So remember that time I started a blog back in 2012? Turns out, I'm not good at keeping up with blogs. Hah! But I want to try again, so here we go.

As an update, I continued to do CrossFit until I became pregnant in mid 2015. The fatigue was so bad with the pregnancy, I slept for most of the first trimester. Then I returned to CrossFit for several weeks, and eventually became too tired to return. Instead, I walked a lot. That worked pretty well.

Anyway, CrossFit gave me a lot of muscle and confidence. I loved it. One day, I'd like to get back to it, but right now I am trying to balance my life with a baby, and it's not as easy as I thought it would be (says every new parent ever).

Here is my before & after CrossFit transformation. I loved the muscle tone I had. And I encourage anyone who is considering it to try it. If a weakling like me can start with zero weightlifting experience and end up snatching 80#, deadlifting 200+ lbs, and clean & jerking 125#, you can too!

Before

 

After (with my buddy Dave) Look at those quads!!

Anyway, then I had a sweet, sweet baby boy on April 1st, 2016 (April Fool baby!). He is an absolute joy - keeps us laughing and on our toes always. He will be 10 months old in a little over a week. 

March 26, 2016

April 1, 2016

 

January 22, 2017

I have now entered into a new fitness and nutrition journey, but that's for another blog post! I will go ahead and post my new "Before" pics as well. 

Stay tuned...

Andrea 😊

Skinny Ms. Recipe Test: Chicken Florentine Casserole

Today I discovered the ONLY way I will ever eat cottage cheese: when it's cooked into a dish.

Now before I get into this, you need to know an important fact about me. Although I LOVE love Love LOVE cheese, I absolutely hate and refuse to eat cream cheese and cottage cheese. People think I'm crazy because they love cream cheese, but I just don't like it. And it's not good for you, so I'm really not upset about it.

Anyway, I follow Skinny Ms. on Facebook, and they recently posted a recipe for Chicken Florentine Casserole. It intrigued me because I love chicken, spinach, cheese, and pasta, so this was a no-brainer! I was a little apprehensive because the recipe called for cottage cheese... gross. But I went for it anyway, knowing that 1) It would have to be blended so it was smooth, and 2) it would be cooked.

I went ahead and gathered the ingredients. I went with rotisserie chicken because I figured it would be easier than getting chicken cutlets. The problem is that it took me forever to pull the chicken, and I hardly got 12 ounces out of it! Next time I'll either use 2 rotisserie chickens or just buy the cutlets. The rest was pretty simple, there are just lots of little ingredients so I was kinda stressed trying to hurry up and get it all together. I actually had to start the recipe over because I screwed up the second step of sauteing the garlic. It doesn't take long to burn, people! I put the cottage cheese in the blender, but it wasn't as gross as I'd imagined. I just can't stand the lumpy appearance of cottage cheese. Ew.

So, I got all my ingredients, followed the directions, and it turned out to be a simple recipe. Then just popped it in the oven for 30 minutes, and voila! Delicious spinachy cheesy chicken pasta that anyone would love. And it's low fat! I had a serving for lunch, and I'm going to serve it to hubby for dinner when he gets home. Hopefully he approves! I sure did. Here are some pics and the recipe:

Nutrition Data Yield: 6 servings Serving Size: approx 1-1/2 cups Calories: 315 Fat: 8.1 g Carbs: 33.4 g Fiber: 2.2 g Sodium: 396 mg Sugars: 0 g Protein: 26 g

Ingredients

• 4 x 3 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pre-cooked, cut into cubes (rotisserie chicken works too)
• 1/2 box frozen spinach, thawed & squeezed to remove access liquid
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp flour (I used whole wheat flour because that's what I had on hand)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups no-salt added chicken broth
• pinch nutmeg
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup low fat cottage cheese, blended to make smooth consistency
• 2/3 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated (use small holes on grater)
• 1/2 pound whole grain pasta (I didn't use whole grain, but I did use spirals)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mist a 9 x 11 baking dish with oil. Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large pot, heat olive oil to medium-low and saute garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add flour and whisk for 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and stir until thickened. Add lemon juice, nutmeg, oregano & pepper. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat and add blended cottage cheese, spinach, chicken, Parmesan cheese & pasta. Stir to combine. Place in casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden & bubbly.

Also, one more thing before you go! Remember the egg and bacon Paleo "muffins?" Hubby loved them! He actually grabbed a couple out of the fridge while I was out running errands, and I got a text that said "Holy shit these egg bacon wrap things are good!" He's confused because they're muffins, not wraps, but I'll take it. That's what he eats for breakfast now. I'll call it a win!

Tuesday Tabata

Hi friends!

Today I went up to Kelly Rec (where you only pay $3 a visit) to see what kind of equipment they have for CrossFitting. It's literally right by my place, like a one minute jog and you're there. I went with my workout buddy Mike and we were planning on doing some dead lifts (we're both still sore from Angie on Sunday).

But lo and behold, I was thrilled to find a Rogue Fitness Plyo Box!  YESSSSSSSS. I immediately decided on box jumps because they're one of my favorite things, even though they're exhausting. I think this was a 20 incher. Want to buy one of your own? They're effing expensive, but here ya go:

 

http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-wood-plyoboxes.php

We had already planned on tabata intervals because I just downloaded the "My WOD" app, and wanted to test out my tabata timer. Tabata is interval training where you do the exercise for 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest. Since there was only one box, we decided on alternating box jumps with burpees for a total of 16 rounds and an 8 minutes workout. It was exhausting, but we still managed a 3 minute plank "cash out." 

You can say it was a success because a freelance personal trainer came up and told us we were wearing her out! Hah! We win. :)

I saw on my old gym's website (crossfitrebels.com) that their WOD today was run 1 mile and 100 situps for time. I think I'll try that one tomorrow!

Ta ta for now!

Andrea

Angie, Mercy Me and Bacon!

Hi friends!

Just a little update... it's hot outside, in case you didn't know.

I have been unemployed for almost 2 weeks now! Yay? I've applied for a few jobs, but haven't heard back from any yet (boo).

Anyway, exciting news! I've been wanting to continue Crossfitting, even though I can't afford a gym right now. So I went on amazon.com, aka my favorite website ever because everything's cheaper there, and ordered a couple pull-up assist bands. These bands are awesome, because they make pullups possible for us weaklings, and helps us become strong. You should see the "guns" I'm developing.

Here is a pic of my bands on his pullup bars:

This is what it looks like when you use them (sorry, no action shot of me):

I tested out my new bands yesterday with my friend Mike, who does Crossfit workouts in his backyard, and is my closest thing to a CF gym at the moment. I should post pictures of his yard... it's pretty cool. I promise you that for my next blog! The workout (or WOD, which is the CrossFit term) we did is a common CrossFit one called "Angie." 

ANGIE

100 Pull Ups

100 Push Ups

100 Sit Ups

100 Squats

It's no easy feat, and it takes awhile for a newbie to do this WOD "as prescribed," meaning no bands. I however, am still training to get prescribed pull ups and push ups, so I used my pullup bands and did push ups on my knees (lame). Last time I did this WOD was at my gym, CrossFit Rebels, and I did the intermediate version which was 75 reps of each. Since I took about a week off of CrossFit and we did this WOD at 1 pm, I only did 50 of each. And it was HARD. The sit ups and squats are a piece of cake to me though, so I think I should do 100 of each of those next time.

Anyway, it was a great workout and a good jump start back into CrossFit!

This morning I did "Mercy Me." This WOD was named after a Rebel girl named Mercy, and she loves to run. Here's the workout:

MERCY ME

1600 meter run, 3 minute rest

1200 m run, 2 min rest

800 m run, 1 min rest

400 m run

 It's SO HOT outside, so this was a tough one. But I ended the thing out of breath and drenched in sweat so I consider it a success! It took me a minute and a half longer to run this than the last time I did it, but it's probably because 1) I ran it at 9:30 am instead of 6:30 am, and 2) I was measuring out the distances with my MapMyRun app on my iPhone. I expect better results next time!

After my run, I was inspired to have some Paleo breakfast: bacon and coffee. Yep, I had 6 slices of bacon. Sounds fattening? Yes, but in a good way! Bacon is actually good for you! Quoted from bacontoday.com: 

"Bacon helps to fully satiate our appetite with high protein / low carb energy, helping the body lose weight, raise one’s metabolism and build leaner, stronger muscles."

My breakfast wasn't "legally" Paleo, because my bacon was cured, and I put creamer in my coffee but, hey. It's better than my normal bagel with laughing cow! I also decided to make some "protein muffins" that my friend Mary Kate eats pretty much daily for breakfast. She is a strict Paleo eater, so I'm always interested in the things she makes. These "muffins" are as simple as a slice of bacon and and egg in a muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, and voila! Protein muffins! Here are my before and after pics, although I haven't tasted them yet:

Before

After

I'll let you know how they taste, but for now: Happy Monday and have a great week, everyone!!

Andrea

30 day update!

Hello friends,

I want to apologize for being a blogging slacker… I’ve been super busy because hubby and I moved, then we were on vacation, and THEN I made the bold move to quit my job (more on this later).

 Anyway, just wanted to give my 30 day CrossFit update! I realize this is a month and a half late... damn I really am a slacker. I hit 30 days on May 31st. I mostly have been putting this off because I didn't have a computer to use to put the before & after pictures together. So here they are...

These two look pretty much the same to me.

As do these...

Okay, I know, I know. They're not really super impressive. But you can kinda see a difference. I am definitely more toned than I was, and it probably helps to know I was not eating healthy during this 30 days. I had this whole mentality of "oh, I'm doing CrossFit so I can eat what I want." That's actually not true...

The preferred diet for CrossFit is Paleo. Look it up. It's from the caveman days. I wouldn't have a problem eating like this except there are 2 food items I am not willing to give up: cheese and bread. And we might as well add wine to that list. However, I HAVE been more mindful of adding lots of protein to my diet. I've also started taking Amino Energy before my daily morning workout. 

Holy cow, this stuff is amazing (I recommend the orange flavor)!!! It wakes me up immediately, and I don't get tired or weak during my workouts. This might be a new addiction... you should try them!

Since I've become unemployed, I can no longer afford a membership to a CrossFit gym. Until I do, my friend Mike is going to help me with my pull ups and toes to bar! My goal is to do them unassisted by the time I can afford CrossFit again. I will keep you posted on my progress!

Until next time! 

A.

Get in my belly.

I promised I'd talk about food, so here goes. I love to eat! So it's a damn good thing I have a pretty fast metabolism... One that is slowing with age, but I'll take it. :) My idea for this blog (though God knows it will probably change) was not to create recipes like those other foodies out there, but to use their recipes and judge them! More importantly, I want to take all of these glorious-looking recipes I keep finding on Pinterest, and see exactly how delicious they actually are.

It's also important to know that I am no pro in the kitchen. I've been known to burn Rice-a-Roni, and I NEVER modify the recipe. Unless I'm adding something yummy like cheese. Them I'll typically double it. My first adventures with cooking started in college when my boyfriend and I were so busy, we had to schedule date nights on Thursday nights. We were seniors so I wanted to be an adult and make dinner from something other than a box. My weekly routine became going to Publix to make whatever Aprons meal they were featuring that week. Luckily I am very good at following directions, so it was easy to impress the boyfriend with my newly found "skill."

Fast forward 5 years to present day Andrea. I spend hours pinning and re-pinning these recipes on Pinterest, but I've only made a handful of them. This Monday I made my weekly visit to dear friends who live nearby, to visit them, their 5 month-old precious daughter, and watch The Bachelorette ( yes, I'm a total Bachelor junkie. Don't judge.). While deciding on something to make for dinner, I suggested these white chicken enchiladas...

Mmmmmm. You can get the recipe here: Joyful Mommas Kitchen.


I can't even take credit for making the enchiladas, because my friend Kara made them while I worked on one of my favorites: Publix Aprons Guacamole Salad. Look it up, you will love it. Anyway, these turned out quite lovely. They were very filling and tasty, and we all agreed that next time we would add more cheese. Mmmmm cheese. Next time you are in the mood for Mexican food, make this recipe with confidence. I promise next food blog, I will be more in depth with the details of the process! But for now, just know I approve of this recipe. I'm also taking recipe requests, so let me know if there's one you want me to make and "test" for you.

Also, no CrossFit today. My neck was still hurting. :( But I'm definitely going tomorrow morning! I feel like a lazy bum without it.

Good night!

Andrea

First blog!

Well hey there!

This is my first official blog since the lovely LiveJournal days in college. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you're either too young or too old to understand. I wish I still had my LJ, but it disappeared. :( Sorry to disappoint.

Anyway... I just had a random inkling to start up a blog. Considering I just started CrossFit a few weeks ago, I thought now would be a good time! I wasn't sure if I wanted to document my progress on CrossFit, given it would be boring to some (many?!), or blog about food. I mean, who doesn't like food?! I polled my friends and family on Facebook, and they told me to do both. 

So here it is: a two-sided blog about my CrossFit journey and adventures with food. You will find it entertaining to know I'm no food expert either. I really solely on Publix Apron's recipes, Pinterest findings, and whatever the back of the box tells me to do. Yup.


Lucky for you, I took pictures of myself when I started CrossFit on May 1st, 2012. I joined a gym called CrossFit Rebels in Clearwater, Florida. Here they are:

And before you criticize me, saying "you're already thin/in shape/skinny/whatever," please know that I have joined this fitness program to get STRONG. Or at least stronger. Do you know that I can only do like, 5 normal push ups before my arms give out? And don't even get me started on pull ups. They're non-existent.

I plan on taking new pictures in the same outfit on day 30 to see the difference (if there is one).


I thought I was "in shape" before joining CF. Hah. That's funny. At the end of week 1, my arms were so sore that they swelled up and I looked like a man. No joke. It was scary. By the end of week 2, I was sore again so I needed the weekend to rest. Last week was my 3rd and I had minimal soreness!! I was ready to get back to the gym Monday, but alas... I somehow tweaked my neck muscle. I woke up Saturday feeling paralyzed, and it hurt to even sit. To the point that I called in sick to work Monday for the first time IN MY LIFE. I'm 27, so do the math.


So here it is, Tuesday night, and I'm praying I can get up and do CrossFit in the morning. However, I'm not willing to risk making my injury worse so it could be Thursday before I get back to the Rebels.


Ta ta for now, tomorrow I shall talk about food! Get excited.


Andrea