Day 1

Morning WOD was pretty cool, and I was so thankful we didn't pullups! The rip in my hand makes everyday tasks a bit challenging, such as washing my hair, applying facial and body lotion, etc. I put a big wad of gauze wrapped with sports tape around the finger--worked just fine on our power snatches.

5-3-2-2-1-1-1

I got 73# PR, tried to do 5 more pounds, but I couldn't get it past my shoulders. Ugh. Remembered to wear bug spray this morning, and I'm happy to report that it worked.

CD was 3 rounds of 10 reps of good mornings (why are they called that?!) with a barbell (I used 15#) and ankles to bar reverse pullups. I feel myself getting stronger, despite the lousy diet last week, and it's very heartening and motivating. Was great working with Erica--she really pushes and encourages me. She got the 78# power snatch, and I need to catch her next time! Got a friendly little competition going, in my head at least. :)

Breakfast: Not Just Another Egg Sammich (bad to eat the English muffin and cheese but I wanted one!!)
sweet potato fries (not done as well as they usually are--couldn't finish
them)

Lunch: 2 oz. almond-crusted turkey (getting tired of it finally)
olive oil
1 cup cucumbers
1 cup red bell peppers
6 olives

Snack: 1 oz. brisket jerky
1/2 apple
sunbutter

Dinner: 2 eggs with spinach and purple cabbage (mmmm, love this combo)
olive oil
1 Tbsp avocado

EOD: 9/5?/13

Update on my course from hell: the lady I'd somewhat figured would be willing to work with me doesn't even have a webcam or long-distance service, so that arrangement fell through--disappointing yet a relief as it would have been quite a hassle doing the tutoring sessions via video conference. I'm hoping that Mel and Bobby's relatives will trust me to work with their little ones for the course instead. It's very stressful and frustrating right now because time is trickling away, and I need to get in two sessions this week before the July 4th weekend. I'm doubting that I will be able to go visit Kason's dad at the lake for the holiday--bummer. :/ I'm trying to remain optimistic, though!!!! Once I get two kids squared away and have my first sessions with them, things will fall into place. Just gotta get to that point! I'd rather do Nancy and Helen back-to-back, I think...haha! Okay, maybe not. Gulp!

OMG I'm scared.

So I start my next grad course this week, and I am already starting to panic. We're required to find a student to assess for the entire five weeks--the course is called Literacy Assessment--and why the university would schedule this course in the summer is beyond me. School has been out of session for at least three or four weeks now, and families go on vacation! I do have a few options, but I have to hurry and find a student by Wednesday as my first lesson plan/assessment is due on Saturday. It's going to be rough and stressful--I can already feel it. I'm hoping the professor allows me to remotely teach/assess my mother's friends' son who is going into the 3rd grade. I know the parents and the son relatively well, and I think they would be comfortable with me working with them. But I have to actually implement lesson plans each week and teach the student reading and writing skills for each lesson, as well as assess and observe him/her during each session. That will be pretty much impossible to do when the child lives in Ohio and I'm in Texas. My other option is contacting Victoria and somehow getting contact information on her students (elementary level) and hoping at least one of them has not left for vacation yet. Five weeks is a long time! I'm seriously baffled about why the class schedule was set up to have this course in session during the summer! Argh! Anyway, I think I will e-mail my peers and see what they're doing in order to fulfill this particular requirement. I feel so incompetent and lost already. :(

Going to workout today and hope the heat doesn't kill me. Haven't had breakfast yet because I'm not hungry and I feel stressed out. That's a bad thing I used to do in college--when I was stressed, I would not eat. Bleh! On a good note, my kittens aren't mad at me for leaving them for those few days at the vet. They seem happy and content being at home again. I am glad I got them!

Went in this afternoon and wow do 20 degrees make a huge difference!!!! I couldn't believe how stuffy and oppressive the heat was, but it was great to sweat out those toxins from my poor diet earlier in the week, plus all the stress I've been feeling. I got a new PR on front press: 90#, as well as a new 5-rep max (80#) and 3-rep max (85# +10 from old PR). Mel and Erica kept me going. It was good to workout with Lindsey again, too. :) I think she got a new PR, as well. Then it was time for the metcon: 21-15-9 of wall ball shots and pullups. Oh, it was awesome being able to do two unassisted kipping pullups on our bar when I got there!!!! But doing all those reps ripped my hand, and I had to use the red band. I digress, I know, but it would have taken me 20-30 minutes to finish if I hadn't used the band. I don't know what it is about 21 pullups, but I hated every one of them! Maybe the presses tired my shoulders out, who knows. I did, however, beat my old time of over 8 minutes and did it in 7:40 this time. That's progress!! Next time, I will do it mostly unassisted. Gotta wean myself off that band. But I seriously hope we're not doing pullups tomorrow...if we are, then I'm going to wear a glove on my ripped hand. Finally, I held a handstand against the wall for 30 seconds, yay!

Breakfast/lunch: 2 hardboiled eggs
1 Tbsp sunbutter
(seriously not much of an appetite)

Snack: 1 oz. brisket jerky
handful mixed nuts

Dinner: almond-crusted turkey
steamed purple cabbage and spinach
olive oil

EOD: 6/2/10?

Diet is caput!!

Ugh, I knew it would be a challenge to stick to my diet while at home, but sheesh, I'm starting to feel the repercussions of such a fact. :( The good aspect? It really motivates me to be even more rigorous with my diet when I return. I could tell a difference with my workouts, too.

Yesterday's workout was quite tough for me, but I like to think it's because it was my fourth day in a row and my awful diet. We warmed up with 10-9-8...1 of jumping squats and pushups. Then we practiced a skill--rowing 500m for time, three times. I couldn't break 2:14. :( I got some pointers from the coach, but I didn't improve at all. Then for the metcon, we did AMRAP in 15 minutes of 400m run and 5 wall climbs. I tried to do a wall climb, but I couln't move my hands at all--they just wouldn't budge! I think it's because I'm not confident in my handstands yet. I had to do donkey kicks instead--15 for each round. I managed to get in three and a half rounds, but they were painful and slow. The run was the worst part for me, surprisingly. It was rather hot and humid that day (I know, nothing like it was in Dallas but still quite icky), and I didn't feel like I could breathe properly while I ran. In retrospect, though, I'm glad I went. It will be great to return to CFDC, but I noticed that Rogue Fitness tends to do a warmup, skill practice, AND metcon for each workout. CFDC does feature great warmups and WODs, but sometimes I feel like I should have done more...if that makes sense. Oh good gracious, I'm starting to sound like my exercise-obsessed pal! :0 But sometimes I do feel like I need to do another workout in addition to what I've already done. I really like being sore and bruised the next day, not to say I haven't experienced these sensations recently from working out at CFDC. Just a tiny difference I've noticed.

Well, I return to Dallas tomorrow and will be having a huge cheat meal (ack, I know!) with a friend who is a spectacular chef. THEN I will be on a strict Paleo/Zone diet. I should start logging my daily meals like Sandy, Amy, and Jamie do. Need to be held accountable!

Rogue Fitness = legit CrossFit affiliate

Drove an hour to Gahanna today to workout at Rogue Fitness, the Columbus CrossFit affiliate. I had heard from Dave how different the CF gym in Missouri was when he'd visited, so I was a bit skeptical about how good of an experience I would have at this gym. At first, when I walked into the waiting area (with the bathroom and a seating area), I thought the gym was air-conditioned! I immediately thought, There's no A/C in CrossFit!!!! But I was pleasantly surprised. The cool temperature was due to the back garage door being open and the fact that Ohio is at least ten degrees cooler than Dallas, plus the humidity is much lower. Working out in an 80-degree gym felt like it had A/C since I'm used to working out at CFDC. This gym actually manufactures its own equipment and sells it to other affiliates. The coach who taught my class won the CrossFit Games last year. She was really knowledgeable, encouraging, and helpful--just not the same level or type of energy that CFDC's coaches possess, but she was still awesome, and I felt honored to be coached by her. She stayed after the workout to coach me on unassisted kipping pullups, and I actually did one on the first try!!!!! I couldn't believe it! I almost let go of the bar after I did it, I was so amazed. Luckily I didn't. Then I tried a few more, and she encouraged me the whole time. It was a truly rewarding feeling to be able to accomplish one of my short-term goals already, and at a different CF gym. I think the fact that the pullup bar was quite a bit narrower helped a lot--I could grip the bar a lot more easily and securely. I am curious to see if I am able to repeat my performance when I return to CFDC and the thicker pullup bar. I'm determined to try!! I was tempted to take the three remaining days I'm home as rest days, but I'm so pumped that I'm going to go back to Rogue tomorrow for the noon class again. I will be doing 4 on, 2 off, but that's okay. When I get back to Dallas, I will resume my 3-1 schedule so the coaches don't get mad at me. :)

Warm-up: mini Cindy and 20 shoulder rotations
WOD: Seated press, 3-2-1-1-1-1 then
metcon: AMRAP in 15 minutes:
15 pullups
15 KB high swings
15 burpee box jumps

65-70-75-75-80(f)-75
3 rounds + 6 pullups on metcon

I used the red band on the pullups but made myself knock out at least 4 or 5 pullups in a row before resting. The first set, I did 10 in a row unbroken. I used a 35# KB on the swings, and a medium box for the jumps. The burpee box jumps were the worst part. I actually tripped myself on the last burpee and ended up banging my knees quite nicely. :/ Oh well, I actually like having bruises and soreness. I'm such a masochist. But my favorite part of the whole experience was doing my very first unassisted kipping pullup!!! I heart Rogue Fitness! I'd even go so far to say that if I HAD to move to Ohio, I wouldn't mind it too much if I was near the gym. :O Yeah, I said it. Haha! Anyway, I am happy that this affiliate turned out being so awesome, but I still miss CFDC and look forward to returning. I'll definitely hit up Rogue, though, when I'm home again for x-mas.

Sandy's report on her surgery experience has me both excited and a bit apprehensive. Her description of the discomfort made me nervous! I believe I will accept the Valium when I get my procedure done. I'm rather sensitive to smells, as well, so hopefully the drug will dull my senses as well as my anxiety. I have no doubt that Dr. Beebe is an expert, and I trust him completely, but I still would like my experience to be as stress-free and comfortable as possible. I'm glad Sandy has noticed a big difference already and is happy with the results. Can't wait to see her at the gym next week with perfect vision and glasses-free!!!! :D

Two a day

This morning, I worked out with the roosters. Erica got me going because really, when my alarm went off at 5:30, I remember thinking, what the hell am I doing awake this freaking early?!!! Then I remembered, oh yeah, Erica's going to kick my ass if I'm not at the 6 a.m. class today. That got me moving. :) Once I got to the gym, I didn't feel too bad. It's the initial, do I really want to get up yet? mentality that can make early morning workouts tough. When I was in college, I would meet my best friend at the local fairgrounds to run almost everyday at 5:30 or 6 a.m. We'd meet so early because it was the coolest (not that Ohio truly gets that hot, haha), plus I worked from noon until 10 p.m. If I didn't have my friend waiting for me at the grounds, I would have easily ignored my alarm and resumed sleeping. It really helps to have someone to motivate you and help you stay on track.

Today's WOD was 10 rounds of AMRAP of burpees for 20 seconds and mountain climbers for 20 seconds, with 20 seconds of rest between each set. I started out a bit too strong for the long haul, but I remained consistent after the initial hump, averaging at 6 burpees and 10 mountain climbers. This WOD was purely mental. It was tough sticking it out for ten rounds!! But then I returned in the evening and did the same WOD with pushups and flutter-kicks. I averaged 10 pushups and 20-something flutter-kicks. It was a well-rounded workout day. Didn't have time for my usual CD of 3 rounds 15 GHD situps/back extensions since I had to go to work, but I will try to get them in tomorrow. I have a feeling tomorrow will involve lifting, meaning the workout will take longer and I won't be done at 7. It's okay, though--tomorrow's my last day of work until July, and I'm going to Ohio in the evening. I'm a bit worried about my kittens and how well they will handle being away from home/me for four days. They should be fine, but they have been very needy since Kason left for Basic. Can't do much about that, though! I'm sure they won't let me out of their sight when I return. It's nice to feel loved. :)

Had my LASIK consultation today, and it went beautifully. The technicians and coordinators are all so professional, friendly, and knowledgeable at Cornea Associates of Texas. Dr. Beebe was just the same, although he's very matter-of-fact, but I like that in a doctor. My old family doctor liked to shoot the breeze a bit too much for my taste, and then it seemed like he never truly and thorougly checked us out. It was exhilirating to schedule my surgery!!! Shelly was fantastic, encouraging, and definitely supportive. She is a wonderful asset to the practice. She told me she'd had LASIK when they still used knives but hasn't had a problem. That would freak me out too much!! I'm so glad I waited and that the technology is so advanced and precise. I'm looking forward to July 14. Will be thinking of Sandy tomorrow at 2 when she gets her LASIK done. Have a great time in NY!

It's going to be okay.

I absolutely LOVE CrossFit. If CF was a man, I'd marry it. I am so elated! Went to the doctor today and had blood work and annual exam done. My resting heart rate is 55--it's usually in the 60s. My blood pressure was a bit higher than the normal 110/70, but I suppose that'd due to the intense workouts I've been doing these past two months. I'm getting a liver panel done to make sure it's functioning well and all's okay with it, but after reading the blog today, I'm a bit worried. I tried to explain CF to my doc, but she seemed quite clueless. We'll see. I'm anxious to see how my cholesterol levels are, if they've improved. I have a propensity for high HDLs, and even though my LDLs are low, the HDLs usually make my total number higher than it's supposed to be (over 200). Last time I had it done, my cholesterol was 173, my HDLs were 82, and my LDLs were 64 (ick). My glucose was 85. I'm very interested to see how my numbers turn out this time around! I've lost six pounds since starting CF, and I love how the doctor told me I'm looking good. :) I'd complained to her last year at my last exam how I wanted to lose weight and stuff, and she tried to tell me my options. If only she had said, "CrossFit." LOL Anyway, that made my day. However, my car needs a new timing belt, so low blow to my wallet. Argh! But my future mother-in-law (I kid!) is paying for us to fly out to see Kason graduate from Army Basic Training next month. I cannot WAIT!!!!!!!!!!

I called Dr. Beebe's office to see if I should postpone my LASIK consultation appt., and Shelly told me to come in anyway because the doctor can still determine whether I'm a candidate or not. She also said that I can still use the coupon toward my procedure when I get it done, so I'm excited about that! I love this practice already. The coordinators have been professional, organized, and actually remember me after just a few phone conversations! I can't wait to meet Dr. Beebe and see what he says about my eyes and whether or not I can schedule the surgery. There's a chance that I might have to wait longer since the past infections have caused pressure that has changed the shape of my cornea, but I'm optimistic. If this turns out to be the case, no big deal. I will have LASIK one day soon!

Stoked to finally indulge my Kozy fix and see Food, Inc. tonight.

Discouragement

Went to the ophthalmologist today, and he poked my eye to excise the abscess. Ow. The technician put numbing drops in my eye beforehand, but it still hurt quite a bit. He gave me an antibiotic I have to take for two weeks, and he wants to see me again for a follow-up. Then I have to take a preventative antibiotic for three months. Hopefully I don't get another episode for a long, long time after this. Also, I will most likely have to postpone my LASIK consultation because the pressure from my eyelid has changed the shape of my cornea, according to the ophthalmologist. He used to perform LASIK, so I'm presuming he knows what he's talking about. I won't look back fondly on this month, except for the fact that I got a new PR on deadlift and back squat. Other than that, not so much.

I hope everyone else had a great day and had fun on the WOD. I would like to make this one up as soon as I can return to the gym. Doc said I should take a few days off, as well as avoid being near those fans. I might go in on Saturday and row for a half hour or so. Just something or I'll go crazy. I'm looking forward to going to Kozy and seeing Food, Inc. tomorrow! Should be a fun evening.

I'd like to remove my left eye.

Well, good thing today is a rest day. My left eye continues to give me problems. The sty on the lower lid healed up last weekend, but two days later, I began to feel that soreness/swelling beginning to form in my upper eyelid on Tuesday morning. Sure enough, today my upper lid is swollen and sore. I am getting sick of this damn infection or whatever it is. I called the Cornea Associates for an appt. because I don't want to have to deal with this crap while I'm traveling next week. The triage center will cost a lot (not sure why insurance wouldn't cover it), but I want this nonsense GONE! And gone for good! I was looking forward to dinner at Kozy and a movie, but I think I will sit it out and rest the eye after work. I actually would rather see Food, Inc. this Friday anyway. Hopefully the doctor will give me some good drugs and my eye will be cleared up by next Monday when I go in for my LASIK consultation.

From reading the blog, I can see many CFDCers dressed up crazily for theme day. I hope there will be pictures of the best outfits! Chase dressing up like Linda sounds like a hoot! I might take Thursday off, as well, to prevent dust/contaminants from getting blown into my eye (love the fans, but they sure blow a lot of dust/dirt). My plan is to go (maybe Thursday) Friday and Saturday, Sunday is closed for Fathers Day, and then go on Monday and definitely Tuesday morning before work. I can't go in the evening because my plane leaves at 7 and I need to be at the airport around 5:30. Then I'll visit the Columbus CF once or twice (hoping I can squeeze in twice) while I'm in Ohio. I won't be back in time for Saturday's workout, but I will definitely go on Sunday. It will be good to see the family and my friends who were crazy enough to stay in Ohio, especially my best friend who's having a mid-life crisis at 28!

Finally!

Well, I finally put aside the blue band for pullups today and used the red band. It slowed me down quite a lot, but I'm happy that I stuck it out and stayed with the red band instead of slipping back a step (Dee's advice really stuck with me). It very well might be a very different matter, though, when I make up Barbara!! Baby steps.

Today's WOD was fun. I like front squats quite a lot, and this move used to be my most hated at first. Now I think it's one of my favorites. Once you have the form mastered, going up in weight is pretty much a breeze. It took me a good month or so to get it down.

5-4-3-2-1
Front Squat
Muscle Up

6:09
90# front squat (I thought about going to 95#, but I didn't listen to myself)
red band on pullups
blue band on ring dips

CD: 4 sets of 10 GHD situps/10 back extensions, then 60 abmat situps, unbroken


My quads, ribs, back, and shoulders still feel Cindy from last Sunday and the WODS on Monday and today. I will definitely enjoy my rest day tomorrow!

A great day!

Received a seven-page letter from Kason (he finally received my first mail I overnighted to him on June 5!), and he was actually pretty gushy at times. That's saying a lot because Kason isn't that kind of guy. :) Anyway, he's doing fine at basic training, except when his platoon got smoked like three times by the drill sergeant for stupid crap; one such punishment actually landed one of his teammates in the hospital with a messed up back! But he's enduring the heat/humidity and physical challenges better than most. I'm glad CF has helped prepare him for all this!

Today's WOD was rather challenging, especially after doing Cindy yesterday. My legs hurt in places they haven't in a long while. Rolling out was rather unpleasant.

The Chief

As Many Rounds As Possible in 3 Minutes:

• 3 Power Cleans (135# men, 95# women)
• 6 Push-Ups
• 9 Squats

Repeat 5 times. Rest 1 minute between sets.

I started with 75# and did regular pushups for the first set, but the left 1# chain fell off on my last round and I was too tired to put it back on. So I knocked off the other chain and used 73# for the remaining sets. How lame is that? :/ I also went to knee pushups. Dee brought up a good point--I should do the regular pushups even if I don't get as many reps or as good of a time. I should keep moving forward, not backward. So the next WOD that calls for pushups, I'm going to stay off my knees for as long as I can. She's right--it is a better workout if I do the full ROM and prescribed movements. It's about time to move from the blue strap to the red one on pullups, too.

4, 3, 3, 3 and 2 squats, 4 and 2 power cleans.

The finisher was 20 strict (dead-hang) pullups. I started with the green band, which was much too easy, and then moved to blue. Got about 4 or 5 with that, but then I added the red band. I'm looking forward to starting the pullup progression workouts with Sandy. I think she's a trooper for doing today's WOD on that ankle. I hope she takes her time and doesn't try to push it too hard.

What friends are for

Was feeling quite crappy today from getting to bed past 2:30 (not by choice) and eating too much greasy/fried food last night. By the time I got to the gym a little past 3, I seriously doubted my motivation and commitment to giving my best effort to the workout. It was a tossup between the prescribed WOD (400m run x 6) or making up Cindy or Barbara. Since Sam Z. was going to make up Cindy, I decided to join him. It really helps to have someone suffering alongside you during a WOD! Sandy showed up to count for me. :) I was relieved/worried because I knew she would make me repeat a rep if it wasn't perfect, but really, once I started the WOD, I found myself redoing reps that weren't up to par (particularly pullups). This is a deceptively difficult benchmark, and I think I would have quit after ten minutes (or before!) if Sandy hadn't been there encouraging me and telling me to keep going. For some reason, I kept breaking my squats at rep 13. Weird, huh? I'm not sure why I kept doing that, but I did it for most of the rounds. Overall, I was happy to knock out all 5 pullups mostly unbroken for some of those rounds. Toward the end, though, it was more like breaking every 1 or 2 pullups. Ugh. But the final 20 seconds, I just had to get 5 more pullups in, so I did 3 and then 2. Twenty minutes is agony when you're doing AMRAP! I'm pretty pleased with how I did, and I felt tons better after I was done (after I caught my breath, of course...so like, 20-30 minutes afterward).

I then cooled down with Sandy with a full tabata situp mashup. I was quite pleasantly surprised to see Sandy out of the corner of my eye matching my pace and reps! She's really worked hard, and I'm so proud of her! She did a great job on her tabata pushups, but I think next time, she should do the pullups first. For some reason, it does make a difference. I might make up Barbara next Sunday...we'll see! I hope she can count for me!!

Had a very much needed vent session afterward at Cafe Brazil, where I introduced Sandy to my favorite: Not Just Another Egg Sandwich with sweet potato fries. I'll be more than happy to indulge her fix anytime she has a craving for another one!

Ugh.

Well, today was another lifting day, and I was rather disappointed in myself. I'd like to blame it on my lack of vision and consequential imbalance/insecurity, plus the fact that the heavy lifters (i.e., Linda, Dee, Victoria, and Mel) totally swept me away. But I won't. I have terrible form on this lift, and I have added it to my "work-in-progress" list. It's frustrating to feel like I've moved backward this week! But I won't dwell on it. My consultation is in less than two weeks, and then if everything goes well, I won't have to worry about glasses/contacts ever again!!!!

WOD:

Clean and Jerk
Max single

rest 5-10 minutes

2 reps every minute on the minute, 8 times, at 85% of max single

By the time I reached 83#, I was already feeling lousy and knew my form was gradually declining. So I went back down to 78# and stayed there. I cheated on the weight used for the 2nd part, but I was too annoyed with myself by that point to really bother about the 3 extra pounds, plus I didn't feel like doing the math. It helped to hear Linda coach me and encourage me. She's awesome. Mel gave me some pointers, too. I really appreciate it when they do that! It's cool to see Linda working out with us again and that her injury has healed.

I'm excited about preparing all of this Texas grass-fed beef! I love our gym. And my foam roller came today. I made the really dumb mistake of leaving it unattended; when I went to try it out later, I saw that the kittens, of course, had tried it out themselves...with their claws and teeth!!! Argh! There's never a dull moment with these creatures!

It was fun helping Sandy with her front squats. She got a new PR, and she did the workout, so I'm very proud of her. It's motivating to work with people like her. She's always conscious of her form and her execution, and she doesn't cut corners. Her attitude is one to emulate, for sure. :)

Hope is here!

Thankfully today went a lot smoother because Sandy gave me her cornea specialist's number and I scheduled a consultation for LASIK surgery. I'm so excited about the prospect of finally getting my eyes fixed! It's amusing, somewhat, that Sandy told me just last week about her being scheduled to get it done, and this week I've already decided that I'm going to get it done myself. Just needed that little push, it seems. That, and I just loathe being dependent on glasses. I've had to wear glasses since I was in Kindergarten!! I will probably cry with happiness when I wake up the next day and am able to see what time it is without having to go over to the clock and squint to read it.

WOD:

Tabata Deadlift

I felt really weak on the warmup with just 103, so doing it with 123# was more than enough for me. I managed to get 43 reps, but it sure was painful by the end. I definitely stayed conscious of my form and concentrated on pulling with my hamstrings engaged instead of making my lower back do the work. I think this method will pay off when I don't have lower back pain tomorrow. Shoulders and lats still hurt from OHS yesterday and Nancy on Saturday. Ick. I'd love to take advantage of Erin's first-timer special--$45 for the first hour session!

I was looking forward to some Kozy with Sandy and her friend, but the weather decided to blow up. Wasn't any way I was going out there in that wind and rain--I already had a shower not 30 minutes before the storm blew in! I hope we can go sometime soon!! I'm really jonesing for some red meat; haven't had but eggs and chicken all week.

Tried sunbutter today--wow, what a pleasant surprise! It was creamy, very sunflower seedy, and just the perfect snack. I let my colleague and some students try it, and they were impressed, as well. I used to eat so much peanut butter, but I will happily stick to sunbutter (love the name!) and almond butter.

I hate being blind.

So I've come to the point where I want Lasik ASAP because the sty on my eye has gotten worse, and wearing glasses to workout is just not going to happen since I have no bridge on my nose (one of the flaws of being Asian!). They slide off my nose when I'm cooking, cleaning, etc.! Argh! Anyway, I had a crappy workout day because having to wear my glasses in the first place made me pissy. The gym was a sauna--more so, probably because I was wearing my glasses--and I hated not being able to see the person standing right next to me without squinting.

WOD:

Overhead Squat

3-3-3-3-3

Rest 3-5 minutes

50 Burpees, AQAP

OHS are my weakest lift in the first place, so coupled with my inability to see clearly even a few mm in front of my nose, it made for a not-so-fun workout. Luckily Mel and Mere encouraged and coached me, but I still felt like I did a piss-poor job. Being unable to see well really affects your balance/stability/control, all three components crucial to OHSing effectively.

35 - 45 - 55 - 65 - 75(1) - 70(f)

I redeemed myself on the burpees, however, because all I had to see was the ground coming up to meet me each time: 3:01.

I've talked to Sandy about seeing her cornea specialist and seriously talking about getting Lasik. I think once I get that ball rolling, I will relax a bit. It never really occurred to me how truly annoying contacts/glasses are until I had to wear my glasses to the gym. I've never felt so pissy at CFDC ever!! Time for a change.

Thank goodness for rest days!

Although the WOD ("Barbara") sounds delightful today, I'm quite glad it's my rest day (I will be making this one up on Sunday). My eye continues to bother me and makes me wonder if it will affect me tomorrow at the gym. I'm also paying for staying up late to watch that Discovery channel show about the world's former heaviest man. I can't believe he has lost over 400 pounds just by doing the Zone diet! I'm excited to start it along with Paleo in earnest. I really am unsure of myself and look forward to the seminar next weekend. But I'm a bit worried because after that, I'll be going to visit my family/friends for several days, and it will be a bit difficult sticking to the schedule/measurements. Staying faithful to the Paleo aspect probably won't be too challenging, but I do want to follow the Zone diet consistently and truthfully once one of the coaches configures my actual needs. That show truly was inspiring, though, and I'm so glad his girlfriend stuck by him despite her family's judgements.

I am finding it challenging to meet the nutrient requirements (13 for all three) the site prescribed for me. I tend to be quite a bit short of the required blocks for each day. I've always been used to eating less during the weekday when I pack my lunch, but it seems I need to take much more food with me to school, especially snacks. I usually take a bag of unsalted nuts to snack on, but that doesn't seem to be enough. I'm usually pretty hungry when I get home around 4:15, and since I like to go to the 5 p.m. class, it's hard for me to fuel before I workout. I think I should start taking two lunches with me! I'm curious about the supplements and bars marketed by Zone. Are they quality and substantial enough to be considered worth my money and consumption? I might try the bars for an easy, convenient snack option. So much to learn! Well, I plan to go see Hangover with some Xfitters tonight; should be fun, but I hope I can get enough rest to do 100% for tomorrow's WOD.

Good place to start

Well, Sandy and Amy finally convinced me today to start a blog, so here I am! I can see the benefits of blogging about my daily fitness progress and adjustment to implementing Paleo/Zone from reading other CFDCers' blogs. I'm extremely excited about attending the nutrition seminar in a few weeks!! Since I began crossfitting, I returned to eating quality lean meats, and I could tell a positive difference almost overnight. I seriously can't imagine how vegetarians/vegans could possibly do CrossFit the way it's meant to be done (do they?). I've already researched a bit on the Zone Web site and calculated how many blocks I should be eating a day: 13 P,C, and F. I plan to sit down with a coach at the seminar, though, to figure out what my exact nutritional needs are in order to lose some of that excess body fat (it's 24% right now--not ideal). It all seems rather overwhelming right now, but I know that once I get used to the measurements and conversions into blocks, it will be well worth the effort. The only thing I regret is that I didn't learn about CF and Paleo/Zone years ago! I have been recording my meals/snacks in the CFDC food log document and am eager to have it evaluated.

The party last night was a blast, especially when the hip-hop-blaring ice cream truck stopped by. I loved the easy conversations, laughter, and overall hilarity of the entire evening. I don't make friends very easily, mostly because I'm normally an introverted person (FYI: most teachers are introverts), although I like to think that my propensity toward seeming aloof/snobby has slackened over the years. I admire individuals who instantly light up a room with natural charm, charisma, and self-confidence. I do believe that CF has helped me overcome my natural tendencies to be shy/aloof.

WOD:

10 - 10 - 10 of max weight
Push Press

This is a weak lift for me, and I was glad that we worked on it today since it was what hurt my overall reps in "Fight Gone Bad." Amy and Emily pushed me through the ten reps of 55 and 65#. I have to remember the hip drive since I tend to muscle the bar up with my arms/shoulders, speaking of which, they were still stiff from yesterday's "Nancy."

Then I did Friday's met-con (10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 of KB swings and burpees) with Sandy. That was tough!! I have to remember that most WODs look pretty tame in print, but once it comes to actually performing them, yikes! But there is always room for improvement, and that is one of the many aspects I love about CrossFit.