The Road to Health is Paved with Squats and Burpees

About five months ago I angrily woke up at seven a.m. on a Saturday and headed to my first ever Crossfit class. My husband had been begging me to go with him for a few weeks. He had started a few months prior and was totally addicted to it. I did not want to go. Let's push aside the fact that it was early on a SATURDAY... and zoom in on the obvious...I had not been to the gym in over a year. I was out of shape, the heaviest I'd ever been, and completely insecure. Add to that a dash of hypothyroidism mixed with infertility and you've got, well, Me. Totally unhappy. And grouchy (not a morning person!).

I am not writing this to endorse Crossfit as the one and only solution to a better and happier life. But for me personally, it certainly has helped in countless ways. Not only have I engaged in an active and healthier lifestyle that is now a part of my every day routine, I have grown in so many other ways too. As with anything that is good and uplifting for me, I want to share it with the people I love!

Here a few that mean the most to me.

1. I am strong and capable.


Throughout my life my body has failed me. Over and over again. Cancer at 16. Knee Surgery at 18. Partial lung resection at 20. Hypothyroidism at 23. Infertility at 25. It's been a constant battle. Since joining in Crossfit I have seen how strong my body actually is and what it is capable of. Every day our workout is recorded. We write down the amount of weight we lift, or the number of reps we achieved within a time frame, or how fast we complete the workout. Everything is measurable, which has been great for me because I can visually see my progress. I am setting new personal records almost every week. I am doing things I never imagined my body doing, and I crave to learn new skills daily. Crossfit has shown me that my body is NOT broken, and it has not failed me. It has also taught me that I need to care for and maintain this working machine if I want to live a long and healthy life. 


2. A reminder to believe in myself.

As I had mentioned before, my self-esteem was at an all time low with my insecurities soaring to new heights daily, prior to Crossfit. With each day I see that slowly shifting. Instead of berating myself for everything I can't do, I celebrate my accomplishments. I feel proud when I complete a workout that seemed like a one-way ticket to death the night prior. I get excited for myself when I finally accomplish a skill I have been working on. Example: In my first week of Crossfit one of our workouts included Handstand Push-Ups. I thought, "Well there is something I will NEVER be able to do..." <--(insecure frame of mind). Five months later I am telling myself to "Go for 10!" when it comes to Handstand Push-Ups. I still have plenty of insecurities, but I can honestly say that my feelings of self-worth have grown immensely. 

3. Strangers become Friends, Friends become Family.

The Husby and I don't have many "friends". Partially because we are super busy, and partially because we are obsessed with each other (ok, maybe that's just me?). For the first time in a long time we have surrounded ourselves with an awesome group of like-minded people, who just happen to love Crossfit as much as we do. One of the biggest reasons I didn't want to go to Crossfit that first day was because I was afraid of judgement (insert the insecurity cloud here, again). Which I believe is a common fear and misconception of the general community. I could not have been more mistaken. 

This is a true family  unit. We cheer each other on and rally like mad when the going gets tough. We literally lift each other off the ground. We send each other memes that mimic the pain and suffering we feel each day. We go wild when someone smashes a Personal Record or hits a new skill for the first time. I love these people! And just a few months ago I was scared to death of them. 






4. Time with my husband.

Prior to Crossfit we had totally separate lives. He was up and out the door before I was out of bed. We would reconnect in the evening after a day's worth of crazy, and would have just an hour or two before it was time to call it a night. Now we are up at 4:30 each morning, together. (I am still grouchy). We have time together prior to class and then spend the better part of an hour working out together. I love when I have immersed myself in a workout, void to the others around me, but hear him call out "Keep going Mo! You're doing awesome!". I love that. It makes up for him saying "Time to get up!", and I sort of want to punch him in the face. 

 5. A workout for anyone.

In our small but mighty "box" have people of ages ranging from early 20's to mid 70's with varying degrees of range, mobility and strength. We all complete the same workout. Some are scaled to suit individual needs, but the workout is the same and we all leave feeling that our hard work paid off!  


6. Health and Wellness

I have a long way to go when it comes to where I want to be in terms of living a healthy lifestyle. But I am a lot closer than where I was five months ago. As I said before, I am not in any position to say that Crossfit is the End All, Be All for health and wellness. But it sure is not a bad place to start. It's become a habit. A way of life for me. My body is responding positively, my mind seems more clear, and my heart and soul are in a much better place. Someday, I want to be 75 years young, working out with 20 somethings! 

**Crossfit may not be for you, and that is totally OK! But I encourage you to pursue something that will make you stronger, healthier, and happier.**

In short, my husband knows me, better than I know myself sometimes. He knew that I would love Crossfit. And he was right. Stepping through the door for the first time was super hard. I was terrified. But then, isn't the first of anything hard? A baby's first step. The first day of school. A first interview. The first kiss.

 If you ask me--Everything worthwhile starts out pretty terrifying.

<3 Mo

** This post is not sponsored or endorsed by Crossfit. These are my own thoughts and feelings expressed here .**

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