If you've read this blog at all, you'll see that I had some success with my first attempt and none with my second. As I've analyzed this, I've realized that it's not so much a lack of desire to succeed, a lack of time or a lack of information. I seem to have a deficiency of stamina. My follow-through and ability to stick with it is frighteningly lacking. Therefore, my goal for Volume 3 is consistency.
The Mark Sisson seminar really did change my mind-set. the 80/20 rule allows the follower to set a goal of 80% compliance. What that means for me is that getting back on track doesn't feel like an admission of failure. There are reasons that Paleo Challenges are the way to go: they're so restrictive that long term implementation is unlikely. With that in mind, it is now the goal of this webpage to give accountability to my efforts to lastingly improve my diet, lifestyle, and performance.
Wednesday, December 29
Friday, August 20
Days 2 and 3
I'm hanging in there. On Wednesday I saw an inspiration: Mark Sisson (author of multiple books including the recent "Primal Blueprint" and the website Mark's Daily Apple, which has turned into my homepage. He talked about food, dairy, post workout nutrition, life, antinutrients, and a whole lot more. What really resonated with me was a response to an honest issue. An Asian man asked what to do about rice. It doesn't fit tit the diet, but because of his culture it's everywhere and on everything.
Mark said, something like: "avoid it if you can but don't freak out about it. This is supposed to be a guideline for life. I wanted to make something that would be simple to follow, that you don't have to turn your life around to do."
Liberated. This morning, day 4 and on my way to the airport, I was running late. Instead of planning some sophisticated and measured meal, I grabbed two hard-boiled eggs, a half an avocado, and the last 7 blackberries. Bam. Done. AND within the guidelines. Here's my little pep talk: "Relax, Di. Do the best you can; it's a long road ahead."
Mid-day travel (my worst adherences are while drinking or traveling) and I haven't strayed once. Knowing that it's not a capital offense if I do helps me keep in line. Well, I'm off to eat lunch: bunless burger with onion and tomato and lettuce, sweet potato, and small side of guacamole... I love "dieting"!!
Mark said, something like: "avoid it if you can but don't freak out about it. This is supposed to be a guideline for life. I wanted to make something that would be simple to follow, that you don't have to turn your life around to do."
Liberated. This morning, day 4 and on my way to the airport, I was running late. Instead of planning some sophisticated and measured meal, I grabbed two hard-boiled eggs, a half an avocado, and the last 7 blackberries. Bam. Done. AND within the guidelines. Here's my little pep talk: "Relax, Di. Do the best you can; it's a long road ahead."
Mid-day travel (my worst adherences are while drinking or traveling) and I haven't strayed once. Knowing that it's not a capital offense if I do helps me keep in line. Well, I'm off to eat lunch: bunless burger with onion and tomato and lettuce, sweet potato, and small side of guacamole... I love "dieting"!!
Tuesday, August 17
Day 1 again...
Here we are again. End of summer when I was going to "kick it in" with my exercise and eating, and I weigh more than I have in the last year; 12 more pounds than I did three months ago... that's a pound a week gained!
What happened, you may ask? Well, for one thing I stopped eating exercising consistently. I also have eaten more desserts recently than cummulatively in the last six months. Why on earth would I do these things after working so hard?? Well, #1: my dad passed. I turned into a little sad, stress case who medicates with sugar and simple carbs. We started planning memorial services instead of workouts, received dinners that others cooked us (very much not paleo), and I moved away from my beloved Crossfit.
That gym had become my place; the time every week that I carved out for myself and my sanity-- to see friends, to work out frustration, to learn something new about my self and my body. I feel like I've lost that, and in the midst of all I was going through it felt like one more sadness. My unfortunate habit is to eat when I am stressed. I have been stressed.
Today is Day ONE again. I stepped on the scale, and it said "147.5" I'm 5ft4. Nuh-uh. Tomorrow I am going to a seminar with the famous Mark Sisson. Time to stock up on more and new information, bust out some old favorites and get my a** back on track.
What happened, you may ask? Well, for one thing I stopped eating exercising consistently. I also have eaten more desserts recently than cummulatively in the last six months. Why on earth would I do these things after working so hard?? Well, #1: my dad passed. I turned into a little sad, stress case who medicates with sugar and simple carbs. We started planning memorial services instead of workouts, received dinners that others cooked us (very much not paleo), and I moved away from my beloved Crossfit.
That gym had become my place; the time every week that I carved out for myself and my sanity-- to see friends, to work out frustration, to learn something new about my self and my body. I feel like I've lost that, and in the midst of all I was going through it felt like one more sadness. My unfortunate habit is to eat when I am stressed. I have been stressed.
Today is Day ONE again. I stepped on the scale, and it said "147.5" I'm 5ft4. Nuh-uh. Tomorrow I am going to a seminar with the famous Mark Sisson. Time to stock up on more and new information, bust out some old favorites and get my a** back on track.
Tuesday, March 23
Dull Post #1
Hello my faithful few, today I am swamped so just a quick recap.
3 eggs for breakfast and a cup of tea
a bowl of chunky tomato soup and a egg-white protein shake for lunch
a shake after workout with cherries and raspberries
taco meat on a bed of lettuce (now)
**I eat too little, it's still poorly planned and I'm not sleeping enough.
Good news:
Power snatches in 2's today (from ground to over-head) I did 85 lb.
Back squats: count of four down, I did 135 lb.
**Today was good but I'm tapped. I think I need a day off... that sleep lack is making it difficult to recover.
Sorry for the boring-ness, but I'm being accountable this time. :)
3 eggs for breakfast and a cup of tea
a bowl of chunky tomato soup and a egg-white protein shake for lunch
a shake after workout with cherries and raspberries
taco meat on a bed of lettuce (now)
**I eat too little, it's still poorly planned and I'm not sleeping enough.
Good news:
Power snatches in 2's today (from ground to over-head) I did 85 lb.
Back squats: count of four down, I did 135 lb.
**Today was good but I'm tapped. I think I need a day off... that sleep lack is making it difficult to recover.
Sorry for the boring-ness, but I'm being accountable this time. :)
Monday, March 22
One month later...
We did the second dunk on Thursday. Even with my huge backslides, I still lost almost 3 percent body fat! I'm pretty excited because it puts me in the "good" range. I was "average" going into this. I am officially under 20%. :-D
Of course as all over-analyzers do, I enjoyed my victory for about an hour and then started to wonder. What if I had stayed on-track? What if I hadn't used those first few weeks to get my feet wet and really just jumped into this? What if I followed all the advice my trainers/friend-trainers are giving me? Could I match that? Could I beat it?
Well, I guess we'll see. This is a four week extension. It's for no one but me, and I'll be accountable on here. Here's the plan: follow the quasi-paleo that I found worked for me in the final week; follow the advice of the Crossfit trainers and peers; keep a food journal on here; post regularly. The posts may not be as entertaining, but I realized that this is my documentation and not everyone can be as witty as Jill (http://uncomfortablemuch.blogspot.com/), so my posts will be honest and probably less interesting. But maybe I'll average more than twice a month :)
Today (honestly... I'm fessing up):
3 eggs, coffee with 2 splenda and 1/8 c milk
handful of blackberries (meant to eat nuts but forgot them at home)
half an avocado, bunless cheeseburger with onions, tomato, cheese and lettuce, sugar-free jello
smoothie: one cup raspberries, one scoop egg white protein, 6 ounces water
**Self critique: I need more protein in the afternoon; I need to eat more often; I need to cut back on my sugar; I need to plan my meals better.
Workout:
20 rounds on the minute of 3- 75# thrusters, 6- kettle bell swings
**Self critique: I could've done 80# and went up in KB half-way through. I'm just so paranoid about not finishing or dropping down weight part way through the WOD. I need to push hard so if I fail, I fail hard (not hurt just hard). Man up, Di, come on!
I've also signed up to participate in a Crossfit Competition. 3 rough workouts in 1 long day. My goal is to finish all three... even if I'm last. To prepare for this (on April 10th), we're working in two-a-day WODs (Workout Of the Day) sporadically. The trouble is that I can't seem to get into the box (gym) more than once. So I'm thinking that on the two-a-days, I'll do a "travel WOD" on my own and then get in there for the other one. Let's give that a trial; I don't want to over-do anything so I'll take it slow at first. However, I'm not going into that competition unprepared!
To quote a phrase from my people:
BRING IT ON
Of course as all over-analyzers do, I enjoyed my victory for about an hour and then started to wonder. What if I had stayed on-track? What if I hadn't used those first few weeks to get my feet wet and really just jumped into this? What if I followed all the advice my trainers/friend-trainers are giving me? Could I match that? Could I beat it?
Well, I guess we'll see. This is a four week extension. It's for no one but me, and I'll be accountable on here. Here's the plan: follow the quasi-paleo that I found worked for me in the final week; follow the advice of the Crossfit trainers and peers; keep a food journal on here; post regularly. The posts may not be as entertaining, but I realized that this is my documentation and not everyone can be as witty as Jill (http://uncomfortablemuch.blogspot.com/), so my posts will be honest and probably less interesting. But maybe I'll average more than twice a month :)
Today (honestly... I'm fessing up):
3 eggs, coffee with 2 splenda and 1/8 c milk
handful of blackberries (meant to eat nuts but forgot them at home)
half an avocado, bunless cheeseburger with onions, tomato, cheese and lettuce, sugar-free jello
smoothie: one cup raspberries, one scoop egg white protein, 6 ounces water
**Self critique: I need more protein in the afternoon; I need to eat more often; I need to cut back on my sugar; I need to plan my meals better.
Workout:
20 rounds on the minute of 3- 75# thrusters, 6- kettle bell swings
**Self critique: I could've done 80# and went up in KB half-way through. I'm just so paranoid about not finishing or dropping down weight part way through the WOD. I need to push hard so if I fail, I fail hard (not hurt just hard). Man up, Di, come on!
I've also signed up to participate in a Crossfit Competition. 3 rough workouts in 1 long day. My goal is to finish all three... even if I'm last. To prepare for this (on April 10th), we're working in two-a-day WODs (Workout Of the Day) sporadically. The trouble is that I can't seem to get into the box (gym) more than once. So I'm thinking that on the two-a-days, I'll do a "travel WOD" on my own and then get in there for the other one. Let's give that a trial; I don't want to over-do anything so I'll take it slow at first. However, I'm not going into that competition unprepared!
To quote a phrase from my people:
BRING IT ON
Sunday, February 21
OMG, Di has a new post!
Hello, my 3 followers. Sorry for keeping you in such suspense! Sit back off the edge of your seat and stay a while: I'll fill you in on February.
"Paleo" is now in air-quotes. I am definitely cheating at least once a week. At first it was for my sanity, then it was because I was ill-prepared. Earlier in my posts I talked about trying to find a balance, and I just can't seem to get a handle on anything. Not to digress to my real-life too much, but I just feel like something is always getting the short end of my attention and efforts. Lately, I've had to put this blog and my sleep on the back burners to make things work. I'm starting to gain some ground at work, so I hope to be finding a better situation soon-- because I am tired and my fans are neglected!
While I am a little disappointed that I cannot come out of this saying "totally did strict Paleo" I am pretty excited about the balances I have found. My "cheats" have not been too far from what we're doing here, for the most part. One meal with grain or cheese or yogurt or a glass of wine or a soup with corn in it-- these have become my cheats... so I can't help feeling like my eating habits will have improved even after this is over in a few short weeks.
My family never ate poorly, in my opinion. Now that there is such access and wealth of health information, I see some missteps that we took, but by a national standard I would rate my youth as relatively healthy. We didn't do the fast food thing often; we always had meat, veggies and fruit for dinners. The effects of quantity, white flour and "hidden" sugars (in breads, ketchup, etc) I think were the major enemies we are facing later. A few summers ago, my parents and I decided to take a big leap in our overall health and follow the South Beach Diet. This opened our eyes to our food addictions, to our hidden habits and to a healthier path. I would equate this venture on my own to that leap we did together. The knowledge I am gaining from articles, books and friends (not to mention experience) is fascinating and making a large impact on my lifestyle.
My mom came over today and we were just talking about the things I've learned and found interesting. While I was talking to her, I realized what is so satisfying to me about all the knowledge: it's vindicating!!! The frustrations with weight, the confusion with foods, the difficulty trying to explain reactions... it's as if by reading and answering questions, I am being fed the words to explain what I've been unable to describe about myself. My body's reluctance to go under a certain weight but I knew it wasn't the ideal weight for me-- body fat set point. My gall bladder's severe responses to fats-- the wrong fats paired with starches; I've had little to no issues with my gall bladder since I have increased my water and vegetable intake. This is even with an increase in fats! I am still careful to drain my ground beef and blot my bacon, but it's a huge difference from before this eating change. The soreness from exercising-- I wasn't eating enough protein or fat and I wasn't eating soon enough after exercising. The list is a long one (and this is already a long post), so I'll stop here. The point is that I just keep finding that what I learn from others reinforces what I am seeing in myself.
We're in the home-stretch for this little experiment (definitely not the end for me), so I'm going strict for the remaining time. I think these last few weeks are the result of my lack of effort in the cooking department.
I ate: 1)eggs, turkey bacon and half an apple 2)other half apple, 15 walnuts 3)4 cups spring mix lettuce, half an avocado, 3 pieces turkey breast/chicken breast 4)protein shake and 3 cups of broccoli, 1/2 cup frozen cherries... EVERYDAY for weeks! I'm not a creature of routine. I think had I found ways to vary my food I would not have felt so restricted. This, however, requires the foresight to plan as well as the time to prep everything. What has become apparent is that this diet does not lend itself well to scraping together something on the fly or last minute, so I ended up spending almost as much time trying to "wing it" as if I had just handled it before the week started. Ugh. Silly me.
Holy crap, Di can cook?!
Poached eggs, Olympic bacon (jk), eggplant and South Beach Hollandaise Sauce
It was good, but it tasted more like deviled eggs than eggs Benedict. It wasn't a bad taste; it was just unexpected... and strange with the eggplant.
Good news is that I have doubled my efforts at Crossfit. I have been attending often and fairly consistently. It's impossible to credit my gains to attendance alone as I have seen the improvements since the food changes. All I know is that Quasi-Paleo-Di is way stronger and faster than Lazy-Half-Ass-Di.
I plan on keeping this blog at least another month and a half because I have signed up for a new challenge--yes, I'm overlapping-- with the encouragement of fellow female novices, we have signed up for our first Crossfit Competition!
Sunday, January 31
Questions
Generally things are going well. I'm having fewer mood swings and didn't dream of food last night. Yes, these are victories in my book.
From the link "17 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight", I am guilty of #2,3,4,5,7,11,15,16. Hmmm... as for right now, I think the biggest ones are Not giving it enough time and that my body is at a Homeostasis/Weight Plateau. My body likes to stay around 140 pounds. Any time I have really double-clutched to lose the weight, it's been an uphill battle and it came back. Any time I have gained weight, eventually my numbers found their way back down to around 140.
Well, Body, times are a-changing. You aren't in control any more; I am. I have learned that my body is so used to an abundance of food, fattening food especially, that it continues to store it as it would in primal preparation for famine and procreation: on the stomach, hips, tush... It's called the "body-fat set point". Our excess has created a higher percentage as the norm. Since I have no famine and no babies, I need to trick my body into thinking it must use those stores now. It's a mind game, and I'm gonna win!
From the link "17 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight", I am guilty of #2,3,4,5,7,11,15,16. Hmmm... as for right now, I think the biggest ones are Not giving it enough time and that my body is at a Homeostasis/Weight Plateau. My body likes to stay around 140 pounds. Any time I have really double-clutched to lose the weight, it's been an uphill battle and it came back. Any time I have gained weight, eventually my numbers found their way back down to around 140.
Well, Body, times are a-changing. You aren't in control any more; I am. I have learned that my body is so used to an abundance of food, fattening food especially, that it continues to store it as it would in primal preparation for famine and procreation: on the stomach, hips, tush... It's called the "body-fat set point". Our excess has created a higher percentage as the norm. Since I have no famine and no babies, I need to trick my body into thinking it must use those stores now. It's a mind game, and I'm gonna win!
The more I look into this Paleo eating, the more interesting and confusing it is! I'm not sure if anyone can even answer, but here are some of my confusions:
1) the Zone books tell me that for optimal burning the protein:carb ratio is 77:99 grams a day, but then I was reading a couple of articles that said to get better results mandates an even more restrictive 50-80 grams of carbs a day. So if we can use ketosis (normal-eaters, this means that basically your body runs out of food to use up so it goes for the stores. since eating away muscle is a last resort for our bodies, it goes for the gut) so effectively, then why does the Zone preach balance over deficit? Which is better?
2)Is "Primal" different from "Paleo"? Some articles, recipes, suggestions (Mark's Daily Apple, for example) refers to nut butters and cheeses... aren't those forbidden?
3) Can I get a final ruling on saturated fat? Focused avoidance or casual reduction?
4) Is eating too much fruit really cheating in disguise? Will it curb my body-changes?
5) Is honey allowed as a natural sweetener or will it just perpetuate the sugar withdrawals?
6) Does my fish oil intake count against my daily grams of fat?
7) Is whey protein allowed on Paleo? I know a lot of people are big fans of it, but the books say that dairy is an inefficient source of protein.
Most of the people who read this (family and friends) are normal-eaters. I realize you can't answer most of my questions, but these are good questions for us all. Fellow CFers, anybody have some insights??
Saturday, January 30
Out of hibernation...
It's been a full week since my last post. I didn't mean to slack off on the documentation; life just gets in the way. I had to start making priorities and between keeping up a daily post or actually taking the time to keep eating well and keep my job, I went with the latter. Thanks for understanding!
This week has been OK I guess. The time crunch has been keeping me with pretty boring basics on this lifestyle change. I have a list (seriously a full page) of recipes I can't wait to try, but the time just hasn't been there yet. I'm hoping after Monday I can start delving into that a little bit more. I am going to jump out the window if I make myself eat another package of "Spring Mix" and rolled-up deli meat. Ugh. Can't wait to do some cooking. I've always been intimidated by spices, but this little challenge offers the perfect opportunity to spice up my cooking, literally. I am a baker by nature, so I need this substitution to keep me from making cupcakes...
Today I attended a RxStar workshop at the box. This is a group of women who are getting together to perfect their crossfit skills. It was awesome. I didn't know anyone in the morning session, but everyone was so friendly and supportive. This community really comes together and accepts anybody. What I really want to talk about are the women who ran this thing. WOW. They were gorgeous people. Inside, outside, everything. Their kindness, patience and encouragement were so heartening when your skin feels like it's tearing and your muscles start to ache. I was so inspired by them: they are so strong, beautifully strong. Long, lean, beautiful musculature and they are in complete control over every movement.
It was really an incredible experience to be around women of that physical caliber. Ladies of OCCF, please don't be offended: you are constant sources of inspiration and, often, jealousy, but I had never met a woman who could hold casual conversation while doing a muscle up. Good gracious. Olga said it, so I'm quoting it: "It's time for the girls [of OCCF] to step it up". Bring on the blisters and the IcyHot because now I want to be like them.
The sign of a CrossFit Girl: nice body, nasty hands. I'm gonna go clean my wounds again and slice up an apple. Paleo Di, out.
This week has been OK I guess. The time crunch has been keeping me with pretty boring basics on this lifestyle change. I have a list (seriously a full page) of recipes I can't wait to try, but the time just hasn't been there yet. I'm hoping after Monday I can start delving into that a little bit more. I am going to jump out the window if I make myself eat another package of "Spring Mix" and rolled-up deli meat. Ugh. Can't wait to do some cooking. I've always been intimidated by spices, but this little challenge offers the perfect opportunity to spice up my cooking, literally. I am a baker by nature, so I need this substitution to keep me from making cupcakes...
Today I attended a RxStar workshop at the box. This is a group of women who are getting together to perfect their crossfit skills. It was awesome. I didn't know anyone in the morning session, but everyone was so friendly and supportive. This community really comes together and accepts anybody. What I really want to talk about are the women who ran this thing. WOW. They were gorgeous people. Inside, outside, everything. Their kindness, patience and encouragement were so heartening when your skin feels like it's tearing and your muscles start to ache. I was so inspired by them: they are so strong, beautifully strong. Long, lean, beautiful musculature and they are in complete control over every movement.
It was really an incredible experience to be around women of that physical caliber. Ladies of OCCF, please don't be offended: you are constant sources of inspiration and, often, jealousy, but I had never met a woman who could hold casual conversation while doing a muscle up. Good gracious. Olga said it, so I'm quoting it: "It's time for the girls [of OCCF] to step it up". Bring on the blisters and the IcyHot because now I want to be like them.
The sign of a CrossFit Girl: nice body, nasty hands. I'm gonna go clean my wounds again and slice up an apple. Paleo Di, out.
Saturday, January 23
Yep, I'm Average
We dunked on Thursday to find our exact percentage of body fat. Everyone I've told that doesn't do Crossfit says something along the lines of "oh, I wouldn't want to know". Why not!? It's so cool. You are submerged in a bathtub on a scale like in the produce section of the grocery store. See? Cool!
I am at 22.5% body fat. For my age, that is smack-dab in the middle of average. The print out even told me that for a medium build that 22% is "ideal". Well.... it's not ideal for me :) Most of the women in the box are in the teens; that would be an exciting goal! I realize that all of my fitness goals won't be met in the next 6 weeks, but hopefully this cave-woman trek will be the jump start to better choices and increased efforts.
Since the dunk is done, it's officially the beginning of the challenge. We took "before" pictures in generic workout garb, but it was suggested that we take a before in a bathing suit. Hmm. I mean I guess it makes sense. I, like most women, buy clothes that already flatter my body so any losses would seem less because the clothes already fit well. As we all know, there's little room to hide in a bathing suit. I think if I do take one, I'll keep it in my possession :)
As for the food side, I have realized that I'm not hungry as often as I think I am--which is good-- but I crave eating often. Just sitting around, grading papers, etc. I want to be munching on something. Maybe after work slows down a little bit I won't be so wound up and wanting to munch?
I am at 22.5% body fat. For my age, that is smack-dab in the middle of average. The print out even told me that for a medium build that 22% is "ideal". Well.... it's not ideal for me :) Most of the women in the box are in the teens; that would be an exciting goal! I realize that all of my fitness goals won't be met in the next 6 weeks, but hopefully this cave-woman trek will be the jump start to better choices and increased efforts.
Since the dunk is done, it's officially the beginning of the challenge. We took "before" pictures in generic workout garb, but it was suggested that we take a before in a bathing suit. Hmm. I mean I guess it makes sense. I, like most women, buy clothes that already flatter my body so any losses would seem less because the clothes already fit well. As we all know, there's little room to hide in a bathing suit. I think if I do take one, I'll keep it in my possession :)
As for the food side, I have realized that I'm not hungry as often as I think I am--which is good-- but I crave eating often. Just sitting around, grading papers, etc. I want to be munching on something. Maybe after work slows down a little bit I won't be so wound up and wanting to munch?
Wednesday, January 20
Know Thyself... guess I didn't!
I figured out that I ate junk food to relieve stress sometime in college. It did not occur to me that the inverse would be true: that not eating junk food would exacerbate stress. Goodness! I'm not sure how well I am handling everything, to be honest. Trying desperately to find a balance between my work, my family/social life and my health, it seems to always be at a deficit somewhere. Funny... the order I listed them in is usually where the priority is.
Lately I've really been focusing on getting to the box more often, watching my food (obviously if you're reading this) and enjoying my social life. It's been wonderful. I am happy, sleep well, look forward to my days and enjoy the challenges I face in those areas. In response to the up-side, my work has imploded. Nothing is running smoothly, and it's such a snowball effect. I feel inundated which is compounded by the fact that I am not able to eat cookie dough to calm myself. *Sigh*
I'm pitiful; I know. Well, now I know. I will be strong; eventually my withdrawals will temper. Tomorrow we are dunking for percentages, so the actual challenge starts then. Since I haven't been completely strict, we'll call this first week a warm-up? :)
Oh, Crossfit, you are fabulous. Last night we were doing deadlifts (for non-CFers, we pick it up then put it down and that's all), and I'm always afraid of my back. The chiropractor I went to over summer is not a proponent of weight-lifting at all for me. He's convinced that Crossfit will ruin my back by lifting incorrectly (bad form would ruin any person's back). So while everyone was putting the weights on the bar, I asked Ben to literally stand next to me and to tell me to drop it immediately if at any point my form started to suffer. With new confidence and strength from the last few months and the reassurance of someone looking out for me, I lifted over 200 lbs! Very exciting. My final CFT is 415. I was shooting for over anything in the 300's!
Well, today was my "rest day", so naturally I'm going to stay up inordinately late to get some work done instead of rest. I know that's a huge thing on which I need to work: getting enough sleep. Goodnight, to anyone who actually reads this.
Lately I've really been focusing on getting to the box more often, watching my food (obviously if you're reading this) and enjoying my social life. It's been wonderful. I am happy, sleep well, look forward to my days and enjoy the challenges I face in those areas. In response to the up-side, my work has imploded. Nothing is running smoothly, and it's such a snowball effect. I feel inundated which is compounded by the fact that I am not able to eat cookie dough to calm myself. *Sigh*
I'm pitiful; I know. Well, now I know. I will be strong; eventually my withdrawals will temper. Tomorrow we are dunking for percentages, so the actual challenge starts then. Since I haven't been completely strict, we'll call this first week a warm-up? :)
Oh, Crossfit, you are fabulous. Last night we were doing deadlifts (for non-CFers, we pick it up then put it down and that's all), and I'm always afraid of my back. The chiropractor I went to over summer is not a proponent of weight-lifting at all for me. He's convinced that Crossfit will ruin my back by lifting incorrectly (bad form would ruin any person's back). So while everyone was putting the weights on the bar, I asked Ben to literally stand next to me and to tell me to drop it immediately if at any point my form started to suffer. With new confidence and strength from the last few months and the reassurance of someone looking out for me, I lifted over 200 lbs! Very exciting. My final CFT is 415. I was shooting for over anything in the 300's!
Well, today was my "rest day", so naturally I'm going to stay up inordinately late to get some work done instead of rest. I know that's a huge thing on which I need to work: getting enough sleep. Goodnight, to anyone who actually reads this.
Tuesday, January 19
Today-- a New Day
So despite a stuffy nose, today is so much better... (here are the specifics, Jon) Around 7 I had two eggs, a small salad, a handful of walnuts and added a whole grain tortilla for breakfast. I know the tortilla is bad, but I think cold turkey might be making me crazy(-er). 10:30ish I had two slices of roasted turkey and half an apple. Near 1:30 I had a big salad, half an avocado, half a rotisserie chicken breast, and frozen cherries. On my way home sometime near 5, I munched on walnuts.
I think the weakest part of my day is post-lunch/pre-dinner. I found ways to eat mid-day at school, but it's tough after lunch. I wonder if there's something I can drink that would have the right stuff for around 3:30-4:00 in the afternoon to get me to dinner.
So much better today, but I have to admit my recovery from yesterday is horrible! I'm sore and exhausted... and leaving in 10 minutes to go deadlift!! Oy.
I think the weakest part of my day is post-lunch/pre-dinner. I found ways to eat mid-day at school, but it's tough after lunch. I wonder if there's something I can drink that would have the right stuff for around 3:30-4:00 in the afternoon to get me to dinner.
So much better today, but I have to admit my recovery from yesterday is horrible! I'm sore and exhausted... and leaving in 10 minutes to go deadlift!! Oy.
Monday, January 18
A Case of the Mondays
So my "blah" status is still going strong, and today in the box I was push pressing less than I was a month ago. Frustrating! But my fabulous friends gave me support and love, asking what I've been eating and how often and encouraging me to stick with it. A special thanks goes out to Jon, Punky and Larry (aka Schinn) for listening to my madness.
We're dunking on Thursday, so that'll be interesting. According to The Paleo Diet's calculations I am around 24% body fat (the higher brink between "normal" and "overweight"). I'm curious to see the discrepancy, if any.
Today and tomorrow we're doing the CFT (Crossfit Total) which is the sum of your maximum deadlift, over-head press and back squat. I want to do it again at the end of this to see the progress. Right now recovery is slow and painful; however, as many sources have told me this will change soon. I can't wait!! Seriously, can't....
We're dunking on Thursday, so that'll be interesting. According to The Paleo Diet's calculations I am around 24% body fat (the higher brink between "normal" and "overweight"). I'm curious to see the discrepancy, if any.
Today and tomorrow we're doing the CFT (Crossfit Total) which is the sum of your maximum deadlift, over-head press and back squat. I want to do it again at the end of this to see the progress. Right now recovery is slow and painful; however, as many sources have told me this will change soon. I can't wait!! Seriously, can't....
Sunday, January 17
Dramatic Effects
So it turns out that if you detox your body from junk (no matter how short a time) and then you reintroduce a little, your body hates it! I had a few drinks last night--the book said I could, I swear-- and today it feels like I had 20. Some friends picked up pizza, against my better judgement, I picked up a piece and almost threw up after two bites!
Note to self, this Paleo thing is going to have huge effects! My body was already growing intolerant of oil and cheese, but it seems all the reactions are going to get stronger. The bonus is: when my will-power wanes, my stomach will fight back!!
If you have a while, check this out (thanks, Joe!):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM
"Sugar: the Bitter Truth"
Note to self, this Paleo thing is going to have huge effects! My body was already growing intolerant of oil and cheese, but it seems all the reactions are going to get stronger. The bonus is: when my will-power wanes, my stomach will fight back!!
If you have a while, check this out (thanks, Joe!):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM
"Sugar: the Bitter Truth"
Saturday, January 16
2 down
Oh man. I've been able to stick with the "good foods list" for almost 48 hours.
I started with eggs, avocado, and half an apple yesterday; snacked on the other half and some chicken breast for snack; ate a bowl of steamed veggies, turkey breast slices and frozen cherries for lunch; chicken breast and salad for dinner. My energy was fairly consistent all day, but my mood felt like it was fluctuating most of the day. It didn't help that I had a rough day, but I felt less in control of my feelings than usual. Stress eating is something I seem to have picked up, so when I was driving home all I wanted to do was grab some ice cream and movie-- so I went to Crossfit instead!
Today, I ate some avocado cashews and chicken breast on my way to paddling. Afterwards, we all went out for food. Egg omlet with bacon and spinach with a side of fruit. I really think that trying to do this outside of California would be difficult. The only sides listed on the menu were toast, breakfast potatoes, and hash browns. I looked at the waiter and just said, "Um, do you have anything else?" and he's like, "Yeah, we have a some fruit". Easy as that!
I'm reading the Paleo Diet book, and one of the testimonials had a guy mentioning that for the first two weeks, his recovery time and overall energy were low. Great. I buess I'll wait it out for a couple weeks. I haven't gotten creative with my food yet, I'm just trying to get the hang of it and stop thinking about all the things I shouldn't eat...
I started with eggs, avocado, and half an apple yesterday; snacked on the other half and some chicken breast for snack; ate a bowl of steamed veggies, turkey breast slices and frozen cherries for lunch; chicken breast and salad for dinner. My energy was fairly consistent all day, but my mood felt like it was fluctuating most of the day. It didn't help that I had a rough day, but I felt less in control of my feelings than usual. Stress eating is something I seem to have picked up, so when I was driving home all I wanted to do was grab some ice cream and movie-- so I went to Crossfit instead!
Today, I ate some avocado cashews and chicken breast on my way to paddling. Afterwards, we all went out for food. Egg omlet with bacon and spinach with a side of fruit. I really think that trying to do this outside of California would be difficult. The only sides listed on the menu were toast, breakfast potatoes, and hash browns. I looked at the waiter and just said, "Um, do you have anything else?" and he's like, "Yeah, we have a some fruit". Easy as that!
I'm reading the Paleo Diet book, and one of the testimonials had a guy mentioning that for the first two weeks, his recovery time and overall energy were low. Great. I buess I'll wait it out for a couple weeks. I haven't gotten creative with my food yet, I'm just trying to get the hang of it and stop thinking about all the things I shouldn't eat...
Thursday, January 14
On a vine, on a bone or on a tree NOT in a bag, in a box or in a combo
Tonight I cleared out all of the junk in my cabinets and packed up all the good stuff to shove in the back. The bread--gone, cheese--gone, rice--gone, oatmeal--hiding where I can't reach without a stool. The chocolate and pudding I plan on finishing tonight. No need to let it go to waste in the last 12 hours!
The people tonight were so psyched for this event; I really lucked out choosing a box (that's a Crossfit gym for you common-folk). Everyone is motivating and kind. I love it. There's something special about a guy who hugs you after not seeing you for 3 days then walks over to pick up 300 lbs. Awesome.
So it turns out we're going official with this business-- dunk tanks and body percentages. Therefore, the challenge doesn't start until after the first dunk. However, I am the queen of excuses, so I begin tomorrow. Here we go, family and friends, it's time to break up with some foods.
So long, starches! I will miss your deliciousness, but I won't miss your evidence on my a-- uh, abs! Dearest desserts, I think I'll miss you the most. It's not you; it's me... and a little bit you.
The people tonight were so psyched for this event; I really lucked out choosing a box (that's a Crossfit gym for you common-folk). Everyone is motivating and kind. I love it. There's something special about a guy who hugs you after not seeing you for 3 days then walks over to pick up 300 lbs. Awesome.
So it turns out we're going official with this business-- dunk tanks and body percentages. Therefore, the challenge doesn't start until after the first dunk. However, I am the queen of excuses, so I begin tomorrow. Here we go, family and friends, it's time to break up with some foods.
So long, starches! I will miss your deliciousness, but I won't miss your evidence on my a-- uh, abs! Dearest desserts, I think I'll miss you the most. It's not you; it's me... and a little bit you.
Wednesday, January 13
Pre-Game
Because of I'm generally a good eater and I excercise, I think it's going to take something like this to really kick start a body change. I wouldn't drop 3 dress sizes from Nutrisystem. I'm not willing to have out-patient surgery because the ad is catchy. Subway and a long walk won't melt away my last few inches. I already follow a pretty healthy diet and only cheat on that a couple times a week-- I don't eat white bread; I don't like rice or potatoes (except french fries), and I hardly ever eat fried foods.
I'm doing this because I'd rather lose the right weight than just any weight: I'd rather drop a dress size than drop 5 pounds.
My gym (Crossfit) is holding a "Paleo Challenge", and this blog is my own way to keep myself accountable and to keep my friends updated as I push past a sugar addiction and deal with a busy schedule. I'll post good recipes, any progress, my frustrations or fun tid-bits, so feel free to follow along with me. The flag goes up on Friday, January 15th.
It won't be easy--I can already tell.
It won't be pretty--well, not until the end anyway.
I'm doing this because I'd rather lose the right weight than just any weight: I'd rather drop a dress size than drop 5 pounds.
My gym (Crossfit) is holding a "Paleo Challenge", and this blog is my own way to keep myself accountable and to keep my friends updated as I push past a sugar addiction and deal with a busy schedule. I'll post good recipes, any progress, my frustrations or fun tid-bits, so feel free to follow along with me. The flag goes up on Friday, January 15th.
It won't be easy--I can already tell.
It won't be pretty--well, not until the end anyway.
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