Week #4

On Monday, I took my measurements and weighed myself for the first time in four weeks. As a frequent scale user, this was difficult, but lessened the pressure of the challenge on a day to day basis. The results of the first four weeks of the challenge were...drumroll... 3 inches and 5 lbs gone! Now, even though this seems small, I have to admit that I actually had already lost 10 lbs and dropped 2 clothing sizes since beginning crossfit in November, so this was actually solid progress for me. In fact, at this point, weight is not the focus--I am trying to tighten and define as much as possible, but hey, a few bonus lbs lost is fine by me :) The measurements are affirmation that I am doing all the right things. And believe me, I am. There are so many days when cutting carbs by 2pm sucks. I might just want a bag of chips after work, but instead I grab protein or veggies. At lunch, I dip fresh sweet peppers in salsa and pretend they taste as good as tortilla chips. Of course they don't, but being able to fit into all my clothes is much better than chips or cookies! Being able to deadlift 160lbs, complete 35 pushups a day, and destroy boot camp workouts at lunch...those are all so much better than a few minutes of snacking.

In the next few weeks I will actually be packing away a lot of clothes, not because they are too small, but because they are falling off me. I did not think at age 30 I would be in the best shape of my life, but that is where I am. Don't get me wrong, I have a LONG journey to reaching some of my goals (chin ups, lifting heavier weight, etc.); however, I have made some steady progress...24 perfect bricks complete at the end of week 4.

Tomorrow, I have my first half marathon since starting crossfit. I am curious to see how this will impact my time. My PR was 2:03:46 at Big Lake in 2010, so I am trying to beat that time! That race day was very cool and rainy. My focus had been on long runs with no weight training. I'll find out tomorrow if a different approach will be more effective. Even if it isn't, I am ok with that because I really would like to move away from the endurance races for awhile.

Week 4 Workouts:
Monday- AM Swim/AM XFit (Bench, Squats, and G Row)
Tuesday-AM Run & Walk/ Lunch Boot/ PM Xfit (Jerks and conditioning)
Wednesday-AM Elliptical/Lunch Boot
Thursday- AM Run & Walk / Lunch Boot/ PM yoga
Friday-AM Swim/ PM Xfit (Deadlifts, Press, and G Row)
Saturday- AM swim (isolated legs to focus on arms and rest legs for race tomorrow)
Sunday- Half Marathon

Weekly Pushup Total = 210
Fasted Cardio Workouts = 6
Pefect Menu Days = 6

Goals for week 5: add more burpees and chins

*New Update: PR at Hampton Half Marathon 629 59/149 F3034 LAURA SAXE 30 F 1274 Concord NH 1:58:33.8 9:01 *