Usually I prefer a side to the actual meal. I like most things but seem to get the same broccoli and mushrooms with onions all the time.  So I am trying to get something different each time I go to the market.  Last night brought beets and cabbage (a new favorite). Very few people consider eating the green leafy tops of beets, yet this is, by far, the most nutritious part of the beet plant. Any nutrients present in the roots are even more prevalent in the green leaves.  The leaves contain large amounts of vitamin A and have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. The roots of the beets were steamed and served by themselves while the leaves were sautéed with onions, olive oil and salt and pepper and it tasted yummy (also adds a little color to the plate). Just make sure when are preparing beets that you are cutting them on non-porous services because they will cause a pretty purple stain! For the cabbage (contains tons of vitamin C) we just steamed and added in some butter, salt and pepper. These amazing sides were served with pork chops that were just seared on the cast iron skillet.

So this past weekend we had a fire at our house and I really wanted a s’more but we didn’t have any marshmallows or graham crackers so we were left eating just the dark chocolate. So it got all of us to start thinking…. How do you make a primal s’mores??? Well I am on a mission to find something tasty and easy to make that everyone will enjoy. So far this is the only recipe that I like, take a banana with skin on, slice it length-wise, stuff with dark chocolate chips, wrap in foil, throw in fire for a few minutes so chips melt and banana gets soft. I think this is going to a year of trying new s’more recipes! Does anyone else have any ideas?

• 1lb crab meat (can get from fish market or your local market), 1 red pepper, 2 pieces of celery, and half a red onion (chopped in small pieces), 3 tbs butter, 1 1/2 tsp old bay seasonings, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1/4 cup olive oil, and 2 large eggs. Mix everything into a large bowl.
• Take large portobello mushroom caps ( I did 7 but you could make more using smaller caps) and place into glass dish. Pour a little olive oil at bottom of pan and then a little more oil all over the with the flat side facing up. Then scoop crab mixture on top of caps and then place into oven on 375 for about 20 minutes (until the tops are browned). I did not serve them with any sauce but if you wanted to you could add a little bit of hot sauce for a kick!

We then moved onto the main dish which I really can’t take any credit for because Ryan made it. It was a grilled pork tenderloin with mashed butternut squash and asparagus, paired with red wine

Finally dessert – yes you can have a primal dessert!! We made a chocolate custard from a recipe found on a google search!

• 1 can coconut milk, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup dark chocolate chips, you can also add in a little rum (which of course I did). In a sauce pan, melt the chocolate chips into the coconut milk over medium low heat while stirring with a whisk.  Add the cinnamon and the splash of rum.  Pour the custard into small serving dishes and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, may need longer the more rum you put in it!!

Saturday night was filled with a great dinner and great guests!

Then Ryan led me into the world of minimalist shoes. I started off with the Nike free 5.0 which is amazing and an easy “transition” to a more barefoot feel. I had these for a good year and could feel my feet getting stronger and my arches getting higher (so of course the height of my high heels grew as well:)).  Once it was time to get new sneaks I was encouraged to go thinner.

So I then went to the Nike free 3.0.  It was an adjustment but they did not let me down. I felt my feet getting stronger and now I was on a mission to see how minimal I could handle (while of course having the cute factor and not wearing those ugly five finger ones – yes Ryan owns them ha). I found a new (to me) shoe that is still cute and feels like I have almost nothing on my feet. The Merrel Paceglove is a great shoe that I can do any type of workout or walking around and feel completely comfortable in!!!

Cute and Functional!

Now do not go out right away and get these if your feet are not ready for them because they will HURT!! Take it slow and see what feels the best for you!!  Hopefully you can find a pair that you love just as much as I love my Merrells (which is almost as much as my heels)!!

So it’s Monday and I have the day off today so of course I went to the market to stock the house with great food Usually my shopping list brings me through the outer sections of the store and hardly ever down the middle aisles so my fridge is always full but my cupboards are usually bare expect for the dark chocolate!

Tonight will be a salad with mixed greens and peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives (Ryan hates bc they come in a can but I can’t live without), mushrooms, and artichoke hearts (again Ryan disagrees with bc they are packaged in veggie oil but again I can’t live without) topped off with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Fresh Salads

The main course was wild caught mahi mahi with coconut oil and old bay seasoning that was cooked in the oven at 375 for 20 minutes. Our veggie side was kale and onions with fresh garlic sautéed in olive oil in a cast iron skillet (by far my favorite pan to cook with).  Since seafood was the theme I also made wild caught shrimp cooked in coconut oil (in the same skillet that the kale and onions were cooked). 

Yum

I enjoyed this meal with a glass of cab while Ryan paired it with water as he’s not a big weeknight drinker.  We finished off this AMAZING meal with dark chocolate!

First Laidy on the Big Screen

Although Laurie looks the part, there are very few pictures of her actually exercising on file!  Check this one from six months (and approximately 4-5 sessions) ago.  She’ll be sharing her secrets with you shortly…

LL Single-leg Deadlift on Balance Beam

WU: n/a

Deadlift: 371×3, 349×5, 319×9

Press: 150×2, 135×6, 24kg x 10L, 12R

All above sets were all-out grunting efforts with plenty of rest in between.

Unplanned Reverse Pyramid Day – 1/5/12

WU: none

Deadlift – 349×5, 339×5, 319×7, 275×10, 225×12

Weighted Dips – 88#x3, 79×5, 70×7, 53×8, 35×10

Cooldown: Real Deal Kettlebell Complex @ 16kg

Probably overdid it here.  It was my first experience with reverse pyramid training so I just went with how I was feeling.  It was a good day but then the next couple required some serious rest.

Typ Strength Workout – 1/3/12

WU: joint mobility, Long cycle with 2×16 kg KBs x 20 reps

Back Squat – 135×5, 185×5, 225, 245, 267, 285, 305×3

Weighted Pullups - 40#, 44#, 53#, 28kg, 28kg x 3, then 32kg x 4 with 3 fingers on the Rock Rings

This was a standard “work-your-way up” workout.  It works but I’ll be workin in reverse for the foreseeable future.

Activities:

Casterboard - to and fro the new residential digs and LbF world headquarters.  Approx. 1/2 mile each way x 2.  Since there’s no snow round these parts, it’s somewhat satisfying the winter riding jones I’m developing.

Rope Install/Test – bought this a little while back and finally got some time to set it up.  I researched knots but then ended up just doing my own thing.  So far so good!  This is a brutally effective and humbling way to develop grip strength and practice climbing technique!

All Set Up

Bain Middle School – while researching potential outdoor locations for the Tough Mudder Training Program, I stopped by one of my favorite local parks.  The sun was shining and although I was in my work clothes (as in construction), I went sans shoes and socks for a quick 1/4 mile loop that consisted of muscle-ups (8 consecutive which is a PR), hurdling park benches, monkey bar practice, balance beam “laps”, and an all-out sprint.  This took about 3 minutes.

Skill Practice – fortunately I have a few clients who are open to the POSE technique of running which allows me to practice my form while instructing them.  We got out a few times and even did some barefooted practice in a local field  – in the middle of the winter!

Thanks to several local businesses, an awesome DJ, abundant sunshine and a bunch of fun people, the event was an absolute blast and a successful fundraiser for the Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership!

Special thanks goes out to those who contributed to the raffle prizes, decor, music, and refreshments:

Autospa threw in a certificate, Village Wellness Center added yoga classes, Bold r Dash contributed entry into 2012′s race, The “I” in Life generously gave, Art in Ice is supplying an Ice Luge to someone’s next house party, and La Gondola Providence offered a free ride next season.

The Deli on Post supplied the hot drinks and Art in Ice carved up something special for all of us to admire! 

The national anthem was sung acapella by some of the gondoliers at La Gondola Providence!

Last but not least, props to DJim, an up-and-coming genious on the Boston special event scene (and by special event I mean anything that involves dancing)!

Check out the slideshow of the highlights and the Warwick Beacon’s recap of the event below:

An hour later and I’m still feeling the effects…

I’ll explain.  Yes. 

I implore the overtrainer, the everyday-or-it-doesn’t-count scheduler, the no pain no gain subscriber: take it easy!  There are millions of articles and blog posts (and even a government published recommendation) about this topic that argue both sides of the training frequency debate.  All I’m saying is try taking the “easy” way out!  That means aim low; it’s the best strategy to avoid disappointment and live a balanced life all year round.

Your past: hitting it hard in January in a crowded “fitness center” loaded with form-fitting (like it or not) getups and that new-shoe smell emanating from treadmills and ellipticals; going in daily sore, tired, but determined; fading out on/before Valentine’s Day.

Your future: easing into a 2-3 day/week program; rocking bare feet or thin-to-win kicks; ramping up the intensity but keeping duration and frequency at a minimum throughout the year!

The catch?  Eating well is paramount to your success. 

But what if I get cranky when I don’t get my Recommended Daily Intake of steady state cardio endorphins?  Walk.  Just walk.

Now don’t get me wrong, “easy” doesn’t apply to the 2-3 hours per week during your workouts.  That period of time will kinda suck.  And it should.  Make it suck hard, as hard as you can make it, then chill.

Suck Sessions Recap (12/10 + 12/13)

Saturday was a beauty.  I used a half hour window to take part in a suck/easy mixed session (i.e. sprint/walk/repeat).  On average, I walked 2-3 minutes easy, sprinted at an all-out grunting effort pace between 2-3 telephone poles, walked until my panting subsided for a total of 7-8 suck reps.  The sprints sucked but the walking was lovely.

Editors note: the term “suck” will now be referred to as “discomfort.”

Tuesday’s indoor discomfort strength session:

Warmup – Real Deal Kettlebell Complex @ 24 kg.  This was described a while ago using a 16 kg.  One of my goals for 2012 will be to perform this 2 minute lunge burner with the sky blue 32.

Deadlift – a bunch of feeler sets with the last one being a PR as far as strength:weight ratio or mass specific force is concerned.  Last set = 2.13xbw x 3 reps.

Weighted pullups - did mostly 3 finger pullups with the 40 lb weighted vest due to my rock climbing aspirations.  Last set = bw + 92.9lbs x 1 rep using 4 fingers and 1 thumb.

Weighted pushups - a few variations of this classic strength move.  Here’s a little clip (please excuse the sound effects) of a set of 2 with bw + 75lbs.

And now it’s time to chill.  I’m going all-out!

TOUGH MUDDER PREP