Confession

I have been eating about 95% paleo/clean/whole30(whatever you want to call it) for over a year now.  A few months ago my husband suggested we try being 100% paleo for 30 days.  I started to recruit others to come on board for our challenge and it actually ended up turning into a competition at the gym.  Everyone put money in and went for a nutrition consultation to measure (among other things) their body fat percentage.   Well, actually, not everyone.  While I committed to my 30 days I never made an appointment to get official measurements done.

I have started to feel a bit like a fraud when discussing my eating habits with people because I have no official proof that eating the way I do is beneficial. So, I have bit the bullet and today I am getting my body fat measured.  While I have lots of personal evidence(my performance has improved, I have more energy and I like looking at myself in the mirror) I feel like in order to validate what I tell others I need an official measurment.  However, I am pretty nervous.

In particular I am scared to stand on the scale because the last time I did I weighed 9 pounds more than I did a year ago and I am almost positive it has gone up. While I have posted on here before and tell people all the time that I love my new muscles when I see the number on the scale I don't like them quite as much.  I'm not sure why it matters so much.  Why can I face workouts every week that scare other people but then hide from my scale?  Shouldn't I concentrate on how I look and feel instead of a number?

After my appointment today I'll post an update on how I feel afterward.  My mental attitude towards weight has been evolving. Obviously it still needs some work though.

The Sport of CrossFit

I played a few sports when I was younger but I would never have considered myself an athlete.  Nonetheless, my competitive side would always find a way to come out and I sometimes think that part of what attracts me to politics is the idea of beating someone else.   When I found CrossFit though I finally knew that I had found my "sport."

Like most sports having fans or a cheering section is part of the experience.  So today seeing people line up along the side of the gym to watch was exciting.  I have to say that while I have a blast competing myself I also enjoy getting the chance to watch other people compete. Being there to push people to pick up the bar one more time or overcome the frustration of a failed double-under is amazing.  I get the same feeling watching a CrossFit Competition that I get watching a Giants game.

Another component of sports is judging.  While exhilarating, judging can also be hard.  Having been on both sides of a no-rep call I can tell you it sucks.   However it is something as an athlete you have to move past and as a judge you need to not be scared of doing.  Unfortunately you don't always make the catch or win the game and sometimes you do get called on a penalty.  That is part of why we practice, to make sure that the muscle memory is there.

The last thing I want to touch on is being part of a team. While CrossFit is not technically a team sport there is a team component in the games.   Also, whenever I step into CFW I feel like I am part of a team.  We all push one another to go faster and lift more.  When another person PR's or succeeds in something I feel like PR'd too just being seeing or hearing about it.

So, check it out.  Have you been wanting to try a new sport? If so, try CrossFit!

Vanity

Todays post is about workout clothes.  This does not mean I am going to ramble on about how my butt looks good in a pair of Lululemon pants(seriously people?).  Instead it is about how what you wear to the gym can give you a boost during your workout(no, I don't have any scientific facts- just experience).  The reason I decided to write about this is because I often hear from some of the ladies at the gym say that part of the reason they like CrossFit is because the women don't care how they look.  I normally smile and nod because I agree...but only to a certain extent.

I believe that as the clock counts down or as you grip the bar for a heavy lift all thoughts of how you look go out the window.  After all, who cares if you have to make "the ugly face" while going for a 1RM Press?  However, I also think that how you feel about yourself going into a workout can affect your performance.  I have noticed that the better I look, the better I feel and therefore the better I do in my WOD that day.  So, if you're like me and wearing a cute outfit makes you feel good then go for it!    My guess is that other female crossfitters feel the same way(has anyone looked at pictures of the top games competitors?).  Let me know if you agree/disagree.

Oddly enough another blog I follow posted a link that relates to this topic.  The website below posts a new outfit daily that matches up different pieces of workout gear to make functional and cute CrossFit outfits.

Warning: If you have a shopping problem do not click the link below.
Cute CrossFit Outfits

The Perfect Pair of Jeans

Yesterday was competition day. It was the first WOD in a 6 week process to qualify for Canada West Regionals.  Throughout the day my mind overflowed with new ideas I wanted to share with everyone.  Then today was a somewhat perfect day (a 5k run and brunch with friends) that once again left me with SO MANY thoughts swirling around.  However, I have narrowed all my ideas down to one thing to share for today.  I want to talk about jeans, strong vs. skinny, and body image in general.

I am sure I have spoken with many of you about my struggle with body image.  This takes a lot to admit but on occasion I find myself looking longingly at pictures of bikini models.   There are so many other female crossfitters that have written about exactly what I am about to write about but it never hurts to add to the discussion.

A little background information: I was always 'skinny fat.'  I ran a lot, counted calories, and drove my husband nuts with my scale obsession(well, that part probably still hasn't changed).  Looking back I realize that while I could fit into a size0 I couldn't lift more than a 5# dumbbell.  Around that time I started CrossFit which brings me to where I am now.

The other day I sat down on my bed after trying desperately to squeeze my legs into my jeans.  I knew it was a moment that had been bound to happen eventually(I have read about it and I have been told about it) but it was something I had secretly been dreading.  My initial reaction was to lock myself in my bedroom until I could fit back into them(ridiculous, I know).  Then, I focused my thoughts on the things I can do now with my legs that I couldn't before.  So, I am going to attempt to enjoy the experience of having to get my jeans tailored (smaller waist, bigger legs!) instead of fear it.  After all, when you put on a pair of jeans you should feel fabulous not flawed.

You see, CrossFit has changed me drastically. Physically, I am no longer 'skinny fat' and when I catch glimpses of myself in the mirror I smile when I see the outline of muscles I've never seen before.   Mentally, my idea of what makes a woman attractive has also changed for the most part(like I said, I still look at pictures of bikini models occasionally).   I often think about my old fitness goals: to stay a size0, get rid of my 'belly fat,' and 'tone' my muscles.   Then I compare them to my new goals: to back-squat more, get a faster Fran time, and learn how to do a free-standing handstand push-up. While my old goals sometimes come creeping back(mostly when I flip through a magazine) I am lucky to have women in my life who have been there and understand as well as a husband who loves the way I look.

What are your goals? What do you find attractive?  Has CrossFit changed you?

Intervention

Recently I have found myself in conversation with quite a few people at the gym in regards to nutrition.  At CFW we recently finished a nutrition challenge during which there were some amazing results!  However what I heard from everyone I spoke with regardless of if they finished their 30 days a few months or recently was that they had fallen off the wagon.  I am using today's post as an INTERVENTION and let you know that slipping up is OKAY! 

Think about the last time you were at the gym and you missed the last rep in a set of pullups.  Did you quit afterwards? If you were at CFW I can guarantee you didn't.  Instead you probably shook it off, gripped the bar, and redid the rep.  Slipping up with eating shouldn't be any different.

I will admit that eating paleo/whole30 for me is easy as I have the time to spend on cooking and don't have any junk around the house to tempt me.  At the same time I fall off the wagon sometimes too(even though some of you don't believe me I swear it happens!)  When I do fall off the wagon though I don't stress about.  Instead I enjoy whatever it was I ate and then move on.  Even if you have been off the wagon for a couple of months it is never too late to hop back on.  Just keep remembering how great you felt after your first couple of weeks of clean eating.

If you are struggling with recipes, social gatherings, finding the time to cook, or need someone to check-up on you periodically to see how your doing then let me know.  I am more than willing to be someones paleo-friend!  Also, keep checking back because I plan on discussing nutrition much more on here and I know Tania is planning on holding a nutrition class at CFW sometime in the near future.

For now I will leave you with 5 tips for eating paleo:

1. Always keep a bag of frozen spinach in your freezer.   I recommend the Europes Best brand because it comes in handy little cubes.  Trying adding a couple cubes into whatever dish you are making that day, it doesn't get easier than that.
2. If you are struggling with finding a fast on-the-go breakfast try Egg Cupcakes. They are essentially little pre-made omelets in muffin tins and you can find the recipe here.  Keep in mind you can add whatever meat and veggies that you want-get creative!
3. Try and schedule a couple hours per week to do some prep/cooking(even an hour will do!). In an hour I can prepare 2-3 meals.  During the hour I will make a pot of soup, pre-cut some veggies, and throw some meat(pork chops, chicken thighs) and either a sweet potato or squash in the oven.  This will get you a few meals for later in the week so you have a few stress free evenings.
4. Get your friends on the bandwagon.  Explain to them what you're doing and try to get them to sign up too.  Even if you can't get them to try out your new lifestyle then at least ask them to be supportive. After all, any friend who will make you feel guilty for not eating dessert is not a true friend.  You often hear that "misery loves company" but I've discovered that "bad eaters love company" too.  
5. If you find yourself really craving something sweet then make yourself a cup of herbal tea(I can give you a few good recommendations).

Muscle-Up

The first couple hours of my morning today were awful.  I won't get into the details but I will tell you that it was definitely one of the worst starts to a day I have had in a while. However, once I got into CFW and did some rowing and jumping rope the endorphins hit me and I felt much better.

I continued with my day but couldn't shake a feeling that I should go back to do some skill work.  So I drove back to CFW and worked on my deadlift for a while before deciding on a whim to move onto to muscle-up progression.  I started by working on the transition and then decided to raise the rings and work on jumping into the transition.  After a while I began working on the initial pull and then just for kicks I decided to try the pull followed by the transition.  To my surprise it came easily and I was suddenly in position for a ring dip.  I hung there for a few seconds in shock and then couldn't finish it and jumped off the rings frustrated.  At that moment I knew I could get a muscle-up today.  I waited a few minutes and then gripped the rings, pulled, transitioned and worked to lock it out.  There were a few dreaded seconds during which my elbows were still bent and I could hear everyone yelling at me as I struggled. Then suddenly my arms were locked out and I realized I had just completed my first muscle-up!!!  As I jumped down I was overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions and found myself with tears of joy welling up in my eyes.

I have been trying to get a muscle-up for a while.  I worked on them a couple of months ago with Brendan(one of the most knowledgeable CF coaches I know) and learned a few progressions that I practiced whenever I had time.  Then I almost got one a few weeks ago when working on them with Tania(the owner of CFW and someone I admire). Since then there have been multiple days when I woke up and went to the gym with my sole purpose and goal being to get a muscle-up only to fail.  The odd thing about today was that getting a muscle-up was the last thing on my mind until right before I actually did one.  I suppose it just proves the old saying that things happen when you least expect them too.

It has been a few hours since I got my muscle-up and I am still on an emotional high. All I want to do is more muscle-ups!!  One of the things that excites me most is that I am certain over the next month or so there will be a few more ladies at CFW making it into the muscle-up club on the whiteboard. So, ready ladies? Who is next? 3, 2, 1 GO!

One Week

There is officially one week between me and my first CrossFit Open WOD.  The workout gets announced this Tuesday(7PM!) and then I will be heading to CFW to perform it on Saturday.

It didn't really hit me that I was actually competing until recently.  Oddly enough it clicked in right in the middle of a workout as I was about to pick up the barbell to do a heavy thruster.  Suddenly I felt nervous, excited and really good about my performance going in.

I have had a great week of workouts and feel stronger than ever.  There are a few movements that might come up that make me a bit nervous but there are also lots of things that might come up that I am hoping for.  I know I keep telling people that I'm just doing it for fun and that I don't expect anything but that isn't completely true. I do expect something.  I want to be able to give 100 percent in every WOD and be happy with the score I submit each week.

I know the workouts will be fun no matter what because of the community.  In fact, what I am more excited about than the actual workouts is getting to participate in them with friends.  As a competitive person I have sometimes found it hard to balance friendship and competition. However, at CFW things are different and I often find myself cheering for others to beat my score/time.  I cannot wait to compete alongside the people at CFW and I am expecting to see some exceptional performances over the next few weeks.

So, get ready everyone! The time is almost here!

Row, Row, Row Your....C2?

I had originally intended to come on here and complain about todays WOD which was a 3000m row.  I was going to let you know how much I dislike rowing and how hard I find it to push myself during a long row.

However, today I changed up my routine.  I know that negativity leads to negative results so(while I may have complained a little-oops!) I tried to focus on how much my rowing has improved lately.  Then, I secretly set an optimistic goal of just under a 2:10(per 500m) pace.

Guess what? I was able to hold my pace and actually do better than expected with an average pace of 2:08ish and a final time of 12:51.4ish(can't remember exactly).  Even more important I felt GOOD after I was finished. Well, I suppose the word good is all relative.

So, my advice is- the next time you face a WOD that scares you confront it with a postive attitude.   Trust me, you will feel much better before, during and after.

Winning and Losing

First let me clear something up.  Contrary to the use of the word winning in this post it has nothing to do with Charlie Sheen.  Instead it is about the battles that we, as crossfitters, face every time we step into the gym.


The workout today started with Overhead Squats.  The OHS is my favorite of the squats because it is complex and relies on so much more than just leg strength.  In fact, if you have ever done an OHS you will never forget how focused you were, the feeling of the bar overhead, and what it was like when you hit depth and stood back up. Now that you are imagining that feeling you will know how happy I am when I tell you that today I hit a PR(100#) with a surprisingly easy-feeling OHS.  To put it another way, I won the battle.


It wasn't long though before I was fighting my next battle.  This time it was with Double-Unders and I lost.  I will spare you the gory details but I will tell you it was ugly and not fun.  After nursing my wounds(literally and figuratively) I decided that instead of being negative and sulking I am going to force myself to concentrate on the good.  So, for tonight, I am going to be happy about my PR and not think about DU's until tomorrow (practice makes perfect).


Being negative will never help me(or anyone else) improve and so I'm not going to waste my time on it.  Think about something you accomplished today and smile about it. 

Power Foods

I plan on eventually writing a post about the importance of diet. For now though I wanted to share with everyone my two "power foods."  Hopefully these will be useful to those who are just beginning to clean up their diet as well as those stuck in a 'diet rut'.

First I want to share with you the Scotch Egg.  Many of you reading this have probably seen me around the gym eating a softball shaped object.  Well, that my friends is actually an egg covered in meat-does it get any better?! Unfortunately I cannot take any of the credit so to find the recipe check out The Clothes Make The Girl.  I will tell you that the seasoning I use is a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, sea salt, mustard powder, and ginger.

You have also probably seen me eating "weird leathery things."  Those are in fact Sweet Potato Chews and are so unbelievably delicious.  Once again I am not the mastermind behind this amazing creation but rather found it on The Whole Nine website.  Warning: These are so good I once ate an entire tray.  Keep in mind that over-indulging, even if it is with something healthy, is not a great idea.

Time for a challenge.  Go to the store, buy the ingredients for one of these recipes(or another you find over at either of the links) and experiment with it this weekend.   They are both so simple to make that I don't want any excuses about "not having the time."  Also, your tastebuds will be thankful you did, trust me.

'Jackie'

A few days ago when Brendan sent out the email to all the coachs telling us that on Wednesday we would be doing 'Jackie' I cringed.  Not because any of the movements particularly scare me(1000m row, 50thrusters @ 45#, 30 pull-ups) but because the thought of failing scares me. 

Wednesday morning I arrived to do the workout at 9am.  On the way to the gym I stopped at 7-11 to get a healthy dose of caffeine in hopes it would boost my performance(if you have never tried this before I suggest you play around with it a bit as it can be helpful).  As I pulled in the parking lot I started to get butterflies.  I knew as soon as I walked into the gym I would have to look at the board and see what the times were already for that day.  There are alot of firebreathers in the 6am crew and I knew as soon as I saw their times my mindset would completely change. Sure enough I looked at the board and saw that the previous top time(10 something) had been crushed with times of 9:22 and 9:48.  So, I revamped my goal and decided I wanted to be sub-10.

A litte background:

• Rowing has been something I have struggled with for the last few months but recently thanks to some coaching tips(thanks B!) I have been becoming more comfortable with it.  I did a warm up 1000m row at 60% effort and finished in 4:22 which is pretty decent. 
• Thrusters are something I have grown to like and while 45# is still fairly heavy for me my goal was to do them fast. 
• Lastly, pull-ups are one of my favorite things and I knew once I got to the pull-up bar I would be able to do them fairly quickly.

Strategizing is a good idea but I find that for some reason my plan always changes after hearing "3, 2, 1, GO!"  and today was no different.  As I began my row I realized I had started way too fast and while I wasn't tired yet I knew if I kept too fast a pace I would be tired when I got to the thrusters. So I slowed it down a bit(ended just under 4:13) and concentrated on my breathing.  The thrusters proved to be difficult, just as I thought they would be, but the first few reps felt fast.  I heard Anthony and B yelling at me but I can never quite comprehend exactly what people are saying to me when I'm in the middle of the workout.  When I got to the pull-ups they were fast, but they could have been faster.  As I went for my last rep I missed it and had to jump up and re-do it.

After I collapsed in a sweaty mess on the floor Anthony told me my time was 9:49(sub-10 woohoo!).  However, I would be lying if I didnt confess that a tiny part of me wasn't dissapointed. I couldn't help thinking that if I hadn't missed my last pull-up I would have been a few seconds faster(in CrossFit every secound counts!)

If you're still reading(I know, it's a long post!), I'll leave you with 2 thoughts from today:

1. I checked my old time(from May 2010) for 'Jackie' from when I still needed to use a band for pull-ups and saw that I had beaten it by nearly 4 minutes.  This is truly when I realized that while I will never stop comparing myself to others that sometimes you are your own best competition. I want anyone who is reading this and hoping to be able to RX a workout one day to know that I have been there too.  I've used a band, I've scaled weight, and I've gotten faster because of it.  Just keep working on weaknesses, having fun, and giving 100% every time you step in the gym. If you do all those thing eventually you will reach your goals and I hope I'm lucky enough to be there when you do!
2. The women at CFW are a group of fierce competitors.  Like I said above, before today the best womens time on the board for Jackie was in the 10minute range.  Today(before 9am) 3 people had already beaten it and I am positive that as the day progresses the trend will continue.  I am willing to bet that by the end of the day there isn't a single previous time still left on the board(In fact, I am skeptical that even my time ends up making the cut). It is truly inspiring to be in the presence of such strong women.  When I think about the group of women at CFW I cannot help but smile.  So,  if any of you read this I want you to know how lucky I feel to share a 'home' with you.

If These Walls Could Talk...

One year ago today I walked into a CrossFit gym for the first time.  I didn’t know it at the time but from that day forward my life would never be the same.  After a year of working out in my basement my husband had finally convinced me to give CrossFit a try.

A few days before starting we received an email detailing what to expect from the on-ramp program as well as a nutrition guide. As I read through the information I started to get that nervous/excited feeling (you know the one you get before you go on a roller-coaster ride).  The morning of my first on-ramp class I was so excited I jumped out of bed at 4am.  Class didn’t start until 6 but I didn’t want to be late so we arrived at 5:30 and sat in the parking lots for 20minutes before anyone else arrived to let us in.  When we were inside I looked around at the facility and couldn’t help feeling that it looked so empty.

As class began we learned some basic movements that we needed to know for the workout we would be doing that day. As Baseline (500m row, 40 squats, 30 sit-ups, 20 push-ups & 10 ring-rows) was written on the whiteboard I remember thinking how easy it seemed. I was starting to become skeptical of the blogs I had read where people had commented that their first CrossFit workout had left them in a puddle of sweat on the floor.  A little over 7 minutes later I had a completely different outlook.

As I finished my last ring row I collapsed on a blue mat, I was coughing and the taste of iron was in the back of my throat.   Looking back on that day what I remember most was not the feeling of exhaustion afterwards but rather the people.  I can still remember my 2 coaches that day cheering me on during the row, I can hear the ‘6AMers’ calling from the other side of the gym “keeping pushing on-rampers,” and I can still see the looks of understanding from the 7am regulars as I began the slow process of peeling myself off the floor afterwards.

The last year has turned out to be one of the best years of my life.  Not only am I in better shape than ever but being a crossfitter has allowed me to become a better person all around.   In fact, the benefits of CrossFit are something I could write about for pages (and I plan to through this blog). For today though I just want to say one thing-Thank You.

Thank you to the coaches who corrected me when my technique was bad and taught me proper form.  Thank you to the people I have met who have cheered me on through my last few reps. Thank you to those that are constantly one step ahead of me or one step behind me making me push harder. Most importantly, thank you to the friends I have made (actually, the family I have formed) at CFW. 

When I walked in the gym this morning at 5:15(I am still always early) the gym no longer looked empty like it did the first day I showed up.  Instead it looked like a place that was full of possibilities. Later as I was coaching I saw people pushing themselves, fighting for that extra inch on their squat depth or that extra pound to get a PR.  Watching as others achieve things they never thought possible is an indescribable feeling.  However, I am certain that if the walls could talk they would be able to easily sum up the triumphs and failures of the members, the community that has formed at CFW, and the benefits of CrossFit in general.