why it's okay to be fat

Celebrating EVERY body,
the fierce fathlete

atb2: the thin commandments

I am beyond excited to announce that Darryl Roberts, director of America the Beautiful (ATB) is at it again. This October, Roberts will officially premiere America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments (ATB2). In case you don't remember, I wrote this post about ATB back in 2009. I'm glad that Roberts decided to pursue a follow-up to ATB. While I don't know Roberts personally, I did meet him at a screening and exchanged a few emails with him regarding his films. I consider him a kindred spirit of sorts. If I were a filmmaker, these are the types of films I'd be doing.

ATB2 addresses America's obsession with thinness. For a synopsis of ATB2, go here. It's definitely an issue that is near and dear to my heart, as I firmly believe that fat does not necessarily equal unhealthy and skinny doesn't necessarily equal healthy. Health is way more complex than that. I'm embarrassed for people whose understanding of health is a simplistic as this.

This brings me to a related issue. Recently, I was engaged in a conversation with someone about health and eating. In the course of our conversation, I shared that I've been actively working on changing my eating habits and such. I then admitted that on the road to healthy eating, I eat very little rice (as a Filipino, this deserves some major kudos), noodles, pasta, and bread. Though I follow a mostly primal menu, I still have my fair share of cravings for sweets. In particular, I have a weakness for dark chocolate. Granted, I'm not perfect. I like a sweet every now and again and as you may know, I'm a cupcake girl - especially with good company. There are different ways of understanding food. On one hand, food can be seen as fuel. On the other, food is part of a greater social experience. As an island girl, I have absolutely no objections to this second point. However, with my old age and state of health, I just can't have desserts the way that I used to. These days, I can literally feel my body swell with certain foods (especially anything cake-y or bread-y or rice-y or noodle-y or pasta-y). Though challenging at times, I try to monitor my sweet intake. As I was mentioning this, I was actually kind of proud of myself because compared to three years ago, I eat WAY less sweets and processed foods.

In this conversation about health and eating, this person proceeded to accuse me of being a junkie, and declared that I am addicted to sweets - especially dark chocolate. She then said that if I truly cared about my health, I needed to learn to handle my addiction.

(shaking head while resisting every urge to grab a machete to violently chop someone's head off) W.T.F. Really? ME? A junkie-dark chocolate-addict? Whoa.

Technically, I should brush this off my shoulders. For some reason, I can't. When she accused me of being a junkie, she made me feel like a half ton misanthrope who spends her nights alone in a corner hating life while diving in head first into vat of ice cream while violently chomping on an array of fast food from KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. She made me feel like a heartless barbarian who would give up a member of her own family for a slice of cheesecake. She made me feel like my eating habits are so out of control that I need to be locked up in an institution because I'm such a menace to society.... In short, she made me feel ugly and that I deserved to be a fat.

According to dictionary.com, the definition of addiction is as follows: the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma. For the record, I can assure you (and this person) that my days and weeks without dark chocolate or sweets does not cause me or anyone around me "severe trauma." Further, I'm not enslaved by my occasional desire for sweets or dark chocolate. While food addiction may be a reality for some, I'm positive that I do not fall in that category. Just because I value food and happen to be fat, doesn't mean I have an uncontrollable addiction to it.

Perhaps food isn't the issue at all. While I can't easily change someone's ignorant views on food and health. I can certainly be mindful and keep better company...

sifting through the bmi bullshit

I'm trying to follow the trail. It looks like it all starts with this article: Body Mass Index (BMI) Badly Flawed. It basically goes over why BMI = bullshit (something I learned a long time ago and was confirmed by one of my marathon coaches). This article then inspired this slideshow. This slideshow was mentioned in this post. This post referenced this article about Steven N. Blair, a health expert who is also considered fat (or a fathlete depending on how you frame it). Said post also refers to this article called Weight Index Doesn’t Tell the Whole Truth. Simply put, it reiterates the original article. (Sorry this is so confusing.) All those articles leads to this commentary: Fat and Health. My spider senses tell me that this is probably the passage that has gotten most people's feathers ruffled (Note: I do recommend you read the ENTIRE article and not just this excerpt):

Can you judge health with a naked eye? It’s true, you can’t. But let’s be honest, there’s not an epidemic of fat runners out there. Those people are outliers, and not everyone is an outlier. I’m with people who argue that we shouldn’t focus solely on weight in public health debates, and that we should be talking about eating better and exercising as a way to promote health without reinforcing, intentionally or not, the notion that some body types are better than others. But, by and large, (pardon the expression) weightier people suffer health problems that are well documented. It’s not that thin people are necessarily fit. It’s that America as a whole is unhealthy, and one of the ways we can document our decades-long decrease in activity is by documenting our expanding waistlines.

This now leads us to this last article: Fat and Health, A Response Again, I recommend that you read the whole article because it provides a thorough understanding about equating health and fat, body policing, fat hatred, "health" fallacies, etc. I could try to summarize the article, but that would mean I'm giving you permission to be lazy. Just feed your mind and read it.

There you have it. I hope you enjoyed sifting through the BMI bullshit.

Today's Small Victories
I've been sugar detoxing since Tuesday. I broke last night. But I'm back on track today. Yea.

Warm-up
Run 800 meters

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength:
Weighted Step-ups 4x8 (four sets of four steps on each leg) 75#

Conditioning:
Perform 150 push-ups (on knees) for time. You can rest in the plank position, but a break anywhere else within the movement constitutes a 150m row before you continue the push-ups

Joanne's Final Time - 22:30

Notes (to myself) about this workout: 150 push-ups?! I may have lost count, so it's give or take about 10 push-ups. To cope, I did this in sets of 10 with rowing in between. I feel fine right now. However, something tells me my upper body is going to ache tomorrow morning. Gah!

is strong the new skinny?

I'd like to thank Miss Lyn C. for posting this article on her FB page. In this post, the author asks, "Is strong the new skinny?" He then proceeds to call for women and the media to challenge the status quo and make strong the new skinny. I understand the author's point. Yes. Popular media is inundated with overly skinny women that look hungry and unhealthy. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to see a CrossFit body on a billboard, TV set, or movie screen. In fact, the author declares at the end of his post, "I wanna see a girl with some muscles in the Victoria’s Secret catalog in the next few years." I get it.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I commend what I believe to be is a genuine effort in wanting to re-vision women in popular media. However, as a scholar whose research focuses on beauty and body image, I would like to offer a critical take on the matter.

First off, to make this declaration by using the above photo is for me, inappropriate. If the author wants to change the status quo and make strong the new skinny, then I challenge him to show me what strong looks like. If this is his image of strong, all I'm reading is: BOOBS are the new BOOBS and these are the BOOBS I want to see in a Victoria's Secret catalog in the next few years. By the way, thanks to my friend for letting me use her BOOBS for this post. Something is wrong with the translation here.

Second, it is a historical fact that by and large, men have controlled popular media. (There is a plethora of knowledge out there that addresses this. For now, I say start with Naomi Wolf's book. If you're looking for something riveting to watch, check out America the Beautiful by Darryl Roberts. When you're done, email me and I'll suggest more titles.) Therefore, those images of skinny women that the male author is complaining about are created by men. Just like him (um, but with lots of money and power to boot). Unfortunately, there is this thing called patriarchy that never really left. Believe me, if I had the choice, the last thing I resort to as a source of inspiration is a starving model - but that's just me and my harsh judgement calls and bitter envy (but not really). It's also a symptom of a society that pretends to care about what women want and need, yet fail to simply ask women what these wants and needs are.

Third, I really like that the author posted his source of inspiration. Those women in the video really are bad ass. No joke. I can see why he calls for a revision of the current beauty standards that are so popular today. I guess I may have to take back my earlier comment (but not really; I stand by my BOOBIE defense). However, I'm always hesitant when people propose to replace one standard of beauty with yet another standard of beauty (regardless of how well meaning it is). In all seriousness, do we really need this replacement? Does this actually help women progress? In his film, Roberts asks a similar question. My personal answer is no. I do not think replacing one standard of beauty for another one is helpful. Beauty standards exist so that those in power maintain their power. (It's that whole patriarchy thing again.) It has always been my fantasy that beauty standards do not exist at all. That we embrace women (and men and everything in between) exactly as we are. That is the revolution that I would like to take part in. I would give my life for that cause.

This leads me to my fourth point. I commend the author for wanting to "FUCK THE STATUS QUO!" However, to do so would entail re-visioning how we understand women and media imagery. Unfortunately, women are judged by their bodies - skinny, muscular, fat, ugly, pretty, etc. At no point does the author express actually getting to know women beyond our bodies. This is the part that bothers me the most. The core of a woman is not reflected in her body. Rather, it is in her mind, her desires, how she treats others, what she contributes to the world, etc. If we want to "FUCK THE STATUS QUO!"I highly recommend that we start by understanding that a woman should not be defined by her body alone. This applies in the CrossFit sense. When I think of the various CrossFit she-roes in my life, they are my role models because of what they can do, how their amazing presence enriches my life, and how they push me to be a better person. I adore these women because who they are is beyond what their bodies look like.

Finally, I understand the author is a guy. He's going to want a Victoria's Secret catalog that fits his personal taste. Fine. I'll give him that. (In all seriousness... am I really supposed to glorify his post when the author's ultimate desire is to re-define lingerie models?! [insert image of me rolling my eyes followed by head shaking in disbelief]) However, I would like to declare that as a self-proclaimed strong and sexy woman, I have never felt the need to find approval and self confidence in the pages of a Victoria's Secret catalog. Any company that does not have the sense to carry my bra size is not worth my time. Further, I've never needed Miss Victoria's permission to prance around in my sexy underwear.

I determine my sexy.
I determine my strength.
I determine my value.
I define my limits.
This is how I "FUCK THE STATUS QUO!" I invite everyone to exercise the same liberties.
[end rant]


Moving on, here are some articles I though you'd be interested in:
25 Best Nutrition Secrets
Retro Workouts That Still Work

Today's Small Victories
I'm really glad I wrote today's post!

Warm-up
THREE rounds of:
10 OHS
10 push-ups
10 AbMat sit-ups
10 shoulder rolls
250 meter row

CrossFit One World WOD
Complete the following for time:
10 squat cleans 65#
10 jumping pull-ups
100m run
9 squat cleans 65#
9 jumping pull-ups
100m run
.
.
.
1 squat clean
1 jumping pull-up
100m run

Joanne's Final Time - 23:53

Notes (to myself) about this workout: This WOD sucked. I really need to work on those pull-ups!

fit for all

This is what I wish the Dove ad looked like (but with some shades of caramel and chocolate thrown in... just sayin'). I stumbled upon this image from a website called Club Round Clubhouse For Round People - Big Beautiful Women (BBW), Big Handsome Men (BHM), and Admirers.  That's pretty awesome!

Admittedly, being fat and fit is a constant struggle for me. In many ways, I'm the poster child for all those anti-fat people because well, I'm fat. I have type II diabetes. The combination alone makes me responsible for all the ills of the country's health problems. Though I CrossFit, eat as healthy as I can, and handle my diabetes, all this is cancelled out because I'm fat. I can't say blame anti-fat people for their ignorance. If I spent my life in constant hunger, hating food and the people who love to eat, I'd be anti-fat too! However, as the goddess of this blog, I have always been a proponent of health at every size. This is why I feel compelled to share a few things with you. This story, which addresses the age old can you be fat and fit question was just posted on yahoo news. In short, the answer is yes. You can be fat and fit (eat that anti-fat folks). You can also be thin and unhealthy. I've heard the term skinny fat before, but the article describes such people as "lean obese."

Another article of interest is this one from the Huffington Post. It goes over why cheap food (such as those $1 value meals at your local fast food joint) will actually cost you more money in the long run. The points in the article make a lot of sense. Though I'm guilty of indulging in a $1 meal or two, I've recently tried to come up with strategies to avoid the fast food rut. Don't laugh. But when faced with desires to visit the golden arches, I say this to myself: I will not eat my own oppression. Meaning, I will no longer contribute to my slow death. Surprisingly, it works.

Today's Small Victories
Of course, I made it to the gym. Also, I've been doing really great at consuming those green smoothies!

Warm-up
Three rounds of:
Run 200 meters
15 jump squats (um, yeah, give or take a few of those jump squats)

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength:
Press 5x5 at 65#

Conditioning:
One cycle is three rounds for time of:
3 front squats 95#
6 clapping push-ups (modified)
9 knees to elbows (modified)
Rest 90 seconds and repeat for a total of three cycles.

Joanne's Final Time - 3:46 / 4:06 / 4:16

Notes (to myself) about this workout: The press was challenging, but I'm getting used to the hip swing to help drive the weight up. In terms of the conditioning portion, I hate clapping push-ups (or any other exercise that reminds me that the girls weigh me down way too much). My main goal was to lift some good weight on the front squat, which I did. My other goal was to make sure I held on to the bar for the knees to elbows. I can't quite get my knees to my elbows (because my tummy is in my way), but gripping the bar is a big thing for me. A year or so ago I could hardly do these!

water bottles

Big thanks to Chris S. for posting this. My favorite water bottles are by kleen kanteen. I like the variety of sizes, colors, and the wider mouth. It makes it easy to clean! Plus, you don't get that nasty taste. I have two of them, the 27 oz for my gym bag and the 12 oz for my purse. I used to be big on plastic water bottles, but when I visualized all the waste, I decided to go stainless steel. These days, I'll use one plastic bottle at best (in case of emergency). I'm sure the environment has been better because of it.

Articles of interest:
Eight Foods that Fight Stress
Beaming Obama Signs Historic $938 Billion Overhaul
The Final Health Care Vote and What it Really Means
Exercise Can Help Prevent Weight Gain, But It Won't Be Easy
It breaks my hear that now even babies can't be fat! Here's the article: That cute chubby baby? It might be a problem that he's fat

Here's some feel-good stuff:
101 small pleasures you can enjoy every day
5 habits of happy people even the biggest grump can borrow

This is just pure hi-larity!
10 THINGS THAT SHOULD WARRANT AN ASS KICKING

Today's Small Victories
1) I was 100% primal. Admittedly, when not in challenge mode, bad food manages to make its way into my system. But not today. Oh no. Not today.

Warm-up
40%/50%/60% of working one rep max for press (68#). To avoid confusion with bars and such, I did 33#/35#/43#

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength: Press

Set #1 is 3 reps @ 70% of your "working" one rep max. (48#)
Set #2 is 3 reps @ 80% (55#)
Set #3 is 3 reps (or more) @ 90% (63# x 5)

Conditioning:
After sufficient rest from the strength workout, complete each of the following tasks for time (in any order). Rest as needed between efforts

Run 400m for time.
100 dumbbell shoulder to overhead in any manner (W:15#) for time. Stopping for longer than 3 seconds or putting the dumbbells on the ground constitutes a 100m run penalty (1600m cap). Add all penalties up at end and run the accumulative distance at one time upon completion of training. (Around the block at One World is 1600m...more or less.)

Joanne's Final Time:
Run - 2:08
Dumbell portion - 4:00
WOD - 6:37

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I'm still adjusting to the strength portion. I hate working with dumbells. Bleh.

get your bra on!

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know that I'm a HUGE proponent of getting a proper bra fitting and wearing appropriate support gear. You just need to. In fact, when people sign up for gym memberships (yes, CrossFit included), I strongly believe that there should be a conversation about gear - especially about sports bras. Granted, I'm sure the guys LOVE watching the ladies bounce around in all sorts of ways. However, I'm talking about sports bras as a health issue. Proper support is important. I urge ALL WOMEN to get a bra fitting and find out what bras are best for you and your workouts.

With that, I wanted to let you know that Nordstrom in Valley Fair is hosting a Komen event this Friday and Saturday. All you have to do is come in and get a professional bra fitting. I swear by the Nordstrom specialists! When you decide to buy a bra from a participating brand, Nordstrom will donate $2 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for every bra you buy! Some of the brands include: Calvin Klein, Chantelle, DKNY, Wacoal, and a slew of others! For more information, call the lingerie department at Nordstrom Valley fair at (408) 248-2180 ext 1240. Please note that different stores have different dates for this event. If you can't make it to Valley Fair, I suggest calling your local Nordstrom to find out when their Komen event is.

Here is what's going on in some fashion news... as always, the fat vs. thin debate is always heating up - especially with Fashion Week around. It looks like Paris has done some interesting things in trying to diversify. I have lots to say, but I'll keep this rant short and sweet. Unless I see women of different sizes (and I'm talking in the double digits, like size 10 and up) and racial and ethnic backgrounds, please don't bother talking about embracing diversity. Thin is not the new thin, folks! And here is another reason why I hate the fashion world. Oh Mr. Lagerfeld, it's not that no one wants to see round women, it's that ignorant people like have no idea what women actually look like.

Today's Workout
Run/walk 5k

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I've been out of commission because I've been nursing some major congestion and trying to catch up on some work. My last workout was last week Friday when I did an hour of yoga. Today was my first day back. The run was difficult, but we started off at a faster pace than normal, which felt good. However, by the time we reached our half way mark, it just felt better to walk it. I'm totally looking forward to training this week!

gabourey vs. howard

The Huffington Post just posted this story about Howard Stern and his feelings about Gabourey Sidibe, star of Precious. Below is the radio excerpt.



Luckily, the Huffington Post does have a voice of reason. And here she is. I was prepared to go off on this issue. But I'm tired. And Howard Stern's stupidity isn't worth my time.

skinny fat

OMG. It does exist. SKINNY FAT! Yeah. That's right. The Today Show just did a segment called Skinny Fat, where their health expert explains that even though one has a "normal" BMI and looks skinny, you could still have a high body fat percentage and be susceptible to the same health conditions as clinically obese people. That's right. Skinny does not equal healthy!

Not that this is new to me. But that someone actually named the condition skinny fat is fascinating. After some searching, I found this piece on MDA regarding the subject. Here's another article from truestar health. Finally, here is what Newsweek had to say about the matter.

fathlete confession: Knowing that there are skinny fat people warms my heart. That such people will NEVER experience the ridicule and harsh judgement I do because my fat is public and noticeable makes me want to poke someone's eyes out... and that's how screwed up society is...

In other health news, if you're looking for information on the carbohydrate debate, check out this post.

Today's Small Victories
1) I started a day with a 30 minute walk. Despite the endless battle between walking and staying in bed, I'm glad my walking shoes won!
2) I went to the 4pm class when I could have ditched the WOD all together.

Warm-up
Prep for WOD.

CrossFit One World WOD
Tabata row for calories. Rest 5 minutes.

Then, complete 5 rounds for time of:
10 deadlifts at 60% of 1 rep max (I scaled to 145#)
100 jump rope rotations

Joanne's Final Time - 40 calories; 14:53

Notes (to myself) about this workout: I hate jump ropes. I'm glad we had the day off from strength training... sort of. For the tabata row, I did 5 calories through each round. Weird! It was frustrating because the first 10 seconds only got me one calorie. The last four were done in the last ten seconds. Boo! Kudos if that made sense to you.

is it ok to be fat?

A very BIG THANK YOU to Miss Angela. A group of us had dinner on Friday for Chinese New Year. It was delicious! This photo was taken before the LBN challenge in January where Angela and I negotiated her participation over cupcakes!

I found this link via Big Fat Blog. ABC Nightline recently hosted a debate titled, "Is it OK to be Fat?" You can watch it here. Here's the description:

The "Face Off" is a recurring series where opposing sides debate hot topics. In the fifth installment of the series, Crystal Renn, model and author of "Hungry: A Young Model's Story of Appetite, Ambition and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves" and Marianne Kirby, co-author of "Lessons From the Fat-O-Sphere" will face off against MeMe Roth, president of National Action Against Obesity and Kim Bensen, author of "Finally Thin," on dieting, obesity and whether it's OK to be fat.

For the record, I have a newfound respect for Crystal Renn and when I get the chance, I'm totally buying her book! I also think MeMe Roth has some issues that need to be sorted out. Seriously sister. You honestly believe that the brain of an obese person is smaller than that of a normal person? Well, this is where I get to shove my elite Berkeley post-graduate education up you ass! Heh!

In related news, check out this article about Kirstie Alley's new show A Big Life. I agree with the author. Miss Alley, please quit your whining and love thy self!

On another note, here's an article that outlines what food is worth buying in organic form. Very informative!

Today's Small Victories
1) New month. New goals. New focus! Admittedly, I've been slacking since the challenge ended. My meter readings have showed it. Also, my weight is at a standstill. I can't seem to shake off this 3 pound range. (Um, the bad eating doesn't help either.) Here's an article that talks about getting through the plateau.

Warm-up
In the morning, I rolled out of bed and took a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood. Great way to start the day!

CrossFit One World WOD
Strength:
Squat 3 sets x 2 reps @ 92% of your one rep max (170#)
Push Press 3/3/3/3
75/85/95

Conditioning:
Complete as many rounds as you can in 3 minutes of:
10 box jumps
3 handstand push-ups
6 star jumps
Rest 90 seconds. Start next cycle where you left off the previous cycle. Complete four cycles total. Your score is total rounds completed in all four cycles.

Joanne's Final Count - 9 rounds + 1 star jump

Notes (to myself) about this workout: For the strength portion, I was a little nervous because Miss Angela was there and I just get nervous lifting around an oly lifting pro like her. She is just f--kin' mad strong! I was surprised because 170# felt really good. I'm hoping to hit a good 1 rep PR next week!

I'm not sure what my push press max is. I don't think I've ever done one. If I did, it was ages ago. If I recall correctly, I think my 1 rep max was somewhere in the 90# range. Tonight's 95# was a little tough. In fact, my last rep looked the best. The first one looked more like a push jerk. The second looked more like a push press and the last rep was a true push press.

For the conditioning, I was happy to find that my handstand push-ups were much stronger. The next time we do them, I'm switching over to the higher box at a 90 degree stance. I'm also happy to announce that my star jumps were consistent (ahem, consistently ah-may-zah-zing!). I was not going to have Freddy take photos of my craziness! I still suck at box jumps and almost tripped once. Bleh!

new kicks!

Here they are. My new weightlifting shoes. Many thanks to Gwen Sisto from Risto Sports for all her help. I love these shoes! When you see them in real life, they're actually much more subtle. They look like a regular pair of black shoes. However, when you get closer, you can see the details and such. It's exactly how I wanted the shoe to be. Even the "sexy j-ro" is subtle (thank heaven! I really didn't want that gleaming from miles around).

It's funny how different people know you in different ways. When my dear friend Khuyen saw my shoes she was a little disappointed that they were not grand and extravagant "just like the Joanne I know." Funny thing is, I know exactly what she's talking about. In most parts of my life, I'm pretty diva-licious with a touch of nice girl. There are two areas in my life where I fail at this. My CrossFit life and my love life. I should work on this, shouldn't I?

On to some interesting articles...
I pray to the heavens above that when I become a professor, I don't go crazy like this. Recently, a science professor opened fire on her colleagues during a faculty meeting after she found out she was denied tenure. (sigh) Such a terrible story!

Hooray to Kevin Smith for calling out Southwest Airlines on their s--t. The people at Big Fat Blog just posted this entry about Smith getting booted off his flight for being "too fat." Hmph!

Today's Small Victories
1) I showed up for Mr. Josh. Even if I can't stand the bastard, I showed up for him anyway. Showing up doesn't make me like him any more.

Warm-up
THREE rounds of:
50 jump rope skips
100 meter row
100 meter run

Prep for WOD

CrossFit One World WOD: "Light" Mr. Joshua
Complete five rounds for time of:
400m run
15 GHD sit-ups
10 deadlifts at 70% of your one rep max.

Joanne's Final Time - 28:45 (or something like that)

Notes (to myself) about this workout: 70% of my 1 rep max for a deadlift is about 178#. For this WOD, I scaled down to 165# and even then it was way too much weight. In my book, 70% of your 1 rep max done 50 times spells disaster and back pain. Kudos if you can do this. But I'm just not that girl. It's bad enough that I hate Mr. Josh to begin with. That it was a "lighter" version didn't make it any better. In round three and four I cut down to 5 deadlifts. In round 5, I did 5 deadlifts at 165# and 5 deadlifts at 135#. I then hit the floor and wanted to cry. fathlete confession: Actually, the tears started rolling down in round three. Luckily, sweat and tears look the same.

This WOD makes me feel like Dumbo training on the Olympic team - out of place, undeserving, and here because of some cruel reminder that I'm fat, incapable of doing this shit, and that I simply don't belong at the box. I despise nights like this.

running scared?

There have been a lot of odd things on my mind. First off, I know I've mentioned that I'm a fan of the film America the Beautiful. Recently, they spearheaded a boycott against Ralph Lauren and the distorted imagery they've been using in their campaigns. In particular, this image if Filippa Hamilton caused a major stir. (Yeah. There is something wrong when someone's hips are smaller than the size of that same someone's head. Seriously Ralph, what were you thinking?!) Oddly enough, Hamilton was fired from Ralph Lauren recently because at 5'10" and 120#, she was told that she could no longer fit into their clothing. Bleh. I recommend that you all check out Darryl Roberts's blog (the director of America the Beautiful blog for updates on these issues.

I know Darryl Roberts has become a major advocate of improving media imagery for women. This weekend CNN did a story about the Ralph Lauren boycott and media imagery. Here is the clip:


I find it amazing that in both France and England, they are considering legislation that limits re-touching or asks that disclaimers be printed on photos that have been re-touched. I'm not sure where this is going to take us or how this will impact American media imagery. I will say that these are interesting developments. In England, an Oil of Olay ad caused a ruckus when former supermodel Twiggy (the model who started the whole uber-thin look that just never went away) was shown with absolutely no wrinkles. She's fifty-nine!

Sigh. I miss the days when pin-up girls were the thing. Ahem. Not that I was alive then. I just imagine the era of the pin-up girl being fabulous. Actually, I just wish I lived in a time where it was okay for a woman to have a little meat on her bones. Period. fathlete confession: Yes. I still have my body issues. Sue me. I'm not trying to hate on women who are thin. If that's your thing, that's your thing. I just hate that your thing has to be mine. As said before, it's always about health for me.

So Freddy just announced the Look Better Naked Challenge. A food challenge is always good. It's definitely the kick in the pants I need to get into better eating habits. Here are some of the rules:

The Look Better Naked Challenge is six weeks long. Cost to enter the challenge is $30. On the first day, all participants are photographed. There is a full body frontal shot, a full body back shot, and a full body profile shot. Men are photographed in shorts. Women are photographed in shorts and a sports bra. On the last day of the challenge, each participant is photographed again. All the participants in the challenge look at all the before and after photographs. There is a confidential vote and the man and woman with the most votes wins the challenge! You may participate in the challenge and not have your photos voted on (you just can’t win any prizes).

But. Er. Um. Here's the thing.... I'm so not good about being naked or even semi-naked. Can I just tell you that my stomach nearly turned when I read that we had to be photographed in sportbras and shorts?! In fact, I'm still on the verge of throwing up in my mouth. Hmph. I don't know what I'm going to do about the challenge now.

Actually, I've been feeling like a little bit of a CrossFit loser lately. My shoulders and upper body are still recovering from last week's workouts. They're starting the new level I and level II classes soon and though I know the technique for the level II classes, I'm nowhere near as fit as I need to be to get to level II. I'm okay at level I, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel like a loser for it.

And now the food challenge, which I'm looking forward to. But the photo thing just isn't my cup of tea. Bleh.

On an up note, I just wanted to give some mad props to CrossFit Parker in Colorado. It looks like I'm not the only one who loves the pin-up girl era. I found this on some random affiliate blog where they were asking for opinions on the logo. I'm the first to admit that CrossFit is definitely not about waif-like women. However, I do think that in advocating lean bodies, there tends to be some anti-fat sentiment. This is why I was completely taken aback by this logo and it's fuller, curvier, softer woman representing their box. Love it!

rest in peace

Apologies for being out of commission. I've been crazy busy and a little lazy. For now, I'm blaming the weather. With that, this is going to be a big post. First off, I need to bid farewell to my ipod shuffle. (I have a silver one. I'd like to have a purple one, but they don't make them anymore.) It's been fritzing out on me lately and I think it's nearing it's final leg. I have no complaints. It was a Christmas gift from an ex and I've had it for almost three years. My shuffle has taken me through many sweaty hours of working out and it's finally throwing in the towel. Farewell, my dear shuffle. (tears)

Problem is, I need a new shuffle because I can't function at the gym without one. In truth I can't stand the new shuffle! You have to use the headphones that come with the package. If you're like me and you want to use your own headphones (I swear by the air drives), you have to buy an adapter for another $30. It's just not economical - especially since the adaptor doesn't seem to work very well anyway. Right now, I hate apple for their stupidity on this one. When this new shuffle first came out, I thought for sure they'd fix the kinks with this new launch. Did they?! Nope. Bastards! Moving on...

Here are some interesting articles I thought you'd like to take a peek at. First off, in case you were looking for an excuse to cut your soda intake, check out this article. It explains that sodas give the body excess sugar it doesn't need and ends up storing it as fat. It also talks about why diet soda is a no-no because there is a greater chance of one having more belly fat. Finally, the carbonation depletes calcium. I'm not big on soda. I'll have one on occasion, but that's it. In middle school we did this science experiment where you take a chicken bone and put it in a cup of soda. After a day the bone completely breaks down, leaving only the cartilage. Ew! It's a great visual of why one should not have soda.

Recently, I confessed my love for Mark's Daily Apple and mentioned an article he wrote about food and depression. Here's another article that talks about the relationship between processed food and depression. I'm amazed at how much food makes a difference. Again, if you're looking for an excuse to eat clean or are looking for alternatives to depression meds, here you go!

The last article I'm sharing is near and dear to my heart. It's about slow runners. Yeah. That's me. Woot!

Finally, I wanted to share a few youtube videos I saw posted on facebook. They're tongue-in-cheek commentaries about CrossFit. I think they're hilarious. Rumor has it that some CrossFit higher ups didn't appreciate them. I say have a sense of humor. If you're spoof-able, you must be doing something right. In fact, the first video spoofs our very own Freddy C. Enjoy!




Warm-up
Run 400 meters
stretching
prep for WOD

CrossFit One World WOD: The Filthy Fifty
Complete the following for time:
50 box jumps 12"
50 jumping pull-ups
50 kettlebell swings 25#
50 walking lunge steps
50 knees to elbows
50 push press 33#
50 GHD hip extensions
50 wall balls 10# because Jason wanted it to touch the grey box
50 burpees
100 rope rotations

Joanne's Final Time - 46:27

Notes (to myself) about this workout: First off, I should note that I did a light workout yesterday with Miss Lara. I didn't give it its own post because the WOD was light. We ran 1.1 miles, and then walked 2.2 miles because we needed to catch up with each other. It's always nice to spend time with Miss Lara.

As for today's WOD, I didn't beat my last time. It's okay. I'm just glad I got through the WOD. The Filthy Fifty always sucks!

no chubbies?

In case you haven't figured it out, I'm a cupcake fan. I just think they're pretty. Don't make me throw them at you, though...

I found this on the CrossFit Unlimited site. For the record, I'd hate to add to the discussion on The Anti-Gym. Any gym that preys on the vanity and insecurity of people is absolutely insane. According to this article, here are some things to look forward to at the Anti-Gym:

Anti-Gym's motto is "Have Sex With the Lights On." ...A roster keeps track of how people are doing at Anti-Gym: Dean's List, Jimmy Dean's Sausage List and the Fatso List. If you slack off in a drill, your entire group is punished. The men's and women's locker rooms lead to a coed shower area. And then there's the Ravish Room, a private room with a hot tub and sauna and shower that, with a secret code, only admits men with 11 percent body fat and women with 16 percent body fat.

I don't even know where to begin with this one. While I'm as vain as the next person, I have absolutely no desire to pay money to a gym that would dare put me on the "Fatso List." The Aniti-Gym motto is "have sex with the lights on." Puh-lease. Like I need permission from my gym to do that! As for the hot tub, I have one at my house. Anyone is invited - body fat and all. Call it my stubborn-ness. Or my strong opinions. Or my high sense of self. But you have to be a bona fide asshole to pay another asshole to make you feel like shit. Apparently, the owner is known to throw cupcakes at you if you're not hauling ass during his workouts. (Scoffs.) What a freakin' waste of cupcakes!

On to other news... Courtesy of Big Fat Blog, here's a study about overweight people having a longer life expectancy. (Ha! Eat that Anti-Gym!) Aaaand if you're one of those people who likes to post-WOD hydrate with a beer, here's an article for you. Enjoy!

Finally, I'd like to announce that in my last series of blood tests, my hemoglobin A1C was at my lowest ever - 5.8. Woot! When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, I was at 10.0 - way over the normal limit. In fact, this indicated that I may have had diabetes for about ten years before they caught it. Since then, I've maintained my numbers in the mid to high 6 range, but my doctors would ideally like me to be in the low 6, high 5 range. I finally did it. Yea!

In truth, I'm surprised because my cupcake consumption these past few months has been a little embarrassing. When the doc asked how I did it, I said, "CrossFit." It was the only thing I could think of. However, I will say that making small changes to my eating helped too. I stopped thinking about all the food I could not have and focused more on adding good stuff like salad and fruit to each meal. I also stopped using Splenda. I don't know if this makes a difference, but I switched to plain old bitter lattes. Finally, I cut down on milk because my Asian genes are kicking in and my lactose tolerance is wearing thin. It's weird because it's just milk I have an issue with. I'm totally fine with cheese (in small amounts) and ice cream. Hmph.

In case you're wondering, my weight has stayed completely the same. Granted, my body composition is different that it was over a year ago, but weight-wise, the scales haven't moved. I'd like to care. But I won't for now.

My cholesterol levels are great too. My HDLs are 51 (ideal range is over 49) and my LDLs are 88 (normal range is 120s, but diabetics need to be under 100). Yeah. That's why I get to do thing with the lights on!

Warm-up
Jump ropes and burpees

CrossFit One World WOD
Complete three rounds for time of:
1 minute of kettlebell swings for max reps 35#
1 minute rest
1 minute of rowing for max calories
1 minute rest
1 minute of burpees for max reps
1 minute rest
1 minute of jumping pull-ups for max reps
1 minute rest
Your score is total reps and calories for all three rounds.

Here was my breakdown:
Kettlebell swings: 26/23/20 = 69
Row: 17/14/14 = 45
Burpees: 13/12/12 = 37
Jumping Pull-ups: 19/19/18 = 56

Joanne's Final Count: 207

Notes (to myself) about this workout: Admittedly, this wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The minute rest goes by really fast, but it gives you the chance to re-group and aim for some kind of consistency. (That is, if you remember your previous counts, which I did not. ha ha!) I was hoping to break 200, so 207 was a complete gift.

For the warm-up, we did some jump roping. I managed to either maintain 45 skips or stay within 40-45 skips in 30 seconds. It's not a lot considering most people could squeeze 60 reps or so. However, seeing that I'm really weak on the ropes, I was actually happy with how I held up. I'm finding that I jump twice for each rotation. I need to fix that because the extra jump is wasted energy. Bleh.

in l-o-v-e

I promise I'll be back in the box tomorrow. Seriously. I will.

Naturally, I must share some articles that I find completely fascinating (or remotely interesting). Here's one that states if you're trying to lose weight (or have healthy eating habits) you need to avoid hanging out with people who are thin and eat like monsters. ha ha! My response is: DUH!

While browsing through yahoo news, I ran into this story about Fashion Week. Mark Fast, a Canadian designer decided to feature three plus size models in his show. (Note: Plus size in this context is a U.S. size 10 and 12. In regular people standards, plus size is actually size 16 [sometimes size 14] and up.) Apparently, two of his staff members quit the show because they found the models disgusting. Here is another story with better details and photos. Bravo to Mark Fast. With that, you deserve some BIG fathlete hugs and kisses. xoxo.
This is one of the "plus size" models featured in the Mark Fast fashion show. The other big hoo-ha about having these larger models was that the clothing is skin tight. Apparently, it may have been okay to have these bigger girls as long as they were dressed in camping tents.
This is one of the "standard" models in the fashion show. To the staffers who quit because they found the size 10-12 models disgusting: KISS MY FATHLETE ASS!

On to more love... Below is a clip of Margaret Cho on The View promoting her new show Drop Dead Diva, where she plays Teri Lee, the executive assistant to the main character, Jane Bingum (played by the wonderful Brooke Elliott). In this clip, I lovelovelove that Margaret Cho talks about having a "coming out" to declare that she's beautiful. I think it's a fabulous idea. If any of you would like to throw such a party, please remember to invite me:)


In case you're curious about Drop Dead Diva, here is a little teaser...

I confess that I am in love. L-O-V-E love with the show. I've only seen a few episodes, but it's in my rotation of shows I need to watch on On Demand when I visit my sister or my mom. (My rotating list includes: Drop Dead Diva, Monk and Psych!) I think the show is really interesting because it revolves around Jane had her issues as a self-centered wannabe supermodel who died and was reincarnated into a fat, insecure lawyer. Granted, I take issue with the dichotomy. However, it's a law show and some of the cases they take on are fascinating (like the one where Jane sues a designer clothing store for not carrying anything over a size 10, or this last one where they sued a dating service). I love Jane. I hate Kim. I wish Grayson grew a pair. The Stacy and Fred story line irks me. Finally, who doesn't love Margaret Cho?!

fat again!

Freddy posted this photo on the One World site and declared that there will no longer be any sugary junk sold in the vending machines at the gym. In part of his rant, Freddy writes:

Think about what you are feeding your children, and yourself for that matter. I am not telling you that your kid should never eat anything with sugar in it. Hell, that would just SUCK if I were your kid! Just don’t make sugary foods the norm. When I was a kid, getting a candy bar, or a Slurpee, or Baskin-Robbins was a treat! Take a few moments to read the label and think about what you are giving your kid to eat. Think of it this way: next time you go to hand your kid that Snickers bar or super-sized Slurpee, smile and say, “Here you go little Joey, have some diabetes.... Yummy!” Your child can make their own dietary choices when they become an adult, but remember that a lifetime of sugar addiction is hard to change. Don’t shoot your kids in the foot before they even start the race.

fathlete confession: Whenever there are posts about obesity, I tend to take them a little too personally. It's because I feel like I'm being personally attacked for being fat. I know this is not true. The posts are not directed to me. Such anxieties have more to do with my personal insecurities. I get this. Still. I feel like a schmuck. A fat schmuck.

In truth, I agree with Freddy's schtick on sugar. I wish my family helped me develop a better sense of health and food choices. In fact, I wish my mom came out about her diabetes way back in 1987 when she was diagnosed! However, as a fat kid who grew up to be a fat adult,the fatty part of me gets a little irked when I see stuff like this. I find that the commentary on fat tends to be a little on the hateration side. Seriously. I think this is why I'm still uncomfortable when I go to the gym. A part of me feels like people are secretly laughing at the fat girl who's trying to do "Cindy." Like I said before, I like exercise. But I like my cupcakes too. Health is an issue for everybody - fat, thin, and everyone in between. I follow Big Fat Blog with respect to fat discrimination and such and I find their articles informative. You should all check it out. There's also these Newsweek articles: America's Fat Wars; America’s War on the Overweight; Fat on Film.

Also, I remember watching a one of those rockumentaries on VH1 with C.C. Deville from Poison. At one point he was over 200 pounds and declared, "It was more acceptable for me to be a heroin addict than to be fat."

This is exactly why I can't stand all the anti-fat talk. Let's get something straight. There are perfectly healthy people who are fat or overweight. A lot of that is genetics and such. (I'm not a medical expert, but I'm sure you can find a lot of info if you looked really hard.) There are deathly unhealthy people who are totally thin. (Yeah. That's right. Heroin addicts are thin. Starving people in third world countries are thin. Anorexics are thin too.) No one gives these people shit. Can we start to re-think health and stop assuming that fat = unhealthy?! (Or is this too much to ask for?)

I'm not saying that obesity is not a serious issue. It is. But how we weigh and measure health needs a lot of tweaking. Granted, the kid in the picture breaks my heart. The video that Freddy posted on 7/29/2009 was also disturbing. In fact, when shopping a few weeks ago, I saw two kids who looked just like these kids. It also made me sad. However, I don't have these reactions because they're fat. (I weep just as much for the drug addict and the anorexic.) Instead, I'm reminded that as a nation, we're failing at educating ourselves and our kids about health. It's one thing when someone is fat, but it's another when it's to the point where it interferes with basic functioning (like the cop who couldn't stand up from a kneeling position). So can we please get our fat straight?! Thanks!

more to love

Last night I caved in and watched More to Love online. (Sadly, I'm reminded of why canceling my cable was such a good decision.) I like the idea of the show, but it's still the plus-sized version of The Bachelor, with a little added tackiness. For example, the contestants are labeled with their name, height, and weight. I know I'm fat, but if I agreed to be on such a show, do you really have to show my stats to prove I'm fat? Can't you just see that I'm fat?! Ridiculous!

And then there's the idea of calling plus sized women real women. I get what they mean, but at the same time, all women are real women (yes, even the ones I can't stand!). Get it right.

In reading some of the online commentary, I agree. I have no desire to watch a bunch of women cry about being lonely and frustrated because they're constantly judged because of their size. You're on TV for f--k's sake, make a statement! Be bold! Kick ass! Don't screw this up with over-whining because who knows when we'll ever be able to go on TV again?!

At the same time, I sympathize with the tears. Regardless of how bold and awesome you know you are (regardless of your size), a positive plus size body image is hard work. It's an unfortunate symptom of our society that coerces women of all sizes, shapes, and colors to hate themselves. fathlete confession: I completely apologize for the unfair projections here. For my doctoral research I've been reading up on appearance and social value. At one point, did you know that there was such a thing as an ugly law? Yes. An ugly law. Enforced here in San Francisco. As in you could get arrested for being ugly! It's depressing stuff (aaaand it's kinda funny he he heeh! If you have a sense of humor it's kinda funny.). No matter how strong and confident you are, every woman has her weakness. For as much as I can't stand the tears, I definitely relate.

A few years ago I urged my sister to watch Real Women Have Curves. It's one of my favorite movies and I've been known to pop this in my DVD player on a Saturday night or two. When she finally got around to watching it, she told me that she didn't like watching the film. Shocked, I asked why. She said it was because it was too painful. It brought up too many issues from the way we grew up that she would have preferred to forget. fathlete confession: I still don't know what she means by this because growing up, she was the favorite. She was the pretty girl in the 'hood that everyone liked. I'm not kidding. In fact, I distinctly recall one of our cousins telling me he felt sorry for me because I was this fat, ugly kid who could never measure up to her sister. Seriously. Cousins are mean!

I guess this is how I feel about this show. Again, I like the idea of the show. I like seeing women who are over size two and a guy who genuinely likes a woman with meat on her bones. Unfortunately for me, to watch these women share their anxieties about their size in relation to the dating and romance department just hits too close to home. For example, in this first episode, several women shared their stories about going out with friends and feeling invisible, or feeling like the out-of-place fatty. Granted, Walter Kirn's piece on this issue does warm my heart. Yes, I believe whole-heartedly in everything I wrote here. Unfortunately, it doesn't take away moments where I feel invisible or that I just don't measure up. I love people. But I do try to limit nights like this because there's only so much invisibility I can take. Watching the show reminds me of those anxieties. These days, I'll only feed myself things that are good for me.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this. But I'll end with this quote that a dear friend shared with me recently:

“Man will always be attracted to the woman who reflects the deepest vision of himself, the woman whose surrender permits him to experience - or to fake - a sense of self esteem. The man who is proudly certain of his own value, will want the highest type of woman he can find, the woman he admires, the strongest, the hardest to conquer - because only the possession of a heroine will give him the sense of an achievement, not the possession of a brainless slut.”

~ Ayn Rand

The romantic in me leans on the hope that there's some truth to this. The cynic in me says to stop holding my breath...

more to fat...

In today's One World post, Freddy talked about a USA Today article titled, Obesity a key link to soaring health tab as costs double. I looked up the article and found a second related article here. As you can see, the discussion has inspired a slew of reactions from the peanut gallery. (Note: I stole this photo from the One World site.)

For all intensive purposes, I agree that obesity is a major problem in the U.S. and it's striking kids at an alarming rate. This needs to be handled - at home through the family, by the government, by the education system, and with the food industry as a whole. No arguments there.

Truth is, I'm overweight. In fact, I'm FAT. But I'm healthy. No. This is not an oxymoron. In fact, if you look at this study, half of the overweight people in this study were actually healthy, while a quarter of people who were in "normal weight ranges" were at risk of having heart problems. So there you have it. Even skinny people have heath issues too.

I handle my health as best as I can. In January 2004 I was diagnosed with type II diabetes. The doctor said I probably had it since I was 18 and didn't see the signs. The diabetes news rocked me. I went home and told my family and as it turns out, diabetes runs in my mother's family. She never mentioned this (and the fact she herself had diabetes since 1987 - the same year my father passed away) because it seemed to be a source of shame for her and the rest of the family. From then on, I made diabetes a family issue. My brother was checked and he found out he has diabetes as well. A few weeks ago my sister found out she is pre-diabetic. Yes, diabetes is linked to obesity. It is also linked to genetics. My point here is families need to talk about health issues - especially if you come from a culture of silence and if particular diseases run in your family. I can't change my family's health and eating choices. But at family gatherings, I do make it a point to incorporate dishes with veggies and fresh produce that stay true to our cultural sensibilities, all of which they enjoy. I ran a marathon, I exercise regularly, I'll support anyone's positive health choices, and I do this blog. My family can choose to log on and read. This is how I make health a family and community issue.

Also, diabetes doesn't just happen to fat people. I remember having to take a diabetes class and most of the people there were actually in normal weight ranges. The frustrating thing about the class was seeing all these "normal" people bitch and moan about having diabetes. One women even declared, "I don't understand why I'm here. Diabetes is for fat people and I'm not fat." I wanted to throw my shoe at her. But sometimes you gotta let stupid just speak for herself.

Yes. One can be fit and fat. To me, "overweight" is relative. While in college I joined a globo gym where they did body fat assessments and such. I don't do this stuff because it's usually an open invitation for some meathead to tell you you're fat and that you need to buy over-priced personal training sessions from him or you'll DIE! But I liked this trainer and he seemed to know his stuff. When he weighed me, his immediate reaction was, "Whoa. I wasn't expecting you to be that heavy!" To which I responded, "Fuck you!" When he caught himself he said that we needed to have a serious talk about my weight. We sat down and he pulled the BMI chart and showed me what weight range I needed to be in. fathlete confession: I'm nowhere NEAR this range. In fact, I don't think I've been within my BMI weight range since I was a fetus swimming in my mama's stomach.

Ray (the trainer) sat me down and said, "Joanne, you cannot follow the BMI chart. If you were in this weight range, you'd be starving. You don't have the body type that suits the BMI chart because your build is so dense. I need you to add 30 pounds to the BMI range. That's what I want you to aim for." I knew this guy rocked! The idea of starving my body shocked me and I've taken that lesson with me ever since. Also if you check out the previously mentioned study, it will explain that according to the BMI bullshit, half of the NBA would be obese. You got that? BMI=bullshit.

I'm all about feeding my body (my mind and my soul). I don't pay attention to weight. I pay attention to what I can do. Period. This, for me, is a better way to measure my health.

I remember a while back, I was watching an episode of the Tyra Banks Show (this was before I cancelled my cable). The episode addressed the fat, thin, and/or fit question. In one of the segments, they had a thin woman who was about 130# and considered "normal." Next to her was a thicker woman, 200# and considered obese (according to the BMI charts). Tyra had them do a little physical fitness course. Before they ran the course (it was something like 2 minute run; 10 push-ups; 10 sit-ups, 10 of some other exercise), the audience was supposed to vote on who would finish first. Naturally, they chose the skinny girl. The not-so-skinny girl declared, "Oooh! You guys are gonna regret that!" They ran the course and the 200# girl smoked the skinny girl. Lesson learned... never underestimate the power of a fat girl!

In closing, health is about doing, being active, aware, and communicating. Indulge in that for you, your families, and your respective communities. Hopefully, everything else will follow.

Warm-up
Run 800 meters
TWO rounds of:
20 GHD sit-ups
20 presses (with dowel)
20 squats
10 burpees

Extra panting and wiping massive amounts of sweat because I'm just a sweaty girl.

Prep for WOD.

Resisting the urge to laugh when Jerry L. fell down. (Sorry dude. I had to mention it!)

CrossFit One World WOD
Hang squat clean 1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Joanne's Final weight - 73/83/88/88(f)/88(f)/88/88/88/93(f)/93(f)

Notes (to myself) about this workout:

Jason K. says that you should never end class with a failed lift. Personally, I don't care as long as I do my best. I've been out of the oly lifting mode, so I knew I had to take extra care today. Plus, my body is completely wrecked! My max on a clean from the floor is 93# and that's a struggle for me. Today I was hoping to hit 93#, but I didn't. It's no big deal, though. I'm wrecked and not 100%. Also, according to Eric, your clean from the floor is supposed to be stronger than your hanging clean. With that, my weight was fine.

I will say that there's something about 93# being by weak point. I really need to work on that. Today I decided to stick with 88# because in the past, I jumped the gun and failed miserably. My last 88# attempt was beautiful (according to the audience). It felt good. Today that's all I was aiming for.

Again, I'm wrecked. I'm taking advantage of tomorrow's rest day by taking a belly dancing class. Shut up. Laugh all you want. You wish you could shimmy like this!

more birthday news...

I just wanted to send a great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my big sister Tina (Cristina to all of you). She's pictured here with her sons Brendan (on the left) and Theo (on the right). I took this photo when we were on vacation in Banff. The rocky mountains are amazing! I'd tell you how old she is, but she'd kill me. I will say that we're 9.5 years apart, so you do the math. My sister is the nicest person you'll ever meet and in my opinion, is really mellow considering she's a fire sign (wa-hoo leos!). When most people meet us, they can tell right away that we're sisters. I guess it's 'cuz we have that sisterly vibe. People also assume that she's the younger one (yes, this totally bruises my ego). I tell myself that people assume she's younger than me because I have that bitchy/protective/assertiveness that only an older sister can possess. ha ha! Happy Birthday sis! I hope you have an amazing bday!

In other birthday news, I would like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dear friend John W. He turns the big 3-5 today. That he shares the same birthday as my sister is probably the only reason why I could even remember his birthday. ha ha! Okay. I'll be nice. This photo was taken last week at his bday "almost-didn't-happen" shindig last week. (Note: I stole this photo from Alison.) Happy Birthday John! I hope you're having a great time back home in Tennessee. I'm sure your mom still loves you:)

Finally, my sister likes to remind me that the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is also a July 28th baby. Yes, lots of cool people were born today. Happy Birthday!

Warm-up
Stretching Clinic

CrossFit One World WOD
Complete five rounds for time of:
Row 500m
Run 400m

Joanne's Final Time -26:27

Notes (to myself) about this workout: My best time on this was 28:31 as posted here. That means I beat my PR by over two minutes. Yup. I'm doing a little victory dance as we speak. As usual, this WOD sucked. I will say that while doing the WOD, I felt good about it. For rounds 1 and 2 I tried to keep the row below 2:15. For the rest of the rounds, I tried to keep in in the 2:20s, with some slippage into 2:30. When strategizing for this, the row (for me) is the only thing I have actual control over. Today I felt my transitions were better. I'm notorious for taking a break after each round to have water and just take a breath. Not that these things are bad. But I was more conscious about going from the row straight to the run. I also learned (per Jamie P.'s advice) that it's best to relax instead of tensing up during the WOD. It makes the process much more manageable.

Finally, I wore my skins socks today. I really liked them because my legs feel good. I actually wished I could afford the tights because my thighs feel a little sore. My calves feel awesome, though. I don't think they had anything to do with hitting a new PR, but I do feel good.

Finally, am I the only person who finds this new show remotely interesting?! As a CrossFitter, I completely understand that being anti-fat kind of comes with the territory. However, you're talking to a self-proclaimed fathlete here. I own every ounce of fat on my body. (More on this another day.) I will say that I find this show intriguing because for the first time, I get to see normal sized women. In case you didn't get the memo, the average woman in the U.S. is a size 14/16. Yes, roughly my size. I think health and beauty come in every size, shape, and color. With that, I'm curious to see how this show handles itself.