Drew's Weekend Update

As we enter into the 3rd week of the challenge, I’ll make note of a few observations that I’ve had over the past two weeks.

My food choices have been pretty damn good. I don’t get enough vegetables in my diet, but the grains and sugars have been all but eliminated. Until just a few days ago, I would have a small chocolate milk after some heavy workouts. It was my treat to myself until I decided to look at the nutrition label. Oops. The second ingredient after milk was High Fructose Corn Syrup. DAMMIT. I believe the fourth ingredient was Sugar. DOUBLE DAMMIT. I expected a little sweetener….didn’t expect to see it twice. Luckily, my lovely wife concocted a decent substitution for the sweet chocolate fix after a workout. Unsweetened Almond Milk, Unsweetened Cocoa, Stevia. Mix in the Magic Bullet®….sweet tooth satisfied.

For reasons that I have complained about all too often, I have not been able to spend a lot of time in the box. One of the great things about CrossFit is that it is a full body workout almost every day. Unfortunately, if you are dealing with an injury to a significant part of the body, in this case shoulders, finding good substitutions can be difficult and repetitive. Through the recent shoulder bias into the mix and it make for Drew spending more time away from the gym than in the gym. Yup…I just went 3rd person.

With the diet alone, I feel like I am starting to lean out…getting back toward the pre-surgery numbers, albeit slower than the Diet/WOD mix. I am still mixing in my 2-3 WODs a week, but hopefully with the right rehab, those numbers (as well as WODs Rx’d) will get back to the 5-6 number. Lungs, on the other hand, still have a long way to go.

Still need work on my sleeping habits. I am a major night owl, and lucky to get 6 hours a night.

Still drink my Coke Zero. Don’t plan on changing that. I’d like to turn this into a lifestyle change, and I’ll consider Coke Zero that in-law that you just have to deal with, b/c they aren’t going anywhere.

On to week three.

Oh, and Pebbles....just my two cents.

First True Test (and Post)

Today, I experienced my first true "test" to this challenge. First, I have to admit that I am not going full Paleo. My main goal is to eliminate sugar(s) and grains/breads. Also not true Primal, since I am not afraid to have some milk in small amounts, and if I have a crazy-tough WOD, I'll do my best "fat-baby cow" impersonation and have a small amount of Chocolate Milk. This is very infrequent, since it goes again the whole elimination of sugar thing. Second, there used to be a salad place right next to my office, which was fantastic when I have done this before. I would go there 3-4 times a week easy. Unfortunately, they closed, and 20-pounds later, I find myself having to do another Paleo challenge.

I went to lunch today with a co-worker and we stumbled into a Mexican restaurant. Not fast-food, but the kind that has you in and out in less than 20 minutes...and for anyone that has drank with me late night, I am a sucker for Mexican food. As I stare at the menu, I am forced with the typical choices: taco (no), burrito (no), fajita (no) and I get the sinking pit in my stomach along with the inner voice. "Tacos won't be too bad...just get the flour tortilla...yada yada yada". Well, I finally get up to the counter, and lo-and-behold, I am told that I can still order off the breakfast menu! As most already have learned with trying to go Paleo, breakfast seems to be the easiest meal, since most options are Paleo.

I go for the Eggs and Chorizo, and I will say it was damn good. The tortilla chips (yum!) tempted me as they sat in their basked on the table, but thankfully their pleas fell on deaf ears. From here the day gets easier.