Still drinking the Crossfit Kool-Aid

This weekend I was awarded, at my third Crossfit Prom, with the honor of “Resident Crossfit Kool-Aid Kid”, after last year winning the “Transformation Award”, and the year before being recognized for a major PR moment over the year.

It was really such an honor because the past year I feel that I have grown a lot in my Crossfit life, setting some priority goals, and changing up my programming. Despite working out in the back of the gym away from the traditional classes, I sometimes felt removed from the team, but I still did my best to encourage, motivate and inspire.

And even though I didn’t feel that I was as active of a participant in doing that as I wanted to, it meant so much to be that people acknowledge that I do still live and breathe Crossfit, and hope to share that and continue to inspire others!

Looking back over the past two years (my first “prom” was only a couple of months after I joined the box), it is quite interesting to take a step back and feel the nostalgia of looking at where I came from and where I am now. If you’ve never done this – it’s often a quite exciting exercises, not seeing day-to-day changes but you may not even recognize the old you.

If you never heard my story on how I got started with Crossfit, it was a series of chance events.

My boyfriend of the time sent me this article early 2012. Staci probably thinks I’m a creep cause I obsess over that article because it changed my life. I read it, got offended that it was suggested that I needed to workout (because at 119# and could eat whatever I wanted – why would I need fitness?), then realized I wanted to be just like her.

I wanted to gain weight. I wanted to look strong.

Fast forward to July 2013 when the boyfriend of the time was flipping through channels and stumbled upon the Crossfit Games.

I. Was. In. Awe.

I had never been drawn to sports; never was athletic and never admired any female athletes. But I wanted to be just like them. I wanted those arms and abs and big legs and just wow. I wanted to do those things they were doing, even though the most weight I had ever lifted overhead was 55# and my heaviest deadlift was 155# and I had never even heard of a snatch or kipping pull-up or what a WOD was.

Months later after I had just about forgotten about the sport of fitness, a Groupon deal popped up in my email for, of course, Crossfit. I bought the deal, died during On Ramp, signed up just before Christmas, and… here I am.

In looking back at some old posts, it was just fun to make a little comparison of my journey.

34 months ago this was me. I had been following New Rules of Lifting for Women for a while and was branching out into a strict lifting program – Stronglifts 5×5. I LOVED this picture; loved how strong I felt, and how strong my back looked. I loved that now I was getting some muscles in my arms and wanted to show them off everywhere.

It’s all about perspective. Now, I have a little bit more of a back.. and a little bit less loose-fitted clothing..

I clearly remember when I got my first strict pull-up..

And now I have done them with weight!

In 2013, I attempted a workout with a 12:00 timecap that started with 150 wall balls. Repeating it twice, I never was able to make it beyond the wall balls.

This year, I did a competition and crushed my hatred of wall balls, PRing my unbroken wall balls and at a later date PRing “Karen.”

I used to struggle with cleans..

And sometimes I still struggle, but had the confidence to do a lifting meet..

One of my biggest defining moments in my Crossfit history, when I PRed my clean and jerk at 95# during the Open, despite a lot of emotions; you’ll have to read the post about it.

Not only can do jerk 95# quite well these days, I PRed recently almost being able to jerk body-weight overhead!

I remember when I hit my first big squat PR over bodyweight!

And while my squats are still in my suck-bucket, I am now able to do that weight for reps.

One time I tried to snatch 75#..

Now it’s a comfortable touch-and-go WOD weight..

I used to cover up a lot..

And now I embrace and love my body that happened as a side-effect of the work that I put in.

I think throwback pics are fun but also good to think of the throwback memories; how did you feel then vs how do you feel now?

I know I feel stronger, way more confident, way more in tune with my body and in a much better mental space in all aspects.

I feel more empowered, more comfortable in my own skin.

I love the new me, but wouldn’t have made it here if it wasn’t for the old me putting in the time and effort, and practicing patience.

Your turn..
How have you changed since you started Crossfit, or whatever fitness you do?
Do you often look back at where you used to be compared to now?