Fabulous Dutch Oven recipe brought to you by Brig- CrossFit Maximus

Dutch Oven Lime Marinated Chicken with Salsa Fresca

12″Dutch Oven

8-9 coals below
16-17 coals above

The Chicken

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Juice of 3 limes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• Liberal shakes of salt and pepper

The Salsa

• 3 Medium tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 avocado
• 1 Medium onion
• 3-4 green onions, chopped into the greens
• 1/2 Cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and cored
• Liberal shakes of salt and pepper

In one bowl, I started by mixing all of the ingredients in the first set, except the chicken. I took two tsp of the mixture and set it aside in another bowl. I stirred it all up and poured it into a ziplock baggie. I added the chicken and shook it all up and set it aside to marinade. Since it was still frozen, I used that as an opportunity to thaw it, instead of marinating it in the fridge.

In retrospect, I might have cut the chicken into strips about an inch wide, kinda like stir-fry size. I don’t know that it makes that much difference…

Once it was thawed and marinated, I put the chicken into a 12″ dutch oven. I actually put a fold-out steamer basket in it, because I wanted the chicken juices to drain off, leaving the marinade as a sort of glaze. Since the moisture was still trapped inside the dutch oven, the chicken didn’t dry out.

I put the chicken on the coals. It only took 20 minutes or so to cook. In the meantime, I made the salsa.

Which was really easy. I just chopped up all the ingredients, some minced pretty fine, like the cilantro and the garlic. I put them into the bowl with the reserved marinade and stirred it all up. I don’t remember if I put in more lime juice or not.

When the chicken was done, I served it up with the salsa on top, and with some seasoned cucumbers. The combination of the hot chicken and the cool salsa, with the lime flavor in both sure made it taste GREAT! I  couldn’t believe it was healthy and tasted so good!

30 Day Crossfit Maximus Paleo Challenge Testimony:

The paleo challenge wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.  The first few days of the new diet were the hardest, I had little idea as to what I would be eating and hadn’t prepared my kitchen for the meal changes.  I found myself craving only sugar (sweets) at first, then condiments, surprisingly and to everyone’s amazement I’m sure, the one thing I felt I would crave the most (beer) I had little or no craving for at all.  The few cheat days I had came towards the end of the months and weren’t a big deal.  I did notice a big drop in the amount of food I wanted to eat and that my body didn’t appreciate the sudden change back to my old eating habits.
The positives I have to say about this diet are many.  First I was averaging between 1/2 and 1 pound weight lose a day and lost a total of 15 pounds in  a month.  My wife seems to have a new appreciation for the way I look and has told me so several times.   I had a physical during the challenge and the doctor I hadn’t seen for a year noticed the changes and my physical results including my blood work between last year and this year were huge.  Allot had to do with working out at Crossfit, but the one big change I can say was from paleo was my cholesterol.  Last year my cholesterol was high enough to warrant advice to watch it.  This year it was “perfect” I had the numbers but can’t find them. 
I intend to keep a modified paleo diet and to go back on a strict one again before the summer.  I would like to see the gym do it again as a challenge.  I know I have said allot about the impact paleo has made on the outside, I have also noticed changes in my energy level, mood, digestive system and especially in the way I look at food I used to be so quick to put into my body.  Thanks guys for putting on the challenge it was the push I needed to shed some weight!!
Jeff Wolfe- Crossfit Maximus

Dave’s hands after his fight with Murph.

“For some reason 95 pull-ups is tolerable for your hands, but those last 5 seem to always freakin ruin it!” – Crossfitter

“Maximus Gone Bad”

5 Rounds for reps:

Row for calories – 1 Minute

Wall Ball – 1 Minute

SDLHP (Sumo Deadlift High-Pull) – 1 Minute

Rest 1 Minute, between rounds

Score = Total reps for 5 Rounds

Hierarchy of Athletic Development

Fielding pops a handstand at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, elevation 19,331 ft.

Where’s the craziest place you’ve ever done a handstand push-up???

Push/Split Jerk

1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1, rep

Post heaviest load for 1 rep (1RM)

“Cash Out”

50 KTE’s (Knees to Elbows)

Virtuosity – performing the common, uncommonly well.

1.  Stick to the fundamentals, master them

2.  Keep your ears open, you can always learn something; even if it’s what NOT to do

3.  If you can’t maintain perfect form under no stress, what do you think will happen 20 min. into your wod?

4.  Seek knowledge and self-improvement

 Organized chaos at the press/pull-up/box jump group wod

“Stone’s Revenge”

3 Rounds for time:

50 Double Unders

25 Deadlifts

20 Ring Dips

15 Hang Power Cleans (same wt. as DL)

PALEO  Food Substitutions

   Salt: Powdered garlic, powdered onion, lemon juice, lime juice, lemon crystals, lemon pepper free of salt, cayenne pepper, chili powder, commercially available salt-free spice mixes, black pepper, cumin, turmeric, ground cloves, oregano, ground allspice, celery seeds, coriander seeds, ground cardamom seeds, or any spice or combination of spices can be used to replace salt. I do not recommend using any of the so-called “lite” salts or potassium chloride salts because chloride, like sodium, is undesirable when it comes to your health.

  Vinegar: Substitute small amounts of vinegar with lemon or lime juice (fresh or reconstituted from fresh).

  Butter/Fat: Replace butter, margarine, shortening, lard etc. with olive oil, flaxseed oil, walnut oil, canola oil, or avocado oil. Olive oil has a wonderful flavor and is high in the health promoting monounsaturated fats but generally has a poor omega-6 to omega-3 fat ratio (~13). The same situation exists for avocado oil, and these two oils should be frequently complemented by or blended together with other oils containing better (lower) omega-6 to omega-3 ratios such as flaxseed (0.24), canola (2.0) or walnut (5.1) oils.

  Sugars: Concentrated sugars of any kind even natural sugars (honey, maple sugar, date sugar), really were not a staple component in most pre-agricultural diets. Sugars should be obtained primarily from fruits and vegetables and not from concentrated sources. That being said, fruit purees, flavored with lemon juice and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, mint leaves, ginger, vanilla, and other spices), can be used in recipes to add sweetness to sauces, condiments, and desserts.

  Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages were clearly not a component of true Stone Age diets, and should be limited to an occasional glass of wine, beer or spirits as a part of your “open meals.” Wine, as long as it does not contain salt (as most cooking wines do), can be used to marinate meats and add flavor to many cooked dishes. When wine is used in this context, the amount of added alcohol and sugar is negligible – furthermore, wine contains a number of health promoting phytochemicals and antioxidants.

  Cereals: Nut flours (almond, pecan, walnut, hazelnut, etc.) can be made in food processors or can be purchased at some health food or specialty stores and can be used to thicken sauces or to add flavor to condiments. Again, these products need to be used sparingly, as they have the potential to unbalance diet and disrupt health when they are used excessively or in combination with oils, honey, dried fruit or fruit purees.

Varinka, Shane, and Kevin Albritton (left to right).

Kevin shaved 6 minutes off his half marathon time!  Good luck at your Boston Marathon Qualifier.  We know you will do great!

5 Rounds for time:

10 KB Swings

10 MB Cleans

10 Burpees

“Cash Out”

50 Ab Mat Sit-ups

“Murph”

For time:

Run 1 Mile (4 laps)

100 Pull-ups

200 Push-ups

300 Air Squats

Run 1 Mile (3 laps)

In memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28, 2005.  Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, air squats as needed.  Start and finish with a 1 mile run.  If you have a 20 lbs vest, wear it.

Rest Day

Open Gym 2 -5 pm

Should age really matter when trying to test the fittest man/woman on the planet?

Should the Crossfit Games 2010 have a Masters Division?

If so what would be the age divisions?

Post thought to comments

Almond muffins
————–
1 cup almond butter
1 cup sliced raw almonds
1 cup pure coconut milk
2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
3 eggs

Beat and pour in muffin cups.  Cook at 400 for 15 minutes.

“Best Good Friends”

Complete with a partner for time (if you are doing it solo cut the reps in half)

For time:

400m Run

150 Wall Balls

400m Run

100 Push-ups

400m Run

50 Partner Push-Presses

(2 people push-press on 1 bar at the same time)

* With the exception of the run and partner push-press, only 1 person is working at a time

Briefing of the Qualifier Final WOD “The Maximus”

For time:

Long Jump 25m

Bodyweight DL, reps = # of jumps

25 Burpees

Long Jump 25m

BW DL, reps = # of jumps

15 Burpees

Long Jump 25m

BW DL, reps = # of jumps

5 Burpees

Mark Rippetoe on the Deadlift

Power Clean

1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1  -1 – 1, reps

Find heaviest load for 1 Rep Max (1RM)

Example Sets:

Warm -up

45# x 5 reps, 95# x 5, 115# x 3

Work Sets

135 x 1, 150 x 1, 160 x 1, 175 x 1, 190 x 1, 210 x 1, 225 x 1 (Failure)

1RM (1 Rep Max) is 210#

Mark Rippetoe on the Power Clean

PALEO CHALLENGE TESTIMONIES and BREAKFAST FOR CHAMPIONS:

TESTIMONIES:

“I did try to keep it as paleo as possible, but felt I did more zone than paleo. And I had a few cheat meals along the way
as some ice cream one night and popcorn at the movies one night…but I think its a great idea and obviously lots of people have seen great results.Thanks for always giving me such great encouragement. You guys make it such a joy to
work out and come to the gym everyday!! I am going to continue to write everything down, that’s helped me a lot. I did it for awhile and stopped and I’m going to keep that up!!”          

-Jessica A. Crossfit Maximus

“While I was not a strict as I would have liked, I learned alot about how nutrition relates to training and performance.  If your times are NOT getting better, and your weights are NOT going up, your nutrition is off.  I was amazed how getting back “on track” with just one meal helps you feel better in all facets of life (concentration, stamina, strength).  White carbs are what is killing us and making our kids fat.”

-Paul Dz CrossFit Maximus

“I am so happy you all introduced me to this lifestyle, because I feel so much better.  I ran 6 miles yesterday, and have never been able to run that far without feeling miserable.  I know that the diet, and wod’s have everything to do with it.”

-Tanya CrossFit Maximus

“I have tried other programs and would drop five lbs no problem but then I would hit a wall.  Never realized how much the proper diet can truly have on my lifestyle.  I currently work out 5 days a week completing the daily WODS and have noticed a huge change from when I first joined to now.  I weighed 194 and as of Saturday I’m at 180.  6 weeks 14lbs.  I will continue to use the Paleo diet as it has truly change the way I eat and want food.  I feel like I eat more now than before but the food is full of protein and my body fills up quick on small amounts versus two huge amounts like before.  My first two weeks at Crossfit I would do the WODs and feel like I wanted to die and told myself, (why in the hell am I paying to feel like sh**!!)  well after about two weeks of wanting to die, I had a enough drinks of the KOOL AID I couldn’t stop myself and look forward to my daily WOD.  My goal is to drop to 170 by Christmas, just have to wait and see what happens.”

-Jeremy “Bailey” CrossFit Maximus

BREAKFAST FOR CHAMPIONS

            When converting to a Paleo lifestyle, many people find breakfast to be the most challenging meal to keep Paleo. No doubt, this is probably due to the conditioning we’ve likely all received that a healthy way to start the day is with a grain-based product (cereal, bagel, toast and so on). Many of us view certain foods as being for breakfast, others for lunch and dinner, and others for snacks.

The first step is to throw that thinking out the window! Food is food no matter what time of day, and the morning is a great time to eat vegetables! I personally, eat veggies, chicken, turkey or fish for breakfast on a typical day.

But, what should you eat if you’re an athlete preparing for a workout? I change my usual breakfast if I’ve got a big workout to do right away. Rather than the protein and veg-heavy foods I mentioned above, I’ll opt for a starchier (via yam, sweet potato or banana) and easier to digest (like egg whites) combination so that I’m not only well fueled, but I don’t have to wait too long to digest.

The amount you should consume will be determined by body weight and the intensity and duration of the workout. Experiment a bit and see how much you need to eat based on how you feel during the workout, and change the subsequent meal accordingly. Here are some great ideas for athletes looking for a great way to start the day, pre-workout, while remaining Paleo.

• Baked sweet potato, hard-boiled egg whites, olive oil, banana, and raw almond butter
• Homemade smoothie: chilled green tea, egg white protein powder, banana, raw almond butter, and flax seed
• Baked sweet potato, natural (unsweetened) applesauce, sliced lean turkey breast, and olive oil

Stick with higher glycemic fruits right before and after a workout. Also, remember to add some table salt because athletes need to replace lost electrolytes. We athletes may need to supplement with electrolyte tabs, depending on the intensity and duration of our workouts, as well as ambient conditions and individual sweat rates.

Experiment with the above suggestions and make changes to keep it varied. Try pineapple in a smoothie instead of banana, or use baby food banana instead of applesauce.

Whatever you do, DON’T make the mistake of thinking that you have to resort to non-Paleo foods to support athletic performance. If I can stay Paleo while racing Ironman, and my husband can stick to it while racing 100-mile endurance runs, I think it’s safe to say that Paleo provides 100% of the support needed for endurance racing, or any other athletic endeavor!

                                                                       -Nell Stephenson, www.thepaleodiet.com

Briefing before Event 2 of CF Mock Qualifier, job well done guys!

(AMRAP) As Many Rounds As Possible in 15 Minutes:

5 Presses

10 Pull-ups

15 Box Jumps

Goals.  Do you have any?  ”I want to lose weight.”  ”I want to get strong.”  Those are not goals, those are wishes or aspirations.  Make those wishes into tangible goals; give them a date or a number.  Start with a long term goal and set short term goals in small increments till you achieve it.  That way you hold yourself accountable if they aren’t achieved, or feel accomplished when they are.  Wish – to get stronger.  Long term goal – add 50 lbs to my Deadlift 4 months from now.  In order to meet this you would need to add about 12.5 lbs to your DL per month.  Short term goal – add 10-15 lbs to my DL this month.

Weekly Goal – Make 5 WOD’s, Deadlift this week

Monthly Goal – Increase DL by 10-15 lbs by 11/06/09

Long Term (4 months) – Increase DL by 50 lbs 2/6/10

To stay driven and motivated I have to have measurable goals, and I NEED to achieve them.  What are your goals???

7 Rounds for time:

3 Power Snatches

6 OHS

9 Back Squats

*Done “Bear Style,” bar must touch and go at floor only!

*You can rest the bar anywhere but on the floor

My buddy Keith Zeier, from Crossfit Brooklyn recently appeared on Crossfit.com.  We were in Marine Recon together and were wounded on the same deployment.  Earlier this year he ran a 100 mile race in the Florida Keys to raise money for the SOWF (Special Operations Warrior Foundation).  Keith’s story has been on MSNBC and they have recently finished shooting a documentary about his experience training for the 100 mile race, and what his body went through to finish it.  Here is a short video about him and his experience using Crossfit to help him prepare for the race.

The Today Show on Keith Zeier

I love dessert; I make no apologies for it. And although I don’t mean to rub it in, with my metabolism I can generally handle as much dessert as I want, so when I volunteered to try the Paleo diet for a month I knew it would be difficult. Looking back at this last month, I can say that it was difficult, but I saw some serious rewards as well.

5 Rounds for time:

5 SDLHP

200m Run

10 Clapping Push-ups