Turkey muffins
It took me almost a year, but I finally made it back ๐
(Thanks to my friend Megan for waking up early to be tortured with me)
Iโve been wanting to go back to CrossFit for a while, but it hasnโt worked out with my schedule. I know that if you want something bad enough you need to take the steps to make it happen, so I guess I havenโt wanted it that badly. They donโt have traditional child care โ thereโs a baby-gated area with toys, but Iโm sure Liv would stand at the gate like a prisoner, crying and bellowing, โMama! MAMA!โ over the AC/DC music- and the Pilot is at work during most of the CrossFit Lite classes. (I donโt ask family to watch Liv while I work out because they help so much as it is, especially while Iโm at work.)
When I took my first CrossFit class ever, instead of hitting up the beginner (lite) option, I messed up the schedule and went to a regular class. A few friends who are CrossFit regulars said I should be fine, and to modify if I needed to. Welp, I found out afterwards that you HAVE to take the beginner classes. So this time I was determined to do it right. I triple-checked the schedule, then woke up bright and early to head to CF lite with my friend Megan.
Hereโs what we did:
Warmup:
Foam roll
200m run
200m row
2 sets, 10 reps of the following:
Ring rows
Side lunges
Storkes
โThunderstruckโ warm-up (a short variation; you do a burpee every time they say โThunder!โ in the song)
For the actual WOD (workout of the day), we did 1/2 of the workout called โNicole,โ alternating between 200m runs and pull-ups (or ring rows) for maximum reps, as many rounds as we could complete in 10 minutes. The full version of Nicole is 20 minutes, with a longer run (400m).
I did 5 rounds in the 10 minutesโฆ and wanted more when it was over. The purpose of the โliteโ option is to learn the movements, but some workouts (like Nicole) are fairly basic; the full version is just longer in duration and/or distance. My fitness level is there, and I could have continued to go for 20 minutes, so in that sense I felt a little cheated. In my dream world, there would be an in-between option with thorough explanation for the exercises, but the ability to complete the full workout.
One thing that I loved about the lite class was that I always knew what was going on. My first class was extremely overwhelming, fast-paced, and I ended up skipping a majority of the warmup because I was so confused. Yesterday, it was so nice to be coached along the way. Iโm going to attend my next beginner class for a more complicated WOD and hopefully after a few more, hopefully Iโll be able to graduate to the regular option.
I still donโt see CrossFit becoming my #1 workout, but I love the functional workouts, camaraderie between the participants, and the ability to push it to the max. Iโve done many CrossFit-style workouts in my own gym since my first class, but thereโs something to be said about the motivational group atmosphere + some friendly competition.
I picked up a Groupon for 10 classes, which will encourage me to go more often than every year, along with my CrossFit buddy ๐
Since we already talked about strength, how about some protein to go with that?
I thought Iโd share a snack Iโve been enjoying lately; itโs been exciting to switch things up from my egg and jerky obsession.
These little turkey muffins are perfect alone with some mustard/ketchup or great in a wrap or salad.
-1 lb ground turkey
-1 C gf oats
-1 egg + 1 egg white
-1/2 t mustard powder
-1/2 t garlic powder
-1/4 t cumin
-sea salt
-pepper
-drizzle of hot sauce
I combined the ingredients in a large bowl, scooped into a greased muffin tin and baked for 35 minutes at 350.
Another fun variation: these turkey lentil muffins.
Iโm packing up afew to take to work with me today โ itโs ZUMBA time!
Hope you have a lovely morning.
xoxo
Gina
Have you ever tried CrossFit? If you could pick ONE all-time favorite workout, what would you choose? Thatโs a tough one for me because there are so many that I love, but my top 3 are Zumba, barre and yoga.
*Summer Shape Up friends, be sure to check in with workout #1 + todayโs hill challenge! (Cardio details are on the intro page) @fitnessista or leave a comment to let us know how it went <3
Crossfit IS my number one favorite way to work out!
Iโve done CrossFit a few times, but the classes were so packed and too many different levels so we ended up listening to long instructions for things I already knew and had to share equipment which made me do breaks again, so I wasnโt too much a fan. I love when I can sweat an hour through rather than always stop for instruction breaks, though I know that they are important!
Number 1 workout is running, number 2 is Strength/Body Toning Classes and Kettle Bell circuits!
Would it be possible for me to sign up for the Summer work out plan?
Those turkey muffins look amazing!! Iโm always a fan of them in muffin form rather than meatloaf.
Yah, crossfitโs not really my thing either, but I totally understand why people love it since itโs so fast pace and intense. I just canโt be doing it right now with some other health problems Iโm experiencing.
It always looks super fun and I like that itโs done in a community. Thatโs pretty awesome when working out, but pilates will always be my number one.
oh and spinning and barre. I canโt choose between the three!
I love spinninga and body flow, i am getting into barre workouts which I love too.
Iโve never tried CrossFit but I have a few friends who are absolute fanatics!! Iโm always open to trying new workouts it keeps things exciting and helps me stay motivated so I may have to look into a class in my area! Going to the gym after work to complete SSU Workout #1 and HILL Challenge! Loving the workouts Gina! Thanks so much ๐
Yoga. Followed by a close second at spinning. Iโm good at both and realize, I like working out with others but in a an environment where I have to push beyond my limits.
CrossFit is my #1 choice. #2 spinning #3 walk/runs I also DO like pilate on the reformer, but itโs a treat to pay for those expensive classes!
The key is finding a great CrossFit gym (sidenote: when you find a CrossFit โgymโ and not a โbox,โ you have probably met some pretty awesome and normal, non-douchebaggy people ๐ teehee!)
I am LOVING kickboxing right now! I am not sure why, but any oz. of anger or stress I have inside of me just disappears and I feel like I am on FIRE after class. Cross fit is great as well, I love that BAD ASS feeling after completing a WOD. The last class I did, I literally fell over and needed a minute to breathe which rarely ever happens! I LOVED IT! Have an amazing week Gina! Love + Shine COURTSTAR
Finished the SSU Workout #1 again today as well as the hill challenge โ and I was SWEATY! I thought I would find repeating the exact same workout numerous times would get monotonous but if anything, itโs exciting because I already felt a difference today compared to Monday in how efficiently I completed the sets!
My favourite workouts are definitely running, spinning and yoga! (But any sort of dance-related fitness is high up on the list too!)
Iโve done a similar version of these turkey muffins and have added in the Trader Joeโs mirepoix. That takes them over the top!
My number one workout is definitely yoga. I love it! My second favourite would be swimming- I find it so calming and almost meditative.
Iโve never tried Crossfit before. It always looks so fun and I have heard so many great things about it. I wish my gym had it there so I wouldnโt have to go another place.
Zumba is my favorite right now, it has been for a while! My gym just started a 2fly class that everyone says I need to try, so weโll see if that holds up to Zumba.
Summer shape up checkin! Did my steady state last night and set to do workout 1 and hill challenge tonight! I might be moving a little slower, iโm still sore from Monday!
I love yoga and a class that my gym offers called RIPPED. They are very different, but I love them both.
I just finished up my steady state today. I am a day behind the schedule, but Iโll make up for it with Workout #1 and the hill challenge tomorrow.
Was out last night, but ate sensibly with a veggie/hummus sandwich and black ban soup. Had a great protein smoothie for breakfast. Will try to keep up the PRO meals for the rest of the day.
My favorite workouts are running, spinning, and yoga- not in any certain order ๐ I was a little sore yesterday so I wasnโt sure how todayโs Workout 1 and Hill Challenge would goโฆ but it was great! I sweat alot and felt strong afterwards. The workouts have pushed me out of my comfort zone and I am loving them!
Love Crossfit, I donโt think Iโve done a RX WOD yet, even after 6 months. But it doesnโt matter, I might get to the prescribed weight, I might not, it doesnโt matter as long as Iโm pushing myself and getting stronger. Iโve been working out for over 20 years and by far this is my favorite (even though I hate running).
I have done Crossfit, but didnโt love itโฆalthough, the box I went to did not have a โliteโ version so I was always lost!! If I had to choose one workout it would be pole fitness with running and Bikram as a close 2nd/3rd.
Yum, those turkey protein muffins look bomb. Iโm going to have to try them. I used to do crossfit regularly but I found it hard to fit in with my triathlon training schedule. I do love the workouts and how they get you so sweaty so quickly.
I think my all time favorite workout is probably playing soccer, surfing or snowboarding, or a good sweaty yoga class.
Iโve never tried Crossfitโฆ too intimidating!
Gosh as much as ive enjoyed running I miss soccer more than anything. I need the competition, the team, and it allows me to get out some aggression I strangely harbor. I havenโt found anything that really fills the hole soccer has left.
Summer shapeup treadmill hills were so fun! I loved pushing myself, even if it was just at walking pace. Iโve been combining tone it up girls workouts and summer shapeup in a little 2 a day action.. Think I Have too much time on my hands? I canโt wait to start grad school in the fall. (I say that now)
I had to split up my summer shape up workout today due to time constraints but this morning I did a homemade hill changeโฆ.hill repeats on a MONSTER hill in my neighborhoodโฆworkout 1 tonight after work!
Day 3 down and feeling great! Loved Workout 1 just as much as the first day, and the hill challenge was a fantastic burn. Keep the energy going, ladies!
Iโve done mini CrossFit workouts at home but never a classโฆ My all time favourite is spin! Iโm a bit of a spin addict!
I just started my third month of crossfit. Itโs the hardest thing Iโve done and very intimidating but I keep going, hoping to improve. I was only going 2x a week for the first couple of months but Iโm trying to up it now.
Iโm loving SSU so far! I did w/o 1 & the hills challenge this morning even though I was sore from yesterday! Iโm running a half marathon in the fall, and Iโm trying to get exercise other than running into my regular routine so that when training officially starts Iโll keep it up. Last time I trained, it was my first, so I couldnโt get my focus off of running long enough to try other stuff. Iโm hoping this will help me in ways that running canโt. Thanks for all of your efforts with the shape up and your blog in general!
My favorite work outs are running, anything Chalene Johnson does, and sand volleyball (though itโs never my only activity for the day, itโs actually more of a work out than you might think!).
I love crossfit! i started for the first time about a month ago. The thing that i love about it, is that I feel I am getting stronger. My upper body has always been weak and because of that I would never focus on that area, making it even weakerโฆbut they just built one less than a mile from my workโฆSCORE!
Iโve never tried it, Iโve looked online at the workouts (uhh mad confusing), but I donโt like to โlift heavyโ.. I like light (medium?) weights with lots of reps and plyo moves if Iโm doing strength.
My favourites are dance fitness/zumba (we have non zumba dance fitness here taught by amaaazing teachers, its like zumba intensified by 100!), HOT yoga and tennis (which is really just fun for me and my man) the best for exercise. But I always spend quality time with the elliptical haha.
I switched around work out days for the shape up, just did my 3rd WO 1 today with HIIT, and last night did dance party class for steady state ๐ Feeling great!! Love love your workouts.
I did have a question if you had a chance, when you say 30 mins HIIT for ex, do you mean actually 30 mins 30 sec on, 30 sec off, or do you mean 30 mins including warm up and cool down? When Iโm really pushing hard, I can do 15, sometimes 20 MAX (but usually 15) of actual intervals, if theyโre each minute (like 30/30, or 20/40). Wondering if I should be pushing for longer?? Thanks girl!
Hi where do you buy your gluten free oats? I need to try cross fit soon.
Day 3 workout complete! Loving SSU workout 1 ๐ Hills, notsomuch ๐ HA!
#1 barre bee fit #2 pure barre method & #3 my homemade HIIT drills. iโll never join a crossfit gym because it isnโt the type of body comp i am looking for. i donโt care what anyone says about โbulkโโฆevery.single.girl i know that does it regularly gets bulky thighs (so much squatting!) or โswimmers shoulders.โ
sure, crossfitters cut down body fat and put on lean muscle but i admit that itโs more important for me to fit into my skinny jeans. i like the long and lean look so iโm good with my routine. i do adopt some crossfit principles like tabata drills for my HIIT training but use bodyweight only. different strokes for different folks!
Holy schweaty!! That hill run kicked my booty this morning! Will do workout #1 after work! Thanks!
Iโm LOVING CrossFit! It always kicks my butt, but I feel so strong! My gym has a 4 class On-Ramp program where you learn a lot of the basics and do a WOD using the moves you just learned, it was definitely helpful to gear up to the regular classes.
I LOVE the boot camp class I go to. Every day I go, it is something new. Our instructor goes to a local CF box so he will incorporate some of the WOD for us. I love it!!
Favorite workout is definitely yoga! Just finished up my Wednesday workout! Whoa just as sweaty as Monday lol. Feeling more confident in my sets though ๐
Hot yoga! But itโs an hour and a half plus shower time and no childcare, so itโs rare these days with a 1yr old.
Shape up check in โ 4mi run yesterday and just finished workout 1 for the second time. About to head outthe door for the hills.
I so want to do todayโs workout, but my baby is sick so no gym. ๐ I think Iโll either workout tonight or make today my rest day and hope baby is well enough for childcare tomorrow.
Iโm amazed that there are any babies that do well in the makeshift childcare at crossfit! Even my 3-year-old would be at least talking to me the whole time.
I go through spurts of loving and hating, but I always go back to Bikram. My other current favorite is just good old weights and bodyweight plyometrics. Funny, SSU is happening right now! ๐
Iโm not a huge crossfit fan, but I probably went to the wrong class too haha.
My top 3 favorite workouts are probably kickboxing, hip hop groove dance fitness classes, and fast hilly walks.
I had to switch up the weekly schedule, so rather than workout #1 and the hill challenge, I did Fridayโs steady state + tempo blast today. Havenโt been doing a lot of running recently, so it was definitely a challenge to keep doing the same thing for 45 minutes, but afterward, I felt great and super energerized, and had burned close to 400 calories!
I kinda changed up the workout today. I worked out on my lunch break and instead of hills on the treadmill I did the stair machine for 30 min. Then if I have time when I get home from work I will try to do workout #1. I have a 2 year old son so everything is always up in the air. Yesterday I wanted to go for a run with him in the jogging stroller when I came home from work but instead we ended up coloring together. By the way, when you use the jogging stroller do you use both arms to push it or just keep switching from one to the other?
I did the workout twice today instead of the workout+hillโฆ no access to resistance ๐ legs are shot!
Just checking in!! I am switching up today and tomorrow, so today is my rest day. I have to work today, but Iโm off tomorrow, so thatโs why I made the switch. Plus, my legs are still crying for mercy from Monday. ๐
I have yet to try crossfit. My best friend is so into it right now, but she loved powelifting in high school so sheโs in heaven (AND this is a 5โ0 nothing 90 pound chick so itโs pretty adorabe picturing her throw weights around). I really want to try but it is just waaaaay too expensive, and the classes totally conflict with my schedule. All my yogi friends have gotten injured doing it which put them out of commission being on their mats so that kind of scared me. However, everyone is different and I feel with the right coaching that shouldnโt happen. One day Iโll try!
Ella would totally climb over the gate and try to throw a weight at me until I took her home.
Doing workout 1 again today was tough! I was still so sore from Monday, but I made it. Just as sweaty as the first time ๐
Kickboxing and dancing are my two all time favorite forms of exercise! I canโt stop smiling when I am doing them ๐
Paddleboarding!
Loving summer shape up so far! The hill workout definitely made the time on the dreadmill go by faster.
SSU has been kicking my booty!! I think Iโm trading out tomorrowโs rest day for today. It hurts to walk after the superset of squats and a bunch of legwork at Hip Hop Zumba last night!!! Thanks for a great workout!
my #1 workout is yoga, followed by weights. i did the SSU workout #1 and hill cardio workout today โ they were great! i especially love how quick they are this year.
Checking in for summer shape-up. Hills + workout 1= very tired legs, but in a good way ๐ My legs were still a bit sore from Monday so it was a pretty challenging workout, but still fun. Iโm loving the SSU!