Proud wifey

My husband Chad has been really down on himself about his weight for a while now. Prior to our wedding, we worked out with a trainer 3 mornings a week, and on our wedding day he was at his goal weight. Since our honeymoon we've gone through the holidays and lot of stress, and consequently the lbs have crept back. Chad also has an insane sweet tooth, which makes it difficult for him to stay away from carbs. I've really tried to support him by cooking/packing healthy meals and encouraging him to come to CrossFit with me. It's been a challenge to get up and work out in the mornings because he works extremely long hours, and we usually stay up late just so we can spend time together. Despite so many barriers, yesterday Chad informed me that he'd weighed himself and he is now back down to the weight he was on our wedding day. I'd thought he looked thinner, but hadn't said anything because he generally doesn't believe me when I do. What we both think is interesting is the fact that aside from going to CrossFit 3 times a week, he really hasn't changed much about his routine. I do have him taking an adaptogen called ashwaghanda, which supports adrenal function, so I'm wondering if that has something to do with the weight loss.

Ashwaghanda can help normalize blood sugar, which in turn may help reduce carb cravings. It can also help boost thyroid and immune function. Since Chad has been working so hard, I figured he could use a little herbal support. I've been taking rhodiola, which is another adaptogen. One of the benefits seen with this herb is muscle recovery, which I thought would be great with how much I'm working out. After we run out of our current supplies, I'm planning to put us both on Gaia herbs Adrenal Support. This supplement is a mixture of both ashwaghanda and rhodiola, as well as holy basil (another adaptogen).

Tonight I'll find out the WOD for 13.2 of the CrossFit open. I must admit, I'm a little nervous but am looking forward to the challenge. Our workouts this week have been pretty rough so far but I'm happy to say that I can feel myself getting stronger.

Operation CrossFit Open

As you may know by now, I am sorta in love with CrossFit. I have always liked working out, but its been a while since I've enjoyed exercise so much. I feel strong, and powerful, and I am loving the changes that I see in my body. Pair quality exercise with clean eating, and you have a perfect recipe for health. So last week my friend Aubrey talked me into signing up for the CrossFit open, which is the first part of the Crossfit games. Anyone can participate and you simply do the prescribed WOD every week and submit your score online. I was pretty nervous, because although I'm competitive, I also have anxiety under pressure. Saturday morning I was super nervous, but once I got going, the nerves melted away and all I could think about was finishing. 13.1 was pretty brutal. Here it is:

17 minute AMRAP of:
40 Burpees
30 Snatch, 75 / 45 lbs
30 Burpees
30 Snatch, 135 / 75 lbs
20 Burpees
30 Snatch, 165 / 100 lbs
10 burpees
Max rep Snatch, 210 / 120 lbs

I was able to get 150 reps before my time ran out. I was bummed at first that I didn't have a chance to try the 100lb snatch, but I tried afterwards, and couldn't even get a rep. I've since made peace with that, and I am really proud of myself.

In honor of this competition, I think its only appropriate that I tighten up my diet and really focus on clean eating. Last week was challenging in that department. Not only was I super hormonal, but Chad and I had a lot of stress. I ended up eating, not great, and in turn feeling pretty crappy.  I'm not beating myself up about it because its just not worth it, at this point. All I can do is move forward and take it one day at a time.

My goal this week is to incorporate protein shakes everyday, and cut down the carbs. I also want to back off the coffee, because last week there were days when I had upwards of 3 cups. I'm really excited to see what this week brings, and especially to see what 13.2 has in store. Have a great week!

Scale liberation

Happy happy Friday everyone! There were points this week when it felt like today would never come, but here it is, and I am so excited for the weekend ahead. It kills me that I haven't had much time to check in this week. I officially started my new program at work on Tuesday, and its been a little nuts ever since. I am loving being able to pend over an hour with my patients, getting to know them and understand their health and wellness goals. It's exciting stuff, but also a TON of work, so my stress level has been through the roof! Luckily, going to CrossFit has really helped calm me down. My friend Aubrey even convinced me to sign up for the CrossFit open! I'll complete the first of five challenge workouts tomorrow, and it's gonna be rough! I'm excited to share my experience, and see how I do.

As I mentioned a few posts back, I gave up checking my weight for an entire month. That time frame actually ends March 22nd, which is my birthday, and I gotta say, I might extend it. While I totally understand that many people feel they need to check their weight to stay "on track." I realized the scale wasn't really serving me, as I have been gaining weight,  but really toning up. I can see a huge difference when I look in the mirror, and can tell I'm getting stronger based on lifting. Plus, I feel great! So I think ditching the scale was just what I needed. I've also noticed that I've been more forgiving of myself when I eat something that isn't necessarily good for me, because I'm not dreading the number I'll see on the scale the next morning.

I'm still loving the RAW protein powder I'm using. It has been a lifesaver this week, when I haven't had time to prepare, or stop to eat lunch. In addition to my shakes, I've been mixing about half a scoop into either almond butter or cashew butter to make a yummy, protein packed treat when I need a quick snack. I love that the protein has both digestive enzymes and probiotics, because I recommend both to my patients. Both aid in digestion and help your body absorb all the nutrients from the food you eat. It is extremely convenient to eat something that already contains these components, since I can be forgetful when it comes to taking my supplements.

Again, weight shouldn't be the be all end all for anyone, and I'm really glad I've taken some time away from my scale. Eat clean, work out hard, and show yourself some love!

Stuffed sweet potato

I haven't been feeling particularly inspired in the kitchen lately. More often than not, we end up eating the same dishes repeatedly. While using the same ingredients is fine, I like to add variety by using different cooking methods, and adding new flavors. Last night I had no idea what to make, when suddenly a light bulb came on. I was inspired by twice baked potatoes, though my dish is certainly a loose interpretation, but a definite nod to this classic favorite. Here's what I did:

Your will need:
1 medium sweet potato, 1 small sweet potato
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 large bell pepper diced
1/2 small onion diced
1 small jalepeno diced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
S&P

I began by cranking the oven up to 400 and letting the sweet potatoes bake until soft. In the meantime I sauteed the onions, bell peppers, and jalepeno in coconut oil and then added the ground turkey and spices. I browned the turkey until thoroughly cooked and then removed from the heat. When the sweet potatoes were cooked through I removed the flesh from the small one and the part of the center of the larger one, and added it to the ground turkey. I mixed it until smooth, but with a few chunks of sweet potato remaining. I then piled the mixture into the medium sweet potato "shells" (see below). I served the sweet potato along with some grilled asparagus. This dish is a definite hit!

Can I give up eggs?

So I've been talking up the "Virgin Diet" for a few weeks now, and have been planning to go through the program myself. I think it's really beneficial to try things out before recommending them to patients, to gain perspective. However, yesterday, as I enjoyed two perfectly cooked fried eggs, I really began to question my decision. While I can totally get behind the idea of cutting out the top inflammatory/allergenic foods (corn, gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, sugar, and peanuts), especially for people who struggle with autoimmune issues, I personally am having trouble coping with the idea of not eating eggs. It's funny, I had this same debate when I first  considered trying paleo, but back then it was in regards to gluten. I could not imagine my life without my Ezekiel sprouted grain English muffins and tortillas (essentially the only source of gluten I was regularly eating). After some experimentation with new recipes, and a few slight  adjustments, I was able to give up ALL grains without much difficulty. Eggs are a different story. Not only are they a key ingredient in a lot of recipes, but they are delicious on their own.

I'm a huge proponent of individualizing one's diet because what works for one person, may not be right for another. That being said, I think the best path for me is stick with paleo. I'll continue to avoid corn, gluten/grains, soy, peanuts, and sugar, but I will eat eggs and dairy in moderation. I plan to use my vegan protein shakes, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they work into my daily routine. I'm hoping they will be a great option on days when I'm short on time. Let Paleo plus protein shakes commence!

I am loving the longer days! Getting up at 6:30am is so much easier when the sun is up, and today I popped out of bed totally energized for CrossFit. Here is today's WOD:


SOUTH FRANKLIN CROSSFIT – WOD MONDAY 03042013
WARM UP - 6 TO 8 MINUTES
STRENGTH – BACK SQUAT 3 X 10 @ 65% OF 1 RM
WOD- TABATTA’S ARE BACK
TABATTA = 20 SECONDS OF WORK , 10 SECOND BREAK. WE WILL DO 6 MINUTES ON EACH TABATTA. WE WILL DO 3 DIFFERENT SEPARATE SETS OF TABATTA. WE WILL HAVE A 2 MINUTE BREAK BETWEEN EACH TABATTA.
TABATTA A:
RENEGADE ROWS DUMBELLS
PUSH UPS
TABATTA B:
SUMO DEADLIFT KB
KB PRESSES
TABATTA C:
CAPTAINS CHAIRS
REVERSE HYPER EXTENSION PHYSIO BALL

 Here is this morning breakfast:

 I made my protein shake with protein powder 6oz coconut milk, and frozen blackberries, and had my delicious breakfast cake. My friend Lyle brought me some eggs fresh from her farm, and they are the most delicious eggs I've ever had! They turn my cake a lovely golden color! Now I'm ready to take on the day!

Paleo "oatmeal"

Good morning! Here is an egg free paleo recipe that is a great option for breakfast. One of my favorite foods used to be a big bowl of slow cooked steel cut oats with lots of cinnamon. This paleo version gives you that same warm, yummy consistency but is grain free. I'm really excited to have this go-to option next week when I eliminate eggs from my diet for 3 weeks. So here it is:

1/4 cup almond coursely chopped or pulsed in the blender
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp almond butter
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp ground flax
2 tsp chia seeds
1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
splash of vanilla extract
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

You can either combine all the ingredients in a sauce pot and simmer together on the stove, or just put them in a bowl and stick them in the microwave. I topped mine with fresh blueberries. This makes a large bowl, so you can certainly scale back. I'll be avoiding nuts for the rest of the day, since this was a hefty serving (we'll see if this really happens). This recipe would be awesome with pumpkin or sweet potato puree added as well. Oh the possibilities!

Its Friday!

I must admit that when I don't write a post daily, I really miss it. Recording my experiences really helps me stay accountable, and helps me vent. It's like therapy, only not so private... But anyway, it's been a tough week in the Anderson household. Chad and I are both feeling stressed and trying to handle it the best we can. I know that in the past when I was stressed, especially after working 12 hours in the hospital, I'd experience INSANE craving for wine and chocolate. I'd rush home and immediately have 1-2 glasses and a hunk of dark chocolate, while cooking dinner. It took a great deal of mindfulness to finally recognize this unhealthy pattern, and break it. I noticed this week that I definitely had an urge to slip back into this practice, but I had an awareness of what was going on in my body that, and that made it easier to refrain. When we're stressed we often crave our comfort foods because they stimulate serotonin and dopamine release in our brains, which immediately makes us feel better. I instead reached for some of my awesome new vegan protein powder, which is of course chocolate flavored. Its nice to know I have many tools at my disposal.

This morning we got up for crossfit and faced a brutal WOD:

WARM UP – 6 TO 8 MINUTES
STRENGTH- DEADLIFT 3 SETS OF 12 REPS @ 60% 1RM
WOD- ADD ONS! YOU WILL START WITH 10 SQUATS AND THEN DO 10 CLAP PUSH UPS THEN BACK TO SQUATS, THEN YOU WILL ADD ON 10 WALL BALLS, 10 CLAP PUSH UPS, 10 SQUATS AND THEN ADD ON 10 VUPS, 10 WALL BALLS, 10 CLAP PUSH UPS, 10 SQUATS, ETC. YOU WILL CONTINUE TO ADD ON AND THEN GO BACKWARDS UNTIL YOU COMPLETE ALL ADD ONS.
10 squats – squats are below parallel
10 clap pushups – make sure chest hits the ground
10 wall balls
10 v ups
10 burpees
10 star jumps
10 pull ups
10 handstand push ups
10 jingle jangles
10 pistols to each side
STRETCH/COOL DOWN

This was my 4th WOD of the week and Chad's 3rd. I'm hoping that the weather doesn't get too bad tonight because I want to do my 5th tomorrow.

I was absolutely starving when I got home, so for convenience I made a shake with RAW protein, blueberries, coconut milk, and almond butter. I downed that puppy in about 2 minutes, and then had a cup of coffee. I have to say, this protein is awesome. I have never found a product that keeps me full for so long. I wasn't hungry again until around 1. Unfortunately I didn't get to eat til 2:30 and was ravenous by that point. Luckily I had some leftover chicken, which I tossed in with steamed kale and avocado.

I'm happy to report that after almost a week of feeling just not right, my stomach seems to be back to normal. I'm really excited to start the Virgin Diet( Paleo minus eggs) on Monday and see what I learn. I actually found some great resources for egg-free paleo recipes, so I think the only time I will struggle will be breakfast. I was able to cut out dairy without much trouble during my last challenge, but I will admit, I'll be dying for pizza by the end of 21 days. While I highly doubt I have any intolerance to eggs or dairy, I'm pretty convinced that gluten is not my friend. I can't wait to experiment with some new recipes and share. Stay tuned!