Beauty In Strength

I'm very lucky to have so many ladies that I get to see grow with their health and fitness everyday. And I have had the opportunity to see these ladies put many men to shame with their incredible strength! So with that being said, I felt like I needed to write about this issue this morning because I love my girls and want them to remember that regardless of what the number is on the tags of their clothing, there is much more to them than that number.

There's been a lot of "buzz" on Facebook lately about the controversy surrounding what constitutes a proper size versus plus size for women. Apparently SICFIT put together a video regarding the staggering news that the fashion industry considers a size 6 to be Plus Sized! I won't even go into the silliness (trying to be polite here) that is SICFIT, but honestly, is this ground breaking news folks? Society, especially the media, has consistently pounded into the female brain that unless our hip bones are protruding and our collar bones are visible, then we aren't fit, healthy or beautiful enough to walk down a run way or grace the cover of a magazine.


But I would really like to believe that many people are beginning to realize that curves, especially those that contain lean muscle, are beautiful and more importantly reflect the hard work and dedication that was required to create those beautiful curves. I will admit that I still fall victim to the mirror sometimes and find myself "squeezing" areas that I find undesirable or that I feel may not be up to standard. But when I think about the fact that I can take 135 pounds from the ground to my shoulders or take 210 pounds on my back and squat with it, I'm pretty damn proud. So while I may have to shimmy my thighs into my jeans, I know that those thighs can move a lot of weight and are pretty darn capable.

What I hope to extend today is that society will always be fixated on the female body and what it thinks should be the standard or be considered beautiful. They may fluctuate those standards from time to time, but primarily the standards will be unrealistic and who wants to try to live DOWN to those types of standards anyway? I'm proud to say that I'm a size 4/6 - plus size or not - and will continue to look up to who I think is beautiful, like Annie Sakamoto and Miranda Oldroyd who have worked their arses off to forge their strong, healthy bodies. Society can have their stick figures. I'll take my capable and strong size 4/6.

My WOD Wife

Today I had the pleasure of WOD'ing with one of my best girl pals and WOD Wife, Stephanie. Because she and her husband are getting ready to PCS to another military installation in the next month, we have been trying to get together and we were finally able to do that today. With my husband's schedule it can be tough for he and I to workout together - that darn job of his keeps getting in the way! (Not that I'm ungrateful for his job, I'm just selfish!) Additionally, many of my friends have also had other responsibilities as well as myself that have made it difficult for our schedules to line up allowing us to WOD together. So I was very grateful to get to throw down with Steph like old times!

Today's workout wasn't anything too aggressive: 10 minute AMRAP: 30 Double Unders & 15 Power Snatch (75/55). Light weight and smooth sailing on the double unders, right? Well, what I always seem to forget because I workout alone for the majority of my workouts, is that having a partner really kicks up that competitive nature - not necessarily to compete against Stephanie, Donny or whoever I may be working out with, but mainly against myself. Working out with my husband or Stephanie requires me to dig deeper and really push for those repetitions. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that when WOD'ing alone I seem to allow myself excuses as to why I may "need" to rest for just an extra 10 seconds versus trusting that I have what it takes to stop sabotaging myself and give it 120%.

When I workout with another individual I am reminded of how much harder I really can push myself and I'm sure many of those who are CrossFit addicts (or are passionate about their fitness) can relate. Unfortunately I have to face reality that Steph is leaving soon - WAAAAAAHHH!!! - and I will more than likely have to continue WOD'ing alone the majority of the time. But looking forward I am going to make a promise to myself to remember how hard I worked today and strive for that determination every time (and I'm going to miss my Stephers terribly!).

Goodbye New Year's Resolution

So how are those New Year's Resolutions holding up?

While I hate that CrossFit has begun to spread like wildfire - it was a much stronger organization when it was considered a cultist community - I still think that it's the most adaptable and maintainable form of exercise there is. While Greg Glassman didn't invent the concept, he did provide a huge platform for many of us who have never been athletes or performed such complex movements before and I am definitely forever grateful for starting two years ago. And with no prior history of real athleticism or sport, I was definitely new to the community and was not only able to adapt, but I am still maintaining and continuing to grow with it everyday.

With that being said, I know that for many people the new year can provide an opportunity for some to make the decision to change their health but don't realize that it isn't a temporary change - it must be a lifestyle change - one that will continue for the rest of your life. And while I am guilty of making those resolutions only to see them putter out a few months later, I can now say that I will never have to make a resolution to change my health & fitness for the rest of my life. I have seen what CrossFit (in conjunction with being aware of my nutrition) can do for someone who had never lifted a barbell in her life and would recommend this lifestyle to anyone. It isn't easy, but like anything that we strive for, it takes hard work, dedication and most of all heart. It also requires being realistic and understanding that it will take time to reverse whatever "damage" has been done, and there will never be a day that won't challenge you in one aspect or another. Everyday that I step into the gym, I gain greater knowledge, strength and experience.

So if you are finding that your new years resolution is getting more and more difficult to stick to - or if you're like me, you are getting bored with that treadmill - take the time to look up local CrossFit facilities in your area via www.crossfit.com. It isn't going to be cheap like many of the bigger gyms - it will require a financial commitment. But if what you're looking for is cheap, then CrossFit may not be in the cards for you and unfortunately you will just continue to question why you aren't achieving a long, lean, STRONG, healthy body like those who have made that commitment to their health.

My Little King

Time to Give Thanks

I still can't believe how quickly Thanksgiving came this year. And I find myself looking to the holiday this year with different thoughts of thanks than I have in prior years. Typically I always looked forward to the tasty turkey, a fluffy serving of stuffing, mashed potatoes and tall glass of vino. And more importantly was always thankful it wasn't me who had to cook and prepare it! But this year while I'm very grateful to be spending the day with my local friends and family, it isn't the meal that has me feeling weepy.

While this was supposed to be the first house-filled Thanksgiving of many, I can't help but be grateful for all the things and people that are a huge part of my life and remind me of how lucky I really am, in spite of loss and sadness.

First and foremost, I can't be more grateful for the love of my husband who not only has shown me his strength as a husband and friend, but also his patience and sacrifice to support our household through this period of transition in our lives. Secondly, I have the most amazing family that I don't think can be topped by any other. Yes, I'm pretty biased. Mom, Dad, Evil Step Mother (just kidding - inside joke between us - she's actually wonderful!), Rich, and Randall: Couldn't ask for more loving and supportive parents - you all have had a tremendous impact on my life - I love you. Third, I am truly blessed to have the local family and friends who not only showed what friendship and love is really about when crisis came head on, but have and will always be a part of Donny and I's life. Stephanie, Andrea, Sylvia, Laura, Victoria, Michelle, Wendy, and several individuals from my husband's unit. As Donny and I move on in this coming year, I will definitely look to the move with hope, excitement and also sadness - I will miss my family here so much. Fourth, I can't forget to give thanks for the love of my red head Pomeranian, Henry. It's amazing how healing that little booger can be - plus he's pretty dang cute! Lastly, I can't forget to give thanks to God for continuing to provide (whether it's easy to see or not) for our household. Through hardship it can be very easy to see only the pain, but I am grateful to be able to recognize how lucky I really am at this point in my life.

From this point going forward, I know that I will always look at Thanksgiving with thoughts of "Thanks". Instead of thoughts of "Can you pass the stuffing?"

                       Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

RICE

We all experience "boo-boo's" in CrossFit and I think that many of us (CrossFitters and others devoted to their fitness & health) have heard of or are familiar with the term "RICE".

R = Rest
I = Ice
C = Compression
E = Elevation

This term is generally used when people are looking for ways of calming or decreasing pain and discomfort from an injury. I did not know about this term until a year ago and prior to that was very confused as to whether to place heat or ice on an injury. When I grew up I was always taught that after a long day of snow skiing, the family was to jump into the hot tub and "soothe" those sore muscles. Boy, were we wrong! Because I was recently asked about this concept, I wanted to address it quickly and hopefully help others if they are in the same boat.

"Cold should be applied three to five times a day for 15 minutes at a time during the first 36-48 hours, by submerging the injured area in cold water, using an ice bag, or applying ice massage to the affected part." (Hoeger & Hoeger, 2012, p. 328) Additionally, ensure you wrap the affected area with a bandage for compression and elevate. If the area starts to show signs that swelling and inflammation have decreased or diminished completely, heat can then be used (typically this is after 36 hours). If all else fails, and the injury appears to be something that you can't improve upon, consult a doctor for medical attention.

Reference:

Hoeger, W. & Hoeger, S. (2012) Principles and labs for fitness and wellness. (11th edition) Belmont, California: Cengage Learning.

Time to Decompress!

Are you overeating and/or falling off the Paleo bandwagon? Experiencing headaches? Losing sleep? Feeling depressed or socially withdrawn? More than normal fatigue during workouts? Anxiety? Stomach upset?

Well.........I ask these questions because I have found myself the last couple months experiencing some of these things. And I have boiled it down to that nagging threat, STRESS! This enemy can come on out of nowhere (not really, but it appears to) and typically occurs due to external factors such as financial issues, work, relationship issues, etc. And even worse, sometimes it just compounds from one external factor to another making it feel impossible to tackle. While stress is a natural condition and one that each of us experiences throughout our lives, I've come to realize how important it is to try to recognize when stressors identify themselves so that I can take responsibility instead of letting those stressors take over control of my life.

Just to be clear stress can lead to very serious health problems including heart attack, high blood pressure and diabetes. So if you feel that your stress is not being managed, you may want to consult the help of a physician. (Mayo Clinic, 2011) Or in my opinion, just adopt a little Pomeranian and all your stress will diminish!


Okay, maybe snuggling with a Pom will only go so far. Many experts recommend adhering to a healthy diet (check. I mean.......well........I guess I'd better get back on the bandwagon), partake in an exercise regimen (check), utilizing relaxation techniques (check, time to snuggle with that Pom) and seek a friend to talk to when need be. I'm not a doctor nor an expert but I can tell you from experience that I have allowed stress to completely take over my life and then when I regain my sanity (Ha!), I look back and realize how much time I wasted mulling over things that I can not change. So as I look back at the challenges that this year has already provided - so graciously (insert sarcasm here) -  sometimes the stress I experienced felt unbearable but I realize stress is necessary as well as those challenges.

"By beginning to identify and understand the sources of your stress, you've taken the first step in learning to better manage it. Manage it, not eliminate it. Stress is a fact of life. And that's OK. You can handle it."(Mayo Clinic, 2011)

Reference:

Mayo Clinic (2011) Stress management. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved November 16, 2011 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-management/SR00031/NSECTIONGROUP=2.