The guy over the cubicle wall from me just popped a bag of popcorn and was sitting there munching on it and withing seconds my nose was taking in the delicious aroma. I told him I hated him and then threatened to punch him in the throat and steal his popcorn. His windpipe remained intact and I didn't have any of his popcorn, but wow that smell makes it really tempting. The smell alone makes you want it. Now I had just eaten lunch and I wasn't hungry, so I said no when my gracious colleague offered me some even after I had threatened him with my wrath. Not that he was really concerned as my wrath is about as non-threatening as it gets. But it made me think about how many eating cues we respond to and how to deal with the temptation of eating when you aren't even hungry.
Allow me to begin by saying, you don't gain a substantial amount of weight unless you eat more than you should and exercise less then you should. You gain lots and lots of weight by using food to deal with pretty much everything in your life. But how do you stop turning to food and turn off that switch? It's powerful once you've made that connection in your brain, and it's hard to undo, but it is possible. Try a few of these ideas on and see if it helps.
H.A.L.T. Before You Eat. Ask yourself, am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired? Unless your honest answer is hungry, put the food down. That is the beginning. Then comes the task of determining what you are going to do with the emotional energy that needs an outlet.
*Go for a walk, or choose a physical activity of some kind. Bike, swim, WOD, just do it and wait for the sweet rush of endorphins to help turn your mood around.
*Write down what you are feeling in a journal. This can be very cathartic.
*Get some chores done. I clean whenever I have angry energy that needs undoing. (I should get angry more often)
*Cry it out. Sometimes you just need to wrap yourself up in that bad mood and allow yourself to feel whatever emotion it is your are feeling. Deal with it by letting it all go. Cry it out. Watch a sad movie if you need a little motivation.
*Count your blessings. Sometimes our attitude needs a little adjustment, and taking the time to be grateful and express that gratitude reinforces the positive in our lives.
*Share your happiness! Even positive stress can cause someone to turn to food. Do not reward yourself with food. You are not a dog! Share your happiness with a friend, and celebrate with a non-food reward.
*Ignore it. Choose to distract your desire to eat with a book, a hobby, or maybe get some much needed sleep.
WOD
400 meter row
15 Goblet Squats, 15 push ups (two rounds)
Back Squat, five sets of 2 reps each rep getting heavier trying to max out by the 5th set. 5 set at 125#! I don't remember the last 1 rep max I had, but that was close. Followed by a set of 10 at 85#.
Cash out:
300 meter row, 21 box step ups 3 rounds for time. Finished in 12:05.
Today was insane, especially after last night's burpee festivities. My legs are fried and I've been walking funny all day. Nothing like sore glutes, hammies, and pretty much every large muscle group in my body. So sore! So awesome!
Nutrition:
Breakfast: 6.5oz boneless skinless chicken breast, coffee with H&H and Splenda.
Snack: 2 sticks of string cheese, 1oz almonds
Lunch: 7oz. Dijon chicken, 1 cup steamed broccoli.
Snack: Premier Nutrition Chocolate Shake.
Dinner: 12oz sauteed shrimp, 1 cup steamed broccoli, 2 tbs butter. 1 piece of saltwater taffy for dessert.
The list above is obviously far from exhaustive. Please feel free to leave me any ideas you have or use, as this is still a moving target for me. I still use chocolate medicinally once a month, and there are times that a handful of something makes it into my mouth before I stop and evaluate what is going on in my heart and body. Hope you are all having a spectacular week so far!
xo,
Kendra
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Making it Real (updated)
I am a list maker. There is always an abandoned list at the bottom of my purse from my last shopping trip. Without it, I'd forget something. This leaves me a little up the creek when I forget to put something on my list, like contact lens solution ,which I have needed to purchase for days now. Life is too distracting and busy for me to remember every detail that needs to take place. So why is it that when we are trying to lose weight we are resistant to writing things down?
The honest answer: Writing it down makes it real.
I've been writing down my nutrition for you in the blog every time I post. Writing down what I am going to eat is a tremendous amount of accountability. It stopped me dead in my tracks yesterday morning! I split up that steak like I said. Seeing what I am committing to eat on the screen makes it real. Super real. I don't like to make changes to it once I've written it down. And now I am including portion sizes because I want to make greater strides in weight loss and I am looking to tighten up any aspects of my nutrition where I may have become a little lenient. Lenient is easy to do on days I don't blog. So here are some of the weapons in my weight-loss arsenal, I hope they are a help to you as well!
*There's an app for that! Use your smart phone to shop apps and find one that helps you track your health goals. I am currently using My Fitness Pal because it's free and I can use it from my computer, phone or iPad. But I've heard of a bunch of apps out there that are tailored to your specific goals. Start searching and find one you like.
*No smart phone? No problem! Back in the day, I learned how to use these low tech gadgets called pens and notebooks. Get yourself a little notebook to carry, or some 3x5 index cards, something you can use to write down what you've eaten.
*Set some goals! Use the SMART method to develop a plan. Make sure they are: Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. For the R some say Results, others say Relevant, for weight loss and healthy living I think that setting a realistic goal would be far more applicable.
*Once you've made some goals, share them with someone who will be supportive and encouraging. I'm sharing this with you all, and I love that it holds my feet to the fire.
WOD
20 minute AMRAP (as many reps as possible)
Burpees. That is all. This is self inflicted punishment. I hate burpees, and I am terrible at them to top it all off. I want to get better, and you don't get better unless you work on it. Doing it tonight after work and before dinner. I'll report my reps later.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: 3.75oz lean ham, 3 eggs, coffee with H&H and Splenda
Lunch: 6oz Dijon chicken with 2 cups steamed broccoli, 1 string cheese stick.
Snack: 1oz almonds, 1 string cheese stick.
Dinner: 8oz basil chicken sausage from Sprouts, caprese salad 1 large tomato and 3oz cheese per serving. And fresh basil, it has to be fresh basil.
It's been my experience in weight loss programs in the past that I am most successful when I honestly write a food journal. Don't believe me? Try writing down what you eat in a day and it will surprise you. It is an eye opening experience.
xo,
Kendra
Update: 60 burpees in 20 minutes, not too shabby. It's the jumping up from the pushup that takes me the longest. And now I'm a hot mess.
The honest answer: Writing it down makes it real.
I've been writing down my nutrition for you in the blog every time I post. Writing down what I am going to eat is a tremendous amount of accountability. It stopped me dead in my tracks yesterday morning! I split up that steak like I said. Seeing what I am committing to eat on the screen makes it real. Super real. I don't like to make changes to it once I've written it down. And now I am including portion sizes because I want to make greater strides in weight loss and I am looking to tighten up any aspects of my nutrition where I may have become a little lenient. Lenient is easy to do on days I don't blog. So here are some of the weapons in my weight-loss arsenal, I hope they are a help to you as well!
*There's an app for that! Use your smart phone to shop apps and find one that helps you track your health goals. I am currently using My Fitness Pal because it's free and I can use it from my computer, phone or iPad. But I've heard of a bunch of apps out there that are tailored to your specific goals. Start searching and find one you like.
*No smart phone? No problem! Back in the day, I learned how to use these low tech gadgets called pens and notebooks. Get yourself a little notebook to carry, or some 3x5 index cards, something you can use to write down what you've eaten.
*Set some goals! Use the SMART method to develop a plan. Make sure they are: Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. For the R some say Results, others say Relevant, for weight loss and healthy living I think that setting a realistic goal would be far more applicable.
*Once you've made some goals, share them with someone who will be supportive and encouraging. I'm sharing this with you all, and I love that it holds my feet to the fire.
WOD
20 minute AMRAP (as many reps as possible)
Burpees. That is all. This is self inflicted punishment. I hate burpees, and I am terrible at them to top it all off. I want to get better, and you don't get better unless you work on it. Doing it tonight after work and before dinner. I'll report my reps later.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: 3.75oz lean ham, 3 eggs, coffee with H&H and Splenda
Lunch: 6oz Dijon chicken with 2 cups steamed broccoli, 1 string cheese stick.
Snack: 1oz almonds, 1 string cheese stick.
Dinner: 8oz basil chicken sausage from Sprouts, caprese salad 1 large tomato and 3oz cheese per serving. And fresh basil, it has to be fresh basil.
It's been my experience in weight loss programs in the past that I am most successful when I honestly write a food journal. Don't believe me? Try writing down what you eat in a day and it will surprise you. It is an eye opening experience.
xo,
Kendra
Update: 60 burpees in 20 minutes, not too shabby. It's the jumping up from the pushup that takes me the longest. And now I'm a hot mess.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Starting off on the Right Foot
So last night I posted about portion control and dividing things up, and it made me so mindful today of portion control. So this morning when I was packing my lunch and making breakfast, I split up a steak and had half for breakfast and half for lunch. I love that the accountability is changing my mind and my behavior is shifting with it! Crossfit this morning made me super hungry and since I was already cutting up steak for my lunch salad, I kept cutting and had some for breakfast. Worked out really well because I am usually crunched for time on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Perfect! I do need to get better about making lunches at night though. Always room for growth.
Had a wonderful WOD this morning. I've realized that starting a week with a strong workout on Monday morning sets me up for more successful week for getting all my workouts in. And once I do workout, I am more concious and deliberate about my eating choices. I find that this first decision on a Monday morning starts me off on the right foot. It makes me stop and think about what I am going to eat. It motivates me to make sure that I am prepared with meals. Mentally, it sets me up for success. It builds excitement about the process. And I feel strong, empowered, and mighty! I don't know about you all, but once I've reached feeling mighty, I know I can do this! And I may walk around with my sassy pants on for the rest of the day.
Now, sassy pants firmly in place, I realize that they have an expiration date, each night at midnight, and I have to start all over again the next day. So let's lay the groundwork the night before. Pull out the workout clothes, and shoes, and socks, find your water bottle and have a plan. Pack your lunch the night before. Make an extra chicken breast or four and have them ready to grab at a moments notice when you are in-between making a good choice, or a not so great one. Try planning out all your meals. At this point I know what meals we will be having this week, at least most of them. The best defense is a good offense, and planning like this allows you to be on the offensive and not allow the week to just happen and catch you unawares.
WOD Split Snatch @55# 8 reps
10 ring rows
10 push ups
400 meter row
3rounds for time, finished in 18:52!!! Such a huge sense of accomplishment! Love that feeling!
Nutrition
Breakfast: 5.5oz steak, coffee with H&H and Splenda.
Snack: 1oz almonds, 1 stick of string cheese.
Lunch: 5 oz steak, 2 cups organic baby spinach, 2 TBS ranch dressing, 1 TBS Sriracha hot sauce.
Snack: same as before
Dinner: Dijon mustard chicken, 1 cup broccoli, 1TBS butter.
o Success in anything really isn't about luck, or who wished hardest, but it relies heavily on preparation for the task at hand. You can do this, and so can I! Now put your sassy pants on and get to it! As always any tips or recommendations you may have are always welcome in the comments!
xo
Kendra
Had a wonderful WOD this morning. I've realized that starting a week with a strong workout on Monday morning sets me up for more successful week for getting all my workouts in. And once I do workout, I am more concious and deliberate about my eating choices. I find that this first decision on a Monday morning starts me off on the right foot. It makes me stop and think about what I am going to eat. It motivates me to make sure that I am prepared with meals. Mentally, it sets me up for success. It builds excitement about the process. And I feel strong, empowered, and mighty! I don't know about you all, but once I've reached feeling mighty, I know I can do this! And I may walk around with my sassy pants on for the rest of the day.
Now, sassy pants firmly in place, I realize that they have an expiration date, each night at midnight, and I have to start all over again the next day. So let's lay the groundwork the night before. Pull out the workout clothes, and shoes, and socks, find your water bottle and have a plan. Pack your lunch the night before. Make an extra chicken breast or four and have them ready to grab at a moments notice when you are in-between making a good choice, or a not so great one. Try planning out all your meals. At this point I know what meals we will be having this week, at least most of them. The best defense is a good offense, and planning like this allows you to be on the offensive and not allow the week to just happen and catch you unawares.
WOD Split Snatch @55# 8 reps
10 ring rows
10 push ups
400 meter row
3rounds for time, finished in 18:52!!! Such a huge sense of accomplishment! Love that feeling!
Nutrition
Breakfast: 5.5oz steak, coffee with H&H and Splenda.
Snack: 1oz almonds, 1 stick of string cheese.
Lunch: 5 oz steak, 2 cups organic baby spinach, 2 TBS ranch dressing, 1 TBS Sriracha hot sauce.
Snack: same as before
Dinner: Dijon mustard chicken, 1 cup broccoli, 1TBS butter.
o Success in anything really isn't about luck, or who wished hardest, but it relies heavily on preparation for the task at hand. You can do this, and so can I! Now put your sassy pants on and get to it! As always any tips or recommendations you may have are always welcome in the comments!
xo
Kendra
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Divide and Conquer
I'm a Costco girl. Not a little, a lot. I love Costco, I've always loved it since I was a little kid and it was still called Price Club. Dedicated love for my favorite warehouse store. I love that I get bang for my grocery buck, and I can get deals on just about anything. Also, the people watching there is absolutely astounding it's so good. The only place better is an airport. Yesterday I watched a little girl of about 5 dislodge a giant teddy bear (about 5' tall) and drag it over to her parent's cart. Hilarious. Her mom didn't think so, so I apologized for laughing. It was so darn cute! I also watched one man purchase 12, 5lb cans of green beans and nothing else. So many questions that you don't dare ask a stranger. That's a lot of green bean casserole for one. On the upside, he's ready for Thanksgiving in July. But that brings me to one of the pitfalls that strike me often as I fight the good fight against over eating and weight loss. Portion control.
There are certain things that I buy there very often. Boneless skinless chicken breasts, organic baby spinach, roasted turkey breast, organic eggs, organic broccoli, organic butter (seeing a trend here?), nuts, etc., and in order to make it work I have to divide and conquer. Literally. Yesterday I purchased string cheese and almonds for snacks because I am little burned out on the protein shakes. I can tell I'm burning out on a snack when I bring them to work and prefer to go hungry and let them sit on my desk. There are three of them on my desk as of Friday. So when I went to Costco, I picked up some dry roasted almonds in a 2.5 lbs container. It may surprise you to find out that that 2.5lbs is approximately 40 servings! That's crazy! But one serving of almonds is one ounce and that goes by quicker than you'd imagine if all you do is sit down with an open container. So I sat down with the open container, a digital kitchen scale, and a box of snack size storage bags. Took me about fifteen minutes or so and I got them all divided up, and now they are ready to pack into lunch boxes as a healthy snack alternative.
The divide and conquer is something that I learned a few years back from Weight Watchers. They preach portion control, and it's so very true. So many people, me included, do not know what would be an appropriate portion of food anymore, particularly with the way food is being pushed and peddled by restaurant, fast food chains, and food manufacturers. Since I learned that technique, I have been dividing up food as soon as I am able to when I get home from shopping. Today I cooked about 4 pounds of broccoli, and then put 1cup servings into individual storage bags, and them popped them into the freezer. Now they are ready to pull out and microwave for dinner or lunches! Boom! done! All you really need is a digital kitchen scale. I am not partial to any particular brand, I've had a Chefmate scale for years that I picked up at Target. You can pay anywhere from $10 to $50 easily, but somewhere in the middle will probably be fine. I think mine may have been in the $25-$40. It's been so long I honestly don't remember. My bias is against dial scales, I like the precision of digital. I also own an extraordinary amount of storage bags and Rubbermaid BPU free containers. Also purchased at Costco. And no, they don't pay me. Not yet...
WOD
Rest day
Nutrition
Breakfast: One coconut pancake, whipped heavy cream (with Splenda) and strawberries, 2 slices lean ham, coffee with H&H and Splenda
Lunch: Steak, 1 cup broccoli, 1/2 cup steamed yam. butter.
Dinner: I am just going to have a light snack, maybe some of the almonds or cheese. It's a little late now though.
It takes a little bit of time to put things into individual servings, but I find it's most cost effective and healthy if I do it myself instead of buying prepacked foods. This may be helpful for moms as the school year is about to begin for many in the next few weeks here in Arizona. If you are ever in need to check your portions while you're away from your kitchen you can always use these basic rules to eyeball your portions:
1 cup is about the size of your fist
1, 3-4 oz serving of protein is about the size of your palm or a deck of cards
1/2 cup is about the size of a computer mouse. (not the gigantic ergonomic ones, c'mon now.)
1 tablespoon is about the size of your first joint on your thumb. Unless your hands are tiny or huge.
Hope this is helpful for you all, and I look forward to hearing any of your ideas on this. Also looking forward to more consistent writing this week! So happy about that!
xo,
Kendra
There are certain things that I buy there very often. Boneless skinless chicken breasts, organic baby spinach, roasted turkey breast, organic eggs, organic broccoli, organic butter (seeing a trend here?), nuts, etc., and in order to make it work I have to divide and conquer. Literally. Yesterday I purchased string cheese and almonds for snacks because I am little burned out on the protein shakes. I can tell I'm burning out on a snack when I bring them to work and prefer to go hungry and let them sit on my desk. There are three of them on my desk as of Friday. So when I went to Costco, I picked up some dry roasted almonds in a 2.5 lbs container. It may surprise you to find out that that 2.5lbs is approximately 40 servings! That's crazy! But one serving of almonds is one ounce and that goes by quicker than you'd imagine if all you do is sit down with an open container. So I sat down with the open container, a digital kitchen scale, and a box of snack size storage bags. Took me about fifteen minutes or so and I got them all divided up, and now they are ready to pack into lunch boxes as a healthy snack alternative.
The divide and conquer is something that I learned a few years back from Weight Watchers. They preach portion control, and it's so very true. So many people, me included, do not know what would be an appropriate portion of food anymore, particularly with the way food is being pushed and peddled by restaurant, fast food chains, and food manufacturers. Since I learned that technique, I have been dividing up food as soon as I am able to when I get home from shopping. Today I cooked about 4 pounds of broccoli, and then put 1cup servings into individual storage bags, and them popped them into the freezer. Now they are ready to pull out and microwave for dinner or lunches! Boom! done! All you really need is a digital kitchen scale. I am not partial to any particular brand, I've had a Chefmate scale for years that I picked up at Target. You can pay anywhere from $10 to $50 easily, but somewhere in the middle will probably be fine. I think mine may have been in the $25-$40. It's been so long I honestly don't remember. My bias is against dial scales, I like the precision of digital. I also own an extraordinary amount of storage bags and Rubbermaid BPU free containers. Also purchased at Costco. And no, they don't pay me. Not yet...
WOD
Rest day
Nutrition
Breakfast: One coconut pancake, whipped heavy cream (with Splenda) and strawberries, 2 slices lean ham, coffee with H&H and Splenda
Lunch: Steak, 1 cup broccoli, 1/2 cup steamed yam. butter.
Dinner: I am just going to have a light snack, maybe some of the almonds or cheese. It's a little late now though.
It takes a little bit of time to put things into individual servings, but I find it's most cost effective and healthy if I do it myself instead of buying prepacked foods. This may be helpful for moms as the school year is about to begin for many in the next few weeks here in Arizona. If you are ever in need to check your portions while you're away from your kitchen you can always use these basic rules to eyeball your portions:
1 cup is about the size of your fist
1, 3-4 oz serving of protein is about the size of your palm or a deck of cards
1/2 cup is about the size of a computer mouse. (not the gigantic ergonomic ones, c'mon now.)
1 tablespoon is about the size of your first joint on your thumb. Unless your hands are tiny or huge.
Hope this is helpful for you all, and I look forward to hearing any of your ideas on this. Also looking forward to more consistent writing this week! So happy about that!
xo,
Kendra
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Self Control and a Spiritual Connection
I've been pondering the concept of self control lately. I think that there is a common misconception about people who struggle with weight, that there must be a complete lack of self control. I've wondered it about myself in the back of my mind after I've made bad choices. Is there something lacking? Is there a way to tap into self-control that I am missing? How do I make the connection? I honestly think that the answer becomes a spiritual one. A deeply rooted connection of understanding that your life was meant to be filled with the fruit of someone greater than you.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23
When I examine this verse a couple of things strike me right away. It reminds me that as a child of God, I have been sealed by the Spirit and I bear fruit. Singular fruit. As if all those character traits were all part of one amazing piece of Spirit filled fruit. I'm not going to get into a breakdown of the original Greek and get all Bible school geek on you all. But it seems to tell me that if my character is showing an example of one of those character traits, then the Spirit is more than able to do the work to produce the ones I don't think I posses. And perhaps I don't posses self-control in spades by nature, but this verse is telling me that it's not MY nature, but the nature of the Spirit of God at work in me that matters most.
WOD
Rest day today, I had an orthodontist appointment early this morning. I will do a Thursday WOD instead.
Nutrition
Breakfast: I stopped for breakfast on my way to work, got some chicken nuggets at Chik-fil-a and a Coke Zero. This is amazing to me because the soda did not taste as great to me. I did eat some of the potatoes that came with the meal, and then I stopped because I realized I was eating them out of old habit not hunger.
Lunch: Red Thai curried beef, with a small amount of sweet potato chunks. I had put broccoli in there, but found myself unable to chew it.
Dinner: Soup. My teeth are killing me.
Making the spiritual connection is something that I miss out on when I am trying to muscle through the process on my own strength. But as I look to the true source of my strength, the process becomes so much less about my strength and so much more about His glory. Glad to finally be back. What's been going on with you all?
xo,
Kendra
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23
When I examine this verse a couple of things strike me right away. It reminds me that as a child of God, I have been sealed by the Spirit and I bear fruit. Singular fruit. As if all those character traits were all part of one amazing piece of Spirit filled fruit. I'm not going to get into a breakdown of the original Greek and get all Bible school geek on you all. But it seems to tell me that if my character is showing an example of one of those character traits, then the Spirit is more than able to do the work to produce the ones I don't think I posses. And perhaps I don't posses self-control in spades by nature, but this verse is telling me that it's not MY nature, but the nature of the Spirit of God at work in me that matters most.
WOD
Rest day today, I had an orthodontist appointment early this morning. I will do a Thursday WOD instead.
Nutrition
Breakfast: I stopped for breakfast on my way to work, got some chicken nuggets at Chik-fil-a and a Coke Zero. This is amazing to me because the soda did not taste as great to me. I did eat some of the potatoes that came with the meal, and then I stopped because I realized I was eating them out of old habit not hunger.
Lunch: Red Thai curried beef, with a small amount of sweet potato chunks. I had put broccoli in there, but found myself unable to chew it.
Dinner: Soup. My teeth are killing me.
Making the spiritual connection is something that I miss out on when I am trying to muscle through the process on my own strength. But as I look to the true source of my strength, the process becomes so much less about my strength and so much more about His glory. Glad to finally be back. What's been going on with you all?
xo,
Kendra
Monday, July 9, 2012
Crazy Idea Ahead...
I've had three cups of coffee this morning. It was not a pleasant night to try to sleep as it was hot and muggy, and it was way early when my alarm clock started screaming at me to get up for CrossFit this morning. Fortunately I had prepped my stuff the night before and laid out workout clothes as well as work clothes, so I was prepared for when my morning felt like I was swimming through mud. Glad I was there for the WOD. Loved it. Love every minute of exquisite torment that is a WOD.
This last week we had a meeting with a lovely friend of mine, Emily. She is a realtor and we are officially beginning our house hunt this coming Saturday. Yay! We are looking for a house that is hopefully not too far from work. Honestly, my greater concern is that I'm not too far from CrossFit Chaparral! A girl has to have priorities! It's an exciting process, and I've never gone through it before, so we'll see how it all goes.
I had a conversation with a friend the other day, and something dawned on me. Not everyone has a whole lot of experience cooking. Now I get that this is a somewhat stupid realization. However, since I have grown up learning to cook, and liking to experiement and create new recipes, I forget that for some it's kind of torture. So here is the thing, cooking doesn't get better if you don't work at it. It won't. You have to try. But you don't have to wander into a store without help or guidance. You don't have to do it alone. I bring to you idea acquire a cookbook. Now I listed one of my faves previously, "Everyday Paleo," by Sara Fragoso. But if you just wander your happy self over to Amazon and type in the search cookbooks you will be met with over 97,000 options. Now refine your search and look for healthy cookbooks, You drop off about 92,000 of them, but you still have about 5,000 or so to choose from. At this point in my journey, I will search for Paleo Cookbooks only, but that's because I feel so much better now and I just don't feel that grains are worth it. Now pick one, or two. And that's a great starting point. It's a launching pad for you to start with some structure while you learn how to cook. But this may not be quite enough, so here is the crazy pants idea I had today. Ready?
I will do a cooking demonstration and class in my house on Saturday August 11th. We currently have a smaller condo so I can take the first six people who sign up via the comments on today's post. We'll go over bulk cooking, shopping lists, and some recipes. So if you are interested, let me know!
WOD
"Jackie" 1000 meters row, 50 thrusters @35#, 30 ring rows subbed in place of pull ups. Almost rx'd! Finished in 15:25, and prior to that I got to a 105#back squat. I'm finding that heavy weight front squat hurts my wrists which I've had surgery on both. All the squats and thrusters though have blown up my hammies and I'm probably going to be in a world of hurt tomorrow,best kind of pain ever!
Nutrition
Breakfast:Chorizo and eggs, with half a coconut pancake. 3 large cups of coffee. I'm not proud of myself.
Lunch: 4oz chicken breast, 1.5 cups of steamed veggies with a drizzle of olive oil, Mineral water.
Snack: protein shake, chocolate flavor today.
Dinner: turkey burgers with cheese, no bun, lettuce tomato, pickles, and steamed veggies.
It's kind of a crazy idea, but my hubby is on board for my first ever healthy living cooking class! And I am super duper excited! Hope some peeps want in...hope everyone had a wonderful Monday. After all my caffeine this morning, I'm about ready for bed now. I'll catch you all tomorrow!
xo,
Kendra
This last week we had a meeting with a lovely friend of mine, Emily. She is a realtor and we are officially beginning our house hunt this coming Saturday. Yay! We are looking for a house that is hopefully not too far from work. Honestly, my greater concern is that I'm not too far from CrossFit Chaparral! A girl has to have priorities! It's an exciting process, and I've never gone through it before, so we'll see how it all goes.
I had a conversation with a friend the other day, and something dawned on me. Not everyone has a whole lot of experience cooking. Now I get that this is a somewhat stupid realization. However, since I have grown up learning to cook, and liking to experiement and create new recipes, I forget that for some it's kind of torture. So here is the thing, cooking doesn't get better if you don't work at it. It won't. You have to try. But you don't have to wander into a store without help or guidance. You don't have to do it alone. I bring to you idea acquire a cookbook. Now I listed one of my faves previously, "Everyday Paleo," by Sara Fragoso. But if you just wander your happy self over to Amazon and type in the search cookbooks you will be met with over 97,000 options. Now refine your search and look for healthy cookbooks, You drop off about 92,000 of them, but you still have about 5,000 or so to choose from. At this point in my journey, I will search for Paleo Cookbooks only, but that's because I feel so much better now and I just don't feel that grains are worth it. Now pick one, or two. And that's a great starting point. It's a launching pad for you to start with some structure while you learn how to cook. But this may not be quite enough, so here is the crazy pants idea I had today. Ready?
I will do a cooking demonstration and class in my house on Saturday August 11th. We currently have a smaller condo so I can take the first six people who sign up via the comments on today's post. We'll go over bulk cooking, shopping lists, and some recipes. So if you are interested, let me know!
WOD
"Jackie" 1000 meters row, 50 thrusters @35#, 30 ring rows subbed in place of pull ups. Almost rx'd! Finished in 15:25, and prior to that I got to a 105#back squat. I'm finding that heavy weight front squat hurts my wrists which I've had surgery on both. All the squats and thrusters though have blown up my hammies and I'm probably going to be in a world of hurt tomorrow,best kind of pain ever!
Nutrition
Breakfast:Chorizo and eggs, with half a coconut pancake. 3 large cups of coffee. I'm not proud of myself.
Lunch: 4oz chicken breast, 1.5 cups of steamed veggies with a drizzle of olive oil, Mineral water.
Snack: protein shake, chocolate flavor today.
Dinner: turkey burgers with cheese, no bun, lettuce tomato, pickles, and steamed veggies.
It's kind of a crazy idea, but my hubby is on board for my first ever healthy living cooking class! And I am super duper excited! Hope some peeps want in...hope everyone had a wonderful Monday. After all my caffeine this morning, I'm about ready for bed now. I'll catch you all tomorrow!
xo,
Kendra
Sunday, July 8, 2012
What a week!
Sorry for being lost in space these last few days. It's been a crazy busy week at work! Too many people are on vacay and we are going through a major initiative for my department. Next week still looks like it's going to be a little ridiculous, but hopefully slowing down from there.
So how are you all doing?
Wednesday was the 4th of July, a day where we celebrate our freedom and make awesome food. We went over to BFF's house and spent time with friends. I made a lethal desert, s'mores bars and sadly I came with some leftovers. So what did I do? I stuffed them all into individual baggies, saved one for my sweet hubby's lunch, and one for me and passed them out to the first six people I saw at work the next morning. I cannot keep that stuff in the house. It's just too darn delicious. I thought I was feeling a little strong on resisting temptation, turns out I was wrong, not so strong. I've been sampling things, and tasting, and wanting to cook things that we could do without just because the ingredients are in the house. Oh and work has had a two week long bake sale. I wish I could make this stuff up. Two whole weeks. Is this really necessary? I finally gave them money to make them stop asking me to buy muffins.Then I took some and passed them out to people on my way to my desk. First of all, most of it will make me sick, but I still wish I could have it. Second of all, most of the people I work with have to sit for a living, the last thing any of us need is an opportunity to eat more during the day. America's cubicles are the real cause for the obesity epidemic! It's interesting though, I ate a couple of splurge items on purpose as a splurge, and then I found myself wanting more and more. So splurge items may need to be a single serving thing for now, not anything that I keep in the house. I can't have it if it's not in my reach. Also, just a few splurge items made me feel awful. No joke, all I had was potato salad, Doritos, and baked beans on the 4th, and I felt awful for days. I think the dark chocolate I used for the s'mores bars triggered some migraines. I have to get this stuff out of the house quick.
I had brunch with some friends yesterday morning. I talked with my dear friend about where she is in her personal struggle and I see so much of myself in her. This post is for you J-girl.
The last post I wrote was about how I can feel my determination strengthening. I feel myself getting stronger and leaner and more focused. And then I got a little too arrogant and ate stuff I shouldn't and it made me feel sick for days.What happens when you fall down? There is another voice that speaks to my heart. It speaks to my fear, and vulnerability and hurt. It tells me that I am a failure. That I can't do this. It tells me to lie down and quit and admit defeat. It is also a liar. And I don't have to listen.
Let me say that again. It is a liar and you don't have to listen!
Stop for a moment and take in some truth. You were beautifully created with purpose. You are exactly where you need to be at this moment. Do not compare yourself to where others are, but consider where you are. That is your starting point. Your journey to health doesn't have to look like any one's but your own. And no matter where you begin, the point is that you begin.
Now when it comes to changing your life, it's a little overwhelming. Start small. If you don't know how to overhaul absolutely everything, then start out with making changes to your breakfast. Go to bed half an hour earlier, get up earlier, and start making a healthy breakfast. No cereal, bread or pop-tarts. Eggs, lean proteins, veggies, fruit. Drop the dairy. Do that for a couple of weeks, and then move on to overhauling your lunches, do that for a few weeks and then move on to changing your dinners. Learn to measure out portions and allow your body to feel hungry before eating. It has become very intuitive for me, and when I deviate from it, at least with the Celiac's, I am keenly aware of my mistakes.
What happens when you fall down? You get back up. No matter how many times you fall down, you get back up. Your life, health, and dreams are absolutely worth fighting for. You can do this. I am here cheering you on.
WOD
Rest day
Nutrition
Breakfast: 1 coconut paleo pancake, chorizo and eggs, bacon. Coffee with H&H and Splenda.
Lunch: we'll probably grab a quick bite out, usually opt for a chicken salad of some sort. I'll update it later.
Dinner: Turkey burgers with cheese, no buns, steamed veggies.
See you all tomorrow. I will do my best with the work load this week to get posts up daily. Sorry for the long hiatus. And thank you all so much for your love and support. We are in this together and for the long haul.
xo,
Kendra
So how are you all doing?
Wednesday was the 4th of July, a day where we celebrate our freedom and make awesome food. We went over to BFF's house and spent time with friends. I made a lethal desert, s'mores bars and sadly I came with some leftovers. So what did I do? I stuffed them all into individual baggies, saved one for my sweet hubby's lunch, and one for me and passed them out to the first six people I saw at work the next morning. I cannot keep that stuff in the house. It's just too darn delicious. I thought I was feeling a little strong on resisting temptation, turns out I was wrong, not so strong. I've been sampling things, and tasting, and wanting to cook things that we could do without just because the ingredients are in the house. Oh and work has had a two week long bake sale. I wish I could make this stuff up. Two whole weeks. Is this really necessary? I finally gave them money to make them stop asking me to buy muffins.Then I took some and passed them out to people on my way to my desk. First of all, most of it will make me sick, but I still wish I could have it. Second of all, most of the people I work with have to sit for a living, the last thing any of us need is an opportunity to eat more during the day. America's cubicles are the real cause for the obesity epidemic! It's interesting though, I ate a couple of splurge items on purpose as a splurge, and then I found myself wanting more and more. So splurge items may need to be a single serving thing for now, not anything that I keep in the house. I can't have it if it's not in my reach. Also, just a few splurge items made me feel awful. No joke, all I had was potato salad, Doritos, and baked beans on the 4th, and I felt awful for days. I think the dark chocolate I used for the s'mores bars triggered some migraines. I have to get this stuff out of the house quick.
I had brunch with some friends yesterday morning. I talked with my dear friend about where she is in her personal struggle and I see so much of myself in her. This post is for you J-girl.
The last post I wrote was about how I can feel my determination strengthening. I feel myself getting stronger and leaner and more focused. And then I got a little too arrogant and ate stuff I shouldn't and it made me feel sick for days.What happens when you fall down? There is another voice that speaks to my heart. It speaks to my fear, and vulnerability and hurt. It tells me that I am a failure. That I can't do this. It tells me to lie down and quit and admit defeat. It is also a liar. And I don't have to listen.
Let me say that again. It is a liar and you don't have to listen!
Stop for a moment and take in some truth. You were beautifully created with purpose. You are exactly where you need to be at this moment. Do not compare yourself to where others are, but consider where you are. That is your starting point. Your journey to health doesn't have to look like any one's but your own. And no matter where you begin, the point is that you begin.
Now when it comes to changing your life, it's a little overwhelming. Start small. If you don't know how to overhaul absolutely everything, then start out with making changes to your breakfast. Go to bed half an hour earlier, get up earlier, and start making a healthy breakfast. No cereal, bread or pop-tarts. Eggs, lean proteins, veggies, fruit. Drop the dairy. Do that for a couple of weeks, and then move on to overhauling your lunches, do that for a few weeks and then move on to changing your dinners. Learn to measure out portions and allow your body to feel hungry before eating. It has become very intuitive for me, and when I deviate from it, at least with the Celiac's, I am keenly aware of my mistakes.
What happens when you fall down? You get back up. No matter how many times you fall down, you get back up. Your life, health, and dreams are absolutely worth fighting for. You can do this. I am here cheering you on.
WOD
Rest day
Nutrition
Breakfast: 1 coconut paleo pancake, chorizo and eggs, bacon. Coffee with H&H and Splenda.
Lunch: we'll probably grab a quick bite out, usually opt for a chicken salad of some sort. I'll update it later.
Dinner: Turkey burgers with cheese, no buns, steamed veggies.
See you all tomorrow. I will do my best with the work load this week to get posts up daily. Sorry for the long hiatus. And thank you all so much for your love and support. We are in this together and for the long haul.
xo,
Kendra
Monday, July 2, 2012
Have You Ever Considered...
Whenever I am at a doctor's office and they start talking, I know that eventually the conversation will turn to the following question:
"Have you ever considered weight-loss surgery?"
My response is always the same, "No, it's not for me." And then they begin to assault me with all their doctor-medicalese speak for how beneficial it is. How perfect life would be, how I could resolve all my health issues, how everything would be unicorns, puppies, and rainbows for the rest of my life. I just had two of these conversations, with two seperate doctors within a 24 hour period. My answer is still no.
Why?
Well the list of risks are insane to begin with. No one likes to list the potential death rates, most certainly not the clinics. But think about the less sever and still frightening complications: dumping syndrome, anemia, malnutrition, hypoglycemia, bowel obstruction, ulcers, stomach perforation, gallstones, and so on, and so on. When I rattled off this list to the doctor he just stared at me blankly. I don't think he had thought that I'd done the research, but he clearly has no idea for my affinity for research. Secondly, I noticed, that he had no answer for the complications list. "Oh, and how many people die every year from bariatric surgery?" I asked. More silence. I've been watching The Biggest Loser since season one. I love that show, and it inspires me every season! I can't help but notice that every season, there is someone on that show who has had some sort of weight loss procedure done who has regained all their weight and is and they are worse off than before their surgery. It takes more than a magic bullet. And unfortunately I feel like that is how medical professionals are selling these procedures."
WOD
"Fran" Thrusters and Ring Rows (subbed instead of pull ups) 21-15-9 Not Rx'd
In case you are not familiar, the named CF WODs are evil. Fran is evil, I hate her, but this was a personal best for me, I finished in 6:59!!!
Nutrition
Breakfast: Salmon, and broccoli, cup of coffee with H&H and Splenda.
Lunch: Roast beef, with lettuce and tomato, low fat chips and a cookie. No bun. I never do well when work provides lunch. Sadface. I was super hungry within an hour.
Snack: The insides of another sandwich, two slices of roast beef didn't cut it. And then another cookie, fail. But I told you I'd be honest. I started to have some more chips, but then I threw them out.
Dinner: 1 cup broccoli, 5 oz chicken, 1 cup marinara.
Please do not misunderstand me. I do not disparage or look down on those who have elected for these types of surgeries. They are helpful to many people. I fear the side effects, and have seen people suffer in the aftermath. For me the risks are scary enough, that it's not an option. I also have this tiny little voice inside my head that has been whispering for years,
"You can do this Kendra."
Lately, it has turned into a ferocious roar.
xo,
Kendra
"Have you ever considered weight-loss surgery?"
My response is always the same, "No, it's not for me." And then they begin to assault me with all their doctor-medicalese speak for how beneficial it is. How perfect life would be, how I could resolve all my health issues, how everything would be unicorns, puppies, and rainbows for the rest of my life. I just had two of these conversations, with two seperate doctors within a 24 hour period. My answer is still no.
Why?
Well the list of risks are insane to begin with. No one likes to list the potential death rates, most certainly not the clinics. But think about the less sever and still frightening complications: dumping syndrome, anemia, malnutrition, hypoglycemia, bowel obstruction, ulcers, stomach perforation, gallstones, and so on, and so on. When I rattled off this list to the doctor he just stared at me blankly. I don't think he had thought that I'd done the research, but he clearly has no idea for my affinity for research. Secondly, I noticed, that he had no answer for the complications list. "Oh, and how many people die every year from bariatric surgery?" I asked. More silence. I've been watching The Biggest Loser since season one. I love that show, and it inspires me every season! I can't help but notice that every season, there is someone on that show who has had some sort of weight loss procedure done who has regained all their weight and is and they are worse off than before their surgery. It takes more than a magic bullet. And unfortunately I feel like that is how medical professionals are selling these procedures."
WOD
"Fran" Thrusters and Ring Rows (subbed instead of pull ups) 21-15-9 Not Rx'd
In case you are not familiar, the named CF WODs are evil. Fran is evil, I hate her, but this was a personal best for me, I finished in 6:59!!!
Nutrition
Breakfast: Salmon, and broccoli, cup of coffee with H&H and Splenda.
Lunch: Roast beef, with lettuce and tomato, low fat chips and a cookie. No bun. I never do well when work provides lunch. Sadface. I was super hungry within an hour.
Snack: The insides of another sandwich, two slices of roast beef didn't cut it. And then another cookie, fail. But I told you I'd be honest. I started to have some more chips, but then I threw them out.
Dinner: 1 cup broccoli, 5 oz chicken, 1 cup marinara.
Please do not misunderstand me. I do not disparage or look down on those who have elected for these types of surgeries. They are helpful to many people. I fear the side effects, and have seen people suffer in the aftermath. For me the risks are scary enough, that it's not an option. I also have this tiny little voice inside my head that has been whispering for years,
"You can do this Kendra."
Lately, it has turned into a ferocious roar.
xo,
Kendra
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Welcome to July!
Today I tried out a place that is new to me, and I think I may have found my favorite new place. True Food Kitchen has two locations in Arizona, one at the Biltmore Fashion Park and the other at the Scottsdale Quarter. I visited the one at the Scottsdale Quarter with my dearest friend Jessica today. It is a haven of healthy eating! I am delighted to have found it. Now, it's not an inexpensive meal, but their offerings are healthy, local, organic when possible, and amazingly delicious! They offer gluten free items, vegan options, and they do not endorse sodas! The ambiance is relaxed, and the location is beautiful. Today I tried the Panang Curry Chicken no rice and extra broccoli. The bite of the curry was just enough heat to make me sit up and take notice, without making my eyes extra blinky. Jess had the Steak Tacos, which our very knowledgeable server pointed out was a smaller plate and pointed to some other entrees in case she was more hungry. She loved her dish as well. I also like that they change their menu seasonally to accommodate the availability of seasonal produce. I will say that the average meal for 2 will probably run around $50-ish with tax and tip, provided that you don't order appetizers and desert. It's spendy, but tasty and right now I would rather spend a little more and not go out as often, as long as I am getting a quality meal that doesn't compromise what I am trying to accomplish.
Speaking of which.... (worked on the segue for hours)
It's been one month since I started My Next 100, and I have some fun stuff to share!!! When I hopped on the scale this morning I flipped out. Not in a good way, I might add. I did not lose any weight ON THE SCALE. I'm not going to lie, I struggled all day. Until I had a moment of clarity, and I pulled out my tape measure. Now I had neglected to take my measurements on June 1st, so I took them once the thought came to me on June 8th, after a whole week had passed. So I remeasured today and total body inches lost in the last 22 days is: 8.75 INCHES!!!! This is a decrease of 2.72% body inches. I also completed 17 WOD's of the 22 that were my goal. That translates to a C on the WOD portion of the program, so there is absolutely room to improve. I made few exceptions to my eating plan, but I am going to work on whittling portions down to something that would promote greater weight loss, so always room for improvement there. I would also like to take a moment to remember that my addiction to Coke Zero in particular, diet sodas in general, is now over. I am calling this month a success!!!
When I look at the long term goals, it can be seriously overwhelming. The thing about life change though is that as we make changes, they need to be sustainable. If it's a change that you can only manage for a few days or a weeks, then it's not lasting change, it's a temporary adjustment and nothing more. Lasting and permanent life change is a process. Start out wherever you are and make changes you can live with, and then move forward from there. I am so glad month one is done and over with, but I see where I have room to improve and grow. I am now super excited for the coming months and the long term future and all that is encompassed by that.
WOD
Rest day
Nutrition
Breakfast: 2 eggs, .5 cup salsa, 1 tsp olive oil, and 3.5 oz lean ham
Lunch: Panang Curry with chicken, water.
Dinner: 5.5 oz wild caught salmon, 1 cup steamed broccoli, 1 tbs butter, salt, 1 tbs, sweet chili sauce.
One small confession, as a treat for myself for completing the month of June, I gifted myself an eyeshadow set from Sephora. It's a small celebration. I look forward to greater celebrations to come. We'll keep the champagne on ice for now. Thanks for making it with me this month, what progress have you made on your goals? Let me know in the comments.
xo,
Kendra
Speaking of which.... (worked on the segue for hours)
It's been one month since I started My Next 100, and I have some fun stuff to share!!! When I hopped on the scale this morning I flipped out. Not in a good way, I might add. I did not lose any weight ON THE SCALE. I'm not going to lie, I struggled all day. Until I had a moment of clarity, and I pulled out my tape measure. Now I had neglected to take my measurements on June 1st, so I took them once the thought came to me on June 8th, after a whole week had passed. So I remeasured today and total body inches lost in the last 22 days is: 8.75 INCHES!!!! This is a decrease of 2.72% body inches. I also completed 17 WOD's of the 22 that were my goal. That translates to a C on the WOD portion of the program, so there is absolutely room to improve. I made few exceptions to my eating plan, but I am going to work on whittling portions down to something that would promote greater weight loss, so always room for improvement there. I would also like to take a moment to remember that my addiction to Coke Zero in particular, diet sodas in general, is now over. I am calling this month a success!!!
When I look at the long term goals, it can be seriously overwhelming. The thing about life change though is that as we make changes, they need to be sustainable. If it's a change that you can only manage for a few days or a weeks, then it's not lasting change, it's a temporary adjustment and nothing more. Lasting and permanent life change is a process. Start out wherever you are and make changes you can live with, and then move forward from there. I am so glad month one is done and over with, but I see where I have room to improve and grow. I am now super excited for the coming months and the long term future and all that is encompassed by that.
WOD
Rest day
Nutrition
Breakfast: 2 eggs, .5 cup salsa, 1 tsp olive oil, and 3.5 oz lean ham
Lunch: Panang Curry with chicken, water.
Dinner: 5.5 oz wild caught salmon, 1 cup steamed broccoli, 1 tbs butter, salt, 1 tbs, sweet chili sauce.
One small confession, as a treat for myself for completing the month of June, I gifted myself an eyeshadow set from Sephora. It's a small celebration. I look forward to greater celebrations to come. We'll keep the champagne on ice for now. Thanks for making it with me this month, what progress have you made on your goals? Let me know in the comments.
xo,
Kendra
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