Monday, February 01, 2010

encouragement

It's doppelganger week on facebook. Here's my twin sista' from another mista'. Don't hate. You wish you could pass as the Green M&M! ha ha!

I learned some important lessons yesterday. Oddly enough, I feel good about yesterday's binge. I didn't feel gross or bloated and when I weighed myself this morning, I was within my normal range. I took this as a sign that the cheat and I were meant to be. Granted, I'm not planning on bingeing like that on a regular basis. But I needed to loosen up. My body demanded it from me and it responded by assuring me that bingeing didn't have to lead to suffering.

I feel very fortunate to have such amazing people in my life. When I'm down, there's always someone there to pick me up - even if I don't want them to. Don't believe me? Read yesterday's comments. It meant the world to me to hear from you. This challenge isn't easy. Challenges rarely are. However, I always feel blessed knowing that there are people in my life who stand by me - even when I don't have the strength to do so. Many thanks, my dear friends!

On that same note, I'd like to thank John W. for sending me this link. This totally made my day. To the gym ladies out there, this one is for you!
One Woman's Request

Don’t be nice to me. Not here, not in the gym. Not just because I’m a woman. You can be nice to me in the bar, on the street, in the library, at home. But in the gym I’m no longer your baby, your honey, or your sweetheart. I’m a woman in a CrossFit gym and I’m here to kick ass, not show mine.

In the gym, I’m about performance, not popularity. I’m about achievement, not appearance. I’m about strength, not sex.

Do you get that? Whether you’re my workout partner, my friend, my lover, or my coach, don’t suggest that I go easier, lighter, or with less fortitude than that of which I am capable. You’re not doing me any favors.

The gym is not a place to protect women, nor is it a place to worship them, but it is a place to exalt them. We could grow so much here. Help us to do so.

Help us to elevate ourselves by ourselves. Forget gallantry and remember weights. If our form is good on practice lifts, urge us to go heavier. Please. We often underestimate ourselves. That’s the difference between men and women in the gym. Most men overestimate what they can do, while most women underestimate what they can do. That’s where you can help us most when it comes time for the WOD. That’s where we really need you. Take that bravado and lend us a little. Tell us to go heavier, go faster, get meaner. We’ll look dismissive but we’ll take your words to heart. We will go heavier, go faster, and get meaner – at least with the weights.

Don’t baby us. Not in the gym. Not in words and not in demeanor. If you’re my coach, don’t you dare set out one WOD for the men and one WOD for the women. If my form is good, don’t you dare keep me at a light weight for months or years. Don’t you dare underestimate what my weight should be on the bar. I should know. I’m the one lifting it. And if I let you keep me down, then shame on me too.

My words may sound angry, but I am not. I am resolved. I want to be strong and to grow stronger. I just need your help in not giving me help. I need to stand on my own. Let me do that. Don’t be nice to me. Thank you.

(By Lisbeth Darsh/www.crossfitwatertown.com)

Today's Small Victories
1) I'm past my carbo load from yesterday. Actually, I feel good about it and am moving forward.

Warm-up
Prep for WOD.

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength:
Back squat 75% of 1 rep max 5/5/5/5
I did 135#

Press 75% of 1 rep max 3/3/3/3
I did 52#

Conditioning:
Run 400m/40 kettlebell swings 35#/40 box jumps 12"/Row 500m

Joanne's Final Time - 10:35

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I'm happy about my performance tonight. I still suck at box jumps, but I'm getting the hang of jumping on and off (as opposed to jumping on and stepping off). Box jumps get to my head. I know one day I'll go back to the red box. Right now, I'm not ready. I'm okay with that. I don't aspire to be Wonder Woman. I'm fine with simply being me.

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