Are we taking supplements without the supplementing?

About a month ago, I was at GNC buying some protein and pre-workout. I am not a fan of GNC but it's a quick fix when I'm  waiting on a shipment. Hungry and at the counter, I started sampling some of the chews. I instantly loved the coconut chew. Caught up in the moment and feeling the urge that I had to have it, I bought two bags.

I started taking the chews in addition to the regular coconut oil that I used while cooking. When Josh recommend that my daily dose of coconut oil should be approximately five tablespoons I was happy. That was easy. I loved it. I began researching all of the benefits to eating coconut oil.

Today I made a shocking discovery. If I wanted to eat all of my daily intake of coconut oil in a chew, I would have to eat 49 chews a day. Then I started to question supplements. Why would anyone waste their money on chews when you can eat the real thing? Do people try to only do supplements thinking they will get what they need and avoid the food all together? Are people convinced that supplements will "fix" the problem?

And where is the balance? And how do we figure out the balance? And once we learn more about it, who do we trust? What resources are valid? Should we be taking supplements at all (assuming we are in good health and not pregnant)?

Real food offers greater nutrition, essential fiber and protective substances. Which brings to back to my meal plan of eating more of the right foods.

Someday we will get this all figured out. Someday...

WOD: teams of 4
           20 min
           P1 & P2: sled push and farmers carry
           P3 &P4: 3 wall walks and 10 banded sit ups

A sick child at home made the weekend fairly uneventful. I do not like seeing him sick but it's always a nice break from our hectic life.

I did find time this weekend to go over to our rental property and trim the shrubs and the trees. (I'm warning you, this paragraph will show my craziness.) I got over to the house and trimmed the shrubs in the front yard and thinned out the trees. I didn't have an edger or weed whacker so I started pulling out the tall grass around the fence line and trees. I'm noticing weeds everywhere. I move to the side of the house and thin out the shrubs that were growing a tad wild. I got stung by a bee on the first shrub. Apparently they were building a nest under the ground. I move to the back yard. Holy cow. There were more weeds than there was mulch. I trimmed down the flowers, dead headed the plants, pulled out weeds. With every weed I was growing more angry. WHY?! This isn't even my yard. These people obviously don't care. I trimmed the trees in the back. Every plant I had planted at that house had a meaning. Easter lilies, a friend's iris, a plant here or there. I was about the cry. By the end of this coming week, there will be a new lawn service there to tend to the weeds and clean it up. I left the house feeling so disappointed.

Which brings me to my thought. Why don't people take care of the things they have? Or why do people take care of some things but not others? I don't necessarily LOVE doing yard work, but I take pride in what I have and I want it to look nice. I HATE cleaning out my car and picking up after dirty kids, but I spent a lot of money on my vehicle and I want it to last. It's easier to pick up something quick to eat or go through a drive through but I care more about long term health.

I always say you can tell a lot about a person by the looks of their yard in the summer and their driveway in the winter. I'm still holding true to that statement.

What if everyone treated their bodies like they did their vehicles or their lawns? Some do. Others don't. Why is it so easy to give inanimate objects more care and attention than we give our own bodies? When our oil light comes on, we don't wait 6 months to go get an oil change. Why do people wait to see a doctor when the signs are right there? Why do we consume crap food and then get upset when we can't perform? It's like putting gas mixed with oil in the lawn mower (speaking from experience). Why do we feed our children junk food? It's like saying we will let the grass grow and weeds flourish for another year and then worry about it.

Our bodies and health should be our top priority (and our children). Then our yards, driveways, houses and cars....but we should care about everything. Put in the effort. Appreciate compliments from your friends and family. And take pride in what you have.

This isn't called perfection, it's called being responsible.


Sidenote: New discovery over the weekend! If you have OCD or are lucky to live with someone who does, you MUST get a carpet cleaner. I can't believe I just discovered it. BEST thing ever!

"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

WOD: Bench 5x5 at 90%
            EMOTM for 10 minutes rope climbs (20ft)
            EMOTM for 20 minutes hang C&J

There was a breakthrough! Two things happened that gave me faith in my workouts. First, I went in and did my entire workout with no chit chatting! I had my plan, I stuck to it, I stayed focused and I didn't visit with my neighbors until I was walking out the door. Second, my shoulder (knock on wood) didn't bother me during the bench press! I'm not back to my PR but I am only 20 pounds shy and I'm not afraid to keep pushing that number.

how little has changed

February 2009, I started my fitness journey.

Someone asked me why I wanted to get in shape and this was my response:

"I want my children to grow up understanding the importance of a healthy lifestyle. I want them to see the way I live and think that is "normal." I want to educate them on smart food choices and share with them my job and satisfaction from reaching new goals. I push myself to a new limit for ME. I hope that one day they will do that for themselves also."

I am happy that I stumbled across that quote today. Through the years, miles, sweat, calories and WODs, it still all comes down to a healthy lifestyle for myself and my family.

check out this old gem:

3 miles
6 hours later...
WOD: 1 minute max calorie row
            21-15-9
            hand release push ups
            sit ups


I went to the gym with one thing in mind: giving 100% during the WOD. It was a quick WOD so it was easy to push myself. I was pleased with my performance. As much as I do NOT care about how others perform at the gym, I did want to beat Nick's time. And for maybe the second time in my life, it happened! I finished that last sit up, looked at the clock and JUMPED! up off the mat to shove it in his face. I WON! I WON! I BEAT YOU!!!!!

It kinda felt good to say that!

Run 3 miles

Notice a trend?! I can't seem to make it to the gym to get in a WOD so here I am running, and running, and running.

The entire commute to work this morning thoughts were going through my mind about how I was going to compose this post today. I had my meeting with my food guy. I'm not sure why I call him my food guy. He has a name, Josh. Let me rewind back to the beginning. I reached out to a friend and asked her about Josh. I didn't know him personally. I have read his articles and posts. I have heard about his die hard attitude to diet and fitness and I admire that. Nervous as heck, I sent him an email. I didn't know what to say, how to say it or what I expected. The email went something like this:

Josh,

I have excuses. But, I'm driven, I'm dedicated, and I can give 100% IF I knew how. All I know right now is I don't like what I see and I need help fixing it.

Thanks,
Jenn

The same day we started the 10 day food details. Today we met for the first time. Still nervous, anxious to meet him and hear what he had to say, I drove over there. He pulls out his computer and starts taking notes. I'm describing my food, activity level, purposely leaving out all excuses and owning up to what I did or did not do. I found myself saying things like, "I don't like my stomach area, I wish I could work on my back." I stopped myself and started laughing. I sounded ridiculous.

God has blessed me with a healthy body. Will there ever be a time when I am happy with it? There are so many things that could be wrong in my life, that aren't. Why in the world are these my issues?!

Josh smiled and assured me that it's okay to want to look/feel better. We will do some tweaking to the plan. The meals will change and the number of times I'm eating will change. We will revisit the plan every 10 days to make adjustments.

A few changes: NO RUNNING unless sprints. If I workout, I will workout at 100% and not chit chat. Give it all I've got during the slotted time period.

He also suggested I take pictures of myself. (remember my post from yesterday?) Pictures. Just what I need.... haha

My journey will continue. I have faith and I have determination!

mirror, mirror on the wall

3.5 mile run- easy pace

If you've noticed I haven't posted any WODs recently it is because I haven't gone to the gym! Holy smokes! Not working out is an excuse. I have a gym in my garage and a treadmill in my basement. Luckily, I can catch up on Law & Order reruns while running so I opt for the miles!

I'm always thinking things through on my commute to work. The mirror. Isn't it crazy how you can stand in front of a mirror and one minute LOVE the way you look and the next minute find 5 million flaws? What the heck is that about. And if you get on the scale and the number is decent your reflection in the mirror looks even better. Those 5 million flaws aren't so bad after all. If the number on the scale is higher than you expected those 5 million flaws just are now intensified.

The mirror is just a mirror. A mirror image of how we think we see ourselves. A mirror image is a reversed image of ourselves. I can tilt my head, angle down, suck in, twist to hide a curve, etc.

A picture is a true testament of how others see us. A picture captures different angles. It shows true actual reflection of yourself.

Let's spend more time taking pictures and less time in front of the mirror!