new 'do!

I love Sanjay, the guy who has cut my hair for the past
several years. I went in for a much-needed haircut. Ah, it's
amazing how a haircut can change your life!

Today's Small Victories
I'm back on track with the challenge. fathlete confession: I should confess right now that I kinda' strayed on Monday. My dear friend Christina, who I haven't seen in y-e-a-r-s was in town and I split a dessert with her. Oddly, I didn't and still don't feel bad about it. For some reason, I didn't see it as cheating and I knew I could live without the dessert. However, the dessert became less about eating and more about sharing a moment with a dear friend. For me, the challenge is ultimately about having a healthy relationship with food. It's about getting to know food and cutting the junk out of my everyday life. Having the dessert with Christina was worth it because having this time with her was a gift. Again, it was about an experience. fathlete confession: Later that night I had a smidgeon of frozen yogurt. Again, it was more about having an experience than having a dessert. I still don't feel guilty. In fact, I feel like my body needed a break. For two weeks, I've been hitting the 30g of carbs or less consistently. There have been a few days where I broke 30g of carbs, but still stayed within 50g. There is only one day where I broke 50g of carbs, my highest being 72g (I think). Judge all you want. I still think I'm doing pretty good.

Warm-up
10 minutes of jump rope. I still haven't gotten a double under, but I'm relishing in jumping like a bona fide adult. I know I keep saying this. Sorry. I can't help it!

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength:
20 reps of back squat @ 100#

Conditioning:
A cycle is equal to three rounds of:
5 shoulder to overhead (70# on rack)
10 push-ups
150m Row
Joanne's Final Time - N/A

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I decided to do Monday's WOD since I missed it. Technically, Wednesday is (or used to be) a rest day. With that, I decided to not time the WOD and focus on from. I'm still weak in the upper body. In the first cycle, I was push pressing the weight. After that, I figured out that I really needed to split jerk it up because my push press form was off. It worked well and I got myself into a rhythm. I'm weak in push-ups and I decided that I don't like short distance rowing. By the time you get your pace down, it's over. Boo! After the WOD, I took extra time to stretch out. Yea!

my new mug

When I'm having a bad day, I'll be drinking
out of this mug. Shut it. You know you
want one!

Today's Small Victories
I listened to my body and cut myself a break. Nope. I didn't carb up. However, I am feeling like my body is sick of all the protein. Today, I concentrated on eating veggies and protein - clean and didn't worry about the protein count. I feel much better now.

Warm-up
Running

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength:
Sumo deadlift 3/3/3/3/3
75/95/125/145/145

Conditioning:
"Nasty Girls"
Complete three rounds of the following for time:
50 air squats
7 muscle-ups (modified)
10 hang power cleans 70#

Joanne's Final Time - 12:23

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I'm glad I did the modified muscle up. It's tough and I'm wobbly, but it gave me a better sense of the movement.

loving brands

This post is inspired by this article: What we talk about when we talk about loving brands. The author begins my stating, "If you want to sell me something, give me an experience, tell me a story, or be my friend." He then gives examples of why he's so into Apple and Fluevog shoes. As someone who works in sales, I'd have to say that this is the very best way to create a loyal clientele base. However, this post isn't about sales techniques. Rather, it's about my sense of brand loyalty and my new commitment to myself to spend wisely. In case you don't know this about me, I'm a total loyalist. If I like something, I'm a fan for life! This explains why I've used the same skincare brand for the last twelve years and why people at local establishments know me by name. It's because I believe in what the author says: "If you want to sell me something, give me an experience, tell me a story, or be my friend."

Here's a great example.... When I was a teenager, I saved some money to buy some real lipstick - the kind that I could try before I buy! I knew that I wanted two different colors - something pinky brown and something chocolatey brown. I finally stopped at the prescriptives counter at macy*s. The lady helped me pick out two perfect colors! Unfortunately, I underestimated my funds and could only afford one of the lipsticks. When I couldn't decide which one to pick, she said, get the chocolaty brown one, and I did. She rung me up and gave me my purchase. The bag seemed a little big, so I opened it and along with my lipstick was a box. I asked the lady about it and she explained that they were giving a gift with a $35 purchase. Embarrassed, I told her that I didn't spend that much. She said, "But the other lipstick you wanted is in that gift. You should have it." This meant the world to me! That incident made me a prescriptives user for YEARS (all through my college years)! In fact, when I applied for a job in cosmetics, prescriptives was one of the lines I listed as a preferred company to work for. Though prescriptives is no longer available at stores, I still have very fond memories of the brand and the wonderful people who work for them. It's like the author declared: "If you want to sell me something, give me an experience, tell me a story, or be my friend."

Today's Small Victories
I dreaded today's WOD. I've never done 400 meters of lunges because I think it's inhumane. It would have been easy to sit this one out. However, I did it. And I did my best to keep the bitching and moaning to a minimum. That totally deserves an award!

Warm-up
Jumprope while the rest of the class ran 400 meters. (Not that I object to running. However, I just bought a new jump rope and wanted to test it out!

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength:
20 reps of back squat at 90#
Bench Presss 3/3/3/3/3
55/65/70/75/80

Conditioning:
Complete the following for time:
400m walking lunge step
Post time and number of steps. If you have a set of knee pads, you will definitely want to wear them.

Joanne's Final Time - 24:04

Notes (to myself) about this workout: For the back squat, I did fine. I may have mentioned this earlier, but when we did this squat challenge a while back, not many people finished it. In fact, a lot of people were injured before the challenge ended. I know this challenge is nothing new and people have been doing this for quite a while. However, I think 10# per week is a bit much. I'm going to do 10# per week for as long as I can, while really listening to my body. If 10# a week becomes too taxing, then I'm scaling back to 5# a week. I refuse to have hip problems like I did the last time.

For the bench press, we ran out of time, so I couldn't really hit a true 3-rep max. Judging from tonight's performance, I think I may be in the 85#-90# range for that. If this is so, then I'm sure that when we do a max bench press, I can PR. Yea.

Finally, the lunge WOD sucked. Anything repetitive like that is just useless to me. I don't mind doing lunges like that, but it needs to be broken up with something else. Bleh. But I did it. So you can shut it!

go girl!

I don't know about you, but I admit that there have been moments in my life where I wish I could pee like a guy. Seriously. Sometimes I don't think guys know how lucky they have it. In particular, when I lived overseas a few years ago, I totally wished I could pee like a guy. I'll spare you the details about the bathrooms in the Philippines. Just know that living overseas let me know that I have some serious bathroom issues...

Well lo and behold, guess what some person invented?! The GoGirl! Simply put, it's a silicone device that allows women to pee standing up. Yeah. You heard that right. Say good-bye to the squat and say hello to the stand! In case any of you, for bathroom reasons, ever hesitated to go camping or use the public men's bathroom, or travel in the desert, fret no more. You can unleash your bodily fluids like the big boys!

Um, I'm not sure how I feel about this device yet. However, I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't intrigued.

Today's Small Victories
I'm still holding strong with the challenge. Woot!

Warm-up
Row 500 meters
Run 600 meters

CrossFit One World WOD
Perform 120 kettlebell swings for time. At the start of every minute, run 100m before continuing with the swings.

Joanne's Final Time - 13:40

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I did this WOD with a 25# kettlebell and then went down to 20# just because I didn't have the patience to go heavier. For the record, any WOD where you're doing over 100 reps of one move is simply lame.

carb counting and other stuff...

In lieu of the challenge and all the carb talk, I found it appropriate to share this link. I'm a big fan of Mark's Daily Apple, mostly because I like how he explains things and he posts great recipes! For those of you who are trying to figure out the importance of eating a low amount of carbs, this link should help.

I'd like to thank Pramit, my student who introduced me to a website called Zen Habits. I'm totally jazzed because the guy who runs the site is from Guam (and now lives in San Francisco). Yea. A kindred spirit. In particular, check out this post on eating healthfully. Initially, it may seem that this post and participating in the LBN challenge or eating a ketogenic diet (which is what I'm following right now) contradict each other. In actuality, they compliment each other because the post and the challenge are meant to inspire you to eat better.

As a diabetic, I've decided to commit to a strict ketogenic diet because I really want to get off the meds. Though the challenge ends on October 31st, I'm actually extending my own personal challenge to December 9th, the day before my birthday. On that day, I'm going to take a blood test and if the results are good (as my coach Alex C. says they should), then I'll continue but will modify as needed. Ketogenic diets are not for everybody, but I'm willing to give it a shot if it means I can drop some weight and some meds. It's a day-by-day process and the one thing I don't want to do is repeat what happened after the last challenge. I was good for the five weeks and when the challenge was over, I went back to my old eating habits.

So what's different this time around? I've been keeping a strict journal with calorie, protein, carb, and fat counts. It's amazing how different you feel about food when you actually know what's in it. As I've said before, there is more to the ""Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, little starch and no sugar" rule. Technically, there is no real "counting" in paleo eating. However, at this stage (for me) I do have to count. As soon as I can wrap my head around counting, then I can stop. Wish me luck!

Finally, here's an article I thought you all might like. It gives advice about how to eat like a dietician.

Today's Small Victories
I've been really great at tracking my food for the challenge. I have MyPlate to thank for the amazingly easy way to track. This weekend I broke down and purchased an iphone. fathlete confession: I'm addicted. I don't know how I lived this long without one!

Warm-up
Row 500 meters
Stretching
Prep for WOD

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength:
20 reps of back squat at 80# less than your 5 rep max. (85#)

Conditioning:
Complete 5 rounds for time of:
5 power cleans @ 75% of your one rep max (70#)
5 handstand push-ups (modified)

Joanne's Final Time - 6:56

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I'm not too jazzed about the upcoming squat challenge. The last time we did this, a gang load of folks got injured because adding 10# a week is just a little much, if you ask me. I'm going to play it by ear and start with the 10# a week. When I feel it's too much, I'm scaling back to 5# a week. Hopefully, that will get me all the way to week eight. The last time we did it, I think I tapped out at week five. I liked tonight's conditioning WOD - short, sweet, but efficient.

it's challenge time!

Alex asked me to change the previous
photo. I hope he finds this more
appropriate. Men with donuts are sexy!

It's that time of year again.... One World is hosting the Look Better Naked Challenge. This time around, my near and dear friend Alex C. is running the competition. This week he will be re-vamping and updating the blog with all the new and interesting info about the challenge. Here are some things you need to know about the challenge:

The LBNC will kick off on Sunday, September 12, 2010. Like the last challenge, "before" and "after" photos will be taken. Photos are to be taken in shorts for men, shorts and sport bra for women. In addition, a weigh-in option has been added this time around. Weigh-ins will occur during photo shoot. (Note: You can do one or both options. It's up to you.) You can join the contest at anytime, but you must contact freddy@crossfitoneworld.com to make arrangements for your photo shoot and weigh-in. Anyone who cannot make the final photo shoot and weigh-in on 10/31 will have to make arrangements to take their photo and weigh-in BEFORE the final date of the LBNC.


The photos will be judged by a panel of three judges (Alex Cardenas, Freddy Camacho, and Cheryl Tassano). All photos will remain private and no one but the judges will see the photos unless the participant gives permission for others to see their photos. Each participant will receive a copy of their photos via email. If you do not wish to take part in the photo before/after portion of the LBNC, you can do the weight loss portion only.


Want to participate from a location away from One World? Take your picture in your shorts or shorts and sports bra. A front shot and a left side shot will be needed. Email your photos to Freddy at freddy@crossfitoneworld.com. You will only be allowed to participate in the photo before/after portion of the contest.


All participants (in house or email participants) must finish their registration for the Challenge through the Mindbody link. Here is the Mindbody link.


You will need to take a minute to register as a One World Mindbody member before you can pay your entry fee, but once you register, purchases with One World via Mindbody are a snap.


This is going to be a really awesome seven week challenge. Make sure you visit the Look Better Naked blog. Alex will be posting on the site starting Monday'ish. Freddy will also be contributing to the site occasionally.


Contact freddy@crossfitoneworld.com if you have further questions.

In other LBNC news, for those of you going paleo/primal, you'll get up close and comfy with all things coconut. Recently, I discovered Azucar Organics, a company that makes coconut oil, coconut flour, and coconut sugar. All are paleo/primal approved and are great to use for those of you who love to bake! If you're interested in ordering their products, click here. If you want information about the fabulousness of coconut products, click here.

Finally, in non-health related news, I thought I'd share this. The gods of bad English must have read my recent posts because yahoo! news just posted this story: 24 Things You Might Be Saying Wrong. Dang! Even I got schooled! Whaaat?!

Today's Small Victories
I've been keeping up with the food journal. Damn! It's more work than I thought it would, but it's good learning. I'm learning that there is more to paleo/primal eating the "Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, little starch and no sugar" rule. There is some weighing and measuring that needs to be done. fathlete confession: I found out the hard way that I can't have a pound of pistachios and use the, "Well it's paleo, isn't it?" excuse. Ahem. Not that I actually ate a pound of pistachios or anything...

Warm-up
Jump rope exercise

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength:
Deadlift 5x5 (try to go 5-10# heavier than last 5x5)
135/155/175/185/185

Conditioning:
Complete the following for time (modified from what is listed on the One World site):
100 jump rope rotations
1 rope climb (modified)
80 jump rope rotations
2 rope climbs (modified)
60 jump rope rotations
3 rope climbs (modified)
40 jump rope rotations
4 rope climbs (modified)
20 jump rope rotations

Joanne's Final Time - 13:10

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I was glad that Miss Angela was training tonight. It really helped me push the weight on the deadlift. I don't think I would have lifted that much of she wasn't there. Also, she emphasized resting in between sets, which was really helpful. After tonight, I decided that I think I'm ready to work on the double unders. Surprisingly, I could hit the rotations with minimal stopping. That definitely deserves a pat on the back because about two months ago, I was still skipping rope like a little girl!

green smoothies

Per some requests, I'm sharing my newest discovery in all things health: the green smoothie. For a long time now, I've been kicking myself for throwing away so many good greens each week because I just can't figure out what to do with them. Also, I really don't like greens. But I know it's good for me. I was inspired to create green smoothies because of two incidents. First, I watched my friend Gigi make the concoction. Though she drank it with a pinched nose, she justified the not-so-great taste by explaining that it's her "morning medicine." My second mode of inspiration came from my chiropractor. He let me borrow a book called Green For Life. I'm now convinced that greens should be its own food group:)

For those of you who have CSA boxes and don't quite know what to do with the produce, making smoothies is your easiest bet - even with the veggies and the tops! I invested in a Vitamix. There is all sorts of good stuff you can do with it like make smoothies, sauces, soups, fondue, etc. In particular, you can juice an entire vegetable (such a carrot with the tops and all) and retain all its nutrients. Again, it's an investment, but I will say that I use this machine at least once a day. On average, I use it twice a day - mostly for green smoothies. Here is the method to my madness:

This is how I prep my smoothies.  Each weekend, I wash and pack two cups of  fresh greens in zip loc bags and store them in the fridge. I make enough packets for 1-2 smoothies a day. I do the same with  one serving of fruit, but I store it in the freezer. I used to use frozen fruit from Costco. However, I recently had a change of heart because I LOVE seasonal fruit! The smoothies also include omega-3 fish oils and protein powder. If you want to cut the "green" taste, I recommend liquid stevia (make sure it's the brown stuff). I don't  use it much, but it's good to have on hand in case friends visit and want to try it out (hint!).

This is what it looks like in the blender. It's a lot of greens - two servings worth! 

Here's the final product. In truth, they don't taste as bad as most people think. But they definitely don't taste like Jamba Juice! I think of the smoothies as my "medicine." It allows me to effortlessly have the fruits/veggies I need. (Note: for the upcoming LBN Challenge, I'm cutting out the fruit and adding an extra serving of veggies and olive oil.)

Today's Small Victories
I'm prepping for the upcoming challenge. Gah!

Today's Workout
One hour of yoga.

Notes (to myself) about this workout: LOVE LOVE LOVE yoga!

sifting through the bmi bullshit

I'm trying to follow the trail. It looks like it all starts with this article: Body Mass Index (BMI) Badly Flawed. It basically goes over why BMI = bullshit (something I learned a long time ago and was confirmed by one of my marathon coaches). This article then inspired this slideshow. This slideshow was mentioned in this post. This post referenced this article about Steven N. Blair, a health expert who is also considered fat (or a fathlete depending on how you frame it). Said post also refers to this article called Weight Index Doesn’t Tell the Whole Truth. Simply put, it reiterates the original article. (Sorry this is so confusing.) All those articles leads to this commentary: Fat and Health. My spider senses tell me that this is probably the passage that has gotten most people's feathers ruffled (Note: I do recommend you read the ENTIRE article and not just this excerpt):

Can you judge health with a naked eye? It’s true, you can’t. But let’s be honest, there’s not an epidemic of fat runners out there. Those people are outliers, and not everyone is an outlier. I’m with people who argue that we shouldn’t focus solely on weight in public health debates, and that we should be talking about eating better and exercising as a way to promote health without reinforcing, intentionally or not, the notion that some body types are better than others. But, by and large, (pardon the expression) weightier people suffer health problems that are well documented. It’s not that thin people are necessarily fit. It’s that America as a whole is unhealthy, and one of the ways we can document our decades-long decrease in activity is by documenting our expanding waistlines.

This now leads us to this last article: Fat and Health, A Response Again, I recommend that you read the whole article because it provides a thorough understanding about equating health and fat, body policing, fat hatred, "health" fallacies, etc. I could try to summarize the article, but that would mean I'm giving you permission to be lazy. Just feed your mind and read it.

There you have it. I hope you enjoyed sifting through the BMI bullshit.

Today's Small Victories
I've been sugar detoxing since Tuesday. I broke last night. But I'm back on track today. Yea.

Warm-up
Run 800 meters

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength:
Weighted Step-ups 4x8 (four sets of four steps on each leg) 75#

Conditioning:
Perform 150 push-ups (on knees) for time. You can rest in the plank position, but a break anywhere else within the movement constitutes a 150m row before you continue the push-ups

Joanne's Final Time - 22:30

Notes (to myself) about this workout: 150 push-ups?! I may have lost count, so it's give or take about 10 push-ups. To cope, I did this in sets of 10 with rowing in between. I feel fine right now. However, something tells me my upper body is going to ache tomorrow morning. Gah!

mayweather's rant

I've written about Manny Pacquiao before. I'm a fan. I'm not big on boxing, but I'm a Manny fan. Maybe it's a Filipino thing. If you haven't had an eye on the news lately, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was recently under fire for "racist and homophobic" comments that he made about Pacquiao recently. Click here for the report on ESPN. Naturally, Mayweather Jr. issued an apology here.

Admittedly, this incident is an interesting one for me. I'm also a race and pop culture scholar. Therefore, something like this always piques my interest. The thing is, in today's racially charged climate (and yes, it is a racially charged climate - even with Barack Obama is president), I find that it's important to pick and choose your battles wisely. That is why I haven't said much about this. I don't really care for Mayweather. I think he's an egotistical guy who doesn't want to duke it out with Pacquiao because Mayweather is afraid of losing. Period.

As I explained to my students today, when you are in the midst of a debate and your opponent loses site of the argument and resorts to personal attacks on your character, that just means you've got your opponent. Your opponent has nothing left to say so he resorts to blows below the belt because that's all he has. This is where Mayweather is. He won't take it to the ring, so he has to resort to petty racist comments. Tisk. This jerk knows he doesn't stand a chance against Pacquiao!

Anyway.... I decided to mention this incident because I was inspired by this article. In it, the author is basically asking why there is no public outcry for Mayweather's racist and homophobic tirade. Dr. Lara can't get away with it. Neither can Don Imus. So why isn't a league of Filipino organizations banging on Mayweather's door to shut the hell up? (For the record, if you do decide to say racist, homophobic and offensive things, can you at least get your stereotypes straight? Sushi is not a Filipino food. If Pacquiao, who is only two inches shorter than Mayweather is a midget, then my friends John W., Bradass, and anyone else who is 5'10" and taller can exercise the liberty of calling Mayweather a midget. [Personally, I prefer little person.] I get the dog and cat eating thing. But this just tells me that you have no imagination. Seriously Mayweather, seriously.) I like the author's point:

Mayweather's comments are as troublesome as Schlessingers', but he is being treated differently because he's black.

Period.

And if he were being treated honestly, black man or not, we would be hearing denunciations from Jackson, Sharpton and the NAACP. (The National Federation of Filipino American Associations provided a lead for them today.) I'm not playing devil's advocate; I'm advocating for equality -- but in the true sense of the word. Whites don't hold the patent on being racially insensitive, just as blacks are not the only group of people to be discriminated against in this country.

For example, more than 250,000 Filipinos served in the United States military during World War II and were promised full veterans benefits for doing so. Yet in 1946, President Harry S. Truman, the same man who issued an executive order desegregating the military, signed the Rescission Act, essentially reneging on that promise. No school benefits, no hospital benefits, nothing. Every president since Truman treated these brave soldiers like second-class citizens. It wasn't until last year when the country finally honored its commitment to the approximately 15,000 veterans who were still alive.

If we truly believe in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," then it is only fair that the boxing world punish Mayweather. I understand he's the industry's cash cow. But this kind of hypocrisy only fertilizes racial tension while simultaneously lining the pockets of people who make their living manipulating that tension.

Clearly, he is way better at articulating the importance of understanding this incident way more than I am. Bravo Mr. Granderson.

is strong the new skinny?

I'd like to thank Miss Lyn C. for posting this article on her FB page. In this post, the author asks, "Is strong the new skinny?" He then proceeds to call for women and the media to challenge the status quo and make strong the new skinny. I understand the author's point. Yes. Popular media is inundated with overly skinny women that look hungry and unhealthy. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to see a CrossFit body on a billboard, TV set, or movie screen. In fact, the author declares at the end of his post, "I wanna see a girl with some muscles in the Victoria’s Secret catalog in the next few years." I get it.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I commend what I believe to be is a genuine effort in wanting to re-vision women in popular media. However, as a scholar whose research focuses on beauty and body image, I would like to offer a critical take on the matter.

First off, to make this declaration by using the above photo is for me, inappropriate. If the author wants to change the status quo and make strong the new skinny, then I challenge him to show me what strong looks like. If this is his image of strong, all I'm reading is: BOOBS are the new BOOBS and these are the BOOBS I want to see in a Victoria's Secret catalog in the next few years. By the way, thanks to my friend for letting me use her BOOBS for this post. Something is wrong with the translation here.

Second, it is a historical fact that by and large, men have controlled popular media. (There is a plethora of knowledge out there that addresses this. For now, I say start with Naomi Wolf's book. If you're looking for something riveting to watch, check out America the Beautiful by Darryl Roberts. When you're done, email me and I'll suggest more titles.) Therefore, those images of skinny women that the male author is complaining about are created by men. Just like him (um, but with lots of money and power to boot). Unfortunately, there is this thing called patriarchy that never really left. Believe me, if I had the choice, the last thing I resort to as a source of inspiration is a starving model - but that's just me and my harsh judgement calls and bitter envy (but not really). It's also a symptom of a society that pretends to care about what women want and need, yet fail to simply ask women what these wants and needs are.

Third, I really like that the author posted his source of inspiration. Those women in the video really are bad ass. No joke. I can see why he calls for a revision of the current beauty standards that are so popular today. I guess I may have to take back my earlier comment (but not really; I stand by my BOOBIE defense). However, I'm always hesitant when people propose to replace one standard of beauty with yet another standard of beauty (regardless of how well meaning it is). In all seriousness, do we really need this replacement? Does this actually help women progress? In his film, Roberts asks a similar question. My personal answer is no. I do not think replacing one standard of beauty for another one is helpful. Beauty standards exist so that those in power maintain their power. (It's that whole patriarchy thing again.) It has always been my fantasy that beauty standards do not exist at all. That we embrace women (and men and everything in between) exactly as we are. That is the revolution that I would like to take part in. I would give my life for that cause.

This leads me to my fourth point. I commend the author for wanting to "FUCK THE STATUS QUO!" However, to do so would entail re-visioning how we understand women and media imagery. Unfortunately, women are judged by their bodies - skinny, muscular, fat, ugly, pretty, etc. At no point does the author express actually getting to know women beyond our bodies. This is the part that bothers me the most. The core of a woman is not reflected in her body. Rather, it is in her mind, her desires, how she treats others, what she contributes to the world, etc. If we want to "FUCK THE STATUS QUO!"I highly recommend that we start by understanding that a woman should not be defined by her body alone. This applies in the CrossFit sense. When I think of the various CrossFit she-roes in my life, they are my role models because of what they can do, how their amazing presence enriches my life, and how they push me to be a better person. I adore these women because who they are is beyond what their bodies look like.

Finally, I understand the author is a guy. He's going to want a Victoria's Secret catalog that fits his personal taste. Fine. I'll give him that. (In all seriousness... am I really supposed to glorify his post when the author's ultimate desire is to re-define lingerie models?! [insert image of me rolling my eyes followed by head shaking in disbelief]) However, I would like to declare that as a self-proclaimed strong and sexy woman, I have never felt the need to find approval and self confidence in the pages of a Victoria's Secret catalog. Any company that does not have the sense to carry my bra size is not worth my time. Further, I've never needed Miss Victoria's permission to prance around in my sexy underwear.

I determine my sexy.
I determine my strength.
I determine my value.
I define my limits.
This is how I "FUCK THE STATUS QUO!" I invite everyone to exercise the same liberties.
[end rant]


Moving on, here are some articles I though you'd be interested in:
25 Best Nutrition Secrets
Retro Workouts That Still Work

Today's Small Victories
I'm really glad I wrote today's post!

Warm-up
THREE rounds of:
10 OHS
10 push-ups
10 AbMat sit-ups
10 shoulder rolls
250 meter row

CrossFit One World WOD
Complete the following for time:
10 squat cleans 65#
10 jumping pull-ups
100m run
9 squat cleans 65#
9 jumping pull-ups
100m run
.
.
.
1 squat clean
1 jumping pull-up
100m run

Joanne's Final Time - 23:53

Notes (to myself) about this workout: This WOD sucked. I really need to work on those pull-ups!

another love story and lots of other stuff...

I just wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS! to my dear friends Raf and Malyn on their nuptials this weekend. Yes. I did the bride's makeup and with assistance of Miss Margaret, we did the mothers and the officiant. It was a lovely backyard wedding complete with all the Berkeley touches: compostable ware, vegan Filipino food (yes, it does exist!), and home-made center pieces. It was lovely and very Raf & Malyn. Cheers to my favorite quackers!

On to some non-wedding news...

First off, some articles I thought you would enjoy:
Making Up for Bad Health Habits It should be noted that I think some of the points the article makes are kind of stupid. For example, the author lists being overweight as a "bad health habit." Is it me, or do you also see the stupidity in that declaration? I can see that eating too much junk food would make the list but being overweight? Isn't that a health condition as opposed to a bad health habit? Sometimes I think I should start a special "stupid shit people do" section to this blog. Bleh!

My dear friend John W. posted this link from Hyperbole and a Half on my facebook. He seems to think that my recent tirades on grammar are related to my anger issues. For the record, I do not have anger issues. I have "I think stupid people are dumb" issues.

My next announcement has to do with BOOBIES! Now that I have your full attention, I would like to let you know that it's that time of year again. Nordstrom is sponsoring their Nordstrom Fits America event. In case you haven't guessed, I'm a total freak about getting fitted for the right bra. Need proof? Check out these classic fathlete entries:
get fitted
get your bra on!

If you haven't had a proper bra fitting, this is the perfect event to go to. Even if you don't plan on purchasing, at least go in and get to know your correct bra size. Bra fittings are one of many complimentary services that Nordstrom provides. Did you know that 80% of women are wearing the WRONG bra size? Yeah. That includes YOU! Also, did you know that you should get fitted for a bra every six months? You don't necessarily have to buy a new bra then. However, if you're losing or gaining weight (even if you're not), it's a good idea to get fitted (or at least have someone adjust your straps to make sure you're locked and loaded). Here is some info from the Nordstrom Fits America website:

Whether you're being properly fitted for a bra for the first time, or want to double-check your size (which we recommend—especially if you've lost or gained weight), get a complimentary bra fitting from one of our certified fit experts. They've been specially trained over several months to identify the perfect bras for a variety of sizes and shapes.

For every bra purchased, Nordstrom and participating lingerie brands together will donate $2 to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Affiliate in your area.

Participating Brands: Amoena, Betsey Johnson Intimates, Calvin Klein Underwear, Chantelle Intimates, DKNY, Donna Karan Intimates, Elle Macpherson Intimates, Elomi, Fantasie, Felina, Freya, Le Mystère, Natori, On Gossamer, Panache, Simone Perele, SPANX® and Wacoal.  

In 2010, Nordstrom is proud to make a combined minimum contribution of $200,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® for Nordstrom Fits America events and selected local Komen Race for the Cure® sponsorships.

If you're interested in participating in Nordstrom Fits America, the nationwide list can be found here. Below is a list of the bay area stores and their event dates. Feel free to call your local store of choice and make an appointment for a bra fitting. I tell you, it will change your life!

Nordstrom Hillsdale Shopping Center
130 Hillsdale Shopping Center
San Mateo, CA 94403
(650) 570-5111
September 9

Nordstrom Broadway Plaza
1200 Broadway Plaza
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 930-7959
September 10 and 11

Nordstrom Stonestown Galleria
285 Winston Drive
San Francisco, CA 94132
(415) 753-1344
September 16

Nordstrom Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton
1600 Stoneridge Mall Road
Pleasanton, CA 94588
(925) 463-5050
September 9

Nordstrom Arden Fair
1651 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 646-2400
September 25

Nordstrom Galleria at Roseville
1131 Galleria Boulevard
Roseville, CA 95678
(916) 780-7300
September 24

Nordstrom Stanford Shopping Center
550 Stanford Shopping Center
Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 323-5111
September 18

Nordstrom Valley Fair
2400 Forest Avenue
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 248-2180
September 11

Nordstrom San Francisco Centre
865 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 243-8500
September 17

My final announcement is that One World will be doing another Look Better Naked Challenge. This time, my dear friend Alex C. will be handling the details of the challenge. For now, click here for Alex C.'s latest article and upcoming info on the Challenge. 

karma of the universe part III

Dear Ma'am/Sir Karma of the Universe,

I'm sorry. I have no excuse. I f--ked up. AGAIN.

Sincerely yours,
The Fierce Runner

karma of the universe part II

Dear Ma'am/Sir Karma of the Universe,

I greatly apologize for my recent faux pas, for even the most brilliant person on earth can stumble and do something stupid from time to time. Seeing that I'm not all that brilliant, I am prone to do something stupid many, MANY times.

It has been brought to my attention that you sent over the Handsome Stranger (HS) on purpose. Clearly, you read my earlier note and did everything in your power to send some phenomenal love karma my way. The HS was more than I could have ever bargained for: smart, charming, cute, getting his MBA at the rival school, in my age range, does not have rotten teeth, isn't homeless, has actual life goals, and loves to cook. Admittedly, I was completely caught off guard. I wasn't trying to hit on him. When I asked the HS, "Do you love your ipad?" I sincerely wanted to know if he actually loved his ipad or not! Sorry Ma'am/Sir Karma of the Universe. Even you have to admit that you've blinded me with so many toads that I have no idea what the prince is supposed to look like. Hence, why it didn't dawn on me that the HS was a gift from you sent directly to me.

With that, I sincerely apologize for my faux pas. Clearly, I have no game. I am mojo-less when it comes to matters of the heart. Obviously, the eye contact, the body language, the offer to play with his ipad, the silly questions about my re-usable coffee mug, and the many times he repeated how hard it is "being new in town" and "not knowing anyone" clearly went over my head. I have since taken proper notes to self. When the HS declares, "I hope to see you around soon," this is clearly my cue to surrender my phone number and any other information he may need (e-mail, relationship status, the color of my underwear...).

I beg you, Ma'am/Sir Karma of the Universe, please do not hold this faux pas against me. Feel free to send me more strangers just like this one. In fact, if you want, you can send me back that same exact one. I promise I will know what to do next time. Thank you for listening.

Sincerely yours,
The Fierce Runner

crazy love

This is what I call love... a couple sporting Fluevogs together. Nothing spells happily ever after like F-L-U-E-V-O-G.

Today's Small Victories
I got an early start today. Yea!

Today's Workout
1 hour of yoga

Notes (to myself) about this workout: We ended the class doing partner stretches. Though some people may think it's weird, I really like partner stretches. I wish we did this more often.

B.Y.O. CHOPSTIX

This is a video that an old friend from another life posted. It's a PSA about chopsticks. It didn't dawn on me that millions of trees are cut every year just to make those disposable wooden chopsticks we use each time we eat Asian food! In the name of going green, I urge everyone to start carrying their own portable chopsticks the way you do a canvas bag for your groceries. Just stick a set or two in the trunk of your car. When you have Asian food, just bring it with you (yes, even if you have to walk back to the car and get them). When you're done eating, just clean off the chopsticks with hot tea or bring them to the bathroom to wash. We can save a lot of trees that way!

I've been out of CrossFit commission lately because of school and other life things. Gah! I need to take note of tonight and this post-WOD drunk feeling. It's an amazing feeling. Perhaps this is why people get addicted to CrossFit. A really hard WOD leaves you tired and energized at the same time. I can't exactly explain how this makes sense. I just need to remember this feeling if I ever try to convince myself to not go to the box.

In random and silly news, I ran into this article on flirting facts. You know you want to read it!

Finally, here is another reason why grammar is so important:

"Grammar is important. Capitalization is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse & helping your uncle jack off a horse."-Jennifer Lyn

Today's Small Victories
I PR'd on the push press. Yea!

Warm-up
500 meter row
Dynamic Stretching

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength:
Squat: 5x5 135#
Push Press: 1/1/1/1/1
75/85/90/95/100 (PR!)

Conditioning:
Complete as many rounds as possible in ten minutes of:
10 wallballs 10#
3 ground to overhead 65#

Joanne's Final Count - 7 rounds

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I didn't know what my last squat 5x5 was. When I managed to do a search, I was happy to know that today I did 5# more than my last squat 5x5 attempt. The conditioning part was hard. I went lighter on the wall ball because I wanted to hit the mark. I think I can actually range between 10# and 12#. For next time, I need to go about 75# on the ground to overhead movement. I also need more practice on the clean.