If your not happy, change.

Ok, so I have a new Netflix obsession, like I'm losing sleep over this show, and can't seem to care. I started watching it somewhere around Tuesday, and finished all 22 episodes of season one this morning. this show is pretty great, but several things happened in it (like with any show) that kinda made me wonder. Like, if you have this heightened sense of hearing, like you can hear people from MILES away, how did you not hear the person walking up to you, who then shot you? And, if you're trying to live a life off the radar of every other person in the world, why would you jump from a 5th floor fire escape onto the back of a dump truck, and then be surprised that someone saw and figured out that the person who lives on the other side of that fire escape knows you? But seriously, its a great show. I'm currently goggling all the illegal ways (Shhhh!)  I can watch the second season without paying for it...

Anyways, all that to say this: one of the comments made on the episodes that really bothered me, like i didn't pay attention to anything else, and had to rewind it bothered me was this: *while offering coffee* "I bet your a one sugar girl."  "Black, I'm on the Neanderthal diet"   "What is the Neanderthal diet?"  "Nothing a caveman wouldn't eat. I'm ready to kill someone for a carb."

Sound familiar? Yea, she is on the Paleo diet, and apparently not so happy about it... If her body language and words can be believed... and here's the thing that bothered me, why do something that doesn't satisfy you? I'm so tired of hearing people talk bad about their own choices. Ok. so Paleo doesn't do it for, the answer is simple, find something that does. Which yea, I get that part of the fun of being on a "diet" is the fact that you get to complain about it. However, you wanna know what ALL my research, reading, talking, and limited life experience has already taught me in this field of healthy living? That if you are not 100% satisfied with what you are doing, if you are constantly craving something else, you will not succeed on the path you have chosen.

Find a life style, a fitness plan, that works for you and your body! One that won't leave you crabby and wishing for something else, because eventually, you will break down and back slide.

Find one that you can be proud of, that when you find a recipe that fits, and you love it, you wanna post that picture to every social media sight you have.

Find the plan that allows you to be you.

Find the plan that allows you to be proud of the work you accomplish, not shamed by the failures you place upon yourself.

Please understand, I'm not saying that you should indulge in every type of food you desire, cause I mean, that is one reason I am even at this point in my life. But seriously, eat the spoonful of cookie dough you find in your friend's fridge, then move on to the strawberries for snack time.  Eat that bowl of peach cobbler that you and your nieces and nephew worked hard to make (even if you used the wrong kind of flour and the crust didn't rise the right way!) Just don't make cobbler with those cuties every time you see them. Say no to every piece of cake that is only mediocre and only eat that piece that is to die for, cause seriously, nothing taste much better then double chocolate cake with fudge icing. (just don't take that cake home with you, leave it right where it is on the counter at your friend's house!)

Also, i worked out this week, and it was great...

I slacked on the selfie and Wod pics though. Oops!

So, I will leave you with the cuteness that is my new crossfit tank...

When it rains, it pours, then stops completely.

So, that title? Not figurative, as in everything in life goes wrong at the same time, but it's actual, like it didn't just rain, it poured, then it stopped completely. 

Wanna know what happens when you are in the middle of this WOD when it starts raining?

This happens: 

And it's not so bad run/jog/walking in he rain, what was bad was after that rain stopped, and I was soaked, and had one more round to do. Not the funniest. :) but hey, 3 rounds in 33 minutes? I'll take it! And kaylie- if you read this and text me the WOD I'll bring you Greek food in two weeks... 

No AC...

So, I'm living an AC free life... For loads of reasons 1. It's cheaper 2. It's better for the environment 3. It makes you appreciate air conditioning when you encounter it. 4. The first three are crap. It's broken. In my house, and in my car. Which means I spend a lot of time hot and sweaty.

Have I ever told you that my least favorite thing is to be hot. I HATE sweating. Like hate hate it. Not "oh I kinda don't like that" but serious, would curse at sweat if I could hate. Which makes this summer thing about the worst thing ever in my books. (Of course, the pool and friends who let me hang out in their AC enabled houses are the best)) 

That all being said, CF at 830 in the morning is great... Not so hot outside that I'm already sweating from heat, and early enough in the day that it gets me pumped for the rest of it. Well, this morning when I was asked to babysit during that 830 time slot, I said yes to the money... Planning to do the crossfit thing later. I spent the majority of my day packing the non essential in my kitchen (did I mention I'm moving in a little under 5 weeks and I keep having panic attacks about getting everything packed?!?) After packing all day, it was crossfit at 4... Which I walked in already sweating and didn't stop until I got home about 2 hours later... But hey, I did learn that the best place to be during a crossfit WOD when it's 90 degrees outside is a little outside of directly under the ceiling fan... 

Any who, here is today's WOD, sorry no cute collages today... I just don't feel like it.

Did that with 55lbs in 10:07! Which I am pretty proud of, when I started I told myself I was gonna do it in 12 minutes, which changed to 10 somewhere around minute 5 when I hit number 15. And hey, seven seconds over, I'll take it! 

Also, here's a cute little post crossfit selfie: 

 

And yea, I had some nice sweat going, which looked great when I went digging in the family dollar cardboard dumpster to borrow (steal) boxes... But hey, looking a hot mess while dumpster diving? That's pretty much what crossfit is all about right? ;) 

Who am I even talking to?

Actual conversation:

Carolyn: what time do you do crossfit?

Me: I have been going to the 8:30 morning class

Carolyn: (in stunned disbelief) who am I even talking to?

So, it's no secret that I am NOT a morning person, I prefer to spend my mornings sleeping, like till noon if I could, which is usually how I spend my vacations and holidays... Going to bed late, sleeping all day. That's the life right? Not so much anymore... Several things are different this year: 1. I have 2 brand new nieces (and 2 nephews and another niece that are not as new) that I am seeing so much of this summer, that my name has become "Aunt Melanie" in my own head, as in I introduced myself as Aunt Melanie to someone yesterday... 2. I am moving in about a month (meaning loads of things on my to do list) and 3. It's getting to above and beyond 90 degree everyday, by like 11 am (meaning I wanna be done with crossfit and into the swimming pool long before then.) 

Crazy how things happen, and change and you really don't even notice it until someone else points it out. I don't miss those mornings sleeping in, not a bit. (Ok, maybe a tiny bit, but in that "remember when we used to all be childless and these 5 little bundles of joy weren't here to keep us from playing Mario Cart all night?" Kinda way) cause yea, those days were fun, but not near as fun as watching Little Bit swim to the deep in and get so proud of herself that she can't contain her joy, or as entertaining as watching 3 little kids attentively watch a caterpillar for at least 5 minutes, until he finally met his demise (quite accidentally, we just didn't realize how gentle we should be with him when moving him to the grass!) I mean, look at this cuteness:

Crossfit has kinda had the same changes, I don't really miss the drive through, or the tv/reading/anything else I might have filled the hour I'm doing a WOD in now, or the extra piece of cake, etc... cause the trade off is kinda great- I feel better, my clothes feel different, I am proud of the work I have accomplished.

Anyways, Monday's crossfit was the first after almost a week not going for WODs, between not feeling well and avoiding contaminating people, and forgetting to set alarms, and commitments that couldn't be backed out of, I only found myself participating in a WOD twice last week, which meant Monday was HARD. Here's the breakdown:

check out those blisters! also, this is what happens when you do a timed WOD, and that final bell is done: 

everyone collapses in front of the fan (there was a fan sitting right behind me as well, just not near as big as that one!) You may ask now, how did you make it through that one Melanie, and heres how: I brought my own cheering squad:

every time I looked over, I had a little boy staring at me.

Today's WOD was even more difficult. Here's the breakdown:

I got 3 rounds in, I probably could have completed the five, but I had to be somewhere and left after 3... and I was pretty done by that third one. And man, I don't think I stopped sweating for about an hour. i mean, look at that selfie... pouring off. And I was exhausted after... like not thinking right exhausted. (as an example, I called to talk to my dad, and after hanging up attempted to take a screen shot of the sweat on the screen. Didn't quite work...)

Oh, and I taught little E to lift weights...

Also, here is a request for all those crossfiting readers: I will be too far from the gym for the next 5 days to do group WODs, what's your favorite travel WOD? 

Red handed

Nothing like getting caught at Mcdonald's by fellow crossfiters (who shall remain nameless) right? But hey- it was unsweet tea! Does that matter? And they were there too... So I'm gonna go with it's ok... ;)

Chain reactions?

I've noticed something recently. Fitness seems to set off a chain reaction among people. A chain reaction of inspiration... ;)

Here's what I mean: One person in a little friend group gets serious, like actually stopping the talking and making actual changes, and seeing actual results, and suddenly others in te group start talking about it, and consider the same changes. 

Since I started crossfit in April, not only does my blog get updates, but two of my closest friends get almost daily "I'm dieing" texts and workout selfies, which are almost always followed with "just did a video- I gotta be skinny just like you" messages. Which I love, now, if only I could get them to crossfit... :)

I've noticed this not only with my close friends, but other people as well. At work,  this past year was a year of fitness among some teachers. We all watched as Deborah, (who I credit with part of my inspiration) shrunk before our eyes. She, with her inspiration pal Charity (and several others I'm sure!) set up gym routines, food things etc... (I'm sure she can fill you in on all the details... Maybe I'll try to convince her to do a guest blog or something...) Her changes are a big part of my inspiration. We have even gotten tentative plans to do some workout classes with Charity and Vachon over the the summer, which should be kinda exciting!

Another at work, Robinette (the sorta inspiration behind this post) has left behind what seems like over half of himself on his journey, (maybe another good one for a thought or two!) this morning his Facebook featured an update about his summer so far, and all his goals he is meeting and exceeding, and the comments flowed in, including around 30 messages of support, and 2-3 messages recognizing that his success, has inspired their journeys. 

If I could count how many times I've heard something along the lines "now I'm gonna have to start working, can't let you be the only one improving!" I've even kinda convinced Vachon to attempt crossfit. :) 

So I guess, basically, when people see others changing themselves with hard work and determination, it shows them that they are capable too. 

Somedays...

I feel like the WOD will end in my death. Today was one of those... But hey, I had a visitor waiting in the car for me! Even if he wasn't interested at all in taking a selfie! 

Also, Fridays WOD: 

I just did 30 of each, and little butt kicks instead of DUs... But I followed it with this, 

And I had a moment of pure insanity, cause by the time I got to the pool, I was no longer hot and sweaty, so I decided to do this poolside : http://www.fitsugar.com/10-Minute-Floor-Workout-Video-34287067 which was intense, and just enough to make that pool feel even more amazing. 

(I did the video again on Sunday with my cousin Michele, this is what ended up happening: 

I think I may have a crossfit puppy!)