Closing Out 2012

On this last day of 2012, I am taking some time to reflect on everything that happened in the past year. What a year it was! The early part of the year was dedicated to planning our wedding and getting in wedding dress shape. I continued to adapt to my new position in higher education instead of teaching--which continues to be a great decision. In the summer, Mark's sister welcomed identical twin boys to their family in July! The remainder of the summer was all about wedding planning. Then, on September 8, 2012, Mark and I tied the knot! We are so grateful for all the family and friends who traveled from around the country and world to share the day. It really was overwhelming to have all their love and support. We escaped for a brief minimoon to Cape Cod and then the rest of the fall consisted of routine days of work and homework. I completed my first graduate business course in the fall term and it was very time consuming. I'm relieved that our weekends in the winter/spring should now be relatively uneventful with no schoolwork and no wedding planning. I'm sure we will find ways to focus our energies, but hopefully some relaxation will fit in as well. Of course, the big political event of the year was the presidential election. I'm happy with the results as the candidate who aligns (for the most part) with my beliefs and values won. No need to linger on this, but for that, I am grateful with the outcome. We ended the year with a quiet and pleasant holiday with Mark's family. We also finished off the year with a pretty vicious cold, so I am hoping 2013 will be cold free!

If it is not apparent by my earlier posts, 2012 was all about crossfit and pushing the limits in my physical fitness. I can't imagine my life without crossfit anymore and I wish I had found it earlier! I have plenty of goals for the next year which include learning how to do kipping pullups, adding substantial weight to my deadlift and back squat, and continuing to tighten up my core muscles.

However, as this blog's title states, I started in triathlon training. In 2013, I'd like to see how the crossfit training impacts shorter distance triathlon races. My goal is to participate in 1-2 sprint triathlons. I am guessing based on improved 5K race times last year, it will yield positive results but I'll certainly have to incorporate more swimming, running, and cycling. I was disappointed but how little I rode my bike last year so I definitely want to do more miles in 2013.

Finally, in the last part of 2012, I slacked in terms of eating right and completing my morning fasted cardio sessions. Part of this was I knew I did not need to wear a wedding dress and just felt like going to happy hour with friends on Fridays instead of going to 5pm crossfit and back squatting. I've paid the price of these decisions and put on some extra lbs over the last few weeks. Additionally, this cold set me back because all I ever want to eat when I am sick is chicken noodle soup, saltines, and orange juice. Many of my friends and family tell me this is ok and I should "give myself a break", so I did. And in the grand scheme, it is ok, but now the break is over and I need to shred for our trip to Jamaica in 20 days. I know this is not enough time for me to get into the shape I'd like to be, but that does not mean I won't try. At the end of the day I'll feel better for making healthier decisions. I have a pretty intense plan ahead for the next three weeks and I am looking forward to it! It has been several months since I've had a challenge or end goal, but now I have one to aim for.

For the next 20 days (and then for quite some time after Jamaica, as I plan to work towards another 150 perfect bricks in 2013), I have an intense workout plan that includes: 6-7 days per week of fasted cardio, 2 X 20 burpees every day, 5 X 20 pushups per day for 6 days (build 1 rep each week), abs every other day (adding 20 reps each time), lunch boot camp 2-3 times per week, 3-4 crossfit sessions per week, and a sprinkling in of snowshoeing and running. Of course, this is all important but it will be most effective if I pair it with a strict food plan which includes limited carbs cut by 2PM, 115 grams of protein per day, lots of veggies, and a gallon of water every day. This is nothing new, it works and I need to go back to it. So yeah, that's the plan and I hope I can stick to it.

Highlights of 2012:
-Winning the WMCF transformation challenge in April
-Completing a Whole 30 in June/July
-Weddings of close friends
-Continuing to acclimate to working in higher ed
-Bridal shower and bachelorette party
-Arrival of Mark's identical twin nephews
-Our wedding!
-Seeing all our amazing family and friends at the wedding
-Friends welcoming new additions to their families
-Trip to Cape Cod
-Holidays with family and friends
-Girl's nights with incredible friends throughout the year
-Mark's 1 year anniversary at his new law firm
-Completing my first grad business course

Goodbye 2012, it was fun, but now it is time for new challenges and adventures in 2013!

Oh No, Plateau!

It has been a challenging fall. After our wedding, I jumped right into a graduate business class which consumed a fair amount of time. In addition, I continue to wait tables on Sunday nights at Hermanos, Finally, the changing of the seasons and the lack of light and warm temperatures has taken a toll on me. Last year, I had just started crossfit and saw noticeable results. Since I am starting at a much better place right now, I have to work that much harder to get to the point I want to be. I've been slacking and I know it. My diet has been pretty good but cheats are slipping in more frequently. I still get to crossfit 3-4 times per week and I'm putting in a full effort there so I know that what it comes down to is my morning cardio. Pre-wedding I was religious about my morning cardio. I'd do 6-7 sessions per week at 40-60 minutes. I varied those between elliptical, swimming, running, and walking. Presently this has dropped to 2-4 sessions per week. Also, the key to that was cutting carbs by 2PM. Again, I am usually good about this, but occasionally I let it slide. Part of the challenge is finding foods that are convenient and healthy. This week I made a beef and sweet potato stew that is easy, but it is hard to compare that to homemade holiday cookies.

To pump myself up, I read some blogs on plateaus. This entry from Crossfit Fire was filled with helpful tips.

Moving forward I need to get more sleep, relax through yoga and meditation, focus on eating well, and find new ways to spice up the workout routine.

Now is the time to find some inspiration from all my friends who said I motivated them!