Box or Gym?

Since moving to Florida I have been running a few days a week to get back into the routine of working out. Running here is hard though. The heat and humidity make running after work near impossible. And the sound of waking up at 5:30 a.m. and running in the pitch dark is very unappealing to me. I'm constantly hitting the snooze button so I'm not so sure I could train my body to be a morning person and wake up before dawn! If you have any tips on how to train your body into waking up that early, please share.

While I always enjoy running (it's more of a love-hate relationship), I have been missing CrossFit a lot lately, so on Monday night I went to my first WOD in four months! After doing some intense research on the boxes in the area, I decided to go ahead and drop in for a WOD. Two days later, I can hardly walk!

The WOD we did was "Chelsea." The WOD was 5 pull-ups, 10 pushups, and 15 air squats, every minute on the minute for 30 minutes. I ended up scaling down and did 3-6-9 for the entire 30 minutes and it was a challenge. These CrossFit ladies are not messing around!

While I absolutely love, love, love CrossFit I still haven't decided if I am going to join the box or not. I really want to start saving more money and joining a box is not the way to do that! Jon and I get passes to the gym at the university he works for so I may choose that option - which is good for all of you because I will be creating fun workouts again! :) I'm just not so sure what I will do the moment I step into a regular ol' gym for the first time in years!

Question of the Day

Which do you prefer: a CrossFit box or a regular ol' gym? And why?

5 At-Home CrossFit Workouts

Being a college student and working makes it difficult to get to my CrossFit box every day to do a workout but I try to get in there at least 4 days a week. The days that I can't make it to any classes I still try to accomplish something at home. While I can't mimic every WOD that they do at the box at home due to a lack of equipment, I can still make up some of my own to get my blood flowing.

I have come up with a few workouts that the only equipment you need is yourself and they are sure to get your blood flowing! These are perfect for the days you can't make it to the gym or are traveling on the road. (Be sure to do some type of warm-up before doing a workout to reduce the risk of injury!)

15 Minute Tabata

Each exercise is 6 rounds of 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest. Take a one minute rest between exercises.

1. Air squats
     - rest 1 minute
2. Push-ups
     - rest 1 minute
3. Lunges
     - rest 1 minute
4. Sit-ups

15 Minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)

In 15 minutes, complete as many rounds of the following workout as possible.

10 sit-ups
15 push-ups
20 air squats

Jump n' Run

5 minute run, 250 jumping jacks, 5 minute run

15 Minute Burpee AMRAP

25 burpees
25 sit-ups

200 Air Squats

Complete 200 air squats for time.



* As always, I am not a personal trainer. These are workouts I have made up myself and may not be right for you. Consult a medical professional before making any changes to your current routine.

Hanging Out Upside Down

Ever find that hanging out right side up is a tad bit boring?

Megan and I prefer hanging out upside down!

After tackling a parade with 8 kids and taking them all to a community park event all day, we decided to catch the afternoon 4:00 WOD held every Saturday at our local box. The WOD was an AMRAP of deadlifts and handstand pushups! Are we crazy or what? And after the workout we still had enough energy to take the kids out to dinner...

Question of the Day

What's your favorite exercise to incorporate into a workout?

Rowing for the Fur Babies

Ever have one of those days where you have no motivation to work out, you're running late, and you forgot your gym shoes? No? Well that was me today. 

It's okay though, I just worked out in my socks (which I am now regretting - so many blisters!)

The WOD today was a partner workout which was my favorite and consisted entirely of rowing. I loved this workout and I hated it at the same time.

I loved it because my partner was one of my best friends. We've been really good friends, neighbors, and roommates throughout our college years. I actually introduced her to CrossFit a few months ago so I always love when we get a chance to workout together! 

I hated the workout because the straps you put your shoes into when you row were rubbing against the heels of my feet. Kind of like when you wear high heels or new shoes for too long. Ouch.

Curious as to what the title of this blog post is about? Each month my CrossFit box teams up with an organization called Sweat Angels. For every Facebook check-in the box receives during that month, money is donated to the charity of choice for that month. This month all the money raised goes to help the animals! In the past few months Sweat Angels has donated food to feed veterans and bricks to build schools in Haiti. Pretty cool if you ask me!

Whole 30 Challenge (Week 2)

I can't believe that I am already half way done with the Whole 30 Challenge!

The second week was definitely much easier than the first. This week I haven't had any cravings for the unhealthy, processed foods I used to consume and I have much more energy and don't feel like I need to take cat naps anymore. Also, several people have told me that I am looking much leaner this week! A few people at my CrossFit box have asked me about the challenge and I really hope that I inspire them to try it out as well. It's hard but it's definitely worth it.

Previous Posts
Whole 30 Challenge Into
Whole 30 Challenge Week 1

Meals Day 10-14 

Days 8 & 9 are listed on Week 1's blog post

Day 10
breakfast: orange; banana
lunch: crockpot chicken with veggies
dinner: baked chicken; roasted asparagus

Day 11
breakfast: banana
lunch: turkey burger topped with guacamole, salsa, and 1 diced hard boiled egg
dinner: Panera Chicken Cobb with Avocado Salad without dressing and cheese

(I forgot to tell them no cheese so I had to pick around it. Jon happily enjoyed eating an extra baguette since I can't eat bread)

Jon and I went to Columbus this day. Traveling while on the Whole 30 is definitely tricky but if you plan where you are going to eat before hand and look at the menu before you go you can be successful!

I only had one fail this day - at Panera I also ordered a green tea, thinking it would be unsweetened. The first sip was absolutely disgusting and tasted like pure sugar. I dumped my cup and ended up getting unsweetened iced tea instead.

Day 12
breakfast: banana; avocado
post-workout: protein shake
lunch: chicken topped with hot sauce; sweet potato fries; brussel sprouts
dinner: chicken veggie soup; cucumbers

Day 13 - This was the day of the CrossFit Open 14.3 Workout
breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg; banana
post-workout: protein shake
lunch: 2 turkey burgers topped with salsa; green olives; carrots; cucumbers; sweet peppers
dinner: garlic lemon chicken; roasted asparagus; mashed cauliflower
dessert: lemon LARABAR

Day 14
breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, banana
post-workout: protein shake
lunch: scrambled eggs with mushrooms, tomatoes & guac; 3 strips of paleo bacon
dinner: chicken & veggie soup; salad with mushrooms, tomatoes, and paleo avocado ranch dressing
dessert: apple pie LARABAR

 

I absolutely love that some flavors of LARABARs are paleo-friendly! (Be sure to check the ingredients to make sure as some contain peanuts) These are the perfect fix for a sweet tooth, sugar craving, or if you just want to top the day off with a tasty dessert.

The Best & The Worst

The Worst Parts
Saying "NO" - The worst part of the challenge so far is definitely saying "no" to my friends when they ask if I want to go out with them. Today is St. Patrick's day, many people have returned from spring break, and I am just relaxing with the pups! Don't get me wrong, I really need to relax my body today after some tough workouts earlier this week and prepare for the second round of 14.3 tomorrow!

The Best Parts
No cravings - I have not craved anything all week. I can't believe it. I have also noticed a huge change in my taste buds. The green tea tasted like liquid sugar and I immediately spit it out it was so gross. The sugary, creamy, flavored coffee I used to drink has changed to straight black coffee, and I enjoy it.

It all feels natural - When I first began the challenge I always thought that I was eating healthy because I had to. Now I want to eat a bowl of fresh fruit or snack on veggies just like I used to want to snack on a bowl of pretzels. Now I don't have to think about eating this way, it just happens.


Now go check out Carling's post of the challenge and see how she's doing!

Question of the Day

Have you ever tried the Whole 30 Challenge? How did you feel while on the challenge?

Whole 30 Challenge (Week 1)

I have officially been on the Whole 30 Challenge for over a week - 9 days to be exact!

Carling and I began this challenge "just because" and I'm so thankful for the experience so far. It's been such an eye opener reading nutrition labels (focusing on the ingredients), learning more about where food comes from, how to prepare it, and how it can properly fuel your body.

Meals Day 1 - 9 

Day 1 - rest day (I slept in late so breakfast and lunch were combined)
brunch: buffalo chicken lettuce boats topped with avocado; cherry tomatoes
dinner: steak; broccoli; sweet potato

Day 2 - rest day (slept in again, it was the weekend!)
brunch: 2 hard boiled eggs
dinner: steak; asparagus

Day 3
breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs
post workout: protein shake; handful of strawberries
lunch: sweet potato nachos (sweet potato chips topped with ground beef, guac & salsa); olives
dinner: chicken & veggie crockpot soup

During my workout this day I was really light headed and decided I needed to add more carbs to my breakfast.

Day 4
breakfast: banana
post workout: protein shake - click to see what protein I'm using during the challenge
lunch: turkey burger topped with guac; salad topped with tomatoes, mushrooms & olive oil
dinner: sweet potato topped with chicken & veggie crockpot soup

Day 5
breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, banana
post workout: protein shake, 1/2 avocado
lunch: ground beef flavored with taco seasonings, guac & tomatoes; strawberries on the side
dinner: same as lunch but hot sauce was added; cauliflower, carrots, & cucumbers on the side

I found that day 4 or 5's breakfasts are key for feeling good and having enough energy throughout my entire workout.

Day 6 - Day of the CrossFit Open 14.2 Workout

breakfast: banana
late lunch: turkey burger topped with guac & tomato; sweet potato fries; sautéed mushrooms & peppers; berries
post workout: protein shake
dinner: chicken fajitas topped with guac & salsa

Day 7 - rest day
breakfast: banana
lunch: ground beef mixed with avocado, tomato and baby spinach
dinner: turkey burger topped with guac & tomato; spicy sweet potato fries; caulirice with mushrooms

This is when I started craving pretty much anything sugary, fatty, or greasy

Day 8
breakfast: banana
post workout: protein shake
lunch: ground beef stir fry (asparagus, onion, tomato, mushrooms, carrots); berries; avocado
dinner: kofta (a middle eastern meatball); tabouleh; chicken; olives & pickles; strawberries

This day was when the real challenge set in. I went to my cousin's birthday party and had to turn away some of my favorite foods. Shopping and cooking for myself at home allows me to control what kinds of food are available so it was a challenge having to pass up some of the delicious dips and desserts at the party.

Day 9
breakfast: banana
lunch: salad loaded with veggies topped with olive oil & vinegar; cafe americano coffee
snack: 1 square Ghirardelli 100% dark cocoa (disgusting!); spoonful of cashew butter
dinner: crockpot chicken & veggies; green beans

This was my first day ordering something from a coffee shop. I told the cashier about the Paleo diet and that I couldn't have anything with dairy or sugar in it. She was really cooperative, wasn't annoyed by my requests, and gave me a few different suggestions.

Today we also hit up some of the local health food stores. I was so shocked by the size of the organic sweet potatoes! They were huge! I bought 3 and they each weighed almost 2 pounds.

The Best & the Worst

The Worst Parts:
Cravings - At my cousin's party I really wanted to give in and have one bite of cake but I knew I would feel guilty afterwards and the satisfaction of finishing this challenge without cheating is going to feel so much more rewarding. But doesn't this cake look so good?

Explaining myself - (This can also be considered one of the best parts when people are actually interested and want to learn more about the challenge) While I love talking about healthy living, eating, and this challenge, I absolutely hate having to explain why I"m doing it. Some people think that the only reason you should change your eating habits are to either lose weight or because of allergies and don't understand why anyone would want to eat this way. It's hard convincing people this is a good change when they don't believe in giving up things like pasta and sweets.

Reading labels in the grocery store - Shopping takes so much longer when you actually stop and look at the ingredients in different products. However, it's easier when sugar is the first ingredient listed and you can just set the product back down on the shelf! Soon I will be able to just know what is paleo and what isn't and won't have to study the ingredients so much. (I was so shocked when I saw that the precooked frozen chicken I have been buying for awhile has sugar in it!)

The Best Parts:
All of the support I have - between Carling, Jon, family, and friends I have a ton of support. I am so grateful that the people I nanny for eat a paleo diet and always make sure that there are several meal options available for me.

How I feel - I ate healthy most of the time before the challenge but I definitely would have my days where I would scarf anything down without thinking. I can tell a difference in my sleep, my energy levels, and my performance during CrossFit.

Cooking - I have found a new love for cooking and creating new recipes. I purchased two paleo cookbooks today and am loving all of the recipes in them. The ones I have are Paleo Happy Hour and Make It Paleo.

On A Different Note

I have to share this picture of Ethel with you all. I was laying on the ground playing with her and as soon as I whipped out my phone to snap a picture of her, she turned her head. She absolutely hates the camera! She's such a precious girl though :)

Question of the Day

What's your favorite paleo meal?

Be sure to follow me on Instagram to stay up to date with all of my eats!

Top 10 Things No One Tells You Before Starting CrossFit

I have been doing CrossFit for almost 4 months now. The first 3 months I loved going but I wasn't consistent. I would look at the WOD online and decide it was too hard or that something else was more important. I wasn't eating clean like I should have been. The past month I have been going 5-6 days a week and eating cleaner than ever before. I can tell a huge difference in my performance, my energy and the numbers I am putting up on the board.

For those of you who are not familiar with CrossFit, here are a few terms you may need to know:

WOD - Workout of the Day. This is the combination of exercises, prescibed weights, and time or reps allowed for each exercise. This will control the entire workout each and every single day.

RX - Doing the WOD exactly as prescribed. If one RX's the workout then they have done the weight, reps, and exercises exactly how they were prescribed.

Box - CrossFit centers are not called gyms, they are called "boxes." They literally resemble a box made of cement walls that contain bars, weights, and ropes. No TVs, no mirrors, and no cute posters.

Before starting CrossFit I did a ton of research and asked other CrossFitters what to expect. Throughout all of my research and questions there were things nobody ever told me. The following are the top 10 things I think people should know before starting.

1. You will find out how out of shape you really are.

Having been an athlete for 13 years, a runner for 8 years, and a consistent YMCA-fitness-class-goer, I always thought of myself as someone who was in shape. The first WOD I ever completed led me to think differently.

I didn't come close to RXing the WOD nor did I come close to getting the same number of rounds as the other members. As I was leaning over the bar, out of breath, thinking "I don't want to do another deadlift," I saw other members knock out their deadlifts and then sprint out the front door around the building and then come back in and do it all again. It was then that I thought to myself, "Wow, I am really out of shape and tomorrow morning I need to get up and come straight back."

Well, the next morning I did get up and come back but it wasn't easy. Every single muscle in my body ached, even muscles I didn't know I had. Every step hurt but the best step I took that day was the one back inside that box. After a few months of CrossFit, it is safe to say that I am in the best shape of my life.

2. Your friends and family will begin doing research on "Crossfit" and tell you how bad it is for you.

Before starting CrossFit, I consulted with people who have done CrossFit before and others who only knew of it. Those who had done CrossFit gave me great advice and those who had only heard of it gave me the opposite. At first people who had only heard of it told me that the coaches weren't properly trained, they made you lift more than you were capable of and injuries will happen all the time due to improper lifting skills. What I came across my first day was the opposite. The coaches tell you to only lift what you can and they teach you the basics. Our box actually has classes for beginners to teach them the lifts before they are allowed to do the WODs in an effort to avoid injuries.

In the few months that I have been doing CrossFit I have found that it is insanely good for you. It is good for your aerobic and anaerobic respiration, your muscles, your heart, your mental toughness...the list goes on.

3. You will be good at little.

Every single CrossFitter wishes they were good at everything and could RX every single workout but in reality you are worse at more things than you are good at. CrossFit includes a variety of workouts from gymnastics to weightlifting and running to bodyweight exercises so it is almost impossible for one person to be good at them all. Some people can deadlift 500 pounds but they can't run a mile to save their life, while others can do rope climbs all day long but can't do a handstand pushup (aka me).

4. It is OK to ask for clarification.

Don't waste your time and money doing the workout wrong and getting hurt. If you don't understand how you are supposed to do a specific workout or lift, then ask. That's what the coaches are there for. Don't feel like you are being annoying or holding up the WOD. Everyone was new at one point so they all know how you feel.

5. Don't be afraid to scale down.

If you need assistance or lighter weights so you are able to get through the entire WOD then use it. If you can't do a pull-up without the assistance of a resistance band, that is OK. Eventually you won't need the band and will be able to do them on your own. If you can't lift the RX weight then don't. Don't be too proud to scale down.

6. What you eat is more important than what you lift.

Nutrition is key. Nutrition affects your energy levels, recovery, and performance. And let's be honest, it affects the way you look. You can do CrossFit for months but if you are eating junk then your results will be junk. For the first couple of months I would have a granola bar for breakfast before the WODs but after doing some research I heard that oatmeal was better for you. Once I began eating oatmeal for breakfast I saw a huge difference in my performance and energy levels throughout the workouts.

When you are doing CrossFit the quality of your food is more important than anything else. Research different eating plans such as Zone and Paleo and eat like that. Eat like a caveman. All you really need to consume is lean meat, vegetables, nuts and seeds so cut out the fast food, sugar, and starches.

(Image Source)

7. You will have more bruises, blisters, and scrapes than you can count.

I am almost positive that my shins will constantly be bruised from some of the Olympic lifts, I will always have a scar from rope burns, and each day the blisters on my hands will get worse. If you are worried about scrapes, bruises, blisters, and blood then CrossFit isn't for you. I have seen people miss the box when they do a box jump and they end up cutting their shins and I have seen the palms of people's hands tear off from too many muscle ups, so if you are afraid of a little blood or getting bruises then CrossFit is not for you.

8. You will form lasting friendships.

When I began CrossFit I only knew one person at my box and now I know almost everyone. You will form friendships and make so many different connections. If you aren't there for a few days, people will notice and they will ask you why you haven't been coming. If you get hurt during a workout, coaches will call and check up on you.

9. No two days are the same.

I can guarantee you that no two days will ever be the same. From the warm up to the WOD, each day will be different. Yes, the exercises and lifts are the same, but the order you do them in or the amount of reps or time allowed for the WOD is always different. That's what makes people come back. When people go to a gym they often start off with 30 minutes cardio and then go do a few bicep curls and lunges and then leave. They then do this every single day. CrossFit is completely different, its always changing, and the change is what people love. The change is what keeps people from getting bored.

10. You are only competing against yourself.

While some people like to have fun and see if they can beat their friend's time, in the end the competition you have inside the box is only against yourself. I have let out so many different emotions inside the box including happiness, frustration, anger, tears, joy, and the feeling of accomplishment. When you do your first pull-up or rope climb, the feeling you have is like no other. But that also goes for saying when you drop the bar for the first time because it is too heavy and you can't get out of a squat, you will be beyond frustrated with yourself. CrossFit really pushes your mental strengths and weaknesses. You can't blame someone else because you couldn't lift as much as you wanted, you have to blame yourself, and that is the hardest part.

Question of the Day

If you are a current CrossFitter, what are some of the things you learned after starting that nobody ever told you?

Connect with me

It's Been Awhile

My good friend, Carling (you may remember her from here), blogs over at My Adventures and Photography and was telling me that she wants to blog more! I love talking blogs with people and having blog-friends! Talking with her had me thinking - it's been awhile since I last blogged. The last post I made was on October 6th. Over 3 months ago!

I can not let this keep happening.

I can not let life keep getting so busy that I don't give myself 10 minutes a day to sit down and read some of my favorite blogs, write a quick post about my day, or share a new fun Pinterest find I tried.

The other downside of not blogging in awhile is that all of you lovely followers have no idea what I have been up to! I bet you didn't know I joined CrossFit and haven't ran since…well…the Indy Monumental Marathon in November. Crazy right?

But I am making it a goal to blog at least twice a week. So all of you followers who have missed reading about my life can catch up ;)

Since I don't have any pictures related to today, I'll share one of Jon and I from NYE!

Question of the Day:

What is the longest blog break you have ever taken?