Lead a Fit and Healthy Life
Health/Nutrition
Jump and a Net will Appear
018 hours ago
Recently someone told me jump and a net will appear – and I have really taken that to heart. In many decisions I have made to help improve things in my life. I decided to get serious about things that just weren’t working out for me and instead of doing what I always do -put up with it and move on, I decided to say Nope. Enough is enough. And the last few weeks, has proven that it is indeed true — Jump and a Net Will Appear. I just feel better, more refreshed and good things are happening all around me.
And it’s nothing earth shattering to share either –just good vibes, a better outlook and I just feel better. There is a lot to be said about just changing perspective and trying something new to help bolster your sense of happiness and get you back on the right track. Ok, enough unicorns and princesses for this morning…
My workout was tough. It’s hot and muggy outside and adding box jumps to a burpee is just not called for. In fact, it’s downright mean.
warmup
200m jog
10 Squats
10 Push Ups
4 Instep Lunges
4 Sampson Stretch
10 Squats
WOD
18min AMRAP
8 Ring Dips
10 Burpee Box Jumps
100m Farmer’s carry 25# dumbbells
100m Jog
total 4+18+100m
Isometrics
Bench Press Ab Work (Try this one, sometime!)
Lying on back with end of bench above butt, hang on to bench and bring knees into chest, straighten legs and slowly bring them down, pausing at parallel for one sec before repeating. 3 Rounds of 12 Reps.
Busy Busy Day
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I took the day off to take Hannah to the orthopedist to have her wrist looked at — well she is now in an arm cast. I am sure the novelty of it all will wear off in a day or so. It will be a long four weeks for my baby.
Today was a rest day for me and I was more than happy to do it. I am so so sore.. mostly in my quads. I think it may be from rowing since I did a ton of that yesterday. But i will be back at it tomorrow…
Here’s a few interesting articles I have read that I think you should read too:
- Can’t afford CrossFit? No Problem!
- How Paleo Became a Lifestyle For Me (Guest Post)
- Dear American Consumers: Please Don’t Start Eating Healthfully. Sincerely, the Food Industry
- Recipe: Jazzy Little Meatballs
- Recipe: Sweet Potato Shrimp Cakes with Bacon
- Sweet Potato Shrimp Cakes with Bacon Guacamole on the side
Cakes:
3 sweet potato peeled and grated
8-10 tiger prawns/shrimps peeled
4 free range eggs
1/2 yellow onion chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 – 4 tbsp coconut oil for frying
Heat the coconut oil in a skillet on low to medium heat. Mix the sweet potato, eggs, onions and salt and pepper in a bowl. Take a handful of the mixture, form into a pancake then push one large shrimp on the center of the pancake. Fry shrimp face down for about 4 minutes on low to medium heat. Turn the pancake on the other side when the shrimp is cooked. Fry for another 2-3 minutes until it is cooked through.
Resetting It All
01 month ago
by Stephy
in Health/Nutrition
Yesterday – after the rant here I actually took some steps to fix some of the stuff that has been out of balance and I feel better about some of it. It doesn’t fix it but holding your feelings inside isn’t healthy either — so I got some stuff off my chest and I feel lighter!
I had good intentions of getting my butt up this AM and going to workout – Back Squats this AM. But, I am really sore from yesterday and I have CrossFit Endurance this evening. I have realized that working out two times a day two times a week is a bit rough of me. Imagine that! 
I am not saying I won’t do it anymore but when I wake up and it hurts to move my body — it’s a sign that I need to slap the alarm off and get some more ZZzzzs.
I did great on Day One of the 30 Day Nutrition Reset yesterday. Oh how I wanted some Gorilla Munch — it’s been my weakness for months now. My shameful secret — eating it right out of the box and going through that box in less than 24 hours. It has become an addiction. Hey, but it’s Gluten Free! So What –it’s got natural sugar and calories and eating the entire box is not healthy and has been seriously contributing to my weight gain.
Here’s a good post I read yesterday with regards to nutrition:
Getting Back On The Horse
01 month ago
I’m back and I wish I could say I felt refreshed and raring to go this Monday –but I don’t. The last few weeks I have felt seriously run down and all I have wanted to do is stay under the covers in my bed and sleep. I honestly don’t think I have felt this way in a very long time and am not sure if it’s the long winter, a lack of focus on my nutrition, some stress at work that I am experiencing, or the medication I am taking for a leg infection I am trying to get rid of. Or heck –maybe it’s all of them combined.
I have seemed to lost my mojo –and I am sure many of you that seem me day to day wouldn’t know it but it’s true. I haven’t felt much motivation for many of the things I used to and am on the hunt to figure out how to bring it back.
My friend Brittany and I were laughing because I have a light box, I exercise like crazy, I have a happy family – great husband and kids, am financially sound –Life is pretty darn good. I have a wonderful community of friends that I can call family – both my parents are alive and thriving, my five brothers and sisters are all doing well. I mean come on –what the heck do I have to be down about? See what I mean? Makes no sense….
There are some things going on that are throwing me out of balance though and the universe keeps reminding me of them and I start to make changes towards what’s needed but then revert back. I think I really need to tackle it once and for all — and make the change. I know I am being cryptic but it’s kind of a touchy subject and political so I don’t want to blast it out here. Those that are close to me know the situation and have been the ones at me to just do it! It’s about embracing confidence and getting out of the fear loop.
Ok – enough of that!
I am starting a 30 day Nutrition Challenge today with CrossFit Impavidus –not only starting it but helping run it as well. I need to refocus because I am about 10#s heavier than last year and my clothes are not fitting like they used to. I will keep you posted with how it’s going.
Warmup
600m jog
DROM
Mobility
Skill
Deadlifts
WOD
1 RM Deadlift 250#
10M AMRAP
Mini Cindy
- 5 Pull Ups
- 10 Push Ups
- 15 Squats
7 Rounds
Short Term Solutions for your Diet Don’t Work
02 months ago
Why do we all look for tricks and gimmicks as a way to lose weight? I have seen many people come and try out CrossFit, fall in love with it –but then fall off the wagon and go back to their old ways –then start looking around again and asking about those medical weight loss programs that have you drink shakes under a doctor’s supervision. Maybe they do work for some, but personally I don’t see how that works for anyone long term. Are they going to drink their food long term? How do they assimilate back into their normal lives once the program is over? I know for some – the program helps you learn to eat post initial stage but seems counter productive to me.
And I know for some – it works but from what I can tell for the vast majority of people, it’s a short term solution to an issue that needs constant attention and focus or you end up right where you were before, if not even further in a hole. It’s about controlling your blood sugar/insulin levels, staying away from processed food, and portion control. If you follow that and add in a regular exercise routine that really gets your body moving (I prefer CrossFit) –then you should be good to go.
It’s not hard –in theory or to comprehend. To put into place and implement –super hard but that’s where you work your mind! Switching to this type of approach is 90% mental — and we ALL struggle with it. I struggle each and every day and some days I give in – but I know that Paleo and CrossFit work for me. It’s not about getting older – it’s about finding out what works for you based on where you are right now. Whether you are 30, 40, 50 or beyond — you can’t eat shit and expect to be in shape. Period.
Also – I wanted to share with you the article that I read back in 2011 that finally convinced me that my son needed to be Gluten Free: Clues to Gluten Sensitivity. If you read about how her 4 year old daughter acted before the switch –that was my son all the time! He no longer has horrible stomach aches and constipation and we saw improvement within days of taking him off of Gluten!
Lisa Rayburn felt dizzy, bloated and exhausted. Wynn Avocette suffered migraines and body aches. Stephanie Meade’s 4-year-old daughter had constipation and threw temper tantrums.
Some people claim that eating gluten products can cause health problems like body aches and chronic fatigue — and even some behavioral problems in children. WSJ’s Melinda Beck talks with Kelsey Hubbard about a new study that sheds light on what may be going on.
All three tested negative for celiac disease, a severe intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. But after their doctors ruled out other causes, all three adults did their own research and cut gluten—and saw the symptoms subside.
A new study in the journal BMC Medicine may shed some light on why. It shows gluten can set off a distinct reaction in the intestines and the immune system, even in people who don’t have celiac disease.
Warmup
- 400m run
- double under practice
- Mobility
Skill
- Rope climb
WOD
7 RFT (20m CAP)
- 1 Rope Climb
- 10 Wall Balls 14#
- 15 KB Swings 1 Pood
- 20 Double Unders
DNF: 6 Rounds + 1RC + 10 Wall Balls
How Bad Do You Want It?
02 months ago
Yesterday, I read this NYT article: It’s the Sugar, Folks
Sugar is indeed toxic. It may not be the only problem with the Standard American Diet, but it’s fast becoming clear that it’s the major one.
A study published in the Feb. 27 issue of the journal PLoS One links increased consumption of sugar with increased rates of diabetes by examining the data on sugar availability and the rate of diabetes in 175 countries over the past decade. And after accounting for many other factors, the researchers found that increased sugar in a population’s food supply was linked to higher diabetes rates independent of rates of obesity.
In other words, according to this study, obesity doesn’t cause diabetes: sugar does.
There are more problems that we need to address of course, but sugar definitely plays a large role in creating our obese society. And we already know that diet is 80% of the health and wellness equation. The other 20% – exercise! You have got to move your body, challenge your body –and when I say body, that means your mind too. Challenges that tax you physically and mentally are key to maintaining a quality of life well into your older years. Muscles are meant to be used –and when we all sit around on computers or on the couch or at our work desks for hours on end — it contributes to many of the problems we all suffer from.
The other day my friend and coach Colleen adjusted her own schedule to set up a special intro session at CrossFit for a prospective customer that had so many issues with making any of the normal times we offer these sessions. It took weeks to find a day and time that worked for her but they finally did. The day came and five minutes before the scheduled intro, the person called and cancelled. I looked at Colleen and said “if it was that difficult to schedule, that person doesn’t want it bad enough and it was never going to work out. She wasn’t ready.”
If you are into something and really want it to happen – you will go to the ends of the earth to make it happen. It takes work, focus, vision and most of all a commitment. I hear quite often how amazing people think my dedication to working out is and they could never do it. Well, first off – that’s not true. I am not any more capable than most people. It’s also not amazing –i made a commitment almost five years ago and have remained steadfast and focused on it. Occasionally I do stray, but by doing it for the last five years –it’s so ingrained in me now, I don’t think I could stop without it driving me crazy. My point is, it didn’t happen overnight but by doing it over and over again without fail – it is now a part of who I am. I redefined myself by staying committed, focused and determined. You have got to want that for yourself.
When I start to feel less focused, I try to think of things that could happen if I let it all go. We all have seen those older folks, hunched over, in those motorized scooters at Target -wherever. Some of them have legit reasons for being impaired, but many of them, simply do not keep moving into their elder years! I NEVER want to be like that –and this is the surest path to avoid it. This, healthy eating and FISH OIL! BOOM!
Parents: Fun Murderers
03 months ago
Yesterday I came across a post out there about how everyone loves to give kids junk food. Why Is Everyone Always Giving My Kids Junk Food? It really resonated with me and a ton of other parents out there. Think about it – snacks at meetings, get-togethers, sports events, outings – it’s common for it to be processed, sugary crap. I really noticed this big time when we switched Nate to gluten free. Holy cow you would have thought I asked everyone to climb Mt. Everest with me when they found out they couldn’t give him the same snacks as everyone else. In fact, some people now go out of their way to buy sugary gluten free crap to give him. It’s pervasive — treats are correlated to fun and joy nowadays, not hunger.
And how do you teach your kids that a treat is not something for every day when it’s all around them and the last thing they want to be is different. You don’t want to create OCD kiddos who are all crazy about what they put in their mouth, but you also want them to be conscious of what they are putting in their mouth, so they don’t pay for it later in poor health and obesity.
Parenting is hard – we just have to do the best we can, but without a doubt act as their advocate. They do not know what’s best for them at their young age and it’s our job to decide that -so limiting the crap food they eat is what is best for them even if they wont realize it until they are old enough to know better. Being a fun murderer is no fun at all.
Warmup
Double Unders
Mobility
Skill
Goblet Squats
WOD
20m AMRAP
- 10 Toes to Bar
- 20 Push Ups
- 30 Goblet Squats
- 40 Sit Ups
- 50 Double Unders
rounds: 3>12 P/Ups
Face Reading: What Your Face Tells About You
03 months ago
The other day I was flipping through channels and came across a show that was highlighting Chinese Face Reading and how it can help diagnose health problems. I don’t know about you, but I had never heard about it but it makes total sense. Think about it — we all have heard that acne is a sign of inflammation, smokers can be picked out by the wearing look of their face, stress can attribute to looking older… Face reading goes deeper than that though:
First, each face represents one of the 5 basic elemental types recognized by traditional Chinese medicine: wood, fire, air, water, and metal. Most people aren’t a pure type but instead a mix of two types, with one more pronounced than the other. Each elemental type has specific physical attributes, personality traits, and health strengths and weaknesses.
Facial coloring can also reveal what’s happening in the body, especially mineral deficiencies. Likewise, facial lines give clues to various health conditions — as do marks, discolorations, spots, creases, and indentations.
The location of various marks on your face is also important. Location can help predict the age at which certain problems will appear. Similarly, the size and darkness of a mark can signify how serious a problem will be. Bigger and darker marks indicate more serious conditions.
How the Face Reveals Clues to the State of Your Health
- • Slightly green facial hue: decreased liver function
- • Overly red facial hue: heart disease or high blood pressure
- • Yellowish facial hue: low function of spleen and stomach
- • Darkened facial hue: low kidney function
- • Whitened face: low lung function
- • “Folding” between eyebrows: low-functioning lymph, weakened immune system
- • Red spots or pox around the eyebrows: increased likelihood of flu, or sign of flu in recent past
- • Reddened eyebrows: overactive nervous system, lack of quality sleep
- • Reddened eye sockets: inflammation in the kidneys or back pain
- • Reddened nose: bladder inflammation or back pain
- • Swelling veins on the nose: deteriorating function of kidneys and bladder
- • Red lips: overactive stomach
- • Dark lips: low function of spleen and kidney
- • Pox spots or cold sores near lips: stomach ulcer
- • Red cheeks: active liver
- • Black eyes or black/ brown spots: low kidney function
- • Dark skin around eyes: deteriorating kidney function, likelihood of kidney “stones”
- • Black moles between nose lips: high levels of acid and toxins in the body
- • Darkening of black moles between nose and lips: possible sign of risk of cancer
- • Region between chin and ear has depressed scars, pox marks, or other anomalies: poorly functioning intestine (if this region becomes red, possible sign of impending diarrhea)
Really interesting stuff and to see an experienced face reader at work is quite impressive. I do believe your body definitely tells you what’s going on and you have to sometimes be ‘quiet’ to hear it.
Warmup
mobility
drills
600m jog (in the freakin’ cold)
skill
SDHP
KB Swings
WOD
21-15-9
- 35# KB SDHP
- 35# KB Swing
- Hand Release Push ups
time: 6:38 – not my best time for this sort of WOD. With the heat on, the air is so dry that I could not catch my breath. A few of the other athletes also mentioned the challenge the had with it as well. It was a tough one!
Your Life is Your Message. Make Sure It Inspires
03 months ago
Life is so funny sometimes — when you decide to resign to being unable to change a situation while you are in the midst of it and look to get out –surprises happen that give you some renewed energy and motivation. And let me tell you — I needed it. I have been so down and out about career stuff the past few months and it has been affecting lots of other things in my life.
I am not the type of person who likes to maintain the status quo. I want to be challenged, mentored, make progress and see and feel that I do make a difference. I think that’s what I like about CrossFit – it’s a challenge to me every day (physically and mentally) and I can learn from others and am constantly seeing progress in myself and those around me. How can you not love and be inspired by that type of environment.
I want my day job to encompass all of that too — and it should. There is no reason it shouldn’t and I no longer will accept working at stuff for hours at end that doesnt have those sorts of payoffs for me. And just when I thought things were hopeless, something happened that gave me renewed hope and energy that what I am doing may just be worth it. I am holding careful optimism about it — because you can’t plan life.
Warmup
600m jog
mobility
skill
Pistols
Press
wod
18m AMRAP
8 Push Press
8 Pull Ups
8 Pistols
9+14 reps –but I scaled the weight and did only two rounds of pull ups and ring rowed the rest. My neck/shoulder tweak is better but not 100%, so didn’t want to push it. You know what I love though –the 6A athletes made sure to check in on me and remind me to take it easy. That’s what a close community does!
Wise Words from the Community
03 months ago
Im still down and out with a pulled muscle in my neck/shoulder so no workout this AM for me. But I will share some wise words that I have read recently:
Relax! You’ll Be More Productive
More and more of us find ourselves unable to juggle overwhelming demands and maintain a seemingly unsustainable pace. Paradoxically, the best way to get more done may be to spend more time doing less. A new and growing body of multidisciplinary research shows that strategic renewal — including daytime workouts, short afternoon naps, longer sleep hours, more time away from the office and longer, more frequent vacations — boosts productivity, job performance and, of course, health.
“I’m not trying to be that diesel”
Somehow, with everything going on in the world, development of strength, muscle and physical competency has become something that has risen to the status of being fear-worthy. I mean, what are these crazy girls going to do next, try to grow beards!? (Not likely because beards are vile and germ infested. If you don’t know about this you must read The Twits.)
And finally:
“Eat Like A Predator, Not Like Prey”: Paleo In Six Easy Steps, A Motivational Guide
Here it is: a step-by-step guide, roughly in order of importance. Make progress at whatever pace you can. Don’t stress about perfect adherence, or obsess about making it all the way down the list: any progress you make will most likely improve your health, mood, and physical fitness.
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