eight month update

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the reason that I can be 38 and have two kids and wear a bikini is because i work my ass off. it’s not an accident. it’s not luck, it’s not fairy dust, it’s not good genes. it’s killing myself for an hour and a half five days a week, but what i get out of it is relative to what i put into it. that’s what I try to do in all areas of my life.- gwyneth paltrow

although i have to say...gwyneth paltrow does have some pretty damn good genes. have you seen this photo of gwyneth and her mother?

i haven't posted a crossfit update in a while so i thought now is as good as time as any.  it's been almost eight months since my first day at crossfit jaguar. i remember so clearly walking in, nervous as hell, thinking what the hell am i doing. but i did it...telling myself over and over again, what did i have to lose; if crossfit isn't for me, i don't have to go back.

since my last update in january, i've lost a couple pounds (no, i'm not trying to lose weight) and about 1/2 inch everywhere. i've also dropped about three percent body fat.

i crossfit four times a week and do my best to eat well -- high protein, low-glycemic. but some days are just off days and i waiver, like this past week. but i WILL get back on track.

a couple weeks ago, i tracked my daily food intake.  i quickly realized that i just don't eat enough food and how very easy it is to eat a lot of carbohydrates.  i've never been a big eater and i don't like vegetables that much, so i really have to work hard at this eating well and eating enough thing.

here i was, pre-working out, may 2010.

and here i am today.  proud to be a 41-year-old, mother of three, fit, healthy and stronger than i've ever been in my entire life.  when i started crossfit, i could maybe do one military style push up.  the other day, i did 100 (no going to my knees).  can't wait till the day that i can share that i did one unassisted pull up.

there was no editing, retouching, tweaking or anything done to any of these photos.  i wanted to be honest and real, with everything i posted throughout this journey.

i share these continued updates to hopefully inspire.  you CAN do it!! it's never too late to get fit and be healthy.  i truly haven't felt better and i keep getting stronger and stronger.  it's really been an amazing journey and i never thought i'd say this but...i actually look forward to working out; i crave it. i know and completely understand that crossfit isn't for everyone, but i hope that you will find that thing that works for you!!

you can see more photos and read more about my getting fit journey here.

i pinned this today (via pinterest) and it says it perfectly (couldn't find original source to give credit)...

lastly, check out this amazing video of crossfit women.  blows my mind!!

if you have any questions, please ask!  i'm no expert, but i can offer my personal thoughts.

ETA --

Q: is it a class or did you have to get a personal trainer? A: personally, i started out with a personal trainer three times a week.  and did that for three months,until i got to the point that i was comfortable to go into a class.  however, depending on the gym, you might be able to go right into a class (many gyms are now requiring a fundamentals or foundations course).  for me, i wanted to get a good understanding of the workouts and make sure i knew how to do the lifts properly so i wouldn't get hurt.

Q: where do I find this workout? i admit Im out of shape and have a few health issues..i need to get fit!!! how often do you train? A: you can read all about crossfit here. that website has everything -- workouts of the day (WODs), demo exercise videos, etc. you can also google crossfit in your local area, to find all the crossfit gyms around you. i researched all the gyms in tampa, before deciding which one to go to. i wanted to find one that was a good fit for me. while the fundamentals of each crossfit gym are the same, the gym personalities (feel or vibe of the gym) can be very different.

i started out training three days a week. some days it was 20 minutes. other days it was an hour. now that i'm in classes, i crossfit four times a week.

and this awesome momma shared about her journey, doing and managing her own personal crossfitting.

Q: i am still finding it hard to get specific exercises for my waistline. do you have any that you have found that worked particularly well? A: my waistline was my HUGE trouble spot and in the first five weeks of crossfit, i lost three inches in my waist. with that being said, i think it was the combination of all the exercises (so many of them work my core) and changing my diet. i really don't do that many sit ups (or ab specific exercises) at all.

i just googled and found this crossfit article regarding exercises for abs and i love working out with a kettlebell.  i'm sure there's plenty more articles out there too.

Q:  as a previous carb-addict, what do you eat for breakfast now? A:  i typically have a protein shake in the morning (water, 1/2 banana, spinach or kale, almond or peanut butter, flax seed, protein powder and ice).  if i don't have a protein shake, i'll have eggs and/or bacon.  i don't eat until after my crossfit workout, so that's around 10:30 AM.  if i'm really hungry in the morning (pre-workout), i'll have a clementine and some almonds.