Now that I can run a mile, I need to get my first 5K on the books.
I hate running.
Crossfit has made me believe I can actually do this.
I hate running.
My coaches think I'm ready.
I hate running.
I think I'm ready.
I hate running.
I need to sign up.
I hate running.
Who's with me?!
I hate running.

Here's a list of things I wanted after I finished my Turkey Chili this evening...

Turkey Chili that I BURNT yesterday.

Now, I'm no Betty Crocker, but I'd consider myself a pretty darn good cook. I never burn anything. I BURNT my double batch of turkey chili...and I still ate it. I blame my mother. She would eat the applies that had 11 bruises, "Just eat around them!" She would cut the mold off cheese, "What?! It's made of mold Katie. You just cut it right off." When she burnt our toast she's scrape off the burnt part. I mean, waste an entire piece of bread?! Blasphemy! The woman made us eat a Price Club (it was Price Club before it was Costco. Get with the program People) sized box of Kix. Everyday. For months. "I'm not buying any more cereal until you finish these Kix." I've never eat so much as 1 Kick since. Thanks for ruining Kix forever Mother.
So, as I drained off the burnt part of my chili...I don't even think that's possible but I tried it, my mother's voice rang in my head.

Moving on...

Here's what I wanted after my dinner:
But guess what...no cake mix, couldn't make it.

No cute chocolate wafers.
No Rice Krispies. No marshmallows. No sprinkles.


I don't have shit in my house as far as sweets go. So...wanna see my after dinner treat?!
Yeah, that's right. A lifesaver. No cake. No Rice Krispy Treats. No chocolate wafer goodness.

I know my ass thanks you but I say, "Screw you Lifesavers. I want some good ol fashioned refined sugar!"

If you are the person who can "stick to it" during the holidays, 2 things...
1. I hate you.
2. How, oh how do you do this?

I mean, for me...
No person could convince me not to eat mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving...or stuffing, possibly my favorite food in the world.

Yes, I ate stuffing on Thanksgiving and turkey and mashed potatoes.

BUT...
I skipped the thousands of calories worth of sweets that I usually stuff in my face.

I have learned, during this journey, that NOTHING packs weight onto my body faster than sugar.

I didn't do perfect. I drank and ate and I didn't work out...ekk, that was the worst part. I hang my head in shame.

I did skip almost all of the sweets though. I know, I know, I'm not looking for a medal...well maybe a tiny one. What?! Just say no to sugar...SO HARD FOR ME!


So here are my mini-goals to complete before the end of the holiday season:
1. Drink a TON of water. 8 glasses a day.
2. Find the Crossfit in Durango so I can keep up with my workouts in CO.
3. Only drink 1/2 of the Black Box* instead of the whole thing over the course of the week...I kid, I kid...I think ;)
4. Curb the sweets. I can't say none at all because that will make me too sad. But I can certainly stay far away.
5. Go sledding and running and playing with my family...lots of calories to burn!

*Yes this is boxed wine but don't hate. Try it. It's super good wine. Mmm, Black Box Cabernet. Yummo.

Yeah for the Christmas season and non-food deliciousness:

Christmas Lights

Christmas Tree Smell

Family Time

Snowballs and Sledding

Do you ever try on your pants and realize that you're fat?
So, you start working out and eating right, hard core. Gettin' your ass to the gym, lean protein, lots of veggies, lots of water and then...and then nothing happens?

Or you lose 1 lb?
Or, worse, you GAIN weight?

MOST FRUSTRATING FEELING EVER.

So, you say, "Eff it, I'll be fat. My body just wants me to be fat cause it doesn't like losing weight."

And a few days later you cry, cause you re-realize you're fat and you can't just wish yourself thin.

Oh yes, I have been there.

Progress is so slow it seems non-existant. But, guess what...you're changing. It's happening. I found this quote and I think it's such a good reminder that although progress is slow, you're still progressing.
So...I say, stick with it. Give it 12 weeks.

Not to disappoint my faithful followers (thanks Dad and Best Friend) but this blog won't be quite as self deprecating as most.

Why?

I am.

So, here's why I'm so kick ass.

I didn't go to the gym on Thursday. That's all a story for another blog entitled...well I'm still deciding between titles:
"10 Reasons Car Maintenance is Important"
"Why the !@#$ Am I Not Married Yet?!"
"Thank You Dad for Saving My Ass for the 10 Millionth Time"

Moving on. I didn't go to the gym on Thursday.

So, on Saturday when Derek and Boomer told me we were running...a post I read while I was on glass #4 of wine, I wasn't especially excited.

In fact I believe my exact words to my friends as I read were, "Seriously, this guy is a sadist. As if running isn't enough he wants us to do it at 6:30 in the GD morning ON A SATURDAY and as if to throw it in our faces he doesn't even break a sweat and runs twice as fast." I don't wanna go.

I went. I was late.

But...

I ran a mile without stopping.

I sprinted 12 100s...ok, I'm not that fast...ok, I'm way behind everyone. But I did it.

Then, I went to Crossfit 480.

We did a bunch of explosive lift-the-bar-over-your-head movements. I don't know all the names but I remember there was a Snatch in there which, I'm sorry, but every time someone says I feel like a 13 year old boy snickering because someone just said that.

Anyway, lots of those...done.


THEN, I stayed for the other workout.

500 meter row
25 Thrusters (life the bar over your head)...PS. Do you think someone gave these movements dirty names on purpose?!
30 Box Jumps
35...what was this? Something hard.
40 Sit-Ups
45 Air Squats
400 Meter Run

DONE. AND I kept up, on my time, with Mrs. Hot Gym Owner and Mr. Hot, Cut Boy. (I did need their encouragement A LOT on the last bit though. Thanks guys :) )

Oh did you think I meant in love with a man?! Ah, you young and naive readers, you ;)...but hopefully that's a soon-to-be-posted blog.

I have found a new love though...Spaghetti Squash. Why oh why didn't anyone introduce me to this deliciousness earlier?!

For those of you who have been living in a hole and have no idea what this amazing meal I speak of is, I give you "Spaghetti Squash for Dummies."

What is it?
It's squash (you know...of the ghord family, thinking pumpkins).

Why do they call it Spaghetti Squash?
After you cook it, the stuff inside (hmm, what's that stuff called? Looks like you're not the only dummies here :) ) comes out like strands of spaghetti.

Why is it awesome?
You eat it rather than pasta (no carbs, yahoo). It tastes amazing. It so versatile. You can put any kind of sauce on it.

How do you make it?
2. I put mine in a microwave-safe dish and put it in the zapper for 11 minutes (yeah, that's a long time).
2. Then I cut it length wise and use a fork to remove the strands.
3. I put red sauce on mine...with some meat (ground turkey) because I am a carnivore.


Enjoy...Delish.

The best part?
You can enjoy it without feeling guilty at all, or in my case without my coach giving me the What-the-!@#$-is-your-problem Eye.

Yesssss!

I have been doing the Crossfit 480/180 Challenge for 68 days...has it really only been SIXTY-EIGHT DAYS?!?!

Anyway I am learning so much along this journey. Here are the top 5 things I have learned so far.

5. It's a Team Effort
I can't say enough about having other people, the same people each time, work out with you. The people in my class are now my friends. We bitch (quietly so our trainers can't hear), we sweat, we work, we talk about our lives and (my personal favorite) we encourage each other.

4. Our Bodies have Rhythms
There are days where we are working hard not to STRUT around the gym, tapping everyone on the shoulder screaming, "Did you see that shit?! How awesome am I?" There are days that I look forward to going to CF480 all day. Then there are days that I need someone to scrape me off the floor after only doing 5 push-ups. My arms, my legs, my ass, my face...lead. The boys taught me...we all have rhythms and we just need to KEEP GOING.

3. When You're the Busiest is When it's MOST Important that You're There
It's no secret that I have my hands in a lot of pots at work. I say yes to way too many things and I have some perfectionist tendencies. It's right about...eh, 6 weeks ago, when I am super stressed at work, that I would have skipped the gym. There will ALWAYS be a reason not to go. Having CF480 and my class and my coaches give me a reason to go. Perhaps it's because I'm still a little scared of them but whatever it is...I get my ass there. In my world STRESS used to = me gaining weight. Not anymore.

2. I Still Hate Running
Yeah I'm way better at it than I was before...but it still sucks. Maybe next month I'll have magically been transformed into a runner...but you might want to exhale because I'm pretty sure there will be no miracles occurring tomorrow.

1. It NEVER Gets Easier, You Just Get Better
I posted this a long time ago but I have a secret...I totally didn't believe I actually would get better. I thought that was true for everyone else...but not me. Guess what kids?! It's true for all of us. Crossfit pushes me to my absolute limits everytime I go but each day I get stronger. I feel stronger. I can do more.


I'm kickin' ass and takin' names. Stay tuned for more progress.