

Amanda - 8

10, 8, 9, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9

Jo Ellen - 9

11, 9, 10, 9, 9, 10, 10, 9

We got Jamie's brother to keep Tabata score for us and Jamie's sister to snap photos and track time for us. The coolest cheering section ever, 'cause Molly was there, too!

6th workout done, 2 to go!

Once the fun was over we let Molly show off her pretty form.

Lessons Learned: You can workout any where!

CrossFit Road Trip ~ WOD 5, What's Hurting in Huntsville?

2010-02-27T16:56:00.000-08:00

After we finished our work in Clarksville, TN we went to Huntsville, AL to work out at CrossFit Huntsville, just to see if we could indeed be 'Stronger Than Yesterday', and We Are!

They were working out the Squat, doing the WOD from the CrossFit Main Site that we could have done in Clarksville when we did 300 instead.

This place is awesome and huge and full of amazing coaching. Josh and Jake took the 4:30 crew through some Form instruction and then put us to work at the racks.

Overhead Squat

Jamie

35, 45, 55, 65, 70

Amanda

35, 45

We got some cool feedback on how to pick our hand placement for

these. Thanks Josh!

Front Squat

Jamie - Personal Best

55, 75, 85, 95

Amanda

35, 55, 55, 65, 75

Elbows in is much harder than it looks, knees out is even harder!

Back Squat

Jamie

85, 95

Amanda - first time back squatter!

65, 78, 85

These are so much easier without gym shoes on. Thanks Jake!

Casey was kind enough to share her rack with us, and she picks up some heavy stuff! Nice work, and best wishes in Germany.

Lessons Learned: Knees out and keep your weight on the outside of your feet, and keep your elbows in, high, and tight. Gym shoes are sometimes nothing more than a fashion statement. The heel heigth in a typical running shoe jacks up your form more than you realize.

Off to BHam to see the family, and Christmas. We will be doing the CrossFit 180 Christmas WOD: Open Presents, For Time!

CrossFit Road Trip ~ WOD 4, It's like going home

2010-02-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

Amanda and I could not have slept better on Thursday night. CrossFit Road Trips cure insomnia. We got ourselves up and at 'em early so we could head west young man. We were aiming for a workout at CrossFit Clarksville, and it turned out to be just like home – literally. Clarksville is the rock that Jamie crawled out from under mmmfffmmmfff years ago. And, for those keeping track of the geographical mishaps, yes we had issues again. And, we handled it, again. Practice, practice, practice.

Rick and Dymphna run a CrossFit Affiliate out of their home. They do an outstanding job of welcoming in crazies like us, and they even had Natalie take some photos of our workout.

They use programming off of Main Site, so Amanda and I chose to do the 180 WOD.

300

10 Wallball, 10 lb

10 KB, 25 lb

10 Box, 12 inch steps

10 Rounds for time.....

Jamie finished in 14:5? and Amanda took just one minute longer. Here is what is so way cool about this. We were so tired and sore and mentally beat down that the idea of doing this was completely outside our minds. But, we did it. Natalie kept score for us – thanks doll! She cheered, and coached, and snapped oodles of pics. Quite the helpful hero. There was another Clarskville CrossFitter who also took some pictures. We have snaked them in through out this post, but did not identify which camera took each shot... sorry y'all.

Once the horror had come to an end, Amanda landed flat on her back and caught a most lovely sweat angel.

Lessons Learned: Home gyms rock! The atmosphere was totally different. The level of intensity is truly your own. No big group to provide engery to feed off of - you are on your own to muddle through and finish the job.

Then we jumped back in the car, and headed south to 'Bama Baby! How much is Huntsville gonna hurt? Bring it!

CrossFit Road Trip ~ WOD 3, Where’s Waldo? I mean, where is CrossFit?

2010-02-25T18:29:00.000-08:00

Yeah, the driving directions continue to challenge us. We managed to get to a gym for our evening work out, waltz in and ask for Kate. Umm… Kate? Ha! Wrong gym. But, the place we landed at was very gracious.

Polo Lopez and Carissa Boone welcomed Amanda and I into their Box, and Polo got his crew working on form right away. The focus for the night was on Shoulder Press, Push Press, and Push Jerk. View a video HERE for all three movements.

The goal was to get your personal best in 3 attempts.

Shoulder Press
Jamie got 75 pounds which was a Personal Best. It is amazing what improved form can bring out.
Amanda got 55 pounds which was also a Personal Best!

Push Press
Jamie got 90 pounds which was a Personal Best.
Amanda got 65 pounds over her head. Yes, another Personal Best.

Push Jerk – We had run out of time before we tackled this one. Both Amanda and I need to get our form down on this one before we go crazy with pounds. Next time we will get you, you jerk.

Lessons Learned: Hmm… What is up with all these Personal Best’s? I am certain that what we are seeing is not just rookie numbers sky rocketing because we are new. Instead, I think that the differences is that we are so new to the CrossFit environment and each experience give us different perspectives.

This trip has been invaluable so far. Woot!

And as for the gym that we missed, it was goCrossFit. I am having a hard time finding their website, how ironic. :)

WOD 4, Friday morning. I better double check all of the details and addresses and phone numbers before we go.

CrossFit Road Trip ~ WOD 2, The Exodus (The Second beginning of the Road Trip)

2010-02-25T13:52:00.001-08:00

This road trippin’ stuff is cool, but sort of complicated. The morning round up did not go as quickly as we had thought it would. So, mad dash south to Louisville started us out feeling a bit on edge.

But, as most things do when you decide to handle it with grace, it turned out just fine.

IronBody Fitness @ Louisville, Kentucky

This is an awesome place to work out. Dave Randolph and his Iron Body Fitness facility are currently a CrossFit Affiliate but focuses his peeps on Kettle Bell work. When we arrived we watched Jeanette work the bells with perfect form. Then, Dave taught us how to do it just like Jeanette. He walked us through push ups – who knew we had some opportunities for improvement on such a primary movement. Once we got warmed up and shook out the stiffness from last night’s WOD, he put us to work.

Kettle Bell Swings, two hand and one handed:
Wow! Jamie lets her bell fall too low rather than back on the down swing. Amanda swings her bell too high up on the up swing.
Ok, fine. Our KB Swings were broken. Thanks Dave.

Goblet Squat
Jamie is knock kneed. What a hoot, he had us all tied in bands to ensure our focus was on proper form.

Kettle Bell Press

Keep it tight, keep it close – just like those you love. Then, send it straight up and don’t go forward.

One Legged Dead Lift
When doing a one legged dead lift, you can pick up more than 50% of your traditional dead lift weight total. However, Jamie has no skills at balancing and had a hard time working through the movement even without any weights. Amanda has right side balance, but could not find any on her left side. Hmmm… we all knew she was a bit off.

Dave even talked us through some squat form and running concepts. While we did not get in a traditional work out, we spent an hour working up a great sweat and enjoyed some amazing feedback from a KB Certified expert.

Lessons Learned: It is great to get feedback from fresh eyes, and everyone has a different perspective that should be considered.

Dave – Big ups to your gym, the focus on form, and the hospitality! We will spread the word that your spot is a great place to stop!

And, then it was off to the hotel. Yeah, and then there was that one issue with the directions. The biggest problem was that Jamie used the wrong address when printing out maps for the trip. Amanda is generally directionally challenged. We did find the hotel listed in the directions. But, it is not the hotel that had the reservation. Cell Phone Navigation to the rescue. Along the way we stopped for gasoline and a car wash. This is not something that is normally blog worthy, but this time it was.

Drive in.
Hear the beep and see the Red Lights. STOP.
Apply Brake.

Put car in Park.
See soap hit the car.
Wait.
A long time.
Hmm.

Go into the gas station, request another wash. Approved.
Drive in.
Hear the beep and see the Red Lights. STOP.
Apply Brake.

Put car in Park.

Apply Emergency Brake.
See soap hit the car.
Wait.
A long time.
Hmm.

Ok. Let’s do it different this time.
Get out of the car, run around the building twice, jump up and down on one foot, stand on our heads, all while singing ‘Yankee Doodle Dandee’.

Hear the beep and see the Red Lights. STOP. Apply Brake.
Put car in Park.
Apply Emergency Brake.

See soap hit the car.

And then rinse water, too.

Yes!

We managed to find the neighborhood that tonight’s workout facility is in. We are building our nests in our Nashville hotel. Yes, the one that was expecting us. Ahh!

WOD 3, T – 1 hour and 50 minutes and its gonna be DEAD LIFTS!

Note to embedded link viewers: The links do not do a good enough job of explaining the finer points we learned today, but we hope you get the general idea.

CrossFit Road Trip ~ WOD 1, The Genesis

2010-02-24T18:40:00.001-08:00

It. Is. On.

CrossFit 180 @ Lebanon Sports and Fitness

WOD 1, Done.
Let's talk about the workout first, because it warrants its own 1o minutes of fame. April led the 180 crew tonight, and that always means that your legs will be dead when you have finished your pain fest.

1 min each of:

jumping air squats

Med Ball V-ups, or crunches if your name is Jamie

Goblet Squat with a 35 pound Kettle Bell, or 25 if your name is Amanda

Burpees

Weighted walking lunges with 25 pounds overhead, or 10 pounds if your name is Jamie

Rest 1 Min

FIVE ROUNDS

Keeping track of total number of reps per round

**last round 2 min rest before it starts...Beat your best round**

Jamie's numbers, per round:

100
100
100
100
112

Amanda got 95 on her first round but could no longer count and workout at the same time after Round 1. Suffice it to say, if you cannot count, you are working hard enough.

So, here is the thing. Some parts of this trip are gonna to suck on an epic level. Neither Amanda nor Jamie is really ready for the physical challenge that this is. Wait, yes we are. We are ready because we CrossFit. We are ready because we decided we are. CrossFit is amazing in a lot of ways. One of the coolest things about it is the mental strength you gain. Wonder how much of that we have? Stay tuned! It will be interesting to see what Revelations we stumble onto along the way...

If you think you CAN, or you think you CAN'T, you ARE RIGHT. And, you can’t do it if you don’t even try. In the words of 'The Great One' (yes a tribute to THE famous Candian hockey Player, Wayne Gretsky), "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

Tomorrow the adventure includes a 10 am workout in Louisville, KY and then a 6 pm workout in Nashville, TN. We will post more pics and links as time permits.

The coolers are packed, and the beds are turned down. As if we could actually sleep - we are too excited! Please post questions and comments, we will respond ASAP! Provided our arms have ceased shaking.... Links are embedded with exercise demos for those not in the know.

I think this might hurt a little tomorrow… Oh, who am I kidding. I know its gonna hurt! I am ok with that. Big sweaty hugs to you all!

100 Days of Burpees, 2009 - 2010 Challenge

2010-02-22T06:27:00.000-08:00

The name of the Challenge did not do it justice. This was NOT 100 days of Burpees. Yes, we did Burpees regularly, and we did ladder up from 1 through to 100. Yes, we did accomplich 5050 Burpees in 100 days. But still, that really does not begin to describe it for me.

For me, it was a Challenge on a whole different level. I started the Challenge and managed to convince a few victims to get in on it with me. Some of those people stuck with it, but most gave up on it around day 35. I hear ya, it was tough! The commitment to doing them in the first place was hard, but then to stay in when you needed a mental break from the commitment was tough. It meant doing Burpees on New Year’s Day, which is not something I would normally have any interest in. But, this year, I would have given anything to be able to do a Burpee to bring in the New Year.

The Challenge started on Tuesday, November 10. On Monday, November 30 I got the phone call letting me know that the cancer bus had pulled up and dropped off Melanoma into my life. Wow. New title. Cancer Patient. Hmm. Of course, my mind started reeling, and I got scared. But, then it was time to go workout and I needed the mental distraction more than ever. And, so I worked out for the next week or so until the two surgeries on Thursday, December 10. Then, it was time to hit the couch, hard.

Bed rest is not my strong suit, at all. I hated it. I was bored, I ate crappy food, I let my mind wander around in panic land. I realized I needed the gym mentally as much as I did physically. I started hanging around during your workouts just to keep me sane and it helped a lot. But, that darn Burpee Challenge continued without me; time does march on. By the time I was cleared to return to workouts, I was so far behind on the Challenge that I would have to do about 100 Burpees each day for the remainder of the Burpee Days. Yeah, I started to miss the bed rest then. Talk about Kill Your Coward...

I kept at it, and it sucked a lot. But, I knew that I could do it. My back hurt, my leg hurt, and I got stronger slowly. But, it was not all physical. Mentally, I bounced back even stronger than I was before.

For those of you who made it through, congratulations. For those who started but did not finish, please consider trying again. The feeling of accomplishment is amazing and totally worth work. For those who have never done it and are interested in the insanity, I would like to do it again. Truth be told, I was 500 Burpees short once the end came. I am not going to claim cancer as an excuse, but I will say I gave it my best effort. I did not fail, cancer just got in my way. So, I will see ya all in the next Challenge! Besides, I have another new title. Cancer Survivor.

Have a Coke and a Smile, If Ya Can.

2010-02-18T11:21:00.000-08:00

Remember the old Coca ~ Cola commercials?

So you just gotta have your soda huh? Ok. And you drink Diet because you think that is a more appropriate way of handling your inability to just drink a glass of water and get over it. That is fine by me. But you know that you have to be aware of exactly what you’re chugging. One of the illustrious CrossFit 180 crew-members asked me to write a post that would truly scare the Diet Coke right out of her hands. Ok, here is the list of ingredients and what they really are.

Carbonated Water – Ok, this I don’t have a problem with unless you are struggling with dental woes.

High Fructose Corn Syrup – Glucse is enzymatically altered to make fructose. Yes, I love it when my food is enzymatically altered. I want my foods to be changed in many non-natural ways. Thanks for stepping up HFCS.

Caramel Color – is a stealthy ingredient. It is burnt carbohydrates. Yay! The soda company burns the carbs for us before we consume them so we wont have to burn them off with exercise. If only it really were that simply.

Phosphoric Acid – happens to be an excellent choice if you are trying to remove rust. Yummo! Well, I suppose you may indeed have an iron gut. Kudos to you. If that is not enough reason to love it, then appreciate the stellar job it does at weakening the bones in your body. You have strong muscles from CrossFit, so I am sure that will take care of those puny bones.

Natural Flavors – Yeah, right. And, I have some ice to sell to an Eskimo. Here and here are sites that will tell ya that there really is no such thing. If it were truly a natural ingredient, it would have been described with far more pride than a non-descript phrase that leads you into a Food Plan frenzy.

Caffeine – this stuff is the by-product of the work of the devil. It dehydrates you, sends your energy level falsely bounding and leaves you with no energy stores so you crash and burn. If that does not creep you out, let me tell you that it literally gets into your head. I mean your brain. It is digested by your tummy, sent through the blood stream and is then carried around and when that blood is in your brain, the caffeine hops off of its red blood cell chariot and reeks all sorts of science-y havoc. Got that? It gets into your brain. Blehk!

Aspartame (NutraSweet) – is a poser. It happened on accident. It was not intended to be the sweet thing that it is. A scientist was trying to make a drug and he messed up, licked his finger and decided he liked it well enough to call the mistake something yummy. Thanks doc! He was apparently a hard worker though. It took years to convince the US FDA that it would not cause brain cancer like they had originally thought. Way to stick with that mistake guys.

Potassium Benzoate – is a preservative. I think the coolest thing about it is how fun it is to actually say it out loud. Go ahead, Benzoate. Teeheehee. It is put in your soda because it is better known for keeping mold and bacteria from growing in your food than it is for being a source of Jamie’s entertainment. Well, that is not entirely true. It is also the chemical that makes fireworks whistle and that is very entertaining!

Citric acid – is actually a naturally occurring preservative and food flavoring agent found in citrus fruits. Unfortunately, it is linked to causing dental decay. Yay for a happy gal holding her Diet Coke and grinning from ear to ear with her jacked up grill. You go girl!

I had known about the bone loss associated with phosphoric acid. My solution used to be to take more Vitamin D and Calcium supplements. Yeah, that is the best way to handle the situation, right? And we have all been lectured about the crap caffeine pulls on our bodies.

Ok, ok. I have poked enough fun at the Diet Coke. I intentionally
wrote this with an inflammatory flair to accomplish the goal of freaking out the Diet Coke Crack Head. I would imagine that Diet Pepsi has a similar ingredients list, so please don't jump from the pot to the frying pan. I want you all to know that it was disturbing to research the ingredients; I had no idea what some of these things really are. Thanks for asking me to scare your soda away, I learned a lot. I stopped drinking Diet soda a year ago. Instead, I now drink an enormous volume of water, a few beers here and there, and a regular soda from time to time. To me, now that my tongue has lost familiarity with aspartame, it does not satisfy me in any way. If I am gonna chug, I am gonna CHUG. It tastes good! It is a Treat. Once in a while it is fine.

It you are about to climb the walls because I just took the Smile out of your soda, try chilled sparkling mineral water with crushed fruit. The fizzy will feel like the Diet Soda you long for, and the sweet from the fruit will help you with the twitch. I like a small orange, but I bet strawberry would be good too. Bottoms up!

Posts that are coming up:
The importance of rest and sleep, Peanuts, Food Labels, and Where I get my Info From. What else do you want to read about?

Sweet Success!

2010-02-15T09:52:00.000-08:00

One of the things that happen after we consume the wrong foods is a ‘sugar high’, and then the crash and burn. This is not just mental; some of this is actually related to the insulin your pancreas is secreting and how your body is handling that sugar you just ate. There are all kinds of sugars in our food sources: glucose, sucrose, fructose, etc. It comes down to Insulin Sensitivity and Insulin Resistance. Sugars and insulin resistance can really muck up your body’s performance. Some folks use the Glycemic Index to get them to a more even keel regarding their sugar intake and their body’s reaction to the food they are eating.

You will hear people who are into the SouthBeach Diet talk about the Glycemic Index. Many CrossFit’rs are finding that they feel much better after kicking the majority of added sugar and sugar substitutes out of their Food Plan and upping their Veggies. What is the Glycemic Index anyway? It is a measurement of food that numerically describes how much or little the food you are about to eat is going to mess with your blood sugar.

Classification of various foods
Low GI - are generally the best choice
most fruits and vegetables (except potatoes and watermelon), grainy breads, pasta, legumes/pulses, milk, yoghurt, products extremely low in carbohydrates (some cheeses, nuts), fructose
Medium GI
whole wheat products, basmati rice, sweet potato, table sugar
High GI - should be generally avoided
corn flakes, rice krispies, baked potatoes, watermelon, croissants, white bread, extruded breakfast cereals, most white rices (e.g. jasmine)
(from Wikipedia)

Why do you care? Great question! I assume you CrossFit so that you will not suck at life. I actually hope you have more specific goals, but most of us generally want to be well and do well. Maintaining a level blood sugar is an outstanding foundation for your body’s performance! Maintaining a level blood sugar is also paramount in maintaining health weight, or dropping some lbs. If you are looking for more outcome from your workout or if you are trying to see less of you on the scales, maintaining a healthy and steady blood glucose and insulin levels by minimizing blood sugar spikes is an excellent place to start hitting your goals.

Here is a post by my nutritional crush that sums up my approach to sugars. Here is an interesting webpage that goes on to discuss the value of controlling blood sugar, and describing some faults with a fully focused GI approach to building your Food Plan. Your Food Plan is yours, you will have to click the links, do some reading, digest the material, and determine what meets your needs best. Enjoy!

If you are attempting to implement a GI Food Plan, the overall idea is to keep the Glycemic Index low. Others would say it is best to just decrease the amount of sugars you eat. If you do this, you can help regulate your blood sugars and decrease insulin resistance. This can improve overall body function and increase your work capacity. Woot! No matter if you eat the Snicker’s Bar after each workout, or if you save them for Treat from time to time, we all eat carbohydrates on a regular basis and we eat sugars too. Just make sure that the food you are eating is not sending your glucose around the block and back.

Posts that are coming up:
The importance of rest and sleep, Peanuts, Food Labels, and the things about Diet Soda that should scare it out of your hands. What else do you want to read about?

Why I have No Joy for Soy

2010-02-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

I have been working way too hard to get good food into me and force good efforts to come from me in the gym to let something steal from me. As I continue down this path to health and fitness, I continue to trip over my best intentions. Recently I danced with edamame. Turns out, it was more like doing the hokey pokey. Soy might be robbing me of a lovely little waltz. So, let’s dance!

1, 2, 3, STOP. Most soy is genetically modified. I am not going to put on my white coat and pocket-protector and go on and on about why genetically modified food is bad. I am hoping that the idea just sounds bad enough that you can accept this one and move on. 1, 2, 3, BAM. Soy has chemicals in it that actually leach other nutrients from your body. 1, 2, 3, WEIRD. Soy contains a high level of estrogen. This is more of a problem for infant boys than it is for CrossFit’rs but still it is weird. 1, 2, 3, Whoa Soy is a Trypsin inhibitor. Ok, here is the skinny on trypsin. Trypsin helps our digestive tract deal with protein. Ironic right, that a ‘protein source’ like soy can inhibit protein digestion. 1, 2, 3, Really? Soy can inhibit thyroid function. Who wants their food choices to mess with their hormones?!?

4, 5, 6, GO! There are some good ‘replacements’ for Soy. Some people are using Soy Milk to allow them their milk fix even though they are lactose intolerant. Try rice milk instead. Some people are eating Soy bars as a snack. Try Lara Bars instead. Some people are eating Tofu. Umm, I had a hard time coming up with a good substitute for this one. I can’t quite get excited about finding another option to add a flavorless and gelatinous goo to my meal. To be clear, there are some relatively safer forms of soy. Organic fermented soy is not so bad for us, and it can be found in Tempe, Miso and Natto. Miso is used to flavor some soups, Natto is a Japanese ‘cheese’, and Tempe is an Indonesian product that is a lot like tofu but has more flavor than the soy tofu some of us have eaten.

An easy read containing intelligent points can be found HERE. Here is a short and non science-y video, and Here is another one that is a little longer but still good. Don't forget that I am looking at the overall big picture Food Plan here. It may be that a bowl of edemame from time to time is a great Treat for you.

When I am trying to do such a good job of eating food that fuels me and makes me feel good, I am not going to choose Soy. It would be like me doing the Rumba on stage during a production of The Nutcracker. It is just wrong.

Posts that are coming up:
Glycemic Index, Food Labels, importance of rest and sleep, Peanuts, and the things about Diet Soda that should scare it out of your hands. What else should I dance around? I have also gotten some requests to keep including recipes and/or meal plans. Will Do!

Nightshades are not as good as Night Moves

2010-01-27T13:44:00.000-08:00

Night Moves is a song that was pretty popular in 1976. In fact, it was just about as popular as potatoes. I know I love a potato and I am assuming most of you do, too. Mashed, fried, scalloped, baked – there are not quite enough good ways for me to consume a potato.

But, there is a chance that those potatoes are doing more harm to your body than some people realize. No, this is not a carbo-phobic thing. This is about Nightshades. Nightshades are a type of food, specifically potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. The reason you should be aware of this is that all nightshades contain alkaloids that have been found to compromise joint function and/or disrupt muscle function in some people. The alkaloid content does decrease when those items are cooked, but the content only decreases by about half. Some people have reported that they had an improvement in joint discomfort after eliminating nightshades from their diet. Other folks reported improvement just by removing one of the little devils. Still others have found that just cooking them, i.e. not eating fresh raw tomatoes, seemed to provide the relief they were looking for.

I am constantly amazed at how our bodies handle food and how little I had understood this before. Who knew that a staple of the Midwestern diet might actually be a problem for some people? We ask our bodies to do so much for us, but we do not always help them out. I have pretty much removed white potatoes from my Food Plan and I have had a significant improvement in my level joint discomfort. I have not played around with tomatoes enough to find out if they cause any joint discomfort or muscle control issues. I do not eat a lot of eggplant so I did not expect to see any improvements by eliminating that. I have continued to eat cooked peppers and still see the improvement when simply removing most white potatoes from my routine Food Plan. Real mashed potatoes with butter are a Treat for me now.

But that meant I had to find a way to satisfy my potato cravings. Tell me what you think of these options:

Fried Sweet Potatoes are a nice replacement for French Fries.
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes would go great with a serving of pork.
Mashed Cauliflower does a nice job mimicking mashed potatoes. If you are eating dairy, try adding in different cheeses. Parmesan works well, I have heard Laughing Cow Light Swiss is really good, and I bet Manchego would be awesome too. Throw in some chopped chives and or garlic.

Sweet potatoes are pretty versatile! Give one a try, even though it is not Thanksgiving and you probably won’t see any marshmallows in the recipes.

This link and that link will tell you the whole story about Nightshades. Next time I will tell you about why I feel no joy for soy. Other blogs coming up include some information about the Glycemic Index, Food Labels, importance of rest and sleep, and Peanuts. What else would you like to see?

Are You Gonna Eat That Pickle?

2010-01-20T12:38:00.000-08:00

Some of you are too young to remember that commercial. Are you gonna eat that pickle?

But, maybe you should eat that pickle. Really. Or, how about the gooey goodness of Nachos Al Carbon from La Jaripeo. Yes, that is what you should eat!

Whoa! Did Jamie just say that? Yes, she did. Loud and proud. And, she actually meant it. Last week I rambled on about being aware of what you eat and how it affects your body’s performance. Being aware of what you eat does not mean you cannot enjoy your Food Plan.

Recently I have gotten comments that make me think you all do not think I ever indulge with a plateful of non-paleo chow. Well, let me tell you, I do eat ice cream in bed, use real butter on my popcorn, drink beer, love manicotti and celebrate anything that contains caramel.. And, it is NOT Cheating.

There is a huge difference between a Cheat and a Treat. For another perspective on the issue, click HERE, Here, and there. (Warning: The posts are brilliant, but not at all family friendly.) Those links will tell you more about how to Treat yourself well. And, yes, I do have a nutritional crush on Melissa Urban and I am comfortable with that.

I have a Plan. I also am human and mostly well adjusted. From time to time I think, “Oh man, that Skor™ bar looks good!” while standing in line at Kroger. Ok then; get it if you want. It is your Food Plan. But, in my book, if you get it and eat it right there while you stand in line, you just Cheated. Instead, buy it and leave it on the kitchen counter. Or hide it in your underwear drawer where you know no one will look, find it, and eat it before you get to. Wait for it! If you still want it, and then eat it, that is ok by me. What is not OK is giving in to a moment of normal fleeting thoughts, hoovering a bunch of junk, and then beating yourself up over. It. Is. Not. Worth. It. Say it out loud. If you do something that makes you feel bad, then listen to what your conscience is saying. Learn from it. Then, move on. Next time, make it a Treat. Plan for it. Enjoy every wonderful bite of that hits your lips without regret. It was a Treat and that is just fine. I do admit, it might not have a place in your Diet, but you already know what I think of Diets.

I am convinced Treats do have a place in your Food Plan. I am not sold on the idea that your menu should leave you feeling as though your pantry is a straight-jacket and its contents have you booked in an Economy Seat on a NonStop flight to CrazyTown. No folks. Food Plans, when well designed, actually liberate you. When you do weigh yourself you do not grumble about the 5 pieces of bread you ate at the Italian place last night; instead you feel good about the choices you made. When you show up at the gym on Saturday morning and do not feel like someone ran over you with a large bottle of tequila, you feel good about your choices. When you have a Food Plan that includes Treats, you think about your intake differently.

My Food Plan is pretty simple. I eat, on a regular basis:
Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, Seeds, Healthy Fats, Meat, **Treats**, Starbucks Grande Decaf Caramel Latte ™

I do not eat, on a regular basis:
Dairy, Preservatives, Caffeine, Legumes, Grains, Alcohol, Soy, Sugar or Sugar Substitutes

And, to be honest, yes of course I have cheated on my Food Plan. I said I was human. And, I regretted it. Treats are much more fun. So, what is your very favorite Cheat? Did you just fall for that? No cheating! Instead, Treat yourselves well. I am curious though – what is a Treat to you? And, how do you spell Potatoe? I am going to tell you about their dirty little secret later.

You ARE what you eat

2010-01-13T18:30:00.000-08:00

Really, its true. And, I am willing to say that no matter how you try, you cannot work out a bad diet. I will back that up more in a moment. But, first, what is it that you do eat? Many of us do not even have a Food Plan. What is worse, most of us just are not aware of what we are eating on a regular basis. Either because we are eating pre-packaged foods which are full of stealthy ingredients or maybe we are just in denial, I venture to bet that most of us either get too much or too little of something that our bodies need.

There are some good ways to be truly aware of what you’re eating short of getting out a pen and paper and logging the intake. Pen and paper does work well. That is exactly how April helped me a year ago. Thanks April! If you want to go techno, there are oodles of options.

Fitday is a good site to track food intake and activity. It has some spiffy graphing and reporting functions. If you are taking your nutrition so seriously that you have considered a nutritional consultation, your consultant would probably appreciate all of the bells and whistles. MyFoodDiary is good too, but a little less flashy. Some of you have already heard of LogsItAll. The designer is a believer in CrossFit and does what he can to make the site user friendly. He even responds to emails and accepts suggestions with grace. The food logging on this site is not flashy at all, but it is convenient if you are putting all your CrossFit accomplishments there already.

But, none of those will do you any good unless you actually log it, accurately. If ya drank it or ate it counts. It is not a confessional, and no one will make you penance for the honesty to yourself. You might be surprised what you learn about you and your relationship with food. And, by the way, do you have a food plan? Notice, I did not ask if you ‘diet’. I just don’t like the idea of a diet. It seems to imply a short-term fix for a long-term situation; flawed at best.

Whether you currently subscribe to the Taco Bell Drive Thru Diet, Zone, Intermittent Fasting, South Beach, Paleo or the USDA Food Pyramid, or something else your Food Plan (whatever it is) has to meet Your Needs (whatever they are). So, what are they? What is it you are asking your body to do? Pick up heavy stuff? Lean out? Drop lbs? Move faster? Once you recognize what you are eating, would it help your body accomplish those things if you changed the Plan around a little? Only you and your log really know. This goes back to what I poked you with earlier. You cannot work out a bad diet. Think of it this way. Maybe you are picking up some seriously heavy weight. Maybe you do create a slight breeze because you are just so fast. But, could it be even better?

All of us put out a lot of time, effort and some cash on our workouts. Whether you log your intake or not, I wonder if we sabotage some of our potential accomplishments by the food choices we make.

So, what is your Food Plan? By the way, my Food Plan does include Treats. It does not include Cheats. More on that another day…

Diet News

2009-12-28T20:09:00.001-08:00

Keep tuning in to the "Kill Your Coward" page for updates

30 day Challenge - Who's on Board?????

2009-08-31T20:44:00.000-07:00

You Gotta Read this... Click Here

Mark your Calendar

2009-08-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

The 1st annual CrossFit180 Fire Challenge is fast Approaching. Spread the word so we draw a huge crowd for the event. The date is September 26th at 2pm.