Upcoming Battles and November Goals

Getting back in the swing of things is rough, even for athletes. It's the equivalent of going back to school in the fall after having summer off. I've had some time off to focus on my friends and social life, my business and enjoy other types of training. Since my last fight in July I've achieved quite a few goals in other areas besides Muay Thai. I got a 100 lb clean and jerk, a 200 lb dead lift, 50 consecutive double unders, learned a kipping pull up and jumped a 3 foot box. However, although I kept in good physical shape during my time "off", starting back training twice a day with a fight in mind takes my fitness routine to a whole new level. I now have to pay close attention to my sleeping, eating and recovery. This means I sacrifice some of the things I enjoy: late night sushi, Mcallan and burgers at 8oz, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, random weeknight concerts, girls nights out... Yup I give up enjoying these things with regularity in favor of a greater goal: having my hand raised in the ring at the end of a fight.

One day while enjoying a cup of Good Earth Tea I discovered a quote on the teabag that summed this up nicely:

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing." - Abraham Lincoln

I will be thinking this often in November...

This fight will be a WCK Full Rules Muay Thai event promoted by Dennis Warner. I'm fighting at 132 lbs against China's Zheng Yenan. I made this weigh once before in Canada against Sandra Bastin, so I am confident I will make it again, even though I am a more muscular fighter than I was 2 years ago. The fight is at Buffalo Bills Casino in Primm, Nevada and I have some choice tickets for sale if you want to come support! Just email me.

For this fight I have an awesome training camp. Jimmie Romero who helped me to victory in my fights against Christine Hackbart and Sara McCarthy is my fight coach. I get plenty of help from my fellow Strike Sub Club Teammates. Right now the Strike Sub Club fighters, Victory Henry, Jordan Wright, Kate McGray are all fighting a week before me in Vegas, NV at the Tuff n Uff amateur MMA event. So we are all training hard and hungry for victory.

The one change in my training camp comes with a new addition to my strength and conditioning. Kris Germain owner of KrisFit used to train me one on one, but our scheduling didn't work out this time, so I requested the help of CrossFit Hollywood owner Andy Thompson. I had been taking Andy's CrossFit classes and found him to be a knowledgeable coach as well as a phenomenal athlete. He also has a martial arts background, so he understands my needs. So far training with Andy has helped me increase my strength and explosive power. He believes in me more than I do in myself when it comes to trying for new PR's and the results speak for themselves with my recent success in the gym beating goals ahead of schedule.

In the RoxyFit Studio we are urging our clients to make Novembers goals.

Goals must be SMART:
(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Framed)

I am not exempt from writing down my goals. So here they are:

1. Eat strict(ish) Paleo: no sugar (including artificial sugars), no grains, no diary, no beans/legumes, no salting your food or added salt...

My Exceptions:

• 2-3 servings of quinoa (grain-like, but technically a seed so it's debatable if it's Paleo) or brown rice per week and 1 cheat meal a week. The brown rice or quinoa servings are mostly so I have options don't go mad when making quick dinners and am completely exhausted form training. I will try to have yams/sweet potatoes pre-baked for quick dinners, but if in a pinch or if I'm dining out brown rice/quinoa will have to do. I cut out all grains entirely a week before weigh ins, but that will be mostly in December. So, I have half a loaf of brown rice bread at work for snaking (delicious with sunflower butter). But after I finish that it's no more rice bread for me... snacks are fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, eggs, turkey, chicken.
• A small amount of sugar in a dark chocolate I eat that supplies 35% of my daily iron. I am anemic so this is important, plus dark chocolate has low sugar, plenty of antioxidants and curbs my late night cravings a bit. Also a small amount of sugar in the sunflower butter I so love to much I have been know to carry it in my purse (and it's such a good fat, I allow it).
• I have one whey/casein protein IsaLean shake in the morning for breakfast made with fruit, hemp seeds and green powder so that's dairy, but it makes my life so much easier and tastes so yummy and is filled with awesome nutrients that I'm allowing for that too. Sometimes when sheer exhaustion sets in I have a shake for dinner too.
  
• I use moderate amounts of stevia (a natural sweetener) in my tea/coffee no more than 2 servings a day
  
• I use good quality low sodium turkey breast slices for snacks, but no other processed meat in the diet.
• I chew gum.... cinnamon Orbitz to be exact. Why? Well, I rationalize it's better than smoking and I like fresh breath.
  

2. The only alcohol I will consume if I choose to do so will be during my one (1) cheat meal a week on Saturday nights (in which case I am limited to only 2 x 4oz glasses of wine or 4 oz spirits) this is as defined by Paleo Diet Author Cordain, PhD. (Post fight I have a tradition of Patron shots - Yay!)

3. To log all of my food intake during the week in MyFitnessPal.com

4. To wean myself off coffee entirely. I will start slowly replacing my morning brew with decaf - once it's all decaf I will switch to black tea, and then green tea or yerba matte. This will probably be easier than I think as I don't like black coffee and I will be cutting out dairy. I'll give myself this week to finish the last of my half and half and then it's bye bye dairy (except the morning shake).

5. I must have a GOOD 75 lb snatch (right now my 65 lb one is even questionable) - not only will this help my explosive power, but it will just be bad ass. (2010 yearly goal will be at good 95 lb snatch :)

6. To beat my best 5k time (21:30)

7. Loose 5 pounds - this will make my weight cut in December much more pleasurable. I don't like looking like Skelator on weigh ins, although a nice dehydrated six pack is pretty sweet... Kodak moment right there!

I urge all of you to write down YOUR November goals and get started on success!