Get Your Daily Dose of Crossfit

Malachi and I have joked that when we see people walking into our old gym we feel like we need to run and go tell them about Crossfit. Its almost as if they are poor, lost workout souls and we need to save them somehow from their mundane workout regimen and help them "see the light." Its a little silly but its true really. I never, ever pushed myself as hard as I do now during a workout or do near the amount of crazy exercises either. Before you would have never seen me trying a handstand push up or doing box jump burpees! And all of this insane stuff is really fun, that's the craziest part of all. I look forward to killing myself and pushing the limits every time I walk into the box. There's just something about doing the same workout as everyone else that truly brings a sense of fellowship and makes things less intimidating. It doesn't matter your skill level or how you measure up to the best athletes at the box, everyone is there to encourage and cheer you on until you finish your last rep. I love that about Crossfit.

And I'm not going to lie, its really nice getting a one hour break from all my responsibilities as mommy and wife and just getting to be Shelby. My good friend, Sara, is starting tomorrow morning at our box and I cannot wait to see how she's going to like it. I know she'll do amazing and its going to be fun getting to workout together. I know she'll fall in love with all the great people at Crossfit Strong too!

As for the Whole 30 Challenge, I'm still going strong. I successfully helped throw a Sip n See for my good friend Rachel and did not cave and eat all the yummy food we had prepared. The donut holes smelled so stinking good though. I have been very proud of myself and appreciate all the love and support I've received from Malachi and my friends. I can see a difference in my body and Malachi has commented as well that I'm more toned which is really encouraging. I'm interested to see what my final weight and body fat percentage will be at the end.

Pushing Through the Tabata

Today's WOD was really challenging but great at the same time. It consisted of dead lifts, pull ups, and burpees and we did them tabata style going 30 seconds on 30 seconds off for 6 minutes each. The WOD was 18 minutes total. Doesn't sound that bad you say??? Well its one of those that sneaks up on you and once you reach the burpees you are WIPED OUT. I love tabatas because its all about how hard you push yourself. Personally, I don't look at the clock. I just wait for the coach to call time because looking at the clock seriously makes the seconds tick off more slowly! As I was doing my burpees I just kept telling myself to push through the pain and go as fast as I could. Six rounds will not last forever and I don't want to finish the WOD with anything left on reserve in my tank.

Now as I think about that mindset that I had while working out and try to apply it to my life as a whole and how I'm trying to live for Jesus I want my attitude to be the exact same. I want to push and push and when my time on this earth comes to an end I don't want anything left in my tank. It's hard though because I can do anything for 30 seconds. Its when you start thinking about 30, 60, or 90 years that it gets a little bit harder to stay at that intensity. But then again, I am on day 16 of this challenge and I never thought I could do that for 30 days either... 1Corinthians 6:19-20 says, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

I want to live by this verse in all I do, whether that be burpees, box jumps, loving my husband and children well, or sharing Jesus with the neighbor down the street. I am not my own, its not about me or my strength. There's so much freedom in that truth! Thank you Jesus that you give me exactly what I need to make it through every day and even when I don't choose to take Your hand that is extended to help me, You are there the next day offering it again.

Not What Its Cracked Up To Be...

So I've been so super sick this week. Sicker than I've ever been, at least as an adult. After the workout on Monday I was very, very sore. Looking back, I did 85 overhead squats at 55 lbs. which is a ton for me. Anyway, I thought I had just over done it and felt really sore and achy but then my throat started hurting and everything went downhill from there. Tuesday night, Wednesday, and yesterday I felt so horrible, had a fever, sore throat, and overall just really achy. I went to the doctor yesterday because my lymph nodes in my throat were so swollen and infected and they think I have mono. I am waiting for the blood work and throat culture to come back but I do not have strep throat or the flu so that's what she thinks it is. I thought this stinking challenge was suppose to bring healing to the body, not sickness!!! The only bright side through all of this is that I made it through three retched days without cheating on my meals. I cannot tell you how badly I wanted a popsicle or ice cream, still do actually. Something sweet and cold would just be magical right now...

Although I have not cheated on my meals, I definitely have not eaten as I should have. My appetite has been pretty much non existent and the thought of tons meat and veggies has made me want to gag. I have eaten some eggs, avocado, and fruit but that's about it. I will let everyone know what the final diagnosis is but I definitely have my doubts about the effectiveness of this challenge. I think I was better off with my sugars and dairy:)

Taste and See

I made it through a weekend with my family! I am very, very proud of myself. I stayed strong while making cinnamon rolls, eating at Bread Winners, and even watching my brother eat ice cream! I just kept telling myself, I am doing this because it is good for me. It is good for my body. I was reminded this morning of a verse, Psalm 34:8, that says,

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him."

After having a taste of the Lord's love and ability to provide, I really can't go back and settle for life without Him. I have been ruined for anything less than the best. When I think about how that can apply to the Whole 30 Challenge, I know that what I am putting in my body is good for me. And even though it may take more planning or a little longer to prepare than say fast food, it is worth the wait and truly is satisfying. I'm not saying that I don't miss some of my favorite things like Diet Dr Pepper, cheese, or chocolate but there is a gratifying feeling that comes when you have chosen to eat something that you know is better for you and will give you more nutrients. Like wise, when I am tempted to ignore the Lord's voice or just settle for life's equivalent of a less nutritious meal, I long to seek refuge in Him, knowing that by choosing that path, I will fill my soul with something far more satisfying and nutrient rich.

A little help with the wall balls please!

Our WOD this morning was killer! 10 rounds of 10 wall balls and 5 dead lifts. This came after having straight leg dead lift in Tuesday's WOD from which I am still recovering. I am going to be so sore this weekend. I think wall balls are probably my least favorite skill we do during WODs which inevitably means they will be in my birthday WOD I'm sure. They are so hard for me for some reason. First, I think, because of my height. I have to practically jump to get the ball up above the mark on the wall. Second, because I hate the jolt I receive every time I have to catch the darn thing. Hopefully by the time my birthday rolls around they won't be so difficult...

My husband, Malachi, ran across this article today that we both thought was super cool. Chris Spealler is his Crossfit hero and I think he's mine now too.

http://games.crossfit.com/blog/2011/01/spirituality-and-crossfit,989/

I love the part where he talks about his faith being about resting in God's grace and not in his own abilities. He strives to separate his performance from his self-worth, knowing that there is nothing he can do to earn God's love and wanting his relationship with Christ to be what defines him. Gosh, how I want that as well. I don't want to find my sense of self-worth in my role as a wife, mother, woman, or even crossfitter, but as a child of God. It's almost refreshing to know that I don't have to try to "perform" at my best all the time because I will always, always fail. That's why having a relationship with Jesus is so amazing because it is not about what I've done or can do to try to earn perfection but only by His grace and His dying on the cross that I have new life. Thank you Jesus that you accept us just the way we are and through a relationship with you we can be changed and made new.

A little help with the wall balls would be accepted too:)

Breakfast is Definitely the Easiest

As I sit here eating my yummy breakfast of scrambled eggs, turkey, and bell peppers with the occasional grape or blueberry popped into my mouth, I have decided that breakfast is definitely the best meal to eat Whole 30. Who would want the Cheerios that Lincoln is munching down on when you could have this??? And black coffee is allowed, which thankfully, that's how I like to drink my coffee, so I'm sipping on that as well. Now the hard part, I'm about to make monkey bread to take to playgroup because my good friend, Jenny Meek, is moving and we are throwing her a going away party today. She loves my monkey bread so I signed up to bring it for her way before I knew I was going to get sucked into this challenge. I will have to have some serious will power to not lick the spoon!!!

Starting the Challenge! Day One

I am starting this blog because for the next 30 days several of us at Crossfit Strong are doing a nutrition challenge and this is going to be my place to log my progress, vent, and hopefully serve as a source of accountability for me to actually complete this thing as well. I will describe the challenge but I want to start by saying that I am not a blogger -- I have never blogged before, and I really don't even read other people's blogs, so this is sort of crazy for me to be doing this. But I think it will be good for me to write out my daily thoughts, frustrations, progress, and anything else I may feel like writing about.

First, let me describe The Whole 30 Challenge:

http://whole9life.com/2010/12/whole30-2011/

To eat a strict Whole Nine diet for 30 days, starting Jan. 12-Feb. 13. By doing this we are suppose to see an improvement in our WODs (workout of the day) at Crossfit, feel more energized, lose that sense of dependency on food -- sugar especially -- and come to view food as fuel for our body not just something to indulge in. The above website describes it best so check it out, but here's a blurb for ya:

"We cannot possibly put enough emphasis on this simple fact – the next 30 days will change your life. It will change the way you think about food, it will change your tastes, it will change your habits and your cravings. It could, quite possibly, change the emotional relationship you have with food, and with your body. It has the potential to change the way you eat for the rest of your life."

I am adding another component to this challenge because, honestly, if I don't, I know I will not make it through the next 30 days. I want to really take my relationship with Jesus to the next level and hopefully see a radical change in myself spiritually. I am not a super-disciplined person, especially when it comes to my diet, so I am going to need His grace and strength to get through this. And as this new year begins I just want to go to a deeper level of trusting in God's provision and plan for my life and really trying to figure out what that is exactly instead of just living comfortably. Because, honestly, who wants to be comfortable? Jesus definitely didn't live comfortably and being a Christian shouldn't be comfortable either. I want this year to be about pushing myself in every area and accomplishing things that I just assumed I could never do before.

So, that's it. This blog will serve as my personal journal for the next 30 days. It will be a combination of how the Whole 30 challenge is going, how I am hopefully improving at Crossfit Strong, and, most importantly, how I am being transformed from the inside out by Jesus.

Here goes nothing!!!!