"I want arms like those"

September 2013                                          April 2014

Before (left):   Weight 141 lbs  - 18% body fat - Size 2/4  -with an almost 1 yr old
After (right):  Weight 152 lbs  - 15% body fat  - Size 2/4 - with 18 month old
In 6 months:  Added 11 total lbs, Added 14 lbs of muscle, Lost 3 lbs of fat,  same dress size

I posted this pic a few weeks ago and have since had several inquiries about my food and supplement routine.  So here it is in a nutshell.

I eat clean 95% of the time
I don't eat gluten
I eat very very little dairy (only if it's in a salad or sprinkled on something)
I do eat corn chips (hello, I live in TX)
I eat out about 1x a week
I don't do "cheat meals" but do "treats" every now and then (not everytime they are in front of me!!)
I don't eat massive amounts of veggies (laziness mainly) but do take a green drink supplement

I use to follow strict Zone - which was awesome for me! Helped me with portion control and regulate my insulin - cut down on cravings and helped break the "binge" cycle.
I transitioned into no gluten - no dairy over the past 7 years.  I still know my Zone blocks but don't weigh and measure. Over the years, I've found that my body works best on very little carbs, moderate protein, and lots and lots of fat.
Everyone is different, the Zone helped me "play" with macronutrient combo's to determine what I need.  I typically eat 12-16 blocks of protein (7g per block), 6-10 blocks of carbs (9g per block), and 25-35 blocks of fat (1.5g per block). 

I take supplements regularly!  We have a lot of FIT people in our community - but when I look at those who adamently take supplements ie: fish oil, branch chain amino acids, post workout shakes - you can hands down see a difference in his/her overall "glow", athletic performance,  and body composition.

I swear by....

Wellness:

Probiotic
Omegaplex
Perfect foods
Catalyst (bcaa)

Pre-Workout:
Muscle Strength
Arginine Extreme
O2 Gold (cardio/long met con days)

Recovery:
Rehydrate
Muscle Gain
Biocharge (bcaa and antioxidant)
Nighttime Recovery

My passion is to bring wellness - belief - and life improvement through nutrition and fitness to as many people as possible.
Are you ready to lose weight ? Gain muscle?  Or Improve overall energy and fitness?

I can help you - I look forward to hearing from you.

Fitness!

There is almost nothing more fun these days than seeing Jacob learn - learn words - learn colors - learn how to use his body!  As a mother I enjoy seeing him experience the world through books - art projects - music -but as an Athlete I love to see him move!

Here is a bit of what our "training" looked like last week.  Makin' Fitness Fun for Games Bound mama and Toddler on Fire!


Games Bound:  20 x 250m row 1:1 rest
Outrunning Bedtime Toddler:  20 hall sprints - crawl under table - while being chased!

Games Bound:  Swim/Ruck/Sandbag Grind
World is my Playground Toddler:  Stairs/Slides/Tunnels

Games Bound:  Tire Flip Relay
Comin' Thru Toddler:  Flinstone car "prowler" push






Games Bound:  21 Mile Stand Up Paddle for Dam That Cancer fundraiser
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish:  Swim Lessions

Celebrate! Games Bound 2014

DAY 1:
I have been to competing my ENTIRE life - just ask my sister, I use to elbow her out of the way to "win" the "race" up the stairs to our bedroom.  I played volleyball - I've done triathlons - this wasn't my first "big" CrossFit competition - but I can't remember ever feeling the nerves and nausea I had on Day 1 of last weekend's South Central Regional event!
Why? Why was I so incredibly nervous?
Simply put ....
POTENTIAL & CONTROL
The anticipation of "what" I believed this team could do was almost too much to handle. Five of our six team members were 2013  Regional Athletes (4 individual and 1 team).  Our "testing" scores said we were set to win (aka practicing the wods).  We had a consistent dedicated, hands on coach for the entirety of the year.  It seemed as though all we had to do was do the work and we would earn a coveted spot in Carson! The potential for greatness was no question but the expression of this greatness was yet to take place!
Also, the "team" dynamic of CrossFit was somewhat nerve racking for me - I know this will NOT come as a surprise to those of you who know me...but I am a CONTROL FREAK!  While I "trusted" my team - you can only control yourself on any level.  The anticipation of watching - waiting - BELIEVING that my teammates would perform the way I knew they could - the way I'd seen them do a million times - was more challenging than I expected.
At the end of  Day 1 and three WODS - Team CrossFit Central (...downtown black....) had 3 - yes three 1st Place finishes!  Ironically - I was the one who missed and swung from the rings like a monkey in WOD 1 - I missed my 2nd snatch attempt and I walked the shortest distance on my hands (although it was a PR!).
I rested my head that night with nerves settles - satisfaction in a great start - and more confidence in our team and the potential than ever.

DAY 2:
Saturday was a blur - the workouts this year for team were less than 1 hour apart - which was AWESOME and left little time for anything other than action. I asked Ingrid today if she had a recap for the weekend and she said "Friday was awesome, Saturday - uhhhh, then Sunday was awesome".....or something close to that - we all know "quotes" in journalism can be used loosely :)
Saturday was the day of BRUSH IT OFF and FOCUS ON YOUR LANE!
The first workout of the morning was not our strongest - while we executed the plan to a tee - and our times were close to our goals - the team finished the sense of disappointment/doubt - Was Friday a fluke? Can we put our Game Face on and win the 2nd WOD for Saturday and stay on top for the weekend?
The feeling of disappointment left as quickly as it came  - Like true champions, the team got 2nd place in the second workout of the day.  This was probably my favorite workout of the weekend - we anticipated a come from behind finish on this one and that is exactly what we did!  How?  Well, Ingrid's power walk spiced up the comeback :) but seriously it was because we each chose to stay focused on the task at hand - aka Focus On Our Lane - don't look at the other teams - they are not us - we are not them - do what we know we can!  And We Did!
We rounded out Day 2 in 1st Place overall with a 14 point lead!  Our potential was being expressed!

DAY 3:
Time to CELEBRATE!  It was nice to go to bed Saturday with a fluffy pillow of a 14 point lead but the team stayed focused on the task at hand - Win the Weekend not just the workout!  Over the weekend, the announcers mentioned we were not that "impressive" or "show stoppers" - we were winning because we were simply consistent.  I heard (as I've heard before...) that we didn't look like it was "hard" or that we were "fighting" for it.  That is not to say that we didn't want it or we weren't doing our best - it is to say that we looked uncommonly calm, cool, and collected each time we took the floor.  I use to get offended by this but I know that the "struggle" isn't on the floor for me - or for our team!  The struggle and the fight happened over the last few months of training - during our practices and planning - during the lead up to the event.  This was our "final show" and our "rehearsal" is where we left the struggle!
That said we wanted to go out with a BANG and that's exactly what we did!  Anyone who saw the final pull up and overhead squat workout would agree that Team CrossFit Central "fought" and left it all on the floor for a 1st place finish - winning the event by over a minute!  It was finally time to celebrate!

Top 3 factors for the team's Regional success:

• Having a coach and a plan
• Opening each day with team prayer
• Basics:  nutrition, supplementation, hydration, rest and recovery  ie: Ice bath, Trigger Point

What will I focus on along the "road to the Games"?:

• Staying injury free - train smarter not harder
• Mental game - vision boards, mirror scribbles
• Basics:  nutrition, supplementation, hydration, rest and recovery

I am honored to be headed back to The CrossFit Games for a 4th time!  I can barely believe I've been so lucky!  Our team has been training under the same programming and led by the same coach for over a year but in so many ways - this weekend is just the beginning for us!  #gamesbound

Thanks again to our sponsors!  Trigger Point Performance Therapy, Just Go Girl, Vista Ridge Family Dental, WODLIFE, and Paleo Wagon

TEAM

Be the best on paper = GOOD

Be the best in action = WINNING

Mr. Jeremy Thiel -  he makes me better!

TEAM:

Goal

Unity

Focus

Vision

Positivity

Preparation

Communication 

#letsgo - 2014 CrossFit Games

2014 Regional Team

What makes a Champion?

  What’s the difference between a Winner and a Champion? (by Bruno Coelho)

A winner is focused on winning with little regard to anything else (the process, the team). Winning = he's a winner.  Losing = he's a loser. Winners attaches who he is to what they achieve -  so winning is the outcome he seeks. For a Champion there’s a WHOLE World of things that matter besides winning. The desire may still be to win, but he doesn’t attach his self-worth to the outcome. Becoming the master of his full potential is the outcome most important. Winning is the result of that outcome. A Winner will stop at nothing to succeed (WIN) and sees shame in defeat. A Champion knows that integrity is more important than a "win" because integrity is the foundation for legacy! A Champion sees defeat  as a chance to learn, to grow and evolve beyond what he already knew. A Champion honors his legacy with every action, with every effort and with every breath. A Champion can lose a battle without losing his honor. A Champion sees no opponent but himself. He understands that the only person that can prevent him from using all his potential is himself. The real competition is within.

A Winner only plays to win.

 A Champion plays to send a message.

I pray everyday that I will cultivate the CHAMPION within my son.  To focus on the importance of integrity - progress - celebration of the small steps.  

I personally strive not to win but to be a Champion in all I do......I said strive..... :)  

What about NOW?!

I am pretty sure what I was saying (ok, yelling) in her ear was "pick up the bar NOW - #letsgo!" 

Every rep counts - go - one more time, etc etc!

WHY?  

Would she be ok if she didn't get one more rep?  

Would she still have "done well" and "gotten a good workout"? 

Would she still be working to be fitter, better, stronger than the day before? 

Yes, yes, and yes

BUT - I know Jaime isn't working to be "ok" or "stonger than yesterday" - she - like most of you -  is working to be the BEST and that means action NOW!

How does this apply to you? Your family life - your job - your personal goals?  

It's not only about doing the work its about how we do the work.

1) with a PMA (positive mental attitude) - an attitude of "say YES"

2) with a sense of URGENCY

URGENCY inspires ACTION - Action creates RESULTS - Results inspire HOPE  - WINNING,etc.

A True Sense of Urgency

Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.
                                                                 - Jim Rohn

The dictionary tells us that urgency means “of pressing importance.” When people have a true sense of urgency, they think that action on critical issues is needed now, not eventually, not when it fits easily into a schedule. "Now" means making real progress every single day. "Critically important" means challenges that are central to success or survival, winning or losing. A sense of urgency is not an attitude that I must have the project team meeting today, but that the meeting must accomplish something important today.

Urgent behavior is not driven by a belief that all is well, or that everything is a mess but instead, that the world contains great opportunities and great hazards. Even more so, urgent action is not created by feelings of contentment, anxiety, frustration, or anger, but by a gut-level determination to move and win, now. These feelings quite naturally lead to behavior in which people are alert and proactive, in which they constantly scan the environment around them, both inside and outside their organizations, looking for information relevant to success and survival. With complacency or false urgency, people look inward, not out, and they miss what is essential for prosperity.

With a real sense of urgency, when people see an opportunity or a problem of significance to their organization, and others don’t, they quite naturally search for effective ways to get the information to the right individual — right away — not when they are next scheduled to meet with him or her next month. With a true sense of urgency, people want to come to work each day ready to cooperate energetically and responsively with intelligent initiatives from others. And they do. People want to find ways to launch smart initiatives. And they do.

A real sense of urgency is a highly positive and highly focused force. Because it naturally directs you to be truly alert to what’s really happening, it rarely leads to a race to deal with the trivial, to pursue pet projects of minor significance to the larger organization, or to tackle important issues in uninformed, potentially dangerous ways.

It is often believed that people cannot maintain a high sense of urgency over a prolonged period of time, without burnout. Yet, with all the alertness, initiative, and speed, true urgency doesn’t produce dangerous levels of stress because it motivates people to find ways to rid themselves of chores that add little value to their organizations. People who are determined to move and win, now, simply do not waste time or add stress by engaging in irrelevant or business-as-usual activities.

Complacency is pervasive, in part because it simply is not seen, even by many smart, experienced, and sophisticated people. A false sense of urgency is pervasive and insidious because people mistake activity for productivity. True urgency is not the product of historical successes or current failures but the result of people, up and down the hierarchy, who provide the leadership needed to create and re-create this increasingly important asset. A real sense of urgency is rare, much rarer than most people seem to think. Yet it is invaluable in a world that will not stand still. 

M.O.M. Master of Multasking = You Suck at Everything!!

I hear that MOM stands for Master of Multitasking.




To some that brings up visions of cooking while said kiddos are napping - cleaning up while said kid is stacking blocks in the corner - running errands and chatting on the phone with your "buddy" at your side or sitting at the table to create handmade Valentine cards "with" your kiddo....
Carefully balancing kids needs, your needs - fitness/friends/work and oh yeah, QT with your husband!



.Reality Check..... Multitasking is a Myth remember ..... and really makes you suck at everything!!!
Mom Multitasking looks more like THIS

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The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children.
Jessica Lange