Cravings

Some say that cravings are struggles that one needs to "get" through to become stronger. Some say that cravings are our body's way of telling us we need to eat that or else! Some simply don't pay attention to what their bodies are telling them and they just eat whatever they feel like. That is probably the majority of people in existence.

I am of the thought that our bodies do tell us what we should be eating, but not necessarily in specific food form. About once a month (yes we can say it... a little before that time of the month) I get a strong craving. No it is NOT chocolate! Ha! It's for beef! I want some steak. Beef is higher in iron. My body is already naturally low in iron, so when it's time, my body is gearing up and wanting more iron. So, what I do is try to eat some other iron rich foods, like spinach, so I can build that up. Occasionally I'll do the beef as long as it is organic and grass fed...you are what you eat, but you are what you eat eats too!

So, next time that your body is telling you to eat something that you feel you need to resist (like chocolate or ice cream) maybe find a way to indulge in the actual thing you need, like a big glass of full fat raw milk and a 80%+ chocolate bar. This will satisfy your craving and give your body what it is telling you it needs!

WOD

Today I had a good workout, but I am recognizing my need to push myself to the next level.

Tabata sprints (I started at 4.0mph and sprinted at 8.0mph)

Then I did 3 rounds of the following at 40/20 intervals... no rest between rounds

Supine rows
Right leg lunges
Left leg lunges
Box jumps
Abs (I varied this one up each round, just to keep it interesting)

Then my cool down :)

For my recovery shake, this was actually very yummy...

3 1-inch chunks of pineapple
1/4 mandarin orange
1/5 grapefruit
1 large strawberry
1/2 C water
2 raw eggs

Blend and enjoy!

Internet speed

Bob and I were talking this week about books. He hates to read books. He likes to sit in front of the laptop with 10 pages open and going back and forth between different ideas and blogs and people. It keeps his interest up. I am not at the hating to read stage anymore, although I used to be. I'm at the stage where I can read a book, comprehend it, and enjoy it. It just takes me a long time. Our conversation led me to some other thoughts about our discipline level.

We live in a society where the murder gets solved in 60 minutes or less, one joke that wasn't funny ruins the show, and we critique commercials as if they were up for an Emmy. The world wide web is available at our fingertips. Even our children need to be "entertained" at church and school just to keep up with the other competition out there.

Ok Lisa, what does this have to do with living a "healthy lifestyle"? My point here is the incredible lack of discipline that we have in our society, and the biggest (literally) clue to this is the scary obesity increase in our world. People claim that they do not have time, they are too busy, they don't know where to start when it comes to improving their health. Little magic diet pills fly off the shelves and they cannot book gastric bypass surgeries fast enough.

Do I suggest that we eliminate all speedy tracks from our lives? Not at all, but I do suggest that it may be time to evaluate who you are and where your priorities lie. It will be hard at first. I would be lying to you if I said otherwise. Just stay strong and do not give up.

I'll just have a water for lunch

Although we hear about some of the "crazy" stuff people do in the gym, like the recent Biggest Loser Helen and her tire flips (which Bob has had clients doing for 2 years and a former gym he worked for didn't want him to do this on their property), it is all good for the sake of health and fitness. When people give me the crazy stares is when they see what culminations of food that I put on my plate. This is simply "extreme" for them.

Yesterday I was around a group of people that I have never met before getting a certification I needed for school. Whenever I know I will be in a setting with lunch I always prepare myself for the conversations that will ensue. The following is usually the dialogue:

"What are you eating?" (Notice the natural assumption that I will be eating.)

"Nothing. Just some water."

"Are you sure? You can share with me." (This is a genuine offer. Sometimes they may think I don't have money or I don't want a lot to eat.)

"No I'm good. Thanks."

"What? Is it a diet or something?" (At this point their voice usually snubs up and they are getting ready to preach to me about how unhealthy it is to starve myself. The more out of shape that they are usually the more they are ready to snub me.)

"Yes. I water fast during the day. I don't really like the word diet. I would never go back to anything else."

At this point, the conversation will usually vary. Sometimes they will ask more detail, or I may just go into it depending on how they are approaching the situation. The detail I give is usually related to the science behind the two nervous systems. I also add in that my husband is a personal trainer, and he and many clients have seen results with this, including increased energy. They may try to continue to preach to me or that it's great for me but wouldn't work for others. That's fine. I usually let it go at that point. I have planted a thought in their head and that's all that matters to me.

It's unfortunate that we allow the food industries to dictate how, when, and what we eat, and anything else is wrong. Just another bulk of lies that we choose to believe, and one less option at making ourselves better.

...but your husband's a trainer...

When Bob and I fell in love almost 6 years ago, I did not fully understand what it meant when I heard that he was a trainer. I thought "Cool! We can workout together and he'll really help me out." Keep in mind that around that time I was around 150 lbs or so. (Now to some of you that may be a goal weight and that's fine, but on my very small bone frame, this was simply extra baggage I was carrying around.)

So he introduced me to real workouts in the gym, tabata sprints, correct form for all exercises, and the world of supplements. I'll be perfectly honest... I hated most of it. I just couldn't get it. I tend to be an undisciplined person when it comes to preventative maintenance, such as working out and taking my supplements. It was a struggle for me and it seemed that Bob just could not understand why. He came to a place of wanting to give up on me, because I had given up on myself. I cannot say I blamed him.

For awhile (about 1 1/2 years) we worked together at the same gym. This was very beneficial for me, because I could ask him what he thought I should do for a workout, and finding the time was simple. I learned to become a lot more comfortable around the gym equipment, and during this time is when I lost 30 pounds in about 3 months. It was like living in a dream... but I would soon wake up.

About a year and a half ago, Bob started looking into kettlebells. I thought that it was just going to be another thing that I would have to keep up with at first. Then he went to seminars on the almighty kb. Then he started to get certified to teach the kettlebell. Interesting enough, I started to inquire about it, and it seemed interesting to me. About a year after I quit working at the gym and focused on my career at Red Lobster (yes, the cheesy biscuits still haunt me), I had gained about 15 lbs back. What I loved about the kb is that it was a tool that, if I learned it right, I could do this exercise at home and never pay for a gym membership again. Hmmm...

Well as of a few weeks ago I'm proud to say that I am now IKFF certified, and I feel that I am mastering the kettlebell. There are some other things that I like to do for exercising, and all those things I can do in the comfort of my own home (like push ups, mountain climbers, we even have a pull up bar). So anyone who says they can't afford to be healthy... that's just another one of those lies that we choose to tell ourselves...

13 lbs in 6 weeks

I feel wonderful! I feel so refreshed and like I am functioning in the body that I was always supposed to. I was told the lies too... "You just have a slower metabolism" "It's ok to treat yourself every once in awhile" "It's because of how your parents are"...

There is some truth that can be found in those statements I suppose, however in America we have decided to use these and so many other statements as a crutch to support our increasing obesity rate. It's so much easier, isn't it, to blame the food companies, the farmers, the high prices at the grocery stores, the social events? I'll admit, when I was at school, and I first discovered Super Wal-mart it was like walking into a celestial experience (with the angel choir singing in the background). The bang for my buck was amazing, and so I piled up my cart with every boxed, canned, and frozen item you could think of (except of course the fruits and veggies). I was in awe by "low-fat" "healthy" "omega 3" blah blah blah...

As time went on, and I had the great honor of marrying Bob, we took on the nutrition battle together. He introduced me to jugs of protein bigger then my head and multivitamins bigger then my thumb. We thought (between eating pizza every week and protein plus pasta) that this was the best way to health and nutrition. But as time went on, and our lives led us to Arizona, we discovered so many ideas, people, and places that have helped to mold us into the whole food eaters that we are today.

I will be posting some blog posts to come that more reflect off the last two years and our transition from your typical grocery store to growing some of my own organic produce right here on my little apartment balcony. Take what you want... I would like to tell you that "it worked for me but everyone is different"... but that would just be another one of those lies that we are told and tell ourselves to make us feel better. I feel that getting back to the basics and understanding how they play into our body is an amazing step. Once you take that step you'll never want to go back...