4 Block Zone Meal (not Paleo-friendly)
3 oz. Chicken breast

1/3 c Blue Cheese

2 Tbsp Avocado

2 Tbsp Cream Cheese

1 1/3 c Spinach

Olive Oil, Cajun spice, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper to taste

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 375

In a bowl, mix the avocado and cream cheese with cajun spices until smooth.  Cut Chicken down middle length-wise and spoon avocado-cream cheese mixture into.  Fold over one side of chicken and drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper on top.  Bake in oven for 25 minutes.  Keep oven at 375, but at 25 minutes sprinkle blue cheese crumbles over and put back into oven for 5 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, prepare the spinach on the stove top according to package.  Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

The spinach only takes up ONE carb block so I served with fruit for dessert.

Zone Blocks:

4P, 4F (olive oil NOT accounted for – 1/3 tsp per fat block), 1C

Recipe by Amy (Jared tried it to make sure it was not poisonous).  This is 100% Paleo but the Zone blocks are listed.

3 Block Meal
4 1/2 oz Scallops
1 c Tomatoes (chopped)
3 c Mushrooms (chopped)
2/3 tsp Olive Oil
3/10 oz Pine Nuts
Crushed garlic (to taste, I used about 1/4 tsp)
Fresh Basil and Dill, and cracked Pepper to taste

For time:

5k Run or row

Compare to January 18th, 2009

Post times to comments.

Anna and Tammer snatchin' during Tuesday's hand terror… get it?

First, we have rescheduled the "Snatchin' on Sunday" clinic because Matt is sick with pneumonia AND flu-like stuff… ewww.  This bug is going around and has a fairly long life, so if you're sick too, please stay home and get well.  Your CrossFit workouts will not be good and you'll spread the nasties.

Why do people fear the 5k run?  Our guess is that they are stuck in the old mindset that a 5k is an incredibly long distance meant only for races and real runners.  Another thought is that the 5k is so boring that it becomes unbearable after only a very short time.  I have news for you – that's BS.  Every CrossFitter is fully capable running a 5k and recovering so fast that they'll leave wondering what all the fuss was about.  You want to try boring… pull down one of the rowers and be our guest.  Watch those meters just fly off the monitor. 

Seriously, come in and enjoy a beautiful day by setting a new PR on the 5k run.  It's a logbook entry! 

This recipe is from none other than our very own Tim Martin.  Block it out if Zoning, but consider this one Paleo paradise.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 Tbls Cinnamon, ground
1.5 tsp Allspice, ground
1.5 tsp Black pepper, ground
1 Tbls Hot pepper, chopped
1 tsp Hot pepper, dried, crushed
2 tsp Oregano, crushed
2 tsp Thyme, crushed
6 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup Onion, pureed or finely chopped
.25 cup lime juice
8 pieces chicken, boneless, skinless

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients, except chicken, in a large bowl.  
Rub seasoning mixture over chicken pieces and marinate in fridge for 6+hrs.
Grill!
 

For max load:

Back squat 5-5-5-5-5

Post loads to comments.

Cherie discussing the finer points of the Paleolithic Diet during Sunday's clinic.

Don't forget that tonight at 8:30pm we're having another Paleo Challange / Nutrition Clinic.  Show up with a pen and paper and lots of questions.  This is your opportunity to hear what other CrossFitters are wondering about the Paleo Diet and the Zone.  Get your measurements, pictures, and food logs for the challenge too.  If you attended Sunday's Clinic, feel free to attend tonight as well and ask any questions that you might have thought of.

Saturday at 11am is our bring a buddy class.  Bring a friend to the workout that has thought about trying CrossFit and workout with him.  This class occurs every Saturday morning and will be available to 8 people, so schedule your slots in advance.  Oh, and if you want to come on your own, please do!  Just shoot us an email and let us know you're coming and we'll add you to the schedule.

This is another Amy and Jared three block meal:

3oz Scallops (2P blocks)

.75c Sweet grape tomatoes (1C blocks)

1 Pear (2C blocks)

5 Olives (1F block)

1.5oz Blue cheese, crumbled (1P block)

.33tsp Olive oil (1F block)

.5 Walnut, crushed (1F block)

Add crushed garlic, salt, pepper, and dill seasoning to taste.

Saute the scallops and tomatoes in the olive oil.  Season with crushed garlic, pepper, sal and dill seasoning.  Add olives right before serving.

Grill the pear, sliced in half with core cut out until slightly golden.  Fill emptied core with blue cheese crumbles and sprinkle walnuts on top.  Serve on a bed of lettuce if you feel so inclined.

"Rest Days"

The Verve would like to say thank you to all of our members.  Matt and I started a CF affiliate because we wanted a gym to workout at close to home.  Little did we know, this would be our calling.  We are grateful to have each one of you in our lives, we are enriched because of all of you!  So thank you and let's keep kicking some ass in the new year.  Soon we will be celebrating our grand opening.  So here is a toast to the Verve family, YOU!

Post thought to comments

Jason, Luke, Liz (Diz) and Joei.

Emmalee, Alan and Dan.

Cass, Joei and Mas.

Mike, Krisitn and Joylyn.

Mike, Steff, James and Kristin. 

Jen, Anna and Jared.

Kiley, Hillary and Amy.

Chelsea, Britt, Emily and Ben.

Jake, Matt and Cheresa.

Cherie, Anthony and MBS group to balance out the post.

We hear just as many questions about nutrition as we do about CrossFit.  Many people have voiced concerns that the Zone and the Paleolithic diets can seem both difficult and restrictive in nature.  Others have said that they don't know how feasible it would be to cook for the whole family, while staying within the confines of these dietary constraints.  We're here to help.  This blog is dedicated to supporting our community on its path to elite fitness by developing the most overlooked portion of fitness – nutrition! 

Sure, an athlete may have a sub 3 minute "Fran", or 20+ round "Cindy", but if she isn't controlling her hormone levels through the drug we call food, she isn't realizing her full fitness potential.  When an athlete gets his dialed in, he will experience positive changes in health, energy, and sense of well being, while shredding fat, packing on muscle and optimizing physical performance.  Your nutrition will amplify or diminish the effects of your training efforts.  That's why we're here – to provide you with the results you seek.

We'd like for you to use this blog as a resource for recipes, ideas, or as an opportunity to share your successes.  Have you had a particularly good week of strict Zoning?  Tell everyone!  That's something to celebrate.  Have you had a bad week?  Tell us all about it, as our community is a supportive one.  If you have a recipe you love, send it to us with a picture of you eating it.  We'll try it and if we survive, we'll post it here.  Together we can make this so much fun – but you can't be a part of it unless you get involved.  So do it – NOW!

Resources:

Journal 21 Download Cfjissue21_May04 (The block bible)

Robb Wolf's shopping guide Download Shopping-food

CF Journal 15 Metabolic Derangement Download 15_03_Nutrition_Full_Issue

Link to the Performance Menu Cookbook Volume 1

Link to the Performance Menu Cookbook  Volume 2

Free Recipes from Performance Menu 

 The Paleo Diet    

An Amy and Jared creation:

4 block meal:

3oz Ground turkey (2P blocks)

2oz Chopped pepperjack cheese (2P blocks)

1.33 Cups baby spinach, scissored (1C block)

.5 Cup grapes (1C block)

.25 Cup pomeganate seeds (1C block)

.25 Cup garbonzo beans (1C block)

12 Slivered almonds (4F blocks)

"Fifty in the clip"

For time:

50 Burpee clean and jerks 75# (55#)

Post time and thoughts to comments.

Thanks to Zac from CF Santa Cruz Central for the WOD.

Joylyn with a 303# PR 1RM deadlift.  We're excited to see what the future has in store.

A note on soreness…

We've all been there: you head into the gym for another workout that stirs the butterflies in your stomach because you know this one's going to be tough.  You throw your heart and soul into the workout and finish with a time that you're super excited with.  You know the pain is coming, but when? 

It seems that it's the fast moving, multi-joint movements that involve a larger range of motion (think: thrusters) that really cause this "delayed onset muscle soreness".  You'll usually experience mild soreness as early as 8 hours after the workout and having the discomfort peak within 24-48 hours.  Yep, you've damaged your muscle fibers and the pain is the proof.  You've temporarily lost a little a muscle function and strength.

Is this what you should feel like after a CrossFit workout?  To a degree, yes.  Early on while your body is getting used to incorporating constantly varied, fast, multi-joint, full range of motion movements, it is continually adapting (i.e. getting stronger).  The broad, general, and inclusive nature of CrossFit will test this adaptational response more than any fitness program out there – preparing you better for anything, including recovery. 

So what do I do to reduce severe delayed onset muscle soreness?  Avoid it!  Take your time and apply intensity gradually over time.  Soon, your body will be ready for the greater demand having faced these challenges before.  After experiencing this soreness once, you'll take my advice in the future – it's no fun struggling to get out of bed.

Do squats leave you as sore as they used to?  How about virtual shoveling?  Post thoughts on the matter to comments.

(Adapted from Tony Webster's article in Nov. 08 CFJ.)