Here is to 2014!

           Much to my dismay, this is my first post of the new year. While many people may have thought that I had given up on my blog, I simply needed a short hiatus to get organized! While my Paleo eating habits did not completely stick throughout the holidays, I still created many delicious Paleo meals and snacks. This is a new year full of so many possibilities and memories to be made. I can not wait to share my experiences with fitness, food, and life with you all.

          Now, I need to recap the past two months. After a wonderful Christmas with my friends and family, Crossfit Huntington had our official grand opening! We are almost two full months in, and it is incredible to see so many old and new faces enjoying what I love most. There is nothing that makes me happier as a coach than to see someone doing something they never thought their body could do. These people are not letting their fear stop them from becoming what they desire. I have seen more heart and drive in my box than from anywhere else I have ever been. The future is so bright for our athletes, coaching staff, and my box. At Crossfit Huntington, we are continuing to grow together, while truly having the time of my life.

          I am lucky to have a crew of teammates to train, learn, and progress with. We switched up our programming in early February to better prepare ourselves for the year ahead. I would not be nearly as happy suffering through my workouts without these people. They truly care about me and one another, and this is something you see every time we are together. They are my best friends and my own personal coaches. I appreciate the time they spend critiquing my lifts, helping me with my gymnastics movements, dealing with my less than confident attitude, and always making me laugh.

          Tom, Cory, and I competed in the Winter Chiller on February 1st. It was a day of grueling workouts, exhausted quads, and tons of awesome people. We got to compete with people from Pittsburg to my own hometown. I met many new faces and was fortunate enough to compete alongside some crazy fit ladies. Tom finished 3rd in the Men's Open Division and Cory placed 5th. I ended up with a second place finish for the day in the Women's Open Division, with four total 1st place finishes and two 2nd place finishes out of eight workouts. I think we all would tell you the best part of the day was the crowd of supporters that pushed us through the Final WOD. We had so many of our Crossfit Huntington members by our side and nothing  means more to me than that.

          Moving on to something that is on many crossfitters' minds this week, the 2014 Reebok Open. The first workout was announced last night, and I got to watch the result at my box. We have several athletes competing in it this year, and many of them are competing for the first time!  This is my second year competing in the Open, and I am excited, anxious, nervous, etc. No matter what competition I am in, I get the jitters. Stay tuned for updates on Crossfit Huntington and the Open. Good luck to everyone competing this year! Stay safe and most importantly, have fun. This is about enjoying the experience and putting all of your hard work to test.
         
          Finally, we are approaching a recipe. Also during these past two busy months, Tom and I began trying Advocare's products. During that time, we tried out the products which we liked best, in order to help guide others interested in Advocare. I became an Advisor/Distributor shortly after. While I am still learning, I can honestly say we have had a wonderful experience with the products. We both feel great, and we are recovering between WODs very well. My favorite products are the Post Workout Recovery Protein, the Muscle Gain Protein, and the fish oil. This recipe deals with the protein powder. When we met with our friend from Ashland Pro Fitness, Walt, he was ecstatic about his protein pancake recipe. I tried it whenever we got our first shipment in, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't obsessed. I have eaten these at least once a day since then (maybe more). You have to give them a try, whether you have Advocare or not!

Protein Pancakes: (No Flour Needed)

Ingredients (one person serving)

• 1/2 banana
• 1-2 scoop of Advocare Vanilla or Chocolate Protein (Vanilla is my favorite.)
• 1 egg

That's it! Mix as regular batter in blender, or by hand, then make in a skillet with a little olive oil in the pan. I also make them as waffles. I made the waffles in this photo for Tom on Valentine's Day (made with chocolate protein).