Do you ever feel like you are working really hard and going no where? Naomi (Gnomes) and I were talking after the workout last night, and she said she feels like her progress has slowed a little lately. Melissa expressed similar feelings about her progress. I have certainly felt that way before; I'm pretty sure we all have. For me, it usually happens when I get too focused on what I have yet to achieve rather than on what I have already accomplished and how far I have come.
I thought we might focus today on how we have changed and how our lives have improved in recent months. Sometimes it helps to look back and celebrate accomplishments -- to take a mental break from staring at the next goal. So, take a peek in the rear view mirror. What's different about you now? Are you stronger? Faster? Happier? Do you sleep better? Do you show up at the gym several times each week and workout?
I'll start by listing a few changes in my life over the last few months:
- I launched this blog which has been a tremendous blessing in my life. It helps me so much to hear from all of you on a regular basis. And I discovered a knack for writing.
- I have made so many new friends since CFED opened on June 1. Rachel, Melissa, Miki, Marshall, Ashley, Myesha, and more.
- I am so much faster and getting faster every week. That sub-9 mile is just a matter of time.
- I am learning more about myself and why I struggle with emotional eating.
- I am much stronger and prove it every time we have a heavy lifting day at the gym.
Now it's your turn!
20 comments:
Thanks for the reminder Pat. I really struggle with this - but will think about some things I have accomplished recently. I struggle seeing everyone else imporve and I feel like I am getting weaker or not improving at all. Meeks and I used to finish workouts near the time and were doing jumping pull ups when the new gym opened, now she smokes me and has kipping pull ups - seems like I should be there by now too. I am using less weight than some newbies - and that frustrates me. Regardless of how fit they were when they started - I have been doing this over a year! (by the way, I am proud of Meeks and all the newbies, just wish I was there too)
Ok, enough of my pity party. Thanks for the post and the reminder...I will work on re-shaping my thinking habits.
Great idea Pat!
1. I too have made some great new friends, I think it is funny that before Crossfit I would go to the gym and briefly if it all talk with a few acquaintances and now I love going to the gym for the social aspect of it too!
2. My strength and speed have increased.
3. I feel more comfortable in my own skin, I think this blog and CFED have given me more confidence and I worry less.
4. That I have stuck with my education program I am in , it is not necessary that I continued and it won't help me get a better hygiene job, and it has been quite stressful and expensive, but I did not give up!
Good morning Gnomes! You need to give yourself a lot more credit than what you do! We all come from different strength and physical backgrounds. I know Meeks was an athlete before and that gives her advantages, muscle has memory. Maybe incorporating some more resistance training in your training may help, doing some dumb bell curls and kettle bell moves in your warm up and on off days. I have an extra kettle bell and kettle bell video if you would like to borrow it. I believe what we do at Crossfit is superior, but I do feel a little old fashion resistance training and kettlebell action will keep you strong too!
Good morning everyone. Gonomes, I feel the same way some days. I feel like I am getting weaker or just staying the same. I am usually stronger in the Weight workouts each time, but I still have the habit of comparing myself to everyone else, so I want to be stronger than everyone else. I know not coming to the gym for a week at a time hasn't helped me any. I know people are against the scale and I *try* not to put too much focus on it. I have just been getting frustrated. It seems the weeks that I work out 5-6 days, I always seem to gain weight. The weeks where I am sporatic or don't workout, I either stay the same or have a loss. I have gotten to the point that I don't think about coming to Crossfit as "How many calories am I going to burn?", which is good for me, but I still get frustrated.
I told Pat last night...people tell me not to weigh in, but I am a little scared NOT to weigh in at least once a week. I guess seeing a small gain most weeks reminds that I still need to make healthy choices when I eat. I'm afraid that if I don't have that acountability, or something that tells me "Hey, YOU'RE GAINING WEIGHT!!!!", then I'll weigh one day and find myself up in weight even more.
Anyhoo, so that's part of my funk I have been in lately, just frustrated.
So, for the good things since I started CFED...
1) I am stronger everytime there is a weight workout.
2) Most days I am breathing better than I have in the past.
3) I can run more than I used to.
4) I can do pull-ups.
5) I like the social aspect and friends I have made.
I think that's good for now. I'll check back later.
Melissa, I'm glad you shared with the group what you were telling me last night -- the frustration you have been feeling about your weight creeping up. I want everyone to feel free to share their struggles on this blog. If something is giving you a hard time, you need to be able to speak up about it. You have to find what works for you...if weighing everyweek is working for you, then keep doing it. But if it's not helping, try weighing less often or try changing the way you think about the scale and the number. I still weigh in most every week -- or certainly every other week because that works for me. But I have de-emphasized the importance of what the scale says. It's just one piece of feedback among many. It doesn't make me a good or bad person...it's just a measure of my weight at a given point in time. And when I weigh, if the number is up, sure I'm not happy about it--and if it's down, I'm thrilled, but I try not to give it more power over me by fixating on it--that's why I choose not to talk about it too much (or write about it)...because it gives it more power.
Be sure to check out the quote of the day on the CFED site if you haven't already. It's great!
I read that quote while I was eating my oatmeal this morning - I chewed it a little longer and enjoyed it a little more this morning.
Melissa - you are looking leaner for sure. You also seem to exude more confidence in the gym. As I said last night, your booty is looking good.
I am looking forward to getting over this sinus infection and really tackling the WODs. I am grateful that Shana made me workout last night, after I just wanted to go home after the warm-up. Baby steps I guess.
Thank you Gnomes. For some reason, I think taking time off has not necessarily made me care less, but has made me feel more relaxed about my performance maybe? Kind of like "It is what it is." At least I am getting the workout out done. I don't know, I just don't feel as frustrated as I used to with the workout itself or my performance. At least not for now.
Eh...I don't know.
Miki, what's up?
So, I just climbed down and back up 11 flights of stairs. I was out of breath on the 6th flight coming up. I think I will do this a minimum of twice a day, but will try for three times a day instead of taking the elevator. I think I feeel a bit nauseous at the moment. Bleh.
Good for you, Melissa.
Hey, Greeting from Scotland- I'm working on warming up again after my 2nd walk of the evening. It isn't working so well right now. Great Post today Pat C. If been struggling with the a feeling like many that I have hit a plateau in terms of performance and that my Zone eating plan while helping my overall feeling of good health is not helping me lose any lbs and my pants feel snug(I'm trying to swear off the scale so that's just how I feel). All that being said it helps to take a look back....It has been just over a year since I started training with Shana and 4 years since I started Sonz. In that time I have gone from completely out of shape to in shape. I now can do a pull-up and push-ups which I don't think I could even do when I was an athelete in high school. I have much less trouble with my knees (it is all relative :-)) I have managed to only have 2 diet cokes all week while I've been in Scotland!
Gnomes- you're doing awesome. Don't forget I had a couple of years head start on you at the other place! Imagine you're close to doing both a real push-up and a real pull-up!!!!
When I get back to town my goal is to count Zone blocks as much as possible for the next 3 weeks and see what happens. Also need to slowly return to running to get more metcom in the workouts. I think my pullups are much better but will also need to do more thrusters if I have a chance of breaking 15 min on Fran in 3 1/2 weeks at the end of the challenge.
Who's still reading?? I'm making up for lost days on the blog. Also Pat C. thank for the focus on emotional eating this week. I think many of us learned to use food to escape from emotions. Mine started as early as 4th grade. The weight is also something to hide behind so you don't have to expose yourself to the unknown. With some time on the "couch" and lots of reflection I am in a much better place now than I was 2 years ago. i understand a lot more about why I do what I do and am enjoying life. Bad coping habits still remain but I work to keep them in perspective. I'll have to get the G. Roth book. Thanks for putting all of this out there Pat. It has helped me to read it and I know it is helping others as well!
I read this blog often, but usually am a shy about posting. However, after reading this post, I have decided to make this a regular part of my day. I too have been feeling out of sorts. Crossfit is hard, and life is harder. I have actually gained 5 pounds since joining 6 weeks ago, and I feel as if I am stuck at a rest stop on my weight loss journey. After Angie, I was convinced I was destined to always be the last one to finish the WOD. It is nice to know that many of you have ups and downs, but can take the time to acknowledge your accomplishments.
I am amazed at how strong and fast the women of CFED are. you are AMAZING!! Pat, you inspire me each time you throw up 100+ pounds over your head like a pillow. Rae, you run like the wind. Meeks, you rock the pull-ups each week. Melissa, you never give up and ALWAYS exceed your own expectations for yourself (not to mention your perfect pushups). I hope you all know how inspirational you are to a newbie like me. =)
Myesha! Thanks for your comment. You are inspiring to all of us. It's hard to believe you just started this a few weeks ago! You are doing so well!
Maybe we're all just adjusting to the seasons changing. We've got to STAY positive, GIRLS!
It's amazing how much progress all of you have made and even more amazing how blind you all are to it.
I wish you all could see yourselves through my eyes. I VIVIDLY remember where you all started ...
Gnomes - just 6 months ago you had never done a 12# wall-ball shot. And I remember when you did "Garden Variety Gnomes" your ass was nowhere close to parallel. NOTHING compared to what I've seen recently.
Melissa - when you started with us, you puked more than any person I know. You can do unassisted pullups which less than 1% of the female adult population is able to do. And you have great plank pushups - something many women really struggle with.
PatC - your CrossFit total is enviable, you are now doing plank pushups and many of our clients want to know "what time did PatC get?" ... you're a rabbit!! You can do DOUBLE UNDERS!! Did you ever think???
Rae - you are SOO SOO SOOOO much stronger than when you started with us! I can hardly believe it... and you prove it to yourself every time you go back to GloboGym and do your bicep curls!
Myesha - you've been with us such a short time but you are so naturally strong and OMG your kipping pullup!!! Do you realize you did a whole wod on the blue band yesterday??? THE BLUE BAND!!!
AMAZING...
Meeks - hope you're having fun in Scotland. You're way leaner and faster than you were 5 months ago and your squats are looking fantastic.
There's more but I have to go to the gym to knock some sense into ya'lls heads.
Pefect post, Shana. And y'all she was not tolerating any nonsense at the gym tonight! So we all better perk up and be positive! =o)
Shana you crack me up " GloboGym" hilarious!!!!
I feel bad I didn't start tonights WOD on the big box, I was being just plain chicken, but I am thankful I got over it half way through probably thanks to a couple friendly "glances" from Shana as I jumped on the 24. Next time I will try to start with more confidence!
No turning back now, Rachel. We'll be on the 24" box from this point forward. Good for us.
Thank goodness Rx for FGB is only 20" !!
I miss Byron...
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