Day 6

I am seriously fading today.  I really want something other than fruit and vegetables to eat.  How the hell and why the hell do vegans do this?  This is horrible.  Of course they can eat pasta.  I would kill for some pasta.  But I want it covered in cheese and bacon.

Reboot

Well that did not work.  I had one good week followed by a very bad Thanksgiving week. My solution was to get help.  I needed a drastic change, a jump start to better eating.  I was having trouble doing it alone so I asked this guy for help:

(I took this photo of him, just in case you were wondering.)  

This is Stew Peters.  He has an office in my gym. He put me on his cleanse diet.

What is Stew's cleanse diet?  

First week - Only Fruits, Vegetables, and protein shakes

Second and Third week - add in Chicken and Fish

Then you are suppose to slowly add other things back in but I am going to Mexico 2 days after I finish... So, I will be adding tacos and Margaritas back in then.

I am on day 3 and I feel okay with the exception of the massive caffeine withdrawal I am suffering.

Day 1

This is me.  I weigh 119lbs on the morning of Nov 12, 2012.  I forgot to do my measurements but I will try to remember to do them tonight.

Day 1 food:
2 eggs for breakfast
6 meatballs for lunch
6 mini bell papers with gawk for a snack
1 bag of pistachios for  a snack
1 steak sirloin, brussel sprouts, and a sweet potato all cooked in duck fat for dinner.

Work out:
Back squat:
5 @ 45
5 @ 60
3 @ 70
5 @ 75
5 @ 90
9 @ 100

Good mornings
10 @ 45
10 @ 50
10 @ 55
(should have gone heavier)

3 sets of 10
Glute Hams

3 sets of 10
Toes to Bar

5 prowler pushes
180 lbs + prowler

That was it for day one.  I am sorry if this is boring.  I will try to slip in more interesting stuff.

New diet.

I am back on the 4 hour body diet.  I have exactly 6 weeks to get a rockin' body before I am in Mexico.  Lat time I was in Mexico I was fat.  That will not happen this time.  This time I will have abs.  I also have just under 7 weeks before I am officially old.  I figure, I can not do anything about the old bit but I can make my body look younger.

I decided to have a last supper if you will... only mine was brunch.  This was it:

French toast, bacon, potatoes, and biscuits and gravy was my drug of choice. Over the next few weeks I will try to keep you posted on my stats and what I have been eating and how it has been going.

Barbie and GI Joe

Watch this

Run: Response Short Review

So this review is a little different in that I have never worn these shorts.  They are boys shorts.  A few of the men in my life do wear them and I will relay what they say about them.

These shorts fit nicely.  They are the appropriate length. They make your butt look good. They are light weight.  All plusses.

One big minus:
They get giant holes in the liner.  Lululemon is great about replacing them but I have taken back 4 pairs now because this has happened and it is happening again to the latest pair.

Big fail:
2 out of 5 stars

Lululemon Breath of Fire Bra

Damn it Lululemon!  You screwed up your bra.  

*Let me add the disclaimer that I say this as a CrossFitter and a runner.  I have no clue if this screws up the bra for yoga people.*

This is the Breath of Fire Bra.  I know, it looks just like the lift and separate bra but with a better clasp,

but its not.
 

They screwed it up in 2 ways:
 
*They made it a pushup.  Sure my boobs look bigger in the gym, but I do not care if my boobs look bigger in the gym.  I care that they stay in my bra while doing a snatch.  The push up aspect makes it so your boobs pop out when doing various exercises, like burpees or snatches or thruster.  I am constantly adjusting.  Not good!
*They changed the sizing.  It is now a 2-4-6-8 sizing.  Annoying to say the least.

I would not recommend this bra if you plan on doing anything active in it.  If you want to just sit around and look cute, go for it.

A few reviews

Over the new week or so I am going to try to review a few different items.  First up: sports bras.  I have  tried a tun of different sports bras over the years.  You would think it does not matter that much but it does.

I personally prefer the bras that come in actual bra sizes to the S- M- L.  The fit better... much better.

In the interest of full discloser and so you understand what my issues are I am going to tell you my bra size.  I am a 32d.  If you know nothing about bra sizes then let me explain what that means.  That means that I am 28 inches around my rib cage.  For some odd reason here in America we add 4 to that number and then you have the actual bra band size.  The D part is the cup size.  Next you measure over your actual boobs.  For every inch that you are bigger than your band size you go up a letter.  Yes, I use to work in a lingerie store.    

Now that you understand how a bra sizing works you can see why someone with a 32d and someone with a 32a should not be wearing the same size.  Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens when you go with the S-M-L sizing.

I have recently seen the 0-2-4-6 sizing as well.  That is only marginally better than a S-M-L sizing.

So, the first bra up is the Lululemon Lift and separate bra.

I love this bra.  

*First of all it comes in actual sizes.  Which is awesome.  

*It is flattering. Not a huge issue but so rare that it is worth mentioning

*Like the name says, it separates.  This is nice for sweating issues.  It just keeps you cooler.

*You stay in place.  It is comfortable running and you do not pop out while doing burpees.  Awesome.

What I would change:

* The buckle is a little uncomfortable.  Maybe put a protective piece of fabric under it like real bras have at the hook area.  I think if I ran a marathon in it I might get a strawberry at the hook site.  (This has happened to me with another bra.)

* I would make the straps adjustable.  

Over all I would give it 4 out of 5 stars. 

I would definitely buy it again.

A chat with my oldest friend

My oldest friend, I mean the one I have had the longest, just moved less than 2 miles away from me.  Her new house is literally on my way home from CF.  I stopped by to say hi a couple of days ago.  I have talked about her in the past.  She is my fearless friend.  She is the one that convinced me to jump off the high dive at 5 years old.  She is awesome.

I had thought it was funny in the past that the fearless one out of the two of us had gravitated towards yoga, where as I, CrossFit.  But it make sense to me now.  I needed something to make me stronger and more fearless where as she just wanted something peaceful.

We both agreed that no matter how bad of a mood we are in and how much we just want to sit on the couch, once we get up and go to our respective gyms and actually start teaching, we are glad that we did.  It makes your day a lot better.

Tonight was one of those days.  I was tired and just wanted to stay home. Within 6 minutes my mood took a drastic turn.  I know that it was 6 min because it was during the warm-up.  2 min of regular jumping rope.  1 min left foot jumping. 1 min right foot jumping. 1 min double under attempts.... this is when it happened. Kristine got her first double under, and then her second.  She was so happy she ran over and gave me a big hug.

Kristine is one of those people that you can't help but love.  She tries so hard in everything she does and has made crazy progress.  In the matter of months she has taken control of her life and has turned her health completely around.  Seriously people, do you know how long it took me to get a double under?  A LONG FREAKIN TIME!

She and a lot of my boot campers inspire me to be a better coach and a better athlete.

Nothing what so ever to do with CrossFit

I have met 2 of these dogs in the last month.

I really want one.  I even have a name for it if it is a boy- Perseus.  I will call him Persy for short.
Rich says no because he will become this:

Just in case you are wondering, that is 135lbs of dog.  For some reason, Rich thinks my dog should not out weigh me by 20lbs.  BUT he is pure love and helpful, just look!

I think I have a much better chance getting the super expensive yet much smaller viking dog.

Look at how fierce he is:

Just keep trying.

The other day I over heard one of CFD's peeps saying: "I have just decided to give up on ever getting a pull-up."  She was not talking to me but I jumped into the conversation anyway.  I asked her if she had an injury.  The answer - no.  It was just not happening.  I told her that it took me a very long time to get a pull-up and a lot of work but I can do them now.  So, do not give up.

CrossFit is like a lot of things in life, it takes a great deal of work and dedication to get better.  I would love to be one of those people that it comes naturally to, but I am not.  I honestly do not think that anyone is.  Those girls that you see coming into the gym and getting a muscle-up with in a few months of starting... gymnasts.  What does that mean?  It means that they have been working on it their entire life.

When someone says "It just comes naturally to them" they are dismissing the fact that they have been working on that since they were 3 years old.  It is hard work but it is worth it.  That feeling of accomplishment you get when you do something you thought would never happen is amazing.

The other night one of my boot campers dead lifted 400 lbs.  His form was beautiful.  His face showed me that he did not think that was ever going to happen.  But it did.

Now what?

Every now and again it is a good idea to mix things up a little.  Today is one of those days.  The boys and I have agreed to try something new.  I am not going to lie, Wendler has been good for me.  All my Olympic lifts went up and my body fat has dropped.  I now weigh in at a whopping 117 lbs.  If you are not keeping track, I have dropped 21 lbs in the last year and a half.  

The first and biggest drop in my weight / fat came with diet.  The 4 hour body worked well for me but you have to find something that works well for you.  That being said, my gains (or drops as the case may be) petered out after a while.  I stayed in the same place for a while.  I only started to make progress again when I started working out with Tripp and Jack.  I am sure Wendler had something to do with it but I think it was more about the boys that I work out with.  They hold me accountable and push me to do more.  

I think I am actually okay with my body right now.  It is a strange place to be.  I have spent so much of my life hating my body.  I am not saying I love the way I look.  I doubt I will ever be one of those girls.  I am okay with it now, though.  I no longer cringe when I see a camera aimed at me.  So now what?.... Muscle up

Well that was a mistake

Sorry, I have not posted in a while.  I do this while there is a lull at work and there just has not been any lulls.
I "ran" the Tough Mudder a few weeks ago and only made it to mile 5 before I had to call it quits.  I actually had a nasty cold and was downing decongestants like they were candy.  I do not think that was the main issue, though.  I this think this was:

I stole this photo from another blog

This is a big dumpster filled with ice water.  They put food coloring in it for no apparent reason.  This was one of the earlier obstacles and it did me in.  Whith an outside temp of 46 and winds up to 20 miles per hour, my body gave out.  I started having trouble breathing and my legs kept seizing up.  My eyes would not stop watering and I kept getting confused.  In a moment of clarity I remembered Rich saying don't do anything stupid.... I thought: I do not have health insurance.  This entire thing is stupid.  I then said to my partner in crime, "I just want to make it to mile 5."  Once at mile 5 I could see the next obstacle, so I did that.  I could see one more just up ahead and I thought I can do that one too.  When I got to the bottom of it, the pit of mud became visible.  A deep pit of mud. 

Kristen is 5'9"  I am 5'2".  This was a bad idea... someone that is already having a hard time focusing should not dive into mud up to their chin.  I stopped.  

On my way back to the car I started cramping REALLY badly and shaking uncontrollably.  I was nabbed by the medic people and taken back to the medical tent.  There they took my temperature, 90.5 and then stripped me of all my clothes (this was more than a little humiliating).  Women did the stripping but there were guys in the tent as well.  I was then wrapped in various blankets and stuck in the back of a heated ambulance for 45 minutes until my body temp was back up to 97.  

The after effects were horrible.  For a week I had an awful time regulating my body temperature.  My appetite was nonexistent, I was always tired and I would have cramps with out warning.  

Was it worth it?  For me, no.... but Kristen loved it.  Look at how much fun she is having in that mud. 

This is a picture of me (courtesy of Amy) before I almost died. 

Mortal Peril

So, I have been doing a paleo-esque style diet for 22 days now and have dropped a whopping 2 pounds.  The upside is that I have been having these intense dreams where I am in mortal peril. 

Seriously, my dreams have been intense.  I have been waking up exhausted because I have been fighting for my life all night.  I don't know if it actually has anything to do with the paleo diet but they did seem to develop shortly after starting this diet. 


Does anyone else have these issues?

One week, one pound

I am one week in to my diet.  It is has been a lot slower this time around. The first time I did this diet I had a lot more weight to loose, so that might be a factor.  I also am not coming off a binge at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico, like I was the first time.  I have dropped 1.2 pounds.  Not great but better than nothing.
I have not been 121 in a long time.  I have a deal with a friend.  If we are good on our diets we get to go buy slutty dresses the first month and skinny jeans the second.  It is funny but a silly prize like that has kept me motivated through some serious bagel cravings.

Umm... that was not at all helpful

New year means silly resolutions.  A few of them I am going to keep to myself, they mostly have to do with photography, so not relevant to this blog.  First resolution: start diet.

I have started 4 hour body again.  I feel puffy.  I thought I gained weight over the holiday.  It took me 3 days (today is Jan 3rd) to work up the courage to get on my scale.  This morning when I did I cringed then looked down... Oh. Really?  I weigh the same? 122.2  But I look puffy?  I guess that is good.  I have a lower starting point than I thought.

Then I took my measurements and entered them in an online body fat calculator.  This is what it said:

Using your measurements of a 27 inches waist and weight of 122 pounds your body fat percentage is estimated to be % using the U.S. Army body fat algorithm, or % using the U.S. Marine body fat algorithm, or 20.91 % using the U.S. Navy body fat algorithm, or 30.93 % using the formula developed by the YMCA. 

First of all F@*K you YMCA.  I will go with the Navy on this one.  The sentence does not even make sense.  Is it saying that the Army, Marines, and Navy all have the same algorithm that puts me at 20. 91 %?  Or did it just forget to fill in those numbers?  Then why is there a 10% difference between what the Navy thinks I am and what the YMCA thinks I am? 

It then goes on to tell me that if I have 10% body fat I might have an eating disorder.  I looked for a different website.  I ended up on Livestrong.  I like Lance Armstrong, so why not trust his fat calculator.  It gave me the same result as the Navy.  20.9.  That means I want to drop 5.9 percent body fat.  That means I need to loose 8.47 lbs of fat.

Hmm, 113 seems a little low.  Maybe I will just aim for 115 and see what happens.