IBS, FODMAPs and the Paleo Diet

If you're suffering from IBS; then maybe you should take a look at this article.  Enjoy

http://paleodietnews.com/3288/ibs-fodmaps-and-the-paleo-diet/

7 Strategies for Success by Alissa Finerman

I thought I would share this blog by Alissa Finerman.. Very interesting and I think it makes sense.  I hope you all enjoy.

Alissa Finerman is a Professional Business/Life Coach, motivational speaker, and author of Living in Your Top 1%. She works with individuals and organizations to help them think bigger, redefine what’s possible, and get results. Alissa has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. She has appeared on national radio stations such as CBS and Clear Channel Radio and has worked with the Milken Institute, LA Business Journal, Prostate Cancer Foundation, and NBC Universal. To learn more about coaching with Alissa, please visit her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

7 Strategies for Success

1. Start with the Ideal Situation

This is your chance to dream. Imagine you have a blank slate, and you can be and do whatever you choose. No obstacles, just pure potential. Start with this image of possibilities and then work backwards to see what’s doable right now. Don’t focus on the obstacles when you are getting started. Yes, I am encouraging you to leave the mortgage, kids, and other responsibilities alone for right now. Think about what the ideal vision is for you. Then figure out what you need to do to make it happen.

2. Write Down Your Goals

When you write down your goals, you start to see where you want to go, and it’s easier to make decisions because you have a destination. Many people like to keep everything in their mind instead of put it down on paper. Well, let me tell you a little secret about these folks: They are also the people who are more likely not to follow through on their goals. Clarity can emerge from writing your dreams on paper.

3. Determine Why the Goal Is Important

Be very clear why you are setting this goal. Is it because your family wants you to do something, or does the goal matter to you? Please leave the “should” goals behind.

Is losing weight really important to you? Are you willing to make other sacrifices to make this goal a reality? Or does work really take priority over relationships? Often, we have to make difficult choices when setting goals. Yes, that’s part of the process as well. When goals are important to you, they will align with your values (i.e. adventure, respect, honesty, connecting, humor, etc.).

The question is will you feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment when you achieve the goal. If not, it’s not the right goal. For example, you may have a great goal to be the market leader in your business. But if you really want to be connected to your daughter and coach her soccer team, then achieving your business goal may or may not leave you feeling fulfilled. These are the questions you need to consider. Yes, they are tough!

4. Craft Clear-Cut Goals That Add Meaning to Your Life

Many of us think vague goals are our friends, but actually, they just derail us in our mission. If you’re planning to get better at golf, be a better leader, or exercise more in the new year, you will need to be much more specific. Say your goal out loud and honestly ask yourself if it’s clear what you are trying to do. Once you have a clear goal, you need to double check that it’s something you really care about (rather than your family, friends, or partner).

Many goals appear specific, but they are not. Examples of common vague goals:

• Get in shape. Does this mean lower your blood pressure, have consistent energy throughout the day, lose fifteen pounds by your college reunion, or run your first 5k race?
• Build my business. Do you mean open a second store, be featured in Success Magazine, increase revenue by twenty percent, or get five new clients?
• Spend more time with friends. Do you mean have dinner once a week or schedule a four-day ski trip?

Things happen when you are specific. Vague goals = vague results!

5. Pursue a Goal That Is a Tier One Priority

You probably have many things that are important in your life. Write down all of your goals above and then check the three goals that are most important to you (this keeps the process manageable). Your tier one goals are the ones that will make the biggest impact in your life. They are not necessarily the goals that help you make the most money or make you famous, but rather the goals that add a deeper sense of fulfillment to your life. Tier One goals can be big or small. Perhaps you want to finish your degree, be debt-free, or change jobs by the end of this year. Whatever is meaningful to YOU is best to pursue.

6. Set a Target Date

This is a tough one, but it needs to be done. Just saying that you are going to write a book or lose weight is not really saying anything. Does that mean you are going to write a book in the next five years or lose weight sometime in your lifetime? If you just started working at a new company, it’s probably not realistic to say that you will be promoted tomorrow, but it might be reasonable to set a goal to be promoted within six months or the year. You will have to decide what’s possible given everything else going on in your life. Either way, it’s helpful to have a date that you are working toward. Please know that it’s OK to revise the target date as you move forward with your goal. The process is dynamic.

7. Take Small Steps

Slow and steady is a great strategy. Once you have a goal that speaks to you, break it down into small steps. If you want to start a business, perhaps the small step is registering a domain name or ordering business cards. Move away from extreme all-or-nothing strategies. Too many people think the goal setting process is over once you declare your goal; that’s when the fun starts. Train your mind to take one small step a day, and you will make amazing progress. It’s a process; it’s not magic.

TOP 1% BOTTOM LINE: One of the best ways to make a difference in your life and our society is to embrace the practice of clarifying your goals/intentions/vision. Goals serve as a road map or GPS to the next stop on your journey. And there will be many stops on your journey. You will find it most helpful to continue to fine-tune your process each year (think Kaizen = continuous improvement). Now is the time to Live in YOUR Top 1%.

I’d love for you to share the goals that speak to your heart and genuinely excite you in the comments section below.

Wishing you much “success” on your journey.

Believe in yourself,

Alissa

Apple Onion Cinnamon Pork Chops over Crock pot Butternut Squash

Hey you all!!

So I love trying new things and I thought I would share this recipe that is easy to make.  I got this recipe off of www.paleomg.com.  I love Pork and although it isn't the leanest of the meat department; it is nice to have once in awhile..  Juli Bauer has amazing recipes and she is a CrossFitter..  If you don't have a Crock pot; I suggest you should invest in one.. You'll fall in love... :)  Plus it makes your house smell like home cooking..

I would love to hear what you think of it.. Enjoy

Apple Onion Cinnamon Pork Chops over Crock pot Butternut Squash

Ingredients

For your crock pot butternut squash

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
• ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• dash of salt

For your pork chops

• 2 large pork chops, bone in
• 2 apples, sliced
• 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel and dice your butternut squash.
3. Throw it in your crock pot with other crock pot ingredients. Cover, turn on low for 2 hours or high for 1 hour.
4. Now time to prepare everything else.
5. Pull out 2 medium-large size skillets, put under medium heat.
6. Add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to each skillet, throw in your sliced onions in one and sliced apples in the other.
7. Toss occasionally to help the onions and apples cook evenly.
8. Once the onions and apples start to become translucent, add 1 tablespoon of honey to each skillet along with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to and a pinch of salt.
9. Mix together and let the onions and apples caramelize a bit.
10. While they finish caramelizing, prepare your chops.
11. Season the pork chops with a bit of salt, pepper, cinnamon, and mustard powder on both side.
12. Once apples and onions are done caramelizing, remove apples from heat, and throw your onions in the apple skillet.
13. Keep onion skillet over heat, and add seasoned pork chops to sear on both sides for about 3-4 minutes per side.
14. Now throw your onion and apple mixture in a baking dish and place pork chops on top.
15. Put the baking dish in the oven and good for 18-20 minutes (depending how thick your chops are) or until the internal temperature of the chops are around 145 degrees. Boom
16. Check on your butternut squash, poke with a fork, if tender start your mashing!! I used a broken whisk, you don’t have to do that. A fork or potato masher with work just fine.
17. Now plate your mashed butternut squash then a chop then apples and onions. Consume.

Vitamin D levels and risk of diabetes

Check out the article by USANA.   

Low serum vitamin D levels may increase the risk of diabetes in obese adults

At a Glance A recent study has found that low vitamin D levels are correlated with a higher waist circumference and those participants that were low in vitamin D and obese, had a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes than those of normal weight. Read more about this research below.

Many previous studies have linked type 2 diabetes, and several other chronic diseases, with low levels of vitamin D.  A recent study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition sought to examine the association between serum vitamin D levels and the incidence of Type 2 diabetes.

The MONICA10 cohort study consisted of 2656 adult participants aged 41–71 years who participated in a 10-year follow-up examination during 1993–1994 as part of the MONICA 1 population survey. A total of 2,571 participants were free of diabetes at the beginning of the study and were included in the present research.  During an average follow up of 16.4 years, 288 cases of type 2 diabetes were identified.

After adjusting for other related potential risk factors, serum Vitamin D levels were inversely associated with the incidence of diabetes.  There was a significant association detected between low vitamin D levels and increased waist circumference (WC).  There was a significant correlation to diabetes risk between those with both low vitamin D and increased WC (218 cases) but not in participants with normal WC.

This study found that low Vitamin D levels were independently associated with the incidence of diabetes. However, the inverse association was only found in overweight-obese and not in normal weight individuals, suggesting that obesity may alter the effect of vitamin D status on the risk of diabetes.

L L N Husemoen et al. Serum 25(OH)D and incident type 2 diabetes: a cohort study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2012) 66, 1309–1314

Why wait the New Year to start your Resolution....Start now!!  I'm offering cheap packages for Christmas and for the New Year.  Get ahead of the rest.  Contact me @ v@crossfitroundrocktx.com or call me 512-709-5456

Keeping Off The Pounds For The Holidays

So we all talk about how we want to over eat on the yummy Thanksgiving foods that we will be consuming in a few days.  Once the consumption is over with we tend to begin feeling regret and then figure out what we need to do get the 10 pounds off that we just consumed.  No Fear.  There is a website that has no equipment exercises and you can create as many wods as you want with these exercises.  How fun is that?    Below is the list of exercises you can do without having to use any equipments.  Also, here is a article on nutrition for you for pre-breakfast workout the can beat the holiday flab.

http://www.newser.com/story/107615/pre-breakfast-workout-can-beat-the-holiday-flab.html

Enjoy the exercises, the articles and enjoy your Thanksgiving.

1. 10 rounds of 10 second “L” sits off the floor
2. “Susan” – 5 rounds for time:  Run 200m, then 10 squats, 10 push ups
3. Run 1 mile and at every 1 minute complete 10 air squats, 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups
4. 10 Rounds for time:  10 burpees, 100 m sprint
5. 10 handstand jackknife to vertical jump, 10 handstand jackknife to tuck jump, 10 handstand jackknife to straddle jump.
6. 3 Rounds for time:  10 Handstand push ups, 200 m run
7. 6 Rounds for time:  10 push ups, 10 air squats and 10 sit ups
8. 10 rounds for time:  10 push-ups, 10 squats, 10 sit ups
9. 10 rounds for time:  10 push-ups, 100m dash
10. 5 rounds for time:  10 push-ups, 10 hollow rocks, run 200 meters
11. 10 rounds:  10 push-ups, 10 squats
12. 10 rounds for time:  10 hand-release push-ups, 10 v-sits, then 10 squats
13. 10 rounds for time:  10 sit ups, 10 burpees
14. 4 Rounds for time:  10 vertical jumps, 10 push ups, 10 sit ups
15. 5 Rounds for time:  10 vertical jumps, run 400 meters
16. 10 rounds for time: 10 walking lunges, 10 push-ups
17. 10 sets of 100 m dash (rest is length of time it took you to complete the last 100 m sprint)
18. 100 air squats, rest 3 minutes, 100 air squats, rest 3 minutes, 100 air squats
19. For time complete 100 air squats
20. For time complete 100 burpees
21. For time:  100 jumping jacks, 75 air squats, 50 push ups, 25 burpies
22. For time:  100 push ups
23. 10 to 1 ladder:  Burpees and Sit ups
24. 10 to 1 ladder:  sit-ups/pushups and a 100 meter sprint between each set.
25. 10 sets of:  30 second handstand hold followed by holding for 30 seconds at bottom of squat
26. 10 x 50 meter sprint (rest is 2 minutes between sprints)
27. 3 Rounds for time:  20 jumping jacks, 20 burpies, 20 air squats
28. 4 Rounds for time:  20 ab mat sit-ups, 20 push-ups, 400 meter run
29. For time complete 200 air squats
30. For time complete 250 jumping jacks
31. 3 Rounds for time:  Run 1/2 mile, then 50 air squats
32. 5 Rounds:  3 vertical jumps, 3 squats, 3 long jumps (rest as needed)
33. 3 Rounds:  30 push ups, 30 second handstand
34. 5 Rounds:  30 second handstand against a wall, followed by a 30 second static hold at the bottom of the squat
35. 5 rounds:  30 second handstand, 60 second squat hold ( at the bottom of the squat)
36. 3 x 20 tuck jumps, followed by 3 x 30 second handstand holds
37. 3 rounds for time:  400m run/sprint followed by 30 air squats
38. 4 sets x 25 jumping squats
39. 3 rounds for form/technique:  5 handstand to jackknife to high jump, 5 handstand to jackknife to tuck jump, 5 handstand to jackknife to split jump
40. 20 rounds:  5 push ups, 5 squats, 5 sit ups
41. 10 Rounds:  5 push ups with a 30 second plebs plank (a hold at the top of the push up, arms extended and body tight like a plank!).
42. 5 Rounds:  200 m dash (rest is the length of time it took you to complete the previous 200m dash)
43. 50 air squats x 5. Rest equal amounts as it took to do each 50.
44. 50 air squats, 4 rounds. rest for 2 minutes between rounds.
45. 50 sit-ups, 400 meter run or sprint or walk. 3 rounds.
46. 5 x 400M sprints (rest is the same time it took you to complete the last 400m sprint)
47. 7 rounds for time:  7 squats, 7 burpies
48. air squat x 10 push up x 10 sit up x 10 3 rounds for time
49. Air squatsx20, Burpiesx20, Push-Upsx20 – 3 rounds…for time
50. bottom to bottom ( rest at the bottom of the squat instead of standing….without support on your hands or butt and make the bottom good, straight back, butt back)…..tabata squats.
51. Burpee to the push up position, do 10 push ups, burpee out. 5 rounds.
52. Do one air squat and take one breath, ( you can breath all you want while you do the squat or squats) do 2 and take 2 breaths etc…up to 10, and then come back down to one.
53. Do Tabata Squats with eyes closed.
54. Handstand 1 minute, hold bottom of the squat for 1 minute, 5 rounds.
55. Handstand 10 seconds jack-knife to vertical jump. 25 reps…
56. Handstand 30 seconds and 10 squats, 8 rounds.
57. handstand 30 seconds and 20 air squats, 5 rounds.
58. handstand 30 seconds, to squat hold 30 seconds. 10 rounds.
59. Handstand 5x 30 seconds. Run: 2x 800 meters for time. Do the handstands first. Rest and recover and do the runs with a rest in between that is as long as it took you to run your first 800.
60. handstand hold, 30 seconds, squat hold 30 seconds…10 rounds.
61. Handstand practice, 25 tries at free handstands, then a 1 mile run at 80%.
62. Handstand to Jack-Knife to vertical jump. 30 Reps.
63. Handstands, 30 second hold, 30 second static squat, 30 second rest, 8 rounds.
64. If you cannot do “man’s style” do your pushups from the knees. After that do 100 air squats for time.
65. Invisible Fran…21-15-9 of air squats and push ups for time.
66. Mime 4x 25 sumo deadlift high pulls, make them perfect. Be sure the hips extend before the arms bend!
67. Plebs plank, bottom of squat, hollow rock hold, 30 seconds each for 10 rounds. Use the transition times as your rest periods…they should be as brief as possible.
68. Run 1 mile and do 10 push-ups every 1 minute.
69. Run 1 mile for time.
70. Run 1 mile with 100 air squats at midpoint, for time.
71. Run 1 mile, lunging 30 steps every 1 minute.
72. Run 1 mile, plus 50 squats-for time.
73. Run 1 mile, stopping every minute to do 20 air squats.
74. Run 1 minute, squat 1 minute 5 rounds.
75. run 200 meters, 50 squats, 3 rounds
76. run 400 meters, 50 air squats. 4rounds.
77. run 400m air squat 30 hand stand 30 seconds 3 rounds for time
78. Run with high knees for 15 seconds and drop into a pushup, get back up and run with high knees again for 15 seconds…….repeat 5x. Each pushup counts as 1 rep. Rest. Do 3 more rounds.
79. spend a total of 3 minutes in a handstand.
80. Spend a total of 5 minutes in a handstand, or headstand. If you are using the headstand do not stay over a minute at a time.
81. Sprint 100 meters, Walk 100 meters, 10 rounds.
82. sprint 100m 30 squats…8 rounds.
83. Sprint 200m and do 25 push ups, 3 rounds.
84. sprint 50 meters, 10 push ups. 10 rounds.
85. Tabata Squats: 20 seconds on 10 seconds rest, 8 rounds. Count your lowest score.
86. Tabata Push-ups.
87. Tabata squats and tabata pushups.
88. Ten vertical jumps ( jump as high as you can, land and do it again), 10 push-ups 5 rounds.
89. Test yourself on a max set of push ups…tight body chest to the floor…full extension!
90. Walk 100 meters on your hands, even if it is 2 meters at a time.
91. 10 Rounds for time:  Run 100 meters, then 20 air squats
92. 4 Rounds:  Hold a handstand for 30 seconds or do 5 handstand push ups, then run 400 meters

Here is a article you can read about the little gland that can do a lot for you and cause a lot of trouble if you don't take care of yourself.

http://experiencelife.com/article/little-gland-big-trouble/

Heads Up!  Holiday season has arrived.  You will want to stay on track with your health, nutrition, and exercises.  I am here to help.  I am running a holiday special for Personal Training.  Contact me if you are interested and if you need help with staying on track during the holidays.

It's been a while

A few things...
1) Sorry it's been a while since I last wrote something... Yep, I'm human and maybe not always consistently consistent.   Oopsie... ;)

    Yeah,  don't get me wrong I've attempted many many times to sit down and type out words to create a good blog and then I see a shiny object and tend to that situation.  I know writing a blog is a good thing for me, but I think I've mention this before....I am not a blogger... still working out the kinks.. Work with me here or at least be patient I will be consistent on this..

2)  My twin sister will be home.. I'm so ecstatic.  I'm thinking that word is an understatement... She will be in this states by Halloween.. Safe from danger over there.  But still in danger near the boarder.. Goodness can they just send them home to a safer place than the boarder of Mexico??!!!

She has been gone so far 11 months and in November it will be a full 12 months.  She has plenty of stories to tell.  But when she and Nicole (her partner) get back they will be moving into their new home.. I'm so happy for them.. They both deserve it..

3) Sadly, I got some tragic news from my family.. geez... Last month we lost a twin cousin and now just a few days ago another tragedy hit they same family. I'm not sure why my family has gone through so much turmoil..  This one seems take the cake.. So tragic it sounds like it would be in a horror movie.. I do pray for comfort and peace for them.. A few of us seem to persevere through it all and I hope it stays that way for rest of us.  I just pray there will be no more tragedies for our family and for anyone else.  My brother thinks our family is cursed.  Maybe so, but I'm not going to let that stop me from living..

So that is about it for me and what has been going on with my life.

Holidays are coming and I know you all need to keep up with your health, nutrition, and shape; so if you need extra help I'm here and I will have holiday rates for my Personal Training and Nutrition.

Contact me if you are interested.

Improvise; Just call me Gimpy

As most of you know I broke my foot and well I haven't been a happy camper walking around in a boot.  I was down on myself even though I asked for it.  Yes, this was something I knew I had but I was in major denial.  I'm usually honest with myself on situations; I am a logic thinker and try not to put my emotions into what could clog my logic thinking.  Lately, I've been quite the opposite. 

Now I'm in a boot for 6 weeks.. 6 weeks!!! WTH!!  How am I suppose to continue my day in day out routine; my workouts; my coaching; and doing domesticated things???  I got down about this entire situation.

I over-reacted; that isn't like me (I'm usually calm and think things through). As I have always preached to everyone on Facebook, to my member, and to my clients: make do with what you have and do your best.  Well I guess I was put to the test.  I've improvised and I'm pretty good at adapting well with changes made in my life.. I'm forced to be this way; it isn't a choice for me.  I've come to find new strengths I didn't think I had.  I've also realized I need to stop doing everything and let people help me.  It is second nature to do things on my own without asking for help, but when I'm left limited; I'm forced to need others.   I have to shut down my guard and become vulnerable. 

I've realized that I'm blessed that this is just a broken bone and nothing major.  I'm able to walk, to swim, to move, and to live.  I'm blessed to have legs.  I'm grateful for everything that is given to me and to realize what I take for granted.  I come to realize I need to learn to improvise and not wallow in my pity (I don't get anywhere with that).  I press on; move forward and work through my struggles, because at the end of  all of this it will be well worth it. 

I'm down to 4 weeks...or as Adrien would say 3 weeks and 4 days... She is keeping count..:)