Seeing Progress!

Ok, so a couple of things. I decided to update this about once a week, instead of 3 times a week. I thought it would make us all a little more sane.

The good news first! I took my measurements on June 2nd. I started Crossift on May 11th, so almost a month later is when I took measurements. oops! I think I didn't want to see the numbers and have to admit to myself (and the world) just how big they were. BUT ANYWAY, I did take my measurements about a month later. I just took them again on June 22nd and EVERYTHING is a half inch smaller! Each thigh, waist, hips, breast area, each bicep and my neck. I know, I know a half inch isn't much, but hell I'll take it. Especially since it was only 3 weeks after my first measurements.

YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I did a little happy dance after I got over my shock. I had been complaining to Trainer Paul about how the scale hasn't hardly moved (only 3lbs) and he asked me about my heating habits. I said that I was eating better but not perfect. He gave me "the look" on that answer and asked if I had taken any measurements. I said I was going to when I got home. I'm SO glad I took the original set at the beginning of the month!

I guess if I have some good news I have to share some bad news too... The only bad news I can think of is I forgot to take a picture of my workout on Monday. I can't even remember what it was... oops. But here is the rest of the week:

This is the warm up. We do this set warm up all week and it gets changed every week. It's nice to know at least part of the workout ahead of time. We had to do that 5 times, not 3.

Here is Wednesday's workout:

SMBX = Super Man Back Extensions

So lay on your belly with your arms out like Superman. Now lift everything off the ground but your belly. Kinda like a backward sit up.

I had to do a 20meter bear crawl, then 25 reach through and then 25 crunches is one set. I had to do as many sets as I could in 20 min. Trainer Paul wanted 6 sets, I ALMOST did 8. I think i went over by about 20 seconds. He let me count the last set though. :)

AMRAP = As Many Reps As Possible

So Fridays are called Bench Mark Fridays. You pick a workout and try and beat the best time on the board. Trainer Paul picks mine and this week it was the 5k row. Yes. 5,000 meters. 3.11 miles. 3.11 MILES! I didn't take the time to think about it that way, so I picked out a rower, Paul set the distance, and off I went.

About a 1,000 meters in I wasn't so impressed with his decision. Trainer Paul wanted me to do no slower than a 2 min 30 sec per 500meter pace. For the most part I did better than that, but then the last 1,000 meters came. I was tired. I paused a few times up till then but tried to keep it to a minimum.

Right around the half way mark some nut job walked by smoking a joint. Paul then called the cops, which is what I would have done too. So he's on the phone and I get down to about 1,800 metres left. I yell at him to get it going. Around 1,000 meters I yell at him again to get his butt over and help me. He's still on the phone with 911 and I'm dying. He tells me I need to do the fasted 1,000 meters I have ever done. I snorted and keep on going.

As I get to 500 meters I start getting really tired. My neck is cramping, my back is cramping, my legs are tied, my hands are all sweaty, I'm dripping sweat off my head, I'm grunting with each pull. (I'm sure the 911 operator was wondering what the hell was going on in the background, but I didn't care.) I'm trying to give it my all to beat the goal of less than 24 minutes. I ended up at 24 min 5 sec. SO CLOSE! I think one or two less pauses and I would have had it.

I didn't make Trainer Paul's goal of less than 24 minutes, BUT I did make it on the board!!!

That's right! 3rd best woman in THE WHOLE GYM!

After a rest Trainer Paul wanted me to do some Olympic weight lifting. My arms, hands, and legs were pretty shaky so we didn't do it in the end. I kinda wish I had done something. I guess that means I get to do something this evening. :)

So, that was my week. Lot's of positive things this week! I hope next week brings more good new things!

And so we go.

Me

Tired...

let me start of by saying, doing CrossFit 2 days in a row KICKED MY BUTT. I have moved as quickly as a slug today!. I am pretty sore too. I will fit something in on Saturday, not sure what or when, but it'll happen.

So here is yesterday's workout:

I was really tired from my daughter getting up super early and I was an emotional wreck over a personal issue. Needless to say, my brain wasn't at the gym even though my body was.

Doing the body builders was very hard. It started out at 75, then before I started he lowered it to 65, then as I was going along and my time was getting worse and worse, he lowered it to 50. I worked hard for those 50, but I wish I would have been able to do more. Calories burned: 463

Here is another weird thing, I have never sweat so much in my life. I thought it was a fluke, but today was just as bad. I wonder why. Why after about 12 workouts am I sweating like a pig about to be butchered?

I went back today (Thursday) beause Trainer Paul is going to Crossfit Regionals for the next three days. I've seen the videos, they are hard core man! Good luck to Trainer Paul!

Here is today's workout:
After warmup I had to push a big ass tractor tired around the outside of the building. One lap was 500 meteres, I got to do 2 laps. I was able to get it going pretty good on the straight parts, but I have no clue how to get it around the corners. It was kinda fun, in a way, I liked pretending it was a big Price is Right wheel and I was spining it to get on the Showcase Showdown. I did each lap at 6min 12seconds. (the frist time in the photo below). At least I was consistent.

After the warm up and tire push I then had to do 1min of crunchs and 1min of flutter kicks without stopping or putting my feet down for 3 rounds. EEEK! My abs are rather sore from that. I forgot to keep count becuase I was too busy trying to survive it!

After the warm up, tire push, crunches/flutter kicks came the workout. Yeah. Haven't started the workout yet. Today I got to play with kettle bells! I was a little excited until Trainer Paul told me to get a 35 pound one! Yikes! With the kettle bell was box jumps. When I did box jumps the last time I used a 12" box. I told him that I was able to do them but they were kinda easy. WRONG THING TO SAY! (hahaha) So he busted out the 16" box. let me tell you, that 4" makes a difference. My abs were already sore, and I was reminded every time I jumped.

Here is what the work out was:
21/15/9
I had to do 21 kettle bell swings and 21 box jumps, then 15 kettle bells and 15 box jumps, then 9 of each. I did that in 11 min 52 sec (the 2nd time in the photo above).

Trainer Paul thought I should have been able to do it in 10 min or less. I started off ok, but then I let my brain get in my way. I thought in my head the kettle bell was too heavy and so it was. I thought the box was too high and so it was. I never fell on the box or lost control of the bell, but it was quite a lot of mental issues going on there.

Plus I was sweating like a pig again! is that normal? I have no idea, I'll have to ask around. :)

Calories burned: 555

And so we go,
me

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

I think that line a lot when I work out. My goal for every workout used to be to just finish. Now I like to get a good time. I still get a little scared when I walk into workout because I have no idea what I'm going to be doing. I guess I'm not all that into surprises. Who knew?!?!

Here is Friday's workout:

My first round was 6:30, my second was 6, and my third was 6:38. Not too bad! (assuming I did my math correctly...)

Calories burned: 467

Here is today's workout:

So, the first half was to do 100 jumping pull ups as fast as I can. BUT at every minute mark I had to stop and do 5 squats. THEN I had to run 400 meters forward and then run 400 meters backwards, twice. Running backwards is HARD! It really works your legs in a different way than you are used to. Try it, you'll see.

Burned 460 calories.

I did better on my eating today but then I totally jacked it up at dinner. I really want to see the scale move. Just a little. Preferably down. I think it will soon. Or at least I hope it will. All I can do is make better decisions every time I eat something.

And so we go
Me

Time for weights!

Trainer Paul asked how sore I was today and I told him my thighs and abs are sore (you know, from this workout) so we got to play with some weights today.

Here is a quick video of the three lifts I did.

I started out with just the bar. Sounds easy, right? The bar it's self is 45 pounds. So the shoulder press was easy compared to the Push Press and the Push Jerk. Each one I did correctly he then added weight and went onto the next one.

By the time I was done I did a 100 pound Push Jerk. Whoo hoo!!! It took me several trys but I worked through over thinking it and finally got it. Trainer Paul was rating each one on a scale of 1 - 10. My last one (the 100lbs one) was a 9. I started at a 3. He wanted it a little cleaner but hells bells I had to fight to get that 100lbs up!

He had to tape my wrists about half way through the workout. I had no idea they could hurt so bad! Taping really helped the pain. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do anything today because of sore wrists, but they feel good. (THANK GOD!) I'm pretty sure my soreness is mostly from Monday's workout, but that might change tomorrow!

I got gel's on my fingernails on Friday (I NEVER paint my nails, just my toes) it was fun to see my red hot nails holds that 100lbs bar! (hee hee) I liked the juxtaposed girlyness of my fingers and the weight bar. It made me giggle a little.

And so we go
~me

Oh, and PS I added a video to the dead lift post from Friday so you can see what I'm talking about.

I'm worth it.

So in weighing myself EVERY morning I have only lost 2lbs since I started CrossFit. A) I know I shouldn't weigh myself daily, but i can't help myself, and B) my eating is still out of control.

I love me some hamburgers and fries! I know I can still have these bad for me but most delicious foods, I just can't have them everyday like I want. I clearly take the time to workout, so I also need to take the time to eat healthy. I can do it. I know how to do it, so why the hell don't I? I guess I just need to give myself permission.

I feel SO much stronger than before I started CrossFit. (Did ya see the post about dead lifting 221lbs?!?!?!) I actually feel like a strong person inside a fat suit. This fat suit is getting in the way of everything! It's physically in the way of working out and finding cute fun clothes. It's emotionally in the way of me feeling good about myself. So, it's time.

I now grant you permission to eat food that will allow you to loose weight and feel better. This will not be a temporary food change but a lifelong struggle to decide that by eating healthy you are telling yourself you're worth it.

Yes it will be a lot of work. Yes you will have to count calories, weigh your food, and not eat so many hamburgers. But you are worth it.

Just in case you didn't get it, that was me giving me permission. :)

Here is today's workout:

1600 meter run is a mile. I ran it non-stop. I am used to running on a treadmill and it sets the pace for me, and this way I had to set my own pace. That was a first.

I used a 8lb ball for the wall balls. That is where you hold the ball in both hands below your chin, squat, then throw the ball to hit a line that is 10' off the ground. Now do that 10 times in a row. After 10 of those do a normal sit up but with a 10lb ball. Start laying on your back with the ball above your head and do a sit up with it in your hands. Have the ball touch the ground in between your knees. You use the weight of the ball to hellp you sit up. Now do all that 10 times.

Plus I burned 476 calories on this workout. I'm pretty tired tonight...

Dead Lift

So, today was the day to break out the weights. I have been wondering when we would get to play with those. :) They do some Olympic lifting exercises at the gym. Today I learned how to dead lift. Basically you stand in front of a bar with weights, squat and then stand up. This is the simple version, there is definitely technique involved but that's the general idea.

After my 400 meter run and 800 meter row for my warm up I was thought how to dead lift. I was able to do 221 pounds! Paul wouldn't tell me how much any of the lifts weighted until after I maxed out. I tried to do 241 pounds, but just couldn't get the last little bit. I could stand up with it but not get tall enough to get my shoulders back. So close, but not quite. But, holy hell 221 pounds is really good! Paul the trainer was pretty impressed. :)

Here's my workout after all that...

I burned a total for 451 calories for this workout. Lots of cardio today. Still not easy, as you can see with my times of the row getting slower each time. Oh well, at least I'm able to do the workouts and feel good after.

Back at it

Ok, so after the child was able to stop puking and got better I was able to get back to the gym. I missed 3 sessions because she was so sick. I think it was the most sick she has ever been. Poor thing. But she is back to normal now and life goes on.

I worked out on Friday May 27th. Here is my workout and times:

Yeah, jump rope 100 times, row 100 meters then do that 200 times 200 meter row, etc.  That took me 28 min and 4 seconds. My calf's where rather pissed off while I was doing it, but I got it done. :)

Oh, and I burned 347 calories...

So, that brings me to today's workout. :)

Yep. I did all that. My leg muscles are a little tired, but good. My trainer said that this was my best workout yet, PLUS I burned 485 calories! YAY!!!