#itsagoodhurt

I'll never forget it. It was my second or third time to workout at my new CrossFit box, by this time I'd been in CrossFit for two months. I walked up to my coach, Adam, 

Me:"Is it suppose to hurt right here?" 

Adam: "Yep." 

Me: "Ok just making sure, cause it hurts really bad."
Adam: "No it hurts really good." 

I will probably remember this conversation for all time; with it a hashtag was born:#itsagoodhurt.

 

I have been waiting to write this post for a while. I have been adding to it and taking away from it. You may ask why I have been waiting. Well the fact is that I was waiting for my one year annversity of starting CrossFit. That one year anniversary was this week. You see I never in a million years thought I would be doing something like this, I guess I should start at the beginning. 

You see I went out on a limb and bought this GroupOn a year ago. I was looking for something new to add to my workout routine and thought this would be good for the summer. I went to my first class scared to death. I kinda knew what to expect, but was trying to be open. Well after lots of running, sweating, near vomiting and realizing I was going to have to get cooler workout clothes I was all done. Oh the next day though and the day after that, it hurt to do everything. I never thought I would look more forward to walking up a hill whether than down. Finally I went back after 2 days, more running, almost crying this time, but I made it. I continued going and slowly as time went in I increased my number of days I went.

I was reaching the end of my GroupOn and realized I had a decision to make. Was I going to continue doing CrossFit or was I going to go back to running on a treadmill and the elliptical. Well, the fact was I was addicted! I mean check you the picture below: 

Beginning of it all, before CrossFit, after I started CrossFit 

So that was when I decided to join CrossFit Clinton, which was when the above covo happened. Now there is a lot of debate on of CrossFit is safe or not. And I am not making this one of those post. I will say this. I have become stronger, have more speed and endurance, and have become more confident since staring CrossFit. Don't get me wrong I have had problems. But none of them were caused by CrossFit, you can go here to read about my back problems. 

There are time when I think what in the world am I doing here?! I don't belong here, I'm slower than everyone. These coaches don't need to waste their time with me. But those are my own personal struggles and problems. The fact is I am blessed to be apart of a box that is amazing. Where the coaches care about you and your health and your ability. They care when you are gone and if you get hurt. They will work around any injury to help you not lose ground and they will cheer you on the whole time. If I ever move somewhere else, it will be hard to find another place like it. 

There is one thing I would say to all the nae sayers out there, don't knock it till you try it. If you have tried it and didn't like it chances are you were at a bad box. If you tried it and hurt the next day and don't like that feeling, "well suck it up buttercup" because you are working muscles that may have never been worked. It will get easier, then you must push yourself to the next level. Because that's what you have to do to get where you want to be, push, try, go because last I checked sitting on the couch got me no where!! 

Cookies out of Chickpeas

Today I made chocolate chip cookies out of chickpeas, yes you read that right chickpeas. I also own a jar of coconut oil. These are two things that I never imagined I would be using. I mean lets be honest, I didn't even know there was such a thing as coconut oil and chickpeas....I just thought that was just for hummus. But there I stood in the kitchen with my food processor grounding up chickpeas. I will say they turned out pretty good.

You see I started this new adventure two weeks ago called clean eating. Well, cleanish eating, because you see I don't know if I will never totally be off processed food. This is not only an adventure in cleaner eating this is also an adventure in cooking period. See I don't cook, I bake.Cooking meals has ever been my area. I don't know if it is because I am just lazy or if I feel like there are only so many things a single girl can cook without having to feast on it for 20 days. But I just never really cooked. But two Sundays ago, I went to Starbucks, considering it my "last meal", sat down with my computer,  notebook and began looking for new clean recipes. I found a few, made my list and was ready to go. So far I have done pretty well I have made meat loaf, Jambalaya, Stuffed Bell peppers, and this week I will make clean eating crock pot Mexican Chili Mac, I am really excited about that one.

Why am I doing all this you may ask or not. Well most of you if you have read my previous post know that I have struggled with my weight my whole life. What you probably don't know is that I was on cholesterol medicine when I was in high school and college, my knee creak and hurt like that of someone much older than me, and I have lower back problems to which my weight has contributed.  I have recently posted picture of myself showing what I have done so far. I am super proud of those pictures and will continue posting as until I get to where I want to be. But the one thing I hope that people will understand though all this is that I am doing what I am doing because I want to be everything God wants me to be. I'm a minister and a southern Baptist minister at that, we eat....a lot. But I also know that I will never be able to keep up with kids that I minister to if I don't take care of myself. . I also want them to see that we have to take care of our bodies...I mean you can't get more blunt than this.

One day in the future I desire to get married and have a child, my weight will play a factor. So the way I see it I am just taking steps now to ensure my future both in my personal life and also in my ability as a minister.

If during this process I drop dress sizes and get muscles in places where there used to be flab, that is awesome! But I know that most importantly I will be taking care of what God gave me and wants me to use for his glory!