With the New Year in full swing, I figured that I would take some time to discuss something fitness related and something that is of major importance in my life: CrossFit.
Let’s take it back a little bit to when I was younger. I was always an athlete. I played softball, volleyball, and basketball my entire life. Then I graduated high school, I tried to keep active at the rec center while in college, joining different gyms, and running on my own. With all of the activities that I tried, I never felt that I was getting anywhere with what I was doing and I didn’t really enjoy any of the activities either.
In January of 2014, when my son, Tatum, was about 16 months old, I suffered a missed miscarriage. It was the most devastating thing that I have ever experienced and was completely life changing. I went through a lot of ups and downs and needed something in my life to help with the emotions that I was experiencing. In May of 2014, after an introduction to CrossFit from my brother, I decided to find a CrossFit box and join. CrossFit can be super intimidating, so to tell you that I wasn’t scared to go, would be a complete lie. After a few WODs (workout of the day), I was and am still completely hooked.
After about six months, I was working out 4-5 times per week, was gaining confidence in the movements and strength components, and was probably in the best shape of my life. In November 2014, I found out that I was pregnant with my daughter and made a commitment to myself to continue with CrossFit throughout my pregnancy. I had some amazing coaches, who helped me continue safely throughout the workouts, and I never did anything that didn’t feel right. If something felt funny, I swapped out my movement for something that was equivalent and continued to finish the WOD. I was able to workout until about 37 weeks pregnant, when sciatica got the best of me. A week later, at 38 weeks, I delivered my beautiful and healthy baby girl, Delilah. My labor and delivery were pretty quick with both my son and daughter, but I will say that the difference between my recovery with my son and the recovery with my daughter was totally different. It was so much quicker the second time. I actually started back doing lite CrossFit workouts about 2.5 weeks after my daughter was born, and I definitely contribute that to continuing with CrossFit throughout my pregnancy.
I know that for many people fitness is about physical health and it definitely is for me too, but the effect that CrossFit has had on my mental health is almost more important to me. Without finding CrossFit, I think that I could have been in a very dark place for a long time. Miscarriages are so secretive and so isolating. No one wants to say anything about it or talk to you about it. I felt like a failure. It’s CrossFit and the amazing people that I have met, that helped me get through a terrible time in my life. CrossFit continues to be an anxiety and stress reliever for me, and I am lucky enough to have a garage gym set up for CrossFit, so I am able to go out and workout whenever I am able to get some free time.
CrossFit is the most amazing type of workout that I have ever done. Here are a few reasons why:
- The WODs are different every day.
- It takes about an hour from start to finish.
- It is something that EVERYONE can do because EVERY movement is scalable.
- Many of the movements can be done anywhere, with little or no equipment.
- It gives you confidence like you wouldn’t believe.
- It makes you feel like an athlete.
- It makes your butt look goooooood!
So, my recommendation is obviously for you to go out and find the nearest CrossFit box, and give it a whirl. But whatever your fitness may be, own it, love it and do it! It’s so important to find something that you love and to take the time for yourself. Moms like us, have some pretty important little people to take care of, and if we aren’t at our best, then we can’t do our best for them.
Does anyone CrossFit or has anyone tried it? If anyone has thought about it and has questions, I’d love to help!
