Miss Magnolia Munches & Moves

Off to the Races

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 01:24:00 +0000

I've mentioned the dragon boat races a couple of times. So here is the deal....

It's a fundraiser for our local Children's Miracle Network hospital. Businesses are asked to donate by buying an entry into the race. Teams are made up of 20 paddlers and a drummer. A total of 30 teams/boats are participating.

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CITGO purchased a boat, and so every employee would have an equal opportunity, held tryouts to determine the team. Since 10 girls attended the try out and the rules require you have at least 8 with 2 alternates, I was a shoe in.

The try out was no joke. Girls version: chin up hang for time, 800 m run for time, 25 sit ups-15 push ups - 10 burpees for time, 100 m sprint for time. Guys version: max pull ups unbroken, 800 m run, 25 sit ups - 20 push ups - 15 inverted push ups -10 burpees, 100 m sprint.

Even though I knew I made the team before I started try outs, the CrossFit label was hanging on my back. I couldn't disappoint!

My scores wouldn't have shamed by box.

The official CITGO dragon boat team roster was released today, and I'm excited about our team. Practicing twice a week (during the open!) is going stir up my workout schedule, but a change of pace may be nice.

The team captains are SERIOUS about this competition. They have been researching strategy for paddling practice. (team workouts on Mondays and strategy/paddling practice on Saturdays) We aren't able to use the boat until the day before, so I have no clue how we will practice or what to expect.

Team CITGO for the win!

Have you ever participated on a work sports team?
Have you ever participated in, watched, or heard of dragon boat racing? If so, fill me in!

Quick Weekend Recap in a Series of Haiku

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 02:46:00 +0000

Friday
Quick run with Lola.
Tunes at Live at the Lake Front.
Trampoline Jumping.

Saturday
Brutal CrossFit WOD.
Abstained from kid's birthday cake.
Pork roast bought on sale.

Sunday
Finished book in bed.
Parent's house for yummy lunch.
Phone date with a friend.

The Friday Five

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:00:00 +0000

1. What I'm Reading: Divergent by Veronica Roth

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This is the first book of a three part series. It is a dystopian novel set in Chicago and follows a 16 year old girl named Beatrice as she leaves behind her family to join another faction. Since it's a young adult book, therefore easy read, I'm soaring through it. I picked it up because I've heard it compared to Hunger Games, but so far I'm not loving it as much. Full review to come soon. (When I was looking for a picture of the book jacket, I discovered they are making it a movie. Due out 2014.)

2. What I'm Eating: Roasted Red Pepper and Asparagus Chicken Salad I've eaten this for lunch everyday this week.

ingredients
one whole chicken, cooked, deboned, and cut into cubes (you can cook it yourself - I used my favorite recipe, or buy a rotisserie chicken)
3 peppers
1 lb asparagus
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

directions
Cut peppers in half, remove seeds, and place over open flame of grill until skins are charred and black. Place in ziploc bags, seal, and let sit for 20 mins. After 20 mins, skins of peppers should be easily peeled away. Chop peeled peppers and put in a large bowl with the chicken chunks.

Trim asparagus' tough ends. Toss the asparagus with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place on grill over medium heat. Cook about 3 minutes, leaving them slightly crunchy. Chop asparagus into 1" pieces and add to bowl of peppers and chicken

Place vinegar, basil, oregano, salt, garlic, and pepper in the food processor. Slowly drizzle in olive oil. Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and mix it all together.

Serve as is or in an avocado like the original recipe or in lettuce leaves for a wrap.

3. What I'm Watching: Nada. I haven't had much time for TV. It's been a really busy week.

4. What I'm Listening to:

These guys make me smile!

5. What I'm Pinning:

via Indexed by Jessica Hagy

Paleo Bora Bora Fireballs via The Girl Makes the Clothes

via Real Simple

via Southern Living

via unsure?

Happy Friday!

What are you Reading? Eating? Watching? Listening to? Pinning?

What are your weekend plans?

Surprising Myself

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 02:23:00 +0000

That, my friends, is my golden ticket. My scorecard. I conquered 13.1. No, not a half marathon, but workout 1 of the 2013 CrossFit Games Open.

My work day wasn't as productive as it should have been because all I could think about was tackling this:

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My hamstrings and quads are knotted up like crazy from sprinting yesterday during dragon boat race tryouts. (I'll explain later...this post is reserved entirely for CrossFit love.) So, I brought my old trusty tennis ball to work to roll out the knots.

I'm convinced I have the crappiest chair in the entire refinery.

My mind was consumed with those 75 pound snatches. Our workout Saturday included a similar style snatch ladder and I tried and tried, but could not get 75 pounds up overhead. My goal became to get one snatch at 75 pounds or a total score of at least 101.

Caffeine and carbs were my pre-workout fuel.

At 5:00 PM on the dot, I jetted out the door and headed over to the box. 4:30 class was finishing up. The energy was awesome! I yelled and screamed for those finishing up and anxiously awaited my turn.

My sister came to support me, even those she took it on at 5:30 AM. (and rocked a score of 122!)

The burpees (aka my kryptonite) were tough. The 45 pound snatches were manageable. The second set of burpees sucked! Then came the daunting 75 pound snatches. I took my time, caught my breath, took a sip of water, chalked up, and almost forgot to switch the weights on my barbell.

Attempt #1: fail.

Attempt #2: fail.

In front of me, a couple of guys were snatching heavy stuff. I watched their form and their fight and got inspired.

Attempt #3: fail.

Attempt #4: fail.

My coach, Megan, came up behind me and told me to take a breath, rest what I needed, and use my butt. All drive from the butt.

Attempt #5: fail.

I knew this would cause a gap in the women's division. There would be a whole slew of girls who couldn't complete a 75 pound snatch. My rank would be so much higher if I could just get one. Just one!

Megan came and told me to get under it. She said I was pulling high enough and just needed to drop under it and stand up.

Attempt #6: Butt drive.Drop under it.Just get one.Butt drive.Drop under it.Just get one. ----Success!

Barely, just barely, I stood up and straightened my arms with that bar overhead!

There were 15 seconds left on the clock. I pulled two more times with no success, but I was on cloud nine! I met my goal.

Even though I would have LOVED to get more snatches, I couldn't help but be so proud of myself. I walked out of the box with a full heart and a smile on my face. This is what the Games is about! Not just superstars who make it onto Regionals, but about everyone pushing themselves to a new level.

Bring on 13.2!

When was the last time you surprised yourself or set a goal and accomplished it?
Anyone else signed up for the open?

What I'm Loving Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 04:33:00 +0000

How is it only Wednesday? Last weekend feels like years ago.

1. Instagram.

Just recently (January), my life was changed by the acquisition of an iPhone, which is why I'm so late onto the Instagram bandwagon. It's like Facebook, but better, because you don't have to hear everyone's political rants! (follow me @beccaardoin)

2. My busy spring schedule.

There is so much fun stuff coming up locally! Actually, I had to turn down invites to the Women's Final Four in New Orleans and the Zurich Open/first weekend of Jazz Fest in New Orleans because I have stuff going on both weekends. 2013 CrossFit Games South Central Regionals in San Antonio also falls on a weekend I have plans. That's the one that breaks my heart! I wish more than anything that I could be two places at once so I could cheer on all the competitors from CFLC that I know will be there.

3. Zumba!

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It's like going to the club on my lunch break! So much fun and such a release in the middle of a hectic work day. It, like our boot camp, is led by employees using their own time. They are all certified and awesome. While I do work up a sweat, it isn't quite intense enough for me to call my work out of the day. I usually hit CrossFit after work on Zumba days.

4. Bacon

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Loathing used to fill my body as the smell of bacon filled my nose, but somehow, someway I have seen the light. I am now bacon obsessed! The last piece of bacon in the house was fried up and gobbled down Monday and I have been longing for some salty, fatty, delicious pig belly ever since. Good thing it's Paleo!

5. These tanks.

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Crack.me.up! Someone buy them for me. :)

What are you loving today?
Bacon...Love it or leave it?
Are you on instagram? Leave me your username so I can follow you.

A Scheduling Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 03:52:00 +0000

If it doesn't get written down, it's likely I will forget about it.

Monday mornings, I go through my day planner, look at the week ahead, and make a to do list.

Sorry! This picture would not cooperate and rotate 180!

This week, I realized I have plans Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday nights. So how am I going to squeeze in CrossFit?

At my current job, on Mondays and Wednesday, Zumba is offered at lunch and on Tuesdays and Thursdays a "CrossFit style" bootcamp is offered. (These workouts are led by coworkers who take their time to plan and lead the group. I think it's such an awesome thing for a company to encourage.)

Since Zumba is straight up cardio, I try to make it to CrossFit on those evenings. Bootcamp is tough and doesn't leave me with enough energy to tackle a WOD at CFLC.

My dilemma is that I'm a little compulsive and want my week of workouts written down, but the CrossFit Games Open begins Wednesday, and I'm not sure if we will do the WOD as a box on Wednesday or Thursday. And if we do it Wednesday, should I skip Zumba to save my energy? Or since I have plans, do I push the open WOD back to Thursday and not complete it with the rest of the box? But in that case, I'll have to skip lunch boot camp. And would I still WOD on Wednesday or skip it because I have plans, did zumba at lunch, and don't want to be sore for the open WOD? If the weather is nice Friday, I may prefer to squeeze in a run after work, but if it's an awesome WOD, I won't want to miss it. And on Saturday a coworker is teaching Zumba at a local studio and gave me free passes, but if I'm not too sore, I may prefer CrossFit. Or if it's pretty and I didn't run Friday, I may prefer to run. And Sunday I'd like to run. But it may be my 7th day in a row to workout. But does it matter if I feel rested?

Not having a set plan is obviously making me neurotic, but I'm going to have to go with the flow this week.

Zumba did happen today, followed by a little ab action. A group of us stayed after class and did a 2 minute plank (!!!!), 100 sit ups, and 25 push ups.

Also happened today, this gem came in the mail.

My original docking station finally bit the dust after about an 8 year run. Since the warranty was up, Bose gave me the option of having it fixed for $100 or upgrading to the newer, portable model with auxiliary connection for $180 (retail value is over$400). Upgrade it is! It's awesome that Bose gives you this options, especially since they don't have to do squat diddly after the warranty is expired.

Nice little prize to brighten up my Monday!

Do you schedule your workouts? How do you deal if you get off schedule?

Sundays are for....

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 03:02:00 +0000

Pancakes.

Paleo pancakes, of course. These are the best paleo pancakes I have yet to make.

dry ingredients:
1/4 cup almond flour
2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
dash of salt

wet ingredients:
2 eggs
1 mushed banana

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Cook in coconut oil.

The banana and coconut combo was on time! They were super moist and so delicious. This would be the perfect breakfast to impress your (paleo or not) weekend guests.

Family.

As always, lunch at mom and dad's. And of course the crazy dogs.

Shopping.

The afternoon was spent perusing Target and Marshall"s. I picked up these shorts (spring fever, much?) and earrings.

The red shorts came in so many colors. It took every ounce of will power not to walk away with a royal blue pair and a navy pair with green polka dots.

A kitchen rug and some 90% chocolate bars that were on sale (buy two, get one free) also came home with me. I'm always on the prowl for the 90%; it's almost impossible to find!

Laundry.

Food prep.

Turkey green chili in the crockpot

and a chicken salad using my favorite chicken under a brick recipe.

He may have stayed under the brick a little too long.

Lunch for the week....check! Recipes to come soon.

Reading and afternoon cocktails.

Actually, just one Paleo friendly cocktail: coconut water, tequila, and lime. Tastes just like summer.

Lola wanted a sip, but I was too greedy to share.

The current paleo challenge at CFLC doesn't allow tequila, but since our cheat penalty is 20 burpees and I did 57 in our workout yesterday, I'm calling it a wash.

As you can see, it was a gorgeous day! The perfect day for a run. Sundays are usually for running, too, but after 6 days of tough workouts, my quads, shins, calves, and hammies said, "No Sunday Runday!". So, last but not least...

Foam rolling.

Hurts so good.

What is your favorite part of Sunday?

I'm back!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 15:07:00 +0000

8 months. That’s how long it’s been since I last posted on this slice of the blogosphere. Why the hiatus? Well, it’s complicated. (Isn’t it always?)

I started feeling like constantly writing about fitness and nutrition was a bit hypocritical since I am by no means the picture of perfect health and don’t always set a good example. How could I preach it if I didn’t always practice it?

Also, it felt a little egotistical to think that anyone was interested in reading about what was going on in my life, outside of family and friends.

But recently, I’ve started really missing my little blog. I looked back at old post and re-read “The Reasons I Started This Blog”. All the things I wanted to accomplish by blogging, I did. And those are the reasons I want to start blogging again.

So I’m back!

Maybe it is egotistical to think anyone wants to read my words, but I’m not blogging for other people, I’m blogging for little ol’ me.

And maybe I’m not always the best leader when it comes to diet and exercises, but I try hard and have a few tips and tricks to share. Plus, doesn’t everyone struggle with staying on track?

Now... Let’s catch you up to speed.

Did you miss me? :)

Book Review: Drop Dead Healthy

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:39:00 +0000

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend. It was really hot here, but I accomplished a lot (cut grass, cleaned house, CrossFit, laundry) and had fun (pool day, Marshland Festival - dancing!!, catching up with friends from out of town, loving on my adorable godchild).

Half marathon training still isn't going so well. And by not so well, I mean not at all. I cannot get motivated to run in the mornings! Week 1 of training was non-existent, which doesn't worry me since I know I can pick up at 4 miles no problem, but now it's time to get serious. I have scheduled a 5:00 AM wake up call from a friend who is working nights, so maybe he will motivate me. (He can be quite aggressive and I doubt my wake up calls will be gentle soothing words of encouragement.) Also, I'm going out of town this weekend with my training partner, so she will force me to run!

Onto other things....

I finished this book last week.

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It was not at all what I expected. When I checked out the book, I was hoping for some inspiration to clean up my diet and hit the gym/pavement harder. Inspiring it was not.

My assumption was that he would explain in detail the benefits of changing his lifestyle and the affects each change had on his body, mind, and soul. He was much more vague. The "projects" he chose to become more healthy were science based, which I respect, but some were extreme and unrealistic if you aren't being paid to write a book about them.

While I did laugh out loud a few times, there was no novel information learned from this book. It was just a recount of what happened at the gym, in the doctors office, at home, and I often found it boring. Luckily, it was a quick read.

I would give it 3 out of 5 stars (and I did on goodreads.com), but only because it made me laugh.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think?

The Friday Five (Hungover Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:11:00 +0000

Last night I had so. much. fun! I haven't had a chance to upload my pics, but when I do I will share exactly what I did. Hint: A lot of fist pumping and a very famous DJ with a blow-out was involved. :)

Needless to say, I'm moving slow this morning. The problem with having that much fun is it leads to drive thru food (ahem, Canes) and a very late bedtime. This WOD was on my agenda for the day, but I feel, well, like poo. My plan is to super hydrate and see how I feel after work.

On to the point of the post...The Friday Five:

1. What I'm Reading: State of Wonder

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So far, so good. The story is intriguing and I'm anxious to continue reading. The characters are likeable and I feel invested in the outcome. These are the things that make a book good. Read Amazon.com's description of the book here.

2. What I'm Eating: This recipe from Bon Appetit.

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I cooked it on Sunday and have been noshing on it all week. It's very similar to the Chicken Under a Skillet recipe from Southern Living that I love so much.

Also, a lot of fruit. Cherries, peaches, strawberries, and blackberries (my favorite!) were all too cheap to pass up. I told myself I didn't have to eat it all, I could freeze some for smoothies, but I'm out of zip-locs and haven't had time to get to the store. Slowly but surely, the fruit is disappearing.

3. What I'm Watching: Another week of no TV.

Who Am I? But I'm so excited for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games. I cannot think of a better way to spend my Friday night than on my couch in sweats watching team USA in London.

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4. What I'm Listening to:

Newest addition to my running playlist.

5. What I'm Pinning:

Happy Friday!

What are you reading? Eating? Watching? Listening to? Pinning?

What are your weekend plans?

I have my first long run of half marathon training (only 3 miles) and a Paleo seminar on Saturday. Also, bathing my car and my dog and cutting grass. Whomp, whomp.

Yay!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:19:00 +0000

Guess who has 2 thumbs and reached her July CrossFit goal this morning?

ME!!!!

source (so I'm not going to lie...kicking into a handstand didn't really hurt. It was more of a mental victory than a physical victory, but still a victory!!!!)

Just yesterday I posted how close I was to accomplishing a handstand. Well, this morning after our warm up was goal work time. I got into position, hands over my head, then touched them to the ground while kicking off. I felt myself hit the wall. Shrill screams of excitement followed. Everyone thought I had broken my skull except my coach, Megan, who was standing right next to me. She saw my handstand in all its wobbly, crooked, less than 2 seconds glory. High fives and hugs ensued.

So I tried again. And failed. And again. And failed. And again. And failed....

But that is okay. My goal wasn't to do 2 consecutive handstands, it was to do one. It was by no means perfect, but its only July 26. I have 5 days to work out the kinks. :)

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After kicking into a handstand, we did this WOD.

Oh, and my sister accomplished her July goal of completing a workout with only one pull up band. Congrats, Sarah!

What an awesome start to the day!

Now I need to set an August goal and get to work. Maybe a 1 minute handstand hold? Who knows, maybe by the end of the year I'll be able to do handstand push ups.

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Do you set goals regularly?
This is something we just started at CrossFit and I'm loving it! Obviously, it's helping me progress.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:23:00 +0000

- Air conditioning

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My brief stint without electricity this weekend led me to appreciate the great invention known as air conditioning. How did people survive in humid south Louisiana before it? The rain has stopped, the sun is shining, and it is HOTTTT. Thanks to my little friend, AC, I have no desire to be outdoors, which is rare for me.

(A friend who lives out of town and I often use analogies to express our lonsomeness for one another. I once signed a card "I miss you like air conditioning after Hurricane Rita." Rita left us without electricity for over 4 weeks; albeit, 2 of those weeks I was at a friend's lake house in Texas wake boarding, laying out, and partying.)

- Having a 5:30 AM workout buddy

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Undoubtably, I would sleep through Tuesday and Thursday 5:30 AM CrossFit classes if my sister was not there waiting for me. She would give me hell, in a loving sisterly way, if I did not show up. Also, I would not be able to fit in a workout at all on Tuesdays, due to my crazy afternoon schedule.

Here is how every Tuesday and Thursday morning goes: my alarm goes off at 5:00, I groan, consider not going, and hit snooze. At 5:10, I think about how Sarah is already on her way there so I have to show face. I roll out of bed, brush my teeth, throw on shorts and a tee, check the WOD while putting on my socks and sneaks, and drive to the box. I stumble in, still groggy and half asleep. By the time the warm up is over, I'm more awake. By the time the workout is over, I'm so happy I went. Now time to start my day!

- Garden fresh tomato, avocado, and turkey bacon

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I've never really understood the whole BLT thing because I don't like bacon. Now I get it. Except I'll skip the "real" bacon, use my turkey bacon, and add avocado. Oh, and skip the bread. Maybe add some eggs? These things go together better than PB & J!

- How close I am to acheiving my July CrossFit goal of kicking into a handstand against the wall!

source (so appropriate since I actually have to kick into a handstand)

This may seem like a small feat, but I'm no gymnast and have never even been able to do a kart wheel. I'm less than half a foot from reaching the wall. I think it's only fear of kicking over my head holding me back! 6 days to make it happen.

What are you loving lately?
Bacon or turkey bacon?
Morning workout or afternoon/evening workout?

Smiles From the Running Gods

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:51:00 +0000

I slept through run #1 of my half marathon training schedule on Monday morning. It was supposed to be a short 2 miles before work, but due to my disrupted sleep this weekend (My lack of electricity, thanks to rogue thunderstorms, made me a nomad Friday and Saturday night. Luckily, I have gracious friends who let me shack at their places.), it didn't happen.

Luckily for me, this was my CrossFit WOD this morning. With the 800m warm up and the 6x400 m sprints, I completed 2 miles exactly. Coincidence? Maybe. I'll take it as a good sign! I was worried about starting training off on the wrong foot by missing my first run, but the running Gods were smiling down on me and made sure I fit it in.

Here is what my training schedule leading up to the half looks like for now. As things come up, I will adjust accordingly.

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	total mileage
July 23-29	2 miles	CF	2.5 miles	CF	rest or CF	3 miles + CF	30 minute easy run	7.5 + 30 minutes
July 30-Aug 5	2 miles	CF	3 miles	CF	rest	4 miles (Houston)	30 minute easy run (Houston)	9 + 30 minutes
Aug 6-12	2.5 miles	CF	rest	3 miles/CF	5 miles	rest (New Orleans)	30 minute easy run (NO)	10.5 + 30 minutes
Aug 13-19	3 miles (NO)	CF	rest	4 miles/CF	rest or CF	6 miles	30 minute easy run	13 + 30 minutes
Aug 20-26	3 miles	CF	rest	3 miles/CF	rest	7 miles	30 minute easy run	13 + 30 minutes
Aug 27-Sep 2	4 miles	CF	rest	4 miles/CF	rest	8 miles	30 minute easy run	16 + 30 minutes
Sep 3-9	4 miles	CF	rest	4 miles/CF	rest	9 miles	30 minute easy run	17 + 30 minutes
Sept 10-16	4 miles	CF	rest	3 miles/CF	rest	10 miles	30 minute easy run	17 + 30 minutes
Sept 17-23	5 miles	CF	rest	4 miles/CF	rest	11 miles	30 minute easy run	20 + 30 minutes
Sept 24-30	4 miles	CF	rest	3 miles/CF	rest	12 miles	30 minute easy run	19 + 30 minutes
Oct 1-7	3 miles	CF	rest	CF	rest	5 miles	30 minute easy run	8 + 30 minutes
Oct 8-14	rest	CF	2 miles	20 minute run	rest	20 minute run	RACE DAY!	15.1 + 40 minutes

Do you plan out a detailed work out schedule?

Friday Five

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 00:23:00 +0000

1. What I'm Reading : Still Gone With the Wind

And I'm still obsessed.

I've also put 4 books on hold at the library, but obviously everyone has the same summer reading list because I'm 903987437 in line for all of them.

2. What I'm Listening to: my newest summer running playlist

3. What I'm Watching: Nothing. It's been a busy week with no TV time. But what I want to be watching:

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So many random things I want to see! Maybe I'll make it to the movies this weekend.

4. What I'm Eating: Nothing novel or exciting. But this weekend I will be eating homemade ice cream via my new ice cream maker!

5. What I'm Pinning:

Happy Friday!

What are your reading? Listening to? Watching? Eating? Pinning?

What I'm Loving Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:38:00 +0000

- My favorite CrossFit athlete (besides those I know personally), Julie Foucher.

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This girl is awesome! She is a med school student and still found the time to train hard enough to place 2nd in the CrossFit games this past weekend.

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And for any lady who thinks CrossFit will make them "bulky" or "manly", just go look at some pictures of this girl. She is strong (like ridiculously strong), but still extremely feminine.

- Half marathon training officially starts Monday...Eeek! I'm nervous and excited.

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Running 4 days a week means I'm going to have to get up really early and cut back on my CrossFit. I'm gladly welcoming back Saturday morning long runs. There is nothing like the feeling of being awake before the rest of the world, conquering double digit mileage.

after my last (and only!) half marathon

- Supportive family and friends. I have big plans on the horizon that involve some major life changes. Almost everyone I have discussed it with has been encouraging, positive, and genuinely excited for me. It makes me so thankful and so thrilled about my future. (I promise I will fill you in more when things are finalized.)

- Cucumbers. They are definitely one of my top 5 favorite foods ever.

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Sunday, I ate the best cucumber I've ever had in my entire life. It was so flavorful, crisp, and perfect. My dad grew it in his garden, so it was fresh off the vine. I'm drooling thinking about how good it was. I wish summer could go on forever so I could have endless pool days and endless fresh homegrown cucumbers and tomatoes.

- It's Wednesday! Which means my last 13 hour workday of the week. (I work job #2 Monday through Wednesday.) Wednesdays almost feel like Fridays and having a free afternoon feels like such a luxury. Although, tomorrow afternoon, I have to cut my grass. The yard is starting to look like a jungle after all the rain last week.

- The rain has stopped! Sort of. Afternoon showers are still popping up here and there, but at least the sun is out.

What are you loving?
Are you a cucumber fan? As much as I love cucumbers, I hate pickles!

Bad Workouts...They Happen

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:52:00 +0000

This morning I headed to CrossFit for the 5:30 AM class. I was not tired, hungry, excited, happy, nor filled with dread. I was just going through the motions to get to the gym on time.

The warm up started with an 800 m run with 15 squats at all 8 corners. Upon the first set of squats, I realized it was going to be a rough morning. My body did not want to cooperate and 15 air squats felt difficult. I hoped the warm up would loosen me up and get my blood pumping so I could rock this WOD.

Well, it didn't. I loaded my bar with 115# for the back squats. This was not unreasonable since my one rep max is 155#. At squat number 7, I had to drop the bar. At squat number 9, I dumped two 10# plates and finished out the squats with 95# unbroken. (So much for my plan to lift heavy.)

The toes-to-bar (or knees to elbows in my case) went fairly quickly, for me anyway. Then came the KBS, for which I used 35#. My plan was three sets of 20 with a tiny rest between sets. Yeah, that didn't happen. It was more like 20-15-10-10-5. I timed out at 12:00, but finished the workout anyway at 12:48ish.

I left not feeling my usual post gym glow, but feeling sullen and bitter about my workout. Why wouldn't my body cooperate? Sure, I ate a lot of crap this weekend, but yesterday I jammed myself full of water and veggies! Sure, my right hip and glute are a little tight, but I'm coming off a 2 day rest! Sure, it was 5:30 AM and I was a little sleepy, but I went to bed early(ish) and usually dominate morning workouts!

All I can chalk it up to is an "off" day. During half marathon training, I learned that sometimes you just have bad runs. One day an 8 mile run can feel easy, and the next day, 3 miles feels like hell. Which ones will be bad and which ones will be good is unpredictable. You can feel great and excited, the weather be perfect, and have an awesome new playlist, but realize half a mile in the run is going to suck.

I can't say I've had "off days" as frequently at CrossFit as I do on runs. Some days I'm just not into it, but usually I can push through. (I think it has something to do with the group aspect/competitive nature of CrossFit.) While I'm disappointed in this mornings workout, it's done and in the past. All I can do is eat right, drink lots of water, stretch and foam roll, and get more sleep hoping my next WOD goes better.

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Of course I Googled "bad workouts". I am obviously not alone in having an occasional "off" day. Here are some links I found encouraging/interesting:

Having Bad Days in the Gym? Break the Cycle! by CrossFit Invictus

What to Do When You Don't Feel Like Lifting by StrongLifts.com

8 Ways to Save a Bad Workout by Fitbie

Do you ever have "off" days at the gym? How do you get over them?

The Difference a Year Can Make

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:36:00 +0000

One of the reasons I am obsessed with CrossFit is because you are able to track your progress. Thursday, I completed "Lumberjack 20" for the third time in my CrossFit career.

"On Nov. 5 2009 at 1:34 p.m., a terrorist named Major Nidal Hasan attacked fellow soldiers and civilians at Fort Hood, TX. He killed 12 soldiers and one civilian and wounded 43 others.

SPC Frederick Greene, 29, of Mountain City, TN, PFC Aaron Thomas Nemelka, 19, of West Jordan, UT, PFC Michael Pearson, 22, of Bolingbrook, IL, and SPC Kham Xiong, 23, of St. Paul, MN, along with eleven of the wounded were active CrossFitters in the 20th Engineer Battalion, home to Lumberjack CrossFit."

20 Deadlifts (275lbs)
Run 400m
20 KB swings (2pood)
Run 400m
20 Overhead Squats (115lbs)
Run 400m
20 Burpees
Run 400m
20 Pullups (Chest to Bar)
Run 400m
20 Box jumps (24")
Run 400m
20 DB Squat Cleans (45lbs each)
Run 400m

*These were the men's prescribed weights.

The first time I tackled Lumberjack 20 on November 9, 2010: Finished in 29:29 (90# deadlifts/20# KBS/25# OHS/blue & green band pull-ups/ 20” box jumps/15#-each side- dumbbell squat cleans)

The second time on July 18, 2011: Finished in 36:45 (135# deadlifts/25#KBS/45# OHS/blue & green band pull ups/20” box jumps/20# ES dumbbell squat cleans)

My time increased (by a lot) but so did my weights.

Thursday, my third time, July 12, 2012: Finished in 34:58 (155# deadlifts/35# KBS/45# OHS/blue & red band pull ups/20" box jumps/20# ES kettlebell squat cleans)

My time decreased and my weight increased! Progress, people. While I increased weight on deadlifts and kettlebell swings and used smaller pull up bands, my weights remained the same on overhead squats and squat cleans. I still struggled with both. (I actually started with 25# dumbbell squat cleans, but dropped down after 2 reps because I knew it would take me all night to finish. Plus, I was exhausted and my form was awful.) This just goes to show me these are areas on which I need to focus. Also, I think I could have used heavier weight for the kettlebell swings, but I've never attempted more than 35# and didn't even consider it at the time.

I've decided to really concentrate on lifting heavier. My sister and I had a conversation about whether you should lift lighter and finish quicker or lift heavier and have a slower time. I always feel much more tired and like it took much more work when I use heavier weights. This is going to be a big push out of my comfort zone, because I love more cardio driven exercises and heavy stuff makes me nervous!

Last weeks workouts:
Monday-rest
Tuesday-AM CrossFit
Wednesday- ~~AM 3 mile run + tabata~~
Thursday-AM PM CrossFit
Friday-CrossFit
Saturday-run or AND CrossFit
Sunday-~~run or bleachers~~

Even though I skipped Wednesday and Sunday workouts, I went to CrossFit four times and added a run on Saturday. Not too bad.

This week's plan:
Monday-~~3 mile run and foam roll~~ already slept through it...not a great way to start the week
Tuesday-AM CrossFit
Wednesday- AM 3 mile run
Thursday-AM CrossFit
Friday-CrossFit
Saturday-longish run (at least 5 miles)
Sunday-run or bleachers

Other goals this week:
-No eating after work on my late days.
-No TV after work on my late days...if I'm too wound up to sleep, I will read in bed.
-Lift heavier at CrossFit (see above)
- continue to work on July goal of kicking into a handstand (I'm getting so close!!!)
-eat strict Paleo Monday through Friday
-Not binge on Sunday (I have gotten into a bad habit of overeating at my mom and dad's house on Sundays. Yesterday it was jambalaya, ice cream, and the most delicious oatmeal, white chocolate chip, and cranberry cookies!)

Are you a cardio queen (or king) or a weights warrior?

The Friday Five {Rainy Edition}

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 17:31:00 +0000

The weather is still mucky here. I'm starting to get a little stir crazy! Summer weekends are supposed to be sunny and spent poolside. The pro to all this rain is that we haven't seen temperatures over 90 in a week.

1. What I'm Reading:

Best.book.ever! Since I've read it before and know what happens, I'm savoring every word. It's just ridiculously good and a goofy grin stays on my face while reading it.

2. What I'm Listening to:

At fourth of July, we decided Bob Seger is about as American as it gets. This one is my favorite, mostly because he sings about "a black haired beauty with big, dark eyes." Hmmm, who could that be?

3. What I'm Watching:

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After hearing everyone talk about it, I finally watched this show. Soooo funny. There is a lot of reality TV showcasing Louisiana right now and most are very exaggerated versions of reality. But there are people like this in our state (trust me, I know some) and I love that the world is seeing how resourceful we are. One common thread in all these shows is that Louisianians live off our land. I'm proud of that.

4. What I'm Eating:

Lots of cherries (2 pounds in 3 days!). Also, summer produce from my dad's garden: cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, peppers, and eggplant.

5. What I'm Pinning:

I love oysters and this saying/inspirational Avett lyrics/paleo cookies/more paleo cookies/hair bow inspriation

Happy Friday!

What are you reading? Watching? Listening to? Eating? Pinning?

What are your plans for the weekend?

An Uncomfortable Conversation

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 18:39:00 +0000

Today I want to discuss something that is a little, ahem, awkward to talk about. My period. (Male readers, and I don't think there are too many of you, feel free to go if you are uncomfortable or stay if you would like some insight to what really happens once a month.)

I always considered those girls who would skip school and take to their beds with a heating pad during their period lame. They were weaklings, I mean, it's just your period. Now that I'm older and wiser (hah!), I realize that maybe those girls may have really been in a lot of pain. My pain threshold is high and I've had months were I felt like a honey badger was in my uterus trying to claw its way out.

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The older I get, the more I learn about my body; here are the things I know about my period:

1. The day before it starts, I am a train wreck. Tears flow freely and I am emotional about EVERYTHING. Seriously, I am so unlike myself that I get scared I've gone insane. Every.single.month I say to myself, "If you don't start your period tomorrow, you are going to a psychiatrist." You would think since I know my period is around the corner, I would understand that its just out of whack hormones. But every month, I am so relieved when I start and realize I am only temporarily crazy.

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2. 2 days prior the the start, I am a bottomless pit. I will eat any and everything in my kitchen and still be hungry. Yesterday I had 3/4 a chicken breast, half an avocado, and a ton of veggies for lunch (a normal lunch for me). When my plate was cleaned, I was just as hungry as I was before lunch! So I ate 2 packs of pistachios (100 cals each) and a handful of cherries when I returned to work, which was supposed to be my afternoon snack. When I returned home from work at 10 PM famished, I ate half a ribeye steak, 2 more packs of pistachios, and about a pound of cherries. This morning I woke up to a growling stomach!

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3. It makes me uber tired. This morning I was supposed to go to 5:30 AM CrossFit. Yesterday I was supposed to run before work. I didn't do either. I just could not drag myself out of bed. Not to mention the fact that I've been so sleepy at work for the past couple of days. This isn't a normal "I'm tired and I'll push through." It's a "I'm tired and could take a 4 hour nap after 8 hours of sleep and still not feel refreshed." My whole body is fatigued....my back, my legs, my shoulders, my mind. For me, this is worse than honey badger cramps, hungry beast mode, or crazy psycho. Its so hard to motivate myself to do anything! Cosmo says the reason for fatigue during the first few days of your period is because of decreased estrogen levels.

4. Exercise helps. As hard as it is to get motivated to exercise when I'm tired and grouchy, I always feel better afterward. My workouts may not be my best and I may not be setting PRs, but that's okay.

source

5. So does staying away from sugar. When I indulge the sugar cravings, I crash hard. On top of already being fatigued, this is no bueno. To keep my cravings at bay, I try to eat natural sugars via fruit. (I've eaten 2 pounds of cherries in 3 days.)

Your period shouldn't be an excuse for you to lay on the couch eating BlueBell out of the pint while watching Lifetime movies and crying for a week, but cut yourself some slack. If you skip a workout to take a nap or indulge a little, it doesn't mean you are "lame" or "a weakling". Recognize and understand your symptoms. This will help you overcome them and prevent you from being set back physically and mentally.

Related links:

This post from The Great Fitness Experiment (Hits the nail on the head.)

How Menstruation Affects Your Running by Running Times (She says you should take menstruation in to account when training! A lot of science/physiology about why recovery time is longer, why you crave carbs, and why breathing is affected during your period.)

Exercise and Your Menstrual Cycle: What Your Period Means for Your Workout Schedule by Shape magazine

Exercise and premenstrual symptomatology: a comprehensive review via PubMed by Journal for Womens Health (For all those sciencey types - like me!- who want sound data and evidence to prove exercise helps PMS symptoms.)

What do you hate most about your period?

Rainy Day Recipe: Smothered Okra and Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:11:00 +0000

The weather here in southwest Louisiana is quite dreary. It has been raining for 2 days. I had to muster every bit of motivation in my body to get out of my cozy bed before daylight so I could tackle this WOD this morning (finished in 23:21). Actually, I did a little test to see just how late I could sleep and make it to the box on time. If the alarm is set for 5:00 and I snooze until 5:10, I still have time to brush my teeth, pull my hair into a bun, put on my workout clothes, and drive to the gym by 5:30.

Of course I am glad I drug myself out of bed and got my workout in, but I'm still sleepy!

Rainy weather makes me crave warm, comforting food. Gumbo, chili, soup, or if you do not have hours to let something simmer....
Smothered Okra and Chicken
6 servings
ingredients
1 tbsp oil of choice (I used Paleo friendly coconut oil.)
1 tbsp garlic
3 bags frozen cut okra, defrosted (Fresh would work, too, and probably taste better.)
1 can stewed tomatoes (I used some tomatoes my mom had canned last summer.)
salt, black pepper, and red pepper to taste
1 whole cooked chicken, deboned (I used rotisserie chicken, but leftover grilled or smoked chickens are great.)
1 tiny splash of liquid smoke (Omit if using a smoked chicken.)

directions
Heat oil in large pot. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add okra. Season with salt and peppers. Cook, stirring frequently. When it starts to stick to the pot, add a little water and cover with a lid. Okra will get very slimy. Continue to cook, adding water when necessary and stirring often, until okra is very soft.

Add the tomatoes and stir. The acid from the tomatoes reduces the sliminess of the okra. Cook down the tomatoes. If it is still too slimy, add more tomatoes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Add the chicken and stir. Add the liquid smoke and stir some more. Cook until the chicken is heated through. Serve and enjoy!

What do you like to eat on rainy days?

Oh, and check out my new Recipage! Click on the "Good Eats" tab. My recipes are so organized and happy. :)

Weekend Update

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 14:34:00 +0000

Friday night after this WOD, I went to meet my sister and some co-workers for happy hour. Since it was a super quick work out and I wasn't soaking wet, I decided just to change shirts and head straight to the bar in my tempos, sweat band, and sports bra. Let me explain a little something about this bar: it attracts quite the college crowd on Fridays come 10 PM. Since I arrived for a drink or two at 6:30, I figured I'd be home, showered, and in bed by the time 10:00 rolled around. Wrong. At 11:30 I looked up and realized there was a sea of co-eds dressed for the club all around me. Here my old ass was with no make up, dried sweat, and sneakers. Of course I ran into people I know. I mumbled something about coming straight from the gym and made a b-line for the door.  A Taco Bell run was in order for me, the roomie, and my sis, which was the biggest mistake of the night.

The Taco Bell sat like lead in my tummy and made me so nauseous Saturday morning. I thought a walk would help it digest, so I leashed Lola up and we strolled for 4 miles while I listened to two podcast. One about Garden & Gun magazine (my favorite magazine!) and one about whether or not men and women can be just friends (The answer was no and it is men's fault.) The rest of the day, I was on the couch.

My bestie, Seth, came in from Houston, so we ate dinner at El Tapitio, the tastiest but jankiest Mexican restaurant in town. We followed dinner with drinks. This guy is so funny. He had me laughing all night long. I always love our visits.

Sunday was the usual lunch at my parents. We had fried fish, fish courtbullion, and lots of garden veggies. My aunt and grandma were in town, so it was nice catch up with them.

After lunch was the grocery store and food prep for the week. It was a grilling kind of Sunday and ribeyes were on sale for $3.99 per pound, so I bought a couple. While I was getting a marinade ready for some chicken and pork kabobs a friend called and mentioned something about me cooking him a steak. Quite the coincidence I had two steaks I was about to grill; I invited him over. The automatic starter on my grill wasn't working, so I lit a match and threw it in. Explosion. A scream. The smell of burnt hair. Before I could get inside, my friend was blocking the door. I looked at his face to see if his expression gave any clue as to if I had eye brows left. It didn't. I pushed him and ran to the bathroom. Everything looked fairly normal. Just a few hair around my face had singed. Thank God my hair was in a bun and pulled off my face.

As if that wasn't enough excitement, upon realizing there was the end of a squash in the vegetable basket on the grill, my friend fed it to Lola. Three seconds later she was heaving and vomited about 50 pounds of food. A whole sweet potato, chunks of cabbage, chicken...none of it was digested. She had obviously found the "scrap pile" at my parent's house and gorged herself. So I had to shovel it out of the yard and off of the patio and rinse everything off. Not exactly appetizing right before dinner. This is the point in the night where I poured myself a drink. A whiskey drink.

Dinner was good and the company better. Plus, due to the setting myself on fire and dog vomit cleaning, my friend ended up cooking all my food for the week. I have grilled peppers, squash, eggplant, chicken kabobs, pork kabobs, and half a steak leftover.

My eating was abysmal and my exercise non-existent this weekend. I have a vacation in less than a month and need to get back on track!

Workouts for the Week:
Monday-rest
Tuesday-AM CrossFit
Wednesday- AM 3 mile run + tabata
Thursday-AM CrossFit
Friday-CrossFit
Saturday-run or CrossFit
Sunday-run or bleachers

Oh and for 2 nights in a row I've dreamed I was on vacation out of the country and my luggage was stolen or lost. I don't have any vacations planned in the near future. What does this mean?!?!

Have you ever "gone out" in gym clothes?
Do you like Mexican food? It's my favorite.
Are you a grill master? Obviously, I am not.

Coolest Workout I've Ever Done

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 17:24:00 +0000

Thursday the guys from SeeFit:Road2theCure stopped at CrossFit Lake Charles. Out of all the boxes in the nation, they chose 14 to stop in and our little ol' box was one!

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When I walked in around 5:00 PM, the box was buzzing. The energy was awesome! After signing up and giving a donation, I was given a scorecard to keep up with my reps at each of the 8 mini-wods. The guys talked me into doing prescribed rather than scaled so I could see where I fall against the other athletes.

At each of the 8 stations, one of the SeeFit guys would judge and count your reps. They were so nice and encouraging, which is typical in the CrossFit community. So far, 73 female athletes scores are posted. Below is my ranking. The DNF is because I'm not able to do an unassisted pull up and was competing in the prescribed division. (I did complete 21 unbroken pull ups with bands.)

As I was working on my max clean and jerk, I looked over to see this.

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The whole box stopped what they were doing and rallied for Mitch as he clean and jerked a ridiculous amount of weight (335#!). My SeeFit judge told me, "If that doesn't inspire you, I don't know what will." I told him he should see Mitch's wife!

After completing all 8 mini-wods, I didn't want to leave because I was having so much fun! But I had been there an hour and a half and promised a friend I would be done by 7:00 so we could watch a movie.

Thanks SeeFit guys! You are doing an awesome thing by raising money for a great cause, but you are also bringing unbelievable energy and lots of fun to the boxes you visit. Come back to CFLC anytime.

The SeeFit guys posted this on their tumblr. :)

What I'm Loving Wednesday (4th of July Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 14:34:00 +0000

Happy 4th of July! I hope your day is filled with sunshine, BBQ, and sparklers!

1. The super cute race tee-shirts from "4 mile on the 4th" I ran this morning. (Thanks Lake Area Runners for hosting another great run!)

Showing American AND Louisiana some love.

2. My Sperry wedges purchased at the end of last summer on clearance. Today is my first time to wear them and I can't think of anything more all-American than seersucker Sperry Topsiders.

3. Being off work! I'm so thankful I work for the state and we are off on holidays. Oh, and I used vacation days for Thursday and Friday, so 5 day weekend!

4. Watermelon! Although it originated in southern Africa, I can't imagine Independence day without it.

Also, it's the perfect post run snack.

5. Patriotic Lola.

Okay, so this picture is old, but I can't find her dang 4th of July bandana!!

he loves America, too!

6. The greatest American novel. I started re-reading last night at work.

7. Spending time with family and friends.

This morning, my sister and I ran the 4 miler on the 4th together, now we are spending the day by the pool!

Obviously not our run this morning, but we failed to take a picture. :( Plus, I like this picture because I'm tan.

What are you loving? How are you spending the 4th of July?

Filthy Fifty & Paleo Crockpot Lasagna

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:42:00 +0000

I was up after midnight last night, so the 5:00 alarm came way too early. Much to my despair, upon checking this morning's WOD, I saw this. Ughhh. It has been attempted before, but never completed.

The cutoff was 30 minutes. I finished the box jumps (20"), jumping pull ups, kettle bell swings (35#), lunges, skipped the knees to elbows (I was going to come back at the end because they take me for.ev.er!), finished push press (35#), back extensions, wall balls (14#), and 21 burpees. By the time I got to the push presses, I was pooped. One day, I will complete this workout in less than 30:00!

But today, Filthy Fifty has left me in desperate need of a nap.

Maybe after lunch. Which is going to be....

Paleo Crockpot Lasagna
In season vegetables, Paleo, and a Crockpot meal.
4 servings
ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 lb ground meat (I used venison.)
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 jar (~16 oz?) Paleo friendly marinara (I use no sugar added Ragu.)
4 eggplant
4 squash
~1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
salt to taste

directions
Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add ground meat, seasonings, and herbs. Cook until meat is browned. Add marinara. As soon as it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium. Let simmer while prepping the rest of your ingredients.

Slice eggplant into strips or "noodles" using a peeler. Do the same with the squash. Layer eggplant noodles into the bottom of the Crockpot. Season with a little salt (I did this for each layer.).

Add a layer of squash noodles. Top with some torn basil leaves.

Then add 1/3 of the meat and marinara mixture. Repeat for 3 layers. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Did you ever eat frozen lasagna? I used to love it as a kid! I remember they took over an hour in the oven and I was always so impatient for it to hurry and cook so I could chow down.

Of all the exercises in Filthy Fifty, which is your favorite and which is your least favorite? Box jumps are one of my favs, but my calves are still uber sore from 200 double unders on Saturday and I had a really hard time jumping today. Least fav, hands down - burpees. I also hate wall balls.

Incomplete Weekend To Do List

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Magnolia) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:12:00 +0000

My weekend to do list of 5 million things did not have many scratch throughs. Although, I did get more accomplished than last weekend aka the weekend of "yes".

Friday night I picked up an extra shift at work, then went home and crashed.

Saturday morning my bestie and I met at the park for a really hot, quick 2 mile run. Then, I hit up the 9:30 CrossFit class which was a skill day. We worked on a lot of core movements (arch rocks, hollow rocks, tucks) and ring stuff (inverted hangs, false grip, and holds). After all that, we did 100 wall squats and 200 double unders for form, not time. My calves are so sore from those double unders!

While at CrossFit, my mom had left me a message saying she was at Dillards and they had an extra 30% off all the sale stuff. I was a sweaty mess, but cannot miss a deal, so my stinky butt went to Dillards. I bought a couple of dresses and a few shirts. (I have to take one of the dresses back. I was so stinky and sweaty that I refused to try it on in the store. When I put it on at home, it was hideous!)

Eventually, after a trip to Sam's and scarfing down a huge salad, I took a much needed shower. Another trip to the grocery store later, I made guacamole deviled eggs and watermelon margaritas to bring to a barbeque. The margaritas were a little bit too strong this time around and we didn't even finish one of the 3 pitchers I brought. Needless to say, we ended up at a bar and the night got a little crazy.

Sunday was the usual: lunch at mom and dad's. The evening was spent doing laundry, poisoning the weeds in my flower beds, cooking for the week (2 new recipes to come!), and watching Contraband. Oh how I love Mark Walberg. He is my ultimate celebrity crush!

Things still on my to-do list: clean my bathroom, create a recipage for this blog, return books to the library and get new ones (I'm now overdue 2 days!), make popsicles, replace the flowers in the pots on my front porch.

But this week's schedule is not nearly as crazy as last week, so maybe I'll find the time to get these things done. Also, since Wednesday is a work holiday, I'm considering using vacation days Thursday and Friday to make for an extra long holiday weekend.

Workout plan for the week:
Monday- ~~3 mile run~~ slept through my opportunity :(
Tuesday- 5:30 AM CrossFit
Wednesday- 4 miler on the 4th!
Thursday- SeeFit: Road2theCure mini competition at CrossFit
Friday- 5:30 PM CrossFit (and maybe stand up paddle boarding if I take off work?!)
Saturday- 3 mile run + CrossFit or 5 mile run
Sunday- 3 mile run

Who is your ultimate celebrity crush? Did you do anything fun and crazy this weekend?