Holy Buckets…I'm Back!!! Updates GALORE!!

I think my life has finally settled down enough to allow me to start blogging again.

Since my last post I had started looking for a job, living pay check to pay check, and real life decided to kick me in the a$$ with my student loan bills!  I probably put on close to 15lbs of "who cares" weight and I had no motivation to workout besides when I taught cycling 5x a week.  I felt overwhelmed, stressed out, and disappointed in myself.

Needless to say the last half of 2013 was a struggle, but 2014 turned around for me!  At the very beginning of the year I was offered a job which helped with a lot of my stress.  I had also decided in 2014 that I wanted to conquer some goals.  I wanted to tackle things I had never tried before.  I was sick of being "down."

In February one such goal kind of threw itself into my lap.  I ran into someone at a bar in town who also happened to be a fitness competition coach.  Well I was probably over revealing because I had a few too many shots and talked to him about how I'd been wanting to do a competition for years, but just didn't know how to start, what to do, how it all worked, etc.

Well about a week later I ended up meeting with him to go over prep and how contests work.  I had a contest already picked out- NPC Duel of Champions here in Omaha on June 7th, 2014 (the day after my birthday).  I had always thought I would do a bikini competition, but he thought I'd do better in a figure since I am built broader.  We took some measurements and body fat percentage.  I started at 138lbs and a little over 24% body fat.  I check in with him every two weeks for measurements.  After a month I am down to 17.95% body fat and 130lbs.  This last time I went in I had my shoes, so I also got to practice posing for the first time.  Let me tell you it looks way easier than it actually is.  I've been practicing while sitting at work or driving in the car.  I want to do as well as I possibly can.

My shoes!

That is why I have been quite diligent with my prep I figure if I'm in this and I'm going to walk on stage in 13 weeks (OMG!!) why not go for it?  And so far I am loving it.  It has given me something to work for.  I am motivated again.  Not only are my clothes fitting again (which is always nice), but I feel better and I have more energy because I'm no longer eating whatever crap.

I know some people will think I'm crazy for doing it or wonder why.  The reason I'm doing this and have wanted to is to say I did it.  The dedication and will power it takes to compete is amazing to me and I want to prove to myself I have that same dedication and will power!  I have the most amazing support group around me to push me through this.  When I told a small group of my friends they didn't judge and immediately asked if they could come cheer me on when I walk on stage.

My awesome cheerleaders after one of my races- they were the loudest ones!

The biggest issue that has popped up so far is gum.  I started chewing gum to crave my sweet tooth.  Well apparently one day I chewed too many pieces of gum (yes, it's possible).  In case you didn't know there is an ingredient in sugar free gum called Xylitol, I believe.  Well it can't really be digested by your stomach and so the bacteria in your stomach feeds on it which can cause gas in your stomach.  That gas can then turn into massive, horrible stomach cramps.  It was awful- it didn't help to lay down, it didn't help to stand up.  Nothing made it feel better.  Well, I learned my lesson and backed WAY WAY off my gum chewing habits.  

Well, I think that is enough updating for now.  Watch out for my next post!  I'm going to review a brand new product (at least to me) and a couple of possible giveaways coming your way!!!

I'll leave you with this recent quote from Academy Award winner, Lupita Nyong'o.  I think it's quite fitting, don't you?

The Positives in Failures

Another post/rant about why I LOVE Crossfit.  I know you probably see these all over the place and I know I've written about it, but hey maybe there's something to this..maybe Crossfit is really THAT great! 

The reason I started crossfit (deep down the REAL, god honest reason):
I wanted to LOOK HOT.  Let's be honest everyone wants to look good.  People want to be that person that the crowd turns around and takes a double take because they can't believe their eyes.  We're all a little vain..and there's nothing wrong with this.  When I originally started crossfit, I wanted to look like Ms. Justine Munroe (pictured- found on RxMuscle.com).

I wanted to compete in a competition because I wanted those abs.  I never have had abs, so I figured I'd be happy if I could just get those cuts.  Well I found out quickly that my priorities changed....

 

What I got from crossfit (it wasn't the hot bod):  Okay, yes my muscles have grown and I am a little more toned, but not in any extreme fashion.  What I got from crossfit was something totally different:

- I became stronger

- I became more flexible

- I feel stronger, more independent

- I feel more confident in my own skin

- I feel more confident on my views

- I am more determined and have a stronger will power

- I EMBRACE THE SUCK

Why I stay, even though I fail: People have asked me why I do crossfit- I'm not as strong (or will ever be) as many of the elite.  I have many goats (weaknesses) and am still working on...well, everything (pull-ups, lifts, gymnastics, etc.).  My response/defense is that I wasn't ever going to win a marathon, not even close, but I still ran because why let failure stop you?

If we avoided things we weren't good at or failed at; how would we grow?  How would we find out what we're good at?  That's why I love crossfit.  Many of the people at my box will never compete in The Games or even be considered a "contender."  I'm okay with that because even though we fail at one point or another, we're always there for each other!!

Even though I may not complete a WOD, I can tell I'm progressing. I didn't finish Monday's WOD:
3 Rounds-
10 Pullups
30 Double Unders.

At first, I was pissed.  I wanted to walk away and mope, but then I had to think of something to take away.  What did I decide to take away??  It was my first WOD EVER I did unassisted pull-ups.  I always had to use some sort of band, even a really really thin one.   But I did this one all on my own and I was pretty damn proud of myself!

 

The final point and reason behind my post: The Open



The Crossfit Open is 1 WOD a week from March 5-April 7.  You can try each WOD as many times that week, as you would like.  Just make sure your score is in by that Sunday.  Nothing can be scaled, so if you can't lift a weight; you just keep trying and trying. 



I was terrified last week.

WOD Week 1:
17min AMRAP
40 Burpees
30 Snatches (45#)
30 Burpees
30 Snatches (75#)
20 Burpees
30 Snatches (100#)
10 Burpees
As Many Snatches at 120# for remainder of time

I had only ever snatched 73# and it was THAT Thursday!  How in the world was I going to do 75# two days later?  Well, I didn't but it was a great learning experience and I couldn't be happier that I did it.  Did I do well..hell no, but my friends from my box were still cheering me on.  How could you want to be a part of that community?
 

Tomorrow I'll be trying Week 2 WOD:
 

10min AMRAP:

5 Shoulder to Overhead (75#)--thank god I just got 100# on my split jerk!

10 Deadlifts (same weight)

15 Box Jumps (20in)
 

 

I know it doesn't look difficult, but I think my biggest struggle will be fatigue.  It's easy to get cocky and think I'll knock this out, but going too quick on deadlifts could ruin my box jumps.  I guess only time will tell...literally.

Suzie Homemaker Alert!!

This crazy thing has been happening this past weekend.  I've been spending more time in the kitchen (insert sexist joke here).  I've decided that I want to save WAY more money, so that I can possibly move away from Omaha after I get my degree.  I noticed I tend to spend the most amount of wasted money on food from Panera or Blue Planet Natural Grill (a local restaurant that only makes food from fresh ingredients and doesn't fry anything!).  

They are both AMAZE-BALLS, but let's face it..they're not saving me anything.  I started searching on Pinterest and the internet for healthy, easy-to-make meals for myself.  Here's what I've come up with so far:

Grain Free Tortillas and Tacos
 

Makes 1 large tortilla or 2 small

Tortilla:

2 tbsp almond flour

1/2 tbsp water

1 egg

Mix together and cook on med heat skillet.  Flip when golden brown (about 3min). Cook for another 2-3min

Top with choice of meat, veggies, and other taco toppers.  In this picture I have ground turkey, lettuce, and organic salsa

Naked Turkey Burgers (from Muscle and Fitness Hers)

Makes 7 small turkey burgers

1lb ground turkey
1egg white
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 garlic powder
1/4 poultry seasoning
2tsp Dijon mustard
(I also added 1/4 cup bread crumbs)

Combine all ingredients and divide into patties
Cook on skillet or grill! (It was too cold to fire up the grill so I opted for the skillet)

Sweet Potato Chips

1 sweet potato
1tsp olive oil

Cut thin with mandolin (I LOVE MY MANDOLIN!)
Toss with olive oil and spread on cooking sheet (make sure they don't overlap)
Cook at 400 for 25-30min

Also, I made the turkey burgers and sweet potato chips on the same day, so I decided to top the burgers with some chips.  My only remark--WHY DID I NOT THINK OF THIS BEFORE?!?

Avocado, Egg, and Bacon Bake (from Pinterest- not sure who made it)

It's pretty simple:
Cut avocado, take out pit and about 3/4 of the insides and save for meals
Put in cooking pan WITH LIPS!! (this is so the avocado doesn't roll over and dump out the egg). 
CAREFULLY pour egg in each side of the avocado.
Sprinkle on top UNCOOKED bacon
Bake at 425 for at least 15min (more if you like your egg cooked well- like me)

...Oh and for anyone that thinks eating little to nothing is the way to go..well here's my answer..

YEAH..I eat a lot of food!!

Pre-Cowtown Jitters

It's finally here...race week!!!

Of course it can't come without some impending problems....like Winter Storm Q (yeah, apparently weather guys up here were getting upset that our big storms don't get names..) that's supposed to drop a foot of snow the day I am supposed to leave for Texas.  While writing this we decided to leave a day early to just not play with fate or Mother Nature (she's a real testy lady). Also, if I haven't mentioned my training for this half marathon has been (put on your ear muffs) a total shit storm.  I've been teaching cycling classes 4x a week, take college classes 4x a week, and do crossfit 4-6x a week.  Plus last week I got the 'end of the world, I hate my life, put me down now' stomach flu.  I was pretty much on a Gatorade diet from Tuesday-Sunday.

I'm hoping some serious adrenaline will kick in and my new strong muscles will carry me through the 5K on Saturday and 13.1 miles on Sunday (did I mentioned I signed up for the Cowtown Challenge..yeah it comes with a sick medal)!

I have no plans or estimated finishing time for this race, just because of how poorly this training has gone.  I just want to go out there, maybe without my watch (?!), and hopefully fall in love with running again.  I want to enjoy the company of my family and the scenery of Fort Worth (yes, I'm serious..I LOVE Fort Worth). I'm kind of excited just to have fun and no pressure on this race!!

I plan on using ENERGYBits about halfway through to help me finish this race!  I'll let you know how it goes!

Do you have any big races or events coming up? How do you deal with obstacles that come up? 

8-Week Nutrition Challenge!

My CrossFit box is having a nutrition challenge for the next 8 weeks and I was crazy enough to join!!  It was a $50 buy-in, but I have an opportunity to win it all back!!  Here's the rules, as written by one of the coaches:

Okay, if you're not as skilled in reading messy handwriting (I've had life-long practice with my dad's atrocious writing..you'd think he was a doctor); I'll explain here:

1. It's a combination of zone and paleo (don't worry I'm not done explaining).
2. For the paleo aspect: 
1. Eat all meats, nuts (NO peanuts are not nuts), seeds, and veggies
2. Some fruit is allowed (eat it with breakfast or post workout; try and avoid it later at night, unless you workout at night).
3. Little starch (a little is allowed around workouts and morning)
4. NO SUGAR! (fake sugars are included in this, so dump that crap down the drain!)
5. Keep alcohol VERY limited
3. For the zone aspect: 
1. He took our measurements (weight, body fat %, butt, waist, and arm)
2. Based off all these he gave us our "blocks" (instead of using calories, zone uses blocks, so that you eat more balanced- carbs, fats, and protein)
3. I was given 12 blocks a day 
4. We have to break that into 5 meals a day, so I chose: 3 2 3 1 3
1. This means that at a given meal I will eat that many "blocks" of EACH macro- carb, fat, protein
5. Then we went over what constitutes as a "block"
1. In general, most lean meats are 1oz=1block
2. Eggs: 1egg=1block
3. It varies with veggies and fruits, but if you google "zone diet" there's really good documents that have how much amount of food= a block
4. Every night we have to fill out our charts that give us points, or take away, for everything we've ingested and our workouts.
5. We are also suggested to start taking fish oil (or eat fish) and multivitamins
1. I choose a fish oil (I HATE fish) and it has a special coating, so it doesn't taste funky
2. I have a multivitamin from HyVee based on GNC's women's mega (for WAY cheaper)
6. We also are told to pick 3 meals a week and not worry about zone or paleo.  This does NOT mean to let loose and go crazy; still try and stay healthy, but don't get caught up on staying within the exact blocks.

Okay, so that was a pretty simplified explanation, so if you have any questions: comment below or ask me on my Facebook or Twitter!  Of course, I will still be eating my ENERGYBits before workouts because they fit within my guidelines and they've improved my performance SOOO much!!

Now, why am I doing this?!  Well, recently at CrossFit we've been talking about our weaknesses and nutrition is definitely one of them!  I mean I eat pretty healthy, but I could do so much better!!  Also, it really hit me when one of the girls, that I usually try and keep up with during workouts, said, "I just want to do it to show off all the hard work I put in here."  It's SOOO true; I work my ass off and only eat "pretty" healthy?!  Does that make sense..yeah doesn't to me either!  My sister-in-law tells her friends/coworkers that I'm a "shit, brick house."  Well, I'm pretty small and built, but I'd like anyone on the street who saw me to say that about me!

Also, I decided it was time to make a change and hold myself accountable after the coach took our measurements...yikes!  Now they're not horrible, but NO WHERE near where I would like them.  Here goes..don't judge:

1. Weight: 125#
2. Body Fat %: 22.5%
3. Waist: 29.5"
4. Butt: 35.5"
5. Arm: 10.5"

I'd like my BF% in the teens (not low teens though) and my waist closer to 27-26."

I'll leave you with a picture from my breakfast this AM: 1/4 cantaloupe, 3/4 cup egg whites, and 2.25 cup kale sauteed in olive oil.

Do you follow any special diets?  If so, which one?  

Progress

I've been doing CrossFit for close to two months now and I'm finally getting my eating down.  I've always known that your "diet" is 80% of your results, but just because you know something doesn't mean you follow it.  Am I right or what?  I wanted to share some pictures because I haven't really been seeing a difference in myself.  I also decided to take my measurements recently and I am:

1. Up 2lbs
2. Down 3% in Body Fat
3. My muscles (biceps, legs, and butt) have all grown at least .5 an inch
4. My chest has gone down an inch (not sure how that was possible)
5. I PR'd in a recent 5K!!

I feel stronger and more confident than ever!!  To prove that sometimes all that matters is a mental change; here are some before and currents.  Why don't I say after?  I always consider myself and under construction and still working to be better than before!  Stole this idea as well from Rachelle, of Bare-To-Bake.  Also, I'm using these pictures to show why nutrition is SO important when it comes to seeing results!  I have no idea where I would be today if I would have nailed nutrition down much sooner, but oh well you can't dwell on the past.  I only learn and move forward :)

This was me two years ago when I first started really getting into fitness after quitting college soccer and started training for my first half marathon.

These were both taken about two weeks ago.  About a month into finally nailing down my nutrition!

Also, what has helped me change my physique and muscle tone has been CrossFit!  My muscles are growing, I notice my biceps and legs are harder, and I'm so much stronger already!!

A picture during a Sunday WOD...WARM-UP= technique practice!!

Do you see those shoulders!!  I've never had that definition before.  Plus, I've never felt confident rocking my 80s inspired PINK top, but now I LOVE it and how it makes my muscles look. :)

Flashdance anyone??

I will leave you with a picture of my "dream board."  It has sayings and pictures to motivate me.  It also has a list/pictures of my long and short term goals, along with steps I have to get to every day in order to complete my goals!

Do you use a dream board??  Have you reached any of your goals??

New Challenges, New Beginnings

Hey readers,

So it has been A WHILE!!  I guess life gets crazy sometimes :)  So what have I been up to since Chicago??

Since Chicago I've been busy with work (I got to go to The Nike Women's Marathon as a staff member for Team in Training.  It was so motivational and reminded me why I love running).

I've also changed up all my workouts and nutrition.  I've added a lot more cardio to my workouts, like burpees, windsprints, etc.  In my nutrition I've cut some carbs, since I'm not running 7+ miles a day, added more protein, and "greened up" my diet.  My trainer has also added weekly "challenges" with my nutrition.  So far I have done 1 gallon of water/day, no bread (doesn't mean no carbs), vegetarian, and this week I have to make 60% of my diet "greens" and the other 40% is to split between protein and carbs.

Now, I'm starting a 90-Day Challenge put out by "Blogilates."  It is a 90-Day Challenge to "clean-up" your diet.  So, today is Day 1!!  Here's to 90 days of eating as little non-processed foods as possible, lots and lots of veggies, and low-fat proteins!  I'll keep you updated on how this goes.  I want to keep myself in check especially with the holidays right around the corner, which means LOADS of homemade foods and pies!

Those are my physical changes and updates, but I've also made other changes.  I'm starting to see my long-term dreams/goals coming true!!  Starting in December I will be a spin instructor!!  I cannot wait to start and I know it will help me get my foot in the door to expand my personal training career, which I hope to start studying in the summer.  Getting this position has really fueled my passion for my future in fitness.

I cannot wait to see the effects of all these changes in my life and helping others change their lives too!!

Til next time (hopefully not as long) and one step closer to a hard body,
Mo