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Showing posts from April, 2012

Paleo Challenge - Day 38: Refreshing :)

Spiritual Juice "What refreshes you?" This was asked to Jill Briscoe from the radio program, Telling the Truth . In her reply, she says the people she serves refreshes her. Expanding on her point, she mentions how we are often refreshed when we give of ourselves  to serve others. We are refreshed when we refresh others. Despite my selfish nature, I find that I can trust God for strength to serve others when I choose to submit my will to His. On another note, I read this blog post by one of my mentors. The title caught my eye of course! As I was reflecting on his words, I realize how much I need to learn to give out of the abundance that comes from God. To learn to be a channel, able to give a lot only because I've been given much. Nutrition Today wasn't Paleo. Lunch I had some awesome noodles with pork goulash. Dinner was Paleo though! Pulled pork + watercress + yam. It was super amazing! (Mom = awesome) And I just made an awesome shake (almond milk + cookies

Paleo Challenge - Day 37: Mostly Paleo Today!

Spiritual Juice Submit yourself therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 At times, I find myself doing the opposite. Submitting to the temptations of the devil, and resisting God's will for my life. Nutrition Today's meals were mostly paleo (i.e. I had a free cafe latte while waiting at the doctor's office ... for my car). Having paleo snacks helps with the cravings. I'm feeling fatter though. And it's not because of the paleo diet. Sitting 8-10 hours / day at a desk, with minimal walking, isn't the greatest for you (or for me at least!). When I got into the gym today, I was working out my kinks and feeling old. I need to find a way to break up my day and stay active. I enjoyed going to the pool during lunch times. I may also bring a kettlebell. WOD - 8 p.m. Deadlift Warm-up (5 x 135 lbs, 5 x 225 lbs) 5 x 275 lbs, 5 x 275 lbs, 5 x 275 lbs, 5 x 275 lbs I didn't push heavier weight since my mid-back felt unstable and

Paleo Challenge - Day 36: They work!

Pistachios (Nutrition) They work! They really work! It's amazing! I was super tired this morning en route to work .. it got to me halfway into my commute. Then enter the pistachio! The very thought of eating the pistachio invigorates! It's amazing! Only thing is that I get super thirsty by the end of my trip :) Spiritual Juice Commit to memory James 4:7-12, CrossFit Faith's Weekend WOD . I'll just hang here until this gets memorized. Shouldn't be too bad--just got to get it done. WOD - 8 p.m. @ CFM Warm-up, work on pull-ups, free physio assessment! I got a free assessment and treatment from Lisa . I have a pretty tight facet joint (pain on the left side, more tightness on the right). She did some manipulation and stuff. I don't really understand it all, but it sure felt better! Push jerk (Warm-up with 45 lbs, 95 lbs) 2 x 135 lbs, 2 x 155 lbs, 2 x 155 lbs, 2 x 155 lbs, 2 x 135 lbs, 2 x 135 lbs 155 lbs is not too heavy. But my technique is off. I n

Paleo Challenge - Day 33-35: Pistachios!

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Spiritual Juice This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.  This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.  -- 1 John 3:16-20 Some hard-hitting truth. I need to truly love others, and to stop being selfish. I am indeed a wretched man--any goodness is God's grace. And I need to entrust my all to Him each day. Nutrition Just picked up pistachios and sunflower seeds. Yes, they're paleo -- but also, apparently they are awesome for staying awake when driving tired. Even better than coffee, according to a friend, who says truckers swear by

Paleo Challenge - Day 31-32: Listening to the Coach

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Spiritual Juice "...work out your salvation with fear and trembling." -- Philippians 2:12 First, it is not work for , but work out your salvation. Second, I think about working out quite a bit (physically). When I do not workout, I get weaker. When a garden is not tended, it starts growing weeds. In the same way, I need to work out my salvation and develop spiritual focus. My attitude has generally been impassionate, rather than working with fear and trembling. I forget who I serve and who I am. Nutrition I went grocery shopping yesterday, and picked up some cashews / trail mix, bananas, apples, pork shank (on sale @ $1.88/lb), almond milk, .... so far so good, right? Then, on my way to the cashier ... I saw a glorious Vietnamese sandwich =) In conclusion, the day was not completely paleo, but overall, went well. WOD Thursday Rest day - scheduled ( though I might end up going, since the WOD looks superfun, and I did not finish yesterday's WOD (first time in

Paleo Challenge - Day 26-30

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Spiritual Juice A friend shared these verses: A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth. -- Proverbs 17:24 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. -- Proverbs 4:25-26 Nutrition Diet much better; but staying strict Paleo is quite tough -- especially when there is a $2 Cold Stone Creamery special this week! 2 more weeks left for the Challenge! I'll do my best to be as strict as possible! WOD Friday - Sunday Rest days Felt amazing to take some time off - though 3 days rest is a bit too much :P General plan for CF: Thu / Sun rest days Monday (April 16) - 5 p.m. C&J - work to 1 RM ( stopped at 135# due to technique ) Front squat - sets of 3-5 reps Row 500 m (pace around 1:45), 5 Front squats w/ 12" box Run 1 mile GHD sit-ups Tuesday (April 17) - 7 p.m. Deadlift - Warm-up, then 10 x 2 at 315# - Then -

Paleo Challenge - Day 25: Rest, Work, Rest

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Spiritual Juice Today's blog post title is taken from  UTCCF 's incoming Chair. Check out her cool blog here ! "Rest, work, rest." This is the "rhythm of grace". The way Jesus lived his life. He rested. He worked. And rested in the presence of the Father. At times when I try to rest, I do not truly rest. I hold onto things I should let go. I let go of things I should hold on to. As aptly stated by the Westminster Catechism : Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. It's not about me. Nor about my desires or personal gain. Nor about my friends and family. As Jason Ma says in his song, "It's about the glory".  WOD Rest day Okay today should really be a rest day (yesterday was a failed attempt ). I made the mistake of checking out the WOD at CrossFit Markham today, and to my dismay, I find three of my favorite exercises: rope climb, plank, and running. I guess you can call it a "rest day&quo

Paleo Challenge - Day 24: Rest day ... tomorrow!

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Spiritual Juice ( CrossFit Faith ) List your 3 greatest accomplishments in life: Education - finished (?) university studies Physical fitness -  from slow asthmatic runner to CrossFitter and marathoner Serving others - campus ministry, coaching, family Then read Luke 18:9-14 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes up to heaven, but beat his breast, saying: 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will

Paleo Challenge - Day 23: Golden Arches of Death!

Spiritual Juice "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." -- Matthew 10:37-39 I came across this passage through CrossFit Faith's website . Here, Jesus talks about how we shouldn't hold onto relationships too tightly. We are to love are family, friends, and even enemies; but if this love should be secondary to our love for Jesus Christ.  WOD - 6 a.m. Hang clean & Push jerk 2 x 95 lbs, 1 x 135 lbs, 1 x 155 lbs, 1 x 155 lbs, 1 x 155 lbs Back squat 5 x 155 lbs, 5 x 155 lbs, 3 x 225 lbs, 2 x 225 lbs, 1 x 225 lbs, 1 x 225 lbs The weights felt a lot heavier than I expected. I definitely need a rest day. As Chris Spealler says, "No recovery, no intensity". It's hard to manage work-rest, but I

Paleo Challenge - Day 22: Pumice Stone!

Spiritual Juice "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs on your heard are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of much more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10:28-33 I came across this thought-provoking verse from the Faith WOD on CrossFit Faith's website . Two things strike me: What are the things I value? Do I acknowledge Jesus before others? There's much to think about, especially in where my priorities are. Nutrition Asides from a bit of brown rice today, I was pretty paleo =) I find that even with the "healthy" brown rice, it's

Paleo Challenge - Day 21: "Coffee, shower, eat, in that order"

Spiritual Juice Today is Easter Sunday, the day we Christians remember what Jesus did for us on the Cross. Good Friday was the day we remember his death, and Easter Sunday is the day we remember his resurrection (though it is technically Monday). This morning, I am reflecting on what the Cross means to me. "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  --Romans 5:8 Nutrition (to be updated throughout the day) 6:30 a.m. Wake-up - Coffee, shower, eat ( Julie Foucher )  the start of an awesome morning routine =) 8:30 a.m. Morning run -  Only got to the coffee / shower part. Then went a light run. What started as a 4 km run ended up to be an 8 km run to avoid an angry goose - I was running the Donald Cousens loop, when all of the sudden, I heard a goose. Normally, this would be natural when you're running out in the country. However, the sound rapidly drew near. As I turned, I saw a full-sized goose flying straight tow

Paleo Challenge - Days 18-20

Spiritual Juice Juice has been lacking. Or rather, juice has been in ample supply, but I have not been drinking much. I need to learn to trust fully in Him. Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Nutrition I haven't been as strict with my diet. Perhaps it's because I'm not counting everything and do not have to account for what I eat. I'll work on this a bit more. I passed by Shoppers and bought a very un-paleo snack (corn chips), and then organic peanut butter and coffee grind =) I will work on moving my diet / regimen to be similar to Julie Foucher , elite athlete and med student. She is one of the athletes my brother and I admire. Two things that stand out to me are: "Coffee, shower, eat, in that order" - let's see how that goes :) "Every Saturday, Foucher prepares a week's worth of food so she is n

Paleo Challenge - Day 17

Spiritual Juice "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35 WOD - 9 a.m. Shoulder Press 5-5-5 (95#, 115#, 115#) Push Press 3-3-3 (135#, 155#, 155#) Split Jerk 1-1-1 (165#, 165#, 165#) - Then - "Helen" 3 Rounds for Time 400 m run 21 KB Swings (55#) 12 Pull-ups Time, 10:51 Nutrition Was paleo pretty much all day ... until I had dinner in Sarnia. My friend and I first tried a sushi restaurant, 1 of 2 sushi places in Sarnia. After staring at overpriced food items, and with no waitress to be found, we ditched and found our dinner at Wendy's. I had a triple baconator, offsetting it with a garden salad. 

Paleo Challenge - Day 15/16: Too much of a good thing

Spiritual Juice "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." -- Hebrews 12:2 Talk about having the "end in mind". Jesus had such a clarity of vision and purpose that the temporary pain was eclipsed by the everlasting joy. What is the end goal? Why do we toil? Why do we do what we do, day after day? WOD Yesterday ...  Rest. Definitely got more rest than I needed. While rest is good, too much of a good thing can have the opposite effect. A healthy balance of stress / vigilance and rest is needed. Today - 8 p.m. Deadlift 6-6-3-3-2-2 (6 reps @ 225#, 3 reps @ 275#, 2 reps @ 315#) - Then - 21-15-9 Hang Power Clean (135#) Butterfly sit-up Burpees (Time, 9:58) Nutrition Working on this paleo thing. Pretty good except for this morning ... and lunch. This morning was nutella / banana and peanut butter / banana s

Paleo Challenge - Day 14: Everyday is cheat day!

Spiritual WOD At church today, we sang a song called "Hosanna". In it, there was a phrase that caught me: "... and when we see you we find strength to face the day". That phrase just took on new meaning as I discover how important it is to have facetime with God before I start my day. WOD Sleep - max recovery :) Nutrition So I need to work on cheating less. More manageable work hours would help, of course, but it is what it is. So this morning, I had a rice wrap my mom made (breakfast while on-site this morning). And this afternoon was quite un-paleo: samosas, noodles, etc. I kept it to a minimum, but hey, full disclosure. I should note that I have felt bloated every time I cheated. I believe it isn't necessarily the starch / carbs, but the quantity of carbs I can consume. And perhaps deep fried food isn't the greatest for you :)