Dug Deep and Working Out

I have been meaning to write on here for quite some time now. It has been over a month since my last post and OH so much has happened around here. But every time I felt like I could get around to writing, something always came up. And then once it got to a certain point i had dug myself into such a hole that I didnt know where to start.

I use this blog primarily for ME as a way to remember and document the things that happen in our lives. The good, the bad and the ugly. I like that it also is a place that others can read/comment on the crazy things I have to say, but that is not why I am writing this blog. So back to my point, I am going to try and catch up on the past 5-6 weeks or so and then work hard not to get myself behind again.

About 2 months ago I bought a groupon for 6 weeks of CrossFit classes. I was so eager to start and excited for finally getting to do something I wanted to do (sans kids). Dont get me wrong I get to do things I want to do but this was something that I have been dreaming about for years now. I have neglected my body since having kids. I have made half-hearted attempts to "workout" but none of them led to any results. Insert groupon

So the 1st class I attended I was nearly shaking I was so nervous. Would I be able to keep up? Would i fall out and die? ok maybe not DIE but I was scared I would injure myself or end up in the hospital  Would I make a complete fool of myself? That 1st class was ROUGH, but aren't they supposed to be? It felt so good! i couldnt walk for a couple days afterwards and it hurt to sit down but it was just what I needed! I continued on and attended ALL 12 (3 classes a week for 4 weeks) classes without missing a single one. I was pretty proud of myself for that. But what I was more proud of was the changes that I was making with my body. It made me look completely different. I had many people point this out to me before I actually saw the changes myself. My clothes were getting looser and looser. I was sleeping better at night. I had more energy. I looked forward to working out. I was LOVING it! After the 4 weeks of classes I still had 2 weeks of "unlimited" classes. Sadly I was only able to make it to 5 classes in those 2 weeks. And now this is my first week NOT working out. And I am saddened. I cannot/will not pay the price of a membership to this particular gym. But more importantly it is a small gym therefore there is no childcare, which is a major reason why I cant afford to join. I would have to find someone to keep my heathens and it just isnt feasible right now. Sooooo instead I have decided that I am going to attempt the workouts on my own at home. I know that this route is not the "best" but I am going to try and make it work. I will miss my friends at the gym, I will miss my trainer, and most of all I will miss the motivation that the other guys and girls provided. In order to keep up my workouts at home I am going to make a small investment towards the equipment needed; some of it I will make and others I am going to buy. I am excited about this new adventure. I am excited that I can do this at home on my time and not have to drive an hour (round trip) to the gym, and I am excited that I can get the girls involved. I want them to grow up with a passion to live healthy lives, I want them to eat right and I feel like the best way for me to instill this in them is to lead by example. And secretly I am hoping to get Marcus involved too!

When you hear about CrossFit training you most likely will hear about a diet that goes along with it. I really dont like the word "diet".  For me, I like to say "way of eating". Maybe it is the same thing, but to me the word diet has taken on a negative connotation. The way of eating that is encouraged in the CrossFit community is called Paleo. I tried super duper hard to stick to this while CrossFitting. I did have some cheats, but overall I'd say i did a good job. I have continued to eat better even after my classes ended.

So if you want something that will make you look better and FEEL better and overall live a better life.......try CrossFit! Oh and what I love most about CrossFit is..... I wasnt just running on a treadmill or riding on an elliptical the entire time. I was engaging in purposeful movements, things that will aid me in my everyday life.


Here are some of our favorite recipes....

Kale Chips The girls couldnt shove these in fast enough

Steak Ive made this twice now and it is a HUGE hit!

Peach Crisp I made this 3 times with some of the 25lbs of peaches I got from the bulk co-op (more on that later) I joined. It is divine!

Pad See Ew I made this last night for dinner. It was my most favorite meal at this Thai restaurant we used to eat at. The last time I ordered it, I ended up in bed for like 3 days because of the gluten content. Needless to say, this version does NOT contain gluten!

Pork Chops Im not a big pork fan, but this was pretty good

Mashed Cauliflower (I loved this, but the girls wouldnt touch it, in fact it nearly made them gag. But then again they dont really like mashed potatoes either)

Dates watch out! these suckers are ADDICTIVE!!! YUMM-O!

we love making homemade lara bars too. Our recent favorite is dark chocolate macadamia nut!

and of course we make smoothies almost everyday too which is a fantastic way to get in more veggies and fruits and healthy fats

Here's to living a healthier, happier life!

and not abandoning my blog for weeks months at a time