Happy Halloween!

"Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble."

-Shakespeare "Macbeth"

IMPORTANT INFO: As the end of the year quickly approaches us, there are a few improvements that have been made to our class schedule regarding new or interested athletes.  Any new/interested athlete, will have 2 classes during the week that they can attend and get a taste of what CrossFit is all about, as long as they RSVP for the class: Mondays at 7:00 to 7:45pm or Saturdays at 11:00 to 11:45am.  Each new/interested member will be allowed to attend 2 free Intro Classes as long as they fall in the same week.  


We are also starting a CrossFit Elements class, which is highly recommended for any new CrossFitter or anyone who wants/needs to improve their fundamentals! Even if you have been CrossFitting since we opened, the Elements Class can help you build a better foundation.  For current members, these classes will just be apart of the normal membership prices and take the place of a "WOD" class; you are still allowed to attend normal classes, so long it doesn't go over your membership option.  For new members, these classes will cost $115 (a month).  Elements classes occur on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7:00 to 7:45pm--by RSVP only.

Today's WOD:
Happy Halloween!
"Open WOD #2"
AMRAP in 15 minutes, of:
9 Deadlifts (155/100 lbs.)
12 Hand Release Push-ups
15 Box Jumps (24/20")
See April 1, 2011.

Day 29 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: Stay away from the candy!

You are not in the clear yet, do not get tempted by the ghostly candy goblins on Halloween night! Stick to what you've been doing and if you get a sweet tooth, go for some dark chocolate and almond butter or make some Paleo Ice Cream! You guys have been doing great and I don't want you throwing all your hardwork away... save that for Thanksgiving! Trust me, it's much better that way!

Saturday's WOD Board:

Homemade Paleo Ice Cream!

“The safest principle through life, instead of reforming others, is to set about perfecting yourself.”

-B. R. Haydon

Above: Nathan's younger brother and my classmate from Punahou, Kyle, came in for a workout while here for a wedding! Kyle is the one who pointed Nate to our gym a couple months ago, and he's also the one that bought Nate his cool new minimus shoes.  Glad you stopped by, Kyle! Great catching up with you!

Today's WOD:

"Tabata Something Else"

Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.

Post total reps from all 32 intervals to comments.

Day 27 of 50-day Paleo Challenge: Homemade Paleo Coconut Ice Cream!

Banana Ice Cream from Health Bent

Ingredients:

3 bananas (Make sure the bananas have lots of brown spots on them. Too green and you can taste it. It’s gross.)

1/2 c coconut milk

1 t vanilla extract

Directions:

Remove the peels from the bananas and discard. Place the bananas in plastic wrap and stick in the freezer for at least 5 hours. Once they’re hard all the way through, you’re ready to start making the “ice cream.”  Take out your food processor and toss in the frozen bananas, coconut milk and vanilla extract. Blend until everything is smooth. Done! Either eat immediately or stick it in a covered dish and freeze it. Take the ice cream out of the freezer about 20 minutes before you’re ready to eat. It can get pretty hard in the freezer.

Strawberry Ice Cream from Growing up Paleo

Ingredients:

Mash or puree 10-12 strawberries (use more or less depending on the size)

1 really ripe mashed banana (I added this for a little sweetness…you can leave this out if you like)

2 TBS. Vanilla

1 can of coconut milk

Directions:

Mash strawberries in a large bowl. Combine vanilla and coconut milk to the strawberry puree. I tasted it and wanted it to be a little sweeter so I added a really ripe banana (mashed) to the mixture however, you could totally leave this out if you wanted to. Stir all the ingredients together and pour into your ice cream maker and let the magic begin. Usually it only takes about 20 minutes to get to a good soft serve consistency. This go around I was anxious and started my creation a little early and ended up letting it run for about 40 minutes and I actually preferred this consistency better as it closely resembled that of regular ice cream. Topping with shaved coconut or nuts would be tasty too! Enjoy!

Yesterday's WOD Board:

Best Guacamole!

"I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center."

-Kurt Vonnegut

Above: To the left, yesterday's Wall Climbs and to the right, the modification for the Wall Climb. This movement may seem simple, but after about 5, you realize how taxing they truly are! Great job climbing the walls and boxes yesterday! More fun coming today, with "Tabata F.G.B."!

Today's WOD:

"Tabata Fight Gone Bad"

Complete 40 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. Perform 8 consecutive intervals of each of the following exercises:

Wall-ball 20/14 pound ball, 10 ft target. (Reps)

Sumo deadlift high-pull 75/55 pounds (Reps)

Box Jump 20" box (Reps)

Push-press 75/55 pounds (Reps)

Row (Calories)

There is no additional rest between exercises.

Each exercise is scored by the weakest number of reps (calories on the rower) in each of the eight intervals. The score is the total of the scores from the five stations.

Day 26 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: One of my favorite restaurants and guacamoles!

This restaurant is located in San Antonio, TX. I was there for the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four in 2010, while I was coaching basketball. I still have cravings for their food and guacamole! The orange juice is key in this recipe... so delicious! 

By the way, I've got another one posting her meals... thank you, Jackie! Mark and Jackie are currently in the lead with 3 posts and 2 posts, respectively. "Lead for what?" you might be asking... only time will tell! :)

Boudro's Famous Guacamole
Ingredients:
Juice of 1/4 of an orange
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1 avocado seeded and scooped out of skin
2 Tbs roasted and charred Roma tomatoes diced
1 ea Serrano pepper roasted seeded and diced
1 Tbs medium dice red onions
1 tsp chopped cilantro
coarse ground salt to taste (sea salt is better)

Directions:
Squeeze juices into bowl. Add avocado and coarsely chop. Add onions, roasted tomato, serrano and cilantro fold into avocado mixture. Add salt (more is better). Result should be crudely chopped not mashed. That's it.

Enjoy!


Yesterday's WOD Board:

Halfway through the 50-days!

"The next time you find yourself surrounded by darkness in the middle of a storm and everything is at its absolute worst, take a moment to give thanks – because you know that no matter what, the sun is going to rise. It will get better." 

-Oprah

Above: Lin stopped by Ant's Rip Curl store at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, CA. Ant has been doing great since his move to Cali, and has impressed the coaches at LAX CrossFit. Good job, Ant!

Today's WOD:
5 rounds for time:
10 Wall Climbs
10 Toes to Bar
20 Box Jumps (24")

Day 25 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: Halfway through... have you seen changes?

Hey Paleo Challengers! How has the first 25 days of the Paleo Challenge gone for you?  Are you noticing changes in your body, like Travis?  Or are you like Rome and just cleansing the inside of your body by going strict, since you are a normal Paleo lifer? Whatever the case... If you haven't been feeling and/or looking better, don't forget you can always ask Coach Josh or myself any questions! Maybe you haven't seen any body composition changes because you are eating too much fruit or too much Paleo baked goods? Maybe you are always hungry because you aren't eating enough at your main meals? Maybe you are constantly snacking because you are mistaking thirst for hunger? These are very common mistakes people make when they first start the Paleo Diet, so again, if you have any questions or concerns, ask away!  Also, another great way to get feedback is to comment on any blogpost, you can follow Coach Josh's lead and let us know what you have been eating day in and day out!

Yesterday's WOD Board:

20 Rep Back Squat!

"There is no greater cause of melancholy than idleness."

-Robert Burton

Above: For Nathan's birthday, not only did he go to Vegas to celebrate, but his younger brother bought him a cool new pair of minimalist shoes! Happy Birthday, Nathan! ...and nice shoes! 

Today's WOD:
Back Squats 20-20-20
Note: If you are not hating life by the 13th rep, it is not heavy enough!


After each set of squats, perform 20 GHD Sit-ups (not for time).

Day 24 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: What's your favorite Larabar?
Best place to get your Larabars in bulk if you aren't a member of the armed forces and can't get into the commissary, then check out allstarhealth.com.  I like them the best because they do a flat rate shipping to Hawaii for $5.95!

Yesterday's WOD Board:

Transformations: Travis loses the "daddy" pounds!

“The safest principle through life, instead of reforming others, is to set about perfecting yourself.”

-B. R. Haydon

 Above: Its only been a couple of months, but Travis has made a change for the better.  The picture on the left was taken right before Travis began CrossFitting with us and before he started Paleo-ing!  Most of his weight gain occurred when his girlfriend had their first child.  Sometimes, dad's put on weight even though mommy has the baby. Lucky for him though, his very smart sister, Brandy, dragged him in to our gym and got him going by pushing him WOD after WOD. Today, the picture on the right, Travis is doing great and everyone around the gym has been noticing the dramatic difference in his body composition! I am proud of Travis' progress and his determination to get back into shape. I also love that he is always helping others out--whether its putting their weights away or giving them a tip on Olympic Lifting, which he has great technique at. With another child on the way, we hope to keep Travis looking and feeling good!  Proud of you, Travis... keep up the great work!

Today's WOD:
"Bradshaw"
10 rounds for time:
3 HSPU
6 Deadlifts (225/155 lbs.)
12 Pull-ups
24 Double-Unders

Day 23 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: Rome's Paleo Food Blog!

From Rome: "Ok paleo peeps! A few folks mentioned that they had a hard time locating my recipes in Facebook... so here goes... I created a blog with my favorite paleo recipes: Coconut Rome. I've tried to index them as well so they are easy to locate... have fun cooking and noshing!"

On a side note 50-day Challenge Participants: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE (yes, I said please 3 times) start taking Coach Josh's lead and posting comments on what you eat throughout the day... its the best way for us to give you feedback as well as prizes! :)

Yesterday's WOD Board:

SAVE THE DATE: Paleo Potluck!

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."

-Steve Jobs

Above: Don't let age be your excuse! Bob and Joy Kinzie, are my heroes... I hope to be moving like them when I'm in the 60+ and 55-60 Master's age groups.

Today's WOD:
Strength:
Resting 60 seconds between sets:
Press 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2


Met-con:
"Open WOD #1"
AMRAP in 10 minutes:
30 Double-Unders
15 Power Snatches (75/55 lbs.)

Day 22 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: Paleo Potluck and Paleo Chili Cook-off at the box on Veteran's Day!

SAVE THE DATE! Announcing the first CrossFit 808 Paleo Chili Cook-off, followed by Paleo Potluck!  On Veteran's Day, Friday, November 11th.  The time is TBD for now. But, most likely it will be post-last class and we will be on a holiday schedule, so lunchtime/early afternoon! The theme is the Chili cook-off, but you can bring whatever you like to the potluck as long as it is PALEO! So far we've got 3 competitors for the Chili cook-off: The Mata's (Jeff and Sokheng), The Szymanek's (Joe and Liza), and The King's (Jeff and Jamie... if they aren't on the outer island). Who else is in? Kim, Jackie, Marsha, and Maila where you at? 

Saturday's WOD Board:

Show me those Diamonds: Drive those knees out!

"What counts in sports is not the victory, but the magnificence of the struggle."

-Joe Paterno

Above: When you squat--air, front, back, overhead, wall ball, etc.--you should always drive your knees out! I cannot drill this enough.  There are so many benefits to driving your knees out and having that beautiful diamond at the bottom of a squat!  You are not only more efficient and stronger, but you will save and protect your knees in the long run.

Today's WOD:
Strength:
Deadhang Strict Pull-ups
5 sets x max reps, rest 1-minute between sets.


Met-con:
For time:
75 Wall Balls (20/14 lbs. to 10 ft.)
1-mile Run
75 Wall Balls (20/14 lbs. to 10 ft.)

Day 20 and 21 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: Everyday Paleo Cookbook and Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook!

If you haven't bought the Everyday Paleo Cookbook by Sarah Fragoso and Paleo Comfort Foods by Julie Sullivan Mayfield combination on Amazon, I highly suggest you get these 2 cookbooks! Both books showcase a wide range of foods, meals, desserts, and even smoothies.  The reason I like the recipes is because they are very simple and the preparation time does not take longer than 10-15 minutes for 90% of the recipes.

Yesterday's WOD Board:

Sauerkraut: get your pro-biotics on!

"You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise."

-Michael Jordan

Above: For Joe's 30th birthday, he went skydiving.... in his CrossFit 808 shirt! Now, that's pretty darn cool! On a side note, I love having Joe, Liza, and Mason at box.  Joe is a stand up guy and is always helping others out in his class when their form or technique is a little off.  He is also a wealth of information when it comes to raising a baby and mommy Primal! So, don't be afraid to ask him questions about CrossFit movements or Paleo!

Today's WOD:
2000m Row for time.


Rest a bit, then...
For time:
20 Back Squats (225/155 lbs.)
40 Toes to Bar
60 KB Swings (70/53 lbs.)
See April 11, 2011.

Day 19 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: Sauerkraut!

Joe and Dustin are awesome Paleo chefs in their own right. Both are a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the Paleo Diet. And, what I love about these 2 besides their beef cake bodies and good personalities is that they love to experiment with different foods, especially ones that benefit your health.  Although they haven't gotten me to eat their kidney and eggs, I do love their sauerkraut and the benefits I get from eating it!  Checkout Joe's awesome blog, called: Barbells and Babies (side note: Dustin, his BFF, is referred to as "Sh*tty Britches" in the blog)! There are some great blogposts, including the one we are focused on today: Sauerkraut! Get some! Or, Make Some!

Today's sauerkraut recipe is from Sandor Ellix Katz, the creator of the website Wild Fermentation, and the author of Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods (Chelsea Green, 2003).  If you don't feel like enjoying the process of making your own sauerkraut, Whole Foods and Kokua Market both carry the a brand called, Bubbies, and they make a decent white cabbage sauerkraut!

Timeframe: 1-4 weeks (or more)
Special Equipment:
Ceramic crock or food-grade plastic bucket, one-gallon capacity or greater
Plate that fits inside crock or bucket
One-gallon jug filled with water (or a scrubbed and boiled rock)
Cloth cover (like a pillowcase or towel)


Ingredients (for 1 gallon):

• 5 pounds cabbage
• 3 tablespoons sea salt

Process:

1. Chop or grate cabbage, finely or coarsely, with or without hearts, however you like it. I love to mix green and red cabbage to end up with bright pink kraut. Place cabbage in a large bowl as you chop it.
2. Sprinkle salt on the cabbage as you go. The salt pulls water out of the cabbage (through osmosis), and this creates the brine in which the cabbage can ferment and sour without rotting. The salt also has the effect of keeping the cabbage crunchy, by inhibiting organisms and enzymes that soften it. 3 tablespoons of salt is a rough guideline for 5 pounds of cabbage. I never measure the salt; I just shake some on after I chop up each cabbage. I use more salt in summer, less in winter.
3. Add other vegetables. Grate carrots for a coleslaw-like kraut. Other vegetables I’ve added include onions, garlic, seaweed, greens, Brussels sprouts, small whole heads of cabbage, turnips, beets, and burdock roots. You can also add fruits (apples, whole or sliced, are classic), and herbs and spices (caraway seeds, dill seeds, celery seeds, and juniper berries are classic, but anything you like will work). Experiment. 
4. Mix ingredients together and pack into crock. Pack just a bit into the crock at a time and tamp it down hard using your fists or any (other) sturdy kitchen implement. The tamping packs the kraut tight in the crock and helps force water out of the cabbage.
5. Cover kraut with a plate or some other lid that fits snugly inside the crock. Place a clean weight (a glass jug filled with water) on the cover. This weight is to force water out of the cabbage and then keep the cabbage submerged under the brine. Cover the whole thing with a cloth to keep dust and flies out.
6. Press down on the weight to add pressure to the cabbage and help force water out of it. Continue doing this periodically (as often as you think of it, every few hours), until the brine rises above the cover. This can take up to about 24 hours, as the salt draws water out of the cabbage slowly. Some cabbage, particularly if it is old, simply contains less water. If the brine does not rise above the plate level by the next day, add enough salt water to bring the brine level above the plate. Add about a teaspoon of salt to a cup of water and stir until it’s completely dissolved.
7. Leave the crock to ferment. I generally store the crock in an unobtrusive corner of the kitchen where I won’t forget about it, but where it won’t be in anybody’s way. You could also store it in a cool basement if you want a slower fermentation that will preserve for longer.
8. Check the kraut every day or two. The volume reduces as the fermentation proceeds. Sometimes mold appears on the surface. Many books refer to this mold as “scum,” but I prefer to think of it as a bloom. Skim what you can off of the surface; it will break up and you will probably not be able to remove all of it. Don’t worry about this. It’s just a surface phenomenon, a result of contact with the air. The kraut itself is under the anaerobic protection of the brine. Rinse off the plate and the weight. Taste the kraut. Generally it starts to be tangy after a few days, and the taste gets stronger as time passes. In the cool temperatures of a cellar in winter, kraut can keep improving for months and months. In the summer or in a heated room, its life cycle is more rapid. Eventually it becomes soft and the flavor turns less pleasant.
9. Enjoy. I generally scoop out a bowl- or jarful at a time and keep it in the fridge. I start when the kraut is young and enjoy its evolving flavor over the course of a few weeks. Try the sauerkraut juice that will be left in the bowl after the kraut is eaten. Sauerkraut juice is a rare delicacy and unparalleled digestive tonic. Each time you scoop some kraut out of the crock, you have to repack it carefully. Make sure the kraut is packed tight in the crock, the surface is level, and the cover and weight are clean. Sometimes brine evaporates, so if the kraut is not submerged below brine just add salted water as necessary. Some people preserve kraut by canning and heat-processing it. This can be done; but so much of the power of sauerkraut is its aliveness that I wonder: Why kill it?
10. Develop a rhythm. I try to start a new batch before the previous batch runs out. I remove the remaining kraut from the crock, repack it with fresh salted cabbage, then pour the old kraut and its juices over the new kraut. This gives the new batch a boost with an active culture starter.

Yesterday's WOD Board:

CBU Soccer and Bryan Clay visits CrossFit 808!

“I've been dreaming about this since I was a little kid, since I was 8 years old. I'm just glad these dreams are starting to come true.”

-Bryan Clay

Above: Not only did we have 2 awesome California Baptist University (CBU) soccer players in the house, Will (2nd from left) and Tyler (3rd from left), this morning, but we also had Olympic Gold Medalist, Bryan Clay!

Today's WOD:
Strength:
Bodyweight Overhead Squat for max reps


Met-con:
3 rounds for time:
10 Overhead Squats (135/95 lbs.)
50 Double-Unders

Day 18 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: Paleo Pumpkin Pie!

Made this recipe this past weekend and it was awesome! Hit the spot! I like this specific recipe because of how simple it is... and sometimes simple is good!

Crust:
1 1/2 cups of almond flour
1/4 cup coconut oil
pinch of sea salt


We mixed ours with a hand blender until the consistency was even then took the dough and evenly pressed it into the pie pan about 1/2 inch up the sides so that the crust was evenly distributed.


Note: The filling is enough for two pies (I just halved the recipe because my can of pumpkin was only 15 oz.), so you may want to consider making a double portion of crust or you could just bake the filling by itself and enjoy it that way. We made two crusts, and modified one, by adding a little almond extract and lemon zest to one crust.


Filling: (REMEMBER to half the amounts if you're making only 1 pie)
1 can of pure pumpkin (29 oz) nothing else added - Whole Foods Kahala has the 15 oz. Organic Canned Pumpkin on sale right now... 2 for $6!
3 “real” cage free eggs if you can get them (if you are only doing half the recipe, use 2 eggs)
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup local honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
pinch of sea salt


Beat eggs, honey, vanilla until frothy, then add all the other ingredients and carefully blend until even and smooth. Fill pie pan with crust and bake on convection at 350 F for about 50 minutes. Check it to make sure that it’s not burning and ultimately check with a toothpick or metal kabob stick to see if anything sticks, if not it’s done.


Yesterday's WOD Board:

Steve and his first muscle-up!

‎"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”

-Muhammad Ali

Today's WOD:

Five rounds for time of:
Run 200 meters
7 Muscle-ups
Run 200 meters
7 Handstand push-ups
Run 200 meters
30 second L-sit hold
Run 200 meters
20 One legged squats

Day 17 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: Paleo Banana Nut Muffins!

Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
5 really ripe bananas (mashed well)
2 tsp local honey
4 omega-3 enriched eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.


Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.


In a separate bowl, add the mashed bananas, eggs, honey, and vanilla and mix well.


Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until combined. Normally with breads or muffin recipes, you don’t want to overmix, but since there’s no gluten here, mix to your heart’s content. The muffins won’t get gummy or icky.


Fill greased muffin tins, baking cups, mini-loaf pans or big loaf pans about 3/4 full. Bake muffins for 23-25 minutes and loaves for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.


Let cool slightly and enjoy with a pat of almond butter or coconut oil.


Yesterday's WOD Board:

Paleo and your children!

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change and the Realist adjusts his sails."

-William Arthur Ward

Above: Haya, 6, chose to eat salmon and olives for breakfast!

Today's WOD:
"D.T."
In honor of USAF SSgt Timothy P. Davis, 28, who was killed on Feburary, 20 2009 supporting operations in OEF when his vehicle was struck by an IED. Timothy is survived by his wife Megan and one-year old son T.J.
5 rounds for time:
12 Deadlifts (155/105 lbs.)
9 Hang Power Cleans (155/105 lbs.)
6 Push Jerks (155/105 lbs.)
See July 7, 2011.

Day 16 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: Paleo Kids by Everyday Paleo!

So now that you're eating better, feeling better, looking better... what about your family? What about your children? Children need to eat as well as you do! In fact, its even more important for them because they are building their eating habits with what you feed them right now.  For example, I was lucky that my parents did not allow me to drink soda while I was a kid, so when I was old enough to make my own decisions I didn't even want it. The excuses that "you feel bad because they don't get to eat the junks" or "they don't listen to me" or "they won't eat vegetables" is all a load of bologna! You are the parent and they eat what you give them.  Want your children to be smarter, stronger, and healthier? Then, feed them better.

"If I had a dollar for every time someone has asked me, “What do you feed your kids when eating Paleo?” I would be a gazillionaire…  The short answer is, they eat what I make - and what I allow in my house.  If you only have healthy options available in YOUR house, there will not be any need for arguing, negotiating, begging, or pleading." (from Everyday Paleo: Food for kids--what to pack for lunch, quick breakfast, and more)

"I realize 100% that this blog post is just the tip of the paleo kids iceberg, and I have written about this concept before but everyone needs a place to start; I know because I have been there." (from Everyday Paleo: Paleo Kids)

So here’s a list to focus on as you start your paleo kid journey:

1. Rid the house of the junk.
2. Do not make a big deal about the transition to healthier eating and focus on FUN!
3. Get the kids in the kitchen with you.
4. Do not stress out; your kids will eat!
5. Jump up and down for joy when you see them dive into a yummy plate of slow cooked chicken and sweet potatoes – why? See number 6!
6. Rest assured that your child is getting more nutrients and better nutrients by eating paleo than he or she would on a standard American diet and by removing the gut irritating grains, dairy, and legumes, your child is able to better absorb the nutrients that he or she is eating!!
7. Stick with it, you can do this, celebrate your successes, relax and live a little, enjoy your kids and let the messes begin!!

Yesterday's WOD Board:

88% Dark Chocolate Almond Buttercups!

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

-Steve Jobs (1955 -2011), R.I.P.

Above: Save the date to cheer on our military 808ers!  Coach Josh and Nakoa are teaming up to represent the Army.

Today's WOD:
5 rounds for time:
200m Run
20 Pull-ups
200m Run
20 Push-ups
200m Run
20 Sit-ups
200m Run
20 Squats

Day 15 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: 88% Dark Chocolate Almond Buttercups!

With Halloween right around the corner and the fact that you guys all made it out of the 2-week mark for this challenge, I am posting my recipe for dark chocolate almond butter cups!  My favorite brand of dark chocolate is the Endangered Species All-Natural Extreme Dark Chocolate (88%).  They sell them at your local Whole Foods, Kokua Market, and online.  The best type of almond butter to use for this is freshly ground almond butter, because its consistency will hold better in the melted chocolate.  My favorite place to get this is at Kokua Market (bring your own jar/container in and you'll save money).

Ingredients:

6-3 oz. bars of dark chocolate (85% or higher)

8 oz. almond butter

Directions:

Use a small saucepan on low heat to melt half of your bars of chocolate (3 bars), stir occasionally, so chocolate doesn't burn. Meanwhile, line your cupcake tin with cupcake wrappers. Then ladle the melted chocolate into the wrappers. Stick in the refrigerator to cool faster.  When chocolate has slightly cooled, then you can spoon in your almond butter.  I use about a rounded teaspoon in each (mini-cupcake), but you can use as much as you like.  Then, melt the other 3 bars to top off your almond buttercups.  Stick it in the frig and let it cool, then ENJOY!

Notes:

Personally, I like to use the mini-cupcake tin, so you can make thicker candies! This recipe will make approximately 16 thick mini-cupcake almond buttercups.  If you use a the standard cupcake tin, this will make approximately 12 thinner almond buttercups.

Saturday's WOD Board:

Joy PR's her Deadlift!

"The harder I practice, the luckier I get."

-Gary Player

Above: Joy Kinzie, 58, PR'd her 1-RM Deadlift on Friday by jumping from 125 lbs. to 150 lbs.! That's plenty over bodyweight for this strong mom! She is so inspiring and I'm so proud of her!

Today's WOD:
5 rounds for time:
7 Squat Cleans (155/105 lbs.)
14 KB Swings (53/35 lbs.)

Day 13 and 14 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: More places to eat out!
Wahoo's Fish Taco: Great place to have some amazing guacamole and quick Paleo meal.  The 2 locations I've been to are Kahala and Ward.

• Wahoo's Salad with Blackened Fish, which is my favorite, or they also have pork, chicken, and steak (hold the cheese, the tortilla strips, and the dressing). You can also add grilled veggies to the salad (just make sure you don't order the "banzai" style, because that has teriyaki sauce). If I'm really hungry I just order 2 salads!

California Pizza Kitchen (CPK): Great place to eat Paleo, even if you are on the run--phone in and do take out!  The three locations I've been to are Kahala, Ward, and Pearlridge.

• Roasted Vegetable Salad plus Chicken:  Roasted artichoke hearts, asparagus, eggplant, red & yellow peppers, corn and sun-dried tomatoes served warm over Romaine tossed with homemade Dijon balsamic vinaigrette (hold dressing). Topped with avocado. + Grilled Chicken Breast to this salad!
• Moroccan Chicken Salad:  Moroccan-spiced chicken, Romaine, roasted butternut squash, dates, avocado, toasted almonds, beets, chopped egg, carrots, dried cranberries and bell peppers. Tossed with homemade champagne vinaigrette (hold the dressing).
• CPK Cobb Salad: Applewood smoked bacon, avocado, chicken, tomatoes, chopped egg, basil and Gorgonzola (hold cheese) with homemade herb ranch or blue cheese dressing (hold dresssing). Beets added upon request. 

Yesterday's WOD Board:

Beaverton CrossFit and CrossFit Anaheim in the house!

"Every day you have to test yourself. If you don't, it's a wasted day."

-Terry Butts

Above: The 5pm class takes a pic with Steve and Paris from Beaverton, OR!

Above: Russ and Beth from CrossFit Anaheim in Southern California paid us a visit this morning!

Today's WOD:
Strength:
Deadlifts 1-1-1-1-1-1-1


Met-con:
3 rounds for time:
500m Row
21 Burpees
400m Run

Day 12 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: Roasted Kabocha Squash (from nomnomPaleo)!

Roasted Kabocha Squash:  Cutting the squash into thin wedges and roasting at a high temperature makes this an easy and quick way to enjoy squash.

Ingredients:

1 medium Kabocha squash

2 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

pinch of kosher sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400º F.

Scrub the outside of the kabocha squash well with vegetable wash/castile soap and a brush. Rinse well and pat dry. Halve the squash with a large sharp knife, then scoop out seeds. Like all winter squash, kabocha takes a sharp knife and a bit of brute force to cut up. I’ve found that the best way to attack it is to cut off the top and the bottom, so the flesh is exposed. This way it is much easier to cut in half.

Cut the squash into small wedges about 1/2-inch thick.  The easiest way to do this is to cut the halves into quarters, then place each quarter skin side down and slice lengthwise into thin, long slices.

Place slices in a baking dish and drizzle with coconut oil, and toss to coat. Pour chicken broth into pan over squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (and any other spices as desired). Put the squash in a single layer on a foil-lined baking tray and pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes, flipping at halfway point. Slices should be slight crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Remove from oven and serve, adding additional seasoning as necessary.

Yesterday's WOD Board:

We're going to miss you, Ant!

"Listen to your heart. Even though it’s on the left side, it’s always right."

-Unknown

Above: The day has come and our boy, Anthony "Ant", is making his move to Santa Monica, CA. Ant has been an awesome box-mate, athlete, training partner, and friend. Not only did he endure crazy workouts with me, but he also took on my sled dragging at the beach as well as double WOD days.  I am so thankful Seth brought Ant to our box way back in February.  To be completely honest, when I first met Ant (picture on the left), I didn't think he'd come back. Boy did he make me eat my words! Not to mention he became my rabbit in WODs. Ant recently earned a raise with Rip Curl and will be the store manager of the 3rd Street Promenade Rip Curl store. He will also continue to CrossFit at my friend Dan's box, LAX CrossFit. I already told Dan that he has to take care of our boy! We're really going to miss you, Ant!

Today's WOD:
"Farewell Ant"
For time:
50 Wall Balls (20/14 lbs. to 10 ft.)
10 Muscle-ups

50 Wall Balls (20/14 lbs. to 10 ft.)

8 Muscle-ups

30 Wall Balls (20/14 lbs. to 10 ft.)

6 Muscle-ups

20 Wall Balls (20/14 lbs. to 10 ft.)

4 Muscle-ups

10 Wall Balls (20/14 lbs. to 10 ft.)

2 Muscle-ups

We love visiting CrossFitters!

Above: Carrie (front row, center) from Seattle dropped in last week for a WOD!

Above: Thy (left) and Robert (right) from CrossFit Cen Cal came by yesterday for a WOD!

Day 11 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge: Mexican Night with Jaimie Kinard!

Beef Fajitas with Guacamole & Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa... thank you Jaimie for posting these delicious Paleo recipes! I love fajita night and doing it Paleo style is so simple... just substitute the tortillas with GREEN LEAF lettuce.  I use green leaf, because it seems to work the best when doing fajitas or Paleo burgers.

Guacamole:

2 avocados

1/2 red onion

1 tomato

cilantro

lime

pepper

sea salt (if you need)

Mix mashed up avocado, 1/2 chopped onion, 1 chopped/seeded tomato, juice of 1/2 lime, handful of chopped cilantro, pepper (and salt, if you must) and let those flavors marry in your fridge while you cook everything else. Nothing is exact, it's all about how you want it to taste... for example, I LOVE cilantro so go overboard with it.

Mango Salsa:

1 ripe mango or small bag of frozen, organic mango chunks

1/2 cucumber

1/2 red onion

1 tomato

cilantro

lime

pepper

sea salt (if needed)

Mix together teeny chunks of mango, diced onions, diced/seeded tomato, diced seeded/peeled cucumber, chopped cilantro, pepper (and salt) and let it sit in the fridgey!

Beef Fajitas:

flank or skirt steak

lime

garlic

cilantro

2 bell peppers

1 onion

lettuce

tomato

pepper

sea salt (if you need or your non-paleo family needs)

In a gallon size ziploc, throw in the juice from one lime, 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic, a handful of chopped cilantro, and a dash of pepper (and salt if you want). Mix up & add in your beautiful steak. Marinate for a couple 2-3 hours.

Leaf 1/2 your lettuce to use as your normal tortilla. Slice your pepper lengthwise into 1/2' to 1' strips. Do the same to your onion. Chop tomato and 1/2 lettuce & leftover cilantro for fixin's. Set aside. Throw on the grill or cast iron skillet for about 2-3 minutes each side. Medium rare is what you're going for. While the beef is cooking, sautee your pepper/onion mix until they're tender. Once steak is pau, slice against the grain into thin slices. Set up the assembly line to make your lettuce wrap beef fajitas!

Fish Tacos:

cod, flounder, any firm white fish

cumin

pepper

sea salt (if you must... but try not to)

Season with cumin & pepper.. red pepper flakes if you want more of a kick. Throw in the oven for 10 minutes, til firm and serve in your lettuce "tortillas" with lettuce/tomato/cilantro/mango salsa fixin's... whatever you want except cheese and sour cream!

Yesterday's WOD Board:

10 days into the 50-day Paleo Challenge!

"Being a professional is doing the things you love to do, on the days you don't feel like doing them."

-Julius Erving

Today's WOD:
AMRAP in 30 minutes, of:
400m Run
10 L Pull-ups
15 Back Extensions (25/15 lbs. plate)
20 Ab-mat Sit-ups (25/15 lbs. plate)

Day 10 of the 50-day Paleo Challenge:  Baked Butternut Squash and Apples!

I made this the other night and it turned out to be a quick, but delicious side to your meal, especially with grilled pork tenderloin!

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 a container of pre-cubed Butternut Squash (found at Costco)

1 apple peeled and diced (I prefer Fuji apples)

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

6 tbsp of water

(optional) handful of chopped pecans

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash, peel, and dice your apple. Then, in a Pyrex/glass baking pan add half the container of butternut squash and diced apples.  Sprinkle approximately 6 tablespoons of water onto the squash and apples. Sprinkle the cinnamon on top, then pop in the oven for 20 minutes.  Stir every 5 minutes. Turn oven off and let sit for 10 more minutes (if you're adding pecans, then add them after the 20 minutes and let sit in the "off" oven for another 10 minutes).  Pull out of oven, stir it, and serve warm with some pork tenderloin and salad!  

Yesterday's WOD Board: