The Paleo Challenge ended today, man did 6 weeks fly by! I really can't believe Thanksgiving is here already. I'm so excited to go home for a few days, kick back and chill out.
The challenge was so much more than I thought it would be. This was a huge learning experience for me for nutrition, finding out what works best for me and what commitment really means. I have started to love working out - that in and of itself is something I have never, ever in my life said nor really understood when people would say they loved working out or "needed to workout". Before, to me it was just an unpleasant chore that caused me pain afterward. It wasn't something I was confident about doing. Being committed to going to CFC has made me a believer!! I can now see what happens to my body & mind when I workout on a regular basis and have proper nutrition. I've realized the gains & strides I can make in getting better, when I put consistent effort and focus into it. There are still a million things I need to get better at, but I now know that I can achieve whatever I want. If I put my mind to it, I'm going to get every goal I set. I want to be better and look better - I now understand & know what I need to do to achieve that. I haven't felt this good in a very long time, I sleep so well, have great energy and am in general very excited to hit my fitness goals.
PS - I lost 15lbs during the challenge!!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Holy Handstands!!
My how quickly 2 weeks go by....and THANK YOU TO JAMES P. BOND FOR MY REMINDERS THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN BLOGGING!! I'm sure I can come up with some valid reasons for not keeping this updated. I've been deciding about taking a new job at work, I've been working out consistently, I don't know how to put this, but I'm kind of a big deal....people know me. I'm very important and my apartment smells of rich mahogany. So there you have it folks, I'm part of the Channel 4 News team with Ron Burgundy. Only 2 sentences of this paragraph are true, choose wisely young padawan.
My love for CrossFit Chicago continues to grow. I actually look forward to going there - this is something that has never happened in my life, looking forward to exercising. I still get completely scared about some of the workouts but I know I'm not going to die and I will get through it. Lately I've noticed that I've been "getting through them" better than I did a month ago. Being able to see and measure my progress has been huge. I've lost 10lbs since the challenge and while I'm excited about this, I think I would've lost more if I had been stricter (more strict?) with it. However, I acknowledge that for me this isn't just a 6-week go, it's a lifestyle change and I have a ways to go still.
We are in the final week of the Paleo Challenge and I have no idea what the team standings are or where my team ranks, but I do know it's been a great experience. I continue to learn more about nutrition and how/what my body reacts to. When I say "react" I'm referring to the scale not reacting in a very friendly weigh...or way! It's been a zig zag of losing weight for 2 weeks, not losing a pound for 2 weeks, dropping a little, etc.. Coach Zack very generously went through my food log for 3 weeks and made notes on what I had been eating/doing. It made a HUGE difference for me. I really think my accountability factor is good in that I was honest with everything I ate and recorded it. But, I am also very generous with my "little cheats" as I call them. I'll sneak them in here and there, or so I thought it was just "here and there" when really it was several times a week, which all add up. I do think taking the fish oil has helped out and I can see a huge difference in my skin especially in the last 5 weeks. It's much clearer and I swear my cheeks have a rosy glow on most days :-)
Finally getting to "Holy Handstands". When I titled this blog Holly's Journey, I meant it would be a journey. Ups and downs, falling & getting up, etc.. One of my first fears at CrossFit occurred in the form of the handstand. I actually thought it was a joke the morning when Rudy told the class to go the wall and kick up into a handstand. I just stood there thinking he wasn't talking to everyone and especially wasn't talking to me. Oh, how wrong I was. Within 5 seconds almost everyone was upside down with their feet in the air & against the wall. Again, I just stood there staring at the wall. Rudy told me that the wall wasn't going to bite & I shouldn't be afraid of it. I laughed and said, I can't do handstands. I knew before the words came out of my mouth that I shouldn't say "I can't" but it flew out of my mouth. Also, I was really, really hoping he'd just go walk around to everyone else and not notice that I wasn't doing a handstand. Next thing I knew I had 2 people on either side of me and I was trying to kick up. I'll spare the gory details, but it wasn't pretty, I felt like a wounded elephant with my legs being lifted but not really moving up and my arms collapsing, etc.. Thankfully no on laughed at me (except of course, I did) and they told me I'd get it, just keep trying. So, for the next couple of months every time we had to do handstands, I'd give it a shot (we don't do them every week, so it took a while & I never practiced on my own). Progress wasn't pretty - it was a mixture of being able to kick up on my own but not really get anywhere, some days staring at the wall and all of a sudden being very afraid of it, one day falling right over and into the bucket of chalk - classic graceful Holly move. Then came this Tuesday morning. Out of the blue and on the 1st attempt I not only got up on my own, but I held it for 15 seconds!! I was so happy that when I came down, I screamed out "I just got up for the first time on my own!!" My 6AM buddies have all born witness to the "not-so-pretties" and cheered & clapped for me. It was THE BEST feeling! I was actually really proud of myself. Next, onto the handstand push ups!!
I'm not going to list out the workouts from the last 2 weeks but only put out that I have been keeping to 4 - 5 days a week. I haven't made CFE this week because of my schedule and only got in 1 last week. I need to re-up my commitment to get that workout in whether I make the class or not. I'm very good about saying I will do it, making it happen has been a little more challenging. I now owe 2 big workouts....
My love for CrossFit Chicago continues to grow. I actually look forward to going there - this is something that has never happened in my life, looking forward to exercising. I still get completely scared about some of the workouts but I know I'm not going to die and I will get through it. Lately I've noticed that I've been "getting through them" better than I did a month ago. Being able to see and measure my progress has been huge. I've lost 10lbs since the challenge and while I'm excited about this, I think I would've lost more if I had been stricter (more strict?) with it. However, I acknowledge that for me this isn't just a 6-week go, it's a lifestyle change and I have a ways to go still.
We are in the final week of the Paleo Challenge and I have no idea what the team standings are or where my team ranks, but I do know it's been a great experience. I continue to learn more about nutrition and how/what my body reacts to. When I say "react" I'm referring to the scale not reacting in a very friendly weigh...or way! It's been a zig zag of losing weight for 2 weeks, not losing a pound for 2 weeks, dropping a little, etc.. Coach Zack very generously went through my food log for 3 weeks and made notes on what I had been eating/doing. It made a HUGE difference for me. I really think my accountability factor is good in that I was honest with everything I ate and recorded it. But, I am also very generous with my "little cheats" as I call them. I'll sneak them in here and there, or so I thought it was just "here and there" when really it was several times a week, which all add up. I do think taking the fish oil has helped out and I can see a huge difference in my skin especially in the last 5 weeks. It's much clearer and I swear my cheeks have a rosy glow on most days :-)
Finally getting to "Holy Handstands". When I titled this blog Holly's Journey, I meant it would be a journey. Ups and downs, falling & getting up, etc.. One of my first fears at CrossFit occurred in the form of the handstand. I actually thought it was a joke the morning when Rudy told the class to go the wall and kick up into a handstand. I just stood there thinking he wasn't talking to everyone and especially wasn't talking to me. Oh, how wrong I was. Within 5 seconds almost everyone was upside down with their feet in the air & against the wall. Again, I just stood there staring at the wall. Rudy told me that the wall wasn't going to bite & I shouldn't be afraid of it. I laughed and said, I can't do handstands. I knew before the words came out of my mouth that I shouldn't say "I can't" but it flew out of my mouth. Also, I was really, really hoping he'd just go walk around to everyone else and not notice that I wasn't doing a handstand. Next thing I knew I had 2 people on either side of me and I was trying to kick up. I'll spare the gory details, but it wasn't pretty, I felt like a wounded elephant with my legs being lifted but not really moving up and my arms collapsing, etc.. Thankfully no on laughed at me (except of course, I did) and they told me I'd get it, just keep trying. So, for the next couple of months every time we had to do handstands, I'd give it a shot (we don't do them every week, so it took a while & I never practiced on my own). Progress wasn't pretty - it was a mixture of being able to kick up on my own but not really get anywhere, some days staring at the wall and all of a sudden being very afraid of it, one day falling right over and into the bucket of chalk - classic graceful Holly move. Then came this Tuesday morning. Out of the blue and on the 1st attempt I not only got up on my own, but I held it for 15 seconds!! I was so happy that when I came down, I screamed out "I just got up for the first time on my own!!" My 6AM buddies have all born witness to the "not-so-pretties" and cheered & clapped for me. It was THE BEST feeling! I was actually really proud of myself. Next, onto the handstand push ups!!
I'm not going to list out the workouts from the last 2 weeks but only put out that I have been keeping to 4 - 5 days a week. I haven't made CFE this week because of my schedule and only got in 1 last week. I need to re-up my commitment to get that workout in whether I make the class or not. I'm very good about saying I will do it, making it happen has been a little more challenging. I now owe 2 big workouts....
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Making progress
Nutrition has been better since my fun-size party on Monday. Ironically, I have finally lost weight this week, I would love to say it was because of the chocolaty goodness but I have to be honest and say it probably was in spite of it. I turned in my 3-week food log to Zack and it was a huge help. I had told him about my frustration of not losing anything for 2 weeks and he did a great assessment on the log. He gave me some suggestions on where I could make substitutes, tweak here and there. On his suggestion I started taking Fish Oil and I think that may have made some of the difference. I had tried fish oil tablets earlier this summer and it lasted for about 10 days. I was fine initially and then I don't know if I psyched myself out or just started thinking about what it was, but around Day 6 I had the worst fish "burps", I couldn't take it after 4 days, it was so gross to me. I found out that Carlson's makes a liquid "Lemon Fish Oil" which incredibly tastes only like Lemon, nothing gross, it's 1 easy teaspoon in the morning and that's it!
Thursday - Endurance
800m Run
15 Push-ups
20 Lunges
750m Row
20 Lunges
15 Push-ups
800m Run
Wednesday:
On the 5th minute for 5 rounds of:
10 Toes-to-bar
400m Run
10 Hang cleans
rds= 4:10, 3:50, 3:50, 3:46, 3:49
Post - 3 minute plank hold (:45, :38; :15)
Tuesday PM
Endurance:
C2 rower- 3×3 min Intervals w/3min Recovery Between Intervals
Hold the highest average pace for all Intervals. (691 meters, 693 meters, 701 meters)
Tuesday AM
5 Rounds for time of: (7:04)
5 Handstand push-ups (did off box)
10 Sumo-deadlift high-pulls (40#)
20 Lunges
Post – 40 Back extensions (2 sets of 20)
Thursday - Endurance
800m Run
15 Push-ups
20 Lunges
750m Row
20 Lunges
15 Push-ups
800m Run
Wednesday:
On the 5th minute for 5 rounds of:
10 Toes-to-bar
400m Run
10 Hang cleans
rds= 4:10, 3:50, 3:50, 3:46, 3:49
Post - 3 minute plank hold (:45, :38; :15)
Tuesday PM
Endurance:
C2 rower- 3×3 min Intervals w/3min Recovery Between Intervals
Hold the highest average pace for all Intervals. (691 meters, 693 meters, 701 meters)
Tuesday AM
5 Rounds for time of: (7:04)
5 Handstand push-ups (did off box)
10 Sumo-deadlift high-pulls (40#)
20 Lunges
Post – 40 Back extensions (2 sets of 20)
Monday, November 1, 2010
A Meltdown of Fun-Size Portions
I feel sick, literally ill right now. I just lost a battle of willpower to a handful of “fun-size” chocolates. What’s so fun about them? Apparently because they are so cute & tiny, ripping them open is fun. I was like a junky, needing to get my fix . The first Milky Way tasted good, so I went for the salty-sweet Reeses’ Peanut Butter cups, then another, then 2 Twix and rounded it out with 2 Almond Joy. “Sometimes you feel like a nut…Sometimes you don't….Almond Joy got nuts, Mounds don't….Almond Joy got real milk chocolate coconut and munchy nuts, too.” .
In retrospect, I should’ve just gone for the booze this weekend. I made it through the weekend, all day Saturday watching football at the bars and didn’t drink or cheat on food – except for the cookies. My friend Stacey’s mom makes the best homemade sugar cookies with frosting. I knew I was getting some Saturday and was excited to have a few. I’d worked out all week and kept to my diet so I was okay with it. The cookies tasted great and I enjoyed all 6 - yes 6 - of them. I kept waiting to feel sick or gross, but I didn’t. I thought I was good and I was happy that was my cheat meal for the week.
However, all day Sunday I was craving sweets. It was like a light switch got flipped and my body just wanted sugar. I don’t have much in the house so the only thing I was able to scrounge up was a mini-bite of chocolate. I did not heed Jonny’s wise advice of removing the candy dish from my desk at work. Instead I put it behind me where I don’t see it most of the day. We are going through a huge round of layoffs and things have been rather stressful/tense for the last month. People come over frequently and dig through it, but I haven’t been interested in the candy bowl, until today. Sugar won out and I had myself a little meltdown right after lunch. I now feel like a slug and I want to go take a nap. I need to stop the crazy train and get back on track. I foresee a lot veggies and protein this week!
In retrospect, I should’ve just gone for the booze this weekend. I made it through the weekend, all day Saturday watching football at the bars and didn’t drink or cheat on food – except for the cookies. My friend Stacey’s mom makes the best homemade sugar cookies with frosting. I knew I was getting some Saturday and was excited to have a few. I’d worked out all week and kept to my diet so I was okay with it. The cookies tasted great and I enjoyed all 6 - yes 6 - of them. I kept waiting to feel sick or gross, but I didn’t. I thought I was good and I was happy that was my cheat meal for the week.
However, all day Sunday I was craving sweets. It was like a light switch got flipped and my body just wanted sugar. I don’t have much in the house so the only thing I was able to scrounge up was a mini-bite of chocolate. I did not heed Jonny’s wise advice of removing the candy dish from my desk at work. Instead I put it behind me where I don’t see it most of the day. We are going through a huge round of layoffs and things have been rather stressful/tense for the last month. People come over frequently and dig through it, but I haven’t been interested in the candy bowl, until today. Sugar won out and I had myself a little meltdown right after lunch. I now feel like a slug and I want to go take a nap. I need to stop the crazy train and get back on track. I foresee a lot veggies and protein this week!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Bloggity Blog Blog...
Blog Slacker week continues on in full force. I am not making excuses that it was a busy week, end of month, blah, blah, blah (even though all of that is true). I think I'm just really annoyed that I've been working out consistently, eating well, not drinking at all and I haven't lost any weight in 10 days. I'm going to go watch college football all day in hopes of lifting my spirits. I'm sure being in sports bars surrounded by booze & fried food is just the remedy I need :-) Go Spartans!!
Wednesday:
4 Rounds for time of: 15:34
400m Run
15 Thrusters (45#)
Thursday:
Friday:
3 Rounds for time of: (6:32)
10 Power cleans (55#)
10 Front squats
10 Jerks
Wednesday:
4 Rounds for time of: 15:34
400m Run
15 Thrusters (45#)
Thursday:
2 Rounds For Time: (2 min. rest between rounds) = 24:12
250m Row
30 KBS (1.5/1 pood)
15 Pull Ups
400m Run
15 Pull Ups
30 KBS (1.5/1 pood)
250m Row
Friday:
3 Rounds for time of: (6:32)
10 Power cleans (55#)
10 Front squats
10 Jerks
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Developing Discipline
For whatever reason, lately I have not felt like blogging, although I'm enjoying reading everyone else's blogs. Maybe I have blog envy, haha. This week I committed to working out 6 days, a big step for me, but I realize I need to be at 5 - 6 times a week to be consistent with weight loss and to get better at CrossFit. It's morning on Monday, Tues, Wed & Friday. Tues & Thurs pm for CFE. I'm already looking forward to the weekend!
I feel like I have been craving sweets/chocolate for almost a week now, yet when I've gone to grab for a piece of dark chocolate or candy I've stopped myself and asked "do I really want this? is it worth it? am I hungry or just bored?" So far, it's worked, I realize that I am doing it more out of habit than really truly wanting it. I'm sure at some point soon, I will really want the piece of chocolate and I'll have it to enjoy. I'll try to remember to savor it versus inhaling it. When I was in Colorado I realized so much of my eating before was just consuming, not appreciating or enjoying it. I was eating just to eat sometimes. Not even really being aware of what I was eating or how poor my nutrition could get. Keeping a food log has been one of the best things for me.
Making the commitment to workout, truly believing in the benefits of it and being aware of how good it is for me to do, has made being disciplined around working out easier for me. I don't second-guess it or give myself excuses on why I can't make it to the gym or do a certain workout. I don't think about it, I just tell myself to go and surprisingly I do. I don't always look forward to it on the drive over, but am so happy once I've done it and feel great afterwards that I know it's worth it. However, I've realized my discipline with food is quite situational. I am very strong and can stay on point, but in certain situations I automatically revert back to my bad habits, almost without thinking. I think it's just habit, that I used to eat more/bad food around certain people or that I would "automatic eat" - eat without thinking around them. This is something I still need to work on and be in better control of.
WODs:
Mon:
5 rounds for time (13:10)
10 burpees
10 box jumps
10 pull-ups
Tues am: (12:17)
30 pull-ups
50 kettleball swings (35#)
1k row
Tues pm:
8 x 2min on rower, 1 min rest between sets
I feel like I have been craving sweets/chocolate for almost a week now, yet when I've gone to grab for a piece of dark chocolate or candy I've stopped myself and asked "do I really want this? is it worth it? am I hungry or just bored?" So far, it's worked, I realize that I am doing it more out of habit than really truly wanting it. I'm sure at some point soon, I will really want the piece of chocolate and I'll have it to enjoy. I'll try to remember to savor it versus inhaling it. When I was in Colorado I realized so much of my eating before was just consuming, not appreciating or enjoying it. I was eating just to eat sometimes. Not even really being aware of what I was eating or how poor my nutrition could get. Keeping a food log has been one of the best things for me.
Making the commitment to workout, truly believing in the benefits of it and being aware of how good it is for me to do, has made being disciplined around working out easier for me. I don't second-guess it or give myself excuses on why I can't make it to the gym or do a certain workout. I don't think about it, I just tell myself to go and surprisingly I do. I don't always look forward to it on the drive over, but am so happy once I've done it and feel great afterwards that I know it's worth it. However, I've realized my discipline with food is quite situational. I am very strong and can stay on point, but in certain situations I automatically revert back to my bad habits, almost without thinking. I think it's just habit, that I used to eat more/bad food around certain people or that I would "automatic eat" - eat without thinking around them. This is something I still need to work on and be in better control of.
WODs:
Mon:
5 rounds for time (13:10)
10 burpees
10 box jumps
10 pull-ups
Tues am: (12:17)
30 pull-ups
50 kettleball swings (35#)
1k row
Tues pm:
8 x 2min on rower, 1 min rest between sets
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Twist on Tuna Salad
I haven't posted very much this week. I sprained my ankle on Wednesday night and haven't been able to workout since then, although today was the first day pain-free so I think I'm good to get back at it starting tomorrow. It actually felt weird not going the last couple of days, I'll take that as a good sign. My nutrition has been solid this week. I went out to dinner Thursday, Friday & Saturday but did well. I had a cheat meal Saturday night at Uncle Julio's, I know it's so bad, but I love the "liquid cheese" aka queso dip. We had been at the Michigan State vs. Northwestern football game Saturday, thankfully Sparty pulled off a victory after a scary 1st half. I have been able to keep to my no drinking so far - 2 weeks with no alcohol. It's been tough a few times, especially with all my friends around and everyone else putting it down. I just keep reminding myself that it will all pay off. So far, so good.
I finally tried a recipe I've been wanting to make for awhile. Costco has great Ahi Tuna and really well priced, so I made this salad with a few modifications (added below) and it was delicious!
Tuna Salad - the Barefoot Contessa
While still hot, cut the tuna in chunks and place it in a large bowl. Add the celery, parsley, scallions and red onion and mix well. Pour the vinaigrette mixture over the tuna and carefully mix.
I finally tried a recipe I've been wanting to make for awhile. Costco has great Ahi Tuna and really well priced, so I made this salad with a few modifications (added below) and it was delicious!
Tuna Salad - the Barefoot Contessa
2 pounds very fresh tuna steak, cut 1-inch thick
4 Tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black, plus extra for sprinkling
2 limes, zest grated
1 teaspoon wasabi powder (I didn't have any, but it tasted great w/o it)
6 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
10 dashes hot sauce (more to taste)
1 to 2 ripe Hass avocados, medium diced
4 Tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black, plus extra for sprinkling
2 limes, zest grated
1 teaspoon wasabi powder (I didn't have any, but it tasted great w/o it)
6 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
10 dashes hot sauce (more to taste)
1 to 2 ripe Hass avocados, medium diced
1 rib celery - thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)
1/4 cup red onion, small diced
1/4 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)
1/4 cup red onion, small diced
Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the tuna steaks in a very hot saute pan and cook for only 1 minute on each side. Set aside on a platter.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, lime zest, wasabi, lime juice, soy sauce and hot sauce. Add the avocados to the vinaigrette. While still hot, cut the tuna in chunks and place it in a large bowl. Add the celery, parsley, scallions and red onion and mix well. Pour the vinaigrette mixture over the tuna and carefully mix.
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