After 8 weeks of being away from CrossFit, I'm finally back. Previously my choices had been limited to which CrossFit box I went to, but suddenly I found myself with 5 CrossFit boxes within 5 miles of my job. Then it was a matter of doing a comparison with 1) prices, 2) schedule, 3) shower vs no shower, 4) traffic patterns, and 5) buddies. In the end, I settled on Fitness Battalion. Their price was reasonable compared to others in the area, the schedule met my typical needs, they have TWO showers, and best of all, the traffic patterns work really well going to/from home & work. The downside? They are not quite as well equipped as some other boxes and none of my buddies go there.
Now I am working to incorporate CrossFit into my Job#1/Job#2/Boyfriend/Daughter/Friends/Home balance. Yeah, right... Good luck with that one! I quickly established that if I don't go to the 7:15 am workout, I'm probably not going to make it. It's just too easy at the end of the day to miss it due to scheduling issues or being tired. Amazingly enough, due to the infamous Atlanta traffic, I only have to get up 30 minutes earlier to get in a one hour workout! Leaving my house at 6:40 to make a 7:15 workout means that my morning commute is only 25 minutes long. But, that means I have to shower at the gym. And not forget the long list of stuff to bring: toiletries, blow dryer, workout clothes, towel, work clothes, panty hose, etc. So this morning was about getting that squared away.
Here's my gym bag:
- Travel hairdryer
- Extra hairbrush
- Makeup case
- Zipper bag with black hose & nude hose (back-ups in case I forget)
- Dorm-type of shower caddy with shampoo, conditioner, razor (with built-in shaving cream), body wash, lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste, and hair styling foam
- Shower shoes
Because they are all spares/extras, nothing has to come out of the gym bag.
Then, I stole an idea from my BFF Kate: I bought 5 mesh zipper laundry bags. In each one, I put: shorts, shirt, sports bra, socks, washcloth, and towel. When I get up in the morning, grab a bag, put on the gym clothes and toss the almost-empty bag with washcloth & towel in my gym bag. When I get done with my workout, the damp towel, washcloth, and sweaty gym clothes go into the mesh bag. When I get home, the mesh bag goes into the laundry, intact. Theoretically, the mesh will keep them from getting mildewy. Then when I do laundry, throw the mesh bags into the washer & dryer and they are ready to go again. So what if they aren't folded? So what if they are wrinkly? So what if the whites get dingy? I'm going the gym, not a fashion show!
Ta-da! Gym organization is complete.
I love wine. And I love cider. Beer? Not so much... Although some of the micro-wheat-beers have proven enjoyable over the last few years. Well, since my budget has been lean, I've been trying to minimize what I am spending on alcohol without eliminating it.
I can sip on two ciders all night, but I will drink more than half a bottle of wine. I wondered why my alcohol intake was so much higher with the wine. Then I realized that volume is the key. A bottle of wine is approximately 25 ounces of liquid. If I drink 2/3 of a bottle of wine, I've drunk about 16 ounces of liquid. Two ciders is 24 ounces of liquid. Ah Ha! Now it's all making sense.
And when I look at the cost...well, let's calculate an $8 bottle of wine. 2/3 bottle of wine = $5 A six pack of Strongbow (one of my faves) is $8, so 2 ciders is $2.60.
And look at the math?!?!
2 ciders = 24 oz of liquid + approx 283 calories + 7 carbs + 5% alcohol + $2.60
2/3 bottle of wine = 16 oz of liquid + approx 400 calories + 12 carbs + 13.5% alcohol + $5
Oh yeah, and did I mention that hard cider is gluten-free? So, obviously hard cider is a better choice for me all the way around. Still, if you calculate the cost of drinking 12 ciders a week, it's about $16 a week, or $64 a month, which is a measurable chunk. So I had come across a post awhile back talking about it being fairly inexpensive and easy to brew hard cider. Hmmm -- that's interesting.
I came across this blog post on a blog called The Paupered Chef. And their follow-up post indicated success with brewing a Strongbow-like cider. So, off I went to Wine Craft for supplies to brew two gallons of hard cider.
- 1 packet of lager yeast = $5 (enough for 5 gallons of cider)
- 2 rubber stopper airlocks = $2.50
- 2 #6 rubber stoppers = $1.85
Luckily, Whole Foods was in the shopping center next to Wine Craft, so I popped in for 2 gallons of organic cider in glass bottles. $7 each
Put them together in less than 5 minutes and now just have to be patient. The airlocks and stoppers can be reused, so I'm not going to count them into my costs. A gallon is a little over 10 12-ounce ciders at a total price of $8. That's about $0.80 per cider or $1.60 a night (for two). The other thing that I like is that I sometimes don't want a full 24-0unces of cider. Sometimes 16 ounces would hit the spot, so it may turn out to be less waste. If they turn out decent, then I will expand my operation so I can have some ready and some brewing at all times.
Stay tuned...
I originally found a recipe for Mediterranean Chicken Salad on Epicurious. My modified version eliminated the orzo pasta and substituted sun-dried tomatoes for fresh. There's really only one way I like fresh tomatoes and that's with mozzarella and basil. The texture of fresh tomatoes is always iffy for me and it's so difficult to get one that actually has some flavor that I use sun-dried tomatoes in almost everything. This summer I plan to invest in a food dehydrator and make my own, but for now I buy them in bulk.
This is super-fast and easy if you have already-cooked chicken.
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons tarragon vinegar (for strict Paleo, substitute more lemon juice for the vinegar)
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 cups diced cooked chicken
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1/3 cup dried currants
1 1/2 tablespoons drained capers
In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, tarragon, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, currants, and capers.
Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and dijon mustard. Pour over the chicken mix and stir.
Good on Day 1. Delicious on Day 2.
My sweetheart sent me a text message today. "Found our song - In Spite of Ourselves - John Prine and Iris DeMent. LMAO - listen to the song when you get home." Sure 'nuff, I'm LMAO also. If you only want to hear the song, start listening at 1:30. Lyrics are below. If you listen to the entire thing, the movie John Prine refers to is "Daddy and Them." (Oh my GOSH - what a truly Southern thing to say -- as in "We're gonna go see Daddy and 'Em this weekend.")
So, of course, a little research was in order (read: TimeSuckage). You know the really awesome song "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls? Well, according to Wikipedia (warning: no reference source) "Iris" is named for none other than Iris DeMent.
"In Spite of Ourselves" by John Prine and Iris DeMent
She don't like her eggs all runny
She thinks crossin' her legs is funny
She looks down her nose at money
She gets it on like the Easter Bunny
She's my baby I'm her honey
I'm never gonna let her go
He ain't got laid in a month of Sundays
I caught him once and he was sniffin' my undies
He ain't too sharp but he gets things done
Drinks his beer like it's oxygen
He's my baby
And I'm his honey
Never gonna let him go
In spite of ourselves
We'll end up a'sittin' on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we're the big door prize
We're gonna spite our noses
Right off of our faces
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.
She thinks all my jokes are corny
Convict movies make her horny
She likes ketchup on her scrambled eggs
Swears like a sailor when shaves her legs
She takes a lickin'
And keeps on tickin'
I'm never gonna let her go.
He's got more balls than a big brass monkey
He's a wacked out werido and a lovebug junkie
Sly as a fox and crazy as a loon
Payday comes and he's howlin' at the moon
He's my baby I don't mean maybe
Never gonna let him go
In spite of ourselves
We'll end up a'sittin' on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we're the big door prize
We're gonna spite our noses
Right off of our faces
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.
(spoken) In spite of ourselves
This is to DIE for!! If you want to be strictly paleo, I guess you could substitute red wine for the Guinness. For me, it is close enough for horseshoes and hand grenades.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound (or so) beef, cut into bite sized pieces
1 onion coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon coconut or almond flour
1 large bottle or can of Guinness (or other dark stout)
beef stock (have at least two cups of home made or a large can of store bought beef broth)
Seasoning - a couple of tablespoons of chopped rosemary and thyme, a dash of oregano is also nice
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
4 parsnips
2 large turnips
4 carrots (cut into bite sized pieces)
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large pot.
Add the beef and brown well, on low/medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir. Add the Guinness and enough beef stock to cover the meat.
Add the seasoning, bring to a boil, reduce to low and cover and simmer until the meat is tender. About 2 hours on LOW. Check about 3/4 way through and add a little more broth or Guinness if needed to keep the meat well braised.
Add the vegetables and just enough additional beef stock to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until they are tender, about 20-60 minutes depending on how big of pieces you cut.
Remove Bay leaf. Garnish with fresh parsley (optional) and serve.
I have found it challenging to find a fast, inexpensive, zone-friendly breakfast. I tend to rotate between about three options: a smoothie, cottage cheese/fruit/nuts, and my favorite, a Breakfast Tortilla. I usually prep the ingredients for several of them at a time. Here's the recipe for 6. Really easy to cut it down.
- 6 6-inch corn tortillas (check ingredients to make sure there is no added sugar or corn syrup)
- 12 eggs
- 1 can black beans
- 1 small can diced jalapeno pepper
- 2 T butter
- 6 oz pepperjack cheese (slices work really well)
- Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper
- 6 T sour cream (optional)
Whisk the eggs until well blended. Add salt & pepper. Whisk again. Melt butter in a non-stick skillet. Scramble the eggs until still slightly wet. Remove from the heat. If I am making these ahead, I immediately put them into a tupperware container so they start to cool.
Put a tortilla on a small plate. Layer 1/4 cup black beans, 1/3 cup scrambled egg, 1 T diced jalapeno pepper, and 1 oz cheese. Microwave for about 1 minute, or until cheese has melted. Spread 1 T sour cream on top. Bon appetit!
When making ahead, I store the ingredients in separate containers and just layer & microwave for about 90 seconds for a fast breakfast. Alternately, I have layered everything on a plate and wrapped in plastic wrap for an even faster breakfast.
3 blocks protein, 2 blocks carbohydrate, 6 blocks fat
To make this "Zone Perfect", add 1/2 cup berries or pineapple on the side (1 block carbohydrate) and eliminate either the butter or sour cream to reduce the fat to 3 blocks. Personally, I try to add the additional carbohydrates, but I don't worry about reducing the fat since it has a benign impact to my blood sugar.
Will try to take a photo tomorrow morning.
So you are saying WTF is CrossFit? or Hashing? or Paleo? or Zone? Read on! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: crossit, gluten free, hashing, paleo, zone
Anyone remember when mini-series were the rage on television? I think they hit their heyday before I turned 15. I remember when we lived in Knoxville, TN, my bedroom had pocket doors that didn't quite meet in the middle and a great view of the television. Through the crack in the door, I sneaked to watch a handsome Richard Chamberlain and a gorgeous Rachel Ward in a star-crossed love affair. I was not quite 14 years old. The following summer was the first time I read the book and loved it so much that I have periodically re-read it. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: books, Colleen McCullough, Shoeless Joe, The Thornbirds, TimeSuck, W.P. Kinsella
I have finally managed to resolve the most annoying way that WordPress (my blog publishing software) was getting rid of my paragraph breaks. That annoying problem was keeping me from blogging because it was so damned frustrating. If you are using WordPress and trying to solve this problem yourself, the answer is now quite simple. Install Tiny MCE Advanced, then to the settings and check the box that tells WordPress "Stop removing the p and br tags..."
I've been back in Atlanta for two weeks now. The first week was all about establishing a household -- acquiring a few pieces of furniture and necessary kitchen supplies. Initially there was some upset about being back here, in the same house, but minus all the "stuff" that I had sold/given away. But thank goodness for my honey who patiently reminded me (through my tears) that the real reason I had gotten rid of the "stuff" was to have a fresh start and simplified life. Oh yeah! That turned it all around for me and helped me say NO to some offered items.
So, now I have: Read the rest of this entry »