Tag Archives: CrossFit

Aside

My blog is typically me putting my best face forward. I avoid complaining and revealing my negative emotions. Not because I want to fool anyone into thinking I am always happy and perfect, but because writing positive posts makes me … Continue reading →

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Posted on July 10, 2012

a week of paleo + crossfit

Posted on June 26, 2012 | 8 Comments
A week has already flown by since my big paleo post! If you haven’t actually read it, and I know it is quite long, I definitely encourage you to give it a go. I spent ample time researching and made a point to only use the most properly executed studies so that you could get the facts. I spent this last week enjoying life before summer school, visiting friends, doing CrossFit, and eating strict paleo.
me and Dina <3
Congrats Carlyn! 

How did paleo go?

For the most part, I liked it and found it quite easy. This is really only because I have never liked beans and hardly liked grains. I know that sounds like BS, but I have always just wanted more of the things that you put on grains. Pass me a bowl of curry or spaghetti sauce and give me the cheese off your pizza, please. The rest is just flavor-diluting fluff. Honestly, I had been forcing myself to eat more grains like brown rice and quinoa in the last couple years because I figured they were good for me. However, I truly did miss my whole wheat waffles and dairy. I missed whipping cream in my morning coffee. Coconut creamer basically just ruined the experience of my beloved caffeine elixir. And ice cream! Don’t even get me started.

How did paleo feel?

Paleo felt great, but to be honest, it didn’t feel very different from how I usually eat, which is very little grains and no beans anyway. I actually felt a little more stressed out because I was having to watch what I eat more and avoid dairy. It also seemed like my digestion was slightly slowed at times, perhaps due to the lack of probiotics. I am so accustomed to eating yogurt every day! Then again, it could have just been the extremely filling foods I was eating more of. Eating lots of protein, veggies, fats and nuts, and some fruit makes me feel light but satisfied all the time. I almost always feel awesome and have a steady flow of energy throughout the day. My digestion is bangin’ and my hunger comes at times that make sense. Eating paleo makes me feel comfortably full and satisfied for long periods of time. Some meals kept my hunger at bay for over 5 hours! In my book, paleo is the way to go.

So, now what? 

I plan on continuing to eat mostly paleo, but with some quality dairy. I think I will have grass fed, whole, preferably raw, cream, yogurt, butter, and cheese whenever I crave them. And occasionally ice cream because a life without ice cream is no life at all! Grains will be mostly reserved for special occasions. Like wedding cake. Mmmm.
And because I can’t find my dang camera cord anywhere, I will have to leave you with many workouts instead of a recipe…
Monday
5 founds for time
  • 12 deadlifts, 115 lbs
  • 20 pull ups
  • 12 clean and jerks, 50 lbs
  • 20 knees to elbows
Tuesday
5 rounds for time
  • 22 kettlebell swings, 25 lbs
  • 22 box jumps, 24 inch box
  • 400m run
  • 22 burpees
  • 22 wall balls, 14 lb ball
Wednesday
5 rounds for time
  • 10 tire flips
  • 5 bleacher runs
  • 10 wall climbers
little guy just chilled while I ran those damn steps
Thursday
21-15-9
Deadlifts, 125 lbs
Thrusters, 65 lbs
Friday
50-40-30-20-10 reps for time
  • Wall balls, 14 lb ball
  • Box jumps, 24 inches
  • Kettlebell swings, 20 lbs
THIS WAS SO HARD.
spent.
Saturday
5 rounds for time
  • 800 m run
  • 15 overhead squats, 55 lbs
Sunday AM (I did this with my friend Zoe at her favorite gym in Marin)
3 rounds for time
  • 800 m run
  • 50 back extensions
  • 50 situps
  • 50 kettle bell swings (20 lb)
Sunday PM (I couldn’t skip actual CrossFit no matter how tired I was!)

6 rounds for time

  • 600m run
  • 11 pull ups
  • 11 lunges with 8 kg kettle bell per hand
  • 11 thrusters with 8 kg kettle bell per hand
Monday = REST DAY, FINALLY!
Today = I have CrossFit tonight at 9pm!

As always, thank you for reading! And if you are giving paleo a try, let me know how it is going!! 

 

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when genius strikes

Posted on May 19, 2012 | 11 Comments

Hey y’all! I don’t usually do mini-posts, but I just ate something so epic that I feel the need to tell you. NOW.

So, I just made a batch of paleo waffles for the upcoming week. While I was preparing the batter, a strong, strong bacon craving hit. Instead of reaching for the coconut oil, I reached for the bacon grease. And I drizzled in a bit of maple syrup. These waffles are now

Maple Bacon Paleo Waffles.

I am going back to the original post to add in the modifications for if you want your waffles to be maple bacon flavored. And yes, it still goes EXTREMELY well with almond and peanut butter. Bonus points for adding in crumbled bacon bits.

Also! Yesterday I was in a major funk all day until I finally got my butt to the gym. Sometimes you have the greatest workouts when you least expect it. If you are in the mood for something that is difficult, more cardio-oriented, but still incorporates strength – go for this one.

CrossFit Inspired Circuit

4 rounds:

  • Row 500 m
  • 8 dumbbell snatches per arm, 32.5#
  • 12 sit ups
  • Run 400 m, 6:45 minute mile pace (or whatever is decently challenging for you)
  • 8 burpees with pushup

Bonus! I think I made up this move so I doubt anyone will try it, but if you know the components of it separately then go for it!

3 rounds:

  • 8 squat clean-ass to ground-thrusters, 45# barbell with 5# added
  • 6 oblique pulls w/ 45# weight plate, per side (where you are standing and holding the weight plate in left hand and lean left so the weight goes down your leg and then bring yourself upright)

Have a wonderful Saturday!

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the paleo waffle. perfected.

Posted on May 15, 2012 | 38 Comments

Hey y’all! I hope everyone had a good weekend. Saturday night was my last Delta Gamma formal :( . I can’t believe I am about to graduate. Honestly, I don’t feel like my time is up! I wish I could have the two years I spent at UCSB back so I could re-live them here at UCD. But then again, if I had never gone to UCSB, I probably would never have gotten to compete at collegiate nationals in triathlon. That was truly the experience of a lifetime. So, I’ll just tell myself that those 3 hours were worth the two years of the insanity that is Isla Vista.  Saturday night was a blast, and if you have ever been to a sorority formal, you probably know they can be quite the sh!t show.

But not to worry, we kept it pretty classy!

Sunday was spent studying for a bio midterm, memorizing MCAT physics flash cards, and writing a 23 page lab report on the effects of parasympathetic and sympathetic input to the heart. You know, from that lab where I showed you the picture of frog. Some of y’all didn’t like that very much…

Also as tradition on Sundays, I made waffles to freeze for the upcoming week. I have been working on this recipe for over a month now and I have finally perfected

the paleo waffle.

all dolled up with nowhere to go – except inside my belly.

and here they are naked…

And do not fret if you don’t have a waffle maker! I bet these can easily be made into perfect paleo pancakes.

Perfect Paleo Waffles

Recipe: Makes ~7 waffles or 3 1/2 servings

Ingredients -

  • 4 whole eggs, organic
  • 8 egg whites (these can be cheap ass eggs since you aren’t using the yolk which contains the fat)
  • 1/3 cup coconut beverage, unsweetened
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2-3 droppers NuNauturals liquid stevia, or sweetener of choice (to taste)
  • few shakes of cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • half of a ripe banana, mashed
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour

Options:

  • for a gingerbread waffle, add a 1/2 tsp ground ginger, a pinch of nutmeg, and 1/2 tbsp molasses
  • for a maple bacon waffle, substitute the coconut oil for bacon grease and add 1 tbsp of maple syrup. Bonus points for also crumbling in crispy bacon bits!

Directions – In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, egg yolks, coconut beverage, stevia, vanilla, and banana. In a separate bowl, mix together the baking soda, coconut flour, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix. I recommend blending in a blender for a few seconds to ensure it is perfectly smooth. Pour back into bowl. Whip in the coconut oil. Pour into a preheated waffle maker and follow the instructions for the waffle maker.

Another nudie pic…

Seriously, these waffles are awesome. They required over 5 rounds of tweaking, but they are finally moist, fluffy, lightly sweet, and not a weird eggy texture. And they are grain free, sugar free, dairy free, and every other type of free you could possibly be. 

I consider 2 waffles (plus toppings of course!) a meal because each waffle packs so much protein and fiber. Check it!

So two waffles is 20 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber! Slap on a few tablespoons of nut butter and youve got yourself a meal!

So, since it is technically

I will start with today’s breakfast.

two paleo waffles (surprise!) with birthday cake cashew butter and toasted coconut shreds on 1, and Barney’s almond butter on the other

And lunch was another bacon grease salad.

This one was such a winner. It had romaine, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and sprouts tossed with honey mustard bacon dressing and topped with a ton of turkey, two slices of crispy bacon, and blue cheese.

FYI: Blue cheese and bacon were made for each other. And beef.

Snacks included an apple and a Kind bar. And dinner was another tossed together salad before CrossFit. The WOD was uhhhmazing.

  • 1 minute L sit
  • 800 meter run
  • 30 squat clean  (75 lbs)
  • 100 double unders
  • 30 headstand pushups (I used a box)
  • 100 double unders

Post WOD I made my nightly snack that I have been hiding from you all for months. I seriously eat this almost every night before going to bed.

Coconut Dream Bowl

Recipe: Serves 1. Only.

  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • couple drops of stevia
  • pinch salt
  • dash coconut beverage
  • a high fiber coconut muffin crumbled in (recipe to come!)
  • topped with: toasted coconut shreds, coconut macadamia nut butter, and/or sliced almonds

Directions – Mix together the yogurt, vanilla, stevia, salt and coconut beverage. Crumble in the muffin and top with toasted coconut shreds, nut butter, nuts, whatever!

Alright, I’m out. Have a wonderful day!

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Grain free faux-meal, topped with toasted coconut-macadamia nut butter

Posted on May 1, 2012 | 31 Comments

Hey everyone! I have to unique recipes to share with you today, but first I want to a do a little life recap / word vom!

This last weekend, my friends Zoe, Hayley, Anna and I drove up to Petaluma for the annual Butter and Eggs festival. The Petaluma area is home to many agricultural big names, like Strauss creamery, Clover dairy, and Lagunitas beer! Mmm. One day each year there is a festival with tons of local food stands, a parade, and a Cutest Chick Contest. The feathery kind, of course. We stayed at Anna’s mother’s home on Friday night and woke up at the crack of dawn on Saturday for a delicious, homemade breakfast. A fennel salad and buttery strata were perfect fuel for the day. We pounded some screwdrivers and hit the streets!

me, Anna, Zoe, and Hayley

We had a blast, but day drinking always leaves my body confused. I guess it is nice to shake things up sometimes though! Or stir ;)

Sunday was a day of recovery, studying, and Crossfit. I am loving CrossFit more and more by the day. The WOD was hard.

  • 300 m run
  • 300 ground to shoulders (cleans)
  • 300 m run
  • 30 shoulder to overhead
  • 300 m run

It wouldn’t have been so hard if I had gone with an intermediate weight, but no, ohhhhh no. I had to go heavier. I have been leaving some WODs feeling like I could have gone harder or lifted heavier, and that almost destroys the point. I do think it is a good idea to go with a “safe” weight when you are still learning all the movements, but there comes a time when staying at that weight isn’t going to bring you the improvements that you likely want. While some people finished the WOD in just over 10 minutes, I finished last at around 20. With 75 pounds to lift over my head 30 times, I needed stop and recover every couple reps of the overhead presses. But you know what? I am so glad I went for the “heavy” weight. I know I worked hard and I AM SORE, and that never happens. Moral of the story: Challenge yourself, because finishing a workout in the least amount of time does not equate to the greatest personal reward.

On Monday, I received some Total Body Consultants whey protein in the mail! I have been a long time customer of their Cinnamon Bun flavor, but have been too content to try another flavor or brand because it is that good. They were kind enough to send me a freebie of Alpine Vanilla so that I could branch out a bit. It has the same smooth, creamy texture that I have come to expect, and a light, vanilla-y flavor. However, I still prefer Cinnamon Bun! ;) If youre looking for a delicious, no carb, whey protein isolate, look no further than Total Body Consultants. 

my fave protein shake: Blueberry PopTart!

And finally, today, I started out my day with some paleo-friendly oatmeal fauxmeal. Actually, it depends on what form of paleo/primal diet one follows, but if you are down with flax then you can get down with this breakfast! It is PACKED with ~30 grams of protein and fiber. It is so filling that if you aren’t used to eating bulky breakfasts, you may want to reduce the flax by a tbsp.

I have post in the works all about Paleo and saturated fats and grains, but I want it to be perfect before posting, so bare with me!

Primal “Faux”meal

Recipe: Serves 1

  • 1/4 cup freshly ground flax
  • 1 1/2 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1 egg
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup almond or coconut milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • dash cinnamon + pinch salt
  • stevia, optional (or honey/maple syrup)

toppings: nuts, nut butters, shredded coconut, butter, drizzle of maple syrup, honey

Directions – Whip the eggs and almond or coconut milk together. Whisk in the flax and coconut flour. Let sit for at least 5 minutes. Stir in the eggs, any sweetener, spices, and vanilla. Microwave (or bake) until the desired consistency has been reached. For me, about 2 minutes was perfect. Check it every 30 seconds or so AND STIR IT UP. The length of time depends on if you want it more liquidy or more custardy.

Note: You can make this in the morning and eat it nice and hot OR you can make it the night before and refrigerate it and eat it cold in the morning. I have done both, but because my home is a sauna, I prefer it nice and cold! Also, you may want to add more coconut or almond milk to reach the desired consistency.

And what did I top it with?

The best nut butter I have ever made. Or will ever make.

Toasted Coconut-Macadamia Nut Butter

Recipe:

  • 1 cup roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts
  • 1/2 cup coconut shreds, toasted
  • pinch salt, to taste

optional: couple drops vanilla extract (try it plain first, which is how I prefer it!)

Directions – Combine the nuts and coconut in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add salt if desired.

After that bomb breakfast, I went to my physiology lab and dissected a frog. We stimulated the vagus nerve to induce bradycardia and cardiac arrest. We also completely removed it from the frog and it kept beating. Pacemaker cells are crayyyy! I will leave you with this:

Cheers!

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one of the unexpected benefits of lifting + a recipe

Posted on March 27, 2012 | 11 Comments

Hello from the Texas hill country! It is blue bonnet season, and they are absolutely stunning. I think one of the coolest things that a First Lady has done is how Lady Bird Johnson planted millions wild flowers all along the highways in Texas. Now, every Spring, the sides of the roads are blanketed in wild flowers. There are blue bonnets, Indian paint brushes, and daisies.

Being home has been soothing. I can actually sleep here and I’m not quite the cracked out stress ball that I am at school.  My cousin, Kelly, is visiting my mom and Steve at the same time as I, so we have all been hanging out together constantly. Home cooked meals, laying out in the sun, working out, kind of studying MCAT… and watching movies. Kelly also does CrossFit, so today we did her gym’s WOD and it was awesome! And for a WOD, it was long – 37 minutes.

The WOD

45 seconds headstand, 45 seconds rest

45 seconds tricep dips, 45 seconds rest

45 seconds hollow rock, 45 seconds rest

45 seconds pistols, 45 seconds rest

45 seconds burpees, 45 seconds rest

repeat 5x

Me and Kelly! And Mom taking the photo because she wanted a “girl power photo” ;)

With my extra spare time here I have been thinking about a few things. One of them being reasons for why I lift. I realized that feeling physically strong makes me feel more emotionally strong. Its like, if I can lift this 150 pounds or whatever than I sure as hell am not going to let that comment or indiscretion knock me sideways. As I am writing this, I was going to go on about the empowerment of lifting and physical strength (which is true), but I began thinking about those who are not physically able. They are certainly emotionally strong – probably far more than your average person. So, I decided to do a little reading about how those with disabilities empower themselves, and I found this  article from Lillie Ammann. She suggests that people with disabilities empower themselves by getting out there and trying to not limit themselves from the activities that they enjoy. Also, to focus on the positives in life rather than what is lacking. Both of these recommendations easily apply to everyone. Like not letting fear keep us from going after our goals are doing what we want.

Ammann also wrote a few recommendations for those able bodies, like

  • Treat everyone you meet with respect and courtesy, and don’t ignore or exude pity to disabled people you meet.
  • Offer assistance without being condescending, but don’t be offended if it is declined.
  • Don’t occupy the facilities that are reserved for the handicapped.
That got rather off topic, but it is always good to get brought back to reality and count ze blessings! Another blessing of the week was the epic success that was this  lunch. We have fresh rosemary growing in our front yard and I wanted find a way to use it with chicken and black walnuts (my favee). 

rosemary walnut crusted chicken

Recipe: Serves 2

adapted from My Recipes

  • 1 egg white
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1/3 cup whole wheat panko crumbs
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, black if possible
  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions – Preheat oven to 425°. Combine egg white and mustard in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Add chicken to mixture, turning to coat. Combine panko, nuts, and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from egg mixture; discard extra egg mixture. Dredge chicken in panko mixture. Arrange a wire rack on a large baking sheet; coat rack with cooking spray. Arrange chicken on rack. Bake at 425° for 13 minutes or until chicken is done.

So delicious!! And this would definitely work for dinner too, perhaps with some kale or pasta and olive oil!

Benefits:

Walnuts * a fabulous source of 0mega 3 fatty acids. Walnuts have been found to decrease LDL cholesterol, decrease inflammation, improve endothelial cell function, and decrease risk of excessive blood clotting, all of which decrease heart disease risk. They may also help reduce metabolic syndrome symptoms and decrease tummy fat. They are rich in antioxidants and may help protect against some cancers.

Chicken * an excellent source of lean, complete protein as well as B vitamins.

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CrossFit. Demystified.

Posted on February 29, 2012 | 15 Comments

CrossFit has been the mystery of physical activities for me these last couple years. I have tried almost every team sport, which I suck at, except soccer. This is particularly a shame because soccer is the only sport that I can think of that you can play in essentially any country around the world and connect with the people, even if you can’t speak the language. Besides team sports, I have tried tennis, golf, gymnastics, dance, horseback riding, swimming, running, and biking; the latter three of which lead me to become addicted to triathlon for a few years. I started in high school and then joined the tri team at UCSB. After training intensely during my freshman year, I got to go to nationals… and I haven’t ridden my bike since.  Burnout to the max. I know this was just my experience and it doesn’t have to be this way, but that intense level of cardio was not good for my health. Since then, I have gotten into lifting weights and some quick n’ dirty interval training. Long runs have only occurred when I craved them to de-stress or as a way to catch up on girl talk with my friends.

One of my more hardcore tri pix.

And Crossfit has been there. Looming. All of the people I know that do Crossfit seem addicted to it, almost maniacal. Hearing about it constantly has even gotten a tad annoying at times. What has been intriguing to me is that the CrossFit craze hasn’t appeared to be destructive in any way.  It seems to build the participants up in the most healthful and stable of ways. The women are strong, confident, and seem to value health and strength over being skinny and slaving away at the cardio machines. The men are disciplined, passionate, and aren’t doing it to beef up their biceps. Because realistically, max speed and strength does not always equal max size. 

What has kept me away from Crossfit has been the cost. I couldn’t justify paying several hundred dollars a month to join the local Crossfit gym when I have an excessively nice and free gym at UCD.

I think it may have been fate that a couple weeks ago, a guy at the gym approached me while I was doing back squats on the squat rack. He asked me if I’d ever considered Crossfit and I explained that Yes, I had considered it, but it was too expensive. He told me that UCD students have their own Crossfit club that they do at the Crossfit gym, but during after hours, so it’s dirt cheap. It took me a couple weeks, but I finally went last night.

And I loved it. When I got there, the first round people doing the Workout of the Day were just finishing up. And damn did they look badass! Girls were doing pull-ups and hanging body dips and guys were doing crazy things on the gymnastics rings and headstand pushups. I was in the second group, along with several other noobs, and everyone was incredibly welcoming. We got clear instruction on how to perform the different movements and then we were off!

First, we did a 10 minute warm up consisting of 1 minute rotations of situps, squats, these leg stretch things, and a stretch with a pipe. Next, was the workout. The goal was to do as many rounds as possible of 4 pull ups, 4 tricep dips, 8 kettle bell swings, and 4 military presses in 20 minutes.

It was intense, but I felt more than just energized afterwards. I was literally high on endorphins. And not just from the workout, but from the incredible energy of the group. Everyone, people I didn’t know, was encouraging me and others to keep going and congratulating one another at the end.

I hate to say it, but I might just become one of those obnoxious Crossfit freaks. Hopefully, y’all can bear with me ;) .

And, I have some super good recipes coming soon, so come back!

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