I have contemplated writing this for a little while now but I love this place and figured why not! When I started my journey last winter in bootcamp I had the goal many probably do when they begin a fitness program. I wanted to lose weight and lose it fast. I was 41 but felt like I looked like I was 60...and when activity was involved I sure felt like I was 60. During the intro class Coach John told us to stay off the F***ing scale and trust the process. I was on board with the first part as the damn scale had controlled and dictated much of my time. If I lost a few pounds, my day was great, if I gained, it was ruined. I was hoping to lose a lot but what I didnt expect when I started bootcamp was how much I would gain while going to CFFF. The first thing I gained was ability to face fear. It had been a long time since something scared me the way walking through that door the first time scared me. I had no idea what to expect. When I got there the elite class was doing their killer WOD and I thought what the hell did I get myself into. I will be carried out of here on a stretcher if I even survive! We did a bench mark of push ups, sit ups and squats. I failed miserably in my attempt. Coach Kristin stood beside me when I did my last sit ups and said its ok, you WILL get it. I seriously doubted her but knew I had nothing to lose at that point The next night was just as scary but I walked in anyway. And then again and again and again. I learned that fear was a liar...I COULD do it. I would have to tame the fear once again this past spring. Life had gotten in the way and I hadnt been to the box in months. I was terrified and upset with myself for dropping the ball. Once again I walked in the door...and then again and again. I even found the courage to venture into the athletic class realm! The next thing I gained was strength. As I previously mentioned, the first night we did the bench mark workout: 8 min AMRAP of 5 pushups, 10 sit ups and 15 squats...I barely made it through three rounds. At the end of the 6 weeks I made through 11 rounds. Last spring we did the CF total and then did it again in July. I now can say I can back squat one and a half sun bears and dead lift a black pair + 20 pounds. Last year, I seriously couldnt jump up on a 6 inch box, now, even though I cant do more than one or two, I CAN jump up on a 20 in box. My first tangle with FRAN took my 7:45 or so. When I had my rematch two months later, I took care of her in 5:40. I gained the ability to relinquish control and trust the coaches. As a type A person AND a nurse, that is no easy thing to do. Starting with Coach Kristin telling me to just trust the process, all the coaches there supporting and encouraging, and yes, correcting us, I was able to see the correlation between doing what they said and seeing results. I was told how to eat, first with the Whole Life Paleo challenge and now with the Zone diet and guess what? That stuff matters and DOES make a difference. I now have energy and feel so much better! I gained a place to go for my mental health. As a hospice nurse, many days it was beyond mentally challenging to keep emotions in check, deal with loss day in and day out, and work very very long days. I felt spent before I even got to the box. But once there, I noticed something miraculous. All the negative and sad energy I absorbed all day long was replaced by the positive, upbeat energy of the box. People ask me why I like CF and I say the physical part is good but the emotional and mental part are what make it spectacular. Very few other places in this day and age are as encouraging and supportive the box. I have had members I dont even know encourage me to keep going, have high fived my after a WOD or cheered for me as I came in dead last. I left feeling more complete and energized than I was when I walked in. I have gained friends! The greatest thing I have gained since joining is confidence. I had been an athlete in high school and felt like I could tackle anything. It had been a very very long time since I had felt that way when I walked in on that cold January day. Each WOD that I faced left me with a sense of Wow I did it!. My thought process gradually shifted from OMG, I cant do that to I will give it a try to It might not be pretty but Im gonna do it and I know I CAN do it. I cant explain how good it feels to have my family say I cant believe you can do all that stuff or comment that I look better I now dont hate clothes shopping or feel like the big girl every where I go. I bought my first jeans in the regular section of my favorite store for the first time in over a decade. I feel like I belong when I show up for a WOD. I no longer feel guilty taking time for me. I am making myself healthy so I can be here for my family for a long time. As a nurse I know all too well the price people pay for not taking time to maintain their health. I am also showing my children that no matter how old they get or how busy their life becomes, they need to make themselves a priority too! I also gained a better idea of what true health is. Again, as a nurse one would think I would have that all figured out. But as I stated before, I used to base my health on the number on the scale. Now I base it on being able to run a 7k, tackle a chipper head on and finish under time. I view it as being scared to do something but doing it anyway. I base it on my emotional state and my mental coping ability. And yes, I gauge it on the badass scale of lifting heavy sh*t!! The one thing I DONT base it on is the scale...which is a good thing because in my before and after pictures, I see, and more importantly feel, a whole lot of improvement. If I had based it on the scale I would view myself as a failure because the difference in my weight between the two.......is a mere 7 pounds. The old me would have said Forget this crap, its not working. The NEW me says hey, Im a badass and f*** the scale!
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 03:31:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015