CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

The last WOD of the year! Yeah. That's me sitting on the floor next to Eric who is about to die from this WOD. I wanted to make sure I ended the year right by doing this WOD.

Warm-up
Jump Rope - 5 minutes
THREE sets of:
Samson Stretch
10 shoulder rolls
10 overhead squats
10 push-ups
10 sit-ups

WOD
Complete 5 rounds for time of:
Row 500m
50 squats
30 back extensions

Joanne's Final Time - 35:45

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

For those of you who don't know him already, this is Sam, the sushi chef wonder from Semo Sushi in Fremont. Sam thought it would be funny to pose in this Zoolander best. Err. Um. Sam, please stick to sushi!

Warm-up
Row 1000 meters
THREE rounds of:
Samson stretch
10 shoulder rolls
10 overhead squats
10 sit-ups
10 back extensions
10 push-ups
10 dips

WOD
Complete 21-15-9 reps for time of:
Right arm kettlebell swing
Right arm kettlebell overhead squat
Jumping Pull-ups
Left arm kettlebell swing
Left arm kettlebell overhead squat
Jumping Pull-ups

Joanne's Final Time - 26:25

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I started with 20# for the kettlebell swing, but scaled down to 15# towards the end. It had been a while since I've been to CrossFit, and this WOD totally wiped me out. I thought I was going to die!

OWMA Quotable Quote
"More boobs!"
- said by John regarding ACB's CrossFit photo

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Yeah. This should make you think twice before being naughty!

Warm-up
200 meter run
25 band assisted pull-ups
200 meter run
25 push-ups
200 meter run
25 sit-ups
200 meter run
25 squats

WOD
Complete the following for time:
Row 1000m
20 kettlebell swings 25#
20 box jumps 12"
Row 500m
20 box jumps
20 kettlebell swings
1000m row

Joanne's Final Time: N/A

And Then...
50 Abmat Sit-ups
50 Back Extensions
100 Twisters

journal for healthy habits

In case any of you were looking for a great gift idea for yourself or for someone else, may I suggest a Streaming Colors Fitness Calendar? I've been using this to help me track my workouts for the past two years and I gotta tell ya, it's worth every penny! In fact, here's an excerpt from Fitness magazine about these great calendars!

Basically, the point of the calendar is that each month, you set out your health goals. They can be the same every month or they can change depending on what your needs are. You set your goals and give them a corresponding color like so:

Each day, there's a grid that you fill in where you record how/if you maintained that goal. Here's a sneak peek in to what's inside the calendar.

The Original calendar is a wall calendar. I love it because it gives me a monthly visual of what's going on in my life health-wise. You'll need a set of highlighters to fill in the calendar. Personally, I think this is the fun part. If you go on the site and look for customer raves (or reviews), you'll see that they printed mine. Here's what my rave says (it's the 5th one on the list):

"I can't begin to tell you how much I love my Streaming Colors calendar! As a busy graduate student, it's really easy to fall into unhealthy habits. However, as a diabetic, good health is something I have to constantly work on. This calendar has been a life saver (literally!) because it allows me to track my workouts and health goals in an inventive way. I didn't realize how much fun I would have seeing each month come alive with the different colors. The best part is that it's taught me that trying to develop good habits also deserves a good reward. I always look forward to my end-of-the-month treat to myself. I can't wait to see what 2007 is going to look like!"
-Joanne R., Hayward, CA

This year, they've added a NEW PRODUCT to their line: a WEEKLY fitness calendar! I just placed my order and I can't wait to get it! When I bought my calendar last year, I exchanged a few emails with the folks at Lurhs Media, and they asked me for suggestions. I mentioned a weekly planner and they said that they've been getting a lot of requests for one. I'm so glad they finally have it for 2008!

It looks great so far and like the wall calendar, the same concepts apply. Oh! I also forgot to mention that each calendar (wall or weekly) has current information about the food pyramid and exercise guides. So it's more than just a calendar because it include some important health info. Check it out!

For those of you who are serious about tracking your health goals, are training for some big sports event, or just want some colorful, visual motivation to get a move-on, I say order your fitness calendars stat! (Note: They offer a discount if you buy the calendars in twos. Also, if any of you are in training groups and want to buy in bulk, or would like to sell them for a fundraiser, their site gives you info on that as well.)

the big 3-2 CrossFit style!

This is how the day started. I decided to begin the big 3-2 correctly by going to the 9am CrossFit class.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
Row 1000 meters
Stretch

WOD: Modified Murph
Complete the following:
Run around the block (1.1 miles). Upon your return, complete as many rounds as you can in 15 minutes of- 5 pull-ups/10 push-ups/15 squats. Then, run around the block again. Post your total rounds and total time to comments.


This is my final time. Yeah. Happy birthday to me! Brian and I didn't do the full 15 minutes of 5-10-15 because Freddy was under the silly impression that 10 minute miles are pretty normal. (Ahem. I run about a 15 minute mile. One can walk at mile in 20 minutes, not 10 minutes, Freddy. What planet are you running on?! Oh yeah. BOO! to the person that stole my 5-10-15 station. It totally slowed me down and f--ked up my rounds!)


This is what I looked like at the end of the workout. Thanks to Officer Brian for being a good sport and letting me sneak this pic. ha ha ha!

Some CrossFit videos that make me laugh:

This is Josh and Lil Joe doing the "Superman" thang.


This is Freddy and Austin joining in on the "Superman" thang.


This is the video that started it all...

ya hear me, Manang Cell Phone?

Dear Manang Cell Phone,

It saddens me that I have to write to you yet again. Though absolutely normal coming from you, your behavior in today's class was completely unacceptable. It's completely inappropriate to answer your f--king cell phone when the class is trying to do a one-legged tree pose. Ya hear me, Manang Cell Phone?! COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE! Granted, I do know better than to expect good behavior from you. Shame on me for coming back to the 8am class. I've had so much fun not having you in the evening class that the sound of your cell phone was a total rude reminder of why yoga is better at night.

Be warned, Manang Cell Phone! I had an extensive conversation with Professora Yoga today and she agrees with me - that you are rude, disrespectful and must be stopped! Shame on you Manang! I'll have you know that Professora will be meeting with you very soon to exchange some strong words. Should your cell phone antics continue, Professora has granted me special permission to throw you out of class. Did you hear me Manang?! I have been officially promoted from yoga student to yoga bouncer. Meaning, I get to throw your old, sorry ass out of class the next time you answer your damn cell phone! Don't tempt me Manang, because I'll do it. I'll throw out an old bitch. I don't care. I've had it up to my eyeballs with your shit! This is war Manang, WAR! Consider yourself warned!

Yours Truly,
The Fierce Runner

p.s. PLEASE stop wearing those low-rise pants to class. I don't care what your teenage granddaughter tells you. They don't go well on a 100 year-old woman. As Whitney says, "Crack is whack!" But crack is even worse when it's old and spoiled!

Friday Funday

Today I did an hour of yoga and an hour of bellydance. Lots of fun. Well, with the exception of Manang Cell Phone, lots of fun:)

Sir Steroids

Dear Sir Steroids,

It must suck to be you.

Yours Truly,
The Fierce Runner

exercise addict

He's known as "Sam I Am" at One World, but he'll always be known as the sushi chef at Semo Sushi!

I didn't work out at all last week. I was trying to finish a fellowship application and decided to call for support on Tuesday. Rudy and Margaret came over to keep me company. I then decided to go balls out by locking myself up at Rudy's house until I turned in the application.

I did it with an hour to spare. Not my finest work, but at least I got it done.

Exercise and health suffered because of it because I mostly ate bread and drank coffee as survival food. That's why coming back to workout this week felt so good. So here's a rundown of what I did this week:

Monday: 1 hour yoga
Tuesday: My lazy ass stayed in.
Wednesday: 2 CrossFit workouts that looked like this:

5 rounds of:
Row 500 meters
Run 400 meters
Followed by:
"Suck it up Buttercup...it's not Death by Burpee!"
With a continuously running clock, do one burpee the first minute, two burpees the second minute, three burpees the third minute, and so on until you can't complete the neccesary number of burpees before the expiration of the minute. (Note: I did 10 rounds, which makes 55 burpees.)
Notes (to myself) about this workout: I was proud of myself for coming back pretty strong. It's not that I made good time. It's that I actually finished the workout. Plus, I did full-on burpees, which I never do. It was quite fun if I do say so myself. I can see how burpees are a lot easier if you just have the right timing and technique. When I would do the modified style, I just wasn't being efficient.

Thursday: 1 hour spin

CrossFit WOD:
Push Press 5/5/5/5/5
My weight: 62/62/62/72/72
Notes (to myself) about this workout: I think I could have pushed the weight a little bit if I nailed down the technique. I'm still adjusting after 2 weeks of no CrossFit, so going light was okay.

I had a good talk with my chiropractor because I mentioned that I feel like when I don't do a hard workout for a long time, my body craves a crazy tough session. He said that when you're stressed, your body goes into defense mode. I tend to crave a tough workout because my body needs to release all that stress. Hmph. Good point. I've let go of the challenge. I think I was a little too ambitious and really need to re-think what I need to do to maintain my health, and not binge on good/bad habits.

oh those gym characters!

I recently started this thing where I write letters to those crazy people at the gym. Though some of you may have thought I was was just joking around, I just wanted to let you know that I'm not the only one who notices those crazy gym characters! Enjoy this story. Lazy clickers, you know the protocol!


The 10 people you'll find in any gym
Posted: Oct 2nd 2007 1:43PM by Chris Sparling

Step in any gym in any city in any state in this entire country and you're sure to find the same people. Of course not the exact same people, but the same types of people. Though their accents may differ when they yell their rep count out loud and their music selection may vary as it blares through their oversized headphones, these same people seem to magically appear in every gym throughout the nation. Some of them work out hard, some don't work out at all, and some do exercises so bizarre that it's clearly not safe to be within a fifty-foot radius of them. Who are the people in your neighborhood gym? Pretty much the same as those in everyone else's.

1. The Gamma Radiation Victim – While they aren't green (yet), these guys are so large that they look like they could either live forever or die any second. Their clothes fit them like paint and their veins practically form roadmaps on their arms and legs. Fortunately for them, if they ever get lost on the way to their steroid dealer's house, they can use their bodies like a AAA Trip-Tic. These are also the same guys that you should never ask to spot you, because if you are struggling to bang out your last rep with what you believe to be a respectable amount of weight, they will simply lift it off you with one hand ... and then beat up your dad with the other.

2. Thomas Edison – Stay the hell away from this guy or girl, or else you're bound to get hurt. There's truly nothing scarier in the gym than the people who feel the need to invent their own exercises. As you and everyone else go about your daily grind, these people are rolling around on a physio-ball while balancing a soft-spoken Peruvian child on their head. A common explanation for the purpose of their whacked-out maneuvers is that this new exercise is great for working their 'core.' The truth? It doesn't work their core at all. In fact, it doesn't work anything...except to bring utter chaos into a weight room. Get these people on a treadmill and that's when things really get dangerous.

3. Sparkle Motion – Remember the girls in college who used to get dressed to the hilt for an 8:00am class? Well, ten years later these same ladies are still going for cosmetic gold, primping and teasing their early morning glamour for a pre-work trip to the gym. The hair, the nails, the matching pink running shoes/zip-up sweatshirt ensemble, and even the unabashedly applied glitter lipstick...all at 5:30 in the goddamn morning. Most people with even an iota of sanity are still asleep at this hour. These glimmering gals, however, are already into their fourth cup of iced coffee and forty-third minute on the elliptical machine by this time.

4. The 'A Bit Too Personal' Trainer – Signing-up for a gym membership in itself can be a rather daunting process for some people. When you factor in a personal training session with someone who feels the need to tell you about all of their life problems, things can quickly go from uneasy to downright weird. "That's it...one more...good...you can do it....good........my mother died from advance stage syphilis." Uh...what? Who needs to hear that? And how is that possibly motivating? I may be wrong, but I don't recall a single scene in Rocky where Mickey told Rocky that the reason why his skin looks so healthy is because he refuses to poop after 8:30 at night.

5. Bob the Builder – Fancy health clubs may be the only place where this guy doesn't show up, but for the rest of us whose annual gym memberships cost less than the price of a new Nissan Maxima, this unfashionably coarse fellow is a staple (Puns, kids. That's what they're called.). Sometimes it's a pair of work boots and jeans, other times it's a pair of overalls, and on some occasions it's a line of clothing seemingly purchased from the Paul Bunyon collection on QVC. How do these people work out in all those layers? The grunge epoch may have ended in the late nineties, but flannel somehow managed to survive thanks to carpenters whose parents clearly never made them put on their 'play clothes' after school.

6. The Unworthy Screamer – Although it is true that the huge guys do sometimes yell while they work out, it is most times the mostly-fat-but-partially-muscled guy who feels the need to grunt and groan at the top of his lungs each time he curls a thirty-five pound dumbbell. Even worse, when it turns out that the dying moose sounds you hear emanating from the far corner turn out to be the Herculean cries of a one hundred and fifty pound man wearing Puma sweats and a Riptide headband, banging out his last two reps of triceps extensions. Feel that burn, you annoying S.O.B.

7. The Teen Titan – Obesity rates for youths and teens are at an all time high, which is why you see less and less fat kids getting picked on today (fat is the new skinny, or at least it would seem). So, to see any teenage kids in the gym is, in and of itself, a good thing. Problems usually arise when a group of four of five teenage boys collectively decide to dive head first into a workout regimen that would make Ronnie Coleman sleep in. Their form is all out of whack and they do their best to shove around as much weight as their barely post-pubescent bodies possibly can. All goes to hell once a 45 pound plate slides off the side of the bar during an attempt at a one rep max bench press and the other side comes crashing down onto their spleen. Even worse is when they use far too much weight on the cable crossovers and end up being violently yanked backwards like Sweetchuck in Police Academy 2.

8. The Doctor of Style – Look, we all think it's very impressive that you work at a hospital. You're clearly a very intelligent and noble person. And, depending on your particular occupation, it's likely that you probably make some serious money, too. But, is it still necessary to wear your powder blue scrubs to the gym? These people work all day long in these draw-string pants and v-neck shirts...don't they want to change out of them? They may be comfortable and they may "breathe," but that's still no excuse for wearing your work clothes in public. Do the world a favor and pick-up a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, will you please?

9. Scarface – Though he's not a cocaine drug kingpin, this guy is still to blame for leaving the weight room looking like the backroom of a bakery. Despite the fact that the signs clearly say that "Weightlifting Chalk is Not Allowed," this dusty fellow claps his hands together with pride before each set, leaving everything and everyone around him covered in a layer of white powder. Only making things worse is the industrial size weightlifting belt this guy straps around the waistband of his ultra-tight spandex shorts, essentially forcing everyone in the gym to 'say hello to his little friend.'

10. The Senator – Treating each visit to the gym like a stop on a campaign trail, these types want to talk to you and everyone else about utter and complete nonsense. They never, ever shut up. Ever. Even while you attempt to finish your last five minutes of an hour run on the treadmill, or even worse, as you labor through your last set of squats, this person will find that to be the most opportune time to ask you how your family is doing, or how your job is going, or if you know a good place to buy deck stain. Your best attempts at ignoring them or hint dropping for them to leave you alone are about as effective as using gasoline to put out a fire. Maybe these people really should run for office.

Don't believe that these people are at your gym? Try looking around the next time you go and you'll see them. All of them. But, if for some reason you have trouble identifying one of them from this list, well, I hate to break it to you, but that person might be you.

happy thanksgiving

Happy Turkey Day All!

I just wanted to wish you and the wonderful people in your lives (as well as mine) a fantastic Thanksgiving. Okay... so the origins of this holiday are totally embedded in the imperial takeover of this country and the genocide of Native peoples. Therefore, it's not exactly the greatest holiday on earth. However, I'd like to take the time to tell people to gain some of that knowledge. (End rant.)

Though this is a holiday of abundance and good eats, please be mindful and continue to take care of your health. There is nothing more important than that. I went to an early morning spin class just so I could take bites of everyone's dishes without feeling guilty:) A big THANK YOU to Warren for teaching class today. You know what to do, sir. BUY THAT IPOD! Also, to show my family that I truly care about their health and well-being, I opted to make healthier veggie side-dishes. Feast your eyes on this!

Instead of a creamy, gooey, crunchy green bean casserole, I decided to make a green bean salad. It's quite tasty if I do say so myself. It's made with mustard, garlic aoli, balsamic vinegar, shallots and olive oil. The green beans were blanched to maintain some crunch.

Everyone loves mashed potatoes - including me! However, to mix it up a bit, I made a cheesy cauliflower mash that I seasoned with chicken stock and a touch of fat free sour cream for that creamy goodness. I made veggie dishes just so that the family could have some non-meat items because well, you know how Filipinos do it! I found the recipes on the food network site and made adjustments as needed. (If you know me, I never follow recipes exactly. Also, this photo is not in its final stages. Before it hits the table, I'm going to heat it up and garnish with fresh chives just to make it extra pretty!)

Finally, for dessert, I made guinataan. I love making this when it's cold! If you haven't tasted my guinataan, I feel sorry for you. You haven't lived. For this batch, I made it with fresh ube, yams and plantains. As always, it's filled with the gooey mochiko balls and langka. Apologies. There are no substitutions here. It's filled with all the traditional yummy goodness. For health's sake, eat slowly and in small dosages. If any of you live locally, give me a call and I'll share a container with you. I made a HUGE pot for all to enjoy!

Cheers to good health for the holidays!

to GI Gym Guy

Dear GI Gym Guy,

I greatly apologize for ignoring you while you were talking to me. I didn't realize that the woman you brought to the gym was your sister. Though you were clearly facing me, I thought you were talking to her from across the room. Please know it's not in my nature to completely brush people off. In fact, I'm a very friendly person once you get to know me...

Which leads me to my next point. GI Gym Guy, you don't know me. Clearly, I don't know you. Did it ever occur to you that there is a reason for this? I'm sure that the exotic women who surround the military base you're usually stationed at (1) look like me and (2) flock to you like white on rice. However, this is California - not the random third world country you happen to be stationed at. When I go to the gym, I'm actually there to work out, and not "keep you motivated," as you mentioned. Your random cat calls while I'm hard at work doing squats, lunges and yoga stretches does not interest me whatsoever. In fact, it sparks the urge to kick you in the balls - a random act of vengeance I am more than happy to do. However, knowing you, you'd actually see that as foreplay.

Please GI Gym Guy, when at the gym, I kindly suggest you pay attention to your own workout.

Yours Truly,
The Fierce Runner

to mr. moaner

Dear Mr. Moaner,

I'm so glad to see that you've taken the plunge and decided to take yoga despite being only one of perhaps three men in the class. It's always refreshing to see a man take on the class, and take it so seriously as you do.

Yoga is definitely an expression of the body and mind. It's a place where you can let yourself go and indulge in the various poses the instructor puts you in. Granted, I've talked to Professora Yoga and though she won't outright admit it, I'm pretty sure some of the things we do in that class is for her own personal amusement. Hence, why one needs a great sense of humor in yoga. Ahem, back to my point Mr. Moaner.

When Professora Yoga says to make noises when you breath, I'm not sure she means make orgasmic noises. Granted, I'm not one to judge or figure out one's yoga experience. I have no idea and have no interest in knowing what goes on in your mind as you come out of your downward dog. However, do you think you could pipe your moaning down a little bit? I try not to pay attention to others in class and try my best to simply zone out. However, my zones have been broken lately by your loud moaning and grunting.

I know what you're thinking Mr. Moaner: "Hey, it's my class too, bitch!" And you're right. It is your class too. However, when your obnoxiously loud faux orgasmic moans interfere with me reaching my state of zen, then we have a problem. I'm not asking you to stop moaning. Moan all you want. But please, Mr. Moaner, pipe it down just a tad bit. I'll let you reach your state of zen as long as you allow me to reach mine. Thank you!

Yours Truly,
The Fierce Runner

get your veggies on

Truth be told, when I go grocery shopping, I like to buy fresh veggies. They look better. They taste better. The thought of fresh veggies just warms my heart. In theory, fresh veggies are fabulous... until I open my veggie drawer about three weeks later and find the whole rotten lot. UGH! Anyway... I've decided to take control of that by immediately saute-ing my veggies. See the photo? Nice, huh? This is also why I l-o-v-e those handy dandy ziploc disposable plastic containers. They rock. Another little discovery I made through my sister are these green bags that make your food last longer. (You can also buy them here at a better deal.) I've looked at the online reviews and they seem a bit mixed. However, I totally love them. If I want to keep my veggies raw, then I cut and prep them and store them in the bags. I'm not sure if you're actually supposed to do that. However, it totally works for me. (Here's a tip: knot the bags, don't use a twist tie.) You can also store fruit, which is what my sister does and it works for her. I go through fruit pretty quickly so I don't need the bags for those. Anyway... I hope this helps you get your veggies on!

to Manang Cell Phone

Dear Manang Cell Phone,

I applaud your efforts in getting healthy by showing up to every single yoga class I happen to participate it. It is, after all, a public class that is open to anyone who is a paying member of Bally's. Seeing a woman of your generation actually puts a warm feeling inside my heart and inspires me. You make me think to myself, "Wow. When I'm 100 years old, I can still drive, go to yoga, own a cell phone, and exercise the pleasure of answering my cell phone at my leisure - even in the middle of yoga."

Besides, who cares about everyone else's concentration level? Who cares that everyone gives you dirty looks when your cell phone rings at full blast during every single class? Who cares that you let your phone ring 2-3-4 times before you answer it? Who cares that you carry a full-on conversation with whoever called in the middle of yoga class? Who cares that the lovely folks at Bally's have posted signs all over the room clearly stating to "Please keep cell phones and all other electronic devices OFF during class. Thank you."

Who cares? Definitely not you, Manang Cell Phone. At 100 years old, you've earned the right to bother everyone else in class with your obnoxious conversations. You've earned the right to disrespect the instructor and her way of teaching. You've earned the right to try to deny all 100 years of your existence by showing up to class with your hair and makeup all done up, sporting your extra-low rise spandex pants because you think that's what the kids are wearing these days, showing off your gold sparkly jewelry hanging from your body, and trotting in with your designer gym bag that happens to hold your extra-expensive cell phone. You've earned it, Manag Cell Phone. Anyone who has lived through both world wars has earned it:)

One day, when I'm 100 years old, I hope to be as clueless and obnoxious as you.

Yours Truly,
The Fierce Runner

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
Run 800 meters THREE times
Stretch

WOD
Complete 3/3/3/3/3/3/3 reps of:
Clean

Joanne's weight: 43/53/63/63/68/68/68



And then...
FOUR rounds of:
25 abmat sit-ups
25 supermans

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I came in early and ended up doing a lot of running. I don't like pushing a lot of weight. In fact, I was going to skip this workout all together and do the "Michael" workout (hence all the running). However, I figured I should at least try to nail the movement. My low weight shows that I'm pretty weak, but also need to work on technique. I tried to do 73 lbs twice, but for some reason I couldn't get it high enough. Personally, I think my boobs were in the way. heh! The bar has to be pretty close to the body, so when it passed my chest, I got stuck. I don't think they Oly lifts were meant for busty women. I've been trying to file formal complaints, but no one has called back yet. ha ha ha!

Notes (to myself) about the Challenge Restart:
I've been bad. Actually, I've been doing my best. My meds are working out fine. Today I had a fantastic interview in SF and my interviewee took me out to lunch at We Be Sushi and coffee/desserts at Tartine Bakery. Tartine rocks! My interviewee was extremely generous and paid for all the food. For dessert, she bought three different things because she wanted me to have a little taste of everything. Luckily, I didn't go overboard and literally had a taste of everything. She then let me take it all home, which I did. However, I passed it on to my niece and nephews because though they may not have appreciated the fine taste of the desserts, I'm sure they liked having them anyway.

Balancing the health stuff with school stuff has been challenging. But I'm hanging in there. A big thanks to Margaret for letting me bitch and moan over the phone. UGH! I hate it when I get that way!

spin away

Today's workout: One hour of spin. This is Warren, my spin instructor and it was taken from his website . He teaches spin classes on his bus when he's not teaching at Bally's. I like Warren's classes. Even though he doesn't use an ipod, I like his classes anyway! Besides, I have to give him props because when I first started taking his classes (my first year in grad school), he was all about the cassette tapes. Now he's made the transition to CDs. We're just hoping he makes the final leap to the ipod! Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

Oh! I also took belly dance class for two hours. It's no big deal since it was the first class of the series. The workout was pretty light. I got to use Dolian's fancy-schmancy $50 zils. Very nice. They were silver, loud, and made pretty noises. The only thing that sucked was everyone could hear me fuck up. This old haole woman kept giving me dirty looks. I wanted to tell her that "I'll stop clanging on the zils when you learn to dance on beat!" Oh don't you just love those new-agers?!

Notes (to myself) about the Challenge Restart: I'm still trying to figure out timing my meals with the byetta. UGH! Also, I visited my sister's house and there was nothing to eat except cup-o-noodles and Halloween candy. I felt like I was going to pass out, so I opted for the cup-o-noodles. Not the greatest choice, but I needed to eat. UGH!

short, simple day

Today's workout: one hour of yoga. I couldn't find it in me to wake up early enough for CrossFit. Plus, I just don't like the idea of heavy sweating before yoga. Call me a snot. This week balancing workout time with interview and "get your shit done" time has been challenging. This week, I'm learning the art of just listening to your body. Being forgiving, and learning to adjust.

I'm in the thick of research right now. I've been conducting on average 2-4 interviews a week (more like 4 interviews per week the past three weeks). Though they don't seem like much, I'm always mentally exhausted and rejuvenated when I meet people who share so much of themselves with me. It's a great experience. My only regret is the red tape at Berkeley. I could have been conducting these interviews a long time ago! Oh well. Coulda, shoulda woulda.

Anyway... with all that's on my plate, making time to workout has been challenging. But I'm hanging in there. I've decided that not going to CrossFit on as regular a basis as I'd like does not make me a panty. Counting an hour of yoga as my daily workout does not make me a panty either.

Notes (to myself) about the Challenge Restart: I swear, figuring out when to take the new Byetta I'm taking is hassle enough. Before meeting Lupe for dinner, we ran into Jorge and Alex and started chatting with them in front of Tully's. Knowing I had to take my Byetta shot, I had to briefly excuse myself while "shooting up" in a corner. I can administer the shot in my tummy, upper arm or upper thigh. I chose the tummy then because it was the most discreet. Doing something like that also means being very public about your diabetes. I don't mind it, but I don't want to make people feel uncomfortable.

A note to you Byetta users: (cuz y'all would understand this lingo) always reset to the right direction arrow after taking the shot. It makes it so that there are no air bubbles in the pen and that you're not wasting your medication. Lesson learned for me. After taking the shot, there would be extra liquid coming out of the pen, meaning that there was medication that didn't make it into my system. To avoid this, reset to the right direction arrow.

I used up two cheat meals today. For lunch I had a decadent meal with an interviewee, who was nice enough to treat me to such a meal. This is the thing about interviewing people who have more money than you. When they're nice, they're really generous! Yes, my portion sizes are smaller. It's the Byetta kicking in.

My dinner cheat was unintentional. Lupe and I had pho. Pho has noodles. I ate away.

I don't feel guilty.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
Row 100 calories (The first one to 100 calories set the pace, so in reality, I did about 70 calories.)
Medicine Ball sequence

WOD
As many rounds as you can in 30 minutes of:
Run 400m
10 one arm dumbbell clean and jerk each arm 15#
20 lunge steps (each leg; 40 total)

Joanne's Final Count - 3 rounds plus 400 meters and 6 dumbell clean & jerks

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
This is one of those workouts where I wish I was all by my lonesome. Ideally, I would have liked to finish the prescribed workout of 5 rounds. However, in the interest of time, Freddy cut the workout at 30 minutes. In truth, I really don't mind a workout that lasts a long time. It's actually good for me. Next time I do this, I should up the weight a little bit. I did 15# which was fine. But I could have pushed it.

OWMA Quotable Quote
"This workout fools you into thinking you're buff. Then you look in the mirror and see that you're not buff!"
- Beast a.k.a Kitten

Notes (to myself) about the Challenge Restart:
I've had to make adjustments to my challenge. Again, the purpose of the challenge is to develop good eating habits. I decided that having an entire day to binge wasn't healthy. Instead, I'm allowing myself three cheat opportunities per week. It's equivalent to having three cheat meals in one day. It's also better for my sanity. I've been on and off lately. So Monday I officially started again. I'm getting better at cooking. I have a checklist that allows me to mark off my cheat meals. I also use it to try to eat 3 fruits and 3 veggie servings per day. I'm trying and I'm learning each and every day.

I started the Byetta on Friday. My doctor gave me the first month free. She’s right. It does suppress your appetite. Right now, I’m noticing that I don’t crave the large portions I usually do. I’m also noticing that I need to eat a lot of small meals. There’s something about the 1-5pm time block that makes me really hungry. After some point in the evening, especially if I’ve worked out at night, I just have no appetite. I’m learning and adjusting.

Here’s my diabetes travel pack. A big thank you to Fritzie for helping me buy this little under $7 pouch! It fits my Byetta pen, 10 needles, pink blood sugar meter, test strips, finger pricker, extra lancelet, tissue and control solution. It’s an efficient package – just like me!

I have to inject the Byetta 30-60 minutes before breakfast and dinner. I’m getting used to it. There’s something about sticking a needle in your upper arm, upper thigh, or abdomen that still flips me out. It makes me feel failed. It doesn’t hurt. It just makes me feel failed. However, the Byetta is something I have to take in addition to (not instead of, like I originally thought and was hoping due to high costs) the Metformin. Byetta controls sugars while eating, while the Metformin does the trick in between meals. The two together really make a difference. I haven’t seen my blood sugars higher than 150. Plus, it really helps me with my night and waking sugar levels, which are usually off for me.

Anyway… this is your diabetic next door signing off!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Yeah. This is what I usually look like after a CrossFit workout. My sweat angels are nasty! Rarely am I ever cute after a workout. I'm just glad Freddy caught other people in this misery and not me. heh!

Here's some notes from Freddy's October 28th post:

My wife pointed this out to me from Fitness Magazine:

Six Signs Your Workout Isn't Tough Enough:

You're reading as you exercise- I will admit, I'd like to see somone reading the sports section as they climb the rope.

You feel mentally stressed afterwards- A lot of us come to the gym to relieve all the stress of the outside world. Your workout session presents the opportunity to lose yourself for at least an hour.

Your heart rate doesn't go up- How many times have you worked out at the local 24hr Fitness or Gold's without even breaking a sweat? Sure you pumped up your muscles a bit and maybe you sweat for the 15 minutes you spent on the treadmill, but look at the above picture. Those folks are SPENT!

You haven't increased your speed or the amount of weight you're lifting in more than three months- Three months?!?!?! I promise you with Crossfit and hard work you will see your speeds and weights go up every couple of weeks.

You're bored- Enough said. Not going to happen with the Crossfit method.

You leave the gym without taking a shower- I am happy to say, that after almost two years, the showers will be operational this week. The sinks are going to be framed up this week and should be done within two to three weeks. The toilets are completely functional in the men's room. The bathroom stalls will be finished in the women's room within two weeks. As one of the owners, I apologize to all our members for the long construction time. We learned a valuable lesson: hire a contractor and pay the bucks to get someone else to deal with the headaches.

Warm-up
Row 500 meters
THREE rounds, 10 reps of:
Shoulder Rolls
Overhead Squats
GHD Sit-ups
GHD Back Extensions
Band Assisted Pull-ups
Bar Dips

WOD: A Truly Scary WOD for Halloween!
Complete the following for time:
Run 800m
10 turkish get-ups - 15#
50 push-ups
Run 600m
8 turkish get-ups
40 push-ups
Run 400m
6 turkish get-ups
30 push-ups
Run 200m
4 turkish get-ups
20 push-ups

Joanne's Final Time - 36: 45

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
This was a tough workout that took forever. If you look at the OWMA CrossFit site, you'll notice that I switched the order - starting with the 800 meter sequence as opposed to the 200 meter sequence. Freddy jokingly said I was cheating. As I said in a previous post, I tend to modify a lot. For me, it's a matter of understanding my mental state. I need to get the difficult stuff out of the way first. If not, I just feel defeated. Call it what you want. For me, it's a matter of knowing your own sanity and doing what needs to be done to finish the workout. Bleh!

Notes (to myself) about the Challenge Restart:
It's Halloween. I didn't break the challenge, but the candy has to stop! UGH!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

This is a ring lat pull. Though I did it, I repositioned my feet (slightly bending my knees) in order to make the movement do-able. Eventually, the idea is to place your feet all the way out and do it the way Freddy does it in the video.

Warm-up
I did a 60 minute spin class at Bally's, so I skipped the CrossFit warm-up which consisted of an 800 meter run, stretching, and some other things.

WOD
Complete the following for time:
Row 1000m

FIVE rounds of:
20 box jumps 14"
7 ring lat pulls

Row 1000m

Joanne's final time - 21:07

And then...
25 GHD sit-ups
25 33# Good Mornings
25 Feet-to-Ceiling
25 GHD Back Extensions
25 Modified Hollow Rocks
100 Twisters


Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I need to come to class more prepared. Stupidly, I didn't pack my high-performance bra and ended up wearing my standard bra that I wear to yoga, spin, and other non-impact sports. So doing box jumps in a not-so-supportive bra was not fun - especially with guys around. Oh well... (Okay. Yeah. Not like you really need to know this.)

Working out at dawn when it's totally cold isn't fun. But I got through the WOD. Whenever we do rounds, I really need someone to keep tally of what round I'm in. This is because I'm still not sure if I did the full 5 rounds of if I did 4 rounds. I'm pretty sure I did 5, but I could be wrong. After three rounds of anything, I totally lose count. Anyway... this was a good workout and a great way to get some rowing in. Oddly, my second row time (4:55) was better than my first (5:18).

As for the "And then..." I really need to work on those damn hollow rocks!

Crazy Nephew Quotable Quote
Theo: Hey Brendan, what are you going to be for Halloween?
Brendan: I'm going to be you!
Theo: Hmph. You'll need muscles then.

Notes (to myself) about the Challenge Restart:
Not a good eating day today. It's my dad's 20th death anniversary, so to commemorate, I had to sway out of the challenge. I shared a pop-tart with Brendan (you'll have to ask me about my pop-tart story later). It had been years since I've had a pop-tart. I'm not sure if it's because I bought the organic ones from Trader Joe's, but they were dangerously yummy! Plus, it was a good little bonding thing with Brendan. Though candy is actually acceptable in the challenge, I try to avoid it anyway. It was a little tough to do it with all the candy at my sister's house. UGH! Then, of course, my sister and I split a MacDonald's fish fillet and fries in the name of our dad. (Yeah, another story I'll share later).

In fact, the past three days have been off in terms of the challenge. During Sunday brunch with my friend, I had a latke (potato pancake). On Monday for dinner, my mom served fried chicken. I didn't realize she didn't have anything not-fried (don't ask why I was dumb enough to think my mom would have un-fried food), and she wanted to have dinner company. What was I supposed to do? Tell my mom I couldn't eat with her because her food isn't challenge friendly? Filipino moms won't understand and I sure as hell don't expect them to. So I had a piece of fried chicken. Then there was today. I'll be better this week. I'm not sure if I can actually constitute this as me falling off the wagon. Though these were conscious choices, they were do to a lack of options as well as paying a few respects. So do I feel guilty? Not really. Tomorrow is another day.

Finally, that earthquake was crazy! For a minute there, I thought it was my dad paying us a visit!

friday workout delight

Yoga - 60 minutes
Cardio Bellydance - 60 minutes

Notes (to myself) about the Challenge Restart:
This is my standard Friday workout. I like to take a break from the intensity of CrossFit and other stuff and start the weekend with a workout that's challenging, but not too taxing on my body. Every week the bellydance class gets more challenging. I say this because every week I leave with a bigger sweat going on. It's ridiculous. A few months ago, I gave in and finally invested in a hip scarf. Mine is blue with silver shimmies (my own made-up word) and makes more noise than I'd like to admit. During class some of the shimmies started to fall off. I wasn't sure if it was because the construction was bad or if it was because I've been shaking my tail a little too much. Hmph. Anyway, I highly recommend getting a hip scarf. I recommend getting one that's fairly heavy with lots of shimmies because it makes the workout harder.

The challenge has been okay so far. I'm still alive, so that's good news, right?

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

This is Jolie. She rocks. If I was half the bad-ass she was, I'd be a very dangerous woman! Jolie is demonstrating the overhead squat which was part of today's WOD. Though I don't take her classes as often as I'd like, I always appreciate any advice she can share. She's great at giving technical advice about the movements. Very important for someone like me who is trying to nail down form.

Warm-up
FIVE rounds of:
Run 100 meters
5 (modified) burpees
THREE rounds of:
Samson Stretch
10 Shoulder Rolls
10 Overhead Squats*
Round 1: wooden dowel
Round 2: 15# bar
Round 3: 45# bar

WOD (as posted at the studio)
Complete the following for time:
75 overhead squats (M:95#/W:65#)

...And then
"Michael" 1, 2, or 3 rounds of:
Run 800 meters
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups

Joanne's Modified WOD
Three rounds of:
Run 800 meters
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups
25 Overhead Squats with 15# bar

(No time recorded.)

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
My day started with a 5:30am spin workout at Bally's. The class runs for an hour. I came home, fell back asleep for an hour and then started my day with everyone else in the world :) For CrossFit, I came fairly late which let me workout by my lonesome again. As mentioned before, I haven't done CrossFit in about two weeks, so this week I'm a bit sore. In fact, I could barely do a squat this morning. For those of you who haven't noticed, I modify a lot. I'm not sure how the folks at One World feel about this. For the most part, I don't think they mind. Besides, as long as I'm in there and training, that should be important enough, right? Anyway... I didn't time the workout again. It felt like it took forever to complete. But at least I did it and managed some stretching afterward.

OWMA Quotable Quote
Eric: I look at my wife and she gets pregnant!
Joanne: Damn! That's some super sperm you got there!

Notes (to myself) about the Challenge Restart:
This is one of the many reasons why my current food challenge allows rice. My cousin-in-law Andy makes the best lo mai fan (is that how you spell it?). Granted, this photo isn't his actual dish. But last night while visiting, I happened to catch a fresh batch of this goodness. Liezel packed some for me to take home. The rice is all gone now. I did, however, manage to share some with my sister. For some reason, I was really hungry today. I think I ate more than I should have, but I feel like my body needed it. I also took an hour long power nap. Maybe my body is adjusting to my full-throttle workouts. Hmph.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

This is Caroline. Or better yet, this is ACB as in the Amazing Caroline Barnes keeping up with the WOD in Chile. Caroline is a 40-something hottie who totally motivates me whenever I see her at CrossFit. Unfortunately, I don't get to see her as often as I like, since we tend to workout at different times now. However, I only have the nicest things to say about Caroline. My fondest memory of her was during Saturday Morning Detention, I was totally lagging and running slow in the WOD. She ran outside looking for me and accompanied me while I finished my last round of whatever the Detention workout was. That is true CrossFit luv!

Warm-up
I skipped today's warm-up because I did a one hour yoga class right before I did CrossFit. It's a fantastic combination. Yoga strengthens you in ways that make you actually want to do the hard-core WOD.

WOD
Complete four rounds for time of:
25 wall balls 10#
25 Abmat sit-ups with a med ball shot 8# (this was rx'd!)
75 jump rope rotations

Joanne's Final Time: no time recorded.

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I thought this was a good workout. I was actually glad I was late and that no one showed for the 6pm class. This left me all by my lonesome, which was fine. There's something I like about not having to deal with being timed. For some reason, 10# felt really heavy at the time. However, next time I do this, I'd like to perhaps try the 12# ball - even if it's just for half the WOD. I did the Abs rx'd which was great. Instead of the double unders, I did 3-for-1 jump rope rotations because my legs were still stiff from yesterday and I needed the practice. I stretched for about 20 minutes afterward.

Notes (to myself) about the Challenge Restart:
So far so good. This is my typical standard breakfast this week. In case I didn't mention before, I'm trying to incorporate eating concepts from the following schools of thought: the Zone , Eat Clean, and Inuitive Eating. I think the combination of the three work really well for the diabetes and my own personal sanity. I'm hoping that I can find the balance between maintaining my love for food and my desire to live a full life. Onward...

This is my breakfast of champions for this week. I have to admit the 15 minutes it takes to prepare it, and then sit down and actually eat it is a great way to start the day. It's what I need to rev up my day. I can clear my mind and think about what is going to happen that day, all while munching on a fulfilling breakfast. In the bowl is my pretend champurrado, which I make with Irish oatmeal, milk, chocolate protein powder, topped of with splenda. I eat this with a tall glass of iced coffee (more milk coffee). It's a filling meal which gave me a blood sugar reading of only 117. Right on!

Today was a good eating day. I had lunch at Lagosia with Margaret. Even with dessert, it gave me a B/G (blood glucose) reading of 147. Fantastic! I ordered a stew with a side of cassava (think of gooey mashed potatoes, but with cassava). I had to try Margaret's yams (made the same way) and they were yummy too. Dinner was small, simple and home-made (B/G 138). Yea.

Other than the foot stuff, my lesson learned today is that I'm much better at being healthy when I make it a point to check my blood sugars after every meal. It's a pain, but well worth the knowledge. I have a new pink meter that came in the mail for FREE. It doesn't have all the fancy bells and whistles that I'd like it to have. However, it does do simple readings which I need for my own personal knowledge and it's easy to carry. Plus, it's sooo cute! It's like diabetics gone razr! ha ha!

loving your feet.

I had a podiatry appointment today. As I mentioned a while back, I'd like to run again. A half marathon at most. As luck would have it, I just ran into my marathon mate Tzel today at the local Filipino grocery store where I was stocking up on my politically incorrect deoderant. Anyway...

My podiatry appointment was quite educational. Why didn't I just go to a bonafide foot doctor in the first place?! Marathon training would have been a lot easier if I just did this. UGH! She examined my feet and gave me the information about foot care and being a diabetic. If you're curious about this, click here. She emphasized that I need to check my feet everyday! Today's checkup was fine. She said that my feet are normal. However, I need to keep my blood sugars in check and and take care of my feet. Worse case scenario, this could happen to me and I could have my feet amputated. Did anyone catch that episode of Grey's Anatomy? Scary stuff. So here's another thing I need to do along with the other LONG list of stuff I need to do in order to take care of my diabetes. UGH!

Do the legwork now folks. Technically, if we all live long enough, everyone will eventually get diabetes. The pancreas just poops out. Some people's just poop out before others, that's all. So do the legwork now. Eat well. Exercise reguarly. Let go of all that processed food. Life will be easier, I swear.

Anyway... it looks like I have weird feet. I have Morton's Toe. That's just a fancy way of saying that my second toe is longer than my fist. My college friend Arvin used to say that these were called "sex toes" because people with longer second toes were prone to have better sex. Um... I like Arvin's reasoning better. The podiatrist pointed that both my second and third toes are longer than my first toe, which is even more weird. (I like to think this just means I have "extra sexy toes.") She then showed me how having such weird toes, along with flat feet makes me callus the the places that I tend to callus. (Damn! Diabetes. Extra weird Morton's toe. Wide, flat feet. God hates me.) She then went on about the kinds of shoes I should wear (motion control for you runners out there), what to look for in a shoe, and suggested that I get a custom orthotic. With my student discount, her office can do it for me for $225-$250 as opposed to $450-$500. I told her that I already have a custom orthotic. She explained that since I got it at a retail store, it's probably not as customized as I think. (I think she's right because even with the custom orthotic, which I've been using for the past two years, there's still minor blistering.) She said I should get it from a doctor and not a retail store - no matter how specialized they seem to be. See? I totally should have gone to a foot doctor first!

Anyway... I'm not jumping on the orthotic bandwagon just yet. So far, the regular cushion from the running shoes I have works. Plus, she totally approved the shoes. The new socks I have are also fantastic. If, down the line I have additional foot problems, I'll consider the orthotics. Right now, I think I'm okay. I just need to give my feet some daily TLC.

And that's the end of today's foot lesson.

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

This is Raz. Raz is a stud. Oh what I would give to be able to get my chin over that bar - with the assisted bands. Sigh.

Warm-up
Row 1000 meters
THREE rounds:
Samson Stretch
10 Shoulder Rolls
10 Push Press
10 Overhead Squats*
10 Pulll-ups
10 Push-ups
10 Abmat Sit-ups

*Note: I had a late start, so my third round was cut short and ended after the overhead squats.

WOD
Using a kettlebell or a dumbbell, complete as many rounds as you can in 20 minutes of:
15 one arm sumo deadlift high pull
10 one arm hang power snatch
5 one arm overhead squat

Alternate arms every round.

Joanne's results: There was a mix-up on how to count the rounds. So to honor what the site says, I did 8 rounds total (this is with alternating arms) with 17 sumo deadlift high pulls. I began with 15# each side and then switched to 12# thereafter.

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
This was fairly tough considering I just came back from about a two-week absence. Never again! I always forget how good CrossFit is for me. Granted, it's not my favorite thing to do. CrossFit is kind of like unwanted hair. You have it. You deal with it. You're sure there's a purpose, but you just don't know what that purpose is. ha ha ha...

Okay CrossFit is way better than unwanted hair.

In class, one round counted as both sides. However, on the site, one round is only one side. So during the class, I was feeling a little beaten because I only made it to four rounds. Really low compared to everyone else. Now I know that my real count is 8 rounds. Not bad. I do give myself kudos for actually joining the gang and doing the actual WOD. Showing up is the hardest thing. When I'm there, everything else is fine.

Notes about the Challenge Restart
So far so good. I've done a lot of cooking which makes packing food a lot easier. Right now, I'm going ga-ga over my new favorite snack: take a hard boiled egg and remove the yolk; replace the yolk with lowfat hummus. Yummy! I'm really big on deviled eggs, but too many eggs aren't a good thing (truth be told, they give me gas). However, today I discovered that the yolk does that to me. The egg white is fine. So replacing the yolk with hummus is delicious and not hazardous to those around me. ha ha! I've prepared oatmeal, chicken/veggie soup, and set aside sandwich stuff. So far so good. It's the night time that makes me hungry - especially if I end up exercising at night. UGH! I ended up munching on Marc's leftover stirfry and a little bit of my soup. Not terrible, but I would like to commit to no eating after 7pm (8pm at the latest). It's tough, but I just need to develop strategies, that's all.

OWMA Quotable Quote
Brad:Isn't Ray a beast?
Joanne (yelling so Ray can hear): Yeah. I'd never train with Ray! He's so mean!
Ray (confused): Huh? Me? What did I do?
Brad and Joanne: (laughing)

not so great news

I can't believe it's been so long since I've logged in. Sadly, it's probably because it's been that long since I've done a CrossFit workout. Granted, I do other kinds of workouts and make it a point to hit some kind of gym at least three times a week. In looking at my workout interests, I may seem like some workout fanatic. For the record, I do the following on any given day: CrossFit, Fit-to-Fight, spinning, yoga, belly dance, running, walking. Yeah. I think this is it. I'm as consistent as I possibly can be because as mentioned before, I'm a diabetic.

Unfortunately, I received a phone call from the nurse practitioner that I've been working with since I was diagnosed. The results of my most recent HA1C results came in and they're STILL 6.9. I talked about my previous results here. In truth, I was totally devastated because in the last three months, I was much better at working out consistently and I followed my different food challenges. Granted, I haven't lost much weight. However, I thought I was doing better. This tells me that my body is changing and needs a different dosage of meds. When I see the diabetes specialist, she's probably going to put me on byetta. No big deal, since the reviews are great. However, it is going to be a bit of a financial strain because my rent is going up 20% and now, the cost of this medication 2-3 times more than I usually pay. UGH! Sucks! The only saving grace in this is I have great medical insurance.

All this means is that I have to take this current challenge much more seriously. As with my last challenge, I hit a road bump at my brother's wedding. The rehearsal dinner wasn't challenge friendly, and I've been off the challenge for 11 days. Today would have been the first day of my restart, but I (without batting an eyelash) took a bite of this weekend's leftover pizza. BAD DIABETIC! See how easy it is to fall into bad habits? UGH! Today's workout schedule was thrown off. However, I am gonna put on some sneakers and get some walking done on my sister's treadmill.

Starting tomorrow, I'm back on challenge mode. To help commit to this journey, I'm going to try my best to blog this journey on a daily basis. The daily entries will include: 1) the daily workout 2) my thoughts on eating that day 3) my random bitching and moaning about diabetes. Anyway... apologies if any of this bores you. Today I choose to take care of my health. Wish me luck!

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
Run 400 meters
Row 500 meters
THREE sets of:
Samson Stretch
10 deadlifts
10 shoulder press
10 shoulder rolls (all wooden dowel)
10 overhead squats

Set 1: wooden dowels
Set 2: 15# bar
Set 3: 45# deadlift; 15# everything else

WOD
Complete the following for time:
40 deadlifts 45#
40 parallette bar dips
9 modified rope climbs
30 deadlifts 45#
30 parallette bar dips
3 modified rope climbs
20 deadlifts 45#
20 parallette bar dips
3 modified rope climbs

Joanne's final time - 19:54
Note: to see a video of this WOD, click here.

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
With yesterday's modified burpees and the spin workout I did just before this WOD, I decided to go really light on the deadlift (the rx'd weight was 75#). I don't usually do well with the deadlift because it screws up my lower back. Plus, my hamstrings were tight, so I decided to err on the safe side. In retrospect, I should have pushed it to about 55#. 75# would have been way too much. Though I modified the WOD a lot, it was still tough. I'm really weak in the upper body, and it shows when I do the dips and the rope climbs. I'm still doing the bar dips with my legs bent. Ideally, I'd like to have them straightened out and even perched on a box. However, my lower body (namely, my ass!) is so heavy that my weak arms can't hang :( I'm also doing the rope climbs with my legs bent, which is another thing I need to work on. Ideally, they should be straight.

It was great to watch Stef in action. (Note: the woman in the photo is not Stef.) I tell you, that girl is my she-ro! She started going to the studio after me, but she really dedicated herself to CrossFit and healthy eating and it totally shows! She may not like her times, but she really pushes the weight and can do the movements in ways I wish I could. Also, she has a developing 6-pack, which she didn't have before. Kudos to her! It goes to show that CrossFit really works!

I'm not aiming to have a 6-pack, but to do the exercises with better form and to push the weight would be nice. However, I really need time, patience, consistency in going, and better eating. It'll happen in time:)

OWMA Quotable Quote
"Even modified this workout sucks!"
- Joanne

CrossFit One World W.O.T.D.

Warm-up
The posted warm-up was Row 1000 meters. However, I was already warm because I had just come from yoga class. Also, this was one of those workouts that didn't need a formal warm-up.

WOD: Fun With Body Weight
Complete 10 rounds for time of:
80 jump ropes*
10 modified burpees
10 Abmat sit-ups
10 push-ups (on knees)
10 squats
10 band assisted pull-ups

And then...
S-T-R-E-T-C-H!

Notes (to myself) about this workout:
I didn't record time on this one because I knew it would take me forever. I want to say it took me about an hour. I'm afraid to know, actually. Then again, this was one of those workouts where I was happy I wasn't trying to beat a time clock. Sometimes you just have to roll with the workout itself and let it be. Despite it taking forever, I really liked this workout because it was do-able. Hard, but do-able. *Because I'm so slow with the ropes, I did 80 jump ropes instead of the rx'd 100.

On another note... I've decided to post the same photos that were featured on the One World CrossFit website. I don't always know the folks in the photos, but I do share the CrossFit family luv!

OWMA Quotable Quote
"Wow Joanne! That takes a lot of talent!"
- James commenting on my post-WOD yoga stretching

change of heart

So yesterday was a tough diabetes day. I know. As I've said before, I can't dwell on what should have been done. I just have to deal with the now.

I missed my morning workout again! In order to make it worthwhile, I ended up doing odd chores around that house that just needed to be done. While doing that, I ran into a commercial for byetta, the drug that the specialist wants me to start using. I started looking it up online and found a few interesting tidbits here. This is the company that makes byetta.

I then called my insurance company to find out if it covers byetta. There's some good news and some bad news. The bad news: byetta costs way more than the meds I take right now. The good news: my insurance covers 80% of the cost because it's considered a diabetic supply and not a medication. Therefore, depending on the dosage, the byetta will cost me $40-$50/month max (as opposed to $15/month I pay right now). Additionally, it won't affect the $2000 allowance my insurance gives for medication. This is something to chomp on.

Technically, my blood sugars (hemoglobin A1C) are at a good range because they're in the 6 range. However, the specialist wants it to be in the low 6 or below 6 range. Even with exercise and diet, I'm not sure I can make the range. The lowest I've ever been was around 6.2, and the specialist wants it to be even lower. The best way for me to be in that lower range is to ultimately lose weight.

One of the positive side effects of byetta is that it suppresses the appetite, making users lose weight. (In fact, some Beverly Hills doctors have been prescribing it to patients for weight loss, which is a total no-no. Byetta is not a weight-loss drug, it's a diabetes drug! But what Beverly Hills bitches want, Beverly Hills bitches get!) I need to talk to my specialist more about this. I'm thinking of maybe going on it for a year. Should I get an appropriate amount of weight loss, I'm thinking of getting off it and going back to my old medication. I just don't want to be addicted to or be dependent on byetta (which is what some people have experienced).

I'm not even sure if this or any drug can actually suppress my appetite! ha ha ha! However, it will at least inspire me to jump on a healthier train. In the end, if I choose to go on byetta, I don't want it to be a permanent thing. Feel free to share your thoughts on this, please :)

On a challenge note, it's only been three days and it's not so bad. I had a dentist appointment today, and it's next door to a Filipino restaurant, which I went to. I did their standard buffet. Let me tell you, it was hard not having a taste of the lumpia, pancit, lechon and fried chicken. But at the same time, I commend the place for having stuff that could work within my challenge. I had some rice with meatloaf, kaldareta (sans potatoes) and a ton of veggies from the stir-fry. To satisfy my sweet, I took a few bites of the coconut milk from the guinataan, and downed the meal with about three glasses of ice water. It was a well-balanced meal and I didn't feel like I needed to roll out of the restaurant. I also didn't eat a dozen plates worth of food. Yea for me! UGH! I hate being a foodie. Not a good thing for diabetics!

the next challenge

As I mentioned before, I went on my first 30 day challenge because I started seeing a diabetes specialist whose visit totally freaked me out. This first challenge turned out pretty well. Though I didn't lose much weight, it was a great lesson in food. In the two weeks since the challenge, I think I overdid it with the fried food, which was another important lesson. Too much is not a good thing. Anyway... my next challenge is as follows....

I've been giving this a lot of thought and have considered several options. The one I finally decided on is this: no potatoes, no white breads, no pastas, no noodles. I know it sounds a bit extreme. However, it's in the best interest of my diabetes. I'm trying to take a serious stab at getting rid of the refined, processed starches that tend to really spike the sugars. My goal with these challenges is to pick up healthy habits, but to also make sure the challenges are do-able.

To help make this doable, I'm keeping the right to have rice. It's an ethical thing for me :) I'm also allowing myself to have multi-grain bread, corn-based products (such as corn tortillas and polenta) and specialty tortillas (the low-carb, high fiber ones). In terms of pasta and noodles, even the wheat types are off-limits. I purposely chose this challenge because it would also force me to stay away from sweets such as bread-like goodies - cakes, cupcakes, danishes, brownies, cookies, etc.

In addition, this challenge will pick up where the previous one left off. I'm back to no fried food. A few things that make this current challenge different is that it started on October 1st and will go on until the end of the year. For the sake of family functions (and my personal sanity), I am allowing myself one cheat day per week. However, the cheat days are not meant to be binge days. Instead, they grant me permission to eat somewhat normally at social functions. Plus, it's healthy to have a small cheat opportunity.

Finally, if I make it through this challenge, I get to treat myself to a FAT 90 minute deep tissue massage!

Some other healthy habits I need to maintain (but are not formal parts of the challenge) are as follows (Note: these are notes to myself. Actually, this whole blog is one big note to myself!):

- eat breakfast! (pre-cook it if needed)
- keep a food journal (it weighs a ton, but I'm loving that Covey!)
- eat no later than 8pm
- cook more
- try to eat at least 1 serving of fruit/veggies at each meal
- balance the meals and snacks by incorporating protein
- drink water
- exercise daily
- exercise first thing in the morning

This is it for now. I may add more stuff later.

being a diabetic sucks!

I went to the doctor today. Tish, the nurse practitioner who's been with me since I was diagnosed with diabetes was out for about three months, so I set up an appointment with her just to catch up on my health issues and such. Tish was also the person who recommended that I see the diabetes specialist (whose appointments are costing me $200 per visit until I pay my deductible UGH!). They're recommending that I change my medication again. This new medication is basically a daily shot (as in the kind with a needle, not a glass!). One of the side effects is that it suppresses the appetite, which is a good thing for me, since the specialist recommends that I lose weight too. Knowing me, this side effect will have nothing to do with me because world wars couldn't stop me from eating :) This is just fact! Technically, I should surrender to the specialist and take this daily shot. However, there's something about being overly dependent on meds that really irritates me. Plus, a daily shot? Is this what it's come to?! I'm giving myself until the end of this school year to decide whether to switch or not.

The reality of having to deal with diabetes always sinks in when I go to the doctor. I sat in Tish's office crying because being a diabetic sucks! In fact, having any chronic disease sucks because you can't shake it off. It's not like you can have diabetes one day and the next day it's gone. Diabetes is with me for life. It determines how I live life and how long I get to do it. It just sucks. The basis of diabetes care, like most health issues is diet and exercise. But to be a "good diabetic" (if there is such a thing) requires an intense amount of discipline in a world and culture that is less than diabetic friendly. I fuckin' hate it!

Whenever the reality of being a diabetic sinks in, a part of me gets really angry at my mom. She's been a diabetic since 1987, but none of us (my siblings and I) knew she was diabetic until 2004 when I was diagnosed. Granted, diabetes education in 1987 is nothing like it was now. However, if you're diagnosed with a chronic disease which you know runs in the family and could possibly be passed down to your children, wouldn't you fuckin' do something to prevent your kids from getting it? Wouldn't you educate yourself and your family? This is what pisses me off about being diabetic. Granted, EVERYONE, if you live long enough, will eventually become a diabetic because the pancreas eventually gives out. However, wouldn't you try to prolong that for you and your kids?

Granted, this bitterness against my mom is related to a much longer strain of mom issues that I have. I get this. In fact, a lot of issues I have with family members stems from the fact that they way they handle things is nothing like the way I handle things. Different strokes for different folks. I get this. But this is a fuckin' chronic disease we're talking here! And something so controllable and preventable. I feel like this is my family's way of dealing with shit. When there's a problem, simply ignore because the grace of God will handle itself.

Fuck that shit!

Even after all these years, my mom still doesn't handle her diabetes. Last week I gave her a lesson on checking her blood sugars. I recommended that she check it around 4 times a day and keep a food journal for two weeks just so she knows how certain foods affect her. This is what I had to do when I was first diagnosed. All she did was moan about the whole process, claiming her fingers would fall off from all the pricking. Ahem, mom. Your fingers are going nowhere. You're retired and have nothing else to do. Please just take care of your damn health! Granted, she takes her meds for the various health issues she has, but she doesn't change her eating and exercise habits. She has high blood pressure, but won't let go of salt. She has diabetes, but has bread and chocolate milk every morning. It kills me! But the way she handles her stuff isn't they way I handle my stuff. I simply have to accept this and move on. Besides, I have my own health issues to deal with!

I got so frustrated at the doctor's today that just broke down. I told Tish that between my brother (who is also diabetic), mom and I, I'd be the first to die of this fuckin' disease. Even though I'm the one who works the hardest at controlling it. I'd fuckin' die first because that's just the pathetic story of my life. I hate being a diabetic. I just fuckin' hate it! I can't go back to 1987 and make my mom confront the chronic disease she has. I can't make her take care of herself now. In all honesty, I feel like I'd seriously die first. It's just how things work in this damn family. I just hate it!

Okay. I'm whining. I know. I'll stop.

I'm just frustrated. Most people can have a burger and not think twice. Most people can have a slice of wedding cake or a glass of wine and not bat an eyelash. From here on out, I don't have that luxury. It sucks. So I have the right to whine.