PR’s!

Last night, at about 5:29pm, my co-work China poked her head into SBFC to excitedly ask me if I was working out at the 5:30pm class. I wasn’t planning on it, well not 100% anyway…but I jumped on the opportunity!

For the month of June I have been programming for Innate Fitness (which by the way, I have LOVED doing!) and I made yesterdays workout the following…

Skill: Double unders

Challenge: 100 double unders for time

WOD: Karen (150 wall balls for time)

Yowzah!!! The last time I did my 100 double unders I finished in 1:32…last night I PR’d with 1:20!!! AND BAREFOOT! I must say, however, when you are barefoot, there is a fear in you like no other…do NOT get whipped by the rope, or you will cry like a little girl! So…I didn’t!

Karen was a doozy, but I finished in 9:12 with a 14# ball…which after looking around on the internet, is not THAT competitive I guess…but I am but a mere mortal :-p

Finally, last workout that I will post today…TODAY (as in 10 minutes ago) I did “Grace” (30 clean and jerks for time). By the way, have you ever done Grace after Karen?? Leg’s be TAPPED! Continuing on…For women, the rx’d weight is 95#, but I am working my way up there. Last time I did it which was about a month ago, I did it in 4:46 at 65#…TODAY I did it in 4:30 (on the dot!) at 75#!!! Wooot!!!! I was totally prepared mentally to go in there and have a slower time, but I wanted to try the heavier weight. I was not planning on pr’ing at a higher weight…extra bonus!!!

This is a video that was taken at the 2011 Crossfit Games. There was a spectator booth for “Barbells for Boobs” that was doing a Grace-off where spectators could enter to compete against other spectators to raise money for breast cancer. This spectator KILLED it!

That’s it for today…have an AWESOME weekend xoxoxo

PS: has anyone tried the smoothie recipe I put up? Something I’ve learned is that you should not put too much ice in it, or it will get this nasty foamy layer on top that is pretty cool when it’s a vanilla iced latte….but NOT pretty cool when it’s the color of sewer slime (ewwww). Just an FYI…

Taking it to the next level…

Posted by beautifullystrong in Uncategorized June 28, 2012

I have been eating a paleo lifestyle now for just about three years…and I’ve been crossfitting for almost three (in October). I have made some pretty awesome changes…but I’m ready to take my training and my health to aNOTHER level!

I want to go from this…

In order to do that…I am going to need to make some changes…

-I need to change the way I train:

a) I definitely feel like I often HOLD BACK in a workout. Whether it is a physical barrier or a mental barrier…I want to rid of the barriers. I can’t improve much more without do so.

b)I also may need to UP my workouts to 6 times a week (or 5 days with one two a day).

c) I also need to continue to get STRONGER. Nick gave me a GREAT idea of taking a power lifting class with Kevin Fisher here in town. I’m ON it!!!!

-I need to change what I’m eating. I know that I eat anywhere from 80-95% paleo on a regular basis as is…but I think I need to kick it up a notch.

a) I need to get rid of any evil gut bugs I may have…so kicking candida would make a HUGE change for me. I have started a candida diet a couple of days ago (essentially it’s Paleo without fruit – fruit is still full of sugar, even if it’s the good stuff).

“Now wait a minute…I thought fruit was good for you?!” I am NOT saying fruit is bad for you…I am saying that I am taking a break from fruit to kill off candida which FEEDS off of SUGAR so that I can allow my guts to heal completely… I am doing this for a month or so, and afterward will add back some fruit (but I’m guessing significantly less). Even the paleo diet specifys “little fruit”…so…there!

Now, I am an avid green smoothie drinker, but when you remove fruit from your diet, it really takes GREEN smoothie to a whole other level. After much playing around with awful tasting smoothies, I found one this morning that I REALLY liked, and thought I would share it with you…

Living Green smoothie

1 handful of mint

1 handful of spinach (or more!!)

1 whole zucchini

ice

almond milk

2 scoops of Vitamineral Mix (super packed with lots of green stuff!!!)

2 tablespoons of Magic Maca (helps with adrenals (which is why I am going after it..however… if you’re interested, it also raises your libedo…it’s a super food!))

2 scoops of vanilla whey protein powder (sweetened with stevia and lactose and -)

5 drops of stevia for taste

It’s delicious…just try it before you knock it. There are TONS of nutrients in it…and honestly, since started the candida diet, I have had more energy and feel CLEARER (plus, I’ve stopped coffee…again…)

If you want to read more about it, check it out here : http://www.thecandidadiet.com/

Enjoy!

Hi, my name is …

Hi, my name is Jen…and I’m a start-a-new-book-a-holic…

In the last few months, I have started 7 new books…all of which I go back to whenever the mood strikes. For a little insight into the mind of Jen…here is a list of what I’m currently reading…

-The Power of Community - a Crossfit story….uh duh…I’m reading this for obvious reasons I am probably THE biggest fan of not only Crossfit, but the COMMUNITY aspect of Crossfit…this was a natural choice for me

-The Female Brain – Such an amazing book with so much insight into how our brains work, ladies! Not only will you feel more understanding as to why you do this or that, but you will feel more reassured that you are NORMAL! For example: did you know that “Baby on the Brain” or “Baby Lust” is completly out of our control?!! There are ACTUAL endorphins that emit out of the top of a babies sweet little head that make you want to have babies…tricky tricky Creator :-p

-Love and Respect - This was a wedding gift from some sweet friends…and this is an amazing book for marriage or ANY relationship for that matter. Ladies, want to win some respect from a male co-worker? This book will help with that too!!! Men, want some respect from your lady?? Read on, man, read on!

-Conscious Loving: The Journey to Co-Commitment- Also a wedding gift…learning how to be in a committed relationship without “losing yourself”. This is ALSO an AWESOME book (can you see why I’m having issues committing to just ONE?)

-Confessions of an Economic Hitman- This one probably needs some explaining. There have been many a discussions recently in my circle of community about “the fall of the economy”. While watching an AMAZING documentary, Thrive, the author of “Confessions” started explaining what he did in his career (which was essentially bribing small countries (with money, sex or death) to do as the US says, or else…after hearing him speak, I HAD to get the book! It is written in the way that it reads like a novel…so for those of us who are not into history OR economics…it’s still an easy read. Inform yourself, at the very least. As weird as this sounds…there are three kinds of people in the world:

-The kind that when the Titanic was going down, they became a deer in the headlights.
“What’s going on!? What do I do?? What, what, what??”

-There is the type who says, “okay the boat is sinking. Who knows how to build a boat? Teach me how to build a boat!”

-Then there is the type who says, “This is the #%$Ting Titanic…it’s unsinkable…I’ll see you in the bar!”

Don’t be that guy…

…educate yourself :-p

-Childbirth without Fear- I’m reading this because those tricky little buggers (babies) were emitting some freaking endorphins that realllllllllly convinced me that I want a baby. So, why not start learning now :-p

-50 Shades of Grey- Okay…this is COMPLETELY different than anything else of my list. HOWEVER…it has held my attention more than any other as well. I started reading it yesterday, and I am almost half way through the book…on a WEEKDAY! I have been hearing about this book for months and months…finally, after hearing that every person I know is reading this…I decided to bite the bullet.

When I was ordering this book on my Kindle, my brother-in-law Andrew so kindly informed me that that book was “filthy”. HAHA! Honestly, it is, just a little bit…but I have not been able to put this book down…at all!! Give me a break, I’m human :-p

So, that’s what I’M readin’ :-p What has you all tied up lately?

My nose in a book,

Jen

Learning to say “No”

Posted by beautifullystrong in Think Well and tagged with learning to say no, marks daily apple, no, santa barbara family chiropractic, solitude, the beautifully strong June 6, 2012

I wrote this post for Santa Barbara Family Chiropractic’s blog months and months ago…but based on a recent conversation I had with a friend, I thought it would be ideal to repurpose this little gem of advice that I, myself, should take a listening to…

I’ll admit I have a deep-rooted need to make sure that everyone is happy, even if that sometimes means I’m not. It can be regarding anything from where we go to dinner to which channel is on the radio. I know…crazy!

In the last couple months I have been working really hard to strengthen my “no” muscle, and realizing that I need to take care of myself, even if that means that someone might not like my decision. Since moving here to Santa Barbara, Nick and I have been on a crazy rollercoaster of events, work (for me, two jobs! I just started working at Lululemon part-time!!), and socializing. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of these things, and it’s been super fun (and never once have I regretted any of it), but there are definitely days where I “feel it” and so desperately just want to say “no.” Doesn’t seem super difficult does it? Well for me, it (was) nearly impossible…and I still presently struggle from time to time.

What I’m learning is that when I say “no”, and take some time to just be alone or just do what I really want to do, I come back better than before, and completely recharged. I was reading an article from Marks Daily Apple today about the benefits of solitude (read full article HERE!) , and it just rings so true for me right now. How often do we TRULY take time to be present with ourselves, and ONLY ourselves? When you think you are taking time for solitude, does that mean no laptop, no iPhone, no TV??? While we were designed to be in “tribes”, absolutely, even hunter/gathers took plenty of time in pure solitude. Mark Sisson writes, “We use alone time to process our relationships and recalibrate our sense of self. Solitude confirms that we’re more than the sum of our reactions to other people and encounters. In solitude, we return to center.”

I’m learning that not only is it better for ME to have some time alone, and make sure that I’m doing what I truly want to do (of course sometimes you just need to suck it up and take one for the team), but it’s so much better for my relationships. I come back to the relationship as a more whole person, and with more to bring to the table; I feel more excited about my life, and have more to share with Nick (and friends and family!) when I see them! I appreciate everything more, and never feel resentful for doing something that I don’t really want to do. While this may seem like a no-brainer to so many people, it’s really something that is taking a lot of growth for me…but the more I do it, the easier it gets!

This week, either take some time alone without any technological distractions, and just be present with yourself; give yourself that gift! Between work, and meetings, and running your kids to school and their activities, don’t you think you absolutely deserve that!?

I do

Yours in complete presence,

Jen

Plan Your Weekly Meals!

Posted by beautifullystrong in Eat Well, recipes and tagged with crossfit, jennifer nadeau, meal planning, Paleo Diet, the beautifully strong project June 5, 2012

sys·tem/ˈsistəm/

Noun: 1) A set of connected things or parts forming a complex whole, in particular.

2) A set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network.

If I never have to hear the word system again, in the entirety of my life, I would be MORE than grateful.

Since starting a business in July of 2011 (our 1 year anniversary is July 5th!!), I have heard the word ‘system’ more times than any one person ever cares to hear it. “We need a system for this”, “we need a system for that”. It has all grown a wee out of control, to the point where it is now seeping into our sacred HOME time…eek. Let me say, however, that I understand the need of…that s word…in order to make a business run smoothly, efficiently and effectively. I get it, I GET it! But when *ahem s word* means spending more and more hours at work, planning and developing…and you already feel like you live at your office…well, that word does not fill me with feelings of cozy, warm fuzzies.

Now, much like I have learned to turn off my EEK factor with the word “moist”, and yes, I can even say it now…I am learning how to handle the word…ss…syss…sysTEMS! Which leads me to my point today …

This weekend Nick and I went out to breakfast with some of our buddies, post-workout. Of the many topics that were covered (dumpster diving, the fall of the economy and some other super intelligent thing I’m sure :-p), one of the things I took away from it was Jess had to go home to “plan her week”. When Nick and I got in the car, we mentioned that that is a great idea, why haven’t we ever done that, yada yada. Lately I have been struggling BIG time with wanting to go home and cook, and if it were up to me I would eat out every single meal of the day! When you go to work at 7am, and don’t get home till 8pm…AND as a paleo person, you can’t just pop something into a microwave…who the hell wants to COOK?! But…then I mentioned that Danielle had made a printable worksheet on her blog that would organize our week by meal, and maybe that could help us.

So we sat in the parking lot of Whole Foods, dreaming about what we would eat for the week…and something that I thought would be annoying and tedious, turned out to be FUN, empowering and saved us MONEY!

We organized it like this:

Sunday: Fajitas (lettuce wrapped :-p). We made DOUBLE of this, because Mondays are our LONGGGGGGGGGG days, and having to cook at the end of it just makes me grumpy! Also on Sunday, I chopped a bunch of lettuce that I had in my CSA box, and a bunch of kale and put that in a bag; then chopped a bunch of vegetables, hardboiled some eggs, and Nick cooked up some sausage…all so that we could just grab and go for salads at lunchtime throughout the week.

Monday: LEFT OVERS!!! Let me tell you, after a long day yesterday, and not the EASIEST day…coming home to dinner already being done was heavenly. The best part of our day was last night!!

Tuesday: Chicken marsala with swiss chard Date NIGHT!!!

Wednesday: Pot roast with Dey Dey’s Best Beef and carrots, celery, potatoes and onions. The beauty of this is that we have Wednesday morning off, we pop everything into the slow cooker, and come home Wednesday night to dinner!

Thursday: LEFT OVERS!!! Thursday is our other 12 hour day, so left over are ESSENTIAL!

Friday: My favorite Mark Sisson dish: Kielbasa and raisins over cabbage. Sounds not the best, but trust me…it’s delicious and takes 5 minutes to prep. You can make a double batch and it’ll last you a few days…if Nick does not live with you :-p Okay, who am I kidding, I eat as much as he does… :-p

Saturday: LEFT OVERS!!!!

Nick and I were psyched on this, and since we had a plan for what we needed, we saved some money in the grocery store because we weren’t needlessly wandering around picking up everything we THOUGHT we may need…which usually ends up in us wasting it.

If you want to try your own sheet, here it is! (don’t be fooled by the simplicity…the very action of WRITING IT DOWN is the key )

Danielle’s Printable Meal Planner

So far this SYSTEM is working for us by saving us money, and getting us EXCITED about what we’re going to eat at home, so I am much less likely to want to go out to eat…

I hope it works for you too!

Much love,

Jen

Yay! I was nominated…

Posted by beautifullystrong in Uncategorized June 4, 2012

…for VERSATILE BLOGGER by the one, the only, the LOVELY…SheShredss!

Thank you lovely

To continue this fun little game and properly follow the rules, I need to, and will GLADLY answer 7 random facts about myself:

1) I can make three loops in my tongue!

2) I have my motorcycle license, and used to own a Kawasaki Ninja 250 with a hot pink helmet Anything with a small engine pretty much, I can tear it up on. I prefer four wheelers and snowmobiles though. I’m from Northern Maine…I’m a country girl :-p

3) I love brushing my teeth in the shower…there is nothing better than an icy cool mouth in a hot steamy shower

4) I love reading marriage books…specifically Christian marriage books…couldn’t tell ya…

5) I, at one point, had FIRE ENGINE RED hair and BRIGHT GREEN contacts…it was in college, during my “punk phase”.

6) I have never been to Europe…in today’s world, this is an odd fact.

7) Je parle en peu francaise :-p

So now I get to nominate 15 versatile bloggers of my own!!

The lucky bloggers are…in no particular order…

KelsalynnFitLog

Sozo Life

Tales of me and the husband

Two red birthstones

Create something out of nothing

The Blog of Santa Barbara Family Chiropractic

Mark’s Daily Apple

The Clothes Make the Girl

Sweet Cheeks

Thank you to all these blogs for constantly providing knowledge, tips to make my (and everyone else’s) life easier, joy and entertainment, beauty, words of wisdom, recipes, and words of comfort and understanding. You all inspire every day

Have a wonderful day!! xoxo

Jen