Cooking with No Counter Space

The Paleo Challenge Started CrossFit Defined started Monday, and to put it simply – I’m killin’ it.  I’ve been having a blast playing with some recipes (thanks Pinterest!) all while getting my ass handed to me in the box. My biggest challenge so far isn’t been my sweet tooth or my love for Mac + Cheese, but the fact that I want to do all of this cooking and virtually have NO counter space! I’ve had to get pretty creative with my space [or lack there of].

Here are some super yummy things I prepared this week:

• Egg Muffins
• Curry Chicken Salad [with Paleo Mayo]
• Kale Chips
• Paleo Strawberry+Banana Popsicles [featuring Coconut Milk! nom nom]

I’ve only had one cooking faileo – when making the Paleo Mayo.  That shit is not easy to make – lesson: read directions, not just the ingredient list. This week I’ve just been finding my bearings – using my crock pot a ton – and figuring out a good cooking/shopping groove; meaning I’ve probably made at least 4 trips to the grocery store. Better luck next time. So how about them results, eh? July 2-July 6: -5 lbs. More soon. CC

365 Days of Strength

“The emerging woman will be strong-minded, strong-hearted, strong-souled, and strong -bodied… strength and beauty must go together.”

-Louisa May Alcott

A year ago today I ended a chapter, and turned a page, in my life book.  I graduated college and said good-bye not only to my collegiate years, but to someone I loved.  I reflect on this day with a heavy heart and find my eyes filling with tears as I allow my mind to catch glimpses of its bittersweet memory.  I remember feeling strong despite the water welling in my eyes, and my heart thudding in my throat.  I remember feeling strong because I knew that these moments brought closure to my weakest and most vulnerable moments, and that every day from this point forward was the beginning of the rest of my life.  On this day, I mustered up a strength I did not know I had.  I remember feeling stronger, and more beautiful, than I had ever felt. I felt brave, proud, and accomplished.

The days, weeks, and months beyond May 6th, I clung to my new found strength even though the moments of confidence were fleeting.  I started over.  I packed up my life, both figuratively and literally, and moved on.  In this year I faced many trials and changes, but grew independent.  My strength spread from my heart and mind, and started stirring in my soul.

Finding CrossFit in late summer of 2011 helped me engage my physical, as well as tap into my metaphorical strength. I found my self craving the feeling of laying on the floor, completely empty, having expelled any bit of energy I had.  I craved this because I knew that I was in control of what it is that I had just put my body through to reach this point — no one else made me feel this way — I did — on my own — through pushing through every mental and physical boundary and barrier I had.  I was in control of getting up, walking out, and coming back the next day to do it again.  I was building muscle by tearing it down and having the scar build on top of it, over and over and over again.  That muscle was my heart.

I walked out my first CrossFit home in December when I moved to the city, and didn’t find myself back in the Box until two weeks ago. I will never forget the amazing times I spent at CrossFit DuPage and the sense of community I felt with my team mates.  I am incredibly grateful for the coaching I received from Nate, Dustin and Tim.  They helped build my foundation and ignite a fire inside me to become an incredible athlete and a stronger woman.

I am absolutely thrilled about my new CrossFit family at CrossFit Defined – as well as to share with you my new adventures, goals, and successes.

Til next WOD…

Faileo

 Yep.  This pretty much says it all.  I’m not sure if you can see the wrapper but it pretty much says this cookie is the size of Texas, which is also the size of my ass after eating it.  Like, really Caryn? Are you kidding me?

Listen people, I never claimed to be perfect, but I do feel accountable to tell you that I’m not.  You’d think that after this sugar infested carbo-load I’d go to the box… Well you thought wrong.

I sat in traffic for way too long (really people it’s just a little rain, this is the mid west not the west coast), and decided I needed a break so I stopped at Victoria’s Secret where I got the perfect outfit for Barbells 4 Boobs on Sunday (more about that soon)! So glad I’ve got my priorities straight.

Okay. Tomorrow. Getting my life together.  Tonight — sleeping.

Do Work

Busy people do more, because they are busy.  My Arbonne upline says, “Busy people get things done.”  Well isn’t that the truth.  Well let me tell you what I’ve been getting done the past 3 weeks I haven’t blogged (whoa, my mad).

Working

Just completely swamped lately with huge projects and short deadlines.  I went on a four day business trip downstate where I experienced some Southern Hospitality, worked overtime everyday, and may or may not have used a fake name at a college bar.  I had full intentions of hitting up the box down there, but unfortunately, it just didn’t happen.  I did great on Paleo every day up until the end, where the stress lead to a chocolate parfait and that lead to Sizzlin’ Chicken and Cheese at Fridays for dinner.  Can’t win ’em all.

Speaking of Winning..

I haven’t been losing as much I was want to lately.  The scale as been sliding up and down between the same five or so pounds for the past.. well long ass time.  I think its because I haven’t been super consistant with my diet.  I get Paleo, really I do get it.  It makes sense. And for so many days I do so great.  Then I have a cupcake and its all down hill from there.  I really need to get back on the wagon.  Despite the fact that I’m not really losing weight…

..I am moving weight.  And a lot of it.  I’m getting strong[er]

Oh yea, I went there. Love me some Britney.

Anyways, I’ve set a few PRs for myself.

Deadlift: 175#

BackSquat: 150#

PowerClean: 75#

This wasn’t nearly as funny or informative as I was going for, but at least it got me back in the groove.

TGIF

So I’m not sure how you spend your Friday nights, but I spent mine at CrossFit DuPage.  Last week it was just me and about three boys.  Today Meg was there and two guys.  I like the last class on Friday because its just an intimate group.  And well lets get real, who doesn’t like attention?

In other news, I’m getting better at Paleo-On-The-Go

Breakfast:

Chicken Sausage with Apples

Snack:

Apples and Cashews, Almonds, Craisin Mix

Lunch:

The boss bought lunch for the office because it was end of quarter.  It was freezing so I didn’t feel like ordering a salad so I got

Beef Sandwhich with Peppers and Giardinira, and of course, I didn’t eat the bread

But.. Then I ate some Chili.. without sour cream, cheese, or crackers.  Talk about torture.

PreWOD Snack:

Beef Jerky and Iced Black Coffee

Dinner:

Grilled Chicken and Grapes

Just looking at this I realized I had a major veggie shortage.  I’ll do better tomorrow.

Now, about that WOD.

10 Rounds, for time:

150m Row

20 Squats

10:32

For those of you who are mathematically challenged, that, in total, is 1500 meter rows, and 200 squats.  So, in the spirit of rowing, enjoy my favorite scene from The Social Network.

Read it and Weep

So I had a run in with a FedEx truck today.  Or something.  Here’s what really happened.  I woke up with just enough throw on some yoga pants and get in my car to head over to CrossFit.  You see, because its the end of the quarter, and my last walkthrough was from 5-8, my boss let me take the morning off.  Perf.  So anyways,

I’m driving down St. Charles Road, finally making a left on Main just barely a mile a way from the box…when I realized that little sleep, lack of hydration and caffeine, a blackberry, and poor depth perception do not make a good combo when trying to illegally get around a giant FedEx truck to get into the turning lane.  Yep.  Side swipe.  Absolutely 100% my bad.

And I literally JUST got off the phone with my sister and she was telling me how she should’ve gone around some truck instead of sitting through three lights… I mean, I’m just saying, I was trying to learn from her mistakes.

 

So the guy is shaking his fist at me.  He’s so mad.  He’s swearing at me in Spanish.  And we both pull in to the 711.  I get out to assess the damage (or lack there of) and after about a minute I’m like “Alright bro lets roll.  No harm done, sorry about my lack of patience.  Peace”  but no, he starts freaking out about the dirt I got on his car and so I sta

rt wiping it off, he says leave it because the police need to see it.  WHAT?! Are you kidding me?! Oh no I’m 100% for real here.  So here I am BAWLING like a big baby.  Freaking out that he’s going to call it in as a claim (did i mention I backed into a Saab last month?) and that the little bit of black dirt on his truck was going to turn into a huge fiasco.  He’s on the phone with the cops and I’m crying my eyes up rubbing the dirt with my sock. Oh yea. No joke.

I finally just get in my car and look at my Blackberry, which has blown up at this point, with like 10 emails, seriously right now? And I’m looking at the clock and my heart is racing because I know I’m missing the WOD, and the fact that I didn’t go yesterday.. Is this my payback for taking an offday?  And the only other thing I could think about besides the fact that I was missing the WOD was that I really wanted a Big Gulp of Diet Coke and if 711 sold Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, and if I was even allowed to go inside?  I decided to just stay put, I had already gotten myself into enough trouble.

Blah blah blah. Police come. File the report.  He doesn’t get my insurance info because he knows there isn’t damage.  He just needed the damn report for work.  Ya I get it, I was being irrational.  The cops tell me to “relax” because I’m pretty much hyperventilating and let me go.  So its 9:40 and I’m still determined to get my work out in.  I did not come all this way and go through all this nonsense for nothing.

So I get to the box and everyones finishing up, Dustin is writing times on the board, and I walk up to him looking like that girl and he just looks horrified and says “Are you okay?”  I give him the short and he’s like.. “OMG don’t ever do that again.  You know we’re only joking when we say if your late you have to do burpees!” Well damn.  So, he’s awesome and he lets me stay and do the WOD:

For time:

30 ring rows

10 push ups

20 ring rows

20 push ups

10 ring rows

30 push ups

My arms are burning jelly when I’m done, in 10:08, and I decided it was a good time to push press. I mean, just the bar, 3x.  It was fine.

I got back to my car (you know the one with zero damage) and tried to lift my arms and realized how tough of a workout I just had.

The day gets better!  I missed my train and had to drive to the loop.  PTL I didn’t have to pay for parking at the Fairmont Millenium Park OR at the Office because Julie validated me. Win.  Left the office around 8:30PM and hit the drive through of Rock and Roll McDonalds where I proceded to order a piece of grilled chicken and a Diet Coke.  Oh ya, I was that girl.  And no Diet Coke is not Paleo but it the only vice I refuse to part with.  It could be worse.  It could be mac and cheese, or cupcakes.  Just saying.

 

Hurts So Good

My legs that is.

After much debate between myself, M & M, I decided to take today off.

I’m spent.

Friday & Saturday: CrossFit

Sunday: 8K

Monday & Tuesday: CrossFit

I’m trying to justify my Wednesday off being well deserved.

Yesterday was actually a great day in the box for me.

I front squated 85lbs 3×5. Not too shabby.

The WOD was ground to ceilings and burpees (…again).  Left my gas tank empty.

Keepin’ it short and sweet. In need of some IcyHot, X-Factor, and Dance Moms.

 

Fran, Paleo and other things you aren’t too sure about.

This is Fran. She is the CrossFit equivalent to “what’s your bench press” — but it’s “what’s your Fran time?”  Mine was 8:56.  We do Fran once a year at the box. September 26th 2012, I’ll do it sub five, Rx.

Sub five? Rx? What are these?!  Well, first, duh, less than 5 minutes.  The latter, it is “perscribed” (Rx) by CrossFit that you do Fran with 65lbs thrusters, 21-18-9, and then pull ups.  I however, did Fran with half the Rx’d weight, and doing ring rows vs pull ups.

…what the heck is this Paleo?

Well it tastes like this

Chipolte, Paleo Style

And no, its not pronounced puh-lay-oh; its pay-lee-oh, as in Paleolithic, minus the lithic.  In short, its eating like our super fit and amazing ancestors, the hunter gatherers.  I know you’re more interested in what I don’t eat than what I do, so I’ll tell you.  Simply, no carbs, no dairy.  Its essential to have protein at every meal.

Here was my paleo day:

Breakfast

• chicken sausage
• an apple
• hand full of nuts, cashews & almonds, and some craisins.

Lunch

That amazing picture up there was my lunch at Chipotle.  You can do Paleo anywhere.

• fajitas
• carnitas
• barbacoa
• pico
• guac

Dinner

This was pretty on the fly because I had a few errands to run

• grilled chicken

Post errands

…and obviously hungry

• beef jerkey
• handful of nuts

Easy enough! Paleo on the go can be just some lunch meat, nuts, and fruit or veggie.  I’ve been strict paleo for a solid four days, but have been dabbling in it for a few weeks.  I’m definitely into a groove and very glad I didn’t break it because of the non-fat twist frozen yogurt from Costco that I’m obsessed with.

Questions? Ask ’em.

It’s about damn time.

I mean, c’mon, I can’t be the only person who has ever felt the need to “get in shape before I get in shape,” right?  But seriously people, get real.  That’s just stupid.

It took me a while until I got over myself and my FIMAGE (fear of image) but when I did, I called CrossFit.  The hardest thing I’ve done there thus far is walk in the door, because its the only thing I had to do alone.  No one held my hand as I walked into the box for the first time it was truly a decision I had to make for myself and by myself and I am so glad I did.  From there on out I became part of a team of atheletes who are not only strong but supportive.

Its been a while since my first WOD (Workout of the Day) and the only thing I really remember is doing overhead squats.  I liked them.  I was good at them.  The next day my body hated me which means I absolutely did something right.

Pretty much every workout leaves me wanting to crawl out the door, but more importantly, wanting to crawl back in the next day.  It is the best addiction I have ever had.

Its been a few weeks since my first WOD and I’m definitely getting stronger.  My first week I could barely deadlift a 45lb kettle ball because I had so much lowerback pain.  This week I deadlifted 145lbs 3 rep max.

Walking into that bar[bell] made me brave.  Sure I still psyche myself out about pulling out the slack, but I walk into the box each day both terrified and excited.  I don’t think there is a better way to start a workout.

Also:

I ran an 8K today.

I got amazing new Merrill Vibrams (pics to come)

I haven’t eaten carbs or dairy in three days (I’m hungry and crabby)

My body hurts everywhere but I’m still going to attempt Fran tomorrow.