Deadlift on the rack.

2 Rounds:

Odd Object Carry, 160lbs Keg
Hand Over Hand Sled pull, 35′ (90lbs)
Odd Object Clean and Press, 3 reps (85# Axle, 100# Log)
Dumbbell Clean and press, 3 Reps each arm (1.5 pood)

Got to 400lbs on the deadlift. Couldn't move 450Lbs (we were doing 50 lb jumps)

2:48 - We got in a hurry and I ended up having to lift the 85lbs axle on Round 2 b/c someone was using the 100lb log at that moment. Fun little test. My lower back is killing

Today’s WOD:
Overhead Squats
5-5-5-5-5
then
4 Rounds:
400M Run
20 Pull-Ups
20 Burpees

135lbs max on the overhead squat. Could have done more, but would have sacrificed form. Felt great!

22:15 Good time today. Feels like I'm getting back into the swing of things. Don't know if it's the dieting or getting into the gym more, but I like it.

From a couple days ago.

Today’s WOD:
Snatch
7×5 @ 60%
then
AMRAP 15
3 L Pull-Ups
6 Kettlebell Swings
9 Wall Ball Shots

Started at 95lbs, which was a little aggressive after not snatching in a while. Dropped down to 65lbs, got comfortable quick, and jumped to 85lbs which felt great! Should try it again later this week. See if we can get some real weight moving soon.

Workout netted me 10 rounds. Pull-ups are a weakness again. Can't seem to do more than 4 dead-hangs without stopping. Dips don't seem that great either. A little work could bring these right back.

15 Handstand Push-Ups
1 L Pull-Up
13 Handstand Push-Ups
3 L Pull-Ups
.
.
.
1 Handstand Push-Up
15 L Pull-Ups

28:34

Despite being dead last to finish this workout, I liked it. I did every rep as close to dead-hang as possible. My pull-ups are a little behind what they used to be. This type of workout could get them back in shape.

Today wasn't a great day in Nutrition Land.

Fate bitch-slapped Monday's big start to the Nutrition Challenge today. In a panic, I turned to the vending machine and Hardee's.

Before we get into my catastrophe, let's explain the Nutrition Challenge. Jake Rowell, who heads CrossfitRVA, challenged all the members this month to eat better. The kicker is a pot at the end of the rainbow for the crossfitter who lost the highest percentage of fat before March. Everyone dropped $10 on the challenge (my weight 187 but BF% is unknown and doesn't matter).

While not outlining any eating requirements, Jake is encouraging us to lean towards the paleo-diet. I, the aggressive type, decided to go 100% paleo (excluding weekend meals with Julie).

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all went very well. I noticed a serious sugar craving around noon which was easily squashed with my favorite, granny smith apples. Today, everything changed in an instant.

This morning for breakfast I fried one egg in olive oil, instead of the usual two or three, and mixed it with spinach. For work reasons, around noon feeding time, I found myself somewhere in B** F*** nowhere VA. By this point I was famished and a vending machine was the only "food" provider around. So, two Snickers bars it was (an hour apart)! By 3:30 I couldn't take it anymore. On my way back home I pulled into a Food Lion parking lot, but the lines inside looked horrifyingly long. I finally settled for a quick, guilt-ridden run to Hardee's in the same parking lot. Two Cheeseburgers for $3! What a deal! Fortunately I skipped the ginormous Coke to wash it down.

It wasn't an instant before I felt mildly guilty. While this is a setback, it is a also a learning experience. It's easy to try running before you learn to walk, and often times that is the best strategy. Not in this case. The problem today was a lack of preparedness. I don't really have a set plan other than to just "eat Paleo." Whatever that means.

For the rest of this challenge or until I feel comfortable, I am only going to expect half of my meals to be Paleo specific. The intention is to work into a very good diet by months end. Until I break old habits, like waiting until I'm hungry to prepare for the next meal, there will be speed bumps.

There you have it. I am resolute to improving my diet, but not naive enough to think it will happen overnight. Now it's time to work on that plan...

Today’s WOD:

Back Squat
7×3

205x5 sets then dropped to 185x2 sets

then

8 Rounds:
10 Pull-Ups
20 KB Swings

17:05

Nutrition Challenge

Yesterday was the start of the Nutrition Challenge at Crossfit. And it's just the thing to kick my ass back into high gear. I love challenges. I stopped drinking as a challenge to myself. Started crossfit. Started taking classes again. Went vegetarian for a bit. The list goes on.....

What really gets me about a challenge is not the challenge itself, but the opportunity to see life from a different point of view. If you ever watched Morgan Spurlock in Supersize Me or his TV show 30 Days, you would see where I'm coming from.

In 30 Days Morgan, or a proxy, takes on a completely different lifestyle for...you guessed it 30 days! In one episode Morgan lives on minimum wage. In another his NYC friends live "Off the Grid" on an ecological farm.

Like Morgan, I enjoy these glimpses of a different lifestyle. Some changes, like not drinking, stick. Others are discarded, like vegetarianism. In either case I gain a new respect and perspective for those who incorporate The Challenge into their lives permanently.

Baseline Workout

100 Double Unders
90 Squats
80 Push Presses (45#)
70 Anchored Sit-Ups
60 Push-Ups
50 Walking Lunges
40 Pull-Ups
30 Box Jumps
20 Wall Balls
10 Burpees

30 Minutes 4 Seconds

Wow, couple things to drop on this post:

Holy ####, I haven't posted since September?! For the record, I have been going, but not as much as I should.