"Clean Eating"

Yesterday was the fourth of July! Happy Birthday 'Murica! Which is my favorite holiday in the whole entire world. I'll have to write a post on that another time. But today is about the realization I had yesterday that has nothing to do with the birthday of America, but my own body.

Almost three weeks ago I joined Crossfit.  When I joined, I started eating clean according to our box's "Eat to Compete" challenge. It wasn't really hard. As long as I kept working out, it was easy to keep eating healthy, and vice versa. For example. Anytime I wanted to "cheat" and eat something not on the plan I just thought of how many burpees that was worth and it usually kept me from straying. Haha. (Burpees are not my favorite.)

I told myself on the fourth of July I could have a rootbeer float and a hamburger with the fixins. And I did. I also had a handful of M&Ms that my dad offered while I was watching Independence Day. The M&Ms about threw me into sugar shock. I couldn't believe that after two and a half weeks of clean eating, and only having fructose as a form of sugar, a handful of M&Ms made me feel so...blech. I did have the hamburger and the rootbeer float. And again, the root beer float was SO SUGARY, (But that Hamburger was incredible and I savored every bite. :)

This morning, getting back to the eating challenge hasn't even been a problem. I KNOW! I HAD A CHEAT DAY AND IT DIDN'T TURN INTO A CHEAT WEEK!

I'm just amazed at what we're willing to put into our bodies. I can't believe I used to drink Mountain Dew and Diet Coke by the gallon. I can't believe I used to eat as much sugar and unhealthy carbs as I used to. No wonder I felt the way I did. 

So in three weeks of Crossfit (almost every day) and adhering to the eating challenge, here are the changes I have seen:

1- No Migraines. (I usually got one to two a week, and more during my period. I haven't had one.)
2- A better ability to control my blood sugar levels (This helped with the Migraines.)

3- I have lost 10 pounds, two inches around my waist, an inch around my hips, and an inch from each thigh.
4- More energy.
5- Better recognition of when my body is "satisfied" so that I don't over eat and make myself sick.
6- Every day tasks have started getting easier, my body moves easier, bends over easier, lifts easier, etc.
7- I CAN TOUCH MY TOES WITH MY LEGS STRAIGHT! (You don't even understand how happy this makes me.)
8- My muscles are repairing and building faster, resulting in me not staying as sore as long after workouts.
9- My emotional/mental state is absolutely more positive, happier, and goal oriented. <--big div="" one="">

10- More creative ways to prepare food that fits into the parameters of eating challenge.

I've made friends with some of the people at the Box and I love them. I usually attend the women's class, because the women are incredible and absolutely inspiring. One of the women I adore is Shelly. She did the eating challenge and did the WODs for two months and won the challenge.

Before and After

I love that woman! I try to stand near her during WODs, because she pushes and inspires me!
Seeing her success has pushed me to keep working at what I'm doing, keep eating clean, and keep WODing it up, because I can feel myself getting stronger. And it just feels SO GOOD.

"Randy" for time: 75 Power Snatches at 55 lbs

My time was 6:53

That's a nervous smile as in: I'm not sure how I'm going to finish this WOD, because 75 is a lot more than I thought it would be.