A few Midweek food tips....AND Meet Michelle-a pretty amazing before and still going!!

A few little food tips for the week.

I have been struggling a little with my food. NOT falling off the wagon completely, but maybe eating things that I really shouldn't be. Like 4 FLOUR tortilla shell in 2 days. I can't help it if on the weekend I sometimes let my hair down and have "Rancho Market" tacos. This consists of their tortillas, marinated chicken breast, cheese (yes cheese-what is a real taco without cheese?) and a little sour cream? I mean man oh man they are delicious. Anyway. I felt every bit of that little indulge when I ran on Sunday morning. So here is what I am doing this week. Remember all the meat you saw on my grill? Basically I am doing ADD SOMETHING GREEN. Meaning I do my lean meat and not so lean meat-and then add just a huge serving of green. I have kale, broccoli - cut up lettuce- you name it..I get as much green on my plate as I can possibly fit. So- that's it. My little tip- never WAIT a week or a month to get back on track START THE NEXT DAY! Lets be honest- you can't be all on all the time. Sometimes I read other peoples blog and feel like a huge slug. Some people are so matter of factual and so strict with their eating. Well. I choose to be focused yet live. We have to have some joy in eating right?
Also-a super delicious quick fuel tip. Hard boiled egg wrapped in prosciutto got this from my sis Liz. AMAZING! it will kill that hunger. Maybe not Rancho Market taco hunger but hunger just the same!

So excited to share this story. Pretty inspiring if you ask me.
MEET MICHELLE CLEMENTS:  Lets look at this before closely....
I met Michelle while wodding for a great cause Angels for Alex (RIP little buddy) I didn't really know her before this event but happy that I was able to meet her and even more so that I get to share her journey. I remember in the chaos of running the raffle that day- I saw Michelle more than a handful of times. I kept waiting for her to do the WOD in a heat that I could watch because instantly I felt compelled that I should cheer for her.
It's what I do...don't ask. Michelle was exposed to Angels for Alex through our dear friend Garrett Smith- she was more than happy to come out and support this cause because in her words "cancer sucks" She loves challenges and she loves giving back. She came to CF22 knowing what the WOD was going to be and knowing that she could do power cleans but wondered what about a REAL burpee?? She was determined that if Alex could fight cancer she could fight a burpee. She adds "who would of thought this white girl could jump?" Had me laughing. She adds that she did way better than she thought she would do and added that CAN'T is just not in her vocabulary. I add this picture because it was so inspiring to watch my sister Liz cheer and encourage Michelle through this WOD.
So that's how I met Michelle-Now...again- Meet Michelle

Michelle's journey and story begins in 2010. Michelle weighed 339 lbs she was wearing a size 4X (52-54) . She states "I was obese, but I always thought I was normal..." She decided it was time to make a change. She started her weight loss journey by using USANA products. (remember my intro my blog? it won't always be just Paleo and CrossFit....) People thought she wouldn't follow through (I find this crazy but I didn't know that Michelle) So she proved to them she would. She started boot camp. She started by going 2-3 times and week -she says it was hard and she was out of shape. She chose boot camp it was different than your typical gym. No one was judging you-just people pushing you and cheering for you. It was here she was exposed to some squatting and burpees but not really things like pull ups and heavy lifting. She did boot camp for about 8 months and then came CrossFit (so I lied...enter CrossFit-how else do you think I meet these crazy inspiring people?) She wondered  in her words "what in the heck is CrossFit?" To her CrossFit seemed difficult but she decided to try it anyway. Starting CrossFit she often wondered how on earth she was going to learn the moves. But clearly...she is learning them. She has been CrossFitting for 14 months now and she WODS at West Jordan CrossFit.
I asked Michelle if she could remember her first WOD. I love to ask people this question. Most people have no idea. But one thing everyone remembers is how hard it was. For a while anything with running about killed her. (I have to use her words and not mine because its really quite funny) and she often said "I hate running". She remembers being on a PVC pipe forever just learning technique and longer still working on pullup progressions.

I asked Michelle what her eating "style" was. I like to ask people because so may people are doing so many different things. It doesn't have to be all Paleo or Zone for people. It doesn't have to have a name or a million resources you can look up. It can be as simple or as complicated as you want. She is still using USANA products. So whey protein shakes, protien and veggies and some fruit and she adds " who would have thought I would eat a carrot EVER and not eat cheese everyday?" She does do the Paleo challenges which I am assuming are through her box. and she adds "if you eat crap, your workout is crap"

 

Knowing that Michelle just did her first CrossFit Open I kind of wanted to know how that experience went for her. This was the best thing she has done in years. She said that had to talk people into doing to Open (I feel your pain) That she told them for how hard they work are they not interested in seeing where stand in the world? No matter what she was doing, every Wednesday she was excited to see what the WOD would be. Before the first WOD came out she was so nervous just hoping, as we all did, that it was going to be something she could do then realized, she can do anything and not to worry about it. So the first WOD - burpees and snatches- she got right to work setting her goal to get 100 pound snatch. She sent many messages during the open to many people just reaching out for some much needed confidence (I am happy to say I was one of them) she added a gymnastics WOD to learn some stretching and after each announcement she envisioned the WOD. She would start 2 hours prior to warm up fueling her bod and getting  herself mobile. She loved the support that she got. She felt that the heavy lifting was the FUN part. She only redid 2 of the WODS 1 and 3. As the WOD's got harder she knew she could do the heavy weight but the wod with chest 2 bar got her. She never gave up. She sums it up with "funnest time ever" and "next year I have have chest 2 bar and toes 2 bar and pull ups" then tells ME to watch out because she will be in the Master division in 2 years..Sorry Michelle and maybe thank heavens I won't have her chasing me-sadly we will never compete in the same division in the Open....BUT MAYBE (as I throw out a challenge to her) Masters at Fitness Elevated eh??

Now my favorite two questions. And it's the one that I really don't feel like I should use my own writing on.
What are you desiring to gain most from the changes you are making-
She wants to inspire people to get healthy, to love themselves to know anyone can do what she is doing. She wants to be fit and hold her head up high with 100% confidence. She adds-she loves to PR..

HOW has your life changed? I am going verbatim on this "Funny you should ask. I went from being the girl locked in a closet that no one ever noticed and now I am the inspiration to alot of people. So strange when people say that to me. I was like what are you talking about? all I do is what you do. I never thought of it an anything else. My body is forever changed. Now I really notice and I like mirrors a little more. I love to do pull ups just to see my muscle (nothing wrong with that eh?) I am much more positive and I like to  help others get through WODS. I can do 2 WODS in a row sometimes and I have a way to live my life better and to live it to the fullest everyday. There is so much I can say and the people around me at my box and other boxes that support me make it all worth it."
Michelles journey is far from being over. It's always funny when I ask people where they want to be..Some are hesitant to nswer but not Michelle, and not surprising. She currently weighs 228- YES DO THE MATH!! OVER 100# LOST SINCE 2010. She bought a pair of pants a month and a half ago- size 20- remember her starting size was 52-54. And now that she has implemented running with Garrett and did a Paleo challenge, sadly her new pants are too big and she is in a 16-18.

Her goal is to get to 160  my the end of the year. she says "not rushing it. CrossFit is like a roller coaster of pure strength. I have more mental strength than muscle mostly"

If Michelle could give 1 piece of advise to others it would be "Never give up- make a goal, do a challenge and make your HEALTH work living. We are all in it together" Just believe in yourself and others will to.

I had this all typed up and ready to go but I feel like I would be shorting Michelle if I didn't share this message she sent me today

Michelle Clements (in her words folks)

In two months something incredible happened I just measured yesterday. I lost 7 inches in my hips. 2 inches in my chest 3 inches almost 4 in biceps.thigh I lost 5 inches. Calf 2 inches and belly 3 . Freaking amazing it was the open ha ha probably done of it. Paleo challenge and Garrett's running and all my usana stuff totally awesome

Thanks so much to Michelle for taking the time to share with me. I feel inspired to quit my damn bitching and absolutely feeling the need to step my game up-I am not even going to wish you luck on getting to your goal because you don't really need itttt. Knowing you- I envision you getting there before the end of the year! I feel like a better person simply because I know you!