How Nancy Got Her Groove Back...

I just realized I didn't post for all of March.  That makes a little sad seeing how I started off the year so well.  So goes life, huh?

So to recap from my last post- I announced my two year CrossFit anniversary, posted a yummy recipe and then I fell off the face of the Earth.  Seriously, I fell into a big FUNK.  I had participated in my first ever CrossFit competition in the beginning of March.  It was fun, I seriously enjoyed myself.  Plus, I got to see some old friends, so a good time was had all around.  But...

When it was all said and done I placed like 15 out of 18 in the scaled devision.  And while I was glad not to be last and proud of myself for competing- it wore at me a little by little.  Eventually I just felt flat out depressed about that and everything.  See- I was comparing myself to others.  I was comparing myself- someone who had never ever ever been athletic whatsoever, someone who is quite uncoordinated, to those who are younger, and are natural athletes.  I was feeling bad because these people who have been doing CrossFit for at least half the time that I have- and they were passing me up.  I felt and do still at times, feel, frustrated at how hard I have had to work to get to where I am.  And I am not where I wanted to be at this point!  So you go ahead and put two and two together.... Yep
It was a PITY PARTY.

This is the first place I have even talked about this.  This is a confession, folks.  This is very hard for me to write, very.

So my question is- am I expecting too much from myself- someone who is pushing 40, who HAS made great progress compared to where she was before, and someone who was never athletic to begin with?  Or have I given up too easily?  Do I just need to put on my big girl panties and toughen the EFF up??  Do I just need to work harder and be more consistent?

Probably a little of both sides.

Anyhoo, I am back at it again.  I picked myself up off the floor, wiped my tears, and hit the gym.

But do you want to know what is really inspiring me to go at it, and go harder?  My husband.  He finally started CrossFitting with me.  I have been bugging him forever to go.  And he finally did it.  He drank the Kool-Aid (Paleo of course.)

I can't tell you how excited I was for him to join me.  Maybe with his permission he will let me post before and after pics.  He is going to do his first Whole 30 with me next month.  This is going to be epic.

So now, I have to set that example.  Yeah maybe I suck sometimes, but as long as I am giving it my all then who cares?

I don't know if I have posted this before- but I found this on Facebook and thought it hit the mark:

I think I need more bacon....

2 year CrossFit Anniversary! (AKA yummy egg celebration)

I realized this morning as I was brushing my teeth that today is my two year CrossFit Anniversary.  Two years ago I walked into the gym for my very first CrossFit work out.  I was so very nervous, in fact I was ready to cry I was that anxious about it all.  The night before I dreamt that I showed up for my work out and everyone sneered at me and were even angry about me being there- I was the "FNG".

So how did it go?  First off I could not even do a decent push up on my knees and lets not get started on my squats (which I had never attempted before that day.)  My first WOD was Cindy- which is traditionally 20 minute AMRAP of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups and 15 squats.  Since it was my first work-out my coach had me do ten minutes.  Which, I have to say probably saved my life.  10 minutes was hard- I did jumping pull-ups, very shallow push-ups on my knees and very shallow squats.  My coach, who is now one of my dearest friends- looked me dead in the eye in the middle of my work out when I thought I was about to puke- "you are not going to throw up."  I didn't.  I went home after that- showered and took a two hour nap.  The next several days were painful- I could barely walk down the stairs and sitting down to pee was a feat in itself (I had to hold on the walls around me).  It sounds awful but I was in love.  After only two weeks I knew I was stronger already.  It works that fast.

Fast forward two years later-
Initially I lost twenty pounds and two dress sizes within the first 6 months (I started eating paleo about a month after I started CrossFit).  I have gained eight of those pounds back, but still fit into the same clothes- which means I have gained a ton of muscle.  My one rep max for deadlift is now 205- I worked hard for that!  I cannot RX all WODs- which to be honest a lot of people can't or choose not to- but that is a discussion for another day.  Two years ago I couldn't even run one lap around the track without stopping- the other day I went for a nice 2 mile run with no problems.  I am a little disappointed I still can't do a kipping pull-up- but to be honest I haven't worked hard enough for it.  I have never had any upper body strength.  I played volleyball in high school and couldn't even serve the ball overhanded- I had to hit it from the side.  But now I have real muscles in my arms!  Let me tell you I am proud of them too.
To sum it up- I am stronger, leaner, faster and more confident.  I am part of a community of like minded individuals who share this passion with me- to be stronger, faster, healthier.  I hope to pass it on to my children.  I shudder to think of all the time I threw away sitting on the couch because I had no energy to do anything.  The times when my children wanted to me to go out and play with them but all I could do was sit and watch because I felt too tired.  I really wish CrossFit had come into my life a lot sooner!

To celebrate this milestone I made the most delicious eggs.  I saw a recipe somewhere on FaceBook- can't remember where- but I just know it had eggs, avocado and bacon in it.  That is what inspired me to make this dish.

Green Eggs and Bacon (a tribute to Dr. Seuss's birthday which is March 2nd.)

1/2 green pepper- diced

1 ripe avocado- peeled and diced

1 tablespoon coconut oil

3 eggs

salt and pepper to taste

3 strips of bacon- cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup diced tomatoes

cilantro (half handful or however much you like)

hot sauce (I like Tapatios)

Heat pan on medium high heat- add coconut oil.  Stir fry green pepper until it starts to brown slightly, add avocado.  Cook veggies until the avocado starts to brown slightly.  Whisk the eggs in a bowl- season with salt and pepper.  Add to veggies and scramble the eggs with the veggies.  Once the eggs are cooked, immediately scoop out on a plate.  Top with tomatoes, cilantro (I just break up the leaves with my hands), and crumbled bacon.  Add a dash or two or three of hot sauce.  Enjoy!

Whole Life Challenge Time!/Old Bay Bacon Burgers

Ok- I did slip up more than I should have after my Whole 30. Good thing my gym is participating in the Whole Life Challenge, which started Saturday before last.

I didn't slip up too terribly. I did have a couple of beers, Chick Fil A milkshakes (2 but on separate days), pizza, and more chocolate than I care to admit to. In fact, one day I had too many Hershey Kisses and ended with the shakes after my sugar level crashed. It was not pretty!

For two weeks I was about 70% Paleo and now I have a nine week challenge to get me back on track. Obviously I will need a plan of action once the challenge is over.

I came up with a new creation.   I call them Old Bay bacon burgers.

Basically I took two pounds of grass fed ground beef, mixed them with minced onions, minced garlic, and two good tablespoons of Old Bay seasoning.  After molding them into patties, I wrapped each one with a slice of sugar free bacon.

I gave them to hubby to grill.  They turned out delicious!

I topped my hambugers with a slice of tomato, homemade mayo and topped with guacamole.  Of course I needed a fork and knife to eat it with- but it was worth the work. =)

Whole 30 Complete!

Who has two thumbs and just finished her second Whole 30 and had two major PRs yesterday?
 --->this girl!<----
Yeah!  I am so happy on many counts today.  Yesterday was my 30th day and I finished strong with a big helping of spaghetti squash with marinara meat sauce.  yummo!

At CrossFit our WOD was CrossFit Total.  Basically it is max back squats, strict press and deadlift.  Your total is the max out of each movement (5 tries each).  While my strict press was seriously lacking (my shoulder was killing me)- I had a 17 pound PR on both my back squat and deadlift!  I didn't even realize how big my back squat PR was because I was so focused on my dead lift.  See, I had a goal up on the goal board at the box- 200 lb dead lift by March.  When they told me I pulled 205 I was over the moon happy.

Two Buck Club Baby!!

I really do think doing the Whole 30 helped me improve my strength and endurance which then lead to my awesome PRs.  I lost 5 pounds- I thought maybe it would be more but I have been hitting the gym hard and I swear my biceps are bigger, no joke.  The important thing is that I feel better, my clothes fit me again (in some cases are even loose), I am sleeping well, my skin looks great, no more indigestion, I have more energy and I feel HAPPY.

Am I going to go crazy and dive into a pizza head first?  No!  I plan to stay the course.  I will include paleo treats like the bacon chocolate chips a friend gave me the recipe for.  I still have more goals to reach for- no stopping me now. =)

Day 26! I love coconut water.

It's day 26 of my Whole 30.  I am in the final stretch.  The last couple of days I have been craving mac n cheese and Coco Puffs.  Not a serious craving, but they just sound good (not together of course).

Yesterday I feel like I hit the proverbial "wall" when it comes to the Whole 30.  What it boils down to is that I was tired and nothing sounded good as far as eating.  Last night I skipped dinner and only had fruit.  Actually, I think maybe I might be coming down with something because my stomach is not happy at all.  This is where I really need to stick to my guns and not give in- even though I have this excuse of notfeelinggoodthereforeIcaneatwhateverIfeellike.

This is the part of the WOD where you want to give up, quit fighting.  I need to dig deep- find the energy and inspiration to find something tasty yet gentle for my tummy while adhering to the strict Whole 30 guidelines.  I know I can do it- I am not giving up now.  I have definitely come too far for that!




Do you drink soda?  I quit (except for the occasional coke in my rum) about a year and a half ago.  I think I talked about this before- I was a slave to Diet Coke.  I also would drink Diet Barq's and Diet Dr Pepper.  You know what?  Soda is expensive!  We as a family used to go through cases of soda on a monthly basis.  And people complain that eating "healthy" is expensive?  Know what we drink now?  Water!!  My kids no longer ask for sweet juice drinks but directly to the tap (or grab a water bottle if we have some in the house) and fill up their glass.  Yes- they will still drink Gatorade or soda if it is available to them, but they do not complain about drinking water like they used to.  I personally don't really like the flavor anymore.  I DO like the fizzes though.  When I crave something carbonated I drink Pellegrino or club soda.  My other drink of choice (besides coffee) is coconut water.  I admit I did not like it at first- and that was because my tongue was used to artificially sweet diet Coke.  But now I love coconut water.  I try not to drink too much because it IS sweet and I don't want to be too reliant on the sugar it provides (albeit natural- I never buy anything but pure coconut water- no sugar added).  It the best drink in the summer time, especially after a gruesome work out in the sun.  I call it "Nature's Gatorade" as it replenishes those electrolytes lost to sweat.

My favorite brand is Amy & Brian's- pictured below.  I used to buy this all of the time in Japan at the commissary on base.  Unfortunately they don't carry it here in State-side commissaries.  Boo.  I found them last weekend at Whole Foods, and I only bought one- it was $3!  I would say in this case it was more expensive than soda.  Luckily Costco carries VitaCoco in cases of 12(?).  I always stock up whenever we go.  VitaCoco is good too, but Amy & Brian's is my fave.

What do you like to drink?

Day 20-BaCoN!!!

Yesterday I finally made the long trek to that monstrosity of a store called Whole Foods. It was my first time going to any Whole Foods and I was very excited. My mini-me accompanied me on this trip and of course the first thing she needed when we got there was to find the bathroom because she drank too much on the car ride (even though I had warned her against doing so.) :)

Do what did I think?

I was impressed, overwhelmed and a tad disappointed all at the same time.

I was impressed at the variety of fresh fruits and veggies, and the size of the store.

I was overwhelmed because of all the choices and there being so much to look at. And plus, the store was BUSY! I had a hard time looking because I was jostling for space in which to shop.

I was a tad disappointed in that I didn't find more paleo-friendly fare.  They did not have a very good selection of nut-butters.  I was hoping to find an assortment that was free of peanut oil, soy, or other rancid oils high in PUFAs.  I picked up sun butter against some reservations as it it only contains sunflower seeds and salt- but also said may contain soy.  May?  I have noticed that a lot lately.  Is it their way of not being liable in the event someone has an allergic response to their product? *nods Yeah probably...


My main goal was achieved in this trip. BACON!! Whole 30 is very strict about bacon- it must be nitrate and sugar free. My local grocer carries nitrate free- but not sugar free. I found two different kinds of bacon at Whole Foods that is sugar/nitrate free, and two others that have a very small trace of sugar (I will save for after Whole 30 nevertheless). Last night and today and the Applegate Farms bacon- very primal-licious!!

Dinner last night was Hot Ceasar salad. This is my own Paleo version of something I enjoyed while living in Atsugi, at the Chief's Club every Friday with my girlfriends. It was my favorite day of the week. I didn't teach on those days (I taught English while living in Japan), so it was my day to myself and with my good friends. We would end up with a section of the restaurant to ourselves. We usually had our favorite waiter wait on us- he knew what we wanted to drink and always was ready. I miss those days dearly!

So here is my Primal-licious version-

Hot Ceasar Salad

(Determine the amounts according to your likes and the number of people you are serving.  I made this for my family of four- I used two peppers and one onion and a bag of shrimp).

Bell peppers, sliced
Onion slices,
Garlic, sliced thin
Mushroom slices
Tomato slices (forgot this time so not in the picture)
Raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
Fresh greens
Homemade mayo
BACON!

Cook the bacon in a hot Wok/large str-fry pan. After it has reached desired crispness- remove bacon to a plate and set aside.

Next sauté the onions, garlic and peppers until veggies are soft. Add mushrooms and cook until soft as well.

Add shrimp and cook until shrimp is nice and pink. Remove from heat and add tomatoes, stir to coat and heat the tomatoes.

Arrange salad greens in a pretty bowl, top with shrimp and veggies. Crumble desired amount of bacon on top and finish with a drizzle or two of homemade mayo.

Enjoy!

You don't have to totally "carmelize"  the onions, but I prefer them nice and soft to cut their strong flavor.

Final product- shrimp and bacon go together so deliciously- don't you think?

Day 16 cocoNUTS!

Day 16!  I am over the hump.  It has gone pretty quickly for me, as this year is flying by already.  I feel great.  I have so much more energy than before, my skin looks even better and my clothes are growing.

One thing about Paleo one will find is the use of coconut.  There's coconut flakes (unsweetened), oil (virgin, organic and cold pressed is best), milk, water, butter and aminos (substitute for soy sauce).  One thing that I have heavily relied upon that I have begun to rethink is coconut milk.  I am referring to the canned variety.  The kind that comes in a carton is almost always a big no-no as they add lots of sugar to make it taste good.  The canned variety I am not so sure is all that great either.  At first I was using Goya and a couple of other brands when I was living in Japan.  It was all I had access to, but I didn't like the fact that they add sulfites.  Here in the US I have found Native Forest's organic coconut milk.  I like the fact that it is organic and does not have sulfites.  However, it does have guar gum.  From what I have read guar gum comes from legumes- specifically soy (don't quote me on that).  Soy is a big no-no as well in a healthy paleo diet.  And the last thing that bothers me is BPA's- the fact that it comes in a can (and does not indicate it is BPA free).

I looked for a homemade version of coconut milk.  And yes- I have found some recipes- all which involve using coconut flakes and then straining the solid pieces out.  It is supposed to be quick- but...

Specifically I use coconut milk in my coffee.  (Yes I use a Keurig and no my coffee is not always organic- don't judge please.)  I have kicked the artificial creamer habit- and that is hard to do.  It was one of the last things I gave up.  Coconut milk works well if you heat up the milk in your mug prior to pouring the coffee in- it helps it to blend.

Seeing how I was trying to kick the canned coconut milk habit- I decided to try something new.  Well some people use butter in their coffee (I have tried it and it's not bad).  So I decided to try coconut butter.  Wow!  It is yummy.  The coffee isn't as creamy- but it has a nice smooth taste with a hint of coconut.  The dregs at the bottom are the best part.  The coconut butter I use is pictured above.  That stuff is the bomb!  I always lick the spoon afterwards.

What do you think?  Would you try it?  I use a good heaping tablespoon.

Day Eleven- Easy Street!

I feel pretty awesome today.  I have not felt a bad craving or been terribly hungry when I shouldn't be.  I am a little sore from my workout yesterday, but honestly I expected to feel worse after all of those squats.  I really think that eating clean and taking my fish oil is helping with the soreness.  When I am not eating well I seem to feel worse after a brutal work out.  19 days to go!

Today I had left overs from yesterday's lunch- for breakfast. I swear it was even more delicious on the second day.

I have a confession- I have been weighing myself. I know! If you have read the Whole 30 rules you know that no weighing is allowed- except at the beginning and the end.  And I understand WHY this rule is in place.  But for me it is fun to see the weight fall off.  I am not going to get discouraged or stop or change how much I eat.  I just want to have fun with it, you know?  And if you are wondering if I have lost weigh,t the answer is yes -a few pounds.  I suspect the scale would go lower if I wasn't working out so hard, but that is not an option.  And honestly I care more about how my clothes fit and getting rid of my spare tire than seeing numbers.  Ya know?

Here is my impromptu late lunch today.  I call it meatslaw.  I heated up left over taco meat (ground round with spices), threw it over cole slaw mix (just the veggies no sauce), added a good lump of Wholly Guacamole and drizzled my homemade mayo over the top.  It was delicious!

Day Ten what's for lunch!

It's day ten of my whole 30. 1/3 of the way there! I am facing this like a long WOD, it's a "chipper"!

This (see pic) was so yummy and easy. The only ingredients are lamb chops (substitute pork if you don't like lamb), small bag of shredded red cabbage, coconut oil and salt/ pepper.

Fry the lamb chops in one pan and the cabbage in the other using coconut oil. Season with salt and pepper. No prep, fast and easy meal.

Day 9 Feelin' Fine

I can't believe it has been 8+ days since I have had a beer!  The nice part is that I am not really craving that beer right now.  All through the last few months I craved beer on a daily basis.  All of the extra pudge around my middle shows I gave into those cravings too!

But all in all I am feeling pretty good.  The tiredness is going away and I am not having sugar fits anymore, at least not as much.  My digestion is still not where it should be, but that will take time I know.  I had been busy doing a lot of damage to my poor stomach!

Oh, my pants are feeling looser and my skin is cleared up.  I know this stuff works. =)

Day three of Whole 30

Yeah I meant to start blogging on the first day. But I didn't so here I am!

If you are not familiar with Whole 30 check it out. This is my 3rdish go at it. The first I did one year ago- which I completed.  And then last fall I tried to do a Whole 20 and then follow it up with a Whole 30 (I had an event in the middle of that time.)  I made it through to the event and fit into my fancy dress very nicely- but I feel completely off the wagon after that.  I let life get in the way of caring for myself at that point.  So here I am- post holidays and feeling all that beer hugging on my middle- where all of chub likes to hang out.  I know Whole 30 works- but it's how you follow up afterwards is what makes all of the difference!

So to start things off I made two dishes I love. The first was bison chili. I doubled the recipe and added carrots to give it more bulk. This chili freezes wonderfully and is easy to take to work.  And more importantly the family loves it- even my picky little girl.  I am thinking of adding parsnips or sweet potatoes next time to make it stretch a little further.  Bison is delicious- but expensive!

 While I prepped the veggies for the chili, I was also preparing this delicious pork loin roast.  I didn't go fancy as the recipe suggests and just used a boneless pork loin roast.  And I added veggies in the pan.  Last time I did half white potatoes (for the hubby) and half sweet, along with yellow onion.  The sweet potatoes were AMAZING.  So I knew I wanted to to do it again.  This time I added (no white potatoes this time), leeks, parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes and yellow sweet onions.  I filled the pan full, and it is a big roasting pan.

It turned out delicious!  The rub made a nice little "bark" and the veggies were sweet and caramelized.  I think the roast was cooked a little too long or I could have covered it with foil for the last half hour to moisten it up a bit.  It was still off the hook, nevertheless.

It was my first time trying parsnips and leeks.  Well I think I have tried leeks before, I just didn't know what they were!  I have to say they both are mighty tasty.

Back to Whole 30- I am now on day three and I feel great.  Yesterday I had a little bit of a sugar fit, but otherwise I was ok.  I get extremely hungry and a couple of times I almost grabbed something that is on the no-no list without even thinking about it.  But otherwise, I feel better already.  I need to take some pictures within the next couple of days.  I would like to do it now- and then at 30 and then at 60 days.  Yes- 60 days.  I am not doing a "Whole 60" necessarily- but I do plan to be strict paleo for 60 days.  I will explain my goals in another post.

Happy eating!