Christine....you B-word

Thursday night was Ladies night. Now, it's not as fun as it sounds (or maybe it is). CFA is doing Thursday Girl WODs. This Thursday was Christine:

3 rounds for time:
500 Meter Row
12 deadlifts at body weight
21 box jumps

I have not done this WOD before, but I thought I could do it Rx which makes me excited and nervous all at the same time. I'm very competitive with myself and always want to do better....but when it's the first time I typically look at what the others girls have done and try and set a goal that way. Lots happening here. Gotta think about good form when rowing and not wasting energy. Deadlifts at body weight (158) is do-able but will be hard. My deadlift max right now is 193. Bring it. Box jumps? My FAVORITE move in crossfit so far.

How did it go? Glad you asked. I warmed up and felt pretty good. I did not warm up the deadlift like I should have. I did a few reps, built up and got to 158. I did that a few times and got ready to start. The timer went off and I rowed my butt off. Got to the bar to dead lift - lifted once and that was it. I didn't fully focus on form and felt it in my back. I didn't know what to do, I tried to lift it again and nothing. Couldn't. I wanted to cry, but sucked it up. I mean, people are watching! My coach and a friend stripped the bar for me down to 103 and I kept going. I finished all three rounds in 14:04. I was very happy with the time, just wish I had been more focused on dead lift form and was able to do it at body weight. There's always next time, right?


Trying not to spend money on clothes, but how can I resist these two shirts?

What's your goat?

At the CFA box (hehehehehe) there is a giant white board with a once real-live goat head on it. What's it for? You write your goals/goats up there. What do you need to work on? What do you want to master? I honestly was nervous to write anything on it for a while. Why? I am still learning to put myself out there and be ok with not reaching a goal quickly or needing to modify that goal. I used to think modify = fail.....now I'm starting to realize that modify = still moving towards that stinkin goal!

So far that board is magic for me. The first thing I wrote on there was double unders. Those elusive bastards. I wrote it up there and worked and worked. One day it clicked and I did one. I couldn't believe it! Instead of erasing it from the board I added the #3 in front of it. That quickly changed to 5, then 10. Last night I did 16 double unders in a row! I could NOT believe it. Crossed that puppy RIGHT off the board.

The second thing I put up there was toes to bar. Thanks to the intensity of the Crossfit Open and wanting to get as many points as possible I got those too! I erased that off the board and have been able to do them in WODs lately. Yeah!

So last night I needed to write a new goal. Having something up there to work towards is really great for me. It helps me focus and work towards something. A friend has a goal to do Annie in sub 10 min. I jumped on her goal and decided now that I have double unders I will work towards that too. It will be my first Girl WOD rx.

“Annie” - for time:

• 50 double-unders
• 50 Abmat sit-ups
• 40 double-unders
• 40 Abmat sit-ups
• 30 double-unders
• 30 Abmat sit-ups
• 20 double-unders
• 20 Abmat sit-ups
• 10 double-unders
• 10 Abmat sit-ups

WHEN I reach this goal I will get this!

Clothing rewards are my favorite....now......food used to be my reward. Bad habit to get in. Great day? Ice cream cone. Awesome workout (no matter how long)? Pizza. You get the idea. No wonder we struggled with weight. Good times = good food = nothing fits. So now we are trying to reward ourselves with a new shirt, going to a Nats game, flowers for the kitchen.....etc. I have to say, it's a lot more fun. We are doing this with the  boys too. If they MUST have a treat it's healthier (fruit leather, baked chips, seaweed crisps) or we hit up the dollar store or 5 below. That place is ALWAYS a hit.

Lately Team Hardman has been all about having fun and keeping healthy and clean. Some days are harder than others but it's totally worth it!

That was the hardest WOD ever

Once I got home from the WOD this morning the boys asked me what I had to do. I rattled off a HUGE list of things like: box jumps, double-unders, push ups, toes to bar, man makers, and air squats. Whew! I was tired just listing......and that was the WOD - didn't include the warm up and skill set. I was tired.

I announced "That was the hardest WOD ever". My 6 year old promptly replied "You've said that before".

Yep. I have. Not every WOD is the hardest ever, but more and more are feeling that way. Today was extra hard because I worked for the toes to bar and double-unders (first time I've done them in a WOD). The stronger you get, faster you get, and more confident you become the harder the workouts can get.

I'm stepping out of my comfort zone by adding more weight, trying new tricks (handstand pushups), and adding newly learned moves (double unders) into the workouts. I do think the more people I met and make connections with helps too......once you get to know each other you cheer each other on and there's an element of not wanting to let down the team mate you know (opposed to the stranger you may not see soon). There was lots of girl power this AM and that is always a great way to start a Friday.

I do hope the awesome feeling of STRONG does not leave me anytime soon!

Glitch in the Matrix

This week has been a long one. Sunday Mason turned 5! I still can't believe it, both the boys will be in full day elementary school next year. I can hear the savings piling up already. :)

We had cake and ice cream and he got two Leopard Geckos. Pretty sweet day. Then came Monday. Ugh. I made it through the work day, got home, and thought I would die. Got hit hard by the stomach bug. I did not sleep much that night, stayed home Tuesday, ate nothing and slept most of the day. I started feeling a little better Wednesday but was not 100% until this morning. It was awful. No CrossFit, no comfort, no enjoying the beautiful weather....bleh.

I did have a moment where I thought "all my hard work is going to go down the drain". That's how I used to rationalize eating like crap. "I don't feel good" or "I'm stressed" and I'd go to town on something bad for me, feel guilty, and then feel worse. I ate what I could while I was sick. Toast, pizza, banana, peanut butter....I know (gasp!) NOT my typical clean eating. Nothing else was going into my belly though. Those were the only things I could stomach....so clean went out the window for a hot second. But, you know what? I feel good today and I'm back to eating clean. I'm not going to dwell on a day or two of crap food. Moving on!

My first meal back from the dead? Glad you asked. I requested a spicy burger. Sam delivered.

Bacon, Avocado, Burger, Organic blue cheese, jalapenos

Our box (hehehehehehe) is trying to do a ladies night! Not the horribly painful Lady WODS, but a ladies only workout with some drinks afterwards. I'm stoked. I love stuff like that - and getting to know the ladies that I don't always see at workouts is great. This weather has me excited to workout and get fit. I have a lot of goals swimming around in my brain that I'm hoping to begin to tackle.

I also ordered a bathing suit from Athleta. I love that place. Luckily I had a coupon, because they can be pricey.......for the first time in a long time I am excited about swim suit season! I will be tearing up the waves in this little number.

Drum Roll Please........

Sam and I won the Paleo Challenge at our gym!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are super excited and very thankful for all the CFA, family, and friend support we got through those 60+ days. Here are a few reasons why we made it to the winners circle:

1. Sam: down 32 pounds, lost 4 inches on his waist, and made it 60 days with one cheat day!

Before pic is from 2008 at his heaviest. After pic is from two weeks ago.

2. Me: down 13 pounds, lost 2 inches on my waist, and improved my Challenge workout by 4 rounds and 7 reps! Kind of scary to post this pic, but I'm proud!

Now, I am not stopping here, neither is Sam. I know I have a ways to go, but I'm pretty happy with what 60 days of dedication, determination, and will power has done for us! We are now a relaxed Paleo household. What does that mean? For us it means we may use honey from time to time, a cheat meal (not day) once a week (or less often), pretty much stick to meats, veggies (lots and lots), and clean foods. If it has a shelf life of more than a few days we are not eating it (sorry twinkies!).

Here's a good Toes to Bar video (some peeps where unsure of how impressed to be for me)

I've crossed a few goals off my list in the last 2 weeks that I'm really proud of. I got toes to bar (now I need to work on consecutive ones), I am athlete of the month (I really hoped to earn that one day), and I've got 7 double unders in a row (shooting for 10 now). I've got a lot of work to do, but it is nice to see how the work I've already done has paid off.

One more CrossFit Open workout to do too!!!! Let's hope I can do it!!

14 Changes for the better

I've been doing CrossFit since the beginning of December 2012. I have changed so much since then......for the better. I don't think I could ever really explain enough how much I love it. But I will try:

1. I have learned to think about what I'm putting in my mouth/body (that's what she said). Did you know there are a million sneaky ways to say "sugar" on a nutrition label? Also, those sneaky bastards put sugar in EVERYTHING

2.  CrossFit has reinforced that I'm super immature and words make me giggle (box, jerk, snatch, wod)

3. I have learned to do double unders: jump rope master! My kids got jump ropes for Easter because they are so jealous of my skills.

4. I have improved my ability to lift on every lift

5. I can now do toes to bar (yes!!!)

6. I have made new friends that are just as in love with CrossFit as I am

7. I have lost 14 pounds - with plans to keep getting fit!

8. I have increased my wardrobe of spandex and its actually starting to not look terrible (just cause it comes in an XL doesn't mean you should wear it)

9. I feel strong, like really strong. Like don't mess with me in an alley strong :)

10. My kids think I am a super hero

11. Clothes fit better AND I get to buy more in smaller sizes!

12. I am finding I am getting pretty good at this weight thing - that feels awesome!

13. I am looking at bathing suits without wanting to cry

14. I have not had 1 migraine since I began CrossFit and eating Paleo - take that Imitrex!

CrossFit is not for everyone, I know that. I try very hard not to push it on people.....but it's hard because I love it SOO much. I have found that my body responds best to lifting weights, cardio, and the intensity that CrossFit brings. I also have discovered I'm a sugar addict and it was in almost everything I was eating. I do now believe "Abs are made in the kitchen" - don't worry, I don't have them....Yet.