"God will never leave you empty. If something is taken away, he will replace it with something better. If He denies your request in a certain area, it is because He wishes to give you what is best. If He asks you to put something down, it is so you can pick up something greater."
-Roy Lessin

SORE!

I am SO sore from yesterday's WOD, and I love it!!! The workout was 5 rounds of:

400m run
20 deadlifts(105lbs)

20 pushups

10 deadlifts

10 pushups

It was really tough, but actually kind of fun! The pushups are what got me so sore in my lats and front delts. I mean, I only did 150 of them!

I hated the running as always, but I know that it's making me stronger mentally because I want SO bad to stop or slow down, but I make myself keep going and push through the pain. It'll only make me better.

Still working on my splits. I don't feel like I'm getting any more flexible yet. Here's how far I can go so far. I guess I'll get there someday!

What to Look for on a Food Label

There are still a lot of people who don't read food labels, don't know what to even really look for on the label, or who just trust what the outside of the package says("fat free", "all natural", "whole grains", "heart healthy", etc.).

Well, first of all, one thing to keep in mind is that some of the healthiest foods don't even HAVE food labels-fruits and veggies!

What I think is most important is to buy foods that have the least amount of ingredients possible. This is something I didn't even do until just the last year or so. If the label has a super long list of ingredients that you can't even pronounce, then you probably shouldn't eat it. Even better is to choose foods that only have ONE ingredient. For example, apples, broccoli, oranges, oats, eggs, fresh chicken breast.

Of course, you also want to look at the sugar content, saturated fat, and sodium-you want all of those to be as low as possible. If you are buying mostly natural foods, these will more than likely be pretty low.

As I've said many times before, be careful when something says "fat free"-it does NOT mean that it's healthy. Most of the time, fat free products have added sugar or high fructose corn syrup in them to make them taste good, along with a bunch of other ingredients. I think it's better to have a little more fat than to get something that's fat free with a bunch of chemicals in it. You have to READ the ingredients!

"To get something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done."
-Craig Ballantyne

Spicy Turkey and Healthy Peanut Butter Cups

I'm always looking for new healthy food creations...it gets boring eating the same things over and over again! So I thought I'd share 2 of my new favorite things!

I don't know HOW I didn't come up with this one sooner! All I did was cook up some ground turkey breast with a bunch of seasonings-chili powder, garlic, onion, paprika, cumin, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Then I steamed some cauliflower in the microwave until it was soft enough to smash up with a fork, and added it to the ground turkey along with a fresh, diced tomato and some hot salsa.

MMMmmm-it is SO good. A great way to disguise veggies if you don't like them much, like me! I couldn't even taste the cauliflower!

This one I found in the most recent Oxygen magazine issue-a protein peanut butter cup!
I know it doesn't look too pretty, but trust me, it was delicious! And super simple to make. I blended a scoop of chocolate peanut butter flavored Syntha-6 protein powder with 1 spoonful of natural peanut butter, 2 packets of Truvia, 1 tablespoon of cocoa, and 4 oz. of water. Then just pour the mix into a muffin tin(I ended up with 4 cups) and freeze for at least one hour. A yummy treat!

Back At It!

Recovery week is over, finally. Okay, so maybe it was only 5 days...close enough, right? I just couldn't take it anymore!

So today it was back to the gym with my FAVORITE exercise-pullups!
I'm making up the workouts that I missed from the CrossFit mainsite, starting with the heavy pllups WOD-7 sets of one rep, working up to max weight. I set a 5 lb PR with 60 lbs!! Woohoo! I think it helped that I was jammin' to Beyonce's "Run the World"-awesome workout song!

So anyways....we didn't do anything too exciting this weekend. Went to church and then out to eat at Cheddar's yesterday evening. Then the usual ice cream at Culver's for dessert. Actually, I tried something different than my usual Reese cup mixer and got a sundae with chocolate and peanut butter sauce and Reese's pieces!

This and That

I'm taking a recovery week off this week...and I hate it! I'm just walking, foam rolling, and stretching.

I've been going hard for about 8 months now with CrossFit, and just felt like it was needed. It's actually good to do a couple times a year, but I just love working out and look forward to my workouts so much that I don't like taking a whole week off!

I can't wait for next Monday to get back to the WODs!

So I have a new goal-to be able do the splits! I am NOT flexible at all, partly due to genetics and partly due to the fact that I never stretch! I hate it, and it's boring.

I have been better at stretching more consistently for the past few months, but I've got a LONG way to go. At least having this goal will keep me motivated to stretch!

Plus, I just like trying things that I've never been able to do. Remember, it's always good to set new goals for yourself and to try new things-it keeps you motivated by giving you something to work towards. Don't just stick to what you're good at or what you know.

Like I always say, get out of your comfort zone a little, try something new, and you'll probably be surprised at what you can do! :) And it just feels good to accomplish something that you set your mind to and worked hard to achieve.

Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.
~Brian Tracy~

Anyways, next week we'll be leaving for New York to visit my husband's family, and I can't wait! I love traveling and having a whole week off from the "real world."

Oh, but it's going to be a test of my self control with all the good food....and I always fail! I just cannot resist or control my portion sizes when it comes to sweets and carbs. I revert back to my old habits. This will be me-ha!
I swear to you, I was the one in high school who ate my own food and then asked everyone around me for whatever they didn't want. I really don't see how I wasn't fat!
I'm telling you, my success with clean eating comes only from NOT having bad food in my sight EVER. If it's in my house, I will eat it. But that rarely happens because I don't buy junk food on a regular basis.

I know how to set myself up for success by planning ahead, making sure to always have healthy foods made for meals ahead of time, and never letting myself get too hungry-because that is when the self control goes WAY down and I am most tempted!

Just a Few Fat Loss Tips

A few things that may be holding you back from your fat loss goals:

1. Drinking diet sodas, flavored waters, or eating too many "sugar free" products. Research is showing that artificial sweeteners are NOT good for weight loss. They basically mess with your brain and trick your body. Look it up if you don't believe me! Eat real food, use naturals sweeteners when needed, and forget the "sugar free" stuff as much as possible.

2. Not exercising with enough intensity. If you can read a magazine while working out...then I think you may need to workout a just little bit harder....unless you're 80. So go a little heavier on your weights, add in some interval training, bodyweight or strength training circuits, and try sprints instead of long, steady state cardio. Like I always say, try something new, get OUT of your comfort zone-challenge yourself!

3. Never increasing your weights or changing up your workout plan. Common sense to me, but you wouldn't believe how many people I see doing the same exercises with the same weights over and over again. Increase your weights, change up the exercises, change the order of the exercises, and vary your repititions at least monthly.

4. Not eating enough protein. It's that simple. Try cutting back on some carbs and eating protein at every meal. Protein makes those muscles GROWWWW-and that's always good for fat loss! :)

5. Eating too much fruit and not enough veggies. Most people don't eat near enough vegetables, myself included. They are super filling and low in calories, so you can eat a TON. While fruits are good for you, eating more than 2-3 servings a day can negatively effect your fat loss efforts due to their sugar content.

6. Splurging on cheat meals too often. Cheat meals for many people can be a good thing, mostly psychologically, to help you stay on track with eating healthy without feeling restricted. BUT for others, cheat meals can have a negative effect. If you find that you go WAY overboard on your cheat meals, if you have them too often, or if you have a hard time getting back on track with your diet the next meal/day...then you may want think about limiting them or eliminating them until you reach your goal.

"The mind will play tricks on you. The mind will tell you that you can't go any further. The mind will tell you how much it hurts. The mind will tell you these things to keep you from reaching your goals. You have to see past that and turn it all off if you are going to get where you want to be."
-Michael Jordan

Pasta Feast and the "Filthy Fifty"

I just love the weekends. I love my job, but what I love more than anything is getting to spend the weekends with my husband! It's what I look forward to. :)

This weekend was more of the same: lots of sunshine, floating in the pool, Blizzards, and putt-putt!

Sunday evening we had a big spaghetti feast with meatballs that my husband made and pepperoni and then healthy banana chocolate chip muffins that I made for dessert. It's been SO long since I've had pasta! Yummmyyy....
So yesterday I did the "Filthy Fifty" workout: 1 time through, 50 reps of each-

Box jumps
Jumping pullups
Kettlebell swings w/20lbs
Walking lunges
Knees to elbows
Push presses w/30lbs
Back Extensions
Wall balls
Burpees
Double unders

I was doing okay until I got to those dang wall balls and burpees! Those were pretty tough to get through and really killed my time. Oh well. Today's workout is going to be 12 deadlifts, 9 hang power cleans, and 6 push jerks, 5 rounds with 105 lbs. I've done this workout before and it was hard but the type of workout I like cuz I get to throw around some heavy weights! ;)

"Strong is The New Skinny"-From a Skinny Girl's Perspective

When I first heard the phrase, "Strong is the new skinny", I instantly LOVED it. When I found out there were shirts, I ordered one right away. But when I got it...I was actually kind of hesistant to wear it to the gym the first time. I almost felt like I didn't "deserve" to wear it because, well...I AM skinny.
I've been "skinny" all my life and have often felt insecure about it. Yeah, I know, you're probably thinking, "Insecure about being skinny??" Yup.... I can remember hating my skinny legs since I was a little girl. Then add to that having people constantly say how skinny I am or always hearing, "You're so little", or people saying that I need to gain about 5lbs or "put some meat on my bones"(I HATE that one!! If only you knew how hard I try!)....or even the few times my sister and mom have told me that I looked anorexic.

Yeah....those type of comments really get to me. They make me feel insecure and self conscious about the way I look. Those comments hurt me just as much as it hurts someone who's made fun of for being fat, or being told that they need to lose a few pounds.

But you know what? I know that I can wear my SINS shirt with pride. Because while I may be skinny, I'm not JUST skinny -I am STRONG. I love shocking people by showing them how much this "little" girl can squat or deadlift, or how many pullups I can do, or how much I can bench press. :)

"Strong is the new skinny" is NOT about whether you're fat or skinny or somewhere in between, whether you're a size 2 or a size 10. It's not about your weight on the scale or what size jeans you wear. The whole point is about getting away from focusing SO much on your outside appearance.

What it means to me, is accepting yourself for who you are and how you were made and not focusing on your flaws or constantly comparing yourself to others. It's not caring about what "society" says you're supposed to look like as a woman. It's about being proud of your strength and your hard earned muscle and what your body can do. It's about loving yourself and being confident with who you are-NOT just trying to reach a certain number on the scale!

We all have insecurites, and trying to just get "skinny" or get a 6 pack, or whatever it is, will never fix those insecurities or make you happy with yourself. You will still pick yourself apart and compare yourself to other people, no matter how skinny or lean you get. Even the skinniest, leanest, fittest looking person can have insecurites and body issues. If you always focus on just what's on the outside, you will never be satisfied with yourself.

That's one of the things I like about CrossFit versus bodybuilding/figure. CrossFit gives you so many other things to focus on than your looks, while bodybuilding is very much focused on your outside appearance. It's true. (Remember, I did bodybuilding style workouts for about 7 years!)

None of us will ever completely get rid of all of our insecurities. But something definitely changes when you switch your mindset from what you look like to your strength and what you can DO.

"Beautiful women are strong and powerful. They are athletes, capable of every feat under the sun. They have muscles, borne of hard work and sweat. They gauge their self-worth through accomplishments, not by the numbers on the bathroom scale."

Get the SINS shirt here:
http://strongisthenewskinny.spreadshirt.com/

Focus On Fitness

"If you can force yourself to focus on your fitness capacity and health instead of the size of your thighs or belly, you will find that it is much easier to stay motivated and confident. Then one day you will wake up to a body you love, and the change will have happened while you weren’t paying attention." -Jason Seib

If only more people would get this!!! You will be most successful in your weight loss efforts(or muscle building, fat loss, whatever it is) if you STOP putting your focus on that number on the scale or on your physical appearance alone.

If you focus on your HEALTH and becoming the best and healthiest person you can be, you will be most likely to stick with your exercise program and make it a lifetime habit, not just something you do every now and then, off and on, to try to lose 10 or 20 or 50 lbs.

Focus on getting stronger, trying new things, and challenging yourself. Don't just go to the gym and get on the treadmill or the elliptical for an hour just to try burn as many calories as you can so you can lose that pound on the scale. For one thing, it's boring. For another, eventually it's not gonna work anymore if you're doing the same thing over and over again. AND eventually you'll probably just stop when you aren't getting the results that you want.

Instead, set goals for yourself like being able to squat or deadlift a certain weight, or being able to do a pushup or a pullup. The stronger and fitter you get, the better you will feel about yourself, I promise. You'll see how awesome it feels to be fit and strong! When that becomes what you focus on, when you constantly push yourself harder, lift a little heavier, and get fitter, the physical results will be inevitable.

Someone posted this as their facebook status, and I loved it:
"Take your scale, put a red bow on it, and go give it to someone you don't like and let it screw with their head and not yours." - Robb Wolf

Not In MY Future!

I just have to rant about something again.

My mom said something to me the other day, and I completely forgot how this came up or even what we were talking about, but all I remember is my mom saying,"When you're old and in a nursing home..."

WHEN I'm in a nursing home? Well, I don't plan on ever being in a nursing home! Why do people assume that that is your ultimate destination when you get old??? It shouldn't be.

If I ever get put into a nursing home it's NOT going to be because of something that I did or did not do! It's not going to be because I ate unhealthy food and didn't exercise. Of course, my mom doesn't understand that-she doesn't eat right or exercise, doesn't fully understand the importance of it, and thinks that a nursing home is just a natural part of life and where she'll end up. Umm, well, NOT for me!

My ultimate goal in eating healthy and exercising is to hopefully prevent diseases and prevent my body from wasting away and getting put into a nursing home. It's to improve my quality of life so that the last 10 years of my life aren't completely miserable. That may or may not happen, but whatever happens, it's not going to be because I could have prevented it!

I also believe that what you speak all the time and what you believe is going to happen....probably will end up happening! So speak positive things and expect better for yourself! Then put it into action and DO something to control your own destiny!


“You are exactly what you believe and think about all day long. Constantly monitor your thoughts.” – Kekich Credo #95

4th of July Weekend Recap

I had a great, long 4th of July weekend! It was spent floating in the sun, working out, and eating lots of food(some of which was NOT so healthy)!

Sunday Matt and I drove out to E-town for a cookout at my aunt's house.I got to see my sister for the first time in months!Then Sunday night we went downtown to 4th street to eat some dessert at T.G.I Friday's.We had the Oreo cookie madness, which is basically 2 icecream sandwiches w/cookies and cream icecream, drizzled in fudge and caramel sauce! It was pretty darn yummy. :)
Then we found a spot to watch the fireworks go off over the river. Monday we grilled up a bunch of meat and some veggies. I had some barbecue chicken, squash, and a turkey burger on a lettuce bun.
And this is where most of our days were spent-soaking up the sun in the pool! So relaxing! Isn't my husband such a cutie?? I love him. :)

Do A Little More

Push yourself a little more each day.


Try something new.

Do something you're scared of.

Get out of your comfort zone.

Challenge yourself.

Always strive to be better.

Happy Friday!