Crossfit Review

Crossfit is a major fitness buzzword right now.  What I knew about Crossfit is that it's popular, it's hardcore (ie rope climbing, pull ups, etc.), it's done in a big gym/garage/box setting, people love it, and I wanted to try it. 

I did an internet search for Crossfit's in Salem and there are a couple.  I went to Crossfit Salem's website http://www.crossfitsalem.net/ and saw they have free classes on the weekends and that those classes are best for newbies because they go over basic movements, etc.   Perfect.

I showed up and the group was already warming up...by doing burpees.  Burpees as a warm-up?  Hello.  The group stood in a big circle, each person said their name and then a burpee would ensue.  15 people in the class.  15 burpees.  The fitness level of the group at first glance seemed to really range as some people were already struggling with the warm-up.  I was surprised that my burpees went very easily as I haven't done them in a month or so.

Andy, the Owner and group leader for today informed us there would be two workouts.  We would pair up in teams of two and complete the following WOD (Workout of the Day):

8 minutes of taking turns going down the length of the gym and back doing:
1.  bear crawl (on hands and feet)
2.  Lunges
3.  Squat Jumps

Sounds straightforward enough until he throws in there "and by the way, when you come 'back' you are moving backwards".  What?!  Just as I suspected, the human body is not designed to move so agilely backwards.  Weird.  And hard. 

At the end of the 8 minutes, each team went to the white board and put how many times we went through this circuit.  The environment is gently competitive, but also very supportive, with random people cheering you on by name. 

The second half of the workout was also done in teams of 2, but we had to partner up with a new person.  I hate that.  I always flash back to picking teams in gym class, and because I'm not very aggressive at claiming somebody, often times, I end up in a musical chairs scenario and end up with the last person who is roaming the area like a lost puppy looking for a partner.  Same happened today.  But my partners were extremely nice and supportive and I don't know what the heck I'm doing here so I didn't really care.  The workouts we are doing turn out to not depend on your teammates abilities only except for where your total time completing the workout is concerned.  Because during this workout, we will workout until the last team finishes.

Second circuit:
Sprint 200 meters (outside in the parking lot) with a medicine ball - my partner brought a 15 pounder.  Each person does this three times. 
100 ground-to-overheads which is a squat with a medicine ball in your hand and then you "clean and press" the medicine ball overhead.  100 has to be completed between the two teammates, so we can split it up however we want.  My partner and I hand off every 10, but I'm going much faster than her so we split the last 15 to allow her to rest a smidge longer. 
Then we run to rowing machines and row 200 meters 3 times each person.  Oh, but by the way, you only get to use one hand to row.  Awkward and hard! 
After that, we grab jumpropes and do "double unders" as fast and as many as we can until the last team is done.  I cannot do double unders.  Need to practice.  So I jump singly hard and fast til we are done.  My teammate states that lots of people can't and you divide the number of single jumps by 4 to get the equivalent in double-unders.  Good to know.  For next time, since I didn't bother counting.

The workout was tough, no doubt about it.  I don't know why but I barreled through that workout.  The training I have done with my trainer at Platinum in Keizer has definitely more than prepared me for Crossfit.  As I was sprinting along with my medicine ball, passing people left and right, I was thinking "medicine ball, schmedicine ball.  Try running stairs with a 20 pound vest on with dumbbells in your hands AFTER a leg workout, people!" 

I was informed that the weekend workouts are not as rigorous as the weekday ones.  So I will come back and try the weekday one as well, just to get a true taste of Crossfit.  What I will say is I will definitely be back for a weekend workout there.  It's more than I would've done to myself on a Saturday morning, and that is the whole point, isn't it?

Steak Marinade Recipe

3 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tbsp Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
4 tsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tsp dried Oregano
1 tsp dried Basil
1/4 tsp dried Thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Put all ingredients in a large ziploc bag and put steak in, covering completely in marinade.  Let marinate overnight.

Recipes for When You Wanna Chew Your Shake

Recipes for When you Wanna “Chew Your Shake”

Applesauce Reinvented

Take 2 cups of applesauce and add 2 scoops of Vi shape and mix well (can add a little more applesauce if too sticky). Can microwave and serve warm if preferred.

Banana Muffins

Dry ingredients: Mix together in large bowl.

1c Low carb baking flour
1c oats
2 rounded scoops of Vi-Shape mix (or other protein powder)
1 ½ Tbsp milled flax seed
~2 Tbsp Splenda brown sugar
Baking powder/ Baking Soda
1 Tbsp (or more to taste) ground Cinnamon

In separate bowl or large measuring cup, mix moist ingredients:

2 ripe bananas, mashed.
1 whole egg + 1 egg white
2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1/2container low fat banana (or vanilla) yogurt
1 Tbsp Flax seed oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins with no stick butter flavored spray. Add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Be sure to mix well to blend all flavors.

Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean.

Recipe makes 1 dozen muffins.

Change it up by using blueberries, raspberries, peaches, strawberries, etc. for bananas. Swap out yogurt flavors to compliment fruit.

Banana Nut Bread

2 scoops Vi-Shake Mix
1 Banana Health flavor pk. (optional)
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons flax seed meal
4 ripe bananas, mashed (if using banana health flavor pk only use 2-3 bananas)
3 tablespoons and 1/2 teaspoon skim milk
3 tablespoons and 1/2 teaspoon low-fat/fat free sour cream
1-1/2 teaspoons egg whites
1-1/2 cups and 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

2.In a medium bowl, mix together the Vi-Shake mix, flax meal, bananas, milk, sour cream and egg whites until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and nutmeg; stir into the banana mixture until moistened. Spoon into prepared loaf pan.

3.Bake for 45 -60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean.

Banana Pancakes

Recipe is for 2-3 Pancakes

1/2 C Vi Shake Mix, 1/4 C Water, 1 Egg, and 1/2 C Bananas. Mix together Shake Mix, Water and Egg in mixing bowl. Stir in fruit, gently. Pour Batter onto slightly greased skillet. When pancake bubbles around edges and towards center, turn. Pancake is done when golden brown. Top or fill as desired

Blueberry Banana Muffins

2 C. Vi-Shape shake mix
1 c. Gluten Free Baking Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
½ tsp. Salt
2 C. Dry Oatmeal
1 Egg
½ C. Unsweetened Applesauce
1-4 oz. Greek Yogurt, Vanilla
3 Ripe Bananas
¼ C. Ground Flax/Flax Seed Meal
¼ C. Wheat Germ
1 C. Frozen Blueberries (unsweetened)

Mix all ingredients except blueberries (use a potato masher to help mash the bananas). When well blended, stir in blueberries. Using ¼ cup per muffin tin, distribute evenly into 12 muffins. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.


Blueberry Pancakes

Recipe is for 2-3 Pancakes

1/2 C Vi Shake Mix, 1/4 C Water, 1 Egg, and 1/2 C Blueberries. Mix together Shake Mix, Water and Egg in mixing bowl. Stir in fruit, gently. Pour batter onto slightly greased skillet. When pancake bubbles around edges and towards center, turn. Pancake is done when golden brown. Top or fill as desired.

Chocolate Covered Bananas

2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 ripe bananas, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Vi Shake mix

Preparation:

Stir chocolate and oil in heavy small saucepan over low heat just until smooth. Let stand 15 minutes to cool. Add Vi Shake mix to taste.

Place each topping in separate shallow dish. Line baking sheet with foil. Arrange banana slices on foil. Using fingers, dip 1 banana slice in chocolate, coating completely. Shake off excess chocolate. Drop dipped banana in topping. Using clean hand, sprinkle more topping over banana to coat. Transfer to foil-lined sheet.

Repeat with remaining bananas, chocolate, and toppings. Freeze until firm, about 3 hours then serve.

Assorted toppings for coating bananas (such as crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, toffee bits, chopped butterfinger candy bars, chopped salted peanuts, or tasted shredded sweetened coconut)

Cran-Apple Spice Bars

2 C. Vi-Shape shake mix
3 C. Dry Oatmeal
1 C. Dried Apples (cut in small pieces)
1 C. Unsweetened Applesauce
4 Ripe Bananas
½ C. Wheat Germ
½ C. Flax Seed Meal/Ground Flax
½ C. Gluten Free Baking Flour
1 C. Craisins
2 tsp. Cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients. Dice bananas into small pieces. Add bananas and applesauce to dry mix. Mash & mix together. Pour mixture into greased 9x13” pan (grease with olive oil spray). Cook for approx. 25 minutes at 325. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, cut into 18 pieces and store in air tight container.

No Bake Cookies

To make a double batch, 13x9 size, double the recipe.

Put 1 cup peanut butter and 1/2 cup honey in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, to melt a bit. Add 1 cup oatmeal, and 3 scoops Vi Shake Mix. Mix well and then pat into bottom of a 8x8 pan or drop by teaspoon full and let cool

Protein Pancakes

1/2 c. oatmeal uncooked
2 scoops vi-shake
2 egg whites

Mix ingredients together and spray griddle with Pam. On low 250-300 temp. spoon the batter on the griddle, flip after a few minutes.

Optional: add 1/4 c. blueberries to the batter.

Strawberry Banana Protein Muffins

1/3 oat bran
5 egg whites
2 scoops of Vi Shake
3 strawberries (cut very small)
1 banana mix in
cinnamon optional

Heat oven to 350-365, spray muffin pan with pam, put in oven for aprox 22-25 min (ovens vary) test with tooth pick and ENJOY!! Once again you can get really creative, nuts, apple sauce, fresh fruit, nuts, even Jello for flavors

Strawberry Granola Parfait

2 scoops Vi-Shape shake mix
8 oz. Low Calorie Strawberry Yogurt
½ C. Fresh Berries
¼ C. Granola
Slivered Almonds
Mix shake mix into yogurt. Layer into a glass: yogurt, strawberries, and granola. Repeat layers. Top with almonds.

Strawberry Pancakes

Recipe is for 2-3 Pancakes

1/2 C Vi Shake Mix, 1/4 C Water, 1 Egg, and 1/2 C Strawberries. Mix together Shake Mix, Water and Egg in mixing bowl. Stir in fruit, gently. Pour Batter onto slightly greased skillet. When pancake bubbles around edges and towards center, turn. Pancake is done when golden brown. Top or fill as desired

Ultra Oatmeal

2 scoops Vi-Shape shake mix
1 serving cooked Oatmeal
1 packet Chocolate Cardia Care Health Flavor mix-in
Dash of Cinnamon

Mix and Enjoy!

Vi-Crispy Treats

2 1/2 Tbsp. Margarine, melted in a 4 qt. pan
1 C. Mini Marshmallows
Melt thoroughly and allow to spread on bottom of pan

Add 1 scoop Vi-Shape Shake Mix, stir well
Add 1 1/2 Cups Crispy Rice Cereal, stir well
Turn out on wax paper and allow to cool completely

Vi-Yogurt Covered Strawberries

Cut strawberries in half and put in ice cube tray face down.
Add 2 scoops ViSalus shake mix with yogurt and mix well.
Scoop yogurt and put into ice cube tray with strawberry.
Freeze and then enjoy!!

Other Ideas:

Use pre-packaged cake or muffin mix and take out two scoops of mix and add back two scoops of Vi Shape

Use waffle mix and add two scoops of mix and an extra egg to the mix.

Use Vi-Shape to dust pastry dishes, in place of powdered sugar.

Any recipe that calls for Whey Protein Powder, substitute Vi-Shape shake mix