Christmas countdown/Crossfit craziness

[CFholly]

Whole30 Holly is done and dusted. I've had a few days to have some treats and now I am beginning another Whole30 on Monday (tomorrow) with my partner - moral support mostly, but also because I think it was fab for my body and I want more of that feeling.

Here I will write how things are going for us and some Crossit musings. May not be as detailed as my last log - but I'll see where it goes.

Would love some forum support, if anyone's starting up tomorrow.

This Whole30 will finish Christmas Eve.

[Raeanne Sisson]

Hey girl!! I started on Thursday and plan to finish New Year's Eve. :-) can't wait to read your log!

[CFholly]

Thanks Raeanne! Nice to have you along for the ride!

Well, Day 1 has begun again. And I feel as if I should give a little background for those who are following along...

• So, I am a 30 year old female.
  
• A PE teacher.
  
• Australian.
  
• 167cm / 70kg - not sure what that is for lb and feet - get on board USA, and go metric! :-)
  
• Avid Crossfitter since June 2012 (2 year Bootcamper prior to the change - with same coaches).
  
• Completed first Whole 30 a week ago - after 3 tries at it!
  
• Very interested in nutrition, Crossfit, all things healthy (though I wasn't always like that!)
  
• Content and happy in an almost 3 year relationship
  

This log may just be a bit of a rambling thought log over the 30 days, though it did help to write down my food to keep me on track last time...

Happy to take on any comments and criticisms over the period of time. Always welcome praise and positive vibes :-)

Day 1 started well - a good solid breakfast and an early start to my working day - a week of planning and preparation for next year... which is a dangerous time for snacking, but I am going to the local organic shop in a few hours to stock up for the week :-D

[pingu]

Go Holly! A strong start.

[CFholly]

Day One - Nov 26

Yesterday went off without too much dramas. Not like I remember the last time! I think it's super easier when you have a buddy (even though my forum buddies were golden last time, it's also nice to have a buddy that is right there, next to you!) My partner, Lyn, is stead fast and head strong, and that is making me the same! I think we will do this 30 days pretty well!

I found last night's strength training and skills set at Crossfit really draining and hard - even though I was only working at 65% of my max weight. I remember the first week being quite hard in terms of energy, so this is probably what is happening here...

[CFholly]

Day Two - Nov 27

Nothing really 'out there' to report from Day 2. My partner is tired and cranky - which I find slightly amusing, as I understand and have been through the 'stages' of the Whole30 before too. I haven't been having the same negative side effects - perhaps because I have just come off Whole30 and only had my few little treats to weed out of my system.

I am facing a bit of a challenge in the coming week. My work colleague and I are taking a group of 7 students on a 6 day bushwalk on the Overland Track (near Cradle Mountain, for those who are familiar with Tasmania, in Australia!!) My dilemma is not the fact that I will be carrying everything I need for 6 days on my back - but more the fact that my colleague suggests we share food for lunches and dinners, to save on weight. We had a bit of a discussion/meal plan yesterday, and I was quick to realise that the things he suggests to eat are all shit!! Lol. Pasta. Oatmeal. Wraps. Rice. Sugar. blah blah blah! Oh my!!

So... what I suggested is that we share some parts of some bits of meals, but that I will essentially have to eat differently. Won't be too hard - but I got some interesting comments from him. Basically he said 'Well, what are you going to eat!!?' Luckily, I can think of plenty - so that is my challenge - to see if I can break the typical mould of thinking that we need to stack our backpacks with grains and sugar to sustain energy on our walk! I'll give fats and proteins and some different carbs a go!!

Ciao!

[reneenee]

I'm curious to know what you pack for meals during your backpacking trips while being Whole30/Paleo friendly. I'm an avid backpacker, but I haven't done a trip since I changed my diet to non-grains, etc. and I am challenged by what I would like to bring for optimal health while on a trek. It's just so easy to eat "backpacker food", like pasta, junk dehydrated food, and candy bars. I am thinking to bring lots of grassfed beef jerky and nuts, but my imagination stops there - especially with a backpacking trip that lasts several days without resupplying in town. Good luck with your trip!

[CFholly]

Hmmm, yes well I can't say I have been on such a long hike without all the normal staples that we tend to take on camping trips. I think it'll be a challenge, and I am still thinking of how it'll work out (I have until Monday!)

I think I'll make an inventive scroggin mix of good nuts, dried fruits, etc. I thought I could make a bit of a paleo-esk muesli of sorts, with bits and pieces and take powedered coconut milk for breakfasts. I have powdered eggs also. Coffee. Obviously!

Other snacks will be jerky, paleo snacks (got online at paleosnacks.com.au), apples, a compliant raw cacoa treat I found x5!, ABC (almond, brazil, cashew) paste, dates.

Lunches and dinners might be hazy as I will probably take wraps (gluten free if I can find) and crackers, tuna, salami, tomatoes, capsicum, sprouts and stuff.

Dinners will probably be chicken stirfry, burritos with TVP (textured vegetable protein), risotto (VERY hard to think of paleo dinners, especially as I don't own a food dehydrator. If I was really into it - I would make the purchase, make paleo dinners, and dehydrate the crap outta them!!)

I will see how I go.... It's quite hard, isn't it! I hope that I can be as Whole30 as possible - obviously if I am starving hungry, I've gotta eat what I can eat to get the energy to keep on going! It's a big hike!

I'll let you know how I go!

[reneenee]

Hey those are great ideas. Thanks! I'm mentally preparing backpacking food ideas for my next trip, whenever that may be. I think you're right though - investing in a dehydrator might be the answer for us.

I can't wait to hear about the trip when you return!

[CFholly]

Day Three - Nov 28

Eating choices were somewhat easy today - I think having already done a Whole30 last month, this time around I am less focused on 'getting it right' and it is kinda just happening that way. I seem to be making the right choices subconsciouly - which I think is terrific for me, because it means that it's embedding itself into normal way of life.

Lynnie is getting really good at coming up with Whole30 meals (she is a cook, which helps!) and threw together a great little chicken, advocado, egg, olive, sweet potato salad last night - which totally hit the spot after the CRAZY Crossfit session we had just done in the stupidly hot and humid weather!

AMRAP 12

Run 1600m

In the remaining time of the 12 minutes do as many of these as possible:

10 Power Cleans (40kg)

20 Pull ups

Rest 3mins

AMRAP 10

Run 1500m

5 Hang Squat Snatches (30kg)

10 Toes to Bar

Rest 2 mins

AMRAP 8

Run 1000m

3 Muscle ups (I scaled these!)

9 Over the box burpees

Now you can see why my Log is called Crossfit Craziness!!! LOVE IT!!!

[Stefr817]

Hello! I'm on Day 4 of my first whole 30. I started crossfit in September and LOVE it. That's where I first found out about the paleo diet. I've been trying to eat as paleo as possible, but wanted to give the whole 30 a shot. So far it's going great as I've been doing a lot of recipe research over the past couple months. Where in Australia do you live. Ill be doing a trip there in January. I live in California.

[Alana in Canada]

Good luck on your camping trip! Isn't TVP full of gluten? I don't know, I thought I read somewhere that it was.

Whenever I think of long hiking treks, I always think of pemmican--a horrible concoction of fat, dried bison meat and tart cranberries. Carrying it would be difficult to do in the Austrailian heat, but it kept many a fur trader alive here on the prairies!

[CFholly]

Hahahaha ur post cracked me up Alana in Canada. I spent a year in Canada and I can just picture a Canadian saying your post out loud!!! Eh! :-)

Yes I read about that pemmican stuff. Sounds foul! I think you are right about the TVP. I might have to reconsider...

It's hard to think of what good to take. But I reckon I can do this!!

[CFholly]

Stefr817. Good to hear ur into the Crossfit and Paleo life. Some might say we are crazy but I love this lifestyle and sometimes wonder why it took me so long to find it all!!

I live in Tasmania which is the island at the south of Australia. We cop a lot of flack but its a lovely little place!

[CFholly]

Day Four - Nov 29

Things humming along nicely again (or still, I should say!) We have been eating clean and being creative with what we whip up for dinner. Both being quite busy, there are times when we run out of food in our house! (I'm sure that happens to everyone!) - In the past we would have had some toast and honey for dinner (TERRIBLE!) if there was nothing else but that feels like eons ago now!

Last night Lyn and I whipped up this amazing heap o food that, seperately all tasted fab (a lot of left overs in the freezer) - but together they tasted bloody excellent!! Left over chilli, some chicken, and Lyn made a scrambled mix of eggs, silverbeet, capsicum, onion, garlic and spices that tasted great! We plonked everything on the plate together and it was a party in my mouth!

Eating clean is so inspiring and fun when you invent a meal that comes together well. It's exciting to think up new things. I can't even remember what I was like when I used to eat all the crap I used to eat! All I know, is there is no turning back!

Today I have a meeting that goes all day for work, and provided lunch. Provided lunch translates to sausage rolls, sandwiches, and slices. General shit really. Lucky, I pre packed my own yummy food. I'm also prepared for the backlash I receive from my colleagues about not eating the provided lunch.... I could be suprised though and they might come up with some fresh fruit and interesting food.... But I doubt it!

Better start the day...

[pingu]

Good luck with the work lunch! Fingers crossed you get some healthy snacks. Good job being prepared, too.

I remember having one of those in my first whole thirty. The only thing that was safe was mineral water!

[CFholly]

Work provided salads and fresh fruit!! That's a bloody first!! Stoked :-)

[CFholly]

Day Five (Nov 30) - Day Nine (Dec 4)

Well... I haven't been writing in here as I was planning my big hiking trip but.... we didn't go in the end as my colleague badly injured his back prior to going. It was a bit diappointing, but probably more so for the students we were going to take. I'm an adult and can move on - but for many of them, they might not get another chance. Anyway, life throws cruve balls at times!

So I have been slack in the logging journal, because things have been thrown out a little.

Things are going well on the eating plan - though perhaps I haven't been as compliant as I was in my first go at the Whole 30. Yesterday I had some sushi, with rice obviously, and it made my stomach feel so bloated and distended that I could hardly finish my Crossfit workout. I told my coach that I had an upset tummy and she understood - given that I told her what I'd eaten... however, like a true Aussie battler, I somehow made it through.

I will write a little more on this later (when I am not at work!)

[CFholly]

Things a bit busy in my world!! Hence not posting much! All is going well on the Whole30. We are ticking along nicely in the second week. Christmas parties will be a good test - that I know I will pass. I'm totally not into alcohol anymore, so it's set to be a cruisy and sober Festive Season :-)

When did I turn into this person!!??? I like the new me!