Kristi Lyn Miller Blog

There is a difference between a desire and a goal.  Do you know what the difference is?  Achieving it.

I’m not kidding.

Making a commitment to Goal Setting has made an incredible (and tangible) difference in my life professionally, personally, and athletically.  I’ll get to my method of goal setting and some of those results a little later, but first…

Goals vs. Desires

A desire is something we hope for. A Goal is something we work towards.


“A goal may be defined as a purpose to which a person is unalterably committed. He assumes unconditional responsibility for a goal, and it can be achieved if he is willing to work at it.”

“I want to lose 50 pounds”…well lady what are you going to do to get there?  PUT THE COOKIE DOWN?

“I want to get in shape”…well dude in case no one ever told you, that six pack of beers doesn’t turn into a six pack of abs. (sorry)

Without a plan, those “wants” will never turn into goals.

You can file them in dream land next to “I want a Unicorn” or “I want to marry Ryan Gosling.”

Duh, who doesn’t.

Desires are more like bullshit New Years Resolutions vs. REAL goals


“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”

Jim Rohn

To get to anywhere you want to be, you need a plan of action.  Or, as I like to think of it, a roadmap to attack the shit out of that goal and make it your bitch.

Aggressive, I know.

Whatever, let’s talk goal setting…

Goal setting is all about YOU.

Meeting those goals (or failing to meet those goals) is up to you.  It’s not about having a boss, teacher, parent or trainer over your shoulder telling you what you NEED to get done.

It’s all about YOU, the life you want to create for yourself, and what YOU are going to do to get there.

Ultimately if you hit those goals you can throw yourself a private freaking parade.  If you fail to hit them, reflecting on the shortcomings and revising the plan are also up to you too.  You’re accountable to yourself.

SMART Goals

I goal set using SMART goals – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

What I’ve found most benefit about SMART goal setting is that it really allows you to attack multiple goals at one time.  When I’ve laid goals out in SMART goals fashion, I then go one step further and set “benchmarks” for each, like schedule checkpoints.  This allows you to look at the big picture visually broken down into smaller parts on a timeline.

One thing I also do is note my 1, 2 and 3 top priorities.  I use this for decision making.

Often you’ll be shooting for several goals at once.  When a opportunity/decision presents itself, I am then mindful of which goal is “boss.”

Say, for example, getting toned is my #1 goal and reading a new book is #3 goal.  On a Saturday morning if I only have 2 free hours,  I’m going to spend that going for a workout, not reading a book.  Optimally, I’d want to make time for both.

But, life happens.  So, being aware of your “boss” goals will help you prioritize where you spend limited time/resources.

Additionally, if I have a goal I think my be especially rough for me, I incentive myself.

The WhiteBoard (get one)

On May 20th John installed a wall-sized Whiteboard in his new apartment where he’d be mapping out his goals, writing his daily gratitude’s, inspiring quotes, etc.  And he blocked off a section for me to write my goals (ohhhhh shit I made the white board!).

That way we could do our weekly goals sessions/checkins at his place.

(pause)

Now that I’ve given you a second to puke in your mouth at how insanely “cute” or just insane you think we are, let’s continue.

 

Between this newly devoted whiteboard space and the fact that my 30th birthday was just two short months away, I decided it was time to write some lofty smart goals.

….and go into 30 with a mothereffin bang.

So I wrote my “Before I Turn 30 Goals.”  Here they are…

Professional/Personal

• Launch QuickFlip Blueprint (the first product I created which is almost ready to bring to market)
• QFB to be selling at 100/week sales by my birthday
• Read 1 business book per month
• 1 Blogpost per month
• Speak at one event a month (either live or online class for coaching students)
• Call Mom and Dad once a week

I’m about a month into my new training at Performance 360.  I’m freakin amped to be training there and back into the swing of things. Feeling weak and flabby after 3 months of injury recovery, I was chomping at the bit to get some fitness goals on the board.

And, lucky for me, if there is one person who “goal-gasms” more than I do, it’s my trainer Dave Thomas.   Dave’s “thata girl!!”’ are almost as good as hearing “snow day!”

Here are the Health & Fitness goals:

• loss 10 pounds  – by 7/23
• biweekly weigh-ins, goal of 2.5 lb loss per weigh in
• 95 Push Press – by 06/01
• P360 Barbell Club (which for women is a 200# deadlift & 95# push press) – by 06/01
• 225 3RM (3 rep) Deadlift – by 06/30
• 265 1RM (1 rep) Deadlift – by 07/23

Weight Loss Goals

Let’s talk fat loss vs. weight loss.

I fucking hate the scale.  I shit you not, going off BMI (body weight and height) I’m categorized as overweight.

I may not have Barbies waistline, but I’m not overweight.

Usually when someone finds out my weight they say “well muscle weighs more than fat.”  Which always irritated me.  A pound is a pound whether it’s muscle or fat.

Right?

Well actually NO.

What that saying actually means is “Muscle is much, much denser than fat.”  So as far as body composition goes, it makes a HUGE difference.

Think of it this way – a pound of muscle is the size of say a tennis ball, where a pound of fat would be more like the size of a football (a jiggly football).

Seriously this BMI bullshit is the most asinine way of assessing fitness.  It is ridiculous, and in my opinion causes serious body image issues in many women.

I’m never going to be 110 pounds.  Frankly, I’m built like a brick shit house. I build muscle just looking at a barbell.

And you know what…I LOVE being strong.  I love seeing my body’s performance ability increase through hard work, and ya that’s going to add muscle.

I like having a bubble butt,  nice toned legs, and that little ripple I get in my shoulders…I work hard for them.   And sure,  there’s a little extra padding that I could work off…but I am HEALTHY just the way I am.

Ok (breath) before I completely derail on this rant, let me reign it back in.

Body composition is what matters.  I’m going for FAT loss, which isn’t not going to correlate directly to weight loss.  I’m using the “threat” of the scale simply as a way to keep me from inhaling cookies.

I am NOT going to obsess over the scale.

The steps I am using to meet my fat loss goal on the time line I laid out is:

• P360 workouts 5x/week,
• 80 ounces of water a day,
• no cheating Monday – Friday,
• focus on increasing veggie intake and good fats,
• one night of drinking,
• one cheat meal on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Pretty straight forward.

Oh, and like I said for goals that are especially hard for me (like losing 10 pounds), I incentivized myself.  If I lose 3 pounds or more in between weigh-ins I get to go to LuLuLemon, and if I meet the 10 pound goal we’re going to San Fran for the weekend.

Who do you need to get there?

One huge component of achieving your goals is knowing  “who” needs to be involved with you achieving them.  Immediately reach out to those people.

If you’re changing your eating habits – let your S.O. (significant other), roommate, friends, etc know.  You’ll need them on board.

The day I set those goals, I emailed Dave (my trainer).

First and foremost, for his feedback to make sure the fitness/strength goals I set were challenging, yet reasonable.

Second, because HE is the one who’s going to assist me in my training to achieve my fitness goals.   I can’t express how seriously valuable this is.

If you have not talked to your trainer about your goals, do it!  Set a freakin goal, and talk to your trainer!

You need a Trainer who encourages you to consistently set goals and who challenges you to meet them (while keeping you in-check and injury free).   If your trainer doesn’t get just as excited as  you do as you progress and meet your goals, you need a new trainer.

Same is to be said for your boss, significant other, and friends.

Who you surround yourself with…

One of the most POWERFUL things I learned at Tony Robbin’s Unleash The Power Within Event is “Peoples lives are a direction reflection of the expectations set by their peer group”  Or, more simply stated, who you surround yourself with is who you become.

If your peer group (think of them as your team) doesn’t challenge you, you need a new team.

And there is a BIG difference between support vs. challenge.

When you are not living up to your potential a supporter will say “that’s okay” or “you’re still great.”  A challenger will say “That’s ok … but you can do better than that, how are you going to improve?”

In the long run who do you think is going to influence you to be the best version of yourself?

All I’m saying is if you’re not happy with where you’re at, it may be time to take a good look to your left and right, and ask yourself if THAT is who you want to be.  If that answer is no, well that’s your answer.

Actually, I’m going to blog about that soon.  It warrants more than just four sentences.

Anyways…

Progress

You have to track your progress.  It’s the only way to hold yourself accountable.  Like weekly checkpoints.

And let me tell you staring at those damn goals and knowing I had a checkpoint coming up was the ONLY thing that stopped me from devouring the Sausage Bomb calling my name from the kitchen after a night at Thrusters last weekend.

If you reach a checkpoint and are falling short on one or some of your goals…evaluate it.  How can you right the ship?  If you don’t change the path, you’ll be heading in the same direction.

Some times it’s also a reality check that you may not be able to accomplish all that you’ve set out to do in the time frame you’ve set out to do it.  But that’s ok, your goals are supposed to be aggressive.

This isn’t T-ball where everybody gets a trophy.

Aim high.  “In order to get what most people don’t have, you must do what must people won’t do.”

But what if I fail?

You’re going to.  No, seriously at some point you will.  Get over that fear now, otherwise it’ll cripple you from achieving anything truly great.

The cool thing is that failing is like anything else, the more you do it, the more comfortable you get with it, and therefore you don’t fear it anymore.

Am I going to meet all my “Before I’m 30 goals?”  Maybe, maybe not.

Am I going to meet all the goals I set for the rest of my life…hell no.

Realistically if you’re going to succeed at anything, you’re going to fail a lot on your way up. Successful people WELCOME failure.

With failure comes valuable lessons, and as long as your learning you’re not failing. You only fail, when you don’t try.

What matters is your ability,  actually your longing, to get out of your comfort zone.   And baby, that is one sexy muscle to flex.

Settling for comfort will kill you inside.  Don’t yearn for comfort, yearn for strength.

 

“Resist the easy comforts of complacency, the specious glitter of materialism, the narcotic paralysis of self-satisfaction. Be worthy of your advantages.”

I truly believe that with mental strength, confidence, the right people around you, and a plan you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Now, it’s time to Unleash YOUR Power Within!  Get off your ass and go set some goals!

I’d love for you to share them here in the comments section below!

Now that I’ve done both Green Blending and Juicing, I get a lot of questions from people on which I think is “best.”  The short answer is both are great, it depends what you’re going for. First things first…

What is Green Blending?

Green blending is exactly what it sounds like, throwing a bunch of green stuff in a blender.  I make a blender full of this recipe in the morning, have a full glass for breakfast (usually with scrambled eggs and a tablespoon of liquid Fish Oil) and take the rest to work with me.

My Daily Green Blend Recipe:

• Spinach (two handful)
• Broccoli (large handful)
• Kale (large handful) – I rotate this one with Collard Greens, Bok Choy (anything leafy green)
• 1/2 Cucumber
• 2 small green apples or 1 large green apple (cored)
• 1 Kiwi (skinned)
• 1 cup of water (water is totally up to you depending on the consistency you like it)

I choose to do a very veggie-heavy Blend, but if you are just starting out Green Blending, that recipe may taste a little too “vegetably” for you.  Beginner TIP: Try doing a handful of green grapes instead of the cucumber.  The Green Blend Recipe I started blending with had more fruit in it (it’s sweeter), the recipe for which is below.  Start with this one.  Then, if you’re looking to lower your sugar,  you can then start decreasing the fruit and upping the veggies once you get used to the flavor.

“Newbie” Beginner Green Blend Recipe:

• Spinach (one handful)
• Broccoli (one handful)
• Kale (one handful)
• Green Grapes (large handful) – this I eventually switched for the Cucumber
• 1 Green apple (cored)
• 2 Kiwi (skinned)
• 1 cup of water (water is totally up to you depending on the consistency you like it)

Here are my thoughts on Green Blending, it:

• is live/water-rich.  At least 70% of your diet should consist of live/water-rich foods.  This allows your body to cleanse itself.  Failing to consume water rich foods means you are clogging your body.
• is full of fiber. Live digestive enzymes.
• is easy. It’s very easy to make and clean up.
• stores well. I can make a full blender of Green Blend for the day, put it in an airtight container, and eat/drink it throughout the day
• Makes my meals “Complete.” If I’m eating a small meal without veggies (i.e eggs, chicken, nuts) I just accompany that with a cup of Green blend and BOOM there are my veggies
• is filling. It won’t leave you hungry and you will stay full for a while as your body digests it.

Now to Juicing…

There are definitely a lot of benefits to juicing.  By removing the pulp, our body does not need to “work” to digest it.  Within 10 to 15 minutes Nutrients assimilate directly into our bloodstream.  You receive optimum fuel to feed your cells and help nourish, regenerate and repair all of the cells and tissues, glands and organs of the body.

Here are my thoughts on Juicing, it:

• eliminates the need for digestions
• it cleanses.  It is crucial when you  are detoxing/reseting.
• is nutrient super-charged.  You can feel a difference in your energy within minutes of drinking it (I love juicing right before a workout)
• allows for Veggies/Fruits I would never Blend – Beets, Garlic, Parsley, Green beans.
• more clean up
• needs to be done in “real time.”  I’ve done the airtight Juice Jars, which is necessary with your doing a Juice Fast (only juicing for several days) but on a regular basis, it’s rough.  The juice changes color, texture and flavor in less than a half an hour.

So which do I think is best?  I think they both serve a difference (yet complimentary) purposes.  Optimally you’d want to integrate BOTH juicing and Green Blending into your diet.

If you are doing a cleanse – juicing is where it’s all.  I plan on doing quarter Juice Fasts to cleanse out my system.  And when I’m feeling like crap, I go straight for the Juicer – hungover, super sore from a workout, tired, etc.

On a everyday basis, I’ve found that Green Blending fits very easily into my lifestyle and it’s very sustainable.  I’ve been regularly green blending for a year now, it takes 10 minutes in the morning, tastes good, and makes me feel great.  I also like knowing even if I only get one salad or something in during the day, Green Blending allows me to keep a diet high in live/raw veggies/fruit.

I definitely still get some mean Juicing going, but it’s admittedly not part of my every-day.

Would love to hear your feedback on your experiences Green Blending and/or Juicing. This is simply my viewpoint, and everyone’s experience is different, so please share your comments below!

I admit that fitness and exercise may seem like a bit of an obsession for me. From competitive rock climbing to CrossFit, you put an athletic activity in front of me and it’s pretty much a guarantee I’m going to go at it with 100% intensity. But this passion for physical challenges is not just a bi-product of my competitive nature. In fact, it derives from quite the opposite. My appreciation for my body came from a time where I had the use of it ripped away from me. As with anything in life, the toughest of times really make you appreciate the little things…

As a kid, I had a small scoliosis curve. It was nothing major, unnoticeable, and didn’t affect my ability to do sports or anything. By the time I got to high school, I was a varsity cheerleader and my life was pretty defined by that – practices, football games, competition squad, etc. My sophomore year, during my regular scoliosis checkup at school, the school nurse noticed the curve in my spine had started to increase, and over the next 6 months (during my growth spurt) my spinal curve went from 21 degrees to 96 degrees (that is literally greater than a right angle) and was increasing every day. As my spine curved, my ribs began to squeeze my lungs and my heart, making breathing difficult. At the time, doctors estimated that, without surgery, I had 3 to 6 months to live before my ribs closed completed in on my heart/lungs. At 13 years old, I was given an expiration date…and that is some scary shit.

Being told what my life would be like after surgery wasn’t the easiest pill to swallow either. The surgery would consist of reconstructing my entire spine, breaking all the ribs on my right side to re-shape them, and putting metal rods along the entire length of my spine. With metal rods in my back, I would no longer bend or twist it at all, which meant no backbends, no tumbling – no cheerleading. They told me and my parents that I would never be able to touch my toes or run again and that I would have to be very conscious of my weight in order to keep as much pressure off my back as possible. Mentally digesting that was one hell of a challenge.

After months of battling with my health insurance company (who had been refusing to cover my surgery citing that it was a pre-existing cause), my frantic parents finally got the approval letter and set a date for me to go under the knife.

I woke up from a 9-hour surgery unable to move my body at all. Without even addressing the obvious pain involved, I had to re-teach myself how to do everything again…walk, pick something up off the floor, turn over, etc. The mechanics of my body had completely changed. With every bone in my back broken and fused, the road to recovery was a long one. It took me two weeks just to be able to take five steps to the bathroom in my hospital room (and that was after someone else sitting me up and helping me stand). Because all the nerves on my right side had been battered, I didn’t have full use of my right arm for months. Simple things like eating, washing and brushing my hair, shaving my legs, getting dressed became quite the challenge. I can remember about a month after my surgery I walked all the way to the big tree at the end of my block and my father bursting out in tears. When walking to the end of the block is a cause for celebration, you really learn to value the little things,. With the most supportive father, mother, sister, and amazing family and friends, I got through it and without a doubt, came out of it a much better person.

In reflection, I now realize I spent the next decade after my surgery playing on the sidelines in life. I was so afraid of hurting my back again and having to go back to the awful place, that I let the fear of “what if” hold me back from so many things. Living in fear is really not living at all, it is merely existing.

Then, I made the move the California, by myself, away from everything I knew. That decision was so far out of my comfort zone, that it sparked something inside me. A flame had been lit. I resolved that fear would no longer be the guiding factor in my decision-making. There started my journey of adventure and risk-taking. I got my passionate intensity back. Over the last few years, I’ve done things I never would have imagined I’d do. I spent a year competitively bouldering, I’ve repelled down mountains and jumping off cliff, I’ve ridden wild horses, and jumped out of a plane! In my daily life, Climbing and CrossFit have given me back the confidence and sense of feeling ALIVE that I let be dormant for way to long.

Ultimately, going through such a rough back surgery was a gift. I was given the gift of appreciation. Appreciation of what my precious body was doing for me on a daily basis. I made the choice to not let my obstacles, physical or otherwise, break me but see them as an opportunity to be the best version of myself. And that best version of myself, physically, is forever going to be different from the “normal” person. My back is never going to bend; there are things I am simply not going to be able to do. Acknowledging and accepting my limitations is admittedly an ongoing struggle. The scars on my back are never going to disappear and, yes, they make me feel pretty self-conscious in a bikini on the beach, but you know what? Every day I look in the mirror, they are a reminder of how strong I am and how much I am capable of enduring.

Today, as I am in the midst of a pretty lengthy ankle/Achilles recovery, I am humbled and grateful for everything my body IS capable doing. My amazing back can deadlift 233 pounds for Pete’s sake! But, I am not invincible. That fiery intensity, with which I approach my limits, needs to be balance with a healthy dose of reality and caution. I am reminded of just how precious ones body is. My body, your body, everybody’s body is a MIRACLE and should be treated as such. My wish would be for everyone to VALUE the gift of a healthy body, and get up, go outside and take that nice body for a walk. Feed it some healthy food, give yourself a hug, and love your body for everything it does for you!

On the same note, you NEVER know the personal battle someone is going through on the inside. Whether it is physical or emotional, everyone is fighting his or her own battles. Words of encouragement and a smile at the gym and in life in general can really make the difference in someone’s day. You never know who needs a smile today. If it weren’t for all the support I received during my roughest days, I never would have gotten through it. If it weren’t for the patience, understanding and encouragement of my coaches and fellow athletes over the years, my body would never be as strong as it is today.

So, as you encounter people, keep in mind where they are coming from, where they are at, and where they are going that day (or in life) may be really different. My fitness goals may look a lot different than yours; the same can be said for every person on a path to better than health and improve their bodies. Maybe the person you bump into in the gym has a big goal to get through the day without crying, or walk a single mile or lift 300 pounds….no matter. The difference we can all make in each other’s lives just by supporting each other in achieving our goals goes a long way!

Having been where I have been has given me a sense of compassion for all people; I wouldn’t trade for anything (not even a new back).

So, there you are. Thanks for letting my share my story :)

I started writing the draft of this Juicing Detox review in “real time” as I was actually doing the detox. I quickly decided that  writing the review “during battle” might not be the best idea (unless I planned on titling this post “Give That Dangerous B*itch Her Steak”).

Now that I am a few weeks out of the detox, I have a little bit more perspective (and mental sanity) to give the Juicing a real review.

Days 1 and 2:
The first two days (juice only for three days, no food) are supposed to be when you experience the most negative side effects (headaches, irritability, low energy, extreme hunger, a bad belly, etc).

Let’s start out with the “Good.” Fortunately, I ate really clean before starting the detox so (lucky me) got to skip over the headaches and low energy.  I don’t think my body was withdrawing as much as an average person’s would.

My normal pre-juicing diet was a veggie heavy Paleo diet, with the addition of daily Green Blending.  Green Blending is pretty much exactly what it implies…green fruits and veggies “smoothified” in a Blender, which I’d drink/eat throughout the day, every day.  And the Paleo diet…

And now for the “Bad.”  I am Italian, with a very loud inner fat-kid voice.  By the first half of day one, I was craving protein (particularly steak) like crazy.   By the evening of day 1, I would have eaten an entire cow, I swear.  (Sorry vegetarians, not sorry).

Second, has anyone ever realized how many damn food commercials there are on TV?!  Like seriously during Saturday Football…Quarter-pounder commercials get more airtime than the Quarterback.   Is it really any wonder why America is obese with commercials like this every freaking 2 minutes?!

Ok, deep breaths, deep breaths….I’m not even going to get started on America’s Obesity right now.

Anywho, after about mid-afternoon on both Day 1 and Day 2, I would start to experience extreme lightheadedness; like I had just sucked the helium out of a balloon type lightheadedness.   Maybe juicing will be the next whip-its?

For instance, Saturday night (Day 1), I went into the bathroom to take my contacts out of my eyes.  I got out the solution, put my contact case on the sink, and opened the right eye container.  I saw there was no contact in the case and searched the counter and the floor for several minutes before realizing the contact was in my EYE.   Yes, I had forgotten I was taking my contacts OUT. That kind of lightheaded.

On the bright side, I found that if I started to feel lightheaded, I just needed to juice and would feel immediately back to normal (or as normal as I get anyway).

Day 3
Point blank, day three SUCKED for me.  While almost everyone else doing the Juice Detox with me (there were a dozen or so of us) felt worlds better by day three, I felt like I had entered the third ring of Hell.  My stomach was bloated, I felt really ill, my skin had broken out like a 13 year olds, and my patience was, well, um, non-existent. Mind you, this was a Monday, so I was up bright and early and back at work where being sluggish was NOT an option (our company slogan is “ATTACK 8 days a week”).

Then came lunch time.  Let me preface the next paragraph by saying that this 90 Day Challenge at FortuneBuilders was OPTIONAL , only about half of us jumped on the bandwagon.   OK now my rant. My irritability was brought to near-Exorcist-head-spinning-around “I will kill you levels” when one of my coworkers (clearly NOT participating in the Juice Detox) brought in take out from Phil’s BBQ.  Not only was the scent TORTURE, but this “gentleman” decided it be funny to taunt me by dangling his BBQ chicken right in front of my face.

I seriously contemplated throwing him and his Phil’s BBQ out the third floor window and watching his guts splatter on the ground.  But, I withheld my rage and left to work from home instead.  0:)  Success is the sweetest revenge.

Lesson: Unfortunately, I found that the majority of people I encountered would rather make it more difficult for me to succeed at this juice detox, than support me in it.  I was really disappointed by this actually.  It’s hard enough to have the willpower to do something like this, without having people constantly taunting you and teasing you with food.

Days 4 and 5:
Days 4 we added egg whites in and Day 5 added chicken/white fish.  It was smooth sailing for me after egg whites.

Overall here was my experience with the different “side effects” of the Juicing Detox…

JUICERS AND FRUITS/VEGGIES:
The “sexiest” brand of Juicers is Breville, there are various models available from $150 – $300, which are known to be the easiest to clean and most durable.  I opted for the Jack LaLanne’s Ultimate Power Juicer from Costco which costs about $90.  If I decide to Juice long term  (and this one craps out) I’ll go Breville, but the Jack Lalanne definitely gets the job done.  I also bought as much organic as I could reasonably do.  I bought organic in bulk when possible (Costco has big bags of organic carrots, cucumbers, etc which are the staple of many juice recipes.)  If it wasn’t organic, I made sure to wash it really well.  Everything pretty much went into the juicer as is, expect that I peeled lemons, oranges its, and cut the rough ends of veggies such as carrots.

ENERGY AND EXERCISE:
I didn’t see a significant change in my energy levels minus the lightheadedness in the evenings on day 1 and day 2.  In fact, where most people don’t have the energy to workout at all during the 5 day detox, I did full Crossfit WOD’s four out of the five days (minus my day three where I surely would have beat someone with a barbell if they made a food comment. Really staying home that day was for the good of the public).

SLEEP PATTERNS:
This was the MOST NOTABLE change I experienced from the detox.  Starting on Day 1 I got extremely tired at around 10:00pm, to the point where I couldn’t stay awake.  The morning of day 2 and EVERY morning after that I woke up between 5:30am and 5:45am (while it was still dark), completely alert (like no way I could have gone back to sleep).

I usually don’t wake up until around 7am.  Waking up at 5:45 was actually AWESOME.  I live right on Mission Bay and got to watch the sunrise over the water every morning…it was breathtaking.  I also got a lot of work and reading done before the city was up.

STOMACH/DIGESTION:
As part of a juice detox, which included drinking phylum husk (fiber) twice a day, it is common to experience diarrhea or constipation.  I was definitely the latter, by day three I felt really bloated/uncomfortable…my belly was definitely missing all the nature fiber I usually eat.  I also blame this on dehydration.   I was admittedly not drinking nearly enough water the first few days.

SKIN COMPLEXION:
I broke out like a teenager going through puberty.  It does not take a rocket scientist to assess this was my body releasing toxins through my skin.

WEIGHT LOSS:
A dozen or so of my coworkers did the Juice Detox with at the same time as me.  ALL lost between 5 and 15 pounds.  Are you ready to hear how many I lost??  Wait for it, wait for it…ZERO.

No that is not a joke, I didn’t lose any weight.  In fact on Day 3, where everyone saw the weight start to fall off, I had gained almost two pounds.

What the heck?!

I still don’t really have an answer for this.  My only guesses would be 1. I was definitely dehydrated (my own fault) and “backed up” by day three. 2. Right before I started the juice detox I had just start going really hard again at CrossFit after my Achilies injury.  My muscle mass was coming back with a vengeance. 3.  Who am I kidding? I have no clue and am quiet perturbed that I was the only one who didn’t lose weight.  Conclusion: My body is a rebel.

AFTER THE 5 DAY JUICE DETOX:
The weekend after the 5-Day Juice Detox, I headed up to the OC Throwdown CrossFit Competition.   At a CrossFit Comp, I was in my glory as there was definitely an abundance of meat (take that as you will).

Here’s what “Finger Food” looks like  at such an event:

Needless to say, my steak desires were DEFINITELY met!

But, after 5 days of juicing, you forget what it’s like to feel full.  And when I hadn’t felt full, eating a meal and actually feeling full made me nauseous.  It also made me realize how uncomfortable it actually is to have a full belly.  Blah.  And I REALLY missed juicing over the weekend.  So, even though I didn’t see the visible weight loss results most did, my body was definitely telling me “keep juicing!”

Since the detox ended, I have been making a full container of Juice every morning (which I store for the afternoon in an airtight Juice Jar).  I eat eggs in the morning, and have a juice.  Then I juice all day long, with a few snacks (almonds, veggies, cottage cheese, etc), have a normal Paleo dinner, and juice once more in the evening.  I feel GREAT, still no weight loss but I’ve been killing my CrossFit Workouts and have seen an increased focus at work.

I’ve also decided to do the 5 day Juice Detox AGAIN starting tomorrow (30 days in). I will be drinking a Salt Wash in the mornings (which I’m told is like pressure washing your GI tract), and drinking 1 – 2 gallons of water EVERY day.   I think these two changes will make the detox much more effective.  Wish me luck and stayed tuned!

Are You Interested In Doing The 5 Day Juice Detox?

Here is a link to the Alpha Reset which is the 5 day detox I did http://www.fitlife.tv/alpha-reset-download/.

A couple tips/info I’d like to pass along….

• You can do any juicing recipe during the fast, however do EITHER fruit juice OR veggie juice.  Do not do fruit AND veggie mixed juice.  The only exception to that is apple and lemon in your veggies juices.
• If you’re fasting for weight loss, do veggie (preferably greens) over fruit juice as fruit is high in sugar.
• The top five nutrient-dense vegetables people looking for weight lose should incorporate are bell peppers, parsley, kale, broccoli and spinach.
• The more ingredients you put in one juice the rougher it is on your stomach.  Less ingredients is best if you have a sensitive belly.
• It is best to juice in real time, if you’re not juicing in real time, you MUST use an air-tight Juice Jar or container.  The nutrients start to die within 10 – 15 minutes after hitting air. You can get glass or plastic juice jars at any kitchen store.
• MAKE SURE TO DRINK A TON OF WATER, AND TAKE YOUR FIBER SUPPLEMENT/PROBIOTIC.
• If you get backed up do a sea salt wash
• And EASE back into food after the detox is over.

“Green Flash” Juice Recipe

Here is the recipe for the Green Juice I made that was my favorite….”Green Flash.”
• 2 apples.
• 1/2 cucumber.
• 1/2 lemon (peeled).
• 1/2 cup of kale.
• 1/2 cup of spinach.
• 1/2 cup of broccoli.
• 1/4 bunch of celery.
• 1-inch of ginger.

Salt Wash  Instructions

1 to 2 tablespoon of sea salt (not table salt)
1 quart of luke warm water
(add lemon juice to improve taste)

• Chug quickly
• STAY HOME FOR AN HOUR.
• It’s like pressure spraying your colon. Opens the path out for toxins and old impacted food.
• Do every morning instead of pysllium husks
• If your schedule prevents you from doing it in the mornings do the salt wash at night an hour before bed.

If you have any questions feel free to comment here and I will reply!

 

As 2012 kicks off, I’ve begun to brainstorm my health and fitness goals for the upcoming year.  In the process, I realized something pretty freaking cool.  As 2011 closes out, this is the first time I can say, without a doubt, I’m really already living in accordance with my health and fitness goals. Getting “in shape” doesn’t need to be on the top of my New Years resolutions!

So, I got to wondering…what was the difference between this past year and every other year?

I’ve always been pretty “intense” about my workout regimens and staying fit.  What aided me in achieving my goals was a SHIFT in my mindset.  My focus changed from being optimally fit to achieving optimal HEALTH.

I’d finally grasped the vast difference being “fit” vs “health and vitality.” I attribute this shift to being part of a very health-conscience Crossfit community (yep, I drank the coolaid), brought into real clarity when I attended Tony Robbin’s 4 Day “Unleash The Power Within” Event in Los Angeles (a full day was focused just on health, fitness, and vitality).  It was then I had an epiphany about the changes I would make.

Here is the difference defined by Tony Robbins

Fitness is the physical ability to perform athletic activity.
Health is the state in which all the systems of your body – nervous, muscular, skeletal, circulatory, digestive, lymphatic, hormonal, etc – are working optimally.

Wow, doesn’t that make you think?  For me, it really hit home.

Healthy Monet Syndrome
San Diego appears to be the fitness capital of the world (from the outside).  Everywhere you look there are fit, tan people doing some kind of athletic activity.

Unlike most of America plagued by Obesity, it’s actually a rarity to see someone meeting that description here. Instead here in Pacific Beach, I feel we are plagued with what I’m going to call “Healthy Monet Syndrome”.  From afar people look like the epitome of health, but get up close and personal, and often that couldn’t be further from the truth…

What has happened is we have blurred our definitions of fit vs. healthy. Our view of health is predominantly image based.  The goal, then, to be healthy is actually measured by how fit one is.

Ladies strive for a size zero waistline and less “love” on those handles, men chase those chiseled abs and bulging biceps….the desired results both physical.   We think in terms of trim/muscular = fit/healthy.  But is a fit looking body equivalent to being healthy?

Sorry folks, no dice.

How one looks on the outside is often a poor indicator of how healthy they really are.  Ignorance on this subject is not bliss, in fact I think it’s a huge flaw in our general fitness/health community that I’d love to see changed.

If  a dude looks like a professional body builder, but consumes enough alcohol or drugs to kill a small pony, sorry friend you are NOT healthy.   You may be fit, but you are NOT healthy.  If you have that “perfect” bikini body but are starving yourself and depriving your body of vital nutrients (and fats), sorry Barbie you fail too.

I see this over and over and over here, and it makes me want to shake them and say “YOUR INSIDES HATE YOU RIGHT NOW!”

While these 20 and 30 somethings may be dominating the beach volleyball courts, gyms, etc today, they are going to be dominating our healthcare systems with disease in their 40s and 50s.

I’m not saying having physical goals aren’t good.  Heck, for as long as I can remember it’s been a goal of mine to get in good enough shape to feel comfortable running on the boardwalk in a sports bra and shorts. (one day I’ll get there, one day haha)

Re-aligning your #1 priority from being FIT to being HEALTHY
What I am saying, is that my personal experience has been (and where I’ve witnessed others make real and lasting transformations) is that if you re-align your goals to make your #1 priority being HEALTHY from the inside first, your body will be working like a machine….and a happy one at that.

If you take the right steps to give your body what it needs to run on full efficiency, not only will you feel and BE healthy, you will also be giving you body the best shot at actually helping you achieve the psychical results you are looking for.  And you will be preparing your body for a long and healthy future.

One of the best examples I can give of the power of creating a strong baseline of health from the inside out, has been the changes in my body (or lack thereof) since I have hurt my Achilles/Ankle.

Because I had truly created a body that runs like a machine, it has withstood a massive shift it my daily routine.  In the last 30 days, I went from running 2-3 miles every morning and Crossfitting or Climbing 5-6 evenings a week, to being able to do ZERO cardio and workouts at max 50% the intensity.

I also spent two weeks over the holidays home with my large Italian family and went “off the Paleo wagon” pretty often.   Miraculously, what I’ve found is that, although I have lost some muscle mass, I have not gained any major weight!

I had built a baseline of health by eating well (a Paleo diet very heavy in green vegetables), kept hydrated, gave my body the nutrients and fats it needed every day to run on full efficiency, my body has returned the favor by allowing me to go 30 days off my normal exercise regimen with no major changes.  That my friends, is AMAZING.

While I’d give anything to be able to get back to my normal routine, I’m proud (and relieved) that I created a body ready and able to withstand an injury like this.

In my next blog I’m going to share with you the action plan I’ve been following (and will continue to follow) in 2012 “My Blueprint To Achieving My Health, Fitness and Vitality Goals!” These are things I have focused on heavily during the last six months and have seen incredible results.  I have literally never felt this good in my life (and I’m about to be 30. Take that 30!). So stay tuned!

 

 

 

Many San Diego locals find irony in the fact that my Box, CrossFit PB, is located directly next to Urgent Care (shared wall, parking lot, business sign, etc).

I must admit, it made for a funny one-liner.

Until one particular Saturday morning. Instead of walking into CFPB to hit Open Gym, I did the one-footed hop into Urgent Care. The joke then suddenly became not very funny….at all.

Achilles Injury – My Broken Tree

I woke up with excruciating pain in my calf/ankle, unable to walk or put any weight on my right foot. I am not talking about the ‘Love Pain’ type of pain we CrossFitters are strangely turned on by. I’m talking about the “ Oh sh*t” type of pain ALL athletes fear.

The Urgent Care Physician diagnosed me with torn fibers in my Achilles. (Insert the “noooo anything but the Achilles” scream here). He explained that, although it was not fully ruptured (yet), it was at great risk.

Quite perplexed at the fact I didn’t “do” anything to bring on the injury, I was having a hard time believing the diagnosis. So, the doctor put it into terms I could understand.

He compared ones Achilles to a tree. Take an ax and make little chops in the tree, over time with enough chops, your tree is in danger of falling over. Then, all of the sudden TIMBER it goes down.

Down OR Out?

I was in shock. My poor tree! It was all chopped up! My mind was going nuts with thoughts like…

…How could this happen out of nowhere?
…Is it going to rupture?
…How am I going to function without being able to walk?
…How long am I going to be out?
…HOW AM I GOING TO CROSSFIT?

CrossFit for me, as it is for every Crossfitter I know, is not just a form of exercise…it is my passion; it is such an integral part of my every day. It is my community, my confidence, my stress relief, etc.

CrossFit had become a way of life for me. What was I going to DO?

After about three days of resting and icing (and more couch/ TV time than I’d accumulated in the past year), I made some decisions. One – I was going to allow myself to actually ENJOY relaxing as much as I could (I even painted my nails and baked cookies). Two – although I was down, I was not going to be out.

CrossFitting With An Achilles Injury

I contacted my CF Trainers to update them on my injuries, hoping they’d give me some light at the end of the tunnel. Their response completely reinforce WHY I love Crossfit so much and why my trainers are amazing coaches and human beings. They said “Definitely please keep coming in, even in a cast or boot, and we will modify as needed for as long as needed. Erica has been in a boot for 3 weeks, and she has been coming in consistently and doing upper body… so we will always find a way to keep you moving.”

Not to sound like too much of a girl, BUT I burst out in tears of joy. With the ­­unwavering support and encouragement of my CrossFit Coaches and fellow CrossFitters, I slowly (and I mean snail pace) hobbled into my box the next day. Admittedly feeling quite scared and a bit vulnerable, I was ready to face my fears and REALLY ready to sweat!

I called my limp the 2012 swagger…sexy.

Sample Injured Achilles Crossfit WODs

Bryan Boorstein and Anders Varner, Owners and Coaches at CFPB, helped me come up with several WODs I could do at Home, at our Box AND at the “normal gym” while I was home for the holidays over the coming weeks. Here are some samples:

Day 3: (At Home) Tabata Workout

- sit ups
- clapping push ups on knees
- bicep curls, seated (10 lb dumbbells)
- Push Press, seated (10 lb dumbbells)
- tricep dips

Day 5: (First Day Back at Crossfit PB)
5 GLORIOUS rounds :

- 20 supermans,
- 20 weighted push-ups on knees (15 lb plate),
- 20 sit-ups,
- 20 seated kettle bells swings (26 lb)

Day 7: At Crossfit PB
4 rounds:

- 15 ring rows (foot lifted off the ground)
- 20 sit-ups
- 20 weighted push-ups on knees (15 lb plate),
- 20 seated push press w/ 18 lb kettle bells
- 10 left leg pistols (left hand holding onto pole, right hand under right knee holding leg at 90 degree angel in order to not tempt foot to front flex, which the foot naturally does with pistols).

Day 9: (At Regular Gym, LA Fitness)
4 rounds:

- 20 supermans,
- 20 weighted push-ups on knees (25 lb plate),
- 20 tricep dips
- 20 seated kettle bells swings (25 lb dumbbell)
- 20 bench press (15 lb dumbbells)
- 20 windshield wipers

Day 14: (At Regular Gym, LA Fitness) Note: First Day Minimally Using Right Leg
5 rounds:

- 10 knees to elbows
- 10 one-legged Burpees (yes they ARE doable! great suggestion Joe Bauer)
- 10 air squat holds (5 second holds at parallel, to start activating right leg muscles)
- 10 HSPU

Increasing Achilles, Calf, Heel, Ankle Mobility

I sought treatment by Dr. Welsh of Peak Performance Sport & Spine Center (an amazing doctor who I highly recommend). Dr. Welsh determined that my injury stemmed from the fact that I have extreme tightness in my lower extremities. I’d experienced regular shin splints, calf pain, ankle “clicking” and occasional knee pain for as long as I could remember. I had accepted these as “just the way my body was,” and never sought treatment to get to the root of the problem (BIG mistake).

In addition to continued treatment by Dr. Welsh to repair my injury and prevent further damage, my CF trainers gave me the assignment of educating myself on calf mobility. If you are also experiencing calf, Achilles, heel, or ankle pain here’s a link to a great site on Mobility WODs!

Click Here for AWESOME Calf | Mobility WOD’s

Time For Reflection – Mentally & Emotionally Rising To The Challenge

On a personal note, all this time sitting still, gave me an opportunity to reflect on the situation. What I realized is that the quality I admire most in people I’ve personally looked up to is RESILIENCE. You know, the people who despite whatever painful, difficult or even devastating situations they are enduring, somehow seem to naturally exude an internal sunshine and happiness. They remain calm, positive and at peace. Maybe, in some way, not being able to walk or CrossFit or rock climb, the Universe has given me the opportunity (and challenge) to demonstrate those very qualities. For that I am thankful, and hope I can continue to rise to that challenge and shine happiness from within.