In previous blogs I talked about leaving Boston, leaving behind my very active lifestyle and gaining 9 pounds due to my reduced activities. Eventually, I found CrossFit and have once again enjoyed the pain and pleasure of working out and sculpting a better body. Even with a good ass whooping from CrossFit, I still felt that I needed something more. As a certified Group Ride instructor, I missed the benefits of a great spin session. So, to satisfy my longing to ride, I finally gave in and joined a fitness club that offered a plethora of group classes, including spin. I felt like a kid going to Disney Land. I blew the dust off my spin shoes, packed my gym bag with a water bottle and a towel and drove to the gym for an ass whooping workout.
It was 102 degrees outside but the spin studio was a bit cooler and dim. After the instructor helped me adjust my bike, I clumsily clipped into the peddles and settled in for the ride. What joy to be riding high again, pushing against resistance, peddling hard and fast, drenching my towel with sweat, struggling for breath and halfway up the first hard climb wondering when this self induced torture will be over.
After an hour, the ride was finally over. I lowered the resistance to a slow and easy spin, sat up high on the seat, gulped the last of my water and waited for my breath to return to normal. Drenched in sweat, i unclipped and stretched my overworked muscles. I felt fulfilled, satiated and completely at peace. Walking back to my car I was already planning my next spin session.
Don't wait to do what you love because waiting will only make it harder. Find what you love to do and just do it!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
10K Training
I will run my first 10K race in Anchorage, Alaska on Saturday, August 7th. Back in Boston I used to run 8 and 10 milers just for the fun of it. But since moving to California, my running has become almost non existent. So, when I discovered the 10K race scheduled during my Alaskan vacation, I decided that it was a great excuse to start running again, seriously.
Yesterday was day one of my training. I had a rough plan and ran intervals for 3 miles up and down Magnolia street. In addition to CrossFit training, which claims to 'punish the specialist', I plan to wedge in several runs per week, maybe even on CrossFit training days. The morning Sean will run it with me.
Yesterday was day one of my training. I had a rough plan and ran intervals for 3 miles up and down Magnolia street. In addition to CrossFit training, which claims to 'punish the specialist', I plan to wedge in several runs per week, maybe even on CrossFit training days. The morning Sean will run it with me.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Routine
We all have routines. Wake up, drink coffee, work out, eat breakfast, walk the dog, shower, write a blog post, and go to work. Sometimes we get out of our routines and at some point down the road realize that we haven't done something for a long time. I haven't been writing and I really miss it. So, here's my attempt at getting back into the routine or ritual of writing.
I CrossFitted only once this week. Monday. But I have been riding my bike to work everyday and I feel a little soreness in my thighs. I ride out at 8am and peddle down Barton Rd to Citrus. The morning air is cool and I feel free as a bird. At 8:10 I pass Redlands High school and continue down the open road where I bank a left onto University Drive at 8:15. A slight incline takes me past the School of Business and the main entrance, then I crank the gears and peddle down to the School of Education. At 8:20 I am the gates of work and I take the next 10 minutes to change, chug water, make tea and settle into work for the rest of the day.
The weather has been nice so far but next week it will be in the 90's, maybe even 100. I will still ride my bike to work because I love the thrill of it and every little extra bit of exercise keeps me feeling fit, especially when I don't go to CrossFit.
I CrossFitted only once this week. Monday. But I have been riding my bike to work everyday and I feel a little soreness in my thighs. I ride out at 8am and peddle down Barton Rd to Citrus. The morning air is cool and I feel free as a bird. At 8:10 I pass Redlands High school and continue down the open road where I bank a left onto University Drive at 8:15. A slight incline takes me past the School of Business and the main entrance, then I crank the gears and peddle down to the School of Education. At 8:20 I am the gates of work and I take the next 10 minutes to change, chug water, make tea and settle into work for the rest of the day.
The weather has been nice so far but next week it will be in the 90's, maybe even 100. I will still ride my bike to work because I love the thrill of it and every little extra bit of exercise keeps me feeling fit, especially when I don't go to CrossFit.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Quick Update
I've been working out, just not writing much about it.
Today's WOD was relatively quite. I worked up to 4 double unders in a row. I've doubled my progress since last week. Knee to elbow was challenging due to grip and weak abs. But this is the workout that I need the most!! For the yard walk, I pretended that the 45 pound bar over my head was a big bag of dog food. (I really could have put more weight on that bar).
It's funny how I want to give up during the workout, throw down the weight and walk out the door. Yet I push myself through to the end only to discover, again and again, how amazing I feel and that I can actually do these things. Look mom! I can do it all by myself!
Skill: Deadlift 3x3x3
5 Rounds of:
50 Double Unders
35 Knees-to-Elbows
20 Yard Overhead Walk
Today's WOD was relatively quite. I worked up to 4 double unders in a row. I've doubled my progress since last week. Knee to elbow was challenging due to grip and weak abs. But this is the workout that I need the most!! For the yard walk, I pretended that the 45 pound bar over my head was a big bag of dog food. (I really could have put more weight on that bar).
It's funny how I want to give up during the workout, throw down the weight and walk out the door. Yet I push myself through to the end only to discover, again and again, how amazing I feel and that I can actually do these things. Look mom! I can do it all by myself!
Skill: Deadlift 3x3x3
5 Rounds of:
50 Double Unders
35 Knees-to-Elbows
20 Yard Overhead Walk
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Sugar Emergency!
You give up one addiction and another pops up. Like that "bang the goffer" game at the state fair where you have to keep bobbing them goffers on the head so you win a prize. Giving up sugar wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. After a month of not eating sugar, food that I would have never considered sweet, actually is sweet. Broccoli has a light sweetness when I survived one month but the sugar culprit is everywhere! I began craving bread. I even indulged in that warm chewy goodness. I ate it with butter, with brie and washed it down with a nice glass of wine. The French would approve. But in this American lifestyle, bread is not a good thing to eat. Unless your metabolism is like an inferno, go ahead and have a few bites but if it's not, stay away from that baked stuff!
We did a partner WOD today. I was thrilled that Matt Millet was my partner. He did his entire workout with a 40 lb. weighted vest. Matt is a baseball player and an avid CrossFitter. He is tall, trim and my dietary inspiration. Matt does not drink alcohol, brings chicken and veggies to grill a cookouts.
We did a partner WOD today. I was thrilled that Matt Millet was my partner. He did his entire workout with a 40 lb. weighted vest. Matt is a baseball player and an avid CrossFitter. He is tall, trim and my dietary inspiration. Matt does not drink alcohol, brings chicken and veggies to grill a cookouts.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Feeling Yuck!
What do you do when you are feeling discontent, missing your sisters, your friends and indulging in foods that you have deamed absolutely unhealthy?
More CrossFit!Since I slammed the door on sugar over three weeks ago, another door crept open. Froccasia, cheese and wine! The French would praise me for this addition to my diet but as an unknown author puts it, "Nothing tastes as good as being lean feels." And over the last several months I have been leaning more towards filling out my once loose fitting jeans. Yes, I do CrossFit, but not religiously. I loosely follow the Zone. I eat my veggies and I don't eat junk food. My workout intensity has softened and I find myself craving power yoga.
Check out Mary Lou Retton's story.
More CrossFit!Since I slammed the door on sugar over three weeks ago, another door crept open. Froccasia, cheese and wine! The French would praise me for this addition to my diet but as an unknown author puts it, "Nothing tastes as good as being lean feels." And over the last several months I have been leaning more towards filling out my once loose fitting jeans. Yes, I do CrossFit, but not religiously. I loosely follow the Zone. I eat my veggies and I don't eat junk food. My workout intensity has softened and I find myself craving power yoga.
Check out Mary Lou Retton's story.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Happy Dirty 27
I am very happy that Rachel is 27 years old and not 50. Today’s WOD was led by our trainer, Rachel, who is celebrating her 27th birthday. She created this workout so we can all experience her 27 years in under 30 minutes.
Workout of the Day:”Dirty 27”
27 Reps of each of the following:
Box Jump 24/20
Jumping Pull Ups
Kettle Bell Swings
Walking Lunges
Knees-to-Elbows
Push Press
Hip Extension
Wall Ball
Burpees
Double Unders
I did my first ever double under today! Maybe I can work up to a handstand.
Workout of the Day:”Dirty 27”
27 Reps of each of the following:
Box Jump 24/20
Jumping Pull Ups
Kettle Bell Swings
Walking Lunges
Knees-to-Elbows
Push Press
Hip Extension
Wall Ball
Burpees
Double Unders
I did my first ever double under today! Maybe I can work up to a handstand.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Think Outside The Box
I was very excited when Calvin announced we were doing our Satuday WOD at Hulda Crooks, where I often hike with my dog. But my performance that Saturday at the park was pathetic. I was sluggish during the run; I had a hard time walking up the hill and my pull ups needed major assistance. Burpees were slow and painful but the kettlebell swings weren’t too bad.
Here’s the deal with nutrition. I am still not eating sugar but I am eating a slightly greenish banana and drinking a cup of coffee with milk 45 minutes prior to my workouts. The sweet thing is that I have not experienced a crash in energy during my workouts since I added this “zone unfavorable” food back into my diet. However, I did something very dumb before Satuday's workout.
Forty five minutes before the workout at the park, I ate my banana and drank my coffee with milk as usual. No problem. We arrived at the park at 7:45 but no one from CrossFit was there. I called Calvin to find out where he was. He told me the WOD starts at 9am. Oh, no! My fuel was ready for burning but there wasn’t going to be any burning for at least another hour. I was worried that the banana and coffee were not going to sustain me through the 9am WOD. Sean and I and a friend we brought with us for his first WOD decided it would be a good idea to grab a bite to eat. Our options were limited so we drove to Stells. Sean and I split a jalapeno cheese bagel with peanut butter and cream cheese. Oh, it was delicious, but I was suspicious of how that bagel, now forty minutes prior to the workout, was going to sit with me during the workout. The answer revealed itself in my performance.
Calvin led the CrossFit team on a warm up tour of our course. We were expected to do 30 pullups using the thick bar of the swing set, do 30 kettelbell swings, run the hill and halfway through drop for 20 burpees. Do this 2 times for time. Immediately, I found it difficult just to keep a good walking pace up the hill! My friend’s recurring back injury prevented him from starting the workout and I was more then willing to get off the hill and drive him home. But I stayed and endured the misery of being completely ill-prepared for a CrossFit workout. My lungs struggled for breath, my whole body and legs felt weak, like I was jogging through molasses. I just wanted it to end.
Now, there are many factors that contributed to my weakness that day. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or too many beers the night before. Maybe it actually was the bagel with peanut butter and cream cheese. At least I know for sure that proper rest, proper nutrition and consistent training are key ingredients to a successful workout. Better planning next time.
Here’s the deal with nutrition. I am still not eating sugar but I am eating a slightly greenish banana and drinking a cup of coffee with milk 45 minutes prior to my workouts. The sweet thing is that I have not experienced a crash in energy during my workouts since I added this “zone unfavorable” food back into my diet. However, I did something very dumb before Satuday's workout.
Forty five minutes before the workout at the park, I ate my banana and drank my coffee with milk as usual. No problem. We arrived at the park at 7:45 but no one from CrossFit was there. I called Calvin to find out where he was. He told me the WOD starts at 9am. Oh, no! My fuel was ready for burning but there wasn’t going to be any burning for at least another hour. I was worried that the banana and coffee were not going to sustain me through the 9am WOD. Sean and I and a friend we brought with us for his first WOD decided it would be a good idea to grab a bite to eat. Our options were limited so we drove to Stells. Sean and I split a jalapeno cheese bagel with peanut butter and cream cheese. Oh, it was delicious, but I was suspicious of how that bagel, now forty minutes prior to the workout, was going to sit with me during the workout. The answer revealed itself in my performance.
Calvin led the CrossFit team on a warm up tour of our course. We were expected to do 30 pullups using the thick bar of the swing set, do 30 kettelbell swings, run the hill and halfway through drop for 20 burpees. Do this 2 times for time. Immediately, I found it difficult just to keep a good walking pace up the hill! My friend’s recurring back injury prevented him from starting the workout and I was more then willing to get off the hill and drive him home. But I stayed and endured the misery of being completely ill-prepared for a CrossFit workout. My lungs struggled for breath, my whole body and legs felt weak, like I was jogging through molasses. I just wanted it to end.
Now, there are many factors that contributed to my weakness that day. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or too many beers the night before. Maybe it actually was the bagel with peanut butter and cream cheese. At least I know for sure that proper rest, proper nutrition and consistent training are key ingredients to a successful workout. Better planning next time.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Row, Row, Row Your Boat!
It took three full days to recover from Monday’s Fran and Tabata core training. So, I was thrilled that today’s workout was press, push press and jerk. My shoulders need major development and even though I didn’t press a lot of weight 57lb on the press, 62lb on the push press, 57 on the split jerk, it was a calm workout I needed. Then Calvin told us to row 2,000 meters for time! Occasionally, I enjoy a leisurely row, but the word leisurely does not exist in the CrossFit dictionary so I rowed fast and hard. 2000 is a big number and besides battling fatigue, I was battling with my own mind to stay focused and to stay on track.
A few things helped me push through the intensity. Calvin’s voice saying, “stay calm”, when I was getting weary. The pumping music and most importantly Jeremy’s gentle coaching. Jeremy sat on the rower next to me and through his own workout was coaching me, “Pull hard, you got this.” I gave it all I had in my last 100 meters because of Jeremy counting me down to the finish. I beat my time by nearly a minute finishing at 8:55. My lungs were on fire, mostly because I don’t work them as hard as I did when I was teaching my spin classes back in Boston. But at least I finished with the help of my coach, my new workout buddy and rocking music.
I just have to mention how much I appreciate CrossFit and the sense of family and community it has created in my life.
Today’s Nutrition: Inspiring Coaching
Pre-workout: Coffee with milk and ½ banana.
Post-workout: 6” Turkey sub with veggies and avocado from Subway.
Snack: Coffee with skim milk and 5 almonds.
Dinner: Tomato and sweet pepper salad with Feta, tossed in olive oil and coconut vinegar. YUM! A piece of tri-tip and an apple.
A few things helped me push through the intensity. Calvin’s voice saying, “stay calm”, when I was getting weary. The pumping music and most importantly Jeremy’s gentle coaching. Jeremy sat on the rower next to me and through his own workout was coaching me, “Pull hard, you got this.” I gave it all I had in my last 100 meters because of Jeremy counting me down to the finish. I beat my time by nearly a minute finishing at 8:55. My lungs were on fire, mostly because I don’t work them as hard as I did when I was teaching my spin classes back in Boston. But at least I finished with the help of my coach, my new workout buddy and rocking music.
I just have to mention how much I appreciate CrossFit and the sense of family and community it has created in my life.
Today’s Nutrition: Inspiring Coaching
Pre-workout: Coffee with milk and ½ banana.
Post-workout: 6” Turkey sub with veggies and avocado from Subway.
Snack: Coffee with skim milk and 5 almonds.
Dinner: Tomato and sweet pepper salad with Feta, tossed in olive oil and coconut vinegar. YUM! A piece of tri-tip and an apple.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Yoga
Still very sore from Monday's Fran workout and in dire need of a stretching session, I decided not to CrossFit today and opted for some power yoga. I rolled out my yoga mat and popped in a DVD into my laptop.
Monday, April 26, 2010
No Sugar, No Cravings, No Kidding!
I began my personal ‘no sugar crusade’ on Monday, April 19th, 2010. And I have been sabotaged on three occasions by sugar. Once while using carrot sticks to dig out hummus out of its container, I noticed that sugar was an added ingredient. Once, while at a lunch meeting I opted for baked beans instead of potato salad or coleslaw, realizing later that sugar is what makes baked beans so good. And then the ultimate, but really unmasked sugar drink, a margarita at the baseball game!
As I have done many times in the past I made a declaration to myself that this day would be the day that I stop the sugar cycle. Breaking bad habits can be very difficult and sometimes you just have to keep starting over until you finally get it. That particular Monday afternoon, with my ‘no more sugar’ banner flying high in my mind, I was handling peanut M&M’s and cookies for a new student orientation. I still recall the sweet smell and sound the M&M’s made as I poured them into little plastic serving cups. Suddenly, it happened. That craving began to creep up inside me and for a brief moment I thought about throwing down my ‘no more sugar’ banner and throwing up my white flag, surrender now and start again tomorrow.
Just as quickly as the thought of surrender surfaced, a new thought stood ground and suggested, “Why not just try not giving into the craving for now, as an experiment, and see what happens.” To my surprise the crusade survived that battle and I have not touched or craved sugar or M&M’s since that day.
That is not to say that I don’t think about M&M’s or cookies or scones. A box of Godiva Dark Truffles has been sitting in the office all week and sometimes I peek inside the box to admire the beautiful chocolate balls but I don't have one. The experiment has to be long enough for me to have measurable results. Yes, there are many variables that come into play, but with each passing day I am further away from sugar and its destructive path.
There’s no nutrition in sugar, yet it is found in so many of the foods we eat. Why does my store-bought hummus need to have sugar in it?
My nutrition today:
Pre-Breakfast: Coffee, (another nutrition-less food), with 1% milk.
Breakfast: Greek yogurt, blueberries, sunflower seeds/walnuts
Snack: Slice of Cheese (I was out of the zone on that one)
Lunch: Chicken and curried green beans sautéed in coconut milk with a
teaspoon of raisons.
Unsweetened iced tea
Dinner: Roasted Chicken thigh with raw snap peas and cherry tomatoes
Decaf tea
Snack: Leftover Greek yogurt from breakfast (1/2 cup)
PS. I did not workout today, but my core and shoulders are extremely sore from yesterday’s Fran and core training.
As I have done many times in the past I made a declaration to myself that this day would be the day that I stop the sugar cycle. Breaking bad habits can be very difficult and sometimes you just have to keep starting over until you finally get it. That particular Monday afternoon, with my ‘no more sugar’ banner flying high in my mind, I was handling peanut M&M’s and cookies for a new student orientation. I still recall the sweet smell and sound the M&M’s made as I poured them into little plastic serving cups. Suddenly, it happened. That craving began to creep up inside me and for a brief moment I thought about throwing down my ‘no more sugar’ banner and throwing up my white flag, surrender now and start again tomorrow.
Just as quickly as the thought of surrender surfaced, a new thought stood ground and suggested, “Why not just try not giving into the craving for now, as an experiment, and see what happens.” To my surprise the crusade survived that battle and I have not touched or craved sugar or M&M’s since that day.
That is not to say that I don’t think about M&M’s or cookies or scones. A box of Godiva Dark Truffles has been sitting in the office all week and sometimes I peek inside the box to admire the beautiful chocolate balls but I don't have one. The experiment has to be long enough for me to have measurable results. Yes, there are many variables that come into play, but with each passing day I am further away from sugar and its destructive path.
There’s no nutrition in sugar, yet it is found in so many of the foods we eat. Why does my store-bought hummus need to have sugar in it?
My nutrition today:
Pre-Breakfast: Coffee, (another nutrition-less food), with 1% milk.
Breakfast: Greek yogurt, blueberries, sunflower seeds/walnuts
Snack: Slice of Cheese (I was out of the zone on that one)
Lunch: Chicken and curried green beans sautéed in coconut milk with a
teaspoon of raisons.
Unsweetened iced tea
Dinner: Roasted Chicken thigh with raw snap peas and cherry tomatoes
Decaf tea
Snack: Leftover Greek yogurt from breakfast (1/2 cup)
PS. I did not workout today, but my core and shoulders are extremely sore from yesterday’s Fran and core training.
You Can't Zone Alcohol.
No matter how good my intentions are in zoning out alcohol Well, you can if you intend on having one beer or one glass of wine. If you want result from your workouts and you are looking to loose body fat, put the bottle down. This weekend was full of fun, drinking and eating. I stepped on the scale this morning and it yelled out 120! According to the experts, 120 is my ideal body weight. I guess I need to accept the number and work with it. Not to lose weight but to simply get fit. Tone, tone, tone!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Deck of Cards
We really have fun at CrossFit. Saturday's workout was 'Deck of Cards'. We invited our neighbor, Tiffany to play with us. Having never done CrossFit before, this was a good introduction for Tiffany. The 8am WOD began with a group warm up. We made a big circle with Calvin in the middle giving instructions. Hip circles, side bends, static lunges and then we went through the movements that were in the ‘Deck of Cards’; man-makers, jumping squats, side shuffle with med-ball, knee-to-elbow. The best part of a team workout is the team. There is this great feeling of being part of a team and working towards a single goal. In our case it was to get through the deck of cards and try to beat the other teams for time.
This team workout was so much fun but it was also brutal, especially when you pull a spade three times in a row! If you’ve never done the side shuffle before, just hold a weighted ball between your legs and below your knees and then side shuffle for 25 meters and side shuffle back 25 meters. That’s one!
Here’s how to play the game:
Gather a small team and a full deck of cards. Each suit is assigned an activity. Hearts are man-makers, clubs are weighted jump squats, diamonds are knee-to- elbow, and spade is side shuffle with a med ball for 25 meters and back. The number on the card is how many times you do the activity before moving on the next card. King, Queen and Jack count as 10, Ace is 12. If someone pulls a Joker everyone on your team must stop whatever activity they are doing and your team must play leap frog for 30 meters! Every person on the team pulls their own card and does the assigned activity. First team to get through the deck of cards wins!
We didn’t win but the satisfaction of getting through the entire deck of cards made us all feel like winners!
Warning: Keep your head down when playing leapfrog.
This team workout was so much fun but it was also brutal, especially when you pull a spade three times in a row! If you’ve never done the side shuffle before, just hold a weighted ball between your legs and below your knees and then side shuffle for 25 meters and side shuffle back 25 meters. That’s one!
Here’s how to play the game:
Gather a small team and a full deck of cards. Each suit is assigned an activity. Hearts are man-makers, clubs are weighted jump squats, diamonds are knee-to- elbow, and spade is side shuffle with a med ball for 25 meters and back. The number on the card is how many times you do the activity before moving on the next card. King, Queen and Jack count as 10, Ace is 12. If someone pulls a Joker everyone on your team must stop whatever activity they are doing and your team must play leap frog for 30 meters! Every person on the team pulls their own card and does the assigned activity. First team to get through the deck of cards wins!
We didn’t win but the satisfaction of getting through the entire deck of cards made us all feel like winners!
Warning: Keep your head down when playing leapfrog.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Was It the Banana?
What happened to me this morning that I had high energy and endurance to work through my WOD? Usually, I struggle and feel weak and sluggish early on in the workout. This is day 4 of absolutely no sugar. I am doing well and experienceing no cravings, even though I am surrounded by junk food at work. I just keep reminding myself of my "no sugar experiment" and I happily walk away from that bag of M&M's.
This morning, an hour before the 9am WOD, I poured myself a big cup of coffee and drank it with warm milk, like I do most morning. I love my poor man's latte and if I ever have to experiment with eliminating coffee and milk from my diet, I think this would be the hardest.
I was feeling a bit hungry, so after downing my latte I decided to eat a banana. I can't remember the last time I ate just a plain ole' banana before a workout. Actually, I haven't been eating bananas because according to Dr. Barry Sears, they are an unfavorable carb. So, I 99% eliminated them from my diet. But according to my boyfriend, Sean, bananas are brain fuel with many other health benefits and we always have them at home because Sean blends them in his smoothies.
My body favored this one! This one little banana was my "sugar" candy that fueled my workout. I must mention here that if you're going to eat bananas, eat them at the right time of the day. Use them only as a "supplement" to your workout routine. Again, my goal is to eliminate added sugar and sugar substitute and use certain fruit only for my workouts. Plus, bananas are very inexpensive!
So, here is what happened and what didn't happen after I ate the banana.
I didn't all of a sudden become stronger and pump out 100 push ups. Although, I did 10 in a row very nicely. I did have sustained energy through out the entire WOD. I didn't crash from a sugar high. And I had the most rounds in 30 minutes!
Workout of the Day:
As many rounds as possible in 30 min.
52lb Single leg Deadlift-5reps (each leg)
Push ups-13 reps
Box jump 14"-9 reps
PS. I loved this workout partly becasue there was no rowing! Balancing on one leg for a deadlift takes a little bit of skill. My right hip was a bit tight and I struggled with strength and balance on that leg. Push ups became increasingly difficult with each round. I had plenty of energy for the box jumps and made up my time on those as well as deadlifting from my left leg. What a great workout! I'll let you know how the next banana 'works out' out for me.
NO WOD tomorrow for me.
This morning, an hour before the 9am WOD, I poured myself a big cup of coffee and drank it with warm milk, like I do most morning. I love my poor man's latte and if I ever have to experiment with eliminating coffee and milk from my diet, I think this would be the hardest.
I was feeling a bit hungry, so after downing my latte I decided to eat a banana. I can't remember the last time I ate just a plain ole' banana before a workout. Actually, I haven't been eating bananas because according to Dr. Barry Sears, they are an unfavorable carb. So, I 99% eliminated them from my diet. But according to my boyfriend, Sean, bananas are brain fuel with many other health benefits and we always have them at home because Sean blends them in his smoothies.
My body favored this one! This one little banana was my "sugar" candy that fueled my workout. I must mention here that if you're going to eat bananas, eat them at the right time of the day. Use them only as a "supplement" to your workout routine. Again, my goal is to eliminate added sugar and sugar substitute and use certain fruit only for my workouts. Plus, bananas are very inexpensive!
So, here is what happened and what didn't happen after I ate the banana.
I didn't all of a sudden become stronger and pump out 100 push ups. Although, I did 10 in a row very nicely. I did have sustained energy through out the entire WOD. I didn't crash from a sugar high. And I had the most rounds in 30 minutes!
Workout of the Day:
As many rounds as possible in 30 min.
52lb Single leg Deadlift-5reps (each leg)
Push ups-13 reps
Box jump 14"-9 reps
PS. I loved this workout partly becasue there was no rowing! Balancing on one leg for a deadlift takes a little bit of skill. My right hip was a bit tight and I struggled with strength and balance on that leg. Push ups became increasingly difficult with each round. I had plenty of energy for the box jumps and made up my time on those as well as deadlifting from my left leg. What a great workout! I'll let you know how the next banana 'works out' out for me.
NO WOD tomorrow for me.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
There's No Crying in CrossFit!
I planned to workout at 9am today but my plans changed and I was forced to workout at 8am or not at all that day. I needed to workout, no more excuses! Except for my coach working in the office, I was alone with no team spirit to push me. After stretching, the warm up was two rounds of MFM (mastering foundations movements). Using a 22 lb bar do 10 of each movement; press, push press, dead lift, sumo deadlift high pull, back squat, front squat, overhead squat, clean and jerk, snatch.
22lb of push press, no problem but halfway through the squats I was feeling a tightness in my recovering hip and a weakness that forced me to exert a lot of energy just to stand up. I was building up heat and getting frustrated. Why was my hip still giving me trouble? I gritted my teeth and kept moving but with a lot of effort. My frustration turned into tears. No kidding! Real tears welled up in my eyes and I let the bar fall to the ground. I took a break and walked outside for fresh air and to collect myself. This is just a stinkin' warm up! Why am i suffering with it? I kicked my leg out a bit and returned to the 22lb bar. Ok, you can do this. The hip kept barking as i took the squats below parallel. I closed my eyes and pushed and cried through to the end of the warm up.
I gave myself five minutes of rest before starting the WOD. Row 500 meters, rest 3minutes. 5 rounds for time! Rowing is not my strongest activity. But I was ready to take it on. I strapped my feet into the rower and 3, 2, 1...go! The timer buzzed and I pulled hard. At 300 meters my pace slowed to 2:00/m and I was spent. I felt as if all the energy had left me but I pulled to 500 and then stopped to rest. I figured since I was working out alone, I would just row 2500 for time, taking rests whenever I needed. It turned out that I needed to rest every 200 to 300 meters. I broke it down into pieces and was able to finish the 2500 row in 25minutes.
I have to admit that there were moments where I simply wanted to give up, to get off the rower and just go home. But I stuck it out and now I have a new time to beat.
22lb of push press, no problem but halfway through the squats I was feeling a tightness in my recovering hip and a weakness that forced me to exert a lot of energy just to stand up. I was building up heat and getting frustrated. Why was my hip still giving me trouble? I gritted my teeth and kept moving but with a lot of effort. My frustration turned into tears. No kidding! Real tears welled up in my eyes and I let the bar fall to the ground. I took a break and walked outside for fresh air and to collect myself. This is just a stinkin' warm up! Why am i suffering with it? I kicked my leg out a bit and returned to the 22lb bar. Ok, you can do this. The hip kept barking as i took the squats below parallel. I closed my eyes and pushed and cried through to the end of the warm up.
I gave myself five minutes of rest before starting the WOD. Row 500 meters, rest 3minutes. 5 rounds for time! Rowing is not my strongest activity. But I was ready to take it on. I strapped my feet into the rower and 3, 2, 1...go! The timer buzzed and I pulled hard. At 300 meters my pace slowed to 2:00/m and I was spent. I felt as if all the energy had left me but I pulled to 500 and then stopped to rest. I figured since I was working out alone, I would just row 2500 for time, taking rests whenever I needed. It turned out that I needed to rest every 200 to 300 meters. I broke it down into pieces and was able to finish the 2500 row in 25minutes.
I have to admit that there were moments where I simply wanted to give up, to get off the rower and just go home. But I stuck it out and now I have a new time to beat.
Monday, April 19, 2010
No Sugar?
That's right. It is high time I eliminated sugar from my diet. I used to bake cookies and have always enjoyed chocolate, cake, cookies, ice cream, scones. But lately, the cookie monster that lives inside me has become very demanding! My hormones are out of whack and I crave that sweetness. The sweet white stuff that makes cookie monster gobble up his favorite treats and beg for more is an addictive substance. Just look at the blue monster. He can't just have one. I won't get into scientific detail about why sugar is addictive and how it contributes to weight gain and other health and psychological problems and how it is in almost all packaged foods, but you can read about sugar's affect on the human body in "Suicide by Sugar" and "It Started with Pop-Tarts". Plus, you can find plenty of articles on line.
My goal of eliminating sugar from my diet is simply to get my body and mind into a state of homeostasis and to have lasting energy for CrossFit. Our bodies can take a lot of abuse but if I can do things to help aleviate some of its stuggle to function better, I will. I beleive that if I eliminate sugar from my body entirely then I might be able to actually hear the fine tunes of my body's real needs. I'll view this experiment as having a clean house. Because in a clean house, any mess is easily spotted.
We are constanty a work in progress. Please share your stories about sugar.
PS. I put out peanut M&M's at work for the new student orientation and it was hard not to eat one of those pretty colors. But I took a deep breath and told myself, "NO! Just try this experiment for 14 days and see what happens." I didn't eat any.
My goal of eliminating sugar from my diet is simply to get my body and mind into a state of homeostasis and to have lasting energy for CrossFit. Our bodies can take a lot of abuse but if I can do things to help aleviate some of its stuggle to function better, I will. I beleive that if I eliminate sugar from my body entirely then I might be able to actually hear the fine tunes of my body's real needs. I'll view this experiment as having a clean house. Because in a clean house, any mess is easily spotted.
We are constanty a work in progress. Please share your stories about sugar.
PS. I put out peanut M&M's at work for the new student orientation and it was hard not to eat one of those pretty colors. But I took a deep breath and told myself, "NO! Just try this experiment for 14 days and see what happens." I didn't eat any.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
A Short History on Running
I was an avid runner. My 5:45 am runs along the Charles River in Boston were a joyful treat. I would wake and dress in darkness while most of the city was still asleep. Once on the trail, the morning sun slowly unveiled its orange and red brilliance behind the city skyline. I felt alive and strong in those private moments running along the Charles. The city was my oyster. In addition to my solo runs, I ran four milers with my best friend, Megan, several times a week from our parking area to the Elliott Bridge in Cambridge. Some Saturdays, I did longer runs, averaging from 5 to 10milers. Often, I drove down to Plymouth to visit my sister, Maggie, where I never missed an opportunity to run along Herring Pond. These were some of my favorite places to run and I truly miss everything about them.
When I moved to California in September 2009, I was free from six years of graduate course work, two jobs, a go-go-go lifestyle and importantly, I was free from a lot of stress. Without all that work, I felt like I was on vacation in California. I didn’t need to work right away and I took that opportunity to settle in, rebuild a home with my boyfriend, Sean, explore my new environment and just relax. I took a break from everything and that included, what used to be an integral part of my Boston life, running.
I can not tell you exactly why I stopped running. I just know that once I stopped it was very difficult to get back into it with the same strides. I was somewhat active. I walked, I did yoga at home and occasionally I hiked at Forest Falls. But these were leisurely “vacation” activities.
Sometime in October I noticed my body getting “soft” so I decided to go for a run but my legs felt heavy and my lungs burned. I didn’t run again until I found CrossFit in November.
My first CrossFit workout in the park left me sore for 5 days! I knew I needed this. Over the next three months I worked up my intensity and I became strong again. Then in March the unfortunate hip injury prevented me from working out. No matter how much I tried to push my body to move, pain stopped me.
Mobility returned to my hip and I was able to begin my long road to recovery. As you've read in previous posts, I hiked and attempted CrossFit again. But now, I was itching for a run. Maybe it was nostalgia of my runs along the Charles or Herring Pond, but I felt a burning desire to run again.
I encountered a bit of a problem. I already accepted the fact that I couldn't go all out and that I simply had to build up my muscles, endurance and stamina. So, the problem is that I work late hours at my new job and I get to sleep around 11:30 or midnight, Monday through Thursday. That means that I sleep through my ideal running time of 5:45am. By the time I wake, the day is bright and there's a lot of activity in the outside world. I prefer to run in the shadows, unseen.
I woke on Tuesday morning at 8 am, made a big fat cup of coffee and debated how and where I would perform my run that day. I didn't want to drive to a track and I definitely did not want to run around my neighborhood that late in the morning. So, I finally settled on walking over to the gym at my building complex and doing my run on the treadmill. That's right, I said it. I ran on the treadmill.
My ipod ran out of battery so I watched Emeril Live while my feet moved across the black tarmac belt. I was thrilled to be running! After the warm up I picked up pace and maintained a 9-minute mile. Emeril was making a salad dressing for his fried egg salad. My hip was behaving but my lungs were working hard. And after half an hour, I wanted to get off the treadmill. So I slowed to a walk for my cool down.
According to the machine, I ran 2.6 miles in 30 minutes and burned 295 calories. After the run I did a handful of man-makers with 20-lb barbells. I wanted to run 3 miles that day but I was fairly satisfied with my 2.6 mile run. I walked back to my apartment, chugging water and thinking about where and when my next run would be.
When I moved to California in September 2009, I was free from six years of graduate course work, two jobs, a go-go-go lifestyle and importantly, I was free from a lot of stress. Without all that work, I felt like I was on vacation in California. I didn’t need to work right away and I took that opportunity to settle in, rebuild a home with my boyfriend, Sean, explore my new environment and just relax. I took a break from everything and that included, what used to be an integral part of my Boston life, running.
I can not tell you exactly why I stopped running. I just know that once I stopped it was very difficult to get back into it with the same strides. I was somewhat active. I walked, I did yoga at home and occasionally I hiked at Forest Falls. But these were leisurely “vacation” activities.
Sometime in October I noticed my body getting “soft” so I decided to go for a run but my legs felt heavy and my lungs burned. I didn’t run again until I found CrossFit in November.
My first CrossFit workout in the park left me sore for 5 days! I knew I needed this. Over the next three months I worked up my intensity and I became strong again. Then in March the unfortunate hip injury prevented me from working out. No matter how much I tried to push my body to move, pain stopped me.
Mobility returned to my hip and I was able to begin my long road to recovery. As you've read in previous posts, I hiked and attempted CrossFit again. But now, I was itching for a run. Maybe it was nostalgia of my runs along the Charles or Herring Pond, but I felt a burning desire to run again.
I encountered a bit of a problem. I already accepted the fact that I couldn't go all out and that I simply had to build up my muscles, endurance and stamina. So, the problem is that I work late hours at my new job and I get to sleep around 11:30 or midnight, Monday through Thursday. That means that I sleep through my ideal running time of 5:45am. By the time I wake, the day is bright and there's a lot of activity in the outside world. I prefer to run in the shadows, unseen.
I woke on Tuesday morning at 8 am, made a big fat cup of coffee and debated how and where I would perform my run that day. I didn't want to drive to a track and I definitely did not want to run around my neighborhood that late in the morning. So, I finally settled on walking over to the gym at my building complex and doing my run on the treadmill. That's right, I said it. I ran on the treadmill.
My ipod ran out of battery so I watched Emeril Live while my feet moved across the black tarmac belt. I was thrilled to be running! After the warm up I picked up pace and maintained a 9-minute mile. Emeril was making a salad dressing for his fried egg salad. My hip was behaving but my lungs were working hard. And after half an hour, I wanted to get off the treadmill. So I slowed to a walk for my cool down.
According to the machine, I ran 2.6 miles in 30 minutes and burned 295 calories. After the run I did a handful of man-makers with 20-lb barbells. I wanted to run 3 miles that day but I was fairly satisfied with my 2.6 mile run. I walked back to my apartment, chugging water and thinking about where and when my next run would be.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Feel The Burn
My alarm chimed this morning at 5, telling me to get my butt to CrossFit. I debated for a few seconds whether to stay in bed. I reached for the alarm button and pressed snooze. That's right, I snoozed. A few minutes later Sean gently shook me out of sleep to tell me that I had to get up for CrossFit. I mumbled that I wanted to sleep and that I would go to the eight am session. The desire for sleep was so great and I'm really happy I did it.
At 7:15 Sean returned from his workout and woke me to say that I had 15 minutes to get out the door. Since I had my workout clothes layed out the night before, it was easy to be dressed, hydrated, kissed goodbye and out the door in 15.
I was relieved that the workout of the day was not a cardio killer. After the general warm up it was, 3..2...1..Go! I was amazed that I could hold a Wall Sit for 6:20 minutes! Go ahead and try it. Squat with your back against the wall, your thighs parallel to the floor, your arms extended in front of you, hit the timer and see how long you can hold it. The burn was intense! Beat my time and let me know about it!
Next, hold the push up position on the rings! Ouch! I collapsed after 40 sec. Next, false grip on rings. I didn't last very long there either. Damn arms! Hold 22lb bar overhead with active shoulders. This was almost as good as my wall sit, 4 minutes but the burn was so intense in my right shoulder and my whole body began to shake at the end. Iron Cross with 5lb dumbells. This was a pathetic 30 seconds!! And finally, chin over bar. Resuts? I need to build up my upper body strength. Finished the workout with a 500 meter sprint on the rower. 2 minutes flat. Not bad at all.
So, the burn I felt in my lungs after the sprint indicated to me that I need to work everyday to build cardio strength. The burning results from the wall sit and arm work gave me a very good starting point to set new personal records in the coming weeks. As some of my favorite people say, "We are a work in progress."
Tomorrow I have off from CrossFit but I will run a four miler (no snooze).
At 7:15 Sean returned from his workout and woke me to say that I had 15 minutes to get out the door. Since I had my workout clothes layed out the night before, it was easy to be dressed, hydrated, kissed goodbye and out the door in 15.
I was relieved that the workout of the day was not a cardio killer. After the general warm up it was, 3..2...1..Go! I was amazed that I could hold a Wall Sit for 6:20 minutes! Go ahead and try it. Squat with your back against the wall, your thighs parallel to the floor, your arms extended in front of you, hit the timer and see how long you can hold it. The burn was intense! Beat my time and let me know about it!
Next, hold the push up position on the rings! Ouch! I collapsed after 40 sec. Next, false grip on rings. I didn't last very long there either. Damn arms! Hold 22lb bar overhead with active shoulders. This was almost as good as my wall sit, 4 minutes but the burn was so intense in my right shoulder and my whole body began to shake at the end. Iron Cross with 5lb dumbells. This was a pathetic 30 seconds!! And finally, chin over bar. Resuts? I need to build up my upper body strength. Finished the workout with a 500 meter sprint on the rower. 2 minutes flat. Not bad at all.
So, the burn I felt in my lungs after the sprint indicated to me that I need to work everyday to build cardio strength. The burning results from the wall sit and arm work gave me a very good starting point to set new personal records in the coming weeks. As some of my favorite people say, "We are a work in progress."
Tomorrow I have off from CrossFit but I will run a four miler (no snooze).
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Great Outdoors
Today I was itching for a hike. So, after a delicious home-made cappuccino and a big "no zone" breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and yes, bacon, we headed up to Hulda Crooks for a hike. We met our friend, Rachel and her two boys at the parking area and up we went. The trail began low and flat, which gave us an opportunity to warm up, but within 10 minutes we were struggling to keep our footing steady as we climbed the dusty trail uphill. My hip did not hurt and my new New Balance sneakers provided amazing cushioning and shock absorption.
A handful of factors contributed to this annoying hip injury, one of which was poor foot gear! I had been CrossFitting in my geriatric running shoes, which I should have retired the day of my my last run in Boston seven months prior. Anyway, now I have excellent cushioning for my joints and the hip is recovering well. I have wonderful company, now all I need is to work my metabolic conditioning! CrossFit tomorrow morning!
A handful of factors contributed to this annoying hip injury, one of which was poor foot gear! I had been CrossFitting in my geriatric running shoes, which I should have retired the day of my my last run in Boston seven months prior. Anyway, now I have excellent cushioning for my joints and the hip is recovering well. I have wonderful company, now all I need is to work my metabolic conditioning! CrossFit tomorrow morning!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
April First
My hip is 100% healed!! April Fools!
I did not CrossFit today. Instead, I got eight hours of much needed sleep. I'm a bit sore from yesterday's dead lifts and not at all sore from the push press. Hm, I did take calcium/magnesium and Advocare's Nighttime Recovery before bed last night. I'm sure it helped my muscles recover.
To keep this hip from rusting, I took Tara for a long walk around our neighborhood. The day was perfect! Sunny and warm with a cool breeze. The trees and lawns are green and flower beds full of colorful bloom. I walked with a spring in my step and a grin on my face. Southern California suits me just fine.
The 24 day challenge begins this Saturday. How many beers can I zone out this weekend?
Pre-walk: Coffee with milk and vanilla creamer (the creamer's got to go)
Breakfast: 1 egg scrambled with left over salmon, snap peas and sweet peppers, sprinkle of feta, salsa and tortilla chips.
I did not CrossFit today. Instead, I got eight hours of much needed sleep. I'm a bit sore from yesterday's dead lifts and not at all sore from the push press. Hm, I did take calcium/magnesium and Advocare's Nighttime Recovery before bed last night. I'm sure it helped my muscles recover.
To keep this hip from rusting, I took Tara for a long walk around our neighborhood. The day was perfect! Sunny and warm with a cool breeze. The trees and lawns are green and flower beds full of colorful bloom. I walked with a spring in my step and a grin on my face. Southern California suits me just fine.
The 24 day challenge begins this Saturday. How many beers can I zone out this weekend?
Pre-walk: Coffee with milk and vanilla creamer (the creamer's got to go)
Breakfast: 1 egg scrambled with left over salmon, snap peas and sweet peppers, sprinkle of feta, salsa and tortilla chips.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Back to Basic Numbers
Five weeks of living with a hip injury, I stepped inside the box today and then stepped on the scale. 117.5 pounds. Before my hip injury, the scale screamed 122.5. Seven months ago, I left my very active lifestyle in Boston weighing 112 pounds. Muscle gain and muscle loss is a big contributor to my weight flux, but so is my DIET. As Kyle Risdal says, "lets do the numbers."
CrossFit CDR is launching another 24 day challenge. That means eating Palleo or Zone. I will have to chain up the food monster that lives inside me and teach it to eat mindfully and breath through those chocolate cravings. Eating Palleo or Zone will keep my blood sugars and body weight stable. Let the challenge begin!
CrossFit totals this week. That means your highest weight on all your skills adds up to your CrossFti totals. I am just starting out, again. And I expect it to be a long recovery since my hip is still recovering and strengthening.
My numbers on March 31
Body Weight: 117.5 lb
Press: only 45 lb.
PushPress: 62 lb
Air Squats: Not painful but slow
Push ups: 7
Pre Workout: Coffee with milk and vanilla creamer
Post Workout: 2 eggs scrambled with beef, snap peas,
salsa, tortilla chips, fish oils, vitamins and green tea.
Lunch: Fat Free Greek yogurt,1 cup blueberries, tsp. maca powder, sunflower seeds, drizzle of agave nectar.
Dinner: Same as lunch (it's the quickest thing to pack)
Snack: Sugar-Free hot chocolate! (What? Sometimes I get weak)
CrossFit CDR is launching another 24 day challenge. That means eating Palleo or Zone. I will have to chain up the food monster that lives inside me and teach it to eat mindfully and breath through those chocolate cravings. Eating Palleo or Zone will keep my blood sugars and body weight stable. Let the challenge begin!
CrossFit totals this week. That means your highest weight on all your skills adds up to your CrossFti totals. I am just starting out, again. And I expect it to be a long recovery since my hip is still recovering and strengthening.
My numbers on March 31
Body Weight: 117.5 lb
Press: only 45 lb.
PushPress: 62 lb
Air Squats: Not painful but slow
Push ups: 7
Pre Workout: Coffee with milk and vanilla creamer
Post Workout: 2 eggs scrambled with beef, snap peas,
salsa, tortilla chips, fish oils, vitamins and green tea.
Lunch: Fat Free Greek yogurt,1 cup blueberries, tsp. maca powder, sunflower seeds, drizzle of agave nectar.
Dinner: Same as lunch (it's the quickest thing to pack)
Snack: Sugar-Free hot chocolate! (What? Sometimes I get weak)
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