Well...back to it

So it has been a hot minute since I have updated. And for that I apologize. It has been a crazy few weeks for me. ALOT has happened since the end of May.

First off Regionals! WOW! Let me tell you that was an experience. I went into that weekend with no expectations other then I had met a goal that I set last year in wanting to participate in the event. Little did I know that it would be a much tougher rode to get there this year. But I did it. It was emotionally nothing like sectionals. Physically that was the most demanding thing(s) I have ever put my body through. But it was fun. I ended up in the 35th spot...and enjoyed every minute of it...well maybe not the dead lifts...but still.

I also moved. Up to the Heights! YEAH...for no commute. I love not having to drive over thirty minutes each day. I am also living by myself for the first time ever. That is an adjustment. I miss my roomies, and even their dogs! But at the same time, am really learning to like the solitude at the end of the day.

So now we are half way through June and I am still feeling a little whiplash from the past six months of training, then the move, and the emotional roller coaster of competing. And I find myself asking "Now what?" I feel a little lost, and stuck. Where do I go from here? And then it hit me...I have been working so hard on changing the big things in my life...my weight, my health, my habits, being independent....that I have some what neglected the smaller things. Who I am as a person, my spirituality, personal goals, what I want outside of CrossFit. Sooo it is time to set some goals. Both in my training and my personal life.

GOALS: CrossFit:
1. Muscle ups! Still want to get one!
2. Gymnastic skills...I need to work on my mid line stability (or core, but that is not what we are calling it anymore)
3. Lifting..time to up those maxes
4. FRONT SQUATS, BACK SQUATS, THRUSTERS, SQUAT CLEANS...I hate them all and really need to start doing them...MORE
5. My mental game...still got a ways to go on this!

As for my personal goals...well those are personal...so I have them written down, just not for all to see!) But the biggest one is to stop being afraid....I have to get over my fears and go out there and get what I want!

Now its your turn...What are your goals? Set some. And then do something about them!

REGIONALS!!!!!

WOW! I can NOT believe that Regionals are only 9 days away! NINE DAYS! I can't decide if I am more scared or excited. This has been an amazing journey for me. I went to the Games last year to support Vic (and check out HOT CF men) and decided that I really wanted to try and put a team together to take to the Games in 2010. So I came home and talked about it with people. I quickly realized that I had a long way to go in my training if I wanted to be on a team. So after doing a few competitions as a team...I knew it was time to get serious.

In November I got really lucky and a great coach and friend decided to help me with my training. This changed every thing for me. I really started learning the lifts. And then came the weight. Within a few months I was upping my maxes anywhere from ten pounds to twenty! It was amazing. I loved it. January started the strict training and diet for Sectionals. I wanted to go and see where I stood next to others. I still wanted to be on the team, but thought this would be a good challenge in getting ready for it. I am not unrealistic, I knew that a lot of the women I would be competing against had been doing Crossfit a lot longer then me...and before that had probably been more active then me. But still..my goal was top thirty. Everyone needs goals...

Sectionals really surprised me. It was a test of mental and physical strength. And it was fun. There were a few complications with the women's scoring that ended up putting me in the last heat of the day on the second day....with the top 25 women. This did not hit me till I started warming up for my heat and looked around at all the incredibly strong, beautiful women around me. Let me tell you that rocked my world. I was so scared. I was the girl in 45th place going up against the best women in our region. My game plan went out the window...and all I kept saying was...the 45th girl will not finish dead last in this heat. And you know what I didn't. Talk about surprised when I ended up finishing that heat somewhere in the top ten of twenty five. I ended up snagging the 30th spot to qualify for Regionals! Yes it was a goal, but I did not really think I was ready for it.

So my plan has changed a little. I am now going to Regionals as an individual. Something I did not think I had in me to do. I was thinking this year team, next year individual. Needless to say I am still scared, but this time I know I can hold my own. I have trained HARD for this. I WANT this. I am going out to Fort Worth with a lot more confidence in myself, and my abilities to give this my all. Even if I come in dead last next weekend, I can still say that I am one of the top 65 CrossFitters in the southern region. And THAT is amazing if you think that a little over a year ago I was a smoking, drinking , inactive person! I read this yesterday in Jessica Sharratt's blog from CrossFit Central.."Its not who you are that holds you back, its who you think your not." This is so true. I will not be thinking this as I go into next weekend. I know who I am, and I know what I can do...and I am going to give it my all next weekend. Am I scared? HELL YEAH! Am I excited? You better believe it. But I am going to go have fun. And no matter what the outcome...I am happy with what I have accomplished.

Thanks Charlie...could not done this without you!

Family!

This is my sister in law Leah working hard at getting back in shape...and that is the ADORABLE little thing that made her need to come see me twice a week. Ilsa is six months old and the love of all of our lives now. But lets face it, she did some damage to Leah's body. BUT...Leah is determined to get back in shape so that she will be a healthy and fit mommy for this little "angle". So every Monday and Wednesday, they drive out to my house for a little one on one with me! Leah works hard and Ilsa screams! I honestly don't know who hates it more... Leah has also made the decision to eat a healthier diet. She is doing a Paleo diet, and we even convinced my brother that he needs to be supportive and eat this way with her. I have to say I am very proud of this little family. My brother for being a supportive husband as his wife gets back into shape. Leah for fighting this fight, to be a healthier more fit mother... and well Bird (Ilsa's nickname) is sloooowwwwlllyy coming around to not being the center of attention for that hour. We will have to see how that goes! Leah told me after her first session that she was sore and in pain...but that she would be my best success story! I have already seen a change in her endurance and strength! And we are only three weeks in! So keep rocking it sister!

Here they are...now you can meet them!

Okay here are some pictures! Sorry don't know what happened the other day! So these are just a few of my girls! My am class and the afternoon class! These girls show up three times a week to let me kick there butts! And are doing FANTASTIC!!

Meet my Bootcamp Girls!

Okay the best thing to happen to me so far this year is getting the opportuninty to start coaching! I started bootcamps in January out at Spotts Park. And let me tell you it was COLD. I started with just three girls! Since then we have really grown. And thank goodness...it is getting warmer!

This past week we just hit our three month mark. And I have seen some big differences in these girls. First off..they show up three times a week! I have seen changes in their bodies, in their strength, in their recovery times, in their core! It has been soo much fun to be apart of. I stand in front of them three times a week and watch (sometimes with my jaw on the ground) as that pushup gets a little better each time...getting rid of the worm. As they pick up a heavier dumb bell. Ask for difficult moves to be added. And of course my favorite...they are taking a more serious look at their diets and really trying to be healthy! LOVE IT! They are really interested in being healthy and fit!

This has been a truly amazing journey. And I can't wait to see what happens in the next three months, as these girls continue to show up and kick some butt!

Good Job Ladies!

These pictures are not everyone...but there will be more don't worry!

Practicing what you preach!!

Hmmm...strong words! My mom is a pretty amazing woman. She is a wonderful example of what a good christian woman should be. But even the practically perfect have a few (very tiny) flaws. And when those flaws would show, she would say "do as I say, not as I do." I have to say, the same goes for me this past week. I am big about stretching. I tell my boot campers to STRETCH! Make sure you drink lots of water and stretch throughout the day. Well, as they all know, I have been out of commission this past week! For a whole week!! This does not make for a happy me!

A few Saturdays ago we had our team tryouts for the Affiliate Cup. This consisted of three WOD's in one day! One every two hours! They were a true test of our strength and endurance. I woke up that morning, packed my snacks because I knew it would be a long day, and left the house. I did the first WOD...and did not stretch...did the second WOD...still no stretching...by the third WOD, I was tired and tight...and even though I finished with a really good time, my form was HORRIBLE. So as the day ended, I had to rush off to work...and yet again did not stretch! Sunday rolls around, and I was tired and tight...and, instead of listening to my body, came in and did a WOD...and believe it or not, I am pretty sure I did not stretch that day either. Hmmm...By Monday my hip flexor was not feeling that great, so what did I do...went for a really brutal run. Wait, I am not done...Tuesday morning I was meeting some people at 5am to do some sprint work...and let me tell you, before we even started warming up I was whining about my hip being "tight". So what did I do? I sprinted! Yes, that would not be the smartest thing I have ever done.

Long story short, by Tuesday evening I was limping around the box, and when it came time to do my strength training, well let's just say I could not even pick 95# up an inch off the floor. Pathetic! Not because I was hurt, but because I did not listen to my body and practice what I preach.

So now I have not been able to do anything for almost a week. This goes for lifting heavy, which I love...to demonstrating what a Sumo Deadlift High Pull is to one of my girls with 10# kettle bell. By not doing what I know is right I am now, a week later, still "babying" my hip.

It does not help if you have all this knowledge and do not apply it. What kind of example did I set this week? Not a very good one that is for sure. And as I mope around the box feeling sorry for myself cause all I want to do is "play", who do I have to blame? Just me! So let me say...
Do As I Say, And Not As I Did..this past week. I will be heeding my own advice carefully from here on out.

Make sure you are listening to your bodies! Only you know your limits. Only you know just how far you can push yourself. And only you know when it is time to rest. Listen and take care of yourselves!

And most important...STRETCH!

BootCamp Paleo Challenge!!

This year I started coaching Bayou City CrossFit Boot Camps! This has been an amazing experience! I have got some of the most AMAZING women in my classes! Since the beginning of this, I have told all of them how I choose to eat, the Paleo Diet. It is not some fad diet, I don't count calories, my food is not delivered to my door and taste like plastic. In a nut shell it is a cleaner way of eating. It is also know as the "caveman diet", basically I eat what ever you can hunt, pick or gather and eat! Now in this day in age that is not always entirely possible, so I just eat as clean and organic as possible. Lean meats, veggies, nuts and seeds, some fruit (by this I mean not ALOT) little starch, NO grains, no dairy, no sugar (processed/refined...not natural). From the beginning I said that to see the results you want from my boot camps, you need to change the way you eat. Not only for that flat tummy, but to have the energy you need to get through the day and more importantly one of the WOD's! But I have never forced it on anyone. Just talked about it, let them know how my workouts are going and how I am feeling.

Well I am proud to say that a few weeks ago, the girls said they wanted to do a challenge! They wanted to try eating the "Paleo" way! I was so impressed. Some of them have been with me now for almost three months. And I can see huge differences in them! The are stronger, they are leaning out, and are showing first signs of definition in their arms! But the biggest difference is their willingness to give this way of eating a shot! (So Proud) They know that they will be giving up things that we have all eaten for years! They know that it is going to require some extra time in the kitchen. They know that it will be difficult at first. But they are willing to give it a shot!

So starting on Monday we will be measuring, weighing and taking pictures of the girls! And off they go! I will be posting recipes for them here and sending them a weekly email with recipes and encouragement. I am really excited to see what happens! So stay tuned and I will be giving updates on the girls and their progress on this little adventure!

TIME TO START EATING CLEANER!!!