Since going Paleo my family has fallen even more in love with our grill. Paleo and grilling just work well together. The past couple of years I've even been stepping outside my grilling comfort zone more and more. Grilling things I'd never thought to have grilled before and trying new flavor combinations. I have to say I'm pretty thrilled with the results of most of my flavor experiments. In the past I'd never have thought to grill fruit, but it's amazing. Grilling fruit and adding it to traditionally savory dishes? Brilliant. Oh yes, and? New rule: every burger recipe for the rest of forever must contain grilled pineapple. OK, maybe more of a guideline. It's a seriously delicious combination though. This Smoky Grilled Pineapple Burger is always a crowd-pleaser at my house. It's not only Paleo, but Whole30, glutenfree, lower carb, and clean eating friendly. I promise you won't miss the bun! paleo, grilled pineapple burger, smoky
Please enjoy this guest post from Danielle of www.mayorofthebux.com She is a Twitter friend and she totally rocks. I am so proud of her. Danielle inspires and amazes me! She's going to do great things...you watch.
It’s not perfect, cause people aren’t perfect. But class by class I get to be a little better than I was. I get to try a little more…
Boot camp – a love story
I have struggled with my weight for what feels like forever. From being enrolled in weight watchers at a young age to going to a nutritionist in college while my friends were scarfing down pizza and going to keggers.
But one thing I never fully enjoyed has been working out, until now.
A little over a year ago a friend and I started walking at a local track and eventually joined a 24 hour gym. It’s been great, but I needed something more hands on, more intense.
My older sis kept “hinting” to me about a local boot camp class that meets in Springfield. Annoyed that she would drop not so subtle hints I joined just to spite her… yea my reasoning doesn’t make sense to me either.
The boot camp I attend is taught by a former contest of The Biggest Loser, season 4 David Griffin. The first day in class I was scared and nervous and running late, something that I hate to do. But my favorite twin sis and I went in and completed our first assessment. I could only do 1 push up and 13 sit-ups and a 23 minute mile. That was it. I kinda felt defeated walking away that first day and that I was in the wrong place. But I had already paid my money, which for me is a huge motivating factor and I was going to do this.
Our class meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for about an hour. It’s a 6 week course and it’s intense. The assessment this round was on a Wednesday and then Friday was our first full class.
I died that first time. We all start out a few minutes early doing 3 laps around the inside of the school and running up and down a set of stairs. Then class starts out on “the line” in the gym. I felt as though I was in a twilight zone. Burpees? What? Mountain climber? No thank you… but with each odd look David would explain what he was looking for or show (me mainly) a modified way to do things. I was behind everyone every step of the way. I had sweat pouring down and I knew I looked neither pretty nor cute (I’m from the south, these things count). But at the end of the class as we all stood there in a circle we each had a moment to say one good thing or tough thing about our week and our weight loss trials. All I could come up with “well I didn’t throw up” everyone laughed and clapped and I knew that I was home.
Boot camp has honestly not gotten easier; I don’t think it’s supposed to. I’m the last person a majority of the time, but I’m not as far behind. I think as you get stronger you do more and challenge yourself more and I LOVE that. I get bored easily, but here I don’t.
It’s an encouraging environment, the first time I jogged a lap everyone was encouraging me and I knew that they meant it. We celebrate our achievements and as a group we help push through our shortcomings.
Way to go girl:)
ReplyDeleteI love the part where you say you knew that you were home. I think everyone has that soulmate workout...mine is running and I think once we find that thing that we enjoy to do, we will be so much more likely to DO it. Awesome post, thanks Danielle
ReplyDeleteSuch an awesome and inspiring post. I have been playing with the idea of doing a boot camp for ages. It sounds really emotionally challenging as well as physically.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Danielle! I'm about to start a training regimen and am crazy scared. I, too, am from the south and I'm going to look like a flailing, ugly, tomato-faced hot mess. Glad to hear I'm not the only one!
ReplyDeleteI started going to a bootcamp on Saturdays and it's so hard! Someone asked me once if it gets easier and the truth is that it doesn't, you get stronger and start doing more. Kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post!!! Thanks for allowing my to read her story through your blog!! I'm going to check her out now!!!
ReplyDeleteLove this post! I cant imagine the courage it took to join that bootcamp. I often find myself wanting to join groups like that but always back out at the last second. Reading your post has gotten me just one step closer to going for it! Keep on being amazing! :)
ReplyDeletethanks for letting me guest post today and all the super sweet comments. I think you have some of the best readers. Means a lot to me.
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