Confessions

I have a few confessions to make...  ::deep breath::  Okay here goes (and no judging, please)

H and I have fallen off the Paleo/Crossfit wagon.
I have gained 5 pounds back.


There.  I said it.  It's been awful keeping this inside, and it feels so good to finally say it.  Guh.  It has been such a hard month (Yes, a month.  I know...remember, I said NO judging!).  We have had people here constantly.  No, seriously.  I'm not using hyperbole (Don't know what that means?  Hmmm sounds like someone didn't pay attention in English class.  Go get the dictionary.  I'll wait.  No I promise, I'll wait right here.

...waiting...

Figured out that it means "extreme exaggeration"?  Good.  Let's continue.) Between our best friends coming up from home to spend the weekend, my sister and her boyfriend coming up for a weekend, our friends moving back into town for the school year to start, me starting a new job, H helping his fraternity during recruitment (which was 2 solid weeks) and me helping my sorority during recruitment (which was over 1 solid week), plus having our best friend come to town and then going home for a wedding, we have had so many days with non-Paleo people around and having to grab food on the run that Paleo went out the window.  Ugh. 

I hate it.  I hate not feeling skinny.  I hate not eating healthy and feeling guilty after the bad meals.  I hate feeling sluggish because I'm putting crap into my body instead of healthy fuel.  No bueno.

Today, H and I finally had a day of nothing.  I mean literally we had nothing to do.  No where to go.  No one visiting or coming over.  No errands to run or chores to do.  We legitimately sat and watched season 5 of Dexter (Go. Rent it. Now.) and had the chance to eat Paleo ALL DAY.  No one coming over to offer getting pizza or fast food, or having special food needs that don't involve steamed broccoli and grilled chicken.  We had eggs and bacon for breakfast, slow roasted turkey and broccoli for lunch, and seasoned chicken and salad for dinner. 

I feel so good! It's been so long since we've had a full day of Paleo, and I forgot how good it feels at the end of the night.  I'm so thankful that we can finally get back on track and I can drop these 5lbs!  I have a wedding dress fitting in 3 weeks, and I'd like to have at least those 5lbs off (preferably more like 10lbs...)

Tomorrow we head back into the gym and I couldn't be more excited!
So yes, I confess that we've been off the wagon and haven't been eating/Crossfitting like we should.  But ya know what?  We're not letting this side-tracked month discourage us or make us give up.  Instead, we're letting it be a reminder of how easily we can get distracted from our goals and give us more reason to stay focused on what we want.  Woot woot being back on track!

xoxo, M

My Arms and the Army

Yesterday was the first real day back in the gym in a long time. Yes, we did go to the gym on August 1, but that was 2 weeks ago!  Ugh, I feel gross.  I hate going that long without hitting the gym.  I ran a couple laps on the track, and that seriously made my chest burn---key indicators that my body is mad at me because I haven't run lately.  H had me focus on my arms, back, and chest because it's been so long and I still have a dream to be able to do a full, properly formed dip before summer is over.  After lots of lat pulls, tricep pulls, tricep extensions, chest presses, bench presses, shruggs, and dips (with higher weights than normal on all of them, and new forms on the dips), I decided that just wasn't enough so I hopped onto the leg press and instead of starting at 70lbs and working up to 85lbs, I started at 85lbs and worked up to 115lbs.

Needless to say, I woke up barely able to move my upper body and arms.  :)
Gosh I love that feelling!

You know how I know I'm sick and twisted?  I can't wait to go back today!  Our community center gym is closed all week for maintenance, so we get to use the gym at our local University for free---totally okay with us, because they have free weights and barbells, which our community center gym does not.  Round 2 starts today!

In other news, to help H celebrate finally signing his Army contract, I made him an awesome dinner!  Cedar plank salmon, roasted crab legs, and broccoli!  Check out the recipes and try it for yourself--we paired it with Leinenkugel Summer Shandy and it was a perfect celebration dinner!!  Yum!

xoxo, M

Cedar Plank Salmon and Roasted Crab Legs

Had to help H celebrate signing his contract and swearing into the Army, so a delicious, (mostly) Paleo-friendly seafood feast was in order!

It was really simple to make, and soooo good!

Honey-Balsamic Cedar Plank Salmon
4 salmon fillets (preferably fresh from the seafood section, not the frozen food section)
1 Tbl  salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 c honey
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
2 Untreated cedar planks (VERY IMPORTANT that they are UNtreated)
Olive oil

Soak the planks in water for 2 hours minimum to prevent burning or fire.

Turn on the broiler.  Put planks 5 inches under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, until wood starts to brown but not burn.  Use tongs and remove the planks from the broiler.  Turn oven to 400*.  Immediately oil the planks with olive oil, then lay salmon fillets skin-side down on the planks (2 fillet per plank).

Cut 4-6 small slits in the salmon flesh down the length of each fillet to give places for the glaze to sink into.  Mix salt, pepper, and mustard in a bowl.  Sprinkle mix over top of salmon fillets (not the skin-side).  Put honey in a glass bowl and heat for 30 seconds to make it a little more liquidy.  Mix in balsamic vinegar, then baste over salmon fillets.  Make sure to reserve half of the liquid to baste half-way through cooking.

Put the planks into the oven (with a cookie sheet on the shelf below to catch any runoff) and bake for 10 minutes.  Baste the salmon, then bake until cooked to your liking.  We did another 10 minutes and it was perfect for how thick our fillets were.

 Fresh salmon fillets.

 Seasoned and basted salmon on the pre-baked cedar planks.

 The final product: delicious!!

We also did roasted crab legs, but that just consisted of taking the crab legs out of the bag, wrapping the shoulders in foil, and baking on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes--that barely counts as cooking lol!

A perfect celebration dinner!  (Especially paired with some Summer Shandy!!!)

Roasted Broccoli

Broccoli tastes a little different depending on how you cook it, whether it's steam it fresh, boil it from a frozen bag, or roast it in the oven.  This was my first time roasting it, and it turned out quite yummy!

It's really simple to make, and it goes with pretty much anything.  I got the idea of it from Nom Nom Paleo Roasted Broccoli & Bacon, but I tweaked it a little and didn't use any bacon (although that would be yummy...hmmm I'll be trying that next).

Roasted Broccoli

2 crowns of fresh (uncooked) broccoli
2 Tbl EVOO
Sea salt
Pepper
Garlic powder

Cut up the broccoli crowns and stems and place them into a gal-sized Ziplock bag.  Add the EVOO and sprinkle in the garlic powder to taste (I used a very small amount because we like just a hint of garlic, but you decided what you like).  Now shake it up!  No seriously...shake the bag.  Make sure each pieve of broccoli is coated with some oil and garlic. 

I let it sit overnight in the fridge.

Take a baking sheet and cover it with foil, then spread the broccoli out on the foil.  Sprinkle the salt and pepper on the broccoli.  Place it in an oven pre-heated to 400 degrees and bake for 35 minutes. 

At 35 minutes in the oven, the broccoli with still be a little chewy, but if you hate mushy broccoli then 35 minutes will be good for you.  If you like your broccoli a little softer, then you may want to go for 40 minutes.  Yes, the broccoli will be browned in some spots--that adds flavor, so don't worry, it should look like that.

Enjoy!

xoxo, M