Reflection on the BCCC

Until today I thought I was not very successful during this Body Change Composition Challenge (BCCC).  I kept pushing the thought out of my mind that I failed.  I don’t like using the words failure or failed as things can be challenging and you can and must learn from them.  This morning after a couple of weeks re-assessing things, I was happy to find a success.  Hold on till the end for the exciting news! With a yummy coffee in hand this morning I reflected back on what I learned about myself during this challenge (which isn’t over yet). Here is what I came up with...

1.  Be okay with not being 100%.  Sometimes you need to re-frame your wording and thinking.

2.  Sometimes you have to give in to deal with work stress.  Which for me is going out to dinner to deal and process vicarious trauma from my job.

3.  Too many fall events this month contributed to eating out, but made healthy choices 95% of the time. For example, I had tickets to Phillies first post-season game.  I drank no beer, has some Saki at the fall festival, lots of bacon wrapped quail eggs (delish!), and ate the chicken, lettuce, tomato and avocado out of a sandwich - threw out the bread.

4.  Listen more closely to my body. Feed it protein even if I'm not so hungry due to work stress as I will be become lethargic at night.

5.  Bosses and co-workers won't understand your foggy brain so plan for this if you can. I accepted that not all my progress notes would get done in time for my invoice

6.  Don't beat yourself up. Continue with the rest of the day and be mindful of choices.

7.  Rest!  I have missed almost 2 weeks at CFCC due to being under the weather and obviously my body needed a break. I've been sleeping 10 hours a night.  This also gave me time to re-assess some of my personal life.

8.  Kale!  For the past year (maybe longer), I eat this wonderful leafy green daily.  Does kale ever go out of season?

9.  Listen to others' positive comments.  I didn't notice my body slimming down but my family, neighbors, coworkers and friends noticed.  I need to work on accepting compliments more graciously instead of disagreeing with people.

My exiting news is that I reached my goal and fit into my Lucky Brand jeans from 5 years ago.  Definitely celebrated the fact that I reached that goal and surprised myself.  I strutted my smaller booty to work today with a large smile on my face.

Bring your “A” game!

Do you want to be a competitive warrior?  What kind of head do you have on your shoulders? Whether you do or don’t want to compete this article will help you.  It even applies to daily life when fears get in the way or we get stuck in certain behavior patterns.  We all do this at one time or another.  Fears and self-doubt paralyze us and prevent us from reaching our potential.  I will use the term athlete but substitute it for whatever your goal is or what you are identifying as a challenge.

Athletes will work on strength, quickness and fitness levels. Of course you need to do this hard work to be successful. But what about when you are about to compete or the workout of the day or challenge yourself on another level.  Where is your mind then?  In practice it is 95% physical and 5% mental – give or take a percentage.  When it comes to competing it’s the reverse 95% mental and 5% physical.  How many of you practice mental strength?  Maybe you do the week before an event but practicing daily can carry over in many different aspects of life.

Here are some things to work on or keep in mind:

1.     Attitude.  So much to say here and go into detail of state of mind and emotions.  But do a self-check daily, hourly on your present self.  Do you have confidence?  The why isn’t important all the time but identifying it is. This is hard to go into without doing a therapy session with someone as there may be underlying reasons why you constantly struggle with self-doubt or is it a given day that just is putting you in a funk.  Notice your patterns but don’t over analyze by yourself this will dig you into a deeper hole.

2.     Programming.  Just like programming for your physical training it is important to do so with mental training.  Positive affirmations may help. Placing fair and reachable expectations then can be adjusted as you reach them. Visualize your success including the actual events and using all senses.  What will you hear, see, smell, feel…  Focus on what you want to occur.  Using “I will, I can, I am going to...” will help. Make a script for yourself if needed. Schedule this programming like you would your physical training.

3.     Routines.  When I swam competitively I had a routine before I got up on the block.  My mom and coaches would know if I was not mentally there if I didn’t do this hand/arm shaking motion and adjusting of my goggles.  I couldn’t force this routine it would just happen.  If I was distant it didn’t happen but being aware of this and doing it would ground me to be ready to do my all in the race. Sometimes you have to be okay with this awareness not to happen.  The hand/arm shake came out of nowhere. I can’t think of a time I didn’t do it or when I started doing it.  Notice what is comfortable; maybe a coach will point it out for you.  This routine will come from practice.  Competing in triathlons is different.   For this I practice the race, drive the course, go over what my set up will be, when my nutrition will take place and what I am going to eat, etc.

4.     Letting go of mistakes.  Eek!! Not easy, right! But practicing composure and poise will help with this.  You will need to compensate, adjust and trust what your body is telling you.  If plan A doesn’t work, go with B or C.  Have something that can ground you back to focusing on the task at hand.  Maybe a certain song, picture, phrase.  Practice this too.   Later you can reflect back on the mistake to make adjustments but during the challenge, event, game, whatever – keep it focused.

5.     Reframing negative self-talk.  Yup another that we do and sometimes don’t notice we do it. Identify those triggers that cause you frustration, feeling rushed, intimidated, lose focus. Id you hear yourself say “I can’t, I never, I hate…” After you identify these statements or thoughts change the statement to make it positive or have a motivating statement.  Example – “This weight is going to be heavy” instead “Get aggressive, and lift that sh*t” or “There is no way I’m going to beat that girl” to “I’m going to get a best time or PR”.

6.     Stay in the present.  Very hard to do as we all think about what is coming next.  Identify when you are playing chess with what you are doing.  That is stop thinking 3 moves ahead and take in what you are currently doing.  This takes practice.  I recommend looking into mindfulness activities and mediation.  Until you do, focus on the sense again and the task at hand along with your body cues.

7.     Failure is a stepping-stone to future achievements.  And failures make the successes even sweeter.  Focus on the big picture, the whole process.

AND sometimes you also just have to say “F**K it!” Enjoy what you have done, take a break, re-assess, treat yourself and start again.

 Part II will be coming soon with more ways to get over mental blocks.

Pork chops with a new flavor

For the longest time I gave up eating pork chops.  I recall back in high school eating my mom's delicious rosemary pork chops weekly after swim practice. Guess I ate too much of a good thing and became picky about not eating them. 

Starting eating all this protein - 100 grams a day which was a lot at first for me - I needed to retry eating pork chops.  So I came up with the following recipe with a couple of variations.  Very quick and easy and scrumptious.

4 pork chops, bone in or out your preference
2 large onions, sliced in half moons.  I've used both red and yellow

Variation 1
2 peaches

Variation 2
1/2 cup of dried cherries soak these in apple cider vinegar while preparing the rest
Coconut oil
Salt & pepper
Fresh basil
1/2 cup Apple cider vinegar (I've also done this with white vinegar)

Step 1. In a hot pan with coconut oil sear the salt and pepper seasoned pork for 3 min each side. Until nicely browned

Step 2  Remove pork and set aside
Step 3 Add in onions and sauté until them start to become soft
Step 4. Add in fruit and 1/4 cup of vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes or so
Step 5 Add in pork and it's juices
Step 6 Cover with lid and either cook in 350 degree oven or on stove top at about 6.
Step 7 Cook until pork is cooked through. Approx 15 min
Step 8 Add some fresh basil leaves and serve
Step 9 Happy Belly!!

Tonight's new variation included adding in some handfuls of kale.  I'm too busy to chop it so I rip it with my hands.  Old world style.  Added the kale with the onions.  Only had one onion today (odd for me) which inspired me to add one of my favorite veggies KALE! Then added in the pork and the cherries and cider vinegar.

I made the recipe above a couple of week's ago for mom with the peaches variation and she loved them. She also couldn't get over the difference in taste over grass fed meat straight from the farm than the stuff she gets at the Acme.

Amazing grass fed pork from Whole Foods

Tea Obsession

I might have a slight obsession with buying and drinking hot tea.  I have a whole shelf in one of my cabinets dedicated to tea.  I recently stumbled across Numi Organic Chocolate Pu-reh tea which helps at night with my chocolate cravings.  It has cocoa, vanilla beans, nutmeg and cinnamon for a spicy yet smooth taste. I celebrate having tea at night by making it into a ritual that includes delicate coffee/tea mugs or cups, my favorite tea pot and in the sugar bowl are my selected favorite tea of the moment since I don't use sugar.  I have at one time added some coconut milk to make the tea creamier and more dessert like but it is not needed at all. 

How to be Paleo and Have a Social Life

One of my most needed coping skills because of my job, is to go out on Thursday nights so I can relax from my intense week of clients (I don't see clients at the agency on Friday). My Thursday night used to be a pitcher of blood orange margaritas at El Vez and an order of Nacho Mammas split between myself and my one colleague/friend.  Man I miss those nights (I will indulge at some point in the future as a reward).  Here are some things I like to do to help stay Paleo on those Thursday nights:

1. Check out the menu before going and make sure there is at least one option that you can make Paleo.  Menupages.com and restaurant websites along with Yelp.com are helpful with this.

2.  Planning!  Plan ahead the days you are going to have an alcoholic beverage. This way you can decide ahead of time where you want to go and meet your adult beverage hankering. Plan nights out as an open meal if you follow that. Planning also helps with finding social venues that will meet your Paleo needs and still be entertaining.

3. Snack before going out.  My item of choice is turkey jerky.  Doesn't smell, keeps for a while and easily transportable.

4. Supportive friends.  Those who make you feel bad or guilty for eating a certain way may not be worth it as dinner dates.  You might have to re-evaluate friendships

5. Just say no to bread before it comes out.  Especially until you get over the craving for it.  After about a month I no longer worry about the bread basket sitting in front of me.

6.  Have a dinner party or potluck.  Since I love to cook, I like to plan a recipe swap night. Everyone brings enough for each person to either eat then or take home along with a recipe.

Lastly, don't beat yourself up.  If you give in on an urge after all this then your body needed it for one reason or another.  Tomorrow is another day!