Quick Reactions....Just the Beginning

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.

My Kind of Paleo Town

DIRECTIONS:  Play video then read on...

Headed to Chicago early Saturday morning to Crossfit Tri Cities.  Nope.....no workout tomorrow.  I'm going to hear Dallas Hartwig and Melissa Urban, founders of The Whole 9 speak about nutrition. See what they will share with me here. 

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.    

Oh the Places You Could Go.....

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.......

 

  

Proud

Feeling a bit extra purpose heading to Crossfit tonight....

Tonight's WOD created by Crossfit Tuscon Northwest in Arizona

“Christina”

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:

9 Pull-ups
9 Squat cleans, 135/95 pounds
9 Kettlebell swings, 2/1.5 pood
9 Toes to bars (can substitute 18 medball slams)
9 Push press, 135/95 pounds
9 Burpees

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.

Beef Jerky, The Verdict

I love good beef jerky.  

But.....

I've grown tired of the store bought variety. 

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.  

This past weekend my wife ventured to the Indy Winter Farmer's Market and brought back a bag of........

Sweet and Spicy Buffalo Jerky from a local farmer

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!

Homemade Beef Jerky

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.  

On and off the Wagon

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:

Bonges Tavern

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.