Breakfast Smoothies (with Macros)

September is one of those hardest times of the year to have any extra-curricular time, as my job gets exponentially busier at this time. Also sometimes the busiest times of the year also means that it's easier to forget to eat! I've started drinking smoothies in the morning to try to get my body used to having some fuel but also kick start my day, especially before a morning workout.

On the "If It Fits My Macros, I Eat What I Want" belief, things have been working out beautifully. I've been on the program for about a week and a half now, and I'm down four pounds, yet my gains have been explosive. I hit some new PRs this week in Overhead Squat, Full Clean + Thruster, and Power Clean. The program has exposed to me what foods I'm not giving my body enough, so I try to make more informed choices so my body gets the right macros.

Before a workout, my body needs some carbs to work on. As I'm not a breakfast eater, nor do I have the time or ability to make too much sound at 5am - I've started with prepping some smoothies the night before. I've purchased a NutriBullet to help make smaller portions, but also if I'm going to be using any nut butters - this will not contaminate our main blender.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- 100g Strawberries
- 1/2 cup Neilson Trutaste 1% milk
- 1/2 banana (roughly around 60-65g)
Macros: Fat 1 - Carbs 29 - Protein 6

Raspberry Banana Smoothie
- 100g Raspberry
- 1/2 cup Neilson Trutaste 1% milk
- 1/2 banana (roughly around 60-65g)
Macros: Fat 2 - Carbs 32- Protein 6

Blueberry Banana Smoothie
- 100g Blueberry
- 1/2 cup Neilson Trutaste 1% milk
- 1/2 banana (roughly around 60-65g)
Macros: Fat 2 - Carbs 34 - Protein 6

Funky Monkey Smoothie
- 1 banana (roughly around 126g)
- 1/2 cup Neilson Trustaste 1% milk
- 1 scoop JaktRx Chocolate Milkshake Protein Powder
- 1 Tblsp President's Choice Just Peanuts Peanut Butter
- Optional: water to top up
Macros: Fat 12 - Carbs 38 - Protein 33
Without Peanut Butter: Macros: Fat 4 - Carbs 35 - Protein 30

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Eat What You Want, Lift What You Want

I wanted to share that I've joined Working Against Gravity's "Eat What You Want, Lift What You Want" Team.

This is coming from the quest I've set upon myself to find the right and manageable diet for myself, based on my needs. There's definitely an accountability aspect that came with joining the team and I'm looking forward to the support I'm going to be receiving for figuring out my nutrition. My hope is that I can also be a good role model at the end of this to show that you can eat what you want, and lift the way you want. I'll get started this Friday/Saturday officially, but already I'm impressed with the service I'm getting.

So basically I continue my training with CrossFit Vortex, and I work with Team WAG on my nutrition making adjustments as we go. I feel that this will enforce better and healthier changes in my daily routine, especially when it comes down to preparing lunch the night before. I know a big fault of mine is definitely not preparing the right food at home for lunch while I'm at work. I'm looking forward to this newer challenge of eating and preparing food to accomplish my fitness and overall health goals.

I'm looking at my new way of a nutrition of somewhat of a mash-up between Paleo and whatever I want (providing I'm meeting my macros). As in, I'm staying away from wheat products. Starches will be in my diet, but reduced. Refined sugar, will try to avoid it - but won't feel that terrible if I have something sugary - as long as it fits my macros. This will require measuring so we will see how it goes!

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Sweet Potato Hash

I'm not a big breakfast person, but on the weekend when I'm not rushing to go places - I don't mind spending the time to eat breakfast. Eating no wheat can limit your options, and there are only so many times I can eat eggs just the way they are.

So I bring you my version of Sweet Potato Hash!

Ingredients:
- 1-2 sweet potato
- 2-3 eggs
- mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 red pepper, diced
- 1/4 red onion, chopped
- paprika, pepper, chili pepper to taste
- avocado (half)

Directions:

1. Chop up all of your vegetables (mushrooms, red pepper, red onion), heat over a pan lightly greased and sautee for 5-8 minutes.

2. While your vegetables are cooking, send your sweet potato through the spiralizer. I recommend the one with the smallest holes. You could also use a julienne peeler, but the sprializer is the quickest.

3. Add sweet potato "ribbons" to the pan and cook for 2-4 minutes until they are soft. You can cook for longer if you perhaps want a crispier potato! Remove sweet potato and vegetables from pan.

4.  Time to make your eggs. As the picture above, I made my eggs scrambled. I've also done this with sunny side up! Totally up to you how you want to make your eggs. Top with avocado slices when you are done!

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Red Thai Curry Beef

We're back to our usual programming around food! Running a marathon was an incredible experience, surreal that it happened. I actually know it happened based on the food I consumed afterwards.

It was also nice to go back to Vortex and put weight on the barbell and do the exercises I was banished from a week prior to the marathon. Smart programming made by smart coaches - I appreciate that our coaches get to know us well enough about other training and help us accordingly. We also had our second installment of The Rachel Beer WOD Open! The work out was:

In front of a clock set for 12 minutes:
1 minute of power snatches (65#)
1 minute of sit-ups
2 minutes of power snatches (65#)
2 minutes of sit-ups
3 minutes of power snatches (65#)
3 minutes of sit ups

Score: 211 Rx

Already Courtney and BJ have exceeded my score with 241 and 245 respectively. Typically I'll buy for the top female, but with both of them so close - I'll buy them both a beer. I trust you that this workout is harder than it reads. Especially since my Snatch max isn't too far off from the weight we did today.

This recipe was definitely different from my usual cooking experiences, and it was really fun to make!

Red Thai Curry Beef

Meat & vegetables in the Slow Cooker before the sauce!

Ingredients:
- 2 lbs steak/beef stewing meat
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 package of sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 Tblsp Thai Red Curry Paste
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 Tblsp of oil (could use coconut)
- 1/2 cup of vegetable/beef broth
- 1 tbsp of fish sauce

Directions:
1. Slice beef into slices
2. Optional: On a frying pan, add garlic, onion, red bell pepper, mushroom and cook for 4 minutes. Then add in the beef to brown meat.
3. Add meat & vegetables to the slow cooker. Then add all of the sauce ingredients in, and mix.
4. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
5. Can serve on rice, or have it without!

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1 Year of CrossFit

On August 16th 2013 - I stepped into my very first CrossFit gym. And I've never left.

Some people refer to CrossFit as a cult, and in a less aggressive sounding way - it is.
cult: a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object.
I don't necessarily agree with the "religious" part, but I would definitely say I'm a devoted CrossFitter.

With now over a year of experience participating in CrossFit workouts, I've made some observations along the way.

One of the most attractive things about CrossFit (other than the man candy) is the relationships that you build with other members at the box. You all come in and do the same workout and fight through it together, doing things that you never thought you could do before. But you have this new sense of confidence that you can do it with your fellow buddies. Other members of the gym (and sometimes in the mid of their workout) will cheer you on, along with your coaches. Suddenly - that 45 pound kettlebell doesn't seem as intimidating as before. What is incredible is that no matter what your athletic background is, everyone can participate, learn and improve. CrossFit has turned into a very social aspect for me, as it is one of the only social outlets I get outside of chatting with co-workers and my husband. It's kind of nice to have another outlet - and especially Open Gym.

Respecting but pushing your limits. Here's a great example from my workout this morning. Our workout included pistol squats and kettlebell swings at 55 pounds, in addition to other things. Generally, most of our programming will use the 35 pound kettlebell for the women's weight. Naturally seeing the number 55 beside KB Swings and the number of reps (2 sets of 30, 50 pistol squats splitting the two sets), I opted for my safety net of 35. The coach took one good look at me and told me to go get the 45 pound kettlebell. I waddled over and grabbed the 45 pound one, but had some serious doubt.

But here's the thing. Coaching. Both of the coaches at the gym know me and my abilities quite well. Enough to know exactly what I should be lifting or doing at all time. A good CrossFit box will have coaches who know their athletes. When Kristi told me to go get that 45 pound kettlebell, it's because she knew that I would be able to do it. She knew it would put me out of my comfort zone, knew that it was a challenge, but she knew without a doubt I would get through it. Sometimes when I look at the board for the WOD - I can choose a challenging weight. But sometimes when I have those days and I'm not so confident, having the right push and motivation from the coaches can really help.

We talk about it all the damn time. I am not really sure what is behind this phenomenon, but I'm not sorry about it either. I can't seem to help about talking about something that provides me a level of satisfaction and makes me happy. And our crazy outfits believe it or not are sometimes not only for the enjoyment for others - but consider it equipment! You try climbing a rope multiple times with bare legs - unless you enjoy rope burn then you are on your own. Oh, and this also seems to come with the territory of taking CrossFit related photos or selfies. I want to talk about so badly how I did 100 burpee pull-ups and I made it through and I want to tell all of social media about it, but sometimes there is a limit.

I care more about what I eat. Don't get me wrong, I'll never break up with you soft serve ice cream - but I definitely have changed my eating habits. At home I prepare all the meals, and I'm very conscious about what we eat at home. I've swapped out gluten free pasta for zucchini pasta as an example. If I'm buying tomato sauce, I make sure it has no sugar in it.  This method is good because if it's the weekend and my friend's want to go and have sushi - no problem! Or ice cream. Mmmm ice cream. I love food and I can't devote my life to a diet like paleo, and I would argue that I'm successful and possibly equally as so by eating the way I do. Which yes, I limit the grains and sugar - but if I'm going out with friends, I'll eat those things in moderation. I've had great successes by limiting these options but not fully getting rid of them 100% of the time.

But most of all, I've found something that makes me happy. What more can someone ask for?

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