90 days gone but not forgotten!

Well the 90 days officially ended yesterday and everything has been submitted, now it is just a waiting game to find out the results and who has won! We all have worked hard over the 90 days, pushing ourselves past limits we didn’t know existed – well at least I did.

So much has changed over these 90 days. I have PR on every workout that I do, and some days scale down to keep myself on track. Even on my off week I still managed to show up to ACF and try the WOD’s. I think about all the workouts that I have been a part of before coming to CrossFit and I have never committed so much time and energy into a workout/health program in my life.

I was 2.8 lbs short of my 20 lbs goal but that is ok – I still killed it on all of my workouts and I was amazed at how much I had grown over the 90 days. When I started 90 days ago I was intimidated, shy and held back but now I am confident. My first run at the benchmark workouts I was just coming off the high of bootcamp but still very unfamiliar with some of the movements and my strength. Going into the second run at the benchmark I was getting through the workouts hitting huge PR’s!

Here are my results:

Workouts	Before	After
FRAN (35 lbs/ring rows)	7:47	5:14
10K Row	1:08:24	55:54
1RM Back Squat	75 lbs	130 lbs
1RM Snatch	45 lbs	55 lbs
7 Minutes Burpee’s	55	66

My first FRAN I did incorrectly and to my own fault since I was new and Andrew try to get me started but I might not have paid attention to what he was exactly saying! (see Andrew – Its not your fault!) After 12:00 minutes of not knowing what I was doing and being exhausted I quit the workout. The next day as I worked on my back squat and snatch I learned what I needed to do to correct it and came back to do it the correct way (although I would have had a HUGE PR if I hadn’t been honest J). Andrew was there and helped me through the whole workout and I was able to finish with 7:47 score! I was impressed and exhausted after the workout and wasn’t sure how much I would progress at the end since I really went all out that time. Then came the time in the class to do the workout and I decided to keep the weight the same since I wanted to know the time improvement – I was amazed at how fast I had improved my time and know that the next time I could at least go up in weight!

My first Row was difficult – again I was just off of bootcamp and had struggled when we would row 200m! As I went through each  1000 meters I was struggling to keep a consistent pace. My back was hurting, I stopped for water and I struggled to breathe through the whole thing. The second time I went during the scheduled time for the row and had Alex there to give us advice as we went through each 1000 meters. The best advice was to row hard every 500 meters for 5 pulls and then fall into your pace! I found that this helped me stay in a consistent pace and helped me dramatically improve my time!

7 minutes of hell I mean Burpee’s was the first workout I did at the start and the last at the end! The first time I was full of adrenalin since it was my first time after bootcamp that I was at ACF and I didn’t know anyone there. Thankfully I met some pretty awesome people – Carmen, Mary and Lynn who went through the torture with me! Carmen did a great job of motivating me through the burpee’s and although we weren’t using the 6” target I still got 55 burpee’s completed! Then since Carmen and I couldn’t get together to do it again I made Dave help me during one of our PT times. Dave had me do the 6” target this time and helped push me to get 66 burpee’s complete – 11 PR!

The back squat and snatch movements were weak in the beginning because I struggled with form. I had James there to walk me through the movements and I remember failing at 90lbs for my back squat and now I was able to get 130 failing at 140! The Snatch is problem the one movement I struggle the most with – I just can’t seem to get it! With James I struggled to get 45 and then when the first open workout was announced I panicked – 45lbs 30 times??? But I was able to do it! When I tried to improve the snatch I only PR’d by 10lbs but it was still a PR – my form needs to be worked on before I can start to do heavy movements!!

So with the 90 days past 17.2 lbs lighter, 12” gone and a much better attitude I am ready for my next challenge. I have about 90 days before I head to Aruba! I want so bad to be comfortable in summer clothes and know that I am at least half way there. Over the next 90 days I have set the following goals and benchmarks:

Goal: Lose 15 more lbs

Benchmark workouts:

1)      Run a 5k  (36:45)

2)      Pull-ups (0 – just started doing them with bands)

3)      Dead-lifts (150lbs)

4)      Clean and Jerk (90lbs)

5)      Karen – (87 in 12 mins with 14lbs ball; 8lbs ball – 12:02)

So stick with me for the next 90 days and see if I can continue making awesome progress –the prize – a killer body for Aruba!! Maybe I can convince my husband to let me buy all new clothes too if I (when I) improve!!! 

Until we meet again . . . .

This afternoon as I checked facebook I saw Kevin’s status that he was almost back Illinois, I was a little sad to see him finally gone but hopeful that this next chapter is even better than the last.

Kevin had a huge part in my success at crossfit and in life. Back in December when I was starting CrossFit and Bootcamp I was very intimidated by the whole thing. I had never been active and been able to do most of the movements that they had us doing. I remember the first class we did a workout at the end that was a row, squats, push ups and hollow raises. After the workout I truly felt like throwing up and was very shaky. Kevin had made a comment on how we would do this again at the end to see how we progress and then made a comment that we are not all going to be the best at the start, it takes time!

Every week that we went through bootcamp I was becoming a little more comfortable with the workouts and being at crossfit. All throughout bootcamp Kevin was there supporting and encouraging us throughout the workouts. The bootcamp classes would last over an hour and Kevin would always stay after to answer questions that we might have about Diet or movements. Kevin also hosted a nutrition seminar that I attended and really opened my eyes on how important nutrition was to my success with crossfit. By the end of bootcamp I was starting to see results from the workouts and I had improved my first workout by 3 minutes. I remember asking Kevin towards the end if I should sign up for the 90 day challenge and he said absolutely (really twisted my arm there).

This has lead me to where I am now. Before going to bootcamp I lacked confidence in myself and never followed through with working out. Now I am finishing the 90 day challenge and have built this confidence in myself that I never thought I would have again. This all has a lot to do with Kevin’s confidence in me. When I would check the website to see the WOD’s I would decided whether or not I could make it to one of Kevin’s classes. When it was something that I wasn’t familiar with or lacked confidence I knew I could always count on Kevin to walk us through the movement and be there to correct us. When the WOD’s were difficult like the 10 push-ups/10 deadlifts 10 times or when we did the WOW 12.4 Kevin was there pushing me to finish and push myself to the end. I remember how excited I was when I had finally lost 10lbs and Kevin was one of the first people I told because it was right after a tough workout that he pushed me through.

As the weeks have gone on I have started to step outside of box and attend classes with other coaches, but I always knew I have Kevin to fall back on when I needed it. Kevin is an amazing coach and I was sadden to see that he was leaving us but I do know that no matter what happens Kevin will make the best of it. This week I have seen so many people posting on facebook about how much they will miss Kevin and how important he is to so many people and I guess I needed to put my two cents in too!

So as Kevin is starting his next chapter we all will too. I will miss him tons but know that everything he has taught me over the past four months will stay with me!  On Easter Sunday I went out for a run with my dog. Before starting crossfit I couldn’t run a mile without needing to stop. Since joining crossfit I have been able to run for longer distances and faster than before. So on Sunday while I was out on my run I kept thinking of what Kevin has said during workouts and ran for 3.2 miles without stopping; something I had never done before.

So needless to say – Kevin thank you for all you have done for me! I would have to say this past four months have been the best I have had in a long time!! You are fortunate to work in a profession where you get to literally changes lives! I know that this isn’t goodbye forever and I wish you the best!!! 

Last Chance Workouts!

As we come into the final week of the 90 day challenge I have been reflecting back on how far I have come throughout the challenge. Not only the way my body looks or feels but my attitude and new found confidence.

90 days ago I was scared to walk into ACF and attend a WOD without the security of boot-camp or my boot-camp friends. My first WOD – (after doing 7 minutes of burpees) was very intimidating. I wasn’t sure what to do for the warm up, I couldn’t front squat more than 45 lbs and the workout was wall-balls and pull ups with a partner (thankfully I had Renee there with me).

Now three months have gone by and I walk into crossfit knowing at least one person in every WOD. I am not scared or intimated by the workouts. I know what to expect (most of the time) when I show up. I put everything into the warm up, can front squat 75 lbs or heavier now, and just completed 87 wall-balls with the 14lb ball.

Two weeks ago I had my worst WOD week yet but this past week was amazing! I was PRing at every workout!! My clean and jerk – which I struggled to do 5 at 75lbs – I was able to split jerk 90lbs multiple times. Tuesday ACF was closed due to the weather but it didn’t stop me from working out! I took the idea from the Biggest Loser and did the deck of cards workout – hearts – burpees (of course); diamonds – squats; clubs – hollow raises ups; spades – pushups. It took me about 30 minutes to complete but it felt good once I completed it! 90 days ago I would have never completed a workout at home on my own!!! Wednesday was my first ever Caleb WOD – yes I have been going to CrossFit for 4 months and had yet to try a class with Caleb! It was a partner WOD where we had to row, lateral burpees over the bar and then power snatches. The week before I couldn’t do any snatches and now I was pushing through 7! Caleb was great at giving me pointers of setting me up so that I was doing the movement correctly! Then Friday I came in to work on my jump rope skills with Dave, I had to get past my school girl jumping and finally I was able to understand singles! So my week needless to say was WAY better than the week before!

Now the intimidation of doing the 90 day workouts is gone, I have a new energy about crushing my previous workouts and getting great results. Although I don’t know where I will end once this is all over, I have won so much since starting 90 days ago. My body feels and looks great – I have had many people comment on how my face is slimmer and I look great!!

So to everyone in the challenge – good luck this week!!!!! We have all worked so hard and win or lose we have already gained so much!!! 

Tough week – need to learn to shut my thoughts off while I am at Crossfit

This was by far my toughest workout week I have had!! After doing WOW 13.1 I was feeling pretty impressed with what I was capable of doing! Then Sunday came and I was a little hung-over from the night before and tried to go for a run, I only made it a mile and was exhausted! Monday came and I had a lot of my mind, work has been super busy and everything was irritating me! I went to crossfit hoping that the distraction of the workout would help – it didn't  We did Angie and I couldn't get through the sit-ups because of my tailbone and instead had to hang from the bar and crunch my knees up. I just couldn't hold my grip and was getting irritated. I ended up finishing the workout but didn't feel that normal – wow I just did that feeling.

Tuesday was another difficult day as it just seemed that anything that could spike my anxiety was spiking it into high gear! Again I went to Crossfit hoping for another distraction but couldn't get out of my own head! We were working on snatches and I couldn't hit one – I had just hit 30 on Saturday and couldn't get the bar up. Then we moved to the WOD and I couldn't jump on the box because my tailbone was hurting again. I was very frustrated because for the first time since joining I really wasn't giving it 100% and was miserable.

Then Wednesday night 13.2 was announced. At first I wasn't too scared – I mean if only I could do a proper jerk I could get 75lbs overhead right??? Since I was going out of town this weekend I needed to get the workout done Friday. I had asked Dave to judge me as I know he would get me to stop thinking and through the workout but again I couldn't get out of my own head. Watching the workout prior to doing it and then seeing another member get sick after didn't help my head!! I was stuck – then I started to workout and the first 5 shoulder overhead presses were hard but I made it through them, then the dead-lifts and box jumps went smooth – what didn't go smooth was the next set of shoulder overheads! I couldn't get one, couldn't get out of my own head! I probably attempted it 10 -15 times and only got 3 to count. The workout was over and I had hoped to get through 4-5 rounds and I only did 1!

I was very disappointed in myself and Dave was trying to remind me that I am still new and still developing my skills but it still sucked!! While in Boston I was able to shut my brain off and have a great time! Today on the ride back I was still thinking about 13.2 and how disappointed I was but knew I was in no shape to try it again – although I was very excited for all my new friends killing it and even doing it multiple times!

As I was unpacking and putting my clothes away I found my goal sheet from BootCamp:  

My short term goal was to keep up the motivation to work out and complete boot camp - check

My Mid-Term Goal (set by Kevin) – 3-4 visits/week consistency = results – check

My Long Term Goal(s) – Lose 25-30 pounds/tone up (am down 18 since starting boot camp) 

                                       Learn how to become accountable for my health – check

                                       Look good in a bathing suit in Aruba this July – getting there!

As I read through my goal sheet the last question mentions what problems may arise and how will I deal with them? My answer – losing motivation and my solutions – continue to be around positive people who will motivate me to work out and make smarter choices!!!

 So now that the 90 days are coming to an end I need to learn to shut my brain off during workouts and continue to surround myself with the awesomeness that is crossfit!! I have made so much progress since joining here – physically and mentally that I don’t want to go back to where I once was!!! Hopefully this bump in the road was small and I can get back on track for the last two weeks of the 90 days and to achieve my long term goals!! 

WOW- what a weekend!

Ever since Kevin’s video I had been thinking about signing up for the open but then I looked at last years workouts and never thought I could do any of the workouts. Then the announcement came about the workout and I was still hesitant. Burpee’s and Snatches??? I have only done a few snatches and 45 pounds is my 1RM and now I am going to have to do 30 of them??

Well my brother-in-law called me Thursday morning to tell me how he had just signed up and did the workout. Once I realized that I had 17 minutes to complete it I figured it was worth a shot – what do I have to loose??? So I emailed Kevin, knowing he would say yes and I registered. Then came Saturday morning – my stomach was in knots! I was glad I had my buddy Gannon there at the same time!! I was paired up with a coach (Sarah) then the workout started – burpee’s with the 6” target! 40 went by at a good pace, a little over 4 minutes. Then onto the snatches – I was able to get through them but it was difficult – 30 done! Back to burpee’s at this point I cannot catch up to my breath so it was very difficult getting through the next set of 30 burpee’s and I was not ready for the 75# snatches!! So it took me the rest of the time to get through the 30 burpee’s with a score of 100! That was my goal and I achieved it!!

Thankfully I had an amazing coach that kept me going and pushed me to finish the 30 burpee’s and helped me get through the snatches so thank you Sarah! Also the amazing members at the gym that suck around and kept encouraging me through the workout!!!

Then the prepping for Saturday Night – The CrossFit Formal!! I was very excited to get to hang out with all the new friends I had made and meet new ones!! It was an amazing night!

Thursday night Danielle, Renee and I went dress shopping at crossgates! I think the last time I was dress shopping like this might have been high school and it was such an amazing time! Renee and Dani made me try on dresses I would have never tried before. Renee handed me a dress that was 2P (navy blue with a gold strap). I told her she was crazy if she thought that I would fit . . . and it did, maybe because it was stretchy but it felt so amazing to fit into the dress and look pretty good!! As amazing as the dress was it wasn’t worth the money and I found something very similar for less that was a 4P!

 I LOVED my dress – especially because the size was the smallest I have ever purchased!! I also went shopping for the first time at Charming Charlies – that place is amazing!! It has every accessory that you could possibly need and more. I left with a new pair of shoes, a clutch and a necklace/earrings pair!! I got home and got myself ready for the night – curled my hair put on makeup and slipped into my new sexy dress! We headed out to the Formal and when we arrived it was a little awkward at first, didn’t really see anyone I knew well enough and didn’t know where to sit – it was like the first time you walked into the cafeteria when you were a kid and had to decide which table to sit at. Then I saw Gannon, met his beautiful wife and found a place to claim! 

 (Awesome bootcamp peeps - MIA James and Keho)

The rest of the night was so much fun! I was able to introduce my husband to the people I had been talking about for months (Dave, Kevin, Dani, Renee, Kyle, Gannon, James, etc) and just have a good time with good people. The wine made it a good time too! The photo booth was too much fun and wish we had taken more pictures but I have the memories locked in my brain! I also got to meet people that I have never met before, even though we are friends on facebook. It was nice to finally see them in person (Stacia)!! I think since joining CrossFit I have added so many new friends and really love the community!! I hope that after the 90 day challenge is over that it continues – I don’t know how it can’t as I have the Kool-Aid running in my blood! 

Bruising – steps towards becoming a “crossfitter”

So after Monday’s workout of doing power cleans I had my first experience with bruises!! At first I didn’t notice them but then I went to work and of course wore a low cut sweater and everyone was asking me what happened. Yep I had three bruises that almost looked like finger marks on my collarbone, see below:

As the day went on the bruises got darker and darker . . . working at a high school I even had a student ask me if they were hickeys!!! It wasn’t until I got to CrossFit and showed my bruises off that I knew I was on my way to becoming a crossfitter! (Then Dave game me the idea to write about it in my next blog, so my Aruba blog will have to wait)

Then we worked on snatches on Tuesday and I always end up with blisters and bruising on my thumb and a nice bruise on my thigh! It was a couple days of abuse but I enjoyed every minute of it!!

I can definitely see that I am making progress with crossfit. Tuesday I actually did my first handstand but didn’t hold it for two long. I love going to Kim’s class Tuesday nights because she is always pushing us to take our workout to the next level. The snatch is one of the movements I struggle with – my hands instantly blister. Kim did a great job helping me with the move and walking me through the steps – even saying have the bar hit my boobs!! J It worked and made me get the snatch move down a little better (still not perfect).

This week the workouts were tough and although Kevin wasn’t there pushing me, I had Alex, Dave, Pat and Kim there to keep me motivated. I have started to see some great results so far losing 12 pounds, 5” from my waist and 3.5” around my hips. I also came home Monday and did the P90X ab ripper workout to start working on strengthening my core.

I am looking forward to the next 31 days and hope to continue seeing some more amazing results and becoming a stronger crossfitter in the end! 

A Reason to Thank

This week I have been reflecting on what caused me to make this change and jump into CrossFit. A little less than four years ago my life changed forever. I was preparing to marry my best friend and was moving onto the next chapter of my life when another life changing event happened, I lost my mother four days before my wedding. To this day it was hardest week I have ever faced in my entire life.

As I struggled to understand the reason why I lost my mom and what happened I started to forget to take care of myself. My mother was the best at taking care of others, but never took care of herself. She hadn’t been to a doctor for a checkup since I was born, dentist – forget about it. Everything I knew about her side of the family’s health was through my aunts. My mother had lost her father at a young age due to heart disease and we always struggled to convince her to see a doctor.  When she unexpectedly passed away it was due to heart disease. That week was the longest week for me; we had a wake, funeral and a wedding all within days of each other. I was so thankful to have such an amazing family and friends that helped us get through all of it.

I was angry that my mom had made such bad health choices and her life was taken so early because of it. I had thought I was good at going to the doctor, going to my yearly exams, seeing a dentist regularly and going to the doctors when I knew something wasn’t right. As the years have gone by I have worked through my feelings of losing my mom but didn’t realize how unhealthy I was getting. My eating habits and weight was getting to a point I was no longer comfortable. None of my clothes were fitting and the number on the scale kept creeping higher and higher. Around October I went to see a Medium (don’t judge) it was an amazing experience and although some of the things didn’t seem to make sense the stuff about my mom was right on point. I felt validated about my feelings around my mother’s death and knew that she was always with me. It seemed to finally coming to the acceptance stage of grief!

This is when I knew I needed to make a change. I no longer wanted to accept my weight for what it was and needed to make a change. A few weeks later I heard about CrossFit from a good friend, I had heard about it before but never thought it was something I could do. I finally got the guts to call and set up an appointment to learn more about Albany CrossFit. After playing phone tag with Murph for a day or two we finally made an appointment for me to come in. I was nervous walking in, not sure where to go, who Murph was or what I was expecting to see. As we talked it seemed as though CrossFit was going to be new but just like everything else I had tried in the past – going to commit to the boot camp but not follow through at the end.

Fortunately I met some really amazing people who kept me motivated throughout bootcamp and welcomed me into the WOD world when I transitioned. Throughout bootcamp I didn’t make a ton of progress with my weight but I learned a lot about CrossFit and how capable I was on continuing on. I now truly know what it means to be healthy. It is not just going to a doctor regularly but taking care of myself through exercise and eating healthy too. I finally feel good and don’t want to lose that momentum. I have been going to around 4 WOD’s a week and following Paleo/Primal eating habits. There are a few things I haven’t been able to let go of but the few changes I have made are really working!

 I can’t even begin to express my gratitude towards everyone who has influenced me at CrossFit:

Kevin – Thanks for being such a great coach, every WOD you are always pushing me to finish and put my best foot forward. You truly are a great person and always help me get through the butterflies of trying a new workout!

Gannon, Renee, Kyle and Dani – Thanks for being awesome friends! I am so thankful to have gone through boot-camp with you guys and still staying in touch. I think the group text has definitely helped keep me on track and I love having (at least) one of you there doing the WOD!

Dave – For always letting me get my whining out and then pushing me past what I thought was my limit. Seeing the progress that I have made so far is what is holding me accountable to work harder in the WODs and you reminded me of that Monday.

James – Thanks for working with me one-on-one for the snatch and the back squat. I lack confidence in certain moves and you are great at helping to build that up!

Mary, Lynn and Carmen – Thanks for welcoming me into the CrossFit community! I felt so welcomed by all of you and Carmen I can’t begin to thank you enough for pushing me through those Burpee’s!!!

(I might need you again day 90 to get me through them again!)

Albany CrossFit – Thank you for being such a great place. You really have made a huge difference in my attitude toward being healthy and making better choices. Your coaches are the best and I don’t think that I have met anyone there that hasn’t been welcoming and supportive! (Even Andrew who had me do FRAN wrong the first time and coached me through it the second time!) 

Half way there . . . .

45 days done . . . well today we are at 49 days! I can’t believe how fast it has gone by! I remember when I was 17 years old and had my license temporarily suspended due to a car accident (one day short of being off the initial probation) for 60 days and it was the longest 60 days ever!!!!

45 days later I have lost 10 pounds, 3 inches from my waist, 2.5 on my hips, and .5 around my neck (really don’t understand the neck measurement??). I have loved every part of this challenge, even when I am whining during the WODS! I have such a different attitude towards working out, eating healthy and making better choices.

This past week was a difficult one when it came to food because of Valentine ’s Day. My husband had been begging me to make him a carrot cake for almost a year so I finally made it for him last Sunday. IT WAS AMAZING!!! The thing that is different today versus 49 days ago is that I would have never thought twice about having the carrot cake after dinner, taking some for lunch and then having more the next night! Now – I sampled one piece, brought some in for a co-worker, and had another small piece later in the week. For me it wasn’t worth it to ruin everything I had worked so hard to get! I also love to bake and make things for others . . . so I made my co-workers a brownie bottom peanut butter cheesecake – yes it was very bad for you but O so good!! As I was purchasing the items for this I walked past a display of twizzlers . . . my addiction!! I kept on walking, 49 days ago that would have never happened!!! Those twizzlers didn’t get me in the shape I am in today!! I made the cheesecake for my colleagues and sampled a small piece but didn’t really enjoy it because I knew I was going to be working out later!!

I can’t remember the last time I committed to a weight loss/exercise program for this long. P90X – maybe a good 30 days, kettleworks – 2 weeks, weight watchers – consistently maybe a month! What I enjoy the most about this challenge and CrossFit in general is the support and motivation I get by going to WOD’s. Kevin is always pushing me to work harder, Dave is there to tell me I am not going to die, James is always sneaking up to correct something I am doing wrong, Pat has helped me improve my squats and ring rows, and Dean brings an energy that keeps me coming back on Saturday mornings!

I also love the compliments I am getting from people who see me. I have been in such a lull for so long that I never felt confident to wear certain clothes. Now I can wear things I haven’t been able to wear in over a year and I am not packing myself into one of those flat stomach things. When I get dressed I am excited to see how the outfits look in the mirror. My husband unfortunately doesn’t get to see me too often because he leaves before me in the morning and I get home late in my workout clothes that the days he does see me in “normal” clothes he is amazed at how far I have come!!

Still I can’t believe I have made it through these 49 days and look forward to the progress I am going to make over the next 41 days. 

What I use to feel like . . . what healthy feels like!!

So I have been doing the Paleo diet now for a couple weeks and have been pretty good at not cheating. That was until this weekend! Since it was the superbowl I figured that I could take a day off. I was going to about 4 WOD’s a week and had lost 7 pounds since the 90 day challenge had started. I have been feeling great about my progress and impressed with what I could do. So I thought I desereved a cheat and what could possibly go wrong . . .

I am really enjoying being part of this new family at Albany Crossfit. Every workout I feel like I might die, not sure if my body can take another workout. But you know what . . . I wake up the next morning ready for the next one. Saturday I went to the WOD and was dreading the workout: I don’t think I have ever done 50 squats in a row, let alone with a weighted barbell!!! I scaled the weight and the reps and 28 minutes later I was done with the workout, I didn’t die!!!

Then came Sunday . . . My husband loves to go snowshoeing/hiking and has been bugging me forever to go out with him. He first asked me Saturday and that wasn’t going to happen so I promised I would go out with him Sunday. So off we went on our winter hike!!! It wasn’t too cold and I had just downloaded a new app for my phone to track our hike. He told me there was a small hill but it was a cliff to me!! We got halfway through and I thought I would show my CrossFitting off by stopping and doing some squats (THANKS GANNON)! I use to hate snowshoeing/hiking because I never could keep up, would get out of breath or get cold/tired. I was impressed that I could keep up, although my husband is a good foot taller and has larger strides!

As for the food . . . Sunday started with some pancakes and bacon. Now I really haven’t had any carbs intentionally and I have been a little cranky because of it! Sunday night we went over to our friend’s house for the superbowl. I had made a buffalo chicken wing dip . . . with cream cheese, blue cheese, cheddar cheese and I had Pita Chips to serve with it. When we got to our friends I had some of the dip but it was so addicting I just kept going back for more and more, and then it was all downhill. I was drinking diet soda, eating chips, cheese and crackers. I couldn’t stop! Finally my stomach was starting to bother me so I decided to stop snacking.

The whole ride home I was groggy and felt exhausted and it was already 11:30. I had barely drank enough water and had a lousy night sleep! I overslept this morning and was in a rush to get to work. I made it through the day but barely drank water and didn’t get a lot to eat. I went to the WOD at 4:00 and felt like death. As we were working on power cleans I was starting to put it together. I ate lousy yesterday, had a bad night sleep and didn’t get enough water in me . . . this is what I use to feel like all the time!! I don’t think I ever want to feel like that again and I guess everything they told us was true!!!

So needless to say I will no longer cheat that way again!!! I am going to Boston this weekend for a beer festival but will be a little bit smarter about my cheats and how much!! Will also work on getting some WOD’s in at the hotel so that I am not too out of shape on Monday (although I am sure it will be a tough one). 

(Here are some pics of our winter hike) (BTW I love my warm winter hat) 

He claimed this was a small hill, I called it a cliff! 

Stopped to hit some squats! 

Even had some obstacles!

Paleo - 10 Pounds Down!

I recently found my goal sheet that I completed last month in boot camp. One of my goals was to loose 25-30 pounds. Kevin commented that diet is 80% of weight loss and the workouts are 20%. This wasn't anything new that I had heard but diets always seem so difficult. I always struggle giving something up or portioning my food gets overwhelming after awhile. But since I am committing to this 90 day challenge I need to commit to the diet as well if I am going to see any progress!

Well this week I have taken on the Paleo challenge. Protein is something I don’t eat enough of and struggle with coming up with new ideas of how to differentiate it! I especially struggle with this for breakfast!! I am an on the go type of person during the week so making eggs or paleo pancakes during the week wasn't anything I was looking forward to doing. Last Saturday I made a paleo pancake using a banana and an egg, it actually wasn’t that bad. I tried them again on tuesday morning . . . not as good, I think I burnt them and instantly gagged as I tried to take the first bite. So for breakfast I have been sticking to scrambled eggs or hard boiled.

As some may remember I was very sick this past week, Monday I finally went to the doctors and got placed and an antibiotic but I barely could get off the couch. Thankfully my husband was helping me with this challenge so I had given him the recipe for Paleo Burgers. Instead of a traditional bun we made them on portabella mushrooms. They were delicious! I think next time we make them I will make the burgers a little smaller but trial and error is how we learn right!!!

Tuesday I stayed home from work . . . still fighting this sinus infection! I had my leftover burger for lunch and then I made a stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon . . . yes it was a bacon themed week. The stuffing was walnuts, carrots and onions chopped in a food processer. It was actually pretty good but a little dry. My husband who can eat anything and never gain weight wished it had a cheese sauce . . . well that isn’t paleo (although I agreed!).

So now we roll into Thursday! I haven’t worked out in a week and I am going through carb withdraws! I was planning on hitting Kevin’s 4 O’Clock WOD so I emailed the recipe that I wanted to try to my husband: Bacon Beef Butternut Squash. Since my husband had a garden in the summer we had some butternut squash leftover to use. Well after a killer workout with Kevin and thankful that he pushed me to complete the workout I drove the 45 minutes home to a house that smelled strange – a little hint of cinnamon and burnt balsamic vinegar! I know weird combo! Well needless to say it wasn’t that great – they called for cinnamon in the beef mixture and it didn’t pair as well with the squash as I expected. I guess that is why they call it trial and error!

Friday morning started out amazing! I had finally lost my first 10 pounds. Now most of you don’t know my obsessions with the scale but now this blog is all about confessions right???? Well I pretty much have to admit I weight myself every morning, hoping the number continues to go down! Thankfully since starting crossfit it has been on a downward shift! So since starting bootcamp I am down 10.6 and 6 pounds for the 90 day challenge. I do have to say that most of them have come since I have made the change to my diet!

I decided to celebrate my loss, and my crappy day at work, with diner out with the hubby! We had a gift card to Red Lobster and I was pretty proud of myself (although the extra large daiquiri wasn’t on my paleo list)! I also refrained from eating multiple cheesy bread biscuits and had green veggies for my sides instead of a potato!

 It is amazing since my weight loss how everything I eat, everything I think of eating I remember that feeling of losing that first 10 pounds! I don’t want to put it back on, I never want to see those numbers again! I have worked hard to get here and I know that I will keep it going if I just stay focused a little longer. This is the first weight loss that I feel I have really worked for and earned and know it will keep coming!

Sunday at the grocery store my husband stopped at the poultry section and picked up a large chicken – he said this is how much weight you have lost!!! WOW – when you look at it that way it is a lot! I wanted to take a picture but my husband didn’t think it was funny!

Thank you Albany Crossfit – you really have changed my attitude about this weight loss!!! 

Joining the family!

This week my Blog is motivated by one that I read earlier this week from another CrossFit member. I was truly inspired when I read this and felt I should share more of my story (or my perspective!). Here is her post:

http://www.albanycrossfit.com/today-i-became-a-crossfitter/

Being part of the CrossFit community is really what makes me going every week to WOD’s. I moved to Albany 7 years ago, not knowing a single person in this area. I had always been pretty social when I was younger but I discovered it was hard to make new friends the older you got. The transition here was difficult but worth it in the end. I finished my masters, got a great job doing what I went to school for and was gaining some really great friends at work. I still would find myself struggling to meet people outside of our inner circle. This was until I started CrossFit – where were you 7-8 years ago??

As always I was nervous my first day of boot-camp but I went with a positive attitude and did what I was told. Those that know me would have been surprised to see how quite I was during boot-camp. I was in a class with people of all different ages and abilities but they were always so positive and encouraging. Throughout boot-camp I was beginning to feel comfortable, I knew who was going to be there and the nervousness went away, well that was until they cut us loose into the real CrossFit world.

We graduated from boot camp on January 3^rd, 2013. Our group became a little bit smaller but we all improved our times from our first workout and we did two workouts that day. We were then encouraged to start attending WOD’s and I signed up for the 90 day challenge. James (one of the coaches) had recommended that I come to class on Friday to hit two of the workouts. I was too sore so I decided to come early on Saturday and hope that I could get something done before the WOD at 11. Now this was my first time coming to CrossFit, not knowing who was going to be there, who the coaches were or what to expect. I wandered around a bit, peaking into the rooms, trying to do some pre-workout stretches. Finally I got the courage to ask of the members if they knew who was a coach and if they could help me.

This is where I met Dean. I told him that I just finished boot camp and needed to do one of the 90 day’s benchmark workouts. He said that the burpee’s were simple enough to do so that is what I was going to start. As I was having him help me get started another member approached me to see if I was going to do my burpee’s and offered to do them with me.  Now when I thought about 7 minutes of burpee’s I though well maybe I will hit about 4-5 a minute ending around 25-30. Thankfully I had another member there who offered to partner up with me and count while I did my burpee’s. As I was doing them she was encouraging telling me to keep going, you can do this, give me 10 more . . . on and on. Then as I hit 30 she said we were only 3 minutes in . . . uggggg but she kept pushing me and got me to finish with 55 burpees.

The reason I am telling this story is because she just recently talked about that day as well in the blog above. Stating how she remembered that feeling the first time she came to CrossFit. Since that day I have done burpee’s in some of my workouts and when I think I cannot do anymore I can hear her voice in my head and recall that I did 55 in 7 minutes, I can do 15!

I am thankful for Carmen, Mary and Lynn that day. They all welcomed me into the community without any hesitation. Now being part of CrossFit I have made new friends and that eagerness every time I walk into a WOD is slowly going away. I have stepped out of my comfort zone and started to build new relationships. I am also thankful for my boot camp buddies: Renee, Danielle, Gannon and Kyle. We keep in touch with each other going to WOD’s together and even getting together to celebrate our graduation. I love the new family I have developed and know the more I stick with CrossFit the more members I will add to it!!

Carmen said in her blog “I have zero idea if I helped NC. I hope I did. I hope she realized, as I have realized, that she is now part of a community of athletes dedicated to fitness, yes, but also dedicated to each other.” (I am NC) – YOU DID HELP ME! I am thankful to be part of this community who is dedicated to each other!!!

Here are the WOD’s I completed this week and next week I am going to be taking on the Paleo challenge. I started this morning with making a paleo pancake. 

               

Admitting My Addiction (Diet Fad's/As Seen on TV)

I think the first step in any addiction is admitting you have a problem . . . well I know I have a problem and I guess it is time to admit it!! My addiction is Diet Fad’s and As Seen on TV exercise video’s. For as long as I can remember I always wanted that quick fix to losing weight and I would try almost anything.

Below are some of the As seen on TV purchases I have made, some I still have and others I have retired. The ab roller was my first purchase that I had made. I don’t know if I ever really used it but I can recall trying it and never got those rock hard abs they promised me I would get! The next was the abs shocker – I bought it when it first came out (this was the only picture I could find). That thing was miserable, but I thought hey, I can wear it while watching TV or doing homework . . . you would place this gel on your stomach and turn it on. I think I tried it once or twice and then retired it by selling it at a garage sale!!

  

I went through an ab workout fad for awhile next buying the ab chair. Yes I wanted to be lazy, lay in a chair and do “sit-ups” to gain amazing abs again! But the catch was I am only 5’ tall and couldn’t reach the bar with my feet!  So I sold it to a family friend. I think my next couple purchases are all a blur, I bought the Windsor Pilates Video that came with a circle thing that was suppose to help tone your arms and have you focus on your abs while you worked out. I don’t think I even have to say anything about the shake weight. . . I never took it out of the box or used it. I knew when I bought it that I was making a mistake but addictions take over right???

Well I have had my fair share of videos as well . . .

It started with the misc videos above, walk away the pounds, power yoga, Pilates for dummies (bought it my sophomore year of college and my roommate Carrie and I would try to work out in our dorm room). The addiction continued when Wii came out with the balance board, I just had to get it. I then got the eactive video game and biggest loser a couple Christmases ago. I would try them for a few weeks, get bored and then move onto something else.

P90X was also a Christmas present I had convinced my brother in law to purchase. The infomercials would suck me in thinking, wow I want to look like that! Then as you start the videos or read the pamphlets, you really should be in shape BEFORE you do P90X! Well I did ok for maybe 45 days and then didn’t like working out for an hour and a half, so I moved onto Tony’s 10 minute trainer. WHAT – I have to do three 10 minute videos – that was a scam!

My most recent purchase was the KettleWorX videos, it was a groupon special and my itch to buy it kicked in. I tried it for three weeks, took a break, tried it again, took another break and then finally gave it up. It now is being used by my husband and since my kettlebell was only 10 pounds I bought him a 20 pound bell for Christmas.

Now it is not like I don’t have the space or some equipment to workout I just don’t have the motivation to do it at home:

Our workout bench is so dusty you can obviously tell that it doesn’t get used! Our treadmill has seen better days. We used it when we lived in our apartment in Binghamton 8 years ago and gave it back to my parents when we moved to Albany. We just didn’t have the space in our apartment. 3 years ago when I tried to start running we brought it back up here and pieces were missing. We managed to get it to work but it is so loud you can’t hear yourself think. Right now our stationary bike is being used to hold up empty boxes and I can’t even remember the last time I actually used it . . . I think it might have been when I was starting to watch Dexter on Netflix 4 years ago!

Now we all know that exercising is only a part of the weight loss process . . . Diet is very important!

O yes, I have plenty of magazines and books that have only fueled my addiction. Women’s Worlds are the worst for me  . . . every week there is some new miracle diet that I just have to try. Recently I threw a bunch of them out as I am trying to Detox my life from this addiction! I have tried them all: weight watchers, acia berry supplements, atkins, flat belly diet, south beach, some blueberry drink diet . . . none of them satisfied me and I never see the results that I thought I would! The cookbooks never had recipes that I would want to try or have ingredients I had never heard of them.

I have had my fair share of gym memberships too . . . I have been back and forth to Gold’s, tried the YMCA, Sport-time and even the Duanesburg Area Community Center. None of them were structured enough for me and when I didn’t go no one seemed to care. This is very different than my experience at Albany CrossFit. During bootcamp I was eager to learn new things and I always knew who was going to be there. It was like this family that I didn’t know existed! Now that I am a member (and doing the 90 day challenge) I still have my bootcamp buddies that keep me going. I also feel that I want to make progress during the 90 days so I need to stay motivated to see the results at the end of 90 days (and possibly win something)!

So I am packing away all of these unneeded items, focusing on going to 4 WOD’s a week and trying to do a combo of the Zone/Paleo diet. No more Hot Pants, Flat Belly Diet or pretending to workout in the basement! Now I am replacing my addiction to diet fad's to becoming addicted to CrossFit! 

90 Day Challenge Ready, Set, Go!

 So after completing the boot camp program at Albany CrossFit I was looking for someone to continue to hold me accountable and motivated. I had heard about the 90 day challenge and decided that this was the best way for me to keep the motivation going. I signed up and don’t know if I even realized what I was getting myself into!!!

There was a 50 dollar buy in and there will be 5 winners:

1^st – 1 year membership

2^nd – 6 months

3^rd – 3 months

4^th – 1 month

5^th – $50 Gift Certificate

The requirements for the Challenge are as follows: (Due by January 10^th)  

·         Before/After Pictures

·         Measurements of Neck, Waist and Hip

·         Weight and Height

Five Required workouts to be completed before January 10^th

1.       10K Row

2.       FRAN – 21-15-9 Thrusters and Pull ups

3.       1 Rep Max Back Squat

4.       1 Rep Max Snatch

5.       7 Minutes of Burpee’s

Well it is now the 10^th, I have submitted my picture and measurements and completed the 5 benchmark workouts. I was a little lazy in getting started, should have gone to the classes to complete my workouts but I completed them. I started Saturday arriving there awkwardly not knowing anyone or who was a coach and who was a member. The great thing about CrossFit is that people were more than welcoming and helped me decide to start with the 7 minutes of burpee’s (mainly because other members were about to work on them).  I was very thankful for the other crossfit members that were there counting and cheering me on as I completed them. I even stayed after to do my first “official” WOD as a crossfit member and not a boot camper! At the end of the 7 minutes I had completed 55 Burpee’s.

Then Monday I was freaking out about doing the 10K – that’s six miles of rowing – most were completing it in 45-50 minutes! I haven’t worked out doing one thing for that long in awhile and I was nervous about puking, passing out or not being able to finish. I think this had affected my results a bit but I finished would dying or throwing up! I completed it in 68 minutes; I really slowed down for the second half as my psyche was playing tricks on me!

Tuesday I went and knew I only had three left, I asked one of the coaches which one I should do and he recommended the FRAN. I wasn't confident on how to do a Thruster so he showed me how to do it and got me set up with weight. As I started the timer and working on the 21 Thrusters I was starting to realize quickly this was going to take awhile, not even sure if I completed them I moved onto my ring rows for pull-ups. The ring rows were a bit easier but my arms were like Jello. Fast-forward to the end and now I am at 12:30 and I don’t think I even know if I did all the thrusters but I was beat!

Wednesday I set up a meeting with James to finish the snatch and the back squat – two workouts I was not comfortable doing it all on my own. We started practicing the Snatch with PVC pipe and then moved to the 15 pound barbell. I got up to 55 pounds but struggled to complete the snatch so my max weight was 45 pounds. While doing the snatch I asked James about my FRAN – when I told him that I was cleaning them every time he instantly looked puzzled! I had done them all wrong and had to re-do them!!! Moving on to the back squat I was a little stronger with this one. We practiced with the 35 pound barbell and added weight as we went. I got up to 95 pounds and lost it at the bottom of the squat – my max rep was 75 pounds! I was pretty impressed I could squat with 75 pounds of weight! J

Well I thought I was done but nope had to go back Thursday to re-do my FRAN, this time the correct way! When I showed up my friend that showed me how to do it wrong on Tuesday was there! He happened to overhear me say that I did it wrong and was re-doing it so he felt bad and helped me through the workout. He kept encouraging pushing me to get through it. I actually did 21-15-9 with 35 pounds on a barbell and ring rows! Guess what my time was . . . . . . . 7:47 I was impressed and truly pushed myself.

So there you go – this is meant more as a diary for me and if you want to continue reading about my progress then stay tuned . . . 

Starting my Journey

Where to start . . . I could go back 10-15 years and say that I should have started and committed to my health back then but it isn't worth it to reflect on the past! I have tried everything - P90X, Kettleworxs, 10 minute workouts, ect . . . I never fully committed and no one held me accountable, when it would get to hard, when i would get bored or when I didn't see results fast enough I would give up. 

I have known now for awhile that I was in the worst shape of my life and needed to make a change. It was actually over dinner at the Raindancer (in Amsterdam, NY) while eating some prime rib and fries that my friend Keith introduced me to Crossfit. Now I had heard of it before but was intimidated by the style and not sure if it was really for me. Keith stressed that crossfit is for anyone and that I should give it a shot.

I finally gave in, emailed Albany Crossfit and then got a call from one of the Coaches who had me come in to meet with them in person. I met with Jason Murphy who sold me hook, line and sinker and I was sold! I signed up for bootcamp and I again was anxious about starting. I went to my first class and we were thrown right in, learning the moves, correcting them when needed and then learning more. I did my first workout in 9:45. It was a 400m row, 15-12-9 Squats, Push Ups, Hollow Raises. I was beat – almost felt like throwing up and had to talk myself off the ledge! I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to walk the next day or how I was going to work out again the next day.  

Bootcamp went on for 5 weeks – Christmas and New Year caused it to go on an extra week. It was an amazing experience and changed my view on what I was capable of doing. I couldn’t hold a tripod the first week and was able to do one the second week, I shaved 3:15 off of the first week workout and was able to do things I never thought I could do.

This led me to sign up for the 90 day challenge through Albany CrossFit – this I will go into more details in the next post. I was so inspired by the stories and the connections I had made while there. We had a great group of people who were always so encouraging and motivating you to push harder. I am thankful for them because they kept me showing up every week and have helped to keep me motivated now! 

Crossfit truly is designed for anyone who has the drive to change their life.