CrossFit is one of the fastest growing workout trends and probably one of the most controversial. I have signed up for and sung the praises of  the new craze but after the numerous shocked and harsh reactions to my choice in exercise, I felt it was important to dispel rumors and provide a balanced review.  

CrossFit is defined on Wikipedia as: a strength and conditioning routine that combines weightlifting, gymnastics, powerlifting, sprinting and rowing.  The CrossFit program consists of “constantly varied, high intensity, functional movement.  These varied workouts often consist of a group 15 minute warm up, followed by a WOD (workout of the day) ending with stretching and foam rolling.

Many of my friends, colleagues, etc question many facets of the program. What do you DO exactly? Are the coaches certified? Where do you go? How much does it cost? Let me break down my experience for you based on these various questions.

What do you DO exactly? As I mentioned above, workouts often consist of a warm up, workout of the day and stretching session. Not every workout of the day is a strength session of huge weights, as a matter of fact, many of my harder workouts were a combination of weights (like kettleball lunges) and cardio (burpees anyone?). I walk out of the sessions tired but not ‘beat up’ like I often feel after a long run during marathon training sessions.

Are the coaches certified? Despite common misconceptions, CrossFit coaches are often (if not always) certified coaches. At the ‘box’ I attend, all three coaches are certified by CrossFit to instruct and they were fitness instructors/personal trainers at local gyms. I often feel safer in these sessions than I do at an average aerobic or weightlifting class at my gym. I am fortune to be a part of a small group (usually about 3-8 people) during the session therefore, I receive a lot of individual attention focusing on my form. As a matter of fact, form is one of the top priorities for my box.

Where do you go? I believe one of the best parts about CrossFit is that decentralized. In my area (the greater Philadelphia area) alone there are 5 CrossFit boxes within a 5 minute- hour drive of my house.  For me, my gym is a quick 10 minute drive and it makes it easy to get my butt in the box at 6 AM. (It’s also easy for me to bail at 5:30 AM)

How much does it cost? The cost to be a part of CrossFit varies from box to box. I am fortunate that my home box offers a free 2-week trial. The CrossFit in the Savannah area offers every Saturday as open gyms for free. Your best option is to google CrossFit in your area, call and inquire about pricing. Since the boxes are individually owned, their policy and flexibility in cost varies from location to location. Now that my two weeks has expired, I opted for the $130 10-class pass. Because of a hectic schedule, it allows me to hit at least one session a week and get a lot of bang for my buck.

CrossFit is more than an exercise routine; it’s about adopting a new lifestyle. The groups focus on the importance of physical fitness but also the importance of diet to fuel your workout. This is the first fitness community that I have joined where they work hard to educate their participants, encourage each other, and truly do not compete during routine sessions.  If you are interested in giving it a try, please feel free to email me with any questions you may have! I will be keeping you all posted as my progress continues!

Need more insight?  I encourage you to read more here:
PaleOMG
CarrotsNCake
Men's Health
Question of the Day: What are your impressions of CrossFit? Would you ever consider giving it a try?

Valentine’s day for many people is an excuse to indulge, on chocolate, steak, seafood among other things. Just because the BF and I have adopted a Paleo lifestyle does not mean we had to give up any goodies. After a little research, I came across the following recipe on PaleOMG. If you are thinking about going Paleo, you should read Juli’s blog. Not only does she have a slew of recipes, but she also has a sharp tongue and great sense of humor.  

I bring to you: Sweet Potato Brownies! (ala paleOMG)

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
3 eggs, beaten
¼ cup of coconut oil, melted
½ chocolate chips (I used Nestle because its what I had in my pantry)
3 tablespoons of Coconut Flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
Sprinkle of salt

Instructions:
Bake the sweet potato in the oven until soft. I baked it at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. My oven runs hot, so the temperature and time per kitchen may vary.

Once the sweet potato is soft and cooked through, scoop out the meaty center and mash into a bowl. Add the wet ingredients: coconut oil, honey, eggs and vanilla. Mix together.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl: coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and chocolate chips. Mix all the ingredients well.

The original recipe calls for an 8x8 baking dish. Since I didn’t have this on hand, I used a pie plate instead and baked for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

I must admit, I was apprehensive about these brownies but after the smell of chocolate goodness wafted through my kitchen, any apprehension was gone. The BF and I savored 2 brownies each with strawberries and whipped cream! Now if that isn’t a delicious Valentine’s treat, I’m not sure what is! 

Question of the Day: Are you likely to try this recipe? If you do, please let me know how it turns out! 

Hello my dear blog friends! I have left you hanging for entirely too many days. The truth is with a crazy work schedule, I could have 'thrown up' one terrible blog post after another, but I always promised myself that I wouldn't blog for habit.

So as a new week starts tomorrow, I have a few changes. 

1.) I promise to put full effort into my blog posts (none of this half-ass, throw-a-couple-pictures-up blogging)
2.) I'll work to provide better photography and step-by-step instructions for recipes
3.) I will be posting more about my Paleo lifestyle. The good, the workouts and the ugly.

A Pinch of Ginger is about to take a little bit of a change. I hope to keep all of you as readers and in-turn, I hope that you feel this space is a source for tips, information but most importantly, I hope by reading my blog you'll feel part of a community.

Thank you for reading and giving me honest feedback to continue to grow as a blogger. Stay tuned for some great blog posts this week!