Growing and Outgrowing

Sometimes we grow and sometimes we outgrow. 
Some people are a constant fixtures in our life while others fall away.  They become memories of the old you and who you used to be.  The same goes with lifestyles, thoughts, and ways of being. 

That is okay.  It happens.

This feeling of moving forward can be anxiety provoking, scary, exciting, and maybe even freeing.  But taking chances, making changes, and struggling is what brings us to new understandings of ourselves. It helps us find what we really want in our lives. Staying in patterns or with people or emotions who no longer "fit" might just prolong your agony or bring unneeded negativity into your life. 

I am writing about this because this theme keeps following me this week.  Releasing, growing, and outgrowing.  Things keep surfacing in conversation and the people around me have been talking about releasing in terms of pounds, relationships, anxiety, fear, inadequacy, etc.  With these conversations also comes the joy and excitement of moving on and moving on up Jefferson's style.

So go ahead and ditch shit- trim the fat shall we say.  Start to get rid of all of the things that no longer serve you.  Move forward, move on.  Release these things/relationships/ideas to the universe and start moving towards a healthier, happier, more beautiful, loving you.

I find that as I surround myself with supportive, positive people, my world has become more positive, my thoughts are more positive, and my "can'ts" have quickly become "cans."  Sending lots of love, positivity and growth your way today.

xoxo
J 

You're Sexy and You Better Know It

Sometimes we look at our physical bodies and are  harsh, lame ass critics.  We waste time and energy focusing on flaws when we could be enjoying these beautiful bodies we have.

So knock it off assholes and shake what your mama gave you!!!

 Take a good hard look in the mirror and check out those parts that make you super sexy.  When someone tells you that you look great, you better take that shit and run. Give yourself a compliment- you are totally allowed.  No one is going to call the narcissism police.

Focus on the sexy in other people while you are at it- especially your partners.  They deserve a little devilish harassment.   Nothing feels better when your long term love suddenly remembers you are that hot ass bitch from 10 years ago they couldn't keep their hands off.   

Just in case you may not  have noticed, the next couple of blogs are going to be Valentine's themed my cutie little Cupids.  

Have a very, very sexy day!!! 
xoxoxo
J

Keeping things Clean and Chemical Free

This wonderfully educational photo came from : 

The Glamorganic Goddess

Hi friends!  I know we all want to keep it so fresh and so clean clean, but we do not need many of the chemicals our bath products fill our bodies with.  After many years of experimentation, I've gotten my beauty routine down and pretty much chemical free.   I am still working on finding good, chemical free make up, but I promise, when I do, it will be on this blog immediately.  If any readers have some suggestions for me to review and try, I'm so in!!!!

Step 1

Replace your face and body lotion with Almond or Coconut Oil

Step 2

Instead of wearing perfume, dab your favorite essential oils behind those pretty little ears of yours or find a natural perfume at your local health food store

Step 3 

Ditch shampoo. Sounds gross, but I don't use shampoo- I use 1 tablespoon of baking soda to 8oz of water, fill up an old shampoo bottle with it and put the rinse on your hair.

Step 4

Ditch conditioner- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to 8oz of water- yes, this smells, but it rinses out of your hair without leaving the smell.  Coconut water also makes an insanely good conditioner.  You can even leave it on overnight for extra luxuriousness. 

Step 5

Hit up the health food store for an organic, natural soap.  If you cannot recognize or pronounce the ingredients, don't buy it.

For the seriously brave

Ditch deodorant, use natural, or make your own.  I use this recipe from The Raw Divas website:

http://www.terawarner.com/blog/2011/01/how-to-make-your-own-natural-deodorant/

Hope this helps you guys keep it pretty while ditching the chemicals going into those gorgeous, sexy bodies of yours!!!

xoxo

J

Resolutioners and New Members

I know everyone who works out consistently curses January.  It is the time when your classes are filled with unfamiliar faces, there is a waiting list for treadmills, and the parking lots are packed.

I have to be honest.  I love it when new people come to crossfit.  Not only because I love to see people connect with it and get hooked, but it allows me to see how far I have come.

Yesterday we had some new faces in our class and a tough work out ahead of us.  At the end of the work out, some of the "veterans" and I were talking about how fun the workout was and how we totally rocked it.  One of the newbies said, "You think that was FUN???!!!???"  The collective reply was, "YES!" 

Then I quickly remembered the first time I did a wall ball and how I wanted to blow my brains out.  I remember the first time I had to do a bunch of burpees and wanted to run to my car.  I remember the first class, seeing all of these amazingly fit women and men doing things I NEVER thought I could do. 

Now I call this fun and I have to force myself to take rest days.  Interesting.  I never had to force myself to take rest days from trail running or the Y.  Call it a cult, an addiction, whatever.  I'm fucking hooked and I have never looked or felt better in my life.  I have never had so much fun exercising before. 

So after a little shit talkin from Christina (my favorite shit talker on earth), the newbies decided to do extra hand release push ups and sit ups with us. I can already tell a couple of them will be back.  It's time to hand out the red kool aid and get some more people kicking ass and taking names!

xoxoxo
J

What does grain free raw vegan look like?

Here is what grain free, high raw looks like for me today:

Breakfast- preworkout smoothie
1 Scoop Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Vanilla
2 bananas
8oz coconut water
1.5 c spinach
1 tsp Maca powder

Lunch
4 tbsp peanut butter (not raw but you can always do raw almond butter.   I am really loving peanut butter right now)
1 apple
4 7inch carrot sticks cut into slices

Dinner Smoothie
2 scoops warrior blend chocolate
1 young coconut (meat and water)
1 c. cherries or a banana (depends on my mood when I get there)
1 tsp raw cacao

So that's the day.  I might throw in a Larabar for good measure, but right now I feel STUFFED from lunch.  Not really thinking the snack will be necessary.  If you aren't into smoothies, you can always eat a big ass salad.  My favorite one from dinner last night was a 1/2 bag of salad, a shredded raw beet, 1/2 a cooked sweet potato, an avocado and YUM. 

Have a fierce and fab day!!!
xoxoxo
J

Tomorrow is a Scary Day

Tomorrow is going to be a little scary for me. 

I am officially going grain free.

A month ago, I embarked on a raw challenge with a friend and honestly, although I eat very high raw, a lot of those little cooked demons deviled their way back into my diet:  tortilla chips here, some Tings there, a non-raw vegan chocolate bar... 

I would be okay with all of this other than the fact that I have issues controlling my cravings when it comes to these foods.  Moderation is not my strong suit.  I am not one of those people who can eat 10 chips and call it a serving.  I am more like a half the bag kinda girl. 

So the first two weeks of raw, I was going strong and feeling AMAZING.  As I started to backlash into my comfort foods (coinciding with the start of school), I noticed I over eat those foods, bloat up, and feel like hell.  I can eat a lot of raw foods and not feel poorly, but the second those processed babies hit the mouth and the belly, I feel like helly.  And if I take the first bite, it's all over (I repeat- I am unable to control myself with salty deliciousness).  So now the time has come to stop taking that damn first bite. 

I have been thinking about knocking out grains (corn is considered a grain FYI) for awhile.  I guess the real push came for me when I went to order my brown rice protein powder and I was having trouble ordering it.  I'm not sure if it was a website glitch or if they are discontinuing the product, but I took it as a sign.  I needed to bite the bullet and buy the other, grain free protein powder they offer.  So I did. 

Hopefully the non-raw foods I am eating are going to be more veggie oriented- roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, delicious veggie soups- and less shit oriented.  I am very, very interested to see how going completely grain free affects me. 

Wish me luck!!!
xoxoxo
J

Mono Meals

Today when I finished my brutally awesome work out, I came home, started on some school work, and then realized I forgot to eat lunch .  It takes me awhile to get my appetite back after a WOD.  As I hit the kitchen to contemplate my lunch decision, I snacked on a banana.  I love bananas.  I don't know if it is the taste, texture, or their phallic nature that make them so appealing, but they are my absolute favorite fruit.  When I finished, I plopped the peel in the compost and had another, and then one more for good measure.  Lunch- done and done.  That is called a mono meal.

Mono meals are what raw foodists claim to be one of the ways to eat closest to nature.  If I was out swinging from vines (insert Tarzan/Jane jokes here) I would hit up one of the trees (and a hot native) and grab a bunch of bananas and eat.  I wouldn't be searching around the forest for some brown rice protein powder to add in or some nuts and seeds and my food processor to blend it into a gourmet concoction.  It would be a quick way for me to get calories and energy so I could hunt for more hot natives.   

That being said, listen to your body.  Today, I just wanted to eat the shit out of some bananas and I just wanted a simple, quick meal.  If the spirit moves you to try it, go with it!  It is a great way to give your digestive system a break from trying to digest 40 different things at once and allows your body to truly absorb the nutrients.  Give yourself an hour or two to get hungry again and then go for your other foods (proteins, fats, veggies).

For those of you who do not digest fats well, mono meals are a great way to start a work out.  This is a way to get calories and carbs quickly with minimal digestive effort that won't weigh you down or make you feel like you want to vomit during exercise.

xoxoxo
J