Lead a Fit and Healthy Life
crossfit
CrossFit Games Athlete: Gretchen Kittelberger Inspires Me
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Here are the top 3 women in the CrossFit Mid-Atlantic Regionals this past weekend. Christy Phillips, Jen Jones (top spot), Gretchen Kittelberger. All three shaped very differently, all three strong as hell, fit as hell, determined and focused! Notice how they aren’t bulky, man looking women but attractive, fit and strong. They all lift weights — a lot of weight lifted between them. It’s a good lesson for all of us women that strength training should be embraced, not run from because of the fear of getting bulky.
We can’t escape genetics – there are some things about our bodies that are simply not going to change but you can enhance and maintain them so they become an asset or something that lets you stand out from the crowd.
I love Gretchen K. I have met her a few times – she’s always so nice and friendly and now that she remembers me– happy to stop and chat. I also like her a lot because I have a similiar body shape. Broad shoulders, big arms, smaller hips. We can’t change that – sometimes I wish I was thin and willowy, but that wasn’t in the cards for me. I have spent way too many hours of my life wishing I looked a different way. She inspires me because in the end - she is who she is and she is strong, pretty and works her ass off. Oh and did I mention she just passed the bar and is now a LAWYER!?
She has taken her broad shoulders and upper body and used it as an asset. No one would ever say oh man, she’s not fit. She is beyond fit and inspires me everyday to just accept the shape I was given and own it.
She probably has no idea she has helped me with that — but Thank YOU Gretchen!!! Good Luck at the Games — I am rooting for you!!!
I woke up today sore. My hamstrings and calves are yelling at me but I really wanted to work out today. Odd I know, but I was excited to get up and head out. I am not saying I wasn’t tired and it would have been easier to stay in bed because that would be a lie –
Warmup
50 Double Unders
Dynamic Stretching
Skill
Snatch – Ugh, Ugh, Ugh!!
WOD
18-15-12-9-6-3 rep rounds of:
Power snatch 95/65
Wallball shots (14lbs)
Knees to elbows
time: 19:24 RX
Life is so Short and Family so Important
01 week ago
This pic makes me smile. It’s my niece Amelia and Sis In Law, Janine. 2 people I would love to be able to spend more time with in my life. 
It’s hard when you live clear across the country. It’s definitely easier now with Skype but sad that I don’t get to be a regular part of their lives. Life is so short and family so important — Hannah’s 5 year plan to move out West is sounding more and more like the right thing to do.
But like everything else, it won’t happen sitting on my butt and wishing. It will take work, commitment and focus to make it happen. And it’s not just something I can do solo — it will take team to make it happen and that’s where the issue is. I am not sure everyone is on board with the plan.
The successful person makes a habit of doing what the failing person doesn’t like to do.
- Thomas Edison
Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Accordingly a genius is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework.
- Thomas Edison
In the realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm… in the real world all rests on perseverance.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Long shots do come in and hard work, dedication and perseverance will overcome almost any prejudice and open almost any door. John H. Johnson
Today’s workout was a good one. Deadlifts and Pull Ups, 2 moves I love! I love when I look at the workout for the day and smile because it’s going to focus on my strengths.
Warmup
1 lap
2x–
Inchworms
Bear Crawl
10 Squats
10 Push Ups
Skill
Rolling Out Hamstrings
Roman Deadlifts
WOD
It’s a Ladder!
15 DL
15 Pull Ups
12 DL
12 Pull Ups
9 DL
9 Pull Ups
6 DL
6 Pull Ups
3 DL
3 Pull Ups
Time: 7:57 at #155/#135
And if you want to know if I am sore from yesterday’s workout, the answer is YES! YES! YES!
Redefining You
01 week ago
I am so lucky to be able to give back to fellow athletes by leading the Whole Life Challenge efforts at my gym. 40 athletes are 17 days away from completing an 8 week total redefinition program — learning how to make the right choices and being present while making them.
The pic was taken this morning — both of these guys have put in the work and have lost a lot of weight. They look fantastic and both have said they feel even better! Their performance has improved and their overall quality of life is better. And that folks, is what it’s all about.
It’s not about winning the challenge, although that would be great. It’s about living a better life – They are able to do things they weren’t able to before and mentally, are stronger because of it. And I get to not only witness it, but have a hand in bringing the solution to them. I didn’t do the hard parts – they deservedly own that! But I get to help change people — How can you not feel great after that?
Today’s workout was one of those 5 rounders that you know will whip your ass and it did not disappoint.
Warmup
1 lap around bldg
General stretching
Skill
Double Under work
WOD
5 RFT
40 Double Unders
30 Box Jumps
20 KB Swings
22:04
I did the first 2 rounds with DUs, but switched to single jumps. I couldn’t breathe well and was struggling. Instead of stopping constantly – I did 120 single jumps, which trust me, whoops you too!
Make sure you go out there today and be active, walk, stretch, jog in place –whatever– Life is too short to not take care of yourself!
When You Need a Rest Day, Take It!
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I was beyond tired this morning, so I took a rest day. Gasp! Horror! You have to learn to listen to your body after all this time — and that’s what I did. I may go tonite if it works out.
I had a really great weekend hanging with people who love CrossFit as much as I do however, I had no down time, lots of commuting, noise, action. It was exhausting –and then I had to workout yesterday after seeing all the displays of amazing-ness so I did a WOD yesterday with my pals. I am officially tuckered out!
I have a bunch of planning to do this week — My brother is getting married in less than a month, so we are all heading out to SFran for a week of family time. Also, with the school year coming to a close, CAMPS need to be scheduled. I am way behind in doing this — so this week will be the week that gets done. It never ends — there is always something that needs to be taken care of, and most of it is in my head. I need to learn to organize it all.
Here’s an Obsessive- Compulsive’s Guide: Top 12 Organizing Tips, Plus Resources if you also need some help like me!! I wish there was a fairy that lived in my house that just did all the chores without me even asking — one can dream.
I didn’t have my good camera for the Mid-Atlantic Regionals because I was pretty busy volunteering but I did take some pretty decent pics — visit my Facebook page to see them. Now it’s time to focus on my day job –
Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Regionals
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I am really exhausted from this weekend, but not too tired to make sure to workout. I could not possibly watch all of those amazing athletes at the Regionals and NOT workout. Colleen and Kim M. met me there and we created a different type of WOD. It was amazingly tough!
WOD
15m AMRAP
- 5 Wood Chops 20lb Dynamax ball
- 10 Slam Balls
- 10 OHS 55*
- 100m run
total=6+1
I had such fun at the regionals – I met some really nice people, got inspired by some really amazing athletes, saw some amazing displays of strength physically and mentally, and just felt like a part of the community. And I worked my butt off for Free! Volunteering is no joke for these things.
The hardest working folks though at the Games were the camera team. They didn’t get much of a break and had to be there for every heat, every moment. Those guys deserve a ton of credit and hope they get paid a lot of cash!
CrossFit: Mid-Atlantic Regionals
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Here I am at the Mid-Atlantic Regionals with Greg Glassman, founder of CrossFit. Very nice guy, approachable and seems like a down to Earth guy. We chatted a bit about an idea I have. It was pretty cool.
I am off for Day 2 of volunteering today — I am having fun and meeting a ton of people in the community. It’s a fun day.
Change the Voices in Your Head – Start Today!
12 weeks ago
I coached my first adult CF class solo this AM – rockin the red coaches shirt. It was fun and what was even better was that I could have a cup of coffee before I went! Whoo hoo – that was a treat.
Last night, I was talking to one of the CFI Whole Life Challengers who is down about 10 or so pounds. She steps on the scale every day and is finding herself discouraged. I wanted to slap her — Seriously! If you look at her, she looks slimmer and no matter what the scale says — she has changed.
I was talking to her about what success means to her in this challenge. What is her metric? If it’s a number on the scale — then so be it but based on my experience – that is not what you strive for. You strive to LIVE better. FEEL better. BE better. It’s not a number on a scale, at least its not for me.
I asked her why she would step on something EVERY DAY that makes her feel less than she is. It may never show the number you want it to in your head, but does that mean you are worth less or have not worked hard enough? That’s a question for you to answer on your own. Maybe you haven’t really put in the work and it reflects in the number but maybe you have and the number still isn’t there. So What? It doesn’t negate the work you have done.
Why are we programmed like this? Why do we believe that a number defines us? We could feel great one minute, step on the scale and in an instant we are experiencing defeat. Don’t give that scale the power.
And while I am at it – why do we NOT believe people closest to us? Your friends, fellow challengers, family are telling you they see a difference — but we don’t believe them. Are they intentionally lying to us? Why would they lie to us? Is it because they don’t want to hurt our feelings or kill our spirit as we head down our fitness journey? For the most part, I highly doubt it. They are supportive and want to acknowledge the changes they see — Learn to accept their praise, their encouragement, their rah rah attitude and use it to propel you further. And use it to combat the voices in your head trying to make you believe you aren’t worth it, you aren’t good enough, you haven’t done your part — Those voices in your head need to be changed — so start today!
CrossFit: Quick and Dirty WOD
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It was a quick and dirty workout this AM. And I will be coaching the 6A class tomorrow so it will be considered my rest day –
WarmUp
5m Double Under practice
Mobility/Stretching
Skill
KB Swings
WOD
5 Rounds:
20 KB Swings (1 pood)
10 Jumping Lunges (total, i.e. 5 each leg)
5:27m
Post WOD
Stretching
And then I did my negative pull up work to help with my Dead Hang Pull Up skill for the month. 10 Negative Pull Ups! Yowsa!
The Amanda Miller Memorial WOD
02 weeks ago
As a person who has seen first hand what cancer can do to someone you love and to the people around them, I am uber sensitive to fundraisers and other events that help to raise more awareness of cancer causes but even more so about bringing to light the amazing people cancer has taken from the world.
Meet Amanda Miller. They have created a workout to honor her and raise money and awareness for childhood cancer. What a great way to honor someone…
Amanda Miller competed in the 2009 CrossFit games and sadly, lost her battle with cancer less than one year later.
In 2010, the first WOD of the 2010 Games was dedicated to her and now “Amanda” is known as one of the gold-standard for fitness and tenacity in all of CrossFit.
This single-wod, online competition allows athletes to train for and compete in a workout that raises awareness of cancer in children, and to attack a workout that is difficult and extremely challenging, with the same fight, tenacity and determination that Amanda Miller brought to everything she did.
She also kept a blog about her journey:
Be Active In Your Food Choices
02 weeks ago
Yesterday at work – we celebrated fellow employee birthdays for the month of May. Normally they have cake or cupcakes and I show up, give my happy birthday wishes and that’s it. But yesterday, they had Carvel Ice Cream cake. For those that know me well – they know that is my all time favorite treat. I get it for my birthday EVERY year — it reminds me of growing up and just is for me, the ultimate dessert/comfort food. So really, how could I not have some?
The key though is I chose to have some and enjoy it. I didn’t just mindlessly eat it. I enjoyed it and moved on. That’s the key to eating healthy -Being active in your decisions. You don’t have to go without treats for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. You can enjoy it when its worth it and be in the present when deciding if it’s worth it.
Today’s workout was a good one. I really liked it!
Warmup
1 lap jog
General Stretching
Mobility for Arms/Shoulders (PNF Stretching)
Skill
Thruster
WOD
As many rounds as possible in 12 mins of:
3 Thrusters 95/65#
9 Pull-up (strict)s or Ring Rows if you can’t do strict. NO BANDS
12 Double Unders
Total: 7
I am frustrated with pull ups. I can do 1 dead hang pull up but then I fail. So one of my pals, Wes and I decided that we are going to pick a skill for each month and work on it extra. Mine this month is Pull Ups. I am going to work on getting multiple PUs. Coach Nick suggested I do some negative Pull Ups, where I start in the Pull Up and slowly release it to the end.
Wes is going to work on getting strict Muscle Ups. Coach Nick also got in on the deal and will work on Pistols. A new skill each month. What are you going to work on?
