Paleo Stuffed Zuchini

Sorry, I forgot where I got this recipe from or I would give you props.

This was very easy to make and for the most part quick. It took me the longest to take the sausage out of the casing. Other then then that very easy to make. This has great flavor, I did use a link of jalepeno sausage and a link of garlic sausage so that might have helped with the flavor.

3-4 Medium Zuchini

1 lb Sausage

1/2 cup Coconut Milk

1/4 cup Almond Flour

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut off the stem of the zuchini. Cut zuchini in half lengthwise. Take a small spoon and scoop out the inside of the zuchini (save the "guts" in a bowl) to make little hollow boats.

Put all the zuchini boats in a casserole dish

Remove sausage from casings and cook over medium heat. Add in zuchini guts and cook until soft.

Add in spices, coconut milk and almond flour

Spoon mixture into the boats until they are all filled

Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes until zuchini is soft.

ENJOY!!

Toast to Fitness?

As many of us our enjoying the Holiday Season with all its parties and socializing, I wanted to share this ad that was posted in the Jan/Feb 2010 Womens Health Magazine.

People who booze more also exercise more, finds a survey in the American Journal of Health Promotion. Compared with abstainers, those who throw back more than 46 drinks a month exercise an extra 20 minutes a week. Drinkers may think exercise compensates for the calorie uptick – but those 20 minutes won’t make a dent if you drink big. Here’s how much more you have to move to work off happy hour:

Will Smith has just kicked me in the butt!

Great line from "The Pursuit of Happiness" - Don’t ever let someone tell you, you can’t do something. You have to dream, you have to protect it. People can't do things themselves; they want to tell you, you can't do it. You want something, go get it. PERIOD!

Mattison posted a great video of Will Smith’s interviews. This is a great motivating video for me. Visit Mattison's blog for the video.

When I listened to these interviews, where it hits me hard is my diet. I know what I want to be eating and what I should be eating. But I let life influence bad habits. This is especially true over the Holidays, drinking and all the sugary goodies. I need to realize that I can enjoy a party without indulging in all the foods that are just going to make me feel guilty later. So really how much did I enjoy the party if all I have is guilt afterwards. If I stuck to my diet, or my way of eating, I would enjoy the party and have no guilt afterwards. That’s a true success.

There is where we have to be strong, and stand up for ourselves. No one else is walking in our shoes, looking in the mirror back at us with such criticism. No one else knows how we feel in our own clothes or how we feel after a workout. We only know, and we have to stand up for ourselves. We are that important. I love to socialize and hang with friends. It is my favorite way to spend my extra time. But you can do that and still live the life you want. Write down in your log books: what you want out of life, who you want to be, how you want to be seen by others. Then do it. PERIOD!

GO TEAM KATIE!

Congratulations to BCCF Angel, Katie Russell, for 2nd place at this past weekend All Cities Open in Dallas, TX.

Katie you inspire all of us and you push us each and everyday. You're a great coach and athlete. We love working out beside you and being driven by you.

You have really been committed to your training and your diet these past few months and it really shows. Your commitment and dedication is paying off, in CrossFit and your personal life. (Katie is also graduating this weekend with her undergrad in Kinesiology with a minor in Health.)

We wish you the best of luck at sectionals. We will be there to “Watch You Soar”.

Bacon Wrapped Pecan Stuffed Dates

There are a lot of parties and pot-luck lunches coming this Holiday Season. I highly recommend these. Very easy to make and super yummy. I used turkey bacon but I think they would probably be even better with pork bacon. Just slit a pitted date and stick a pecan in the middle and then wrap with bacon. I cut the bacon in half.

Very yummy and very easy to prepare.

Lets make this LEGENDARY!!

A legendary affair it promises to be!


Lets face it, we all have those pleather pants that don't fit or look like sausage casing when you put them on, or the bridesmaid dress that you can't shorten and wear again, or even the really huge winter coat you will never use because WE LIVE IN HOUSTON. Now is the time to eliminate and donate!

It's the 1st Annual Holiday Pack Rat Party benefitting the Fairy Godmother Project and Charities of Houston, hosted by The Kims (Kimberly Russell and Kimberly Walling).

December 12, 2009
Brixx
5110 Washington Ave
Nine O'Clock
The whole point of this party is to wear that forgotten outfit one last time before you cut all ties. Show up in the not-so-flattering pleather pants; the traditional red, blue, or black bridesmaid dress; or the down jacket that looks like it came from Sarah Palin's closet. At the end of the evening, change clothes (we will have a changing room) and donate them to the less fortunate. Hope to see you all there!

Happy Holidays!

Drink Specials: Happy Hour Prices ALL NIGHT LONG!!

Crash of all Crashes

I started back with the Paleo a couple of weeks ago. Things have been going well; I seem to be able to stick to it a little better this time around. I am also keeping it exciting by trying out new recipes each week.


Two weekends ago I did a 25 miles bike ride in the Hill Country. I was on Paleo for about a week and the ride seem to go well. It even seemed easier then I had remembered from a few years back. Thanks to CrossFit the past year I'm sure. I felt fine throughout the ride. This was only a ride not a race so they had several rest stops and at each one I would get a half of a banana or a couple pieces of an orange. At the end Bratwurst and Sauerkraut. Yum. All in all things went well.

Then this past week I participated in the Rock n' Roll San Antonio Half Marathon. Not the same results. This was my 7th half marathon and I have done several other races including 5Ks, 10Ks and sprint triathlons, I would normally wake up and eat my usual english muffin with peanut butter, honey and banana. That always seemed to get me through every event without being hungry during the event or weighing too much on my stomach. However that isn’t Paleo. So before this race I went with a banana and 1/2 apple with Almond Butter on the way out the door at 5am. The race started at 7:30, but with so many people we didn't cross the start line until 8:30. By this time I was already hungry again, but thought nothing of it. Two hours into the run I crashed and I crashed hard. Of course my knees hurt and my feet hurt, this is to be expected. But the feeling I was having was mal-nutrition. I actually felt like my body was being sucked in and it couldn’t find anything to feed off of. (I have plenty on storage; it just wasn’t looking hard enough, haha) My stomach was aching, my chest felt tight and actually hurt, I was dazing in and out and felt kind of dizzy. Like I said this is my 7th one of these, I know I can do them; it’s just a matter of how well. This time I thought I wouldn’t finish. I contemplated just sitting down on a near by curb and wondering if people would look at me all crazy wondering with a runner with her bid still on is just sitting on a curb. I was even thinking if I saw someone drinking a coke I would literally grab it from them and drink it. I kept pushing through and was downing the water at the water stops 2 cups at a time. I did have some carb blocks on me that I could have taken, but at this point my stomach was feeling so weird I thought they would push the feeling of throwing up I already had way over the top and lead me straight to the port-o-potty. (Definitely didn’t want that). I did finish and I got my medal (what it is actually all about to me) and went straight for the food. I ate a banana, some of an apple and a bagel and instantly felt better.

I know I have just started going Paleo again and it takes some time for my body to adjust, but it was really missing those carbs on the long run. I truly understand the meaning of carb-loading now. Next time I know to eat my breakfast but also bring something to eat closer to the start time and maybe some nuts or dried fruit for along the route.

I did finish and I got my medal. However I need more training on nutrition; especially when it comes to long endurance workouts.

Jumping on the band wagon

I really enjoy looking at everyone else’s post of what they are eating. And for my lack of having any words to post to my blog, I thought I would also post some of my meals and comments about them. Please feel free to ask about recipes if anything tickles your fancy.

Tonight’s dinner was pork loin with veggie fritters (zucchini, carrots, egg, almond meal, pepper, sweet potato; that’s all I can remember off the top of my head; oh I cooked it with coconut oil) and a couple cherry tomatoes.

The fritters are very tasty. A little time consuming with the shredding (maybe I should get a bigger shredder) but they are good and I will make them again.

A JERK IS A JERK!!!!!!!

Yesterday was an evening of strength. We did the 3 presses: Press, Push Press and Push Jerk.


WOD:
Press: 1-1-1-1-1
Push Press: 3-3-3-3-3
Push Jerk: 5-5-5-5-5

Working with these 3 different presses all at once is nice because you learn really what the difference is between the 3 lifts. As always the press is a mental game for me. I have to literally think it out “ok don’t use the legs, keep your feet flat.” Once we were past the presses, let the fun begin, we can now use our legs.

It was a great PR day for me. I got a new PR on the Press 85#, on the Push Press I tried for a new PR of 110# but failed, so on this lift I will currently stay at 105#. Push Jerk we haven’t done in awhile, I believe for me it was back in June, so woo hoo another PR 110#.

I’m feeling strong. Only thought that runs through my head, is when will I hit my true max. Currently I almost get a new PR by at least 5# almost every time we try a lift again. I know sooner or later I’m going to hit a number and not be able to go any heavier. I’m not looking forward to that day; hopefully it’s a ways down the road.

In the meantime, come on Angels; let’s keep getting stronger.

A Woman's Perspective - Repost from CrossFit Invictus

Check out this post written by CrossFit Invictus...

Oktoberfest Obliteration held by CrossFit Champions 10/10/09

Congratulations Bayou City CrossFit for taking home 1st and 2nd in the Team WOD. 1st Place Team: a BCCF Angel Shelby with Joe and Charlie. 2nd Place Team: another BCCF Angel Katie with Scott and Cullen.


This was so much fun to watch (I was jealous that I wasn’t participating. Next time I will pay more attention to the signup instructions)

Team WOD:
Each team member must run 400 Meters each (one at a time)
30 wall balls each (done at same time)
Puzzle – untie your weights and clips from your bar
200 Deadlifts – 3 different weights must be used and be rotated out
50m Carry – You had to carry your teammate 25m out and then switch and come back. The female on the team must do one of the carries.

Both teams were neck and neck the whole time; it was a great to watch.

Congratulations to CrossFit Houston for taking 3rd in the Team WOD. It was great to see a family go out and participate together.

Special props to Bayou City over 40 Team. Matt, Chuck and Kate way to keep pushing through those deadlifts and finishing it out.

Andrew M, Charles, Paul good job in the individual competition. You guys have heart. Y’all laid it out there and gave it all you had. I am proud of you guys and look forward to watching you guys in future competitions.

Individual WOD 1 (weight determined by Standard or Scaled):
400m Run
15 – Thrusters
500m Row
15 – Power Cleans
200 – Jump Ropes
15 – Power Cleans
500m Row
15 – Thrusters
400m Run

Individual WOD 2 (Top 10 in Standard and Scaled moved on)
Congrats to Charles for making it to Round 2. Gotta love those Man Makers.
All your equipment was 25m run away and you had to go get and carry it back to complete the exercise)
I don’t really recall all the moves, if someone lets me know I will correct. But this is what I do remember

50m Run
30 SDHP
50m Run
30 Kettle Bell Swings
50m Run
30 Man Makers
400m Sandbag Run

Congratulations to Lindsay for taken 1st Place in the Ladies Standard Individual event.

Great Job CrossFit Champions on hosting and putting together this event. Every WOD was entertaining to watch. I especially thought the shot glass and mugs for the trophies were a great touch for the Oktoberfest.

No to Sugar - Yes to Zone

I thought this picture was fitting since most people on diets only seem to follow the diet during these "Zone" hours.

On September 8, 2009 Bayou City CrossFit started the No Sugar/Eat Clean Challenge. I did not participate in this challenge. I had just arrived back from Guatemala the day before the challenge was to start and I was not ready to partake in such a planned out challenge (cleaning out my pantry, fridge and hitting the grocery store with a planned out menu). I know that is just an excuse and I felt a little guilty, so even though I was not ready for the no sugar challenge I decided to try out The Zone along side Kim R. I had previously been trying Paleo and would stick to it for the most part, then the weekends would come along and it would get all messed up. So I can’t say I gave it a fair trial.

On September 8, I still did the measureable WOD that would be used to see if our times improved after 30 days of eating clean. Even though I wasn’t doing the No sugar challenge, I was improving my diet by starting the Zone and wanted to see if I would cause me to lose energy or not to be able to perform at my best.

No Sugar Challenge WOD
25 Burpees
400m Run
50 Air Squats
50 Pushups
50 Abmat Situps
400m Run
25 Burpees
For Time

I completed the WOD in 17:34. I started the Zone on September 14, 2009. Like I said I just got back from Guatemala and wasn’t ready mentally or physically prepared to start and diet the following day. So I started the following Monday after having time to do some research and my measurements and plan out a weeks worth of meals.

I will take my new measurements and weigh-in on October 14 for my full month on Zone, but as the no sugar challenge came to an end yesterday October 8th, we complete the same WOD again to see if we have improved. This is why keeping a log is so important and so helpful to be able to look back and see if you are improving.

One month later, same WOD as above my time was 15.48. I improved my time by 1:46.

I will try to share all my improvements and PRs on a monthly basis. I hope you guys do the same. Comment below with your PRs and your improvements on the No Sugar Challenge WOD.

Congratulations to all that participated in the No Sugar Challenage and stuck with it for the full month. I know it wasn't easy (I heard all about it) but way to push through and finish it out.

For you Coffee Lovers

Having that first cup of coffee in the morning is a habit many do no want to break when starting a weight loss effort. They can give up high sugar sodas and artificially sweetened diet sodas, but coffee is one thing they want to keep around. And you can!


First off, many compare coffee to a drug. Is it really? These simply are the facts:

It's addictive.
It's a stimulant.
It alters mood.

But coffee is not a drug and is one of the five most healthy drinks to include in your healthy lifestyle. Here are some of the many benefits of drinking coffee:

Coffee reduces the risk of Type 2 Diabetes and many other health risks.
Coffee gives you more energy for a tougher workout that lasts longer, making it possible to burn more calories.
Coffee does not contribute to heart disease as previously thought.
Caffeine speeds up your metabolism making it easier to burn more calories --- even while at rest.
Caffeine in coffee keeps the brain alert and receptive of new information.

Should you go to Starbucks and grab a large mocha latte now? Where the problem lies with coffee is when flavors, sweeteners and creamers are added to it. Here are a couple of tips when going out for that cup of Joe.

Coffee when consumed straight and by itself is perfect. It has very few calories, zero carbs, and zero fat so it cannot hinder weight loss. Adding all that extra sugars, artificial sweeteners, syrups, milk, alcohol and so on just make it a high calorie catastrophe. Sticking with regular or straight shots of coffee with limiting extras for achieving healthy living and weight loss.

Avoid fancy drinks from places like Starbucks that are loaded with hidden ingredients and additional calories. Frappacinnos and Mocha Lattes are not going to help you lose weight.

Drink coffee in moderation. Just like with anything that is considered healthy, it too must be taken in small quantities. Too much coffee at one time can affect blood sugar levels so the easy fix is reducing your intake at one time. Spacing out your coffee intake throughout the day would be something to consider and would benefit as an appetite suppressant while reducing chances of increasing blood sugar.

Don’t drink your coffee with high sugar foods. It seems perfectly normal to pair that Dunkin Donuts treat with a cup of coffee, but this combination will again spike your blood sugar. Besides, a donut can add another 200-300 calories and a muffin can range from 450-700 calories depending on the size and type.

Coffee is not a bad drink that should be avoided at all costs. The truth is that coffee actually has more benefits than negatives, so enjoy your coffee worry-free about hindering for diet and weight loss goals

CrossFit Champions "Oktoberfest Obliteration"

Oktoberfest: Where else do you get pretzels this big and women this giving?


This Saturday Oct 10th we have a couple of our BCCF Angels competing in the teams division at the CrossFit Champions "Oktoberfest Obliteration". I want to wish Katie and Shelby the best of luck. I will be there cheering you ladies on.

And to the men of BCCF that are competing may the Angels be with you and go kick some ass.

Repost from Megan Parsons - Alcohol-Free Drink Options

This is a repost from Megan Parsons blog from October 5, 2009.

Below is an article taken from The Paleo Diet newsletter. The suggestions below have no sugar and no alcohol; however, they would also make a tasty drink if you added your own liquor of choice. Enjoy!
_____________________________________________________________________________

Hosting any parties? If you’ve mastered serving exclusively Paleo foods at dinner gatherings at home, but feel daunted by only serving water to accompany the meal, then try some of the following ideas to liven things up a little.


Planning a tropical island-esque dinner? How about a Pina Colada? Just mix 8 oz. of ice cubes and water with 6 oz. of frozen pineapple cubes, and 1 T of extra virgin coconut oil. If you want to offer it as more of a snack than a drink, throw in a scoop of egg white protein powder. For you athletes, try this as a recovery drink as well - what a nice alternative to a banana! Serve in a tall glass, and go ahead and add a little umbrella!

Going with a lighter fare menu? One of my favorite ways to offer water is to serve it spa-style. Slice oranges, lemons, cucumber and kiwi, and put a few of each in a large, attractive glass pitcher. Fill with water and chill; not only is it refreshing and tasty, but it looks quite handsome on the table!

Serving Mexican Food? A blended, icy citrus drink pairs well with the flavorful spiciness inherent to some of the dishes you may be serving. Thus, there’s the good old, familiar tendency to have a Margarita, of course!. Whip 8 oz. of ice cubes with water in a blender with some frozen lemon and lime slices. Serve with a small piece of lime rind and a straw. Don’t forget how important presentation is! While you won’t fool guests into thinking they’re having a Virgin Margarita, you’ll be sparing them all the sugar you find in a pre-made mix.

Want something with a little color? Rather than serving juice (which is often quite sugary), use just a splash of juice with some sparkling water over ice (perhaps just an ounce with 8 - 10 ounces of water).

Finally, keep in mind that an occasional glass of red wine may be consumed in keeping with the Paleo Diet, as per The Paleo Diet book. Just save it for special occasions, and you’ll enjoy it even more than if you had it all the time!

2nd Place and Proud of it...

Today we had our first Bayou City CrossFit In-House Competition. It was a great morning here in Houston. We all showed up, not really knowing what to expect, but all excited to see what was going to unfold. As we stand around and say our hellos Vic and Katie are writing the WOD on the board. I wouldn't look until it was complete. I was hoping for heavy, if I was going to have a chance I needed something heavy. WOD was announced:

5 Box Jump Burpees
15 Thrusters (65#)
5 Burpees
15 KB Swings (35# American)
4 rds
400m Run

For Time.

Alight it's out there. I know I'm not quick, so I have to push it, because there are other girls that can do this weight as well. 3 men, 3 women asRX up first. There are 4 women doing this workout asRX. In my head I'm thinking can I at least place. It's going to be close, I know. We all work out together; we know what we all got in our tanks.

In my heat it was Carla, Mattison and I. I knew I was going to have to come out strong. I needed to be one workout ahead at least because Carla was going to catch me on the run. I needed a head start for that run. I started in the back of the room, so that I was able to keep Mattison and Carla in my sight and see where they are during the workout. I'm leading through the first round, leading through the second round. Now comes round 3 and I see Carla getting closer and closer to me. 4th round she passes me on the last workout and she finishes the KB Swing one rep ahead of me and we are off on the run. Here I know it. I knew I needed to start the run before her and have some space. I don’t have that. Can't stop now though, at this point I don’t know how many ladies are going to do RX, so I still have to clock a good time. TIME... I'm done. Now just wait for the next heat. I never looked at my time. I didn't want to be watching the clock on the next heat. I wanted to cheer for them like they cheered for me and not be wondering how close they are getting to my time and if they were going to beat me or not.

Heats are over; time for the award ceremony. (Yes, there were awards, how awesome is that) I still haven’t looked at the board so I didn’t know if I was 2nd or 3rd. Katie calls my name, 2nd place, woo hoo I have placed in a competition event. I get to pick my award and I choose $25 Lululemon gift card. I'm excited. I don't know if I have placed in any individual competition since I was a child. This felt great.

Congratulations to everyone who came out and competed in today’s workout and special props to the podium placers: Men-Joe, Corbin and Travis (all within seconds of each other); Women-Carla, myself and Kate.

Thanks to all the Bayou City CrossFit Coaches this morning for putting this together and making us stick every rep. Y’all are the BEST!!

OH Angie!!!

On 9/29/09 we did "Angie" one of the ladies of CrossFit. Kim Russell and I attempted to do this with no band for the pull-ups. This would be both of our first times to attempt anything near this many pull-ups without the aid of a band. As I walked up and Kim R was about to start with the 5pm class, we discussed the workout. She mentioned she would be using the band today since it is 100 pull-ups. I said ok, and sat done to ponder today’s workout. Kim decided to wait until 6pm and do the WOD with me. This helps us, since we can really push each other. After awhile of pondering and staring at the poor souls in the 5pm class work so hard with look of agony on their faces. I turned to Kim R and was like let’s try it. We only have to knock it out one at a time. We can tie the band to the bar and it will be there if we need it. But don't be the first one to grab that band. She looked at me with that look. Are you kidding me? My response "it will be nice to write down in our logs no band". She was sold on the idea. Before we knew it Vic was saying 3,2,1 Go and we were off. Knocking those kipping pull-ups out one at a time. (some might have not quite reached the chin, but feet were off the ground and the attempt was made) As I was counting in my head (I was in my low 30's) I hear Simon ask his wife, Carli, what number she was on, out she shouts 76. I think we all said a bad word out loud when we heard that. We all finished under the time allowed and with some spare change. It was great to write it down in the log asRX'd no band, chest to ground pushups on the toes.

Last time I did Angie was 4/20/09 and my time was 24.25 with the assistance of the GREEN band. 5 months later I got it in the time of 30.01. Longer time but finished with much more pride and joy to be able to do asRX'd.

Fight Gone Bad IV

2009 Bayou City CrossFit hosted the Houston area Fundraiser. We had a great turn out and raised over $5,000.

Everyone did a great job, and pushed it hard during their workout.

A Huge Inspiration

A few ladies of CrossFit went to watch the P!nk concert this week at the Toyota Center. We all walked out with a little girl crush and majorly inspired to get Fit and look Fit. P!nk looks amazing and actually sang her songs. It was a great concert we all enjoyed.

If you ever need a reminder of why we go to CrossFit so much and why we suffer through these diets. take a look at some pictures of P!nk and I think you will get back on track.

Fight Gone Bad - This Saturday

Bayou City CrossFit is hosting the Houston area fundraiser. There will be a DJ rocking out some inspiration and a silent auction for those who want to watch and do a little shopping. (all money earned on silent auction will be donated to Fight Gone Bad IV). Please stop by and see all the fun, pain,tears, smiles and joy. This is for all levels.

1118 20th St. Houston TX. (20th and Durham, across the street from Cedar Creek)

Stay around afterwards and have a cold beverage at Cedar Creek and listen to everyone talk about their scores and their experiences with their annual or first time fight gone bad.