“All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: that I am nobody but myself.” ~Ralph Ellison
Thank you to CrossFit PROPER for the illuminating the twitter feed with Ellison.
It’s almost midnight. Time for reflection and I am not going to “agave” coat it. I am tired. I am sore. I have a swollen knee from a week ago when I missed a box jump. I wonder if my knees will always buckle when I do squats. Thankfully, I am under no contract to be eternally optimistic because the full concept just hit me. CrossFit plus Paleo Challenge equals no fucking joke.
I am very nervous about maintaining the rigors of a fully Paleolithic diet. Look what I am doing:
Mama looks like the Willow, the vertically challenged chap, beefing up before he and Val Kilmer kick some fantasy ass and rescue a wee baby.
Sugar is a damn narcotic. See, I don’t want the bread. I can live without the pasta. Diet Coke? Well, that’s a whole other kettle of fish. Speaking of fish, I am taking the daily recommended allowance of fish oil and I curse every time I tip the stuff back. I feel like Spanky from the “Little Rascals” going to great lengths to avoid his Cod Oil and Ovaltine. But, back to the Diet Coke. I am jonesing badly.
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September 7th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Hi Amanda,
When I first did a lot of heavy and/or new work that pushed my knees into unknown territory, I came home with sore and swollen knees. I started icing both of them for 20 minutes and it knocked out the soreness and swelling, too. I use Colpac skin-ready packs: http://tinyurl.com/mp6rrs Of course, I’ve got ALL sizes…depending what’s complaining when (knees, shoulder, etc. The large size allows me to get all the knee and surrounding area, too.
Another similar tool is the small ice pack in the nylon sleeve (secured with a velcro strap to keep it extra snug) from BeWell: http://tinyurl.com/n88gc4 I’ve got more than one, for when the patella tendon under both knees is pissed of. I hit them both with coolness for 20 minutes, and voila, soreness gone.
Good luck knocking out Diet Coke. It’s synthesized to reprogram our brains so that we think we can’t breathe without it. (Here’s hoping Coca Cola’s lawyers aren’t reading your blog, at least today.) I get my caffeine from Carpe Diem Coffee (http://www.carpediemcoffee.com/) Jane and Gussie know the bean from the inside out and back again. You can drink it cold, you can drink it hot, and their brews are so sweet sugar isn’t needed. They haven’t set up factories in (so called) Third World nations and paid workers extra low wages, suppressed unions, etc. like that that cola company I mentioned. Just the opposite.
Keep it up!
Cheers,
Greg
[Reply]
September 7th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Hey Amanda, just tuned into your blog and love it.I know you’ll kick the diet coke in no time at all! Congrats on all of your hard work and thanks for keeping us laughing as we all delve deeper into going paleo.
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September 7th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Hey, have you ever tried Ovaltine with coconut milk???? (OK, just kidding – although Sergeant Harry might like it!)
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americapeals Reply:
September 7th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
Hey Big Bri
I know Harry is getting ready to puree meat for shakes. And, I will have to look into Ovaltine. I also remember that Ovaltine was essential in a “Christmas Story” where the Ralphie had to drink a ton of it so he could get his little Orphan Annie decoder ring.
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September 7th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Keep on trucking Beals….
Remember, CrossFit doesn’t get easier…but it does get better.
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September 8th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
amanda
I love ur blog. The diet coke thing is the hardest part of the challenge for me too. I had to the continuos IV infusion of it into my veins. The headaches were so bad at fiest ( true addiction!) Most days I do well..on days I slip at least its 1 can or less! Keep up the aweosme work..inspiring.
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September 11th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
CF ROCKS! Giving up Diet coke – well, I had a tough time with it too. I have been DC free since January…and I have to say…I don’t miss it at all! What I realized is that is just simply created havic on my stomach – made me tired – and made me eat more crappy foods. I do sometimes need the fizz…so I just have soda water. I have also turned to coffee – but I have one per day and drink it black. Didn’t take long to get use to it. Keep on plugging!!
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