CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Today's CrossFit games athlete is Jason K. I don't get to workout with him much, but I do know he's a pretty intense guy. Here he is sporting one of One World's signature shirts. Yeah. I gotta do more of that: Train not to suck at life. I think everyone should have a shirt like this. Okay. Maybe this photo isn't fair because it's a backside shot. I just wanted you all to see the cool t-shirt that has people ranting and raving.

In all fairness to Jason K., here's a photo of him and his wife Tia. I've trained with Tia before and she rocks. Meaning, Jason and Tia are a couple who totally rock! Congrats to Jason on the games and to Tia for standing by her man!

Warm-up
THREE rounds of TEN reps of:
Samson stretch
Shoulder Rolls
Overhead squats
Full push-ups
Bar dips
GHD Back Extensions
GHD Sit-ups

WOD: Helen
Three rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
35# Kettlebell swings
12 jumping pull-ups

Joanne's Final Time - 15:21

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I was supposed to run today. But I was just plain tired. I forgive myself.

Though I always say I hate kettlebell swings, I have to declare that they are awesome because it's a total body movement. The swing mostly comes from the hips, but in order to keep a steady kettlebell, you need to tighten your core and make sure your legs are solid. Of course, your arms and upper body need to be solid too. I think today's WOD with yesterday's adventures on the GHD machine really worked my abs. I finished in over 15 minutes. It doesn't sound like a lot, but most people finished in under 11 minutes. I'm not complaining. Each swing counted and each jumping pull-up counted. I was happy to finish in under 16 minutes. I was glad that Jolie was there before I did my WOD to check my form. Watching her do "Helen" was awesome. She finished in about 9 minutes. Her pull-ups are a total work of art. What I would do to be that graceful.

As always, thanks to Eric for his help. You rock, coach!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Today's CrossFit Games athlete is Mia S. Unfortunately, I don't know Mia well, but I do know she works her butt off. We were working out once at the same time and I recall Mia doing two WODs in a row. Now that is total CrossFit dedication. Congrats to Mia on the CrossFit games!

Warm-up
1 hour of yoga
TWO rounds of TEN reps of:
Samson Stretch
Shoulder Rolls
Overhead Squat
Full Push-Ups
GHD Sit-ups
Back Extensions

WOD: Michael
Three rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
50 GHD Back Extensions
50 GHD Sit-ups

Joanne's Final Time: 45:35

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
As always, this WOD was hard because I did the actual GHD sit-ups and back extensions. For any of you who have done this, you'll know they work your entire lower body because you have to tighten and isolate. So you're not just working your abs and lower back, you're also working your hamstrings, glutes and quads.

It took forever, but with a little prodding, some laughter, and my usual smart mouth, I got through it. As always, a big thanks to Eric for running me through this WOD.

Whenever you do this or any workout, I highly recommend stretching. Personally, I take 5-10 minutes after the WOD to stretch. It makes the day after much more bearable. I'll let you know tomorrow how I'm feeling.

saturday run club

Today's CrossFit Games athlete is Stef. I *heart* Stef because she's my she-ro! She's totally dedicated to CrossFit and her blog can be found here. Not a lot of people have the pleasure of training with Stef because she goes at 6:30am. I remember Stef when we called her Stefaroni and she used to struggle like I do during the WODs. But struggle no more. Stef is a bonafide CrossFit stud. In the two years she's been at it, she's now one of One World's top female CrossFitters and has lost over 35 lbs. She went from a size 12 to a size 4. I have mad respect for this woman! Congrats on the games, chica!

On Saturday I was supposed to do a 5 mile walk. I went to the Nike store at Valley Fair to do it with the running club that meets there. Unfortunately, we only did 3 miles. It's okay. This week I'm upping the mileage and stuff.

I decided to sign up for the Nike Human Race event happening on August 31. I'm walking it with Diana. It should be fun. Can you imagine a global running event? Wild! And it's FREE! (Okay, if you're at a race location, you have to pay. But if you do the virtual race, it's free.)

For those of you who want to get started running and such, do visit your local Nike store and join their running club. It's free, fun and at the end of the month, you get to enter a drawing to win FREE shoes! Margaret had a stroke of beginner's luck because she won the shoes this month. YEA!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

I started the day with a 4 mile morning run. My pace was 12:06, my fastest so far. The run started slow because I was wearing my new hydration belt. Anytime you're carrying two extra pounds of stuff on your butt has got to slow your run down. Plus, I was running in the morning and it takes a while for me to get into an early morning groove. I was surprised that my pace was faster than the run before. And yes, I *heart* my new hydration belt!

Pictured here is my crazy trainer Eric. Yes, he's as crazy as the photo shows. I have to give him props for staying late today and helping me with my time trials. Truth be told, I've always avoided the time trial days because I just don't want to know. A very big thank you for pushing me through a slow and painful process. My triceps are sore now.

Warm-up
Run 800 meters
Stretching

WOD: Time Trials
Complete each of the following exercises for time. You may complete them in any order. Rest as long as necessary between exercises.

Row 500m - 2:23
Run 400m - 2:12
100 pull-ups - 6:03
100 push-ups - 15:17
100 sit-ups - 10:18

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I'm not big on time trials because they simply tell you how slow and weak you are. But I guess you have to do them in order to track your progress. I did much better on the run and row than I had anticipated. I usually do the run in about 2:30 and the row in about 2:45. The pull-ups were challenging, but I'm constantly working on them. The sit-ups were tough because I did them on the Abmat with legs in the butterfly position. I finished as fast as I did because Eric held my feet for most of the reps. It's much harder when no one is holding your feet down. Finally, the most challenging for me was the push-ups. This is the first time I didn't do them on my knees. I actually did the push-ups on my feet. I have a lot of form to work on, but I'm hoping that when we do these time trials in a few months I'll see some improvement.

lululemon goodies

Yesterday Margaret and I stopped by the lululemon store in Berkeley. Ever since Freddy declared lululemon a "chick" store, I've been baffled. The lululemon men's gear is so up Freddy's alley. Anyway, during our visit, I stumbled upon this bag. For those of you who don't know, lululemon bags are the shizz! I received my first one from my best friend who gave them away as bridesmaids gifts last year. Unfortunately, the ones she gave us are a little too small for my gym needs. Instead, I use the bag for my makeup jobs because there are so many cool compartments.

So yes, I stumbled upon this bag which was marked way down. I'm talking WAAAYY DOWN! It was well over 50% off. Plus, it's PURPLE! Ahem. Did I ever mention that purple is my FAVORITE color? Not only that, this bag matches my yoga bag. So yes, it was too good to pass up. I HAD to get it! When I brought it to Margaret's place, I immediately transferred my stuff and OMG! it's a fabulous bag! There's a separate shoe compartment on the bottom that holds my size 9 extra wide shoes and corresponding socks. There are two main top compartments for clothes and toiletries. There are also tons of pockets and things. I can also store workout essentials like gloves and a jump rope and still have room to boot. I LOVE this bag.

My other lululemon purchase was this hydration belt. I hated my old hydration belt from the marathon because the band was made with ballistic nylon, and it tends to cut into your waist and stuff. This belt is constructed really well because it hooks on to you instead of having to velcro it on like other ones on the market. All the attachments that hold the bottles and the extra pocket are completely movable. Finally, the material is so soft that you can wear it around your waist without any poking or snagging your precious dri-fit. You can also wear it higher, under your bust if you like.

I'm not big on hydration belts and have been just carrying my bottle. However, carrying the bottle can be a pain and I do need pockets to carry my keys and such. I took the belt for a test drive this morning and it takes me some getting used to. However, I was fine by the end of the run. I'm not big on the little bottles, but I can hang because everything else about the belt is great.

Yes, I highly recommend a visit to lululemon and I highly recommend these products. They totally rock!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Today's CrossFit Games athlete is Brian G. I don't know too much about him because he trains in the very early morning and well, I don't get up that early to workout these days. I do know that he's a local firefighter and according to Freddy, a CrossFit ass kicker. I think that's all we need to know about Brian G. As always, congrats on a job well done at the games!

Warm-up
1 hour of yoga
Jump rope drills

WOD: modified "Annie"
Complete the following for time of:
100 jump rope rotations
50 Abmat Sit-ups
80 jump rope rotations
40 Abmat Sit-ups
60 jump rope rotations
30 Abmat Sit-ups
40 jump rope rotations
20 Abmat Sit-ups
20 jump rope rotations
10 Abmat Sit-ups

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I was sad to walk into yoga and find that Dolian is sick today. Tamara, a woman who used to take yoga with me a LONG time ago was the substitute. I totally enjoyed the class because Tamara lets us sink into the poses much longer and it was a little more relaxing than usual. Having her was a great switch up and it was exactly what I needed today.

Unfortunately, Eric also had to back out of today's WOD. Not a big deal because technically, today is a rest day. I still wanted to get a workout in, but I wanted to take advantage of bringing down the intensity. Additionally, I wanted to work on my jump rope skills. Right now, I'm not quite there at doing the double unders. I need to speed up my jump rope rotations. Once I coordinate that, I'll get to the double unders. Today's WOD was good practice for that. I also liked that I had to do a shit load of sit-ups and I focused on doing a good Abmat sit-up.

Though light, I was happy with today's "recovery" WOD.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Again, going along with the CrossFit Athlete profile that's on the One World site, today's athlete is Will Blaker. He's pictured here with his daughter Gabby and his wife Audrey. Truth be told, I want to say I've worked out with Will maybe once. All I remember was that we were doing the "Filthy Fifty" WOD and he was the only person crazy enough to say, "I've never done the 'Filthy Fifty.' I'm really excited to do this WOD today!" Yeah. Only someone who hasn't done the "Filthy Fifty" would be excited to do it. Sure enough, he totally "beasted" the WOD. Sick! That day Will also confessed to being a total Rocky fan. Hence, he totally knew the songs I put on James's ipod. Kudos goes to anyone who *hearts* Rocky and any music from the films! Congrats to Will on his performance at the CrossFit games.

Warm-up
4 mile run

THREE sets of TEN reps of:
Shoulder Rolls
Overhead Squats
Push-ups
GHD Sit-ups
GHD Back Extensions

WOD: Cindy
Complete as many rounds as you can in 20 minutes of:
5 jumping pull-ups
10 push-ups (on knees)
15 squats

Joanne's Final Count: 11 rounds exactly!

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I haven't worked out in the past four days. Now for most people, that's no big deal. But for me, whose sanity rests on working out, four days is a long time to not work out. However, I refuse to shoot myself in the foot because I think my left shoulder really needed the rest. I strained it last week by lifting too much weight. I think it was the push press WOD that did me in. Needless to say, to get back into the grind was great.

I started with a 4 mile run. Again, I did the 4:1 pace and was surprised because at the end of my run, I discovered that I did a 12:13 pace. It's my fastest so far and almost an entire minute faster than when I started my running training. I'm a big believer in interval training because I notice that I tend to push the speed towards the last mile or so because I just want the run over and done with.

Also, I *heart* my Nike SportBand. It rocks!

For today's WOD, Eric had me do a different one that what posted on either site. He chose "Cindy" so I could work on my jumping pull-ups and my push-ups. The last time I did a full-on "Cindy" was last year and I did 12 rounds and 11 squats. Though I did only 11 rounds today, I'm confident that every move counted. Majority of my pull-ups were with my chin over the bar. Though I had some difficulty keeping my back tight and planked, my push-ups were much better than before. Of course, my squats were pretty strong. I no longer use the medicine ball and do a full-on squat where I break the 90 degree point. They're hard, but I really feel them. They turn my legs into jell-o.

Overall, I had a great WOD. As per Eric's suggestion, I'm moving my runs to Tues/Thurs mornings and keeping my CrossFit WODs in the evenings. He mentioned that I may be working out too much in a small period of time, so breaking it up AM/PM would be advisable. He's a nurse by trade and has a lot of technical knowledge about exercise and such. So I'll gladly take his advice.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
4 mile run
Three rounds of:
5 jumping pull-ups
10 push-ups
15 squats
(Note: On the last round, I didn't do the squats because we had to start the WOD. Ahem. No complaints here.)

WOD: Randy
Complete 75 power snatches for time. 35#

Joanne's Final Time - 17:45

Here's a video of what the power snatch is. Yeah. We had to do 75 of these fuckers!


Notes (to myself) about this workout:
Technically in CrossFit terms, today is my day off. However, I'm not following their traditional schedule. My goal is to do CrossFit four days a week. Hence, why I do it Monday-Thursday. This morning I could tell why they do a three day on, one day off schedule. By the fourth day, you really are spent. It also doesn't help that Mon-Wed my CrossFit workouts are at night and on Thursday it's in the morning, leaving not a lot of recovery time.

This morning started with a four mile run. It took me 50 minutes and I averaged about 12:34 per mile. I forget that all my runs have been 3 miles and under. The jump from 3 miles to 4 miles doesn't sound like a lot. However, it does make a difference because that's 25% more that I usually run. I did the run at an interval pace and I finished. From here on out, my practice runs will be four miles. This first one was tough, but as time goes on, it will get easier.

I'm glad that I decided to walk the actual race and the long mile training because the blister issues are surfacing again. I don't want to go through that again. Some ways I'm dealing with it are: 1) I'm finding that I really like BlisterShield because it works better than body glide by making sure the feet stay dry. The powder absorbs the yuckiness and seems to be working okay. 2) I'm using the Under Armour heat gear socks. They're thin and allow my feet to breathe.

Today's WOD required 75 weightlifting movements. I opted to go light - 35#. I'm sure if Eric were there, I'd have to do at least 45# or more. I opted light because I was tired and wanted to nail the movement. Again, I finished pretty slow because most people finished under 12 minutes. At least I now know what a power snatch should feel like.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

What we have here is the very fashion forward Freddy at the CrossFit games. Remember Freddy's fashion rule? Always match your shoes and your shorts. Nice. Um, I'm not sure I like these shorts. Dearest Freddy, I think you're better off doing your shopping at Lululemon. I'm sure that they'll have lots of gear that will match your tattoos!

Warm-up
One hour of yoga.
Row 1000 meters
THREE sets of TEN reps of:
Samson Stretch
Shoulder rolls
Overhead squats
Push-ups
GHD Sit-ups
GHD Back Extensions

WOD: Fat Helen
Complete five rounds for time of:
400m run
21 kettlebell swings W:35#
12 jumping pull-ups

Joanne's Final Time - 34:38

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
Technically, today was a rest day or a make-up-a-WOD day. My stupid ass decided to do "Fat Helen" because I wanted to work on the pull-ups. I'm not sure it was such a good idea now. Though I did jumping pull-ups, I did the RX'd weight on the kettlebell swings. I didn't think I could push that, but Eric said I could.

The thing about pushing weight is that you can definitely feel your mistakes and your form. Pushing weight also makes me extremely aware of how weight training is a whole body experience. The body has to be tight and loose at the same time. If you've lifted some major weight, you'd know what I'm talking about. Though Eric makes me lift a lot, I usually appreciate it afterwards.

This WOD was TOUGH for me because of the 35# kettlebell and I was really trying to do better with the pull-ups. I was winded after round two and I thought I was going to die. Sweat was dripping from every part of my body. It sucked! If you videotaped me I looked like I was going to cry most of the time.

On the brighter side, I thought it would take me about 40 minutes to finish. So to finish under 35 minutes was a gift to me. Granted, most people finished well under 30 minutes. But I have no complaints. At this moment, as I'm trying to get back into CrossFit shape, I'm trying to make every movement count. I really want to take advantage of the health benefits of CrossFit, so if I have to take a lot longer to get solid movement, I'm okay.

Another thing I decided was to have a consistent warm-up. I'm going to incorporate the movements I need work on and I'd like to address my problem areas such as my tummy. Hence, why today's warm-up was a little more structured.

As for yoga, we just found out that the thermostat is now in a lock box. Meaning, no more heated yoga. Personally, I'm okay with that because I'm naturally warm-blooded and get sweaty anyway. As usual, today's session was great. I'm trying to build up to not having to take so many breaks and today I was almost there.

OWMA Quotable Quote
"I hate you now. I'll thank you later. But I hate you now."
- said by me to Eric

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

This is a total deadlift no-no. When I saw this photo of Chris, my heart bled and my lower back started to ache. Admittedly, I don't know Chris well, but I see him training like a monster! Congrats on CrossFit games!

Warm-up
40 minute run
Push Press Drills

WOD
Push Press 3/3/3/3/3/3/3

Joanne's Final Weight - 45/65/70/75/80/85/90x2/90x2

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
As per Margaret's suggestion, I finally printed out the Nike training schedule for the half marathon in October. I'm a few weeks late for their training, but as long as I follow the program from here on out, I should be fine. Basically, the program outlines two short running days, one long running day, one rest day, and strength/cardio/cross training suggestions for the rest of the week. I think I'm pretty much on target as long as I incorporate more running and start dedicating myself to those long Sunday runs.

For today's run I did interval training where I run for four minutes and walk for one minute. This 4:1 pace is what I used when I did the marathon a few years ago. Surprisingly, today's run was my farthest and fastest, making my pace under 12:30. This is a huge improvement from the 13:00 I usually run. I think something has to be said about interval training. I've decided that long or short, this is the method I'll be using to get me through the running.

I ran at about 5pm, which is a nice time to run because it's not too hot. I firmly believe that there's nothing like running outdoors. The treadmills just don't cut it because you can't simulate the elements. For example, today's run ended hard because I was running against the wind. My pace felt slower and slower and I just had to fight it. Truth be told, I can't stand running, but I like what it does to me and what it means to me. Enough said.

When I first looked at the WOD, I was actually excited to be lifting some heavy pounds. Before today, my max on the push press was 72#. Today I did 90#, but couldn't do the three in a row. 90# was pushing it and I became wobbly. In fact, at my first 90# attempt, I hit my chin against the bar and now I have a busted lip. Poor J-Ro. I thought the push press was one of my stronger lifts, but like everything else, it's something I definitely have to work on. I was hoping I could do all three reps the second time, but I could only pull off two. It's okay. I just have to work harder next time.

As always, a big thank you to Eric and all the other folks who cheered me on during the WOD.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Happy 43rd birthday to our very own Freddy! He didn't show up because well, even CrossFitters get to have their bday off for some cake and ice cream! I love this photo of Freddy as his alter ego Fredrica. Long story. You have to be a One Worlder to figure it out.

Warm-up
1 hour heated yoga
Run 800 meters
Jump Rope Drills

WOD: Happy Birthday Freddy!
Complete the following for time:
Run 400m
43 jumping pull-ups
Row 500m
43 push-ups (on knees)
430 jump rope turns
43 sit-ups
Row 500m
43 squats
Run 400m

Joanne's Final Time - 34:40

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
This WOD sucked! Okay, they all suck. This one took a long time for me because most people finished under 20 minutes. I swear that half that time I took was with the jump rope turns. I can't do a double under for shit, so to do 430 single turns took forever. I'm not lying when I say it took half the time. The ipod played four songs while I was jump roping.

Another thing I have a hard time with is pull-ups. I did the jumping pull-ups today. The WODs are taking forever, but I'm trying to be a good sport and sticking to it. It's all I can do at this point. Eric, my trainer, says I should give myself three months to nail down the movements. For now, I shouldn't pay attention to my time. I'll take that advice. Though winded at the end, I did feel like I could have pushed harder. I think that's an eating thing. Unfortunately, my eating hasn't been the greatest these past two days. Protein. Protein. Protein. I also need to eat a little before the WOD for some energy.

Yoga was great today. The room was a little cooler and I'm really liking the late afternoon classes. It gives me the entire day to work on my stuff.

back in the studio

Today's CrossFitter is Maria. Truth be told, I don't know Maria well but I see her training all the time. She's fierce, yo! According to the One World folks, she got big kudos on her form during the CrossFit games. That's how you "beast" a WOD!

Today my body was just simply drained. I couldn't get up for my early morning run or to do my early morning spin class. CrossFit was closed for the day and I couldn't make my evening class. Therefore, I did a two hour belly dance class. It's not as bad as it sounds. It was the intro class to this session. Dolian invited me to join. It was a good workout. It wasn't intense, but it still worked me and was a great supplement to what happened the past week.

I'm really looking forward to working out next week because my half marathon training starts. Yea!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

This is the uber-CrossFit couple, Chong and his wife Mel. Currently CrossFit One World is profiling the athletes that performed at the CrossFit Games this past weekend. Yesterday was Jolie's day and today is Chong's. As everyone has said on the site, Chong is an extremely strong competitor with impeccable form. Further, he's a great instructor. I always see him in the mornings during his one-on-one sessions and I'm always envious because I can tell his students learn a lot from him. Today, I had the chance to get a little coaching from him and it was great. Kudos to Chong on his performance this weekend. Of course, kudos to Mel because she's just so awesome!

Warm-up
one hour of heated yoga
"Grace and then some" warm-up

WOD: "Grace" (and then some)
Complete 30 squat clean and jerks for time.

You must perform a a squat clean, or a power clean with a front squat (Hip below the knee). The bar may go overhead to a full lockout position by any means (i.e.- jerk, push press, thruster, shoulder press)

To get a better idea of what the movement should look like, here's CrossFit Unlimited's Jason Khalipa doing this WOD. In an upset, Jason won the men's title at the CrossFit games this past weekend. A BIG congrats to you and the folks at CrossFit Unlimited.



Joanne's Final Time - 14:07, using a 65# weight.

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
This WOD is much harder than the usual "Grace" WOD because this includes a squat in the middle. Also, the prescribed weight is a lot higher. I think "Grace" is usually somewhere around 95# for women and 135# for men. This one required 100# for women and 155# for men. The movement is much bigger and it's a total body workout. I thought for sure it would be doable because it's just 30 movements. Yeah. I was wrong.

I took a while during the warm-up to nail down the movement and decide the weight I was going to use. I was hoping I could get by on 45#. Naturally, Eric pushed it to 65#. He and Chong actually thought I could push it to 75#, but opted not to just because we're trying to get down my form. Eric didn't want me to get weak at the last part of the WOD.

After doing the WOD, I will say that I'd like to try upping the weight to maybe 75#. For today, 65# was plenty. In fact, it was a huge jump from the 35# I did last week when we did "Grindy," which required the same movement. I was floored at how hard this WOD was and how much it took out of me. I was spent after the first 10. Working with Eric and at times with Chong, their focus was really doing the movement as clean as possible. I really had to focus on form. The heavier weight doesn't allow you to slack because you can feel the mistakes you're making.

I can see why someone would pay for a personal trainer or train with a partner who's going to push you. Eric cuts no slack at all. He knows enough about fitness and such to understand what I can and can't push. Sometimes you need that. I've decided to change up my CrossFIt schedule to get in more training with him. As mentioned before, I'm trying to commit to CrossFit Mon-Thurs. Starting next week, I'll do Mon-Wed evenings to train with Eric and the crew. I'll go on Thursday mornings for my fourth WOD. As Eric suggested, I'm not going to weigh myself for three months. Actually, my next major doctor appointment happens in September, so I'll get weighed in then. I'm hoping to see some results. Cross fingers please!

As mentioned before, I'm not big on the Oly lifts. However, I've had to do them these past few days and all I can say is that as much as I can't stand them, I see why they're important. I find that just one WOD significantly changes the way I carry and can feel my back muscles. A lot of women are concerned about lifting too much because they fear bulking up. My answer to that is to look at people like Stef and Jolie. They're not bulky at all, but can really lift some heavy weight. This tells me that weight lifting is great to become leaner. How bulky you get is, I presume, a diet thing. But what do I know, right?

That's it for now. Kudos to Eric for doing a 570# deadlift today for the CrossFit Total. 570#? That's just so sick!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

A big congrats to Queen Jolie, who placed 5th overall at the CrossFit games.

Warm-up
Row 1000 meters
THREE sets of TEN reps of:
Samson Stretch
Shoulder Rolls
Overhead Squats
AbMat Sit-ups
Push-ups

WOD: "Nancy"
Complete five rounds for time of:
Run 400m
15 overhead squats 33#

No time recorded.

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
The soreness from last night's deadlifts are kicking in. My back on the sides are really sore. Surprisingly, my butt is okay. On the One World site, today is a rest day with the option of making up a WOD or working on the overhead squat. I decided to do what the 6:30am kids did and worked on Nancy. I used a 33# bar which is heavy enough for me to feel challenged, but still maintain consistency when doing the WOD. The next time I do Nancy, I'd like to see if I can push it to 45#.

The main issue I've had with Nancy is that I tend to fall forward (I blame it on the boobs!). According to David, my right arm tends to go about 4 inches back farther than my left arm. I can't quite feel the imbalance when I do the overhead squat. I will say that when he corrects the alignment, it feels funny. I wonder if I just have funny alignment. Hmph.

Since today was technically a rest day, I took my time with the WOD, especially with the run. I could have gone faster, but didn't. I've done this WOD and I just didn't want to die, that's all. But this WOD at full intensity is crazy! Your legs feel like jello afterward! I'm glad I got to work on the overhead squat and am looking forward to making it better.

I skipped on my standard run because I felt sore and just couldn't get up. Hence, why I'm glad Nancy had some running in it. I'll go running on Thursday.

Finally, I thought this video gave great advice about uphill and downhill running. Thanks for sharing this, Freddy!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
Heated yoga - 1 hour
Joe D's Deadlift and burpee warm-up

WOD
Complete 5 rounds for time of:
5 deadlifts 133#
10 burpees

Joanne's Final Time - 15:23

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
This was my first WOD that my new CrossFit coach Eric ran me through. First off, a big thanks to Eric because he wasn't even training today, but was nice enough to run me and Imran through today's WOD separately. Granted I did the WOD with the 6pm crew. However, Eric followed me through the whole thing. It was tough.

Okay. Reading the WOD doesn't look so bad. But actually doing it was crazy! I wanted to die! I'm not big on the heavy lifting. However, it really helps when someone is there pushing you. Eric made me do a 133# lift. WTF?! I don't think I've ever done more than 95# on the deadlift just because I fear injury. But as Eric says, you can't expect your body to change unless you push it. So there I was pushing myself today. I was one of the last to finish, but I didn't care. My concern was to do the WOD as "cleanly" as possible. I did the best deadlifts I could do. Dare I say, I might be able to add a few more pounds next time I do this WOD. Also, I did real burpees with knee push-ups. That's another thing I don't usually do because I usually skip the push-up all together.

As I've mentioned before, I'm really loving being back in CrossFit. I don't care if I finish last. Right now, it's about getting better form and doing the workout. Balls to the wall, bitches!

Right now, my body is a little sore as expected. But in the week and a half that I've been back, I can honestly say that I can see how my body has already changed. I haven't checked the scales and don't plan to until next month. My jeans are back to how they felt when I was in the Philippines (Did I mention that at my last doctor appointment I gained 10 pounds since coming back?!). I appreciated the heavy lifting because it made me feel the contours of my body better. I could feel the strength of my back and core, which is what happens when you have someone poking your shoulder blades and yelling in your ear about form "butt out, tits out!" (Yeah. Let's just say that CrossFit isn't exactly where the politically correct collide. It's okay. I'm a tough girl and can appreciate the banter.) ha ha ha!

All in all, it was a great WOD and I'm caring less about time and more about form. I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow. Yea.

On the yoga front, I'm noticing that the evening classes are tougher, but I'm performing better because my body is warmed from the day's activities. I'm getting stronger in areas I was struggling with before. It's great. I so *heart* Dolian!

Finally, the photo above was taken at the CrossFit games that happened this weekend. Kudos to all the competing athletes, especially those from One World. You guys rock!

training tips from freddy

For those of you who don't already know, this is Freddy, One World's OG CrossFit trainer. Yeah. He's ripped. But he also waxes his eyebrows, so don't get too intimidated by the tattoos and muscles galore. (Sorry Freddy. I so had to out you on that one!) Anyway... the main CrossFit site featured this video of Freddy sharing his training tips. Last year, Freddy placed 12th overall at the CrossFit games, which are going to be held this weekend in Aromas, CA.

So what are Freddy's training tips? Here they go in no particular order...
- cut out the drinking
- cut out the smoking
- no more strip clubs (you loose sleep that way)
If you must do these things, please do them in moderation. Freddy's final and most important tip is: MATCH your shorts with your shoes! Nothing makes an athlete perform better than a matching outfit.

By the way Freddy.... Lululemon does have men's clothing. You'd go crazy finding matching outfits for your WODs because they feature "seasonal colors." How Freddy is that?! Who knows, Lululemon might even help you shave another minute or two off your "Filthy Fifty." You'll never know unless you try!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
Run 400 meters
Clean and Jerk progression

WOD: "Grindy"
Complete the following for time:
10 clean and jerk 45#
5 rounds of 5 pull-ups/10 push-ups/15 squats
10 clean and jerk 45#
5 rounds of 5 pull-ups/10 push-ups/15 squats
10 clean and jerk 45#
5 rounds of 5 pull-ups/10 push-ups/15 squats

Joanne's Final Time - 35:16 (Note: I modified by doing jumping pull-ups and push-ups on my knees; I did deep squats without the ball)

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
Today marks 5 days in a row of CrossFit. In truth, I can't remember the last time I did five days in a row. My goal is to go four days a week. I went today because yoga and belly dance were cancelled. I thought I would take the day off. However, I really wanted to get a hang of some of the olympic lifts. Next Friday I volunteered for the cert, but it looks like I'm going to have to cancel because I completely forgot that I committed to work that day. UGH! I was really looking forward to working on some of my form.

Anyway... This was tough, but I was glad I went. I actually like doing cleans. With Oly lifting, you have to be really patient and not go crazy with the weight. That's totally fine with me. I just like lifting some weight. I don't need to lift heavy. One step at a time is all I ask.

I'm still trying to figure out the eating thing. UGH! I'm eating better and am keeping a journal which is great. My only issue is the timing of meals and stuff. Like working out, eating requires discipline. I'm working on it.

Happy 4th of July to you all! I'm heading out to the city today and then tomorrow going on adventures with my gals!

Finally, I'm posting the videos from the One World CrossFit site so you can have a sense of today's WOD. I'll try to do that on a regular basis as well. Again, HAPPY 4TH!

This is the "Grace" portion of the WOD:


This is the "Cindy" portion of the WOD

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
Row
Stretch Session

WOD
Run 800m for time four times. You may rest as long as you wish between efforts. If you need to scale this workout try running 4 x 400m.

Joanne's 4x800 - 5:31/5:28/5:26/5:30

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
Today was my running/CrossFit day. However, since today's WOD was all running, I just did CrossFit today. Though significantly slower than everyone else who did the WOD, I was actually happy with my times because my mile logs in at around 13 minutes. So to have a half mile at 5:30 is pretty decent. I'm just not a sprinter.

I'm feeling good about CrossFit these days. It's good to be back in the grind of that "CrossFit soreness." I just need to pay attention to eating because these days I actually forget to eat. It's not a good thing. On a better eating note, I'm getting accustomed to eating better food. Last night we had my mom's birthday dinner at Kalesa. The food was great but I passed on the fried chicken and kare kare (I know!), had a courtesy two pieces of lechon. I'm listening to my body much better and it's telling me what I really need, which is good.

Below is Freddy's crazy warm-up from yesterday. Enjoy!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
THREE rounds of:
Row 200 meters
Run 200 meters
Jumps
Box jumps
10 Ab Mat sit-ups
10 Push-ups

Power Snatch Drills

WOD
Power Snatch 5/3/3/3/1/1/1
Joanne's Weight: 35/45/45/50/50/50/50

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I'm not sure if I actually did this WOD correctly. However, I don't think it really matters because the weight I'm lifting isn't heavy enough. What I really needed to do was get the form down. Now, I have a sense of the movement, but I still need to figure out a proper thrusting movement.

I don't usually like the Olympic Weightlifting WODs. However, I decided to just suck it up and do this one because I need to stop running. It wasn't as bad as I was anticipating. It's good to lift a little weight now and then.

Today is my mom's birthday, so I'll be missing my yoga class tonight.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
3 mile run

Row 1000 meters
David Lee's warm-up and stretch.

WOD: The Filthy Fifty
Complete the following for time:
50 box jumps 16"
50 jumping pull-ups
50 kettlebell swings 15#
50 walking lunge steps
50 knees to elbows (modified)
50 push press 25#
50 back extensions (on floor)
50 wall balls 6#
50 burpees
100 jump rope rotations

Joanne's final time - 43:41

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I started my morning with a three mile run. It took about 40 minutes. I'm really loving the Nike SportBand because it does help me keep track of mileage and pace. It seems that at every run, my pace gets better and better. Today's run felt really good. I still have to stop and walk every now and again for three miles, but this has been my best run do far. I'm also loving my new running shoes. They feel like clouds. They cost a pretty penny, but they'll last, which is nice. Kudos to the nice guy at the New Balance store in Santana Row for helping me out!

I'm feeling good because I'm feeling like I'm back to my old self again. I feel healthy and strong. My only issue is eating. With all the stuff I had to do, my first meal didn't happen until after 12 noon today. Before then, I just had a banana that I managed to sneak in. I have to do better at timing my meals. I will say that keeping a food journal helps. The idea that I have to WRITE everything makes me more conscious of what I eat. Also, I'm missing the portions at the Philippines and have been trying to mimic them. Right now, I just hate the uber-stuffed feeling that the portions here give you. So far, so good.

The WOD was tough today and 1) I pat myself on the back for actually finishing it. 2) I give kudos to David Lee for refusing to let me slip by. No matter how long it was gonna take me, he was gonna make sure I finished. It was great. I had to do a lot of modifications, but I was just glad I finished. At the end of the WOD, I was dripping wet with sweat. Even Roman had to ask if I had just taken a shower. Whatever dude. Don't make me play more 80s rock for you. Anyway, I was spent, but a good kind of spent.

I've decided to drop my Thursday morning spin classes and focus on CrossFit. I just feel it's going to help with my running. I'm due for a half marathon in October and the conditioning is just better. Also, in the few CrossFit WODs I've been doing, I can feel my body change. It's a good feeling. Getting back on my feet is frustrating, but I'm doing the best I can and am actually liking it!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
1 hour of heated yoga
Run 800 meters
THREE sets of TEN reps of:
Samson Stretch
10 Shoulder rolls
10 Overhead Squats
10 Lunges (each leg)
10 Wall balls

WOD: "Blackjack"
Complete the following for time:
20push-ups/1 sit-up
19 push-ups/2 sit-ups
18 push-ups/3 sit-ups
17 push-ups/4 sit-ups
16 push-ups/5 sit-ups
15 push-ups/6 sit-ups
14 push-ups/7 sit-ups
13 push-ups/8 sit-ups
12 push-ups/9 sit-ups
11 push-ups/10 sit-ups
10 push-ups/11 sit-ups
9 push-ups/12 sit-ups
8 push-ups/13 sit-ups
7 push-ups/14 sit-ups
6 push-ups/15 sit-ups
5 push-ups/16 sit-ups
4 push-ups/17 sit-ups
3 push-ups/18 sit-ups
2 push-ups/19 sit-ups
1 push-up/20 sit-ups

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I was happy that I could do the push-ups better. It's a tough exercise for me and I was glad that I was able to keep my hands and elbows in the position that I needed it to be in. This is actually one of my favorite WODs because it's challenging and uses no equipment. Again, no timer was used.

Eric, one of the other CrossFitters offered to help train me just so I can get my feet wet again. We agreed we'd start training next week Monday. I'm thankful that he's willing to help me out because I've been in such a slump lately. In truth, I haven't had the greatest week and it's only Tuesday.

I will say that in life matters, I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready to conquer CrossFit again. I'm ready to run again. I'm ready to get moving with the dissertation and such. I'm ready for what life has in store for me. No fear. No pain. No turning back. I'm diving in head first to reach all my goals - physical, personal, spiritual. That's my life's theme these days: I'm ready.

today's workout

Today I did an hour of heated yoga followed by an hour of belly dance.

This is my standard workout on Fridays. I've decided that Fridays are dedicated to mind/body/pleasure workouts. I'm still rusty in belly dance. But luckily, I kept up with the routine better than before. Yea.

Cheers to a good weekend!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
Row 1000 meters
Three sets of 10 reps of:
Samson stretch
Shoulder Rolls
Overhead Squat
GHD Sit-Ups
GHD Push-ups

WOD: "JT"
Complete 21/15/9 reps for time of:
Modified Handstand push-ups
Bar Dips
Push-ups

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I hate handstand push-ups. They make me fall. I can't check my form because I think that having your butt stick up in the air is totally inappropriate. Thank god there were like 5 of us in the studio this morning. Unfortunately, I was the only girl. So me having my butt in the air was so not cute. (Note: The photo features Julia demonstrating proper modified handstand push-up form. See what I'm talkin' about?)

Today was a rest day, but I went in and did this particular WOD because it required more upper body work. I suck at push-ups. I just feel like my entire upper body is so damn heavy. I really gotta work on those.

Finally, my bra left some weird strange bruise on my upper back. Hmph.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
1 hour of heated yoga
Row 1000 meters
Three sets of 10 Reps of:
Samson Stretch
Shoulder Rolls
Push Press
Overhead Squats
GHD Sit-ups
GHD Back Extensions

WOD: "Nancy"
Complete five rounds for time of:
Run 400m
15 overhead squats 30#

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
Yoga has been challenging lately because the room is heated. In fact, yesterday was hotter than usual. I think 3-4 people walked out! But I stuck it through. It was great.

I then went to One World to do their WOD. It was pretty good. I'm not as strong as I'd like to be, but I'm glad I got it done. Yea! Pat me on the back when I see you, huh?

I still don't time myself because I just want to finish. The other WOD they were doing was Fight Gone Bad. It sucks. I refused to do it, but I did promise Eric I'd show up the next time they did that WOD. You can run, but you can't hide from "Fight Gone Bad." In all, I'm feeling better and now that I've settled into my new place, I'm getting back to my normal workout mode.

OWMA Quotable Quote
Eric: Come on, Joanne. Do "Fight Gone Bad" with me. We'll scale it down so you can do it.
Me: No way! I'm not ready for a crazy WOD like that. Besides, I'd like to maintain my sexy!

proud of me

I worked out last night at One World, so when 4am hit, I really didn't want to get up to spin class this morning. Oddly, I was up at 4am - going in and out of sleep. I just wasn't sure I wanted to go to spin class so early. But I did it. I got my fat, lazy and now sore from all those sit-ups yesterday ass up and went to spin. The class starts at 5:30am. However, I have to leave the house before 5am in order to sign up for a bike and set it up. It didn't used to be this big ordeal, but for some reason, while I was in Pinas, a shitload of people decided they'd take spin class at 5:30am. Bastards! So this is why spin is such a negotiation for me.

Today's class was actually really refreshing because it was a solid, let's-sweat-it-out session that included a "race day ride." It's a 10 minute portion that simulates what real cyclists do - keep a steady pace and just switch the gears while doing it. Meaning, no matter how hard the ride, you're supposed to keep the same leg pace. It was tough. But man, it was a great class.

I'm slowly but surely getting back into the swing of working out. Getting back into CrossFit shape has been challenging. But for now, I think if I just stick to going in and doing the WOD myself with no timer, I'll be fine. I'll do that for the next three months. By fall, I'll go back to being timed and such. It's a long process, but I'm willing to work on it.

Running is another thing I need to break through. I'm running my three mile practice runs which are fine right now. But when I get into higher mileage, I know I'm going to have to do the 4:1 run/walk pace I did for the Maui Marathon. Truth is, I hate running. I'm not even convinced that it's good for me. What I do like is the discipline of running. The challenge of running. That's why I do it.

But today, I'm proud of me. I got my fat, lazy and now sore from all those sit-ups yesterday ass up when I could have just stayed in bed.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
1 hour of yoga - hard yoga
1.1 mile run

WOD
Complete the following for time
50 sit-ups
100 jump rope turns
50 sit-ups
50 squats
50 sit-ups
50 push press
50 sit-ups

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I modified the posted WOD because I'm still trying to get into CrossFit shape. It was a shitload of sit-ups that I know I'm going to have to pay for tomorrow. One World is closed for the next four days for remodeling. That's fine because I just have to focus on spinning, running and yoga for the next two days.

Notes (to myself) about the Challenge:
So far so good. It does help to keep a food journal because not only am I recording what I eat, I'm taking a mental note of how I actually feel. I'm trying to avoid feeling overstuffed and so far it's been fine. I just went to the doctor today. UGH! But I'm ready and working on getting back on track.

decisions, decisions!

I've decided that the whole giving up red meat thing just isn't going to work. Sorry Oprah. You're on your own with that one. Though I enjoy the discipline involved in doing something like that, I just don't like the idea of being forbidden to have something. I liked my no fried food challenge and that's that. In fact, I may do that soon.

Right now, I'm doing this as my next 30 day challenge: keep a food journal. I'm starting today. 30 days of keeping a no-holds-barred completely honest food journal. That's my challenge. Studies state that food journals really help people make better food choices because they have to write those choices down and confront them head on. I think this is what I need and it's what's gonna help me get back on track. In my journal I'm also recording the time so that I have a better understanding of how much time passes in between meals and at what times I tend to get hungrier. Right now, it's the late afternoon, right before dinner that I tend to have the munchies.

I decided to commit to a food journal because I just haven't been feeling good lately. I've been feeling completely off balance. I'll have a light breakfast, a way heavy lunch and then a late dinner. This just doesn't work for me. This is where I begin to miss the Philippines because good eating habits are automatically built into the lifestyle there, where they eat 5-6 small meals per day. There, you have to do it because the heat. You need your energy. I think it's the heat.

Naturally, I have some personal goals to go along with my journal. Here it goes...
My ultimate goal is to have 6 servings of fruit/veggies a day. Broken down, that's one fruit and one veggie per meal. I think it's doable. I'd like to have 3 servings of dairy per day. That can be a meal or snack thing. Again, with the right grocery shopping, it's totally doable. I'd also like to cut down on the fried food and the carbs like bread and such. Again, totally doable. Following these simple guidelines will help me out tremendously. Wish me luck!

I've been trying to incorporate a salad and a fruit for dessert at lunch and dinner. So far so good. Then again, it's only been a day.

Another thing I've been trying to get back into is consistently working out. I ran three miles today. Not bad. Tomorrow is CrossFit and yoga. I'm committing. I unpacked my gym clothes so I have no excuses. Gym, here I come!

today's workout

After skipping yoga for a whole week, I came back and did an hour of yoga followed by an hour of belly dance. I was spent. To me, yoga isn't hard, it's just challenging (go figure). I was sweating buckets. But it was a good, energizing workout.

Yoga was followed by bellydance, which I'm pretty rusty at. Dolian put me at the front of the class. Meaning, I can't f--k up because other students rely on watching me to get the routine. I'm usually good at picking up the routine (something I thank my Filipino genes for). But Friday just wasn't my day. I f--ked up royally. I just couldn't get the first combination down. Stupid, because it was the easiest. I felt like I had two left feet.

Dolian could tell I was struggling. Bless her heart. But she came up to me afterward and said, "That's what you get for missing so much class. Make sure you come in from now on." Okay Maestra! I hear you!

Lesson learned.
Enough said.

finding footing (again)

You'd think that after posting that "motivational" article I would have been happy to work out this week. No go. Today was my first workout this week. I went to spin class and did that for an hour. Bally's in Fremont has shitty bikes. I'm not going to lie about it. They just do. Luckily, I left the house at 4:50am. That's no typo. 4:50AM! I got to the gym by 5am and signed up for a bike. The room was open, so I got to choose a decent bike. They really need to update or repair what's there. The instructor even busted his bike during the workout and I thought he broke something. It weirded me out. So there you have it. Fix the damn bikes you Ballys cheap asses!

It was good to be back in spin. I like that workout. Afterward, I finally got my ass to One World, not to do the WOD, but to calibrate my Nike Sportband. All I gotta say is that it's a fabulous tool. During my test run, I did a 1.1 mile around the block and as expected, the band read 1.1 miles. I didn't even have to calibrate because the calculations were on. I'm excited about running now.

The whole no red meat thing isn't working because... I'm Filipino. I can't help it. I am trying to make a point to eat more fish, fruit and veggies. I think I'm doing okay.

Right now, I need to get into training mode. I signed up for the Nike Women's Half Marathon through Nike Plus. Apparently, if you are part of the Nike Plus family and log in 13.1 miles on the day of the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco, Nike will send you the finisher's gear - Tiffany necklace and all! Of course, you have to pay the entrance fee. But that's expected. On the day, there's going to be a 13.1 run at Valley Fair in San Jose and I think I'm gonna do that. Anyone with me?

Though I've been lazy, I have a fabulous and optimistic outlook on my workout future. I will be healthy and am making the proper adjustments.

I'm trying to find my footing. My motivation. It's going to work this time.

motivation?

Freddy posted this article: Exercise: Key to good sex, good sleep on the One World site.

Okay. I'll admit that I've been lacking motivation lately when it comes to working out. And I'm not saying that article has sparked a new fire up my butt. I will say that knowing exercise leads to good sleep and a better sexual response for women is quite enticing.

So off to the gym I'll go this week ;) heh!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
Tabata Row - Calories
Three Rounds:
Samson Stretch
10 Shoulder Rolls
10 Overhead Squats
10 GHD situps
10 GHD back extensions
10 Burpees

WOD: Karen
Complete 150 wall balls for time.
Joanne's final time - 13:54

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
So I whimped out on this WOD by only using a 4# ball. But I did use the bigger ball, which I don't normally do because I just don't like the bigger balls (stop laughing). I was glad I did it and it was painful. I'm sure the soreness will last. But this is what getting back into the swing of things is like. I just need to suck it up and get back in the game. I'm hydrated now. Yea.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
I arrived early and ran 800 meters to warm up. Austin was teaching, so he had his own specialized warm-up, which I loved. It basically went over running technique, stretching, etc.

WOD
Complete five rounds for time of:
Run 400m
Row 500m

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I got spanked. Period. I've never not finished a WOD. EVER! The only exception was when I sprained my ankle. That's it. I don't know what happened. I did three rounds in 20:58. Just to give you a picture of how slow that is, most athletic types finished the WOD in that or less time. Boo! This tells me that getting back in CrossFit shape is going to take a while. I just have to be patient.

I've never taken a class with Austin, so it was good to have him there. I like it when people give you technical instructions and things. Every little bit helps. I'm also happy he was so forgiving with my poor performance.

After talking with a few people, including my chiropractor, I realized that though I had the determination to finish, I just didn't have the stamina to do so. My body felt so heavy after the first round. My legs felt as heavy as bricks and I was sucking air. I now know that I was dehydrated and needed food and water in my system. (Stupidly, I went to the gym without eating breakfast or drinking water.) I decided to throw in the towel after the third round because I started to shake and my hammies started to cramp. Though disappointed, I needed to feel this in order to learn that nutrition and hydration is important for basic body function. I'm back in the US and the lifestyle here isn't as conducive to healthy eating as it is in the Philippines. I need to adjust.

OWMA Quotable Quote
Austin: Damn! I need to get a tan. I'm so white!
Joanne: Yeah. You do.

Notes (to myself) about the Challenge:
This is tougher than I thought because I simply forget that I'm not allowed to eat red meat. It restarts again tomorrow.

i'm back!

After three months in the Philippines where I, for the most part, didn't exercise, I'm happy to announce that I'm back. I went to my first workout on Friday, where I did yoga and belly dancing. It was light, but needed and appreciated. In the spirit of being back, I'd like to outline a few personal goals I have...

(1) Starting Sunday, June 2nd (tomorrow), I'm going to start my Oprah-inspired cleanse by not eating read meat for 30 days. I used to do these 30 day challenges and this will be my first one coming back. The same rules apply. The challenge is for 30 days. If I falter, the challenge re-sets to day one. My post-Manila challenge is no red meat. Meaning, I'm limited to chicken, seafood and various meatless varieties of protein.

(2) I'm in the market for a shoe pouch so I can start running 2-3 times a week.

(3) I'm back in CrossFit mode. My goal is 3 times a week.

(4) Yoga/Bellydance 2-4 times a week combined.

(5) Diligently logging progress on this blog.

I feel my jeans getting tighter, so it's time to go back to the gym. I'm ready. Bring it! (Um, you all cheering me on would be extremely helpful!)

for freddy

Before I left California, I was having a really hard time keeping motivated to exercise. I think it was just the plain old stress of moving, school and such. In fact, I find I'm still in that rut. It's weird because I want to exercise. I really do. I love it. Okay. So I don't look like Miss uber-fit chick. But I've also been a firm believer that what you look on the outside isn't necessarily a reflection on what you feel like on the inside. I know a lot of people who many assume are fit, but really aren't. Also, exercise for me is a mind and spirit thing and not necessarily a body thing.

But right now, I'm on Guam and I'm taking my time here as serious vacation time. Part of this break is helping me sort out my health issues and such. So when I get back to Cali, though it will be a struggle, I do plan on focusing on three things (in no particular order): 1) yoga 2) running 3) CrossFit. I think the three provide me a good balance of workouts. I'm always battling my relationship with CrossFit because sometimes it does feel like only the uber-fit are allowed. But I have to remember that patience is the key. If I'm patient, I'll keep my focus and dedication. And that's the thing with me lately. I've lost my patience with my body. But being back home is helping me gain that patience back. It's also helping me learn the value of forgiveness.

And that's the end of that rant.

So rest of the entry is dedicated to my dear old CrossFit coach Freddy. As I mentioned, I'm here on Guam. For those of you who don't realize it, Freddy is actually rooted in Guam. His father's roots are here. In fact, Camacho is quite the distinguished family here. So Freddy, if you're ever interested, it wouldn't take much for you to feel welcome by the locals here because more than likely, they'll know your family.

For those of you who don't know much about Guam, it's a small island in the Pacific. Actually, it's the largest island in Micronesia and if I recall correctly, it's the only rice-eating island in the area as well. I was born and raised here until I was thirteen. My family and I then moved to California and settled in Union City, then Fremont (however, I went to high school in Union City). This is the first time in almost twenty years that I've been back. It's beautiful here and the weather is usually in the 80s with cooler nights. The beaches are phenomenal because the water is blue and clear. Though tourism is big here, it doesn't have that over-crowded feeling that you get when you're in Oahu. For the most part, people are friendly and the fiestas are unlike anything you've ever experienced. (Ahem. On Guam, when you go to a fiesta, you don't pay. The locals will kindly feed you for free. The food here is unlike anything you've ever had. I say it's the love and pride people put into the food. It's Guam hospitality. Naturally, it helps if you're thankful and don't harass the locals and stuff). Needless to say, I'm glad to be home after all these years.

A note to all you CrossFitters: As far as I know, there is no CrossFit here yet. I assume that will change in the next few years when the island becomes over-populated with the military folk. Um, if you're on the Zone diet, I'm not sure the local fare would work with you. Perhaps some kelaguen and BBQ sans the red rice will do it. You'll have to bring your own veggies. (Brad, I know what you're thinking: How the hell can you have kelaguen without the red rice?! Yeah. I know.) Though CrossFit isn't here yet, there is a Krav Maga studio that I hear is located near one of the military bases. Also, ultimate fighting is a total thing here, so there are various Jiu-Jitsu and other martial arts studios here. Of course, because the beaches are so scenic, running is a thing. In fact, I did a 5K walk with my cousin yesterday just because I wanted to see more of the island's capital.

Your typical Fiesta plate... If you ever visit here and you're lucky enough to go to a village fiesta, one of the things you'll have to learn is the art of filling your plate. Before I go into detail about that, you should know what a fiesta is. On most weekends, one of the villages will hold a fiesta. A fiesta is when the village gets together and has one big party. These parties usually entail A LOT of food. I'm talking enough food to send you into a major food coma plus enough for you to take home and then some! Seriously. There are usually 3-4 six foot long tables that run down an area and it's filled with food: red rice, kelaguen (usually chicken, but sometimes beef, seafood, spam, etc.), breadfruit, yucca, shrimp patties, potato salad, sashimi, tamales giso, the best BBQ you've ever had, various seafood dishes, ham, turkey, roasted pig, lumpia (at least two varieties), pancit (about 2-4 varieties), various American comfort food (depending on whether or not someone in the village knows how to cook it), the list goes on. If you're vegetarian, you kind of SOL. You won't find a lot of vegetarian-friendly dishes at fiesta because on Guam, vegetarians are people who don't eat land animals. That's why the seafood is there. Somewhere off to the side there's a drink station (water, sodas, beer) and 1-2 more tables of dessert. The fare usually consists of local food along with Asian and American food. Oh, and did I mention that this food is free?!

When you go to fiesta, you're most likely going to be greeted by a local who will welcome you into their village. Again, be nice. Because if you're not, the locals will handle you. You don't want to know what I mean by "handle you."

Filling your plate... You just have to know how to pile. If you look closely at the plate, the rice and starches are tucked away at the bottom, followed by the meat in the middle, then topped with whatever is wrapped (in this case, tamales giso; but it could be steamed fish in banana leaf - you get the picture). In the event you suck at filling your plate, no worries. There's enough food to go around for seconds, thirds and so on. In fact, it would be rude to the locals if you didn't go back for more. They might even re-fill your plate for you or drag you back to the food. Filling you plate is also an important skill for when you pack food to go. Again, you need to do this. In fact, you'll want to do this because the food is so damn good. Dessert is another trip that again, consists of local fare such as latiya, heavenly delight, pumpkin turnovers and various Filipino, Asian and American fare. (I had to skip dessert during this fiesta because I felt like falling over because I was so full; that meal so deserved a "Michael").

Another note: I know many of you haven't heard of this food. If you ask nicely, I may invite you to my next family party just so you can have a sampling of this. Ahem. If you ask nicely...

In my totally biased opinion, Guam has some of the greatest beaches. The water is so clear and blue. There isn't a lot of surfing because it isn't exactly safe because of all the reefs. There is a lot of boogie boarding and wind surfing though. Also, our sand is nice and nearly white. If you look closely at this photo, my feet are actually under water. I just wanted to give you a sense of how clean it all is. Even our seaweed is pretty. You can imagine my disappointment when I visited my first California beach. From then on, I vowed I'd only "beach it" in the islands. And yes, the water is a lovely temperature. Any workout would be amazing here because it's clean, the weather is nice, and the views are pretty. Come on, who wouldn't want to run 800 meters along a beach?

Yes Freddy. Here's my shameless CrossFit plug for all of you. This was taken at Matapang Beach in the village of Tumon. Cheers! I miss you all and can't wait to come back. A month and counting...

re-start

I admit it. I've been lazy. Since moving to Makati I've hit the gym just once. That's really bad considering I like to go at least four times a week. The Philippine summer has just gotten under my skin. I can sweat buckets just sitting in my living room with no electric fan. I hate that feeling. Walking to the gym is uncomfortable because it's so hot. I feel like I'd handle the heat a lot better if the pollution wasn't so bad. I think that's what makes the heat uncomfortable -that I know I'm getting dirty at the same time. It just makes me feel - EW!

Anyway... I'm on Guam right now. At first, I thought I'd try getting some interviews in and such. However, I've decided that I'm not going to. I haven't been here in almost 20 years and in seven days I need to just soak in being "home." On Saturday there's a 5K race going on. I'm not prepared to run, but I'll walk it with my cousin Dodie while his wife Sol runs the race.

I've been wanting to get into running again - nothing more than a half marathon. I think that's all my body can really take. Besides, I miss the training and the instant tan I get. Though I don't love running, I like what it teaches me. I like how it challenges me.

So to get into the spirit of running, I ordered (and it will be shipped to my sis's house in Cali) the new Nike SportBand. For years I've been debating about getting the ipod nano for the NikePlus capabilities. However, I'm just not a nano person. If you're gonna buy an ipod, I say do the regualr ipod and the shuffle. Call me vain, but when I run, I'm not big on tan marks so one less nano tan mark is just good news to me. For that, I'm all about the shuffle. So yes, I invested in the SportBand (thank heaven it comes with a sensor).

I'm not a Nike shoe fan, but there are attachments you can buy such as the Shoe Pouch so you can use the Nike sensor on non-Nike shoes. Rumor has it that the sensor works best on Nike shoes. But I'm gonna stick to my own Brooks, thanks.

So wish me luck for when I get back. I've decided to be forgiving with my body. To be okay with the exercise I am and am not doing. I think I'm eating better and am maintaining my health as best as I can. I'm just not getting the exercise I want to get in. This is temporary and that's okay. But when I get back to Cali, all that changes. The running resumes. The CrossFit resumes. And I get my fathletics on. Bring it!

This kid is so cool!

These photos were taken of my nephew Theo (Nikko) Tydingco. They are so cool! You’re probably looking at these photos wondering, “How the hell do you know if it’s Theo or not?” Easy. I’ll show you.


Tip-off #1: Theo’s jersey number is 97.


Tip-off #2 (and the one that guarantees it’s Theo every time): See the color of the ice? White. Very white. See the color of the kid’s face behind the mask? Brown. Very brown.

And that’s how you know it’s Theo.

(Okay, there are other things that will tip you off like the way Theo skates or the way he tapes his socks, what his helmet looks like or maybe even the pants he’s wearing. But I always go with #2. You’ll never be wrong with that one!)

injured

It's holy week and I think the Gods have decided that I need a break. I pulled a muscle on my leg on Saturday. It's dumb, really. I was sitting on the couch working on my computer with my legs on the coffee table, ankles crossed. When I uncrossed them, I felt a little click in my left leg and some pain rushed through it. Bleh.

It's okay now. But I think I need another day off it for full recovery. After that, I'm off to finding the gym. Everything is closed on Thursday and Friday, so I gotta get a move on before then.

Hope you're all well!

back in the gym again

Today was my first official workout in Pinas (sans the weak intro session yesterday). Today I treated myself to a Spin class (or Cycling as they call it here) and a Body Balance class (a combo of tai chi, yoga, pilates and meditation). Man, I really needed these workouts. I really liked the Body Balance class because the teacher was very patient, but really good at making sure people had good form. The room was purposely warm, making it extra good for the muscles (all you yoga heads probably know how much it sucks to train in a cold room). I totally broke out into a nasty sweat. The Cycling instructor was intense and the energy in the room was great. If any of you know what that exercise exhilaration feels like, it's amazing. I didn't realize how much pent-up stress I had inside me.

Sadly, life in the Philippines (for now) revolves around the mall. It's partly because I'm getting acclimated to the heat. Right now, my mornings are at the gym taking good care of my health. From there, I shower and go to the Coffee Bean (it's only been two days doing this and the guy already knows my name; it's funny walking in to someone greeting you with a "Hello Miss Ma'am Joanne!"). To avoid lugging my laptop, I've been hand-transcribing my interviews.

Today I had lunch at Max's Cafe. This was a good meal for me because for some reason, I haven't been eating enough protein and I think that's why my sleep has been erratic. It's not that the protein isn't there. Believe me, there's plenty of food. I think the heat just suppresses my appetite. That I finished the halo halo was an accomplishment. (Ahem. You didn't think I'd put that icy goodness to waste, did you?)

The way of eating here is actually very good because you eat about 5 times a day - three meals and 2 snacks (merienda). As I mentioned before, everything is portioned well. That's why you have to eat 5 times a day. The only knock against the diet here is the amount of rice you're expected to eat. I'm not big on rice and eat about half or less of what most people eat. Another great thing about their diet is there's lots of fruit and veggies involved. It's a lot of good habits I hope to bring back with me:)

finally! a gym!

I want to say it's taken me a while. However, I need to give myself some credit, here. I just arrived on Thursday and finally signed up for the local gym today (Monday). I'm now officially a member at Fitness First in SM North Edsa. It cost more than I had hoped for. However, I guess the amenities are worth it. I had to weigh my options and decided that it's an investment considering I really don't know what else I would do to exercise here. My problem is that I like a really hard exercise, so the occasional jump rope at home just doesn't do it.

It's funny trying to haggle an appropriate rate and stuff. After some discussion, I finally got the deal that I thought made most sense. It is a nice club, something along the lines of Club Sport in Fremont. Major difference is that it's smaller and in the mall.

Anyway, as with most clubs, it includes a fitness assessment and 2 personal training sessions. I did my fitness assessment and session today, which put me at the club for about 3 hours. I refused to have them weigh me and the poor trainer Albert was a little irked. To his credit, he was very nice about it.

Here's my schtick on fitness assessments... I THINK THEY'RE BULLSHIT! My friend Alex says that according to the BMI chart, Tom Cruise is overweight. That's how bullshit that whole thing is. If I'm paying good money to go to a gym, then I should be able to retain my dignity. Albert was a little shocked that I didn't mark "weight loss" as a goal. Again, it was a political choice I made. He asked why I didn't mark that (can you believe the fuckin' nerve?!) and I said, "I'm happy with my body. As I wrote, I'm here to maintain my health and that's it." I'm pretty sure he wanted to poke me in the eye. I wish I actually cared.

Anyway, he ran me through some of the machines and stuff. Plus, he did a 6 minute interval run and did the standard tests, letting me know what heart rate I need and such. All the tests were normal. I thank him for his patience because I don't know Tagalog. That's happened to me a lot and people tend to apologize for their bad English. I always respond by saying that their English is WAY BETTER than my Tagalog. They don't usually get it.

His workout was okay. Again, I like to be worked so it was just okay. I think he assumed that I was totally out of shape. (Ahem. I admit that I look out of shape, but I'm quite healthy.) The weights he chose were mostly way too light - especially my lower body weights. I wish he turned it up a bit. My favorite part was the stretch because it really helps to have someone stretch you. Again, he looked surprised because yes, believe it or not, this fat girl is more flexible than most people assume. I'm pretty sure there were points where he didn't know what to do. I just had to laugh.

While I'm here, I'm going to focus on running (on the machines), spinning and yoga.

Here is fierce runner life in the Philippines. I'm at a gym now. It's not CrossFit. But it'll do until I get back. I can't wait to take the new CrossFit fundamentals classes. I'm so gonna need it when I get back!

international travel and diabetes: medications

One of the most difficult things about preparing for this trip to the Philippines is squaring off all the doctor's appointments. However, they're almost done (the last being tomorrow). As I mentioned before, traveling as a diabetic isn't easy. For diabetes management, I use Metformin (Glucophage to some of you) and Byetta. I've talked about Byetta before. For those of you who are diabetic and are traveling internationally, here are some things you should know:

- It's best that you travel with ALL your medication. I'm gone for three months, so I have three months worth of meds. This should be carried with you at ALL times on the plane. You really don't want to risk losing your meds to check-in luggage.

- With all the airport security issues you have to deal with, it's best to carry a note from your doctor explaining that you need to carry your meds with you. Byetta is a liquid medicine that needs to be refrigerated until you actually break open the pen. Though security guidelines allow for medical supplies, it's still a good idea to bring a doctor's note. For me, I have to keep the Byetta cool, so the note will excuse the gel pack I need in order to keep this cool.

- For those of you who use meds that need to be cool (after breaking open the Byetta, it can stay at room temperature; unfortunately, room temperature in the Philippines is so not room temperature in Calfornia), I recommend in investing in a FRIO wallet. They're great because they can keep your meds cold for about 2-3 days. All you have to do is soak it in water to activate it. A great investment for me!

- Carry a copy of your prescriptions. In case you happen to lose your meds, you can go to the local pharmacy with your prescription. You may have to pay a pretty penny, but your insurance should cover it when you get back. Check with your respective insurance carriers.

- If your doctor has it, do sign up for an email communication with her. She'll be able to answer your questions about anything that happens to come up.

That's about it. I'll post more as I start to travel. Just remember, BE PREPARED! Diabetes is no joke - especially overseas. When I was in high school, and uncle was visiting from the Philippines for an extended stay. He ended up passing away while he was here. My brother recently told me that one of the causes of his passing was that he didn't have his diabetes meds. This really struck a chord with me. So I'm preparing!

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