Days 60 - 71...and I AM BACK!!

Oh my goodness...I cannot believe I lost 11 DAYS!!  I went away on my girl's weekend and ended up waking up on Monday with a nasty sinus infection...after three different antibiotics and two doctor visits, I am FINALLY better.  I have to admit my eating was not all it should have been during the last 11 days...I had a not-so-pleasant reminder of why I should avoid gluten involving my mother's delicious baking and my lost will power.

But I finally woke up yesterday feeling better and emailed Geaux Crossfit trainer Amber.  While I was sick, they announced the 30-day paleo challenge and it is SUPER hardcore, more so than I anticipated.  In order to participate, you had to do a fitness challenge before it begins and then on Day 30.  I did mine today.  It was:

500 m row
as many reps as possible of each in 2 minutes (with 5 minute rest between):

soo happy after today's WOD!

Squats Sit ups
Push Ups
Pull ups
and then a 1 mile run

Before I even go over my results I have to say that I was super freaked out to even go into the gym.  I know I have been working hard and blah blah blah but the truth is, I am still by far the fattest person at the gym.. and it was PACKED today.  I actually drove by the gym once and called Jason for a pep talk.  I finally worked up the nerve to go in and...it was great.  Everyone was super nice.  A few people came up to me and mentioned my blog....I don't know why I got so worried..I mean what am I afraid people are going to do, point and laugh at me??

Okay sooo here's the work out.... I got my BEST time for the 500m row - 1:57!!  My fastest before was 2:06 and before that 2:31!  Woo hoo!  The others were not so impressive but I seriously gave it my all so I'm happy with it:

Squats (I used a bench) - 24
Sit ups - 36
Push Ups (I did lay on ground and then lift myself up) - 8
Pull ups (jumping) - 21

And then the run...I didn't think I would be able to finish....but I did...even though I had to stop and walk a bit - I am sooo proud of my time of a little less than 12 minutes!

Okay, so I was about to cry because I was nervous going in and then I was about to cry because I was so happy to be there at the end of the workout...it was an emotional day at Geaux Crossfit for me!

Soooo...today my family and I celebrated my birthday which isn't until Thursday.  But the Paleo Challenge starts on June 1 and I really wanted a birthday cake.  So my fabulous mum made me a gluten free, flourless chocolate cake!  It was sooo good!  And I don't feel guilty.  I think it is okay to have these little cheats, especially when I know that in two days I am starting the strict paleo challenge!

I am so happy to be back!  It was miserable being sick - with each day that passed, I was more and more afraid that this was it.  My drive to get healthy was over....no more Crossfit.  But I was WRONG!  I am just so thankful to have found Geaux Crossfit.  If they weren't doing this challenge, I am afraid I would have gotten more and more lenient on my diet.  Once again, this gym has helped me refocus my life just in the nick of time!!!!!


Happy Birthday to me!!



Day 56, 57, 58, 59 and 60 aka WEIGH IN Number 8 and End of Month 2!

I lost a Lucas plus 3 pounds!!!

DDrrrummmmm Rolllll....I have lost a total of 32 POUNDS!!  That is how much my 2 year old weighs!!  Seriously?  I have lost a Lucas!  That is insane to me!!  I am sooo excited!! 

On Monday, I headed to the gym knowing that Johnny the owner of Geaux Crossfit would be the person there since Amber and Catherine had other commitments.  I was nervous - I had never had a male trainer, no less an ex Navy SEAL....but it was great!  He, like Amber and Cat, pushed me to do my best and encouraged me throughout the workout.  I cannot express enough about the feeling of community at Geaux Crossfit.  While there seems to be some friendly competition to get the best time, when it comes down to it, everyone is encouraging everyone else to do their best.  I just feel so lucky to have found this gym!  I really have never had this success rate losing rate while feeling like it isn't a huge struggle.  Now I am working super hard and my body is being exercised to it's limit....and of course I miss some of the foods that used to be my best friends, (aka brownies, ice cream, nachos, etc...) especially after a tough day at work.  But I feel good about everything - I am rarely hungry and have more will power than ever before....okay soooo...the WOD on Monday still has my body aching....it was:

shoulder injury

Workout of the DayFront Squat 3-3-3
Then
3 Rounds for time:
-10 Burpees
-20 Pull Ups
-30 Slam Balls
-400m Run

I see London, I see France...

Instead of 10 burpees I did 20 sit ups.  This was one of the workouts that brought me back to Day 1.  It was a struggle to get through, I almost puked, and I feel as sore as after that first workout.  My shoulder was killing me on Tuesday and I spent most of the day icing it.  Luckily it felt better by Wednesday so I could go back to the gym!  The WOD on Wednesday was pretty brutal too but I had a really good time....because my pants split!  The thing is, these 8 weeks have probably been the longest stretch I have gone exercising regularly.  Therefore, I haven't had much need to buy new workout clothes.  I think I have had them since college....so Johnny was helping me work on my squats and getting low and...they tore.  And each time I did a squat (45 in all) I could hear it ripping a bit more....the worst part was that between each set of squats, I had to do pull ups.  There is no hiding a big tear in your pants when you are doing pull ups...sooo my time was super good because I had to push through it!!  hahahaha  The WOD on Wednesday was:

Workout of the Day3-3-3 Planks
Then
For Time:
-500m row
-“Fran”
-21-15-9
—Thrusters (95/65)
—Pull Ups
-500m Row

Thrusters are basically squats with a barbell involved...that last 500 meter row was a killer for me!  Between Monday and Wednesday's workout, I can barely walk...I feel like my walk makes me look like I have been riding a horse for a really long time.....my legs are sore!



Breakfast, Paleo Style



Sooo..I feel like I have been eating pretty strict paleo.  I have stayed away from fruit these last couple of weeks and can certainly see the difference in my weight loss.  I have no had any majors setbacks.  This weekend is a girls weekend away and we are going to Biloxi for two nights...I am a bit nervous about that.  I plan to pack a cooler of food and do my best.  For us though a girls weekend usually means some binge eating involving lots of sweets and lots of salty foods..... at least the rest of the time will probably be spent at the beach or pool in my bathing suit which is great incentive to stay on the plan.

I have to work early on Friday which means no WOD... :( I will at least make up for the cardio portion on Sunday when I join some friends at work for a 5K walk!

Okay so I have committed to continuing on this path until July 1 which is when I have an appt with my endocrinologist - he did full blood work right when I started - testing, glucose, cholesterol, etc....and we will do the comparison one then...which will be about 4 months of paleo/crossfit.

There are some things I need to do better though:

List of Improvements to Make During Month 3

1. drink more water

2. do not drink my beloved diet coke

3. do cardio on my non-crossfit days

4. try out more paleo recipes

I cannot believe Month Three is already beginning!!  I hope Geaux Crossfit starts their 30 day paleo challenge soon!!


Note to self: Tomorrow (thursday) is actually Day 60 but I have Abby's gymnastics showcase AND packing for the girl's weekend so I am posting a day early.  :)

Days 53, 54, 55, 56 aka Last Weekend of Month 2!!!

Friday was a GREAT day!  It seems that days are much better when they begin with a good workout!  The WOD was:

Complete and Total Exhaustion.

Workout of the DayDeadlift - 1 heavy set of 5 reps

Then

21-15-9
-Push Press (115/75)
-Slam Balls

It was a tough one but I felt so strong afterwards.  When I am saying tough, I mean my body was absolutely exhausted.


Geaux Crossfit was showcased on our local news channel - I am so proud!!!

There is another reason why Friday was so good - what I had been waiting and hoping for ( i know, it makes me sound really, really shallow) happened!  Someone told me that I looked different and they couldn't quite put a finger on why.  Instead of playing it cool I practically shouted that I had lost 28 pounds!!  I was so excited!

My mum and I took the kids to Natchitoches this weekend to visit my brother and sister in law. I tried to stick to my diet but did end up eating a gluten free brownie.........  :(  Why do I do this to myself?  I mean, I worked so hard all week and have been so proud of myself.  But then I just don't have the will power to say no sometimes....I just can't do it.

next time, hold the crust!

We decided that on Saturday night we would make pizza - I made a paleo friendly pizza with coconut crust.  I really was hoping it would be delicious but it just wasn't.  I know many people love it....I have just decided that, when I am craving pizza, I need to get all the toppings together - peppers, onions, ground beef, garlic and tomato sauce and eat it with a spoon.

yumyumyumyumyumyumyum

When I got home from Natchitoches, I decided that I had to prepare food for the week so I would have no excuses to eat non-paleo food.  I searched Barnes and Noble on my Nook for a paleo cookbook and they had one for 99 cents!  I read it on Saturday night and (as usual) didn't exactly follow a recipe but was "inspired" by one.  Now I know that olives aren't strict paleo but I think, after rinsed with water, they are acceptable...at least for me.  You would be amazed at how much debate about olives being paleo you can find on the Internet...sooo.I made an olive and chicken dish with diced tomatoes, onions, lots and lots of garlic, green and red peppers and zucchini.  I cooked it all together on low heat for a really long time.  It was hard for me to save it for the week and not eat it for dinner tonight (we are grilling some steaks). 

I am going to the beach next weekend for a little girls weekend and I plan to be much more prepared.  I already bought a skirt steak to grill and slice up before I leave so I will have something to eat for breakfast.  Amber, one of the fabulous trainers, took a photo of her cooler she packed for a road trip and  put it on the Geaux Crossfit website - it has given me some other ideas I plan to replicate.

Sooo....I feel like this is going to be a good week.  I plan to be at the gym tomorrow morning for the 6am workout.  I am a little nervous because Catherine won't be at the morning workout and neither will Amber.  Johnny the owner (and ex Navy Seal..yikes!!) will be there and I have never worked out with him..... I got some new sneakers to break in though and I am eager to try them out!

Days 50, 51 and 52 aka on the road

Well, I have been on the road for work for the last three days.  On Monday, we headed out super early for a meeting in New Orleans.  That meant no Geaux Crossfit.  When I woke up I really wasn't hungry and just had a coffee with some coconut milk and, later on, some raw macadamia nuts.

Yum!

The meeting go over around 1:00pm and Kelly P and had done our homework for lunch.  We had to get something to go so we could be back in Baton Rouge by 3:00pm but did not want to do fast food.  On the Internet we found a place called Juan's Flying Burrito where we could order Paleo friendly.  I got a taco salad (without cheese, sour cream, or tortilla chips, or dressing and add avocado) and it was DELICIOUS!  The only thing non paleo about it was the corn....not bad at all!  I can't help to think about what I would have gotten before Day 1 - queso and chips would have definitely been involved.  Then I would have gotten a burrito with cheese and sour cream...I would have eaten until I felt sick... That was just 51 days ago!!  Yuck the thought of it now makes me a little sick...well, not the food itself - I would LOVE some queso right now but the fact that I would eat until I felt sick.  Why did I do that to myself???

I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get in a WOD until Thursday because of work.  Luckily, we were able to leave a little bit later on Tuesday so I could go!  The WOD was:
Workout of the DayBack Squat 5-5-5
Then
10 Minute AMRAP
-5 Pull Ups
-5 Knees to Elbows
-5 Slam Balls

AMRAPS (as many reps as possible) are my favorite because everyone ends at the same time.  When you have to do a certain set of exercises for time I feel like I am often the last one done and everyone is staring at me...not my favorite situation.

Sooo...this WOD was modified for me because I cannot do knees to elbows so I did sit ups instead.  In the 10 minutes I finished over 8 reps!  I was only two slam balls away from doing 9!  I felt really good about my time.  After the WOD was done I did 500 m.

Okay so Tuesday was also really significant for me because I.....completed my first goal!  At Geaux Crossfit the have a white board up where you can write your goals and I have two - one was to run 400 m (twice around the building) without stopping...I did it!!!  I am so excited!  It was so strange.  When I started running it was almost like I knew even before I made my first lap - I felt focused and kinda in the "zone."  I think I could have done 600m if my shoe hadn't come untied.....  my second goal is to do one unassisted pull up.  It may sound easy but it really isn't.  I think my goal date is August so I have awhile to work on it.

Sooo on Tuesday and Wednesday, I spent time in Monroe, Ruston, Natchitoches, Hodges Gardens State Park (which is beautiful and has fabulous cabins), Leesville, and some great rural communities in between.  I had to eat all of my meals at restaurants that my colleagues all agreed on including one in Natchitoches that has the best fried green tomatoes and crab cakes a girl could ask for (I had steak and steamed veggies no butter) and I didn't stray from Paleo at all!  It is getting easier and easier for me to order what I know will make me feel best (like NOT the balsamic vinaigrette but plain old olive oil and vinegar and NOT a steak drenched in butter as most are served but a plain steak so that I can add some salt and pepper if need be).

So for the next few days I am home which means I go to the gym in the mornings and prepare my own food.  This weekend will be spent in Natchitoches with my brother, sister in law, mum and Abby and Lucas but I feel pretty confident that everyone knows what I can and cannot eat....i.e no kolaches or natchitoches meat pies for me.... :(

So tomorrow is the gym.  The folks at Geaux Crossfit are talking about doing a strict 30 day paleo challenge.  They haven't given us all the details but I am ready!  Hopefully it will start around the time that I have to choose weather or not to go forward with all of this and complete days 61 - 90!!  It would be great incentive especially since I love competition....

I know it is a bit sick of me to be this excited because I got to do the WOD....

Days 48 and 49 aka Weigh in Number 7! And Mother's Day!

It's been two days since I posted my minor (okay..a little more than minor) mental breakdown aka feel sorry for me post.  I am already feeling better, more focused, and ready to move on with the last 11 days of Month 2.  Of course, there were a few major events that have helped me get over my pity party.

Grilling some meat!



Happy Birthday Luke!



Yesterday was Luke's birthday party and I really had not problem keeping away from the non-paleo food.  Jason grilled some burgers and hot dogs and my mum made an AMAZING cake - she is sooo talented.  I am so thankful for her because she followed my wishes and made a yellow cake with white frosting so I had no problems staying away.  I have no willpower over chocolate but can, even after 48 days, easily say no to vanilla.  The kids had a great time though - Luke was very excited...especially about his cake!



Happy Mom's Day!



Paleo Bread...is a NO



We are originally from the Boston area and, now that we are living in South Louisiana, having Maine lobster is a real treat.   So on Saturday night we decided to celebrate Mother's Day early with some boiled lobsters and grilled steak.  I found a recipe online for Paleo bread that involved coconut flour and coconut oil so I decided to give it a try...I sliced it up and took a big bite and.....it was horrible...it was way to dense and I had a feeling it would feel like lead sinkers in my stomach.  Everything else was great though and, with leftover vanilla cake on the menu for dessert, I was able to stay paleo.  The hardest thing for me to resist was the garlic bread my mum made - I could eat some garlic bread.  If I could only choose one food to eat for the rest of my life, garlic bread would be at the top of my list....

Before the Mother's Day festivities began I knew I had to face the scale for Weigh in Day Number 7.  I got on the scale and......drum roll...I have lost a total of 28 pounds!!  That is so insane!  As Jason pointed out, it's just a little less than what my four year old weighs!!  It was a GREAT way to start out Mother's Day!

Jason made me a delicious Mother's Day (paleo) breakfast - and we ate outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather.

I got the best Mother's Day gifts a gal could ask for - my parents surprised me with a dehydrator!  I can't wait to start making paleo friendly treats with it!  And Jason got me a gift card to my two favorite places - Kohls and Barnes and Noble!  Yay!

We went to Disney on Ice in the afternoon and then Jason took the kids home and my mum and I went shopping!  It is a rare treat to go shopping without any children complaining or wandering off or wanting to be carried...I decided to get a new outfit in the hopes that it would perk me up some.  I didn't know what I wanted to I went to the dressing room with 15 items - shirts, dresses, and pants.  AND they were ALL too big!  Every single thing I tried on!  Now that is crazy because the last time I was at Kohls they didn't have anything that fit me.  Seriously, not one thing was big enough.  I actually shed a few tears in the dressing room the last time I was there.  This time when I went to try things on I, as always, just grabbed the biggest size they had for each item.  Now, I am not saying that I am out of the Plus size section...but to go from having NOTHING fit to not needing the largest size is a really big thing for me.  It helps me get focused again - seriously...I have not been able to purchase something that wasn't "plus" since high school (an I am talking freshman year only) and I really think I am on the right track.  Seriously...it has only been 7 weeks!!

Breakfast was soo good and I ate so much that I actually didn't get hungry again until around 4:00pm.  The one good thing about the yucky paleo bread I made was the fact that one of the ingredients was a little bit of coconut milk - which means Jason was forced to make some green curry with the rest of it!  I had mine without rice..and it was delicious!!  Soooo goood!  A great meal to the end of great weekend.

These next three days are going to be tough - I am so thankful that Kelly P. will also be with me.  We are doing a lot of traveling for work, including an overnight at the beautiful Hodges Gardens State Park.  Tomorrow we are in New Orleans, Tuesday Ruston and Wednesday Leesville.  I am thrilled to be able to spend time with our amazing constituents but I know how hard traveling can be when trying to follow paleo.  Kelly P. told me she was bringing a cooler of paleo friendly foods and I think I will do the same.   But traveling means I will not be able to go to my beloved Geaux Crossfit.  I will have to check out their website to get ideas for WOD I can do while on the road.

On to Week 8!!

Days 46 and 47 aka that feeling in the pit of my stomach

The last two days have been pretty average.  I have not been to Geaux Crossfit since Wednesday - Abby didn't feel well and Luke was up at 1:30am ready to celebrate his birthday so I just did not have the energy.  I pretty much regretted that decision all day though....I know that every workout I miss means another step away from my goal of being healthy.

my amazing mom made a great dinner!

My mum surprised me with a fabulous paleo dinner before we went to the carnival...that way I wasn't hungry when we got there so there was no shoving in fried dough like usual.  She made paleo style stuffed peppers with a yummy salad on the side.  None of us partook in carnival food...my family loves carnival food...yet we still resisted.

Yesterday was my day of work in the lovely Arnaudville- an AMAZING rural town in Louisiana that is doing unbelievable work in the arts - mostly because of the dedication of local artist George Marks.  He was our host during our visit and made sure we had what my colleagues tell me was a delicious lunch - sandwiches with pork and figs and pralines made with cane syrup.  Before we left Baton Rouge, I ate ham and eggs and that helped me make it through lunch.  I listened to my body and realized I wasn't hungry.  I am usually on a schedule when I eat - lunch at 11:30am and I think that I am eating lunch more because it is time to eat and less because I am hungry.  I decided to keep from eating until I felt like I needed something - so I didn't eat any of it.  I actually didn't feel hungry until 3:30pm.  I had about a tablespoon of almond butter and that kept me feeling good until dinner time.

Okay so it's confession time.  I am afraid that I have reached the point in my new eating regime that seems to be inevitable..it happens every time - with Weight Watchers, Atkins, TOPS, Weight Watchers again..it always happens.  I have some success and feel motivated and good about it for about a month and then it sort of fizzles out.  I feel like I am done.  I've had enough.  I am sick of thinking about what I eat and worrying about if it is healthy or not...I am sick of getting the dirty looks from waitstaff and being "that person" who has a list of demands when ordering...I am sick of having to turn down food - the donuts in the work kitchen, the ice cream sandwiches during staff appreciation...birthday cake...frozen yogurt...I could go on and on.

why me why me why me

I really am trying to get out of this funk...it sucks and I knew it was going to happen...it's the why me phase?  Why can't I be one of those people who can eat whatever they want and still look great?  Why didn't I start exercising regularly in high school so I was fit when I began adulthood?  Why me?  Why?  And it is pretty tough to focus on dieting and exercise when you feel bad about yourself.  It's like, for a few days there I really thought this might be it.  This might be the time that I get my life together and get healthy.  But now I am not so sure...it is such a long battle.  I have lost over 20 pounds and my clothes are almost beginning to fit right again - I don't need to buy a whole new wardrobe because what I was wearing for the last 6 months was at least two sizes two small for me to begin with.  I've worked so hard but am still so far from being happy with what I see in the mirror.

I always have great family and friend support when I am trying to get healthy and I still manage to fall short.  My only glimmer of hope is Geaux Crossfit....it really is more than a gym and I know that the staff there is willing to stand next to me (and sometimes push me forward) during this journey.

I have to start thinking of ways to improve this experience and I know my first promise to myself - I MUST start preparing for the week of eating like I did in the beginning - I have been neglecting that which really sets me up for failure.  I have to research some new recipes - there are thousands of paleo recipes online.  It is only my fault for growing tired of my menu....and I need to go to Geaux Crossfit at least three times a week - no excuses.  I need to start trying to go even more often because I know that, on the days I go, I feel better and more motivated about getting healthy.  I also need to go back to documenting every one of my meals.  When I photograph and describe everything I eat, I will make better choices.

Sooo yes, I am very aware that I am just about to hit the brick wall of this diet and lifestyle change.  But I have a plan...usually I just try to ignore it until it is too late.  Maybe, for the first time in life, I will be able to get through this phase and move even closer to success.  I guess I will have to wait to see what tomorrow brings!  13 days until my second 30 day commitment is done!

Days 44 and 45 aka halfway through my second 30 day commitment!

Yesterday was tough...I don't know why but I just was not feeling the paleo love.  I was having one of those I just don't want to do it anymore days....I allowed myself to wallow a bit in my misery but I did not allow myself to go off paleo.  I am sure it has to do with just coming back from DC and my big cheat dinner full of gluten free goodness.  I also wanted to go to Geaux Crossfit yesterday and woke up with too many aches and pains from my Monday workout....

So that was yesterday...today I TOTALLY felt in the groove. I headed to Geaux Crossfit and got an extra special workout with Amber AND Catherine!  How amazing is that?  there were five of us and two trainers... it was great.  The WOD for today was:

soooo exhausted after my morning workout!

Workout of the Day
Press 3-3-3
Then
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
-Sumo Dead Lift High Pull (115/75)
-V Ups

I didn't do as heavy as it says and I did not do V Ups - I did sit ups in place of them.  I did find a good You Tube video to demonstrate was a Sumo Dead Lift High Pull is - I tried to explain it to my colleagues and don't think I did a very good job..I was in the achy pain that means I had a good workout and worked my body as hard as I could all day today..I love that (even if I walk around like an old lady).

As for eating today, I felt in the paleo zone.  I have decided to start a paleo list....One that starts off:

You Know You're Paleo when:
1. you wake up at 5 a.m. craving a burger covered in guacamole and spicy salsa.

It is just so not me - I felt like my body was craving all the right foods today.  I spoke with Amber after my workout.  She follows paleo and has done a lot of research on it.  She has a really good understanding about how and what you should be eating during the day.  I couldn't quite remember what she had told me (because I had just worked out and could pretty much only hear the sound of my own heartbeat) but I could not stop thinking about it.  I know that she talked about when to eat or not to eat fats and carbs.  I am still not eating until after my workout.  I go to the gym from 6 - 7am and end up eating breakfast between 8:30am and 9am.  I finally emailed Amber halfway through the day...I really want to know how to eat best so I can choose my food wisely.  This morning as I ate a breakfast of lean turkey and sliced apples, Kelly P. and I looked up the amount of sugar (in grams) for different fruit.  Yikes is all I got to say.  I know that I have been feeling like I won't feel badly about eating fruit but I think, that to maintain my blood sugars and feel my best, I may have to ween myself off of the sugary goodness I have been enjoying.

For lunch I had that burger that I woke up craving along with some summer squash that Kelly P made.  It was sooo good!  I didn't end up eating dinner until close to 7:00pm because I was still full.  Usually I eat at 8:45 am breakfast/11:45am lunch and 5:45pm dinner.  I am curious to find out what Amber thinks...I know that some people who follow the Paleo diet actually fast for some meals.  I am not sure that it is for me but I still cannot get over how much I have cut down on my snacking.  I rarely get hungry between meals!  It is so opposite of how I've felt before when I was trying to "eat healthy."

This morning Catherine asked me if I felt stronger since I started working out.  I am stronger in so many ways and my energy level is so much better.  Sometimes I will go to scratch my arm or something and don't even recognize the feel of my own body - I can actually feel some muscles...craziness!  I know that I am barely even beginning to lose the weight I need to but I am so happy that I am doing it and getting stronger at the same time.  I am actually looking forward to weigh in on Sunday!

I do have a few upcoming events that are making me nervous before then though.   Tomorrow I head to the very lovely town of Arnaudville, LA for a work event.  After the event, the mayor of this fabulous town is cooking my colleagues and I lunch...which is so kind and wonderful but I am scared of what the menu will be  - folks in rural Louisiana can usually cook really delicious food that is hard to resist...and often times not paleo friendly.  It's so difficult to be in these social situations where I don't feel comfortable whipping out a packed lunch or just not eating but I don't want to blow the diet either...then Friday is state employee appreciation day and our lt. governor is treating us to an ice cream social.  That is such an amazing treat and I am sure it will be a good opportunity to socialize with my great colleagues but ice cream is truly one of my major weaknesses...it is so good...but sooo bad.  On Friday Luke will turn two and we are taking the kids to a carnival at a church near our house.  Ummmm...carnival food...can it get any better?  or worse??  Saturday is Luke's birthday party and we are grilling up some good food but will also be serving cake and ice cream.  My mum, who is the best baker I know, is making the cake and it will be hard to resist.  I keep asking her to make vanilla cake with vanilla frosting because I can resist that easier than chocolate.  Sunday is Mother's Day that traditionally includes a day of binge eating all of my favorite foods (and feeling sick because of it).  So I know it will be a different celebration than the usual Mother's Day.

Phew!  It is crazy to actually type all of the events that are making me nervous between now and weigh in day.  There is just always something....I hope I remain in this pro-paleo and pro-healthy attitude of today and not go back to my feeling sorry for myself attitude of yesterday.  I guess only time will tell. 

Days 39 - 43 and weigh in Number 6

Well, I made it through my trip to DC.  I will not go into full details but I will say that I am proud of myself.  On Thursday morning, I got up early and dragged my sister in law to the gym.  We used the treadmill where I ran for a mile...for the first time in my life!  And then we did all the weight machines.

That night we went out for Indian food to this GREAT place called Heritage India.  They had a regular menu but also a street food/tapas menu.  I was able to get four different little plates that all seemed very Paleo - mostly meat, no sugar or dairy....lots of seasoning.  It was totally delicious.  For me, the highlight was a mango chicken salad.  it had balsamic vinegar drizzled on it and thinly sliced raw asparagus.  It was totally amazing and most certainly not something I would have tried before Day 1.  I admit that it was difficult to avoid the naan but I managed.  After that we walked for what seemed like 30 blocks (thanks to my fabulous colleague from TN..Kim L.) to a Dean and Daluca bakery.  As we walked I tried to convince myself that I had burned enough calories to eat something yummy.  When we got there, I even asked if they had anything gluten free - they had an amazing looking flourless chocolate cake that probably would have put me in a coma...I didn't go through with it.  I treated myself to a small square of extra dark chocolate.  It was great and I still felt good after eating it!  Ooh..they had so many amazing looking baked goods.  I needed to get out of there ASAP!

The only meal that I really felt like I cheated at was the last dinner - on Saturday night.  We went to this restaurant in Alexandria called Rustico that served a gluten free pizza made with chickpea crust.  I ordered it and didn't expect much - I kind of thought it would taste disgusting.  But it didn't - the crust was amazing.  I have actually looked up some chickpea crust recipes since Friday night and may try to replicate it at home when I am really needing some pizza.  After we left the restaurant, we walked to a bakery next door called Buzz and they had one vanilla gluten free cupcake with chocolate frosting left and I decided to get it.  I was not disappointed.  It really was perfect.  I wouldn't have been disappointed even if I could eat gluten.

So...there you have it.  My big cheat.  And you know what?  I really am at peace with my eating decisions.  Yes..it has caused me a set back as far as my weight loss goes but I am proud to say that I ate Paleo on Sunday and got up this morning and was working out a Geaux Crossfit while most people I know were still in bed.

Sooo today feels like I am back into my old routine and I am so happy!  I went to work out and Amber was there instead of Catherine.  I have pretty much only worked out with Catherine and was super nervous (which amber could probably tell by my senseless babbling...i couldn't stop).  There were two other people there - Grant, who is super strong and always does an impressive workout and Liz.  I think this was Liz's second time at Geaux Crossfit.  She really did an amazing job.  I am so proud to say that in the 1 hour we worked out, I was able to watch her conquer a fear!  At the beginning of the work out she didn't feel comfortable performing a 20 inch box jump.  Who can blame her?  It looks soo hard!  But, at the end of the work, she did it!  She was totally amazing and strong and fabulous!  Okay so here's the WOD for today:

I really did miss this sweatiness

Workout of the DayFront Squat 3-3-3
Then
21-15-9
-Squat Cleans (95/65)
-Box Jumps


I did regular squats instead of squat cleans and I stepped up instead of doing box jumps.  And after my workout...seriously AFTER the WOD....I did 500m on the rowing machine....and reached my FASTEST Time!!!  I did it in 2:02....my fastest before was 2:09 and before that was 2:31!!  I am sooo excited!

For breakfast I had some stewed beef that I made with cauliflower and tomatoes and lots of garlic and some ground beef with salsa and guacamole leftover from Kelly Ps dinner.  For lunch, Kelly P. made some paleo beef and veggie soup that was totally delicious!

For dinner I had a very basic and spicy stir fry with beef and chicken and lots of veggies.

Soo...as for the weigh in - Sundays are always my days and I do it as soon as I get up.  Since I was still out of town I wasn't able to do it until Sunday evening after I got back to Baton Rouge.  According to the scales I.......stayed the same.  I really am okay with it.  When I left for DC i guess I wasn't totally trusting myself but for the whole trip I felt in control of what I was eating.... I am just so happy to be back and ready for Week 7!