Oh what fun.......

"You can't start reaching for the future, if your arms are still wrapped around the past!"

When I saw this I had to read it three times just to let it sink in. If you are ready to make that move, take that next step, walk through that door, then you have to just let go of everything you are holding onto - turn around - and GO!!! If you have been thinking it's time for you to make some changes and can't seem to make it happen - take a deeper look and see what you are holding onto. For most of us it's fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. Don't let this fear take you down. Turn your back to it and make the future the best it can be!

Warm - up
2 x 30 sec dot drill
10 squats
5 sit-ups

Skills
Skin the cat
Jump to support - rings
Ring Row

WOD
15-10-5

Tire Flips
Knees to Elbows
Push-Ups

CrossFit Kidz 7-8-10

Hailie, Jaden, and Emily learning proper squat form!

WOD

CrossFit Kidz will be working on their gymnastic skills today and a little more of that jumping that we worked on Monday of course in a totally different context as we will be adding the wonderful jump rope.

Why not follow up with the same WOD as the grown-ups are doing today! Who say's kids can't do Annie?

Classes run every Monday and Thursday at 8:30 am and 6:00 pm. Keep your eye on the site for news of upcoming "spirit days." We will be concentrating on nutrition on Monday's and fun spirit days on Thursday's.

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CrossFit Kidz 7-5-10

WOD

AMRAP 3 minutes -2 rounds

6 - 2 feet tire jumps
4- frog jump burpees
5- 1 foot hurdle jump

Today marked the first day of CrossFit Kidz Korner here at CFM. I am so proud of my 3 girls that got up early on the Monday after the 4th of July Fireworks to start today. Today, we concentrated on "jumping". We learned that we get a better jump if we start with our feet under our hips as opposed to on the outside. We learned how to jump with 2 feet straight up in the air, we learned to frog jump with an added burpee, and we learned how to jump with one foot as in jumping over a hurdle.

It was hot and sweaty and I learned that even your eyes can sweat if it gets hot enough. I can't wait till Thursday to see my kidz again!

It's here, it's here, CFM Kidz Korner!

CFM KIDZ KORNER

Well, it’s finally here!

CrossFit Youth (ages 6-11)

Mon and Thurs 8:30 am (effective July 5, 2010)

Mon and Thurs 6:00 pm (effective July 12, 2010)

I really wanted to start this on July 5^th, but I have already made a commitment to coach the sports camps at church. So, the afternoon sessions will be available July 12 and on.

CrossFit Teen (ages 12-17)

Will fall into our regular scheduled CFM Classes

I have been asked over and over and over when do we get to have CrossFit for our children. When are you going to start a children’s program? Can my child try this also? So you ask and you shall receive.

Effective Monday July 5, 2010, I will start coaching a CrossFit youth program here at CrossFit Michiana. To make this as cost effective as possible we have come up with a punch card system for our children. The punch cards will have 12 punches and be sold for $60.00. The way it works is you will pre-buy the punch card. Your child will bring their card to class and I will punch a hole showing they have used one of their days. I know that kids schedules are constantly changing so it is not required that your child attend all classes in a given month.

I will not only be working with your child in reference to healthy exercise but I will be incorporating healthy eating habits into our classes. What we teach our children today, makes them who they are in the future.

The pricing for CrossFit Teens will be the same as CrossFit Youth; these kids will feed into our regular CrossFit classes. We will limit each CF class to 4 teens, so get your spots NOW!

So, if you have ANY questions, please DO NOT just respond to this e-mail. You need to e-mail me at carole-stevens@sbcglobal.net , and I will take good care of you!

Thanks,

Carole Stevens

www.CrossFitMichiana.com

I'm Addicted to Sugar

Sunday evening I am sitting in my living room stuffed full of every sugary carbohydrate that my house has to offer. I decided instead of throwing it all away, I would "eat" it all away! I was SO very sick. So, I decided right then and there it HAS TO STOP! I spend my day's coaching all of you on nutrition and help guide you along the path of eating correctly and found myself hoarding sugar like a drug addict looking for his next fix.

SO, I decided to put myself out there in front of my Spartans and let them know what I was going to do to "break my sugar habit!" I woke up Monday morning hungover as hell, sugar was seeping out of my pores and sent an e-mail to my Spartans to let them know that for the next two weeks, NO chai latte's for Carole Stevens!

I had asked that my Spartans join me in this challenge and at any given moment to test me and remind me that I cannot have a chai. I need the accountability of my fellow Spartans. So, I heard from a few of them. Crystal, who I am putting out there today has decided to give up sugar for the next two weeks. I will have her back.......and what I love about CrossFit is that I know she will have mine!

Here's to all my Spartan's and the next two weeks, work hard and we will play hard.

Here are Crystal's own words on how the Spartan Challenge has changed her:

"The Spartan Challenge has been a blessing in disguise for me. Physically, I have already dropped one dress size and my family and friends have noticed changes in my appearance as well. My friend, Holli, actually told me that since I have been doing the challenge that she has seen a change in my appearance. She commented how much younger I looked. That was such a nice compliment. However, in actuality I do feel younger because I am stronger and I have more energy. I have also noticed muscles in places I have never seen before. I am lifting more weight now then I have ever done my entire life. During my workouts, I am able to push myself and use heavier weights. I also shaved 5 minutes off my time from last year on the Memorial Day Murphy workout.

Mentally, I feel secure, energetic, alert, and determined. As a Spartan Challenge member, it has given me the determination to push myself and strive for goals. I use to look at the workouts of the day and wonder if I would make it through, now I look at the workouts with the mindset of "I am ready, let's go!" I also look at my fellow Spartans and I see them pushing themselves, reaching their goals, and/or exploring unfamiliar territories they have never seen before and that motivates me mentally to keep fighting. They are my mentors and I appreciate all of them!

Spartan Challenge has also helped me emotionally. It has taught me to fight fear straight on. I have decided that I will not succumb to fear and/or give up. I will not let life pass me by or watch myself wilt away. I want to be able to enjoy my time here with my family and friends.

I am grateful that I signed up for the Spartan Challenge.

Crystal Lam"

You know your CrossFit when.....

You do a push press with your 13 yr old daughter to retrieve a football from the roof............

So, this weekend I had some eye opening experiences! Some, that were blatantly brought to my attention and some that just after the fact made me realize I might be obsessed with CrossFit. I use obsessed lightly here as we all know that you just can't help it.

So, coming home from the Spartan workout on Saturday I received a call from Brooke...she was taking a bike ride and wanted to show me how quickly you could get to the river from our apartment. So, I ran in the house, grabbed Alvin, and met Brooke outside for our adventure. We were walking home from our little adventure and lo and behold there were two children outside playing and their football had landed on the roof and it was stuck. I took the smallest child and tried to hold him up to reach the football and he was too short. So, the next child I put on my shoulders and told him to stand up...he was petrified - still no football. So, I looked at Brooke and said "We have to do this!"...she passed Alvin to the boys and I told her this: "ok, I am going to do a squat, climb on my back" so she did, straddling my shoulders I easily stood up with my 110 lb "back squat". She couldn't reach the football, so I told her "I am going to do a push press, when I press you over my head I need you to grab the gutter, hold onto the gutter and pull yourself up to the football!" So, I then push pressed my beautiful daughter and saved the day!

Bragging to your boyfriend, he tries to one up you with a story about muscle ups and diapers.....

So, on our way to South Haven later Saturday afternoon I decided to relive my push press experience and started bragging to Jim about pressing Brooke over my head. This is what he said to me, "That's nothing, when I went to buy Gabby diapers this morning there were no size 6's on the shelf in the front so I had to do a muscle up on the shelf in WalMart in order to reach the diapers in the back!" Oh, ok so my 110 push press was nothing compared to a muscle up....I should have known.

Your at the park with your child and you tell her to go get on the pull up bar....she quickly turns her head and says, "Mom, those are MONKEY BARS!"........

Yeah, true story....Saturday evening we were enjoying the fun and sun at South Haven and because you just can't help it when you see them, practicing our pull-ups on the monkey bars. There is nothing better in the world than showing up all those rugrat kids doing kipping pull-ups on monkey bars at the park. You don't think I'm crazy now, do you?

So, yeah...Is CrossFit an addiction? Have you ever tried doing your CrossFit moves somewhere other than the gym? How does CrossFit apply to your every day life?

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Proud Mama

Ok, so we have all been there before. When your child does something that you just have to tell the world about. Anyone that will listen gets the story over and over and over. You can't help yourself, you are proud and that is the way you get your recognition for a job well done. It's almost like a pat on the back.

So today, I am a proud Mama. The only problem is the two people I am about to brag about are not my children. In fact, they are two grown men whom I have come to enjoy immensely when they walk into my class. I look forward to their humor and of course the way they "rag" on each other is always great! It's great too see lives change before your eyes. That is why I do what I do. I can see people changing right in front of me - are they performing better? YES! looking better? YES! feeling better? YES!

So, here goes. On January 4th of this year Robert and Shane started their very first (and my very first at this time) CrossFit class at 6:15 am on a Tuesday morning. They had spent the last weeks of December going through their essentials and anxiously waiting to step into a class and see what we had to offer. Well, we had Angie to offer. They luckily (this is my version of the story), on their very first day of CrossFit were faced with 100 pull-ups, 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 squats....in that order, start to finish!!!

I remember the day very clearly because it took them both almost 35 minutes and in a moment of weakness I felt sorry for them and stopped them at 50 squats each. Yes, I like the Grinch, do have a heart and let them off on "easy street!" They joked in their usual fashion about the next time they got to face Angie, how it would be easier. They struggled but never quit to get to the end of the workout.

Fast forward three months to the beginning of our April 4 week session. It has been three months of hard work three times a week - always upbeat my two boys came into class and worked their butts off!!! They did whatever I told them to, with minor jabs here and there at their trainer and at each other....they pushed through each and every workout. Sometimes finishing last, sometimes modifying (because that's what we do), but always a positive attitude!

Robert came to Carl's 7:30 class on Monday March 29, his previous Angie time with jumping pull-ups, modified push-ups, sit-ups, and 1/2 his squats was 34:40. New time with jumping pull-ups, modified push-ups, sit-ups and squats 26:02. He took 9:22 off his time!! Shane came to my 6:15 class on Tuesday March 30, his previous Angie time with jumping pull-ups, modified push-ups, sit-ups, and 1 /2 his squats was 34:33. New time with jumping pull-ups, 30 military and 70 modified push-ups, sit - ups, and squats 23:02. He took 11:31 off his time!

Both of these boys have gone down in weight and body fat. Robert has lost 5.2 pounds and 4.2% body fat. Shane has gone down 7.6% in body fat. They have both worked hard, they have come a long way. I put some pictures of "my boys" up from their very first workout! I will be posting some of their new pics as I get them. Keep up the great work Robert and Shane!!

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Pizza that's good for you?

Ok, So a few weeks back Jim and I ran into Myra at the grocery store and she was looking for "Almond Meal" and told us she was going to make a paleo pizza! I was like "What the heck is that, I want some...!" So, last Friday night I set out to make my own pizza.

Ingredients:
Crust:
2 Cups Almond Meal/Flour
2 Eggs
2 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp salt

Instructions:
Crust:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. This should give you a ball of “dough”. If your dough is too “mushy” continue to add almond flour until you get a good consistency.
3. Make a pizza sheet or baking tray non-stick. This is VERY important if you want your pizza slices to come off in one piece. (I even put oil on my stoneware!)
4. Press your dough on the sheet nice and even about 1/4 inch in the middle and 1/2 inch at the edges.
5. Put crust in the oven for 15 minutes. It should look slightly golden brown when you take it out.

Toppings:
You will want to pre-cook any meat going on your pizza. Veggies can go on fresh and raw, or cooked depending on your preference. Your favorite cheese will do, we used Feta but would have been nice to have a little bit of melted cheese on top.

Sauce:
1 Small Can Tomato Paste
1/2 - 3/4 Cups Water (To desired thickness)
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tsp Garlic

Sauce:
1. In a saucepan, combine all ingredients. Use water to desired thickness. We like ours pretty thick. Feel free to add more spice if you want it, too.
2. Simmer on stove for approximately 15 minutes.

Toppings:
Whatever you want!
We used fresh organic baby spinach, turkey pepperoni, grilled chicken, and feta cheese!

Put it all together:
1. After crust comes out of the oven, spread sauce evenly over crust.
2. Add your cheese and toppings evenly on top of sauce.
3. Put back in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 more minutes. Cheese should be evenly melted.
4. Slice and enjoy!

To say I was excited is an understatement. I was on cloud 9, I could hold the pizza in my hand to eat it, the crust was nice and crunchy which I like. This was delicious.

Try it and let me know what you think:

Last but certainly not least ...... Myra DeCraene

I have but one athlete left to spotlight and the shining light goes to Myra DeCraene today. Myra has been a CrossFitter for some time now and was an athlete that make big changes in our nutrition challenge back in June of 2009. Back in June, Myra realized that there is more than one component to fitness - she changed her nutrition drastically (via the paleo diet) and noticed that the inches and pounds were falling off of her.

In joining the I AM CrossFit Challenge her goal was to take it to the next level on the workout side of the "Fitness Spectrum" since her nutrition was well on it's way...... Well, SHE HAS!! She is doing wonderful and making great strides towards her goals for the challenge, here are her words:

since joining the i am crossfit challenge a month ago i have felt great and have been performing better. the compliments i have received are seriously overwhelming. it has bordered on embarassing, but still, i am receptive. teehee. i have set a p.r. or two. one was that i wanted to do a whole workout doing box jumps rather than box steps, check!! another one was that i do a WOD as Rx'd, that too i have accomplished. check! woohoo! i have a few things to still work on in both the gym and at home with nutrition. i also began to use a lot more organic foods and have stepped out of my box to try new meats, buffalo to be specific. i feel like i have made great strides and continue to press on to the next goal. i am putting my best foot forward to round up this last 4 weeks of the challenge. after all, vacation starts the day the challenge ends. but my lifestyle of crossfit and paleo will remain, in this i have found the right amount of everything. thanks to my coaches and friends at cfm this is all possible.

Congratulations Myra and GO TEAM CAROLE!

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I AM CrossFit - Lena You Rock

Today I am featuring a "new CrossFitter" but not new to what we do! Lena started in our bend and stretch program at Elkhart General Hospital. She was a quick learner and was constantly told she needed to move "up" to bootcamp. Eventually she took that step forward and ended up in our bootcamp program. Lena joined the gym specifically to compete in the "I Am CrossFit" challenge. In the four short weeks we have been running I Am CrossFit I have seen several things from this athlete....persistence, perseverance, dedication, willingness to make changes necessary for growth.

I will let Lena tell you in her own words what CrossFit has done for her:

I have to begin by saying the #1 thing I have noticed is my increase in energy and a change in my attitude! I used to look at the workout and think "There is no way and I am going to die!" Now I working out 5 days a week and every time I see the workout the first phrase that comes to mind is "Lets do this!!"

My arms and legs are beginning to tone and I have been told by EGH boot campers that they can notice a significant change, which feels amazing! Burpees and pull-ups continue to be my biggest struggle, but instead of fearing them, I have learned to appreciate them and use them as a performance tool.

My diet (other than a few sweets) has proven a success, in my mind. Learning how to increase my protein and get rid of my daily carb overdose feels good. It isn't that I didn't want to before I started Cross Fit, I just didn't know how or alternatives to what I was eating.

On a personal note, when I got divorced 3 years ago, I was 152 lbs, a size 10 and miserable. My mornings consisted of getting up early just to watch the Today Show and finish 1/2 of an Entenmanns's cheese coffee cake. My cholesterol was 240 and I was slowly depleting every bit of life I had left in me. Then I got off the couch, stopped my pity party and stepped up the person I knew I could be. That is where boot camp happened. To be where I am now and see the changes in my life and what I am accomplishing is incredible. When you learn to love yourself again, everything can change and I cannot thank you enough for believing in me. I know I have a long way to go, but I would rather be on this path with Cross Fit than alone :)

I am 110% committed to being a success story and beating these teams in 6 weeks! I am ALWAYS open to criticism and advice when it comes to my nutrition or the gym. So please, continue to let me know ways I can continue to improve. I want to be the best I can be!!

Thank you again!! It means the world to me :)

Lena

I was going to edit this but I couldn't leave a single thing out- what happened when I read this for the first time can be described with one word "GOOSEBUMPS"....she has not only changed physically but emotionally and mentally as well.

Let's kick butt Team Carole!

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I AM CrossFit - Team Mate Robert Battalio

My next feature athlete is Robert Battalio. I have A LOT to say about Robert. When Robert came to CrossFit for the first time it was Thanksgiving Day 2010. Well, we all know that the WORST time to start CrossFit is during our annual Blow Your Turkey WOD but we did have a few new brave souls that not only survived the workout but came back and joined CFM knowing that Jim Turnbo sometimes thinks he is Richard Simmons. Robert started his essentials classes with me in December (when it took him 3 days to recover from one workout being an active runner he knew he had been missing as essential part of his training).

Robert, like so many of us who first start out in CrossFit lacked one if not many of the ten components of CrossFit. In his case, I noticed that he was lacking balance, coordination, and flexibility to perform a simple air squat. I witnessed Robert doing the Team Jackie WOD on Friday February 26th and he was doing 45# thrusters like a pro. His squat was below parallel, his elbows were raised so that his back held the lumbar curve, when he drove through his heels from deep in the squat and pressed the bar over his head to a locked out position, popping his head through "the window!", I nearly cried! I saw his successes with my own two eyes.

Robert is a man with very few words, when I asked him for a testimonial of how he was feeling I got something like this: "I am running better....am feeling stronger...am eating better..." but he said it best when he was walking out of the gym on Friday. He said, "isn't the fact that I show up here every day for my assigned classes and you to torture me proof enough that I am getting results!" Well put!

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Spotlight Athlete Brenda Hunsberger

Every once in awhile you have one of those days where you wonder if what you are doing is all worth it? Did you make the right choices? Are you happy with the path you have chosen? I'm not gonna lie, I DID NOT WANT TO GET OUT OF BED THIS MORNING! I was tired and sore and then the phone rings and reminds you why you do what you do.

My phone rang this morning at 9:13, I was at the Chiropractor so Brenda left a message. It went something like this, "Carole, I have good news, call me back so I can tell someone who cares!" So, I called back and got her voice mail. Minutes later we connected. Carole, I went to the doctor today and was told that lung function has improved and he is taking me off one of my asthma medications!" I literally had goosebumps running down my arms and legs. This is why I get up every morning in the dark of night and do what I do. This is why Brenda Hunsberger is my spotlight today for the I AM CrossFit Challenge.

Thank you Brenda, for bringing me "back to life!'' I know, that is what you are thanking me for....but Brenda, I think it works both ways. Here is Brenda's testimonial....I was going to cut pieces of it but I think you all deserve to see the entire thing:

"As my 40^th birthday approached a few years ago, I wanted to improve my fitness and decrease my weight. I have had asthma following lung trauma in 1996 – this sometimes makes it difficult for aerobic type activities. I have been one of those on and off exercisers. I do not like the monotony of it…so I usually don’t stick with it. CrossFit is different – every day! I do like to run (sick I know) so I been doing a few 5K’s each summer and one ½ marathon annually since 2007.

I have been doing CrossFit for about three weeks. I have more energy than I thought possible (for a young lady of my years). I am on four medications for my asthma. After a visit to my pulmonologist today, I was told my lung function has improved about 10% since my appointment in August. He is taking me off of one of my medications! I have been told it isn’t all about the scale, but I also lost 9 pounds since that appointment. I am beginning to notice small physical changes! My biceps and waist are beginning to look sculpted and it appears that someone has taken a bite out of my "bagel". Performance in the gym has improved, and I have also noticed improvement on my long run times and endurance. I have a 10k scheduled for March 6^th and I am going to try to RUN the whole way…stay tuned.

Has it really only been three weeks? GO TEAM CAROLE!"

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I AM CrossFit - Team Carole

Pictured above is Kent Dead Lifting during CrossFit Total week at the gym, Kent is one of my athletes in TEAM CAROLE!

Well the I AM CrossFit challenge is off to a good start. Team Carole consists of Robert Battalio, Lena Tisten, Myra DeCraene, Kent Riffell, and Brenda Hunsberger. We are just starting our third week of the eight week challenge. April 2nd will be here before we know it!

I just wanted to give a little update on one of my athletes: Kent Riffell is kicking butt and taking names....he has lost 2 inches in his waist so far and almost 7 pounds in 2 weeks. Kent, it's time to kick it into HIGH GEAR! No more snickers and reese's for your late night cravings.

Everyone on my team is heading down the right path. We are all working on remembering to eat our daily dosage of protein. Keep it up and "Go Team Carole!"

I'm not MIA

For those of you wondering what has happened to my blog and where I have been, I am here to tell you that I am not MIA. I am just "frazzled!" Is that a word? I am so busy right now I can't see straight.....but fear not I have words of wisdom coming your way!

For now I wanted to share a picture of my new puppy hanging out at the gym. He is so cute...and I love him very much!

Family

THE TUTTLE CLAN

" The Girls" - Tina, Carole, Kathy, Mom, Dad, Cindy, and Pammy.

"The Boys"- Timmy, Tommy, Mom, Dad, Mike and Bobby

This was the last time we were all together, Christmas 2009. I want everyone reading this to remember to cherish the moments you have with your family as you never know when they will be your last.

Timmy, I will miss your smile, your laughter, and the funny things you always had to say. God promises to take good care of you until the day we meet again.

I love you brother,

Carole