How is it March already

February is way too short. 

An extra two to three days makes a big difference, don't ya think?

Wow.

So I am raging through my 2014 goals

I made some crazy promise of having attempted the following by now:  

• US bank paid off 
• Attempted a handstand
• Living room painted
• Garage room painted 

And oh my gosh, I fulfilled all of this. HOT DAMN.

Paid off US Bank, and promptly filled it back up with a h20 heater and wedding expenses.... 
Life is expensive and unpredictable. Fun Fact. 

I attempted a handstand and it was TERRIFYING. Like absolutely terrible.

I got about this far and looked far less adorable than this kitten.

Clearly, I just need to get over it. But whatevs. 
Shane and I are starting the 28 day Handstand Challenge with Chris Salvato. If you are also terrified of going upside down, check out his program. We are pretty pumped.

February did heed some successes!
I finished revamping the garage guest room. 
This is what I was workin with when I bought the house:

 

This room was terrfying, dark and dirty. 

Its been through a variety of transformations, but here is where it settled:

 Not the best photos, because I stole them from a video. But the room is totally transformed. 

We insulated, painted, furnished and successfully destroyed (on purpose, even) the giant closet that took over the room

Now, we have a space that's totally functional as an office, craft space, rehearsal room, and most importantly- guest room! 

The room that's 98% finished in the house, as of February, is our living room. Our grown-up furniture was delivered and the place is starting to finally feel like our home. 


Before.... Yes. the ceiling is yellow...

And after...

A little panoramic shot.... And that will be the final paint color of the room for at least a year.


In other news...
I am competing in the CrossFit Open. Woot woot.

I completed 14.1 on Saturday, and my performance was dismal at best. I could not for the life of me string my double-unders together and it killed my score. It was like I lost any progress I'd been making. I'm really hoping the next four workouts are better. I'm not even remotely expecting to place anywhere, I'm treating this as a check in to see where I am at. Though in a few years, I'd like to make it to regionals, because holy hell that'd be awesome.

March is the start of busy season for work, so I'll really need to focus in order to meet some goals.
This month, I will:

• Complete the Handstand Challenge
• Read two books (I'm working my way through Chronicles of Narnia)
• Practice double-unders every day I'm at CFST
• Replace back fence
• Build two garden beds

And most importantly, I will channel all my energy into being positive!

February Revolutionary

We are one whole month into 2014 and what a year it's been already!

Everyone and their mom is talking about the Seahawks' monstrous win over the Broncos yesterday. 43-8. I feel bad for Denver. Seriously. But go Hawks!

Anyway. One month ago, I made some substantial goals for 2014. In order to keep myself accountable, I'm doing a monthly progress report. I have a tendency to do two things: 1. Get discouraged when I don't instantly meet my goals and 2. Forget what I'm working towards.

This year I am desperately trying not to fall into the trap of forgetting my goals by Valentines Day.

The media doesn't help--- advertisements and specials for gym memberships, health food, and cleanses last up until Jan 31.

Then Feb 1 hits--- valentines day. 

Candy is EVERYWHERE. 

Seriously. Red and pink confectionery sugars are all up in my business. 

And no matter what health kick I'm on.... well... chocolate is still my friend.

But anyway. 

Goal progress.

Life goals

• Complete the Artists Way by September 1 
• Haven't started yet.. wah wah.
• Make Grad School Happen:  
• Turned in my application materials Jan 30, just waiting for PSU to get back to me!!!
• Read 10 books this year:
• Currently reading "Wolf Hall" Its a little slow right now... but I'm making my way through it.
• Creative Cooking: 
•  I've tried numerous new recipes and its been awesome.
• Celebrate the small stuff: 
• Our jar of happy moments is slowly but surely filling up! So much to celebrate!

Fitness Goals

• WOD an average of 4x/week: 
•  A little under average right now. I was out sick with a RAGING flu for a solid week. This week, I'm headed into dental surgery. No doubt I'll pick right back up!
• Complete 60 doubleunders, unbroken: 
• I'm at fifteen. Slowly but surely....
• Handstands will be my bitch: 
• Okay. Havent even tried. I'm being a wimp. 
• Deadlift more than 300lbs: 
• My current PR is #265.
• Backsquat with 195lbs: 
• Current is #175
• Compete at least three times: 
• Looking at the CrossFit Open, hoping I can make it happen with work.
• Drop #25 by July 1: 
• This one is painfully slow moving. I've started taking more photos and its awesome to see new muscle definition. And we've cleaned up our eating substantially. Progress is not limited to the scale, but sometimes I long for the days where I could lose like four pounds a week.

HOUSE goals

• Paint the living room once: 
• We've picked out some lovely gray paint and are starting next week!
• Replace the back-fence: 
• We've decided to do a living fence and are planting some really pretty bamboo (in beds) along the back line. 
• Build garden by April 1: 
• The yard is marked and ready to go. Just need to buy materials! (and the rain needs to slow down)
• Finish the guest room by July 15: 
• SO MUCH PROGRESS HERE! This weekend Shane and I insulated half the garage area, painted the giant black sheath covered wall, ripped down old gross shelving and made the space so much nicer. I'm diving into the room, post surgery!

FINANCE goals

• Pay off US bank CC by Mar 1
• On track. Thanks IRS 
• Pay off Elan CC by Dec 1
•  Consolidated our debt through Advantis to make this easier.
  
• Reduce total CC debt to less than $1000 
• May need to adjust this. Our fabulous roommate is leaving which means so is our rental income. Wah wah. 
• Pay off the damn car by Dec 31 
• On track! 
• Transfer $50 week to savings (and leave it there, seriously)
• Doin it!  

So by the next update, I WILL HAVE

• US bank paid off 
• Attempted a handstand
• Living room painted
• Garage room painted

#Hashtag2014

2014

is 

going 

to rock. 

seriously

So many things to look forward to already! 

I'm going to San Diego for the first time!

My drivers license expires!

I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed!

oh 

AND I'M GETTING MARRIED

Truth.

less than 200 days. yah. for real. 

After a crazy, crazy Christmas in seattle (both good crazy and bad crazy), we rang in the new year right: game night, drinks, dance party, a sweet mermaid trophy and of course an intergalactic unicorn shirt, all with fabulous company.

Spiced Apple Kava Kombucha + Sweet Vodka = whoops thats delicious

I love New Years Eve. For some, I know its just another night with super expensive bar covers and a chance for the mayans to tell us the world is ending. But to me its an opportunity to reflect and give thanks for another year.
The following day feels like a fresh start. So much opportunity lies in a new year. What do I want this year to hold? What changes will I make? What do I want to accomplish?

Social media is littered with resolutions right now
"I'm going to work out EVERYDAY for 8 hours while maintaining a full time job"
"I'm going to pay off all my $100,000,000 debt tomorrow with my starbucks paycheck" 
"I will never eat pasta on tuesdays with a full moon"
"I will run twenty marathons while carrying a horse on my back"
 "I will lose 50lbs off my 120lb frame"


Obviously, I'm exaggerating, but frighteningly not by much. This time of year, we feel invincible (hooray!) and like we can take on the world (yah! lets do it!). But this is why so many resolutions fail. By march 1st, we're overwhelmed, overworked, or just plain forgotten what we've resolved to do because none of it was actionable, timely, or realistic.

I prefer to make goals for the new year, things I'd like to accomplish, instead of resolutions. Is there really a difference? Maybe not. But a goal feels like something I am constantly working towards, something I can check off baby steps and see progress. I like that. Today, I am this much closer to my goal.  
So if by the end of this year, I didn't meet my goals-- its not failure, I'm just not finished. I can look at all the great things I accomplished on my way to meeting those goals. Progress doesn't hurt.

Last year one of my goals was to record an entire album. Like of music that I'd written. Ambitious right? yah. Well. Didn't happen. BUT I did record ten songs that I covered and two songs that I'd written. And I am proud of that for sure.

I also, like many, just forgot what I'd resolved to do. I'd written my goals down, but that scrap of paper got lost and found and lost and found and lost all over again.

So this year, I tried something different. I created something I could not possibly lose. 

My lovely friend Em came over for a crafting new years goals party. As a pair of wildly ambitious and crazily crafty women, we really got into this...

Puffy paint, obnoxiously bright colored paper, poster boards, oh my. 

School supplies heaven.

I broke my 2014 goals in four categories:

Life

House

Finances

Fitness

 And I made a lot of them. 

But. 

They are actionable. 

They are measureable. 

They are attainable.

AND they are on bright colored paper, with glitter, on a huge posterboard.

Life goals

• Complete the Artists Way by September 1. This is a 12-week creative development book that I've been dying to really get into. This year. I'm making it a priority
• Make Grad School Happen: Applying to the MPH program at PSU. Submitting my application materials NEXT WEEK. WOAH.
• Read 10 books this year
• Creative Cooking: try one new recipe a week
• Celebrate the small stuff: We now have a jar in our house that is slowly but surely filling up with slips of paper describing happy moments  we've experienced during 2014 so far. Next NYE, we'll read those papers:)

Fitness Goals

• WOD an average of 4x/week: Shit happens, I'd love to workout more. But four days is something I can definitely commit to. 
• Complete 60 doubleunders, unbroken: No singles inbetween, no stops. JUST GO. I got my doubleunders earlier this fall and now I want to make them extra awesome
• Handstands will be my bitch: Seriously. I am tired of being afraid of going upside down. This is stupid. 
• Deadlift more than 300lbs: My current PR is #265. I want to crush that. 
• Backsquat with 195lbs: Current is #175
• Compete at least three times: CrossFit Open, Gorilla Takeover, and ????
• Drop #25 by July 1: Okay this is my token weight loss goal/vain wedding push.  Sure, I'd love to see an ab or six, but I'm feeling strong and happy. If this happens, great, if I only drop five or ten, thats fine too. I've learned the scale doesn't really represent progress. 
• 2013: Gained 8 pounds, dropped two sizes. Say what?

HOUSE goals

• Paint the living room once: In the little more than a year that I've owned this place, the living room has changed colors three times. We need to paint again, but NO MORE after this. 
• Replace the back-fence: Somehow showing off our living room to our neighbors a block away, feels weird
• Build garden by April 1: Six raised beds, moving a couple of sheds and thrashing the shit out of some grass and we are good. 
• Finish the guest room by July 15: Paint, furnish, rid of random shit and make generally habitable.

 FINANCE goals

• Pay off US bank CC by Mar 1
• Pay off Elan CC by Dec 1
• Reduce total CC debt to less than $1000 
• Pay off the damn car by Dec 31
• Transfer $50 week to savings (and leave it there, seriously)

Woah. That is a LOT of goals. 

Let's get goin! 

CrossFit Cat thinks you should make some awesome goals with glitter pens too.

Gorilla Takeover my life

WOAH. 

What a month this has been! 

I was put to the SOBE-TOBER challenge for October 

and 

I'll go ahead and pat myself on the back and call it a success. 

This was less about boozing for me (I'll admit--  I had a few glasses of wine sporadically) because I rarely drink anyway, but more about keeping my diet in line and focusing on some fitness goals.

My fitness goals for October:

• Continue my double-under awesomeness and learn to string them together. Practice these each time I work out. YEAH BABY! I did it. I can string my double unders together without singles in between. Not super consistently yet, but hey it is undeniable progress!
• CrossFit/BootyCamp four days per week I faltered here a bit due to a stupid dumb dumb stupid cold, but I made consistent attendance.
• Do five unassisted kipping pull-ups Yeah no. Close but no cigar. Still working towards this!
• Compete in the Gorilla Take Over Garage Games AH HELL YEAH I DID. 

So I am going to focus on my last goal of competing in the Gorilla Take Over.
The competition was held over two days. Three WODS on Saturday and then two on Sunday (including the finals.)

I competed in the individual women's scaled division.

Holy Ballz. 

Me and my fabulous lady friend/coach/judge/cheerleader extraordinaire, EM

This was an absolutely amazing weekend and while I am still tired and sore, I cannot wait to do it again. Just watching and cheering for the other competitors was exhilarating. One woman brought me to tears as she completed a 345 pound dead lift. And no I was not crying because of the assumed pain she would be in tomorrow. But I could relate to the mental and physical duress she just overcame in that moment. These competitors are so dedicated and it requires so much emotionally and physically. It was incredible to watch her set a new PR. I am so thankful for my coaches Tony, Joon and Emily for pushing me to do this, plus the fabulously supportive fitfam, who cheered throughout the weekend.

One of the best parts though---I got to share this weekend with my mom. She came down to do some wedding dress shopping (I SAID YES to the dress...) and I talked her into staying for part of the competition. It was very reminiscent of my volleyball tournament days, bleacher butt and all,  and I loved sharing this huge part of my life with her. At one point she got the entire bleacher section cheering for me. I am so lucky.


My goals for the weekend were to:

• Finish all the WODs under the time cap
• PR my deadlift (previous max was 175) and break 200 pounds
• Make it to the final WOD
• If I made it to finals, not to finish last.

WOD 1:

500M Row
Then 
21-15-9
Thrusters (#45)
Box Jumps (20in) 
TC 10:00

Okay. See the maniac rowing in the middle of the back row? Yeah that crazy chick who is doing two for ones for everyone's pulls? Dont you want to scream at her to slow the hell down?

yeah. Where were you saturday morning?!

Mom's handy ipad cam proves my insanity

I jumped on the rower and all the advice I'd heard ("dont burn out on the row" "take it easy" "pace") flew right out my head. Pure adrenalin took over and I rowed like my life depended on it.

thanks to TA Barnhart for capturing this moment

Unfortunately, when I stepped off the rower, my legs turned to jello. I battled through the thrusters and box jumps (coughSTEPUPScough) and managed to finish in 7:18.

(c)TA Barnhart

Thank god.

WOD 2 
Ten minutes to find a 1 Rep Max Deadlift

OMG most rewarding WOD award goes to....WOD 2!

I've never REALLY pushed myself to find my deadlift max. I stopped around #175 and never pushed further. Obviously, competition is not the place for that mentality. My goal was to break #200 and I fucking smashed it.

This is attractive....

I PR-ed at #245!!!!!

I had four failed attempts at #255 and am still kicking myself for not being able to get that shit off the ground. BUT it was SUCH an awesome feeling to push myself so damn hard. I had a phenomenal group of cheerleaders screaming their fool heads off and my mom even got her section of bleachers to root for me.

WOD 2 went straight into the next WOD
WOD 3:
4RFT
10 Kb Swings #35
25 Yard Farmers Carry #80
8 Modified Rope Climbs
25 Yard Farmers Carry #80
(TC: 10:00)

25 yrd farmers carry with #160

I'd like to point out that the Farmer's Carry (pictured above) is #80 in each arm. #160 TOTAL.
But right after lifting #245, that #160 felt like nothing. And in fact, the #35 KB swing was dangerously light in comparison... I almost chucked it. whoops!

That night I went home and inhaled my dinner--- I was ravenous, rightly so, I'd say.  I passed out at the respectable time of 8:45pm gearing up for the next day. 

Note: I did have to be pushed/rolled out of bed in the morning and not because I was unwilling to leave my pillow.... little sore...


Shane was my cheerleader for Sunday and was at the sideline of each event screaming, cheering and capturing some of my crazy faces. Thank god there isn't any video.

Sunday morning kicked off with  
WOD 4: the chipper from hell

60 double unders or 180 singles
50 wall ball squats (#14)
40 burpees, jump to the plate
30 ab mat sit ups
20 lunges with wall ball
10 hand release plyo pushups
20 lunges with wall ball (#14)
30 ab mat sit ups
40 burpees, jump to the plate
50 wall ball squats (#14)
60 double unders or 180 singles
 TC 25:00

Okay mind you, my body is spent from SATURDAY and now I have to work my way through this bullshit?!?

Wall ball

Sit up, convince self that you are not dying, laydown. Repeat.

Weighted lunges.

FORTY BURPEES... twice. so EIGHTY BURPEES. *Whine alert*  burpees suck in general, but they really suck after doing 50 wall balls and they REALLY SUPER SUCK after doing three WODs the previous day.

Hurdle body at ground

Jump onto plate

Un-hurdle body and throw feet forward

take nap on plate.

This workout became so much more mentally challenging than anything (though my quads still beg to differ)















 I had several mantras running through my head, some helpful, some not.

"Stupid dumb stupid legs" this was also combined with punching my quads to remind them to work. 

"Fuck burpees, fuck this, why am I doing this"

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming."
"HOW DID THAT WOMAN FINISH SO QUICKLY. DONT CHEER ME ON. YOU ARE CLEARLY CRAZY"

"I paid to do this, maybe I am clearly crazy"

"only 500000 reps to go"

Eventually, I did make it back down the other side of the pyramid. I powered through my wall balls and with less than 30 seconds left in the time cap, I threw everything I had left into jumping rope. I managed to knock out 55 singles before time was called. 125 jumps short of completely finishing. BUT as Em reminded me, I finished all the hard stuff. If there was just another 30 secs, I would have finished. I'll take it as a win. 

I walked away, shaking, exhausted, high from endorphins (not high enough though thank you) and slightly bummed because I figured since I hadn't finished, I wasn't going to make it finals. 

BUT duh dun duhhhh!!! I did! Holding on to the number 9 spot in my division, I got to move on!

CUE Happy Face! 

Or "Shit-yay-excited-wait-this-means-I-have-to-do-another-workout" pained expression.

The last WOD was exhausting, mentally and physically. 

Final WOD
Sweet sixteen sprints buy in
Straight into D.T.
5 RFT
12 Deadlifts (#85)
9 hangcleans (#85)
6 shoulder to overhead press (#85)
Sprint buy out
TC 15:00

16 Sprints.

12 Deadlifts

9 Hang cleans

6 shoulder to overhead

 The coolest thing about this community is that the very people you are competing against, are the same folks that are cheering you on. This is something I believe is unique to the CrossFit community.  I was well behind the other women in my division for this WOD and ended up being the last to finish. But I don't think I would have finished, had I not had a gaggle of people surrounding me, cheering like maniacs for me to get the bar in the air.  I sprinted my last bit and finished at 14:11.

At the end of the weekend, I'd managed to hold on to my number nine position in my division meeting my goal of not being last (aim for the stars).


My fabulous friends, family, and fitfam really made this weekend remarkable for me.

WHEN'S THE NEXT COMPETITION!??!?!?

My take-away from the weekend: "Tell your Mind to get out of your Body's Way"

SobeTober

SOBERTOBER is nearly upon us.

so no more of this...

 Sobertober is our Fall Fit Challenge 

(things look so much more official when you capitalize them). 

My lovely friends (and BRIDESMAIDS) Jenn and Em dreamed up this SOBERTOBER challenge and I've decided to take part because well... I love a good challenge... and I've been talked into writing up some meal plans. So now I think you all should do it too.

The focus of the meal plans will be primarily paleo or primal.  I'll be posting shopping lists and recipes each week. Look for an update each Saturday. Each recipe will make enough for a small family (or indicate otherwise), so you'll have leftovers! woo!

New to paleo?
Study this...

Or check out this awesome infographic from PaleoHacks. Its fantastic. Seriously. Go read it.

The other piece of the challenge is fitness focused, but that is customizable to you!

My fitness goals for October:

• Continue my doubleunder awesomeness and learn to string them together. Practice these each time I work out.
• CrossFit/BootyCamp four days per week
• Do five unassisted kipping pull-ups
• Compete in the Gorilla Take Over Garage Games

What are your goals? Weight loss? Muscle building? Extra bendy flexible awesomeness? All of the above? Write it down, post your goals in the comments below or if you know our awesomeness in real life--- join our SobeTober event on Facebook!

weddings and fitness and sugar OH MY

Well.

It has been brought to my attention that I am seriously slacking on my presence in the blogosphere.
Its not that I didn't want  to write anything, its just that I really didn't have a ton to say. 

This summer has been awesome and transformational in so many ways. Continuing to sculpt my booty at the Love Life Be Fit booty camp and working on my wedding arms at CrossFit Stumptown (did I mention Shane and I are engaged? WOOO)

My last post, Midway adjustments  (on what turned our to be an uber fail of a detox) really kind of sums that weird fitness funk I was going through last spring

But this summer, and especially September was a good turn around for me! I decided to embark on yet another 21 Day Sugar Detox because well I feel like there was a lot of this happening in my life....

and this

and not enough of this

So, I challenged myself to a 21 day sugar detox and ordered a pair of "goal jeans" to hopefully shimmy into at the end of the challenge. Fantastically enough, they fit PRE-CHALLENGE.

What up. Hullo size 8.

That's been my ultimate goal size since I was 16 years old, so needless to say, that was a pretty emotionally awesome night for me.  

Speaking of success--- I FINALLY GOT MY GODDAMN DOUBLE UNDERS. 

In the middle of the WOD yesterday, something just CLICKED and I did one! And then I had to yell at myself to keep jumping. Then I did two, three, four, before thwacking the shit out of shins. But I was giggling and smiling like a maniac in the middle the gym. 

So life is pretty fuckin rad right now. I'm about to embark on SobeTober challenge with some of the most inspiring folks I know. I'll save the details for another post--- but full paleo, booty campin, boozless October filled fun.

Mid-Way Adjustments

So my month-long May challenge has reached the half-way point. I had every intention of going full-bore, super strict, sugar is the devil, I will rid my life of everything sweet- ass kicking mode.


That's not exactly how things have panned out, but I refuse to say the first half of this month hasn't been successful.
Shane and I have not only decided to run a half-marathon, we've even started our training program. Last night was our first run---nailed it, bam bitches.

Run run ya'll

Annnnnnnd now on Saturdays we roll out of bed and train at Em's
outdoor bootcamp in the beautiful Irving park.








Last summer, we were the couple that beat the heat by sprawling in front of the ac unit to watch tv. Now we are climbing, disc golfing, running and lunging around public parks.

So yes, this month challenge has changed, but my goals have too.
I started my first 21-day sugar detox in March because I felt like my 80/20 approach to diet had become more like 60/40 (sixty for who and forty for who?!) and my weight loss had stalled considerably.
I reigned in my sweet tooth and developed a more conscious awareness of what was on the end of the fork. Great.

But like many before me--- I falter at what to do on day 22! How do I apply all the things I learned during this detox to real life. I started to feel like I was off track again, thus the reason for wanting to jump back into another detox. But, I've started to realize I forget there is a reason its a 21-Day detox or a Whole30 and not a 365 fast.

If I consume something that is wildly outside my dietary lifestyle (sigh there was a mini- apple-turn over incident during the Dalai Lama visit) is it a fail or simply a choice? I really appreciate the Whole9 article approaching this very topic: hypocritical or human? 

Sometimes you can't turn down an opportunity to try a really delicious bourbon or scotch, especially after dealing with angry parents for three hours straight (#commencementticketfail #longstory #Ilovehashtags).