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Wait...you crossfit??

I've gotten that perplexed look several times when I'm asked about crossfit.  My guess is because my body, on the outside, hasn't changed that much.  I don't look like this.

However my body is changing on the inside.  I can lift heavier than when I started in February of 2013.  (Read: my deadlift was 185, now it's pushing 300 at 275.)  And my mind is changing, which is where it all starts and sustains.  But I digress, back to crossfit. (one of my favorite subjects.)  

I've known this woman 
since 2004.  She is one of my lasting friendships from my time in South Florida (will save that for another post.) Her name is Viana and she is a badass competitive crossfitter.  She started going and I got the chance to visit her when she had first started.  It wasn't all she talked about because she's not one to flaunt her badassness (is that a word?) but I could see it in her demeanor.  She was more confident in her own skin and her body was changing.  I remember seeing a family photo she had posted and thinking, damn, I've got to ask her about this crossfit stuff.  So we started chatting and of couse she was willing to talk and talk and talk about crossfit.  And I have always enjoyed weight lifting; I remember feeling pretty badass in weights class in high school.  So I was interested.  I wanted to check it out.  Thus began the google and pinterest searches.  I wasn't ever terrified of crossfit, I just knew I'd have a long way to go.  

Enter Groupon.  CrossFit I-35, more or less down the street from my house (Oprah says if the gym is more than 15 minutes away you won't go as often), had a 3 month groupon.  So we found the money and off Oscar and I went.  And it kicked my butt.  But I liked it.  Cynthia and Scott were very welcoming and willing to answer all of my questions.  And I continue to ask lots of questions.  I love learning about movement and our body in space and how to be the most efficient in the lifts (see?  It's easy to talk about crossfit all the time.)  And then my groupon was over.  

I took a month off to figure out finances and made it happen to start back up in June.  4 weeks off from crossfit is never a good idea, but I went back in June.  And I've been pretty consistent since then.  I've never been consistent for this long with any exercise program I've done...part of why I love crossfit.  There's so much to learn and always room for improvement.  And when I'm not consistent, someone will get on me about not showing up.  No one at the other gyms I had been to had asked me where I was when I don't show up.  You always hear that crossfit is about community and this is what it looks like for me.  People concerned about where I am when I'm gone, people telling me they missed me when I finally do show up, people wanting to help and coach with every aspect of living a healthy lifestyle; movements, nutrition, mental health - it's awesome.  In the meantime, I'm starting to lift pretty heavy weights.
  
I could go on and on about crossfit.  I guess my take home message is find what you love to do.  Crossfit is it for me because I'm consistent.  And a healthy lifestyle is all about consistency.  

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