For a job well done...

I have been experiencing a bit of writers block lately and really didn't have anything interesting to say over the past few weeks.

However, last week I started thinking about something that I decided was a topic I wanted to explore a bit more.

I don't know how many times I have thought that someone did something really well and rather than tell them, I kept it to myself. Why?

This could be anyone. Ranging from the checker at the grocery store, to the person working out next to me, to my own child.
I have been trying to come up with good reasons to withhold true compliments or praise...and guess what?

I couldn't come up with any.

Now, I am not talking flattery. False compliments serve no purpose and are patronizing, in my opinion. You can find good, noteworthy things about almost anyone, without making crap up.

So here are a few of the excuses I conjured up:

"I am sure they already know that they are doing a good job, why make them cocky?"

That is pretty selfish of me, right? I mean, how do I know what goes on in their head, and more importantly, why does that matter? Do I really think my opinion is so valuable that someone is going to let it go to their head. And what if they do? Not. My. Business. They still deserve to know that I think they "rocked"!

Telling someone that you admire them, are proud of them, or even admitting you are just a touch jealous, is not going to hurt you. For all you know it may mean the world to them, and even if it doesn't, it won't kill you.

Another lame excuse I came up with was:

"They are doing what they SHOULD be doing, they don't deserve a medal"

Again, says who? I am not talking about celebrating mediocrity, but appreciating someone for doing what they should.

For example, a few nights ago I was watching TV and there was a father on talking about paying child support. I can't remember the entire context but it was just that he needed to make sure he paid his child support on time. Part of me wanted to say "Congrat-a-frickin-lations, you help support YOUR kids!" But as I thought about it, I realized how many parents don't. How many parents choose to walk away?

I am not thinking that this guy deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, but his efforts should be appreciated. He is taking responsibility in a society that often doesn't.

From the perspective of a mother, I can't count how many times I have just wanted to feel appreciated. It feels so good to have someone say "Thanks" or "Good Job" - even when it is "part of the job description".

The last reason I came up with is just plain laziness.

Maybe I am having a bad day and want to bring the world down with me. Maybe, I just think I will tell them later, call the store later, text someone later and it doesn't get done. I don't know...

What I do know is that NOW is time to seize the moment, not later. Offering praise to someone can only be positive and it is time I bring a little more positive reinforcement to the world.

Day 31...

(Sorry it has been a while - my arms are just now able to move enough to type. Ha Ha!)

I did it!

I know that statement probably sounds very prideful, but dangit I am proud. I finally finished the inital stage of my food experiment. My Whole30 is over!

I do however, have a confession. On the whole 30 not only can you not have sugar of any kind (including honey, agave nectar, or pure maple syrup) you also cannot have any artificial sweeteners like, splenda, nutra-sweet, etc. The one thing I just couldn't drop was sugar-free gum!
Now for the excuses: I only chewed gum during tough workouts when I had to use my inhaler. Any of you who use an inhaler know that between the taste and the fact that it gives you awful dry mouth makes it a challenge to go without gum. I tried the suggestions offered by the Whole 30 folks. Chewing on unsweetened coconut flakes (Imagine trying to do burpee pull-ups with coconut flakes in your mouth - didn't work). I even tried sucking on a mint leaf. (I almost choked and died mid double-under). So I went back to gum! Now I know that is not earth shattering and it is not like I sat down to a pint of Ben & Jerrys - but I felt like I had to get it out there...Don't Hate!

So I guess the important part of this journey was "What did I learn?"

First, I learned that I am a beast when I am hungry. You drop my calorie count below a certain threshold and I become freaking MEDUSA. Should there ever be a real food shortage crisis, y'all should probably kill and eat me first, because I will make your lives hell otherwise.

Second, I actually do have will-power. SUPER psyched about this! If it wasn't Parsons donuts, it was my aunts "crack" cookies (named that because of their addictive properties), or a smothered Burrito, or peanut M&M's. The list goes on. To be honest, there was not a single time when I just looked with disdain at any of that. It all looked awesome. However, I knew that I had a goal to accomplish, so I would grab my raw almonds and apple slices and deal with it.

Third, I have some great (albeit crazy) friends. One of my very favorite people on the entire planet and someone that I can honestly say I would love to be like when/if I grow up, is my aunt Andi. For those of you who know her, you know what I am talking about....I could write a whole post about what an incredible person she is on a million different levels. ( I could do that about a lot of people in my life - how lucky am I?) Sufficeth to say, she did this with me and it made such a difference. We would call each other and vent about how hungry we were or share recipe ideas. It was nice to have someone whoe really knew how I was feeling. My other partner in crime was my friend Jen. She is always fun to have around and has such a positive attitude that she honestly made it "fun" at times! When we work out together we sit there and talk about all the stuff we want to eat when this is all over. It really does make 5000 meters on the rower go by more quickly :). Of course I owe a huge thanks to Nicole, who gave me the idea in the first place and kept me alive with some of her recipes. Thanks to all of you! You will never know how much influence you had on getting me through this - without tearing someone's head off!


I learned a lot of other things too - like how hard boiled eggs get old fast, but scrambled eggs can be eaten at any time day or night. I learned that I hate eggplant, but LOVE peppers. I learned that I am an awful cook, but I like it more than I used to. I learned that smoked meat is modern day manna, and if anyone is in my neck of the woods they should stop by Holy Smokes Barbecue - for SURE!

I think what I really discovered is that NOW is when the learning begins! Whether it is seeing how fueling your body can drastically change the results your body can produce (for good and bad), or figuring out what to eat, now that nothing is technically off limits.

For the last 30 days I have had specific guidelines..."Eat This, Don't Eat That!" Now it is my turn to make the choices about what goes in.

I think I am just going to keep it simple. I don't need to over-think it. What makes me feel stronger and what makes me feel like junk? I want to feel good. I don't want to feel tired, or sluggish. I want to feel like I have energy.

Of course there is the occasional - "It is okay to eat this because of the simple fact that it TASTES GOOD." It may have zero positive attributes for my body but it may do wonders for my emotional state. Peanut M&M's anyone......??

So what was I going to do on Day 31??

How could I reward myself for sticking to what felt like an eternity of green leafy vegetables and smoked chicken?

Well, I will tell you what I did...

I put myself through the ringer at a Crossfit Competition called Fitness Elevated.

It is still a bit blurry how I got talked into this but somehow I was crazy enough for a few moments to sign up for a competition that left me in lots of pain, lungs burning, entire body aching and hungry for more...Go Figure!

The competition consisted of 4 workouts:

Frun: (not sure why the name rhymes with FUN...it wasn't) 4 minutes of 65lb Thrusters and Pull-Ups in Progression (ie 1 thruster 2 pull-ups, 3 thrusters 4 pull-ups, and so on)

2 Mile Obstacle Course Run: There was a sled hill, a wall and hurdles...seriously. (For those of you already searching for the you-tube video of me attempting to jump over the hurdles...it doesn't exist. I stepped over)

Atlas Stone Lift: Lift a 70lb cement stone from the ground up on your shoulder as many times as possible in 2 minutes. Then move right into 4 minutes of trying for your Max Weight Snatch.

Sand Bag Shuttle Run: Run down and back the length of a basketball court, pick-up a 40lb sand bag and run down and back again, drop the sand bag, down and back, pick it up, down and back...

Sounds like a good time right??

Now I would hate for anyone to get the impression that I thought I was going to go in there and win or anything close. In fact, for me it was all about finishing. It gave me a good benchmark for the things that I need to work on. RUN RUN RUN - this should be my new Mantra!

It also gave me a great opportunity to observe some stellar athletes (some of whom I have the pleasure of being friends with) that have a ton of mental toughness and inspire me to train harder.

Granted, I am a Wood. We were born with an abnormal amount of competitive spirit. I feel like I got the least amount in my family (due to the fact that I am the least athletic) but I still probably have twice the normal human level. It took a lot of "pride swallowing" to not get discouraged by the fact that I got my butt handed to me in the majority of the events. I tried to stay positive and to keep telling myself that I just had to push as hard as I could go and be happy with the results. But let's face it: No one likes to be embarassed in front of hundreds of people. So I am going to continue to work hard and focus on the areas that need improvement. I am planning on doing it again next year, so we will see what happens...

For now, I am going to be taking a lot of ibuprofen, icing pretty much my entire body, and adding a bit of variety to my diet.

After that - we shall see.

I also just need to give a quick but ever so important THANK YOU to all of those people who came out to support me. My parents and a few siblings, my niece and nephews, my husband and my two beautiful little boys. I could not have done it without seeing their faces in the crowd and knowing that I had to give more. I also appreciate you guys talking to me after the work-outs when it probably would have been easier to preted you didn't know me...;)

Finally, I want to post a poem that I memorized before the competition so that I could recite it in my head when I needed that extra push...

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever Gods may be

For my unconquerable sole.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the horror of the shade,

And yet the mance of the years

Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishment the scroll.

I am the master of my fate;

I am the captain of my soul.

~William Ernest Henley