20140718 Friday Finds

Is anyone else in the Midwest area? I am absolutely loving these early-fall type temperatures we have been having in Michigan! Yesterday was the first time I put on a pair of jeans since probably June; I have been living in sundresses and skirts for work and going out, and rocking the short shorts for staying in. But the feeling of being able to sleep with the windows open with crisp air, and wearing a sweatshirt upon waking? Love it.

Totally put me in a pumpkin baking mood, so I was excited to run across Rubies and Radishes Pumkpin Poppers, or “Amaze-balls” as she calls them. I kept the happy momentum going and managed to PR my strict pull-ups this week, hitting 6 in a row on my quest to do 3 full sets of 5. I have been feeling so strong with my muscle-up progressions, that it HAS to be coming soon.

I went to the doctor’s on Wednesday morning to get my right foot checked out which has been unhappy since I PRed my sled push almost a whole month ago. Without being able to run or jump on it without pain, I had to make sure nothing was severely wrong. And, there is nothing wrong other than whatever I fabricated in my mind. Just was prescribed something along the lines of, “Use your pain as a guide.” When I told one of my coaches, she said that that would be the worst advice to ever give a Crossfitter. With a competition coming up tomorrow, I at least needed to know I was not going to shatter my foot doing burpees or box jumps, so it was great news that being cautious is really all I needed.

But then, my happy optimistic week was shattered on Wednesday night when, in an effort to avoid rear-ending someone, I swerved up a curb, blowing both tires on the passenger side of my car. Ugh. Yes, it could have been much worse. There are a million things that could be worse than just the replacement of two tires, but it doesn’t make the unplanned expense suck any less. Mom tried to make me feel better… by bringing me a Twinkie..

Then, one final kick for the week; my partner for my competition Saturday ended up falling ill and is unable to compete! So as of this moment.. I am trying to connive someone to jump in..

My note to myself today, and as I told my poor, ailing partner, is “You can’t control what you can’t control.” So with that.. here are some things within my control!

News/Blogs:

How to Workout With No Weights: I was chosen as one of 7 fitness-focused ladies to provide an exercise that can be done with bodyweight alone on Top.me. I was excited to be on the list alongside Nia Shanks! Check out what I came up with.

How Strong is Strong Enough: From one of my favorite writers, and a recent investor in the City of Detroit, Dana writes on finding a gold standard for strength.

Shoulders are the New Cleavage: I LOVED this article that Artemis wrote on her blog about shoulders being the new cleavage. As someone who has no cleavage, I could relate to her perspective. It had a similar message to a recent post I wrote about embracing the body that you have and being proud of your efforts.

8 Things Learned on the Biggest Loser: Written by former contestant, Isabeau Miller, this article puts losing weight into perspective, primarily focusing on how weight should not be the main standard to measure things against, and that body image and loving yourself is so much more important than a number.

New Products:

I love happy mail days, and I ended up getting samples of three different bars from AMRAPNutrition. I am not usually a fan of meal replacement bars or even bars for snacking, but was pretty pleased with these! I tried two of three (one is the original, selling on their site today; one was cashew-based, and one has chocolate). I can live without chocolate, but found the two I did try super tasty!

Not only did it taste good, it was crazy filling. I like to eat; and I eat a lot. But I had this in the morning around 8am, and when it came to my normal 10:00 breakfast, I wasn’t hungry at all. I didn’t end up eating my first “meal” until well after 11:00.  Packed with 300 calories, 14g of protein and 22g carbs, with paleo approved ingredients, the bars are pricey at $24 for a box of 8.

I wouldn’t recommend these as a daily treat, but would be great to keep in your bag for emergencies or if you need something on the go.

Discounts and Deals:

I am about to put in a new order for myself, which reminded me that I have a discount code to share for you to make custom protein powders, supplements, and now oatmeal at True Nutrition! (Even options for those looking for gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, vegan, or paleo protein powder!) Great customer service, great products. I am personally a fan of the Lift Big, Eat Big protein powder (vanilla unsweetened, or birthday cake for when I’m feeling adventurous) and have been using their inexpensive carb formula post-workout.

I recommend ordering a smaller bag to start (which may not be the most cost-efficient), but then once you find a formula you LOVE, you can bulk-order and save. There is a minimum order of 1#, but then you can order as much as you want! Sometimes I’ll order a pound of 3-4 different kinds, then bulk-order the one I like best.

Also, if you want to be all cozy this chilly summer, Fran’s Closet is giving her fans a 20% off discount code this weekend. Go give her a “like” on Facebook and then use code “400” at checkout!

Your turn..

Do you feel every good situation ends up being offset with a bad one?
When was the last time you ate a Twinkie?!
Is there a movement you have been working on forever and finally making progress?
Do you supplement with any sort of bars?
What is your favorite brand of protein?
Have you ever worn a shirt for days and days in a row?