Positively Pumped!!

I've been cooped up for the past 5 days.  Correction...  I boarded a plane Friday morning at 7 a.m. by the time I arrived at my layover in Atlanta I was close to passing out.  Two hours later I finally arrived in Sarasota feeling like death warmed over.  Luckily my two closest friends were there to pick me up at the airport.  By Saturday morning I was in tears because my body ached so bad.  After going to Urgent Care we decided to pack up the car and drive back home.  I knew there was no way I could fly again.  I then spent the next four days doing absolutely nothing.  Not really the way I had planned my Florida vacation... or the ringing in of the New Year.  So no matter how awful my weekend/vacation was..... None of this has gotten me down!!

I can't wait for this upcoming year!!  I mean I am SUPER STOKED about it!!!  Generally speaking I have always been someone who loathes the winter months.  To the point depression starts to sink in, but I don't feel this way at all.  And I really haven't felt this way in two years.  Why?  Because I made some major changes in my life.  Choices.  I choose to be healthy.  I choose to be physically fit.  I choose to hang out with some awesome people.  I choose...  no one else.

So what's on the books already for 2013?
January:  Month of Crossfit!!... In addition to my usual workouts I have signed up for the Garage Games.  Also during this month our gym has several teams competing in the Barbell Blitz.  I will be heading down to Covington to cheer them on with some friends.  We will also be measuring ourselves and taking pics the first week of January to measure our successes this year.  I know, it's like I'm sick, but I seriously can't wait for this month to get started and going!  
February:  CRUISE baby!!!!  I will be cruising with a few of my close friends to the Bahamas.  We did this two years ago and let's just say everyone on that ship knew who we were by the time we departed.  Not so sure if that's something to be proud of, but MAN we had a great time!  Followed later in the month by Ladies Night at the house with the CCF Ladies (and now you all know this is coming).  
March:  Did someone say Crossfit Open?!?!  The Open is five weeks of competing with fellow crossfitters in your gym.  It is AH-MAZING!  It doesn't matter what level you are, you can do this! Everyone cheers one another on and the excitement in the gym is like nothing you can imagine.  And let's not forget my annual run in the Harrigan's 5K.  Hoping to beat last year's time.  
April:  Hello Spring... nuff said.... and this leads into summer... boating... sunshine... etc....

As you can see, the months are jammed packed!  But they will be so much fun and they will fly by.  I can't wait to spend them with awesome people who are nothing but encouraging!!  What does this mean to you?  If you're finding yourself negative or down in the dumps - change your setting!  You have the choice to choose who you hang around, where you put your energy, and how you feel.  Only you.  You don't have to do crossfit, but find that "thing" that gets you motivated every single day.  Find people who encourage you every single day.  Don't accept less for yourself.  Now go out and be positive!!

Game On!

It all starts this Wednesday.  A nutrition challenge at Centerville Crossfit.  There are two things that force me to commit to something:  1)  Money and 2) the word "challenge".  Any time I part with my hard earned cash I expect a return on investment.  So if I pay big money for jeans, I had better look darn good in them!  And I am always up for a challenge.  I have never been able to mentally understand those people who don't like challenges.  Is it laziness?  So confusing to me....

Anyways, I have pretty much lived my life this past year eating the standard Paleo way.  Over the past 3-4 months I have slipped to about 80/20 on this.  Okay, okay, let's be honest, it's probably more like 70/30.  There is something about going to a lake every weekend and eating pizza, chips, drinking beer, etc... that I just can't say no too.  But the lake house is officially closed and it's time for hibernation to begin.  And by hibernation I mean cooking and food prepping on Sundays, working out 3-4 days a week, and vacationing to some place warm at least 2-3 times during the winter.  

I went ahead and started prepping yesterday for this week.  I know the challenge doesn't start until Wednesday, but why wait?  Pictured above are the precooked bacon egg biscuits.  These have diced onions and tomatoes on the bottom with salt and pepper on top.  I went ahead and cooked these and just warmed them up this morning for breakfast.  While the oven was warm I cooked the whole remaining pound of bacon on a sheet pan.  I can pretty much eat bacon cold, warm, or scorching hot.    

Other items I made on Sunday:  

• Browned some ground turkey and added taco seasonings with a can of diced tomatoes (think Rotel, only I'm cheap and buy mine at Aldi's)  I will use this in lettuce wraps with some guac.  It's also good tossed in with eggs.
• Marinated pork loin.  This sucker is going to last me all week.  Random strangers are going to receive some pork loin by Wednesday.  
• Cut up vegetables for quick cooking and/or snacking.
• I will be making Fruit N Nut Bars tonight to hopefully help with my sweet tooth.

It's really day 1 for me and just knowing that I'm not suppose to eat sugary yummy food is making me want it more.  And the fact is I'm pretty good at making Paleo dessert type foods to get me by.  A whole month of no honey might just kill me.  Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating, but you just never know.

Breakdown of today so far:

• Woke up at 6:30am.
• Ate two bacon and egg biscuits at 7:30am.
• Got to work at 8am
• Met with Chiropractor at 10am (this is a whole other post... grrrr)
• 12:30 lunch:  Two burgers with lettuce and onion.  Not the greatest choice, but we eat lunch out daily and todays choice was the Fried Food Capitol of Moraine, Ohio called Treasure Island.
• Tonight I will be walking on the treadmill (again.... grrrr!!!) due to my back being all out of whack.  Dinner will be either the pork loin or the browned beef.  I'm leaning towards the pork loin with some grilled veggies.

My Paleo Grocery List

Many people have asked me what I eat, where I buy it, etc....  So tonight I thought I would write it all out and share it with the world.  Please note, I am not as strict as others are in regards to organic/grass-fed.  I try to stick to it as much as possible, but I am also human and don't spend a fortune at the grocery store.  For more information, google search "paleo".

Weekly Purchases and Where I buy them:

• Medjool Dates:  Trader Joe's or Earth Fare
• Almond Butter:  Trader Joe's is cheap, but I like Earth Fare's better
• Unsweetened coconut:  Earth Fare
• Eggs and Bacon:  Kroger
• Veggies:  Green, Red, and Yellow Peppers, Carrots, etc... :  Kroger or Aldi's
• Fruits:  Bananas... for recipes or freezing:  Kroger or Aldi's
• Frozen Fruit for smoothies or recipes:  Trader Joe's or Aldi's
• Almond Milk, no sugar:  Trader Joe's  (pink carton, on the shelf)
• Variety of nuts:  Trader Joe's
• Guac:  Aldi's

What should ALWAYS be in your pantry, fridge, or freezer:

• Sundried Tomatoes:  Trader Joe's
• Frozen Veggies  (no excuses not to have veggies)
• Meat!!!  I bought a grass fed cow last fall.  Best investment ever.  When you see meat on sale, stock up!  I have enough flank steak in my freezer to feed an army.  
• Eggs
• Ghee:  Earth Fare
• Coconut or Almond Flour
• Coconut Oil  (Trader Joe's has, you have to ask for it!)
• Seasonings  (garlic, basil, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc...)
• Honey:  Use sparingly people.  (Trader Joe's)

I make A LOT of food on Sunday nights.  I usually bake (Yes, bake on a cookie sheet) a pound of bacon so it is readily available throughout the week.  Do not, I repeat, do not eat a full pound of bacon at one sitting!  Think of it as a side dish.  I add it to eggs, chicken, brussel sprouts, etc....  I also make fruit n nut bars, paleo muffins, or some type of energy muffin/bar to get me through the week.  (Again, these are all still paleo.)  I also cut up veggies, hard boil some eggs, brown a pound of beef, and create any marinades I might need.  You can find a billion recipes online.  Or I strongly recommend you use pinterest.  Here is a link to my Paleo Main Dishes board.

Happy Shopping!!!

February Update

I'm finding it hard to believe that it is already February 13th.  Seriously, where does the time go?  I foresee flip-flop season approaching!  Are you ready?

I recently returned from cruising with my mom to Mexico.  We had a great time!  I now have a tan which will last for about one week due to the OH-IO cold.

This is me and my mom's 3rd cruise together.  For the record, on the first cruise I gained almost 10Lbs.  Yes, you read that right!  On the 2nd cruise I gained 5Lbs.  On the 3rd cruise, I lost a pound!  Proof positive that eating and exercise combined make a huge difference!  My mom and I exercised daily.  She would walk the full ship while I ran.  I made it six times around without stopping!  That is 2.5 miles and the first time I have ever jogged that far without stopping (or feeling like I was going to collapse).  On other days I would go to the gym and make up my own wods (90 sec row, 30 sec rest, 90 sec plank, 30 sec rest, 90 sec sit ups, 30 sec rest, 90 sec squats, 30 sec rest.  Repeat 5 times.)  At one point my mother looked at me and said, "Please don't hurt yourself, I won't be able to get home without you."  She is one funny momma.

This is one of the meals.  Lobster and shrimp with veggies and rice.  I did not eat the rice.  Not going to lie, I did eat frozen yogurt EVERY SINGLE DAY!  And yes, it was worth it.  Did I mention I still lost a pound?  HAHA!

Recently I have come in contact with many people who ask me how often I workout.  Or they make comments that I'm a gym rat.  So, I just want to take this moment to clear that up..... I go to the gym on Tuesday and Thursday nights.  And I occasionally throw in a Saturday when my schedule allows it.  For the love of Pete people, it has taken me 37 years to realize this so I'm going to let you in on the secret..... what you put in your mouth is what appears on your thighs.  If you eat crap, you're going to look and feel like crap. Period.  You have to have the will, it's not in a pill.

It is truly strange for me to hear people call me little.  I have looked at this picture above multiple times in the past week and said to myself - that's really you.  I can't wait to see what the next year brings!  Hopefully I am ripped like some of my fellow crossfitters.  (Val S., I'm talking to you.)

Bring It 2012!

Happy New Year!!!

As I sit here and think back on this year I realize how truly blessed I am.  We can all come up with things in our lives that we feel like we are missing.... say a husband or kids for me.  But when I take a step back and realize everything else that I do have, wowza! am I ever blessed!!

So it's December 31, 2011.  A year ago I promised myself I would lose weight and get fit.  Now, I am 32Lbs less and able to lift more weight than I ever imagined.  Physically this year has been amazing.  And actually, this year has been pretty amazing in every aspect of my life.  Emotionally, financially, spiritually, etc....  It all kind of goes hand in hand when you decide to work on it.

So what are my goals for 2012?  And yes, I said goals.  I think the word "goal" sounds so much better than a "resolution".  I actually created a very detailed spreadsheet that hits almost every point of one's life, but I will give you my fitness/health goals:

• Run (not walk, RUN) the Harrigan's 5K on St. Patty's Day
• Hand stand push-ups, double unders, and kipping pull-ups... you will be mine by this time next year!
• 20Lbs less by May.... hello swimsuit season
• Continue to eat Paleo
• Of course, continue losing weight and gaining muscle with my Centerville Crossfit family.... they ROCK!

2011 Before and After

Size 10's!!!!

I have so much to write about, but first and foremost... I am wearing size 10 jeans today!!  I started this year wearing a tight 14.  You know, the kind of tightness that you wear baggy shirts so that the muffin top spilling over is not seen by all.  Today I fit comfortably into a size 10.  This is after my friend Amy looked at me while we were in NYC and said, "Ok, those pants are too big.  You're not allowed to wear them anymore."  Seeing as how that was the second time I had heard that comment in a week, I decided it was time to part with the baggy 12's.  YAY!!!!

And yes, you heard right, I was in the Big Apple for 4 days.  That's 4 days of pizza and pretzels on EVERY corner.  I accumulated 5 cheat points total.  Which brings my total cheats to 7 on this day 16 of the 50 day paleo challenge.  I had pizza, gelato, a canolli, and the best ice cream brownie sundae ever!!  I also walked for 3 days straight for about  8-9 hours per day.  Luckily the exercise kept me from gaining any weight.  The hardest part about having those tasty treats, it makes me want more.  That's the thing with sugar, it is an addictive substance.  I know it will take several days, if not a week, to get the thoughts of sugar plums out of my head.  (What the heck is a sugar plum?)

We landed back in Ohio late Monday afternoon.  I immediately laid out some beef and sausage from the freezer and headed to the grocery store.  I knew this week was going to be a hectic between my dad having surgery and my CrossFit workouts.  I made a big pot of chili on Monday night.  I can eat chili on and with anything.  (Examples:  egg topper, avocado, stuffed in a green pepper, etc...)  If you make chili, add some veggies to it such as a diced up red and green bell pepper.  It's the easiest way to get more vegetables in your diet.  My lifesaver this week has been the egg muffins I made a few weeks ago and froze.  I completely forgot to buy eggs at the grocery.  I've been popping the muffins in the microwave for about 2 minutes every morning.

We are having a Paleo Potluck dinner at the gym this Friday.  Hopefully I will get some new dishes that I can share with you all.  :)  

Paleo Challenge: Why am I doing this?

Today starts a 50 day Paleo challenge at my gym, Centerville Crossfit.  I had already started eating "paleo" about 3 weeks prior so I feel like I'm ready for this.  What is Paleo?  Simplest way to explain it:  eat meats, fish, plenty of veggies, some nuts, few fruits, and good fats like avocado and olive oil.  So with the process of elimination right now you should be saying - no dairy or bread or beans or sugar (real or artificial) ?!?!?!?  Yes, kids.  None.

And now you're thinking, oh it's just another low carb diet.  Well, yes and no.  Yes it is low in carbohydrates.  But no, it's not the standard low carb diet.  Why?  Because these foods aren't just removed because of their carbohydrates.  They are removed because of what the food itself does to your body.  For more information check out Robb Wolf's website, http://robbwolf.com/.  And definitely read his book, "The Paleo Solution".

Let's get back to the good stuff.... why did I choose to do this?  If you know me well, you know that in the fall of 2008 I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis.  It is much like Crohn's disease which effects a person's digestive system.  When having a flair up a person with UC knows exactly where every restroom is located within seconds of walking into a building.  I was put on medication at the phenomenally valued price of $180 per month.  (and that's with sucky insurance)  I was also told to eat plenty of fiber and beans.  (This now makes me laugh)

One year later my appendix burst and I had my first appendectomy.  Six months later I was diagnosed with Endometriosis.  I had my first endo surgery done which removed a lot of the endo, but I was told it would never fully be gone and would continue to grow.  Guess what?  Six months later, due to extreme pain, I had another surgery.  And when I say pain, I'm talking the kind that wakes you up at night because you're pretty sure something is cutting you with a knife in your abdomen area.  This time a cyst the size of a grapefruit was removed.... along with an ovary.  sniffle sniffle...   Ok, ok, life goes on.... suck it up!

So for two years I was in and out of doctor's offices on a weekly basis and was able to rack up 3 surgeries.  Literally.  I was determined to make 2011 a year of positive changes.  First I started working out.  Then I read "The Paleo Solution" by Robb Wolf.  Hey, wouldn't you know it.... he has/had Ulcerative Colitis too!  After just three weeks of changing my eating habits I have had ZERO digestive issues.  I have taken ZERO medications for either disease.  And I feel fantastic!!  A friend over the weekend said to me, "Your face is glowing like a pregnant woman."  (And I am 100% NOT prego!!)  So if you are reading this, why not give it 30 days and see if it makes a change to your life the way it has mine?