What Would You Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail

What Would You Attempt If You Knew You Could Not Fail:
I bought this magnet 2 summers ago when I was on top of the world.

Funny what can change with time. I may not be on top of the world anymore in more ways than one, but I know everyday that I keep on keepin on ... I am getting closer to the person I want to be again and closer to getting to where I want to be.

In the past six weeks a group of us has committed to a paleo challenge, a life changing challenge that has transformed my body and mind. We all talk about it together at crossfit and we all mention how we could never go back to eating the way we used to.

If not for this challenge I would not feel as good as I do. If not for this challenge I would not be getting stronger every day. Funny how a simple food challenge can help shape the beginning of the year 2013.

Crossfit mantra I found a few months ago.
1.) Finish: if you start something commit to finishing it. Finish what you start, in the gym, in your relationships, friendships, in the house, at work. It isn't always easy peasy. Don't give up when it gets hard. You will be happier in the end when you finish.

2.) Take a Break: Its okay to rest. Its okay to take a day and sleep or leave the dishes until tomorrow. Be good to yourself, your body and your mind.

3.) Go Easy on Yourself: We are human, we have good days and days that by noon we` wish would end. Sometimes we PR a press that seemed totally unreachable.  Then there are days you can't even press a weight that had been easy for you last week. What we eat, how we sleep (or don't for me lately), hormones, moods, life - they all affect us differently each day. Give yourself a break and get after it the next day.

4.) One at a Time: If you have a giant pile of crap to do or so many reps it seems like you will never FINISH.  Do one thing at a time. Cross it off your list. Do one rep at a time. You can always dig deep enough for more rep. There will always a pile of... crap to do the next day. So take it one day at a time. Finish that day and put it away.

5.) You will say shit that you never thought would come out of your mouth: Having an entire conversation with people about Paleo, spreading your knowledge and passion about how great you feel and how everyone should try it. ... Never thought that would be me. I even have my mom trying parts of paleo.
The other day I was practicing my one handed handstands... Yep I said it. Yep I love it!

6.) Setbacks happen: We are human, we are not perfect, we can only push ourselves so far. Some weeks we take three steps back just to go two steps forward. In life there are obstacles and we have to overcome them. We will get blisters from pullups, we will get rope burns from double under attempts.

7.) Be Humble: There is ALWAYS going to be someone faster, stronger, better. Someone is going to lose more weight than me.. or you. And it is human nature to compare yourself to them or that one person in the gym. But know that you / and I have come along we each day from where we used to be. The day will come when someone tells you I want to be just like you, you will be the one who rows a 1:45 500 m row, you will be the one helping someone do what you could not days/weeks/ or months before.

The real specifics of this hangs on my fridge. I look at it every morning... well every time i go in the fridge. Sometimes you just need to remind yourself of the 7 simple principles to help you get through each day.

I finally got on the scale after 4 weeks and the progress was good and healthy. Although the "challenge" ends this weekend. I am going to stay strict paleo until March 16th. If I can stay sober for 10 weeks I can stay strict paleo. I am a virgo I love challenges, I love being persistent to a fault. More importantly I love what I have discovered in the past 6 weeks about myself.

Taking It All In

Each week that goes by I am realizing how much there is to learn about living a clean and healthy life style. It can be overwhelming but making the changes gradually seems to be working for me. The diet is going well. I feel great. I fit into another pair of jeans this week! HUGE SUCCESS!

My 2 discoveries this week: the endless benefits of coconut oil and magnesium.
Until this week these two products have never been in my arsenal of essentials for every day life. 

Former essentials: Diet coke, Cheese, Diet coke, Chocolate, self tanning lotion, Red bull...


I now drink water and green tea and maybe treat myself to a coconut water on the weekends. I miss cheese but not what it does to my body.

My new lotion/facial wash/conditioner of choice is coconut oil. Here is a link to a great blog I like...
http://campwander.blogspot.com/2012/08/coconut-oil-cleanse-with-essential-oils.html

I have also started using the coconut oil as a lip balm and moisturizer, and shaving cream. For as funny as it seems all of these new benefits for my body would have never come along if not for this Paleo Challenge. As in my previous post timing really plays a part in when the right thing, challenge, person, place, job etc comes along.

I maybe crazy but I get anxiety attacks as I am trying to fall asleep. I have trouble shutting my mind off, whether it is tasks I have done, have to do or stress about money etc... we all have these issues but mine tend to keep me up late at night. 

Upon mentioning this to my nutritionist, she mentioned taking Magnesium at dinner. With her advice I purchased the magnesium and did my research about how, why, what etc... 

http://www.nutritionalmagnesium.org/articles/insomnia/309-how-magnesium-helps-you-sleep.html 

"Studies suggest that magnesium deficiency may also be one of the causes of insomnia, a condition that is experienced by an estimated one out of two Americans. Magnesium eases anxiety, relaxes muscles and nerves resulting in an overall improvement of your night’s sleep."

The magnesium and a cup of sleepy time tea works wonders. I have had the best night sleep since taking these two together.  

My body feels great with all of the healthy nourishing foods I am taking in, while using coconut oil my skin is getting hydrated with a natural essential oil that can be used year round, and my mind is taking in the magnesium and relaxing my mind and soul. So far this journey has been rewarding and enlightening. I am now spreading the wealth of the knowledge I am taking in and passing along the benefits I have received thus far. 

Timing and the End Result

I sat down with a friend Friday evening, who has been going to school to become a yoga instructor. She is an inspiration as a young single mother and a friend. It is a conversation that we had that really made me think about timing.
She mentioned that with all of the different options that were available in regards to learning the art of becoming a yoga instructor she feels as if she was meant to be in the class she is in with the people she is learning with. Everything is timing. Most of what impacts us in our lives in timing.

Embarking on a new journey in 2013 with an outlook of dedication to my health, career and happiness the year begins as usual.....
Every year I commit to sobriety from New Year's Day until St. Patrick's Day. It is mind over matter and adjusting to social circumstances.  I do not have any preconceived notations that I will be sober forever. It is just a time I take to cleanse my system from the holidays and previous year.

Changing habits is a process and usually takes a bit of commitment. Coach Lola mentioned to me that after two weeks you will be addicted to how good you feel that it will not be a commitment but a life style.  While mediating last night I felt a cleaner energy throughout my body. I am finding my workouts are getting better and I am achieving small goals that I have set faster (physically). I am also enjoying cooking and preparing my meals for the week.

Its funny I used to fall asleep thinking about Crossfit for the next day and what the WOD would be and how sore I would be, now I am falling asleep thinking about what meal I am planning and the paleo benefits that I feel as I am living this new life style.

I realize there are specific health benefits that have to do with real health issues. But I have found and maybe others would agree, I am much more focused, I have the ability to get through days without a sluggish feeling, I literally feel better as if my body is thanking me.

After my first full week, I weighed myself and I had listened to other fellow challengers speak of their weight loss and goals; but my first week did not yield the results I was hoping for, but for the first time I made a decision to stay dedicated because of how I am feeling. It is always about the End Result, but more important to so many people it is about the instant gratification of seeing weight loss.  This challenge and life style isn't about instant gratification it is about a journey that at this time in my life is meant to be.

Eat. Pray. Love

Eat. Pray. Love.
A book I read a few years ago during a dark time, after a break up, while searching my soul for direction. It was fitting at the time.
The lessons learned from this book reach far and wide for me. I sometimes reflect on what I have learned and how far I have come.

Eat. Pray. Love 2013

Eat.
I have embarked and embraced my new paleo out look and evenings at crossfit. I am learning to eat clean, to eat to be healthy and strong. I am changing the way I look at food and the way it affects my body. I will not lie, I indulged in everything that is no longer in my diet for the two weeks prior to the paleo change, knowing that it was my mind and habits that needed to change is the biggest step.  I cook more. My boyfriend likes seeing me in the kitchen (he is a cook).  I have not had a diet coke since Saturday. I have not had any sugar, carbs, cheese, dairy, beans .... and so forth. I have had water, more water than I think I have ever consumed daily. I drink green tea and it gives me energy. I have had horrific headaches that made my skin crawl and then they went away. I am sleeping better. I am a bit bitchy to be honest. I know it will fade. But over all I am 3 days in and feel great.

Pray.
I am not perse religious, but part of the challenge includes 10 mins of mediation. I figure it's 10 minutes how hard can it be. Wow. 10 minutes is a long time to quiet my brain. This is my pray. This is my challenge.
I know it will help focus me, center me, give me better projection and clarity. But this hard and I know it is going to be hard but the best things happen when you work hard especially when it comes to improving yourself. It isn't "praying" but it is my interpretation of the meaning.

Love.
What is love. How many ways is there to love. Loving people. Loving things. Loving moments. Loving activities. I love going to crossfit. I went years ago when Danny Vee opened up in Beverly, but I just didn't feel it. I didn't click.
Crossfit full potential works for me. I needed crossfit. I didn't walk for the whole summer without pain. I tore two ligaments in my ankle. I had to learn to move my foot, my ankle, walk, and gain confidence that I would be able to do all of this. When I was through with physical therapy, I joined crossfit. I love the people, the workouts, the confidence I have gained in being strong again, I am far from where I want to be, but I am not where i was. I love the challenges that we face in the box. I love the thrill of getting multiple double unders!
I love who I am becoming because of the changes I am making.
Small steps, goals, clarity and health.