broken and rebuilding

First… salad may be healthier than a burger and fries, but much harder to eat while driving…  Even texting only requires one hand.

So, another Henry’s Exposure Show is in the books.  THe weekend was perfect blue skies and toasty warm temps, which did not work to our advantage.  After the seemingly endless winter, I really don’t blame people for opting to spend time outdoors rather than rummaging through my “Deal Zone”.  This being said, we did have some super-busy stretches with a line 30 ft long for 3+ hours on Saturday.  I s’pose when you bring Chris Hadfield in as the keynote speaker, you can expect some decent attendance.  And some decent customer temper tantrums too.   The only total wench I ran into this weekend insisted repeatedly that I was NOT going to make her pay the tax.  Bite your tongue Kate…  I looked past her and asked who was next.  She paid the tax.  All in all, good times and good weekend.  Except for having to toss most of the food I brought when the “waiting list” for a fridge appeared to be smoke and mirrors, and I wrecked my back somehow.  Spent 15 hours Thursday hauling boxes and bins.  Messed around with some over-head squats with the 9ft rolls of backdrop paper with a fellow CF friend, all good.  Then Saturday night, when I’d had enough of the hotel life and opted to drive home, something slipped in my back while on the highway.  SO annoyed 😐  After 4 non-crosffit days, I was super-bummed to have to extend the break cause of my back.  Sometimes it seems as though it never friggin ends.  Physio squeezed me in yesterday thankfully and I was nuked (heating pad) and shocked and things loosened up a bit.  This morning though it took probably 10 minutes to get coffee started cause every time I reached to grab the filters from the cupboard, I ended up on my knees waiting to be able to breathe again.  Arg.  The coffee filters have been relocated to the counter.  They can stay there till this goes away.

Today I couldn’t take it any longer and headed to the box.  “I’m here 🙂 but I’m broken :(” I told Coach Dave.  As always, he didn’t miss a beat.  Today was deadlift day (LOVE) which I clearly was in no shape to do, so I played along with the prowler push and sled drags in part 1 which both felt ok.  Probably because there was hardly any weight on them, but my legs still felt it.  Then I crawled my way onto the GHD machine for back extensions and sit-ups.  After all that mobility, my back felt good 🙂  “Aren’t you glad you decided to come??” asked Coach Dave?  There wasn’t much that would have kept me away today 😉

Got a text from Coach Sharon yesterday “It’s yours!!”  😀  The “It” she is referring to is my very own condo!!  Pack your castle Dr. Tom!  We’re moving!  WOOT-WOOT!  Gave my notice today at my apartment and now it’s just about the waiting game until the July closing date…  but my life is taking shape 🙂

Speaking of shape, well sort of, I’m overdue for a nutritional reset.  I’ve had this in the back of my mind for a while now, but after a weekend where my good healthy intentions went down the toilet after having to throw out much of the food I prepped for the show and the more than once that M&Ms found their way into my mouth while I was simply reaching for a few raisins and almonds…  NOW it’s really time.  There’s no hiding when I sneak chocolate.  My face breaks out like a teenage boy.  They weren’t even that good.

Anyways, focus McDowell.  I had been thinking about getting back into the Zone Diet, but I wasn’t ready to commit to weighing my food.  ALSO, while it’s very portion-controlled, I didn’t find that one strict enough to keep me completely away from sugar.  So… I’ve made a 30 day promise to mysefl in the form of Whole30.  Today is day 2, wish me strength!  Last night I made a batch of Chorizo meatballs that were AMAZING!  This came after the realization that I just don’t think I’d make it 30 days on salad alone.  Also made a batch of cilantro lime cauliflower rice that came out better than ever.

Maybe because of the absence of sugar in my life yesterday?  Everyone has their own set of challenges…  so far I’m fighting to not think about Quest bars, and maybe a weird one – GUM!  The Quest bar thoughts make me realize I was eating them too often.  Woke up yesterday (day 1) already thinking about wanting something sweet.  Damn you M&Ms!  Got past it and thankfully woke up without that thought today.  Rule of thumb – unless you make it, raise it, or pick it… pretty much everything has sugar in it.

It’s only day 2, but the other thing I’ve noticed is my fuzzy brain is fuzzier than ever.  Went to my store today to catch up on a little project I didn’t get to yesterday.  Walked through the door and forgot why I was there.  Left the store in my work shoes.  Stopped for some groceries on the way home, forgot half the stuff I had gone in for.  Hopefully this bit improves or I’ll be wandering around lost somewhere by the end of the 30 days!

Ever done Whole30?  

What did you think?  

Is fuzzy brain common?

practice makes, well… better

First off…  crossfit makes me hungry.  That’s the only explanation I came come up with as to why I’ve had moments of wanting to eat everything in sight lately.  I don’t like it.  Although… after a good hard butt-kicking, I have no desire to hunt down some Paleo friendly “treats”, but more the urge to whip up a whole dozen eggs or something…

Today I came to the conclusion that I really need to stop stressing about the upcoming WODs.  All weekend, I worried over walking into the box completely unaware of what to expect.  Then last night, when I checked the WOD for this morning, I suddenly wished it had been another “tba” kinda thing.  Wrong.  Today’s WOD had me scared sh*tless since last night.  BUT… once I got going, it was awesome 😀  Wait, let me rephrase… once I got going I realized I wasn’t going to die.  Once I was done it was awesome.  Today’s WOD started out with a nice little 3-3-3-3-3 front squats with a little peer pressure to stack some more weight on the bar.  For today, I ignored it and kept focusing on my form.  Not like I was squatting a broom stick… I had the 35lb bar with 2x10lb plates on each side.  That was just the warm-up!

Don’t take that ^ as cocky… I just can’t believe what is considered warm-up here sometimes…  Then the real work began.  Today’s WOD – 3 rounds, for time:

– 30 power snatch

– 30 sit-ups

– 30 ring push-ups

shhhhhhh*t!  I thought I was going to die a few times.  I finished the whole sh’bang in 17:03 though 🙂  I’ll take it!  At Dave’s suggestion, I only used the 35lbs for the snatch, but next time I’ll get to the RX weight of 55lbs I hope.  And note – my fav. move was back in all its glory.  90 power snatches.  You know what though?  Once I got rolling, I think I actually had a bit of a break through with the damn things 🙂  My first set of 30 I felt 10-15 really solid ones.  My second set of 30 I think I nailed 13-17.  Then my third set, LOTS felt awesome.  I think at that point, my whole body had somewhat resigned to the fact that it might as well just play along or the bar was going to land on my head.  Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that the push-ups eff’n sucked.  A lot.  :p  Fine with me.  I can bitch about push-ups without giggling uncontrollably as is the case with the snatch.  “Hey (insert coaches name), will you help me work on my snatch??”  (hehehehehe….)

Ok, I’m done now.  🙂

uphill battle

Remember my 13 days of kicking the cranberries and walnuts?  Well… today is day 3 and I’m getting better at it.  Day 1, I did really well all day at work… then got home and jumped off the wagon… head first.  Day 2 was better.  I subbed in avocado pudding when I was jones’n really bad.  Day two was an emotional nightmare.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big time holiday lover.  Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving… I get all festive and sh-tuff.  VALENTINE’S DAY SUCKS.  Especially when it’s the first one after a heart shattering break up.  I dealt with it as I usually do… I went to the gym.  Not only did I CRUSH my shoulders & traps routine, I had some “run therapy” on the treadmill including 10 minutes of wonderfully hard speed intervals.  It was awful, and I LOVED it.  🙂  Felt a lot better after too.

Anyways, today is day 3.  So far, so good.  I’ve learned that working a closing shift at my store suits me MUCH better than opening.  I’m a morning person for sure and at night I’m a big baby when I get tired. :p  Today I’m working the closing shift, which let me get in a kick-ass workout this morning before heading into work in a great frame of mind 🙂  I even relaxed for a few moments with a cup of coffee before hustling out the door.  Then whipped up the “lazy Paleo” breakfast of scrambled egg whites (made in the microwave) and, of course, bacon.  mmm…  I love to cook, but some days…  ya.

the lazy Paleo

Do I complain a lot?  Cause I have a little rant to spill here… I don’t like “arms” day.  Thankfully I was able to get to it in the morning, cause if I had been stuck hitting the gym after work I would have made excuses not to do it and probably gone to yoga or something instead.  Not that there is anything wrong with yoga…  In a perfect world, I’d be able to work legs and shoulders every day and get ripped and toned all over…

self detox

Today is day 33 of the 100 day transformation challenge.  I’m not sure my opinion on the progress thus far though…  Not that the goals I set are not being met I guess, I wanted to build muscle and gain strength.  The only downfall has been getting “thicker” in the process and not being able to run as much as I like to.  Thicker, like through the waist, hips and thighs.  “Suck it up princess”  I know…  BUT I’ll be in a bikini in less than 2 weeks…  Whatever.  Sunday and Monday I had workouts with “personal best” exercises which felt great.  Sunday was chest and triceps and I pushed the dumbbell chest press to 30lb dumbbells 🙂  Also teamed up with a buddy from work, which meant bench press was possible without having to rely on the Smith machine as my spotter.  I really have no problems with working out alone, but it’s amazing how a little friendly competition can help to push beyond limitations…  Monday was quads, hams and calves.  I sucked it UP through this workout too and upped the weight on “v-squats” and “leg curl”.  Rarr!

While today is day 33 in my first challenge, today is day 1 in another mission I have set for myself.  This challenge involves cutting back on my nemesis, pictured left.  Dried cranberries and walnuts are the vice I’m ridiculously addicted too.  I wake UP thinking about them…  mmm…  but I hope that getting back to my Paleo path of no grains, no legumes AND NO SUGAR 😮  might help me feel great about slipping into a bikini…  Crazy addiction is expensive too, so a little more money in my pocket might be nice as well 😀  Heavy lifting requires the calories and fat to build muscle, so I will try adding more avocado to my diet to make up for the nuts.  Will also transition from my strictly “egg whites” regime to incorporate a few yokes into the mix… 

It’s only 13 days…  THIRTEEN days…  sigh…  I can do it!  (I hope!)  Definitely also hoping the time will come where I don’t think about those damn things constantly.  It’s ridiculous.