Monthly Archives: September 2013

What Else Is New Around Here

Happy Monday!

Hope you had a good weekend. Mine was very, very mellow as Buster was recovering and I am getting ready to travel for work all this week. I fly back home Friday night and then Garrett and I are heading out of town for Oktoberfest. Lots on the plate over the next few weeks so I had to soak up what little time I had left to lounge.

Actually, I spent most of the weekend laying around reading this book and it was pretty page turning. You know I love a good book about New Orleans.

Anyway, since yesterday’s post was kind of a sad one I thought we could play a little catch up on some of the lighter goings on around here. Here’s some random stuff we’ve been up to:

1. Packing Light
Sample sized products make me happy!

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I am physically incapable of packing light. Or so I thought! All this work travel has really streamlined my packing process and this weekend I actually packed for a 5 day trip in a single carry on. I know for some this is no great feat, but for me this is like an Actual Miracle. I took lots of advice from the internet: picked a clothing color scheme, brought versatile accessories, paid for overpriced travel sized products, and rolled up all of my clothes. It worked like a charm! Now let’s see if I get to Iowa and forget something important.

2. No Week In Workouts Post
PRs all around tonight at the gym. #woot
I skipped the Week In Workouts post because I was too busy packing. Uh, also because I didn’t really work out last week. Well that’s not entirely true, I worked out on Tuesday and it was PR city! My new Back Squat 1 Rep Max is 225 and my new Snatch 1 Rep Max is 110. Both made me super happy (God damn it 115 lb snatch, I’m coming for you!) but the rest of the week was really NOT conducive to workouts. Wednesday I worked late and then on Thursday there was the whole Buster debacle and really, working out just wasn’t even on the radar. I even accidentally flaked on my spinning date with my friend Kari on Saturday. Loserville in the gym last week! It happens.

3. But I did make the Best Damn Pot Roast
Pot Roast: It's What's For Dinner. #whole30

I was feeling lazy last week and threw some whole carrots on the bottom of my slow cooker, seasoned the hell out of a giant pot roast (LOTS of salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and Italian seasoning) and then put it on low for 16 hours. It was sort of a recipe hybrid from Michelle and Melissa and YOU GUYS IT WAS BOMB! Please do that if you are feeling lazy. Also throw it on some cauliflower mash and you will feel like you are having an awesome Sunday Supper mid week.

4. We got a new bed!
New Fall Duvet! Yay! #shitgirlssay

Well, not really, I just got a new duvet and pillows for our bed because the season is changing and we needed a little refresh. And I also bought a stunning Indian glass painting recently which I’m delighted with, so check those out! Garret still doesn’t understand why on earth I would buy pillows that WE CAN’T EVEN SLEEP ON, OMG but I’m sure he’ll come around. Well, actually he probably won’t because he was also confused about why I would buy a pillow with buttons. WHY MUST A PILLOW HAVE BUTTONS IT MAKES NO SENSE. :p

Speaking of Garrett, in the background of that picture you can see out to the bookshelves in the living room, and apparently in a fit of home decor zeal, Garrett decided he thought the teapot looked better on the bookshelf than in the kitchen. I just noticed it the other day and OHMYGOD, REALLY??? Kitchen tools in the living room. Now THAT makes no sense.

Oh, how men and women differ.


A Buster Update

Sunday Stretchin'

I took Buster to the vet on Thursday because he had a scratch/scab on his eye that wouldn’t go away. Also, he was due for his annual vaccines so I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone. The last time we had been at the vet (2 weeks ago! Why doesn’t my vet have a Rewards Card?) they looked at his nose (it has been ulcerated since he adopted us) and mentioned that if he ever had any type of cuts that wouldn’t heal that he may have an autoimmune disorder. His eye wasn’t healing and he was tearing up on that one side so I wanted to get him looked at.

The vet did a thorough exam and said that most likely Buster has Canine Discoid Lupus
that is exacerbated by sun exposure. They also suggested a biopsy to confirm that it wasn’t a more serious systemic autoimmune disorder as he is predisposed being that he is probably a poorly bred Border Collie mix exhibiting some recessive traits (like the all white coat.) He is due for a dental cleaning at the end of October, so we are going to have the biopsy done then. In the meantime, I am just going to think good thoughts and hope that it is just this a skin thing that we can manage by keeping him out of the sun. The vet was very clear that the more serious autoimmune disorder can be manageable but it is not curable. 🙁

Buster seemed particularly Falcor-esque when I got home.

After all of that, Buster needed to get his 3 vaccines. It was a lot to take in for the day but I was happy to at least have a plan in place, and we left with some eye medicine and some antibiotics and headed home. About 30 minutes after getting home Buster started having a severe reaction to something. I honestly can’t even describe it, but it was SUPER traumatic for both of us, and I have never been so grateful that our vet is 5 minutes down the road. We got back in the car and headed back over and the doctors instantly took him in the back room. He was swollen, clearly in pain, and growling and I felt super helpless just sitting out in the waiting room.

After they got him stable the vets wanted to take the afternoon to keep an eye on him. I had to leave him there all by himself and you guys I seriously do not know how people with sick children even function. It felt awful leaving my little furry baby behind. The vets thought it must have been a reaction to his new vaccine (he had already had 2 of them last year) and they wanted to let him get some rest and make sure he didn’t need some additional anti histamine shots before they sent him home again.

I picked him up again around 5 — he was still pretty puffy — and I took him home to relax. Garrett came home and we had a mostly quiet evening just making sure everything with the pup was fine and at about 9:00 he started scratching at his eye again. He had a dose of his eye medicine earlier when we were in the office and it was about time to give him one again so I did. And then 30 minutes later he started having ANOTHER allergic reaction. This one was not as severe, but had all the same symptoms as earlier so we had to hightail it to an emergency vet hospital for some treatment. We were there until about midnight and when we got home our poor little pooch just passed right out and went to sleep.

All the doctors who saw him think it was definitely a reaction to the vaccine, and that the eye medicine probably just stimulated his already overloaded system (Awesome dog parenting, Holly!) but I seriously NEVER want to give him that eye medicine again. Frankly I never want to vaccinate him again either, but at least now that we know how sensitive he is the vets can just do one vaccine at a time and we can Benadryl him up beforehand. I’m sure I’ll be biting my nails the whole time. Let’s not even talk about it.

The whole thing was just scary and awful and MAN I LOVE THE SHIT OUT OF THAT DOG. He is feeling better, though not quite 100% with all the Benadryl he’s been on. I hate that I have to leave him tomorrow, but I know he and Garrett will have a good week hanging out together just the two of them. So much of my heart belongs to these two. If you have some extra good thoughts lying around, be sure to send some Buster’s way, would ya?

Chit Chat.


Fun Things to Read On A Friday

Completely on board with continuing this Lazy Saturday.

Sorry for the delay in Friday links my friends, but we had a long day at the vet yesterday with our little dog child (and an even longer night at an emergency vet hospital last night) and so things are moving Real Slow around here. Luckily the little beastie is feeling much better, and for the most part so are we. But man, let me tell you (as I do every week, it feels like) how happy I am that it is the weekend!

Have I mentioned that this was a terrible month to not be drinking? HA! In related news, Whole 30 is still trudging along. We’re just about through — Wednesday is Day 30, but I am leaving to go to Iowa again for work next week, so I may just end up doing a Whole 28 or 29. I make no promises. It’s been good this time around though — finally after 3 tries I finally the felt the “Oh hey, my skin is glowing” side effect. That has never happened before for me and it was AWESOME! I actually think I’m going to continue to Whole 30 it up for the most part through the end of the year, but how that will work is a whole other post entirely.

Oh, random interjection — Des Moines Peeps: If anyone is game for a drink Wednesday night while I am in town, shoot me an email at hawoodcock@gmail.com.

Alrighty, my brain is sufficiently dumped I think, shall we get to the links?

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*My friend Megan wrote a great post about what a calorie actually is and a super simple easy to understand explanation about how to burn them most efficiently. (Hint: It ain’t an hour of cardio.)

*While we’re talking food: 9 Surprising Foods With More Sugar Than A Krispy Kreme Donut.

*Simple advice to Beat the Mondays

*I’m getting better at building gaps into my life. Such a helpful concept. Do you do it too?

*It’s that time of year: Pumpkin and Apple Recipes are taking over the internet! (I am not at all sad about this.)

*Other things I’m dying to eat:
Hatch Chile Chimichurri
Grain Free Pita Bread
Zucchini Fries with Blooming Onions Sauce
Maybe not together. But hey — who knows???

*Did you know kettlebells make you better at sex. It’s like, science or something.

*Bloggers, check out this awesome post on creating an editorial calendar. It is like organization porn.

*50 Better Questions to Ask Than How To Be More Productive. BOOM.

*I just bought this for my desk at work.

*I CAN NOT FREAKING WAIT to read this. Now if I could just find some time. Oh wait…I’ll be on a plane twice next week. YESSSSSSSSSSSSS

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Have a great weekend, friends!


8 Books That Helped Me Take Charge of My Own Health

8 Books copy

What should I eat? How do I exercise?

Should I count calories or not? How can I deal with all my stress?

Should I meditate? See a Chiropractor? Take a pill? Talk to a Naturopath? Should I go to the doctors office?

When is it time to give up?

What does health mean for me?

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The only one of those questions I can actually answer is the last one. Health, for me, is like happiness — it is a constant journey and not a destination. Some days it seems like the easiest thing to manage, and some days it is hard fought and I am still not successful.

There is no magic recipe I can tell you that will make you Wake Up and Be Healthy. It is something that will always take work, and also strangely enough will evolve as you pursue it — but mostly because WE evolve. And this is the most frustrating as well as exciting thing! Sometimes what worked yesterday, isn’t quite so relevant tomorrow.

That is exactly why the books that have helped me the most aren’t “Here is the magic secret” type books. Rather they are books that have given me solid strategies that I have relied on all along the way. Rather than telling you to run and out in buy a book that will give you a road map, I thought I’d share 8 books that may help you become a become more of an equipped adventurer!

In some ways these books have really anchored me over the years of my adult life. Some might not even seem directly related to health! But all have shaped my philosophy on personal wellness, and also being human — which in turn has allowed me to take responsibility and positively affect my own health. Maybe one or two will meet you wherever you are on your own healthy journey?

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You can heal your life1. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay

Book Jacket Line That Drew Me In:

> Life Is Really Very Simple. What We Give Out, We Get Back

When I Read This

In my early twenties while living in LA, naturally.

Major Takeaways

This book is hippy-dippy and touchy-feel TO THE MAX. But it honestly helped me have one of the biggest realizations that I have ever had in my life: You are the only person who ascribes meaning to things in your life. Think about how powerful that is, really. Louise Hay is such a powerful proponent of personal healing, and while the book is a little left of center, she has absolutely been a beacon of light in some dark times in my life. Times where I may have let stress get the best of me and my health. Definitely worth reading if you need a pick me up.

taking charge2. Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler

Book Jacket Line That Drew Me In:

For any woman unhappy with her current method of birth control; demoralized by her quest to have a baby; or experiencing confusing symptoms in her cycle, this book provides answers to all these questions, plus amazing insights into a woman’s body.

When I Read This

When deciding to ditch hormonal birth control since I had a nagging feeling it wasn’t helping my pursuit of good health.

Major Takeaways

It is one thing to not want to have a baby at a particular time, and it is quite another to mess with your body’s natural cycles to do so. I’m not saying that hormonal birth control is a terrible thing (IT’S NOT) but I took it continually for 15 years without really having any idea about my own body worked and that there were other ways. This book was so informative to me. I always thought fertility was only relevant if you wanted to have a baby. When I put this book down I really understood what a HUGE indicator of health our fertility is. I wish I could have known and understood that my entire life, instead of learning in my early 30s.

anatomy of the spirit3. Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing by Caroline Myss

Book Jacket Line That Drew Me In:

Based on fifteen years of research into energy medicine, Dr. Myss’s work shows how every illness corresponds to a pattern of emotional and psychological stresses, beliefs, and attitudes that have influenced corresponding areas of the human body.

When I Read This

I read this book when I was 20 and still reeling from my father’s death. (Also, living in LA. Yep, my crunchy phase again! Who knew all those experimental ideas would resonate for so many years!) When I first heard of energy medicine, I laughed. And then because I was 20 and not world-weary or cynical yet, I saw an energy practitioner in a small office in Santa Monica. I can’t believe I’ve never told this story. In a one hour session she basically did a head to toe rundown of what she could “feel” and she was startlingly on point. She was also a “Psychic Healer” (OMG you guys, I just cringed writing that) and I didn’t buy it AT ALL until right toward the end of my appointment when she said she had a message from my dad, and then proceeded to rattle off an inside joke that he and shared. Energy Medicine Believer over here ever since.

Major Takeaways

Caroline Myss has a less mystical, more practical approach to energy medicine, but this book really clearly outlines how the energy centers of our bodies (chakras) can be in or out of balance. I think that is something all of us feel on a regular basis whether we are attuned to it or not, and this book gives you a roadmap of how to tune into that, and what some of the consequences are if you don’t in a really easily digestible and non “Out There” kind of tone and format. There is even a guide in the middle of the book about symptoms and what energy centers they tie back to. I have found it to be 100% accurate. It was a game changer for how I approached what ailed.

lights out4. Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar and Survival by T.S. Wiley

Book Jacket Line That Drew Me In:

When we don’t get enough sleep in sync with seasonal light exposure, we fundamentally alter a balance of nature that has been programmed into our physiology since Day One. This delicate biological rhythm rules the hormones and neurotransmitters that determine appetite, fertility, and mental and physical health.

When I Read This

After a long discussion with my Naturopath where he said to me “If you don’t learn to sleep, it WILL kill you.” YIKES. I’ve written before about my experience with a Naturopath and how, most notably, that led me toward a Paleo approach and to losing 100 lbs, but probably the most influential thing he did for me and my health was to help me understand how sleep affects your body, physiologically.

Major Takeaways

Sleep isn’t just a nice to have. It is actually the foundation of hormone health, mental health and muscle recovery — and if you don’t have those things — well, ya don’t have much! And when it doesn’t come naturally or if you a person who just “doesn’t need a lot of sleep” that is your body waving A GIANT RED FLAG. Sometimes sleep takes effort, and it behooves you to put in the work.

it starts with food5. It Starts With Food by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig

Book Jacket Line That Drew Me In:

It Starts With Food shows you how certain foods may be having negative effects on how you look, feel and live – in ways that you’d never associate with your diet.

When I Read This

Right when it came out, obviously. 🙂 But most notably, after I did my first Whole 30

Major Takeaways

I think when you are a person who has struggled with health and weight and all things related, it can be really confusing to know what to do or where to turn. What I love about this book is that it gives you the tools to understand YOUR body. It is easy to understand science, and very basic facts about the human body. Unfortunately it is the kind of basic facts that most people never learn, and so when it comes time to troubleshoot it is very easy to get going down a dirt road that isn’t going to take you anywhere. This, again, is a book I wish I would have read in my 20s. But I’m so glad I’ve read it now. It’s not condescending, it doesn’t tell you what you NEED to do, it just arms you with information about the human body. After that, you are left to connect the dots about your own health.

hormone cure6. The Hormone Cure by Sara Gottfried

Book Jacket Line That Drew Me In:

All too often women are told that feeling moody, asexual, tapped out, dried up, stressed out, and sleep deprived is just a part of being female.

When I Read This

Earlier this year when I was really struggling to manage my stress. After hearing the author on The Balanced Bites podcast I basically had an instant girl crush. I felt like she was talking DIRECTLY TO ME.

Major Takeaways

All roads lead back to cortisol. Ha! Well, not exactly, but this book outlines the delicate hormone balances and imbalances that cause common “Female Symptoms” that sometimes just get brushed under the table and considered part of being a woman. I really appreciated the depth of information she provided and the wonderful advice about where to start to help get yourself back to vital again. She makes a very complex topic easy to understand, and gives a voice to something that I personally think is sort of marginalized in the realm of health care. Her advice is actionable from the moment that you put the book down and I LOVED THAT.

how to eat7. How to Eat, Move + Be Healthy by Paul Chek

Book Jacket Line That Drew Me In:

The way we respond to food, exercise and stress varies person-to-person just as much as our fingerprints. This book will identify YOUR individual needs and teach you how to address issues that may be preventing you from looking and feeling your best.

When I Read This

About 6 months ago after hearing the wildly popular Paul Chek on the Underground Wellness Podcast while I was digging through the archives. Holy Moses is he an entertaining wild card of a character. He’s so passionate I would probably buy anything he sells, but man is he sort of uncensored!

Major Takeaways

There is not a singular blueprint for wellness, and actually different people have different dietary and exercise needs (the book has a GREAT thorough quiz in it that help you determine what your needs are.) But there are some smart strategies that all people can benefit from, and if you are a person concerned with your own health, you really MUST at the very least have a strategy. I like Paul Chek’s zeal and his Live Your Life On Purpose kind of attitude. He is also just a phenomenal wealth of information and this book is so densely packed I imagine I will use it over and over in the years to come.

simple abundance8. Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort + Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach

Book Jacket Line That Drew Me In:

In the past a woman’s spirituality has been separated from her lifestyle. Simple Abundance shows you how your daily life can be an expression of your authentic self … as you choose the tastiest vegetables from your garden, search for treasures at flea markets, establish a sacred space in your home for meditation, and follow the rhythm of the seasons and the year.

When I Read This

When I was 19, living at home and really kind of depressed.

Major Takeaways

The most valuable lesson that this book, a daily meditation on gratitude, taught me was that we are all standing knee deep in water dying of thirst. Sometimes you have to look up or down to find joy, but it is always there. I have found that the purposeful ability to cultivate gratitude in my life has been a key part of my own resilience as I’ve gotten older. I’m not sure I have ever learned a more value life lesson or one that has impacted my overall health so dramatically.

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They aren’t all Paleo-centric and some of them won’t even tell you, specifically, what you should be doing to “Get Healthy.” But I promise you this, every single book above is filled with infinite wisdom. And if you are in the market for some, I’d highly recommend you get reading! 🙂


The Week In Workouts

The Week In Workouts

I’ve been switching up my fitness, so I thought I’d pop in on Sundays and share what my workouts have looked like each week. This week it’s a Monday, what can I tell ya? 🙂 I’m on a mission to find a balance of things I love, that make me healthier, and that overall just feel right.

Here’s what happened last week:

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I managed to squeeze in 3 workouts before Garrett’s Week Of Sickness got the best of me.

Sunday

I haven’t been going to yoga lately and I really miss my Sunday afternoon class. The studio I go to is in the process of moving and I need to decide on a new membership level and BLAH BLAH BLAH – no Sunday afternoon yoga for a while. I’m gonna try and figure that out this week.

Monday

Skipped the Monday workout because I had a long day at work and had to bring a ton of work home. Unfortunately I had to do that 3 times this week and I ended up working til 10 or 11 on all 3 nights. It was on a specific project though and that is done, so this week should be much mellower. Thank god!

Tuesday

The Skill today was Seated Box Jumps. Basically you do a box jump from a seated/squat position. Unfortunately that movement gives me a little PTSD since I absolutely RUINED my left shin doing it last year on vacation. (PS – That link is not a photo of my shin. It’s a blog post. Promise.) Anyway, I wasn’t feeling real brave or like pushing myself so I did it on a 20 inch box and a 24 inch box and then called it quits. Shins in tact.

The metcon was the Open workout 13.4

AMRAP in 7 minutes:

3 Clean and Jerks (95lbs)
3 Toes 2 Bar
6 Clean and Jerk
6 Toes 2 Bar
9 Clean and Jerk
9 Toes 2 Bar

Continue adding 3 reps to each set until the 7 minutes are up.

Oh Toes to Bar, my nemesis. It’s still not something I’m doing comfortably in a workout so I modified it doing knees to elbows and got through the 12 rep set. Still a good workout.

Wednesday

Ah yes, the day of the sand bag.

You know what always puts weight loss in perspective? Running with a 40lb sandbag on your back! OOF!

First we did the lift portion which was:

5×3 Push Press I worked up to 125lbs and honestly I surprised myself a little.

Then we got to the metcon. OY!

3 Rounds For Time:

200m sand bag run (40lbs)
25 sit ups with plate (15 lbs)
200m run with med ball OH (14 lbs)
25 sit ups with plate
200m run with plate OH

Here were my two main thoughts about this workout:

1. That’s a lot of awkward running with your triceps flapping in the breeze. Ah well, what can ya do. I just kept telling myself “You are here to get some less flappy triceps” whenever I started feeling awkward. 🙂

2. Sometimes I get down on myself for not having lost more weight, you know? Anyone who has pursued long term weight loss can relate I’m sure. But man, as I ran with a 40 lb bag of sand on my back multiple times, I just kept telling myself “Girl, you’ve lost more than twice this. GOOD FOR YOU! Who cares how long the rest of it takes. Life is long. Enjoy the ride.” Seriously. Perspective is running with a 40 lb sand bag, man. I feel like I should do that like once a week just to keep my head right.

Thursday

Today I had to go to an all day off site meeting for work so there was no time for me to squeeze in a workout. The upside though was that the meeting was over at the Sac State Aquatic Center on Lake Natoma. We did a number of “Team Building” events where everyone had to publicly look like an asshole, ya know? But it was fun and there were some physical parts to it: a kayak race, a water bike race and then there was a “Wipeout” style ropes course that we got to participate in if we wanted to. It was fun and silly and a nice day overall. Plus we also had to do a scavenger hunt where we had to take creative/funny photos while doing silly things like handstands. I think my team was pretty surprised I had that in me. haha (TOTALLY never thought I’d have to use that skill at the day job. Thanks American River CrossFit!)
Never thought I'd have to use this skill at a work function. Thanks, @arcfit

Also, the entire day I kept thinking about the Watch What Crappens podcast episode where they talked about the “Sexy Corporate Retreats” show they think they should pitch to Bravo. If you are a Bravo fan and not listening to that podcast: GET ON IT!

Friday

Skipped that shizzzz cuz I was tiiiiiiiiiired. And apparently getting sick. Too bad I wouldn’t realize it fully until Saturday afternoon.

Saturday

I slept for like 13 hours on Friday night. I’m embarrassed about that, but it was sort of epic. At around 10 I decided it would be fun to go work on my snatch at Barbell Club at the gym. Every other Saturday we alternate between 90 minutes of Clean + Jerk work or 90 minutes of Snatch work. Today it was all Snatch.

We worked a number of progressions including snatching from the high hang position which basically forces you to have explosive hips or the bar just won’t get up. Upside: it’s a huge help! Downside: It gets your thighs nice and bruised up. Bummer. Then after all the high hang work we moved on to finding a heavy 1 rep. We weren’t looking to find a 1 rep max since we had already been working for 90 minutes, but when I got to my prior 1 rep max (105lbs) I threw the bar up like it was no thing! I was pretty sure I was going to go home with a nice new PR, but despite like 30 attempts I could not stick 115lbs. I probably should have tried 110, but that involved too much math so I just kept attempting 115. Whatevs. Another goal for another day!

Went home and took a bubble bath and an epic nap and woke up the next day and realized all that shoulder pain wasn’t from snatches, I was actually getting sick. WOMP WOMP.

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Any new PRs for you or awesome workouts?

PS – Don’t forget to enter the Green Mountain Coffee Giveaway — it’s still open!


Fun Things to Read On A Friday

Garrett's thoughts on Day 10 of our #whole30

Hola friends! Happy Friday!

The Whole 30 is going swimmingly so far, despite Garrett’s silly texts. We are on our way down the summit — Day 17? Day 18? One of those, so we’ll just keep chugging along. I’ve worked until after 10pm on multiple nights this week so I am feeling a little weary coasting into this weekend, but the agenda is mellow. THANK GOD. Not too many of those mellow weekends at the end of the month/beginning of October so I’m going to soak it up while I can. And maybe read a book or something JEEZ — I am seriously lagging in the good reads arena lately but I believe you can never go wrong with an adventure memoir.

Speaking of good reads, let’s talk links:

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*Did you know Hemingway had a famous burger recipe? It sounds pretty delicious, actually.

*I’ve been wanting to write this post for weeks now that fall is just about here, but Alison went ahead and did it for me (and with much more detail…woot!) My Favorite Wide Calf Boot Resources

*I’ve always said I am an anti-hoarder. Turns out, that could just be another form of hoarding. Wait WHAAAAAAAAT?

*Do you think Neil Patrick Harris would be my friend? He seems like an interesting dude.

*Here’s some good advice: Working Out and Eating Well Should Enhance Your Life Not Dominate It.

*Want to learn how to do something supremely powerful? Practice the conscious choice to like or dislike something?

*On a lighter note: How Orange Is The New Black Is Like The Babysitters Club

*Did you have a beloved Trapper Keeper when you were in elementary school? Reading this history had me feeling super nostalgic for the 80s!

*Have a kid heading back to the sports field? Read up on the NFL’s work to help all youth athletes stay safe.

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That was a random list! What can I say, I’m all over the place this week. 🙂 Here’s to a mellow, enjoyable weekend you all!


The Four Keys to The Perfect Cup of Coffee (Giveaway Closed)

photo

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but in case you’ve forgotten: Coffee is My Religion. I say that only slightly kidding. Working for a decade in the specialty coffee industry in a number of different roles can do that to a person. I’ve experimented with giving it up completely, but ultimately decided that there will always be space in my life for coffee. It’s just too good to give up! The end.

One of the things you learn early on when you work in coffee for so long are the 4 Steps to The Perfect Cup of Coffee:

*Proportion — No cup of coffee will taste good if you don’t have the right proportion of grinds to water. There are lots of opinions on what is the perfect amount (2TBS per cup is my preference) but if you have ever tasted watered down mud that someone has called coffee, then you understand how important proportion is. I like my cup to be able to double as rocket fuel. 🙂

*Water — Did you know that 80% of your coffee’s flavor comes from the water you use? Don’t believe me? Use a metallic tasting water. BLECH!!!! And then scrub your tongue raw because, um…NASTY! The quality of your water is important when you are trying to brew a good cup. I’m not talking Holy Water here, but something that doesn’t have a flavor — so the natural flavor of the beans can shine through.

*Grind — The way your coffee should be ground depends on how you are going to brew it. There is no one-size-fits-all grind. (If you take ANYTHING from this post, please take that!) The grind affects how fast or slow the water moves through the extraction process. With a quick/pressurized extraction (like say an espresso machine) you need a finer grind, but if you were going to brew in something more relaxed like a french press where the coffee and water get to marinate together for a few minutes, then a coarser grind will do. But let’s talk about the most important, shall we:

*Freshness/Bean Quality— Freshness is obvious — please don’t drink that coffee that has been ground up and sitting on the shelf at Home Goods for the last year, ok? But I want to talk a little bit more about quality because all coffee beans are not created equal. Something that A LOT of us Paleo folk talk about when discussing what we eat is buying the best quality food we can; food that is humanely raised. Grass fed beef, pastured chicken, sustainable seafood — you know that drill. But I think it’s also an important conversation to have when you think about the coffee you are drinking. Where did it come from? Who is buying it? How was it harvested?

FAIR TRADE MONTH

This October, Green Mountain Coffee® is celebrating Fair Trade Month through the “Great Coffee, Good Vibes, Choose Fair Trade” campaign. I was asked if I wanted to participate in it, and I happily, HAPPILY accepted the opportunity to talk about this topic because I think it is a label that you hear often, but might not really know what it means.

Here is some scoop:

Q: What is Fair Trade? A: Fair Trade is a global movement to help improve the lives of farmers and their families. It provides a fair price to coffee farmers, resulting in a great cup of coffee and a better quality of life in coffee-farming communities.

Q. How does Fair Trade Certified coffee benefit coffee farmers? A: Most family coffee farmers live in remote locations and lack access to credit, so they are vulnerable to middlemen who offer cash for their coffee at a fraction of its value. Fair Trade assures coffee farmers a fair price for unroasted, green coffee. Fair Trade also links farmers directly with coffee companies like Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (“GMCR”), creating long-term sustainability.

Q: What makes Fair Trade Certified coffee high quality coffee? A: Through Fair Trade, farmers earn better incomes, allowing them to hold onto their land and invest in quality. This results in great coffee for consumers.

Q. Why is Green Mountain Coffee committed to Fair Trade? A: Fair Trade is one critical way that Green Mountain Coffee provides consumers high quality coffee while helping to ensure a better quality of life for coffee farmers and their communities.

THE GIVEAWAY

photo For part of that campaign I am hosting a fun giveaway that any coffee lovers among you will be interested in. Obviously, by purchasing Fair Trade Certified Green Mountain Coffee, you help coffee farmers receive a fair price for their beans, which means a great cup of coffee and a better quality of life in coffee-farming communities — and to bring more attention to the issue, this fall, award-winning musician Kelly Clarkson is teaming up with Green Mountain Coffee to share her experience visiting a coffee farm in Peru and the importance of Fair Trade. You can follow along with her adventures here .

In celebration of Fair Trade Month, Green Mountain Coffee is introducing Fair Trade Certified™ Three Continent Blend, which combines the flavors and aromas of three continents in one harmonious Extra Bold blend. You can enter below to win a Keurig® Brewing System and a Green Mountain Coffee® gift basket! If you are interested in entering, leave a comment letting me know: Are you a coffee drinker, and if so, would you consider buying fair trade coffee? 

*For more info on Fair Trade and Green Mountain Coffee go to www.ChooseFairTrade.com.

 

Sweepstakes Rules: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 09/18/13-10/31/13.


10 Pieces of Simple Wisdom

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1. People exaggerate the value of things they haven’t got. – George Bernard Shaw

2. To the question of your life, you are the only answer. To the problems of your life, you are the only solution. – Jo Coudert

3. The real marriage of true minds is for any two people to possess a sense of humor or irony pitched in exactly the same key. – Edith Wharton

4. We must recall the most important of humanity guidelines: Be polite. Being polite is possibly the greatest daily contribution everyone can make to life on Earth. – Caitlin Moran

5. You cannot fly into your own arms. -Elizabeth McCracken

6. Forgiveness doesn’t sit there like a pretty boy in a bar. Forgiveness is the old fat guy you have to haul up a hill. – Cheryl Strayed

7. The truth is often a mixed message. – Dan Savage

8. Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty. – Brene Brown

9. Don’t try to steer the river. -Deepak Chopra

10. Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. – Marianne Williamson


Whole 30: What We’ve Been Eating

summer soup post header

Today is Day 14 of our Whole 30! I can’t believe we are just about half way there. I haven’t said too much about it because it hasn’t felt super noteworthy this time around. Maybe the third time really is the charm? 🙂

We both miss booze (what else is new?) but beyond that, Garrett and I are feeling really good. We’ve been eating REALLY well, and part of that is because it summer and there are so many great fruits and vegetables in season. But the other contributor is that I have made time to plan/make some super delicious food!

I thought I would share some of my favorites:

The Good Old Standbys

His // Hers   #TacoSalad #Duh #TGIF

*Taco Salads (although I use a Whole 30 compliant dressing)

*Damn Good Chili

*Mel’s Citrus Carnitas

Recipes I Had Forgotten About But Will Now Be RESSURECTING Even When Whole 30 is Over

Baby back ribs, sweet potato fries + cauli mash. #whole30
*Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs with Paleo BBQ Sauce

*Bora Bora Fireballs

*Pork Chops wit Chimichurri

New Recipes I Tried This Time Around That Turned Out AWESOME

Tonight's spicy pork chili from @paleodietlfestyle smells pretty damn good! Recipe here: http://paleodietlifestyle.com/spicy-pork-chili/

Spicy Pork Chili

Chicken Bacon Alfredo

#Paleo Pad Thai. Takeout style food seemed apropos for a Friday. TGIF! #whole30

Paleo Pad Thai

Blackened Chicken Lettuce Wraps with the last of my tomatoes from @ebj_123  #whole30

Blackened Shrimp Lettuce Wraps (I just used the spice rub from this recipe and just sauteed them on high heat in ghee)

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I continue to learn this over and over again when I do the Whole 30, but it is amazing how good simple food can taste. We’re eating good and feeling good, and I’m not sure there is much more we could ask for.

(Uh, besides a glass of wine, obvs.)


The Week In Workouts

The Week In Workouts

I’ve been switching up my fitness, so I thought I’d pop in on Sundays and share what my workouts have looked like each week. I’m on a mission to find a balance of things I love, that make me healthier, and that overall just feel right.

Here’s what happened last week:

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Last week looked a lot like this:
Work. Workout. Cook. Eat. Work. Sleep. Work. Repeat.
I only worked out 4 times, but I tried to give my all while I was there. Overall it was a good week, but things at my job and cooking for our Whole 30 made for a quiet week on the blog. Hoping this coming week will be a bit more mellow on all fronts (MY LEGS ARE STILL SORE! :))

Monday

The workout was all rowing. Uh, I skipped this one because I rarely put on workout clothes to show up to the gym and only row. Sorry.

Tuesday

LIFT

Push Press:

1 @ 80% 1 Rep Max (95lbs)
1 @ 85% (105 lbs)
Max reps @ 90% — I ended up using 105 lbs for this one and did 10 reps.

METCON

For Time:

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Wall balls (14lb)
Burpees
Pull ups

Wall balls, burpees and pull ups. OH MAN! Basically some of my least favorite things! But Garrett and I worked out together because these are some of his FAVORITE things. Actually this workout ended up being pretty fun, although I sort of wanted to off myself when Garrett called time because I was only on round 5. 🙂 Everybody has their strengths!

Wednesday

LIFT

Back squat:

5 x 7 @ 80% of 1 Rep Max

Uh, yeah…so that is 35 squats at 80% of your 1 rep max. The weight that I can do ONE TIME. 80% of that but THIRTY FIVE TIMES. Yikes! That was a heavy day! I did 175lbs and managed to eek out 34 reps. Just couldn’t get that last one up. Also scored a nice bruise on my ass from dropping the bar. Ouch! 🙂

METCON

3 Rounds For Ttime:

400m run
5 deadlifts (165lbs)
25 deficit push ups (on 15 lb plates)

I did this workout with a bunch of fire breathing folks and there is nothing worse (FOR ME) than doing running workouts with young, spry dynamos. 🙂 But it was still a great workout, even if I was slow as molasses. I ended up scaling the pushups (which made them SIGNIFICANTLY easier) so that I wouldn’t finish like 10 minutes after everyone. Clearly my ego got in a workout as well. I kind of wish I would have just tried SOME unscaled pushups. Maybe my ego will take this week off.

Thursday

Woke up today and my legs were CRAZY sore from those squats. And the workout involved FIVE HUNDRED double unders. And I had worked until 10 the night before and had to be in before 7am.

Call me lazy, but when I got off work at 4:30 I just said HELL NO and I skipped it. 🙂

Friday

LIFT

EMOTM for 12 minutes:

1 power clean @ 95% of your 1 Rep Max

Ha. That’s A LOT of heavy ass power cleans. Clearly this was a heavy week. Yikes! I started at 140lbs, but only got in 2 reps before I had to drop it down to 135, which is where I stayed for the rest of the minutes. I love cleans!

METCON

Friday the 13th AMRAP in 13 minutes:

13 push press (75lbs)
13 Chest to Bar pull ups
13 Med ball cleans (14lbs)

Med ball cleans are my favorite thing! Chest to bar pull ups….are not. This was a fun workout though!

Saturday

Skipped open gym and slept in instead, so I did a little outdoor workout in my backyard with our 53lb kettlebell:

100 KB Swings
100 KB Sumo Dead Lift High Pulls
100 KB Swings

And that was enough. 🙂

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How were your workouts this week?

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