21 Day Sugar Detox (FAIL!) & New Shoes!

Not being able to exercise sucks. Being in pain sucks more, but since eating well, drinking water and exercising are tied so closely together for me, not being able to do one makes the others more of a struggle. I told myself I was going to do a 21-day sugar detox while going through PT as a way to ensure my diet didn't go off of the rails and I didn't gain back the weight I lost. Since I'm already pretty strictly paleo, that meant cutting out fruit entirely, except for the occasional green apple or banana (yes, green banana, WTF?!), any chocolate, and any paleo treats that used sweeteners like honey or maple syrup and the biggie, alcohol.

The problem? My heart was never in it. I've eaten a lot less fruit and chocolate, but I've still had the occasional paleo treat and my share of alcohol. In fact, I had offered to make those coconut macaroons for an annual BBQ a friend is hosting this weekend, but I went browsing around Juli's PaleOMG site (BAD idea as she is the queen of paleofying baked goods) and found this recipe for Magic Brownie Bars.

Photo taken from PaleOMG's site

They're basically brownies with macaroons on top, brilliant! But, so not 21-day sugar detox approved. Oh well, f the 21-day sugar detox people. I'm just going to do my best until I'm injury free and then kick ass that much harder once I'm back in the gym.

Speaking of, I may not be Crossfitting at the moment, but that hasn't stopped me from buying Crossfit gear. More specifically, I bought the number one most crucial piece of gear you could buy: SHOES!

Navigating the world of Crossfit shoes can be a bit overwhelming and frankly there aren't many great articles (at least that I could find) online to help. There is a relatively limited list of companies who make shoes specifically for Crossfit - Reebok and Inov-8 are the big ones, although Merrell, New Balance, & Altra also make models - but you can get totally lost in the various different models. Add to that that most of the shoes aren't carried in retail shops so you'll have to try to get an idea of size and fit from online reviews before ordering.

Thankfully I have great coaches to guide me. If you don't yet, this article also gives a decent overview for beginners. And while I think this article is poorly written and does little to help you narrow down your choices, it does at least tell you what to look for in a Crossfit shoe. Probably what you need to know most if you're newer to or thinking about Crossfit is that the Reebok Nano's and the Inov-8 230's are all around solid shoes if you're getting started. If you're strong enough to climb ropes or think you might be before you're ready for another pair of shoes, you should probably consider the Inov-8 240's over the 230's as they have additional rope protection so your shoes don't get shredded.

I actually hadn't been planning on buying shoes right now. I knew I would eventually but it didn't make sense to spend the money when I'm not actually working out, except a fellow Crossfitter posted about a sale on Inov-8's on The Clymb that I couldn't pass up, so I am now the proud owner of this pair of Inov-8 230's:

I can't wait for them to get here so I can start wearing them. Since they're a minimalist shoe (less padding than I'm used to and a much smaller heel "drop") I'm hoping to start wearing them in PT to let my feet get used to them. Sadly the estimated delivery date is May 11-15. Come faster shoes!!