Paleo challenge Day 11; My kingdom for a cappuccino

We are 11 days in to the 31 day Paleo Challenge.
So, how’s it going?

Grains – Zero consumption. Tick.
Dairy – Zero consumption. Tick.
Sugar – Zero consumption. Not even the single red Fruit Pastille that my 5 year old left on the seat of my car (although it had disappeared after my husband had borrowed the car a day later…hmmm).
Alcohol – Zero consumption. Tick. I know!!!! Bovvered? Meh.
Coffee, tea, decaf or delicious hot lip-smacking caffeinated beverages of any sort – Zero consumption.

The nearest thing to a cheat I’ve had was a tablespoon of honey in the batch of paleo breakfast bread I knocked up at the weekend. Pretty good, huh?

But Mary, mother of Jesus, I would happily fight my way past a couple of burly Starbucks Baristas for a chance to lay open mouthed under their silver beast of an espresso machine. Major CRAVING!

Gym performance ok so far. PB in straight press today and managed (struggled) my way through 240 16kg Kettlebell swings interspersed with burpees, as well as a punishing second WOD. Not bad for an old bird.

Sleep is proving a bigger issue, mainly due to the aforementioned child. Too old for this shit. It’s what the Iraqis use when waterboarding doesn’t deliver the goods – send in a small infant, they’ll soon talk.  Can’t win ’em all I suppose.
Weigh-in next Monday at the half way point, so watch this space. It’s going to be tough with 3 of the 4 family’s birthdays in the next 2 weeks, but it’s do-able.

31 day Paleo challenge

….and they’re off!

Day 1, Monday 14th January. It just happens to be my Mum’s birthday today (mwah to you, Mum, hope you’re going to watch over me this month from up there).

The coffee has been stuffed deep inside a kitchen cupboard. For some reason I am expecting this to be the hardest part *wrenches hands and screams ‘what have I got to live for?!* Maybe that in itself is a sign that I should cut out the caffeine for a month?

Had one last hurrah with a potato and a glass of wine last night. I did eat other stuff with the potato (just incase you were wondering whether I was playing out some kind of scene from Les Mis or something).

Measurements as follows:-

Height 174cm, waist 82cm (roll on elasticated trousers)

Weight 76.4kg

Body fat 31.8%

Muscle mass 49.5kg

Bone mass 2.6kg (how the f*** am I standing up?)

BMI 25.2

Metabolic age 42 (yay)

Visceral fat level 5 (recommended range 1-12)

The gym subjected us to a special Challenge WOD on Saturday, which we must repeat after we’ve finished, if our bodies can carry us across the threshold.

My slightly scaled version of the WOD (as I have more chance of marrying George Clooney that executing a ‘toes to bar’ manoeuvre):-

500m run

40 air squats

30 double unders

20 V sit-ups

10 burpees

5 30kg power cleans

Managed it pretty okay for an old bird, including the double unders (high five) in 7 mins and 5 seconds. Let’s see what January brings before we try it again.

As a slight aside, the Crossfit foot is getting significantly worse. Acute post-netball shooting pains in my right foot followed by the inability to walk without wanting to cry. Not good.

Wish me luck for the next 31 days!

Two milestones in one day

I always dread it when I see the words “deadlift focus” on the board as I enter the gym. Bad back, inability to put on own underwear for week after the event… you get the picture.
Today we faced the following:

WOD A
5 minute AMRAP of:
10 double unders (never strung 10 together in a row before)
5 press ups
5 sit ups

Deadlift focus
5x5x5x5x5 max effort

WOD B
5 rounds for time of:
5 burpees
10 7kg wall balls
15 x 16kg kettlebell swings
20 skips

And the results are in!

WOD A :- managed a respectable 8 rounds, with fully legit double unders strung together *smiley face*

Deadlifts :- big effort with 6 rounds of 5 reps, for a PB of 85kg. Total output 1800kg. Very happy with this. Was struggling with a 90kg one rep max some months ago, and felt like there was more in the tank today! I reckon I weigh about 72/3kg so that’s about 118% of body weight.

WOD B :- reasonable 8 mins 31 for this. Burpees remain my nemesis. Just too damn slow.

Ended with a little kipping lesson (this year’s goal). Note to self… Must get more hard skin on hands. Ouch.

 

Sweet Treats #backonthepaleowagon

Having fallen spectacularly off the Paleo wagon around  mid December (Advocaat mating season – ignore at your peril), yesterday seemed like a good moment to fasten the wheels back on and try to wean myself off the sugar.

Not feeling brave enough to go entirely cold turkey (pardon the Christmas pun), I looked to my trusty cupboard full of nuts (no jokes please) in an attempt to inspire myself.

Eventually I came up with these. Super quick, super simple and apparently almost all gone. No actual cooking required.

I shall call them ‘Almond Butter Bites’. *Hallelujah*

Here’s how to manufacture some for yourself.

You will need:-

One whole small jar (about 200g) of almond or other nut butter

A tablespoon of your flour of choice. I used flaxseed flour (‘cos I had some and I was desperate to use it) but I reckon ground almond would taste just as yummy, if not even better

1/2 to one teaspoon of vanilla essence (to your taste)

A bar (approx 100-150g) of darkest dark chocolate. I used 90% cocoa solids Lindtt Excellence (mmmmmmmmmmmmm)

A pinch of sea salt

To make the little balls of salty goodness:-

Put the almond butter, vanilla, salt and the flaxseed flour into a bowl and mix well together.

Break up the chocolate and melt over a pan of boiling water until completely smooth.

Roll the dry mixture (should be quite a dry dough) into balls – any size you like, depending on how cavernous a mouth you have (I made about 20-odd from this mix) and place them into little paper cases or onto a sheet of baking paper.

When your chocolate is melted, drop the balls one by one into it, turn them to coat with slick, velvety blackness, and then scoop straight out and plop them into their paper cases.

Leave for a few minutes (fridge is fine) until the chocolate is set hard, then hide them from your husband immediately.

I am now firmly reinstalled atop my Paleo wagon. Bring on the 2013 body fat challenge!!