Every time I go to Costco, getting giant sizes of stuff always seems like a good idea…

Until I get home.

Two weeks ago, in an effort to eat more veggies, I got a pillowcase-sized bag of spinach.

Determined to get through it, I realized that spinach is pretty awesome stuff.

Not only does it have tons of vitamins and minerals, you can add it to anything!

What should I eat with my eggs this morning? Spinach.

What else should I put in my shake? Spinach.

I really don’t feel like cooking…tuna salad annnnnnd….? Spinach.

I don’t have to spend hours chopping, and it’s fun to watch handfuls of it wilt down into a few bites on the stove.

I’m certain it’s making me stronger. I was able to do a legless rope climb this week. My forearms felt the size of Popeye’s.

Gotta be the spinach.

By the end of the 2 weeks, I finished Costco-sized bag and picked up another pillowcase for this week.

Here are some of my favorite uses of these magical leaves.

My Favorite EASY Spinach Recipes:

Salad: top a bed of fresh baby spinach with the following:

• a few figs, halved or quartered; strawberries or blueberries also work well
  
• toasted walnuts or slivered almonds
  
• thin slices of prosciutto
  
• goat cheese (optional, if you tolerate dairy)
  
• dressing made from a splash each of good olive oil and balsamic vinegar
  

Smoothie: blend the following, until smooth; adjust with what you have on-hand!

• 2-3 cups packed, raw spinach (yes, it looks like a LOT)
  
• 1 cup (or a handful or two) frozen berries
  
• 1 frozen banana, in chunks
  
• ½ cup+ water or coconut water (adjust for texture)
  
• Optional:
  • 2 scoops of your favorite protein powder
  • ½ cup greek yogurt
    
  • fresh mint leaves, cocoa powder, or other flavors

Top a bed of spinach (2-3 cups raw) with any of the following:

• meatballs and marinara
  
• leftover chicken/tuna salad (bonus if you can use this in hubby or kids’ lunches!)
  
• any sort of grilled meat & aioli or homemade herb butter or mayo
• scrambled eggs with bell peppers, onions, cheese
• burger patty, tomato, onion, and other fixin’s

Here’s what’s happening this week.

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MissFit starts TOMORROW, September 15th

The six week course will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm and Saturdays at 9am.

We focus on basic functional movement (squats, pushups, situps, etc) as well as new skills (rope climbs, kettlebell swings, etc) to make sure you have fun, get a great workout, and make progress toward your goals.

No prior CrossFit experience necessary. Cost is $199.

No Excuses Challenge starts Saturday, September 19th

Are you looking to build some new healthy habits? Do you eat “pretty well” but find that you’ve slipped up a little? Do you need a little extra kick to hit your latest goals?

The No Excuses Challenge will give you a proven framework to make these changes! From September 19th to October 24th, we’ll focus on nutrition, sleep, workouts, and mobility to help you feel your very best.

You’ll be paired with a partner to up the support and accountability, and you’ll work together to turn these new habits into longer-lasting lifestyle changes.

We’ll kick off with a meeting, measurements, and a baseline workout on Saturday at 9am. You’ll begin logging your food, sleep, mobility, and workouts on Monday, September 21st.

Cost is $49.

See you there!

Coach “Spinach Pillow” Heidi

PS – Note: We’re talking about FRESH spinach here.  If you’re eating your veggies from a can (like popeye), toss it and get yourself a fresh bag or two next time you go to TJ’s or Costco.

Workout of the Day:

Skills:
Pull ups
Kettlebell swings

WOD:
“Helen”
3 rounds for time of:
400m run
21 kb swings
12 pull ups

Coaches’ notes:
Another classic benchmark workout.

Cut off will be 20 mins for this one, which will allow you to do it as prescribed if you have pull ups. If you don’t have pull ups, do ring rows.

Focus on running FAST and trying to go unbroken on the swings and pull ups. Write this down, it’s one of the special ones!