Saturday, January 31, 2015

My Crossfit Journey

Hello!


On this final day of January (Only one more month of Winter!!). I wanted to share a slideshow with you that shows where I started and where I am after only 14 workout days at Average Joe's Crossfit.  Just follow the link to my google plus.  I couldn't get the slideshow to post directly here.


I hope you are inspired to make a change to healthier.  These pictures were taken over an 18 day period where I worked out at Average Joe's Crossfit every day I could.  Which made a total of 14 days.  My posting this is as much to inspire myself as to inspire you.  I need to remember where I was so I on my hard days I can remember where NOT exercising or eating healthier has gotten me.

Have a great day!
Melissa

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

The New Year choosing a New Me

Alrighty, here it is January 27th and I have decided I am not going to make a resolution this year.  I am going to make some new choices.  A resolution is forgotten as soon as it's made (for me at least) so I figure by making some choices and taking the steps needed to remember to make them (thank you Iphone and your many free "remind me" apps) this time next year I'll still be me but me 2.0 .

So what are the choices I am making and why?  Here you go:


 I have joined a Crossfit Gym (Box to those of you familiar with the lingo) and in just the first 2 weeks I have passed every limit I thought I had.  Over at Average Joe's Crossfit they are encouraging, supportive and they will push you past your predetermined limits to your actual limit.  Many a times I've been mentally waiting for my coach to pat me on the back and say,"ok you've tried hard enough you can quit now," and that has yet to happen. Instead my coach will start doing the exercise with me or start setting limits like, "Ok,  Only 100 meters left to row - no more stopping."  I am CHOOSING to work out at least 5 times a week and on my off days I will shuffle (somewhere between a walk and a jog and about as good as I can do right now) or go into the box and work on some techniques to improve my form and continue to get stronger. 
I am CHOOSING to eat healthier.   That's probably the hardest for me.  I am an emotional eater, a reward yourself eater, a you survived your day eater, and let's not forget every other reason I can think of to get a Dove Bar in my mouth eater.

So I had to make a choice to INTENTIONALLY eat healthier.  Some days are easier then others and a couple bouts of a miserable stomach have taught me that I can not feed my body healthy food and then a little of the super crappy food without consequences.  So MOST of my days are filled with healthy choices.  I can tell you that having a trainer or a box that you hold yourself accountable to helps too.  My coaches talk to me about healthy food choices and I know that if I eat that snickers bar my last 20 air squats were for nothing... THAT motivates me more then anything to eat healthy.  I'm not going to enjoy killing myself at crossfit and then turn around and blow it all away with junk food.  Now... does that mean these lips will never touch pizza again... no, not at all.  I have found the strength to limit myself and even on a few occasions say no thank you.  Also I'm only going to let myself have Dove Bars at my BFF's house when we go down to visit once or twice a year.

Ok, So my 3rd and probably hardest choice for the new year... Having very little crap food in the house and insisting that this lifestyle change is not for me alone but also for my husband (who's totally on board) and my daughters (My 8 year old is planning a revolution).  This means portion control (an especially hard thing for me and my oldest - we like to eat a lot of food when it's yummy), making the food we are eating as a family healthier (celery and fat free ranch for snack - or no snack - simple choice) and did I mention portion control?  As a whole we don't eat awful but we eat a lot of healthy and even that out of control can be unhealthy...  EVERYTHING is moderation.  Do they still get candy?  Yes but never more then 2 pieces a day.  Pizza is a once a week thing but we buy a little extra so there's leftovers for breakfast and lunch the next day.  This lifestyle change is not about denial but more about more healthier choices and MODERATION.
It took me a long time to learn but in only 10 classes and about 2 weeks of healthy eating look at the difference that's already so visible.  I feel like I've been a big ball of playdough, rolling here and there and getting by.  Now that I've made some changes in my LIFESTYLE I've been put into one of those playdough molds (for a size 12, confident, young-ish woman) and it's slloooowwwwly being pressed closed. All the extra unneeded playdough is slowly being pulled away to show who God originally intended to house my soul.  I'm more confident, getting better sleep, more active with my kids.

What choices will you make for the New Year? And why?

TTFN.
MELISSA