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.

13.2 was sweaty. really really sweaty.....

Workout 13.2

10 minute AMRAP of:
5 Shoulder to overhead,  75 lbs
10 Deadlift,  75 lbs
15 Box jump,  20 inch height


I was pretty excited when I saw this workout because I knew I could technically do all the moves and weights listed. I did the workout Friday night and Sam joined me for his first open workout. I think he was impressed with all the cheering and fun we had. I had no idea what to shoot for - I watched Annie T get 12 plus 1 and she made it look EASY. Um, yeah, she's a pro - I need to stop forgetting that. I decided to shoot for 6 rounds (180 reps). 

In my warm up I practiced the should to overhead with the bar and then with 75 pounds. Ugh! I told Sam I wasn't sure I could do it....it was HEAVY! I got nervous and tried not to freak out, but wasn't sure I could do more than one set at that weight. Before I knew it the 3 second count down began and I had to just go with it. Once I got moving the shoulder to overhead was heavy, but not impossible. Whew! I did 2 rounds of box jumps as jumps and then switched to step ups (still legal). I felt like I was cheating, but the step ups were faster and I was burning through my energy so the jumps just couldn't happen. I powered through the dead lifts and felt very strong there. This workout was tough, the first one where I felt like I might puke. I just kept moving, just kept breathing (hard), and just kept sweating. I ended with 6 +23 (203 reps)! I was really really happy and really really tired. I was also wearing my new shirt!


  Probably the best shirt I own. It's SUPER soft and I LOVE the length. Not a fan of my belly or butt hanging out.

Not sure what 13.3 will bring me - but I've heard lots of rumors about wall balls, thrusters, or double unders. I also have to do 13.3 in the 6am class. Eek! That's an early one. I just hope I have the energy to get through it. BUUUUUUT next week is Spring Break! Wahoo!!!!!

13.1 in the books

I did it. 13.1. The first WOD for the 2013 Crossfit Open Games. I was really nervous leading up to it. No, I'm not planning on winning. I always get nervous before stuff that I want to do well on and that I have a goal for.

Being so new to Crossfit I'm never really sure if my goal is attainable. Sometimes I set a goal and knock it out of the park. Sometimes I set a goal and don't even come close. I'm getting better at judging it but sometimes I'm still way off. Since the scores for the Open are posted online for all my stalkers to see (hehhehe) I want to do well. I set a goal of 100 for the 13.1 WOD. Then the nerves set in. What if I get 50, don't even come close????

Warming up for the WOD I got more and more nervous. The work out posted:

Open Workout 13.1

17 minute AMRAP of:
40 Burpees
30 Snatch, 75 / 45 lbs
30 Burpees
30 Snatch, 135 / 75 lbs
20 Burpees
30 Snatch, 165 / 100 lbs
10 burpees

Now, I've snatched a grand total of one time. WTF!? Can I even do this?? I set my sites on 100 because I knew I could do 40 burpees and 30 snatches. If I can get through that, then hopefully I can at least fall 30 more times for the other round of burpees. They take tie breaker times at the end of each snatch (hahahaha, snatch...i'm so immature). My time at the end of 40 burpees plus 30 snatches was 6:45. I was really really happy with that. So, I added more weight and attempted the second set of snatches. I put up 10 that counted, a few were not good enough form to count. I was THRILLED with the cheering and coaching I got that kept me going. I finished with 110 and a HUGE smile. I even got in a picture:

 
That's me. In the back. Way back there. Ready to snatch 75 pounds. 

The next workout is bound to be hard. I'm hoping I can do it and live to tell about it. I'm super in love with Crossfit. Swoon. We haven't done our Challenge afters yet (pics, measurements, etc)- that's Saturday. I'm sure it will be epic! 

There's no crying in Crossfit.....

At least not until you get to the car. Then you can cry like a baby - which is what I did last night. The last couple of days have been crazy. Nothing terrible has happened, just little things that make you feel like "nothing is going right!". Pity party for one. That was me. I'm sure it sucked for Sam. Hehehehehe.

So, the WOD last night was 3 minutes of back squats, 3 minutes of rowing, 3 minutes of burpees. I was stoked. I really like back squats (my legs are stronger than my arms - duh). I warmed up, no problem. I went to warm up the back squat with just the bar and BOOM. Quads just wouldn't work. I stopped. Stretched. Rolled out. Tried again, just the bar. Nope. Not gonna happen. I talked to my coaches, got some stretching pointers and cheered on my peeps during their squats. I waited until it was my turn to row and do burpees, so at least I got that done.

I felt lame. I felt frustrated. I felt sad. I don't like to be hurt. I really don't like to not do something I'm supposed to. I know this happens, I know this is not the end of the world. It did nicely round out my "nothing is going right" kind of day. Ugh. The worst. I played it cool until I got in the car. I called Sam and let the tears flow. He laughed, talked me through it, made me feel better. What a good guy. I calmed down and pulled my head out of my ass.

Tomorrow is the last day of the Paleo Challenge. I've come far. Read far. I've improved on my benchmarks, I've lost 13 pounds so far, and I feel great (minus last night). I will not let one crappy workout throw me off.

January WODs

What I get to eat and still loose weight and be strong

My first blister! Love it!

February WODS

Holy Soreness

I'm sore. Super sore. Sore like I've never been sore before. Wednesday I did Cindy (20 minutes of 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 squats). I got 19 +12 rounds - that's 285 squats! It feels like a million. I then went to CFA on Friday and did that WOD. Sometimes moving around helps with soreness, and let's face it - I'm addicted. So I did 5 minutes of 10 pull ups + 10 ball slams and 5 minutes of 10 toes to bar + 10 jumping lunges. I believe what got me on Friday was the jumping lunges. My quads, hammies, and booty are feelin it!

Walking down the stairs, sitting on the toilet (it's more of a look and just fall), getting out of a chair, getting off the couch, picking something up I dropped (probably will just leave it there) - it all hurts.

The tiger tail has been saving me and hurting me this week. Rolling out is important, but oh so painful.



I am just as sore, if not more, this week from a 20 minute workout and a 10 minute workout as I was after a half marathon and my full marathon. I promise, both took WAY longer. I'm drinking tons of water, stretching, and rolling as much as I can. Tomorrow I'm going back. Work through the pain, get stronger.

Wednesday is the last day of the Paleo Challenge. Wahoo! By next weekend I should have my before and after pics, measurements, and weight. I cannot wait!

First of many results.....

At the beginning of the Paleo Challenge at my gym we did three workouts. I did Cindy as my baseline to see my improvements. So, the first time I got 15 rounds plus 5 movements and the second time I got 19 rounds plus 12 movements. Pretty good, I was secretly shooting for 20 rounds - but I got close. More than that, I'm now doing regular push ups in WODs and pull ups are now either jumping pull ups or banded pull ups. No more ring rows. Looks pretty good! At the end of the week we will do pictures, measurements, etc. I'm really excited for those!

WOD	Cindy  Jan 13, 2013	Cindy Feb 27, 2013
5 pull ups (ring rows) 10 push ups (knees) 15 squats	15+5	19+12

Quick cole slaw and tilapia dinner

Paleo Challenge board of tally marks

Kids getting strong!

Haters gonna hate

I started this blog to share my journey of getting healthy and to also share with friends and family what Team Hardman is up to. I really don't have any desire to push my likes and dislikes on anyone or anything like that. I hope to have mostly happy posts with some funny pics and fun happenings.

I have struggled with my weight since I was 21. Interesting - they let me into bars and I blow up. Hahahahha. I played sports my whole life and was always very active. At 22 I stopped playing Lacrosse (played in college) and started graduate school. What a HUGE lifestyle change that was. All I did was sit in class, study, and eat/drink. Super stressful times. I went to Gallaudet in D.C., so I lived in Fairfax and drove in everyday. Nightmare. Traffic is awful. By the time I got home at night all I wanted was a glass of wine and food. So that's what I did. I stress ate and partied. Bad combo.

I've done a lot to try and get healthy, loose weight, and most of all feel good about myself. I struggle big time with self confidence - happens to most of us at times I think. The most effective and fun thing I have found so far is Crossfit and eating a very clean diet. I call it Paleo, it's not 100% strict (well, on the challenge it is), I allow for some wiggle room. For MY body type I need more than cardio. I enjoy running, swimming, and biking. I really enjoy my triathlon friends - their energy is amazing. I need a combination of cardio and heavy lifting to see any change in my body. I just do. I cannot do the lifting thing on my own. I will curl a 10 pound weight all day.....pretty sure that's not doing anything. Crossfit has pushed me in two months harder and farther than I knew I could go. I love it. I'm also competitive - the perfect place for me. I'm trying to find a balance of all the things I love - but right now my priority is getting healthy. Makes sense, right?

Why am I talking about haters? I read a facebook post today by someone who claims to be a nutritionist. Her post read "Of course its a fad...its a DIET. Enjoy it while it lasts, then I guarantee you'll be onto the next best thing". This is really bothering me. She was talking about Paleo. Her post just read to me as mean. I know I know, you can have your opinion. That's fine. But there is a way to have your opinion by not putting others down. I don't care if people eat Paleo. I don't care if you eat a stick of butter for lunch. I don't know if you've ever tried to change for the better, it's hard. Like, really hard. I have felt very nervous about everything I've tried. Will people like it? Will people support me? Will people judge me? Will I fail??????? Keep the negativity to yourself. 

I wanted to thank all of you for being so supportive. I feel the love!!!!!!!!