Sunday Funday...

     Sunday again... that means more planning, more batch cooking, and more blogging. Keeping it super simple this week on the food thing: Breakfast as usual, lunches will be mostly leftovers (as there always seems to be some of those around!),and two tasty recipes that we will alternate between. Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala, and Dawn's friend Melinda gave us a recipe for a deconstructed stuffed cabbage that we made a huge batch of!
     For the cabbage we used one head of green cabbage chopped into bite-sized pieces, one large yellow onion diced, 3 cups canned crushed tomato, 2lbs ground beef, and 2lbs ground turkey. We seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, tamari, and a small amount of steak seasoning. (The recipe called for Worcestershire sauce but I didn't have any, so used the steak seasoning instead. Super simple: brown onions, add the meat, brown that, add the cabbage, sautee to your liking, add tamari, add tomatoes, season to taste. YUM! (This yielded 8 large dinner sized portions) No pics this week because I'm not sure if anyone is even looking at this enough to take the pics! (comments are helpful).
     Chicken tikka masala is from an online paleo crockpot recipe (http://popularpaleo.com/2013/03/20/slow-cooker-chicken-tikka-masala/). It's slow cooking as we speak. I made a couple adjustments to this one for our preferences. Dawn is not a fan of chicken thighs (which I love haha) so we used boneless skinless breasts cut into small chunks. Also, the only food she will says she will absolutely not eat in any form is coconut, so we substituted the coconut milk for a bit of sour cream that was left in the fridge that I thinned out a bit with some almond milk. We'll see how my lactose intolerance handles that one!
     On the snack side of things, Dawn likes greek yogurt a lot, so we get a big ol' box of it at Costco which lasts her a few weeks, but I'm finding that my stomach is even having trouble with the pricey non-dairy yogurts these days, so I'm trying a new treat this week that our Crossfit coach gave us for a simple paleo chocolate mousse that keeps the sugar low and helps to work in the healthy fats: 1 can whole fat coconut milk (chilled, then liquid part removed), 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, and optional 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whip this combination with a hand mixer (I will be using my kitchenaid stand mixer) until it reaches the thick fluffy mousse-like consistency and store in an airtight container. Other snacks we will be having this week: 100 calorie packs of almonds, an apple a day, and my new found favorite- sugar snap peas!
    It's not even noon yet, but everything is done for the week and put into the mass of tupperwares that take over the freezer every Sunday. Now the oven is self-cleaning (smoky stinky grossness thanks to bacon splatter) and we are getting geared up to go for a hike with an amazingly inspiring healthy friend! (Yes Ginger... that means you!)

     Please leave a comment or some indication that this thing is reaching someone out there so we know where to go with it or if we should write more or less often, or even at all. Thanks!
     -Jamie

What i lost

So our crossfit coach posted a motivational quote about sacrificing different things to meet our goal...she then asked us what we have sacrificed to achieve our own goal.  I thought about all the things I have lost.  in no particular order:

• My ability to sleep late...at 4:45am the alarm goes off and we head to the 'box'. 
• Some 'friends' that became toxic and no longer supportive of my future goals.
• heartburn after dinner
• the feeling of extreme fullness and disgust after Every. Single. Meal.
• The wearing of heels. I mean, my Nano's for xfit and being barefoot for boxing counts right?
• the desire to shop at Ulta, Sephora, Mac.  Yikes...it is now Dicks, Amazon, Finish Line
• hell, a few inches are gone too...
• The desire to sit on my butt and watch TV All. Night. Long.
• The lack of willpower
• The ability to say 'I can't do it'  - F*ck that.  I am Going to do it, or at least try my best!
• Pounds and Pounds of the past...literally and figuratively
• Lack of conversation starters..WOD anyone? Jab Cross Jab? 5K?

Those are some of the things I have lost throughout this journey.  Not too shabby huh?  Some things I have gained?

• Confidence
• shopping in more stores
• friendships
• self awareness
• Palm soreness
• muscle aches (the kind that feel great though!)
• Determination
• a new desire for my future (health coach!)
• having no limits
• the ability to push my body harder than it ever has been pushed
• the awareness to Love and Hate your coaches at the same time (sorry Jamie, Dan, and Renee!!)
• a life.

What are some of your losses and gains??? Please comment!

WOD, Rx, and PR... Victory!

     So we titled this thing 2chicks and a WOD, but have yet to talk about the WOD side of things. Today was a day that I wanted to share. Our gym took a week off last week so there wasn't much to talk about, especially since we admittedly didn't really stand up to doing things on our own. Today was our first day back there, and I felt like I had something to prove- not to anyone but myself, but who better.
     The alarm went off at 4:45am and we jumped out of bed, got dressed, got our things together and hopped in the car. We got there half expecting an absolute killer workout to be posted up on the board, it wasn't as bad as we had expected, but it definitely got things going. So we jumped right into the warm-up, which was a 400 meter run followed by high knees, butt kicks, side lunges, and a group stretch. We then worked on jump rope for a bit, and then the WOD (workout of the day)...
        3 rounds for time: 400 meter run
                                      15 Push press 75/55
                                      10 Bar jumps
                                      5 Burpees

     Okay, so to break that down a bit.... as fast as you can, complete the cycle 3 times starting with a 1/4 mile run, then an overhead barbell lift from a slight dip with the legs (not a full squat) at a prescribed weight (Rx) of 75lbs for men and 55 for women, then set the bar down and jump over it 10 times, and then burpees- drop to the ground in a squat position with your hands on the ground, kick your feet back into a pushup position, drop your chest to the ground and then get back to your feet and end with a jump and clap.
     Something happened in the warm-up that just got me going on this workout, it just clicked. I grabbed a 35lb bar, loaded each side with a 10lb plate and chalked up my hands. When the countdown timer beeped, I took off at a good solid pace and set my mind on two things: 1.) I would have a sub 20min time and 2.) I was gonna do the Rx weight and do it well. And both things happened! 19min 40sec and for the first time EVER I had a PR (personal record) and did an Rx weight. YES!!
     Dawn was right beside me, killing it herself! 23min 57sec with a 35lb bar! I hope she writes more about her experience with it, but she's at boxing right now getting her "Ali" on. So freaking proud of her and all she is doing towards her goals.
     What an awesome feeling to start the day on, especially a Monday! To set your mind on what you want and to actually do it is an amazing feeling that I could definitely get used to.
       -Jamie

Definitely check out the kickass gyms we use: Two Rusty Bars Fitness(https://www.facebook.com/tworustybars) with coaches Dan and Jamie Chrzanowski  and Title Boxing in Greenwood Village (http://greenwood-village.titleboxingclub.com/) with several coaches, but Dawn usually tries to get in with Renee Christensen.

Feed for the week

    In standard Sunday style, today was batch cooking day. On the menu this week is sweet potatoes and bacon for breakfast (going with eggs), sausage and peppers w/tomatoes for dinner, taco meat with black beans for another dinner option, maple tarragon carrots as a veggie side, and  I made some kalamata/tomato/feta stuff for a snack for Dawn. No recipes this week or links to anyone else's page, just some simple comfort foods. We also still have some meals left over in the freezer from last week that we will carry over into this week.

 

     In other news... Pretty low key weekend, but SUPER excited to get back to the gym tomorrow morning. One week off was crappy because it slowed our momentum but also very much appreciated since I had a stomach bug for the past 5 days. 

     I found this article the other day, which I thought was kinda ironic, but VERY helpful! http://paleoleap.com/paleo-troubleshooting-diet-diarrhea/ It's pretty interesting, and after reading the part about bone broth I got a wicked craving for a nice steamy bowl of pho. So we went to our favorite place for it and got a big enough bowl to bring home some leftover broth, which I have been sipping on and feeling much better. Also, per the recommendation of Coach Jamie (https://www.facebook.com/tworustybars), I've been drinking a ton of water and some coconut water in between (no sugar added) to stay hydrated. Feeling better enough to be ready to hit it hard at 5:15am tomorrow!

       -Jamie

Is this what I want??

I ran into an old friend a bit ago who has not seen me since my weightloss.  She commented how I looked good but then asked "is this what you want?"  I assume implying did I want to lose weight or did I get an awful illness that affected my health.  I smiled and said - absolutely, this is what I want.  I want this because of so many reasons.  Here's just a few:

• to not be out of breath when climbing stairs
• to have a better chance of living a long life
• to not worry about fitting into seats at restaurants
• to have more than a handful of stores to shop in
• to sleep better
• to enjoy life fully with no restrictions

and so many more.

Previously, Jamie talked about fat pride.  Something that I also have a hard time with.  Yes, I love myself and am proud of the goals I have recently achieved (moving to CO, buying a house, graduating from grad school, etc).  However, I do not like what limitations I put on myself due to my weight.  I do not have pride in my body.  I love the fact that I am 'healthy' and my legs keep me walking and my back keeps me upright, but I do not like the fact that my body is covered in fat.  Fat that will eventually kill me if I don't change my lifestyle.  Fat that has defined me for the last 25+ years.  I was always that fat kid.  My blood pressure is great, my cholesterol is unbelievable but do you see any fat elderly people?  NO...because they are DEAD.  So I am sorry I cannot have fat pride.  it is nothing I am prideful for.  there is nothing to be prideful for.  I have Dawn pride, but I am certainly not happy with where I was.  I am happy for the people that are proud of their weight and their size.  However, I do not believe for one moment that they are truly happy with themselves.  That is only my opinion of course. 

On a positive side note,
this month I am down 11 1/2 inches. that is almost a foot...holy cow...and I fit into a pair of jeans off the rack at old navy.  a size 18. I haven't been a size 18 in a long long long time.
we welcome feedback, comments, suggestions, etc...

Food For Thought...

   (Disclaimer: You may or may not agree with them, but these are MY opinions) 

     Today I was thinking... I was thinking about the life I used to live and how it felt like I just gave up on living. I was in this cold dark place that just seemed to feel comfortable. Plenty of friends and loved ones around me all the time, but yet it seemed so lonely. Dawn and I often talked about how much we hated being so fat and so inactive, and we were always on some sort of diet, but we just never did enough.
     The common misconception is that obese people do nothing but sit around and watch tv while shoving food in their faces, and in some cases that is true, but not all. Here's something to think about: it is actually A LOT of work to get and stay obese. No, seriously... think about it... the amount of calories required to maintain that weight and the complete lack of physical activity involved...WOW. Now take that one step further- to actually be physical at that kind of weight and STILL not lose any. It kinda boggles my mind.
     Once we finally got our shit together and started making changes it seemed like moving to Colorado was the easiest change we could make for our overall health. We came to visit and saw very few fat people and everyone was eating right and super active. That assumption, however, was even worse than thinking that it was easy to be so overweight. We stumbled on a new regime of people, I had never imagined that there was people in the world that had something called "fat pride".
     How can those two words exist together? It felt like a good comfortable mindset to place things, until I realized it wasn't. Not for me. If someone can truly be proud and happy with that lifestyle, then my apologies for not understanding it, but for me it felt more like apathy and complacency in my own life. I was settling. Cozying up in my pre-diabetic, fatty pancreas, acid reflux, achy joints misery and pretending that it was all cool. Knowing full well the history of high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, cancer, etc. etc. that exists in my family, not to mention the mental health issues that really don't need any encouragement to pop up.
     So... I guess I have a hard time wrapping my head around what there is to be proud of. I'm extremely hard on myself even when I actually AM proud of myself, so why would I put stock in something that has always made me feel like a lesser person. I dunno... just my thoughts for the day. Batch cooking day is tomorrow, so standby for more recipes and maybe even some pictures this week... If I can figure it out.
     -Jamie
    

Batch Cooking

     So it's Sunday, and in our house that means one big task... BATCH COOKING! Each week we set ourselves up with a few simple recipes for dinners, and the same breakfasts and lunches every day. Two of the main reasons we have failed in the past are 1.) not being prepared and 2.) over complicating things. A lot of times we will borrow recipes (sometimes personalizing them) because let's face it... other people have done the work of testing it out and making it good, so why not go with it!? There are plenty of times though that I will use my own recipe or create something new. This week we did a bit of both.

      Our amazing coaches at Two Rusty Bars Fitness (https://www.facebook.com/tworustybars) told us what they eat for breakfast everyday, and though it sounded weird we went with it... and loved it! So on Sunday we bake 7 large sweet potatoes and 2lbs of bacon. Each morning we have 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon, and 1/2 sweet potato with a bit of butter we whipped with cinnamon and a tiny bit of honey. SO good and keeps us full all morning.

      Lunches each day are 4 lettuce wraps(butter lettuce leaves) containing 1oz each of high quality deli meat and 1/2 slice of cheese. I usually have an apple or other piece of whole fruit with my lunch, while Dawn has a greek yogurt.
    
     Dinners are usually 3 recipes spread out over the week, but this week we will be home a few more nights together, so we will cook a couple meals fresh. Our main recipe for the week is Puerto Rican Pork Shoulder from the Domestic Man (http://thedomesticman.com/2014/10/07/oven-roasted-pernil-puerto-rican-pork-shoulder/#more-8668) but we did it in the crock pot. We also made a cilantro lime cauliflower "rice" to serve it with. YUM!!! Our second recipe came from one of Dawn's boxing coaches at Title boxing gym in Greenwood Village (http://greenwood-village.titleboxingclub.com/). It's so simple and delicious... 1lb ground beef, 1lb ground turkey, 1 diced onion, and a TON of sriracha. Sautee it all together, top with an avocado and you're done. Love it!
    
      We have been feeling like we aren't eating enough veggies lately so we added a couple side dishes into the mix that we will also be eating throughout the week... Stupid easy paleo's beet and Brussels sprout salad(http://stupideasypaleo.com/category/easy-paleo-meals/) and Paleo Porn's asparagus w/sun-dried tomatoes (http://paleoporn.net/easy-asparagus-recipe/?utm_content=buffer828d5&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer).

    It looks like a ton of food when you have it all cooked in front of you, but man is it worth having it all done! After about 3 weeks there is usually enough extra meals from the batches that we can make an entire week of mismatched dinners. Today was a crazy busy day, so unfortunately there are no pictures of our batched delights, but next week I promise to have them!

    -Jamie

Intro by Jamie

Oh heyyyy.... So that makes me the one on the left, Jamie! My lovely wife pretty much summed up a lot of the common things that got us to this point, but here's a bit about me... I'm 32, I'm a Chef Instructor at a local technical college here in Denver (which is my dream job- yay me!) But all that really means is that I've made a living off of my unhealthy love affair with food. I've always been overweight, but because I'm "butch" I've been able to hide it in bulky clothing or convince myself I've got a bigger frame or whatever bullshit people tell themselves to feel better. You know... as if some bones are just larger than others, not that there's different sizes of fat suits we all wear. Once upon a time I chased a dream that involved me being recruited by the US Army band, contingent on me losing a bunch of weight and passing the physical standards. I did what was needed and got down to 176 in my senior year of high school, that's the smallest I ever remember being. Plans changed and I went to college, where the freshman 15 became the freshman 50 for me. And from there it just became a several year long roller coaster ride that eventually got me comfortable in my marriage and my career as a Chef and 276 pounds at my highest. At that time I was working for Whole Foods Market who sent me on a health immersion with the renowned Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It was an incredible experience that lost me 16lbs in 5 days through intensive diet and exercise, and started the ball in motion. It has been a couple years of struggling and failed attempts to succeed, but never a lapse. My current ambition and drive to do this thing for real has gotten me to a point that I've never been at before. I want to be stronger, I want to be healthier, I want to be what I've always dreamt of being but never felt it possible. I crossfit  because I love it and it makes me feel like anything is possible, I cook and eat (mostly) paleo because it feels good on my insides, and I am excited about this blog because I want to share it all with anyone who will listen. Enjoy the ride with us and please feel free to post, comment, follow, or creep on this thing as much as you want.
Current weight: 230lbs, measurements and more pics to come

Hey there....That is me, on the right with the sunglasses...and this is my journey to health, fitness, and running a half marathon.  A little about me:

I am 36 (almost 37) years old.  I am originally from CT but moved to CO for graduate school (Social Work) and fell in love with the state, so we bought a house!.  I have been married for 5 1/2 years to the lovely lady on the left and could not have asked for a better person to share my life with.  I am the proud mommy of 2 Boston Terriers and the aunt to 3 amazing kids.

My weight has always been an issue for me. I remember being teased in middle school and feeling like an outcast in high school.  I remember being in the school musical my senior year and being nervous there would not be a costume that would fit me.  I graduated high school weighing 227 and have gone up from there.  My highest weight was 2 years ago when I weighed 338lbs and was a size 26 (Lane Bryant clothing).  It was then that I knew I needed a change.  My wife and I started a program and I lost 40 lbs...in the process, we moved our life out to CO and I gained 10 pounds back.  On Aug 3rd we decided to try again. This time however, I had a different mindset.  Determined not to fail, I started making lists of things I want to accomplish.  I put a sticky note on my desk that said 338 so I always knew where I came from. I ended toxic relationships with 'friends' and began to find healthier, amazing friendships with people in the same mindset as my own.

I have been on diets.  Weight watchers, atkins, calorie counting, fit2fat2fit, vegan, juicing, and south beach.  I have joined planet fitness, Curves, Health trax, my work gym, and purchased numerous DVDs...My success now is determination, paleo, boxing, and crossfit.  That is my poison. Boxing brings me to a new level of power that I never thought I had.  Crossfit makes me feel bad ass and as tough as those professional weight lifters.  Paleo allows me to eat what I enjoy ((hello Bacon)) and lose weight in the process.....In the last 2 months, I have lost 25 lbs and gone down 3 pant sizes...from a size 24 jeans in Lane Bryant to an 18 at Old Navy.

I can promise you this.....I will succeed. I will run a half marathon.  I will be a living organ donor. I will inspire others to engage in this life.  I will zipline in CO and not worry about the weight limit.  I will not need a seat belt extender on an airplane.  I will look forward to exercise instead of sitting in front of the TV.  I WILL LIVE...healthier, happier, and more determined than ever.

Please join my wife and I on this journey.  We welcome comments, questions, and overall support. 

Thank You!!

Dawn (weight 282.4)  Measurements to be added later!