#100happyandhealthydays Challenge

Can you live a happy and healthy lifestyle for 100 consecutive days? We live in a crazy busy world and sometimes it's hard to do something just for YOU everyday. But taking care of your personal well-being is just as important as that 2 o'clock meeting or responding to your 50 new emails. Join in on my 100 day challenge of creating a happier and healthier you. Find out how it works below...

I decided to start this challenge for myself and thought that it would be fun to share with my followers, too! Here's how it works:

• Choose a healthy goal, or several, to accomplish by the end of the 100 days. It could be something like not biting your nails, or losing 10 lbs. But make it manageable.
• Post to your social networks (Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram) everyday using #100happyandhealthydays.
• Start your 100 days with a post about the goal(s) that you plan on accomplishing.
• At the end of the 100 days, share your progress with the social-sphere!

 What do I post?

• Whatever you want! This is for yourself and to motivate others. Examples of things to post would be- a new recipe, enjoying the sunshine, walking your dog, a day in the gym, etc.

Why?

• Like I mentioned, I really just wanted to do this for myself because I have a goal of getting abs by the end of the summer and plan on finishing out the summer season much differently than it started. (Aka: less booze and more sunshine!) Do you have a goal? It doesn't have to be fitness-related. It could just be that you want to eat more veggies or cut back on your alcohol intake. This challenge is just a fun way to share your progress and stay focused. You know you'll be sharing your life on Instagram anyway ;)

F or motivation along the way, follow my Facebook Page at Facebook.com/TheCaveGirlChronicles  or find me on Instagram @xojessicajo for my personal journey.

Let's get started on creating happier and healthier versions of our already fabulous selves! 

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! 

The Journey is Over... For Now.

I am super excited to announce that the 2013 LuRong Living Paleo Challenge is finally over. Two months seemed to drag on but I'm glad that I participated and I am a better person because of it. In the end, I improved on my WOD times, lost some inches and pounds and actually gained .3 inches in my arms! To some that may not be good, but for this noodle-armed gal that equals new muscle! My body fat percentage also went down. This challenge got me back on track and I am going to try to implement many of the lessons that I learned to my every-day life. Some of those being-

1. Limiting my sugar intake.
• I still plan on having my coffee without sugar, limiting sweets & avoiding added sugars.
2. Decreasing the amount of alcohol that I drink.
• I really enjoy beer and wine. But instead of drinking a couple a night, I will limit myself to one drink during the week days (not necessarily every day) and a two drink max on the weekends.
3. Limiting my caffeine.
• I will try to stick to one caffeinated beverage per day, no more.
4. Eating more frequently.
• Instead of eating three meals a day, I am going to continue to shoot for 4-5 per day to keep my metabolism happy... and myself ;)
5. Having a veggie, protein and good fat at every meal.
• Snacks will just be one or two of those categories.

That being said, there have also been some other changes and journeys that have ended for me recently. This past week, my boyfriend of 6+ years decided that he needed some space to figure out what he wants for his future. After being "on my own" since I was 18, I am now living back with my parents so I can figure out what my next steps will be. My short-term goals are now to just focus on myself and my relationships- friends & family. I am not going to wallow and be depressed. I am thankful and lucky to be surrounded by people that love me and to have my furry child, Ruca, still with me. While living with my parents, I am going to try to get them back on track with their diets and have some fun with it. I am going to continue to cook most nights and get them to try some new things. The biggest challenge with this will be my younger sister, who is in 7th grade, is incredibly picky. The other morning she  ate a Nutella sandwich.. for breakfast! I couldn't believe it. She also now weighs as much as I do and I want to get her on track so she doesn't end up affecting her health any more. Any suggestions on getting kids back on track and eating healthy?

Now that I am living back on the family farm, internet is tricky. So that could mean less posts than planned. On the flip side, this situation could also mean that I will have more time on my hands and that I will be posting more. So until I get my routine down again, please be patient.

I love you all and appreciate your support.

Week 6: The End is Near

I am a little behind in my recording of the LuRong Challenge. I ended up getting the office crud the beginning of the week and wasn't able to catch a break! Also, last weekend (pre sickness) I was able to do my gym's Barbells for Boobs Partner WOD (Helen meets Grace). It was a lot of fun and also my first time participating in the cause. I will definitely be there next year!

Back to the LuRong Challenge, I only have one week and two days left!!! I have decided that after the challenge is over, I will continue the strict Paleo principles for a while longer, with cheat meals once or twice a week. The only things that I really miss are beer, chicken wings and quinoa. If I can limit those things to only once or twice a week, I think I'll be doing good. I really thought that I would miss dairy more. But that ended up not even being a big deal, other than having to ask for it to be withheld every time that I ate out. Cheese comes on everything... or so it seems.

Last week my box completed the 7th WOD for the LuRong Living Paleo Challenge and I tried out some more new recipes.

LuRong Challenge WOD #7
Uphill Finisher - 20 min. time cap
Level II- #65 front squat and push press, 2 #35 kettle bells

3, 5, 7, 9, 11 burpess, front squat, push press with 100m farmer carry in between each round + 13 burpee pull-up finisher

• Completed in 19:35
• This was a really grueling workout, to say the least. I thought that the farmers carries wouldn't be bad, but my shoulders were shot by the time I got to those. Then having to do the 13 burpee pull-ups afterwards... Crazy I tell ya! #digdeep

Favorite Recipe of the Week:  Jalapeño & Mushroom Bison Burgers with a Sweet Potato and Broccolini. 

Ingredients:

• Coconut oil
• 1 jalapeno, chopped. Leave the seeds in if you like a little heat.
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 lb. ground bison
• 2 sweet potatoes
• Cinnamon
• 1 bunch broccolini
• Lawry's Black Pepper Season Salt (or other seasoning of your choice for burgers)
• 2 cloves of garlic

Instructions:

First, add coconut oil to a hot skillet on medium heat. Add the meat, jalepeno, mushrooms and garlic to a large bowl and combine the ingredients with your hands. Form the patties (should create 4), using your thumb to indent a small spot in the center of each patty- I learned this from a cooking show, it's supposed to help them to cook more evenly. Then season the burgers on both sides with the seasoning of your choice and add them to the pan, turning when needed. 

For the broccolini and sweet potatoes, I use steamer bags that can be popped in the microwave. The only place that I have been able to purchase these bags in my area is at Harris Teeter. I steam the broccolini and sweet potatoes separately, timing it out so that they are completed with about 5 minutes left on the burgers.

Lastly, plate the burgers (I like to add avocado to the top of mine!), cut your sweet potatoes down the middle and add half of the broccolini to each plate. I like to add coconut oil and cinnamon to my potato, and leave the broccolini plain. To each their own :)

I loved the simplicity of this meal and that it only took me about 25 minutes from start to finish and I only had to wash the frying pan. Also, in a perfect world this would have been great for leftovers. However, with my boyfriend there were none lol. I think that next time I will get 2 lbs. of meat so that I can enjoy these for lunch again the next day, at least!

I hope everyone had a fangtabulous Halloween and that you're weekend is great, too!

Week 5: More than halfway over!

I cannot believe that I have been doing this challenge for 5 weeks. I am more than halfway through and it is getting easier and easier to abide by the strict Paleo guidelines. I try not to eat out, simply to avoid temptation. But when I do eat out I actually do quite well. I usually know where I'm going beforehand and check out the menu so I already know what I am getting and there are no surprises. Like I've said before, being successful with any 'diet' program requires lots and lots of PLANNING.

This week my box completed the 6th WOD for the LuRong Paleo Challenge and I tried out some more new recipes.

LuRong Challenge WOD #6
100 single jump-ropes and then,
5 rounds:
10 power cleans. #85
10 hand release push-ups

• Completed in 9:02
• Level II
• Once again, I was super bummed that I had to do level II. However, in level III I would have had to be able to do ring dips without a band, and I just can't... yet.

Favorite Recipe of the Week:  Paleo Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini 'Noodles'

Photo Credit-Paleo Made Painless

Ingredients:

For the chicken

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. flaxseed meal
• 1/2 c. almond meal
• Spices of choice (I used black pepper, cayenne and a little sea salt)
• 2-4 chicken breasts (I did 4 because I love leftovers)
• Coconut or olive oil for 'frying'

For the 'noodles'

• 4-6 zucchinis (use 6 if you are making 4 chicken breasts)

For the sauce

• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
• I like to buy unseasoned sauce and create my own. But you can also just buy a jar of already prepared sauce
• 2 tbsp. minced garlic *don't need to add if using jarred sauce
• Olive oil
• Spices of choice *don't need to add if using jarred sauce (I used lots of basil, parsley, cayenne, garlic salt, oregano)

Instructions:

First, you will want to start your sauce. If you are using a jarred sauce, I would still go ahead and let it heat up. For your own sauce, you will start by adding 2 tbsp. of olive oil to a hot pan (medium low). Then, add your garlic and wait until it just starts to brown before adding the crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce. Then, stir in your spices. The amount and type of spices used are dependent upon what you like, personally. I use a ton of basil and then a lesser amount of everything else, and continuously taste it until it's where I want it.

Next, start your chicken. Start by heating up a skillet large enough for a couple of your chicken breasts to medium heat. Once the pan is hot, coat the bottom of the pan with your favorite cooking oil- I used coconut oil.  The best setup for breading your chicken is to have two bowls- one with the almond and flaxseed meal (and spices) and one with the eggs. Beat the eggs and make sure the dry ingredients are mixed well together. First dip the chicken in the egg, then transfer it over to the dry mix, making sure to evenly coat the chicken breast in the dry ingredients. Once the chicken breast is completely covered, add it carefully to the hot oil. Repeat this process for the next piece of chicken.

While the chicken is cooking, you can start your noodles. Wash your zucchinis and then, using a julianne peeler, peel all of your zucchinis. I recently purchased a julianne peeler, myself and am in LOVE with it. You can make virtually any vegetable into a noodle. This is the set that I got.

The chicken should take 20-25 minutes to cook, flipping once. Once the chicken is complete, place it on a plate with a paper towel, this will catch any access oil. While the chicken is cooling, in the pan that you cooked the chicken in, add the zucchini noodles. I prefer cooking in one pan when possible, however if you prefer to cook yours in a separate pan, I totally understand. I just hate dishes. Toss the zucchini to coat with the remaining oil, add more if necessary. Saute the noodles for about 5 minutes and then transfer them directly to a plate. Add a piece of chicken on top, and then ladle some sauce over everything. Presto! Chicken Parmesan, minus the parmesan ;)

Let me know if you try this recipe and how yours turned out!

Week 3: Once a cheater always a cheater?

This week went much better, with no cheats and lots of overcoming cravings.  The other night I was gun-ho on cheating for some Wing King hot wings, but waited 10 minutes to give a final decision and... I ended up opting to cook. Baby steps! I hope that eventually I won't crave "bad" things. Even though I still don't think that there's anything wrong with some hot wings!

LuRong Challenge WOD #3
95# Cleans**
10 reps of Hang Power Cleans, 20 Meter Sprint
8 reps of Hang Power Cleans, 40 Meter Sprint
6 reps of Hang Power Cleans, 60 Meter Sprint
4 reps of Hang Power Cleans, 80 Meter Sprint
2 reps of Hang Power Cleans, 100 Meter Sprint

• Completed in 5:05 (added 5 sec. on for not completing last spring- completed 90 Meters)
• Level III 
• The most I had ever done previously for a hang clean in a WOD was 75# - 20# PR baby!!! :)

LuRong Challenge WOD #4
50 reps of 65# thrusters & then 50 Toes-to-bar; 10 minute time cap

• Completed in 10:21 (added 1 sec. for each unfinished rep)
• Level III

Favorite Recipe of the Week: Paleo Pumpkin Protein Pancakes (Try saying that 10x fast!) from http://deliciousbydre.com/

Ingredients:

• 1 cup egg whites
• 3/4 cup pumpkin
• 1/2 cup almond flour/meal
• 1 scoop vanilla egg white protein powder (or whatever vanilla protein powder your little heart desires if you are not strictly paleo)
• 2 tbsp organic milled flax *I left this ingredient out
• 2 tbsp organic honey (or splenda/stevia) *I used 1 tbsp. since I am on the LuRong Challenge
• 1/8 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Stir in/dissolve the pumpkin into the egg whites & add the honey
2. Mix dry ingredients separately & add to the wet ingredients
3. Heat pan or griddle on medium low heat (4 out of 10) and coat with organic coconut oil or coconut oil spray
4. Using a 1/4 cup measure, pour batter onto your cooking surface
5. Once it bubbles up, use a spatula to flip it over & cook for an additional 30 seconds to 1 min on the other side

I made this breakfast on a Sunday morning and LOVED it. I have been pretty bummed lately that I haven't been able to enjoy the "pumpkin flavored everything" and have been on the hunt for Paleo pumpkin recipes. There are actually several that I found and you can find them on my Pinterest Account. This one was easy to make and took only about 20 minutes from start to finish, not including doing the dishes. Definitely recommend!

Have a great week, everyone!

xoxo Jessica