Family

Inspired by Matt Munson's blog post from yesterday titled "My Love"....

My husband, Kevin, and I will be married 10 years this November.  Kevin and I met one summer on the Jersey shore.  Although, across the bridge was where he called home, I was travelling from Montreal, Canada.  To this day, we know it was meant to be... 

So, when we visited the priest in the weeks before our wedding day, we were asked a series of questions in regards to marriage, children, love, etc.  One of the questions he asked us was if we intended on having children.  Of course, I said yes.  I always knew I wanted to get married and have children.  To me, everything else was secondary.

So, from that day forward, I knew that being a "momma" is all I wanted to be in this lifetime!  ...and not just any regular mom, but a SUPER mom.  A mother like we read about in books - THE BEST MOM EVER.

Jonathan Julius was our first to be born.  Fifteen months later, we had our twin girls, Maria Antonietta & Kora Denise.  Three years after that, we were blessed with our youngest boy, Luca Alexander.  We knew then that we were complete!  We're a big family (and we've actually added two more members since then, lol - our dogs, Izzy and Leia), but we couldn't imagine our lives any other way than LOUD and CROWDED!!! 

In the last seven and a half years, I have done everything in my power to care for my children.  I have given them anything they have ever needed.  I have put them on the TOP of my list and continue to do so.  I hug, kiss, and love on them every single day.  I tell them "I love you" every opportunity I have.  I remember, as babies, I would actually cancel appointments, etc if my kids were asleep to not interfere with their sleep.  I read and sing to my children almost every single night and I help them to grow and flourish as people to the best of my abilities.  WHOA! 

On our wedding day, I made an oath to my husband - I promised from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part to be the best woman/wife I could be.  

There's no doubt in mind that I have tried to live by those rules, but as with many couples, there have been moments where it's been more difficult than others to keep that sacred promise.  Ultimately, though, at the end of the day, I wouldn't change him for anybody else.  Kevin is all "right" and all "wrong" just the way I need him to be! 

So, now that I dragged you down memory lane - what was my point, you ask?

AWESOME

I woke up at 4:30 Friday morning and jumped in the shower.  Then, I got dressed and headed out the door to teach one of my personal training clients at CrossFit Champions.  A blank slate.  That's what every morning is when I get out of bed.  The start of a new day.  The beginning of something new and better.  The potential to do anything; to change anything.  OR it can be just another same old, same old.  Essentially, it's UP TO ME.

Friday, I PR'ed at my split jerk by 20 pounds!!! Outstanding!  I couldn't have done it without my fellow CFC staff members, though.  My coach/friend, Matt Munson posted a video on Facebook because we were THAT proud. Click below to see the video.

MY VIDEO

Friday afternoon was fun-filled and C-R-A-Z-Y!!! SUPER COOL way to start the weekend...

First, we introduced a new tradition: CFC Staff only WOD!  Totally AWESOME.  What a beautiful way to unite the coaches!  (I can totally see our competitive natures coming out in the near future, too)  

Then, CFC had a 24-day AdvoCare Challenge finale.  Results were through the roof...  Athletes and staff shared plenty of blood, sweat and laughs!  

Saturday morning was a breath of fresh air!  Staff meeting was invigorating.  CFC free Saturday was booming.  Last day of the 24-day Challenge was a success! 

And relax time... or so I thought... As I walk out of CFC, I get a fb message from CF Cypress that there is a spot that opened up for the Oly Weightlifting Clinic with Ursula Garza!!!!  NO WAY!!! 

After three hours with Ursula... I jumped in my car and raced home to sign up for the Oly Cert in March in Austin with Ursula!!! I can not believe how much I learned about the SNATCH this weekend between my coach, Matt Munson and Ursula Garza, a Level 5 Olympic Weighlifting Coach.  WOW!!!!!!

And at the end of all that, it was incredibly comforting to sit down and relax with my amazing family of 8!! (My husband; Kevin, my gorgeous kids; Jonathan, Maria, Kora, Luca and my totally "can't live without" dogs; Izzy & Leia....

Progress

A little over a week ago, I was asked by an athlete at CFC, "How far along are you?"...  Uncertain of what I was being asked, I stared at this person with a bizarre look on my face and they proceeded to use their hand to contour my belly with the intentions of suggesting a baby bump!  Needless to say, I was, without a doubt, flabbergasted because (1) I am NOT pregnant (2) I am NOT pregnant AND (3) I am NOT pregnant! 

So, why am I sharing this totally embaressing piece of information with all of you?!?!?  I gained 7 measly pounds, and it showed up in my belly... and I wasn't doing anything about it.

That comment helped me look in the mirror and be honest with myself.  It whipped me into shape, literally... Because it made me take a step back and remember that I am an icon at my place of employment.  Think about it...  Every single day, people are looking up to me for information on how to be better, stronger, leaner, faster, etc...  So, naturally, regardless of intentions, I am scrutinized on an hourly basis!  People are watching my every move, they are listening to every breath I take and every word I say and using that to form decisions about their next very own move in life!  And you know what?  There's absolutely nothing wrong with that!  It makes sense.  Actually, I'm honored that I may actually impact people in such a way.

The next question I asked myself was:

How can any of you, my athletes and/or people in my entourage, feel confident about something I say or do, if I am not doing as I say??

(SIDE NOTE: Just recently, I have been going through this in our home, too.  A recurring topic of conversation between my husband and I has been discussing exactly HOW important it is to have our children SEE us do what we want them to do and not just tell them what they need to be doing.)

Sooooo.... what happened with me?  Well, that's easy.  I'm human.  I'm not perfect.  And you know what?  that's OK!  What is NOT OK, is dwelling about it....

What I want to share is that this wasn't just a 7 pound weight gain... this was an emotional roller coaster, too!  (and this happens to the best of us.)  While I was enjoying my ice cream and chocolate on a daily basis (lol) I wasn't just consistently feeding my body unnecessary sugars that were ultimately making me fat and sluggish and everything else that CRAPPY foods do to our bodies, I was losing myself in this vicious circle of BAD.  My training suffered, my mood suffered and my overall world was suffering - everything just seemed off...  Seems a little drastic and unbelievable?  Maybe.. but it's true.  I started wondering if I should continue with this or that... I was questioning aspects of my life that I really had no business questioning!  ... ultimately, ALL BECAUSE OF POOR FOOD CHOICES!  

Crazy as it may sound, I had a "talk" with my Coach and we decided that I was going to change my behavior NOW.  It was seriously as easy as that.  He said, "Starting right now, this all ends.  Right?" ... and he didn't wait for me to reply, he simply said,  "Right."  And I did.  And I still am.  and I'm now getting my WOD's in and preparing for Oktoberfest Obliteration IV even if it means that I do it alone at the box whenever I can fit it in.  I am not making excuses anymore.  That stump has been stepped on and squished.  Three weeks ago, I let life get in the way.  Any excuse was good enough for me.

One underlying factor reminded me that it's never too late...

Convenience

What does the word convenience mean?  What makes something so convenient that we are willing to sacrifice time, money, knowledge, friends, morals, beliefs, etc...?  

The definition of CONVENIENCE is Something that increases comfort or saves work.

On Sunday, our priest discussed the act of convenience and what it means and its impact on the greater good.

Every day, there are many instances where I am faced with an athlete who is "conveniently" altering a movement, or simply "getting through" the warm up or WOD to get ahead.  Their intentions are almost always completely sincere, yet what we don't realize is that, regardless of our intentions, we are NOT benefiting from that WHATSOEVER.

Inside the walls of CFC, it's easy to settle versus always striving for our best.  Whether we are comparing ourselves to the athlete next to us or dwelling on what we "can't" do instead of what we CAN do...  it's human nature to take the path to ASSURANCE...

But we must ask ourselves, WHY DID WE JOIN CROSSFIT?  Well, I can tell you why I joined.  To find myself.  To find the better, stronger, more confident me.  I certainly didn't start at CrossFit Champions out of convenience!!!   To be perfectly honest, there really isn't much about CrossFit that is convenient or easy.

Another perfect example is PALEO.  There is absolutely nothing convenient about eating like a caveman in the 21st century!!!! Processed sugars live in our grocery stores, prepackaged foods reign the shelves...  Fresh foods just barely exist.

BUT, at one point, we chose to do these things because they are worth it.  ... To YOU.  Because we believe...  Because we reap the benefits from doing it RIGHT.

So, the next time you take a step and make a decision to do something, think about WHY you are doing it.  Figure out if it's important to you and then, DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.  

And there's something else to remember, every time you make a decision out of convenience, the only person you are cheating is YOU.

The results are in!

Change  /CHanj
Verb:     Make or become different. To transform.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Throughout the summer, I have had a handful of my athletes chose to participate in the AdvoCare 24-Day Challenge.  Overall, the results have been hard to believe; Weight loss has been substantial, body fat has melted away, inches have been lost and overall performance results have been astoundingly BETTER.

The first of my athletes to join the 24-Day Challenge was Cynthia Burris.  What can I say about Cynthia... Cynthia participated in the CFC Gym Wide 24-Day AdvoCare Challenge which started up in early June, days after I began running my own 5am class.  When I spoke with Cynthia via email she explained that she was still trying to lose unwanted baby weight and that she needed to look good in a bikini for her cruise she was taking in July with her husband.

BEFORE                                                                             AFTER

Cynthia's Results:

In just 24 days....

Weight lost: 9lbs

Body fat lost: 10%

I entered into the 24 day challenge optimistic and mentally prepared to have results on Day 24.  Physically; I was ...so-so, I could hang with the typical CF WOD but that was exactly what I was doing...just hangin...  The 24 day challenge supplements, a paleo diet, all coupled with a super attentive CF trainer, Denise, and I was super PUMPED, as Shannan said one day "She felt like she needed to smash pumpkins !!!"  I, too, felt that same exhilaration and new found energy, all that led to a 9lb weight loss and over 10% body fat loss!  I felt faster and stronger each time I worked out.  The 24 day challenge kick started me into a "zone" that is still propelling me till this very day- sometimes we need a swift kick in the a$$ to make one completely re-evaluate your health habits, and I have been HAPPY to make those changes.  Yee- Haw y'all !!   ~ Cynthia Burris

NOW

(& pregnant)

Meet the Pontigo's!!

Kelly & Tony Pontigo have been at CrossFit Champions since June.  When they first started with us the Pontigo's were a typical American couple who didn't pay attention to how the foods they ate made them feel.  A few weeks ago, they approached me about doing the 24-Day AdvoCare Challenge.  They both agreed that they needed to make a change and they were ready to take the next step.  They had attended a CFC Nutrition Clinic and seemed pretty confident that they could do what was necessary to succeed in turning their lives around for the best!  

In just 24 days...  THEY DID!

 

Kelly's Results:

Weight lost: 9lbs

Body fat lost: 4.1%

Inches lost: 2

Performance 1:39 faster

Tony's Results:

Weight lost: 9.4 lbs

Body fat lost: 2.5%

Inches lost: 2 

Performance 2:26 faster

This wasn't just a 24-day thing, but a lifestyle change...  ~Kelly Pontigo

                          

Aarika Reyna - College basketball extraordinaire!

Aarika joined CFC to keep active throughout the summer while keeping up with basketball drills getting ready for College ball in the fall.  When the first gym-wide Challenge came around at CrossFit Champions, Aarika was extremely hesitant due to a very strict anti-doping list that she has to follow.  As the month of July came and went, Aarika was getting hungry for a big BANG! before heading to school.  We decided to check out the Informed Choice website (a Product Certification Program) and do a once over with her b-ball coach and it was a GO!

My running has improved tremendously.  I can actually breathe when I'm done with sprints and I'm faster, noticeably faster.  I couldn't be happier!  ~Aarika Reyna

Aarika's Results:

Weight lost: 4lbs

Body fat lost: 6%

Inches lost: 1.75

Performance 3:42 faster!!!

Carol Fatheree

Last but not least, I've got one more athlete that just finished Day 24 of the Challenge.  Friday is the BIG DAY...  Carol will be doing her "AFTER" WOD and taking her final measurements.  I am overwhelmed with anticipation!  Carol has been crossfitting on/off with CFC for quite sometime now and follows a Paleo lifestyle.  Looking forward to her final results.  In the last three weeks, Carol has reached Personal Records on several occasions!  I bet Carol's results will be mind-blowing, as well.  I'll keep you posted.

...Personal achievement starts in the mind of the individual.  The first step is to know exactly what your goal or desire is...

P.S.

CFC  is officially announcing our 2nd, gym wide, 24-Day Challenge.  Perfect timing too, right??  The kids are back in school, schedules are back to normal - so, it's time to get back into the routine of regular training and focused nutrition!  The best thing is... YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A CFC ATHLETE TO PARTICIPATE!

So, check it out!  Go to www.gottahaveadvocare.com  

DATES
Kick-Off: Friday, Sept.7th or Saturday, Sept. 8th
Challenge dates: Monday, Sept. 10th - Wednesday, Oct. 3rd
Finale: friday, Oct.5th or Saturday, Oct.6th

Some of the original 5am Vanguards

"Bring the Heat"

BRING THE HEAT 

(what a fitting name... 105 degrees Fahrenheit & sunny with a HOPE for some clouds)

Matt Munson (owner/head coach), Jeremiah Lee (coach/athlete), my husband, Kevin Pomaski (athlete) and I (coach/athlete) competed with style and class yesterday at Crossfit Katy's Bring the Heat competition.

Our day started even before the sun was up!  But we were ready to go.  Coolers, chairs, and even a canopy came with us.  This was going to be a long day.

I'd like to point out that Jeremiah & Matt competed "Standard" while Kevin & I competed '"Scaled".

So, how did everyone do?  I'm happy to say that we all fought for what we got and we should all be proud of our standings!  Because at the end of the day, I think it is safe to say, that we all learned a lot from our WOD's and left Crossfit Katy knowing a little more about ourselves and our abilities.

The final results were as follows:

Standard men (out of 39)

Matt Munson 24th place 

Jeremiah 25th place 

Scaled men (out of 20)

Kevin Pomaski 18th place

                        

Scaled women (out of 39)

Denise Pomaski 15th place

Let me just say that I wish you could have seen these men in competition.  Words such as FIERCE, STRONG,CAPABLE & FOCUSED describe these CFC athletes (and trainers).

I HAD A SUPER FUN DAY.  This was most definitely a different experience from my previous competition at CFHouston.  I enjoyed having fellow athletes competing by my side!

(For WOD information, go to Crossfit Katy's Friday fb page - https://www.facebook.com/CrossFitKaty)

A big thanks to Jamaal, Pam, Brittany, Bethany and the Stahl's for coming out to cheer us on!

UP NEXT, Oktoberfest Obliteration!  Check it out.

BEEF

There are so many things happening this month, I don't even know where to start!  

First, I want to share a delectably tender new recipe with all you:  

BEEF SHORT RIBS WITH CAULIFLOWER RICE & PEAS

This recipe was inspired by Primal Palate's Braised Short Ribs, but I infused a whole lot of "Denise" into it and in my opinion, it's exquisite and a "MUST HAVE" in your recipe collection!  

Ingredients

RIBS

Yonder Way Farm Beef Short Ribs (1 lb)

*3-4 slices of YWF uncured bacon, chopped to desired size  (See http://denisemom4.blogspot.com/2012/06/food.html for "Best bacon ever") 

bacon fat
*1 cup of homemade beef broth or you can use Better than Bouillon Organic Beef Base

4 cloves of garlic, minced

heavy tbsp, Montreal Steak Spice

1 tsp, paprika

1 tsp, cayenne (optional)

*make in advance

RICE & PEAS

1 bag of frozen baby peas

head of organic cauliflower, chopped small

1/2 a white or yellow onion, chopped fine 

2-3 tbsp, coconut oil

2 tbsp bacon fat

1/4 C beef juices (from crock pot)

*Sea salt, to taste (this is only necessary if you're cooking with YWF bacon as it comes unsalted)

What you will need

Crock-pot

Cast iron pan, or the like

broiler pan

Food processor

HOW TO

1. Rinse beef short ribs and pat down with paper towel until dry.  
2. Season ribs (both sides) with Montreal Steak Spice, paprika and cayenne (optional).
3. In a cast iron or the like add coconut oil and sear meat for approx 2 minutes each side on med/high heat.
4. Set crock-pot to HIGH and timer to 3:20.  Place ribs in crock-pot.  Sprinkle bacon on top of meat.  Next, pour beef broth into crock-pot covering meat.  Close lid and let cook until ready.
5. FOR RICE & PEAS: Give yourself about 45 minutes, tops...
6. Chop cauliflower in small size pieces and then dump into food processor.  Your end result is a rice type look/consistency.
7. Sautée onions in a pan with coconut oil.  When onions are just about soft, add the bacon fat & sea salt* and throw in the cauliflower. Mix everything together and cover for 10 minutes.  
8. While rice is cooking, steam frozen peas.  
9. Mix rice and peas together.  
10. Once the beef short ribs are ready to eat, remove them from crock-pot and use approx 1/4C of the beef juice left at the bottom of crock-pot to mix in with your rice & peas.  
11. Serve.

(For easy clean up, I use crock-pot disposable bags.)

"Chi mangia bene, vive bene"

"Who eats well, lives well"

NOTE: Make sure to order from Yonder Way Farm.  Support your local farmer and treat your body right!  Pick up is every other Tuesday 6:30-7:30pm at CrossFit Champions.