This week is a "Max Lift" week at Nor Cal Strength & Conditioning. We have been focusing on building up our "body strength" for the last few weeks. These lifts, (back squat, dead lift, and push press), are not designed to build "muscle" as much as they are to tone and increase our body's general athletic abilities. At 43, I certainly don't have any interest in trying to be a body builder, but I get excited seeing how far I have come since I first started working out there.
I never realized how physically weak I had become. I have already written about not being able to even do a single pushup when I first started. On Monday I set my personal record for the Back Squat at 275 lbs, and today I bested my previous dead lift record with a 375 lb lift.
I can't help it, that old competitive beast within me is now rearing its ugly head....because what's even more cool, is that I posted the highest lifts in both events so far. =) Everyone else can run circles around me doing everything else, but at least I can hold my head up high about topping this list, (well at least so long as Rob and Fraguso don't participate).
My weight has been holding steady still, so I am tweaking my diet a bit. Increasing protein, cutting back on the fruits. I thought the extra work outs would allow me a little more leeway, but apparently such thinking was only a pleasant delusion. I still have 4 months to go until the end of the 7 month paleo challenge, but there are a lot of people working very hard, so I need to really buckle down. See, sometimes being competitive can be a good thing.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Still dropping inches
I've been a bit frustrated for the last couple weeks, as I don't seem to be losing any weight. However, I have upped my workouts to 3 and 4 times a week. I have been noticing my muscle mass increasing, and try to convince myself that I am losing fat, just replacing it with heavier muscle. Well today, I found some proof of that.
Today, knowing that I had to appear before a local City Councel, and wanting to wear green for St. Patrick's Day, I was looking through my clothes looking for something green to wear when I came upon these brand new pants hanging up, with tags still on them. At the time, I could not remember where they had come from, but decided to try them on. They fit perfectly, and my thought at the time was, "Oh cool, they are not stretched out and falling off me like all of the others".
So later I am talking to my wife, and ask her where these pants came from. She reminded me that I had gotten them for Christmas, and they were way too small for me. Then I remembered that when I tried them on at Christmas, I could not even come close to getting them to button. Now they fit perfectly. So that is a 45" waist to a 42 inch waist in 9 weeks.
Not sure I will ever get back to the 32" waist I had when I graduated from college, but I am now 30% closer to doing so. =)
Today, knowing that I had to appear before a local City Councel, and wanting to wear green for St. Patrick's Day, I was looking through my clothes looking for something green to wear when I came upon these brand new pants hanging up, with tags still on them. At the time, I could not remember where they had come from, but decided to try them on. They fit perfectly, and my thought at the time was, "Oh cool, they are not stretched out and falling off me like all of the others".
So later I am talking to my wife, and ask her where these pants came from. She reminded me that I had gotten them for Christmas, and they were way too small for me. Then I remembered that when I tried them on at Christmas, I could not even come close to getting them to button. Now they fit perfectly. So that is a 45" waist to a 42 inch waist in 9 weeks.
Not sure I will ever get back to the 32" waist I had when I graduated from college, but I am now 30% closer to doing so. =)
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Sirloin Stroganoff
My mother made this last Saturday for a family dinner, wherein I was the only person on a Paleo Diet. Everyone loved it, and there were NO leftovers.
12 to 16 oz. of boneless beef sirloin steak, thinly sliced into bite sized strips.
8 oz. of sliced mushrooms
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp Butter
4 small apples, halved and cored or 2 large apples quarterd.
1 cup apple cider or juice
8 oz. sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1. In large skillet, cook bell pepper, onion, and garlic in hot butter over medium high heat about 8 minutes or until nearly tender. Add meat slices and stir about 4 minutes or until meat is desired doneness. Using slotted spoon or spatula, remove meat and vegetables to serving platter, Cover to keep warm.
2. In same skillet, cook apples, cut side down, in pan drippins about 2 minutes or until browned. Stir in apple cider. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer covered 6 to 8 minutes or until tender. Using slotted spoon or spatula, remove apples from skillet to serving planner, Cover to keep warm.
3. For sauce, whisk sour cream, salt and pepper into pan drippings in skillet until smooth. Spoon sauce over steak and apples and serve.
12 to 16 oz. of boneless beef sirloin steak, thinly sliced into bite sized strips.
8 oz. of sliced mushrooms
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp Butter
4 small apples, halved and cored or 2 large apples quarterd.
1 cup apple cider or juice
8 oz. sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1. In large skillet, cook bell pepper, onion, and garlic in hot butter over medium high heat about 8 minutes or until nearly tender. Add meat slices and stir about 4 minutes or until meat is desired doneness. Using slotted spoon or spatula, remove meat and vegetables to serving platter, Cover to keep warm.
2. In same skillet, cook apples, cut side down, in pan drippins about 2 minutes or until browned. Stir in apple cider. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer covered 6 to 8 minutes or until tender. Using slotted spoon or spatula, remove apples from skillet to serving planner, Cover to keep warm.
3. For sauce, whisk sour cream, salt and pepper into pan drippings in skillet until smooth. Spoon sauce over steak and apples and serve.
Chipotle Steak and Tomatoes
Another recipe from my mother, (from whom I aspire to have just some of her culinary talent). I am very lucky to have my mother close by, and that she is so supportive of my gluten free and paleo lifestyle. Everytime she has us up for dinner, she comes up with a new recipe that both satisfies the appetite's of the non-paleo eaters as well as mine.
Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapenos. Find chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce at the supermarket next to the canned chili peppers, or buy the chipotle chile peppers separately and make your own adobo sauce.
2, 6-8 oz beef shoulder petite tenders or two 6-8 oz. beff ribeye steaks
1 Canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 tsp. adobo sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 medium tomatoes, cut in thick slices, (app. 1 lb.)
2 medium avocados, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup of thinly sliced red onion
Pinch of salt and pepper
1. Sprinkel steaks lightly with salt and pepper. Spread each with 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce.
2. BBQ steaks on the uncovered grill directly over medium coals, (or if using gas fire, directly over the flame with the cover down), until desired doneness, turning once. Allow 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare or 12 to 15 minutes for medium.
3. Meanwhile, for dressing, in screw-top jar combine chopped peppers, olive oil, and vinegar. Shake well to combine.
4. Serve steaks with tomatoes and avocado slices. Top steaks with onion slices and drizzle with dressing. Makes 4 servings.
Variation: For a creamy dressing, omit olive oil and cider vinegar and stir cipotle peeper into 1/2 cup bottled ranch dressing.
Enjoy.
Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapenos. Find chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce at the supermarket next to the canned chili peppers, or buy the chipotle chile peppers separately and make your own adobo sauce.
2, 6-8 oz beef shoulder petite tenders or two 6-8 oz. beff ribeye steaks
1 Canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 tsp. adobo sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 medium tomatoes, cut in thick slices, (app. 1 lb.)
2 medium avocados, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup of thinly sliced red onion
Pinch of salt and pepper
1. Sprinkel steaks lightly with salt and pepper. Spread each with 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce.
2. BBQ steaks on the uncovered grill directly over medium coals, (or if using gas fire, directly over the flame with the cover down), until desired doneness, turning once. Allow 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare or 12 to 15 minutes for medium.
3. Meanwhile, for dressing, in screw-top jar combine chopped peppers, olive oil, and vinegar. Shake well to combine.
4. Serve steaks with tomatoes and avocado slices. Top steaks with onion slices and drizzle with dressing. Makes 4 servings.
Variation: For a creamy dressing, omit olive oil and cider vinegar and stir cipotle peeper into 1/2 cup bottled ranch dressing.
Enjoy.
Paleo Challenge Results
The voting is done, and I came in 3rd in the 7 week Paleo Challenge, as voted on by the participants. Looking at the photos, I was pretty happy with my progress, but a lot of work still left to do.
With the positive results that the participants all shared in, Rob and Nicki, (Owners of NorCal Crossfit), have now extended the Paleo Challenge to 7 months. So now I have even more reason to stay on board. 7 weeks gave me a 16 pound weight loss. As my weight goes down, I know the weight loss will slow, but I think I can reach 250 by July. So that is my new goal.
Thanks to everyone for their continued support.
With the positive results that the participants all shared in, Rob and Nicki, (Owners of NorCal Crossfit), have now extended the Paleo Challenge to 7 months. So now I have even more reason to stay on board. 7 weeks gave me a 16 pound weight loss. As my weight goes down, I know the weight loss will slow, but I think I can reach 250 by July. So that is my new goal.
Thanks to everyone for their continued support.
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