Happy Wednesday! We’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled program (Kitchen Adventures) to bring you some information on the Nutrition portion of the Whole Life Challenge. If you missed our post last week about the Fall 2019 Challenge, you can check out the details and register through this post [CLICK HERE] – Don’t forget to join Team CrossFit Austin once you’ve signed up!

THE WHOLE LIFE CHALLENGE is made up of 7 daily habits including nutrition, exercise, mobilization, hydration, sleep, daily reflection, and a lifestyle challenge that changes weekly. While the others are all very important, nutrition is the largest component of this challenge. While nutrition can be a very confusing topic, the WLC has made it quite simple for the purposes of the game. The most important part of setting yourself up for success with this challenge is choosing the nutrition level that is right for you.

WLC outlines 3 levels
KICKSTART || If you are new to making changes in your diet, this is a great starting point. Kickstart eliminates things like breads, beer & sodas, and desserts. It’s a great way to begin eliminating some of the things that may be keeping you from seeing the changes you want in your body composition.

LIFESTYLE || This level cleans things up quite a bit. If you already eat pretty clean (not a lot of processed foods, mainly whole sourced proteins, fresh produce, healthy fats…) this level will help you recognize the hidden ingredients in things that may be holding you back. Have you checked the labels on your favorite chicken broth? How about that “healthy” frozen smoothie pack? Lifestyle level really brings your attention to the details.

PERFORMANCE || Hardcore cleaning things up! If you’re looking to make some major changes in your diet, this is the level for you. This level eliminates many of the food sources that have been known to cause inflammation or digestive issues in many people. Don’t worry, there are still plenty of items you can eat, but this level will source you to all whole, unprocessed foods!

In addition to the omnivore lists, there are food lists for vegetarians as well so you can eat in alignment with whatever you follow!

If you’re currently eating fast food every week and haven’t quite kicked the sodas, we wouldn’t suggest jumping straight to Performance. The same goes to say, if you already eat quite clean, don’t sell yourself short and go too easy.  “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you” -Zig Ziglar

We encourage you to take a look through these lists prior to choosing your level. Don’t let them be intimidating! You are already looking to make a change so choose a level that is challenging for you, but doable. Feel free to let me know if you have questions! I hope you’ll join us for this challenge!

 “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you” -Zig Ziglar

REGISTER HERE

Change can be challenging. Yet, without a challenge, there can’t be change. With the holidays right around the corner, we have the opportunity to create good habits that will help us make smart choices through the holiday meals!

We also hope that this challenge will create habits that carry over into the New Year so you can shift your New Year’s resolutions away from health and fitness goals (because they’ll already be in place!) and make more goals surrounding having fun in 2020!

During our last challenge, we saw some awesome results and had great time working through the challenges & celebrating our weekly wins with our teammates. We hope you’ll consider joining us on this journey again!

Whole Life Challenge is part fitness, part nutritional and body composition, and part accountability challenges. Our goals for each Fall 2019 Whole Life Challenger are:

• Mental + emotional preparation for the longevity of a healthy lifestyle {awareness + action}
• Individual fitness gains
• Creation of lasting habits for individualized nutritional and body composition success
• Physical & nutritional preparation to get you through the holidays and carry over into the New Year!

You + Whole Life Challenge = Team CrossFit Austin

Challenge = Change // Goals = Gains

{What is it?}

While everyone wants to look and feel better, it can be a challenge to know how or where to start. The Whole Life Challenge focuses you on the key areas of your life that produce real, life-long changes. Playing together with your friends and family in a fun and motivating daily game, you’ll create new healthy habits that last long after it ends.

The Whole Life Challenge focuses on 7 daily habits that you will learn and create for yourself as you journey through.

These 7 Daily Habits are:

• • Nutrition. Your food choices have the single greatest impact on your health, well-being, and community. When you make choices that keep you healthy, you give yourself the fuel to fulfill all of who you are. There are 3 levels to choose from that allow you to start making changes in a realistic and attainable way.  {Choose the level that is right for you}
  • Exercise. Humans are designed to move daily. Whether through workouts, activity, or simply enjoying the full use of your body, daily movement keeps you healthy and vital. You’re already moving regularly with us!
  • Mobility. In a sedentary world, our bodies get stuck. Daily mobility and stretching helps you move the way nature intended and continue enjoying freedom of movement into your later years.
  • Sleep. Modern schedules tend to dictate how many hours of sleep we’re entitled to. A practice of increasing that time, even by a little bit, can make big strides in robust health. You set the sleep goals that are right for you.
  • Hydration. More than anything, your body is made of water. This habit ensures that your body gets enough of its most basic resources for life.
  • Lifestyle Practice. The {WLC weekly lifestyle practices} turn a life into your life. Learn to step back, take stock, connect, and turn your attention to what is really important to you.
  • Reflection. Looking back, looking inward, or looking forward, daily reflection draws your awareness to what is working and what needs your attention today.

{How Do I Play?}

The {Challenge} begins with taking your preliminary measurements and completing a scalable workout that will be repeated at the end.

Throughout the 42 day challenge you will post your scores in the 7 categories listed above. The Challenge is designed in a way that we can work as a team to check in with and support each other on a daily basis.

To close out the Whole Life Challenge, you will repeat the preliminary measurements and workout to gauge how far you’ve come! But, it doesn’t end there! The Whole Life Challenge is designed to help you make healthy lifestyle changes that last.

{How Do I Register?}

You can register and join Team CrossFit Austin through the Whole Life Challenge {website}. Make sure you do join our team to participate with the community!

REGISTER HERE

CHALLENGE BEGINS September 28, 2019
CHALLENGE ENDS November 9, 2019

Early Bird Sale: Now – August 18 @ 11:59p — $24

End-of-Challenge Special: August 19 – August 24 @ 11:59p — $29

Early Registration: August 25 – September 11 @ 11:59p — $39

Regular Registration: September 12 – September 22 @ 11:59p — $49

Last-Minute Registration: September 23 – October 9 @ 11:59p — $59

Challenge Begins September 28th, 2019

** All Times Are Local Time **

If you’re ready to dial it in and make some long lasting habits, join us for this challenge!

Who likes Chipotle? 😉 It is one of the few ‘fast food’ options that offers meals on the cleaner side that can easily hit macros (if you’re into that sort of thing). Tim and I usually get a burrito bowl and load it up with all the good stuff, but eating out can get pricey. Also, by making this home version, I know EXACTLY what ingredients are going into it and how much which makes tracking that much easier.

I’ve done several versions of this, but I’m going to share the steak version with you because it turned out really bomb. This marinade is great! I used my sous vide to cook the steak, but you could grill it, bake it, pan sear it…. whatever method you prefer. As for the toppings, go crazy! I like it all so I pile it high, but you can be as selective as you like.

At Home Burrito Bowl

INGREDIENTS
For the steak & marinade
2-3 lbs steak (I used ribeye)
2 TBSP Olive Oil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 medium red onion
1 chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce) + 1 TBSP adobo sauce
2 tsp Oregano
2 tsp Cumin
2 TBSP Chile powder
salt & pepper to taste
water as needed if too thick

For the cilantro lime rice
2 cups jasmine rice (you can sub brown if you prefer)
Juice from 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp Garlic Powder
Pinch of salt

For the corn salsa
2 cups corn (I used frozen – thawed and drained)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice from 1 lime

For the rest!
1 head Romain Lettuce – chopped
2 cans black beans – drained and rinsed
1 container pico de gallo (or make your own!)
Guacamole – (or make your own!)
Plain Greek Yogurt
Shredded cheese
Hot sauce of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS

Steak – combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a food processor and pulse until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a little water. Season both sides of your steak with salt and pepper. Combine steak and marinate in a gallon size ziploc bag and let marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes. If you are cooking it sous vide you can skip marinading and just cook it in the ziploc. Cook the steak a little under your liking! You’ll do this so that when you reheat, the steak won’t dry out.

Cilantro Lime Rice – Cook the rice accordingly. Once finished, add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.

Corn Salsa – combine all ingredients and mix well.

To assemble – Divide the rice and beans into 4 containers. Divide and add the steak. The rest of the ingredients should be stored separately. You’ll reheat the bowl with the rice, beans, and steak and the rest can be added cold afterward! Enjoy

Y’all… it doesn’t have to be hard. Some days you get home from work and you’re beat and you don’t want to put any effort into dinner, but instead of reaching for that take out menu, you can make an easy, healthy meal (and definitely cheaper!) in less time than it usually takes the delivery guy to make it to your door.

We’ve been burning the candle at both ends lately and I really just needed something clean and simple so that’s where this comes from. I kind of got away from regularly including fish in our weekly meals so I also wanted to make sure that I was getting us back to that and this meal was exactly what we needed.

No frills, wholesome food. Just the way we like it. The serving sizes below made 1 meal for each of us. If you’re hoping for leftovers, double it up!

INGREDIENTS

2 Large Orange Roughy (or other sturdy white fish) fillets
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 TBSP Lemon Juice
1 TBSP Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 Cup panko bread crumbs – can also sub rough chopped almonds
2 Beets
6-8 Medium Carrons peeled
1 Cup brown rice
Coconut oil

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry beets, trim greens off top, but do not peel. Coat in coconut oil, wrap individually in foil and place in the oven on a baking sheet to roast. (Total time, appx 30 minutes or until tender)

Wash and peel carrots and cut into sticks. On a lined baking sheet toss in coconut oil and place in oven to roast (total time, appx 25 minutes or until fork tender)

Make the rice according to the package.

Pat fish dry and set aside. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. IF you have a wire cooling rack like this it is helpful to place that on top of the baking sheet, but otherwise just grease the baking sheet and set aside.

In one dish, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice. In another dish, combine panko (or chopped almonds), Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Coat fish lightly on both sides in the olive oil/lemon juice mixture and then coat on both sides with the seasoned panko mixture. Place the fish either on the rack or directly on the greased sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the panko is golden brown and the fish flakes easily.

Once the beets and carrots are finished, remove from oven. For the beets, open the aluminum pouch and allow to cool for a bit. Using a paper towel, gently rub to remove the skin and then slice

To serve, portion the rice on each plate, top with the cooked fish. Serve with the veggies on the side. Sit your butt on the couch and kick up your feet because it’s been a long day, but at least you’re feeding yourself well! 🙂

I’m a little afraid that I might burn out on this because we’ve had this as a meal prep option 3 times in the last couple of weeks, but it is SO GOOD. It’s also been really refreshing for lunches in this crazy summer heat. Yes… it has chips on it. But, there are good options out there. Siete chips are grain free and we used the HEB Organics nacho chips… up to you!

Anyway, I used to love taco salad when I was a kid and it had been YEARS since I’d eaten it, but I’m so happy to have it back in my life…. This recipe is clean, simple, and so easy to put together. I am also including a recipe for a really good Catalina dressing. I highly recommend that you don’t skip that! That dressing would be killer on any salad honestly.

Alright, let’s get to it!

FRESH TACO SALAD

INGREDIENTS

For the salad
1.25-1.5 lbs ground beef
1 package of taco seasoning
1 head of Romain lettuce (or greens of your choice) – rough chopped
1 can black beans – drained and rinsed
1 can sliced black olives – drained
1 cup Corn kernals
1 cup green onions – chopped
1 pint cherry or sweet tomatoes – diced
Shredded cheese
Chips of choice
Plain Greek yogurt
Avocado

For the dressing
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup ketchup (sugar free)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder

INSTRUCTIONS

In a pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Stir in the taco seasoning and a bit of water as needed to keep it from drying out. Store in a container to build into a salad when you’re ready to eat.

Rough chop the Romain and slice the green onions. Put each ingredient in an individual container and store until ready to build your salad.

To build – Lay a bed of greens down. Layer toppings as desired and top with the dressing! Enjoy!

For the dressing – Mix all ingredients in a jar, shake vigorously until well combined. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Simple as that guys. I made this again this week and Tim and I killed it in 2 days… Get on this!

I know what you’re thinking….. “wut?” I had actually heard of people doing savory oatmeal, but I have always been more than happy with my berry, granola, and cinnamon loaded oatmeal so I came to the conclusion I didn’t need to try it.

But…. in a search for something a little different to mix up our mornings, I decided to give this a go. This is an adaptation of a few different recipes I saw and I have to say I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.

Anyhoo, this is packed up with some garlic roasted kale and because I’m indecisive, some had fried eggs while others had soft boiled, and it’s all topped off with kimchi. I’ve also been trying to get more fermented foods into our diet. I did kimchi with this, but I also really think that raw sauerkraut would be awesome. What do you think?

Enjoy folks!

Savory Oatmeal

INGREDIENTS – This made (4) 2-cup servings
2 cups quick cooking oats
3 cups of water (more to your liking – I like my oatmeal pretty thick)
3 green onions – thinly sliced – including the whites
1/3 cup shredded parmesan (or similar) cheese
2-3 cloves of garlic – minced
1 large bundle of kale – ribs removed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 egg per serving (your choice, fried or soft boiled) or if you want more, add more!
Optional toppings – Kimchi, Sauerkraut

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash, dry, and rough chop your kale. Make sure the stems and ribs have been removed. Smash and mince your garlic into a texture close to paste. In a large bowl mix your garlic and a little olive oil with the chopped kale. Toss until well coated.

On a lined baking sheet, spread your kale out into an even layer (I had to use 2 baking sheets). Roast for approximately 5 minutes, flip, and roast another 5 minutes. Continue this process until the kale becomes crispy.

While the kale roasts, boil your water and stir in the oats. Once done to your liking (remember, you can add more water if you prefer) stir in the cheese, onions, and salt & pepper to tase.

Divide evenly into bowls and top with your choice of egg, kale, and a little more cheese. I left my kimchi separate because I wanted to heat the bowl, but put the kimchi on cold, but it’s up to you!

I also add fresh avocado and hot sauce to just about anything. Tim tried this with Sriracha and was a fan. That’s the beauty of oatmeal, you can really do whatever you want with it!

Hello again! Happy Hump Day!

Hope y’all have had a great week. The past weekend was another busy one for us (good, but packed) so I needed something that was easy to put together for prep this week. This is actually an entire meal put together in a single bowl, but I’m including 2 different ways to cook the carnitas. Hopefully all of you either have a crockpot or an instantpot by now 😉

I love this recipe because it’s pretty hands off ( and I was feeling lazy on my meal prep ) which allowed me to focus on some other things while the food was cooking. I have also used this exactly same recipe for BBQ pulled pork with the only difference being the addition of BBQ sauce… The season (for me) stayed the same so you could essentially make 2 different meals with one large piece of meat.

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

Carnitas Prep Bowl –

INGREDIENTS 
For Carnitas – Measurements are what I used for about 2.5 lbs of meat – increase to taste based on pounds
2-3 lbs of pork butt or shoulder – cut into chunks
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 TBSP Olive Oil
Juice from 1 small lime

Sides –
1 Can black beans – drained and rinsed
2 Large sweet potatoes – peeled and cubed
*Optional – soak cubed sweet potatoes in cool water for 10-15 minutes prior to baking
2 Large fresh broccoli crowns – cut into florets

DIRECTIONS – 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat cubed sweet potatoes in coconut oil and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes until fork tender. Mix with drained and rinsed black beans and season lightly with paprika (optional).

Broccoli – I steamed mine for this bowl, but you could roast it alongside the sweet potatoes (about 20 minutes)

InstantPot  Carnitas – In a small bowl, mix all of the seasoning until combined. In a large bowl, coat the meat with olive oil and mix with seasoning until well coated. I used the steam rack, but you can plan the meat directly in. Add a 1 of water or chicken broth to the pot and place the seasoned meat in. Close the pressure valve and set the manual setting to high for 40 minutes. Once the timer goes off, quick release the valve. When the pressure has released, put the meat in a large bowl to shred with two forks. *Mix in a small amount of the cooking liquid and squeeze the lime juice over top. **Optional to crisp the ends** Put the meat on a baking sheet and put in the oven under a high broiler for 2-3 minutes (watch it closely).

From here, I just built the bowls! Half with the sweet potato/black bean mixture, half with the broccoli, top the veggies with a portion of meat and you’re done! If you like tacos as much as we do, you could throw the sweet potatoes/beans and the meat into a tortilla 😉

Crockpot Carnitas – Season the same way, add 1 cup of water or broth to the slow cooker and place the meat in. Close the lid and cook on Low for 8-9 hours/High for 5-6 hours or until it shreds easily. Take the same steps to crisp the edges if you like!

I know it seems like I have a major sweet tooth right now. I’ve been posting all these desserts and treats and it seems like I’ve gone into overdrive with the sweets, but I promise we’re still eating our veggies 😉

Baking is something that has always intimidated me. As bad as I used to be at cooking, I was even worse at baking. It’s wild because baking really is like a science. Measurements must be exact. Where I’ve run into the most trouble with baking is the actual temperature of my oven. It seems like even if I follow a recipe to a T it always seems to over bake in my oven. I’ve come to understand that so whenever I put something in the oven, I stay on the shorter side and just “snooze” the timer for a little longer if needed.

I would love to get more into baking. I have always loved the idea of it. But, I would love to get into baking in a way that doesn’t introduce all the extra sugars into my diet. That’s why I tried my hand at a SUGAR FREE, GLUTEN FREE, LOW CARB cake. You heard me. Now, those of you who don’t handle dairy well…. unfortunately the icing won’t work for you, but otherwise, this is a very clean dessert.

My second try, I made it as cupcakes which actually turned out a little better. I’m presenting you with that recipe, but you can absolutely do this in a 9×9 glass dish as a cake.

Not only is this clean, it’s healthy and way easier than I thought it would be. It’s a perfect, light and fresh dessert for the summer! I’d love to hear from you if you make it!

INGEDIENTS

For the cake:
1/4 C almond flour
1/4 C coconut flour
1/4 flax meal
2/3 cup Swerve sweetener (this is a relatively new product, but I’m a believer y’all. It doesn’t have a weird aftertaste at all and it measures CUP FOR CUP like sugar)
1/3 cup protein powder of your choice (I used SFH Fuel in both strawberry and coconut… delicious – and we carry it in the front office)
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt
1/3 C melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1.5 C fresh strawberries (roughly chopped – you’re going to puree them)

For the Frosting:
8oz Cream Cheese – softened
1/4 C heaving whipping cream
2 TBSP Swerve
1 tsp Vanilla

To Top:
Fresh Strawberries – washed and sliced
Fresh Blueberries

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake tin with liners (or grease a 9×9 pan)

For the cake(s) – While the oven preheats, mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a blender or a food processor, blend the strawberries until pureed and then add the puree to the dry ingredients.

Add the melted coconut oil, vanilla, and eggs to the mixture and mix well until combined. Transfer the batter to your cups or dish. Be careful not to overfill the cupcakes.

Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the top center of the cake is cooked. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting – With a hand beater, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the heavy whipping cream, swerve, and vanilla and continue to beat until it becomes thick and fluffy (1-2 minutes). Once your cupcakes (cake) has cooled completely, frost and top with fresh berries!

This was another recipe I made for my mom’s birthday so she could enjoy a treat, but we liked it so much we took this to a potluck party too!

State your Name and/or Nickname please:
So my real name is Allyson, but I am sooo not an Allyson, I usually just go by Ally.

The only nick name that anyone has every called me in recent years is Ally Bunz 

Words to live by?
The Just shall live by his faith.

What is your fitness background?
In high school I played almost all the sports my little school had to offer. Volleyball, basketball, track, and softball. In college I played intramural sports like co-Ed and woman’s flag football ,club volleyball, and softball. 

How long have you been CrossFitting?
I’ve been Crossfitting for 5 years now. I took a year break when I moved to Austin and then started back up here at Crossfit Austin thanks to Kristy Marsillo.

Take us back to your first day of CrossFit… How did you feel? How do you compare it to workouts today?
So I only went because my friend wanted me to go try out classes with her. I had never heard of Crossfit, but I remember the bar being super heavy and it was something super complicated like thrusters or something. I knew I was going to like Crossfit after that first workout because I’m so competitive. Oddly enough, I ended up sticking with it longer than my friend did. Compared to today’s workouts I’m not nearly as weak as I once was. I’ve grown to learn how to love not just the workouts, but the community behind it all.

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
My favorite part of Crossfit Austin is how friendly all the coaches are. I don’t think I’ve ever been able to tell if a coach is having a bad day, they always have a good attitude. I appreciate them being super friendly towards me, even though I’m always half asleep when I show up to the gym. Haha 

Current Training Goals/PRs?
My current training goal is just to try and be as consistent as I can by staying active wether it’s being at the gym or going for a run. Also I had a lot of PRs before I took a year break from CrossFit so I want to be able to hit those PRs or even better. 

What advice do you have for folks just starting out in CrossFit?
My advice for anyone is to not be afraid to just walk into the gym and try a class out. Take a friend and you WILL be sore,  but embrace it. I always tell everyone it’s 100% worth it too if you want to see more muscle tone on your body. 

What is your cheat meal go to?
Food is life and I feel like I have many cheat meals but I can always do a bomb burger and fries with a Dr. Pepper

How do you use your fitness outside of the gym?
I’m always on my feet at work; and occasionally lifting patients up in their bed or out of wheel chairs.

Tell us about a moment you felt most proud of yourself during a workout.
Finishing my first CrossFit competition back in 2016. I felt the most proud of myself for finishing all the workouts. There was a squat clean ladder as one of the strength workouts and I completed the ladder after not being able to during practice, so that was really cool and I was pretty pumped/proud of that.

If you could create a WOD and name it for yourself, what would it be?
Name: Night nurse life

15 AMRAP
50 double unders
25 situps
15 power cleans 

Then as Cash out: a shower and a nap 

What keeps you going on the days you don’t feel like it?
My boyfriend usually pushes me to go to the gym whenever I’m feeling super tired or lazy and I appreciate him for that. My workout environment reminds me on a daily basis how important it is to take care of yourself, your body, and enjoy life like there is no tomorrow.

What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit?
Hmmm outside of Crossfit, I love to go dancing with my friends. Music is life so I usually want to break out and dance but I contain myself if there is music playing. I like to listen to Podcasts, Hanging out with my boyfriend, family, and friends. Oh and eating good food, Haha I love trying out new restaurants.

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I whistle almost all the time, especially if i can’t hit a high pitch in a song by singing I just whistle it out. Haha

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
You guy are awesome! Keep up on grinding I’ll see y’all at the gym