Why I CrossFit

One of the CrossFit Solus coaches posted a question a week or so ago inquiring information as to WHY DO WE CROSSFIT?  It really got me to thinking....and I wanted to share WHY I CROSSFIT!

A year ago, when I first started with the bootcamp crossfit (aka Out of The Box or OTB),  I would have answered that question with; for curiosity, convenience, and desperate for some physical changes in my body.  I had had friends and other crossfitters tell me I would love it.  But at the time, I thought the price was ridiculous and I didn't want to drive into town for it.

But once CrossFit Solus opened an OTB class here in Gunter, I really didn't have an excuse to not "try" it.  I still wasn't happy about the price but I was committed to giving it a 3 month trial.  I was hooked after my first few classes.  Mainly because I loved trying things I had done only as a teenager.  I was feeling young again. And to my surprise I was actually doing them.  ***Even if it wasn't pretty....you know, fat old lady trying to do a handstand seems a bit awkward! HAHA!  I was having fun though!  ***Added bonus was my body was slowly changing, too.

However, the real reason I crossfit is now more apparent to me....  I don't think I started to understand this truly up until just recently.  But the actual "change" in my attitude and also my commitment to CrossFit and a healthy lifestyle started about mid-summer when I began the real crossfit class (meaning barbell and heavier lifting/olympic lifting classes).  I think the fact that even though I was a newbie to the sport but was actually performing pretty well despite my lack of knowledge and experience made me stop and realize that I am STILL AN ATHLETE!

STILL AN ATHLETE????...... I can now tell you that I know that I was a great little athlete back in my high school/college days.   "Back in the day" most everything I participated in, I actually excelled in.  My biggest love was for basketball, in which I excelled in and also played at the college level (Jr College, that is).  I was probably a better "cheerleader" though....but I cheered just for fun.  I loved tumbling and was quite the power tumbler.  And yes, I held girls over my head...which now I realize that, that is actually quite impressive! HA!  Not many girls can hold another girl over their head!  :-).  I was also pretty darn fast.  I could run a quarter right under a minute (not bad for a white girl), but I could also run 2miles in 14mins.  So regardless the sport; basketball, cheer, track, cross country or gymnastics.  I always ENJOYED and felt so PASSIONATE in COMPETING in ANY and ALL of these sports!  It was fun! It was always a challenge!  And I loved the challenge and worked very hard to be sure I achieved whatever possible.  I admit....I didn't fail too often to achieve any of my athletic goals.

This all leads me back to that question...... WHY DO I CROSSFIT??

Well, I became an adult..... and once I became an adult, I thought that being an athlete was just "something in my past" or just a "memory of the good ole days".  So the next stage in my life now that I was a GROWN UP was to move on to the next thing...which was to be a coach.  As much as I can say I did enjoy coaching....it wasn't the same as actually being the athlete or competing myself.  But I was OK with that because I was a GROWN UP now.

But life happened and so did three babies:-).  Coaching and raising kids were not a fit for my life, therefore I did away with coaching to raise my three babies.

This is where I slowly lost my PASSION for life.  ***I am by no means saying I do not have a PASSION for raising my kids.....as I do, 110%.  But slowly I found myself a bit withdrawn and lonely and only able to have a conversation with little people---under the age of 7 ONLY! HA!  At this time, I was overweight for the first time in my life....about 50lbs. The things I used to be good at (sports) were not an options any more, coaching took up too much time out of my parenting, and suddenly I was a bit lost.  It seemed that everything I was once good at....was just something in my past!!!

So I was a GROWN UP.....former athlete, former coach, and a full time mommy of three babies.  So the next step, at this stage, was to become a runner. That's what old people do, right? HA!

Running became something I began doing soon after the birth of my last child, Gabe.  To be honest, I was a walker after having Zander, but now that I had three babies.....and very little time and no extra money, I began running to make workouts go by faster and it was CHEAP to do.  With three kids under the age of 5.....not alot of time to workout and not enough money for gym fees, sitters, etc.  Running was the only INDEPENDENT thing I could do.  But running, to my surprise, sparked that PASSION in me again--and only within months.  I was slowly finding myself again...setting goals for myself and meeting them:-).  I was COMPETING again! It was an AWESOME feeling and addictive and effective for weight loss (at least some of my weight).  Running made me feel comfortable in my own skin.  Running gave me that familiar feeling of what used to be.

Back to the WHY DO I CROSSFIT??? Like I said before, after the miles and miles of running I began crossfit for ALL THE WRONG REASONS (for convenience, for the hope of finding something that would physically change my body, and just out of curiosity).  Within the last couple of months though, I have felt my lifestyle completely change.  And it has a lot to do with WHY I CROSSFIT!

I CROSSFIT because I am an athlete! I CROSSFIT because I love the challenge!  I CROSSFIT because I enjoy it!  I CROSSFIT because it makes me part of a team!  I am not too old to be an athlete, or to compete, or to challenge myself beyond what I ever imagined I could do....even at my old age!!!  

This is WHO I AM!  This is how God made me!!! I am a passionate, goal setting, competitive athlete.  I always have been and always will be!  And that's why I CROSSFIT!!!

Slow Progress is Adding Up

I have to admit....  I have spent much of my 2013 year complaining about how hard I have been working out but how I wasn't happy with how fast the weight was coming off!!!  I mean, you can totally see it on this blog. 

Last January, I began blogging here while a group of us were training for the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.  I worked hard training for that race! I ran a butt load of miles ALOT! And I was eating way too little.  I had lost a bit of weight running and doing crossfit bootcamp twice a week.  But it stalled after the I completed the marathon.  I then began crossfitting 3x a week and still running 30+miles a week (while still eating 1400calories a day--which is NOT ENOUGH for all this working out). Not much of a change was happening.  I had stalled at about 160lbs...

Then this summer, I joined CROSSFIT---Barbell crossfit!  This is when things really began to change for me.  I began seeing I was running TOO MUCH, which is what I now call "Junk Miles".  I began to learn about Paleo and clean eating.  I began understanding I was totally not supplying my body with the proper nutrition to support my active lifestyle.  I also began to understand the importance of weight training.  I slowly became a crossfit, nutrition obsessed athlete!!!

Since this summer I have been taking in more calories than ever before but I log everything I eat....and make sure I am getting the proper amounts of carbs, fat and PROTEIN in.  I am running less...usually around 15miles a week, but usually no more than 20miles.  And I crossfit 4-5x a week.  And I am eating clean 80% of the time.  The results seem slow---but they are results.  And after a full year, I am now seeing that my progress may have been slow but it has truly added up.

Take a look at these two groups of pics I found.  I so wish I wouldn't have had that sweatshirt on.  This pic is about a year apart.....

Left is 172lbs-----Right is current 148lbs

Now look at this pic of those shorts I am wearing on the left above...  This is what they look like on me now.

Size 12s WAY TO BIG

I am vowing to stop complaining now.....  I can see that my hard work is paying off.  It may be SLOW progress....but it is progress!  And I will continue to make even more progress!! 

Then 172lbs-----NOW 148lbs
Then Size 12----NOW Size 6/8
Then Top Size XL---NOW Top Size M

Transitioning Into New Seasons

My little family of five stays super busy no matter how hard we try to "simplify".  It's almost comical the amount of time and money we spend on these activities....but then again, it IS what we enjoy!!! I can't exactly explain it---but even for myself, I know God has given me a passion for sports and exercise!  He wired me this way....and apparently my kids are wired this way some, as well.

This past fall my daughter, Addie, completed her last volleyball season for her middle school career.  We are all sad to see it come to an end, as this team really meshed well and had an amazing season (a winning season)!  Addie enjoyed it so much that she wants to play more volleyball during the off season---but that will have to be after her basketball season comes to an end first.

Addie's 8th Grade Team

Gabe completed his 4th and final year of PeeWee Tackle Football just this past Saturday.  Yes---I said his FINAL YEAR---because Todd and I have decided to make Gabe take a two year break from this CONTACT sport to do some other sports that will require much less IMPACT.  Gabe will play Jr High Football IF he is still wanting to....but we want to take a break from all the HARD TACKLING for a couple of years.  He takes and dishes out alot of hard hits every week---which is a bit frightful the older he gets! **And he is quite the little beast on the field.... So gonna take a much needed break to keep him injury free.... ***He wants to learn to tumble and/or crossfit with ME:-).  Not to mention he likes to run and bike with me too!! I can't wait to do this all with him!!! :-).

My Super Bowl Champ---4YRs in a row!!

Todd just posted a nice little "Fatherly-Write Up" about our youngest son, Gabe, and his football career thus far on Facebook..... Thought I would share.....

Zander took the fall season OFF.....and played a whole lot in the front yard!!! (Which is what Gabe will be doing during these next few months).  I always think that is such a good idea for kids to have at least one full sports season OFF!!!  But this past week....both Addie and Zander started basketball.  Zander started the year off with a tournament win with his Express team (undefeated)!!!  **I will also be coaching Zander and his Gunter boy's team one more year.  (Zander will be playing on two teams---rec and competitive).

Zander's Express 2020 Competitive Team! CHAMPS!!

It's been a bit crazy transitioning from one sports to another---but what a privilege and honor it is to be able to be a part of any of these teams!!  I try to emphasis to my kids daily that we are truly blessed with such these amazing opportunities...and we are to Glorify God in every way possible when playing and practicing!  I pray God continues to grow and mature them through these sports!!! :-).

Now bring on BASKETBALL!!!! :-).

I Drank the CrossFit KoolAid! And I LIKED IT!

This past weekend's competition was a BLAST!!! I can definitely say, without a doubt, I can't wait to do more of these.  Not only did my partner and I do well, but we had such a fun time.  It was a great atmosphere, well organized and fun event!!!

Quick recap of the competition....  First of, this was a partner competition and I was partnered with a former athlete that I used to coach when I was a High School coach (millions of years ago), Kim Patterson.  So, needless to say, it was fun to be partnered with someone I was familiar with and knew I could easily push:-).

Kim and I flexing our GUNS!! And me with my cheerleaders-Addie and Alexis

I was able to drag Addie and her BFF to the competition and promised to take them to the Gunter HS Volleyball Playoff Game afterwards.  They admitted that they actually enjoyed the event and weren't too bored:-).

The first WOD was the workout I was a bit more nervous about.  It was 9-7-5 reps of toes to bar to pulls while partner did 9-7-5 barbell thrusters.  Once you completed that, you worked your way to 9-7-5 T2B2PU while partner did snatches.  **We both had to complete the sets meaning she would do 9 T2B2PU while I did 9 thrusters, then we swapped and she would do 9thrusters while I did 9 T2B2PUs....and so on.  We had to do as many as we could in 7mins. I am happy to report that I was able to do the Toes to Bar to Pullups very well.  I did all 9 without coming off the bar (remember I couldn't do an unassisted pullup 3 weeks ago...and then last week, I was able to do no more than three T2B2PU without coming off- so this was a huge accomplishement).  We finished #6 with this WOD:-). YAE US!!!

WODKillars:-).

 

The second WOD was super easy for me.  I can thank my coaches for making me use the 53# kettlebell these days cos in this WOD I was using a 35#kettlebell as if it were a toy:-).  This WOD was done as a leap frog WOD meaning my partner and I took turns completing a set.  We had to do 50-40-30-20-10 reps of kb swings, speed box jumps and double unders with the jumprope.  I started with 50kb swings (and I was flying and never took a break), she did the 50box jumps, I did the 50 double unders...then she moved on to 40 kb swing, I did 40 box jumps......and so on.  We did well with this WOD. She was a little slower at the kbell swings but we still managed to finish the WOD before time expired:-).

I am sore from the speedy kbell swings tho:-).

The third WOD was a surprise WOD....meaning we didn't even know what it was until we got there!! I was praying for running and I got some running.  :-).  This WOD was super fun as it did challenge us.  I was to run 600m while Kim rowed 600m.  When we both got done we had to do SYNCHRONIZED BURPEES together.  I sprinted the 600 and made it back way before everyone else. Kim struggled to get her rows done.  She might have even been the last person off the rower.  But that didn't stop either of us.  We became burpee queens that day.  We did 30-unbroken-beautifully synchronized burpees and ended up finish FIRST! LOL!  Those last 5 were all mental and I will never forget us yelling at each other....DON'T STOP!! KEEP GOING!! WE ARE ALMOST THERE!!! So fun!!!

BOOM! That's how ya burpee:-).

The last WOD was the one I am a bit sad about!!! I am a heavy lifter and this was a squat clean ladder....starting at 35lbs and moving up 10lbs each step.  The key was, you couldn't move onto the next weight unless your partner cleared the previous weight.  I started with 35#, Kim did 45#, I did 55#, Kim did 65#....and so on.  My max squat clean is 125lbs and I knew I could rip out a few on 115#.  Kim, however, is a tiny little thing.  So 105# is her max (which might be more than she weighs-ha).  Anyhow, she could not clear the 105 therefor I wasn't able to attempt 115.  I was a little bummed because I know I could have gone much higher in weight...especially with the adrenal pumping.  But by no means was I disappointed in my partner! She gave it her all ALL day!!! And I couldn't have asked for a better partner....especially for our first competition.

95lbs clean squats-- I think I did 8 in 50seconds (still need to work on my form)

Kim and I finished 9th out of 26competors which isn't bad at all.  And IF we would have done better on the squat cleans we would have cleared 5th place.  I am very proud of us!!! We actually had numbers close to Melinda and Kaylee on some of the WODS--which is something to be proud of :-).  I can't wait to see our progress in a year from now!!!

And yes, I am officially addicted to this sport!!! I can't wait to do more of these in the near future.

My CrossFit Family

Gearing Up for Competition

This is the week prior to my first competition!  I am excited but not too nervous---at least not yet.  I think it helps that I am doing my first competition with a partner, so it isn't as intimidating!  And I feel much better about all the movements for all the WODS (workouts of the day).   But guess what??  Yesterday the heats (aka schedules) came out for each WOD.  There aren't just three WODs....but FOUR WODS.  The fourth WOD is an unknown WOD and we won't know till we get there.  I am praying for a running WOD!!! :-).  So yall promise to pray with me!  Both my partner and I love to run and are both pretty good at it too.  We could really make up some time in this one!!!!  ***FINGERS CROSSED!! 

Oh, another thing I was quite shocked about with the competition is that all the WODs are done close together.  We will do a WOD every hour! That's alot of workouts in one day in a short amount of time!!!! I am hoping my endurance training will benefit and shine through now! We shall see?  All in all, I am just going to enjoy the experience and get the experience!!!

Totally off topic.  But this month I have opted to do CrossFit unlimited.  So I have already been to four classes in just three days.  This has actually been good timing cos the weather has been either very rainy or cold and I prefer not to run in it just before the competition.  Having more crossfit class options has worked out towards my benefit already.

This morning, I did try a new class..... OLYMPIC LIFTING.  I absolutely LOVED it!!  In this class you work alot on your form and there are no real WODS to do....just alot of skill and form coaching on the lifts.  I already feel like I am getting better at the "clean".  :-).  The only bad part about this class is that it's at 6am in the morning and ONLY on Wednesday.  And most Wednesdays, Todd goes to play racquetball before work so I can't really make many early mornings workouts.  I may have to sweet talk Todd into moving his racquetball day??

COUNTDOWN is 3 days!!!

Busy Week and lots of other RaNDoMness!!!!!

I must be getting older cos last week just about wore me out! HA!  I did start my week off feeling a bit punny....and I must have had a touch of "something" because both Addie and Todd got sick shortly afterwards.  But by Tuesday I was feeling my normal 100%.

I finally got back on track with my eating clean again---for the most part (95%).  But I did have an absolute hissy fit with Todd one day.  He hasn't been eating clean---just keeping his calories in check, and I know he has definitely been eating out more.  He isn't doing bad but he also isn't doing as well as he had been.  AND he had promised me he would get serious for these two weeks prior to my first CrossFit Competition to help ensure I stay on track too.

Well, he kept doing small cheats but on the day he got sick....I almost strangled him!  I came home and he had GONE TO DOLLAR GENERAL for Sprite, Pizza Pocket and Chip!! @#&@*&^@*  Yap, I was MAD! It wasn't like I didn't have healthy food ready for him, cos I did. I had left over crockpot chicken, tuna salad, and crockpot beans all ready.  His excuse was he was sick! Which I just about went psycho and immediately told him that being sick was even more the reason to eat even healthier! I am not lying, I was one mad momma!! I mean MAD!  Poor guy!!! He is back on track now....but not sure if it's because I scared the poo out of him or if thinks I am crazy! HA!

So the rest of our week was super busy!  It was super fun, though....  Wednesday night was spirit night at IMPACT 252 at Grace Bible Fellowship and then Thursday night we hosted our annual Happy HalloWEENIES at our house and handed out over 500 hot dogs to families that were trick or treating down our street!!!

IMPACT 252 Spirit Night---yes, my youngest wore his undies on the outside of this pants:-)

Happy Halloweenies at my house

I absolutely LOVE Halloween! I love the change in the seasons, the dressing up, the feel of "family and friends".  Just love it!!! And I will always treasure our little neighborhood/culdesac street where alot of the community comes to trick or treat!
**A little side note--- I did pretty well with my eating on Halloween.  I started off with 2 wieners-all beef (no buns) and had saved two small MILK DUD candies for later.  I had hid those behind the music player.  Later that night, I went to reward myself for not eating candy or buns by eating those two MILK DUDS...and guess what?? SOMEONE STOLE THEM!  I was sad, depressed, and HUNGRY!! LOL!  I then ate two more wieners---no buns.  But let me tell you, at 3am, I had decided that wieners needed to no longer exist in my diet (if you know what I mean). HA!  Lesson learned.  But at least it wasn't pounds of candy!!!

Cuddling with my Hottie

Friday night, we took the family to the football game (the game of the season).  We lost to a really good team, but I sure did have fun cuddling close with my honey and cheering on my school!!! Love my hometown!!!

Saturday Bike Ride--10miles

My little tiger played great

Saturday, I got up and got a 10mile bike ride in and some weights at the house done....and then went to cheer on my #00 at his playoff football game.  He played AMAZING!! ** He gets his speed and strength from me....or at least that's what I tell him! HA!!

Sunday was also busy......as Zander was a guest player for a former baseball team of his.  We weren't too excited about giving another day up for sports and all....but after the day was done, we were very happy that Zander ended up playing. He played amazing baseball.  He went 100% at bat and was truly pounding the ball.  He was just shy of a centerfield homerun, too! (Yes, he gets that from me, too.  Lucky kids!- HA).  He played great defense at 3rd, short, and first base!!! And his team ended up winning the tournament!

It was a fun, fun week....but busy.  I am very much looking foward to a slower paced week this week!!!

And did I mention the CrossFit Competition is just 5 days away!!! WHAT? WHAT?!!!! Ready or not!!!