Friday's WOD and a Quick Recipe

It's FRIDAY!! It's been another great week for all my boot campers and we could not have asked for a better morning. Great weather and a butt-kicking workout.

Front Squat
2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2
Two Front Squats at the top of every 30 seconds. 50-60% max. Working on depth and explosiveness.

Nelia getting into the proper front rack position.

10 Minute AMRAP:
-10 Power Cleans
-10 Box Jumps
-20 Double Unders (Sub 60 singles and 2 burpees if cannot double under)

Amy, Suzanne and Kandice pushing through the power cleans.
Amy has her game face on!

*Almost everyone completed at least 4 rounds. Great job guys! I did this one yesterday and it was a serious challenge!

Way to finish out March. I'm excited to see everyone's progress over the next 5 weeks. Yes, we will be doing food journals ALL 5 weeks! A clean diet and regular exercise is a serious remedy for a hot beach body. Keep it going!

I'll be hosting a few of my girlfriends at my house tonight for wine, snacks and random conversation. Being that the weather finally feels like Spring today, I thought I'd whip up something light and colorful. I chose this Orzo Salad that is always a favorite at my house. I made a large batch because selfishly, I know it tastes even better the next day. I'm excited to snack on it tonight and for the rest of the weekend.

Orzo Salad

Ingredients

• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth 
• 1 1/2 cups orzo
• 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups red grape tomatoes, halved
• 3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Directions

Pour the broth into a heavy large saucepan. Cover the pan and bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo. Cover partially and cook until the orzo is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Drain the orzo through a strainer. Transfer the orzo to a large wide bowl and toss until the orzo cools slightly. Set aside to cool completely.

Toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, onion, basil, mint, and enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve at room temperature.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 fresh lemon, juiced
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

I tell ya, Giada really knows what she's doing. Try making this and adding in some extra veggies like green and red bell peppers. You could also add in some diced, grilled chicken to make it a full meal. I'm counting down the hours until I get to eat some!

Wednesday's WOD and a Tip

Ever heard of the term "fire breather?" It's a term commonly used in the CrossFit community, many times after an extremely difficult workout. I found a definition for it that seems to sum it up pretty well.

Fire breather: 1. One who faces the triumphs and tribulations of great physical opposition with an indomitable spirit. 2. An optimistic energy associated with the heart of an athlete.

After this morning's WOD, I would call all of my boot campers fire breathers. 

7 Rounds (Ouch):

-Run 300 m. including one time up and down stairs

-15 Dumbbell Swings

-10 Burpees

A little blurry, but some of the action this morning.

*Great Times: Nelia-20:47, Jessie-23:30, Rosie-24:00, Kandice-24:16, Nicole-24:23, Amy-24:40, Karina-24:54, Kirsten-25:30, Suzanne-25:35, Kelly-26:18, Cathy-26:30

Then...

2 Rounds:

-5 PERFECT Push-Ups (Rigid body, chest must touch the ground)

-1 Minute Plank

-2, 10 second Bridge Holds

-20 Scissors 

Awesome job to all my fire breathers! What an killer workout, with basically zero time to catch your breath. Anyone that says you can't get in an awesome workout in under 30 minutes with very little equipment is sadly mistaken or looking for an excuse not to exercise. Also, I saw some major improvements with the food journals. Keep up all the hard work and try to steer clear of any late night temptations (namely, criss cut fries). Ready for some lifting on Friday?

Isn't this the truth?

*Quick Eating Tip: When making/ordering food, choose ONE fat. For example:Cheese OR mayo on a sandwich, sour cream OR cheese on a taco. However, a few of your best options for fats are avocado, guacamole or olive oil. CHOOSE ONE!!

Monday's WOD and a Confession

Hello, Monday. Can you believe it's almost April? Where did March go? I'm ready for the warmer weather and brighter mornings that the coming months have in store. Although, I do appreciate the dark mornings because it means we don't have to even brush our hair since we can't see each other. I guess I can sacrifice waking up 30 seconds earlier to run a brush through my hair in return for warmer mornings and possible sunlight.

I challenged everyone to some sprints this morning and it turns out we have some track stars. Okay, anyone willing to run as fast as they can multiple times before 6 a.m. is a star in my book. Here's what they all accomplished before most of us even hit the snooze button for the first time.

6 Minutes:
-Sprint for 10 seconds at the top of every 30 seconds. 20 second rest between sprints.
*Total of 12, 50-75 meter sprints.
Rest 1 minute.

Max Reps for 1 Minute of Each:
-Push-Ups
-Air Squats
-Sit-Ups
Rest 1 minute.

4 Minutes of the same sprint pattern.
*Total of 8 sprints. Goal is to go the same distance each time.
Rest 1 minute.

-Repeat push-up, air squats and sit-ups.
Rest 1 minute.

2 Minutes of the same sprint pattern
-Total of 4 sprints.
Rest 1 minute.

-Repeat push-ups, air squats and sit-ups.

DONE!

Wow, what a great workout! Great job to everyone that showed up this morning. Also, thank you to everyone for bringing your food journals. I have reviewed some of them and I like some of the adjustments you guys have made. Just remember, any small changes can make a difference.

Such a great piece of advice. Water, water, water!!

And now...for the confession. Since you all have been airing out your dirty (food) laundry to me, I think it's only fair if I'm honest with you as well. I'm only human and definitely make some poor food decisions at times. This weekend was one of those times. I spent a great night with some of my favorite ladies celebrating the lovely Shannon Tate's big 4-0. We kept it classy with a limo, cute dresses, great cocktails and a fabulous dinner in Modesto. What I'm about to say is no secret, but it's a great reminder. NO GOOD DECISIONS ARE EVER MADE AFTER 12 A.M. With clouded judgment, we took our limo, cute dresses and cocktail filled-selves through the Carl's Jr. drive through. Not a proud moment. While some of the girls held strong and did not order anything, I did not. I devoured an order of criss-cut fries and chicken tenders like it was filet mignon from Ruth's Chris. I'm not going to lie, I don't regret the criss-cuts one bit. However, my stomach had a different opinion the next day.

A slightly blurry picture, pre-bad food decision.

Whew! I feel much better now. Back on track!

Friday's WOD and a Cocktail

Happy Friday everyone! We beat the rain all week and definitely took advantage of it. I'm pretty sure everybody's tired and sore bodies are ready for a little R&R this weekend.

Push Press
5-5-5+

Karina working on her push press.

For Time:
-21 Slam Balls
-21 Ninja Get-Ups

-100 m. Famer's Walk
-100 m. Sprint

-15 Slam Balls
-15 Ninja Get-Ups

-100 m. Famer's Walk

-100 m. Sprint

-12 Slam Balls

-12 Ninja Get-Ups

-100 m. Famer's Walk

-100 m. Sprint

-9 Slam Balls

-9 Ninja Get-Ups

-100 m. Famer's Walk

-100 m. Sprint

Some of the action this morning. Check out all my ninjas!

*Fastest Time: Kandice-15:06 (She had 35# kettlebells in each hand for the farmer's walk! That's heavier than each of her kids).

Everyone did an awesome job this week. Enjoy your weekend, but make sure to keep up with your food journal. I provided everyone with some suggestions, so definitely take note and try to put some into action. Especially those suggestions that included lower calorie cocktails. Why not enjoy a delicious beverage with half the guilt? After all, it is the weekend!

Here's a lower calorie margarita recipe that is delicious, refreshing and doesn't leave that nasty after taste sweet and sour leaves.

Guilt-Free Margs

-2 oz. Clear Tequila (I like Patron and a heavy pour)

-1 oz. Triple Sec

-1/2 Fresh Lemon, juiced

-1/2 Fresh Lime, juiced

-Diet Tonic Water or Soda Water

-Splash of Orange Juice

-Top with Grand Marnier if you're feeling fancy 

-Garnish with a lime

Shake tequila, triple sec, lemon and lime juice in a shaker full of ice. Pour about halfway up (or 3/4 if you like a stiffer drink) over a glass full of ice. Top with diet tonic or soda water, a splash of orange juice and Grand Marnier if you have it. Garnish with a lime and enjoy. Bottoms up!

Yes, please! Minus the salt, of course.

Wednesday's WOD (A Day Late)

I apologize for this being a day late, but sometimes life gets a little hectic and 24 hours in a day just isn't enough time to accomplish everything you need to do. Maybe we should have 25 hours in a day. I feel like I could do a lot with that extra hour. Do you agree? Anyway, we had a great workout on Wednesday that proved to be quite difficult. Sometimes workouts play out a little differently than I intend, but I was very happy with my boot campers and the outcome of this one.

-Run hard for 5 minutes. (This included up/down stairs as well)
Rest 2 minutes.

10 Minute AMRAP:
-10 Handstand Push-Ups (HSPU)
-10 Walking Lunges (Dumbbells Overhead)
-10 Weighted Sit-Ups
-10 Grasshoppers
-50 Speed Skater Lateral Jumps

Rest 2 minutes.

-Run hard for 5 minutes. (This included up/down stairs as well)

Rest 2 minutes.

10 Minute AMRAP:

-10 Handstand Push-Ups (HSPU)

-10 Walking Lunges (Dumbbells Overhead)

-10 Weighted Sit-Ups

-10 Grasshoppers

-50 Speed Skater Lateral Jumps

Amy showing perfect form for a modified HSPU.

People always wonder why we take a rest and the reason is that it allows time to slightly recover and have the same power output as you did the previous time. The goal yesterday was to be consistent during each run and ARMRAP. If you completed 4 laps the first time, then complete 4 the next time and if you completed 3 rounds the first AMRAP, do 3 the next. I'm very pleased to say that everyone stayed consistent! Most people completed almost 4 laps on the runs and everyone completed 3 rounds during both 10 minute AMRAP's. Pretty impressive.

On a side note, I would like to thank all my boot campers for turning in their food journals and being honest. I know food can be a very personal topic, so I was pleased to see people being truthful, even if somedays were a little scary. We all have to start somewhere in our healthy lifestyle journey. Some have further to go than others, but the only thing that matters is consistency. Consistently exercise, make better food choices and educate yourself on what's best for your body. I'm always here to help and cheer everyone on that is willing to make a change. Even slight changes will make a difference. Be consistent, be patient and be kind to yourself.

*Keep track of your food intake with this website: www.myfitnesspal.com. Thanks, Nicole!

Monday's WOD and Food Journals

It was another brisk morning today, which meant we started moving immediately and did not stop the entire hour. There's nothing like running in the cool, morning air. It really is therapeutic. You should try it.

WOD:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
-Run 400 m.
-10 Burpees
-Run 400 m.
-9 Burpees
-Run 400 m.
-8 Burpees...
-Run 400 m.
-1 Burpee
It is a total of 10 laps, or 2.5 miles, and 55 burpees. WOW!

*Fastest Time: Nelia-24:36

Finish With:
-50 Full Sit-Ups

Today was also the first morning that food journals were due. I was happy that everyone brought their journals and the ones I have read seem to be quite honest. Sometimes it's hard writing down what you truly eat in a day. It can be shocking and even embarrassing. Bottom line, get over the embarrassment and be honest with not just me, but yourself. Lying will not help. The first step to improving your diet is being completely honest. That's the only way to figure out where you're doing well and where you need to make some changes. We all eat things we know are unhealthy, but it's important to be conscious of it. The food journal is a great tool to be fully aware of what you're eating and not eating (i.e., protein!!!!). There's no miracle or secret of what it takes to be healthy and fit. Exercise regularly and eat a well-balanced, clean diet. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide if you want it. So, do you want to be the healthiest, happiest and hottest version of yourself?

This is a fabulous guideline to follow.

Friday's WOD

It was a such a nice morning at 5:30. What the heck happened? It was warm, almost humid, and rain free. It was perfect inside the gym when we opened the doors. Sometimes it really does pay off to get up early. The early boot campers definitely had the best weather! Their last benchmark workout was inspired by the CrossFit Open 12.4 WOD.

Back Squat
5-5-5+

12 Minute AMRAP:
-75 Wall Balls
-50 Kettlebell Swings
-30 Pull-Ups

Knocking out the swings. Their arms were pretty much done
at this point.

 Note: 1 Round = 155 reps

Okay, now their arms are extremely well done! Karina,
Rosie and Suzanne taking a quick break before finishing
their pull-ups.

*Total Reps:

• Suzanne-173
• Rosie-185
• Karina-135
• Amy-144
• Kandice-184
• Nelia-201

Check out Kandice's kipping pull-ups! Pretty impressive after completing 75 wall balls and 50 swings.

Great first week! It definitely was not ideal weather, but we were still able to get in 3 awesome workouts. I have a feeling that there will be some extremely sore legs and shoulders this weekend. Enjoy the 2 days off and be ready to get back at it Monday. As usual, RAIN OR SHINE! Remember, food journals are due Monday. Try to stay on top of them over the weekend!

For those of you that are curious, here is the 12.4 WOD I will be completing today at 5 with some of the other members at CrossFit Turlock. Feel free to come by and cheer everyone on!

12 Minute AMRAP:

-150 Wall Balls

-90 Double Unders

-30 Muscle Ups

I'm praying to the muscle up gods that I'll be able to complete at least 1 like I did earlier this week! Your positive thoughts are appreciated!

What's For Dinner?

What's for dinner? Is this a common question in your household? It seems like as soon as we eat dinner, my  husband-to-be is asking me what we're going to have for dinner the next night. Seriously? Enjoy your last bite of tonight's dinner, digest it for about an hour and then maybe we'll chat about tomorrow's dinner. Honestly, I'm not sure how you moms deal with your husbands and children asking you this question on a daily basis. Sorry, that last comment was extremely stereotypical and old school. I'm sure some of you have fabulous men in your lives that know their way around the kitchen. Andy is pretty good in the kitchen too, so I can't complain too much.

Lucky for me, I have some fabulous boot campers that send me delicious recipes to try. I recently received the recipe below and can't wait to whip it up tonight!

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic

Sub out the pasta for a mixed green salad
for a lighter option.

Original Recipe Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1.     Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Rinse the mushrooms and pat dry. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and saute the chicken until it is nicely browned on one side (about 3 minutes).

2.     Add the garlic. Turn the chicken breasts and scatter the mushrooms over them. Continue frying, shaking the skillet and stirring the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the vinegar, broth, bay leaf and thyme. Cover tightly and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

3.     Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Set aside. Continue simmering the sauce, uncovered, over medium high heat for about 7 minutes. Swirl in the butter or margarine and discard the bay leaf. Pour this mushroom sauce mixture over the chicken and serve.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 265 | Total Fat: 11.5g | Cholesterol: 76mg

I may tweak this recipe a little and serve it alongside some sauteed veggies, but for the most part it looks quite tasty and healthy. What about you? What's for dinner?

Wednesday's Rainy WOD

Rain or shine, the boot campers show up ready for a great workout. Although many would prefer the shine over the rain, it actually turned out to be a great morning. Some people were even down to tank tops during the workout! Check out the WOD they completed.

2 Rounds For Time:
-250 Singles (Jump Rope)
-50 Dumbbell Thrusters
-50 Renegade Rows (25 Right/25 Left)
-Run 4 laps around the quad, plus 1 time up and down the stairs each lap.

Renegade rows and thrusters. Check out Amy's squat!

*Fastest Time: Nelia-24:32

Ab Work
3 Rounds:
-10 Weighted Sit-Ups
-20 Seated Half Moons (These are killer if they're done right.)

Nelia pushing through her last
set of 50 thrusters.

Great job to everyone that showed up this morning! This was a great benchmark endurance WOD that we'll be revisiting at the end of our 8-week session. Hopefully we'll see some faster times, heavier dumbbells and NO rain the next time. We'll be completing another benchmark WOD, as well as some lifting on Friday at the gym. We will definitely be utilizing some of the equipment we have at the gym. Any guesses as to what we may be doing???

I hope everyone is staying on top of their food journals. Remember, they are due next Monday!

It was quite difficult leaving this guy behind this morning.

Injured Vs. Sore

When you start a new workout regimen, it's inevitable that you will get sore and if you do not, you're probably not challenging yourself. I understand, no one likes being sore. It is not fun barely being able to lift your arms over your head to blow dry your hair or avoiding using the restroom because you're not sure if you'll be able to get up after you sit down. However, when you challenge your body and take your workout to the next level, you may feel the effects later. Sometimes it's a few days later. This is called Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness or DOMS. I'm currently experiencing that right now due to an 18 minute AMRAP from hell. My triceps are currently broken I think.

Here's the thing though, don't mistake being sore for being injured. There's a huge difference. It's okay to push through soreness and continue to workout. In fact, it's actually helpful to exercise when you're sore. Skipping a workout because you're sore is not a valid excuse. No, maybe it won't be your best workout, but you can push through it. Just suck it up and do it!

It's important to know your body and be able to tell when you're injured. Many times it's more of a sharp pain in a specific area, while soreness is a general ache spread over a larger area. If you're injured, you may have to modify or avoid doing certain movements altogether until the injury heals.

The main point of this post is to not mistake muscle soreness for an injury. It's okay to be sore and it will happen. Deal with it and don't use it as an excuse to skip a workout. If you're never sore, then either you're a super human freak or you need to challenge yourself more during your workouts. I'm assuming it's the latter. So, shake off your soreness and get moving!

A Fresh Start: Monday's WOD

Today was the beginning of the 8 week boot camp session and we couldn't have asked for a better morning. It was a crisp 50 degrees and sans rain. Perfect weather for running! All the returning and new boot campers were ready to face their first WOD.

For Time:
-1 Mile Run

*Fastest Time:Nelia-7:04

15 Minute AMRAP:
-15 Jump Squats
-12 Hand Release Push-Ups
-9 V-Ups
-5 Burpees (Ahh, how they missed these).

*Most Rounds: Kandice, Nelia & Rosie-8

I was very pleased with everyone's performance this morning. In all honesty, I did not realize it was the day after "Springing Forward," so I was extremely happy that everyone showed up despite losing an hour of sleep.

...or those that are still in bed.

This session marks the beginning of our food journals. Yes, that's right, you must write down EVERYTHING you eat, drink, nibble, taste, lick, etc. The idea is not to punish you for being "bad," but rather it's a way to keep yourself accountable and become aware of certain areas of your diet that you can improve. Sometimes people think they're eating well, when in actuality they're not. For example, one client was eating a few 100 calorie packs throughout the day for snacks and thought this was a great option. However, I informed this person that they're basically consuming empty calories that are neither satisfying nor nutritious. They would be better off eating a handful of plain almonds, a piece of fruit, carrot sticks or low sodium jerky. All are going to keep you full much longer and provide nutritional value. This is the kind of feedback that I will be providing in the weekly food journals.

A very harsh reality check.

Also, I would love for my boot campers, or anyone for that matter, to pass along some healthy recipes that they have tried. A delicious meal makes the idea of eating healthy much more palatable. Cheers to 8 weeks of great workouts, healthy, yet realistic eating and maybe some homework workouts along the way. I hope you're all on board!

This is me completing the workout that
inspired this morning's 15 minute AMRAP.
I'll never ask you to do something I'm
not willing to do too!

Success Story: Rosie Frampton

Rosie is one of my most dedicated boot campers that has been with me since the beginning. She is always consistent, hard-working and able to make everyone laugh even while doing burpees. I asked her to write a testimonial about her experience with Fit and Fierce Boot Camp. Here is what she had to say, in true Rosie fashion:

Kaci requested that I write a testimonial to post on her blog…so here it goes.  My name is Rosie Frampton.  I’ve been an athlete for as long as I can remember.  I love to run, golf, bike, swim and workout.  I have known Kaci for quite some time.  I received an email from Kaci’s mom, Karen Mabe, about Kaci making a career change and starting up a boot camp through CrossFit Turlock.  I was hesitant to join, especially the 5:30 a.m. part and meeting two days a week outside in unpredictable weather.  I’ve always considered myself as being fit.  During the past couple of years, I’ve ran in several half marathons.  I thought I was in the best shape of my life…until Fit and Fierce Boot Camp with Kaci Mabe. 

Here are pictures before boot camp and now – same clothes.

April 2011                                          March 2012

I can’t believe the rolls bulging through my shirt…talk about a “muffin top”.  Looking at these pictures, it has made me realize that I’ve not only been stuffing my face with everything and anything, but I was stuffing myself in my clothes.  I’m so embarrassed.  Since August 2011, I’ve lost 15 pounds, 11 inches, and dropped my body fat index by 7%.  I feel strong LIKE HEIFER (inside joke to fellow boot campers) and my clothes fall off me. 

I’m not going to lie to you, it’s not easy.  Getting up three mornings at 4:45 a.m. to work out at 5:30 a.m. is tough.  It’s not only a commitment you have to make for yourself, but your whole family has to make it with you.  The sacrifice and the results are well worth it.

I can’t tell you how grateful I am to Kaci and the gals in our boot camp class.  I think we all help and encourage each other to push further than we could ever imagine.  Kaci rocks and kicks our butts.  Hooked on boot camp worked for me!  Come and join us!

Look at that tiny waist and those
SEXY ARMS!

What Rosie did not mention is that she has improved her mile time by almost 2 minutes, she can now do REAL push-ups, can almost back squat her body weight and can push a little under 100 pounds over her head. Not only is she lean now, but she is STRONG as well. Rosie always keeps everyone motivated by shouting, "Sexy arms ladies, sexy arms!" She is proof that hard work, dedication and a positive attitude can get you to your goals. Thank you, Rosie for making 5:30 a.m. and unpredictable weather worth bearing and even fun!