This is a difficult but necessary post to write. I'm struggling with how to make my point without giving too much away about something that I do not have the right to give away. Geez, this is already confusing.
Ok. Deep breath. Two days ago, we received some news about my best friend that's a little scary. Though I truly believe it will be ok and that her entire support system will be with her every step of the way, it is the kind of news that can stop you in your tracks. It makes no sense and it's not fair and there's no rhyme or reason for it. Look, I'm no stranger to these WTF moments in life. Believe me - I've dealt with them more times than I would wish on anyone but it never makes it any easier.
What is truly dumbfounding to me is that the situation with my friend is totally random. Randomness like that chills me to my bones. I might be a leeeeeetle bit of a control freak. It's hard for me to open up, break down walls, trust others and let them in. I don't share much about my personal life/thoughts/feelings to...well, anyone. That's one reason I started this blog - an experiment for me to see if I can actually get better at that. So when something is completely and utterly life changing, yet out of my control, I have a very hard time dealing with it. I spend nights awake thinking about it. I spend hours during the day trying to find an answer, a reason, a tangible "this is why" that I can hold onto, even when I know it doesn't exist.
One thing this situation has reinforced for me is how much we need to respect our bodies, our lives. We only get one...one short little life to live. One body in which to live it in. Learn about it, understand it, take care of it. Push it to it's limits and then nourish it in it's recovery. Fuel it with as much purity as possible and then treat it with the occasional rich indulgence that makes it buzz. Explore and play and laugh and get dirty and make your mark on the earth every chance you have. Stomp through the world and let your presence be known while respecting all of it's nooks and crannies. Take chances, even if it's scary. Leap but have a parchute. Trust others but put yourself first. Ask why but understand that sometimes you will never get an answer. Find peace with that. Appreciate every second of every minute of every day because we will never get it back. Do not take anything or anyone for granted, especially yourself. Smile. Laugh. Believe.
I love you, B.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Let's Talk Soup
Cold weather makes me crave certain things, namely warm soups and nourishing hearty greens. Think about how yummy a simple meal of grilled cheese and tomato soup is on a snowy (non-paleo) day, or how a big pot of braised mustard greens or swiss chard with grassfed bacon makes your house smell like heaven. Oh yeah....bacon truly makes everything better.
The thing I love most about soup is that you can make it with anything. A little of this, a little of that, some veggies that need to be used, some fresh herbs, dried spices, and some stock or broth and BOOM! Soup! This week, I was feeling a little exotic. I found out that Harvest Health carries kelp noodles (thanks for the tip, Whit!). I also had some cilantro I needed to get rid of and a few cans of coconut milk that were begging to be used. So what did I make? Thai curry soup!
Remember, as with all of my "recipes" I rarely measure so the amounts are merely guesstimates and I urge you to add ingredients to taste. Oh, and I urge you to taste. That's the number one rule of cooking by the way - taste your food as you go and adjust with each step. You'll be amazed at how much better your meals can taste if you do this one simple little thing. And if you're wondering what kelp noodles are, get ready to fall in love with your new noodle substitute, paleo peeps! Kelp noodles are sea vegetables that are filled with good-for-you minerals. Most importantly, an entire package of kelp noodles has only 18 calories and 3 grams of carbs.....how can you go wrong with that???
Thai Curry Soup with Shrimp
1 large garlic clove, minced
 |
| This is my beloved Le Creuset dutch oven |
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, minced
1 T fresh lemongrass, minced
2-3 T olive oil
2 t fresh curry paste
2 cups of broth (I think veggie would be best but I used what I had so it was a combo of veggie and beef...whatevs)
4 T fish sauce
2 T coconut aminos (or low sodium tamari)
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 T honey
1 T sriracha
1/2 t ground coriander
1 can lite coconut milk
1 package kelp noodles, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (cuz I had some I needed to use)
1 small package organic baby spinach
2 cups thinly sliced cabbage (I had some leftover coleslaw mix so this is what I used - again, I use what I have and need to get rid of)
12 oz. package of frozen peeled, deveined shrimp (tail off)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Garnish:
chopped scallions
chopped peanuts
Directions:
Heat oil in large soup pot and add garlic, ginger and lemongrass until fragrant (1-2 minutes).
Add curry paste and cook 1 minute.
Add broth, fish sauce, coconut aminos (or tamari), lime, honey, sriracha and coriander. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes.
Add coconut milk, noodles, mushrooms, spinach, cilantro and cabbage and stir to combine and spinach wilts.
Add shrimp and cover, simmering another 5 minutes or until shrimp cooks.
Taste broth and add more honey, sriracha, coconut aminos...basically anything you want to up whatever flavor you think it needs.
Garnish with chopped scallions and peanuts and enjoy!
*As a note, I had everything for this soup in my fridge and/or cupboards with the exception of the lemongrass. That's why this soup got the veggies and protein that it did. If you have different stuff, use different stuff. It also says something for having a well-stocked kitchen of basics. My mom taught me that and my mom was a smart lady!
*As a note, I had everything for this soup in my fridge and/or cupboards with the exception of the lemongrass. That's why this soup got the veggies and protein that it did. If you have different stuff, use different stuff. It also says something for having a well-stocked kitchen of basics. My mom taught me that and my mom was a smart lady!
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Fitting It All In
Hi. I'm Michele. Remember me? I've been a bad little blogger. I bet Santa won't even come this year. But I hope he does. Anyway, life has been BUSY! (Yeah so busy you got the capital bold underline!) I keep meaning to sit down and write and then something comes up and it gets pushed off to another day. Oh well...I suppose that fits in seamlessly with the title of this blog (did you like that transition??). With the holiday season upon us and our calendars quickly filling up, how do we fit it all in (while remaining sane)?
A few weeks ago, I was out of town for five days for a conference which bumped up into a family obligation. My usual 4-6 days of Crossfit turned into one day before I had to leave town. Determined to get my WOD on anyway, I packed up my gym clothes and scoped out the fitness center in the hotel. I sent the info to Sam and he sent me a WOD that I could do on my own. I was seriously planning on getting it done. I even intended for it to be the subject of this specific blog - how I fit it in even while away. But then a really long day of the conference happened, followed by whiskey at the reception. Whiskey turned into an opportunity to have dinner with other local attorneys and judges at an amazing Italian joint, which turned into a nightcap at the hotel bar. My plan to get up early to work out before the second day of the conference was trumped by sleeping in in the most comfy hotel bed I have ever slept in, followed by a large coffee and, yes, even a bagel. Then came lunch and shopping after the conference was done for the day, followed by a triple skinny gingerbread latte from Starbucks (and regardless of the name "skinny" I don't even want to KNOW how many calories were in that thing), topped off with the traditional after-conference dinner with my college friend Bridget at one of our favorite restaurants in downtown Detroit, Roast. The following week found me backed up with several trials before we broke for the Thanksgiving holiday. Luckily, I got in one trip to CrossFit GR before I left town AGAIN but that was all I could make happen before I got back to town on Saturday. Frankly, ladies and gentleman, it has been a busy and somewhat gluttonous few weeks and, regrettably, I have failed to capture any spare moment possible to get my CrossFit on.
So the question becomes, what do you do? In the past, I'd probably feel bad about it...guilty for not fulfilling some arbitrary obligation that I set for myself and punish myself repeatedly for choosing wine over weights, pasta and porter ice cream (so amazingly delicious by the way) over push-ups. But the last year of CrossFit has taught me so much more than how to do a snatch (that was for you, Sam....we haven't made a snatch joke in awhile)...it's taught me how to appreciate and celebrate me. It's taught me that I'm stronger than I ever thought I could be. I can rise to challenges I never thought I had a chance at completing. I see now that CrossFit, like life, is a never-ending journey filled with both ups and downs, no reps and PRs, achievements and failures. Some weeks our sweat hits that mat every single day and some weeks the floor forgets what the imprint of our sweat angel looks like. More than anything though, CrossFit has taught me that you keep going, no matter what.
So what about me? Well, I did keep going. Instead of extending my Thanksgiving holiday away for a few extra days, I came back on Friday afternoon specifically so I could get to CrossFit on Saturday. Does that seem extreme to some people? Maybe...but that's how I chose to fit it all in. Let me tell you, even being gone for just a week from that place made walking in so, so sweet. As I climbed those stairs and heard that heavy door shut behind me, a sense of calm poured over my soul. I watched MY people - my friends, my team, my coach - walk in and I couldn't help but smile. I missed them, even after a few days. I missed this. And even though I did NOT miss the eleventy-billion wall balls we had to do (which my legs are still screaming about), I missed encouraging and being encouraged by the people around me. I missed how amazing it feels to get a PR (longest double under string to date, y'all), and watching a teammate kick ass and NEVER give up (way to go on those 14lb wall balls Bekki!). This is what CrossFit is about...and it's the one thing you will never lose even when your schedule keeps you away for a little while.
Holidays are a crazy time. It's filled with family and friends and parties and shopping and wrapping and eating and drinking and traveling and merriment and indulgence all crammed into a six week period of time. So what do we do? Do we get down on ourselves or do we find a way to fit it all in whenever and however we can? In the scheme of things, we have the other 46 weeks in the year to hit it as hard as possible so that we can celebrate and honor that we are doing the best we can during the 6 weeks of the crazy holiday schedule. Instead of worrying about fitting in CrossFit with our holidays, maybe we should look at it like fitting holidays in with our CrossFit. If you think about it, CrossFit is our norm. It's part of our lives every single day. The rest is just a brief opportunity to celebrate and know that when it's over, we have a place to go to sweat out that piece of apple pie we allowed ourselves to have. CrossFit is our everyday. It's our recovery. It's our home.
Happy Holidays to all my fellow CrossFitters (and non-CrossFitters) out there. I'm thankful for being part of this community.
A few weeks ago, I was out of town for five days for a conference which bumped up into a family obligation. My usual 4-6 days of Crossfit turned into one day before I had to leave town. Determined to get my WOD on anyway, I packed up my gym clothes and scoped out the fitness center in the hotel. I sent the info to Sam and he sent me a WOD that I could do on my own. I was seriously planning on getting it done. I even intended for it to be the subject of this specific blog - how I fit it in even while away. But then a really long day of the conference happened, followed by whiskey at the reception. Whiskey turned into an opportunity to have dinner with other local attorneys and judges at an amazing Italian joint, which turned into a nightcap at the hotel bar. My plan to get up early to work out before the second day of the conference was trumped by sleeping in in the most comfy hotel bed I have ever slept in, followed by a large coffee and, yes, even a bagel. Then came lunch and shopping after the conference was done for the day, followed by a triple skinny gingerbread latte from Starbucks (and regardless of the name "skinny" I don't even want to KNOW how many calories were in that thing), topped off with the traditional after-conference dinner with my college friend Bridget at one of our favorite restaurants in downtown Detroit, Roast. The following week found me backed up with several trials before we broke for the Thanksgiving holiday. Luckily, I got in one trip to CrossFit GR before I left town AGAIN but that was all I could make happen before I got back to town on Saturday. Frankly, ladies and gentleman, it has been a busy and somewhat gluttonous few weeks and, regrettably, I have failed to capture any spare moment possible to get my CrossFit on.
So the question becomes, what do you do? In the past, I'd probably feel bad about it...guilty for not fulfilling some arbitrary obligation that I set for myself and punish myself repeatedly for choosing wine over weights, pasta and porter ice cream (so amazingly delicious by the way) over push-ups. But the last year of CrossFit has taught me so much more than how to do a snatch (that was for you, Sam....we haven't made a snatch joke in awhile)...it's taught me how to appreciate and celebrate me. It's taught me that I'm stronger than I ever thought I could be. I can rise to challenges I never thought I had a chance at completing. I see now that CrossFit, like life, is a never-ending journey filled with both ups and downs, no reps and PRs, achievements and failures. Some weeks our sweat hits that mat every single day and some weeks the floor forgets what the imprint of our sweat angel looks like. More than anything though, CrossFit has taught me that you keep going, no matter what.
So what about me? Well, I did keep going. Instead of extending my Thanksgiving holiday away for a few extra days, I came back on Friday afternoon specifically so I could get to CrossFit on Saturday. Does that seem extreme to some people? Maybe...but that's how I chose to fit it all in. Let me tell you, even being gone for just a week from that place made walking in so, so sweet. As I climbed those stairs and heard that heavy door shut behind me, a sense of calm poured over my soul. I watched MY people - my friends, my team, my coach - walk in and I couldn't help but smile. I missed them, even after a few days. I missed this. And even though I did NOT miss the eleventy-billion wall balls we had to do (which my legs are still screaming about), I missed encouraging and being encouraged by the people around me. I missed how amazing it feels to get a PR (longest double under string to date, y'all), and watching a teammate kick ass and NEVER give up (way to go on those 14lb wall balls Bekki!). This is what CrossFit is about...and it's the one thing you will never lose even when your schedule keeps you away for a little while.
Holidays are a crazy time. It's filled with family and friends and parties and shopping and wrapping and eating and drinking and traveling and merriment and indulgence all crammed into a six week period of time. So what do we do? Do we get down on ourselves or do we find a way to fit it all in whenever and however we can? In the scheme of things, we have the other 46 weeks in the year to hit it as hard as possible so that we can celebrate and honor that we are doing the best we can during the 6 weeks of the crazy holiday schedule. Instead of worrying about fitting in CrossFit with our holidays, maybe we should look at it like fitting holidays in with our CrossFit. If you think about it, CrossFit is our norm. It's part of our lives every single day. The rest is just a brief opportunity to celebrate and know that when it's over, we have a place to go to sweat out that piece of apple pie we allowed ourselves to have. CrossFit is our everyday. It's our recovery. It's our home.
Happy Holidays to all my fellow CrossFitters (and non-CrossFitters) out there. I'm thankful for being part of this community.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
It All Comes Back To Oprah
Let me just start with this. I love Oprah. Seriously...seriously love me some Op. I don't know how anyone doesn't. I mean, she's frickin' amazing! If you don't like her, what's wrong with you???? Anyhoo, O (yes we are a nickname basis) always talks about the "Ah ha" moments in life. You know, those moments where the lightbulb goes off in your head and everything comes together in such a perfect way that you can't help but think, "So THAT's what that was all about? How the fuck did I not see that before???" Ok, so maybe your moment doesn't include an f-bomb but hey, that's me and I accept it!
Well ladies and gents, I had one last week. An ah-ha moment. Let me just say, it was incredible, amazing...life-changing if you will.
Do you know that if you do a Google image search for "Ah ha" moment, Oprah's picture
comes up? Just sayinnnnnnn...
Seriously though...life is full of moments like this. I am learning that there are lessons everywhere you look. I think that's the key, though...you have to look and be open to discovering potentially uncomfortable things about yourself in order to grow and change and evolve. I'm a firm advocate that you should never stop striving to be better, never stop giving yourself an opportunity to learn something new. Even in the most uncomfortable circumstances, you are bound to come out better and brighter than you were before.
It's like with CrossFit. When you begin, maybe you need to start overhead squatting with a training bar or using a band for your pull-ups. Maybe you ::cough:: jump a small box. Whatever it is, it's a step. With each passing day, each WOD you complete, each moment you walk through the door of your box and you give it everything you have, you open yourself up to getting better. Soon you trade that training bar for an Oly bar. Then you start adding plates. One step at a time you move forward, you learn, you practice your technique, you open yourself to constructive criticism, you have faith in yourself, you take a chance and you get better. You grow.
It's amazing how many of life's lessons can be reflected back to you in the gym. Peel away your layers and break down your walls. It's scary and it can hurt and it leaves you vulnerable but it can also be exciting and make you feel powerful and leave you stronger than you were the day before. Let your guard down and trust in yourself. Trust your team, your body, your mind. Trust other people and let them in. Human beings are not meant to be islands...I'm learning this as I grow. We achieve our greatest potential when we have others to lean on for support. This is true both in AND outside the gym.
So, my ah ha moment? Yeah...that's not really for you to know in great detail. It's not the point anyway. It was MY moment. Go out and find your own. They're everywhere...you just have to know where to look.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Always Find The Lesson
Last year I painted a chalkboard on one of my walls and filled it with inspirational quotes. Everyday I walk past that wall countless times but somewhere along the way I stopped really looking at it. This morning, I looked at it again. . . took my time re-reading the words that I spent an entire day putting up. . . reminded myself why they were up there in the first place.
Life can be hard. We each have our own battle wounds to tend to, our own scars, our own triumphs. Some days are easier than others. Sometimes others let us down. Sometimes we let ourselves down. Sometimes it's easier to smile than to frown, and sometimes you just need to give in to whatever emotion is surfacing so that you can move past it.
Life is a journey. As cliche as it is, it's the truth. And we only have one to live. Spend each day, week, month, year. . . moment. . .spend it embracing who you are, where you are, what you are. Accept your faults and your flaws, accept your strengths and your attributes. Be thankful for the people you've met, as each one is there to teach you a lesson. When they aren't there any longer, do not mourn the loss but celebrate the gift of knowing them, however long or short it was. Everyone walks into our lives for a reason and it's up to us to figure out what that is. . .even if it's hard to see in the moment.
Go to the gym. Don't be afraid to get sweaty. Lift heavy, yet accept the times when it's necessary to lighten your load. When your hands bleed, tape them and try again. Cheer for the first one to finish . . . cheer louder for the last one to finish. High five your teammates from your respective landing spot on the mat while you regain your breath (and the senses you lost) after a tough WOD. Be thankful for the body that allows you to do CrossFit. Be respectful of the brain that pushes you to your limits. Honor those around you who join you in the effort.
Always remember to find the lesson.
Life can be hard. We each have our own battle wounds to tend to, our own scars, our own triumphs. Some days are easier than others. Sometimes others let us down. Sometimes we let ourselves down. Sometimes it's easier to smile than to frown, and sometimes you just need to give in to whatever emotion is surfacing so that you can move past it.
Life is a journey. As cliche as it is, it's the truth. And we only have one to live. Spend each day, week, month, year. . . moment. . .spend it embracing who you are, where you are, what you are. Accept your faults and your flaws, accept your strengths and your attributes. Be thankful for the people you've met, as each one is there to teach you a lesson. When they aren't there any longer, do not mourn the loss but celebrate the gift of knowing them, however long or short it was. Everyone walks into our lives for a reason and it's up to us to figure out what that is. . .even if it's hard to see in the moment.
Go to the gym. Don't be afraid to get sweaty. Lift heavy, yet accept the times when it's necessary to lighten your load. When your hands bleed, tape them and try again. Cheer for the first one to finish . . . cheer louder for the last one to finish. High five your teammates from your respective landing spot on the mat while you regain your breath (and the senses you lost) after a tough WOD. Be thankful for the body that allows you to do CrossFit. Be respectful of the brain that pushes you to your limits. Honor those around you who join you in the effort.
Always remember to find the lesson.
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