Eating Zone – Week One Recap

Hey guys! Rebecca The Red checking in with you and sharing progress. My first week of eating Zone went pretty well, all things considered. I stopped weighing myself a long time ago, so I don’t know what kind of progress I’ve made in terms of pounds, but there’s a noticeable difference. Besides, I’m not really doing this for weight loss. Regardless of intent, my work slacks are loose again, which means change is happening! The meals I ate for the week were as follows (3 block):

Breakfast:
1 cup almond milk 
1 large scoop protein powder 
7-9 cashews 
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries

1st Snack:
1 tomato (sliced), 
1/2 Tbs guacamole, 
1 (oz) string cheese

Lunch:
1 3 oz can tuna, 
3 tsp light mayo, 
1 slice of wheat bread, 
1/2  green apple

2nd Snack:
1 cup fresh strawberries, 
1/4 cup cottage cheese, 
1 macadamia nut

Dinner:
3 oz chicken breast (sautéed in tsp olive oil, garlic & crushed red peppers), 
2 1/2 cups kale  
1 peach

On Monday, I substituted a 4 oz glass of red wine for the peach (rough day). Tuesday & Wednesday I have night class, so I got two chicken tacos (fresco style) from Taco Bell. Friday I was running late and didn’t have time to make a breakfast shake, so I got a bacon/gouda sandwich from Starbucks and removed one slice of the artisan bread. Then Friday night, I went to the CrossFit 310 anniversary party, where I had one piece of chicken (about the size of my palm), a hand-size portion of greens with cheese, strawberries, nuts, and a small amount of balsamic dressing. The weekend rolled around, and as usual, I had a lot of trouble keeping up with my weekly routine, which means I didn’t get all my meals in on time. Then I went to a Roger Waters concert where I consumed many beers & a pretzel (because I was starving from lack of food). And in my boozy state, I also had some chips after the concert (because we all know about post-boozin’ munchies)….and yeah. Sunday was even worse, but we won’t go into that. I’m really trying to make it work though, which has proven somewhat difficult because I’m at the end of the semester (two weeks left).

I Hate Running

But it is a necessary “evil” to get better at what it is I really love, which is CrossFit. And in true fashion, our CrossFit family showed up in numbers to run together, complete with CrossFit 310 shirts to represent.  Some were running for time, some for fun, some as a warmup for the 10K, some as a group, and some just to support others (like slow little me) who needed a buddy boost. All in all though, I have to say it wasn’t too bad for my very first 5K. I did it in 32:55, which was about 2:56 over what I was aiming for, but my other goal of continuously running (with no stops) was achieved, and that’s enough for me. I’d like to revisit the 5K and see how many minutes I can shave off.

Bonus Self-Esteem Boost: I got my first (recorded and coach-approved) strict pull-up after the 5K, so now I’m ready to kip! She said, “Look ma! No bands!”

It Always Seems Impossible Until It’s Done

 

{Click photos to link to original sources}

7 Things I Learned At The 2011 Crossfit Games

 

Hard Work Pays Off Ten Fold
Clearly. Those incredible athletes weren’t just rocking one WOD; they were dominating several per day, over the course of three days, outside……. in the heat! There are days when I can barely function after one WOD, which means all of them worked very, very hard to be able to sustain that kind of stamina. But it wasn’t just physical conditioning. There was mental thresholds being surpassed and that obviously takes a lot of practice too. And so naturally, I’m inspired to push and work even harder than before. One more rep!

Chivalry May Be Dead, But Sportsmanship Isn’t
I saw a lot of athletes finish their WOD and immediately begin encouraging their opponents. There was also a lot of high-fives going on during the mens beach run. It made the whole experience very real for me, because that’s something we do in our box every. single. day. They showed that they take the competition seriously, but not so seriously that a big fancy stadium takes away the core values they’ve learned, which is community, and in the Crossfit community encouragement is a major staple.

We’re Not Alone In Our Struggles
The athletes (individuals and teams alike) that competed are the best, of the best of the best. So when I began to see a few of them really struggle to get another front squat or a consistent amount of double-unders to keep up their team’s momentum, it broke my heart in half. We all wanted them to get another rep soooo bad but it reminded me that we’re truly all in this together. No matter how new someone is to Crossfit or how seasoned, we all have and will continue to face personal struggles in our journey. These struggles do not define us but rather push us towards something greater.

David Castro Looks Better With Short Hair
Two days before the games began, I was watching videos at work on the Crossfit Games website of David Castro being interviewed during the swim test. His hair was a little above his shoulders tucked in a backwards baseball hat. Having not known what he looked like until that moment, I thought, “Wow… Not at all what I expected.” Then Saturday while I was sitting in the stadium waiting for the individual men’s competition to begin, there he was on the mic, except his boyish locks were gone! Now there’s the Castro I envisioned! I hope he keeps it short. It’s looks much more professional.

Crossfitters Come In All Shapes & Sizes
Tall, lean, short, bulky and everything in between. What a variety! No two athlete’s body composition was the same. It was great to see because sometimes we can get stuck on wanting to look like our Crossfit heroes, which is motivating, but not very realistic. Instead it teaches us to accept our bodies and work (hard) with what we have. It also shows us that we don’t have to be any one way to compete and be the best. The diversity is what makes it fun.

Junk Food < Clean Food
I was completely taken back at how empty the concession stands were at the Home Depot Center! I knew people ate clean in the Crossfit community, but I had no idea that many people ate clean. It’s obvious this wasn’t a front either, because there was more six packs than I could keep track of. Of course, there were a few spectators who did the walk of shame with their slices of greasy pizza, but hey, I’m not hating. It was just nice to be surrounded by people who chose healthier options, so when I was eating chicken wrapped in romaine with berries, I didn’t feel like such a lame-0.

Annie Sakamoto Is The BombDotCom
Annie Sakamoto is easily my new favorite Crossfitter. I know she’s already a legend, but since I’m relatively new to Crossfit (5 1/2 months in & going strong), I’m not yet familiar with all the names of the Crossfit hastemakers. Not only did she tear up the beach event, but her sled push and L-sit was amazing. I think it’s safe to say she’s a Crossfit mage. The best part though was the contagious energy she brought to games.  To see her constantly smiling, laughing and playing within the competition was extremely inspiring for me. As a perpetual self-beater-upper, I’m taking cue and pushing myself to smile more during a WOD because I really think that changes everything.

 

{This is a guest post originally posted on the Crossfit 310 blog)

10 Ways To Be A Better Crossfitter: Newbie Edition

• Leave Your Expectations At The Door
  This is not P90X, Yoga or Zumba. This is Crossfit. The path we take to reach physical excellence is unlike the aforementioned activities and expecting otherwise based off your past experiences will only serve as an unnecessary obstacle in your Crossfit journey. Having expectations automatically attaches you to an outcome and if the outcome doesn’t come to fruition, you’ll set yourself up for disappointment. Allow yourself to be open to new ideas, new techniques, new outcomes and various different ways of getting there, because Crossfit is anything but conventional.
• Relinquish All Myths
  When we were kids, we got away with the wildest explanations of why things are the way they are, and when people (namely other children) would ask how we knew, we would matter-of-factly reply, “Because my Mom said so.” Well your mother, bless her heart, was told these things by someone else, who was also told these things by someone else. Are you starting to see the pattern? The point I’m trying to make is that you can’t replace facts & data with what you heard from someone else. There are a TON of misconceptions about Crossfit and fitness in general, and the only way to help set the record straight is by doing your own research & encouraging others to do the same.  Be an advocate for knowledge. For the pursuit of more knowledge, please refer to #4.
• Keep It Positive
  Part of why Crossfit is so appealing is because of the positive, can-do environment. I like to refer to it as the powerful platform of unlimited potential. When we’re struggling with thoughts of self-defeat during a WOD, there’s always someone there to tell us we can do it. This comradery can be peppered over time if you’re not conscious about the topics you choose to discuss before & after class. So keep it positive. We’re not there to gossip or complain or vent, we’re there to move past all of that.

• Listen, Listen, Listen
  Just like reading an entire instruction manual, there are several benefits to listening to the coach. You may not understand it all in the beginning (“a burpeewhat?!”), but as you continue to listen (and watch), things will start to make sense. You begin as a sponge and it’s in your advantage to soak up all the knowledge and benefits that are constantly being shared if you pay attention. If you’re genuinely interested, people sense that and will seek to help you out.
• Remember To Breathe
  That’s like telling you to remember to close your eyes before you fall asleep. Duh? It seems so basic, but you’d be surprised at how often we forget to breathe during warm ups & WOD’s. I speak from many months of migraines.
• Staring Is Caring
  Shyness is incapable of surviving in a Crossfit environment, so don’t be afraid to stare. More importantly, don’t feel uncomfortable if someone is staring at you. When we stare at someone in Crossfit, it’s usually because we’re admiring their form and / or technique and trying to file it away in the mind’s rolodex for future reference. You can learn a lot by watching what other people are doing in Crossfit. For a much less awkward encounter, please refer to #8.
• Quality Over Quantity, Always!
  Numbers are a great tool because they represent a goal that we’re all striving to achieve. But it’s important to remember that they’re exactly that: just a tool. Numbers don’t matter if you sacrifice the quality of your form. This not only puts you at risk for injury but it is counter-productive to the strength you’re intending to build. You’ll earn more respect coming up 10 squats short at the end of a WOD because your rock star form slowed you down, then half-assing them just to make time.

• Be Someone’s Cheerleader
  So you’ve finished your WOD and you’re torn between laying on the ground panting in exhaustion, socializing with fellow finishers or rooting on some of your team mates who are really, really close to finishing their WOD. If you can muster up the energy to push through the tail end of a WOD, then you can muster up the energy for one more minute to whip out your proverbial pom-poms. Cheering can sometimes be the difference between someone indulging in self defeat or reigning victoriously over a WOD, Helen Medina style (she owned “Death By Squats”).  And when the time comes where you find yourself stuck on a WOD when everyone’s finished, you’ll be amazed at how many of them will step up to the plate to cheer for you. Pay it forward.
• Keep Going To Crossfit, Even When It Hurts
  Much like dogs, when we’re injured, we tend to “den” (find a safe & secure place, often our homes) until we feel better. The problem with this in regards to Crossfit is that sometimes what we think will take days to heal, can actually be relieved within one hour or less of guided mobility. When I had lower back issues, I was shown a technique on the foam roller to relieve the pain and it went away almost immediately.  Sometimes we also discover that it’s not an injury at all, just a pull or soreness. And often times, that soreness becomes irrelevant within the first few rounds of a warm up. So no matter what kind of discomfort you’re feeling, keep showing up for Crossfit and let your coach know right away so he or she can evaluate what’s needed to make you feel better.
• Make Peace With “Last Place”
  Because it’s just a figment of your imagination. The only person you’re truly competing against is yourself and it’s important to remember that to get where you’re supposed to be going, you have to start somewhere. Without dark, we cannot know light. Contrast is a beautiful thing.

{This blog entry is a guest post originally posted on Crossfit 310)