I’m loving learning to push my body to excel. Which is very outside the norm for me. I’ve never been much of an athlete. I even harbored a serious dislike for PE when I was in school. But now, in my 50’s I’m enjoying the physicality of fitness training.
As you may remember, I’ve started doing CrossFit. Don’t worry; I have no desire to become a competitor. Still, I have developed a small addiction/obsession around my workouts. For example, I find that I don’t really like “rest days” (days when I’m not supposed to workout), even though my body needs them. And a few nights ago, I actually dreamed about working out. All. Night. Long.
Yes, I get sore, achy and tired after a WOD. But that’s nothing new. I was sore, achy and tired before I started going to the gym. But I was also more than 20 pounds heavier and WAY out of shape. I couldn’t have completed a WOD when I started my fitness program back in January. So far, I have completed every WOD, even though I still use modifications for various exercises. And I’m still usually last. But that’s ok; last place gets the most cheers and encouragement from everyone else!
I have some short-term goals regarding CrossFit:
- Complete 10 actual Burpees in a row, without stopping or cheating/modifying.
- Do 1 actual, real Handstand Pushup.
- RX an entire WOD.
In order to do the first one, I have to get better at doing Burpees, which means I need to do one or more actual Burpees. With a full pushup. From my toes. Not gonna lie: it won’t be easy. And I hate doing the damn things. Still, I’ll ring the bell when I get more than 2 in a row.
I have no idea how I’m going to get to the second one. At the moment, simple handstands are beyond my (current) ability. Hell, some days I have trouble standing on my feet! Guess I should start doing more regular pushups, and lifting more over my head.
The third one is a stretch goal, but one that I am confident I will achieve within the next 6 months. And I’ll ring that bell then, too!
Now, if only I could get my eating under control, the weight would come off faster. I’m getting tired of this effing plateau. Almost 2 months I’ve been stuck here at this weight. I had lost 2 more pounds, but then I found it again the next day. It’s very frustrating sometimes. But I can’t get mad at the results I don’t see for the work I don’t do. Guess it’s time to step it up again.
In other news…
I bought a new pair of gym shoes. They aren’t the color combo I would have preferred, but for some stupid reason, these were about half the price of the pair in the colors I wanted. So, pink and purple it is, then. For a few months, at least.
And I’ve gotta tell ya! Wore the new shoes to my CrossFit workout today, and they really improved my performance! (j/k)
And what is up with sports gear companies? Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find workout clothes, shoes and gear that:
- fit (I’m short, overweight, and chesty)
- look decent
- are affordable
I couldn’t even find a decent pair of lifting gloves that fit. I was advised to look for “full finger” gloves, since my fingers are short. They would provide better grip on the bars than the usual half-finger gloves. One pair I tried, the fingers were too long, but they were so tight I had trouble getting them on all the way and bending my fingers. And most of them are black. Where are the fun colors? Same with sports bras. Really, people! Women with boobs bigger than 38DD do workout, and want better support. Bouncing those things around for an hour can hurt.
I was standing in the checkout line at another store, and there was a copy of one of those tabloids on the rack next to me. There were several photographs of various celebrities (mostly in swimsuits), and the headline was something along the line of “Worst Beach Bodies”. The photos were mostly women who were deemed “too fat”, plus a couple who were described as “too thin”, and one who was “wrinkly”. When will the body-shaming stop?! Why are women subjected to this constant barrage of criticism about how we look, and how our bodies are shaped? And if we don’t happen to conform to society’s norms for body shape, it’s really difficult to find clothes that look good on us, and fit right off the rack.
Interestingly enough, I was driving home shortly after seeing that cover, and I heard a fun song on the radio:
Must say, I LOVE this song! Such a great, fun, affirming song full of powerful messages for women (and girls). And just because I’m working out, that doesn’t mean that my body is “perfect” according to our societal standards. Far from it. Still, it’s a strong body, and getting stronger and healthier every day. My main aim for working out is to be healthier and stronger in general, with more energy and stamina as bonuses. I don’t think I’ll ever look like I did before college, and I’m okay with that. After all, that was 30 years ago. I’m a different person now, and my body shows it.
Be proud of who you are, and what you can do. Be confident that you can do whatever you determine for yourself. Love yourself. Love your body. Don’t be a robot. Do what brings you joy. Then go and tell the world about it.
