Gnarly One-Week Meal Plan

Photo from Cedar City Crossfit Blog

Here is a weekly meal plan from .Ute CrossFit. It is pretty hard core and pretty boring, but I can see how much better it would be to eat this way--eggs and GREENS for breakfast. I'm not sure I could get used to broccoli for breakfast, but I do want to give it a try. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad. I can surely throw some spinach into my eggs. And here's the thing: I feel so energetic when I eat really well. It's kind of crazy how often I eat poorly, considering. But our whole world eats poorly, so that makes it very difficult. Don't you think? Okay, this is just something to peruse. I'll report in if I actually follow the whole meal plan.

THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF GREAT MEAL PLANS, THE BEST ONE YOU CAN 

FOLLOW IS THE ONE YOU STICK WITH AND DON’T GIVE UP ON!!!!! 

1 WEEK MEAL PLAN, BUILT AROUND WORKING OUT: m, t, w, f, sat. (th, sun off) 

Serving sizes are for a muscular female.  If you are female but need to lose weight then 

start with this and monitor your weight, you might need to cut out 1 snack a day or use 

slightly smaller serving sizes.  Most males will need to use larger portion sizes.  When 

searching for the optimal diet it is important to monitor weight once a week, no more, no 

less.  Daily weighing can make you neurotic and doesn’t take into account normal 

fluctuations throughout the day.  Also journal your sleep and workout patterns, as these 

can affect your body’s hormonal levels and energy levels.   

MONDAY 

 Breakfast: 2 eggs w/ lots of greens.  2 cups broccoli, spinach, bell peppers etc.   

 Snack: 2/3 cup Greek yogurt w/ berries. (3/4 cup strawberries, blueberries etc.) 

Lunch: Chicken Salad: 2 cups lettuce or spinach, 1 chicken breast, ½ cup black 

beans and oil and vinegar for dressing. 

Snack: After workout: 1 cup chocolate milk and 1 apple or banana. (or protein 

shake with fruit) 

Dinner:  1 serving meat (about 8 oz. steak, venison, chicken breast, turkey meat, 

salmon) along with lots of greens (2 cups) and 1/3 avocado or 10 almonds or 

cashews for fat. 

TUESDAY 

 Breakfast:  2 eggs w/ greens. 

Snack: 2/3 cup low fat cottage cheese w/ ¾ cup berries. 

Lunch: 1 serving meat (ground turkey patty, chicken breast, turkey) and lots of 

fresh veggies with hummus. 

Snack: After workout: 1 cup chocolate milk and 1 apple or banana. (or protein 

shake with fruit) or 10 oz. sweet potato fries. 

Dinner:  1 serving meat (about 8 oz. steak, venison, chicken breast, turkey meat, 

salmon) along with lots of greens (2 cups) and 1/3 avocado or 10 almonds or 

cashews for fat. 

WEDNESDAY 

 Breakfast:  2 eggs w/ greens. 

 Snack: 2/3 cup Greek yogurt w/ berries. (3/4 cup strawberries, blueberries etc.) 

Lunch: Chicken Salad: 2 cups lettuce or spinach, 1 chicken breast, ½ cup black 

beans and oil and vinegar for dressing. 

Snack: After workout: 1 cup chocolate milk and 1 apple or banana. (or protein 

shake with fruit) 

Dinner:  1 serving meat (about 8 oz. steak, venison, chicken breast, turkey meat, 

salmon) along with sweet potatoes (10 oz.) and some pistachios  (10-15) 

THURSDAY 

 Breakfast:  2 eggs w/ greens. 

 Snack: 2/3 cup Greek yogurt w/ berries. (3/4 cup strawberries, blueberries etc.) 

Lunch: Chicken Salad: 2 cups lettuce or spinach, 1 chicken breast, ½ cup black 

beans and oil and vinegar for dressing. 

Snack: afternoon or later at night.  2/3 cup cottage cheese w/ fruit and a few nuts 

Dinner:  1 serving meat (about 8 oz. steak, venison, chicken breast, turkey meat, 

salmon) along with lots of greens (2 cups) and 1/3 avocado or 10 almonds or 

cashews for fat. 

FRIDAY 

 Breakfast:  2 eggs w/ greens. 

 Snack: 2/3 cup Greek yogurt w/ berries. (3/4 cup strawberries, blueberries etc.) 

Lunch: Chicken Salad: 2 cups lettuce or spinach, 1 chicken breast, ½ cup black 

beans and oil and vinegar for dressing. 

Snack: After workout: 1 cup chocolate milk and 1 apple or banana. (or protein 

shake with fruit)  

Dinner:  1 serving meat (about 8 oz. steak, venison, chicken breast, turkey meat, 

salmon) along with lots of greens (2 cups) and 1/3 avocado or 10 almonds or 

cashews for fat. 

SATURDAY 

 Breakfast:  1.5 cups fresh fruit with 4 pieces bacon or 2/3 cup cottage cheese. 

 Snack: 2/3 cup Greek yogurt w/ berries. (3/4 cup strawberries, blueberries etc.) 

Lunch: Tuna Salad: 2 cups lettuce or spinach, 1 can tuna mix in some 

mayonnaise and mustard, ½ cup black beans and oil and vinegar for dressing. 

Snack: After workout: 1 cup chocolate milk and 1 apple or banana. (or protein 

shake with fruit) 

Dinner:  Cheat meal. Eat whatever you want (try to avoid grains and starches) go 

to town on sweets like ice cream or chocolate ☺  Whatever you need to eat to 

keep your sanity…do it. 

SUNDAY 

 Breakfast:  2 eggs w/ greens. 

 Snack: 2/3 cup Greek yogurt w/ berries. (3/4 cup strawberries, blueberries etc.) 

Lunch: Chicken Salad: 2 cups lettuce or spinach, 1 chicken breast, ½ cup black 

beans and oil and vinegar for dressing. 

Snack: 5 oz. beef jerky, 1 apple and 12 nuts 

Dinner:  1 serving meat (about 8 oz. steak, venison, chicken breast, turkey meat, 

salmon) along with lots of greens (2 cups) or sweet potatoes and 1/3 avocado or 

10 almonds or cashews for fat. 

Supplements: Take fish oil (1000mg) 3-5 times per day.  Best taken w/ meals. 

Notes:  Feel free to sub cottage cheese for Greek yogurt and vice versa.  Use whatever 

you prefer to eat.  

 Easiest to prepare lots of meat portions at once i.e. grill a bunch of chicken breasts then 

store in fridge in Tupperware.  Ground turkey burger patties work well, also store bought 

rotisserie chickens will provide you with enough chicken for 3-5 meals.  Great for 

making chicken salads. 

Any snack can be subbed for another snack you prefer.  Any lunch can be subbed for 

another lunch or dinner.  These are ideas, do whatever is easiest for you personally and 

you will have more success sticking with it.   

Muscle milk is best protein shake I know of, get whey protein if you’re going to drink 

shakes for post workout recovery. 

For more ideas on meals, copy and paste this web address to your browser to view the 

article in the CrossFit Journal:  http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/cfjissue21_May04.pdf 

This information is also available in your Ute CrossFit student handbooks in the nutrition 

section.  Note not all of the meals in the article use the best choice of foods.  Those meals 

are in zone proportions, but not necessarily made with all natural whole foods.  For other 

ideas Google search “paleo recipes” and you should be able to find a ton of recipes. 

Red Rock Relay

Destination 360
View of Cedar Breaks on Snow Van's First Leg

Last weekend I ran the Red Rock Relay. It’s a 186-mile, 12-person relay from Brian Head ski resort to Cedar City to St. George to Zion’s National Park. Each person runs three legs of the course, and your team keeps going throughout the night. We began on Friday morning and finished on Saturday afternoon. The 12 team members are divided into two vans, so one van can take some time to rest while the other van is supporting runners. 

I was in van #1 (snow van), and I was runner #6. My legs were 5.5, 5.5, and 2.1 miles long (my running distances, not my leg-legs). I think that was pretty easy compared with some other people’s legs. I think the longest single leg was 8.2 miles. None of my runs were at particularly hot times of the day either. My first leg was at about 11 am, but we were still up in the mountains at about 8,000 feet, so it was cool and windy. The headwind was actually a pain, but at least it kept me cool. That leg was kind of tough because it was all uphill, and the thin air made me breathe a lot harder. I think I ate too much before that run because my stomach felt kind of gurgly. I ate a couple of shot bloks and had some water as I ran because I didn’t want to bonk. It’s hard for me to find the balance with my eating. If I don’t eat enough, I don’t have enough energy, but if I eat too much, my stomach rebels.

My second leg was at about 11pm in the middle of the desert between Newcastle and Veyo (the middle of nowhere). The stars were incredible. I kept covering my headlamp and looking up so I could get a good look at the sky. That leg had a lot of downhill, so I kept a good pace. I think I did 5.5 miles in 47 minutes. It was not too hot and not too cold. I wore shorts and a long-sleeved shirt, which I peeled off (to short sleeves underneath!) after a couple of miles. I didn’t eat much before and had just a few chugs of water during that run. Tummy was better.

My third leg was pretty much cake, except for a steep hill, some ups and downs, and the rising sun blinding me. I thought I would have done it faster than my 19-minute time. I was really not good at pacing myself in any of my runs. I usually start out slow and do a negative split, but the race adrenaline always has me going out too fast and then not increasing my pace too much because I’m already tired.

So the important questions are: Was it fun? and Would I do it again? Yep, it was fun. That had a lot to do with the people in my van. You do not want to do this race with party-poopers, boring lugs, or crabby patties. The worst part was probably getting up at 3 am to go out and run again. Also, you really don’t run with anyone else. There are not a lot of people in this race. It’s just you and your deep thoughts. One leg is even called “Desert Solitude.” Would I do it again? Yes, I’d probably do it once a year. That’s enough getting up in the middle of the night to run for me. If I do it again next year, I won’t eat as much. (Running and riding races definitely have different food requirements. My running stomach is much more sensitive and should probably have less food in it.) And maybe I’ll actually train a little bit more. My crossfit legs weren’t tired, but my lungs were. Wow, that was a lot of detail, but if you’re ever van #1, runner #6 in the Red Rock Relay, it might help.

Born to Run

From Google Products Check it out

I just finished reading this fun and funky book by author Christopher McDougall. Highly recommended. Now I finally understand why a guy ran past me in a loin cloth, no shoes, and blond dreads in the St. George marathon  a few years back!

The book tells about the Tarahumara, a tribe in the Copper Canyons of Mexico, who can run ultradistances in sandals over insane terrain with nothing but some tortillas, chia, and pinole in their bellies.  Some eccentric Americans went to learn their secrets and race against them. The author tells their story and shares some amazing research about running and the way we think about our health. For instance, the more expensive your running shoes, the more likely you are to injure yourself running. Or how about this, people can maintain peak running speeds into their fifties. Lots of stuff that will blow your mind. After reading it I went out and ran in my barefeet and bought some chia seed. Now for some Vibram five fingers?

Practically Barefoot

Vacation's Over

I’ve been away from crossfit for a few weeks now. I thought I was keeping up somewhat by doing some running, riding, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and some push-ups and sit ups the odd time. Baby, I was wrong. I went back yesterday and did a pretty basic workout of thrusters and jump rope and it nearly killed me! I was wondering why I was paying someone to torture me. Please take me back to the beach and let me kayak…

I could really only manage 45 pounds for the thrusters because we did 5 rounds of 21 reps. I did singles with a few double unders thrown in for my skipping, and I was sucking wind. So much for my little jogs through the forest. I should have been doing some intervals I guess! High intensity has escaped me. And I was so worked, I wasn’t having fun. It’s the same feeling as when you start a new fitness program and you’re hating it. But for me, when I start seeing progress, I get motivated. So I think it’s going to take me a couple of weeks to get back on the wagon, and then I hope I’m growling with fury as I heave barbells around the gym…or something like that.

Workout of the Day

Vacation blogging is tough and the WODs have been too.

Today:

Warm up

Kayak 1000m with an eight-year old in front of you

Skill

200m walk on beach logs and rocks in bare feet

Met-con

10 mile hilly mountain bike for time
Bonus points
+10 for not falling off ladders or bridges
+5 for eagle spotting
+5 for not bear spotting (just some scat)

Cool Off

Canoe 4 children 2000m
Bonus points
+10 for not spilling the baby
+10 for retrieving dropped paddles (2x)

Crossfit vs. Sport-Specific Training

Photo: Kay Hutchings 

Crossfit, I love you. I truly do. I’m addicted. I love having the strength in my upper body that I’ve never had. My back is stronger than it has ever been since having kiddies. I rarely feel a strain in my lower back. Even my twin skin (which is more like a twin FOLD) seems smaller. But if I really wanted to get serious about competing in mountain biking, I’d have to hit the pedals and cut back the crossfit.

Last week I did another mountain bike race. I’ve only been able to ride about once a week. I’ve been crossfitting about 4 times a week. On the other hand, my sister has been riding about 6 times a week. I was strong enough to complete a tough race with two laps of a pretty steep climb, but my sister left me in the dust. Her time was 20 minutes faster than mine!! So I think that shows me that crossfit keeps me in good all round shape, but not sport-specific shape.

I came 4^th in the beginner category. It was decent, but I know I could do better with some more riding. Maybe I can do some more night riding? I don’t know. I’ll have to be creative if I want to fit it in. I’m really happy to spend the time at crossfit though, it is just making feel better, sleep better, and it’s kind of fun—in a strange way.

I also rode with my girlfriends from Salt Lake. That was even more fun than the race. We did a really fun trail in Corner Canyon. I did have quite a crazy wipeout on my downhill though. Maybe I should get some armor!

Overhead Squats

 At our gym doing an overhead squat. How about that form?! This shot makes my butt look big--or maybe it just is big. Is that all a girl can think about? Okay, I'll try to be less self-conscious about my body.

This is a difficult lift!! It might not look too tough, but if you've ever tried it, you know what I'm talking about. If you've never tried it, give it a shot. It's kind of crazy. On a lighter attempt than the one pictured here, I actually dropped the bar in front of my feet and fell on my bum.


In this picture, I am lifting 75 pounds, which was my max for the morning, and a PR (of course, since I've never tried this before!) For an overhead squat, you take the bar at shoulder height and lift it overhead. Then keeping the bar overhead, you squat down so your knee angle is beyond 90 degrees and stand back up. It is reeeeeaaaaaally hard to keep the weight steady. I had to concentrate, take a breath, hold my breath, keep my core tight, keep my arms straight, keep my weight on my heels, keep the bar over the mid-mass of my body, and keep my shoulders "active", which means kind of hunched up. So much to think about. It's worse than learning to swing a golf club. 

It's great to be stronger every week. Even though the weight I can lift is much less than what others can do, I get better every week. That gives me a lovely, little feeling of accomplishment and keeps me going. I'm also getting stronger with my one-band pull-ups. After our workout last week, I had done a total of 100.