Saturday, January 21, 2012
Rest
I do not rest very well. It is difficult for me to take time off from things I love, especially Crossfit and sexually harassing my gym buddies (no one is safe).
When I was off school for Christmas break, I was crossfitting 6 days a week. Weeks of doing this during prime cold and flu season was a recipe for disaster. On Monday afternoon, my hectic pace caught up with me. I had a stomach bug that lasted for a full 48 hours and then caught a cold during the bug.
Okay body. Message received. Slow down.
After a couple of days in bed with some down time for contemplation, I thought about how hard I have been pushing myself. Sometimes I get so obsessed with progress that I forget sometimes less is more. Rest is vitally important to recovery and muscle repair. When I am trying to hit goals, that knowledge goes right out the window. I look at the WOD in the morning and think, "Shit! I can't take a rest day, I really need to work on _________!"
In the midst of feeling this urgency, I have to remind myself that I am not helping my cause by missing rest days. When I am overworking myself I am not only half assing my workouts due to fatigue, but making myself more prone to injury and illness. I am preventing progress. Not cool.
So I am going to knock off being a crazed lunatic and do 2-3 days on, 1 day off. Let's see how this works.
Wish me luck!!!
xoxoxo
J
Friday, January 13, 2012
"I'm sorry I was such a hobeast"
Lifting is NOT my strong suit. It seems like anything that does not involve a kettlebell, running, or body weight exercises causes me major mental strife. Olympic lifts are enough of a struggle for me on a normal day, but when I have PMS- it is not a good scene.
Today we were working on a move called a power snatch (I love the name of this lift on so many levels). The trainer was working with me on correcting some flaws in my form. I was overwhelmed, feeling completely disconnected from the lift, and very inadequate. I totally snapped at him. I usually only reserve my hobeast for my husband, but today, I let it wail on my poor trainer. To be honest, I was mortified. I will lose my cool, but I don't like to lose it on other people (except Nate. I take sick pleasure in that).
I had to apologize- hence the title, "I'm sorry I was such a hobeast."
I know this happens to trainers all the time. God love all of you and thank you. When we are pushed to do things that are out of our comfort zone, sometimes hobeasts come out. Emotions, tears, anger, frustration, inadequacy. It is all a part of becoming yourbeast best. In order to get to the places we want to go, there are struggles along the way. So embrace that inner hobeast, take on challenges and emotions that are hard to face, and make sure to acknowledge the patience and acceptance our trainers give us that allow us to be vulnerable so that we can improve.
xoxo
J
Today we were working on a move called a power snatch (I love the name of this lift on so many levels). The trainer was working with me on correcting some flaws in my form. I was overwhelmed, feeling completely disconnected from the lift, and very inadequate. I totally snapped at him. I usually only reserve my hobeast for my husband, but today, I let it wail on my poor trainer. To be honest, I was mortified. I will lose my cool, but I don't like to lose it on other people (except Nate. I take sick pleasure in that).
I had to apologize- hence the title, "I'm sorry I was such a hobeast."
I know this happens to trainers all the time. God love all of you and thank you. When we are pushed to do things that are out of our comfort zone, sometimes hobeasts come out. Emotions, tears, anger, frustration, inadequacy. It is all a part of becoming your
xoxo
J
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Always Pack a Snack
My children have taught me the most important lesson: ALWAYS PACK A SNACK.
This life lesson really boils down to being prepared. If you are following a raw vegan lifestyle or Paleo, like many of my readers, you probably have already experienced a moment where you indulged in a food you did not intend on eating because you starving and you were not prepared. Very few people are familiar with all of the ins and outs that these diets require. So going to a barbeque, birthday party, or even out to dinner, can be a challenge.
I am going to share my favorite tricks that I have found so far to maintaining an uncommon dietary lifestyle:
1. Pack that snack:
Next to the smelly gym gloves in my purse, there is always a larabar, an apple, a banana (is that a banana in your purse, or are you just happy to see me), a bag of nuts (is that a bag of nuts in your purse or are you just happy to see me) or some sort of dehydrated raw packaged snack. For my Paleo Peeps, a Steve's Club Paleo bar would work.
http://stevesoriginal.com/
2. Bring Something
When you go to a party, bring your favorite dish to share. I usually bring something simple, like a delicious fruit salad or a regular salad with decadent ingredients like dried cranberries, walnuts, and apples or avocados that make people forget the health factor and go straight to the YUM factor.
3. Eat Before You Go
I do NOT always feel like spending my whole party in front of or obsessing about food. One of my favorite strategies is to eat before I go to the party and then enjoy the company of others without worrying about shit stuck in my teeth or if I just accidentally ingested something I did not want to eat.
4. Find a Restaurant
With both Paleo and Raw, there is a sucky I can't go out to eat anymore element. So not true. My husband and kids are not vegan or Paleo, but we all love Iron Hill Brewery. They have a gluten free menu. There are two dishes that I have tweaked to remove the dairy and VOILA, they are vegan and high raw. The Paleo options on the gluten free menu are abundant. Burgers without rolls- just hold the cheese- and served with side salads, salads, fish. My other two favorites are Raw Can Roll Cafe in Douglasville, PA and Oasis Living Cuisine in Frasier, PA.
I hope that helps! With any lifestyle, it is important to be balanced and maintain a relaxed attitude. It is going to happen- a vegetarian accidentally eats a soup made with chicken broth, you may have to scrape breading off a chicken breast, or eat a non-raw hummus in order to enjoy dinner out with your family. Just go with it. Life is about having fun. Our lifestyles should enhance our lives, not make them miserable.
This life lesson really boils down to being prepared. If you are following a raw vegan lifestyle or Paleo, like many of my readers, you probably have already experienced a moment where you indulged in a food you did not intend on eating because you starving and you were not prepared. Very few people are familiar with all of the ins and outs that these diets require. So going to a barbeque, birthday party, or even out to dinner, can be a challenge.
I am going to share my favorite tricks that I have found so far to maintaining an uncommon dietary lifestyle:
1. Pack that snack:
Next to the smelly gym gloves in my purse, there is always a larabar, an apple, a banana (is that a banana in your purse, or are you just happy to see me), a bag of nuts (is that a bag of nuts in your purse or are you just happy to see me) or some sort of dehydrated raw packaged snack. For my Paleo Peeps, a Steve's Club Paleo bar would work.
http://stevesoriginal.com/
2. Bring Something
When you go to a party, bring your favorite dish to share. I usually bring something simple, like a delicious fruit salad or a regular salad with decadent ingredients like dried cranberries, walnuts, and apples or avocados that make people forget the health factor and go straight to the YUM factor.
3. Eat Before You Go
I do NOT always feel like spending my whole party in front of or obsessing about food. One of my favorite strategies is to eat before I go to the party and then enjoy the company of others without worrying about shit stuck in my teeth or if I just accidentally ingested something I did not want to eat.
4. Find a Restaurant
With both Paleo and Raw, there is a sucky I can't go out to eat anymore element. So not true. My husband and kids are not vegan or Paleo, but we all love Iron Hill Brewery. They have a gluten free menu. There are two dishes that I have tweaked to remove the dairy and VOILA, they are vegan and high raw. The Paleo options on the gluten free menu are abundant. Burgers without rolls- just hold the cheese- and served with side salads, salads, fish. My other two favorites are Raw Can Roll Cafe in Douglasville, PA and Oasis Living Cuisine in Frasier, PA.
I hope that helps! With any lifestyle, it is important to be balanced and maintain a relaxed attitude. It is going to happen- a vegetarian accidentally eats a soup made with chicken broth, you may have to scrape breading off a chicken breast, or eat a non-raw hummus in order to enjoy dinner out with your family. Just go with it. Life is about having fun. Our lifestyles should enhance our lives, not make them miserable.
Monday, January 9, 2012
A chance to turn it all off
One of my favorite fellow crossfit ladies posted this wonderful article today:
http://www.sicfit.com/blog/40636-The-Spiritual-Side-of-CrossFit
It brought me back to a conversation I had with Tara D. awhile ago. We talked about how the middle of a WOD was the only time our brains ever turns off.
As a wife, mother of two, and full time doctoral student, there is not a whole lot of mental down time in my world. My brain is constantly flooded with insanity- my schedule, my husband's schedule, the girls' schedules, what's for dinner, writing a brilliant research paper, cleaning the house, calling that friend I haven't talked to in a million years, getting enough spiritual time, healthy eating, writing those thank you notes that I should have sent out last January. The list goes on and on and on and on. I wouldn't say I am typically an anxious person, but with the hectic schedule I have, it feels like if I miss one beat, the whole thing is going to fall apart.
That is where crossfit helps. Even though I am surrounded by people, my WOD (workout of the day) is the only time in my day where I get mental privacy. It is just me and the task in front of me and if I am pushing myself to my physical limit, there are no other thoughts that get to creep into braintown. When I do notice outside thoughts, I know I'm not working hard enough. I really connected to what the author said in the article: I have no idea what song is playing, what the trainer just yelled at me, or what is for dinner. I just go.
The more stressful my life is, the more I find myself at crossfit. Other than sleep, it is the only time I get to experience the joy of going into shut down mode. Plus it helps keep this old, stressed out, tired woman lookin' fly.
xoxo
J
http://www.sicfit.com/blog/40636-The-Spiritual-Side-of-CrossFit
It brought me back to a conversation I had with Tara D. awhile ago. We talked about how the middle of a WOD was the only time our brains ever turns off.
As a wife, mother of two, and full time doctoral student, there is not a whole lot of mental down time in my world. My brain is constantly flooded with insanity- my schedule, my husband's schedule, the girls' schedules, what's for dinner, writing a brilliant research paper, cleaning the house, calling that friend I haven't talked to in a million years, getting enough spiritual time, healthy eating, writing those thank you notes that I should have sent out last January. The list goes on and on and on and on. I wouldn't say I am typically an anxious person, but with the hectic schedule I have, it feels like if I miss one beat, the whole thing is going to fall apart.
That is where crossfit helps. Even though I am surrounded by people, my WOD (workout of the day) is the only time in my day where I get mental privacy. It is just me and the task in front of me and if I am pushing myself to my physical limit, there are no other thoughts that get to creep into braintown. When I do notice outside thoughts, I know I'm not working hard enough. I really connected to what the author said in the article: I have no idea what song is playing, what the trainer just yelled at me, or what is for dinner. I just go.
The more stressful my life is, the more I find myself at crossfit. Other than sleep, it is the only time I get to experience the joy of going into shut down mode. Plus it helps keep this old, stressed out, tired woman lookin' fly.
xoxo
J
Friday, January 6, 2012
Juice it up
The first time I tried green juice I thought I was going to puke or cry. I wasn't sure which. Now I can guzzle that shit with the best of them. For those of you who are new to juicing, it is much like that first shot of vodka or that first cig. You try it, it tastes nasty, but it makes you feel great so you continue to do it. But with green juice there is no hangover, it hydrates you with powerful chlorophyll, and makes you gorgeous instead of haggard. Green juice does not drunk dial.
Here is what I juiced this morning:
1 beet
2 c. beet greens
1 lemon
1/2 inch piece of ginger
2 celery stalks
1 carrrot
1 cucumber
Green juice like this is best on an empty stomach, so try to drink it on its own. Set a goal for yourself to try it. Then work up to having it once a week. Right now, my goal is 3x a week.
If you don't have a juicer, Oasis Living Cuisine in Frasier, PA has wonderful juices and their owner, Tiffany, is one of the nicest people EVER. She is knowledgeable and a genius in the kitchen. Go in for a delicious, healthy meal, juice, or raw chocolate feast!
http://www.oasislivingcuisine.com/
Have a great day!!!!!
xoxo
J
Here is what I juiced this morning:
1 beet
2 c. beet greens
1 lemon
1/2 inch piece of ginger
2 celery stalks
1 carrrot
1 cucumber
Green juice like this is best on an empty stomach, so try to drink it on its own. Set a goal for yourself to try it. Then work up to having it once a week. Right now, my goal is 3x a week.
If you don't have a juicer, Oasis Living Cuisine in Frasier, PA has wonderful juices and their owner, Tiffany, is one of the nicest people EVER. She is knowledgeable and a genius in the kitchen. Go in for a delicious, healthy meal, juice, or raw chocolate feast!
http://www.oasislivingcuisine.com/
Have a great day!!!!!
xoxo
J
Thursday, January 5, 2012
emotional detox
I am officially in detox mode.
I am moody, nasty, cranky, and sarcastic. Not my best self. Luckily Nate bailed on me tonight and headed to see our friend's band so my shit mood does not permeate his being. Hopefully it doesn't affect you, my lovely blog readers.
Detox can happen in many ways. Emotional release as part of detox is something people (including myself) often forget about or do not associate with dietary changes. As resolutions are underway and we shift away from the Christmas cookies and onto salads, we need to remember that physical discomfort often manifests itself in our emotions.
For me, emotional detox feels like pent up rage. It is not pretty. I feel yucky and depressed. I feel fat. I feel ugly. And that stupid ass zit forming on the tip of my nose is not helping (a rude reminder of all of those tortilla chips and peanut butter snack attacks that my body is purging). I doubt everything I am doing, from the clothes I am wearing to the life path I have chosen. It feels like everything is wrong.
Sometimes this discomfort is fear- fear of our own greatness, fear of failure, fear of being out of your comfort zone, fear of change. I am experiencing all of the above.
I think emotional symptoms are WAY worse than physical symptoms. Feeling emotionally unbalanced sucks and I certainly don't like to ooze my misery onto other people. So a word of advice, when you begin a new diet or lifestyle, give your friends/families/partners a heads up. Use my favorite break up line, "It's not you, it's me" and get your detox on. In a couple of weeks the emotional fog will clear (and so will that fucking zit) and you will be feeling like yourself, only 1,000x better. It is worth it, you are worth it, and remember, NO LIMITS. That's our 2012 mantra bitches!!!
xoxo
J
I am moody, nasty, cranky, and sarcastic. Not my best self. Luckily Nate bailed on me tonight and headed to see our friend's band so my shit mood does not permeate his being. Hopefully it doesn't affect you, my lovely blog readers.
Detox can happen in many ways. Emotional release as part of detox is something people (including myself) often forget about or do not associate with dietary changes. As resolutions are underway and we shift away from the Christmas cookies and onto salads, we need to remember that physical discomfort often manifests itself in our emotions.
For me, emotional detox feels like pent up rage. It is not pretty. I feel yucky and depressed. I feel fat. I feel ugly. And that stupid ass zit forming on the tip of my nose is not helping (a rude reminder of all of those tortilla chips and peanut butter snack attacks that my body is purging). I doubt everything I am doing, from the clothes I am wearing to the life path I have chosen. It feels like everything is wrong.
Sometimes this discomfort is fear- fear of our own greatness, fear of failure, fear of being out of your comfort zone, fear of change. I am experiencing all of the above.
I think emotional symptoms are WAY worse than physical symptoms. Feeling emotionally unbalanced sucks and I certainly don't like to ooze my misery onto other people. So a word of advice, when you begin a new diet or lifestyle, give your friends/families/partners a heads up. Use my favorite break up line, "It's not you, it's me" and get your detox on. In a couple of weeks the emotional fog will clear (and so will that fucking zit) and you will be feeling like yourself, only 1,000x better. It is worth it, you are worth it, and remember, NO LIMITS. That's our 2012 mantra bitches!!!
xoxo
J
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
I'm so excited and I just can't hide it
I am having such an amazing, positive energy filled day! Must be all of that raw food hahahaha ;0)
My good friend (my fellow crossfitters know her as Tara D.) and I had a the most amazing brainstorm this morning during one of our twelve phone calls that occur throughout the day.
Tara and I are throwing around the idea of co-writing a blog that explores crossfit, diet (paleo v.s raw), body image, our personal journeys, emotional things that come up, and accomplishments. I feel like she and I are on the perfect page to do this together. I will continue to incorporate a lot of the things I have been talking about this blog, but onto another, more beautifully formatted blog (with the help of Tara's tech savy fiance who does not realize he is being roped into this project). Plus, when I go back to school, there will be two people churning out blogs so I won't bitch out on you guys for weeks at a time.
For those of you who don't know Tara, you will LOVE her just as much as I do. She is funny, real, and one of the most positive people I know. Tara is how I have stayed married so long. My husband doesn't have to hear all of my neurotic bits, crossfit talks, or body image breakdowns nearly as much with Tara around. It makes for a much happier marriage. Every married woman needs a Tara.
My brain is flying away with ideas today on how we are going to make this leap. Can't wait to hear your thoughts/ideas/what you would like to get from this potential blog. All feedback is welcome, either on this page or on facebook.
xoxo
J
My good friend (my fellow crossfitters know her as Tara D.) and I had a the most amazing brainstorm this morning during one of our twelve phone calls that occur throughout the day.
Tara and I are throwing around the idea of co-writing a blog that explores crossfit, diet (paleo v.s raw), body image, our personal journeys, emotional things that come up, and accomplishments. I feel like she and I are on the perfect page to do this together. I will continue to incorporate a lot of the things I have been talking about this blog, but onto another, more beautifully formatted blog (with the help of Tara's tech savy fiance who does not realize he is being roped into this project). Plus, when I go back to school, there will be two people churning out blogs so I won't bitch out on you guys for weeks at a time.
For those of you who don't know Tara, you will LOVE her just as much as I do. She is funny, real, and one of the most positive people I know. Tara is how I have stayed married so long. My husband doesn't have to hear all of my neurotic bits, crossfit talks, or body image breakdowns nearly as much with Tara around. It makes for a much happier marriage. Every married woman needs a Tara.
My brain is flying away with ideas today on how we are going to make this leap. Can't wait to hear your thoughts/ideas/what you would like to get from this potential blog. All feedback is welcome, either on this page or on facebook.
xoxo
J
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