Year of Push 1.2 What Growth Feels Like

Ready for 1.2? If you have no idea what this blog is, definitely start with this podcast and then read yesterday’s 1.1 post.

I didn’t set my alarm last night (I usually set it for 4:30a) so I woke up at 5 when the coffee grinder went off.

My eyes were a wee bit puffy which is likely from the cup of Halo Top I had last night. I am sooooo sensitive to sugar in all forms but I still indulge from time to time. Puffy eyes be damned.

After my morning routine, I got straight to work. I am dramatically more productive early in the am than any other time of day.

Today is my first real workout at the new gym. It’s broken into 2 parts. First is strength:

5 RM strict press

3 RM push press

3 RM push jerk

“RM” means rep max. Basically, you’re working up to your heaviest weight for those movements at 5 or 3 reps. All of these are barbell movements from shoulder to overhead. I LOVE barbell work. Love it.

We were sharing barbells, which was new to me, because I always workout alone, but all the ladies in the class were commenting about how strong I am. That felt good. I’ve worked hard for this strength (physical & mental).

Next up was an 8 minute AMRAP:

  • 18 cal bike
  • 30 ab-mat situps

AMRAP stands for “as many rounds as possible” so with this workout, I’m trying to go as fast as possible (without sacrificing form, of course) alternating between the assault bike and an abmat on the floor.

I came out hot after the first round on the bike – I was the 2nd girl off the bike. I slowed down a bit after that first round but kept the intensity really high throughout.

I was proud afterwards. As I type this, I’m still on a bit of a high, internally celebrating that I’ve made the right decision to step so far outside my comfort zone.

It’s crazy, comparing this post-workout high to my pre-workout jitters.

before the workout, I sat in my car outside the gym feeling like I was the new kid at school, coming in mid-year when everyone else knows each other, freaking out about whether or not I’ll find my locker or sit alone at lunch.

I wasn’t sure if we’d warm-up together as a class or solo. I didn’t know where to go or if I had to sign in. I didn’t know if they were expecting the new girl or if should announce myself as such.

I kept telling myself to get out of my head and take each moment as it comes. Lots of emotional management before the workout!

The discomfort is why I’m here. The nervousness, the doubt, the insecurity – that’s why I’m here.

This is what growth feels like.

I’m a little bit emotional right now as I think about the guts it took to make this move and what I’ve been through to get to this point.

I called my good friend and former trainer Nathan when I left the gym. He knows how much I despise (fear?) working out with other people and he asked, “Did you make it through a workout with other people? Like real people working out at the same time? In the same space?”

Sure did. Crushed it.

Here’s what I’m reminding myself: there will be days like today where I feel capable in the workouts and go in feeling nervous and leave feeling proud. There will also be days when I go in feeling proud and leave feeling defeated. Some days will be harder than today. Some will be easier. There will be days I feel like I belong and days I feel like I don’t.

What matters is that I keep showing up, pushing through the hard moments, savoring the great ones and always doing my best.

On the food front:

I drank black coffee all morning and when it ran out (sad trombone), I switched to La Croix water (grapefruit flavor).

I felt a little hungry around 8am but what I’ve learned is that my initial wave of hunger (usually the first couple of waves) fades really fast. By 8:20, I wasn’t hungry anymore so I kept on working.

I started to feel truly hungry around 10am so I had a Paleo Power Meals bacon & egg muffin. I’m glad to have a little fuel in my system before my workout. (If you guys want to try Paleo Power Meals, make sure to use the coupon code ebprimal20 to save 20% on your first order!)

After I ate, I headed to Starbucks for the sake of seating (I was tired of sitting on the floor – furniture isn’t coming for another several days). I sipped on an Americano while knocking out some work before heading to the gym. I’m nervously excited for my workout today!

It’s 2pm and I just finished my workout – I have a bit of reflux and I think it’s the combo of so much coffee + the workout. I need some veggies in my life.

I’m super jittery from excitement and relief (not caffeine, I’m used to that) so I need to get out of here and do some exploring. The work can wait. While I’m exploring, I’m gonna find some veggies.

Random side note about me – I’m a major cheap skate. While I was out running errands and thinking about where I’d stop to eat (Chipotle, Whole Foods) I talked myself into coming home to eat. I always remind myself, “It’s not how much money you make, it’s how much money you keep.” I have a fridge & freezer full of Paleo Power Meals. No need to grab food while I’m out!

I came home around 3 and ate pickled brussels sprouts and Paleo Power Meals chicken & broccoli. I feel much better now. I’m calm, happy & ready to get back to work!

I’m an early-bird-special girl. I eat dinner early because I try not to eat late and I strive to get to bed early. Around 6p I had yet another Paleo Power Meal (nope, this isn’t a commercial, but I bought a ton of them and I think they’re delish. Tonight was the spaghetti squash with meat sauce – I added a little goat cheese.

Between work, my workout & the emotional ups and downs of the day – I’m super beat. My goal is to be in bed by 9:30 tonight.

Love you guys and as much as I love you, I believe in you even more!

Create a life you love.

302: Push or Patience?

302: Push or Patience?

The other day I sent out an email explaining how I have declared 2017 a year of “push” towards my physical goals.

In less than 24 hours I received over 700 responses to that email and most of you were inspired to push in your own lives. Many people had questions about patience versus surrender – about how to know if you’re copping out and making excuses or if you really need to be patient for a season.

I’ve decided to address all your questions and comments in today’s episode, especially things like how to know if you should be in a period of push or patience? When do you push? Towards what? And how?

I’ll also address the one (so far) negative response that came in from the email.

I can’t thank you guys enough for all the love, support and encouragement. I can’t wait to share my journey with you!

Listen Now

Download Episode

Resources:

Want to hop on the wait list for the spring Fat Loss Fast Track?

Check out the new Daily Motivations Podcast here.

Year of Push: 1.1 Snow Suit at the Pool

It’s a push year. I’ve announced to my email list and my podcast listeners that 2017 is a year of “push” towards my physical transformation goals & personal fitness.

For any of this to make sense to you, please listen to episode 302 of the Primal Potential podcast.

Today is my first day at the new gym. This gym is home of the cream of the crop in terms of fitness and motivation. It’s intimidating. I am absolutely gaining mental strength every time I step in here.

I kinda feel like I showed up at a Playboy bunny pool party wearing a snow suit.

These girls are like cover models – they routinely workout in booty shorts and bras. Today, I showed up in long black yoga pants, a 3/4 length shirt, a sweatshirt and my jacket. Oh hi. Like my outfit?

I think I missed the “No Pants” sign.

The first person I see when I walk in? Freakin’ Katrin Davidsdottir! CrossFit Games winner & one of the fittest women in the world. Heeeyyyyyyyy.

It’s easy to slip into self-doubt and insecurity. It’s easy to tell myself I don’t belong. But it’s a great reminder for me to keep my eyes on my own work. I’m not on their journey, I’m on mine. This is about my growth. This is about my progress. This is about me.

I’m not competing with them. I’m here to crush my comfort zone and reach my potential. The higher the fitness level & motivation of those around me, the better.

Gotta remember that. Constantly. This is why I’m here.

__________________

This isn’t the kind of gym where you can just walk in and start working out.

When I went in earlier this week, they signed me up for Elements, which is basically a 4-part skills & fitness assessment prior to taking classes with other members/athletes.

For better or worse, they weren’t starting another Elements session for a couple more weeks but they agreed to let me take the 4 Elements classes 1-on-1 with one of the coaches so I didn’t have to wait. Today was day 1.

Within about 10 minutes of going through some of the basics, my coach said he thought I’d test out in 2 sessions – sweet!

We worked through squats, deadlifts, the Olympic lifts like power clean, hang clean & snatch. We did some drills with strict press, push press & push jerk and then did some skills assessments with pushups, kipping movements for pull-ups and ring rows. We did these drills for just over an hour. I learned a lot and made some great adjustments to my form.

Then we did a simple, short workout as the last part of the assessment: a 7 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of wall balls (to the 9 ft target), burpees with an overhead clap and ring rows.

As my coach was explaining the workout, he said the goal was to go unbroken throughout (no rest, no pause). When we were discussing the setup (feet position) for the ring rows, he reminded me of a great workout construct:

Mechanics first. Consistency second. Intensity third.

Make sure form is good first and foremost. Don’t add weight or speed until the mechanics are solid.

Then, are you consistent with that form at higher reps?

Only then add intensity (speed or weight).

That construct helped me really stay focused on great form throughout.

(Keep in mind guys – that construct can ABSOLUTELY be applied to your eating habits. Do you have the mechanics down? Do you have those fundamentals and are you applying them consistently? Don’t go for “intense” strategies or try to add more complexity until you’ve mastered the basics and you’re executing them consistently!)

After the workout, he informed me that I tested out of Elements in the first session! I’m super excited!

I snuck a pic of the board where we worked through some of the fundamentals: squat, deadlift, olympic lifts, gymnastic movements, pushup, pull-up, wall balls.

I’m full of nervous excitement.

My first full blown class is tomorrow!


On the food front:

I don’t usually eat much in the mornings. I’m not very hungry in the AM. If I am, I’ll eat, but I enjoy listening to my body to figure out when it needs food. I also really enjoy holding out on that first wave or two of hunger to see if it stays or goes. It usually fades away within a matter of minutes. I’m always on a quest to understand that.

I woke up at 5 this morning and drank coffee while I worked from 5:30a-12:30p.

From 5-5:30 I did some journaling, meditation and reading.

Prior to heading to the gym, I ate a bacon/egg “muffin” from Paleo Power Meals. I was only mildly hungry but I don’t know what this workout will entail & I didn’t want to be distracted by hunger. (If you guys want to try Paleo Power Meals, make sure to use the coupon code ebprimal20 to save 20% on your first order.)

Around 12:30 I headed out to the gym (in my snow suit).

I’m really glad I ate before I went – I didn’t think I’d be there for 90+ minutes!

I’m not hungry after the workout so I sat down to write this post and drink some La Croix before my 4p client call. I think I might take myself out to Whole Foods for an early dinner after that call. I still have no furniture in my place so it’s hard to relax here.

It’s about 6pm and I’m pretty hungry. I did go by Whole Foods and picked up a container of shredded cabbage that I’m going to toss in my Oxo Salad Bowl (fave kitchen tool ever) and mash up with hardboiled eggs, guac & nuts. After that I’m gonna have a little bit of Halo Top.

I’m already tired and hoping to be in bed by 9:30 tonight.

I love you guys & I’m excited to share this journey with you.


Side note:

What you guys can expect in these daily posts:

  • my workouts
  • what I eat
  • how I’m feeling
  • doubts, insecurities, struggles, setbacks, wins
  • what results I’m experiencing
  • video

I am super excited to begin creating regular videos for you guys over the  next few weeks. Ultimately, I’m looking to hire a videographer but for now I’ll be creating them myself. I’ll post them here and on the new Primal Potential YouTube channel.

Modified Fasting – EB Day 4

NOTE: Pls remember that these blogs are being posted a couple days behind…they were written, but not published, in real time. 

Oh boy. I woke up HUNGRY. That rarely happens.

Interestingly, I got my coffee and started working and 30 minutes later, I wasn’t hungry anymore.

It’s such a powerful reminder to NOT immediately react to hunger. Just chill. See what happens if you ride the wave without reacting. I’m really grateful for that reminder! Don’t trust the immediate onset of hunger…

11:00am: bulletproof coffee with 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp MCT oil

I don’t think BP coffee is as effective at managing my hunger and sustaining my energy as it once was.

I had a conversation with my girl Ella today & told her that doing this modified fast has decreased my confidence in our upcoming 5-day water fast.

She made a really great point. She suggested that a modified fast might be more difficult (for some) than a full fast. I immediately disagreed with her but as I thought about it, that’s what I’m seeing over these past few days.

The hours before I eat something (4:30am – 11 or 12) are way easier than the hours after I break my overnight fast. And, the hours between my last meal/snack and bedtime feel far easier than the eating window hours.

I think I might believe her…

Once I start eating, I’m thinking more about food and I’ve awoken that hunger urge. Another lesson I’m glad she helped me learn.

2:45pm A couple ounces of cheese (it was tasty but I noticed my fingers feeling stiff & puffy within 20 minutes of eating. Dairy doesn’t love me back, a lesson I learn over and over)

I’ve decided that today is the last day of the modified fast. I’ll be going back to my balance of non-starchy veggies, protein & healthy fats tomorrow. I’m moving, which is stressful, but I’ll also be doing lots of lifting and movement & travel. I’m not trying to be a hero with this modified fast, I always want to make choices that make me feel my best and I know eating in a more conventional way starting tomorrow is part of that.

5:50pm: Quart of bone broth with added MCT oil

I’m going to bed early tonight. I’m hungry and I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow to eat some veggies & protein!

The primary lessons I’ve learned in this modified fast:

  • I’m excited about and nervous for the full fast with Ella
  • I probably eat more than I need to on “normal” days
  • Focus is everything – if I focus on food, I think about food. If I don’t focus on food, I don’t think about food
  • Be patient with hunger, the first signs are often false (for me)

Stay tuned for detailed accounting of the March full fast I described in episode 300 of the podcast!

Modified Fasting – EB Day 3

I was tired this AM and didn’t really want to get up. I stayed in bed until 5am.

I drank several cups of black coffee throughout the morning, I really didn’t feel very hungry at all.

11am:  Coffee with a splash of heavy cream. I usually drink my coffee black but during this fast, I decided to give my body a bit of fuel. I’m working out of the house this am so I took advantage of the coffee shop to enjoy the cream in my coffee.

I’m having some waves of hungry but they don’t last. They seem to last for as long as I focus on them, but when I engage in something else, they dissipate. Noted!

One of the questions I’m asking myself as I go through this modified fast is: what do I do when I want to quit?

Do I give in to an excuse or an urge? Or do I see what I’m made of?

For right now, I’m choosing to be strong and determined.

It’s only as hard as I make it out to be in my head. After all, I’m eating. I’m just being very specific about what I’m eating and how much.

1:30pm: Several celery sticks with Primal Kitchen Chipotle Mayo. Totally hit the spot with crunchy & salty & creamy. Yay. Happy kid right now!

The more I focus on food, the harder this feels. The more I tell myself this is no big deal, the easier it feels, the less hunger I feel and the more calm I am. I choose the latter.

It’s what I do when I want to quit that determines what I achieve!

3:55pm: 4 egg yolks, 1 white – scrambled with salt. I don’t really love scrambled eggs but these were fantastic today!

6:30pm: Wrapping up my day with a few cups of bone broth and some herbal tea.

I’m proud of myself for giving my body a bit of a break. I’d like to do this more often. I like the challenge of not being so reactive to hunger.

Here’s to a wonderful day tomorrow!

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