I don't know what you've heard....

I know what people say about Crossfit but I swear its really not a cult. I've already made peace with the fact that most people who know me but don't crossfit think I'm bat shit insane for how I spend my days off, well that and the fact that I've almost completely removed processed and junk food from my diet. I'm not bothered about judging other people's diets or lifestyles (most of the time) but I feel I have reached a point in my life where my health and general well being is important to me so when I eat clean I feel so much better, simples. Really it's my choice and I'm not asking anyone else to follow suit because people are entitled to live their lives however they choose. It's a shame more people don't have that attitude to mine. I think people feel that healthy living is automatically a judgement on those who are less healthy but there's no point in losing sleep in worrying about things like that, that are outside my control when I've got better things to worry about.

I've just arrived back home from two days off work with my hands blistered and my muscles all the good kinds of achey and even though I left the gym at least 3 hours ago, I'm so buzzed from the endorphins I almost feel high and even though it seems crazy that is why I do it.
So yes I'll admit there is something so deliciously addictive about crossfit once you get beyond the point of wondering why every movement hurts ( the first few weeks) and start to build some actual skills. Now admittedly I really enjoy learning new things, It's one of the things I miss most since I left college. Learning new crossfit things is different but It brings the same sort of feeling of achievement. I am starting to learn how my body moves and how to really control it and also do all sorts of really cool stuff that I never in a million years thought I would be capable of.

It is this that has me feeling the pain but going back for more and almost crawling out of the gym all sweaty and covered in chalk ( a really sexy look for me, I know how to work it). The funny thing is I started crossfitting to lose weight and I really feared bulking up or lifting heavy and I thought the bars were only for men. Now it's two years later and I'm about half the size I was when I started but that's not the only thing that changed. Crossfit gave me confidence that I wasn't able to get anywhere else in my life, It changed my whole outlook because I didn't just work on my body but I started to change my diet and my attitude and eventually my whole way of thinking. So yes I'm skinnier than when I started and I'm smarter too because I know that lifting weights isn't going to make me bigger, it will only make me stronger. If you had told me two years ago that I would be able to deadlift 35kg or do chin ups I'd have laughed at you, convinced you had me confused with someone else but today I can do both and I'm not finished. I only want more, I want to get better and stronger and sure If I tone up more while doing that then it's awesome but it's no longer my end goal.

Now I will go back to work in the morning sore but happy because I almost literally trained my ass off over the last few days, I actually might have overdone it a little while trying to overcompensate for wine flu and horrible cloying depression that followed it but you know what it felt really good to feel my muscles back in action. Since Wednesday I did five classes plus a bit of extra working out at open gym and they weren't easy classes ( In the Forge an easy class doesn't actually exist), they pushed me to my limit and beyond which to be fair wasn't too tough given how tired and battered my three day hangover had left me feeling but I didn't regret a single one. In truth I'm now glad to have three days off (or work I believe is what most people call it) to rest and relax and recover and that's when I know I've done enough. I've probably done little to convince you but seriously I swear it's not a cult.