Celtic Seafare

My weekly trips to the Barton Creek Farmers Market get better and better each week. I'm learning more about the local farmers, and I find myself trying new foods each week.

A few weeks ago I stopped by Celtic Seafare, a locally owned and operated company. They attend the Barton Creek Farmers Market every other weekend. I sampled the cold smoked salmon and bought a salmon dip they had at the Farmers Market that day. It was absolutely delish!

Why does Celtic Seafare salmon tastes so good?

• Cold smoked in a traditional wood burning kiln. Learn more about the smoking process HERE.
• Hand cured with pure sea salt and organic cane sugar
• Finely hand sliced for a delicate texture
• Fresh farmed Atlantic and wild salmon
• Responsibly farmed no hormones or antibiotics
• Open water nets

This salmon is great for grab and go. I would not recommend eating it as your daily fish intake since it is cured with organic cane sugar, but it's my go-to when buying smoked salmon. Next time you're at the Barton Creek Farmers Market I recommend stopping by their booth and giving the salmon a try.

Fashlete of the Month

I am honored to be Fashletics Fashlete of the Month. When Sarah reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in an interview, I was thrilled. Fashletics is a collection of handmade jewelry inspired by a passion for fitness.  Each piece of jewelry serves a badge of honor and an expression of strength. The brand’s mantra, LIVE LOVE LIFT™, has inspired a collection of apparel.  LIVE LOVE LIFT is more than a tagline, it is a way of life and a state of mind.  In addition to creating unique jewelry and clothing items, their goal is to empower and inspire people to live a fit and healthy lifestyle.

Excerpt from the interview--
As our Fashlete of the Month, Megan is receiving this customized sterling silver necklace from Fashletics engraved with the word of her choice. She chose the word BALANCE because it encompasses every bit of who she is-- work hard, play hard.  Megan values balance in her life, making sure that she never becomes too extreme with one thing in particular.  This balance ensures that she will not miss out on any of life's incredible opportunities.

This attitude is exactly what makes Megan a perfect Fashlete - she understands the connection between physical fitness and real life.  She has become a leader in a community that is committed to encouraging positive change inside and outside the gym walls. 

Read the entire interview HERE.

Relentless Traveler

Michel attends my Tu/Th 5:30am Level 2 boot camp at O.Henry. She's been out the past 2 weeks on her honeymoon in New Zealand!

She writes-- I represented Relentless at Cathedral Cove. It was a 45 minute hike to get there and it was worth every step.

There is nothing more rewarding then seeing my athletes staying active while traveling. How do you plan to represent Relentless during the upcoming travel months?

Relentless

Same purpose, same name, new look. I love our new logo!!!

Relentless: showing or promising no abatement. Intensity, strength, or pace. Unyielding or determined. See also: indomitable will. To be a Relentless Athlete means that you are willing to put in the work to get the results you desire. Relentless is a lifestyle. Relentless is a daily choice in your training, your work, your relationships, your life. It doesn't matter what your level of fitness or experience level is - this program will give you the opportunity to become RELENTLESS.

Take part in our upcoming Garage Gym Throwdown series to find out what it means to be Relentless. Urban Run kicks off on April 2oth. Details HERE. Secure your spot before it sells out.

Sisters Without Blisters

Jenny, Tina, and Celia attend my Tu/Th 8am Level 2 boot camp at Barton Hills Elementary. Last weekend they ran the Texas Independence Relay along with a crew of other ladies. The relay was a 200 mile run with 40 relay legs. Not only did they break the Women's Masters record for the relay -- they were the overall top women's team this year!Way to go Sisters Without Blisters.

Tina writes-
Leading up to the 200 mile relay, I was super nervous. I was worried about letting my team down. I hadn't been running. Work and life were crazy; typical for so many of us. The only thing I was consistently doing was CrossFit once a week. Looking back now at my pace and how well I did, I am convinced that what got me through the race was the endurance I had built up doing CrossFit for nearly 2 years. Also having Megan's voice in my head saying "you can do it!"  and of course, a little bit of stubbornness helped. Thank you, Megan! 

Jenny writes-
When I was training for a marathon and not doing boot camp, my upper body would get really fatigued during my long runs. At a certain point, my arms would even start aching! That was totally not an issue during the relay, even after four legs. 

I am so proud of these gals! Who's next for testing their endurance training without running your body into the ground? April classes begin on Monday.

 

Garage Gym Throwdown Series

Check out my latest article on The Triune below. Mark your calendars for the Garage Gym Throwdown Series kicking off on April 20th. Registration opens TODAY!

___________________

The Relentless Event Series comes around every Spring. The idea manifested from Jeremy Thiel and I discussing how to bring the excitement of competition to our outdoor Relentless Boot Camp community.  Just like the atmosphere in our boot camp classes, we wanted to create a fun and challenging atmosphere that would strengthen the Austin fitness community. The very first event we hosted was Garage Gym Throwdown held at LCRA parking garage which quickly became an athlete favorite over the last three years.

 

Garage Gym Throwdown is a party!  We fill the parking garage with music, vendors, and spectators galore. Teams of 2 race from the top, to the bottom of the parking garage, and back up all while completing mini WODs at each level. The first team to make it back to the top with the fastest time wins. Vendors from all over Austin show up to this competition offering free food and a chance to buy the newest products on the scene. It is kid and crowd friendly as there are areas at each level to cheer for your favorite team competing. The costumes are awesome and some teams get extremely creative and have their kids dress up too. Last year one team of Relentless Boot Camp athletes, Carrie and Sarah, were surprised by friend and boyfriend, Eric, with a tent set up that had a big banner spelling their names out. It was the perfect warm up spot before their heat. The event comes to a close with a big after party at Abel’s on the Lake around lunch time. It is my favorite event we host!

 

2013 will be our second year to host the Urban Run, formerly know as the Relentless 5K. This is not your typical 5K; it’s an outdoor CrossFit meets running event. Teams of two tackle the 5K in a relay fashion. While 1 partner is completing a WOD, the other partner is running a 1 mile loop and vice versa. The 5K ends with a final loop as a team. This event last year surprised a lot of the athletes and came out to be one of the most challenging yet the most fun. It was truly a team effort coming across the finish line with your teammate after already completing a 1 mile loop and a WOD. Pure sense of accomplishment!

 

CrossFit boxes and athletes all over Austin have competed in the series in an effort to show case the caliber of athletes at their box, provide an opportunity for new people who simply want to compete in an event, and allow individuals to try out an outdoor CrossFit event.

I have personally competed in both events and enjoyed each of them tremendously. Both offered a chance for me to test different physical skills, and I was able to team up with athletes I coach on a daily basis. If you are looking for a different challenge that encompasses kettlebells, dumbbells, parallettes, tires, boxes, sandbags, and more—then I highly recommend giving the Garage Gym Throwdown Series a go this year.

Registration opens today HERE. 

Fight for Air Climb

Firefighters of Austin that train Strictly Strength

 It's that time of year again for Fight for Air climb. I have done this event the past 3 years, and last year I competed with a fire suit on during the climb. This event holds a dear place in my heart, because I lost my Mima last year to lung cancer and my Poppie to prostate cancer. I climb in honor of them!

I challenge you to be a part of the solution by climbing on our team this year or donating. I hope to see you at Frost Bank Tower on April 27th.

JOIN OUR TEAM

1. Go HERE.
2. Where it says "Team Company" choose CrossFit Central/ Relentless Boot Camp
3. From there you will fill out the remaining information to join the team.

OR

DONATE to the team HERE

Showout makeover

A big thank you to Weston Carls for designing my SHOWOUT logo! It is exactly what I was going for, and he captured my ideas perfectly. I'm super excited to be launching my new website within the next month. All my blog content from the past 4 years will be transferred over as well as a serious upgrade to all my other pages.

I have a few ideas for apparel, but what would you like to see on a website from a coach/personal trainer? Nutrition, workouts, supplementation, life lessons, goal coaching, etc. Let me know.

City Attorney: Relentless Athlete

 

Karen is a rockstar and true inspiration!  Karen has been an athlete with Relentless Boot Camp for 3 ½ years. She was one of my very first clients when I started coaching my own classes.  As the City Attorney of Austin, Karen’s job is fast paced and extremely demanding, but that does not stop her from getting in three 5:30am boot camp workouts every week with myself and Coach Chelsea Ross.   The number one reason Karen joined boot camp over 3 years was to do something good for herself.  Fast forward and the quality of her life has completely changed!

 

Karen writes:

“Boot camp significantly improved my quality of life. It makes my daily routine easier to manage. It inspires me and gives me a great sense of pride and accomplishment to know that I can maintain a relatively high level of physical activity. I tell people that I start my day by doing some of the most difficult work I will do all day (running sprints, lifting kettlebells, burpees, etc). Relentless boot camp gives me the peace of mind and confidence to believe there is nothing I can’t handle on a daily basis. I work in a very fast paced environment providing service to others. Boot camp gives me the opportunity to spend time doing something for myself. 

Read the rest of the story HERE on The Triune.


 

SARAH: 2012 Success Story

I started coaching Sarah in Relentless Boot Camp last January and since that time she has changed inside and out. She is fierce, strong, and determined. Sarah has a heart of gold and has truly transformed her life as well as the lives of individuals she interacts with daily. I am honored to coach this lady every Tu/Th in the 6:30am Level 2 boot camp at O.Henry Middle School. Meet 2012 Success Story!

Read Sarah's story below...

I had what I thought was an active, healthy lifestyle. I rode horses several times a week and worked out at the gym but there were no real results. My emotional and mental fitness actually declined as my disappointment grew with my lack of achievement. Even after training and running a ½ marathon, I still felt “soft” & out of shape. My diet was low-fat, and high carb consisting of grains, dairy, lean protein & some veggies, which I thought was on track.

I won a month’s worth of Relentless Boot Camp as a raffle prize at a charity event. I held onto the gift certificate for almost a year, but being at my heaviest & feeling pretty frustrated with my body, I was ready to try something different than the sporadic gym visits mixed with an occasional run at Town Lake.

Since joining Relentless Boot Camp my results have been amazing. My energy is consistent through the day, and I have never felt better. The physical changes have been dramatic, but the mental benefits were my biggest surprise. I feel like I can power through any challenge that comes my way during a workout or at anytime throughout my day.  I also feel a genuine sense of accomplishment as I am held accountable to my goals.  My diet is now primarily Paleo/Zone and is the foundation of it all.

I lost 26 pounds and dropped from a size 8 to a size 4

Every time I go into a class I feel I’m growing.  My mindset has changed from, “I can’t do this”, to“maybe I can survive a little more” and now, “I can & I love it!” I enjoy seeing how far I can push myself now and the boundaries being blown away. It keeps me moving forward, wanting to do good work because of the support and encouragement I get from my amazing Coach Megan Parsons, my partner Carrie McDonald, my supportive boyfriend, and the whole amazing group at O.Henry. Without the confidence and enjoyment I’ve gained from Relentless Boot Camp, I would have never also added CrossFit Indoor classes to my routine.

 

Body comp check-in

If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.  ~Andrew Carnegie

I did a body comp check in this past Saturday with 2012 Success Story athlete, Michel. After she left I thought to myself, "now this is how one should conduct a body comp." She showed up with 2013 goals in the making, expecting improvements from her last body comp, and allowed a little extra time to discuss what's next on her fitness journey.

Michel is putting in the work, and she's not settling for being content with where she is. She wants to continue to get stronger, leaner, faster, but now these goals are more defined with action steps. After she left I was encouraged knowing that Michel is making lifestyle changes that will last forever.

How do you approach body comp check ins with your coach? Personally, my athletes earn their follow-up body comps. The first one is encouraged/a requirement; however, moving forward I make certain the athlete is doing the work--> showing up to class, putting in additional workouts, food logging, pushup challenge, etc.

Train with a purpose.

PCOS: D-chiro-Inositol

"If you settle for what got, then you deserve what you get."

I am at path where I can choose to go 1 of 2 ways. I can throw my hands up and say screw it with this whole PCOS mess and settle for being miserable and constantly battling weight gain and no ovulation, OR I can choose to not give up and truly believe God is going to see me through this and come out on the other side with so much learned. I choose the latter.

I found a great doctor to help me on my PCOS journey, Dr. Screven Edgerton. My first appointment last week went super well. He understood my lifestyle with nutrition and training; how I did not want a quick fix but a solution; and he is a big advocate of eastern medicine but understands sometimes you need western medicine to also help heal a disease. After five vials of blood later, he confirmed I had PCOS, which was no surprise.

He prescribed a new product called D-chiro-Inositol by Chiral Balance. It is a natural hormone metabolite used in insulin signal transduction, making DCI necessary for healthy blood sugar regulation. DCI appears to be deficient in women with PCOS. The goal of the product is to help with weight loss and ovulation. I am super excited to see what happens by taking this product. The testimonies are extremely encouraging.

Ladies, if you are simply looking for a new ObGyn, I highly recommend this guy. What's even better is his nurse does CrossFit and is looking at joining our box now after my appointment. It's a win/win situation if you are looking for a doctor who fully understands your lifestyle.

Here's to not settling and beating PCOS!

WAKE UP, you are already free!

My 2013 mantra came to me right at the new year. Over the past year I have been battling PCOS, lost 2 grandparents, had friends come and go, and injured my Achilles. Needless to say, I do not ever want to repeat being 31 again.

However, in the midst off all that mess I started to remind myself how blessed I am. Tony Robbins likes to call it emotional flooding. It is a process of listing everything you are grateful for no matter how big or small it may seem. Once you start it is difficult to stop. The heart of gratitude shines, and you snap out of your funk real quickly. My gratitude list begins with things as simple as my morning drink of Spark/BCAA, to my family, my health, my friends, my job, my new soft sheets and down comforter, trips to Mexico, ability to workout even when injured, Strictly Strength, finding a doctor to help me tackle PCOS, church, the desire to actually want to be back in church, my Ray Ban's, my MAC makeup, my curls, my eyelashes...the list could go on forever. As you can see, anything goes and the sky is the limit.

Hence, once I really honed in on having a heart of gratitude my mantra came to me-->
WAKE UP, you are already free! 

I have everything I need and more right at my fingertips. Once I get out of my own head and stop feeling sorry for myself or complaining about events and circumstances I can't control, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. I now have this mantra taped on my laptop so I can read it daily.

What phrase motivates you for 2013? Share in the comments section.

Why I CrossFit

I have really enjoyed reading Coach Jeff McKinney's posts on The Triune about Why I CrossFit. I started thinking about this more lately with the upcoming competition season and the pressure to compete.

I have been doing CrossFit a little over 4 years, and it has completely changed my life. From my job, to my social circle, to my nutrition, to my training, to my standards...the list could go on for a while. With that being said, I CrossFit because I love the challenge of a workout, pushing my limits,  having fun, and the community--- and, not just any community, my CrossFit Central family.

However, over the past 2 years I have forgotten why I fell in love with the sport. Each year around this time I get so caught up on what I can't do or how much I can't lift, blah, blah, blah and begin to feel inadequate as an athlete and coach, which prevents me from having any fun and simply being alive and present. Not only do I miss out on life; I miss out on offering the best experience to every athlete I coach and all the people I meet. I did a lot of soul searching this weekend and came to a place of peace of why I do what I do.

I CrossFit because it is not about me. It is about the individuals I am impacting daily that I get to coach. It's about seeing my athletes attain their goals.  It's about getting a text, phone call, or Facebook message from a client telling you they PRd on a 5K, a lift, anything. It's about seeing that 1 person have a glimmer of hope that they can lose that 70lbs that's been hanging on them forever. It's about having an impact beyond the 1 individual I'm coaching and watching it trickle over into their personal lives. It is about reshaping the face of Austin.

This year and moving forward, I choose to remember the WHY behind why I CrossFit and hold it dear to my heart.  The picture above is hanging on my mirror now. It is from 3 years ago of me and my friend/client, Michelle. The picture is a reminder of the fun, happiness, ease, and excitement of when career, health, and life are all in balance. On days when I get caught up on where I am lacking, I will look at the picture and remind myself why I CrossFit and to never take the fun out of it.

Why do you CrossFit? Post on the comments below.

New Year SPECIALS

WANTED: 

Individuals ready to make New Year's goals a reality.

I am offering discounted personal training prices through the month of January. Get in now and I will grandfather you in at the discounted rate as long as you are consistently personal training. Sessions are done in my garage gym, in-home, or at CrossFit Central Downtown.

AVAILABILITY
Monday & Wednesday: noon-5pm
Tuesday & Thursday: 2:00-5pm
Saturday: scheduled week to week

JANUARY SPECIAL
1-on-1: $50 a session
groups of 2: $80 a session ($40/person)
groups of 3: $90 a session ($30/person)-- BEST DEAL 40% SAVINGS
*additional $10 per session for in-home training

Email me at showoutmeg@gmail.com or call me at 254.855.4246 to schedule an initial appointment. Go HERE to see results from my athletes.

MICHEL: 2012 Succss Story

I have had the privilige of coaching Michel for 3+ years now. I will never forget the first time she showed up to class and was so nervous. The warm up was challenging for her and the thought of doing burpees seemed mind boggling. Little did she know that her life would change forever. Here she is now as a 2012 Relentless Boot Camp Success Story.

Meet Michel!! Her story is below---

Prior to boot camp, I was pretty much at my all time heaviest, and I was eating and drinking to make myself feel better.  I felt weak and sluggish both physically and mentally.  I was emotionally disconnected from friends and family because I just wasn’t happy. I kept saying I was not in a good place mentally as a crutch to not commit to any fitness endeavor.  The first thing I noticed after joining boot camps was the mental clarity. It’s amazing how still my mind is when I’m concentrating on my body and that kettlebell—best stress relief ever. I was able to focus at work; I wasn’t zoning out for long periods of time.  I was not angry anymore, and I actually woke up feeling happy for the first time in months.  I was so impressed with the emotional benefits that I decided to take it to the next level and I enrolled in Fuel 21.  I wanted to capitalize on the “high.”  I lost 13 lbs and 9 inches in 21 days and I felt amazing.  I committed to something that scared the crap out of me and I stuck with it, and to my own surprise, I loved it.  I truly felt that I could do anything.  I’ve never been happier and according to my latest blood work, I’ve never been healthier.

My new year’s resolution this year was to try new things and work on self love.  I enrolled in Coach Megan Parsons’s 5:30 am T/TH O’Henry class.  The first mental barrier broken was the “I can’t wake up that early to exercise” barrier.  I was a 3 to 4 time snooze hitter so that was a huge success for me. Next barrier down , the “I can’t do that’ barrier.”  That was the game changer for me.  I can do anything for 20 seconds.  I can do anything for 60 minutes.  I can do anything for 21 days.  I can do anything I set my mind to.  I know it’s not going to be easy but that makes the accomplishment that much sweeter.

I lost over 20lbs, 23 inches, dropped 6% body fat, and went from a size 12 to a size 8!

 

Meet Armando

I have the privilege of coaching some amazing athletes. Armando attends my Tu/Th 6:30am Level 2 boot camp at O.Henry. Not only is he the life of the class, he is the Director for annual support at the Dell Children's Medical Center Foundation.

In the Winter 2012 issue of the ATX Man, Armando was featured in the philanthropy section in the article titled-- The Dell Children's Hospital Gala. He writes, "if you are able to inspire people to do good, then why not?" The message of this year's gala is "YOU." Read the entire article HERE on page 40.

Athletes like Armando allow me to see life outside the fitness box. His work is inspiring and pushes me to do more for the community. How do you plan to give back in the new year?

BEAST MODE Carrie

Carrie attends my Tu/Th 6:30am Level 2 boot camp at O.Henry. The longer she is involved in CrossFit, the more I see her competing in races and events across town. Last weekend she took on the Spartan Beast Race, which is no easy endeavor since it's a half marathon with obstacles. Not only did she complete the race, Carrie placed 13th in her age group!

Carrie writes--

The race was awesome. I felt like it was basically an extended boot camp session. Lots of carrying sandbags uphill, rope climbing, wall climbing, bear crawling, jumping over logs, running (total of 13.5 miles), burpees 15-30 (as penalty for failed obstacles), monkey bars, the list goes on and on. I felt really strong and proud throughout the race and wondered if I could've done anything like that a year or so ago.

It was my first real adventure race so I was kind of clueless as to what to expect. Turns out, I finished in the top 1% in my age group, gender, and overall!!!

Thanks for pushing and challenging me, Meg!

I am so proud of Carrie! What do you do outside of working out to show how far you've come with your training?

Alkalinity

My trip to the grocery store during the cleanse = lots of veggies!

Balanced body chemistry and maintaining a proper ratio between acid and alkaline foods in your diet are of vital importance to maintaining your health. Too much acidity in the body’s tissues is the cause of many types of health changes ranging from lethargy and fatigue, to obesity, and ultimately to much bigger health challenges and diseases.

One of the top priorities of your body is to make sure that the alkalinity throughout your body remains at a level supporting cellular life. At a basic level, the regulatory mechanisms such as breathing, circulation, digestion, and hormonal production balance the pH level in the body by removing acid residues from body tissues. If the pH deviates too far to the acidic level or the alkaline side, cells become poisoned by their own toxic waste and die.

After returning from Tony Robbins’s conference, Unleash the Power Within, I took on a 10-Day Cleanse. The goal was to make my body alkaline and to reset.  I applied the following guidelines to the 10-Day Cleanse:

Read the rest of my latest article, 10 Days to Tip the Scale, on The Triune.

Vision Wall

If you can dream it, you can see it. If you can see it, you can do it.

 Last year around this time John Henry came and spoke to some of the coaches at CrossFit Central. Not only is he a leading force in the financial planning field, he teaches and challenges you to dream the unthinkable. It may sound like a simple concept, but I dare you to dream the biggest dreams you can possibly imagine and try to not find a way to justify how it's completely impossible to make those dreams a reality. Unfortunately, the older I get the childlike faith and imagination I once had becomes a challenge to live daily.

Since last year I have focused on simply dreaming. This is different then setting goals, which I highly believe. I am not trying to figure out the what, how, and when of the details; I am simply allowing my imagination to run wild. It's one of the most invigorating exercises!

I started vision boarding about 2 years ago thanks to Carey Kepler's encouragement. Since then I have also created a Vision Book that holds pictures of all my dreams. On Thanksgiving Day, I realized I wanted to take some of the pictures I had taped to my Vision Board into my book and saw this was not going to happen without the pictures ripping. Then the light bulb came on and I had a better idea--- create a Vision Wall.

I have a blank wall in my room and have now added pages from my Vision Book to my Vision Wall. The pages can come down or be added to at anytime and nothing is ruined. As I see pictures in a magazine, I rip them out and add them to my wall. The Vision Wall is an ever-changing wall, because my dreams are forever changing and growing.

My wall is now covered with clothes, watches, vacation spots, jewelry, rings, family, fitness, and words that identify with who I am and where I am going. The picture above is only half of what is in my Vision Book.

I dare you to try it. Dream the impossible.