Week 10

Day 1: Monday-

Today's WOD 4 rounds of 400m Run and 10 ring rows, 10 burpees for time. It was brutal tonight. I walked most of the 400m each time. I finished at 37:17...under 40 minutes...not bad for this girl. Those dang burpees though...

Day 2: Tuesday-
Today was good, but I did not want to go. After I finished the WOD, I was glad to have finished. Of course, I was glad I went. 

I increased my power clean weight to 85# which was the Rx for the day for the women. 

Seriously, that's me ^. 

The WOD today was 11 Power cleans, 22 sit ups, and 33 box squats x5. I finished in 40 min and 8 sec. Here's to another successful day at the box. 


Day 3: Thursday-

That's the face I made today walking into Crossfit. Wednesday was a rest day for me and my shoulder. Apparently, power cleaning those 85#s was rough on me Tuesday. My shoulder hurt pretty bad, so it was much needed time off from the lifting anyway. I did week 4 day 2 of my running program, C25k. 

The WOD today was pretty good though. 15 box step ups, 15 sit ups, 30 lunges, and 15 air squats. AMRAP in 20 minutes. Pretty pleased to say I got in 3 full rounds for this WOD. My breaks are shorter these days, which is good. I am constantly trying to work on my breathing during the WOD. I seem to breath too heavy and hard sometimes. When I do that I think it slows me down even more, but today, my breathing seemed to be better and more under control. 

Day 4: Friday-

Last workout for the week was a good one. 3 clean & jerks, 11 wall balls x3, 6 squat cleans 11 wall balls x2, and 9 power cleans, 11 wall balls x 1. I finished in 15 min and 30 seconds with 75# and a 15# ball. I was hesitate to go into the box today because my shoulder is stilling hurting me. Surprisingly, my shoulder didn't hurt as much after the WOD as it did before. I'll be taking the next two days off, so it will have more time to heal. 

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Positives from this week: I did increase my weights on Tuesday. I noticed that my "rests" are getting shorter. This makes me super happy to know that I can keep going during a tough workout. Speaking of rests, I'm able to do 15 sit ups without stopping. 

One of things I have really like about this whole experience is seeing how far I have come. Not just since March, but every week, I increase in my weights, hang from the bar a few seconds longer than the week before, or whip out 15 sit ups at a time. All of this is proof how much CrossFit is working for me. Only because I have been consistent with going. It also helps that I am seeing the results sooner rather than later. 

Memorial Day is Monday. Check back next week for details on the Hero WOD we will do. I'm excited to be able to participate in this. Stay safe everyone, and as always, thanks for reading my blog and for the support. 

Jenn

Week 9

With two months of Crossfit under my belt, I stepped up my attendance this week to 5 days. Here's how my progress went this week.

Day 1- Monday

What a day! I am still fighting the tail end of a cold, but I went. I'm so glad I did. I feel better than I did before. I am determined to stay well or fight whatever cold I have. 

My knee is doing much better these days too. Since I got better CrossFit shoes, I'm seeing improve in the pain. 

Today, I did box step ups and ring rows. The step ups are getting easier. I am still holding onto a bar to help me. I am used to the support of a bar.  But, my goal is to not have to use the bar by the time I hit my 6 month mark of being at CrossFit. Things are getting easier...honestly, that scares me because if they are easier, it means I move on to harder things that will stretch me yet again. Isn't this what should happen on a journey such as this? I stepped out of my comfort zone, and now, I'm doing it again, again. :)

Day 2- Tuesday
The WOD today was brutal. 

21-15-9-9-15-21 of deadlifts and burpees...stop for a moment to add those numbers...done! Did you get 90? Yes, that's a total of 90 deadlifts and 90 burpees. I knew what I was getting into when I walked into the Box today. I look at the app every morning to see what the WOD will be. So, I knew it would be brutal, and I knew I would hurt today when I walked out. What I wasn't prepared for was ...my mind. I talk about it almost every week, because every week I'm battling my mind. I make the decision to walk into the box knowing the WOD, so I am making the decision to complete the WOD. No one is forcing me to be there, no one is going to lose anything if I am not there. However, I will lose if I do not force myself to go. I will slowly head back into the direction of an unhealthy lifestyle, and I do NOT want to be there. Afterall, I started this journey to be healthy, and not to end of where I started. 

Each week, I'm not just completing a WOD on the days I go. There are battles I'm fighting at home. Those battles are what make going to Crossfit so worth it. Every time I win, but I don't share those here, because it's a bit more personal than just updating my friends on my exercise for the day. Today just happened to be the day that my battle followed me into the box. I had to fight to finish this WOD today, because I did not think it was possible. I wanted to quit after I completed my first set of 9 burpees and deadlifts. That's half the workout, so at least I tried. But, Coach wasn't going to let me give up so easily. With every burpee, I thought "Why did I allow myself to get in this shape?" I can't get off the floor as easily as others. I have the worst time getting up off the floor doing burpees. After a while, my knees start to get weak. I stumble a bit and feel as though I will fall over. I know focusing on how I got here (with my weight) is not good. I should focus on how far I've come, but that is so much easier to say, than do. 

(Edit: So, I write these things in the evening when I'm back from Crossfit. It helps me to unwind and get ready for bed. This is a personal journal that I happen to share with my friends. With that said, I'm doing much better and have recovered from the crap day that was Tuesday. And I thought about erasing what I have typed above, but it wouldn't be honest and real.)

I would like to rephrase this to say "I'm sorry for my facial expressions during burpees." 

Day 3- Wednesday
Today was a breather compared to yesterday. 
The WOD:
48 Air squats
200 m run (small lap around the building)
24 situps
200 m run
24 pushups
200 m run
18 ring rows
200 m run
 *20 min AMRAP

I completed one round in 16 min and was so excited, I forgot to keep going. I came in and laid on the floor until I realized I had to time left to keep going. As I am typing this, I realized I did sit ups instead of air squats on my second round. Oh, well. I wasn't thinking clearly, obviously. GREAT NEWS is I ran all laps...which is a first for me. I usually have to walk some portion of the laps, but not today. 

Today was  a better day, which makes those hard days worth completing and going back. I have battle scars from the burpees yesterday. 

It is strange to say this, but I'm pretty proud of those scars and bruises. For me, they say "I completed a hard workout, and survived." 

Day 4: Thursday-
This is the first week I have gone 4 days. After the fiasco on Tuesday, I'm glad I went back for days 3 and 4. I'm not going to let one bad day keep me from reaching my ultimate goal. I keep thinking about how far I've come on this journey. By now, I would have given up and slid back into my old habits, because the results wouldn't be the same. Nothing about CrossFit is easy, even the scaled stuff. But, everyday I go, I learn a little more about what I am capable of doing. You know this is a great lesson to take into every part of my life. I've realized that when I step out of my comfort zone, that's when great things start to happen. 

The WOD today was 8 power cleans, 30 box stepups x3 and 8 power snatches, 30 box stepups x3. I got the power cleans and snatches down, it is those darn step ups. Another day and I survived!

Day 5: Friday-
Today's WOD consisted of wall balls, tire flips, and kettle bell swings. It's the end of the week, and I'm exhausted. Need I say more.


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This week has been great, overall. Stepping up my attendance to Crossfit has definitely been an interesting and exhausting move, but I'm glad I did. The more positive results I see, the more I want to continue with the lifting and harder workouts. For me, it's worth seeing those results sooner rather than later. 

Also this week, I was able to buy two new workout shirts 2 sizes smaller than what I've been wearing. These are the results that I get so excited over. 

I hope you are having a great week. Keep moving people!

What CrossFit has taught me...

Today marks two months since I walked into Renewed Strength CrossFit. Go visit their website. I know most of my friends reading this are not located in West Texas, but you can still visit the page. They are even on Facebook. We are getting a new box soon, so you can see all that is going on with that on FB. 

This blog post is all about what I have learned since joining, what I like about CrossFit and RSCF, and what I do not like about CrossFit. 

What exactly have I learned? 

1. I have learned to trust myself.  One of the first exercises I did was ring rows. It wasn't easy for me to trust myself enough to lean back with my arms stretched in front of me. Only thing keeping me from falling were the rings, and I was holding on for dear life. I can now walk up to the rings adjust those suckers, and start pumping out ring rows like a pro. You gotta have trust, even with yourself when you are doing something so intense. 

2. Confidence: CrossFit has given me confidence. I carry myself in a more confident way, and people have noticed. This isn't an arrogance or pride thing. I also have confidence to try things I have never done before. And, I am learning there are things I can do that I did not know I could. 

3. I have learned how to lift weights: I am constantly learning and trying to improve in this area. Honestly, I never thought 'One day, I'm going to be be a weightlifter.' So, the fact that I am doing it and from all accounts, I get it right most of the time, I'm pretty proud of myself. I am still in the learning phase and improving my form everything I step up to the bar, but I think everyone is. Each week when you my progress toward a new PR you have to adjust and modify what you are doing to accommodate for the new PR. 

4. I have learned to embrace the process: This includes rest days. This is more important for me because of my knee, but I'm not letting that stop me from exercising. I do walk and work on my running program when I'm not at CrossFit. I listen to my body and rest completely if I do not feel confident in what I can do for the day.  After this last week and being sick, I know that sometimes the journey is going to be derailed for a little bit. Life happens, and you have to rest and heal. Again, it is all apart of the process. 

5. Consistency is important: I've seen the results I have, because I have been consistent with going to CF. I guess it just took me longer to understand this. I cannot tell you why it makes more sense now, but it does. So, stick with what you are doing to get healthy.

6. I am not a quitter: I won't give up even when my mind wants me to. Many times during the WOD, I have stopped or slowed down, but I haven't quit. 

7. Not everyone understands my journey.  I've already encountered those who have questioned why I would choose CrossFit over a regular gym. They, like most people, have not seen my struggle with weight loss. They have not seen my struggle with going to the gym for months and never seeing the results in 6 months of what I have had with CrossFit in 2 months. I am not putting a price on getting healthy. If I gain 10 or 20 more years to my life because of it, then it is well worth it. I do not ask that you fully understand this journey, I just want those around me to respect my decision to be healthy. 

What I love about CrossFit and RSCF? 
1. The community at RSCF. I wasn't sure what I would find when I walked into the box two months ago. But, I soon learned I had supporters cheering me on as we completed each WOD. There were days that I would not have completed my WOD if I did not have them cheering me on. Even on the days I cried, they were cheering me on. 
2. The challenge: The daily WOD challenges me beyond what I ever thought I could do. I never knew just what I was capable of doing, until I stepped outside that comfort zone. 
3. The Coaches: They are really awesome people who have helped me along the way, pushed, and cheered me on to keep going. 


What I do not like about CrossFit?
1. Dropping the barbell. I don't think I will ever get used to the sound of 10 bars hitting the ground. So annoying...and yes, even when I do it. 
2. Burpees...they just stink! 

It has been a challenging and rewarding 2 months. I am excited to see what the months ahead have in store. 

Thank you for joining me on this journey!

Week 8

Wk 8: Day 1-Monday
Call me crazy, but I'm starting to like exercising on Mondays. Today was stressful, I spent most of my day sitting at my desk working on the summer schedule. So, the fact that I got to go relieve some stress this evening was really good. 

A few great things happened today:
1. The WOD included running 2 400m laps. I ran at least one full lap each of the 5 rounds. There was one round, I killed it...running all but few feet (if I guessed, I would say 50ft.) Anyway, I am seeing some improvment in my running (jogging)...whatever you call it, it's improving. 

2. Situps are getting easier for me. I pumped out 15 situps each round with not problem.

3. I hung from the bar for 2 seconds (3 times). That's a big deal for me. When I started in March, I couldn't even do that. Shoot...last week, I couldn't even do what I did today. 

Progress...I continue to make progress in many areas. I'm actually looking forward to breaking a few PRs, whenever that happens. 

  Wk 8: Day 2- Thursday
Today's WOD was a challenge for me for sure. Not because it involved any crazy lifts or moves, but because I have been sick for the past two days. After Monday's WOD, I came home and everything was normal. However, in the middle of the night, I woke up with a fever, chills, sore throat, and just general pains and aches. I recently went on a different HBP medicine and these are all side effects of the medicine. I have since stopped that medicine, and taking something else the doctor prescribed. 

I spent Tuesday in bed with the exception of when I was giving my staff instructions for move-out, and to eat (when I did eat). Wednesday, I knew it was too soon to go back, so I took the day off. Today, I felt better, but not 100%. I wanted to see if I could do any of the WOD, because I knew I needed to try at least for 2 days this week. 

It went pretty well considering I have been sick. I went up to 35# kettlebell for those exercises today. I have been using a 25#, so that's progress for sure. I did not run as much today. I just did not have it in me. 

Overall, I did pretty great considering. I won't be going again for this week. We have graduation here at MC Friday, and move-out/move-in for my hall this weekend. As usual, I will try my best to get in a few laps around the school circle. Also happening this weekend, my two month mark attending CF is coming up. Be on the look out for a special post about what I've learned in the two months. 

Until next week, 
Jenn

Week 7

W7: Day 1-Monday
Well, today has been a day of good news. In case you were living under a rock or not on FB today, I got great news on my blood work at the doctor's office. No diabetes, cholesterol was a little high (nothing to be worried about), and no thyroid issues. My liver, kidneys, and other things are functioning well. Only issue was with my Vitamin D and B12. Those will be resolved with Rx and over-the-counter, respectively. 

With all that good news, I'm happy to be moving forward with what I know. I will keep at CrossFit and eating healthy. Speaking of CrossFit, today was an 'easy' day. Easy in CrossFit is not really easy, but it isn't 'you're going to die' hard either. Today's WOD: 5 Hand Raise push ups, 10 box pistols, and 15 ring rows at AMRAP for 20 minutes. I finished 5 rounds at 20 min 15 sec. I am happy with that, because that 15 sec was to finished 5 ring rows. My goal is to get to the point where my rests are few and not long. The coaches are always telling us not to rest for too long, so I'd like to get to that point. 

W7: Day 2-Tuesday
Today went well. I'll spare you the details of the WOD.

Here's my inspiration for the day. 

Crossfit has taught me so much about myself (that's another blog post). Where ever you are in your health journey, keep going and push yourself. You can do much more than you THINK you can.  

W7:  Day 3-Thursday

Progress....that is the word I hear from my coach today. I have made progress on the box step-ups. However, my biggest battle is in my mind. I imagine it will continue to be the enemy that awaits me when I step into the box. My mind will always tell me I cannot step up, lift X amount of #s, and it will always be the voice I cannot quite.

As I was trying to do those box step-ups without holding on to something, my mind said, 'You can't do this. You have to hold onto a bar. You are weak, your knee is too weak to lift you that high without help.'  I did the step-ups with a bar, but I did all 119 of them. I was fighting my mind the entire time. Overall, today was good. I finished the WOD, and the time doesn't matter. I finished what I started, and that is something to be proud of. 

Until next week, 

Jenn