Many, many, many thanks for your kind and supportive comments on my morning post. I really appreciate each and everyone of them. I honestly wasn’t sure whether I wanted to share that part of my life on CNC, but now I’m so glad that I did. Thanks, again, guys. You’re awesome.
Breakfast
Mal and I are blowing through jars of nut butter like it’s our job around here! This is the third one in two weeks! We often have more than one jar open at a time, so it just happened to work out that we finished three different ones in a short amount of time. (Although, Mal and I could easily plow through a whole jar in one week.) I also tend to decide that a jar is ready for Oats in a Jar well before it’s really empty. I mean, check out how much peanut butter is at the bottom of this morning’s breakfast!
Ha! The whole bottom of the jar is peanut butter!
In the jar: “Oatmeal” Minus the Oats.
Workout
In addition to feeling lazy last night, I also skipped CrossFit because I wanted to save my muscles for Body Pump this morning. I haven’t take a Body Pump class in almost two months, so I wanted to see whether CrossFit has improved my strength and endurance.
I planned to use the same weight on all of the tracks that I had been using before I stopped regularly going to Body Pump, so I could see just how much my body has changed based on how challenging (or not) each track was for me to complete.
On the warm-up track, I sort of laughed to myself because it was soooo easy. But, I didn’t increase my weight on the squat track because I wanted to see if it was challenging or not. Well, I’m glad that I didn’t up my weight because the squat track was a totally different animal. It was really hard!! My legs were burning by the end, so I was worried that maybe CrossFit wasn’t improving my endurance or making me that much stronger. But, when the chest track came along, I found it challenging, but I was able to do every single rep with good form. I didn’t miss a single one, which I probably would have in the past.
When we got to the dead lift track, the weight was much too light for me. I actually felt sort of dumb doing the moves because it was obvious that I didn’t put on enough weight. I was flinging the bar up in the air on the overhead presses! Apparently, all of those deadlifts and push presses in CrossFit are making me quite a bit stronger!
The tricep, bicep, lunge, shoulder, and abs tracks were also challenging, but, like the chest track, I was able to do every single rep with good form, which, in the past, I would have missed a few to rest. I wouldn’t say these tracks were necessarily “easier,” but my muscle endurance seemed to improve, and I was better able to power-through and stay strong until the end. That means something, right?
It seems that CrossFit is making me stronger, but today’s Body Pump workout made me realize that I need to mix up the type of exercise I do. (Hello, SAID Principle!) CrossFit definitely varies our workouts, but the type of training is still quite a bit different than Body Pump, so I’m going to try to keep Body Pump in my regular exercise rotation.
Snack
I’m eating a late lunch today, so I snacked on some leftover roasted Brussels sprouts after Body Pump to hold off my hunger until then.
Reminder: Fitness Reimbursement
Did you know, depending on your health insurance plan, you might be eligible to receive a fitness reimbursement to cover the cost of your gym membership or other qualified fitness services and products? Awesome, right? My health insurance is the biggest piece of crap, but it still reimburses me $150 per year! Be sure to check out your health insurance plan to see if you’re eligible! You like money in your pocket, right?
I’m off to pick up my special visitor from the airport! Woohoo!
P.S. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway to win a BOSU Ballast Ball Giveaway!
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Wow, that is crazy that health insurance reimburses for fitness! Crazy in a good way, though!
That’s a great reminder on the fitness reimbursement!
My insurance is pretty much crap too (even through my company!) but I guess I should look into that if yours does.
That’s great that you felt you had so much more strength for the back track! As for squats – I totally hear ya on the bar being a different animal compared to the squat rack. Building muscular endurance is definitely not the same as muscular strength!
i think that’s so neat you were able to notice you’re stronger! i love when i’m able to see all of my hard work paying off. you’re right though – it’s so important to mix it up. i think this holds true based off of the SAID principle, but also just to keep things fun and interesting!
I definitely think cross fit just works different kinds of muscles, despite the fact that it’s constantly mixing things up! I think the key is to always mix up the kinds of exercises and classes you do to get everything! I do a lot of strength training and then went to my first bikram class in about 6 weeks, I was SO SORE the next day!
so intrigued by your oatmeal minus the oats recipe – i might have to try it, but i only have chestnuts in the house!
Any kind of progress is an achievement so way to go!
I would really love to try CrossFit – I feel like I’m seeing it everywhere now. I also manage to plow through my own PB stash at an alarming rate… except I’m only one person!
Was it the new BodyPump release? Because that release is no joke anyway haha. And I agree … I regularly do CrossFit but I vary my workouts too. I am teaching BodyFlow and will throw in a Pump or RPM class too to just mix things up.
@Madeline @ Food, Fitness, Family: Yep! It was the new track! The squat track was tough!
That’s a great test of your strength improvement!! And a good reminder to mix it up. I love it. Who’s visiting!? My in-laws are coming this weekend. I’m actually kinda excited!
The more peanut butter left in the jar the better oatmeal in a jar is
Great tip on health insurance, I’ll have to look into it!
GAH! You reminded me to get my $150!!
Also, I used to go through a giant jar of PB by MYSELF in a week. I’ve cut back considerably somehow. Although some how my spoon finds its way into the jar periodically. Mmmm . . . . peanut butter spoon.
Haha – I snack on leftover roasted brussel sprouts as well! I thought I was the only one!
This is too funny – I feel like we are living parallel lives
I have stopped going to Body Pump since I started CrossFit but my mom wants to start going, so I went with her last Saturday for moral support and to help her with questions. Granted, I did CrossFit that morning, so my muscles were already tired. I didn’t do heavy weights, but I still couldn’t finish most of the sets! Doing that many reps just wasn’t working for me! I know for a fact that I am stronger than I was 6 weeks ago, but the endurance aspect is missing. Plus my guns are getting ‘uge, so there’s that.
I realized last night that I’ve gotten stronger, too. Weights that were heavy two months ago were laughably easy for me. I’ve been kicking my weights routine into high gear lately, and it felt great to see measurable progress!
I need to remember to switch it up too- I think I would be much stronger if I did that more.
And you’re getting fANNEtastic Anne, right?
I think she left a clue on her site!
I think the squat track in the latest bodypump release is particularly tough – there are so many singles! But I do love the sweat dripping off my elbows by the end, as gross as that might sound. It makes me feel validated or something.
@Amanda: Amen! That sweat dripoff feels so GOOD (in an odd way). Hah.
I teach BodyPUMP and release 80 is no joke. Especially the lunges and shoulders–so hard!
@Amanda: @Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife: Yep! It was 80! So tough!
I just wanted to say I recently began reading your blog and I love it!!!
I second what was said above, the new release for body pump is intense – Especially the squat track! And seeing those brussel sprouts remind me I need to pick some up to roast tonight. Favorite, yum!
Haha, I almost choked on my gum when you said, “my health insurance is the biggest piece of crap!” I don’t know why, but I just really found that funny
I don’t know if my plan does any sort of fitness reimbursement but I’ll definitely be looking into it now. Does that mean I have to actually go to the gym? Hmmm…..
I found that my local health food store has a Whole End cap devoted to peanut butter (I am in heaven!).
And how did you saute those Brussels sprouts? Love them! I did mine the other day in red wine vinegar and added bacon pieces. Yum!
Wow a $150 reimbursement is a nice score! Good tip for people to look into.
Have a great weekend!
Hey! First of all, I am relatively new to the food blog world, a few months or so, but I am obsessed with your blog! A future RD, fitness freak and the fact that I have this LOVE of making my own ‘concoctions’ of super food led me straight to your blog and are the reasons I instantly feel in love!
I have been downing my own similar version of oats minus the oats for months and am so glad others enjoy it as well! It is amazing. But I am loving this idea of “oats” in a jar. Just out of curiosity, did you do the overnight oats method with this or just make it like usual and then put it in the jar? This seems like a dumb question but I was just wondering if the minus oats recipe would thicken overnight like a regular oat recipe!
Thanks for being such an inspiration!
@Alex: I made them on the stovetop and then poured them into the jar.
Thanks for the Insurance tip! I will be sure to look into mine!
Crossfit workouts are much different that bodypump, and crossfit is a strong advocatir of ‘functional movements’ (such as deadlifts, cleans, pull ups, muscle ups etc) which is why you always see WODS with a push-press combo which is functional in real life … Unlike say, bicep curls which have no real world practical application. You have definitely gotten stronger in your crossfit movements … Keep at it
Great job on seeing some improvements! I do get the fitness center reimbursement, however I have to have the insurance for four months before I can submit for reimbursement, and I’m changing jobs so I’m not sure if I can get the reimbursement with my new insurance. I hope I do!
I can’t wait to find out who the visitor is!
I bet you would definitely see your increase in strength with a traditional ST workout because the endurance used for BodyPump can drain the heck out of you even if you’ve been working out like a beast. If I don’t take BP for a few weeks and go back, I’m dying the next day or definitely feel it more until I’ve gone a few more times.
BodyPUMP IS a totally different workout than CF, so that would make sense that even if you’ve gotten stronger (which by the sounds of it you definitely have), the tracks would still be tough. Release 80 is HARD (the newest release) and I love it. Good job for staying with it all and in good form. I teach BodyPUMP, and some of the members try and add weight before their form is good, so kudos for doing it all!
Muscle strength and muscle endurance are two totally different games, and you’ve gotta have both! Wahoo for strong, sexy muscles! You’re a great inspiration to all who read your blog!
Thanks for sharing these tips, very helpful information!
SO true about the specificity and the SAID principle! Way to put the trainer knowledge to work.
I am always amazed at how sore I am once I get into a routine and then remember to switch it up. Months of weight training on my own make me feel strong til I go to a TRX class and weeks of high intensity circuits make doing squats or deadlifts uber challenging. Yay for variety.
I had no idea about the fitness reimbursement! I’m totally gonna check that out. Thanks for the tip!
Hmm, to me, it is hard to compare body pump with CrossFit. The reason being the whole purpose/premise behind CrossFit is the functionality behind each movement. For instance, you will never see someone doing a bicep curl in CF because there aren’t many movements in everyday natural life that seem to mimic this…
My husband lifts pretty heavy out in the weight room and I invited him to a BP class and he said its a completely different beast because its an endurance type workout. I did BP for the first time in months and thought I’d be able to increase weights with no issue, since I’ve been CrossFitting, but I was wrong. It was still very challenging for me!
Those sprouts look so yummy!!! I love me some B-Sprouts
Lol! Three jars! I love it! Anything tastes better with nut butter on it.
That’s awesome that you are getting stronger. 
Did you do the new release (BP80) with the propulsive lunges in the lunge track? Helloooo new beast! And the new squats track (Edge of Glory) has SIX minutes of lunges. GOOD LORD!
@Chase – the CHASE project: Yep! It was the new one. Holy legs!
Could you please explain why you do Overnight Oats in a Jar? Doesn’t the peanut butter just remain at the bottom of the jar? So how do you eat it with rest of the ingredients when it’s sitting at the bottom of the jar? I want to try it but it confuses me! Thanks
@Katrina: The heat brings up the peanut butter when you stir it around. plus, there’s usually pb on the sides of the jar when you’re finished, too.
@Nicole of Raspberry Stethoscope: Thanks for explaining!
Ok, thanks! I have seen others do OIAJ and it is not heated. That was why I was confused. I guess I assumed that was the case when you did it because I know sometimes there is still foil remains on my PB jars and I wouldn’t want to be putting them in the microwave! Thanks for the explanation!!
dont call yourself lazy for skipping cross fit after you ran 5.2 miles earlier in the day-i call that sound judgment!
I think it’s awesome that you can tell the difference after doing CF. Such a great feeling! Based on what you’ve explained, it sounds to me that you’re quite a bit stronger! Woot!
That’s neat about reimbursements. I’m under my mom’s policy still so I’ve never checked but I’ll inquire with her. (We do live in Canada, so it may not be a thing here, though we certainly do pay for health insurance and are not given any sort of discount or anything if we have the free provincial imsurance that really only covers a yearly checkup and emergency and clinic visits.)
We love peanut butter so much in my house too.
Question about oats in a jar though: I tried to make them once but when I poured the hot oats into the plastic peanut butter jar, the jar melted inwards on itself… Do you only use glass jars or is this not a thing? Or do you use cold oats?
@Olivia: I use glass jars or allow the oats to cool before I pour it into a plastic jar.
I’m going to BodyPump tomorrow morning
It’ll be my first time and I’m full of jitters!
It definitely sounds like you’ve made some progress, with being able to do all of those tracks with perfect form!
Thanks for the heads up about the insurance reimbursements – this year is my first one having health insurance, and I didn’t know that was a possibility!
My hubby gets his gym membership covered entirely for the whole year if he goes at least 8x/month! Awesome deal and it motivates you to go. Although he has been known to have people sign in for him even though he didn’t go.
Which BodyPump release was it? My gym launched 80 last week & I think it’s one of the tougher ones (at least the squat, lunge, & shoulder tracks).
Thanks for the reminder about insurance — I’ve been meaning to check up on that!
@Erica @ For the Sake of Cake: It was BP 80, and it was tough!
I couldn’t share a PB jar with my boyfriend simply because we eat so much of it. I ended up having to make my own (which I don’t mind one bit)!
It’s cool you’ve advanced so much in Body Pump. It’s been forever since taking a class and starting NROL..but I know I’ve gained SO much strength since my last class. I bet the past weights would be easy, too!
You have probably gotten stronger because you and Mal consume so much muscle-building peanut butter
That’s so cool to see the differences that Cross Fit has made in your strength! Do you know if Cross Fit gyms ever let people try it out free for their first time? I’d like to give it a shot!
I’m definitely all about mixing it up with the workouts! I love how much you love your nut butter!
I’ve been doing heavier lifting with free weights recently and have noticed feeling a lot stronger in Pump, especially at the beginning of each track. Although low reps/heavy weights don’t prepare you for the endurance part of Pump, which is why I always like to do at least one Pump class a week.
I bought brussels sprout at the store yesterday because you made them look so good!
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