fitness

Looking Back

Today it really hit me as to WOW look at where I am compared to a few years ago, heck just ONE year ago in regards to my everyday health and fitness. NEVER in my life did I imagine myself doing Squat Cleans, Heavy Deadlifts, Clean & Jerks, Snatch, etc. And believe me, I’ve run the gamut when it comes to AEROBICS classes, Spin Classes, Jazzercise, Bootcamps, DVDs, Rec Centers, etc. I’ve been up and down in weight. I’ve given up on excercise and I’ve been a exercise junkie but I’ve never been COMMITTED day in and day out as I have been the past 20 months. I did know what a Deadlift was… Deadlifts with dumbbells, or a lightly loaded bar. I’ve done Clean & Jerks (or what I thought was a clean and jerk) as well with just a bar and not one inkling of an idea about technique but NOW I’m doing lifts that at 35 years old I could have never imagined. I’m pushing myself more than I have EVER probably pushed myself including those prime high school years. I LOOK BACK and see HOW FAR I’VE COME and I ♥ IT! I look forward NOW to see where I’ll go from here.

When I walked into the BOOM Box this morning I knew the MetCon had a heavy Squat Clean on the board. A Squat Clean weight that I’ve not reached yet. So I knew I would have to scale but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Before we hit the workout we worked on Mobility which is always NEEDED in hopes it would loosen us up for the MetCon.

10/11/12 WOD

MetCon: 15 minute AMRAP 3 Squat Cleans (85lbs), 20 butterfly situps. For those of you knew to CrossFit speak, and I’m sure it’s not only CrossFit speak but I never heard AMRAP before CrossFit. So anyways AMRAP means As Many Reps/Rounds As Possible. So 3-2-1 Go and you just go, rinse, wash REPEAT until time expires. Don’t Stop, Don’t Rest, Just GO! You have no idea how fast 15 minutes will fly by. And I had no idea how taxing those situps would end up! I chugged along with little rest between some rounds and maybe too much rest between other rounds. I guess it all evens out and although 85lbs is not heavy to everyone, once you get get that bar moving you learn that yes it’s HEAVY but YES you can do it. It’s a great feeling even though it’s hard. There were many rounds that I didn’t want to pick up that bar.

I didn’t want to fail, I didn’t want to grind through but really there isn’t a choice. I have to pick it up even if I don’t want to. Why else show up every day, day in and day out at 5am. TO SUCK at life? Hell no! I want to get better and stronger. I want to be strong and fit the rest of my life, not just my 30s. Final Count: 11 rounds, 3 squat cleans, 12 sit ups.

The 21-Day Sugar Detox – Days 9-11
So I’m just going to call this the SUGAR REDUCTION week! I haven’t managed to have a whole day without something tripping me up this week. It’s not super uber fails but it’s not perfect either. And to me I should be doing this with no slip ups. I’ve cleaned up a lot considering how bad September was for me but I need to get better. I’m just going to keep chugging along till I do get a full 21 days of NO SUGARS. So this may end up being the 42 day Sugar Detox, hehe, but I’m not quitting. I’m successful 80% of my day. It’s the evenings that are getting me. So that’s all I have to report on the sugar detox. I wish I could be more insightful or inspiring but at this point I’m doing the best I can.

Whatever health/fitness adventure you’re on, please make sure you’re doing it for you. For BETTER HEALTH and for the FUTURE you. Not for what you once were, not for who you wish you could be, not for your spouse and not for your friends. I didn’t say not for your children because your children need you so change your health for you and your kids if you got them. And if your kids are your only reason you BETTER do it for them. Show them early that health is important.

Your body will change if you eat better, eat clean, move regularly. Your organs will love you. Your brain will brighten. You will see life in a different light. Looking back I have always aspired to be fit and some years I hit the mark and some years I was a glutenous mess. Now I’m on the right track, I still stumble and sometimes fall but I’m not down for long. Life is a daily learning process. Life is WORK. Don’t quit before you even start. Don’t let yourself give up when you haven’t even really tried. Just keep going. And while you’re going you’ll learn what AWESOME is and then you’ll NEVER want to stop being AWESOME! So go be AWESOME and enjoy life.

Rain, Sleep, and Realizing I’m Addicted to the Kool-Aid

Texas NEEDs rain, hell everywhere does but I wish (a petty wish) we could have the rain stop for rush hour traffic times. It really drains me! I don’t get the privilege to work from home and I have a 72 mile round trip commute. So YES I get to complain and rant about how I wish the rain would stop so I could get to and from work without so much trouble! Flooded roads, dumb drivers and other insanity drives me bonkers. Other than that I got no beef with the rain. I sleep really well when it’s storming or even drizzling, it’s like my brain/body get something from the sound of rain. Who knows why, but it’s nice.

As for dinner last night. Nothing super special, some grass fed ground beef tacos with guac and MEXICAN RICE! LOL, not really, but Cauliflower Spanish Rice! I learned how to make Asian Fried Rice and figured I could wing it in the Spanish department since I’m Mexican. I know most people I know still don’t believe I am because I don’t speak Spanish or whatever. I’m American but I come from Mexican roots 🙂

Tacos with Cauliflower Spanish Rice

Soooo moving on… I threw some cauliflower in the food processor and chopped it up till “rice” like. I added a little olive oil to a preheated pan and tossed in the cauliflower with some garlic and sauteed for a minute or two. I seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and cayenne pepper (i like spice). I then poured some salsa in (probably a cup, maybe more) and stirred it all up. Let it cook on medium for a couple of minutes. I then reduced temp to low/simmer and covered. I left simmering while I cooked ground beef and prepped taco toppings. There wasn’t a real science or perfect recipe. I just played around. I used to make it very similar when I ate Minute Rice! It’s the easy quick way to make Spanish Rice. It turned out a LIL TOO Spicy for the family. Edible but I should omit the cayenne pepper next time around! I really enjoyed it and even though it was spicy, kids asked for more. I think it was Ernie that was most affected by the spice. Hehe, next time I will lay off the HEAT.

Today was a much needed REST DAY! Mentally I’ve been stressed with the world around me and I’ve been pushing it hard at the box so it was good to sleep a little later than normal. My body thanks me! In my rest though I do realize how much I LOVE the KOOL-AID. I realize I named my blog in reference to drinking the CrossFit KOOL-AID but truly I LOVE IT. I’m addicted if you will. I don’t think I could be addicted to Step Class, Spin Class, Body Pump or Whatever other “class” is out there in the fitness world. BUT I can honestly say I look forward to my next workout, sometimes wishing I could fit in more WODs, but I don’t think physically I’m ready for such insanity.

I Want to Be Like Camille When I Grow UP! Seriously!

 

I think I adore CrossFit so much not only because it’s OVERALL fitness but it sets a bar daily for me personally. I have to do things I’ve never done before, I have to compete against myself for time/reps/rounds. I also mentally compete with others on the white board. I want to be the one who posts the best time and if I can’t then I want to try and meet the level of fitness of those names I see on the board who KILL it daily. It’s hard for me to express myself because there’s so much I want to say about it. I feel GREAT after every WOD. I’m ready to take on the day in all aspects.

Again All Shapes, Sizes and Fitness Levels

I see the COMMUNITY that evolves around CrossFit. I have yet to meet an elitist attitude or a debbie downer personality. Everyone wants to better themselves no matter what stage of fitness they are in. I have seen all shapes and sizes: super fit athletes, pregnant women, overweight folks, young, old, physically challenged… you name it and I’m pretty sure there’s someone in that category that CrossFits. Everyone has a goal to eat better, live better and be strong. It’s been a while since I’ve stepped on a scale to SEE where I’m at… my whole attitude and thought process that is EMBLAZONED in women’s brains to be a certain size has dissipated from my from thinking. I just want to be strong.

This a before and after - 1 year after CrossFit

82 years young, Jean nails a new deadlift 1RM PR at 153 lbs

I want to lift that bar and set a PR (Personal Record). I feel good. I realize my body has faults but I no longer hold them over my head. I’ve moved on. And no I’m not going to become a veiny, muscle head. Yes there are women out there who want that, I surely don’t and that takes a lot of “extra work” to get there. Lifting heavy doesn’t make me a freak of nature. It just makes me strong. I still have pregnancy damage to my stomach, I may never have a washboard for ABS again, I still have stretch marks, I still have jiggly spots but I know I’m leaner and more physically fit than I have been in a long time. And I am impressed daily by the CrossFit Community. I read the stories of success and failure. I am INSPIRED daily. I even registered on the CrossFit Games website for the OPEN! I may not make it past the first WOD but I signed up anyways. I’m not a firebreather and may not be one anytime soon but that’s how AMPED up I am on this sport! I get goosebumps when I see the Reebok CrossFit Commercial on primetime networks. I anxiously await my coach to post the next WOD. I look for the next competition I can attend or compete in. It’s an insane addiction I know. But it’s something everyone can do no matter where you are in life. It gives you the support system that will steer you in the direction of good health, strength, confidence, inspiration and so much more. I don’t get paid to say these things it’s just how I feel. Like I said it’s hard for me to explain because there is ALOT I want to say. And I just don’t know how to express it in a super great way. Just how my brain allows me to at this moment in time.

Strong Women!

Women All Shapes and Sizes

With all that said… it’s a great feeling to be strong. Happy RAINY Wednesday! Hopefully I don’t need a boat to get home later. Thanks for reading my “crazy”, unorganized thought process.

Not sure where this originates from... I believe CrossFit Ramstein but now sure.

Take That Tuesday!

1/17/12 WOD

Today feels like a rant and ramble kind of day. I kicked off my day with a kick my ass workout at the BOOM BOX. Holding Back Squats for 5 seconds at the bottom… SOMETHING I’ve NEVER done before and woowowowowow it was tough! But you practice full depth and learn to love it (kind of, sort of, maybe?), well love it enough you don’t want to come back up! I managed fairly well when I got my breathing down and stopped crowding my brain with thoughts of FAIL.

The MetCon looked fairly do-able, if that’s the right word. Maybe more along the lines of less intimidating than other days. Those are the moments when I should say there’s NO SUCH THING! But I don’t, I just think this won’t kill me. Sure enough it was freakin HARD. Broad Jumps?!?!? ARE YOU F’ING KIDDING ME? for 200 ft! Major SUCK in the world of workouts. I promise. I was gassed, dying, melting, etc. I only had 3 rounds, I was spent. WTH is wrong with me is all I kept thinking. Why can’t I kill this WOD? I tried with all my might and I finished and that’s all there is to it, RIGHT? YUP, I FINISHED. All is well and life goes on 🙂 9:54 was my time and only because Grant pushed me on my last 10 KB Snatches. Glad he was there cause I would have dropped the ball. I did my last 10 unbroken and finished under 10 minutes.

Even though mentally I was defeated, Physically I felt good which in turn works on my mental state and I was feeling good overall. I got out the door in good time, early even and in good spirits! UNTIL traffic HIT…. It’s like finally everyone is off vacation mode and back to work and it was chaotic on the road, stalled cars, accidents, major traffic delays. I was HOT! FUMING! Traffic can make my blood boil. But in that boiling state sitting still on the roads, like a bad driver I’m checking the interwebs and I find this post by FitBomb about a High School CrossFit Class and there in my anger I totally let it all go as I listened about Maddy and her journey with CrossFit and Cerebral Palsy. I’ve shared it here for you to watch.

It’s truly amazing what this young girl is accomplishing daily in general and to throw CrossFit in is even more amazing to me. I’m sure she would try anything but it seems like she’s found a good place for her. Just like with any of us. CrossFit isn’t everyone’s cup of tea or KOOLAID but if you find something that works for you then DO IT. FULL ON. NO EXCUSES! You aren’t going anywhere if you keep making up crap to avoid eating right, working out… Life in general! Ya know? You hear me?

Day in and day out I hear excuses. I hear the if’s the but’s the shoulda woulda coulda’s….. Sometimes life throws you curveballs, I know. I live life too. But you gotta press on!

Out of my 3 kids, my oldest is slowly but surely grasping where I’m trying to go with health and fitness. It’s clicking and it’s amazing that’s he’s learning so young. My other two just go with the flow. If my mom “says” then cool, we dig it. But now in the past week they have been asking the why’s and what’s and opening their little brains up. I don’t just brainwash them in case you are wondering. I explain to them what I thought was right, what I’m learning now and how I feel about it all. They have a long way to make up their own minds but hopefully they see the POSITIVE impacts that eating clean and taking care of our bodies helps us all around. And well of course they eat what’s put in front of them 😛 And they do it well. So I don’t have problems when it comes to eating.

All in all, the rant and ramble and disconnected paragraph to paragraph is just another day of me wanting all of you that I know and don’t know that it’s possible to get your life in order. It’s possible to live a happy healthy life. I have my ups and downs too. I don’t want to cook dinner some nights. I don’t want to wake up from my cozy bed. I don’t want to be in traffic. But I am grateful that I do. I’m happy my family is HEALTHY and WHOLE. Not everyone can say that. We are truly blessed. And I’ll be darned that my kiddos make it through all the CRUD that goes around school (with the exception of the occasional stomach bug). I truly believe it’s because they are outside playing in the SUNSHINE and eating a variety of good foods. Same with Ernie and I… we aren’t calling in sick and feeling like poo… we are good. It’s a good life.

So TAKE THAT TUESDAY! I got this! Hahaha… until tomorrow or the next day. 😀

And today the BACK to the ROUTINE really starts!


The kids are back in school and we get back into full swing! No more lazy days for them and no more slacking on my part! My EXCUSE(s) for not working out this morning was two fold… 1. I was lazy and did not want to drive 25 minutes to get there. 2. I had an Airrosti appointment at 8 and didn’t want to push it by not getting back quick enough! Although I don’t have workouts or meals to report on, I have found Thursdays to be my rambling day.

But we are fully back in the swing of things. Back to a real schedule and back to reality. Last night my kids kindly pooled their “christmas” monies together and took us all out to eat! It was nice of them and we all were happy but I still had ground beef that I needed to cook because it was on the verge of my comfort zone of expiration! So I came home and attempted to make a chili with what little ingredients I had and little window of time I had as well. The verdict is still out though because it will be lunch for Ernie and I and we won’t have lunch till later! While my chili was cookin and a simmerin, I got proactive with lunches! It’s not typical of me to be so on top of things! I got sweet potatoes baking in the oven. I got eggs boiling for next day snacks and I even helped the kiddos out with their lunches. I made them Ham Wraps stuffed with spinach and carrots. They typically make their own lunches but I was up so I figured I’d help them out a bit. And of course I didn’t take pictures! Not that it’s a hard thing to do but as I’ve been told “pictures” make everything better! But hopefully I’ll stay proactive and get more done in the evenings instead of trying to RUSH everything and everyone in the mornings!

I really looked forward to this morning for my Airrosti session. My hip has been much better but there is still some pain and now my hamstring, quad and glute have been acting up. Dr. Bertrand hit some super tight spots on the side of my hip/glute and HOLY SHITAKES it hurt! Besides the tenderness from finding spots that hurt really bad my drive in to work was much better. Normally my hip aches a lot of the drive in but not so much this morning. I’m hoping that I truly only need one more session to be pain free. I’m sure there are 7987979 little things I could work on but this whole hip thing is really the only thing I feel that is HOLDING me back in regards to lifting.

My post today is a little on the ramble/random side and it just happens that I’m ok with it. I hope you are too! I thought I’d share with you my new found interest to really want to help people with their overall health! It’s not so much new found but it’s REALLY pushing my brain right now. I always like helping others, encouraging them, etc but it’s always something I don’t put effort towards regularly. I stay on the sidelines and watch and offer support when asked but I’m not BOLD about it. Whether it be trying to get involved in a profession like Therapy, Rehab, Nutrition, Fitness etc… But I really truly feel that I need to find my place in that whole world! I like blogging about my progress and what I’m doing and learning. I figured this was an indirect way to encourage people that they too can find the time, energy and drive to do better for themselves…but I want to be hands on – not “just” a blogger who types her thoughts out into the virtual world. I just have to figure out what it is I want to do. I know it’s not going to fall into my lap and right now it’s all talk as I’m not doing anything to further my desire besides proclaiming it to all of you reading. I want to help those who struggle with shedding the weight and I want to help people get out there and MOVE! Like really move and just not talk about it. Frankly I’m tired of hearing all of the excuses. The I can’t, the I’ll try it soon crap, or OH NO you do that, I can’t imagine. Eh I’ve lost myself in my own thoughts and rather than editing, I’ll just stop. If you get me, then you get me! If you don’t… leave a comment we can discuss and if you need a virtual cheerleader, supporter, friend… I’ll be there. I want to help people!

Thanks for tuning in on my weird ass post. Looking forward to tomorrow… it’s FRIDAY!