Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Some Days I Kill CrossFit - Other Days It Kills Me!

Many of you have asked for updates regarding my CrossFit training. First – let me say thank-you SO much for you continued support and encouragement. It makes me smile everytime one of you send a thoughtful message or uplifting word my way. You are the best!

I cannot even begin to explain my love affair with CrossFit. Like most relationships in my life, it’s a love/hate situation. Primarily, I’m in love. In love with the feeling of accomplishment I get after completing an intense workout. In love with weight loss I have seen. In love with the friends/workout buddies I have found at our local box. In love with the feeling of discipline I have gained in my everyday life. In love with the way my butt feels just a little bit tighter each and every week. This program is truly changing my life – and I’m loving it.

But again – there are a few things I don’t love so much. Like the way my pretty little feminine hands have turned into hard, calloused “man hands”. Or how I’m cautious to wear a skirt because my knees/chins constantly have bruises from lunges, deadlifts, etc. Or the fact that I slept on the couch four out of seven nights last week because my shoulders were SO sore that I couldn’t sleep in our bed. And I definitely don’t love the occasional “What the heck are you doing!?!?” speech I get from Coach when I make a complete and total newbie mistake.

But the good completely outweighs the bad. I promise. I’ve never seen results like this in such a short amount of time.

After six full weeks of CrossFit I have many great things to report:
~I’ve dropped ten pounds!
~I’ve pushed myself further physically than I have my entire life.
~I’ve started to gain control over my eating habits and have drastically improved the healthiness of my diet.
~I’ve learned how to do a double under.
~I’m beginning to perform Olympic Lift exercises with confidence and I am adding more weight to my lifts.
~I am sleeping better than I have in years (minus last week’s nights on the couch!)
~My waist is making a comeback – oh how I have missed her!

I think the thing that I love most about CrossFit is the encouragement I have found from fellow CrossFitters. See, I’m horrible at these workouts. *Seriously* Week one was one of most challenging weeks of my life because I truly had no idea what I was doing and felt like a complete idiot during every workout. But every time I feel self conscious or want to tap out during a tough exercise, a fellow CrossFitter is right there offer words of encouragement to see me through.

Last Wednesday our workout was a 400 yard lunge. Sounds easy enough right? Wrong!!! We are talking about lunging the length of four football fields here! You had the option to either lunge the 400 yards or run a 5K. Now I know I could have run the 5K easily. But I decided to take the challenge and lunge the 400 yards. It took me 23 minutes. 23 minutes of grueling, nonstop lunging on an absurdly hot September evening. Out of the seven people in my class, I was the last to finish by about a minute and a half (which is a long time in a CrossFit workout). My class members could have left and gone home. They could have left me outside in the dark to finish the workout on my own – but instead they stayed offering various words of encouragement as I finished my final 50 yards.

And that’s how it is with CrossFit. Sometimes you finish a workout pretty quickly and you offer words of encouragement to your classmates. Other times, you struggle through and finish last – depending desperately on others to keep you going. Sometimes you kill CrossFit – other times it kills you.

I received an encouraging email from a reader yesterday who also does CrossFit. When I asked about her journey and her progress she shared some words of wisdom from her trainer that I think are perfect. During the first month of CrossFit, you will feel different. During the second month of CrossFit, you will look different. After the third month of CrossFit, you are different.

I’m so ready to be different!! I already feel different, and I’m starting to see the difference over the past two weeks. I’m seriously committed to making this a lifestyle – to being a truly different person because of my commitment to CrossFit.

Thanks again for all the kind words you have offered over the past six weeks! If you’re looking for a gym or new workout routine, I would strongly suggest you find a CrossFit box near you. Believe me, if I can make it through these workouts, then so can you!

34 comments:

d.a.r. said...

So glad you found something that works for you and makes you feel so accomplished!!!

ty said...

Holy moly!! Ten pounds is awesome, but isn't it so cool that you sleep better and just FEEL better? I need to do some CrossFit research ... I need a new routine! Soooo proud of you!

Erica said...

That is phenomenal! 10 pounds is quite an accomplishment.. so happy for you! Keep it up! I love how tough workouts can make such an impact in your sleeping, your mood, eating habits etc...

go girl!

Unknown said...

YAY!! Congratulations girl!! sounds like you are doing well (even on the days it's killing you) Keep it up and push through =) I know when I'm working out I tend to sleep better and even if I don't get long sleep, I'm still feeling so much better

Aly @ Analyze This said...

You are so encouraging and inspiring! I wish I had just an ounce of your motivation and determination to get me going on losing these 15 extra pounds I have been carrying for the last year! Ugh! So proud of you!! You really have opened my eyes up to believing in yourself and challenging yourself! THANK YOU AMBER!

Rebekah said...

That sounds awesome! Good for you for sticking with it.

OneCraftyFox said...

Wow, congrats on your results!!

I am going to try out the X90P (?? I think that is what they are called) videos. I have a friend who swears by them.

To answer your question, my "Style Me Pretty Challenge" ends Oct 14th.

Anonymous said...

I really want to look into this in the next few months! Glad to hear that you are loving this so much and the results that it has given you.

Jessica said...

I would have done the run, my muscles just can't handle lunges!

That's so great that you are sticking with it. :)

Anne said...

This sounds like an awesome workout. Is there a website that has more info on it? I would def be interested in seeing if they have it where I live. Thanks for sharing what you're doing with us :)

So shay said...

You go girl! Those results are awesome!!!! :) I am happy for you! Thanks for the "motivation" because I SO need to get my butt in the gym :)I will have to look into this program!

Karli said...

Great post, Amber, it is very encouraging!!

It's always more rewarding to push yourself and succeed than to take the easy road out. 23 minutes doesn't seem like a long time to do 400 yards worth of lunges. I bet your legs were burning the next day! :)

Anonymous said...

Good for you, missy! That's great news! You are an inspiration!

Ms. Emmy N said...

Wow! Sounds like such a life changing program, congratulations on your hard work and dedication! I can't imagine lunging the length of 4 football fields, but how incredible to have such great support!

I have a love/hate relationship with most of my work out programs, it's the Insanity dvd series currently. I am going to look into local cross fit programs once I finish though ~ you're an inspiration!

Miss Southern Vol said...

10 pounds and 400 yard lunges?! You go girl! That is impressive. I would LOVE to lose 10 pounds! Congrats to you! Thats such a huge committment! I need to find something like that! Do they have them nationwide? Are they very expensive?! Ps reading ur blog officially is going to get me motivated to start mine back- i've just been pure lazy lately!

Anonymous said...

I love this inspiration! Congratulations on finding a workout that fits for you!! So proud and motivated!

Brittany Ann said...

You are doing so awesome! What an inspiration you are!

Kelly said...

I knew you could do it! Good job - you are going to be a pro in no time!

Mrs. Lukie said...

Know how I know you're an official CrossFitter now?

You chose to do the WOD that was the more difficult one for you to do. You could have chosen the easier option, but knew that 400m lunges would be more difficult, so you chose that instead.

Proud of you & all that you've accomplished thus far. You're going to be blown away by where you are at the 6 month mark :)

Melissa said...

Keep up the GREAT work, girl! I can't believe you've lost 10 pounds in 6 weeks! That's amazing!!!!! Congrats!

Tyly said...

You are making me want to look into this!!!

ajs {of MN} said...

you're a superstar! i took a break from kickboxing for the summer and started back up tonight... SORE!!! MUCH!!!??

Jordan said...

I'm so glad it's working for you! It sounds so tough, but the results are awesome! Keep it up!

Design Apprentice said...

Amber I am so unbelievably impressed. My boyfriend is so loyal to Crossfit and to be honest I'd be scared to do what you're doing!Your results are phenom!

Lindsay said...

Wow! 400 yards of lunges!! You go girl!!! xo

Christina said...

Congrats on your success with CrossFit! I can never stick with workout regimens for very long, I lack motivation!

Christina said...

That's awesome, congratulations! It makes a big difference when you have others to cheer you on! I love group training :)

Brittany said...

I'm so proud of you! You really do encourage me because you're so real with your responses to work outs and you never sugar coat anything!

I know I asked you about CrossFit the other day so I'm glad you made it into a post :)

Congrats on losing 10 lbs and seeing that waist! :) But what's even better is sleeping better and making healthy choices! Keep up that hard work, Amber.

Kelly said...

AWESOME JOB AMBER!! Way to go with the 10 pound loss :-D I can't even begin to imagine 400 yards of lunges. How were your butt and legs feeling afterwards? I can only imagine the feeling of exhaustion and accomplishment. Awesome :-D

The Undomestic Mom said...

I want to try Crossfit out! Ive heard is so great!

Anonymous said...

Jeez, lady! Get it done! ;)

The Y here offers Crossfit classes, and I'm 50/50 right now on joining after this baby :) We'll see. haha

I left some love for you on my blog- join in if you can!

PearlsAndGreenTea said...

Hi! I'm a new reader! Great blog!

I'm curious to try this out. 10 lbs is amazing!

Laura said...

I AM SOOO PROUD OF YOU GIRLIE!!! :) WAY TO GO!! Keep it up!! I know you can do it. Doesn't it feel so great?? xoxoxo missed you and your fab blog! sorry i am just now catching up after our trip.

Marian said...

Congrats on the 10 pounds...that is amazing. And I just want to let you know what an inspiration it is. I had no idea what Cross Fit was until reading your posts and it really got me interested. I've found a place in our city (which is literally a block away) an I'm going to join. I know its going to be hard work, but I can't wait...and I wanted to thank you!!!



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