Paleo Ideas

Very Berry salad from Wendy's (ordered with extra chicken).



Poached eggs, strawberries, walnuts.



Poached eggs with avocado.

My New Vibrams

It never took much to convince me to splurge on a new pair of shoes. All of my prized zapatos are stored in their boxes free from dust, out of reach from mom's little shoelace-chewing walrus I guess they call a cat, but mainly because for some reason pulling the shoes out of their original box invokes that initial feeling of giddiness when you first bought them. I like that feeling.
But now, I have to admit, I get more excitement from opening a box of new running shoes or the newest Nike Dri-fit 'technology' compression apparel or athletic socks than I do about Aldo pumps or Sephora splurges. I feel sexiest in my workout garb, not my Bebe dresses.
Notice I said 'feel' sexiest...not look sexiest...case in point, my new Vibram Five Fingers Komodo Sport shoes...

Very primal eh!! And no shoelaces for the damn cat to chew off! These new kicks are so comfy! I wore them for a couple days at work where I'm pretty sedentary. It was like walking around in thick socks. My first WOD included an 800 meter run and my ankles took a beating. I assume it's due to the minimal ankle support and the fact that you're forced to use more muscles, and use them differently, than with conventional shoes. Matt said 800 meters would be the max distance when I start running with them, but to progress from there.
I do notice a difference when lifting in them. I feel a lot more stable and when I correct my form, such as applying more weight on the outside of my feet, I feel a bigger difference. It's not that the shoes are providing the better form, but they allow me to better differentiate when I'm in correct vs incorrect form.
So far so good for WODs and lifting. Running is a work in progress. I thought maybe a good next step would be to wear them at the hospital for a weekend where I'm more active, transporting and lifting patients and equipment. By Saturday night my calves were slightly sore, but by no means did it limit mobility. Sunday was a different story. Calves were shot! They felt 5 times bigger, I was limping and nearly giving out when I got up to walk. Monday's WOD entailed box jumps, I skipped it. It took about 3 days for them to feel normal again.
So I think I can safely say that these kicks are no gimmick, they definitely have a beneficial purpose plus they're uber comfy, my bunions don't hurt and, frankly, I think they look cool too. I just need to practice navigating the bigger big toe. I've had a couple failed box jumps.

Fittest Man and Woman On Earth (BAMFs)

Rich Froning


Annie Thorisdottir (she's always smiling!)

Can a Girl Get Her Barbell Aready?!?!

I need to vent. The past two CrossFits WODs were brutal! They should've been illegal! And I sucked. Tuesday's WOD was a metcon (metabolic conditioning) workout. These workouts are fundamental movements involving several muscle systems at once. Here's a geat article that explains metcons in detail. To sum it up, basically these workouts are fundamental movements involving several muscle systems at once. They are "extraordinarily taxing of the body's ability to supply energy". They are TOUGH. It's all about adaptation, going to beyond the "margins of our experience"-that's when we suffer. These workouts are supposed to be competitive, uncomfortable and make you want to puke. Tuesday's workout took me about 44 minutes to complete. There were a few times I was ready to quit. I pulled through, but my time sucked. Next time however, this same WOD will be within the realm of my experience and, hopefully, I'll do better. I will have to say that I was feeling under the weather before I went in, so that didn't help.
Today's workout was just as rough, but I have to say I "enjoyed" it (for lack of a better term..."tolerated" maybe???) more. It involved more exercises. I'm finding that I need the variety to keep going. Tuesday's WOD involved only 2 movements, pull ups and burpees. Today's WOD involved 3 movements, wall balls, box jumps and kettlebell swings. The variety helped. I hate to say that the WODs can be boring, that's not even remotely the case, but the more the variety the more distracted I am from the clock. If that makes sense. When I finish the wall balls, I know I have a longer break from them before the next round.
With that said, this week as been brutal. So far the most difficult, and I still have Friday and Saturday to go. I definitely appreciate the under 20 minute WOD. My strengths are power and strength, my weaknesses are stamina and endurance. My work is cut out for me. I miss my barbells though.

Speaking of barbells, can someone Puh-LEAASE hand one to this girl...



This is our society's idea of healthy? fit? in shape? strong??? This is disgusting! Ok, maybe not disgusting...but definitely pathetic. Has this girl ever seen a barbell much less picked one up???
I'm the first to admit I'm not the epitome of perfect health...but if the editors at Shape mag and others alike are going to set a standard, jesus christ raise the bar! All this says to me is 'Skinny IS healthy. Skinny is beautiful. Skinny is strong.' This magazine is almost worse than the InStyle, Vogue and Cosmo mags; at least these mags don't pretend to show what healthy is. I put magazines like Shape and Self almost right down there with the runway anorexics. It's disgusting. It's not the social standard, and it's most certainly not what women (or anybody really) should be aiming for.

Note to Self #4:

Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin, it's a steroid hormone.

A vitamin is an organic compound that cannot be synthesized by the organism itself and therefore must be obtained from diet or supplements.
'Vitamin D' is synthesized in sufficient amounts by the organism alone when exposed to sunlight. The only way to overdose on vitamin D is from the consumption of supplements since the body will naturally stop synthesizing it (from sun exposure) when it's obtained a sufficent amount.

Love Hate Heat

I never complain about the heat...ever. The further away winter is, the happier I am. Heat gives me an adrenaline rush; like the feeling I get when I'm almost at end of my runs... hot, tired, out of breath, HR is in the 170s, soaked in sweat, throat is dry...I'm in auto pilot, I keep running...that's what heat feels like to me. If I step outside and its a brisk 50 degrees, I'd think twice about running. But 85 degrees plus induces a weird adrenaline rush and I'm ready to go. The sooner I can break a sweat, the better.
My theory is this...hear me out...I'm a sucker for thermal physics mmmkay. One general truth about the world is that heat flows spontaneously from the hotter object to the colder object, never the opposite, and the goal in this is to obtain thermal equilibrium. Heat is energy. So when I walk outside and it's a 100+ degrees, I, being the colder object, am being bombarded by all the rapidly moving "energetic" molecules. Attacked by energy...essentially...that's what I picture at least. So that explains why I thrive in heat.
However, the 5K I signed up for back in May has been postponed due to excessive heat. I hate to admit it, but I'm kinda happy about that. I love the heat, but I think I've met my match...122 degree heat index is where I draw the line for running any amount of distance outside, with thousands of people on top of it.
Not only am I bummed about my first race being cancelled, but it would've been a pretty gnarly way to kick off my training for the Twin Cities 10 mile that I was coerced into signing up for in October. Yep. Thanks Shannon. Actually, I'm getting more excited about this race the more I think about it. I don't like to run, but it keeps you skinny, and the only way I see myself sticking with it is if I have something to train for. A 10 mile race here and there won't kill me anyways...unless it's a brisk 50 degrees of course.
I won't however blame the heat on my poor CrossFit attendance this week. I think everyone (who deserves it) needs a break every once in awhile. I needed a break this week...a mental one. I needed the sleep, I needed the rest. Flo's in town. My back hurts. And I've been helping Jeff paint his house. Yes CrossFit, I need a break from you. I need a break from you because I can't handle being totally in awe of how much I can kick your ass everyday. I can't handle the ridiculous ego trip I get from looking at my whiteboard stats. I can't handle leaving the gym at 8am and knowing the hardest part of my day is already over.
Thanks CrossFit...I hate you.

Note to Self #3:

Checking the WOD the night before is proving counterproductive right now. DON'T DO IT!!!

Planted Seed

Matt, my trainer, used to be a paramedic and firefighter so subsequently puts a lot of emphasis on safety. He requires personal training prior to his CrossFit classes to ensure that you are educated about and able to perform proper form. It's amazing how important proper form is in anything really. From sitting at computer desk to lifting your own body weight over your head. Either one can cause injury, chronic or acute, if proper form isn't constantly practiced. With CrossFit, I'm learning how my body functions as a machine, and any machine has the potential to fail or break.
Everything from the tilt of my pelvis or the angle of my wrist plays a role. I'm learning what my body wants to do naturally, and how I have to retrain it to ensure safe and proper forms. Minor deviations from proper form can cost you the entire benefit of that exercise, or worse, injure you irreparably. Of course Matt is quick to point out any imperfections "watch your head so you don't hit it" but then quickly follows with "meh...you signed the waiver anyways."
I view CrossFit as the crotchrocket of motorcycles. It has a bad rap because it attracts a lot of droided hotheads and adrenaline junkies who want nothing but to push themselves to the limits for the mere bragging rights. It is a great 'sport' for competitive people, it's even brought out a small competitive streak in me. It is dangerous, it can kill you. But as with any intense activity, or powerful motorcycle built for speed, it's only as safe or dangerous as those who engage in it. I respect my limits and listen to my body. I'm in no hurry to get in the best shape of my life because, quite frankly, then what'll I do???
I mentioned to Matt that I like the fact he has a background in health and safety, because I know it's important to him. Of course he responds with "Safety comes third." I had to laugh; that was probably the "CrossFit-cult" coming out if him.
However, it emphasizes the fact that CrossFit IS dangerous, you have to know your limits and be responsible. Putting this mentality into CrossFit, or anything really, is a good attitude to adopt towards life in general. I personally feel as though CrossFit indirectly promotes this and is another one of it's many benefits.

Today was my first personal training session. I learned how to do a proper deadlift, clean & press and Kipping pull-up. Thank God I just bought that pull-up bar for home. Then my WOD was AMRAP of 5 pull-ups, 10 push ups and 15 squats in 10 minutes. I completed 9 full rounds. Matt said that that was very very good. Noticing my fatigue around round 5 or 6, he yelled at me "Christi you know you can rest inbetween rounds...". I shook my head no, maybe that's the 'CrossFit-cult' in me? It was a good workout, felt amazing of course. As I was leaving Matt nonchalantly said "You know, you could do the CrossFit Games...if that's what you wanted, you're definitely one of the members here that *could* qualify."

All it takes is that little, planted seed sometimes to realize what you want.

Note To Self #2:

Official CrossFitter Here!!

So I had my first CrossFit class today...I sucked...got my butt kicked...still afraid of kettlebells...yep...it was AWESOME!! I think I can say that I'm hooked. The warm-up consisted of burpees, spider crawls, a 400 meter run, high knee running and butt kicks. My HR got up to 180...and this was still the warm-up. The WOD (workout of the day) is decided by the trainer right at the beginning of class. That's another benefit of CrossFit, it keeps your mentality sharp and agile. The WOD was AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) in 10 minutes of 15 wall balls, 15 box jumps and 15 kettlebell swings. My box was 18", Crossfit standard for women is 20" and my kettlebell was 15#, the CrossFit standard. My original thought "Ok, 15 is a good number (usually my reps are anywhere from 16 to 32 at Lifetime) and 10 minutes is nothing! I weight lift for an hour at Lifetime". 10 minutes came...and went...and I thought I was going to puke. I completed 3 rounds in 10 minutes, which is pretty good according to the trainer. Afterwards, I felt like I had accomplished more than I ever have at Lifetime or on a treadmill.
When I first joined Lifetime 2 years ago, I was overweight, had no muscle tone and had terrible cardio endurance. Now, 2 years later, I'm almost 40 lbs lighter, learned to like running, registered for my first race, learned to LOVE weightlifting and have trim, toned arms, and my calves have finally made an appearance. I've accomplished my goals that Lifetime was meant to serve, and I could stop here, but want to proceed to the next level. That's what CrossFit offers.
By no means have I mastered everything that Lifetime has to offer. Lifetime Fitness is a great company, in fact, I'll probably keep my membership just so that I can workout at 10 or 11 on Friday and Saturday nights. They promote healthy lifestyles in every way I can think of (except the older clubs still have tanning beds, those have got to go) and are ideal for someone who just wants to have complete access to a healthy life. On CrossFit's registration form it asked 'What goals do you hope to reach with CrossFit?', the realist in me forced me to pause for a few seconds "COMPETITIVE-LEVEL FITNESS PHYSIQUE". Yup I said it, there it is. Something that CrossFit can offer, that Lifetime simply can't. How do I know this? Several bodybuilders, including Jaquelyn Kay Roberts, who compete have stated that all they use for their training is Crossfit.
Another CrossFitter I met today said that he's seen more results in 3 weeks from CrossFit than in the several years he had been going to his local gym.
So I begin personal training on Tuesday for 6 sessions, and then I'll be ready to attend the classes. No joke peeps! CrossFit Woodbury requires personal training prior to the classes. This will help me practice the correct form, as well as gauge where my ability is currently so I know where to start, and where to get to, when I start the classes.
The people there are so nice. The trainer/owner welcomed me to the CrossFit family and I must say, it was a nice thing to hear. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I fit in somewhere.
I will, of course, post the quintessential progress pics, starting next week will be the (eek) proverbial BEFORE pic...stay tuned. Thank god not very many read this.

Who Woulda Thunk

Who would've thought that adopting a healthy, physically active lifestyle would instill some domestication in this broad?!?! I'm not the most domestic person. I don't bake. I don't cook much of anything except a pretty mean bowl of cereal or gouda and egg breakfast sandwich. I'm still perfecting my spaghetti. I blame my home economics teacher in 7th grade, Mrs. Bowman. She was your typical home economics teacher-elderly, button-up 'little-house-on-the-prairie' style dresses that stopped mid-calf revealing her ashy-brown pantyhose and black, thick-soled loafers. Her hair was poofy, she had caked make-up and she always had a sour pout. However, what I remember most was her voice-deep and monotone. And when she spoke, she had that shaky-head thing going on. Her facial expression was, well, not very expressive, almost stark. So needless to say my first experience in the world of domestication was not the most appealing and I've carried that with me all the way through adulthood...like when I ordered Byerly's pre-cooked dinner when I hosted my first family Thanksgiving, serving utensils and all. And yes...I took the credit on how delicious it was.

Tonight, I'm happy to say that I have stepped outside of my comfort zone and baked!! I found this recipe for Lemon Protein bars from one of my favorite bodybuilders, Jamie Eason, on bodybuilding.com. They turned out pretty tasty if I do say so myself! Definitely satisfies my sweet tooth and at 43 calories per bar I don't mind if I do!
I could get used to this baking thing. Next up are her sugarfree pumpkin spice pancakes...once I can find canned, raw pumpkin (not the pie mix).

Our Insides

I'm really excited to start CrossFit. I'm horseback riding every Thursday night for the summer and plan to begin CrossFit in August when the riding session ends. By the way, I must note for my own personal record, I galloped for the first time last week. I've always cantered, sometimes a fast canter, but I've never done a full speed gallup. It was the most amazing experience! The opportunity to gallup at a decent distance doesn't present itself too often. You need a good amount of distance, a safe terrain and of course experience under your belt. We were outside, the sun was setting, it was a calm 65 degrees and the horses were warmed up. I was going over and over in my head what to do and what NOT to do, both were equally important and any deviance could have dangerous consequences. If I passed the horse in front of me, he could become too excited and think he was racing, therefore raising the anxiety of the rest of the horses. Maintaining a two-point position; the only two parts of my body in physical contact with horse were my hands and my calves, keeping my seat (my butt) raised slightly off the saddle and leaning forward, but not too far forward in case the horse threw his head up. This requires using your calf, ab and back muscles to balance yourself, while at the same time, your arms and hands are firm, but not tight, moving with the horse's head and not pulling on the mouth. When done correctly, and remembering to move with horse, and RELAX, it can be a very powerful, unifying moment.

Anyways, CrossFit...so I've done some reading on typical WOD (workout of the day) and pull-ups are common. I haven't done a pull-up since 6th grade. I don't even think my gym has a pull-up bar. Really! Not the pull-up *machine*, but a good old-fashioned stationary, steel rod. If there is one at the gym it's probably back in the free weight aka beefy-roided-hothead section...I still feel a little intimated in that department. There's so much I want to try back there!! I want to try some clean & jerks, deadlifts, thrusters...everything! But I haven't been taught correct form, and I need to learn that first...even if it's just to spare the judgment from the other more seasoned athletes.
I still feel like the free weight area is the "Boys Only" club (did they even have those when we were kids??), or the frat that requires hazing, or a rite of passage before you can really say "I lift weights". I know that's not all true, but I feel I need to go in there with some level of amateur experience. I'm going to pick-up one of the those pull-up bars from Sports Authority that you can just place over your door. They're actually on clearance!! Which is kind of a sad thought actually.
I remind myself everyday that I am FORTUNATE to be able-bodied and able-minded. Whether a congenital defect, debilitating illness or injury or poor life choices, not everyone is as capable as I am. Everyday is an opportunity to make a good choice, and that's what drives me to exercise nearly every day. I had to force myself to not workout this past weekend because I had worked out 6 days in a row in addition to working a busy weekend at the hospital and my body needed a break. I slept 13 hours Sunday night.
I am not entitled to an able body and sound mind, I see it as a gift that keeps on giving. If you treat your body well, it will pay you back mentally and emotionally. If you treat it like sh*t, it will do the same...pay you back mentally, physically and emotionally...until it eventually gives up on you. Our bodies are very forgiving. Forget the basic functions that keep us alive; they are constantly repairing injuries and defending against external free radicals.
Our bodies bear the brunt of a lot of abuse before it becomes apparent. And sometimes when the damage is done it's irreparable. I will never forget the 31 year old alcoholic that had made the decision to live a healthier life and quit drinking. The withdraw was so stressful on his body, he went into cardiac arrest and died. We had to take x-rays of his lungs so they could be measured for transplantation. That man shouldn't have died.
I get to see the insides of bodies. I see the fatty livers, calcified arteries, lung scars, degenerate spines and renal atrophy...and this is just the stuff that results when we don't take of ourselves. It's really sad, and enlightening at the same, to see that our bodies ARE giving out on us! By the time our poor choices are manifesting into physical, detectable symptoms, our body has already taken a beating.
That's what I carry with me every day. That's my motivation. I hope it's enough to take me to the top!

Note To Self #1:

Running Lake Phalen is like running a dark, east side alley at night.

CrossFit...Helloooo Humility

You see, the thing about constantly acheiving new goals when working out, is your self-confidence has the tendency to reach new heights too. Now that *can* be a good thing, as long as you are aware of potential disappointment when that self confidence is put into practice. For example, if you walk into a CrossFit gym thinking its going to be another day in your group exercise class, humility will hit you harder than a kettlebell hurled at your face.
I am learning that humility can be the difference between personal success and failure. Accepting one's weaknesses and vulnerabilites is necessary before you can ever truly be successful...in anything. You have to be aware of your weaknesses before you really surpass them. Once you identify those weaknesses, that's where you can focus your discipline. I have this one body and I need to learn how to use it.
It's just a hunch but I don't think evolution had this in mind...









I'm going to check out the CrossFit gym near my house next weekend (I work this weekend). I know I said a good sweat everyday is good for you, but I suppose a little humility won't hurt. But seriously, I'm nervous. I think I have a pretty good idea as to how fit I am, but this CrossFit gig could destroy that and then all I'm left with...is a whole lot of humility I guess. The closest I've ever gotten to a kettlebell was picking one up off the shelf at Target one day and GLADLY putting it back.

Calhoun Sunday

I like Sundays the least, particularly Sunday evenings. It means (1) the end of the weekend (2) the beginning of the work week, and if I have to work the following the weekend, (3) the start of a 12-day work stretch. I just want Sundays to hurry up and end.
I always look forward to my late night workouts on Fridays and Saturdays where I don't have to wake up too early the next morning. The gym is nearly empty, and the few people that are there, are there for the same reason I am...because there's no one there! No kids running amok almost causing you topple over them because your balance is almost as bad with fatigued legs and heavy gym bag as the drunken tools in downtown on a Saturday night, and of course the parents look at you like you're the tool for not yielding to their kid. No soccer moms prancing around making small talk with the other soccer moms on the treadmill in front of me. No grandmas slowly shuffling down the hall in front of me (love you grandma). When I'm at the gym, I'm there to work out. It's not socializing hour. The music is usually better at night and the locker rooms are cleaner...and empty (which is the only reason I took the above pic.) Does working out from about 9pm to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays officially designate me as a loser? Not so fast...wait for it...waaait for it...whenever I do go "out", I find myself wishing I was working out instead. Yes...I am officially an antisocial weirdo trading beer and secondhand smoke for running in one spot soaked in sweat listening to remixed trance.
But Sundays...YUCK! I can't go the gym late because I strength train on Monday mornings. So I've decided to tackle Lake Calhoun Sunday evenings. Ok, it's only 3.2 miles, but I need to start training for this 5k on July 20th...which I realized today will be Flo's first day in town that month. I've lived next to Lake Phalen my entire life, which is also 3.1 miles, but I'm ready for a change of scenery. So this past Sunday, I was able to sneak in a run at Calhoun in between the sporadic weather, and was done in 35 minutes with a bathroom break. Not being too familiar with that lake I made a minor mental note so I could remember where I parked. I thought I probably had a solid 15 more minutes to go when I looked up and saw my car maybe 40 yards away. I was tempted to run around again but I was tired, sweaty and didn't want to push myself too hard too soon. I still have 8 weeks before the race. I was a little surprised but figured that since it was my first run outside in a couple years, it was nothing to boast about...yeeeaaahh...I learned the average time for a beginner runner in a 5k is about 27-28 minutes. Not bad!! This is what I love about exercising! I DO learn to like things I previously despised, my physical ability surprises me every time, I'm not as 'weak' as I think and I burned off that morning's caramel macchiato.
Plus, I needed a good excuse to buy these... (thanks Joni for paying for part of them as my bday gift!!)

My first 5k

Ok, it's not really my first 5k, but its the first one that I'm actually *running* and training for. Last year I attended the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 5k at the Mall of America, and while I'm glad that I did it, I more glad that I didn't run it. What a clusterfuck! Now, this year, I am running the Lifetime Torchlight 5k on July 20th taking place during the Minneapolis Aquatennial...yep...another clusterfuck! But I am hoping that the energy of running with thousands of others will carry me through the chaos. And it takes place in beautiful downtown Minneapolis. And there's an exclusive post race party! Yes, I said exclusive...you can't come...unless you run...so you should come run with me...because I don't want to party alone.
I've just started to take up running. I used to HATE running with a passion. Boring, monotonous, one-foot-in-front-of-the-other torture, staring at a digital display watching your time and distance only making you feel like you should be so much further.
My workouts usually consisted primarily of strength training. My heart rate would get up in the 160s which enabled some weight loss, and then I realized with the wonderful German genes and predisposition of obesity bestowed upon me (love you mom), if I didn't start doing some more cardio I would end up looking too gnarly and bulky. So now I run 4-5 days a week and alternate between a steady 3.5 to 4 miles, or specific treadmill routines. One routine I really like I learned from a coworker of mine:

Warm up 5 min.
Run 4 min.
Jog 4 min.
Run 3 min.
Jog 3 min.
Run 2 min.
Jog 2 min.
Run 1 min.
Jog 1 min.
Sprint 30 sec.
Jog 1 min.
Sprint 30 sec.
Jog 1 min.
Sprint 30 sec.
Jog 1 min.
Sprint 30 sec.
Jog 1 min.
Cool down 4 min.
TOTAL: 35 MINUTES THAT FLY BY!!

After this routine I'll do 20 minutes on the stairmaster (the actual steps on a conveyor belt type). By this time sweat is dripping off my face-mission accomplished.

Running not only serves as my cardio workout but it also serves as a huge stress reliever. No joke. Exercising, moreso running, is my daily antidepressant and it works!! If I don't exercise I am feeling low later that afternoon. Our culture and society have perpetuated the problem of unhealthy lifestyles and it's gotten to the point where it's dangerous. We tend to forget our ancestry and the means in which they lived. Hunting and/or harvesting was a daily activity. Having a home meant gathering the needed supplies and building it yourself. It was the epitome of 'survival of the fittest'. Fast forward to today and you have lifespans extending 3 or 4 times longer than our ancestors due advancements in science, technology and medicine, but evolution can't keep up.
It probably doesn't help (or does it???) that I work in the medical field and see a lot of people, even in their 20s and 30s with severe back pain resulting from disc hernations, spine diseases, degeneration, stenosis and other ailments that result from simply being weak. We sit too much, we eat too much, we drink too much, we weigh too much, if we're not smokers we're breathing it secondhand anyways, we feel entitled to conveniences, and then we wonder why our backs and knees give out so early. Something that I have never forgotten from one of my trainers is that building muscle builds bone. As we get older (which is every day!) we lose bone mass, so we have to combat that. So if there's anything you can take away from this post, take that and bring it with you, every day.
And that's all just physiological. The mental benefits from exercising are astounding! For me, looking good is a secondary benefit. Exercising makes me FEEL better. It teaches discipline. It enables you to acheive and exceed every day. I don't mean to sound like a motivational speaker, I frankly find them a little cheesy, but when it comes to being active, we all need all the motivation we can get in this lazy society.
So there you are my little grasshoppers. Go!

Awkward but obligatory introduction.

This blog is really just my attempt to manifest my new found obsession with fitness in a healthy way. I've been working out irregularly for a couple years but have only recently taken it more seriously. Oddly enough, I'm not forcing myself to take it seriously. I have actually come to like working out. Anticipating the next time I get to break out in a good, shirt-soaking sweat. Excited to discover new weaknesses (the ball plank is not a good look for me right now) and strengths (like when my heart rate reaches 192-my VO2 max).
While I am also learning so many new things, I also feel like I am hitting a plateau. So this blog will help me track progress, serve as a reference when I need it and hold me accountable. It's really for me but feel free to follow along if you'd like!
I guess if you're still reading, I assume you're fairly interested so I'll explain a bit about myself. I'm 28, going back to school in the fall for radiology to become a CT and interventional technologist. I did ponder medical school for a long time but ultimately decided on technologist because, quite frankly, I'm not a people person and the technology fascinates me! I want to be the one in the driver's seat of these magnificent machines that can diagnose and treat. In my opinion, it is the most relevant, complex technology to date that is significant to the well-being of, well, life. Going to school for radiology technology also allows me time to focus on my aspirations to reach optimal physical fitness.
What I expect to add to this blog is anything that has to do with my current fitness routine and goals; running, weightlifting, nutrition, equipment, apparel and of course music! Of course you may be subjected to an occasional, idiosyncratic musing, and yes...maybe a picture or two. It's not that I mind posting pictures, I just need to get some that are relevant to this blog. I'll have to dig up some oldie-but-goody 'before' picks for y'alls.
So, for now, Hi! and I hope this blog offers you some motivation, information or just some mere entertainment...for when you're REALLY bored.