Years ago I made a “family bucket list”, things I wanted to do as a family before my Thing 1 and 2, leave home.  One of the things I wrote down was family martial arts.  A little over a year and a half ago I cancelled my gym membership and we started studying taekwondo as a family.  We didn’t begin intending of competing but a week and a half ago we did just that.  Thing One, Thing 2, and I all competed in our first regional taekwondo tournament.   Here are some pictures.

Warming Up.

“Dude, who needs a warm up? Mom’s crazy.”

Thing 1 is pretty shy and very sensitive.

While we waiting for his turn to compete I started to freak out worry that sparring other kids in front of an audience might scar him for life upset him so I told him he didn’t have to spar if he didn’t want to.  I’m glad he didn’t listen to me because he took 2nd place and more importantly kept a good attitude while facing his nerves.

His last match was really exciting.  He was ahead by 4 points. Then the other kids scored and they were tied.  In the end the other kid scored and won by one point.

Thing 2 loves to spar and got a 3rd place. He also got a 3rd place in weapons.

I also competed in forms (a memorized routine) and sparring.

Check out the intensity.  It’s okay, you can laugh.  I am.

I won my first 2 matches.  The first girl I sparred was really good even though she had zero control over her punches.  This is NOT boxing, people.  It’s taekwondo. We are supposed to have CONTROL.  Yeesh! She might have beat me had she not punched me in the face (not allowed) THREE times and got a penalty called.

Most of the women are like me and do this for fun. Of course, there was one woman who was acting like she was Rocky Balboa out to revenge the death of his best friend…remember Rocky IV.  (I loved that movie and had a major crush of Sly.)  She stood off to the side punching the air, grunting, jumping a pretend rope, and staring down other competitors.  Next time I’ll tell her to take a picture…or not.  She was freaking me out.  I didn’t have to spar her first so I was hoping someone else would beat her so I would not have to spar her at all.   Brent could tell I was nervous as hell so he came over to help me calm my nerves.

No such luck.

MMA Mama and Scaredy Cat Me

“Sparrrrr!”  That’s what they call out to start the match.

She was punching HARD.  Never mind you get a point for just TAPPING someone on an area that counts.

(Brief scoring lesson: 1 point for a punch or kick to the chest, 2 points for a kick to the head, 3 points for a jump kick to the head.)

She scored 3 points on me right away.  I was a little thrown but then I collected myself and started to really focus on my defense.  I scored 2 points on her and then “TIME” was called so she ended up winning by 1 point and took first while I took 2nd.  I also took 2nd in forms.  There were 10 women in our ring and I left happy because it’s JUST FOR FUN, MMA Mama!

Speaking of fun, here is the really “fun” part.  MMA Mama will most likely be in my ring all year long.  Joy.  I can’t wait.

Afterwards, we went out for dinner afterward where I ate one of my favorites, ceviche.  I didn’t take a picture because I’m an awesome food blogger like that but trust me it was GOOD.

Here is me and my crew with our medals*.

*Note – I did not wear my medal out to dinner.  That would be ridiculous.  Brent insisted I put it on in the parking lot.  I felt (almost) equally as ridiculous.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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On top of my kettlebell workouts we also hiked a lot.  I averaged 15,000 steps a day.  It felt amazing.  The more I walk the more I am CONVINCED it is actually exercise.  I never thought I would say that but my body has never felt better.  Truly.  Combine walking with a quality kettlebell program and you have a killer combination of strength and cardiovascular with practically 0 stress/impact on your joints.

One of my favorite hikes was up a river filled with boulders.  We went there twice.  Once with the kiddos and once alone.

I don’t normally hike in a bikini.  That would be weird (for me) but since we were in a mountain stream and no one was around I felt comfortable.

For some reason this picture cracks me up with the flower in the foreground.

Brent loves to get in mountain streams.  He calls it “refreshing”.  I call it CRAZY.

But after some coaxing….

….he convinced me that I should get in.

I don’t think cold was the right word.  How about PAINFUL.  I will admit after I got out I did feel refreshed.  Maybe hydrotherapy will grow on me.

Can’t go under it.  Can’t go around it.  Gotta go across it.  This tree was enormous.  Bigger than it looks in the picture.

Nowadays this is about as thrill seeker as I get.  Hope I don’t fall off.  That would be bad.

Whew we made it.

Not only did I get some quality time with Brent.  Thing 2 and I got some cuddle time.  He likes to call me “Cuddle Butt”.  I love it.

When Weewa, aka my mom, is around I don’t get much cuddles from Thing 1.

Brent works from home so one day hiked up to the top of a hill to set up “an office”.

That about sums up our trip unless you want to see the pictures of Snow White Gone Bad.

Don’t worry I put him right back and it’s a myth that mother ducks abandone their ducklings after being touched by a human.  You should have seen Mama Duck.  I’m just lucky I kept my fingers.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Last week, I went camping in the Sequoia National Forest.   It was a perfect week.   Something Brent and I both needed.  We  left BY OURSELVES Sunday evening bringing the essentials.

My parents joined us Monday evening with Thing One and Thing Two, sometimes known as my children.

We planned to leave on Wednesday but as we started to pack up I began to cry and pout like a 3 year old Brent and I changed our minds and decided to stay one more day BY OURSELVES.  As homeschooling parents this alone time is cherished.

The four days we were there I got in 3 kettlebell workouts, one with Brent, one with my dad, and one by myself.

Day One (with Brent)
Clean and Press Ladders and Swings.
4 rungs x5
Don’t remember how many swings.

Day Two (with my dad)
Kettlebell Complex
A. Cleans and Presses 5x each side
B. Heartbeat Squats 5x
C. Windmills 5x each side
D.  Renegade Rows 5x each side

Repeat A-D 5 x.

Finished with 30 seconds of “Hot Potatoes”.

Teaching my dad how to do heartbeat squats.  He is one cool dude with long hair.

Day Three (Light day by myself)
Clean and Press Ladders
3 rungs x 5
Skipped swings this day.

Nothing beats exercising outdoors.  It’s invigorating.  So invigorating, I think that is why I was able to do 100 snatches in 4 minutes and 43 seconds with the 16K (35 pound) bell ! Or maybe it was the excess of carbs I had before my workout.

(I’m not ashamed to admit I’ll eat *gasp* white pancakes occasionally.  Nor am I ashamed to post pictures of myself just out of bed. Ha!)

If you have been following my blog for a while you know I’m training for the Russian Kettlebell Challenge next month.  One of the requirements is the “snatch test” 100 snatches in 5 mintues and depending on your weight women have to use either the 12k (26 lb) or the 16k kettlebell.  I have been losing weight so I can test with the 12k and while I’m close to the weight requirement I REALLY wanted to be able to pass with the 16K just as a personal goal of mine. Here’s a picture from the occasion!  Don’t be jealous of the melon colored velour pants, they have paint stains.

I’m still planning on losing a few more pounds so I can use the 12K at the certification because I’ve heard the kettlebell you test with is the bell you are expected to use the rest of the three days.  Ummm…my shoulders say “no thanks” but it felt good to pass even if only my parents and Clyde, the camp host who thought I was a freak, saw it.  It made me feel strong….strong like a Sequoia.  Dude, that was cheesy.

I’m not big on long posts so I’ll finish up the Sequoias recap tomorrow with some pictures from my favorite hike ever and some thoughts on walking.

Until then…

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Late Sunday afternoon, Brent and I decided we needed to get away for a few days so we headed out for the Sequoia National Forest.  Never mind it takes about 5 or more hours to get there and it was already 5 pm or that our mechanic told us we shouldn’t drive our van outside of town because it is a piece of crap has a lot of miles.  Nooooo we threw some stuff in a bag, hooked up our pop up trailer (yes, it’s still camping), and took off for the mountains.  (I love trapping Brent long road trips with Brent so we can discuss “life”.)   Around 11 pm we pulled into the campground and set up camp.  Fun. Times.  Let’s just say I forgot toilet paper and dish soap but not my kettlebells or my workout journal.  How about we call that “commitment” and leave it at that.

We planned to come home Wednesday but we both decided the forest was too magical to leave.   So Wednesday we hiked up to the top of a hill, wandered around searching for an internet connection, and finally set up an “office” in the middle of the woods so Brent could email with clients and I could yammer on and on about chipmunks.  Alas my delusions of being Snow White are over and we are home. I have much I would like to share (including a recap from my first regional taekwondo tournament  last Saturday where a girl who has taekwondo confused with MMA kicked my butt) but seeing how “Rest” was my lowest grade on my last report card it is going to have to wait.  Until then here are a few pictures from this week.  If you are in the mood for something deeper check out my ramblings from my last visit to the Sequoias.

Have great weekend.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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We’ve been getting a ton of beets from our CSA.  It’s hard to keep up.  Until I decided to grill beets, my favorite thing about them was the color. A few weeks ago I charred grilled a few beets when my friend Deb stopped over for a visit while on her road trip.  I mixed them with my favorite Mediterranean toppings.  Last weekend, feeling all bad azz, I lit the grill again.  I have no idea why grilling makes me feel bad azz.

Grilled Beets and Goat Cheese*
Romain Lettuce
Arugula Green Onion (thinly slice)
Apple (coarsely chopped)
Grilled Beets
Goat Cheese (crumbled)
(Last weeks) Honey Basil Balsamic Dressing

To Grill the Beets
Light the Grill
(Or yell for your husband when it’s not working.  Look the other way and roll your eyes when he lights in it .5 seconds after you spend 5 minutes trying.)
Brush the Beets with Olive Oil
(If you are lazy like me you spray them with the aerosol olive oil.)
Sprinkle on Sea Salt

Grill over medium/high heat for about 3-5 minutes each side.
Throw on Arrange Beets on top of the greens and sprinkle with goat cheese.

*Not pictured the handful of chicken I threw on top for extra protein.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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All the world’s a stage gym.

Last Thursday, I didn’t plan to workout.   I had already gotten in a good workout the day before but then I saw this…

…like a crazy woman thankfully the kettlebells were still in the car

The Workout
10 Kettlebell Snatches  (5 right, 5 left)
4 Flights of Stairs

Repeat 10x.

This was probably one of my favorite workouts of all time.  Seriously.  It was invigorating and I’m pretty sure I felt my butt shrink.  I hit a personal record, 100 snatches with the 16K (35lb) bell. Plus, there was a pretty sweet view from the top even though it was cloudy.  Something about seeing nature motivates me. It makes me feel alive and connected to something greater than myself.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Brent is shooting some children’s music videos today and tomorrow.  Like last year, I’ve been hired to do “crafts service”.  Like most normal people, I brought my kettlebells along and slipped away for a workout.

While Brent was doing this…

…I was  doing this.

(Don’t tell him.)

The Gym
12 kg Kettlebell
16 kg Kettlebell
Workout Journal and Pen
iPhone Gymboss App
Bodybugg (Gowear Fit) Display  (more on that later)
(the cigarettes were not part of the arsenal)

The Workout
Clean and Press Ladder – 4 rungs x 4
100 Kettlebell Highpulls
1 Round of Tabata Squats
4 Hill Sprints

I sprinted (jogged) up the trail to those two poles that are close together.  It may not look very far but trust me the lactic acid buildup was BURNING when I got to the top.

On the way up I passed these.

When Brent was done I thought is would be good for him to walk up with me once before going home.  You know so, I could burn a few more calories,…err…he could decompress.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Hope you had a happy 4th of July weekend.  I have some fun news!  Our short film played in a local festival here in town.  Here is the trailer.

We shot this about 3 years ago (before I lost over 20 pounds and with sort hair) in my hometown in Indiana and finally finished the final edit about 8 months ago.  What can I say, I take my time.

Everyone once in a while I like to watch it again even though I’ve seen it at least 30 times (not counting the hours spent editing).  I watch it over and over not because I think it’s some great work of art.  It’s far from that.  I watch it to remind myself of something that I so often forget.  Sunny Life reminds me I can follow through.  That I can commit to something.  That I can persevere.  That I can choose to manage my time well.  We all CAN. Writing and shooting a film, even a short film, is a big job.  Any creative endeavor is a BIG job.  It’s sort of like getting fit.  You have a goal, a vision in your head, and every day you are faced with decisions to make choices that lead up to that goal.  You can write or paint or sew or _____ even when you don’t “feel” like it or you can put it off for tomorrow and stay right where you are.  You can workout today and nourish your body today or you can put it off for tomorrow.  Or the next day.  Or the next.

In general, don’t consider myself a very disciplined person.  Seeing our little film this weekend reminded that I can be if I want to be.  I also remind myself that for over two years, I’ve been consistent, not perfect, with my health and fitness goals.  Now it’s time to channel some of that discipline I’ve learned into other areas of my life. I think my soul needs it.

I’m want to know about you.  What creative outlets do you have?  (I STRONGLY believe EVERYONE is creative whether they believe it or not.) Any good time management tips you could share?  Do you believe in consistency over perfection? How do you feel about “discipline”?  Does it energize or exasperate you?

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Recently, Gwyneth Paltrow, said in her weekly GOOP newsletter that she “had the beginning stages of osteopenia.”  Osteopenia is the thinning of bone mass considered by many doctors to be a precursor to osteoporosis.  (Thank you Google.)  One of the causes is a lack of vitamin D and Dr. Lipman finishes off Gwyneth’s (yes we are on a first name basis) newsletter by detailing the importance of Vitamin D and how to increase Vitamin D levels through healthy sun exposure.  (Enjoyed the article and think it’s worth the read.)  I’m glad Gwyneth will be getting more vitamin D but I’d also like to see her start lifting some heavier weights as weight bearing exercises help increase bone density as well.

Do a quick google search for Gwyneth Paltrow Strength training and this video of her and her trainer, Tracey Anderson, creator of the “Tracey Anderson Method”, pops up multiple times.  You might have seen it before.   I know I’ve seen it on like 25 different blogs and message boards but it never ceases to entertain me.

Tracey Anderson, “Only three pound weights.  No woman should lift more than 3 pounds weights.”

Really?

Well girls, don’t pick up that gallon of milk because it weighs over 8 pounds.  Your child wants to be held?  Not if mommy is going to get bulky.   Speaking of holding children the video continues….

Gwyneth, “I hold my 30 lb son in my left arm all day so this one (pointing to her right arm) is like…sags lower than this one (the arm with which she holds her 30 lb son) so she makes me do more arms on one side.”

Hmmmm….anyone else see the irony here?  Gywneth points out that the arm she doesn’t lift heavy with is saggier than the arm she uses to lift her heavy child.  Maybe she should rethink the 3 pound weight rule.

I’m not knocking Gwyneth.  I think she’s beautiful and looks good.   Not to mention she plays one of my favorite characters in one of my favorite movies of all time, Margo in The Royal Tenenbaums.  If those are the workouts she loves then by all means go for it.

As for Tracey Anderson, this video makes it too easy to pick on her. I could say a lot.  In fact, I deleted two entire paragraphs after deciding I don’t want to be Miss Critical.  Besides, I have smart readers who know that lifting weights heavier than 3 pounds is not going to turn them into the She-Hulk.  What bothers me the most was that this aired on Oprah and millions of women, who or may not know that strength training doesn’t automatically make a woman bulky, have seen it.  Thus, perpetuating the myth that so many women and men who know better are trying to dispel.  I’ll speak from my own experience.  Before I started lifting heavy weights my upper arms measured 11″ around.  After more than TWO years of heavy lifting they are 10.25″ around and much tighter than before.  I’ll repeat what Gwyneth said, “I hold my 30 lb son in my left arm all day so this one (pointing to her right arm) is like…sags lower than this one (the arm with which she holds her 30 lb son) so she makes me do more arms on one side.”

Could The Tracey Anderson “Method” work?  Sure and by the looks of her clients, Madonna, Shakira, and Kate Hudson, it does.  (Although be certain those women are also eating a SQUEAKY CLEAN diet as well.)  Muscles will adapt by growing stronger when a greater than normal stimulus (overload) is placed on them and with enough reps you can get results but it’s going to take A LOT of repetitions, hence, a lot of time.  And what is going to happen when 100 reps becomes easy if you shouldn’t pick up weights heavier than 3 pounds?  150 reps?  200?  500?   No thanks.   I don’t have have the luxury of hours (nor the patience or interest for that matter) to devote to my physical appearance every day.  I’ll stick with my short intense workouts with heavy weights like the ones Gwyneth Paltrow’s Iron Man co -star, Scarlett Johansson, did to fit into the Black Widow catsuit.

What about you?  Do you like lifting heavy?  Have you gotten bulky from lifting heavy?  What is your favorite movie with Gwyneth Paltrow?  What do you think of the Tracey Anderson Method? Did anyone else feel a twinge of jealously when they showed the outside of that workout studio?  :-)

A note to my subscribers:  I’ve been having some off and on difficulty with my email plugin.  My subscription list has grown so long (THANK YOU!!!!) that it is taking hours to send out all the emails so they sometimes come a day later than I intended.  Does anyone know how to tell which email addresses are spam?  It would be helpful if I could delete those that are spam. We’ve also been having problems with occasionally posts being sent out twice sometimes days after the first post.  If this has happened to you I’m sorry.  We are upgrading the plugin and hope that will solve the problem.  Lastly, my unsubscribe button is broken.  As soon as my web slave husband has some free time he will fix it.  In the meantime, feel free to shoot me an email if you want to unsubscribe.   If any other readers have any advice regarding wordpress mail plugins I’m all ears.  jenn (at) girl-heroes (dot) come

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Let’s just pretend summer started this week and I’m actually on top of things.  As promised, introducing the summer salad series.  Over the next few months I’m going to do my best to try out a new salad every week.   This week Pears and Peppers.  I was going to say “peppered pears” but that just sounded wrong.  Unless you’re weird.  ;-)

Salad Ingredients
Lots o’Lettuce
1 Pear (diced)
6 Artichoke Hearts (expect to be seeing a lot artichokes in this series)
10 Kalamata Olives (finely chopped)
Roasted Red Pepper (chopped)
Grilled Chicken (optional..obviously)

Honey Basil Balsamic Dressing
1 cup of Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup of Olive Oil
1.5 tbs Honey
1 tbs Basil (finely chopped)

For all you stat people, this salad with dressing (a few tbs) was 411 calories 41 g carbs, 32 g protein, and 13 g fat.

Also wanted to let you know I did a guest post for Sabrina over at Rhodeygirl Tests earlier this week about finding the “perfect” plan.  I’d love it if you would check it out!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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