A Little Something About Me

My Introduction to CrossFit:

My husband, Scott, introduced me to CrossFit the beginning of 2009. He was going on a regular basis and was seeing amazing results, so I decided to drop in for my first WOD (Workout Of the Day)..."Linda". Yeah..."Linda". So, this is how it went down:

"Linda" (rx):

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 of:

Deadlift (2x Body Weight or 270lb)

Bench Press (1.5x Body Weight or 202.5)

Clean (Body Weight or 135)

And, this is what I did:

Deadlift: 45lb

Push Ups (on my knees)

Clean (10lb Medicine Ball)

I was only able to complete rounds 10-6...and, I was barely able to move the remainder of the week. To be honest, I was shocked! I walked/jogged on the treadmill semi-regularly, practiced a few lifts, like the Sumo Deadlift High Pull (I had worked my way up to 20lbs and was feeling pretty good about that) and Back Squats (up to 55lbs), and overall, felt pretty "fit"...but, my random gym encounters had not prepared me for what I would now be encountering at CrossFit. Yes, I felt intimidated and a little nervous, but the thing I loved was that I was able to step in and do a WOD...yes, it was incredibly scaled, but I felt confident that my strength would increase and that I would be able to one day conquer these movements which, at that point, felt so foreign to me.

Although I was excited, albeit sore beyond belief, I didn't find myself ready to join until after my first experience (watching and cheering, not competing) with "The CrossFit Games 2009 Regional Qualifiers" in May. I was amazed by the lean physiques, mental determination, and physical prowess of the women competitors...I wanted that for myself and knew that the treadmill and strength machines at our local gym weren't getting me there. So, I committed to one month of CrossFit, at which point I would reassess my commitment. After the first week, I started to see positive changes; both physical and mental...six months later and I can't imagine not doing it.

My most recent run-in with "Linda" produced these results:

Deadlift: 135lbs

Bench: 70lbs

Clean: 70lbs

I completed the WOD, in it's entirety, in just over 13 minutes...and, the cool thing...I actually could have gone heavier. I LOVE CrossFit!

Food:

As far as eating and nutrition are concerned, I have always been interested in food (I love to cook AND eat!); not only the creativity that it inspires, but the way that it makes me feel and the way that cooking food and enjoying a healthy meal together, make others feel. My background is simply that, I love food and I've discovered that I have a talent for cooking and preparing it.

A quick synopsis of my lifetime of eating:

(The day I took Penelope to fair**...notice the pig earrings)

Age 10-22:

I was a vegetarian, with a couple of short (year or so) stints with vegan eating (I thought that I was lactose intolerant, so I decided it best to limit my dairy intake). **When I was 10, I raised pigs, turkeys, and chickens for fair and our family’s consumption...what should have been the best lesson in healthy eating turned out to be completely lost on me…from that point on, I refused to eat meat. During this time I experienced:

-skin issues (including eczema, random skin rashes/irritations, and blemishes)

-weight fluctuations

-fatigue, and

-digestive problems

Throughout this time, I felt that I was making the healthiest choices for my body and continued to eat this way, regardless of the negative impact it seemed to be having. My mom continually incorporated fresh vegetables and fruits into our diet, limited our sugar and processed food intake, and introduced me to quinoa, as a way of increasing my protein and amino acid consumption. Yes, I have a really great mom!

(My mom, Linda, in her garden)

 Age 22-27

I was a pescatarian, a vegetarian who eats fish. I was introduced to sushi and have been totally addicted since. I worked as a store manager for Starbucks Coffee and drank A LOT of coffee. My diet staples were black beans, brown rice, vegetables, and most things “California Fresh Mex”.

Age 27-31

I ate my first filet at a Ruth’s Chris in Portland, OR. Until my introduction to CrossFit and Paleo, I would eat a small (4oz) beef filet on occasion (maybe 3-4 times per year). My diet consisted of mostly fish, quinoa, barley, vegetables, fruit, and very little fat. Oh the lessons I’ve learned…

And, Today:

I still eat a lot of veggies and I've recently discovered buffalo and would be happy eating it every day…buffalo, sushi, and coconut. I'm no longer afraid of fat and I incorporate meat (although, I still don't eat pork or poultry) into my diet on a regular basis. The hardest food item for me to give up was definitely my grains (mainly quinoa and barley) and beans/legumes (mainly black beans, lentils, and black-eyed peas), but a month without bloating (thanks to omitting those items) or any other digestive issues to speak of, and I was no longer missing those "staples".

My Paleo experience began as a sort of experiment with eating. My intention was to “try it out” for a few weeks and see how I felt…after one month, I decided I was in for good. I have never felt better and want to keep experiencing the results. My eating will not always be perfect, but I hope that my food log and recipes will help you along the way.

I started this blog as a way to help myself stay motivated during my “Experiment with Eating”. I am continuing as a way to not only track my progress, but to help inspire others. Thank you for checking out my blog and Happy Paleo Eating to you!