Archive for the ‘Nutrition’ Category

The Pursuit of Paleo: 1/22/13

Posted: January 22, 2013 in CrossFit, Media, Nutrition
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This. Kid. Is. AMAZING.

At 11 years old, Birke Baehr knows more about nutrition, the source of much the food we’re fed each day, and the message the media tries to deliver to us, than most adults I know. Animal and Produce Farms often times follow “less than desirable” practices with their food and livestoc, and Birke shares just a few of them with us, too.

I’m not sitting here suggesting that we boycott “The Man”, and only shop through local co-ops and higher-priced supermarkets. That is an unrealistic overnight change to make for most of us. What I am suggesting, however, is that we take the time to learn a little bit more about the food we buy and eat, and realize that spending another $1 per pound on chicken that was treated in a much more humane and natural way could end up paying itself back to us (in nutritional value your own health), far more than that one dollar we could have saved!

Please watch (and SHARE) this video so more people can hear his powerful message.

“And that, my friends, is how we can make a difference… one kid at a time!”

Thought of the Day: 1/6/13

Posted: January 6, 2013 in CrossFit, Media, Nutrition, Training
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This past summer I had the amazing opportunity to go to California to watch the 2012 CrossFit Games. I knew some of the athletes, had friends from all over the country going to watch, and made some really great new friends, too. It was kind of a win-win-win-win-win scenario!

One of the people I met there, and now consider a friend of mine, was a woman named Leah Van Hoose. Leah is the owner, and a trainer, at CrossFit Nation in Easton, Maryland.

Now, most of the stories from the Games aren’t appropriate for my blog… mostly because our group had free beer and promised not to post stories from that weekend on the internet! :-) I’m just kidding, but what I CAN say, is that Leah is amazing! (She is the young lady to the right of me in this picture below.)

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Part of the awesome crew I got to hang out with at the CrossFit Games!

Today, she posted a link to an article she wrote a while ago on Facebook, and I read it for the first time… it is amazing.

The post is called “Confidence Learned Confidence Earned” and was featured on WODTalk.com. I’m just going to direct you guys to the link to read it there yourselves, but let me summarize it the best way I can:

One day she started to lose her hair. Over time, her two boys would also lose their hair. There has been no medical or chemical explanation as to why this happened, but the post discusses her challenge(s) and her journey into accepting the change in appearance, and how she realized that (even though she DOES look great) looks aren’t everything in life!

I have to share my two favorite quotes from the piece, though… as they’re incredible.

1- “What happened was with acceptance for me, everyone else accepted it to. People see what you project. If I wasn’t comfortable with my head why should they be? We feed off each other’s emotions. I had to be confident. I was still Leah. I just looked a little different”

2- “The hardest time not wearing my bandana was in the grocery store that first time. I felt like everyone was staring at me, and they probably were. How often do you see a tall, fit, bald woman in shorty shorts and tall socks in the grocery store? I embraced it after I got over the initial fear. Yes people were staring and it was OK, I just smiled, they smiled back and I continued on my way. The lady at the checkout told me that she had been waiting for me to ditch the bandana and I was much more beautiful without it. Exactly what I needed to hear!”

Please click here and go read her post, and then come back here so you can comment and we can chat about it. I am so thankful to know such awesome people!!

Smashby’s PaleOMG Xmas Adventure: 3

Posted: December 29, 2012 in CrossFit, Media, Nutrition
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In the final meal of my PaleOMG cookfest a few days ago, we decided to make Cilantro Chicken Nuggets!

I will not lie when I say that as we were making the nuggets, our thought was… this doesn’t look very appealing. But as the balls of ground chicken meat started cooking, they began to look more and more like chicken nuggets! Then, when it was time to try them, these PaleOMG creations did not disappoint!

Aside from my one piece of feedback, (that I would have used a bit less cilantro) these were probably the biggest hit of the day. If you try them, let me know what you think, please.

Basic ingredient list below, as usual.

Cilantro Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients

For the nuggets
1lb ground chicken or ground turkey
1 egg, whisked
1 bundle of cilantro, chopped (the more, the better!)
3 scallions, chopped
2 teaspoons sesame oil
½ cup Coconut Flour
¼ teaspoon ginger
salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 tablespoons Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil

For the dipping sauce
¼ cup Coconut Aminos
⅛ cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ground stone mustard (from the bottle/container-not powder)
1 teaspoon Raw Honey

Smashby’s PaleOMG Xmas Adventure: 2

Posted: December 27, 2012 in CrossFit, Media, Nutrition
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The week of delicious PaleOMG recipes continues with a “Spaghetti and Meatball Casserole”!

The reason that those last 4 words are in quotations is because they are neither real spaghetti, nor do I think they make an actual casserole. But work with me, please.

Since I don’t have the silicone cupcake cups Juli uses for a few of her meals, I decided I didn’t want to risk having a dish where paper cups stick to the food and I have about as much success saving the meal as I do peeling a hard-boiled egg.

In today’s video you get to see my amazing style of threading/dethreading a spaghetti squash, and you also get to see me “back seat drive” my mom’s egg-pouring ability. I’d say it doesn’t get too much better than that.

For a snap shot of what I used to make this meal (pasted straight from the PaleOMG page for the Spaghetti and Meatball Bites recipe), check it out:

Spaghetti and Meatball Bites
Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 45 mins
Serves: 12 (more like 4-6 people, with the way I made it)

Ingredients
1 medium spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
1lb Tropical Traditions Grass Fed Ground Beef
1 (14oz) can tomato sauce
3 egg whites, whisked (adjusted to 5 egg whites)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon fat of choice (I used bacon fat)

Smashby’s PaleOMG Xmas Adventure: 1

Posted: December 21, 2012 in Media, Nutrition
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Blog time again!!

I’m back on the East Coast for two full weeks, and had this idea tonight to accomplish two goals:

Goal #1- To promote my friend Juli’s PaleOMG cookbook which comes out next April!
(Click here to Pre-Order that mo-fo!)

Goal #2- To trick my mom into cooking me awesome meals at least once a day (meals that come from www.paleomg.com of course)!!

Here’s episode number one :-)

(and here is the direct link to this Breakfast Lasagna recipe)

Pursuit of Paleo: 11/13/12

Posted: November 13, 2012 in CrossFit, Media, Nutrition
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When it comes to eating Paleo, there is ONE WORD that separates the days where I eat well, from the days where I tend to veer off course: Planning!

On the weeks where I plan, shop, and cook in advance, I’ve got meals planned out for days and don’t even need to worry about staying paleo. Instead, I just grab tupperwares from my fridge and head out the door. Doing this twice per week COULD lead to a full week of staying “clean” with my eating, but in the interest of full disclosure, I’ve SUCKED with this lately.

Then one day last week I saw a video featured on the CrossFit Journal where a friend of mine, Chris Martirano (aka, Marty), broke down some of the meals he cooks and how he prepares several at a time to accommodate his busy schedule (which definitely resonated with me). It’s called “Preppin’ for the Week”. You can link to the full page by clicking here, and there you can read about the two videos that are featured! If that sounds like too much work (lazy pants), click here for the first video and here for the second video.

Thanks to Marty’s inspiration, I hope to get back on the paleo train again sooner than later! Great video, awesome (and delicious) meal ideas, and no… to answer your question, I will NOT be instituting “Tabata Squats” in my regimen. Instead that will be time to blog more for you guys, or try to find new music to play during my coaching sessions!

To share a brief history of my friendship with Marty, here are two events where we competed head-to-head in last year’s awesome Fitness Elevated Competition in Salt Lake City (hosted by friend, and owner of Ute CrossFit, Tommy Hackenbruck).

The first event was an obstacle course, which was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done in CrossFit. It was also my first time ever even TRYING legless rope climbs, and the only event where I beat Marty all weekend. :-)

The very next event (which happened I think less than 10 minutes later) featured a sled push, kettlebell carry, and then a sled pull… where you were in the sled. Another crazy event, and Marty destroyed me in the second half. Good times!

Ask Smashby: 11/1/12

Posted: November 1, 2012 in CrossFit, Media, Nutrition, Training
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Wow, it’s November!

Today’s topic comes from one of the athletes at CrossFit Lakewood. I’ll paste the question below:
“Will you please explain something to me? Why do I feel so incredibly guilty for making bad food choices yesterday? Every other day I eat completely clean and once a month, for a holiday or something, I eat whatever. And still I feel guilty. (I feel sick too, but that part I can understand.) why does this guilt about food follow me?!?!”

I’ll be blunt with you guys, I provide absolutely NO scientific feedback in the video below. Instead, I just offer some suggestions as to how I would recommend NOT feeling guilty based on my own experiences, and those of people I’ve talked to about this very topic.

Does this help at all? I’m curious to what you guys and gals think.

Oh, and thanks for the question “person” :-)

Pursuit of Paleo: Brooke’s Challenge

Posted: October 2, 2012 in CrossFit, Media, Nutrition, Training
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Brooke’s back again! Check out her update below. Any questions, recommendations, stories you want to hear from her, words of encouragement? Just ask in the comments section!

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I have no idea how many days I have been doing the Lurong Challenge. I do know that I suck at eating strict Paleo for any longer then 48 hours at a time. This is extremely difficult for me to admit. I hate failing! or sucking at something. Welp, I suck at Paleo. But don’t worry, I haven’t and won’t throw in the towel :) I will continue to TRY my hardest to eat clean and limit my cheating. I hope that’s good enough for this blog and thank you for your understanding!

Anywho, training has been awesome! I have been super consistent with getting to the gym and improving on a few things. Handstand walks and balance are at the top of the list right now. I think I walked about 7 ft. or so! I was just concentrating on core strength and not knocking myself out. Weighted pull-up, 1 rep @37 lbs., which is like both of my dogs tied to my chest!

Here’s a cool picture from the Austrailian Pink Floyd show last weekend. I had to drink some beer!! Everyone else, including people my parents age, were on SOMETHING way cooler than Coors Light.

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Looks like a pretty good show, huh?

Pursuit of Paleo: Brooke’s Challenge

Posted: September 26, 2012 in CrossFit, Media, Nutrition, Training
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Worry no longer, my friends! While Brooke has been absent from posting for the past few days, she has returned. Check out what she’s been up to in this post!

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I’m still alive!

What was the name of that Challenge I’m supposed to be doing? Just kidding! I have to apologize for my lack of updates.

In signing up for the Lurong Challenge, I was naive in thinking I could somewhat put my “life” on hold to concentrate on fitness and sticking to a strict eating plan/schedule. I had a dear friend pass away in a motorcycle accident 3 days ago. When I agreed to keep this log of how I’m feeling emotionally, mentally and physically.

That being said, for obvious reason the only thing I have been feeling is sad. Let’s talk about how this challenge has truly helped me in dealing. Yes, Saturday included a sh*t ton of whiskey & beer ! Outside of that I’ve done pretty well at eating clean for the last few days. Last week my biggest challenge with eating was finding enough snacks. (Oh how I miss chips and salsa!) Saturday we made some delicious homemade beef jerky. Thank goodness I have a boyfriend that’s a kick ass cook or I would most likely starve….or eat at my mom’s house every night…or drink my dinner.

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Homemade Jerky! YUM!

Moving on. The workouts! Cossfit801 has completed 2 of the three benchmark wods.

The first, 75 power snatches for time, 9 min. 50 sec. I think it could have been faster. I feel like that day was a big detox day for me. I was super shaky and felt lite headed. I was also a huge bitch this day. No snack, no sugar, needed food. Sorry, everyone around me!

The second was yesterday, 20 burpees 20 KB swings X5 rounds, 12 min. 20 sec. Despite everything going on right now, yesterday felt awesome! It was 12 min. 20 sec. of forgetting everything around me and just trying to push myself hard!
Check out my new kicks. Pretty sure they’re going to make me run faster and lift heavier :-)

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How do you like my new shoes? I LOVE them!

Pursuit of Paleo: Brooke’s Challenge

Posted: September 21, 2012 in CrossFit, Nutrition, Training
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It’s Day 2, and Brooke is STRUGGLING! Check out how she’s feeling as her 9-week challenge starts to ramp up. Have any of you felt this way before?

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Holy Sh*t! Today has been rough. I am blown away by how much crap I have been consuming. NOT beer, beer is not crap :)

I typically get made fun of at work for how “healthy” I eat. Today I realized that yes I eat lots of meat, vegetables, fruit and nuts BUT the creamer, cheese, yogurt, chips, the occastional truffle or whatever small treat is laying around my desk is NOT Paleo. I can’t even imagine what the people I work with eat if they consider my meals healthy?

My brain is mush from zero sugar so bare with me. My plan for a better tomorrow: Creative grocery shopping (I’ve been searching some good receipes on PaleOMG). Complete the first bench mark workout. Yay snatches! Last but not least, I should get my new CrossFit shoes tomorrow. Shoes always make a girl feel better!

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Not everyone in my house had to give up chips. sad face. I miss chips and beer!

Not everyone in my house had to give up chips. sad face. I miss chips and beer!

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