Try Something New!

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I like to challenge myself. I like to learn – so I like to try new things and try to keep growing.

-David Schwimmer

I loooooove to try new things; it’s scary and fun!

If you are on a journey to live healthier, whether it is to eat better foods, get into better physical condition, or just to adapt a healthier lifestyle, it begins with having the courage to be open-minded to trying new things and a willingness to view life through a different lens.

I am so excited! Why? Because today I am trying not one, but two new recipes!! Heeey! I’m dancing around the kitchen. Lol!

To eat healthy and clean (as clean as possible), you have your staple food items (avocados, leafy greens, brown rice, quinoa, and more). However, the six meals a day can get boring really quick, so just like fitness, you’ve gotta mix it up!

This is suppose to be a quick post, so I’ve got get back to cooking, but check out the ingredients. I forgot to include the black beans and two other spices in the recipe, but everything else is included in the picture.

These ingredients may not look like much, but oh… wait until you see the results!

ingredients

I’ll chat with you later!  🙂

 

 

Hasta La Vista To Two Favorites

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“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.”

― Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

The imagination is a powerful force?  Creativity, ingenuity, and unlimited possibilities occur as a result of positive usage of the imagination. However, negative energy can lead the imagination to produce fear, anxiety, and skepticism.

At least twice this past week, thoughts of having to change two of my favorite routines, clouded my vision.

The first had to do with music. At the end of a workout session, a chit-chat with my trainer stunned me.

Trainer:  When I return from vacation, you can’t use “that” (pointing to my iPod) any more.

Me:  Stunned.  Is she kidding, I’m thinking.

Trainer:   We’re about 9 weeks out and we need to take this training to another level.

Me: Whiney like a little kid use to having her way. Oh no! Music motivates me.  I do eeeeverthing with music.  Run, eat, sleep, etc…

Trainer:    She kicked into “mommy/drill sergeant mode.”   Well, you’ll just have to learn to use your mind to motivate yourself.

It was as if she ended her sentence with, “Period! End of discussion!  I don’t want to hear any more from you!” LOL!  Oh boy!!

For now... bye-bye iPod!

For now… bye-bye iPod!

While driving to the gym for my first day of working out with her without music, I thought about her orders. Frustration settled in and I thought about challenging her on her decision.  The entire drive, I turned up the volume and blasted the music while trying to store up the good feel from the base and series of favorite tunes.  I know.  Sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. I think everyone has that one “thing” that infuses a sense of comfort, support, and motivation.  My “thing” is music.

I was even silly enough to question myself on how I would be able to push through the last and most difficult reps while deprived of a rhythmic beat and inspiring lyrics. Smh!

Within 20 minutes of the workout, I forgot all about my routine of one ear being pounced with heavy base. I was no longer distracted (my trainer’s words not mine) by the volume or finding the right track before completing a set. I moved swiftly and without delay. I had a great workout.

Today I did two sets of drop-downs arm curls on the cable machine starting with 90 pounds!  No music and.. a personal best for me. Whoop! Whoop! High-five!!! Thanks for the push coach!

I imagined the process and the outcome to be all WRONG.

Sugar free java

Sugar free java

At around 7 o’clock this morning, I think. Correction.  I know that I drank my last sugar laced cup of coffee.  Erroneously I convinced myself that, while training, I’d be okay using Sugar In The Raw in my coffee.  But the fact is, sugar IS sugar.

I imagined that regardless of having a splash of Bailey’s, my favorite flavored creamer, my organic freshly ground coffee would taste bitter and less satisfying.  Hmm…  How many ways can I say wrong?  Incorrect. Mistaken.  Amiss.  And so on… just like my imagination.  I enjoyed my java no less than I did yesterday.  I am surprised but happy.  🙂

My favorite coffee and mug

My favorite coffee and mug

It is ironic how I consider myself to be a positive thinker. Yet two times this week when I was required to do something different from what I LOVE and from my norm, that I  conjured up  negative thoughts about the changes. 

What’s up with that? When it comes to work, I constantly look for new solutions to old challenges and seek out better ways to get the job done.  But I now realize that it may not occur automatically on a more personal level.  Wait, wait wait.  Thinking about this even more, the thoughts of a negative outcome happens when the change is a directive from someone other than myself.  Yeah, that’s probably it.

I just realized this self-defeating behavior/attitude about myself.  Wow! I need to pay closer attention to my thoughts and get this mess in check.

See, this is exactly why I love writing.  All that stuff in my head gets sorted out on paper or on the keyboard.

The week ended with two successes.  While my successes may seem minor, the payoff for making both changes are big and will move me closer to accomplishing my goal of placing tops in May’s figure competition.

My arms feel like lead from this mornings workout, so after dinner a nap is in order–something I rarely get. Tomorrow morning it’s back to the gym for training and posing practice.

Enjoy your weekend!

Reads About Sugar

Sugar in the Raw That’s Not | The Healthy Home Economist

Difference Between Brown Sugar & Sugar in the Raw 

Nutrition Diva:  Is Natural Sugar Better for You?

Is Sugar Bad For A Bodybuilder?

Workout Of The Day

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“To the timid soul, nothing is possible.

To the aggressor,

everything is possible.”

– John Bach, NBA Coach

Monday, December 16, 2013 –  (8 more shopping days til Christmas)

Warm Up:       3 Rounds – 5 Jump Squats, 10 Push Ups, 10 Air Squats

Mobility: 7 Min

WOD: 21 – 15 – 9

Power Clean (115/75)
Burpee
Rest 2 Min
**REPEAT**
20 Min Cap

SWOD: 5 Min EMOM of

5 Strict Press **Go Up As Needed**

Buyout: Cal Row 2 Min AMRAP
Rest 1 Min

2 Min AMRAP ABMAT Sit Up Wall ball (20/14)

The word “timid” is often and inappropriately associated with females.  Growing up I was surrounded and dominated by males my age and older. One particular cousin made it his business to try— notice the word “try” to show me that boys always win over girls.  Ha! Ha!  Pre-puberty years created an equal playing ground and I also enjoyed the wins.

Only two months separated us in age, but once the teen years arrived, the physical battles became an uphill battle.  In my mind, beating 15-year-old Curt was always possibly.  To win, I physically fought hard and sometimes dirty.   In the back yard, I took the hits, never let him see me cry, bit down and came back fighting with a vengeance.

Today we laugh at the silliness of our competitive spirits, but those early years seasoned me and toughened me well for life.

The WOD today was definitely not for the timid.  LOL!  As with many WOD’s, the door to the mental opportunity to quit is always cracked.   From the start, you’ve gotta slam the door shut.  If not, you’re done.

21 – 15 – 9 Power cleans and burpees were exhausting today.  I tried to make the 20 minute cap, but ran out of time after my last 9 power cleans.  I fell short, by 9 burpees.  But the good?  I did my first 21 at 75 pounds!!!  Heeey!!  I dropped down to 65 pounds for the 15 and 9.  What a different 10 pounds can make!    I am also mindful that I cannot afford injuries while training for the spring’s figure competition.  Better safe than sorry.

Okay, so the 5 minutes of strict press were no joke either.   I completed the first minute with 55 pounds.  I managed to squeeze out 4 on minute two.  When I could not get the bar past my the top of my head without using my legs, I knew I needed to decrease my weight.  There’s no shame in my game.  Respectfully I finished the rounds with 45 pounds.  I’m getting stronger!

I’m finally running out of steam and need to re-energize…   SLEEP!

Sweet dreams!

Monday’s WOD

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SWOD: 5 rounds of:

OTM (on the minute) 1: 3 Snatch (TNG) @ 75% or Med light + 30 Du’s (double under’s) or 15 Box jumps
OTM (on the minute) 2: Rest
3 mins for transition
4 EMOM (every minute on of 5 back squats @ 80%, Last set do AMRAP (as many reps as possible) score reps
2 mins transition

WOD:
21 – 15 – 9
Deadlifts (225/135) use Snatch grip
HSPU (handstand push ups)

Today was my first day back to work since last Monday.   Family and friends don’t think that I have days when I don’t feel like working out, but I do.  Today was one of those days.   Time seemed to pass in super slow motion.  You know, like the instant replay during a Sunday afternoon pro football game.

Folks don’t realize that days like today, I push myself just to get there.  If you’re committed to a healthy lifestyle or maybe you have a personal goal of some sort, you have no other choice but to push yourself to do what you gotta do.  I set a goal to compete in May.  And although I could not work out with my trainer today, nothing prevented me from squeezing in an hour-long crossFit class.  So as tired as I was, I went to class.  Of course, I felt better afterward, but the long day has finally caught up to me.

Right now, I’m too sleepy to say what I really want to say.  My eyes are watery and runny like I’m watching some sad love story.  On top of that, I’m slowly bopping my head to the grove of Jaheim’s, Appreciation Day CD, which of course, is putting me in a completely different mode.  Ha! ha!

Anyway, I’m a little irked with myself.  Why?  Because I heeded to the instructor’s warning a little too much to be careful with the deadlifts.  I only lifted 75 pounds and in the end, I realized I could have lifted a heavier weight.  I blew through the 21-15-9 deadlifts and handstand push ups, off the 20 Inch box, in less than 6 minutes.  Next time I am going to take the time to figure out my max and work my way from there.

Okay, seriously, after CrossFit, I sat on the sidelines of B’Dazzles’s football practice til 8 p.m.  I’m delirious and have to get some sleep.

Sweet dreams!

Better Than A Cup Of Coffee

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image

WOD:  “Titus”

10 Min AMRAP

5 Thrusters (155/115)

5 Burpee Over The Bar  *Score total reps

3 Min Rest/Transition

SWOD:  3 RDS

6 Turkish Get up (3L/3R)

Then Do:  5 RDS:

5 Strict Toes To Bar (3 Sec. up/down)

10 Strict V-Ups (3 Sec. up/down)

Working out at 9:30 a.m. on a weekday morning  was invigorating!  Oh how I miss it!   When the instructor asked for feedback about the WOD, I said that, “it was better than a cup of coffee.”

True, I’m getting stronger, but 115 pound thrusters for the women?  Nope.  I don’t think so!  LOL!!  I worked hard lifting at 75 pounds because I’m still perfecting my form.  I like to remind myself that form is more important than trying to impress others with heavier weights.  In due time, the heavier weights will come.   With a competition six months away, this is not the time for an injury.  My score:  20 (in 10 minutes).

The Turkish Get ups are difficult and require good focus.  I left a puddle of sweat on the floor, but I did them well;  consistently and methodically.  Yay!!  It’s hard to imagine that back in July, I could barely do one Turkish Get up.  That is one of the amazing benefits of CrossFit.  If you stick with it, you will see results.

No matter how hard, you push and push until you think you have nothing left.  Then… push some more!