It’s been well over two years since I’ve written one of these posts, so I figure it’s time. The truth is, I haven’t written a post because I lost my way for quite awhile. In fact, I’d all but fallen off the wagon for the better part of the last year and a half. I’m not sure if it qualifies as falling off the wagon because I’ve always tried to watch what I eat, but the lack of exercise and increase in exploring the restaurants of Seattle was a far cry from what I was doing in Virginia. If I’m honest, I got to a point where the sweater I wore to interview at Amazon no longer fit.
When Melissa left for the east coast, I decided it was time to make a serious adjustment to my routine. Eating out and drinking at home would all but disappear, so I wanted to push myself a few steps farther by getting into an exercise program. I’ve tried many things over the years to varying degrees of success. From biking to lifting, I would stick with things until I hit a plateau. I like those things, especially road cycling, but what I’ve since realized is that I got bored and/or lost motivation because I was doing it alone. Enter Crossfit Interbay (CFIB).
Make no mistake, Crossfit is a fad. It’s one of the latest additions in a long line of exercise regimes that the general public obsesses over. I know this and I was somewhat hesitant to try it because if anyone dislikes fads, it’s me. There are people whose physical fitness commitments I respect that enjoy Crossfit, so I decided to look into it with an open mind. Reading more about it, I was instantly attracted to the fact that many Crossfit participants speak highly of the sense of community. Living alone in a new city and understanding my challenges with going it alone, I was immediately attracted to the reviews of CFIB I read on Yelp.
Crossfit is every bit as intimidating and intense as it seems. I have never sweat, hurt or hated so much than I have during and the days after Crossfit workouts. Why do it? Two reasons: measurable results and supportive people.
I still have a long way to go, but I honestly believe I’m in the best shape I’ve been in 15 years. I weighed less in college (not by much), but my flexibility, strength and… firmness… are at the highest they’ve ever been. I look in the mirror and I see someone who visually looks strong. I’ve also noticed though every day activities, like playing with my nieces, that physical activity is just plain easier. To be clear, nearly all of the men and most of the women at CFIB still blow me away in strength, but I’m the best I’ve been.
Then there are the people. You might think working out with a bunch of ridiculously fit people would be scary. You know what? It is. You can’t help but question yourself when women six inches shorter than you and half your weight are deadlifting twice as much as you. The amazing thing about the people I’ve met is they take every opportunity to encourage you to be the best you can be. It’s not about who can lift more, run faster or being the most bad ass person in the gym… it’s about being the most bad ass person you can be. Despite being extremely self-conscious, people have made it as comfortable and rewarding as possible by introducing themselves, cheering me on and praising me for pushing myself. I still don’t feel like I fit in, but that’s about overcoming 25 years of being overweight and not anything they’ve done. Really, I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive community.
In addition to these changes, I’ve also made some adjustments not related to diet and exercise. I have bad joints, I sleep terribly and my triglycerides are entirely too high. What good is getting in shape when you’re killing yourself other ways? To address these issues, I’ve made the following changes in my life.
- No caffeine after 4 pm
- No electronics in the bedroom, including the television
- Minimize cheese and breads (e.g. make conscious choices to avoid them, including none in the house)
- Eat organic and reduce gluten (without obsessing over it)
- Eat dinners that are mostly lean protein and leafy vegetables
- Drink alcohol only when out with friends on the weekend
- Supplement with fish oil and Glucosamine Chondroitin (the evidence is weak here, but it’s working [as a placebo?])
Does any single one of these make a difference? Perhaps not… but the combination of them has me feeling good AND feeling good about my choices. Combine these efforts with rigorous, satisfying exercise three times a week and you have a Chris who is feeling the best he’s felt in a long, long time. I really feel like I’m on the path to a better me.
The best news of all is, about five days from now, Melissa will be home for five weeks. 🙂
Life is good.
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