New Year. New Goals.

On January 14th, CrossFit Round Rock will be beginning a nutritional challenge like no other.  We know that not every person that walks through our doors has the same goal, so with that in mind, we created a program that has four distinct groups.  Whether your goal is weight loss, lean mass gain, endurance, or competitive crossfitter, we have a nutrition plan for you!!  Read below to see which category you fall into.  Then....contact your coach and enroll in this amazing event, that will help you to reach a goal you may have thought was impossible.  It's a new year, time for new goals...and this time, you're going to achieve GREATNESS!!!

Visit our website or contact me at aggie@crossfitroundrocktx.com for more information.  Let this be the year of YOU!!!

The Firecracker

Don't let her size fool you...Maureen is a powerhouse!!  

You know when you meet someone and you just know that they're REAL?  Well.....that's Mo.  She's a "no holds barred" kind of lady, and I LOVE that about her.  She attacks life, like she attacks her WOD's.  Self motivated, self assured and in charge of her destiny.  A truly inspirational woman!!  She's also ridiculously funny, has a warm heart and an extremely caring personality.  Keep that drive Mo, we're all looking to you as a leader, both in class and in life.  Much Love!!!

**ENDING THOUGHT**

How's everyone doing on their 2012 push up challenge??  If Maureen can do them in front of the Capital Building, YOU can do them in front of the TV.  Get on it people, 60 a day!!!

~coach Aggie

Strong is the New Sexy

Good to Great!

 

This week at CFRR, we've been doing a lot of soul searching and really digging into what we want for the future, who we are as coaches and how we can work together better to benefit our members, our business and ourselves.  About three months ago we all took the Strength Finders test and found that each of us brings something different to the team....the A-Team, as we like to call ourselves.  All these different strengths we have, when combined, are unstoppable!!  We have "Woo'ers", "Includers", "Futuristics", "Adaptibility" and "Learners".  Me...I'm a MAXIMIZER, which I LOVE being, #1 because I'm the only one out of the group (ha!) and #2 I actually see it in myself and believe I use it.  A maximizer is someone that takes something good and makes it great.  I HATE half a$$ sh*t!!  I really do, it drives me insane, just ask my boyfriend, Beau LOL!  Anyhoooooo.....

The end of the year is almost here and we're looking to 2012 to be the best year yet at CFRR.  The A-Team is ready.  Ready to build, grow, learn and prosper.  I work with an AMAZING group of coaches and I know in my heart, we will be the best!  The best at what?  Oh, pretty much everything.  :) 

Stay warm my peeps!
~coach Aggie

Healthier Green Bean Casserole

Now, I already know what you're going say "Beans aren't Paleo!!".  Yes, I know this...BUT, it's Thanksgiving, and we all know those Pre-Paleo ways might creep back into our diets.  So, with that being said, here's a healthy twist on a Thanksgiving staple.

Onion Topping

• 2-3 medium onions, very thinly sliced
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons of coconut milk
• 2-3 tablespoons of coconut flour
• 1/2 cup coconut oil or tallow for frying

Healthy Cream of Mushroom Sauce

• 1/2 cup organic butter or ghee
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 of onion mix above
• 8-10 mushrooms, finely diced
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4-5 egg yolks
• coconut milk or water to thin

Other

• 5 cans of cut or french style green beans (can also use fresh or 2-3 bags of frozen, just heat first to remove extra liquid)

How To Make It:

1. Thinly slice all the onions, separate, and put in medium bowl.

2. Add the two eggs and the coconut milk and mix well until evenly incorporated.

3. Add coconut flour and mix by hand until evenly coated (note: may use slightly more or less depending on your brand of coconut flour.)

4. Put tallow in large skillet and turn on medium high heat.

5. When hot, add the coated onions and evenly brown, turning occasionally.

6. When browned, remove from heat and set aside.

7. In medium sauce pan, melt butter and saute mushrooms until starting to brown, then add coconut milk.

8. Whisk in egg yolks and spices and about 1/3 of the onion topping mixture and continue stirring until the yolks begin to cook and the mixture thickens.

9. Add extra milk or water if needed to thin (only a few tablespoons might be needed).

10. Drain green beans and pour into a 9×13 baking dish.

11. Pour the creamy mixture over and mix well until incorporated.

12. Top with onion mixture and heat at 325 in oven until topping starts to crisp (but not burn!) and green beans are heated.

Happy Eating!!

-Aggie

Feeling like ME again!!

Below is a picture of my personal training client (and friend!), Jess, before we started our CrossFit journey together.  Here, in her own words, she describes how she felt before CrossFit came into her life and what made her decide to jump in, head first, with me by her side...

"I was very active and athletic in my early adult years and I never worried much about getting fat.  Well, eight years of being happily married, two kids, hectic schedules, a love of good food and cooking and well...I was fat. I had lost my confidence in being me.  After seeing my friend, Nina, (who had just had a baby) work hard at getting into some major hotness, I mean shape, from joining CrossFit Round Rock, I was sold.  BUT my mind was my biggest challenge.  Several excuses like 'I don't have time', 'I am exhausted as it is, how could I work out?', 'I'm not that out of shape', 'We can't afford it' all whirled in my head.  Then it happened.  I saw a picture of myself, I realized just how heavy and out of shape I had become. I got on the scale....205. Wow. I was DONE, DONE, DONE with not feeling strong, sexy and confident!!!"

I began to train Jess at the end of June, twice a week.  We talked about nutrition at her very first session, and all she needed to hear were the words "Paleo Diet".  The next time we met to train, she had already downloaded a Paleo cookbook on her Kindle -  I thought to myself "I love this woman's determination and go get 'em attitude!!!".  Within her first month of eating Paleo and working out with me twice a week, she lost 10lbs....Amazing!!  Here she talks about the rest of her journey and how she feels today...

"I started personal training with Coach Aggie in June.  IT WAS HARD.  IT IS HARD.  All my years of training horses, being drug around by 800lb cattle, even playing rugby, had not prepared me for the intensity of CrossFit.  It kicked my butt, LITERALLY.  Almost instantly, I could see results though, and I sure could 'feel' results! In four awesome months, I am down to 177lbs. YES, 28lbs - GONE!! More importantly than what is gone, is what I have gained.  Thanks to Coach Aggie and her awesome, relentless support and encouragement I AM BACK.  I feel SEXY, CONFIDENT, STRONG, and PROUD....I feel like ME again!   If you want it, even if you have never had it, you deserve it, so DO IT...You CAN do it!  Words cannot express the gratitude and love I have for Aggie.  She is one of the most patient, supportive and dedicated people I know.  Thank you Aggie, so very much, THANK YOU!"

 

This is Jess on Halloween

 

I can't describe the pride, and joy I feel for being able to help Jess get back to feeling confident, sexy and proud of herself.  She is truly amazing and I feel honored that she chose me to go on this journey with her.  Keep up the great work Jess, I'll always be by your side :)

        

Family

 

What does family mean to you?

To me, family is a group of people that you can count on to lift you up when your down, help you out in times of need, and even tell you when you're wrong.  To me, family means acceptance, love and encouragement.  My family doesn't just consist of my blood relatives, it's filled with the ones I love the most and interact with on a daily basis.  My friends outside of CrossFit, my fellow CFRR coaches and members - I truly love and admire them - I cherish the relationships I've made with everyone and hope I can give to them, the kind of support, love and kindness they have given me.  I know Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I should've saved this for then, but I wanted my "FAMILY" to know I'm thankful for them EVERY day, not just one day out of the year.  

 

Much love!!

-Aggie

A delicious Fall treat!

Here's a great Fall recipe for "Caramel Apples", courtesy of The Spunky Coconut.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients
½ C honey
½ C maple syrup
½ tsp baking soda
Instructions

1. Warm a large sauce pan over medium heat, add honey and maple syrup to hot pan
2.  Once bubbles begin to form, turn heat to medium low having little hands stir (to prevent burning) for 10 minutes
3. Mixture will bubble and potentially expand over edge of pot, if that happens remove from heat and stir, return to heat once bubbles subside
4. Once sauce has thickened and the color darkened (about 10 minutes), remove from heat to add baking soda
5. Whisk in baking soda thoroughly and return to medium heat for 2-3 minutes, whisk constantly until sauce has become a thick, rich bubbly sauce that does not deflate when moved off of heat
6. Remove from heat and let cool, stirring occasionally – sauce will reincorporate to a thick caramel consistency
7. Store in an airtight container for several months, serve and use warm (microwave or stove top)

Caramel Apples

Ingredients
1 C Caramel Sauce (see above)
2 C chopped pecans
6 medium apples
6 bamboo skewers

Instructions

1. Set-up a dipping station: 1 bowl of warmed (not too hot!) Caramel Sauce, 1 bowl of chopped pecans, and skewered apples
2. Gently roll skewered apple in caramel sauce (least messy if you roll on the top surface, rather than try to immerse it entirely)
3. Let caramelized apple sit for 2-3 minutes, to allow caramel to somewhat harden (otherwise nuts will slide down apples’ sides)
4. Roll caramelized apples into nuts
5. Allow apples to harden by storing in the refrigerator – or enjoy warm if you can’t wait!

Happy Eating!!!
-Coach Aggie
"Strong is Sexy"