The Countdown is ON!

After my Whole30 last year, I went off the rails. And I had many failed attempts on getting back on track. MANY FAILED ATTEMPTS! And I got to a point where I was ready to concede to the weight gain and just be. Thankfully, I shook myself out of that thought process and recommitted to finding my happy healthy self. I’m now TWENTY FIVE days into Whole30. Five days to go! And by Day 12ish, I was super happy I decided to get back to it.

I know I’ve lost some weight but I’m not sure how much just yet. But I was blaming my poor performance at the BOOM Box on my weight gain. But in the end it was just my poor eating habits that needed to change. I’m pretty sure I’ve had minimal weight loss right now (I DID GAIN ALOT) but I am doing so much better in EVERYTHING. My runs are better, I found my Toes To Bar and I’m able to push through on most everything much easier. These are big things for me. So can you only imagine if you have moderate to zero physical activity, yet you are having a hard time getting out of bed because everything hurts. Eating clean should make you feel like a ROCKSTAR! Imagine: less headaches, less joint pain, clear focus, better sleep, more energy. That’s what Whole30 could do for you. Heck, just trying to eat cleaner in general will do wonders. Make that change folks.

You can’t look at me and say… oh she was already skinny. Or she was already super fit. I wasn’t. I gained a lot of weight. I let self discipline go out the window. I had to start over. You can too. And you will be OK. You will be GREAT! So quit with the back and forth. Quit with the lolligagging. Just make the decision to do better. Find better health. Find physical activity. Find your Happy Place!

1/29/14 Lunch

1/29/14 BOOM Box
Mobility: We did the killer QUAD stretch against the wall. 3 minutes each leg. UGH!

Conditioning: 1k time trial rower
I repeat over and over, I enjoy rowing, but I’m not good at it. So here was a good time to work on rowing. I’m only steady and strong for about 250m. Maybe one day I’ll bump up to a solid 500m. But that’s not anytime soon I don’t think. Time: 4:27

1/29/14 WOD

MetCon: 10 min AMRAP of 25 Jumping Air Squats, 50 DU, 3 MU
Well, we thoroughly smoked our legs on the Rowing. Now add Jump Air Squats. I figured I wouldn’t be able to walk today, but I can with minimal soreness. But I also didn’t get too far into reps with it being a 10 min AMRAP and having to do 9 Pull Ups for the Muscle UP modification. I got through my first set of 25 JAS pretty quickly. My DUs were a struggle. I was trying to do them slow, but I couldn’t slow down. So I was messing up way more than if I just busted them out AFAP. Then got to Pull Ups and struggled. Not as bad as I would have weeks ago but PULL UPS are terrible. By round 2 my JAS were not as quick but I still kept a steady pace. My brain and body were too tired to think for the second set of DUs so I finished them much more quickly. For some reason, I had a hard time getting a good breath in. So I hung out a few seconds before getting to the Pull Ups. But I was good on time. I thought I could get one more round in. I stumbled through DU again which slowed me down. Final: 2 Rounds + 25 JAS + 50 DU + 3 Pull Ups

That’s a Wrap!
It’s almost the weekend. Woooo! And if you’re local, then come out to CrossFit Boom for a Community WOD at 9 am and YOGA at 10 am. You wont’ be sorry. We have fun and you can laugh at me sucking at Yoga!

FIVE days to go! No matter where you are on your journey, keep going strong. Do your best. And if you trip up, that’s fine. Just get back on the right path and don’t be too hard on you! Happy Thursday!

It’s a La-di-da Kind of Day

It’s Day TWENTY FOUR of my Whole30 and although I’ve been going strong, yesterday wasn’t the best day. I didn’t fuel up before my grueling workout and I was too much of a bum to put real effort into dinner afterwards. And maybe due to eating dinner so late, I woke up feeling icky. My stomach was not happy so I wasn’t about to hit up the BOOM Box not knowing what my innards would be up to. Fortunately it was just a sour feeling and nothing more, but it’s been with me all morning.

And even in the midst of feeling not so great, I still feel good in all other areas. I still managed to get Eggs, Brussel Sprouts and an orange down for breakfast. I’ve been drinking water and hot tea. Just trying to push through. I attribute some of the ickiness to monthly perks of being a female, but gosh darn it, I’ve been on a winner’s high. I’ve been kicking old food habits in the bootay and getting back to my old healthy self. And then I feel bleh. Ah well. It’s not getting in my way! Even though “food dreams” are becoming a nightly thing. I don’t crave food when I’m awake. Just thinking about greasy, cheesy or sweet food makes my brain think “ick”. I know the ramifications. I know it will hurt or hinder me. And right now it would just be a set back to all my hard work. So keep your fingers crossed my mind stays in this mode!

1/28/14 Boom Box
Strength: 50 heavy Russian swings
For some reason these got me. NO FUEL in my body I suppose. But it took me a while to get these knocked out.

Skill: Box Jumps
Thank goodness we just went over being efficient. Nothing high or insane. I can handle 20″ and 24″ box jumps. Get into the 30″ range and I’m a scaredy cat.

MetCon: 50 thrusters 165/105 3 lat bar burpees every minute on the minute.
When I walked in to the BOOM Box, the 6pm class was finishing up. I should have left right then. It was brutal. It looked and sounded like a movie set in the gladiator days. I could have snuck out and I wouldn’t have had to endure the craziness!

But I didn’t did I?!? I stayed. And I realized although my wrist is getting better, I still can’t do Thrusters comfortably with the bar. I can do them but I can feel it all too well in the wrist. So I went with 25lb dumbbells. These were a beating, so I do not know how everyone did 75lbs+. Seriously, death! 3-2-1-Go and we started with 3 Lateral Bar Burpees. So we do a Burpee and jump over bar X 3. Then we can start our Thrusters. But as soon as a minute is up, it’s back to 3 Burpees. I really thought because I just had 25lb dumbbells that I would fly through the WOD. I was wrong. OH SO WRONG! I managed to do mostly sets of 4-6 reps, then a few sets with 4 or less. Time: 9:51

That’s a Wrap!
SIX full days to go! Can I get an AMEN?!? You may just be 6 days in, or you maybe 6 days from committing. Just commit. It’s worth it. It’s a work in progress. But overall it’s AWESOMENESS! Feel better, look better and build that confidence in yourself to be better. You got this! I BELIEVE IN YOU!

Found!

At the corner of Clean Eating and Consistency, I FOUND my Toes To Bar! What! What! This my friends is a big deal. Back in early 2013 I still had them but as time went on, the LBS packed on and my Boom Box attendance floundered. I slowly but surely lost them. I wasn’t beastly at them in the first place but how sad it was to know how easy T2B can just disappear. Now boys and girls they are back! I was so excited, you have no idea. Whole30 will not do you wrong! I can’t promise it will always be rainbows and unicorns but eventually you find that happy place and it feels good.

So it’s Day TWENTY THREE and Day THIRTY is out there in the shadows. So much of me wants to just keep on keepin on, but so much of me wants a little break too. This is such a hard mental battle. I’m determined to stay on the right track but I’m already making up excuses in my head for days I have to offroad a bit. I’m hoping when push comes to shove, that I just stick it out and stay strong. WholeLife it on.

1/27/14 Lunch

Food and the work that comes with it!
A lot of people moan and groan on how much work it takes to prep and cook when they start off on the Whole30. It’s true, it is work but it does get easier. For a lot of people, this is completely new and it can be a little bit overwhelming. You aren’t just picking up your normal items in the grocery store. You aren’t buying processed, full of badness, boxed food where you just add a protein. You have to hunt down specific things and maybe even venture into other grocery stores, which in itself could be a confusing adventure. It can also be very defeating because there a lot of staples out there that just aren’t Whole30 compliant and you’ve probably been buying them your whole life. At this point, I’m hoping you’re determined enough to at least start. But as with any new endeavor, once you learn the ropes, it all starts becoming easier. You learn and make new kitchen habits. You will try to find ways to be more efficient and soon enough it will be second hand. I would say that halfway through Whole30 is when you probably will find ease in your prepping. You’ll know what works for you.

What worked for me most, is that I keep all of my free Whole30 downloads with me, along with a copy of It Starts With Food. I keep my phone linked to Whole30 forums so I can do quick and easy searches. On my first Whole30, I tagged all the important pages and I constantly referenced them. This time around, I mostly just keep them with me so I have ZERO excuse when I want to give up. I literally carry a bag with me with all of the literature. It’s with me at work, it’s with me in the car, it’s with me at home. All of the time. I know with technology you can have your smartphones or iPads, but there’s something about me physically carrying the paper and books that keeps me focused.

Even though I’ve made Paleo Mayo a lot, I still bust out the Whole30 recipe and put it on my counter. I’m in a hurry most everyday so I’m liable to screw it up. I make sure I read the recipe every time even though I have it memorized. It’s not work anymore. It’s just what I do. I’ve made new habits. You will too. And remember it’s only 30 days. You can push yourself outside your comfort zone for one month out of a year!

1/27/14 Boom Box
Midline: 50 Hollow Rocks
What can I say? I still don’t like Hollow Rocks. Same as it ever was.

Strength: Back Squats 3×10 @65%
Who doesn’t love Squat time? But it’s been a while since I’ve worked on Back Squats. We were doing a lot of Front Squats and my wrist was holding me back so the weight wasn’t as heavy. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel. But 65% of 175 isn’t so bad. My first set wasn’t weak but it was slow. I picked up the pace for the other two sets and felt much better about everything.

1/27/14 WOD

MetCon: 8 min AMRAP of 8 T2B and 5 DL 225/135
Well you already had the spoiler at the beginning of this post, but I wasn’t sure I’d do Toes to Bar. I really had the mindset coming in that I would do Knees to Elbow. But Coach had us warm up a little bit with Knees to Elbow before we started and I realized how close I was to T2B so I went for it and FAILED. But I was so close. So I went for it again and I failed! I probably did that for 4 or 5 times and finally my TOES hit the FREAKIN BAR! Well I done did it. Now I have to do it in the workout! Doh! So even though I hit the bar, I wasn’t sure I’d do it for 8 reps or MORE!

Even though I couldn’t string them together it turns out FOR MY STATUS, I was killing it! I only had 2 No Reps, and I probably did rest a little more than I should have but I kept chipping away. Deadlifts were relatively light but again. I rested a little too long before picking up the bar. Final: 4 rounds + 3 T2B RX! Small victory for me 🙂

That’s a Wrap!
It’s cold down here in Texas and I’d love nothing more than some comfort foods. So I’ll probably have Steak and Cauli Mash for dinner! But a lot can happen between now and then. So we’ll see. I do hope you all are making things happen. I’d love nothing more than to see and hear happy reports of progress and change! Stop waffling and get on board if you haven’t committed yet. Do something NOW!

We have a Winner!

If you didn’t already know, the 3 Phase Paleo E-book giveaway ended on Friday. And the winner is one of my readers, Samantha! You know who you are and you’ll be receiving an email soon on how to claim your prize! Thanks again everyone for being a part of my first book review and giveaway. Hopefully it will be something I do more often! And you can still buy the book if you’d like. I have the link available on the menu bar to the right or you can click right HERE!

In other news, I’m on Day TWENTY TWO of Whole30! I even had some successful outings over the weekend where I took control of my food and only craved non compliant foods for a half second 🙂

1/24/14
Day NINETEEN. At this point I can really throw anything into a bowl for breakfast and eat it on the way into work. Sometimes it doesn’t sound appetizing but I still eat it all up and stick to the Whole30 guidelines. As you all have probably noticed, lunches are typically leftovers incorporated into a salad. Just like the one below. I had some drumsticks and we have Franks RedHot Sauce at my j.o.b. So I tossed my already yummy drumsticks in the sauce for some extra heat. Paired with my salad and BAM, lunch was fantastic!

1/24/14 Lunch

Boom Workout
The CrossFit Games Open is coming upon us and Coach must have been nostalgic for the workout 12.2! Snatches, snatches and more snatches.
Skill: Kipping/C2B/Ring MU
Well I’m really feeling better about my Kipping abilities. But that was just that one day for about 10 minutes. Another day could be a totally different story!

1/24/14 WOD

MetCon: This is an example of a CrossFit Open WOD WORKOUT 12.2 Proceed through the sequence below completing as many reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
45 pound Snatch, 30 reps
75 pound Snatch, 30 reps
100 pound Snatch, 30 reps
120 pound Snatch, as many reps as possible

Well I know I can do 75lbs from one of 2013 workouts where we had a similar WOD. But they were sloppy and ugly. With my wrist being such a bugger lately, I wasn’t sure how far along I would get.

So I was flying through the 45lb reps and realized after about 12 I should slow it down. So I stopped at 15 and took a small break. I moved on to the last 15 and then it was time to load on more weight. 75lbs and me have issues. So after a few FAILS, I finally got it overhead. IT was still ugly but not as sloppy as I was a year ago. And I definitely had more UMPH in me this time around. I was able to do more reps but I was so slow to convince myself for each rep that I could freaking do it. So I took a lot of time holding the bar, leaving the bar, coming back to the bar, etc. I’m a girl baby. Final: 46 reps RX. Better than 12.2 where I only had 30 and better than Open 13.1 last year where I only got 5 reps at 75lbs. So YAY for small victories!

1/25/14 A whole Day of BOOM
The Boom Box was happenin on Saturday. Morning Community WOD, Morning YOGA and a Ladies Night Out. Fun, Fun and more Fun. We had a nice showing for the Community WOD and yay for us we did a Fight Gone Bad style workout.

3 ROUNDS of One minute of each: Row for calories, HR Push Ups, Butterfly Sit Ups, Burpee to Plate, and Rest.

1/25/14 Community WOD

Welllll, we have 4 rowers and one Airdyne. Lucky me got to use the Airdyne which is spawned from HELL. This little bike apparatus is not so little and not so cute. It’s evil and takes everything out of me. And I couldn’t get it to reset ever, so I’d be biking along with no Calories clicking. So frustrating. So by the time I did get some calories in, the minute was almost up.

Evil Airdyne

Boooo. Then I moved to HR Push Ups. I started off on my knuckles then tested the water for normal HR Push Ups and I could do them! Wooooo! Not a lot at a time. But the wrist was being cooperative. My only movement that helped me gain reps was the Butterfly Sit Ups. Without those my score would have been much less. Because I was dragging by the time i got to burpees. I averaged between 12-15 reps there. Final: 180

Yoga

Last time we had Yoga, I felt pretty good about the whole thing. This time around, I felt like a HOT MESS. I couldn’t stay still. I was fidgeting, itching and overall sore. Not a happy camper but I stuck with it.

Ladies Night!
All you ladies who aren’t sure about CrossFit should definitely come to a Ladies Night, well if you’re local that is! And if you’re not, maybe check out nearby boxes to see if they offer anything similar. It’s fun, it’s laid back and we still get work in. Plus we like to go eat afterwards.

Coach had us all warm up as a group. Then he separated us regulars from the new faces. He tasked up with Yoke pushes and Ring Toes to Bar. While we were doing all of that, he went over the fundamentals of CrossFit with the first timers. Then we all got back together for the main WOD of the evening. We split up into groups and he went over the work.

2K Row, 50 Burpees, 25 Box Step Ups each, 50 Burpees, 2K Row. So we could split the work up except for the Box Step Ups and we could only go one person at a time. I didn’t realize that I would have such a hard time coming up with the right words to help the new ladies row. Thankfully Coach stepped in to help out! But we all did our work and pushed through the workout. And hopefully the new folks had a good time.

Then it came down to EATING. The whole day I debated if I would go eat or if I would just go home. Even though I prepared some food to take to dinner, I wasn’t 100% sure I would put myself into dangerous waters. But I had fun with all the Boom Box ladies and wanted it to continue. So I went with my Whole30 Compliant snacks. And of course we went to a Mexican food restaurant! So many tempations. The chips, the tortillas, everything! But I held strong. Had me an iced tea and ordered some guacamole. Then I busted out my Paleo Ranch Dressing and some carrots and cucumbers and I was set. I also made sure to have more Chicken for my PWO meal so I wasn’t missing out on Protein. Was it the ideal Whole30 meal? No, but I feel I did rather well.

Dinner out with the Ladies of CrossFit Boom.

1/26/14
No working out today. All Rest. Shopping. Prepping. And Cooking. I did good this past week with no real Food Plan so I figured I’d wing it again this week. And score, my Whole Foods now carries Bearded Brothers Energy Bars. Score for me. They are Texas local and I had never tried their bars but I’ve read about them plenty. So it was a pleasant surprise when I was looking for Lara Bars to have found them. These are better than Lara bars in my opinion, but they are also a little more spendy. Well worth it though!

But my Sunday wasn’t all about shopping and prepping and so forth. It was my youngest kiddo’s Birthday! And we always go eat Japanese Hibachi. Welp, they cook with loads of butter, loads of oil and loads of SOY. I don’t like to be the one who asks for everything special so I just ordered some sashimi and brought my own coconut aminos. I also ate before hand so my minimal amounts of fish were just extra protein and fats. Oh did I want some fried rice. Not in the I’m might hurt someone kind of way, but I could taste the rice in my brain! So bad! But again I survived! Wooo! But I think the Fish got me. My stomach was unsettled all night and I tossed and turned not getting great sleep. Which left me missing out on the 5 a.m. Boom Box workout.

1/27/14
So with little sleep and a bleh stomach, I just had bone broth and half of a Bearded Brothers bar with GINGER to help settle the stomach. Still not feeling AWESOME but I’m getting through the day.

I’m hoping I’m feeling up to a workout tonight but if not, I’ll be fine. Extra rest isn’t going to hurt me!

That’s a WRAP!
So there you have it! I’m on the downhill stretch now! Feb. 4th is the 30th Day. It’s so close! Woooooo! I’m not planning on derailing, I’m just looking forward to not being so strict. Let loose a little and not be super duper concerned about every oil or seasoning something is cooked in. Anyhow….I hope everyone is doing good in their Health and Fitness Journey. And if you’re a little discouraged on your journey, this post by Whole30 should be a good read for you. Be strong! Be Better than Yesterday!

It’s a FAB FRIDAY, y’all!

I’m almost 2/3 done with Whole30. Day NINETEEN! This is a point where I feel I could do this FOREVER. Not making any promises, but I’m definitely back on track! It’s been great cleaning up my foods.

I feel better, my workouts are better and best of all RECOVERY from workouts is at it’s best. Even though cooking can still feel like a chore, I’ve learned to just suck it and stop pouting like a 5 year old! Just do it and get it over with.

Last night, I had the best CHICKEN THIGHS I’ve ever cooked. OR maybe I was just hungry. I typically bake them in the oven. But last night I cooked them on the stove taking notes from NOM NOM Paleo. I took out the bones. I didn’t mash them down like she did but it was not easy task removing the bone. So I did enough tenderizing my hand! While I was busy with deboning the thighs, I had coconut oil heating up in a pan. I salted the skin side and laid them in the oil. Then I seasoned the meat. I let the chicken cook skin side down for probably 8 minutes. Then I flipped and let cook for about 4 minutes. It was juicy and flavorful and melted in my mouth. Nothing beats PASTURE chicken skin! So good.

1/23/14 Dinner

I missed my 5 a.m. workout today but hoping to get it in this evening. My stomach has been doing a number on me the past 3 days. And this morning it was a rumbling. So I slept in. Nothing serious, but probably finally healing up from all the damage I put it through in 2013!

READ MY REVIEW of 3 Phase Paleo and ENTER GIVEAWAY!

I’ll be on the downhill stretch for my Whole30 update on Monday. It feels so GOOD to feel GOOD again! And don’t forget TODAY is the last day to enter the 3 Phase Paleo E-book Giveaway. And if you just don’t want to take the gamble to see if you win, you can Click HERE to buy it NOW.

READ MY REVIEW of 3 Phase Paleo and ENTER GIVEAWAY!

Happy Friday! Make it great. Get your planning, prepping and organizing done. Be ready for the last week of January! Be Bullet PROOF! Just make one change if that’s all you got. But do it already! Stop dragging your feet like a 2 year old that doesn’t want to leave the toy store! And thank you all again for sticking with me for this long! 2014 is going to be FANTABULOUS!

My Bootay was Kicked

Oh man, Curtis Ps and running. Thanks Coach for trying to kill us! And the soreness is taking it’s toll on my glutes, oh my! You know when you walk in to your box and the WOD takes 20-30 minutes that you’re in for it. And although it was a beating, I actually walked away feeling great. Maybe that Tiger Blood is kicking in?!? Maybe I’m just so happy to Clean a Bar (even if it is only lightweight) that I overlooked the misery. And even though I woke up to some achy legs and a really bruised knee, I was ready to take on the morning workout as well. I think it may be Tiger Blood!

1/21/14 WOD
Sled Pull 100ft x 3 Backwards
I think I like pulling the Sled backwards more than forwards but it’s not a far distance so maybe only during short pulls. 😀

1/21/14 WOD

MetCon: 4 Rounds of 20 Curtis P’s 75/45lbs, 400m run
Ahhhh, Curtis P’s should get your butt in shape. These are no joke! You first must clean the bar, then lunge forward with right leg, then lunge forward with left leg, then press overhead. That’s 1. So we had to 20, then run X FOUR! I started off with the 25lb bar which I could clean with only a little tightness in the wrist. As I warmed up the wrist was much better. So we put 10lbs on the bar. This I could still do and Coach had me stay there just to be safe. I’m glad because I think 45lbs would have been too much for now. Soon, I will be back to normal! My first round was alright, my 2nd round was slow and I tried to push harder in the 3rd and 4th rounds. It’s the running that gets me! Time: 25:13

1/22/14 WOD
Skill: EMOM for 12 minutes of 15 ring dips odd, 20 DU even
The progress on my wrist is good. I can now hold my body weight in a plank position. I can not however push up my self without pain. So Rng Dips were not happening. Instead of Ring Dips, I did Bench Press with the Multi-Grip bar. It’s been forever since I did any sort of Bench work. So 65lbs caught up to me fast, especially the way the Multi-Grip bar is set up. I started of with sets of 10 but I was struggling so Coach T had me knock a rep off as the minutes went on. As for Double Unders, well I started off really weaksauce. It took me a while to get going. But by the end I was doing them unbroken. My legs were not cooperating. Maybe all that work from last night!

01/22/14 WOD

MetCon: 12 min AMRAP of 8 Shoulder TOH 115/75, 8 C2B, 4 Forward Rolls. DU Practice if time remains.
Coach T had us move DU practice to before the AMRAP which was nice. I don’t think I would have had it in my shoulders to do any DU work.
I continued to use the Multi-Grip bar for my STOH. It’s only 65lbs but that’s all I could handle with my upper body still getting back on track. For once I could string almost all 8 C2B (banded of course) without crying or dying! That’s Tiger Blood, ladies and gents. And then Forward Rolls came. Now I’m not gymnast but I can do some rolls. I have not however done them in quite some time and I learned that they made me really really dizzy. Holy Crap. That sucked. I took too much time between rolls and really slowed my pace on the STOH. Thus leaving me with only 4 rounds + 8 STOH + 1 C2B.

Day SEVENTEEN!

Yaaaaaa! I’m here and killing it. I feel better during my workouts, I’m recovering faster and I’m totally not bloated on a daily basis. I still have some weight to lose but I am feeling great and seeing a difference in how my clothes are fitting me. I still haven’t found my happy place with preparing my meals. I dread getting started but once I start I do find peace in prepping and cooking. So now if I could just look forward to the process! Overall I would say that the Tiger Blood is slowly creeping in. I feel good. I sleep good. And I am not feeling miserable watching other people stuff crap into their bodies. Woooo!

1/21/14 Lunch

I also, finally made some handy dandy Cauli Fried Faux Rice. Yummo! Sliced up a steak really thin, cooked with an Asian flair and DINNER was served. So good. I could eat this every day I think. Now I’m not going to tell you it’s just like RICE cause I love rice and rice it is not. But, it’s seriously tasty. And really does a good job in getting that Asian food craving I get. Plus veggies as my base instead of filler rice! Score.

I took the following recipe from Paleo Cupboard and slightly modified it for me. I used Avocado Oil instead of lard or tallow. As I have none. I almost used Ghee but realized my Ghee had expired and I wasn’t going to test the waters on if it could be good still. I also used green beans instead of peas. I used to eat at this one Hibachi place that put green beans in their fried rice. LOVED it. So ya. And for the cauliflower. I have a shredder disc on my Food Processor, so it makes a nice rice consistency. But a hand grater or just pulse on your food processor is just as good!

1/21/14 Dinner

Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice
Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins Servings: 6

Ingredients:
– 1 head of cauliflower
– 2 Tbsp. + 2 more Tbsp. lard/bacon fat or tallow
– 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
– 1 small onion, chopped
– 2 Tbsp. garlic, chopped
– 1 cup green peas
– 4 eggs, whisked
– 6 Tbsp. coconut aminos
– 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
– 1/2 tsp. fish sauce
– Sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Equipment:
– Kitchen knife
– Cutting board
– Vegetable peeler
– Cheese grater or food processor
– Paper towels (optional)
– Large skillet or large Wok
– Large bowl
– Measuring spoons
– Stirring spoon

Directions:
1. Prepare your vegetables and whisk eggs. Grate the cauliflower on the larger side of a cheese grater, or pulse pieces in a food processor until they are rice sized. I like to wrap the riced cauliflower in a couple paper towels and squeeze it to remove any excess moisture, which helps make sure you get the crispier texture you are looking for.
2. Heat your skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. of lard/bacon fat or tallow to the pan and allow it to melt. Add your onions, garlic and carrots and cook for about 2-3 minutes. If using peas, add them and cook 1 additional minute. Remove from pan and set aside in a large bowl.
3. Next add your whisked eggs to the pan and scramble them until they are lightly browned. Add a little sea salt and pepper, remove from pan and add them to the large bowl with the vegetables.
4. Next add the remaining 2 Tbsp. of lard/bacon fat or tallow to the pan and allow it to get very hot. Add the riced cauliflower to the pan and toss it in the oil. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, only stirring every couple minutes so that it allows some pieces on the bottom to fry and get brown and crispy.
5. Add the vegetable and rice mixture back to the pan and stir to combine. Add the sesame oil, coconut aminos, fish sauce and some additional sea salt and pepper to taste.
6. Scarf this down and smile.

That’s a WRAP!
Whew. HUMP DAY! You know how people say they get a Runner’s High? Well me personally, I’ve never experienced such things. I DESPISE running. But I feel like I could truly say I’m on a Whole30 High. LOL. I know, I see the eye rolls and hear the “ya whatevers” but it’s true. The Tiger Blood. But not in that Charlie Sheen, Winning, kind of Tiger Blood. Just the kind that makes you feel AWESOME!

So go ahead, go make a change. Do something new and healthy for you!

Tiger Blood…not just yet

It’s Day SIXTEEN of Whole30! Yayaya. Made it through the halfway point and holding strong. By now I should be feeling like I have the blood of tigers. That’s what they say on the Whole30 timeline. While I’m not ready to take on the world I sure as heck feels tons better. So it’s coming along. This past weekend though seemed to be the hardest on me as far as wanting to stick with it. I was ready to throw in the towel and just go out to eat. Have some tasty food and beverages.

But I just sucked it up and stuck with my compliant foods. Saturday, however, was probably too much snacking for me. Boredom struck. And I found myself eating too much trail mix and too much fruit. I didn’t really feel any ramifications from it, but I KNEW I should have held back and think things through better.

I’ve been really bad at taking pics of my food. I have a couple here but nothing too exciting! As far as following Weeknight Paleo, I opted out for week 3. There was some tasty dishes but they included honey. And I just can’t imagine the recipes tasting the same if I eliminated some key ingredients. I wasn’t prepared ahead enough for other weeks either. So I just bought enough staples that I know I will eat for this week.

1/17/14 Lunch

1/20/14 Lunch

Boom Box 1/17/14
Skill: Bar Muscle Ups
I was able to work on some of the progressions but I could only do so much. The wrist still needs work. A lot of the pain is gone, now it’s mobility and getting back on track. I still can’t hold my body weight, but I’m getting closer.

1/17/14 WOD

MetCon: 12 min AMRAP of 15 Wall Balls, 3 Bar MU, 6 T2B
Ya, so I showed up for the 5pm class and whaddya know. Badasses show up. I’m the only on there who can’t do MUs or T2B. It’s depressing and motivating all at the same time. I was able to drop the ball for Wall Balls since catching the ball puts a lot of strain on the wrist. Still wishing I could carry on this modification, but I know I will have to go back to catching that darn ball. I did banded pull ups instead of Bar MUs. I was, however, stringing more reps together. Yay! And for the T2B, my hands didn’t hurt nearly as much for my Knees to Elbows. I can only attribute Whole30 and eating clean. Because a couple of weeks ago, I was way more of a baby. Final: 3 rounds + 5 Wall Balls.

1/20/14
Midline: 50 Hollow Rocks and 50 Superman Rocks
We ended up doing these at the end of class and I’m so much better at Superman Rocks than Hollow Rocks. Why is that?

Strength: OH squats 2-2-2-2 Tempo 10/4/x/1
O M GEEEE. This tempo negative stuff is killing me. Last week it was Front Squats, now it’s Overhead Squats! Doh! I was just happy that I could do them! Wooooo! Told you my wrist is getting better. I started off with 55lbs and felt good. 10 seconds to go down, hold for 4 seconds, pop up fast and repeat. I felt good, so I jumped to 65lbs… TOO MUCH TOO SOON! My weak right forearm was not prepared and fatigued fast. So I dropped to 55lbs, but I was done. So I continued with the bar. Baby steps I know. But I’m so ready to do work. And the wrist is so close to feeling better!

1/20/14 WOD

MetCon: 6 min Ladder of 1 Push-up HR, 1 HSPU, 2 Push-ups HR 2 HSPU …. The mod for HSPU is box step overs. get as high as possible!
Uh ya, I had higher hopes for this MetCon but I did the best I could. I totally forgot to wrap my knuckles with tape before we started. And they got beat down pretty fast. I always feel like I’m going to tear. And I’m a big baby. So it didn’t add up for fast reps. Not sure if I had been doing regular push ups that I would have done better, but it HURTED and again, total cry baby here! Final: 9 rounds + 3 Push Ups.

This weekend is a COMMUNITY WOD at 9am and Yoga at 10am and Ladies Night at 6pm! Not sure if I’ll make the morning classes or not but I will be at Ladies Night. If you are in the DFW area and want to check out CrossFit and see what our box is about, YOU ARE INVITED.

That’s a Wrap!
Just want to remind you I’m hosting a giveaway. It’s for an e-book by Paleo Parents called 3 Phase Paleo. If you’re not ready to go COLD TURKEY into Paleo living then this is the book for you. Even if you’re already Paleo, there are still 75 recipes, along with nifty tips and links to keep you on the right track.

READ MY REVIEW of 3 Phase Paleo and ENTER GIVEAWAY!

This e-book provides helpful strategy to transition you and your family over to the Paleo lifestyle. Here is the post. At the bottom of the post you will find directions to enter the giveaway. Go enter now for a chance to win a copy. If you’re ready to just buy buy buy, then Click HERE. Or find the link in my menu on the right hand side.

Other than that, let’s get through this week STRONG! Are you staying hydrated? Eating enough Veggies? How about that Healthy FAT? Let’s do this folks. Chime in on how you are doing so far. February will be here before we know it!

E-Book Review and Giveway – 3 Phase Paleo

Alright boys and girls I told you I would have a giveaway and I do! This is my first book review so cut me some slack. And it’s an e-book to boot.

Stacy and Matt over at Paleo Parents have come out with another fantastic book. If you are not familiar with them please go check them out at http://www.paleoparents.com. Their story is amazing and the Paleo lifestyle has transformed their lives completely. They also have a great blog, podcast and 2 other books out there for the Paleo life that’s not only for you, but for your kiddos too.

When I saw/heard they were coming out with their latest book 3 Phase Paleo, I thought PERFECT! There are so many people that ask me so many questions and I don’t always feel like I’ve hit the mark when I tell people what they need to do to become Paleo. Granted most of my conversations are surface only and people rarely want to dig deeper and maybe that’s my fault and poor delivery. But now that I’ve read 3 Phase Paleo, I wish I had this when I made the switch. A simple but effective guide to not only taking charge of you personally but your whole family.

Even though I’ve been Paleo (off and on) for the past 2 years, there are still things I have yet to fully put into practice for my entire family. Reading this e-book has given me a new perspective and insight on Paleo living.

And for those of you without kiddos, have no fear, don’t let the Parents part of the name steer you away. You don’t have to be a parent to enjoy what this e-book has to offer. I feel EVERYONE can learn from this e-book. They do however make it practical to integrate your whole family.

So let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Can you really transform your eating lifestyle in 3 simple phases? Sure you can! In the e-book you will find the 3 phases clearly outlined. Whether you are on the SAD (standard American diet) or even if you are “paleo-ish” already these phases will help you transform to a full Paleo lifestyle.

SWAP, REMOVE and HEAL.

You will find a plenty of information, live links and helpful hints to get you going through steps easily. There are useful shopping guides for shopping online and in stores. And best of all there is a Food Swap Guide that shows you how to start switching out the foods you are accustomed to and replacing them with better choices.

Once you’ve learned to swap out foods and become excited about making better choices you move into the REMOVE stage. Eliminate all Grains, Dairy, Processed Oils and Legumes. This may be hard for some folks as we’ve learned as a society to consume all the grains and that beans are awesome for you. But with elimination, you and your family will find unique and creative ways to eat other foods. In this section of the book, they provide you with helpful ways to keep your kitchen stocked with the right ingredients to keep you successful in your transition.

Now it’s time to HEAL. You’ve reached the point of finding a happy place in how you eat. But now you need to introduce nutrient dense foods. Even for me some of this is still a struggle but they explain nicely why it’s important. They recommend and focus on 4 essential foods: organ meats, broth and gelatin, fermented foods and seafood. You will also learn that it’s not just the foods that Heal, but it’s being active, getting proper sleep and enjoying your loved ones.

Sounds like a winner right? Like I mentioned, there are helpful links and tips throughout the entire e-book. And you also get 75 recipes to help you get started. They are even marked with the phase they belong in to help you get through each phase. And don’t worry if you have an allergy to eggs or nuts, there are still several recipes that fall into one or both categories so that you can still enjoy your new Paleo adventure.

Are you still not sure you want to jump in and go out and purchase the e-book? Well, I’ve teamed up with Paleo Parents so that you have a chance to win your own copy! But if you can’t wait, by all means, Click HERE or take a look on my menu bar to the right and you can go right ahead and purchase your own copy today! But if you do want to enter, then I’d like for you to follow a few steps.

First: Subscribe to Paleo Parents newsletter
Second: Like “idrankthecfkoolaid” on Facebook
Third: Find the Rafflecopter Widget on my GIVEAWAYS on idrankthecfkoolaid Facebook page and follow those instructions.
Fourth: Comment on this post to let me know you did all of the above.

All images and references are credited to Paleo Parents and 3Phase Paleo by Stacy Toth and Matthew McCarry. This giveaway will end January 24th. at 11:59 CST time.

I hope this was helpful to you all. I look forward to your entries.

Eat all the (healthy) FAT!

Things are finally leveling out. It’s Day TWELVE! I made it through the ‘hardest days’ with great success. And temptation has been in my face almost every day. With the wrong mindset I would have swooped in on all of the temptations and ate everything! But the determination, the lack of hunger and the overall feeling of feeling good trumps all things bad that are food related! Pretty much I’ve got into a good food routine. I had tried out some new recipes but was in such a hurry I never photographed any of them. Hopefully I’ll do better next week!

1/16/14 Dinner

EAT HEALHTY FAT!
I do believe the hardest thing for people on this journey is the fat content. FAT is scary to most folks. We’ve learned throughout time via our Drs., tv shows, etc.. that LOW FAT is best. And when you consider that as a society we are mostly inundated with sugary, grain, fried fats on a daily basis, then YA eat low fat to rid those bad choices. BUT when you eliminate the processed foods and grains, you eliminate inflammation, you cut calories THEN you eat healthy grass fed animal and vegetable fats in your body it’s a whole different story. You get satiated more quickly. You have more energy. Fat is fuel for your body. Your body needs this fat. You WILL NOT GET FAT by eating the right amount of fat daily on the Whole30 plan. Whole30 suggests you eat 1-2 serving of fat per meal. OMG WHAT? How many calories is that? I have no f’ing clue because you aren’t supposed to count the calories here. A serving of fat for oils is about the size of your thumb. But if you’re looking to eat an avocado, 1/2 to a full avocado is ideal. As for my favorite fat added foods, it’s COCONUT flakes. It’s almost like dessert for me when I pair it with blackberries or an orange.

But enough rambling. If you want more, you should read It Starts With Food by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig. They pretty much explain it all in a very easy to understand way!

1/16/14 BOOM Box
Conditioning: 500m row X 3 rest 2 min between efforts
Oh boy, I tried to stay row for row with the guy next to me! That worked for about 150m. Then I was smoked. I went from 1:42 pace times to 2:30. But I gave it some effort. The other rows weren’t a little more consistent. Rowing is NO JOKE!

MetCon: For time 21 Turkish get-ups, Right arm 50 Swings 21 Overhead squats, Left arm 50 Swings 21 Overhead squats, Right arm 50 Swings 21 Turkish get-ups, Left arm
When I read the board, I hadn’t fully let it sink in as to what was in store. I saw how long the class before was taking but it still didn’t set in with my brain. When coach had us work on the Overhead Squats with a KB and one armed I was like oh CRAP, this is hard. I tried using the small 25lb KB and that was not happening. I moved to the paperweight 9lb KB and it was doable. But it was going to be a buttwhoopin! As far as the Turkish Get Ups go…I wasn’t too scared. I knew it would be tough but I was more concerned if my wrist could hold up. After 4 reps, I had to change over to step ups while holding the KB on my right shoulder. This was pretty challenging as well. I did move through the OHS a little bit better than I imagined. But the KB Swings in between were what were killer. I was huffin and a puffin. Finally got to the 21 Get Ups on my left arm. And I am smoked. Like I could break down in tears any minute. But I just lay there, breathe and get back to it. I HAD to leave at 6pm because I had things like making my kids basketball game in time and dropping off another kid. So I only made it to 15 reps. 6 to go. I don’t even know when I stopped, maybe 21 minutes or so. But I didn’t have the time to finish out the last 6 reps. Ah well. I put in a lot of work none the less. I just don’t have a time on the board. Nor did I have time to take a pick of the board. My back is smoked.

That’s a Wrap!

Ya it’s a short one today folks. I have a lot going on, but I promise next week I will have a giveaway for 3Phase Paleo by Paleo Parents. Plus I’ll be reviewing it as well! Stay tuned. Have a great weekend! And get healthy! Whole30 ON!

Can’t Stop Now

It’s Day TEN of the Whole30. I am 1/3 of the way there and I’m still truckin’ along. And it’s a ROLLERCOASTER of emotions! Days TEN and ELEVEN are described as the ‘hardest days’. Yay for that, right? NO, not at all.

I’m really at a loss for words on how I feel. I don’t feel bad but I don’t feel super awesome at this moment. I’m doing the work, eating the foods but I’m just so blah. I’m definitely proud of myself for being strong for the past 10 days but I’m losing steam fast. I need a recharge. I have 20 days to go!

1/14/14 Lunch

My food is still tasty and yummy but again losing the excitement! I definitely don’t want to become humdrum when it comes to my meals. Since we decided to do the pork recipe again, I’ve been slacking on making the sides for Week 2 from Weeknight Paleo. Until last night, which I was interested in making because I would be using Parsnips and Turnips. Turns out I DO NOT LIKE either one. So not my flavor pallet and now I have 3 containers full of root veggies I am not happy with. Part of me says suck it up and EAT IT but last night was a struggle. I was so over it, I didn’t even take a picture. How do I make roasted turnips and parsnips into a winning meal? Maybe Ernie will eat them all 😀

Turnips! Bleh!

Two Days of BOOM Box
1/14/14
50 heavy Russian swings
Coach left it up to us to pick our own version of HEAVY. But we all know we need to still pick up his version of heavy! 1 1/2 POOD. I was very low energy last night and was not having much fun with these KB swings. I did 20 right off the bat and then broke it up.

Midline: Max Plank Hold (Everyone must accumulate at least 5 minutes)
Ugh. Planks are a pain in the arse. I held for 1 1/2 minutes before dropping and pretty much held the rest of the 5 minutes owed in increments of 30 seconds to 45 seconds. I’m not good with long holds of any kind.

1/14/14 WOD

MetCon: 800m run, 21-15-9 of Ring Dips and Strict Pull Ups, 200m sprint!
Oh for the love. You all know I despise running. It’s the worst. But GUESS WHAT? I trotted the whole 800m without walking or stopping!!! I ran it UNBROKEN. I haven’t done that in over a year! Mostly cause I’m a big baby, but also cause I’m just a little fatty who eats like shit! But now, with 9 days of Whole30 under my belt, I’m just a trottin’ away. I even got a little faster on my second lap! But my calves were smoked. Instead of RING DIPS, I was tasked with incline pushups on a bar set on the pull up rig. At first I was a little slow. Not sure my wrist would hold up but once I got comfortable I moved a little quicker. Pull Ups were super slow and took forever! I never thought I’d finish the 21, and that’s with BANDS! If it weren’t for me sucking at Pull Ups so bad I would have had a much better time. When it was time for the 200m SPRINT, it was more like a jog, walk, trot, walk, trot to the finish. Time: 24:32. Boy I’m slow!

1/15/14
I was really debating on showing up at 5 a.m. I laid in bed and had an internal conversation/argument with myself. My body is tired. My brain is awake. It’s cold outside. I could use another 1 1/2 hours of sleep. GET UP. GET MOVING. JUST GO. I should have played THE GRIND. I’ve shared this before but it’s just so darn good. Here it is again:

So I went and the parking lot is EMPTY. Where are my 5 a.m. peeps? Hellooo? So it’s just me and Coach T.

Midline: 30 evil wheels
Now that I have more faith in my wrist, I can roll out a little further. Not so evil today!

Strength: DL 4×3 Heavy but make it look good.
I worked my way up to 185lbs for my HEAVY. This shouldn’t be heavy to me because my 1RM is 235lbs. But today it was heavy. I was telling coach, that it’s not that I don’t think I can go heavier, but my HANDS hurt so bad. Just holding onto the bar with 150lbs hurts my sad old hands. Anyhow 4 sets of 3 at 185lbs was just fine for this morning.

1/15/14 WOD

MetCon: 4 min elimination (like 13.5) 3 rounds 30 Air Squats 10 Burpees If you don’t make the first cap you owe your coach 400m run on the spot. Go for as long as you can! DU Practice if time remains.
I knew coming in this would be deceiving. It’s easy movements but it won’t be an easy workout. I just didn’t want to run, at all. And it’s cold outside. 3-2-1 GO! Bam I did the first round in 1:07. I thought I could get get under a minute but on my 7th burpee I slowed down. Not good. Got up for the second round and the Air Squats felt like I was in QUICKSAND, no wait, CEMENT! I couldn’t just GO. I was struggling. I slowed down too much. As for Burpees, forget about it. Those were so bad. Time was ticking. I go for Round 3, look at the clock and was like, crap I have to run. I managed to get in 20 Air Squats before the 4 minutes was up and off I went. Boooo! Final: 2 rounds + 20 squats. That was a poor showing indeed.

That’s a Wrap!
Still excited it’s Day TEN and I’m going strong. Emotionally I may not be feeling it but I’ll get there. Soon Enough! In other news, I have a giveaway coming up soon! Paleo Parents is releasing a new book called 3Phase Paleo.

I am in the middle of reading it myself, but when I’m done, I’ll be reviewing it here on my good ol’ blog and I’ll hosting a giveaway to one of you!

It’s Hump Day! Make it a good one!

idrankthecfkoolaid

and it's good

Month: January 2014

The Countdown is ON!

It’s a La-di-da Kind of Day

Found!

We have a Winner!

It’s a FAB FRIDAY, y’all!

My Bootay was Kicked

Tiger Blood…not just yet

E-Book Review and Giveway – 3 Phase Paleo

Eat all the (healthy) FAT!

Can’t Stop Now

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