For most of my life, I fell into the "weightlifting is for boys" and "the thinner the better" mindset. I tried running for a while and the second my pants got tighter (obviously from going from zero muscles to actually having one or two), I quit. GETTING BIGGER IS BAD, right?? That's what is ingrained in women from the time they're able to turn on the TV. So, I just decided to stay "skinny fat". Safer that way...
Until you realize that you need your husband to lift everything for you and open all of the damn jars of jelly that you swear MUST be glued shut.
Enter: CrossFit Prowess. I decided that I was sick of being skinny fat and wanted to do something about it. I had been doing Pilates and yoga for a while (and still do, I love it and it's very complimentary to CF), but you can only get so strong without weight training. One of my good friends had started CrossFit a few months prior and she kept telling me I would love it. Love what exactly??!!?? Lifting heavy dirty bars, people making weird noises and then ending up on the floor in a puddle of their own sweat and tears?? Nah, I'm good. I'll just chill over here in my comfort zone. My husband started at Prowess the week before I did and told me the same "you'll love it" story.
Ughhhhh, fine. I'll give it ONE MONTH. I'm pretty sure I told the owner of Prowess, Jason, the day I signed up that he would be responsible for buying me a new wardrobe if I got big from lifting weights. And I'm pretty sure he wanted to tell me to eff off but he didn't... Not out loud anyway... My first WOD was terrible. It was 8.5 minutes long and I literally thought I was going to die. But, as any good CrossFitter will tell you, you'll pass out before you die, so keep going. I refused to actually throw up at the box in front of Jason so I walked out and got in my car so that I could puke around the corner with no witnesses. Then I went home and laid in the bed for the rest of the day wondering why that was so hard. Anything that makes you feel THAT BAD can't be good for you, right?? I went back the next day though. And the next day, and the day after that.
Let me be clear: throwing weights over your head feels freaking AWESOME. Climbing your first 15 ft rope while all of your fellow Crossfitters stop what their doing to cheer you on feels AWESOME. Looking at the bruises, cuts, blisters and scrapes on your body from what you accomplished at the box that day is gratifying as hell. One of my fellow Prowess members said it best "what we do in the box is a very primal, raw thing". And she's right. Nothing that we do as adults breaks you down and builds you back up as a better you like CrossFit. You'll get to the bottom of that ugly ass basement in your mind and learn things about yourself you never knew. You have to be ready for that.
So, here we are, 9 months later. I have gained 10 lbs., my pants are tighter than they used to be, my ass is bigger than it used to be. My calves and arms are too. But guess what... I'm a better version of myself than I've ever been. I could pick all 5 of my children up and carry them out of a burning building if I needed to, I can carry all of my groceries in without getting tired, I can rearrange my furniture without help, I'm surrounded by the best community of people that I sweat with every week. And I can open my own damn jar of non-Paleo jelly, thank you VERY much.
So yes, you should sign up. Tell Jason I sent you read more