A New Challenge for this New Year.

This week I started another Paleo Challenge at my box. Tons of people keep telling me, "But you don't need to lose weight." Do you have to have a goal of weight loss to want to challenge yourself? This challenge is only for 30 days and requires strict eating with 4 days at the gym per week. Being that I've only been getting in the gym 3 days a week, on a good week, lately I thought that this would be a good way to kick my diet and fitness goals back in to gear. I am on day 4 and am doing good... so far.

Speaking of challenges - A friend from my box mentioned competing in this Tri Fitness competition this June in Florida and wants me to do it, too. I love a challenge, but I'm trying to do as much research as I can to determine if this is something that I can do. It has three parts: a figure competition (yes, you read correctly), an obstacle course and a fitness competition. You can also opt to do a fitness routine, but I think I'll leave my dance skills at home that day. It sounds crazy and like NOTHING that I have ever done. I'm not 100% locked in but I have been doing my research and will be meeting with a coach this week to hash out all of my questions and concerns. YIKES!

For this challenge, my family is attempting to participate by eating Paleo 80/20 for the first time in their lives. So far my baby sister, who is in 7th grade and has a horrid diet, just has a hard time packing her lunch with things that she likes and aren't too difficult to prepare. She asked me on day 1, "Is Ramen Paleo." No, baby girl. My mom is doing well and just came home yesterday talking about how starving she was. She's a teacher and doesn't have the time to eat or drink much throughout the day, so getting in enough calories is going to be tough for her. As for my dad, he may or may not actually be eating Paleo (lol).

My first benchmark WOD was (while having a sinus infection):

• 5 Rounds of 10 burpess and 10 75# Cleans
• 8:58
• Rest 10 Min.
• Then, Run 1.5 mi. for time
• 10:20

Those are by far not great times, but I'm not too upset with them either. I felt like crap, had tissues next to my chalk bucket, and my lungs were on fire for the run. But I finished under the time caps and can obviously do nothing but better the next time around!

This week, our favorite household recipe was: Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

• 4-6 Chicken Breasts, sliced into strips
• 4 Bell Peppers, cut into long strips
• 2 Onions, chopped OR cut into larger strips
• Romaine Lettuce (for lettuce wraps)
• Hot Salsa/Pico de Gallo from Harris Teeter (made fresh)
• Coconut Oil
• The juice of 1 lime
• Garlic
• Cilantro and guacamole, if you're feeling saucy 

Instructions:

Heat up a skillet with a tablespoon of coconut oil over medium heat. Start by slicing the chicken into long, thin strips. Also cut, or dice depending on your preference, the onions. Once the oil is heated, add in a tablespoon of minced garlic (about 2 cloves) and the diced onions. Once the onions soften up and start to turn translucent, after about 5 minutes, add in the chicken strips and squeeze the juice from one lime over it.

As the chicken is cooking, cut the bell peppers into long strips. I like all of my ingredients to be cut similarly, in long strips like they do at the Mexican restaurants! 

Once the chicken is about halfway complete, after about 15 min., add in the bell peppers. Continue to saute the chicken, onion and peppers until the chicken is done and the peppers have softened up, but still have a slight crunch. 

This can be served in a heap on your plate and topped with some fresh salsa, wrapped in lettuce wraps or on top of a salad. I like to make extras, too, so I can have some the next day for lunch! If you need some more fats, also top it with some guacamole!