Turkey Soup w/Root Vegetables and All Day Lunch

parsnips
carrots
celery root
celery
onion
garlic
parsley
turkey leg and thigh (and 2 necks)
6 cups water (1 1/2 tsp. salt)

In the pressure cooker for 20 minutes, stir dandelion greens into hot soup.


I seemed to have developed a slight "muffin top" with so much time off of my training, LOL. Back to sweating my ass off and some serious diet clean up! I'm off for a walk, I had an awesome KB workout this morning and I hope to duplicate it with one of my students tomorrow in video!



Tracy's All Day Lunch

sm chicken soup w/roasted butternut squash 300 cal.
lg turkey/root veg soup w/greens & rice 400 cal.
broc and cabbage slaw with chicken and spicy peanut dressing 450 cal.
carrot, celery sticks w/PNB (10 almonds) 300 cal.
fuji apple 100 cal.

Add in Peet's coffee w/cream 100 cal. Total calories 1650

My First Official Snatch Day...post op

Woo Hoo! Snatching the 12kg felt great, but still a couple of weeks away from the 16KG. Luckily I can get an awesome workout with the 12...here's what I did for my first snatch workout in 7 weeks;



AM weight 133.8
6:30am KB w/12kg

Warm up

40 2 hand swings x 5 sets, 1 min work, 1 min rest = 10 min.

Work sets

8 swing/snatch roundabouts (8 sw/sn each side, 16 total), 2 min work
1 min rest
10 snatch roundabouts (20 snatch total), 2 min. work,
1 min rest
12/12 snatch, 1 min work,
1 min rest



I alternated these 3 sets 5x. All three took 8 min. to complete, 5 x 8 = 40 min total. 300 snatches!

Total workout 50 min.

I went to a Vinyasa yoga class on Friday and my first Bikram class on Sunday, no KB's on Sunday, no yoga on Monday. Since I was forced to take time off from yoga classes a couple of things happened....

I get to be a beginner again and I'm thinking I want to take advantage of this new start to practice Vinyasa, instead of Bikram, still going to Bikram, but making the Vinyasa my main practice. My Bikram practice is easy for me, but the other would be a new and a more difficult challenge.....there....I just made up my mind while writing this...Vinyasa class today!

The other thing about taking the time away from yoga is that I feel I needed the break from the classes, because I have a whole new appreciation for the perfect balance, for me, of KB's (1st!), walking, and yoga.

Turnip Greens

I was recently asked about how I add greens to my diet...what greens to eat, and how to cook them. And although I do want to write a post all about greens, I came across these bunches of turnips at the Farmers Market on Saturday and decided to give them a try. There is no food that I won't try (I think!), and I especially love "2 for 1" veggies, in other words, like beets, you get the green part, the leaves, which are completely edible, for free!

Last year I roasted turnips along with other veggies like rutabaga, parsnips, squash, shallots and garlic. Turnips were not a favorite, but I don't dislike them either...they're fine. Whenever I bring home a veggie I've never prepared before the first thing I do is look up recipes by googling the name of the veggie followed by the words "salad" & "recipe"! I'm ususally interested in eating a veggie raw first, and then cooked...but that's just me! I did find a recipe for raw turnip salad (shredding the turnips), but I wasn't in the mood for salad and the turnip greens looked like the type of greens, like radish greens, that go "bad" quickly, so I had to use them ASAP, and there's practically nothing you can't make a soup out of, or add to a soup....so soup it was. Besides I had two chicken legs in my fridge that had to get cooked sooner, than later.

So, in my pressure cooker, I sauteed onion, celery (in big chunks) and garlic in some olive oil, added chunky carrots and turnips, 6 cups of water, 1/2 cup pearl barley, 2 chicken legs (thighs and drums), and 1tsp. salt. I cooked for 20 minutes, then let the pressure come down on its own and stirred in the greens from the turnips and, voila, Chicken and Barley Soup with chunky veggies and turnip greens. The turnip greens, after wilting in the hot soup, stayed a little chewy, which I like, but added nutrition and color! The flavor was pleasant, but slightly bitter. I'm sure there's many more ideas on ways to use these greens, but this recipe was based on the one and only time I've tried using them. I will try them again, maybe in a salad though...another time.

I always add some sort of greens to my soup, ususally Dinosaur Kale (Lacinato Kale), at the very least spinach or chard. Life is good....greens are good.

Forget Spelling, I Need to Learn How to Count!

OK, I want to make one thing clear.....I do not miscount my own workouts! It's when I try and talk during a demo....or coach a student during a set, I get screwed up! Doesn't really matter anyway, 1 rep, 2 reps....just show up and get the reps in!

10:15am KB Workout @ Girya
25-30 minute Swing Warm up w/student 8-9am

2 hand swing ladder alternating 12kg & 16kg x 5 each (total 10 sets)
2 min. work, 1 min rest = 30 min.
550 swings / 100 squats

10 2 hand swings, 1 squat
9/1
8/1
7/1
6/1
5/1
4/1
3/1
2/1
1/1

All sets going downhill, so the squats came faster and closer together.

Roundabouts w/16kg, 1 min. work, 1 min rest x 7 sets = 14 min.

Total workout 44 min. (not including morning warmup)

Thursday, another workout

I will not miss an KB workout! I'm back, and I'm rebuilding my base conditioning and strength. Damn, looking at old video of me swinging the 20kg makes me more anxious to get back fast. Swing, swing, swing....

10:30 KB w/12kg

Warm up

40 2 hand swings, 1 min on, 1 min rest, x 5 sets = 10 min.

Work sets

swing, clean, press, transfer combos x 20, 2 min work,(video demo)
1 min rest

2 hand swing, 2 hand lateral swing,x 20 (40 reps total), 1 min work
1 min rest

Both sets took 5 min. to complete x 6 rotations = 30 min.

Total workout 40 min.

The sw, cl, pr, tr, combo was one of the very first KB combinations I put together, for my own training, the first year I worked with KB's. I remember doing 24 (12 each side, using the 12kg) and that took me 2.5 minutes, I would then rest about 2 min. and repeat 5-6 times...after a warm up of swings sets for at least 5 min. Remember, I wasn't strong enough to do a military press with the 12kg, that's how I got in the habit of "push pressing", and then I just liked the rhythm of PP so I stayed with that movement.

Even though I was only using the 12kg for the 2 hand swings in my work sets, adding in the lateral move is just enough to make it a little tougher, and get your heartrate up a little more!

Life is good. Swing, Swing, Swing....get lean, lean, lean!

Tracy's All Day Lunch 01/23 (+ 400 swings and 100 snatches!)

I've been working on trying to eat some of the "stash" in my freezer, so I pulled out this veg soup with roasted corn and roasted jalapenos from, oh I don't know, maybe last Sept, I remembered it was an exceptionally good batch, I don't know why I saved it for so long!

I've been taking too much freedom in my diet lately, but it's back to more planning, and control.

Menu

veg soup with chicken, corn and jalapeno 350 cal.
rainbow coleslaw w/chicken breast and spicy peanut dressing 450 cal
lg fuji apple 120 cal.
carrots, celery, PNB (1 tbl.), raisins 230 cal.
nonfat yogurt and homemade strawberry jam 220 cal.

Add in morning coffee w/cream 80 cal.
chips & crackers (free food in the kitchen @ work, drats!) 250 cal.
2 carmel & 1 chocolate candy 150 cal. (again....free @ work)
subtract the apple

Total calories 1680

Although I did eat some chips and candy, I was still within my range of calories and I was able to have just small servings. I'm pretty motivated to get my bodyfat back down to where it was this past summer...we'll see just how motivated I am!

In my kitchen while straining chicken stock, pressure cooking and doing dishes I managed to get in 400 swings and 100 snatches w/8kg (18lbs), here's what I did;

7:00am KB

40 transfers, 10 R, 10 L snatches, 40 transfers x 10 sets

I did not time any of the sets, but I was in the kitchen for about 50-60 minutes, so every 4-6 minutes I did a set, each sets should of taken about 2-3 min.

I will never chose to miss a KB workout!

Show Up, Shut Up, and Do The Work

Before I post my actual workout, the point I want to make is that, the most important part of any training program, not just when you are a beginner, is to show up consistently, and do the work, consistently. It's not always fun, especially in the beginning while we get in the habit of adding yet another thing to our busy lives, in my case the KB exercise options are limited because I can't snatch heavy overhead,(not even the 12kg yet), for at least another week, so I have to rebuild my base training with swings, and that can get boring when workouts can last 45 minutes!

But I'm not complaining at all! I love it, because I know what the pay off is! If I could do nothing more than 2 handed swings, I would do hundreds...one after another...varying the reps, weights, intensity of movement, etc. Sometimes the challenge is the boredom of high reps!

Starting again with my training is exciting because I should be able to make some big changes in my body quickly, and I know how to do it! Even though my body is basically the same size and weight as pre-op, I know, and can feel the details of the differences. For instance, my butt disappeared! Mark said to me, "Last on, first off!" I'm still carrying a lot of bloat around my midsection and now that I can work up a good sweat (I get to go back to Bikram yoga on Monday!), I'll combine some long sweaty workouts with a better diet to get back to my former leanness.

11:00am KB
AM weight 133.0

Warm up

40 2 hand swings w/12kg, 1 min work, 1 min rest x 5 sets = 10 min.

Work sets (2 hand swing ladders)

10 reps per weight, 12, 14, 16, 14, 12kg (50 reps), 1.5 min work
1 min rest
10 reps per weight, 16, 14, 12, 14, 16kg (50 reps), 1.5 min work
1 min rest (video demo #1)

Alternating these 2 sets 6x each = 30 min.

20 reps per, 12, 14, 16kg, 1.5 min work
1 min rest
20 reps per, 16, 14, 12kg, 1.5 min work,
1 min rest (video demo #2)

Last 2 sets = 5 min Total workout 45 min.

I got distracted with emails, phone calls etc. and didn't get to this workout until much later in the morning than I wanted to, but as I've said in the past...I will never chose to miss a KB workout....never!

Life is good.

PS this is the first workout post op swinging the 16kg!

Swing squat ladders

Sunday KB 1 1/2 minute sets

Warm up w/12kg

40 2 hand swings w/12kg, 1 min. work, 1 min. rest x 5 = 10 min.

Work sets w/12kg

2 hand swing/squat ladder, 1-5, 5-1,(video demos this set), 1.5 min. work,
1 min. rest
60 transfers, 1.5 min. work,
1 min. rest
5/5 1 hand swings x 6 (60 reps trans. on every 5th rep), 1.5 min work,
1 min. rest

I alternated these 3 work sets x 5. All three took 7.5 min. to complete x 5 = 37.5 min.

Total workout 47.5 min.

In the last rotation I switched out 60, 2 hand swings for the swing/squat ladder. It is the first time I've squatted any weight since my surgery and I didn't want to push it.

Swing ladder with snatch

Friday AM weight 130.8
BF 20.6%
KB swing ladder, snatch w/8kg

Warm up w/8kg (18lbs)

80 2 hand swings, 2 min work, 1 min rest x 3 sets = 9 min.

Work sets

swing ladder 1 - 6, 6 - 1 divided by 1 snatch, 3.5 min work,
1 min rest (video demos ladder 1-4 only)
40 transfers w/12kg, 1 min work
3 sec rest
40 2 hand swings 1 min work,
30 sec rest

Repeat in this order 4x. 7.5 min x 4 = 30 min.

Total workout 39 min.

I'm working on building my base training back up before I pick up the 16kg, so I'm swinging the lighter weights for longer sets and shorter rest periods. I felt so good that I think I'll be able to train with the 16kg next week...if only for 30 sec sets, I'm weeks away from snatching it.

PS Thank you Diana for reminding me of "ladders" (from her own training) and I am aware of the miscount on at the end of the exercise....Mark and I are kind of infamous for our counting ability!

Home Cooking

I've been pressure cooking so much lately I forgot about roasting! These are the baby carrots I picked up from the Farmers market on Sunday. I had forgotten about them until I opened up my crisper and saw these beautiful carrots already washed and trimmed so I had to throw them in the oven...but not alone! I had at least a pound of shallots and I always have garlic, so all three went on a sheet pan, tossed with olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes, in my oven for 50-60 min. @ 350. "Hard" veggies like brussels, carrots, califlower, I cover with foil for the first 15 min., then I remove the foil for the remaining time.


I took these veggies, as you see them in the picture, to a friends house for an early dinner and cooking lesson. We tossed the carrots, shallots and garlic with spinach noodles and a little parmesean. The extra carrots, the ones lined up on the right side, can be used another time....in a salad, maybe another pasta dish or alone as a side. My friend had some chicken breast meat so we quickly sauteed 2 breasts, and I just sliced them and laid the chicken on top of the pasta. We made a quick ceasar salad (dressing too, of course), and our own croutons. Yum! Baked apples completed the meal!

Home cooking is good, life is good!

First Snatch Workout / post op

Wow! I woke up feeling strong and motivated. I've been taking it easy these last few days trying to not overdo so I can get back to business. No soreness in my upper abdominals so I decided to try snatching the 8kg...it was fine....and....I actually got some video! Mark will upload it when he gets home this afternoon.

Warm up

40 2 hand swings w/12kg, 1 min work, 1 min rest x 5 sets = 10 min

Work sets

12/12 snatch w/8kg (video shows this set), 1 min work,
30 sec rest
20 2 hand swings w/12kg,
30 sec rest
40 transfers w/12kg, 1 min work,
1 min rest

All three sets took 4.5 min to complete. I alternated them 5x = 22 min

Total workout 32 min.

Woo hoo.... life is good!

Sunday Shopping

My refrigerator was looking a little bare by the end of the weekend, that is rare, so off I went to the Farmers Market in Campbell, and then to Whole foods....here's what I brought home.

Whole Foods

2 lg cans diced organic tomatoes $4.00
1 lb ground pork $3.95
1/2 ground beef (both ground meats for chili) $2.19
2 1/2 lbs chicken necks (for soup) $2.21
2 smoked turkey thighs (1 for pea soup, 1 for freezer) $7.82
3lbs. organic yellow onions $3.99
2 green cabbages $5.42
5lbs. organic carrots $3.49
1 lb organic spinach $1.99
1 bunch organic yellow beets $1.99
2 sm organic PNB's $ .63
2 cups green peas (for soup) $1.10
2 cups pearl barley $1.13
1 organic yam $1.45
ginger $1.19
2 limes $1.18
2 organic red onion $2.09

Total $ 45.78

Farmers Market

2 bunches celery
parsley
cilantro
green onions
1 lb. mushrooms
2 dino kale
baby carrots
1 lb. cranberry beans
butternut squash

Total $ 22.50

Can you beleive all this food for less than $70! No sample tasting @ WF and I figured out a way to not "sample" @ Famers Market.....I put a piece of spearmint gum in my mouth!

All of these veggies will be used within the week. I washed and organized all of it and I even cleaned out the fridge...isn't a clean fridge just the best?

I made a pot of split pea and smoked turkey soup and then a new favorite....coconut curry chicken soup....using the chicken necks (This soup is just for me! It's very spicy and I happen to like chicken necks, especially because they're so inexpensive and the bones add alot of flavor). Both soups I made in the pressure cooker.

Coconut, Curry, and Chicken Soup

1 13.5oz can coconut milk
3-4 c. low sodium chicken broth (I used water)
2 T. curry powder
2 T. grated ginger
1-2 T. minced lemongrass
garlic (optional 1-4 cloves chopped)
jalapeno (optional...don't you know I put jalapeno in everything, LOL!)
4 chicken thighs (or whatever bone-in chicken parts you want to use! about 2lbs.)

additions

spinach (or other tender greens)
cilantro
lime

If doing in a pressure cooker, bring to full pressure, lower temp to maintain for 8 min., allow pressure to come down naturally for another 8-10 min. Season w/S&P.

If cooking conventionally in stock pot (4-6qt.)...I'm guessing....bring to a boil, turn down to med/lo until chicken is cooked through (partially covered)....15-25 min?

Hot soup will wilt spinach, sprinkle chopped cilantro and squeeze of lime...served over rice.

Press Restart

Well, I couldn't train on Sunday as planned, because, true to my nature, I overdid on Saturday. My upper abdominals were sore, and I guess not true to my nature, instead of training anyway and ignoring my better judgement, I knew I had to take the day off and try and heal....I didn't even go for a walk! So as I feel myself shrinking, and I look in the mirror and see a fraction of the tone and size of my shoulders and arms (and my ass is a little softer) I try and remind myself that it will all quickly come back, given my commitment to my training.

In the mean time......

I was reminded, in a conversation with my sister Donna, that starting again is not the same as starting over. Everytime we start again we don't lose the experience of our first steps, we bring them with us. We don't forget our beginning, we learn from it. And our beginning gave us the base to define where we are currently and where we need to go. I just need to keep moving forward. And if moving forward means healing, then recovery is not moving backwards...it's readjusting the speed of the journey....of the experience.

I'll restart my training today. Life is good.

The First "Official" Workout....in my kitchen...in my jammies!

Woo Hoo! Everyday I feel twice as good as the day before. And last week if you would of told me that I'd be swinging the 12kg (26lb) in a weeks time, I wouldn't of beleived it , but it was no problem!

So, although I was tempted to, but didn't, video part of my workout...in my kitchen....while wearing my pj's....in between prepping soup (s) and washing dishes.....the point being that there's no excuse to not to swing, if just for a few sets...a few minutes. The best part of swinging in my kitchen is that, in the middle of winter, I don't have to go out in that uninsulated garage gym and freeze my ass off, and the worst part is that I missed the music!

Warm up

40 2 hand swings w/8kg, 1 min. on, 1 min. rest x 5 set = 10 min.

Work sets

40 2 hand swings w/12kg, 1 min. on, 1 min. rest

10 R / 10 L, clean press w 8kg, 1 min. on, 1 min. rest

I alternated these last 2 sets x 5 = 20 min

Total workout 30 min.

Wow, it felt good, and I was swinging @ about 75-80% full power in my work sets! I definitely felt as if I could still swing longer than 1 minute, but I didn't want to push it, and I was surprised at how fast a minute rest went by! I can't wait for my next workout on Sunday. Everyother day until I get back on a regular schedule.

Still no snatching for at least a few more weeks, but swinging (especially 2 hand swings) will give me everything I need in terms of muscle tone and fat loss.

Life is good. Swinging KB's again is good!

When does a New Year Start?

This is a picture, taken at my friend Jills home, of what was the final leftovers of the free gift foods from the holidays at her office! I couldn't believe that this was a fraction of what she had to deal with! When she showed me this huge shopping bag loaded with stuff she was giving away I told her, "You are a better woman than me! I couldn't resist like this! Good for you!"

So, I had to take some off of her hands, lol! Not for me of course, but for Mark, afterall she was giving it away...for free, lol.....drats.... So when does a New Year start! Does it start Jan. 1st?

We put so much pressure to be perfect starting January 1st. We make, or try to make, "resolutions", new commitments that can make our lives better. And the first time we fail by succumbing to old habits we give up...we don't even keep trying!

I refuse to stop trying. Everyday I wake up wanting to be in control of my choices...wanting to feel as if I'm in control of my choices.....wanting to make the best choices for a better life. Sometimes that just means getting in the habit of making those better choices! I'm much better than I used to be, and it gets easier all the time. Not easy, but easier. Easier because I make good choices more and more often. Everyday gives me an opportunity to start a New Year, an opportunity to start over or start again!

This New Year is going to be better than ever. It doesn't mean that it has to be perfect...just better....and I can, and will commit to that!

My New Year

The "F" word

I used the "F" word in a conversation this morning...and I'm not sure if it's a bad thing! It was the first time I've done it this year...it's something that I want to stop...but sometimes it's appropriate, lol...isn't it? I'll be better, because I want to be!

Free Samples

I haven't taken the samples at Whole Foods, and I won't...that I know. This one I think is going to be easy! This also includes samples anywhere else...samples that I don't need..in other words, free food! I did take a sample (1) of the blood oranges at the Farmers Market, because I truly needed to taste it!

Don't buy anything I don't want to eat (eventually)

I did buy some holiday goodies before the New Year (cookies) and after being set in motion for a binge yesterday of free food at work, I threw everything away, I will not buy anything I don't truly want to end up eating!

Today is a new day...a New Year.

Give yourself permission to make a new start...everyday. It's never, never too late to have a better life...a good life.

PS I was at Jill's home showing her how to use the pressure cooker! We made Beef Short Ribs with Balsamic and Red Wine.

The New Beginning

Third swing workout since surgery


last taped workout before surgery



Beginning workout

20 2 hand swings w/8kg, 30 sec. on 1 min rest x 10 sets = 15 min (200 reps)

I added 5 sets of 20 reps w/8kg, 30 sec work, 30 sec rest = 5 min (100 reps)

I will only swing the 8kg, and only 2 handed, for the next 2 weeks. I'm hoping to increase the sets to 1 min long next week.

Life Sentence

Alot of what I've been hearing about dieting lately is the new catch phrase "lifestyle". In fact I, myself, recently wrote a guest post (on Jens Gym) about how I realized that to stay at a healthy weight, consistently, you have to make good food choices part of your lifestyle. Good food choices are not only the type of foods that we choose, but the amount of those foods that we eat. So how do you change the type of foods that you eat and/or the amount of foods that you eat without feelings deprived. As someone commenting on my blog described it, feeling like they're in jail.

This was the start of my approach.

Realize the foods that are convenient, alot of times fast and cheap, are simply not good for you! Crappy, calorie dense, foods are not healthy. They're over-flavored (salted and sugared), they're loaded with fake fats and other ingredients to make them look better, "taste" better, and last on the store shelves longer.

I could go on, (and I will another time!) but accept the fact that we are not eating in a way our bodies were intended to eat, that's why we're fat. We have to eat cleaner, more natural, real "live" foods, that we can control the quality of. That means cooking and preparing more (in my case most to all) of the foods we consume. And that's not a bad thing! It's about changing our habits...making it part of our lifestyle.

The good news is that good, healthy foods can become easier to prepare as we get in the habit of doing it regularly....I promise! And good healthy foods can taste better, and you can eat more food for fewer calories. Easy, better tasting and more food!

If you can't or don't want to make an extreme change, like I did (I have to take everything to an extreme, it's my personality, lol), start with one meal, breakfast or lunch, (or both). I don't have to tell anyone how to do that...especially if breakfast is currently a latte and scone or breakfast burrito, and lunch is take out... Breakfast and lunch, I think, are the easiet meals to change. Oatmeal (obvious, how many times do you hear this suggestion?), yogurt, fruit, and try making you own lunch...how about small portion of leftover dinner, or a sandwich, or even better, a salad (the best choice!)

Feeling healthy and lean does not feel restricting to me, it feels free. Free to move easily, free to breathe easliy, free to live my life happier. The way I eat, most of the time, not only makes me feel better and look better, but tastes better!

Staying within a healthy calorie range to keep my body at a healthy weight does not feel like jail to me. Surrounding my body with extra weight and fat that keeps me from....wearing clothes that I want to wear.....joining in physical activities that I might want to be included in, (or other simple things like climbing stairs or walking all day at a convention or fair without my feet killing me!)....... taking pictures with family and friends because I don't like the way I look....going to the beach...etc.... I can list many more simple everyday activities that become harder or impossible to do when we become overweight or are in bad health.....that feels like jail to me!

Which life sentence do you want for yourself ?

PS the last part of the comment that inspired this post was "how do I stick to my regime?"...My answer is, look at my all day lunch photos! They show the large amount of food that I get to eat, as well as, I hope, the quality of nutrition that I get by making my own meals.

Tracy's All Day Lunch 01/02 & 200 swings!

Wednesday Menu

Squash /veggie soup w/ turkey 400 cal.

Sm salad w/anchovy dressing 250 cal.

Beef short ribs w/balsamic glaze and pearl onions 550 cal. (done in the pressure cooker!)

Kale for ribs & roasted brussels & carrots 250 cal.

Apple/prune crisp w/hazelnuts 400 cal.

Total calories 1850

Add in coffee w/cream 60 cal., subtract the soup (only 200 cal, because I added the turkey to the salad), add in some homemade fudge and other misc. sweets 400 cal., new total about 2100-2200.

I feel great, maybe that's a bad thing! I want to swing.....

I've only been walking and doing some dumbell exercises (very light) for my shoulders and arms, but when I walk, as I move one foot in front of the other, I can feel some tension on my upper abs, especially on my right side. So, I thought, why am I walking when I could do some super light swings that don't twist my upper abs?

Ever so gingerly while prepping and packing my lunch for the day I did 10, 20 rep sets w/8kg over the period of 30 min. in my kitchen! So each set only took 30 sec., and then I took quite a rest before doing the next set. I didn't feel anything pulling, tightness or weird!

Tomorrow will be 4 weeks since my surgery and I feel, with the OK from my doctor (I'll be calling today) that I can start, very carefully and lightly swinging again.

My plan

First 2 weeks (weeks 4-6), nothing but swings w/8kg, only 2 handed for the first week before moving on to 1 handed, working my way back to long sets.

Next 2 weeks (weeks 6-8), still nothing overhead but, swings w/12kg, working my way back up to longer sets.

After week 8, overhead movements and I'll see how I feel before working w/16kg.

Life is good, swinging my KB's again is good!

Basic Crisp ( 8x8x2, or 4, 6oz. ramekins)

Granny Smith or any other tart apple 2-3 peeled and diced

Prunes, 1/2 c. chopped

sugar, 1/4-1/2 c.

brown sugar, 2 tbl.-1/4 c. (about 1/2 c. total of both sugars)

1 tbl. flour

cinnamon, 2 t.

Topping

brown sugar / flour / oats (old fashion) 1/3 c. each

salt 1/4 t. (lg pinch)

1/2 stick butter, diced and somewhat cold

chopped hazelnuts, or other nut up to 1 cup ( I used about 1/2 c.)

Preheat 375 oven, mix filling ingredients and let stand 5-10 min. Bake filling in buttered dish for 20 min.

Mix sugar, flour, oats, salt...add butter...leave slightly clumpy, mix in nuts. Scatter over filling and continue to bake for additional 20 min.

You can use any kind of dried fruit (raisins, cherries, etc.), or all apples, or combination of fruits (cranberries, pear, blueberries, frozen or dried, etc.)