Why I'm obsessed with Crossfit

While hanging out with friends tonight I started talking about Crossfit and the topic of how my cute jeans don't fit me anymore came up because I've gained muscle mass in my quads and hamstrings. I was laughed at. Totally fine with being laughed at because of the fact I love Crossfit. I used to workout for 3 hours a night and was in alright shape. I would say that I had exercise ADD. I tried a personal trainer, yoga, lifting, P90X, pilates, Tae Bo, etc. My go to workout was lift then run 3 miles. Now I workout 15-20 minutes most days and I beat some of the guys. Some of the things I would do I still like doing, hiking, lifting,  running, biking, and rock climbing. I just never knew how to push myself.
 Jeanie was my Crossfit savior. I don't know if she actually realizes how much she helped me change my life. I was at the West Valley Fire test and I started talking to her about exercise and she said something about Crossfit and she'd run me through a workout. I was thinking it would just be something different that I could try. I didn't have a clue that it would change my entire life. That first workout kicked my ass. I couldn't breathe and the 45 lb barbell was so heavy doing shoulder presses. I knew I'd found something amazing. I went to the boxes website and made a date to check it out officially. I then found out that I actually knew the owners from being the "normal" intern with Jason's crew and then with Cody teaching my medic class. I never knew but in many cases I'm the last one to know anything so it's all good. I started officially in June 2010. I sucked and it was fine because I pushed myself.
 I have never been a girl that had self esteem. 4 years ago I was 19 and was always tired. I knew something was wrong and I didn't know what. All I knew was that I felt like shit and I had a gut feeling that something wasn't right with me. At that time I got up to 266 lbs. Within the next 5 months I was going to the Dr on a weekly basis to find out why my lymph nodes were swollen, why I was tired, and maybe why I was fat even though I worked out. After hearing the words possible lymphoma, leukemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc. and tests coming out negative it was hard. At that time my family thought I'd become a crazy hypochondriac. In May 2007 I went to the Dr and he said I don't know what to tell you except go off wheat and if that doesn't help I'm going to diagnose you with chronic fatigue syndrome. After going home and crying because I thought, "Shit, I have chronic fatigue syndrome"I decided to take a chance on what little faith I had left. It worked and I was unofficially diagnosed with Celiac Disease because my blood work came up negative and I didn't want a biopsy. It was remarkable within 2 months I lost 45 lbs and before I knew it I was under 200 lbs. All my symptoms disappeared and I lived off of corn tortilla chips and salsa and ice cream for the remainder of the summer. I still didn't have confidence. I look back at that time at times and think to myself I went through that I can go through anything. I also feel like I live my life more fully.
 I started Crossfit 11 months ago and I've seen changes in my legs, arms and overall body composition. In January I decided to try Paleo out and I love it! Maybe it's the newly found love of cooking or that I feel like this diet has been tailored to me. It works and it's very do-able for me and my life. I don't feel like I need to look like some emaciated chick in a freaking magazine. I can lift that emaciated supermodel chick. I know when I look good and I feel happy with myself. I've never been able to say that. I will look in the mirror and say to myself I look good, pretty, cute, etc. And have been called conceded by a friend because I said that I look good. It's not conceded I just have finally found that confidence that has been hiding for 23 years of my life. And if guys feel the need to honk at me while I'm wearing shorts and not in the way of their car then it confirms my thinking even more.
 I have also started to think differently in the last year. It can be a dangerous thing. Typically, I am a quiet person. Maybe it's because of being in a loud Greek family and never felt the need to contribute to the loudness, the fact that when I was little my older sister would translate "Holly" into English for me, or I was always self conscious of my voice and lisps when I was younger (the lisps only really come out when I'm tired). Anyway if I quiet I'm probably content. I would always want to fix problems that I had with people when in all actuality there was nothing for me to fix they were just jerks. I speak up for myself in those situations and think I really don't care if anyone hates me because, I know what kind of person I am and yeah sorry if I'm rude at times but I don't have to like everybody and you don't have to like me. And if I have a problem with anyone I will confront it and say whatever I need to say.
 Viking Crossfit has changed my life along with the culmination of the last 4 years. I wish that all the people I talk to about Crossfit would try it and feel that life changing buzz for a minute. Because once you feel it your hooked and you'll never look back.

I suck at blogging

So, I've sucked at blogging. Since my last posts I've dropped around 15 lbs eating Paleo. I love it! I've become a faster Crossfitter my Helen time went from 15:56 down to 12:24!!! I have been doing wod's with 44lb kettlebell's. I passed my paramedic test! Paid $500 down for fire school in the fall. Had a job interview to be a paramedic in Salt Lake for an ambulance company(I should find out this week, fingers crossed). One failed relationship down it's totally fine my manfriend will need to be a Crossfitter. I moved and live with one of my best friend's, Katelyn. I have a niece!!!! She's cute and chubby and her name is Evey, and she's 3 months old and loves eating and smiling!

My Utah Cert!!! Picture is blurry but I look like I'm 15 in it.

Lil' Evey Violet

Still plugging along

So, today we did 2x400m sprints my 1st time was 1:53 then a 2 min rest and 2nd time 2:11. I need some practice running since it's been frigid. After we did Power Cleans 1x1x1x1x1x1x1 I did 75,75, 85, 95, 100, 95, 95. I wanted to get to 100 lbs and lift my super model for the day. I accomplished my goal:) My quads are really sore from yesterday's wod the squats killed my legs. Paleo is still going and last night I made Coconut Chicken with cauliflower. Very good and it gave me 3 more meals to have.

"The Chief" from Hell

     So, today's WOD was "The Chief". It is always the ones that look simple that get to me. It was Jeff, Brad, Caleb(new), another new guy, and I. Will was training tonight so I wore my neon knee socks because he hates them. It was 3 minutes of 3 cleans with 85 lbs, 6 pushups and 9 squats and 5 rounds with a minute rest in-between. Round 1 went well, started getting a little out of breath for round 2, round 3 I could feel my legs starting to shake. Round 4 I was doing squats and Will yelled at me to stop bouncing on the ball when I was doing squats and I wasn't meaning to so I kicked the 10 lb. med ball at him. So, I got 3-3-3-3-3 sets for every round. Paleo is gong well and I didn't have any cravings today.

Night Time

     Well, I've stuck to Paleo today. The Crossfit workout we did today was 50-40-30-20-10 Kettlebell swings and double-unders. I did single-unders which you triple the reps on so it was 150-120-90-60-30. It was a tough WOD cardio wise for me. Tomorrow might be a challenge since I will go to Crossfit and do "The Chief" Max rounds in 3 minutes of 3 power cleans, 6 pushups and 9 squats then 1 minute rest for 5 rounds. It sounds like a simple workout but those are the ones that kill me.  I will be teaching at the school tomorrow and, I'm going to go see Coach Herman Boone (the REAL coach that coached the Titans Football team) speak. Last but not least on my fun filled day I'm going to go workout with 2 of the Swedish sisters on the rugby team. They might kill me a little but, I need to get into the best shape I can. I want to eat sugar but I have a feeling that it will be worth it in the long run if I don't.

Take 3 Day 1 of Paleo again

    So, here we are again I need to make changes that involve not eating any sugar. Previously, I have faltered probably because I love chocolate and ice cream. Then there's the fact that I won an ice cream machine last month. I'm going to make a choice to use my ice cream machine for good rather than evil. I think I might need to get a blender or food processor for this though, to make sorbet. I ate a 2 egg omelet with zucchini and spinach in it. I think I'll take my steamed veggies and a turkey burger to work too. This is going to be a challenge because both my roommates are addicted to soda and sugar.

Heather's cupboard

Heather's cupboard

Cassie's cupboard

My section of the fridge with my food. I only have my little George Foreman grill where I'm supposed to keep my overly processed food.

  

Day Uno

So, I've decided to go in on this Zone diet challenge at my Crossfit gym. I can always use some healthy competition and I'm thinking it will help my Crossfit-ness and my Rugby game. I'm a little nervous because, I'm kinda thinking "why not go Paleo?" Maybe my diet will evolve in the next few weeks. I do like sugar so this might be a little rough but I'm going to think in my head, "Do I want to be able to do a pullup?" or "You've gone (blank) amount of days you don't need it." Basically I needed some motivation to startup and plan to stick to this long term. I don't know if I'm supposed to be counting calories but here's what I ate today.
11 am
8 oz No sugar added Grapefruitjuice (I like it!)
Greek Yogurt

1 pm
5 oz of tuna with balsamic vinegar (this is what I come up with because I need flavor)
Salad with Light Honey mustard(I won't use the dressing again pretty sure it's what I reacted to)

7 pm
Granny Smith apple (Apple's are my favorite food)
1 sting cheese

9 pm
1 string cheese

I think I need to add more vegetables and eat at least one more time in a day. I also drank 94 oz of water.