I love CrossFit.
I know that probably sounds cheesy, like a shameless plug, but it's true. It pushes me harder than anything I've done so far, it challenges me, it makes my muscles hurt in an oh-so-good way, and it is building muscles that I didn't even know existed. No seriously---I'm finding muscles in my arms and abs that were like Sasquatch: I've heard the rumors and myths that they existed, but no physical proof had ever surfaced...until now! :)
I'm doing 2 workouts on CrossFit days: one at the local gym in the morning (running, strength training, flirting with the old men...the usual) and then CrossFit stuff in the evening. It's such a great feeling to get in 2 workouts in one day, but I know that the next morning I'm going to hurt when I need help putting my shirt on or pulling up my pants. Totally worth it!
Today was great. Ran 2 miles at the gym in the morning, then did chest presses, lat pulls, leg presses, triceps pull-downs, and worked on my dips. The cute old man gave me some pointers on doing dips better and how to do other lifts that will build up my dips--he was so cute! (Don't judge, I totally have a soft spot for cute old men) Then I came home, munched down some leftover ribs from this weekend (with Dad's special dry rub--no BBQ sauce here!) and some Brussel sprouts and cukes, plus my glucosamine pills. Stupid dancer knees. We had bakes fish, salad, and cukes for dinner, then it was off to CrossFit.
John pushed us tonight--we ran, did squats and kettlebell swings for a warm-up, then learned how to deadlift and do thrusters with the barbell, and then did our WOD: AMRAPS (as many reps as possible) of 8 thrusters (35lb bar), 10 box jumps, and 5 burpees in 9 minutes. I got through 4 full reps and then 4 more thrusters before the time was up, and I'm pretty dang proud! I set my goal at 4, and when there was only 45 seconds left and I had hit 4, I pushed myself to get in the last few thrusters just to go above my goal. It felt so good!! Granted, now I can't really lift my arms above my chest, and my legs feel all wobbly, but it feels so good to hurt like this. Honestly, I feel like if I don't hurt some after a workout or the next day, then I didn't push myself hard enough. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean "hurt to the point that I can't move and I cry a little inside every time I breathe" when I say hurt, but I want a little pain in my muscles the next day to know that yes, I'm pushing myself and yes this is going to be good for me.
I hurt. But I hurt so good. Kinda like...
Now, go dance around to this video like a fool :)
xoxo, M
Showing posts with label working out. Show all posts
Showing posts with label working out. Show all posts
Monday, June 20, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
CrossFit Day 2 and Adventures in Paleo!
Today was our second day of CrossFit On-Ramp. I was seriously so anxious on the way there, because I thought "Okay, day 1 was our intro to CrossFit, so they probably went easy...and it was really freaking hard...so that means today is going to be even harder!" I kept telling H on the way there about my nervous tummy, and he just kept reminding me that I could do it--he's so good and supportive!
We got there and got to meet Jonathan, who is the owner of Rugged Fitness. He was a lot younger than I expected--kind of refreshing. Another guy, James, came in to do his WOD while we On-Ramped. It was just H and I again tonight, but that's kind of nice. I really prefer one-on-one training (or as close to it as I can get--small group works too!) so it's nice to get that help and focus at RF.
Tonight was definitely not as hard as Monday, which was kind of a relief. Warm ups included using the rowing machine (love it!) and dynamic stretching. Our skill set focused on presses and push presses, which we learned form with using PVC pipes--almost weightless! It's nice to learn form before worrying about actual strength training on it. Then we moved onto the WOD: counting down 10 to 1 wallballs and sit ups. So much fun!! Wallballs are great, and my abs feel awesomely sore after the sit ups! Jonathan scaled it for me, so I only used a 6lb wallball and I only did my countdown from 8, but I know I could have done more. I got through the workout and felt great!
...I think I'm loving CrossFit...even though I'm not good at it by any means.
I've been linking my blog to my Facebook, too, which is a first for me. I didn't actually think people would want to read about my Paleo and CrossFit adventure, let alone ask me about it. But the more I post, the more people I have messaging me, emailing me, and chatting with me about Paleo and CrossFit. I'm glad to share information and help people find their healthiness and happiness through my own search! Remember, though, that I'm also in the learning process, so some of this stuff is my own trial and error--just be warned :) If you really want more info, check the "What is Paleo?" tab at the top. There will be a "What is CrossFit" tab coming soon, too, so keep an eye out for that.
Feel free to come along on the adventure, ask questions, post comments about your own adventures, and join in on the Paleo/CrossFit fun!
xoxo, M
We got there and got to meet Jonathan, who is the owner of Rugged Fitness. He was a lot younger than I expected--kind of refreshing. Another guy, James, came in to do his WOD while we On-Ramped. It was just H and I again tonight, but that's kind of nice. I really prefer one-on-one training (or as close to it as I can get--small group works too!) so it's nice to get that help and focus at RF.
Tonight was definitely not as hard as Monday, which was kind of a relief. Warm ups included using the rowing machine (love it!) and dynamic stretching. Our skill set focused on presses and push presses, which we learned form with using PVC pipes--almost weightless! It's nice to learn form before worrying about actual strength training on it. Then we moved onto the WOD: counting down 10 to 1 wallballs and sit ups. So much fun!! Wallballs are great, and my abs feel awesomely sore after the sit ups! Jonathan scaled it for me, so I only used a 6lb wallball and I only did my countdown from 8, but I know I could have done more. I got through the workout and felt great!
...I think I'm loving CrossFit...even though I'm not good at it by any means.
I've been linking my blog to my Facebook, too, which is a first for me. I didn't actually think people would want to read about my Paleo and CrossFit adventure, let alone ask me about it. But the more I post, the more people I have messaging me, emailing me, and chatting with me about Paleo and CrossFit. I'm glad to share information and help people find their healthiness and happiness through my own search! Remember, though, that I'm also in the learning process, so some of this stuff is my own trial and error--just be warned :) If you really want more info, check the "What is Paleo?" tab at the top. There will be a "What is CrossFit" tab coming soon, too, so keep an eye out for that.
Feel free to come along on the adventure, ask questions, post comments about your own adventures, and join in on the Paleo/CrossFit fun!
xoxo, M
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
6/8/2011
Mmmm arms day.
Yesterday I really focused on legs at the gym. Here's my standard procedure: Run for 30 minutes on the elliptical (roughly 2.25 miles), then hit the weights (bench presses and squats on the Jones machine, leg presses, arms, and back on the circuit machines). Yesterday I ran and really focused on leg presses, leg curls, and using the medicine ball to do some CrossFit moves that really made my hammies mad at me :) But today, H came with me and really pushed me to do more with the weights.
Truth: I have basically zero upper body strength.
Truth: H is really pushing me to build my arm strength and back muscles.
Truth: Every time I do a few more pounds on the bar, it's hard but I feel super proud when I can finally do it!
I also really struggle with form. Keeping my elbows tucked in, coming all the way down and pushing all the way up, and really making each rep count. Having H there today meant I pushed myself a lot harder than normal, but it also was a check up on my form, and it means that when I'm there tomorrow I'll be paying a lot more attention to that! Good--I need to. I need to get these sexy muscles going! ;)
We also had a really good chat about the whole weight-loss, Paleo, workout thing. It made me feel a little more secure in what I'm doing, and I was able to really open up to him about things. I just hope H appreciates/understands how serious I'm taking all of this and how important this is to me--Paleo and weight-lifting is truly changing my outlook on food, body image, self-confidence, and so much more. And I hope he knows how thankful I am to have him by my side as I do it. <3
In the wonderful world of Paleo...
We made some kick-butt guac today, ala Chipotle-style. Next time, I'm going to document our making of it and post it here, along with the recipe. It's seriously so yummy, you don't even need anything to eat it with besides a spoon!
We also stocked up on red, yellow, and orange bell peppers at Meijer today since they were on sale for super cheap. I sliced them up, cooked them with some sea salt and a little EVOO, and they are delicioso!! Got to enjoy some super yummy steak tonight, too--always a good thing.
I <3 steak.
That is all.
xoxo, M
Yesterday I really focused on legs at the gym. Here's my standard procedure: Run for 30 minutes on the elliptical (roughly 2.25 miles), then hit the weights (bench presses and squats on the Jones machine, leg presses, arms, and back on the circuit machines). Yesterday I ran and really focused on leg presses, leg curls, and using the medicine ball to do some CrossFit moves that really made my hammies mad at me :) But today, H came with me and really pushed me to do more with the weights.
Truth: I have basically zero upper body strength.
Truth: H is really pushing me to build my arm strength and back muscles.
Truth: Every time I do a few more pounds on the bar, it's hard but I feel super proud when I can finally do it!
I also really struggle with form. Keeping my elbows tucked in, coming all the way down and pushing all the way up, and really making each rep count. Having H there today meant I pushed myself a lot harder than normal, but it also was a check up on my form, and it means that when I'm there tomorrow I'll be paying a lot more attention to that! Good--I need to. I need to get these sexy muscles going! ;)
We also had a really good chat about the whole weight-loss, Paleo, workout thing. It made me feel a little more secure in what I'm doing, and I was able to really open up to him about things. I just hope H appreciates/understands how serious I'm taking all of this and how important this is to me--Paleo and weight-lifting is truly changing my outlook on food, body image, self-confidence, and so much more. And I hope he knows how thankful I am to have him by my side as I do it. <3
In the wonderful world of Paleo...
We made some kick-butt guac today, ala Chipotle-style. Next time, I'm going to document our making of it and post it here, along with the recipe. It's seriously so yummy, you don't even need anything to eat it with besides a spoon!
We also stocked up on red, yellow, and orange bell peppers at Meijer today since they were on sale for super cheap. I sliced them up, cooked them with some sea salt and a little EVOO, and they are delicioso!! Got to enjoy some super yummy steak tonight, too--always a good thing.
I <3 steak.
That is all.
xoxo, M
Friday, June 3, 2011
Crossfit
Current obsessions:
1. Being able to eat steak and shrimp all Iwant can afford
2. The feeling in my legs and arms after a good workout
3. CrossFit
What is CrossFit? Check it out! H has really been into it for a few months, and he's being doing the WOD (workout of the day) for a few wees now. I've been really reading up on it the past wee, and watching videos, and now I want to join a CrossFit gym and start kicking butt!
I've got some legit concerns about it, though. First, I don't know/have never done 95% of the exercises in CrossFit. They love to throw weight over their heads, jump onto boxes, do burpees, and do pull-ups until their hands bleed. Fun? Probably not. But it's so worth it, and from what I can tell it becomes addictive. Second, I know I'm going to hate it at first. They are absolutely going to push me to/past my limit, and I know that I'm going to be frustrated by that. But I also know how important this is right now, and I know how badly I want the end results, so I will never give up even when I'm crying/throwing up at the gym. Mmmm...throwing up at the gym. The upside to that? Makes more room for steak in my belly...
So we're looking at memberships to the CrossFit gyms in our area, and trying to figure out if we can work it. We have a membership to our local community center, which we would still use because I like to go there to run and take classes, and I think H wants to join a volleyball team, but they don't offer the equipment and training necessary for CrossFit. Even if we get a CrossFit gym membership for 2 months, that gets us started on the right track. I'm pretty excited by the idea!
Addicted? Probably.
Loving it? Absolutely!
xoxo, M
1. Being able to eat steak and shrimp all I
2. The feeling in my legs and arms after a good workout
3. CrossFit
What is CrossFit? Check it out! H has really been into it for a few months, and he's being doing the WOD (workout of the day) for a few wees now. I've been really reading up on it the past wee, and watching videos, and now I want to join a CrossFit gym and start kicking butt!
I've got some legit concerns about it, though. First, I don't know/have never done 95% of the exercises in CrossFit. They love to throw weight over their heads, jump onto boxes, do burpees, and do pull-ups until their hands bleed. Fun? Probably not. But it's so worth it, and from what I can tell it becomes addictive. Second, I know I'm going to hate it at first. They are absolutely going to push me to/past my limit, and I know that I'm going to be frustrated by that. But I also know how important this is right now, and I know how badly I want the end results, so I will never give up even when I'm crying/throwing up at the gym. Mmmm...throwing up at the gym. The upside to that? Makes more room for steak in my belly...
So we're looking at memberships to the CrossFit gyms in our area, and trying to figure out if we can work it. We have a membership to our local community center, which we would still use because I like to go there to run and take classes, and I think H wants to join a volleyball team, but they don't offer the equipment and training necessary for CrossFit. Even if we get a CrossFit gym membership for 2 months, that gets us started on the right track. I'm pretty excited by the idea!
Addicted? Probably.
Loving it? Absolutely!
xoxo, M
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Bountiful
It's grocery shopping day! We were out of meat, down to 2 eggs, and our usual seasonings for food were running low. Thankfully, Meijer had some good sales, and we were able to score a ton of food without spending a ton of money. Paleo isn't always cheap--meat can be pricey, fresh veggies and fruit are hard to get at a good price if they aren't in season, and the price of eggs is going up almost as fast as the price of gas. But the health benefits I'm reaping from clean eating are totally outweighing (or underweighing...hehe...see what I did there? Because you lose weight eating Paleo...? I thought it was funny...) the cost of Paleo.
So what does the fridge look like after a Paleo trip to the store?
I'm super excited to try a bunch of new recipes I got from Everyday Paleo and Nom Nom Paleo, who are amazing cooks and who really understand the Paleo way. They are my new cooking inspirations, and I will totally keep you posted about how the cooking goes. Tonight, though, is a quickie dinner--H and I both got home late after working out, then had to go to the store, so it's brats on the grill and salads. Still nomtastic :)
So what does the fridge look like after a Paleo trip to the store?
2 dozen eggs (plus the 2 eggs we had pre-shopping)
3.25 lbs 90/10 lean ground beef
1 whole roasting chicken
18 lbs chicken breasts
8 Angus beef trimmed steaks
2 heads of lettuce
Bag of carrots
4 green peppers
1 artichoke (trying it for the first time)
2 packages of raspberries
I'm super excited to try a bunch of new recipes I got from Everyday Paleo and Nom Nom Paleo, who are amazing cooks and who really understand the Paleo way. They are my new cooking inspirations, and I will totally keep you posted about how the cooking goes. Tonight, though, is a quickie dinner--H and I both got home late after working out, then had to go to the store, so it's brats on the grill and salads. Still nomtastic :)
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