OK, January and February are just one big long month… Right? Shesh– here it is March 2nd and I am looking around like, where the hell does time go? Amirite?
I hope your New Year kicked off with nothing but amaziness– mine has been non-stop, in a good way.
What have I been up to you ask? Well, my whole personality is being a Bride these days— so strange, who would have thought.
January: I ran race 2 of 40, a 5k in the snow! It made me questions who I am as a person haha. I struggled a lot during that race. I was missing my dad, it was cold and I just wanted to be anywhere but running 3.1 miles in a snowstorm but I did it. I kicked off the new year with my first race in the books– then developed a sinus infection 😁
February: February was filled with not only races but wedding stuff galore. On February 1st, the day of my grandfather’s passing many years ago, I walked into Malmrose Bridal in South Jordan and found my dream wedding dress. I tried on a ton, we were there for over 2 hrs and I was thinking that I may not find the one here but the last dress, there it was, we made it custom to what I wanted and in all her beautifulness she was purchased (pics to come after the wedding obvi 😉). I think my dad was there with me the whole time, helping me find the most perfect dress.
Speaking of my dad– I got a visit from him on SnapChat of all things… He did not have a Snapchat. I was missing him alot and looking for a sign he was still with me and then on a random morning I got a notification that said “Tina F. you have a new friend suggestion from your contacts” and it was my dad, but he has never had a snapchat. Strange? Maybe. A sign that he was there? I think so.
After finding my perfect dress I ran race 3 of 40 in the SOJO date Dash and OMG it might have been the best race of my life. It was only a 5k, however, it was my fastest 5k. I placed 2nd in my age group, I won a HydroJug in pink and at the race start Journey was playing and then as I crossed the finish line I heard Journey playing again which let me know that dad was indeed running that race with me.
A few weeks later we finally made it up the mountain to not only snowboard but take our engagement pictures! Not in the same day obviously but the weather had been perfect for literally both. It seemed like January and February became just one really long month, and here it is March?!
Pretty soon it will be October and the wedding will be here! Which is wild. We have so many fun wedding things going on so if that is something you are loving and want to keep up with check out my YouTube channel I have a Wedding Vlog series! Episode 5 drops this week and it is all about DIY florals! Check out the page here.
On that note, I will leave you with these beautiful engagement photos. I am so excited to marry my best friend and I can’t wait to share the special day with all my favorite people. Shout out to our amazing photographers Pink Ivy Photography & Videography for capturing such a special moment for us.
I can’t believe that it is December 29th. I can’t believe that it has been over a month since my dad has passed away. I can’t believe it is going to be 2025 and we have to enter a new year without him. Sometimes I don’t want to; like I just want to stay here in the past but I can’t and he wouldn’t want that anyway.
December, you have been an interesting one. Full of so many emotions. Most I can’t even put into words.
Usually I would write you a recap of my year but honestly I don’t want to relive all of that again. 2024 was the worst year I could have gone through and I am still processing my grief but in that process I found some light and hope so in that I will recap some of the good.
I had my first colonoscopy, a preventative measure given my dad’s colon cancer. This is good. They removed a very tiny polyp, no sign of cancer. The prep for that was worse than the actual procedure! But let me tell you that it is worth it. Preventative care is underrated and I am begging you that if you are reading this and you have history in your family or are of the age to have one just do it. It is worth it.
I launched my new fitness program in my app! It is Vol. 2 of our Dumbbell Only Program. If you follow me on other socials you have probably seen me talk about it extensively but that is because I am so passionate about health & fitness and the programs I build are designed for everyone to hit their goals! You get 7-days free by signing up for either a monthly or annual membership! Not a membership kind of person, I got you. If you want to just purchase a single program you can totally do that here— it is only $10.00 and you keep it forever in the app!
OKAY. On to some real exciting news to end 2024.
In the midst of all of my emotions, missing my dad, trying to navigate life without him and the new normal that is this life I was met with a moment of happiness.
On December 23rd, 2024 at 7:57pm, I was walking under a giant octopus lantern at the aquarium’s Christmas light show when all of a sudden Levi turned to me, dropped on one knee and asked me to marry him. With my mom, my sister and Dave the octopus as my witness I said YES!
Now, you are getting a sneak peak of this because while I have told my close friends and family I have not shared on any socials– SURPRISE! Don’t worry, they will hit IG, TikTok and Facebook tomorrow but this page is my original form of content and so I felt compelled to share here first.
We plan on having an engagement photoshoot in the upcoming weeks so if you are local to Utah and know a photographer please send them my way!
Getting engaged at the end of 2024 was not on my bingo card, especially since all that we have been through as a couple and family but my mom shared a really special moment with me after my proposal happened. She told me that dad and Levi had spoken in September and he asked for his blessing and my dad said yes.
I know my dad was there with me; watching as I said yes to the love of my life. I can’t help but feel sad that he is not going to be here to calm me down as I stress about wedding tasks or walk me down the aisle but I know he is going to be walking along side me every step of the way.
Dad, your little girl is getting married, crazy right. I miss you, thank you for giving Levi the seal of approval and for always being with me even though I can’t see you, I know you are here.
Here’s to 2025; a year of not only change but one of hope.
The last time I placed pen to paper or in this case thoughts to keyboard was in May of this year. That is wild. If you follow me on other social media platforms you know that the last 6 months have been wild. For those who are new here, or who do not follow me on other social platforms, it is time I provide a few updates and share where I have been the last 6 months.
Where do I even start… I guess the best way is to break it down by month. Let’s see what I can remember.
Ｍａｙ: I promised I would start writing monthly recaps. While the intent was there, the commitment was not. I apologize! At least by end of this year we will get back to monthly recaps. Some positives of May were I launched my app programs and started vlogging again on Youtube. If you have not checked my latest videos out you can view them here: – Fashion / Clothing Hauls & Reviews – Cooking Through Cookbooks – Adventure Vlogs – and so much more! May was just starting to get good– but then the unthinkable happened. We got a call from my mom– my dad was in the ER with immense stomach pain, we thought oh shit, appendicitis? GI Issue. It was more than that. My dad had a mass pushing on his appendix causing his appendicitis, it had to be removed fast so off to emergency surgery he went. So on the first flight out of UT, my sister and I flew to California to be with him. What happened next is unimaginable. My dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Colon Cancer. Yeah, you heard me. Metastatic. The one thing that made me smile in May was my Binks turning 15. But from May to now… my months started to run together and I just couldn’t get myself to write these blogs. It felt like time was standing still. June came anyways.
Ｊｕｎｅ ／ Ｊｕｌｙ: These two months just seem to run into one another. We spent majority of them back home in California. Getting Dad ready for treatment, working with his doctors, managers and employees to make sure he felt supported during this time. We took dad to the lake, he had his first chemo appointments and he still was doing the things he loved, like building his models. He encouraged me to continue to do what I love which was train for this half marathon. To be honest, the running has helped me cope and in July I ran my 10k in prep for my 13.1 in November. It marked the half way mark of my training. Dad continued to fight and kick cancers ass.
Ａｕｇｕｓｔ ／ Ｓｅｐｔｅｍｂｅｒ: End of summer beginning of Fall came and went in a Flash. Dad was still kicking cancer in the teeth but the first treatment did not work. They started him on a new treatment. He still was fighting an uphill battle. Our Kona girl also was battling being sick. She has been for sometime, suffering with hip dysplasia and she also had a cancerous tumor removed this year. Kona and Dad fought together. Everything was going well so we tried to get back to some sense of normalcy and planned a few trips in September to celebrate Levi and Lo’s birthdays. We were able to make it to Southern Utah to be with friends and enjoy nature but after we returned, all hell broke lose.
It was a series of emergencies that seemed like it was out of a movie. First, we lost out sweet girl Kona. It was the most tragic thing to have to go through. She fought so hard and long but it was her time to meet Bucky over the rainbow bridge. It was tragic, the last weekend we drove out, never would have thought it would be my last with her. The following few weeks were even more traumatic. Mom had to have a procedure done to place a stent in her bile duct to help her pass gallstones. We had known this was coming, it was a simple out patient procedure all was to be well. Tuesday she is back home recovering and my dad gets sicker– high blood pressure, fast heart rate, pain again– off to the ER they go. Tuesday night my sister and I are on a flight back to California, Seattle trip canceled. Dad has two blood clots (PEs) in his lungs. They had reached their final destination but now he would be on blood thinners for his life. He is doing well, all is good, I stay with him the second night we are in town and at 3am my mom ends up in the ER on the first floor below us. She is in immense pain and then that day, has emergency surgery to remove her gallbladder. Recovering the next day in the hospital she is doing well so they release her. We are all back home, recovering and Saturday happens. My mom is back in the ER with a Blood Clot in her lung. Another WTF is happening moment. She is too placed on blood thinners monitored over night and release the following day.
That leads us all the way to present day.
Ｏｃｔｏｂｅr: It takes a village and we could not have done anything without the help of Our neighbors Pauline and Dave and my dad’s friend John that week/ Weekend. It was a series of WTF moments but I can say that everyone is back home and safe and recovering. Dad has his 4th treatment on this new Chemo drug and while Mom is still recovering, she is a true super hero taking care of my dad. Her strength is stronger than anyone I know.
If you stuck around this long I appreciate you and thank you for supporting me, my family and this blog. It is so appreciated. For October, Fall has arrived and we are trying to live each moment, for us, for my family, for life. Because life is so short and it should be lived.
If you would like to help my dad fight his cause, he has a GoFundMe page. We appreciate everyone who has donated so far. It has helped him get things like medical supplies, his walker, nutrition supplements and pay for the co-payments for treatments. My family and I appreciate all of your thoughts, prayers and good vibes.
Y’all. This year is flying by! I know I made a huge promise to start posting on my blog again and I SWEAR it is not because I do not love you, I just have had a teeny tiny shift in focus.
I want to start doing monthly blog recaps so you can get a download on what all happened each month. Find inspiration with new places to visit, foods to try etc. So what better way to do that then to sum up the first few months!
OK– 2024 has been so wild.
If you were around last fall I launched my fitness app! It has been going amazing and we have launched a ton of new programs on the app. If you are not sure what I am even talking about, you can get the scoop here. The exciting part is you get all my workouts, recipes and access to thousands of other creators annnnnnnd your first 7 🅳🅰🆈🆂 🅰🆁🅴 🅵🆁🅴🅴 Why wouldn’t you want to at least check it out for free for a week!?
In April we took a much needed vacation to Kanab, UT. The adventure video is up on the channel and linked above so you should definitely check it out. We had the best time with R.O.A.M Adventures, from UTV tours, hiking slot canyons to sand boarding, we tried it all. If you are heading down to Southern Utah for an adventure I highly recommend the following for your trip:
Activities: – Best Friends Sanctuary – Sand Cave and Belly of the Dragon hikes – UTV and Sand boarding with R.O.A.M Adventure – Would recommend trying for the Wave Lottery!
April was filled with lots of memories, it kicked off our hiking adventures and set the stage for what summer is going to bring! Excited to share these monthly recaps with you all! If you do not yet follow us on Instagram or Youtube, jump over to subscribe and follow along on all of our upcoming adventures in real time!
Happy New Year Fam! It has been a whirlwind these last few weeks. I think the last time you heard from me, I had all these plans for the winter break… well my body had other plans and I came down with the RONA… again… on christmas eve. Covid, the gift that keeps on giving. I was healthy by New Years though so we did not ring in 2023 isolated and alone, thank god. Annnnnd, Binks has returned home after living with his Grandma for the last 10+ years. Now that his mamma finally has a house of her own, he gets to live his life with me, the kidless millennial who is going to try to put sweaters on him. He is like 76 in human years, wild huh; he is still trying to get comfortable in his new house haha little grumpy pants.
2022 was a banger of memories though— from hiking (I was 13 miles shy of my 100 mile goal!) to exploring caves underwater, concerts and off roading in Yoshi… there were some sad moments, lots of self reflection, lots of change. Even though I am very thankful for this life, and the year I have had, I feel like this year is going to be THE year. 2020 was a shit show, 2021 was a mix of a shit show, 2022 was trying to find your footing again and now 2023 is going to be the year we thrive. At least that is what I am manifesting.
2023 Goals 💜 – Hike 100 miles (For reals this time) – Focus more on self care, my nutrition and building healthy habits – Be more social (but on my terms cause anxiety) – Organize and declutter spaces in my house. Get rid of things that I do not need, do not serve a purpose or make me feel any negative emotion – Adventure more– travel to new places, take more weekend trips – Plan more dates that are not just a night out to dinner, something deeper, I really want to do a pottery class (2023 the year of the crafty bitch) – Finish remodeling the garage and basement (stretch goal here) I am sure I will add to this list over time but these are things that are becoming really important for me in 2023. What are your 2023 goals? Drop them in the comments below!
Since kicking off the new year, I have been really dialing in on my nutrition and fitness. I have been prepping and logging my food. I actually just got done meal prepping my lunch as I type this out… and that means you get a new recipe from your girl. It has filled the house with some great aromatics and I feel like I am in Italy. Thank me later.
I am not sure what to call this but let’s just call it a Creamy Rose Turkey Bake with Rice.
Ingredients: * 1 Jar of Creamy Rose Pasta Sauce which is just Tomato and Cream so you can find something similar if you are not near a Kroger store. * 3 small zucchini sliced * 1 lb of ground Turkey 93/7 is what I use but use what you like, however it will change the macros * 1 bag of basmati microwaveable rice because I am lazy, but you can use any rice you would prefer * Seasonings (italian, garlic salt)
Directions: 1. Cook & season ground turkey until almost done 2. While turkey is browning, slice your zucchini 3. Once turkey is about 1/2 to 3/4 cooked, add zucchini, cook about 4-5 mins or until the zucchini is al dente 4. Once cooked through, add sauce, simmer about 3-4 mins 5. While the sauce is simmering, cook rice in microwave according to package 6. prepare your meal prep– mine made 4, so I split the rice, and the mixture into 4 class dishes, let cool then store in fridge.
MACROS: 317 calories 28g net carbs, 12g fat, 24g protein
Since food is my love language… and exploring new places is on my goal list this year, we ventured up to Salt Lake and tried a new hidden gem called Salt and Olive. It was by far, some of the best food I have had in Utah. The bread is to die for. The service was :: Chef’s Kiss:: What we ate: * House Bread * Caesar Salad * Truffle Pizza * Zeppole E Limone What I drank: * Blackberry Brambler AKA Lady Pleaser (and that it did) 😉
If you are local or just visiting SLC, I highly recommend checking this place out.
Well that is all she wrote for the start of 2023! Can’t wait to share all our adventures and hit goals & milestones together.
Where should we go first this year???
Until next time! You are enough, you are doing your best– stay fearless 🖤 – T
Guys! It’s officially pumpkin season. That means, weekly pumpkin recipes and where to go in Utah to have the most Halloween fun! But first . . . coffee!
Not any old coffee, an at home take on your favorite coffee chain’s
Ingredients:
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
Ingredients:
12 oz Iced cold brew or black coffee
1 pump Sugar free pumpkin syrup
1 pump Sugar free vanilla
2 Tsp Pumpkin puree
3oz heavy cream
Pumpkin pie spice
Hand frother
Directions:
Add ice to favorite cup, put coffee over ice
Add 1 pump of Sugar Free Pumpkin syrup. Stir.
In a separate small glass, add heavy cream, pumpkin and vanilla syrup. Froth with hand frother until foam/creamy
pour cream foam over iced coffee; top with pumpkin pie spice
Drink up!
Now that you have your coffee, let’s chat about 2 super fun night activities you can do this Halloween season with the fam! Kid friendly, Utah local! First up . . . . . Salt Lake City’s DreamScapes
“A world of pure re-imagination”
Dreamscapes is Utah’s first environmentally sustainable immersive art attraction! They have over 100 local artist helping keep Utah’s art scene alive!
It’s a hands on exhibit, allowing you to really immerse yourself in each artist creation. From giant octopus sculptures. . . .
. . . . To meditation rooms with lights reflecting your presence
We purchased tickets in advance, you must wear a mask the entire time and are temperature checked at the door. Super easy and though weird with masks, still a great time! What a time to be alive!
Saturday Night Scares Anyone?
When it comes to all things spooky, Utah does it pretty good! Last year was my first haunt here and it did not disappoint. From that moment, I fell in love with Spooky Halloween all over again.
Haunted Houses are my jam. . . . Even if they give me heart palpations and anxiety attacks. Count me in every time.
It was not a constant scream fest for me. There was a good amount of time I was able to look around and admire the work that went into making it
When it was scary it was scary. I felt immersed in the scene and at times struggled to see, understand who was human and who wasn’t and I loved every minute
They were strict on 6ft distance, wearing masks and had sanitizer stations
The end was dope AF! It scared the lights out of me… I can’t say more. Just go see it for your self!
What I didn’t like:
I wasn’t a huge fan of the drapes that hung down in entry ways. I was grossed out by everyone touching them. (Thanks Covid for making me a germ phobe)
There was 2 staff that were just rude. It doesn’t take much to be kind, it’s just a haunt, remember that. (Sign your waivers or they will get mad 🤪)
Over all: would recommend. They have a strict 6ft rule for distance but the characters don’t follow it… they make you wear a mask and sanitize before going in but do not check your purses or bags. If that is a deal breaker, might not be right to visit but I feel you should! It’s worth the waiting in line and listening to weird magic jokes.
I’ll leave you with what my Sunday consisted of: Ghost Photoshoot.
No caption needed 👻
A weekend of adventures in the books! If you visit any of the places above, tag us in your photos! We want to see the fun you have!
Guys! It has been a while since we did a healthy recipe swap.
I have been craving Chicken & Waffles; missing the ATL like crazy. So in true Fitness Fashion, we came up with a recipe swap to make these a treat you can eat all week if you wanted!
Head over to our YouTube Channel to see us in action!
Ingredients:
34g Gluten Free Flour
28g Quest Nutrition Protein Powder, Vanilla
1 TSP Baking Soda
1 TSP Baking Powder
2 Lg Eggs
8 oz Chicken (Air Fried, Rotisserie, baked you pick!)
4 oz Unsweetened Almond milk
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients together, add wet
Mix until cake batter consistency
Heat waffle iron and spray with cooking spray
Once all the waffles have been made, construct your plate how you like! See the Youtube video for reference. Enjoy!
Now, if you are watching the Super Bowl, you probably are surrounded by snacks from all over, containing endless amounts high calories. Normally I would be right there with ya indulging… but I do not have cable and I am trying to get my life together in terms of eating habits, so I am snacking on something that not only fits my macros but tastes like PIZZA!
Meet Legendary Foods, Pizza Flavored Almonds!
These have been shockingly delicious! Keto Friendly, Gluten Free, 3 Net Carbs and No Sugar Added! To be honest, when I first got these to try, I was skeptical because you always have those substitutes that are supposed to taste like foods such as pizza… and they taste like cardboard or just weird AF. But these, these my friends, are 100% amazing!
You can typically find Legendary Foods Products at your local grocery stores but if not, hop on to their site and place your order today because these are to die for! They even have a new pastry treat which I am hoping to review for you soon!
Now, get back to the game… and enjoy some awesome treats for me! If you try any of our recipes or the products we review, let us know what you think in the comments below!
I had an Oat Milk Latte and Lo enjoyed a Sugar Free Vanilla Oat Milk Latte. They were delicious! Made so perfectly!
The vibe and atmosphere was charming and had this Portland vibe. Good music playing, lots of open space to sit and enjoy your drink or work remote!
Will definitely be coming back to try more coffee and their treats which looked AMAZING!
Next Stop: DOUGHNUTS
Doughnuts are one of my all time favorite carbs! I love me a good Doughnut and so we tried the North Carolina Famous, Duck Doughnuts.
Now this is not your average Doughnut Shop. This place has these amazing flavors to choose from such as: Maple Bacon and Blueberry Pancake (which were my favorite may I add).
Here is the kicker, they are MADE TO ORDER! So you never have to worry about them running out and they are warm and gooey when you receive them! I am making myself crave these as I write this!
They also had this amazing Winter Blend coffee which had end notes of Whiskey. It was bomb! They have locations all over, primarily the South East but if you are in Utah, we just got our very first location in South Jordan, UT! So if you are local or visiting, head over cause you do not want to miss this.
We are fueled so now it was time for the long drive over to Midway, UT.
I will start by saying it was absolutely freezing. I recommend wearing warm boots and pants that are thicker than leggings. My peacoat was fine but it was snowing so not the smartest choice. Looked cute AF though!
Once we got in, I was taken away at how intricate every detail of these sculptures were. These photos do not do it any justice.
The colors were showing through, blue mesmerizing Ice Castles. All in which you could walk through or slide down. I tried to crawl into some but it was too cold to be laying all over ice. I did have the courage to sit on this thrown… leaving my bum super icey, haha. You sit on a throne of Ice… Ice Queen? Sounds about right… haha.
If you bring your kids, they can take small plastic sleds down the slides. It was super cute to watch. There are so many photo opportunities too, and while the blue holds a pretty background, nothing compares to what this place is at night.
So if you do get tickets for this majestic venue, I highly recommend going at dark. It was so breathtaking to see, it cause none other than an Ice Cream craving! So off to Salt Lake City we went!
By way of recommendation, I finally tried this place. I introduce you to: NORMAL
Nestled in Trolly Square is an Ice Cream Truck that offers some unique flavors and toppings for you to tackle that Ice Cream crave!
They have a storefront which offers a ton of variety but we decided to take a gander at their truck this weekend.
Their truck had four flavors to choose from and a handful of toppings. I went with Matcha Ice Cream sprinkled with Fruity Pebbles. Let me tell you… I found my new favorite Ice Cream combination. Who would have thought, match ice cream (which was vegan btw) topped with an old school favorite would be sooooooo yummy, but it was.
5 stars!
All of this food talk is making me hungry so I better get to steppin’! Hope you enjoyed this weeks adventures! We will be back soon with some cool stuff but for now, go check out these awesome places and stay tuned!
Happy Monday everyone, and remember, be kind, love each other and stay fearless ❤
Friends! What an amazing last two weeks. First Thanksgiving and now it is ChristmasTime! That means hot cocoa by the fire, Christmas Lights and lots of happiness.
So much has happened in the last two weeks, I wanted to give you a tiny life update:
My sister finally moved to Utah!
That is right, we filled an enormous thermos full of coffee and hit the road!
You may have seen all the shenanigans on my Insta-Stories.. Well they continued… with gym sessions, apartment hunting, shooting at the range and now, we are settling into the Christmas Season, reliving all the childhood things we would do with our parents.
If you are not familiar with Temple Square, this building pictured above is a worldwide icon of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the heart of Temple Square.
During Christmas, shortly after Thanksgiving, the square is transformed into a festival of beautiful lights.
Not only do they have beautifully strung lights all down the path ways but there are handmade paper lanterns with the message “peace” in different languages. So inspiring!
People from all over Utah, and some passing through, come by to experience the magic of the Holiday season here.
It warmed my heart to experience such beauty with my best friend! It also inspired us to relive a family fun activity…. ChristmasCookieDecorating.
There is a hilarious video of this up on my Vlog… we sample them at the end. There also is another announcement so go check it out here: https://youtu.be/jTQvqNZBfmk
We used a standard sugar cookie that was store bought since we were too impatient to actually make them. Thanks Harmons for having a bomb AF Bakery; however, we made the frosting from scratch.
What you need:
2 Sticks of butter, unsalted, room temperature
2 TSP of Vanilla Extract
4 cups of powdered sugar
Food coloring (we used red and green but they looked like pastel colors haha)
Mixer (stand or hand is fine)
Piping bags or Ziplocks work just as good
Note if using Ziplocks don’t squeeze like the hulk… if you watched the video you know why.
Some recipes call for milk but we don’t use it in this one
Directions:
Cream butter with a hand mixer or the whisk attachment of a stand mixer until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until fully mixed in, scraping the sides until fully mixed. Beat in vanilla extract.
Add in food coloring and beat until desired color.
Scope into piping bags or Ziplocks
Decorate!
We had some interesting piping skills– as you seen in our video haha but it was so much fun and they tasted even better!
Now you have the goods, go give it a whirl at making your own frosting instead of the processed store bought kind. It makes for more fun and tastier experience! Plus, you can add any sort of extract you want to make fun flavored treats this holiday season.
As we head into the upcoming week, I will be flying off to San Francisco for a quick trip and then back with more exciting updates!
Send us your topics for the blog by emailing: coachtina.teamfearlessfitness@gmail.com
Make sure your subject is: Blog Request so we can find you!
Thanks again for stopping by and remember, like, subscribe and share for more each week.
May your days be filled with joy and love this holiday season.
Be kind, love others andstay fearless ❤ Coach Tina
My hands are ripped and the only cure is to sit in my favorite coffee shop and blog.
Yes, you heard that correctly. Dave Castro, killed me and murdered my hands in the Crossfit Games Open Series this year. I RX’ed (did it as prescribed) the workouts except for 19.3 and I while I am proud AF, I am now trying to not have Rhabdo.
I did not register for the OPEN this year– I honestly didn’t even think I would participate in the workouts since I was just coming off of Injury Reserve due to a hip flexor strain and I have stopped conditioning since moving; so technique has just been shit.
What changed my mind?
The CrossFit Lehi community changed my mind– They push me, they inspire me and they have coached me like no other has before.
Accomplishments in the month I have been with CFL:
I nearly hit my muscle up– I lacked confidence which held me back more than anything. (See for yourself)
I RX every work out regardless if I can do the moments, I try.
I have finally feel strong to attack Hand Stand Push Ups and Chest to Bar Pull ups in a WOD
I walk into the gym everyday and smile at every moment because I now have confidence, which I 100% lacked before coming here.
One thing I have learned at CFL is that it starts with having a strong foundation of each movement and the rest will come. Slow down, practice, have patience. I have also learned you can’t go hard 100% of the time all the time… rest days are key. I can’t wait to see how the coaches unlock more in me. This is just the begining.
So what is next. . . Some of the Street Parking Utah fam and I have signed up for a Team Competition hosted in Park City; The Mountain Meltdown— we are competing in the Gnarly division which is doing all events with a vest and weight. I am so excited to tackle this with my SP Fam! I will be purchasing my new Hero Go Pro this weekend so we will have some Epic Videos. Stay tuned.
Until the next competition… I will be continuing to spread the UTAH FOODIE love to you all in hopes to have you visit me or to have you move here; don’t worry if you need a job we are hiring too [insert shameless work plug].
My last blog post blew in two of my favorite people; my dad and Jimbob.
*Jim is not a photo lover so unfortunately no selfies were taken– but he was here!
Dad and I did so much exploring; from food to shooting at the range to looking at houses so he and mom could finally move here already.
We spent a lot of time on the range, getting me used to shooting my new Sig365. Safety first! We spent a long day doing safety drills and lessons. Then went spent a good 2 hours in Sheels, which is the biggest sporting store ever. I mean literally they have everything you ever need for the outdoors, fitness, and so much more! Closest one to my bay area friends is Reno though. Good luck with that drive…
We were so hungry after that the only cure for a long day was food like my Noni used to make. Homemade italian food. Introducing Siragusa’s, Taste of Italy.
Every dish we ordered was so delicious and brought me back to childhood days of visiting my grandparents. My Noni and Nono would cook the best italian food, and it made me miss them so much. You ever have those moments where you smell something and it just hits you in the face with memories. Yeah, that kind of good.
We had the Cheese Garlic Bread, Dad ordered Lasagna and I had Sweet Potato Gnocchi. The alfredo sauce they make is so creamy and light, definitely try any dish with this sauce. It is killer. It was great since this was after a day of Crossfit and shooting. Talk about carb restoring haha. Is that a thing? I don’t know; it is now.
The next morning we wanted to check out this place that is new in Lehi called The Original Pancake house. It is a chain locally and from the looks of it seemed like an iHop but I thought, “whatevs I can get eggs and bacon here.”
WRONG– it is more than an “IHOP TYPE PLACE TINA” how could I make that assumption.
I definitely got my meat and eggs but the pancakes– holy moly. They have an entire page of different pancakes. I tried the Macadamia Nut Pancakes which made me feel I was back in Hawaii again where I enjoyed similar pancakes yet with a beach front view (take me back; insert crying face emoji). So if you can stop by this place when you are here, it is a hit. Best times to go are Sunday’s between 9a-10a.
So as Dad headed home, I got a little sad– then in no time, Jimbob shows up.
Let the eating commence. . .
Jim and I always do it right though, brunch- lunch- dinner. We never skip a beat. And why not, he can afford to. Me? I on the other hand, look at food and instantly gain weight haha. But it is all for the blog right?
From juices to healthy egg dishes they have you covered. Sundays between 8-11a are the best times to go!
I had the Wasatch Hash which is Hash with cheddar, onions, peppers, mushrooms and green onions. It also comes with eggs and your choice of meat or avocado but I did both, cause why not. So yummy. I am making myself hungry now. The staff is so sweet and the service was quick. Coffee here is also great!
Saturday we went to see my favorite, Matt Nathonson in concert and prior explored another brunch/lunch spot and then did dinner.
I am not sure even where to begin here. The atmospher and vibe here is amazing. Reminds me of San Francisco which I do miss so much. The food, well the food was on another level. I ate every last bite and I was racing Jim on the appetizer. It was that good.
We went for Brunch but the Dinner menu looks fantastic.
Appetizer: CITRUS & RICOTTA TOAST: pink peppercorn honey, house ricotta
Heaven is what this place should be called. It was amazing. I can’t wait to go back. It is also centered in the 9th & 9th districtwhich is home to some cute little store fronts you should definitley check out!
We spent the day sitting on our friends poarch enjoying the SLC sun, 50 degrees felt like 65 and it was amazing. 4 hours later we were hungry again. You guessed it– Jim found us another SLC spot.
There are actually two Red Iguana locations. We went to the second because the original was jam packed. Insider tip *Go to the second location*
30 mins later…
Margaritas and Tacos– hell to the yes.
I had some carne asada tacos and a spicy margarita. Honestly some of the “Cleanest” mexican food I have ever had. I did not feel heavy or in other words, never did I feel like I was in “food coma.” It was just really good! No taco was left behind.
5lbs later, millions of laughs and memories made we found four new places to call our favorite Utah Eats!
“The only thing I like better than talking about food is EATING” – John Walters
Smart man that John Waters…
Well the Crossfit games are over and that means it is back into training mode for the Summer Spartan Super Race and our Mountain Melt Down. Training mode includes eating so you will always get a new place to explore, don’t you worry. In addition, I will be back to my old ways, sharing my meal plans and some fun at home recipies, insipred by the local eats here in Utah.
Until we meet again, stay humble, be kind and always be fearless.
XOXO Coach T
“We grow fearless by walking into our fears” – Robin Sharma
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