Day 26 on the Whole30 - DONE!

Each day on the Whole30 gets easier than the day before especially when I think about how much better I've been sleeping, feeling, eating and accomplishing.   

Anyhow, It's been awhile since I felt like I was waking-up to chase my dreams. Being on the Whole30 has reignited a motivational spark to dream (set goals) again. I know they won't happen overnight, but if I'm diligent, patient and do a little something everyday I know dreams do come true.

Today's Stats:

Water Consumption

120 ounces

Sleep

8 hours

Daily Meals

5:30am - Morning Beverage : Coconut Milk Latte

9am - Breakfast : Hard Boiled Eggs, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Olives, Avocado

1pm - Lunch : Chicken Salad Wraps

7pm - Dinner : Grilled Hanger Steak, Roasted Trumpet Mushrooms, Grilled Asparagus, Mixed Green

What dreams make you wake up in the morning...???

Day 25 on the Whole30 - DONE!

Do you ever have any thoughts that don't serve you? 

'I'm not good enough.'

'I'm so stupid.'

'I'm fat.'

'I look hideous.'

'I can't.'

'What if people don't like me?'

'What if I fail?'

The list can go on and on...

When the voice in my head, aka my chatty doll, floods my brain with negative thoughts I redirect my attention to my breathe. Breathing grounds me. For some reason I feel like I'm mentally and physically exhaling negativity and inhaling positivity. Whether it takes 3 or 30 deep breathes I feel like the new oxygen cleanses my mind and body bringing in thoughts that serve me, not destroy me.

'I'm good enough.'

'I'm smart.'

'I can.'

'I'm sexy.'

'I love myself.'

'Failing means I'm trying.'

'I'm strong.'

This list can go on and on too, but at least thoughts like these make me stronger...

Today's Stats

Water Consumption

95 ounces

Sleep

7 hours

Daily Meals

5:30am - Morning Beverage : Coconut Latte with MCT Oil

8am - Morning Beverage : Coconut Latte #2 

9am - Breakfast : 3 Hard-Boil Eggs, Avocado & Olives

12:30pm - Lunch : COBB Salad with Steak (instead chicken) & Pico de Gallo Salsa

6:30pm - Dinner : Pan Seared Split Chicken Breast, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and Sautéed Spinach

Next time you have thoughts that don't serve you...try breathing!!!

Day 24 of the Whole30 - DONE!

Everyday I get through a day on the Whole30 I realize I'm becoming more of the person I want to be... 

- I have more energy. 

- I'm stronger mentally & physically.

- I'm thinking clearer.

- I have more confidence.

- For the first time ever I have a healthy relationship with food.

- I'm not working out to burn calories, maintain or loose weight...Instead, I'm having fun & doing things outside my confront zone as I work-out... 

- I'm not fat-phobic.

- I'm really starting to love myself because I know I'm worth it.

I used to 'just get through the day', but now I'm growing & thriving everyday and it's because I'm drinking more water, getting more sleep, eating cleaner and CrossFiting!!! 

Today's Stats

Water Consumption

90 ounces

I need to drink more tomorrow

Sleep

6 1/2 hours

I need more sleep tonight

Daily Meals

5:30am - Morning Beverage : Coconut Milk Latte

8:30am Breakfast : Chicken & Egg Salad

10am - Snack : Nuts & Jerky

1pm - Lunch : Chicken & Egg Salad

6:30pm - Dinner : Pan Seared Chicken Thighs, Chopped Veggies on Top of a Mixed Greens and my 'almost confiscated cilantro/coconut milk/jalapeno pesto sauce

The question I'm going to ask myself every night is what am I going to do tomorrow to make myself better than who I was today...???

Day 23 on the Whole30 - DONE & Back from Austin...

So as soon as I checked into my hotel I ordered a refrigerator. It's actually a standard accommodation in most hotels nowadays. I stocked it with all my food and made sure the cooler wasn't too high so my food wouldn't freeze overnight like the last time.

I woke up at 7am and felt pretty good so I had a little frittata and few supplements and headed to CrossFit Central  to take the 7:45am class. 

1 Pull Clean & 1 Thruster, EMOM x 10, followed by a mini metcon. Afterwards, feeling good, I headed to Whole Foods to get coconut milk and an americano. I couldn't wait to get back to my room to make my coconut milk latte. Although a little tricky to figure out I finally opened the can opener with my traveling can opener.

I poured the coconut milk into the americano, turned on the frother and dipped it slowly in...NOTE: Turn the frother on after you've immersed the end into the coffee or it will spray everywhere!!! OOPSIES:-(

The frother worked OK, but my morning Pick-Me-Up was just not the same as the one I can make at home with my Nutri-Bullet:-( Either way, it was better than nothing.

After some computer work, I met my brokers at Whole Foods for a meeting and to my surprise their salad bar was labeled the way it should be labeled...the way they make us (as suppliers/vendors) label things. I voiced my concerns to them over a year ago and although nothing has changed yet in our region (Rocky Mountain) I've seen changes in the Southwest region (where global is located) which means there should be changes in other regions soon which makes me so very excited.

What changes am I talking? 

Well, many of the Whole Foods salad bars don't include the finer print. For example, the hard-boiled eggs...are they organic, free range, pastured raised, conventional? You might assume they are organic because it's Whole Foods, but I think they are probably conventional because it's not labeled. It's a marketing thing, right. Well, the question has finally been answered since they've decided to label it.

Cage-Free Organic eggs...Well, they aren't pastured raised, but who's really keeping track...Now, if they could only start using coconut oil instead of canola oil in some of their prepared foods, that would be amazing...I might not cook as much...???

After my meeting I went to my table top where I met all the SW GTL (Southwest Grocery Team Leads). These are the guys that make execution at their store happen which means better sales and team loyalty for our brand. In order to get their buy-in and create a buzz for them to bring back their store I had to give out tons of FREE SWAG (shirts, cooler gloves, stickers, buttons, free tea). 

After the show I headed to a few stores to check product then I went to the airport. And guess what? Yep, TSA wanted to confiscate my pesto sauce and chicken salad again. Well, my little white lie worked again. So if you are ever get in that situation (Christine) just tell them you have severe food allergies and you won't eat for days if they take your food away from you. 

Blogged on the plane ride back as I ate my 'almost confiscated two-time homemade chicken salad'...

Today's Stats

Water Consumption

125 ounces

Sleep 

7 1/2 hours

Daily Meals

7am : Breakfast - Frittata

9am : Coconut Milk Latte

12pm : Salmon Sashimi & Salad with Avocado, Pico de Gallo, Shredded Carrots & Squash

4pm : Snack - Homemade Jerky & Nuts

6pm : Snack - 2 Hard Boiled Eggs

8am : Dinner - Homemade Chicken Salad 

Day 22 on the Whole30 - Austin Bound...

So I'm heading out of town again on a business trip. This time to Austin for a Whole Foods meeting and regional table top show...

I planned and prepped all day Sunday to ensure I had another successful trip on the Whole03. I even went to Sur la Table and bought a can opener and frother for my Coconut Latte.

I brought my homemade beef jerky, raw/unsalted mixed nuts, figs, homemade chicken/egg/olive salad in a cilantro/coconut milk/jalapeno/lime pesto sauce (cabbage wraps), side of pesto sauce, lamb/veggie frittata and supplements...

I had over two hours to get to the airport, plenty of time, I thought... until I hit Route 36. It was a parking lot going eastbound. After traveling 1 mile in 20 minutes a cop car parted the double lanes and I realized I was going to miss my flight. A burst of anxiety rushed over me and for some reason I screamed at the top of my lungs while hitting the driving wheel. My dad used to do this all time when he was stuck in traffic (which was everyday to and from work  as he crossed the GW bridge between NJ & NYC - a 12 mile trip took him 2 hours on a good day). 

Anyhow, I've never reacted this way to traffic before, but for some reason that scream calmed my nerves and I began thinking straight again. I followed a few cars who jumped on a construction ramp to exit and made my way over to Table Mesa, bypassing the traffic. YEAH! I was out of that mess, but I still needed to get to the airport on time.

As I hit the toll road I also hit the pedal. I finally slowed down to 50 mph as I exited Pena Boulevard. NOTE: that spot is the biggest speed trap in Colorado...And sure enough, a cop was gunning cars down at the exact same place I got a speeding ticket about a year ago... 

By the time I got to the airport I was exhausted from all the adrenal racing through my body, but there was no time to spare, I had to rush to make my flight...

No lines at security, awesome! I walked through seamlessly until a TSA guy said he needed to check my bag. I pulled the liquid tea samples from my bags at my car since I knew I had no time to check my bag. 'What else could be in there?'... 

Well, it turns out that they considered my chicken salad and pesto sauce a liquid and they wanted to confiscate it. I wish I had my reaction on video...what a sight!!! There was NO WAY I was going to let them do that, so I quickly made-up a little white lie. I had to, you have no idea how much time and love I put into making that chicken salad and pesto sauce. 

"I have really bad food allergies. I'm lactose and gluten intolerant, among other things, so I have to travel with my food. If you take it I won't have anything to eat for a couple of days." 

Well, after a few minutes of him getting approval from his manager, he gave it back to me and I headed to my gate.

Note to self: don't make such a soupy sauce next time or maybe freeze it and also use it as a ice pack to chill my food.

After my Whole Foods meeting, I checked into my hotel exhausted, but I mustered up just energy and to go to CrossFit Central. I mean what else was I going to do, hit the hotel bar and order a burger and fries...

The WOD and the community was just what I needed to get me through that Happy Hour urge I was feeling. CrossFit Central is my go-to box when I'm in Austin. I would recommend it to anybody. 

For some reason, I was thinking about during the workout was where I was going to get a big, fat, juicy Texas steak. I hadn't really eaten all day. I think that adrenal rush left my stomach unsettled.

Anyhow, after CrossFit, I walked aimlessly downtown while yelping steakhouses. After about 20 minutes, I stumbled into Fleming's Steakhouse. I usually try and stay away from the chains, but it was close and I was hungry. 

I informed the waiter that I was allergic to gluten and dairy. He said no worries, he'll tell the cooks to use oil instead of butter. 'Great, I'll have the Bone-In NY Ribeye and grilled asparagus.' Ordering was easy and although I sat at the bar, I didn't even crave a glass of wine. All I was craving was a piece of meat.

After dinner I made my way back to the hotel, took a hot bath and blogged. I turned my lights out around 11pm with the 'intention' of going to CrossFit Central for the 7:45am class...

Today's Stats

Water Consumption

135 ounces

Sleep

  7 hours

Daily Meals

5:30am - Morning Beverage : Coconut Milk Latte with MCT oil

7am - Morning Beverage : Homemade Bone Broth

7:30am - Breakfast : Fritatta

4pm - Snack : Nuts & Beef Jerky

7pm - Dinner : Bone-In NY Ribeye & Grilled Asparagus

Day 21 of the Whole30 - DONE!!!

Dr. Garrett Neff, Owner & Founder of Truebility, is holding a mobility class this Saturday January, 31st 9am-10am at Boulder Crossfit...

This class will help you move better through life and in the gym...

This workshop is FREE to all members, you can even bring a friend if you like...

I was laying in yoga class on Sunday thinking about what new tips and tricks Dr. G will be bringing us...Don't miss this chance to get more mobile...

NOTE: Saturday 8am WOD will start at 7:45am & 9:30am WOD will start at 10:15am, gym will open at 7:30am...

I hope to see you all there!!!

Today's Stat's

Water Consumption

100 ounces

Sleep

8 hours

Daily Meals

9am : Morning Beverage - Coconut Milk Latter with MCT oil

11am : Breakfast - 3 Hard Boil Eggs, Avocado, Tomatoes and Olives

3pm - Snack : 2 Elk Meatballs

Dinner : Lamb Loins, Roasted Veggies (Broccoli, Asparagus & Sweet Potatoes)  

Day 20 of the Whole30 - DONE!

I know I'm way behind on blogging, but it's not because I cheated on the Whole30, it's just because I'm way behind:-(

I'm actually really proud of myself of the discipline I've had on the Whole30. To tell you the truth, by the end of the first week I wasn't even thinking about what I couldn't have on this so-called 'diet'...I was thinking about all the kinds of food I could have...It's a mental thing for me and stems from my eating disorder...I also hate 'diets' because they usually set people up to fail from the start due to the amount restrictions in what they eat. I was always around people dieting growing up and it just seemed absurd. Somehow being on a 'diet' always made you hungry, probably because it was low-fat, high-carb. All my mom's friends would loose 5 lbs and gain 10 lbs...then they'd lose 10 lbs and gain 15 lbs...How is that anyway to live...???

Anyhow, I don't consider the Whole30 a 'diet'. I consider it a sustainable lifestyle. Once I got past the first week I didn't really think about food throughout the day because I ate satiating meals that filled me up for hours and I became fat-adapted instead of sugar-burner. The only time I really think about food is when I'm planning and prepping my food for the week. Other than that, all the food is ready to go. I eat when I'm hungry and I don't worry about how much I'm eating. All I focus when I eat now is slowing down (actually chewing my food), being mindful (making sure I'm not distracted), and appreciating my life (family, friends, work, play, sleep and food). It's really amazing to see how my relationship towards food has changed and all it took was the willpower to eat real food for a few weeks...I'M SO PYCHED!!!

Today's Stats

Water Consumption

120 ounces

Sleep

8 1/2 hours

Daily Meals

7:30am - Morning Beverage : Coconut Milk Latte

10am - Morning Beverage : Bone Broth

12pm - Brunch : Leftover Frittata

3pm - Snack : Nuts, olives, veggies and my famous veggie dips

7pm - Mocktail : Seltzer water, blueberries and mint

8pm - Dinner : Spaghetti Squash, Homemade Marinara Sauce and Elk Meatballs

When was the last time you were on a diet...???

What kind of diet was it...???

Day 19 of the Whole30 - DONE!

Week #1 of my 2nd Ladies CrossFit Program at Boulder CrossFit is DONE and so is day 19 of the Whole30...

The ladies worked hard this week...21-15-9 of so many different movements...Just look how dirty our whiteboard got...

Look at them in action...pull-ups & sumo deadlift high-pull / over the shoulder slam balls & slam-ball step-up...

 Talk about a great start to a Friday!!!

Below are a few links to answers to some of your questions this week:

- Homemade Bone Broth Recipe

- Health Benefits of Bone Broth

- Mobility with Dr G : Opening Your Thoracic Spine

- Mobility with Dr. G : Front Rack Position

- WODs on the Road

- Instructional Video WOD on the Road

- MCT Oil

Looking forward to seeing you all kick some booty next week!

Today's Stats

Water Consumption

130 ounces

Sleep

 7 1/2 hours

Daily Meals

5:30am - Breakfast Beverage : My Coconut Latte with MCT oil

8:30am - Breakfast Beverage : Homemade Bone Broth 

10am - Breakfast : Hard Boiled Eggs, Avocado, Olives, Tomato

1pm - Lunch : Seared Ahi on Mixed Greens

3pm - Snack - Beef Jerky & Nuts

6pm - Light Dinner : Few Slices of Brisket and some frittata

8pm - Nighttime Beverage : Homemade Bone Broth (while watch Birdman, starring Michael Keaton)

9:30pm - Nighttime Snack : Few more slices of Brisket

My nighttime appetite has been a little off this week...I think it's because it's getting close to that time month...???

 Let me know if you have any other questions...???

Day 18 of the Whole30 - DONE!

Sone say that CrossFit is a cult... 

I can understand why some would say that, but for many it's a hobby and when you find people who do the same hobby you talk about it a lot.

For me, it's more than a hobby. CrossFit has changed how I look and treat myself. I used to take my body for granted and my mood was completely dependent on whether or not my pants fit and what the scale said. 

CrossFit & the primal/paleo community has showed me there is so much more to life because the weight on the scale is irrelevant to the weight I lift in the gym. And I'm here to make sure I help other ladies understand this concept.

I sometimes regret I wasted so much time trying to be skinny because I thought skinny was beautiful, but now I understand 'Strong it the New Skinny'. In other words, 'Strong is Beautiful'!!!

Look at all these strong, beautiful ladies (& Jeff).

Today's Stats

Water Consumption

90 ounce

I didn't workout today which might be the reason I didn't drink too much

Sleep

7 1/2 hours

Daily Meals

5:30am - Breakfast Beverage : Coconut Milk Latte with MTC oil

8:30am - Breakfast Beverage : Homemade Bone Broth

9:30am - Breakfast : Lamb, Sweet Potato, and Veggie Frittata

12:30pm - Lunch @ OAK : Salmon Salad with Olive Tapenade, Poached Egg, Avocado, Tomatoes

4pm - Snack : Homemade Beef Jerky

6pm - Snack: Handfull of Nuts

I don't feel hungry, so I've decided to skip dinner...

Do you think 'Strong is the New Skinny'...In other words, 'Strong is Beautiful...???

Day 17 of the Whole30 - DONE!

Sugar...the more you eat it, the more you want of it...

This morning Claudia asked me if fruit was allowed on the Whole30...I told her it was, but in small doses...Later, I wondered why she asked...Then it dawned on me that it was probably because I haven't really eaten much fruit since I've been on the Whole03, which means I haven't posted about it...

Personally, I'm much more of a salty/savory girl. I'd rather snack on jerky, nuts or veggies then something sweet...I find it more satiating. Plus, I find the more I eat sweet, the more I crave sweets. For example, I had a fig the other day and I found myself wanting another one so I ate another one...why not? They were organic, 'no-sugar added' figs. By the third fig I finally looked at the sugar content, 20 grams/serving (1/3 cup)...WOW, that's the a lot of sugar, but it was all-natural sugar, just like fruit, it can't be bad for me, right...Well, I beg to differ on a completely personal level...

I have a sugar demon lurking inside. Growing-up I used to eat so my sugar (aka candy). I'd actually have candy hidden under my bed. Although I was never diagnosed, I now know I had a sugar addiction.  

I'll eat some natural sugars on the Whole30, but to tell you the truth, I'm glad I'm not craving them because I'd rather silent my sugar demon by staying away from it. Fruit is like a 'gateway drug'. If I eat a little, I'll crave more and who knows I might wind up at Sweet Cow, right Gary!

Today's Stats

Water Consumption

135 ounces

Wow, I drank my body weight in ounces today!!!

Sleep

8 1/2 hours

I went to bed at 8:30pm...I'm going to try and get to bed by 9pm tonight!!!

Daily Meals

5:30am - Morning Beverage : Coconut Milk Latte with MTC oil

8:30am - Morning Beverage : Homemade Bone Broth

9:30am - Morning Snack : Handful of nuts

10:30am - Breakfast : 2 Hard Boiled Eggs

11:30am - 1st Lunch : Salad with Seared Tuna, Roasted Veggies on Mixed Greens

2:30pm - 2nd Lunch : Early Lunch : Salad with Seared Tuna, Roasted Veggies on Mixed Greens

  

  

5:30pm - Snack : Handful of Jerky & Nuts

8pm - Light Dinner : A Few Slices of Smoked Brisket (I wasn't that hungry)

  

Do you have a sugar demon lurking inside? 

Next time you eat something with sugar, do you crave more...???

Day 16 of the Whole30 - DONE!

Are you FAT-PHOBIC? 

I used to be be FAT-PHOBIC. I used to think that if I ate fat it would make me fat. So instead of eating nutrient-dense food, I ate low-fat foods lacking in nutrients. Like many of us, I was duped into eating a ton of carbs (bagel, pretzels, rice, pasta, cereal, candy, tortillas, etc)...Looking back at what I used to eat I can't believe I functioned like I did...For over 15 years I'd wake up at 5ish, teach 1-2 fitness classes a day, work a full-time job, go out with friends or work at night, go to bed around midnight and did it all over again the next day...How did I function on the fuel I fed my body...???

Well, it turns out all the carbs I ate turned into sugar which gave me the energy I needed to get through the day. You see, if there is an overabundance of sugar, the sugar takes precedence over fat as a source of energy in many metabolic processes, and stored fat doesn’t get burned for energy, instead it stays stored on your body, which makes you fat (even if it's a skinny fat). 

Bottom Line

Sugar Burner = Energy roller coaster; “needing” to eat every two hours; cranky when you’re hungry; regular cravings for sweets or caffeine; dysfunctional hormonal response to food.

The Whole30 took me out of sugar-burner mode, and transitions me into being fat adapted—efficiently able to utilize fat as energy. This means my body is utilizing fat as fuel more readily, helping me avoid between-meal cravings, energy slumps, and brain fog. Being fat-adapted will help me get rid of stored fat (like my love handles and the extra tire I have around my waistline) —something that can't been done when running on nothing but sugar (aka carbs).

Fat Adapted = Even energy all throughout the day; no need to eat between meals; stuck without food — no crankiness or raging hunger; reduced cravings for sweets or caffeine; improved body composition and hormonal response to food.

Yeah, that sounds better to me, too, but in order for me to truly be fat-adapted I need to overcome my fat phobia and embrace all the good fatty foods. They are nutrient-dense and will satiate for hours. Being on the Whole30 has helped me overcome my fear of fat and it can do the same for you if you have this issue. 

Today's Stats

Water Consumption

135 ounces

Sleep

7 hours

(I was dragging ass all day because I didn't get more sleep...I can't wait to go to bed so I can wake up with more energy tomorrow)

Daily Meals

5:30am - Breakfast Beverage : (Full Fat) Coconut Milk Latte with MTC Oil 

8am - Breakfast Beverage : Homemade Bone Broth

10am : A few pieces of seared ahi tuna

12pm : Handful Homemade Beef Jerky & Mixed Nuts

2pm - Lunch : Bowl of Shepard's Pie

5pm - Snack : Handful of Nuts

7pm - Dinner : Smoke Brisket with my (Full-Fat)

Coconut Milk, Cilantro, Jalapeño, Vinegar, Avocado Oil & Fig 

sauce, roasted squash & tomatoes on a bed of mixed greens

 

Are you FAT-PHOBIC?

Are you a SUGAR-BURNER?

If so, would like to change?

Day 15 of the Whole30 - Halfway There!!!

To tell you the truth I didn't think I would make it to the halfway point. I thought I would've caved-in on my birthday and ordered up a couple coin style margaritas or slightly dirt martinis. Or would've cheated while I was out of town. 

The question is...what's keeping me going...??? 

I mean I didn't think I need to make any drastic changes to my diet, I just wanted to detox after the holidays. I don't eat that bad, but I didn't eat that clean either. I remember saying to many, 'I workout a lot so I can eat whatever I want'. What a crock of shit! Now that I'm eating clean and not drinking I'm beginning to understand the real reasons I decided to do the Whole30 wholeheartedly. But in order to mentally and physically understand the reasons I had to actually experience them which doesn't really occur until halfway time (TODAY, DAY 15). 

Top reasons I'm going to keep in keeping on...

1. I'm sleeping better...I'm talking about quality sleep, not waking up throughout the night...This morning, for example, I woke up at 4:45am and jump out of bed to teach the first day of my 2nd Ladies CrossFit program...

2. My cloths fit better (aka I feel sexier)...I feel the little extra tire around my belly disappearing...

3. My mind works better, I'm more focused and clearer...I heard of brain fog, but I didn't know I had it until I lost it...

4. My energy is through the roof...I'm feeling stronger and fitter than ever...

5. My mood is more positive than it's been in a very long time...I'm smiling from the inside out:-)

6. My skin is brighter...A few people even said I was glowing...

7. I am more mindful and grateful when I eat...

8. Last, but not least...I'm more confident...Bring It On!!!

Today's Stats

Water Consumption

120 ounces

Sleep

8 hours

Daily Meals

5:30am - Breakfast Beverage : My Morning Coconut Latte with MTC oil

9am - Snack : Handful of Nuts & Jerky

10am - Breakfast : Leftover Frittata

1pm - Lunch : Seared Ahi Tuna Salad (one of my favorite right now)

5pm - Snack : Handful of Nuts

6pm - Beverage Snack : Homemade Bone Broth

8am - Dinner : Leftovers on a Bed of Greens 
(Shepard's Pie, Lamb Loins, roasted sweet potatoes & cauliflower)

Have you done the Whole30? 

If so, do you have any reasons why you did it...inquiring minds wanna know...???
If you haven't done the Whole30, are you intrigued based on any of my reasons above...???