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Not Just For The Boys

This article was written for LiftBigEatBig.com by Dana Mcmahan. She is a 100 pound powerlifter that goes to show that heavy weights and large meals contribute to overall improved health and well-being. This post is for you, ladies!

Even while I was shrinking I was growing stronger every day and was euphoric with the power. My coach eventually pulled me almost completely out of CrossFit work and put me on a powerlifting training program. I freaking LOVED it. As the callouses formed and the muscles hardened I found that I looked at everything differently. With every new PR my confidence soared. My attitude chilled -- no need to get annoyed at petty things when I can go get under the bar tonight! I even finally got up the nerve to get a tattoo after thinking about it for literally half my life. My weight continued to drop though I was devouring more food than ever. Only recently an omnivore after nine years of not eating meat I found myself craving steak and red meat. My coach pushed me to eat more to fuel my training. After a lifetime of thinking I was doing something right if I were hungry, I found a very happy new way of life: eat when I’m hungry. And eat plenty! Going to bed hungry had felt like a virtuous act most of my life -- maybe I’d weigh less in the morning, right? Now if I wake up hungry in the night I stand happily and sleepily in a dark kitchen and eat spoonfuls of almond butter.

Going into powerlifting competitions I am judged on how much weight I can move, not on how much is on the scale. This was an incredibly freeing concept as a woman. Nobody cares what I look like on the platform, only whether I go to depth on squat, pause on the bench, and pull that shit off the floor in the deadlift. This isn’t to say I have completely undone three decades plus of trying to meet our culture’s idea of ‘ideal.’ I have serious guns, and quads that don’t fit into the jeans that fit my waist, and the veins in my arms sometimes pop out like a dude’s, but I still want to put on cute dresses and mascara and have my husband tell me I’m pretty.

#weightlifting #fitness #women

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Blender mason jar

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The Fattest People in Paleo

We’re healthy. We’re happy. That should be enough. If not for this blog we’d have no reason to not feel thrilled and content with exactly where we are right now – no comparisons.

Coming to terms with your limitations and accepting them is hard. Learning to not care if others accept them is harder. We’ve both damaged our bodies in the past to the point that we’ll never look as good as the leading lights of paleo. And that is OK! It does not mean that we don’t have our own perspective, our own voice to add to the conversation. Nor do your flaws mean that you can’t join in either. So what if haters gonna hate? Think about the overall positive impact that’s being had, instead.

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Can we all agree that this system of living has benefits for everyone, not just the super athletes at the annual Crossfit Games? Then let’s accept all our brethren in the movement, regardless of size and shape. Let’s stop trolling each others’ inboxes and Facebook walls, or posting on Reddit and Paleo Hacks. If you wouldn’t say it to their face – don’t say it! There’s room for a variety of voices in this movement, because in order for the world to get on board – we need identifiable people all around.

We’re ignoring the chatter and criticism for us and our book not optimizing performance and our paleo(ish) treats being replications of neolithic disease. Let’s all drop the in-fighting and start figuring out how we can save the world – the general public – one person at a time.  In the meantime, Stacy and I will continue to be the fattest people in paleo. We’ll continue to try to inspire people by putting ourselves out there and braving jerks who clearly aren’t yet happy and fulfilled with their own lives.

#paleo #diet

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Dynamic Stretching (by CrossFitATM)

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Root Simple: Introducing the Dehydrated Kimchi Chip

#kimchi

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lol

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Weight Plate Charm (25lb/11.3kg)

#weight plate #necklace

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Bronze Kettlebell Necklace

#kettlebell

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Got new weightlifting shoes!

I decided to reward myself for getting exemplary grades last quarter in my structural engineering classes by buying new weightlifting shoes from the New Balance Minimus Collection:

Minimus was designed not to chase trends, but rather to satisfy individuals looking to achieve a closer-to-barefoot running experience, by encouraging a more natural foot position and foot-strike. The minimalist approach to footwear sheds not only weight, but convention, in pursuit of a truly minimalist feel.

LOWER DROP

Drop is the difference between heel height and toe height. Minimus features a range of drops to encourage a more natural foot position.

LOWER STACK HEIGHT

To maximize closer-to-barefoot feel, Minimus has no insert, minimal midsoles & outsoles, and is engineered to encourage mid-foot strikes.

WIDER TOEBOX

The wider forefoot allows your foot to expand naturally on impact.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Because Minimus contains only what is necessary, it’s almost 50% lighter than traditional lightweight shoes.

I got the Black and Grey Minimus 20s:

The Minimus 20 collection features a 4mm heel-to-toe drop. The lightweight design includes a unique upper that offers more structure than the Minimus 10, and provides additional stability when transitioning to a mid-foot strike.

The importance of wearing proper shoes for weigtlifting:

Good lifting shoes fit snuggly and have sturdy, hard and slim soles that are not slippery. Basically, you want your feet as close to the floor as possible for optimum control and stability when lifting. Lifting shoes give you better traction and balance than regular sneakers because your heels better sense the pressure of the weight. Additionally, good lifting shoes can even fix technique issues since you’ll better sit (back) into your squats and your heels will remain on the floor. This, of course, reduces the risk of injury. Proper form also gives you more power! ROAR!

I tried them on at Nordstrom today and bough them online when I got home. I like them because they're both functional and fashionable. Sorry, I just can't jump onto the Vibram Five Finger bandwagon for looks' sake. When my boyfriend tried them on with his Levis, they kind of looked black and grey Onitsuka Tigers.

I can't wait to get them in the mail. They might end up being shoes I wear in and out of the gym.

#new balance minimus #new balance minimus wt20 #weightlifting shoes #fitblr

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Paleo alternative to ice cream, and it actually tastes good. Unfortunately the only market nearby that sells it is Whole Foods, and it's also a bit pricey. Luckily the paleo diet has greatly curbed my sweet tooth, so I'll probably rarely crave this.

So Delicous Dairy Free | Coconut Milk Ice Creams | No Sugar Added Butter Pecan

#paleo #diet #coconut milk ice cream #soy free #dairy free