Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Salsa Chicken



1 package of free range chicken tenders
1 garlic clove
1 tomato
1/2 green paper
1/2 red pepper
diced jalapeño (as tough as your tastebuds can allow)
1/2 onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Grease your 9x10 glass baking pan with coconut oil (healthy fat and easy removal of your chicken).

Season your chicken and spread evenly in your pan.

Chop and mix all ingredients and squeeze the hell out of your lime to "moisten" things up.  Spread mixture onto your chicken.

Bake for 30-40 minutes.  

Super easy and your chicken comes out deliciously moist.

I used to make the recipe weekly when I did Weight Watcher back in the day.  I would pair it with brown rice and black beans mixed with corn.  Post-WLC Challenge I layered the mixture on a bed of lettuce.

Enjoy!

It's over...

As Jamie said, "we did it!"

I unfortunately did not win the challenge.  At first, I was super disappointed with myself.  My WOD Saturday morning was awful.  For some reason I couldn't find that power within myself to push through the fatigue and strain.  It just wasn't my day I guess.

On a positive note, I did end up losing 10.5 inches and 7 pounds.  That alone is pretty amazing.  Not to mention learning how to eat and how different foods affect my body.  So I guess if you put it into perspective, I did win.

There is another challenge starting in February.  Jamie and I both think we are going to participate.  Maybe we'll start up this blog again since there are so many demanding readers out there.

It's been fun!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

We Did It!!


In my head, I'm silently singing Dora's jam: We did it... we did it... we did it, yay!  (Those of you with young children think this is funny)

I finished the challenge stronger than I thought I would... 31st out of Crossfit 714's entire box.  Not too shabby. 

My ending measurements:

Weight:    154.5    (3 lbs weight loss)
Biceps:     11 inches both sides (no change)
Thigh:      19.5 (L), 19.25 (R), this is nearly a two inch loss on both sides
Neck:       13 (this is a .75 downward change)
Hips:        39 (this is a .5 loss)
Waist:      28.5 (down 1.5 inches)

Total weight loss is at 2 lbs; Total inches lost is 6.5 pounds.  I look and feel great.  Pics to come soon!!

Friday, November 9, 2012

Last Day



It's over.  I logged my last set of points this morning and am officially tied for first place with 14 other people.

Tomorrow morning is the finale at CrossFit714.  I'm ridiculously excited to get in there, do the WOD, and have my measurements taken.  Preliminary, my at-home measurements are about 5-6 inches lost (waist/hips), and 4 pounds down. 

Jamie and I will be posting our "after" pictures and measurements up this weekend.

Keep your fingers crossed!!!

p.s.  I'm pretty sure that I'm going to challenge myself again in February. 

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Take Note Ladies



Here's a little tidbit I'd like to share with those of you who find themselves having to pee in the middle of a workout.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE AN ASS GASKET!!  

This is one of those moments when you should completely forgo your neurotic sanitary tendencies.  Toilet seat covers and sweaty bums do not mix.  I guarantee that you will spend a good 10 minutes trying to pick the paper-machet off of your cheeks.  Even when you get home and peel off your sweaty workout pants, your husband will casually ask you if you missed something when you last went to the bathroom.

Trust me.  I've learned my lesson twice.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Pushing through the Pain



Do you push through the pain?  How much pain is too much pain?

I've been battling a right shoulder injury since I was pregnant 3 years ago.  It comes and goes, and doing Cross Fit (particularly overhead lifts) seem to aggravate it.

Not only does this issue cause me discomfort, but it causes serious frustration as well.  I know that I'm strong enough to lift more weight, but I constantly hold myself back for fear of injury.

I'm being diligent about rolling my shoulder out with tennis balls, stretching and ice therapy.

Hopefully my body can overcome this hurdle soon.  I want to lift more!!!  

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

How big is too big?


I love my muscular arms and back.  I was lifting my daughter out of the pool this weekend and noticed my reflection in the window..  my back looks good!!  I really enjoy the changes I can see in my body since starting Cross Fit.

Which brings me to this question:  How big is too big?  There seems to be a fine line between "fit" and "manly muscular."  Since everyone keeps telling me that I can't get "big" doing Cross Fit, how do these women get so large?  Supplements?  Extreme conditioning?

I've made my hubby promise to tell me if I'm getting too big.

Strong is definitely the new sexy...  but traps bigger than my husbands...not so much.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Athlete of the Month

When I first joined my Box I had no idea how out of shape I was.  As I became more and more obsessed (in case you've missed that up to this point), I had one goal in mind:  I wanted to be the Athlete of the Month.  The thought of the coaches noticing my effort and improvement really appealed to me.  Receiving the email from them telling me that I had been selected put a smile on my face for a week.  Maybe they just randomly drew a person's name out of a hat, but I'm going to go with my first thought:)

Here's the little blip that was posted up in the Newsletter.  Super flattering photos I know.

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
CHRIS CHAPMAN


I blame my sister.  She wouldn’t stop talking about her CrossFit box up north.  “CrossFit this, WOD that, kettle bells, blah, blah, blah.”  After two years of boxing three days a week and running pretty regularly, I was bored and needed a change.  I read about CrossFit714 in my city magazine, The Villa Park Jewel.  This family (the Darmstadts) raved about the place and the mom looked incredible.  I told my husband that I wanted to look like her.  I started in mid-July and am officially obsessed.  Cross Fit (and Paleo) is all that I talk about now. 

signed up for six months the first day I came in.  I figured that if I paid for my membership up front, I couldn’t quit.  After about two weeks, I started to regret that decision.  I was completely overwhelmed with the terminology and moves.  The women (and men) were ridiculously strong and quick.  I thought I was in shape before I stared.  Man was I wrong.  Luckily, towards the end of the first month, it all started to click.  I started to push myself to try harder.  I realized that Cross Fit is a combination of being not only physically strong, but mentally strong as well.  I’m still struggling with double-unders, mastering the clean, and that elusive pull-up… but knowing my weaknesses makes me want to keep pushing.


Thank you CrossFit 714 for selecting me to be the Athlete of the Month.  It is humbling to have the word “Athlete” associated with my name.  I look forward to checking the blog every night to see what’s in store for me the next day.  I enjoy the challenges, sweat, and dirt that the amazing trainers put me through weekly.  The camaraderie and family atmosphere gives me that extra boost to succeed and keep pushing.  It’s nice to belong to a gym where everyone knows your name (cue the Cheers theme song) and truly enjoys what they do.  

I can’t wait to see what my body (and mind) can accomplish these next few years (I’ve already planned to continue my membership).  The definition and transformation of my body I can already see in these short months is the best motivation money can buy!

p.s.  I know I will wish I never uttered these words, but I really want to do some wall balls.  I hope Kelly comes up in rotation soon.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Slackers

Jamie and I have both been slacking on this blog (not that anyone is really reading it anyways).  In my own defense, I have been ridiculously busy.  Work has been insane and so have our evenings and weekends.  I dread looking at the calendar in our pantry.  There doesn't seem to be a clear day in sight.  Not to mention the fact that the hubby is going up north on Wednesday and will be gone through the weekend.  Weeks like this make me hate my children (Mother of the Year, I know).  I have nothing but respect for the single parents out there.

To the point:  Here we are at the home stretch of the challenge.  I'm getting slightly bored with the obligation, but I'm also slightly scared to lose the accountability.  And of course, I forgot to log my points on Saturday.  Up until this weekend, I had made it a point to never forget to log.  Even though I was going to lose all of my nutrition points (and probably a few more if they had been an option), I still worked out, took my fish oil, and did mobility.  Luckily I'm still tied for 1st place with 12 other people at my box.  I never realized I was so competitive...but I really want to win.

I did the WLC WoD today at my house and had the hubby time me.  Nothing like trying to do burpees on a slippery sheet on the garage floor.  After my inner chubby kid caught her breath, the hubby informed me that my work out score jumped from 95 to 121.  I was pretty damn proud of myself.  Hopefully the adrenaline and crowd of people will push me to get an even better score.

I made two goals for myself this week:

1.  Get up early every morning and take the dog on a 3 mile jog/walk.

2.  Blog at least 3 times this week.

Wish me luck!