Eating Paleo in Japan

Before last month, Paleo was pretty much a foreign word to me.  I'd heard about it here and there, but never really had a clue what it was about.  Most people that do CrossFit (see my last blog entry) live a Paleo lifestyle.  The Paleo diet consists of eating the following:  fish, shellfish, eggs, nuts/seeds, fruits/vegetables and lean meats.  On Paleo, dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol, sugars and overly processed foods are not allowed.  Wow!  I wasn't sure if I could survive without cheese, bread and rice especially since I live in Japan where rice is such a staple food.

After giving this a lot of thought, on January 14th I decided to participate in the 30 day Paleo Challenge.  This was completely optional and nerve wracking because while I've dieted over the years, I'd never been on a program where I was eating clean.  Luckily, one of the requirements on this challenge was having a partner.  This was a complete lifesaver for me because I needed someone that would hold me accountable during these 30 days.

Extra Credit handstand outdoors!

Along with the nutritional aspect of the challenge, we were also supposed to keep a food journal, do a certain amount of workouts per week,  take before/after pictures, get our measurements taken, perform a baseline run/pull ups, and do extra credit.  Since most of these things were based on points, the team with the most points at the end of the challenge would win.  Since I do have a competitive side, I was bound and determined to not mess up during the challenge...but this was no easy feat.

The first week of the challenge would prove to be the toughest.  I seriously felt like I needed a sponsor.  Thank goodness for my partner, coach and other classmates (even the ones not participating in the challenge) who were such a great support network by providing recipes, tips, cheers, etc.   As the weeks went on, eating clean became easier.  I was sleeping better, had almost no headaches, lost a little weight, rarely felt famished (well maybe on a few days), was very hydrated, and was still able to exercise like mad.  Although I was feeling awesome on this diet, the one tricky part of the challenge was eating out.  Again, I live in Japan where noodles and rice are consumed at almost every meal.  Thankfully, Japanese eat a lot of meat and vegetables, so I was able to find something that was Paleo.

Paleo chicken curry (thank goodness for coconut milk) for dinner.

By week four, I was so used to doing the food journal, drinking 1/2 of my body weight of water, and really paying attention to what I was consuming, that this challenge became habit.  I liked how I felt and decided that I would continue Paleo or at least a modified version of it when it was over.  My team, along with two other teams came in 1st Place.  I was so proud of myself, my amazing, strong, funny, friend and partner, and of everyone else.  It is not easy to change or stick to a healthier lifestyle even if you know it is good for you.

Extra credit Fireman's Carry!

I also want to thank everyone outside of my CF group for cheering me on before/during/after the challenge.  Your positive comments, making me special Paleo food to eat, and your genuine inquiries as to how things were/are going for me were sincerely appreciated. 

CrossFit

Last summer I met a lady at a going away party who was a CrossFit instructor.  She said that since it wasn't offered on base that she was interested in getting the program started here.  I told her I would love to try it out and left it at that.  Through the grapevine late last year, I'd heard that introductory classes were being offered.  Excited, I contacted the instructor and signed up for a class called Elements.

I had no idea what you do in Elements or in CrossFit for that matter.  I just knew I was up for another challenge since I'd been exercising regularly since last June.  I found out that you have to take Elements if you are not familiar with Olympic lifts.  Oh my....I had never really lifted anything more than a weighted bar, done a bench press once and tried a dead lift last spring.  While I was nervous and unsure of what I was doing, I ended up learning so many new things in this class.  I tried things like: back squats, front squats, cleans, the snatch, sumo dead lift high pull and many others.  We were shown proper form and how to lift safely.  One day after Elements we did something called a WOD.  The WOD had a name, was timed, and we did some crazy exercises (box jumps, rowing, lifts, plank, wall walks and wall balls), some of which I'd never done before.  When I was finished, I was beat, happy to have completed Elements and ready to try CrossFit classes.

CrossFit classes are held in a group setting and led by our amazing and strong coach.  There are multiple classes per day and the popularity has literally grown overnight here (I feel very lucky to have taken Elements when I did).  A typical class begins with a warmup (cardio, mobility exercises, lunges, push ups, sit ups, etc), strength exercise such as a certain type of lift or working on particular skill (hand stand push ups, ring dips, etc), and then the WOD or workout of the day which is timed. 

Here is an example of the WOD named "Angie" that we did this past Wednesday:

100 pull ups
100 push ups
100 sit ups
100 squats

This WOD was brutal and I finished last....but at least I finished.  CrossFit has shown me that I am stronger than I think I am and that I can push through even the hardest of workouts.  I love that no one can leave class until the last person is finished doing the WOD and that my coach and other classmates have done exercises alongside me to help me push through until the end.  This has been the most supportive group I have ever been a part of and I look forward to the CF journey of added weights, doing my first strict pull up without a band, and seeing how much stronger I will become this year.

We do a ton of Burpees in CrossFit.  

 







 

Busy Busy

I must apologize for my intermittent blog posts this past year.  I had every intention of blogging between 3-4 times per month while we are in Japan, but had more on my plate this past year (by choice) making it harder to come up with time to do weekly entries.  This year, I'm hoping to do 1 or 2 per month.  That being said, we are already at the end of January and here I am.  Well, there's always next month.

The New Year has been wonderful so far.  My brother rang in the New Year with us, we took a trip on The Shinkansen down south to Osaka and Nara, we went up skiing by Mt. Fuji, the kids are being normal pre-teens/teenagers, Justin's enjoying and progressing in his Aikido, my manager job at the base thrift store is rewarding beyond words (thanks to my co-workers and volunteers) and I've become more dedicated to my health and fitness.

We're off to a good start and I look forward to what this year brings.  I'm going to stop wishing and make things happen.

This is an awesome quote!

Ebisu Circuit

When we found out that we were moving to Japan, my oldest son was hoping to be able to "drift" like he'd seen in the movie "Tokyo Drift".  Well, in August his wish was granted.

My son driving his 1997 Nissan Laurel

My husband, son, and a handful of other car enthusiasts made the 5 hour trek up north to Ebisu Circuit for their Summer Drift Matsuri ( this is literally a drift festival).  Ebisu Circuit is located in Fukushima Prefecture and is a world-renowned racetrack with numerous individual and skid-pan tracks.

Most people prepare for these events months in advance making sure their cars are in tip-top shape.  They come equipped with extra tires, tons of gasoline, tools, and extra car parts.  People use the racetrack 24/7, so its very loud.  When you need to get some rest, many people camp, or just sleep in their cars. 

This 3-day festival is quite expensive.  First, to drive to Ebisu, the tolls are around $100 each way.  Next are the entrance fees atb20,000 yen (over $200.00 USD) for the driver, and 3,000 yen (over $30.00 USD) for a spectator.  This can be pretty spendy if you participate in the three drift matsuris held each  year.

Also, if your car breaks down at the racetrack and is too expensive to get back to your home, you can sell it to one of the car companies that does business in the area.  We ended up selling my son's car to Power Vehicles because his clutch went out and there weren't any lifts available to properly install the new clutch.
Towing the car 4 hours back home would have been a huge expense.  This was a big learning experience for my family, but this still hasn't deterred my son from buying another car.  He's been eagerly saving his money and hopes to purchase another car in the new year.

Here is a link to the live web cam for Ebisu:
http://www.ab.auone-net.jp/~ebisu24/live_camera/cam100.html

Bonenkai

Bonenkai held at Yakitori Hisago.

On 6 December I joined my husband and his co-workers for a Bonenkai. A Bonenkai is typically held in December and is a party that means to forget about the troubles of the current year, and is a way to celebrate the year to come.

Kanpai!!

The Bonenkai we went to was at a small Izakaya close to base.  For 4,000 (yen), we ate a variety of delicious food (steamed mussels, salads, yakitori, rice, etc) and had bottomless drinks for 2 hours.  This was a time for employees and their bosses to mingle in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.

Great laughs!

I was the only spouse at this gathering because in Japan, its not typical to have a wife accompany a spouse to an evening work gathering.  This is not meant to be disrespectful, its just part of their culture.  I'm just grateful that my husband's co-workers are always so welcoming when I crash their parties.  It was a night full of fun and many of us continued the celebration by dancing and playing pool at a local establishment.

Bonenkai 2012!!

Giving Thanks

As I'm writing this, it's already our second Thanksgiving in Japan.  We are all relaxing today, and meeting our friend from Bremerton for dinner tonight at The O' Club.  I am happy  to lounge around in my purple robe, sip coffee, read and feel absolutely no guilt about not preparing a meal today at home.

Celebrating Thanksgiving with Larry.

I am grateful for things big and small.  Even when things seem bleak, or frustrating, I try to look at the bright side.  Here are just some of the things I am grateful for:

• I'm thankful for my family near and far.  Being across the world away from family has been hard at times.  I have been homesick for California and realize its been 15 years since I was home for the Holidays.  Also, being a spouse and parent isn't always "a bowl of cherries", but I wouldn't change a thing!

• I used to love going to see my grandparents in the desert for Thanksgiving.  Good company, my gramps cringing as we all ate turkey (he didn't like it), my grandma's coleslaw, and our tradition of going to the movies in the afternoon.  

• Thankful for the people I met in AOB, The Navy Lodge and after the earthquake.  Many have become my closest and dearest friends in Japan.

• I'm particularly grateful for my job, my co-workers and my awesome volunteers.  I have a team that works well together, knows how to have fun, gets a lot accomplished, and are just plain dedicated.  I never knew going into management could be such an enriching experience.  

• I'm happy to have re-discovered exercise.  I like how it makes me feel, the camaraderie I get at the gym, and being challenged has been so rewarding.... even with all the ice packs, Ibuprofen, massages, and crazy stretching I've found myself doing lately. 

Hiking Trails Around Yokosuka

I feel like I need to apologize for my lack of blogging.  I used to try to blog every week, but time is passing by very quickly this year!!  We are still enjoying our adventure, but this fall has been crazy with work, school and other activities we are doing.

That being said, Yokosuka has some great hiking places.  These hikes are relatively short, but offer some interesting scenery and also a chance to get some exercise.

Mt. Takatori

You can take the Keikyu local line and get off at Keikyutaura (listed as such on Hyperdia) station to access the trail.  Once out of the train station, you turn left, then head up to the first road you see.  You'll turn left at the road, go under the Keikyu railway, and wind through a neighborhood.  Once you walk for a bit you'll see a little intersection where you can turn left, or go straight.  Stay straight until you see some steep stairs at the end of the street.    Once you climb the massive stairs, you'll be on the trail.

There are a variety of things to see on the trail such as rock climbers, a stone Buddha, an observation area, and if you're lucky, a temple.  There is such beautiful scenery and you can finish the climb that ends near Higashi-Zushi JR Station in about 2 hours.  The trail is pretty well marked, and there are bathrooms and vending machines by the rock climbing area.  The base does regular climbing tours to this area for a fee.

The steep stairs.

Impressive!

One of the many areas to climb.

If you take the correct trail, you will end up here.

Kannonzaki Park

Another great place my friend took me to this past month was Kannonzaki Park.  It only takes 15 minutes from main base to get there and I was sorry that I hadn't been here sooner.  We went on a weekday where we were able to park in the parking lot for free.  You have to pay for parking on the weekend.

There was a ton to explore in this park and it is a great place to take kids.  They have a variety of play structures and roller slides.  They also have some lookout areas, a suspension bridge, and some open spaces.  We went on a beautifully sunny day.  It would be a perfect place to picnic and relax.

Cutter on the huge roller slide.

Other Places worth checking out  

• The Plum Grove in Taura.  So beautiful during the spring when all the plum trees are blossoming.  Once to the top of the plum grove, you can continue your hike across the highway overpass and through a forest to my old neighborhood Minatogaoka.  This is a great loop what we've done many times.
• There is a wonderful park above Anjinzuka station.  You can hike up there to view the cherry blossoms in season.  So very pretty.  Its also bike-friendly. 
• Kurihama's Hana no Kuni.  I believe I've written about Flower World before but its still one of my favorite places to go.  Good exercise, the Godzilla slide, a foot bath, and glorious scenery to see.  They also plant seasonal flowers that you can pick.