More breaks! YEY!

If you forget EVERYTHING... we have a lot in common! It turns out that there is hope for us and it comes in the form of a break! So just in case you already forgot let me repeat what I just said...

There might be a way for us to rememeber more and it means we get to take more breaks!

Scientists have done research that suggests that resting while awake will actually help you remember information you just took in. So after a big meeting or studying for hours, taking a little break will help everything sink in. Those scientists are so smart... figuring out ways to take more breaks! Seriously I want to send them a trophy!

Source of PURE GENIUS!

WOD 1/29/10

Happy Friday all!!!

Can't wait to WOD tonight! I love that I look forward to going!! Tonight's WOD is pretty interesting as we're going to be given 7 random excercises picked out of a hopper and we'll have to complete 30 reps of each. So who knows whats in store for me! Could be easy but probably wont be! Either way, I'll fill you guys in tomorrow. :)

Sweet sweet rest day!!!

So I'm happy to know and proud to announce that people actually read my blog! Who knew?! Some people have actually brought it up to me and I love it. If you do read it and love it or even hate it, tell me! Its nice to know I'm not just writing this for myself. :)

Today is my rest day! Maybe I'll get home before the sun goes down today! Probably not but you cant blame a girl for wishing! Either way, enjoy this videos posted by my friends at I am Crossfit about the ladies of Crossfit.

Hips Don't Lie

Shakira inspires me to continue on my mission. Who inspires you?

Zen Habits posted a great article on Monday titled The Ultimate How to Get Lean Guide and its a good one! They asked some of their favorite bloggers what are their ultimate, bestest, hands-down greatest tips on how to get lean! I think that its a tremendous read with GREAT information. You can check out the entire article here.

Now that I'm really in the swing of things I am constantly looking for gems like this to help me continue to shape my lifestyle into something that will ultimately acheive my goals while still allowing me to enjoy life. Making a lifestyle change for a month is easy enough. This month has been a breeze. I've been motivated and inspired but as I think about February my biggest concern is stretching this out further; continuing to stay motivated and inspired. I don't want to think that this is where it gets tough because I don't want to create a self fulfilling prophecy here but I think a little bit of concern for my goal is always in order.

I'd like to say "lets see what happens" but instead I'll say "Lets gooooo!!!

WOD 1/27/10

Ice has been my friend! Honestly never underestimate the power of just icing after a hard workout. My knees had been waking up sore and now after icing them before I go to bed they feel so much better. My shin pain is gone too! AMAZING!

Challenge
150 Butterfly sit-ups

WOD
"X-Factor"
21-18-15-12-9-6-3
of
Hang power cleans M135 W95
Ring Dips
15 DU (after odd #'s)

WOD 1/26/10

Woke up today with a sore shin. Gotta keep going...

If you rest.. you rust! - Helen Hayes

WOD
“There’s no I in Team”
In 17 minutes complete AMRAP
200M run
Push-ups
KB Swings M55 W35
Wall Balls M20 W15
Rest
My team did not believe in counting. lol

Insulin

Originally I intended to write something short and sweet about insulin. Something really friendly that everyone could easily understand. I searched high and low for some quick key points only to find that something short and sweet would be just as beneficial as a snickers bar. So I'd really like you to please read up on on Mark Sisson's take on the subject here.

Mark is the author of one of the blogs I've been immersing myself in called Mark's Daily Apple. He is also the author of "The Primal Blueprint" a book I completely intend on buying and reading very soon. His philosophy is so awesome I've decided to post it below because honestly, I could not have said it better myself.

In a nutshell:
- fresh, organic, unprocessed food – no junk!
- daily activity – whether it’s the gym or a walk along the beach, it all counts
- plenty of quality sleep
- plenty of water, no soda or sweetened drinks
- antioxidants galore – the key to limiting stress
- a good fish-oil supplement
- lots of essential fats, reckless amounts of vegetables, and clean protein
- time for fun – don’t take anything too seriously
– ethical behavior – because what goes around comes around
- taking responsibility for yourself and your life
– openness to new things and ideas

WOD 1/25/10

Happy Monday to the 3 people that read this lol. Maybe theres more... probably not. Either way... Let me tell you about how things are going since the last week of the month is upon us.

I can definitely feel and see a difference in me. My clothes are starting to fit a bit better and I can feel myself being able to push harder in the box. I havent really been stepping on any scales but thats ok. As far as how I feel today, my shoulders are KILLING me! They feel better then they did yesterday though.

Sometime very soon I think I'll be getting into a Bod Pod to measure my body composition. I've talked to a couple of people about this and there are some opposing views on whether or not this is necessary. I guess my measurements are not that important. Although, from the reading I have been doing it is important to know your measurements in order to create a precise diet. When I say diet I mean guidelines and measurements by which I structure my meals, not tricks and tactics for starving myself. If I decide to go through with this I might post the results, if they arent too scary lol.

For the most part everything has been fun and easy so far. I really enjoy my workouts and the time I've been spending educating myself on how to succeed on this mission of mine. However there are some challenges as the habits of my former self creep up on me. I used to be somewhat of a party girl and its nice to know the party misses me but its hard when the party tries to make me feel bad for not participating. I guess in time I'll find a way to balance it all out but for now I'm gonna stay FOCUSED.

So without furhter ado here is today's WOD!

WOD
“500 or Bust”
Starting with 500 reps, you must complete AMRAP of the following movements in 20 min. The goal is to have the least reps possible within the allotted time.
Box jumps
SDHP M75 W45
K2E
Squats
240 reps 35lbs

Since there has been some debate about whether or not I need to know my body composition I'd like to welcome anyones input in the comments.

WOD Source

WOD 1/23/10

Last night's WOD was super intense. I really have to hand it to the awesome coaches at I am Crossfit for really motivating me to finish under 28 minutes. Sometimes they yell but most of the time they tell you that you can do better then you ever thought if you just push yourself a little bit harder. Last night I didnt get through the first 4 rounds of bearcrawls without stopping but with the coaches on my ass on the 5th round I got through them without stopping. Thanks guys!!!

Disclaimer: Today's WOD will probably make me barf.

W.O.D
"Leslie"

400m Run
233 KB Swings
333 PullUps
233 Burpees
333 OHS Squats
400m Run

WOD Source

The Horrible Truth!!!

I've said it before, my friends hate it when I blow the whistle on their favorite restaurants/dishes. I know its annoying but personally I find it just as bad to withold nutritional information as much as it is to withold knowledge of roaches and rat droppings. Knowing what goes into your food is so important on every level. That being said, Fitness Spotlight has exposed some of the least suspicious dishes. Some of these weren't news to me but they definitely ruined my favorite Angel Food smoothie from Smoothie King. Needless to say, I guess I wont be punching anymore holes in my frequent customer card. Here are some of the highlights, if you can call them that.

"Smoothie King 20oz Angel Food Smoothie
Evocative imagery of angels…really, how bad can it be if it’s for angels?. Check out this genius marketing:

'Angels have to be light on their wings—those things are delicate. In that case, they’d have no problem feasting on this fantastic low-fat blend of banana and strawberries. It’s creamy, delicious and fit, well, for an angel.'

What I want to know is how they can run this in the “Trim Down” line when 85% of the calories are sugar? 354 calories, 75g sugar (84g carbs total), 0g fat. Just for comparison, 20oz of Coca-Cola only has 68g of sugar.
Better Bet: Don’t go here. All of their drinks are crap. I prefer solid food, but if you want a shake/smoothie, check out 5 Sweet Savory Primal Shakes from Mark’s Daily Apple."

Now PF Changs is something that I've warned people against since the day I bravely ventured into their nutritional facts page. Just so you have an of idea how traumatizing this was, I remember where I was, what we were doing and who I was with and this was over 2 years ago.

PF Chang’s Chicken Noodle Soup
It doesn’t get more wholesome than chicken noodle soup, does it? Well, except for the processed grains in the noodles. But really, in the grand scheme of things, how bad can a bowl of soup really be? 759 calories, 24g of fat, and 92g of carbohydrates. There’s a snooze waiting to happen. What’s funny is if you view the nutrition info, it seems pretty light at only 120 calories. Until you realize that a serving is 7oz and the bowl it comes in is 32oz. Nice sleight of hand there, Chang’s.

You can check out PF Chang's nutrition facts here if you dare!

Let me make it clear, I enjoy Chinese food and junk as much as the next person I just think that at this point in my life I need to be educated on making the right decisions for myself to succeed at the goals I have set forth for myself. In the past I'd be completely happy with a bottle of champagne, lo mein noodles and a pack of skittles but these days I guess I'll just narrow it down to the champagne alone and only on the weekends after eating clean for the whole week.

Source

WOD 1/22/10

What kind of dinosaur will I be???

WOD

“Drop it like it's hot”
5 Rds of

12 Back squat M65 W45
9 RR push press M65 W45
12 Renegades M35 W20
60 yd Bearcrawls
27:45 35lbs

If you're not sure what these excercises are, a quick youtube search will definitely enlighten you... it might even scare others.

WOD Source

Does your kitchen make you fat?

The Annual Reviews of Nutrition must think of EVERYTHING! They did some research and figured out that your kitchen may actually be making you fat. Incredible huh? Breifly here are their points:

- Bigger plates mean bigger servings Having smaller plates will reduce your portion size and thus reduce the size of your belly.

- Bright lights stress you into eating more. Dimming the lights while you are eating will cause you to eat slower and reduce your appetite.

- Dirty and cluttered kitchens beeline you to the bad stuff. This happens to me all the time. When theres junk all over the counter the last thing I want to do is clean everything up just to begin to prepare a good healthy meal.

- Wider glasses mean you'll drink more. I'm not sure how much I agree with this. Although I see their point I pretty much only drink water (or wine).

- Clear containers with junk food make you window shop. If you see the cookies in the jar you're going to want to eat them. You always want whats in the window.

- Your pantry could feed your entire neighborhood for a month after an apocalypse. If your pantry is full of stuff you're going to want to eat it. Simple.

- You hang out in your kitchen, ALL THE TIME! Get out of the damn kitchen!

For the complete article click here.

30 Second Rule Defined

In case your not sure... print this out and keep it with you at all times or just save it into your phone. Actually, just memorize it because by the time you find your appropriate conclusion it might be too late. lol

Source

Sweet sweet rest day!!!

No WOD today. Today is REST DAY! My muscles could really use it too. I'll update yesterday's post with last nights reps. :)

I might have to fire some of my friends...

... you know who you are!

So I guess my Mom was right, on one thing: "Dime con quien andas y te digo quien eres!" or for those who did not have a Cuban Mom it would be "Tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are". It turns out that research shows this to be scientifically true!

Studies conducted at the University of Georgia indicate that your decisions in self control are heavily influenced by the people you choose to hang out with (your friends) and even the people you do not choose to hang out with (your coworkers).

Here is one of their studies and its very interesting results:

"The best study, she said, and the most fun, involved 71 participants and two plates of food -- one stacked with carrot sticks, the other with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. The participants either watched someone exhibit self-control by eating the carrots and leaving the cookies, or vice versa. Later, the participants took self-control tests (not involving cookies and carrots). Those who had watched a person eat cookies did less well than those who had watched someone eat carrots."

Check out the full article here for more of their interesting studies supporting this conclusion.

Source

WOD 1/20/10

I've got a sore bum and a couple of broken nails. Do not fret though because emergency nail surgery is scheduled for tomorrows rest day. I feel myself really getting faster and stronger which is nice. I dont feel so heavy and tired while doing burpees which is awesome.:)

Since I'll be making small attainable goals I'd really like to do 1 pull-up! My first pullup since I was the middle school pull-up champ!

Last nights time was 19:36 at 85lbs. GRRRRRRR

WOD 1/20/10
“Dale“

3 Rds of

Sprint 50M
Pull-ups (as many as possible in 90 seconds): 19 19 15
Rest 60 seconds

Sprint 50M
Push-ups (as many as possible in 90 seconds): 40 35 35
Rest 60 seconds

Sprint 50M
Push Jerks M95 W65 (as many as possible in 90 seconds):45lb 8 9 9
Rest 60 seconds

WOD Source

The World is Good Again!!!!!

Live Broadcast by Ustream.TV

Shiba Inu puppies are BACK! YEYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!

This post is for my homies...

This post is for my homies... the ones who keep it real by drinking Coca-Cola.

Coke = Drinkable Battery Acid

Check out www.sugarstacks.com for pics of America's favorite snacks! Fatties!

WOD 1/19/10

Last night's WOD was fun! I finished in 14:10 which I was actually quite proud of. I was lifting 45lbs which was well under prescription but I'll keep getting stronger and closer to prescription every day! My friend decided to join I am Crossfit and although I wont see him every day, I'll get to harass him at least twice a week! Prescription for harassment is 5 times a week but we'll keep working toward that too. ;)

WOD
“Socorro”

10 Rds
5 Clean pulls M205 W135
7 Burpees
9 K2E

WOD Source

Seriously? SERIOUSLY!?!?

My friends always get mad at me when they suggest a restaurant and I tell them how much fat/carbs/salt are loaded in their dishes. Most restaurants wont give you nutrition facts and the ones that do... well lets say, I understand their apprehension.

Here is something I never saw coming... I knew movie theater popcorn was not the healthiest of snacks but HOLY CRAP is all I have to say on this revelation:

"A medium-sized popcorn and medium soda at the nation's largest movie chain pack the nutritional equivalent of three Quarter Pounders topped with 12 pats of butter, according to a report released today by the advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest."

Check out the complete article here and you can get detailed nutrition facts deemed to horrific for this blog.

Source

Keeping the lights on!

Today I found a great article that is totally relevant to MISSION 2010.

Its very easy to flip the switch and make a drastic change after the new year but what does it take to keep going strong to reach your goals? Here are some tips to help you out along the way. :)

Strategies to cement your success
To shake an unhealthy habit, follow these tips from
psychologist Carol Goldberg:

— Expect success. If you think you're going to fail, you will.
— Create a plan. Just as you'd need a roadmap to find a new destination, you'll need a plan to reach your end goal.
— Set small, realistic goals. Losing 50 pounds sounds overwhelming. Yet losing 10 pounds sounds doable. Peg your goals to a date so you have something to shoot for.
— Reward yourself. Whenever you meet a goal, give yourself a healthy treat like a new CD, book or sweater.
— Enlist support. Going it alone is never easy so find buddies who will motivate you. Most importantly, get rid of the enablers, those people who push you into having that second piece of pie or let you bum a cigarette off them.

Source

WOD 1/18/10

Happy MLKjr Day Everyone!!!!

Friday's WOD left me BROKEN! I finished around 27 minutes (sorry I forgot to check the clock before I collapsed onto the floor). My traps are soooo sore but its back to work today. Heres today's WOD. I'm pasting it here but I'm definitey not looking at it!

WOD

"Gio"

50 Split Squat Jumps
30 Push-ups
10 Thrusters

40 Split Squat Jumps
25 Push-ups
8 Thrusters

30 Split Squat Jumps
20 Push-ups
6 Thrusters

20 Split Squat Jumps
15 Push-ups
4 Thrusters

10 Split Squat Jumps
10 Push-ups
2 Thrusters

WOD Source

UPDATE: Time = 14:10

WOD 1/15/09

So I've recently become addicted to Crossfit [GRRRRRRRRR] and I LOVE it!!!!

The workouts are quick and intense and are always different. I never get bored.

The environment is awesome. Everyone is your coach and friend. It kind of reminds me of PE where everyone was having fun and there was friendly competition in the air. When you first get there everyone knows each other and you kind of feel left out but that feeling goes away almost immediately. Its amazing how friendly people are in a Crossfit box. Definitely unlike my previous stuffy gym where women beat each other over having a spot in the front to be next to celebrity dance fitness instructor.

If you'd like to learn more about the AWESOMENESS that is Crossfit you should visit Crossfit.com.

On my workout day's I'll be posting the WOD (workout of the day) I have to look forward to. I'll also try and post my times/reps whenever I actually keep track of it (sometimes its hard to count when you feel like your legs might break).

So here it is... today's WOD with a video!



WOD

“Run Jerk Run”

5 Rds

400M run

15 Clean and Press M135 W95

WOD Source

If Baby got Back, aint no Heart Attack!

Sir Mix-a-lot's preferred women can all breathe a sigh of belief today! A study conducted by The International Journal of Obesity suggests that those with more booty fat then tummy fat have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other conditions related to obesity!

So the same booty that might give an old man a heart attack might save the booty-holder's life!

Source

Eat after a workout... DUH

A study published by The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition studied the effects of protein and carbohydrates on post workout recovery.

Basically, the results show that an athlete who consumes protein and/or carbohydrates after a workout will recover a whole day faster (48hrs vs 72hrs) then those who do not.

Some of you might be thinking "well DUH" but to be honest I never considered an actual measure of how much some post-workout protein and veggies actually effect your recovery.

So next time you want to skip a meal after you run out of the gym think about that extra day of soreness.

Source

What is Mission 2010????

Hi all,

So this is the post where I tell you what this is all about so away we goooooooo....

I like to read - a lot! - I also like to talk share the information I find with others.

In 2010 I gave up a really bad/gross habit and I picked up Crossfit [GRRRRRRR].

I love to cook for myself and for others. Most of the time I create clean, healthy dishes... sometimes I dont. >:)

I LOVE WINE! Little known fact, I'm a certified Sommelier.

So ya, basically I'll be posting interesting info, my experiences with Crossfit [GRRRRRRRR] and yummy recipes. Any ideas and comments are totally welcome. I hope you enjoy it! :)