Reach your goals by not reaching

What do you train when you go to the gym?  Are you there for chest and back day?  Are you looking to build strength?  Tone up "problem areas?"  Get your cardio in?

Let's take a step back and remember what the point of "working out" really is, or should be.

When it comes down to it I believe people spend their time training for a fundamental reason - they want to feel better.  They want to lose weight = feel better about themselves.  They want to tone or build muscle = feel better about themselves.  They want to not hurt = feel better.

This is where we need to elicit change.  If our focus is " I want to be different" we will be setting ourselves up for unhappiness.  Not to get all Buddhist on you, but remember it's the want or craving for things that creates suffering; that means wanting to avoid the unpleasant as much as it means moving towards the things we desire.  Acceptance of where we are in this moment frees us to take wise action and move towards our goals WITHOUT the constant struggle.  Acceptance is NOT the same as resignation.  Just because you choose to be ok with your current state does not mean you are less committed to eliciting change or movement toward your goals.

Steps to consider for success in your training:

1.  Reflect on where you are and accept it (don't beat yourself up for being ________), this is where you are and it is OK.

2.  Make a plan to move toward your goal (this is where a good coach can help ;-) )

3. Trust the plan and enjoy the ride.

When you disconnect your happiness from your final destination (weight loss, strength, pain, or function goals) amazingly it becomes easier to stick to your plan and reach your goals. AND you may even find yourself ENJOYING the processes.

Smashing Paleo Chocolate Cookies

I love a good cookie.  And I love chocolate.  And so, Smashing Chocolate Cookies were born.  They are easy peasy.  But beware, the chocolate packs a punch.  So keep them away from your toddler unless you actually want a bit of crazy in your life.

Why smashing?  Because it's British.  Yep, I'm one of those.  Plus, these cookies are just so darn good, they deserved a title with some punch.  When you make them, make sure you eat at least one while it's warm. You will be gobsmacked.

Smashing Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

2 C almond meal
1/4 C cocoa powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 stick of butter, melted
1/3 C maple syrup
dark chocolate bar of choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  In a small bowl, combine the butter and maple syrup.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until a nice dough forms.

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes.  After you take the cookies out of the oven, but before you take them off the sheet, place a dark chocolate square (from the dark chocolate bar) on each cookie.  Make sure you do this gently, as the cookies will be very hot and you don't want to either burn your fingers or mush the cookies.  Let the chocolate topped cookies sit on the baking sheet for a minute or two, then remove to a plate or rack to cool.  Enjoy.

Workout - 12/15/2013 Variety

Warmup - mobility, jump rope, armbar

Bench Press: 45x5, 135x3, 155x3, 185x3
30x jump rope between sets

Barbell Rollout: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Handstand hold

Armbar 2x1

12/07/2012 - Hard

12/7/2012
YMCA

Warmup - mobility with armbar

24kg
GU: 3 x 1 with overhead carry
SQ: 2 x 5 with 10 second  hold
SW: 5 x 20
GU: 2 x 1
SQ: 8 x 10
1ASW: 4 x 10

Hip stretches, arm bar

note: felt good throughout, increased second set up GU and SQ by double last week

Primal Asian Dressing

I think a good dressing can make a world of difference for a salad. Especially if you're not a natural salad eater (as I am not). Here is my take on a slightly Asian dressing, minus the sweeteners.

Primal Asian Dressing

Ingredients:

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 C olive oil

1/2 C rice vinegar*

1/4 C Bragg Liquid Aminos

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a container that has a good, sturdy lid. I used an old almond butter jar. Shake well. Enjoy on your favorite salad.

*I know some people would not be on board with the rice vinegar. If so, just use your favorite vinegar in place of the rice vinegar!

Primal Pecan Coconut Cookies

It's the holiday season! Time for sparkling lights, presents, and sweet treats. Staying healthy during the holiday season can seem pretty impossible, but I find the primal sweets really help. Hence, I bring you my recipe for Primal Pecan Coconut Cookies.  

There's no need to indulge in those store-bought, preservative-filled holiday cookies when these babies are around. Of course, all things in moderation. So don't be like me and eat 5 or 6 at a time.

Primal Pecan Coconut Cookies

Ingredients:

1 C almond flour

1/2 C pecans (somewhere between roughly and finely chopped)

1/4 C ground flax seed

1/4 C shredded coconut, unsweetened

1/4 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1/2 C butter, melted

1/3 C maple syrup

1/3 C dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a smallish bowl, mix the melted butter and maple syrup. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, pecans, ground flax seed, coconut, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter/maple syrup mixture to the flour mixture and combine. Add the dark chocolate chips and mix again.

Using a regular spoon, drop cookie dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

  

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are set and golden brown.  Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to cool for a minute or two.  Remove from sheet onto a plate or cooling rack.  

Now try not to eat them all.

Workout 11/25/2012 - Variety

11/25/2012

Gymnastic warmup -

• shake out
• shoulder rom
• elbow circles
• wrist circles
• pump
• lizard
• active hip flexion - pike x 10" x 5, straddle x 10" x 5
• butterfly
• arm bar

Headstand - 2 x 20"

Handstand - 4 x comfortable holds

Frog Stand - 3 x comfortable hold

Planche Pushup - 5x

Skin the cat x 5

Back Lever - full, 1/2 right, 1/2 left, straddle, straddle

Front Lever - full (cycle legs), 1/2 right, 1/2 left, straddle

Box Pistol - 15# x 3 x 3

Hollow Body - 3x to 80% fatigue

Dead Bug - 15# KB overhead 10x

Hip flexor stretch/G. Bridges