Today’s challenge – facing the camera, scales and box!

Stats

The Whole30 recommends recording body stats so you have something to compare to once the program is done. While weight-loss is not my main goal for going paleo, I would like to lose the muffin top, tone up my mid-section, and strengthen my arms and legs.  To keep it real and accountable, I’m posting a totally embarrassing photo of me in my undies in the lounge room…

• weight = 65.5kgs
• hips = 90cm
• waist = 82cm
• chest = 98cm

CrossFit Trial

I’ve been bored of hitting the gym lately, showing up to those same old Body Pump and Spin classes and going through the same routine but not really seeing great results.  As my other half has recently taken up CrossFit and loves it, I thought I should get on board and find out what all the fuss is about.  The Paleo and CrossFit communities go hand in hand, as the Paleo lifestyle claims to improve performance and results for strength based training.

Today I did an intro to CrossFit at Charge CrossFit in Northcote.  The ‘box’ as the workout area is called, uses simple equipment for strength and conditioning, and values varied and functional training focusing on weight lifting, gymnastic movements and mobility.

The instructor Ash was really nice and with only 3 people in the intro I instantly felt more welcome than at the gym where I rarely speak to anyone (or am creeped out when someone sweaty tries to start a conversation on the treadmill).  We covered some basic moves – dead lift, squat, push up, pull up, sits ups – and variations are made if you can’t do something.  As I can’t even get one pull up out, I did a pull up jump thingy, which is suppostd to strenthen your shoulders in preperation for a full pull up.  At the end of the session we did  a ‘baseline’, which was a series of the previous exercises that was timed – point being to smash your recorded time when the baseline is next revisited.

Did I enjoy the intro/wokout?  Was I motivated?  Hell yes.  Now I just have to workout how to cancel the gym membership…. to be continued.