It’s Monday — we’ve made it to another week!
How are you feeling this Monday? I’m a little out of sorts: the house is 65°F and I’m stubbornly refusing to turn the heat on until absolutely necessary. Colorado decided to jump into fall on Saturday, and I’ve been chilly ever since. My feet never warm up in cold weather unless I’m in the shower or a hot tub, so I spent the weekend cold and damp. I can’t imagine living somewhere like the Pacific Northwest year-round. For now, my coping strategy is complaining and savoring hot coffee at home for the first time since May.
Over the weekend I attended a few parties, and where there are parties there are snacks. Since I usually play designated driver, I skip alcohol and snack instead, which led to a big snacking weekend. Maybe it’s emotional eating because of the cooler weather or instinctual hibernation prep, but I ate a lot of snacks — including the frosting off a bundt cake so I wouldn’t eat the whole slice and end up with a worse stomachache.
I still got a stomachache.
On the bright side, I avoided alcohol and woke up without a hangover, so that’s one small victory to celebrate. I say this a lot, but diets don’t need to be perfect. Eating healthier long-term and making better choices most of the time compounds over weeks and months. If you give in at a birthday party or event, you can get right back on track the next morning. That’s exactly what I did: I snacked, felt a bit rough, and resumed my normal routine the next day. Because I consistently choose well at home, one indulgent afternoon won’t derail progress.
The 90/10 or 80/20 approach works for me. Perfection isn’t sustainable — trying to be strictly paleo all the time pushed me into a negative cycle. Find the balance that fits your life and goals, and you’ll experience less guilt and stress during holiday seasons and social events.
Now go crush some workouts this week!
Sunday – Rest Day
Monday – Orange Theory Class — see workout
Tuesday – CrossFit Broadway Class
Every 90 seconds x 9 sets (12 minutes): 1 Power Clean + 1 Squat Clean — reset between reps. Start at ~60% and add weight as you’re comfortable. I worked up to 135 lb.
Then 4 rounds for time (11 minute cap): 6 Squat Cleans (185/125), 12 Strict Handstand Push-Ups, 60 Double Unders. I finished in 9:35 using 95 lb.
Wednesday – CrossFit Broadway Class
Strict press: 10 minutes to find a 3-rep max. I reached 90 lb.
Then 3 rounds for time (15 minute cap): 30/25 calorie row, 20 burpees, 30 alternating dumbbell snatches (50/35). I finished in 13:23 using 30 lb dumbbells.
Thursday – Rest Day
Friday – CrossFit Broadway Class
Every minute on the minute x 7 minutes: 3 Power Cleans + 3 Front Squats + 3 Push Jerks (all performed unbroken). Scaled to 95 lb for me.
Then 15-minute AMRAP: 25 Wall Balls, 200 m Run. I completed 6 rounds plus 25 wall balls and a 25 m run.
Saturday – Orange Theory Class — see workout
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Free Travel Workout:
15-minute AMRAP: 20 burpees, 15 handstand push-ups, 10 dumbbell squat cleans.
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lululemon Fast & Free Bra (on sale)
Climawear Bra Tank (on sale)
Nike Free Flyknit (on sale)
lululemon 7/8 Tights (on sale)
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What I Ate in a Day
I started the morning with a Vanilla Bean Sweet Cream Collagen iced coffee.
For Sunday brunch I cooked 2 slices of bacon, 1½ chicken apple sausages, and ¾ sweet plantain in the bacon fat. I served that over arugula tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper — pictured as the smaller plate on the left.
While making a Taco Lasagna Casserole for a friend who just had a baby, I snacked on a fig ball and later ate half of a cookie I’d baked the night before.
For lunch I had a lemongrass pork rice bowl from a local spot with a side of sautéed zucchini and yellow squash.
A few hours later I ate a small handful of popcorn and 1/4 cup of gluten-free granola. While prepping dinner I munched on a cinnamon rice cake.
For dinner I roasted butternut squash fries until they were slightly caramelized, then pan-seared thinly sliced pork chops in sesame oil with red and yellow bell peppers. I tossed everything in a savory sauce and served it over iceberg lettuce with a chili-vinegar drizzle made from rice wine vinegar, water, honey, sriracha, Frank’s, red pepper flakes, lime juice, and salt.
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