I Drink The Kool-Aid.

Back in March I was so fed up. I hated my crappy gym and had stalled out with my lifting program because I knew I was doing things wrong but couldn't fix those things myself. I was sick of my spin classes and sick of waiting in line for half an hour to attend those spin classes on bikes that were half-broken anyway. I was bored with all of it.

And then a friend suggested I check out her CrossFit box.

Wait! Come back. Hear me out. 

First, I promise this isn't going to become a CrossFit-only blog. I just feel like there so much bad press out there for CF and my experience has been so damn good that I want to give the other side. I mean, there's a reason people love it and get all crazy addicted but to get a good experience you have to go to a good box and I do. 

So, with that in mind, this is why I can honestly say I love CrossFit:

1. I walk in and look at the WOD board and think to myself, "Oh, no. There's no way I can do all that." Then, I do it. Sometimes I totally rock it.

2. The hardest part of CrossFit for me is the running. I still hate running. So much. But I'm running. 

3. I was doing things wrong with my lifting and I have a very patient coach who is teaching me how to fix my weak spots. I got lots.

4. The camaraderie. It took a little getting used to because I am of the earphones 'n bitchface school of working out, but man, when you're coming in from an 800 meter sprint and you feel like the last rhino in Jumanji and everyone is cheering for you? That feels amazing. There is a lot of high-fiving. We suffer together and we collapse on the floor together and we tell each other how badass we are.  

5. As part of my Kool-Aid I did the Whole Life Challenge. (Read: no booze, no wheat, no dairy, no soy, no sugar, no fun.) Cleaning up my diet is something I'd needed to do for a while and I felt so much better because of it, both mentally and physically. Did you know that when you can't eat your feelings you have to, like, deal with them? Ugh, right? But it's been good and I really needed the reset. 

I am making this sound super fun, huh? But it's given me such a boost and forced me WAY out of my comfort zone and I've learned a ton. I've learned that I can do 75 wall balls and walk away from it. I can do squats with wobbly weights hanging off the bar:

Heh.

I can also do regular squats, never fear:

I can do thrusters and burpees and pull-ups with a big rubber band. I can do so much more than I thought possible and it's just getting better. All that said, my bike is in the shop and if I don't get it back soon I am going to lose my MIND.