This week is going to be a little out of the norm for this girl because tomorrow I’m off to New York City and then at the end of the week, I’ll be in Boston.
Both trips are for blog-related events and my agenda is full, but I’m really looking forward to visiting two big cities, meeting new people and seeing some of my blogging friends.
I can’t wait!
I’ll be leaving for NYC tomorrow afternoon and will be spending time there for a Fitness Magazine Meet & Tweet blogger event on Wednesday.
I am actually speaking on a panel about blogging with the three amazing women behind these wonderful blogs: Kelly Olexa (she’s also the CEO of FitFluential!), MizFit and Carrots ‘n’ Cake. Public speaking always makes me a little nervous so I hope it goes well!
Actually big events like this often intimidate me because there are so many new faces and I always feel a little awkward introducing myself to people out of the blue. I just try to remind myself that everyone else is probably in a similar boat, right!?
I am also extra excited to head to NYC because I made dinner plans tomorrow night with Merri, one of my very best friends who moved there last year.
(Merri is in the middle in the above picture from my visit to see her in January!)
My trip to Boston is for an event with Reebok on Friday and I’ll be visiting the Reebok headquarters which has me super pumped.
I can’t wait to see what goes on behind the scenes at such a large company. The event is also supposed to include a Crossfit workout and I am anxious to give it a go. Ryan has been asking me to try out Crossfit with him for months now (we’re both very intrigued), but we haven’t just yet, so this will be a new adventure for me!
I hope I don’t collapse.
Lunch
Since I am going out of town this week, we didn’t load up on a ton of food for the week, so my lunchtime options were rather limited.
I ended up making myself a smoothie that included the following:
- 2 bananas (extra creamy!)
- 1 cup strawberry Greek yogurt
- 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 3/4 cup milk
Doubling up on the bananas makes smoothies so incredibly creamy.
That last picture is for my fellow Knights out there! 
I also had some leftover roasted vegetables on the side.
Random, but it works!
Salsa Trio Recipes
Remember when I blogged about turning my kitchen upside down after playing with tomatoes to develop a recipe for Lipman Produce? I promised that I would share the salsa recipes with you guys when they were available and today is the day!
While I was asked to simply develop one tomato-based recipe, I wanted to have a little fun and ended up creating a salsa trio because I had too many different flavor combinations floating around in my brain and couldn’t reel them in.
You may now find the recipes for the three different salsas on the Lipman website along with a bunch of other delicious looking creations.
- Black Bean and Corn Salsa
- Mango Avocado Salsa (<— My favorite!)
- Fresh Salsa
Question of the Afternoon
- Have you ever tried Crossfit? Would you want to?
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Love mango and avocado salsa, its my favorite combo and great for summer! I like to put it on grilled chicken or fish.
I’ve tried many many types of angles to working out. I tried crossfit last summer for a bit and it just wasn’t my thing. I know tons of people enjoy it and I think it’s awesome. For me, I prefer a different route. Not to say it isn’t effective- I just found myself dreading the classes for various reasons. I feel like when I pay so much money to be apart of something I should really look forward to it. There were things I loved about it but overall I felt there was a better option for me. Try it for yourself though! It’s def a trend (reminds me a lot of the step aerobics obsession, yoga and pilates trend, kickboxing, etc) It’s here to stay but i’m not sure it will keep its momentum.
I feel the same way! I wanted to love it, but I ended up being semi-terrified before going to each class.
hahahaha, “i ended up being semi-terrified before going to each class” – I love it. Totally know how you feel though. I’m just trying to think of it as the place that makes me stronger. And the “No pain, no gain” motto rings pretty true for Crossfit!
i’ve been crossfitting since 2009… caution: it’s very addicting!! have fun!!
The idea Crossfit’s short (but intense!) workouts intrigues me but I don’t foresee myself trying it any time soon for a couple reasons… One, it’s rather expensive. And two, a friend owns one of the Crossfit locations near me. When he was getting involved in purchasing half the business, he would not shut up about getting my to join, try Paleo, etc. Seriously. Every single time we saw him, he shoved it down my throat. So I’m basically at the point where I refuse to give in to him. Slightly immature, I know. He just drove me NUTS!!
I completely understand! One of my close friends is really into Crossfit and NEVER shuts up about it! He is always pushing everyone to try it and tells people that Crossfit is so great that nothing else compares. He drives me NUTS as well and I refuse to do it purely out of spite!
Reebok HQ is awesome! They used to be a client of mine and I loved going there. Make sure to stop by the on campus store…everything is 50% off the outlet prices and they often have things that aren’t out in stores yet. I miss stalking up on great workout clothes there!
Yay, have so much fun in NYC! So cool that you will be hanging out with Tina of Carrots ‘n’ Cake–I love her blog, too. 🙂 And I’m sure you won’t have to worry; there will be tons of people there excited to meet *you* and they will be the ones feeling awkward, haha.
Pumped to check out these salsa recipes! I have been waiting for the day when you’d post them. 🙂
I’ve never tried crossfit, but I’ve been hearing so much about it lately!
Have fun & safe travels!
I haven’t tried Crossfit, but I’m hoping to try out Crossfit Fenway when my term is over (I live in Boston, obv).
That smoothie looks sooo good. They’re my new favorite 8AM treat when I’ve been up for days writing papers.
Love salsa recipes ~ thank you for sharing:) Mango salsa is one of my favorites with fish!
i looooove crossfit. it really is addicting. it gets a lot of negative press because people claim that when you do high intensity reps of strength routines, you compromise your form… that may be true for some, but the sign of a good trainer is one that ensures everyone keeps proper form throughout. my crossfit instructor is adamant about all of us keeping form throughout because he wants us to prevent injury.
that aside… i LOVE it. it is a huge community and everyone i’ve ever encountered has been really supportive and encouraging, especially in the beginning. crossfit makes me feel strong- i know ryan would LOVE it, and i think you’d enjoy it too! i loved going with my hubby – we’d encourage each other through the harder routines…and a little internal competition during our workouts made for–ahem– fun times later on.
give it a go!
ryan has been talking about it for MONTHS!!
he’s going to love it for sure. and i think you would as well! i read in one of the comments below that the Ocala box has free Saturday nights- that sounds like a great way to get a feel for it and see if you’d like it. a lot of people are turned off by the costs- and i agree it is kind of pricey, but most places allow you to have like a trial period before you sign on fully so you can know whether or not it’s something you’d stick to.
Will Ryan not try it if you don’t join him?
i actually think he’s going to one in ocala while i’m out of town! he’s just been talking about it for months and since i expressed interest, we’ve talked about it but for some reason never checked it out just yet. the location + timing of some of the workouts at the crossfit locations in ocala also aren’t ideal for his work, so that has held him back a bit.
Oh how exciting, two amazing cities in one week! I LOVE Crossfit – I don’t think I can get that sore from any other workout!
Also, GO KNIGHTS!!!!!!!!! 🙂
wooooohooo for ucf!
I’ve been dying to try Crossfit! Actually just this morning I Googled Crossfit to find locations near me where I can try it. Let me know how you like it!!
You are going to love Crossfit, you already do bodyweight workouts and you can follow the WOD online so it’s super easy to do at home if you don’t have a box near to go to or if the price is a deterrent. Enjoy NYC, I can’t wait for my trip there in June, it’s one of my favorite places to go too b/c my bestie is there 🙂
I’ve never tried crossfit but I’ve always wanted to! It’s just too expensive for me to belong to my gym and try and join a box!
Crossfit is an intense workout and has some great benefits, but it is pretty expensive. It’s not my favorite workout, but once in a while I enjoy it.
The Reebok facility is sick you will have such a great time!
Those salsa recipes look wonderful! I can’t wait to try them!
I have never tried Crossfit, but I would be willing to try. Personally, it is too expensive for me, and now that I am studying through NASM to get my CPT, i enjoy coming up with my own workouts.
wow so jealous you will be able to try a cross fit workout with Reebox, can’t wait to hear that recap! Also that smoothie and vegetable dish made me drool! Have a great time!
I can’t help but give my opinion on crossfit since you asked.
I’ll start by saying that whatever form of exercise works for a person and is safe and fun, go for it. That being said, I have 3 major issues with the crossfit program. 1) Many trainers don’t have legitimate or adequate exercise training education/certifications.
2) Crossfit is a more intense program than some other forms of exercise and thus, carries a greater risk of injury — especially to those new to exercise or that type of exercise (coupled with the potential of an inadequately educated trainer = high risk for injury).
3) Most crossfit programs/trainers heavily promote the paleo diet which in my opinion is not a safe or healthy diet. I think it’s irresponsible for people without formal education in nutrition to promote specific diets (to large groups of people) that are not scientifically based. A diet that cuts out multiple major food groups completely from the diet is a red flag to me. It’s also a diet that has not had many reputable studies conducted to determine possible health benefits.
Sorry for the long post! That’s my opinion since you asked… =)
Hey Kristin!
I think it may depend on what CF gym you go to.
The trainers are all certified where I go, and in order to join you have to do a 3 week course which teaches you all the basics, including safety. Safety is a huge priority for them, and being in a small intro class they can keep a good eye on you. In fact, the class I went to recently they made us do press ups if we got the technique wrong! Haha. As you said, it is intense stuff, so short cuts = injury.
Also, I actually haven’t heard anyone, including the trainers mention the paleo diet. They definitely haven’t promoted, not yet anyway!
Furthermore, the paleo diet is hugely scientifically based! It’s just that it’s not based on, or promoted by, conventional wisdom or what the government tells us is healthy for us. So it can be perceived as being a little weird. If you do you want to check it out a bit more, have a look at marksdailyapple.com. Pretty fascinating stuff!
🙂
Thank you!! So glad someone responded with some truths about paleo… it seems the majority of people who hear about immediately write it off as a fad diet without actually doing their own independent research into what it really entails. And as always, it’s hard to retrain the minds of many who’ve been indoctrinated by Big Agra and the government to believe only what they say is accurate and healthy.
Kristen,
But there have been studies. Most in Sweden by Staffan Lindeberg, MD who has been a long time proponent of the diet.
There is nothing nutritionally in the food groups that are eliminated that can’t be gotten in a more bioavailable form in paleo foods.
And those eliminated food groups have many negative health implications. Like all diseases of civilization. The book that best points them out is Loren Cordain’s The Paleo Answer. I highly suggest you read it.
I am so excited you are coming to Boston!! I hope you have time to explore- it is such a great city! I’m also super jealous I won’t be at the Reebok HQ- sounds like such a fun event!
I tried Crossfit this winter and enjoyed it! It was a class sponsored by Lululemon and involved some quick sprints and other “lighter” weight exercises. It was a lot of fun, and I definitely am going to try some more classes in the future!
So I already told Courtney this BUT you must try Marylou’s coffee while you are here!!! I can’t wait to see where you go/what you think of Boston! Please let me know if you need any recommendations, etc.!
I just finished my Crossfit beginner class. I know a lot of other commenters have said the risk of injury is large, but at my box, they make you take the beginner class to learn the lifts before you can start in the actual classes. I love it, and intend to stick with it. I think you’ll really like it, because the workouts are different each day, and are always working different muscles.
You will Love crossfit! it has that circuit workout feel, but its very challenging. I like to take parts of crossfit workouts and add them into my regular routine to keep thing fresh!
Oh and get ready for some Burpees!
I’ve never heard of Crossfit, but I wish you good luck nonetheless!
I actually just wanted to drop in and say 1) nice salsa recipes; I am a salsa /hound/. I’ll eat it plain or treat it as a dip for carrots/cucumbers; doesn’t matter.. that jar will be gone in less than a day, haha!
And 2), about the bananas. I was just curious, have you tried using a frozen banana? Pair that with some frozen berries and frozen spinach.. talk about thick and luxurious!
yes!! the bananas actually were frozen in my smoothie. frozen bananas are the way to go! SO good!
So many cool things going on in this post! Firstly, I’m super excited for you and your coming travel plans! I hope everything goes smoothly and I know your talks will be amazing because, well, that’s just what you are! And secondly, the Reebok thing sounds like so much fun! Although I’ve done some hotel room no-equipment-needed Crossfit inspired classes, I’ve never actually been to one of the boxes for a full session. I’m looking forward to your review!
woo hooo go knights!!!! my old roommates had those cups too! (ps when football season rolls around let me know if you go to any games! would be so awesome to meet you!)
i’ve been dying to try crossfit, too but like a lot of other people said it’s really expensive. It’s not exactly in my budget right now. But if I ever make the plunge I’ll tell you! My sister-in-law LOOOOVES it! She has made so many friends through crossfit and has found a workout she truly enjoys. She was never really into weights until she met my brother and now she finally has something she looks forward to doing. I did a mud run with her and some girls from her box and they were THE nicest girls I’ve ever met! Truly wanting to see you succeed and no judgement at all
I CrossFit and LOVE it! You will be hooked. I forsee you coming home to Ryan and y’all joining a “box”! Can’t wait to read about your adventures.
I dunno if you’ve been to Boston before or not but you will love it!! That is so awesome that you’re getting to do two amazing fitness related things :). Can’t wait to hear all about it!!
I wish I was going to be a part of those events with you! I bet they will be a blast. And it was so weird not having you there in Colorado.
me toooooooo. i miss your face!
Well, I WILL be in Daytona the week of June 8-16. 😉
my fear of collapsing on friday is very high.
we can lean on each other! 😀
You’re coming to my neck of the woods! Have fun!!
I am dying to try Crossfit and so is my boyfriend we just haven’t gotten around to going, I am also semi afraid for my life as I can lift at much as 10 lbs and had a small party for myself when I benched 40lbs!
Sounds like it’s going to be a fun trip! Can’t wait to hear what you think of Crossfit – I’ve never tried it!
I’ve heard loads about Crossfit from Tina over at Carrots and Cake and would love to try it. Be interesting to hear what it’s like from some one else who’s never tried it!
So excited you’ll be in Boston – sort of… Reebok is like 45 mins outside the city. I’ll be at both events (NYC too) but wish I could host like a BBQ in Boston on Friday night on my patio. When are you flying back to FL?
that would be so fun! i am actually leaving at 8 p.m. on friday. i can’t wait to MEET you though!
I want to try Crossfit, but am turned off by the startup cost! At the gyms around me, you have to take a starter course to learn the basics before you can take the regular classes. This costs over $100 and I’m afraid I won’t like it or won’t be able to do it and then I’m out 100 smackers–before I even get in a workout!
My boyfriend does X-fit and he likes it. From what he tells me, since you’re used to weight triaining you should be a-OK!
That all sounds like SO much fun! Hope you have a great time! I’ve never tried Crossfit, though it does kind of intrigue me too, although I’m not a proponent of the Paleo diet. Couldn’t live without dairy or grains!
I want to go to the Reebok headquarters!! Sounds amazing!
Crossfit sounds fun for sure–can’t wait to hear your recap of it all! I do prefer teaching though, so if I did it all, I’d be dead by the end of the day. Hah.
I havent’ been to crossfit but my gym gppfitness.com is similar in the way the wod is set up but we strive more for optimal health then the sport of fitness. Check it out! you may like it!
I’ve never tried crossfit – they don’t offer it at my gym. Can’t wait to hear what it’s like.
Ah these events sound like SO much fun! 🙂 One day I hope to be there too! Cross fit is awesome buttt be ready to hurt…i had no idea til after i did it lol.
I do CrossFit here in Ocala! They have free Saturdays, so you guys should check it out! Oh, and GO KNIGHTS, nice to have fellow alum in a Gator heavy town:) !!!
I recently started going to crossfit (2 months ago) and I absolutely LOVE IT!! I have done several different types of classes over the years and this by far is my favorite. Annie on comment 10 said it the best, it often gets a bad rap but as long as you have a quality instructor that puts safety first then it is a solid program that will produce results. I adore my trainer and she puts safety as #1 and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is a close 2nd b/c that is where the magic happens. I can’t wait for you to try it.
Solid work on the Salsas, congrats on getting them published. Safe Travels
Enjoy your fun week!
I love Crossfit. That’s all I do for my workouts. It’s a bit intimidating at first but it’s so cool once you get into it. I just love that every day is different and you’re constantly being challenged. I’ve been doing it for probably a year and a half now and it isn’t even close to being boring.
I also love that it’s such a community feel. Everyone at my gym is like their own little family. Everyone gets together to work out for special occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, we even just had a memorial workout for a girl that lost her month old baby. It’s really amazing.
SO excited for your reebok crossfit experience! I can’t wait to hear all about it!
I just found the crossfit gym in my town! I think I’m going to put the intro package on my birthday list and hope that my family bites the bullet and gets it for me since I’ve been wanting to try it foreverrrrrrrr (well, almost hehe). Do tell us all about it, I know Tina from Carrots’n’Cake loves it!
I’ve been doing Crossfit for a few month now and LOVE it! It has pushed me really hard, which is something I had a hard time doing on my own. And I’ve learned some great new skills, too.
The Reebok HQ is a town over from me! And I didn’t even know it until about a year ago lol. If you need any Boston-area suggestions on places to go or whatever, feel free to email me – massachuseats (at) gmail (dot) com 🙂
Sounds like those events are going to be fun! Boston is one of my favorite cities. 🙂 I love to visit there in the fall. The clam chowder in bread bowl is enough to make me want to visit!
The salsas look tasty! I’ll have to check out your recipes.
That is funny you talked about Corssfit, because I am thinking about trying it. One of the Moms of the kids in my class talks about Crossfit alll the time and has been trying to get me to go! I just haven’t gone yet. You will have to let me know how it goes!