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.
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