So today is Day 30 of my 30 Day Paleo Challenge. I've shared a few times that this is the second time I've done this: gone strictly Paleo for 30 Days. With the exception of one meal, one night, I was able to do this with absolutely no problem and I must say again....I feel great. No bloating. No digestion issues. More energy. I'm down 7 lbs. And, I've seen more energy at Crossfit. Most notably, I recently cut my baseline workout by just under one whole minute. I wrote about it the other day in my Rounding Third post. You can look over my entire month's worth of food complete with notes about workouts, how I felt, and some recipes along the way. Most importantly, I don't see day 30 as the finish line, rather as the beginning. The purpose of the 30 days is to rid the body of all the junk, eliminate any trace of food that may cause inflammation, and to now decide what foods I may re-introduce. Below is the short list of the foods that I think about from time to time that are not endorsed by any health conscious blog, website, or aficionado:
1. Pizza: My crack.
2. Beer, hoppy, dark beer!
3. Bread: I don't need it, but I do like the Ezekiel sprouted grain bread my wife buys, and I wouldn't mind an occasional sandwich now and then.
4. Pasta in my chili: I'm from Cincinnati. Home of real chili.
So back in the fall my wife emails me at work and asks if I want to go see Oprah in Chicago. She somehow found her way into two tickets by emailing the show saying how she was a huge fan of Debbie Boone. DEBBIE BOONE! EX-ACTLY! Here's what I envisioned.....
Here's the footage from the show......Debbie's aged well......Paleo? Probably not....
So we went..........and I had to officially turn this in.....
Just when my guy friends ribbed me for going to see Debbie Boone, Jackie Evancho, and Susan Boyle, I kindly pointed out that I was coming home with not just one, but two of these, courtesy of my new Auntie Oprah!!!!
So......my membership was restored. But this is a health and wellness blog......here's the deal. I dig Oprah's message most days.
Tomorrow, February 1st, Oprah talks about the experience she and all her staff had with going Vegan for 21 days. Should be interesting. Also, Lisa Ling reports about where store-bought meat comes from. Be sure to check it out and think about where you are getting your meat. You can see the trailer for the show here. After all.....one of the biggest things I've learned lately that was only reinforced at the Whole 9 Foundations of Nutrition Workshop last week is:
I recently heard the word Paleoification, and it reminded me of......
I thought I could think of more words ending in -ication, but I'm stumped.
Either way.....Last week when I attended the Whole 9 Foundations of Nutrition Workshop in Chicago, Dallas and Melissa, founders of the program, proclaimed that one of the mistakes folks make with the Paleo lifestyle is the "PALEOIFICATION" of it all. Paraphrasing what they said here.....
On the information superhighway we call The Internet, you can find Paleo Brownies, Paleo Pancakes, Paleo Pizza, Paleo Waffles, Paleo Cookies, and All Things Paleo. The assertion: These things should be avoided. They are to be used as substitutes for the real thing. Reason being....it will only lead to you wanting the real thing; they don't taste like the real thing; there are a lot more healthy things you could be eating in its place. (AGAIN...PARAPHRASING THEIR WORDS. NOT MINE.)
And so there I was.....shocked! Stumped! Stymied! I've fought with this the past week and I've come up with the following because it works FOR ME.....
I agree with what they are saying....now. If you are constantly substituting Paleoified foods, then you may as well eat a bit of the real thing and get back on the wagon. It's a trap many can fall into....It's like the first time I did Weight Watchers. I lost 75 lbs.! But......I did it eating everything and anything that could fall within my points. It worked.....but a few years later I almost gained it all back. It was not sustainable......for me, but I'm a fan of WW if you eat well doing it.
Eating a certain way as a lifestyle is an evolving process which contradicts our innate sense of wanting to lose weight now and make it easy. It's just not immediate and it's never easy. So now I agree with Melissa and Dallas......if you are a newbie to eating Paleo.....if you are emotionally connected to food (something I plan to write more about as there are plenty of good, healthy ways to eat....not just Paleo.)
For me.....I don't have deep cravings for too may foods, but today I needed variety. I eat eggs a lot. We buy great eggs from our local CSA and pick them up every Wednesday. I'm a food creature of habit and it does not take much to please me with food. Paleo often works for me because a nice piece of chicken and veggies spiced well often works.......for me. So this morning, my wife was out with a girlfriend, and daddy was being land-blasted with, "Daddy....what's for breakfast??!?! We're hungry!!!!" I took out a pound of sausage the night before with the full intention of making eggs and sausage.....again.
Enter..........Paleo Biscuits and Gravy!!!
Now....I must tell you....I would BATHE in biscuits and gravy....I love it that much.
If that description is a 10, then I'd give this recipe a 7.5. I took it from Robb Wolf's blog. Check it out because he has great info. and recipes.
Looks like the real stuff huh? The gravy was pretty close to the real thing. Next time, I'll use less cayenne pepper. I don't prefer it that hot and neither did the kids, but they ate it. I added a bit more salt to offset the heat for them.
These worked out well. I did't have almond flour so I used almond meal and Peanut meal, so they came out a bit dry, but when you drape the gravy over them who freakin' cares, right?!
The finished product. First words out both kids' mouths: "Mmmm....This is good." Sometimes they are the best food critics. (At least when they like it, right?!)
So........This worked for me today. It offered me variety and a break from what we always make for breakfast. Sure, I could have had more healthy options for breakfast, but check out the past 29 days of what I've eaten. Now, I agree with The Whole 9 folks in that this should not serve as a substitute for the real thing, but I'm not craving the real thing. I'm not new and struggling to find things that satisfy my food cravings. I was not having this food craving today. I just wanted something different to eat that could keep me committed to my 30 Day Challenge. I'm not emotionally missing biscuits and gravy. Pizza on the other hand.....that's a bit of a different story, but I only get that way when I'm around pizza. I don't miss pizza because I feel awful after I eat it (probably because pizza is crack....CRACK, I say, for me.) I can't just eat one piece.
So....the Paleoification of pizza for me is not the best idea, but in my opinion.... once in awhile I think it's better than the real thing from a strict ingredient standpoint.
-fication
suffix
Production; making: jollification.
Origin: Latin -ficātiō, -ficātiōn-, from -ficātus, past participle of -ficāre, to make, from -ficus, -fic.
I think I've shared that I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. Home of the Reds, Bungles, Greater's Ice Cream, Larosa's Pizza, and Skyline Chili. While Indianapolis is home, I remain connected to a few of my roots. I'm not a huge baseball fan, but I love the Reds. As I near the end of my 30 Day Paleo Challenge, I can hear Joe Nuxhall with his famous line saying, "This is the ol' left-hander rounding third and heading for home" as he did every.....single....game.
I remember listening to games on the radio and watching t.v. just to hear him say that.
Well, I'm rounding third and headed for home. I feel like I'm heading for home like this......
Man....for a jerk who messed up, he was a great player to watch.
I feel great after eating so clean for 30 days straight. I set out to go 100% Paleo and log all the food, snacks, workouts, etc. for the entire time. I did have one night, one meal where I was......
So I have to say. I followed the Paleo Way as prescribed by The Whole 30 (part of The Whole 9 Website) 99%.
The first time I did this I made several observations about my eating habits and the impact of the 30 days on my health and fitness as I was a guest blogger for Crossfit Carmel. You can see what I had to say here.
That post was dated December 6th, but I had already completed my 30 days several weeks prior. A couple of months later, I have the following thoughts:
1. I just flat out feel great: no stomach bloating. I'm full most of the day. No major food cravings.
2. I have more energy, and I see it in my workouts. To note (and not bragging here): Just yesterday at CFC the workout was the baseline. That is the workout you would first do if you were just joining Crossfit. Aside from rowing, the exercises are all bodyweight stuff. It's a "baseline" of your fitness.
500 meter row
40 air squats (to a medicine ball)
30 sit ups
20 push ups
10 pull ups
My time a couple of months ago was 4:57. My time yesterday: 4:09. Huge, huge gain. Now....I work out 4-5 days per week, and that has something to do with it, but I've also paired that with an almost impeccable diet the past 30 days.
3. Paleo is not hard. Feeling like crap every day is hard.
4. This is a sustainable way of losing weight. I started these 30 days weighing 246 lbs. Today, as I'm rounding third and heading for home, I weigh 237 lbs. A lot of that was water weight, I imagine, and remember....I work out consistently. For some of the four weeks, as you can see in my journal notes, I did not work out as much as others.
5. While there are many ways to eat well and be successful, this is just one way. I believe it's a good way to go if you can commit yourself to it....if you are ready. Again, check out the Whole 9 if you think you may be ready. I can't say enough good things about them as a resource!
My plan is to allow some foods back into my diet to see how I react to them. I can see some pasta and other grains, legumes, and alcohol in infrequent, small quantities making their way back. The trip to Chipotle, out for sushi, drinks with friends, etc......all those things that I found ways to avoid or politely say no to can have their place. The weekly cheat meal is also a must. Food deprivation only leads to food yo yo'ing in my opinion. But the old me would string too many of those cheats together. I've come too far to let that happen anymore.
Well......rounding third and heading for home makes it sound like there is an end to this. Quite the contrary. The key for me now is to take this momentum and live it. It really is a long term lifestyle. The goal I have is to determine what foods I absolutely will stay away from because they impact me negatively while finding the others I can add back in that work for me.
This is the almost-40 right-hander.....rounding third and headed for a lifetime of wellness.
I've played sports my entire life. I was a soccer fanatic growing up. If you ask my mom, she'll tell you I cared about a few things: eating, video games, my friends, and soccer. I won a club state championship and was on a team that was a very close-nit group. The Jake Sweeney Sweepers. Our coach, my childhood friend's father, was brilliant. He brought a group of us together at a time when we were buddying adolescent boys more concerned with girls, jean jackets, and the latest video on MTV (yes you young peeps. MTV used to play these things called videos....they were....oh well...you know.)
Mr. Miller was the first coach I remember making an impact on my life. He was patient, firm, a good listener, had a sense of humor, and we knew he cared about us as young men more than soccer players. I often wonder if he knows what an impact he had on my life. Because of him, I was able to persevere through three high school soccer coaches in four years at a high school that was rich in soccer history. I had two coaches in h.s. similar to Mr. Miller. My high school basketball coach, Mr. Martin, was also very influential. He was a sound communicator, had a sense of humor, was patient, a straight shooter, and cared about us as students and young men. As average as we were as a basketball team, he was a big influence on my teenage life because of the qualities he possessed. I hope he knows he was successful with me as a human much more than we were in the win column.
At one point in my life, I thought I wanted to be a soccer coach. But in Indiana it's a different sport that most play. Can you say, "Hoosiers.....Bobby Knight......the greatest high school basketball tournament that once was."
Based on Milan High School in Milan, Indiana....here's one of the best speeches by a great coach. Based on a true story in that town.
Love that classic sports movie scene. Lots of great "Hoosier" coaches......
Rockne, Knight, Keady, Wooden, Dungy, Yeagley
Say what you want, all these folks...they all possessed great qualities that made them successful. Yes, even Knight. Ok....so he did this....
Not one of his better coaching moments (depending on who you ask in this state)....however....
I often thought of my 8 year teaching career from a coaching aspect. I was not as passionate about finding comma splices and literary irony as some of my great colleagues over the years, rather I cared about getting students to learn, improve, and achieve. I feel wired the same way as a school counselor. It's usually about getting another person to make change in his or her life, and there are specific skills that need crafting to get others to make such change....the same way a coach draws up a practice plan, a drill, a motivational speech, etc.
These days, I've been sticking with Crossfit as my main method of exercise. If you know nothing about Crossfit, you do not work with a trainer, rather a coach. At Crossfit Carmel, there are a few coaches and all have their own unique style and talents when it comes to communicating with clients about form, fitness, and overall health. I like how each is concerned with form over output. If my form is off, I run the risk of getting hurt. The better my form over time, the better my performance will eventually be, hence the better my fitness will become. It's this approach that's kept me Crossfitting day after day, month after month. I can not imagine where I'd be without going to CFC on a weekly basis.
As I put all these thoughts together, I've decided to embark on a new chapter in my life. I've decided to enroll with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a Certified Holistic Health and Wellness Coach, a one year program that I'll start in March. It's my hope that I can help others with what I'm most passionate about: Achieving personal wellness. I've found that so many people either talk about one of two things:
1. Working out......or 2. Eating
But the key is bridging the gap between the two. I'm convinced you can just eat well and be healthy. I'm convinced you can just eat well and get results. But if you eat well and exercise regularly......consistently.......you will lead a healthy lifestyle that is as natural as putting on your shoes in the morning. But that is easier said than done. So much complicates us from eating well and exercising let alone doing it consistently.
So it's my hope that I can take a bit from Mr. Miller, Mr. Martin (and even Gene Hackman), and the other coaches who have made a difference in my life. Because....there is nothing more rewarding than helping someone else make a difference in theirs.
WARNING: My wife shared this with me, and I must direct you to her blog because it's pretty darn good. I'm biased, of course, but she has a lot of hits to prove my point. Thank you dear! I love this chart!
And when you are done laughing at the chart, but then going, "Oh.....makes good sense", check out Summer Tomato. Great, great blog. There's even some criticism to the Paleo Diet that is worth your read because I think folks need to know both sides of the coin with anything. While you are there, you can read my comments to the article. You will need to scroll a bit because my comment was the 97th (er...and 98th) and awaiting moderation.
I'm pretty disappointed my Colts are not in the Super Bowl and I've been disappointed for a long time as a Bengals fan. At the same time, a few of you have emailed me asking about what I learned last week regarding the differences between Omega 3's and Omega 6's. While I don't claim to be an expert in this area, I like sharing what I hear, read, and learn. The Omega 3:6 issue often sounds like a quarterback calling out the plays to his team (unless you are a Colts fan, then you are used to Payton Manningeese). All that aside, I found a great explanation from Dr. Mercola's site today that may be of help.
Click on the banner below to view the article and scroll to "Lesson 2".
If I'm going to eat beef, I want my cow eating this......
Not this........
If I'm going to eat chicken, I want my chickens being raised like this.....
Not this......
I learned a ton from this past weekend's Whole 9 Foundations of Nutrition Workshop in Chicago. And I've thought about how I can fill up post after post with all that I learned. However, all that is readily available for reading at the Whole 9 website and because Google is now a verb....you know what to do. I've decided for you that you don't want to hear my take on the balance of Omega 3's to Omega 6's, why an alkaline diet is better for you, and why grains and legumes lead to inflammation. (But if you do, email me at cspinhealthy@gmail.com b/c I freakishly like talking about that stuff.) What keeps resonating with me from the weekend is the importance of just eating well. One of the best things I heard from the weekend was, "You are what your food eats."
The Paleo dietary lifestyle works for me right now. It's a damn healthy way to live. It's a tremendously sustainable way to eat. It's restrictive to many, however my food goals are specifically related to my fitness goals. High intensity, interval training and eating a clean diet are paramount for me. But that's me. As I round third and head for home on my 30 Day Paleo Challenge, I've come to realize again what I don't necessarily need in my diet while there are indeed other things I miss that are not that bad for me (ketchup, mustard, small amounts of yogurt for smoothies). And.....there are those things I miss that I know are bad for me (pizza, wings, hoppy beer). There's no doubt in my mind I'll indulge on such things again, but the key for me is doing so with limitations and be able to hop right back on the wagon. My goal: a 85/15 split of Paleo/Non-Paleo. I think a Paleo dietary lifestyle can do better than most conventional diets, and I encourage you to do the research on it, try a 30 day challenge and see how you feel.
Again....If you want to talk grains, legumes, lectin, protein, fat, or fish oil (all topics covered this past weekend) give me a shout.
By the way.....great movie if you haven't seen it.
Came across this this a.m. Thought it was a good overview of what is and why Paleo. Worth the 5 minutes for those who are fuzzy or don't really know what it is.
p.s. Love the song that goes with it! (Hope you are viewing Jimmy!)
I'm back from Chicago where I attending The Whole 9 Foundations of Nutrition Workshop at Crossfit Tri Cities. Damn, Chicago is colder than cold! Stay tuned for posts this week, but I wanted to share the quick and dirty of it all. Again, I'll elaborate much more this week.
1. I need to eat more. Pre workout and post workout snacks are bonus meals and a must for nutrition. Sound good to you? Sounds like more planning to me.
2. I eat too much meat. Not a fault of the Paleo philosophy, rather I think I graze too much thinking, "Well....I'm doing what they say." Bottom line is personally I need to cut back. MUCH MUCH more on this later.
3. Time to RAMP UP the veggies. This is an absolute must!
4. Almonds: Not the best choice. Macadamia Nuts: BEST.
$ Cha Ching! $ :(
5. I finally understand the Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio.
6. You are what your food eats.
7. Boy, is alcohol bad!
8. Food should not come in nice, geometric shapes!
9. Scientifically, I now get why a lack of grains and legumes can lead to healthier living.
10. An alkaline diet is the place to be.
These are MY reactions to their message. I have my own fitness and health goals, and I'll share that. Having said that, I'll take the next several posts to elaborate on my list. Above it all, yesterday was enlightening, energizing, and eye opening. What I appreciated the most was their underlying message of, "We are not saying this is the only way to go. We just thing you can do it better." I'm looking forward to doing it better.
I'm looking forward to soaking up all the information and to the challenge of maintaining my 30 Day Paleo Challenge (I have ten days to go!) while traveling. For those of you who don't know, I work in a school so packing food every day is easy for me, I must say. However, tomorrow poses a different challenge in planning. I've made that Costco run and will spend tonight packing the cooler. Stay tuned for a later post on how it all went including my reaction to the day. I'm pretty excited to get some of my lingering curiosities and questions answered by two professionals in the field.
Such a great book and should be a staple in any household, school, or just as a motivational reminder. I thought of this children's classic today when a parent said to me, "I know she's not an A/B student, and she never will be." As I verbally nodded on the phone, I wanted to throw up. What I really wanted to say was.....
"Why not?"
"What can you do to help her improve her grades?"
"How about making a plan for her and sticking to it even when that plan ebbs and flows?"
"Perhaps sacrificing some things would help you put some time into her to help her achieve more."
All much easier said than done, but.......but..........It made me think about the lessons I've learned from Crossfit.
Crossfit critics often point the finger at the often high reps of the movements required during WOD's (Workouts of the Day). For instance, tonight's WOD at Crossfit Carmel was
For time
400m run
50 push-ups
50 medball slams
50 double unders
400m run
50 push-ups
50 medball slams
50 double unders
My time: 19:30. 100 total push ups. 100 total double unders. 100 total 20 lb. med ball slams. That is a lot of reps. However, what is great at CFC is that the coaches are protective of our form, always making sure that if our form is bad, they will step in, make us lower the weight, or coach us during a WOD to prevent injury. I wish those critics would come to CFC. Regardless.......
I love that after 20 push ups, I don't think I can do one more, but I have 30 to go. What has Crossfit taught me? To do five at a time. Rest for a second or two. Do five more. And when I can't do five at a time? I do 3 at a time. Rest. Do three more. But.......In my mind. I. DON'T. QUIT. I tell myself that. Each and every time, I tell myself that.
Crossfit has taught me that I can do whatever I set my mind to doing. I may not be the fastest or strongest person there, but I'm not aiming for that. I'm shooting for making me the best me possible. I'm looking to make me better WOD after WOD, lift after lift, movement after movement so that I am the healthiest me I can be. It's much more than just going to the gym and pushing myself. It's a state of mind that says, "Do this. Do this no matter if you have to sacrifice your time or lower the weight, but don't not do this."
Crossfit does so much more for me beyond the box. (Crossfit's term for "gym".) While I'm not suggesting everyone run out and join the nearest Crossfit box, I am suggesting that if done right, like at CFC, it's an amazing method of working out and improving not just your health.
If you are reading this and don't work out on a regular basis, it's my hope that you have something in your life that provides you with the same motivation as Crossfit does for me. Something that helps you learn more about yourself and the world around you.
You never know.....You could move mountains.......
Today we honor those killed and wounded in last Saturday’s assassination attempt on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. 20 people in all were shot, 6 have died and the youngest was nine years old. We name this Memorial WOD after Christina Green, the youngest of those killed. Although we name this WOD after Christina, we in no way will only be thinking about her. The names of the five others slain are: Gabe Zimmerman, 30, U.S. District Judge John Roll, 63, Dorwin Stoddard, 76, Dorothy Morris, 76, Phyillis Schneck, 79. We thank everyone who will do this WOD with us today.
I'm proud to be a member of Crossfit Carmel recognizing a bigger purpose to working out.
It's hard to see, but look at the number of ingredients. Too many that are not natural and made for longer shelf life. I made this request as part of our Costco run in order to have some quick protein around the house, but I this may be my last bag of this stuff. It's dry, full of stuff I don't need in my body, and not worth it in the end.
Ingredients: Buffalo, Sugar, Water, Salt, Spices, Garlic, Cayenne Pepper, and Black Pepper.
All natural stuff, simple, and you know where it comes from. Progress.
And so I got the bug after our friend Lindsey made her first attempt at homemade beef jerky and did not use a dehydrator. I have to say, I did not know it was possible without one. I'm going to make you go to her blog to get the recipe because again, she deserves all the credit.
Here is my final product
A bit too salty and too much pepper. I was way too generous with it, so I had to scrape off the excess salt and pepper afterwards and it was good to go. I did let the meat marinate for about 4-5 hours in a bag, but if I had to do it all over again, I would have let it marinate for a good 24 hours. I just did not plan well this time. I would also make sure to get a meat hammer or in my case, I used the back of a small iron skillet and spend more time hammering down the raw meat to make it flat, because I got some pieces that were too fat and they come out too chewy for my taste. The only issue I have is that this is all that one chuck roast yielded, so that's roughly $10 worth of meat. However, the meat came from a local farmer here in Indiana. The ingredients are simple:
soy sauce, salt, pepper, lemon pepper, and garlic cloves. Easy!
Marinated and spiced raw meat going into the oven for the long haul.
Stay tuned for my first attempt at homemade beef jerky. I hope to have a full report soon.
All the credit goes to our friend Lindsey. It's her recipe. Click on the button below. Her blog is slammed full of amazing recipes both Paleo and non Paleo.
Yesterday started a bit differently for me. My normal Saturday routine is to get a cup or two of coffee and head to CFC for the Saturday Hopper workouts. Check out the link if you are unfamiliar with Crossfit. However, since I'm heading out of town next Saturday to the Whole 9 Foundations of Nutrition Workshop in Chicago, this was my morning to be Mr. Mom, so my wife could head to the downtown Indianapolis Farmer's Market. Check out her very non-Paleo find here. If you like marshmellows you should check it out. At least she brought back some sweet and spicy buffalo jerky for me.
Upon my wife's return, I headed out to spend just a couple of hours at the Great Lakes Crossfit Invitational at a nearby Crossfit box in Noblesville, IN, just down the road. What an event by Crossfit Indy North. I've been Crossfitting since July and it's changed my life as I've written about in post after post, but I can not begin to describe to you what I experienced in as just an audience member and cheerleader at this event.
The intensity of the athletes! The endurance of the athletes! The passion of the athletes, men and women alike! The athletes!!!!
These folks started competing at 8 a.m. and had 4 workouts to try to finish in the top 20 which allowed them to compete in the final WOD. I watched one guy do the following in just six minutes!!!!!
3 Rounds of...
20 back squats (115 lbs)
20 toes to bar
20 double unders
And that was after 3 previous workouts!!! Unreal.
Made me think of this....
An intended two hour stay turned into six hours of me cheering on the CFC folks who have become my workout friends. Here's some of them.........
Reijo doing toes to bar
Kevin and his toes to bar
Keith getting ready to squat and Nick in the back right.
Kyle fighting through his toes to bar
I wish I would have felt like Superman a few hours later as I knew I was going out to eat with friends. We went to one of the best places around our area:
In the wam months this place encourages tailgating outside while you wait on a table. While it's "controlled and civil" tailgating, it's a blast. And the food inside..........Check out the menu.
This was my second trip here. No tailgating, but our friends are neighbors with the lead chef, so we walked right in and probably pissed off the fifteen people waiting in the foyer near the space heater. Anyone who knows me needs half a second to tell you what I ordered......
If I was tech savvy I would enter an mp3 soundbite here of the Pac Man sound when Pac Man get eaten.
While the cheesy horseradish potatoes are obviously not Paleo, the duck....yes....duck! That heavenly tasting rolled duck with bbq sauce on top and stuffed with some kind of cheese that delicately oozes out of each slice......NOT PALEO........ok folks.......and neither were the three Sun King We Mac Brown Ales that I had.
Not quite part of my 30 Day Paleo Challenge. I've logged the food in my daily journal and today.....well.....I move on......No guilt. No worries. Just back on the wagon and off I go. I don't feel any real impact to my digestion or how I feel this a.m. It's one meal. It was a damn incredibly good meal from start to finish. Not what the 30 Day Challenge prescribes, but.........
While I'm a life-long fan of R.E.M., I'm not Superman. I'm human. Today is a new day and I can't wait to get to Crossfit tomorrow.
