8 weeks in...(measurements)

I have to admit posting all of this personal stuff is embarrassing and awkward, but I really want to document my journey and be held accountable for doing what I say I am going to do. I posted before pictures in January, so here is a progress (not after) picture.
Tomorrow starts week nine, although the first two weeks was me learning all of the fundamentals and taking long rest days between WODs. Now I can go for a 3-5 mile run between Crossfit days and it feels great. I just now feel like I am getting stronger and more importantly I feel tremendously more coordinated. I am starting to get the movements, not that I can do all the moves yet, but I am gaining a feel for the movements and the rhythm. With that being said, I am walking around in a constant state of soreness; back and shoulders. Yuk.
On the bright side, I have seen major progress in just 8 weeks! I cannot wait till 6 months in to see what I look and feel like. Here are stats thus far:
Dec. 27th. March 17
Weight: 161. 171" (gained 10 lbs!)
Bust: 38 1/2. 36 1/2"
Waist: 33. 32"
Hips: 35 1/2. 35 1/2"
Thigh: 22 1/2. 21 1/2"
Arm: 12". 11 1/2"
I think it is so crazy how fast I'm gaining muscle! Now, if I could stop eating so much I'd probably trim down. Ever since starting Crossfit, I'm always hungry. At work I am constantly scavenging for chocolate! I will eat, eat, and eat some more and still be hungry! This is my new goal to tackle...
Not sure how I feel about gaining 10 lbs, but I know it is not fat because all of my clothes still fit. But I will admit, they fit very differently. One last thing...I am proud of the muscle in this picture, especially after only 8 weeks. I'll post another measurement in June.
Until next time...

Blood, Sweat, and Tears (literally)

Today's workout, I'll be honest, was not my favorite. There was good news and bad news, so the good first:
1. When I arrive I usually try a couple of unassisted pull-ups before my arms become tired and dangle on my side like two limp spaghetti noodles, and today was no different. Except this time I got my chin over the bar! That's right folks, I have finally achieved my New Year resolution of pulling off an unassisted pull-up. Yay me! Now, like all things in Crossfit, my new goal is to achieve 10 unassisted pull-ups. Get after it.
2. During a complete meltdown (more on this in a sec) in the middle of the workout of the day (WOD), I start hitting my toes to the bar! For those not familiar with this move, I'll fill you in...you hang from the pull-up bar and swing your feet over your head to touch the bar. Simple, right? Not so much. So, yet another goal achieved today. Hooray! I should be feeling great, right? Well, about that meltdown...
...and for the bad news...the workout consisted of 5 rounds of two exercises:
12 16 lbs wall-balls
12 toes-to-bar
When I read the workout this morning I thought to myself, no sweat that sounds easy. Boy was I wrong! I was sweating like a stuck pig, not to mention my hand's blisters opened, bled, and I could hardly grip the damn bar! I gave up in the middle of my first round of toes-to-bar and turned to Coach Meg and called it quits through eyefuls of tears. Tears! Ugh. I'm not sure why I was crying...hormones, frustration, fatigue, weakness leaving my body, overwhelmed...
or all of the above.

Too bad that quitting is not an option in Coach Meg's Crossfit box and thank god for it. She got up and came over to push me back into beast mode. I know if she wasn't there I'd have walked out that door defeated, but today she wasn't having it and let me know that quitting was not an option. That I had to want it, this is why I was here, and to just keep moving! Not sure how, but it worked. Coach Meg got me back on track and saved me from a DNF (did not finish), the ultimate embarrassment. Thanks Meg!
Plus, when Nick finished his WOD he started cheering me on as well. I'm not sure what the deal was, but I couldn't find my groove on that damn bar. Finally, I fought through the pain in my palms, flesh ripping off my hands, wiped the sweat off my face and tears from my eyes, and just roughed through it. Then, something magical happened...I made the toes-to-bar! Not just one but several, and next thing you know that smile found its way back to my face.
Until next time...

Rope mania!

Howdy folks. I know I know...it's been a while since I last posted, but I haven't really had too much excitement to post about. That is, until today!
Starting Crossfit is like anything else you would start for the first time...in the beginning...you suck at everything. So, when I started I made a list of things to work on, goals, and moves I want to master. For example, I have been really pushing for a kipping pull-up unassisted. It is tough! I've gotten better, but my chin is still about four inches away from that dang ole bar! Arghh!
That's ok though, because I am a goal setter. Not sure when this happened, but some point in my life I changed into this dedicated goal setter. I set a goal and do not stop until I have achieved it, and Crossfit is perfect for setting goals.
In the beginning, I couldn't do squat! Fast forward only 7 weeks and I climbed the rope today 5 times, and the last one I made it to the very top and touched the ceiling! I couldn't believe it! I watched the girls on the Crossfit videos and just wished I could do what those amazing girls were doing. I felt it was so unrealistic, so far off, something only hardcore girls were able to do, until today! Boom!
Crossfit is so freaking addictive. Every time you achieve something, there are ten more things to practice, achieve and master. Like the damn double-unders, my dreaded activity! I can do one or two in a row, but that is it! Then, I'm a fumbling idiot after that. I haven't mastered the wrist movements, but that's ok...double-unders are on the list. Along with pull-up, toe to bar, muscle-up, 24" box jump, hand-stand push-ups, ect. I'm just chipping away my friends...I'm just chipping away...bit by bit.
Until next time...