TGIF! Have a great holiday weekend and spend lots of time hugging your babes and other loved ones. I am not religious so I tend to view this holiday as time I get to spend with my kiddos (and extended family) as they do something they love, like hunting for colorful eggs and getting some little treats. Whatever this season means for you… enjoy.
I kicked off the weekend with a good CrossFit workout… rowing, running, burpees, situps, pushups, squats, rope climbing, kettelbell swings, and hip extensions. Most of these were AMRAP or as many rounds/reps as possible. It was a tough one! I dived into my car afterwards and downed a dark chocolate coconut water. Lots of magnesium and potassium for recovery, plus it tastes like chocolate milk. Bonus! I will probably take a bath in magnesium flakes later too.
My post last Friday about my thyroid had some concerned about my carb intake. I am aware that there are a few in the WAPF blogging world who have suddenly decided that a high carb diet is best and that eating ice cream and pretzels for dinner is the way to go. First, I am not buying it, AT ALL. Second I am not low carb, nor is paleo low carb. What I am experiencing with my thyroid was due to calorie restriction. Not eating enough caused my body to be severely stressed, which made my thyroid go crazy. I upped my calories and things are improving. I can’t say everything is 100% fine now but that is because it is really darn easy to send your thyroid into a tailspin and really darn hard to work your way out of that. That is just the way it works unfortunately.
As for being me being low carb or paleo being low carb…. nah. This morning I had a cup of greek yogurt mixed with 4 Tablespoons of Linwoods Ground Flaxseed, Cocoa, Strawberries and Blueberries. I also had the coconut water. By 8:00 a.m. I already had over 60 grams of carbs and 50 or lower is generally considered low carb. I will end the day somewhere around 100-130ish grams. So no, not low carb. If you eat dairy like I do or have lots of fruits and veggies I am not sure how you can go low carb. I prefer to concentrate on getting good quality carbs instead of relying on junk carbs (like grains) and sometimes that is harder but oh well. My health is worth it. Love this satire article posted by Lea of Nourishing Treasures about all the reasons why going high carb is good for you. Losing weight from amputation?? I really shouldn’t laugh but I can’t help it.
Okay on to other stuff.
On My Bookshelf…
Reading Before They Are Gone right now. It is about a Dad who is uniquely positioned to see how climate change is affecting our National Parks and he decides his kids need to see them before they are forever changed. Thus he takes them on a year long journey to visit these endangered places. So far, very good.
Just finished Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Women. It is an amazing book and I highly recommend it. Kettlebells are what you see in the photo at the top of this post and I have fallen deeply in love with them. Yes, I even wear a miniature size kettlebell necklace daily. This book demonstrates why they are so awesome and superior to dumbbells. I can testify to what the book says about how they manage to work deep muscles, down in your core, that dumbbells are ineffective with. My first workout with kettlebells I was sore for days and I had been working out 3-4 times a week with dumbbells for over a year and never got all the deep muscles that the kettlebells did. I was also used to heavier circuit machines weights… think 100+ pounds. After using Kettlebells once I could barely get on and off the toilet and had to get assistance taking my clothes off. I knew from there that these were miracle devices. Just one move, the Kettlebell Swing, works 9 different muscle groups. It would take 9 different dumbbell exercises and their corresponding reps to get the same results. The author also talks about how she was a workout junkie and had to workout 2 hours a day to keep her physique. Now she works less than half that, thanks to kettlebells.
On the docket is All the Money in the World which is supposed to be a good book about changing your perspective where money is concerned, to view it as a tool instead of a resource.
Also plan to read Pandemonium, the sequel to Delirium, which I loved. It takes place in a world similar to the one in the movie Equilibrium (which rocks BTW!) where everyone has decided that emotion is the source of all strife and so they medicate it out of you. In this book series they surgically alter the brains of their citizens to make love and deep emotion impossible. Why it is that I love dystopian novels so much cannot be explained. I think maybe it has to do with the inner strength required to stand up to the establishment.
Link Love for the Week…
My lovely friend Stephanie at Good Girl Gone Green is giving away some organic and natural hair conditioner that she uses in conjunction with no poo to combat dryness. Make sure to stop by and check that out.
The aforementioned friend also alerted me to this article written by Annie Leonard of Story of Stuff fame. It is about consumer guilt surrounding Apple products. It was timely for me because this month or next I plan to get the iPad 3 and it is a source of guilt for me. It will be my first iPad and the only other Apple products I have are my iPod and Shuffle which I bought 8 years ago and still use to this day. I think I am doing pretty good not buying things I don’t need or upgrading just because a newer, better model is out. Maybe I can ease up with the guilt.
Mark Sisson at Mark’s Daily Apple wrote a great article on Why Eating Meat is Ethical in response to the NY Times Essay contest. He is limited as to what he can bring into his argument because there is a word count and also a request not to mention issues like sustainability, factory versus pastured, local , etc. That is just plain ridiculous but his article is good. It might be said that in many ways he avoids the question by highlighting why we shouldn’t even question the ethics of meat because we aren’t questioning the ethics of plant based diets, which is also riddled with environmental problems and death to animal life. It is not a cop-out IMO, it is a valid point.
Fellow CrossFitter and green mom blogger Paige wrote about why she is doing CrossFit and is not going to go paleo. For those not familiar, CrossFit and paleo go together like peas and carrots. She quoted me in her article as well as fellow paleo gal Deanna Duke of Crunchy Chicken.
This HuffPo article, More Americans Went Without Medicine Last Year, made me appreciate how deal sites like Groupon are making it easier to get medical services you might need or want. I support these sites/deals because I want to see more of them. I get chiropractic care, acupuncture treatments, and just recently bought lab work of all things. The lab works includes a complete Thyroid profile, lipids testing, Vitamin D 25-hydroxy test, Iron profile, blood-count, C-reactive protein test, glucose, and Potassium. It’s good to have all this info so you can see where you are with nutrients and adjust your diet where necessary. You may think your diet is healthy and meeting all your requirements but what does your blood say? I hope to see naturopathic services on these sites soon. I think that so much of our healthcare problem in this country can be fixed with diet and exercise instead of medication but we still need a way to access cheaper services directly and deal sites are filling this need for many.
Also wanted to share that Abe’s Market is now offering sample products of many of their natural, green products and food. You pick the 3 samples you want, pay $2.00 for shipping, and you get to cheaply test some great products. They sent me a sample box and I really like their idea/concept. They also happened to send me some NutCase Crunch (a paleo cereal) which is a big favorite of mine. How did they know??! I also got a vegan soap with Yerba Mate leaves and an organic Cocoa Calendula Balm for irritated skin. All of it was great and I see some other stuff I would like to try as well. Can’t beat the price either. Check it out when you get a chance.
And I am done, done, done. Do you have any good links to share?
A had a health hiccup recently that threw me for a loop but I was able to get things under control. Basically my thyroid went wacko and I slipped back into hypothyroid symptoms despite my medication. Once again my hair started falling out and my basal body temperature dipped to 96.2 on average. Panic started to set in and I began to doubt my diet since diet is what threw my thyroid into a tailspin in the first place. I was able to figure out though that my symptoms started right when I joined a CrossFit box. From there it was not hard to figure out that my calorie expenditure went way up and my calories going in, did not. It was accidental calorie restriction and that is well known for causing low body temperatures and thyroid problems due to bodily stress. I didn’t even think about it because I wasn’t losing any weight. In fact I gained some. But yet I know that I have gained an incredible amount of muscle since I started doing CrossFit. I am well on my way to Linda Hamilton’s Terminator arms and Tamilee Webb’s Buns of Steel. Booyah!
So I started eating 500+ calories more than usual each day and my temperatures are steadily going up. 98.3 as of yesterday! I also decided to try and vary my carbs to more greens, veggies, and fruit instead of Lara bars and yogurt. And despite eating way more, I lost a teeny bit of weight this week so I know I am not eating too much. My hair is loss is already slowing greatly too. Things are looking up!
Despite that snafu, I am so very much in love with CrossFit I can not even express it. This video kind of does it justice:
If not maybe this piece of sheer awesomeness does. I got a kettlebell necklace from Flashletics this week. Love, love, love!
I have been spending lots of time outside gardening and just sitting on my beloved Adirondack chair reading a book and earthing. I believe in the concept so much. Any time I have even the slightest ache or pain it is gone within minutes of digging my feels into the dirt. I also decided to visit a chiropractor to work on persistent back pain due to years of working at a desk and that is also improving. Once weekly I get a massage, chiro adjustment, and a session on a traction table. If only I could move my computer desk outside onto the grass I think all my problems would be solved. ;)
So far I have started radish, lettuce, and rainbow chard seeds inside my house in my little greenhouse. I also repotted a red raspberry bush into a bigger pot. It already has lots of leaves and new growth. I also have pink hydrangea starting to get growth and an indoor purple hydrangea blooming. Yay for spring! Can’t wait to get started planting inside our raised bed.
The kids and I also did some crafting outside but I probably won’t share info on that until Screen Free Week, which is from April 30th to May6th. But here is a preview:
Books I have read of late:
The 4-Hour Workweek – In general I really like the ideas and concepts presented here. It encourages you to forget the old concept of retirement and the rest of the deferred-life plan. It’s all about living your dreams now and not putting off things like world travel, especially in unpredictable economic times.
Fever (Chemical Garden) - The sequel to Wither, which I loved. Didn’t like this one as much but still excited for the third book.
The Goddess Test - Kinda liked this book and want to continue the series. Its about a young woman who gets an offer from Hades to marry him and help him run the Underworld if she can pass seven tests.
Other Cool Links:
Enjoyed this post by Matt Monarch of Raw Food World about his diaper free baby daughter. Really wish I had tried EC with my babes!
This article on Getting Your Kids to Plug into Nature. I love how Diane recommends getting kids outside even if it is rainy. Just put on some boots, a raincoat, and get out there!
I plan on making a grain free carrot cake for either Easter or Earth Day or both. Maybe this one?
Have a great weekend all and feel free to share amazing links you have discovered recently in the comments. Don’t keep all the good stuff to yourself!
This morning I got a great reminder from a green blogger I admire, and that I got to meet in person a couple months ago. The lovely Shane at Environmental Booty is asking others to share what they do to to find fulfillment and make the most of each day. It is so important to be able to find your happiness and joy in little things, each and every day and yet it is so hard to do for many of us. This is an important topic for me because I tend to be one of those “someday” people. I have big dreams. I have concrete ideas of what I want my life to be and what I want to do with it. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big of course but folks like me forget to live in the moment and seek out happiness right this very second. If I am not careful I find myself drifting aimlessly and starting to get depressed that someday is still so far off.
Last year though I made a resolution to spend greater time on self care and finding happiness NOW. It worked so well that my resolution this year was to have more fun. I would like to think I am getting pretty good at making the most of every day now. It is not uncommon to find myself thinking that if this, right now, was all my life would ever come to be, then I am pretty darn lucky. When you seek joy every day, you don’t have to worry so much about someday anymore.
So what do I do to find my happiness? These days I make time for myself and I seek happiness by going to the gym several times a week. It gets the day started right and I feel good when I do. I make time to visit the library usually once a week and just meander up and down the isles looking at books. Books=happiness. I take a class or go to a workshop on the weekend, for fun and to better myself. I visit thrift stores to find good deals. I go the movies by myself. I saw John Carter yesterday and fell in love.
Sometimes I tell my husband that we simply MUST go out for ice cream (while the kids are in school) and we go to Jeni’s ice Cream together. We did this just last week in fact. It is artisan ice cream with unique and amazing flavors. They also use local grass fed cream! Does this not scream happiness?!?!
Magnolia Mochi, Mango Kiwi, Icelandic Happy Marriage Cake, and Tres Leches w/Here and There Cherries
Mmmm, I think we need to go again this week. ;)
TODAY I have found my happiness in…
Getting up early so I could throw dinner in the slow cooker AND watch a few episodes of Friday Night Lights in peace and quiet.
Cooking yummy Garlic Ginger Chicken for me and two of my men folk, for lunch.
Buying myself some flowers and putting them on my desk to enjoy all day long.
The flowers teased me at the grocery all week long and I resisted their urges until today when I read Shane’s post. Then when I went out to get butter for the aforementioned chicken, I HAD to get them. I am so happy that I did. Someone at the store sprinkled them with glitter and it just gives them a magical feel. Every time I look at them I have to smile in contentment. Finding your happiness doesn’t only have to be about the big moments in life, it can be about all the small ones too.
What do you do to make every moment count and find happiness in the small stuff? Link up below:
We had a busy, busy weekend. On Saturday the husband and I dropped the kids off to spend a day and night at Grandma’s house. Then we were off for date night… or day I guess. We started out by going to hang out with Arnold Schwarzenegger at The Arnold Sports Festival. Okay so we didn’t actually hang out with Arnie but we did see him! The festival was awesome and for the most part we hung out in the CrossFit room watching the CrossFit Games but we also checked out the Fencing, Martial Arts, Boxing, Gymnastics, Weight Lifting, Fitness Modeling, and Body Building. The expo was also fun.. if you liked being squished against muscle bound men and women. And I mean squished… the expo was so packed that you were pressed body to body with other people almost at all times. When you happened to be standing next to a bikini model you got to see her up close and personal!
I honed in on some good booths though. I scored some free Lara Bars and coupons at their booth and I found another Vibram shoes wearer at the theYogaToes booth. I plan to buy one their products too, the rep really sold me. I also discovered the most insanely awesome lunchbox called the Six Pack Bag and had to get one. I will review soon but it will be perfect for summer outings when we need to bring our own food… road trips, zoo trips, picnics, hiking/camping. The top shelf has room for loose snacks like dried fruit, nuts, and bars. It also has a tray for supplements so that when you travel everyone’s fish oil pills or multi-vitamins have a safe secure place. The bag is designed for weight lifters but I saw it and thought it had “family trips” written all over it. It has three trays that can be filled with a complete meal and I have 3 kids, perfect! There is also a bigger bag with 5 trays (for all of us) but I figured the smaller bag could also double as hubby’s lunchbox during the week and the big bag would be overkill for that purpose. Alongside the middle section that holds the trays are two slits for ice bags and there are two side compartments that can hold fresh fruit, yogurt cups, reusable bottles, etc. I am not sure why but I just have this lunchbox fetish and this bag just sent me over the moon.
After The Arnold we went out to eat at a sushi bar. We totally went off our paleo diets (rice) but oooh it was good. Raw fish, wasabi, and pickled ginger… does it get any better???! Then we went to see Safe House at the movies and I loved that as well. It was a wonderful psychological thriller. Date night was a success.
On Sunday I went with the kids and my parents to see The Columbus Home and Garden Show while hubby got some work done around the house. I have wanted to go for years but I think it is geared toward people with massive amounts of disposable income they can sink into marble countertops, hot tubs, and sleek patio decks. It was fun to look but even if I had the kind of money most of this stuff cost, I wouldn’t spend it that way. So, I mostly just enjoyed walking through the gardens and seeing the spring flowers. I am a pretty simple gal with simple tastes. I did get some pretty photos though! The first is my mom with my two youngest.
If you area anything like me you are trying to firm up Earth Day Plans already. How do you spend the day? Do you stay home and conserve fuel and energy? Do you plant a tree or do some gardening? Do you do a community service project? Well, one idea might be to check out the DisneyNature film Chimpanzee which will be released on April 20, just in time for Earth Day festivities.
DisneyNature films are always stellar and I think this will be no exception, just like African Cats and Oceans. My youngest (6) especially would love this. He spends a fair amount of time watching Netflix animal documentaries. The movie is a nature documentary about a young chimpanzee named Oscar who finds himself alone in the African forests until he is adopted by another chimpanzee.The film was co-produced by Disneynature and the Jane Goodall Institute. A portion of the opening week proceeds will go to the latter. Earth Day or the days immediately before would be a great time to see it for that reason alone.
Hi there! I am a green, paleo, crossfit mom of three. I am concerned about health, wellness, and sustainability issues. This is my life. This what I am passionate about. Come get to know me and feel free to connect. Enjoy!
TGIF! Have a great holiday weekend and spend lots of time hugging your babes and other loved ones. I am not religious so I tend to view this holiday as time I get to spend with my kiddos (and extended family) as they do something they love, like hunting for colorful eggs and getting some little treats. Whatever this season means for you… enjoy.
On My Bookshelf…
I honed in on some good booths though. I scored some free Lara Bars and coupons at their booth and I found another 
Hi there! I am a green, paleo, crossfit mom of three. I am concerned about health, wellness, and sustainability issues. This is my life. This what I am passionate about. Come get to know me and feel free to 
