Crossfit Frostbite

Remember a year and a half ago when I did a blog post about Trainer Charlie leaving Lifetime?  No? Well, here is that blog post.

Well, he came back to Michigan and opened his own Crossfit box called Crossfit Frostbite.   He had a grand opening event in July which I attended because I've always liked Charlie and he has always been supportive of me, so why not return the favor.

I've never watched a Crossfit workout in action, so I was interested.  I hadn't taken a Pilates class since May, so I was looking for something to supplement my training with Sarah.  I watched two waves of the WOD and I thought, "Oh, I could do that."   So, then I came in to do a workout and then I purchased a Groupon for one month, and then I decided to just join.  

It is definitely the cardio challenge I was missing in my workouts.  I sweat like crazy, but I also feel like I've accomplished something.  I am currently on the 3 workouts a week plan.  I originally signed up for 2 workouts a week and changed after a month.

There are a lot of really cool people that workout there.  Reyna and Ana are Latinas and speak Spanish, so I get to brush up on my Spanish with them.  I understand Spanish extremely well, but my speaking has suffered from lack of use.  Totally cool that I can do two things at once: workout and work on my Spanish speaking.  

My friend Karen who I sub for in Farmington Hills is currently using her Groupon.  She is 58 and has some injuries from a prior car accident.  Charlie works with her to modify the workouts and she absolutely loves Crossfit.  

There have been a few Lifetime defectors that have joined Crossfit Frostbite, too.

So, what have a learned in my short time doing Crossfit?  I totally get why people hate burpees.  I hate them, too.  I am still as totally awesome at jumping rope as when I was a kid, even though I can't do double unders yet.   

Other than burpees, I love everything about Crossfit.  I'm iffy on snatches.  I like getting some extra lifting in outside of my workouts with Sarah.  I like meeting and working out with people from all different age groups and fitness levels.  Everyone is always encouraging each other and it makes the workouts a lot of fun.   

If you're interested in Crossfit, I suggest you give Crossfit Frostbite a look.  Your first workout is complementary.  The Groupon is $45.  First Responders and Military personnel have a special pricing option.  The Groupon is going to continue until the end of the year and you can come in and purchase it in person or you can purchases it here.  

What I'm Up To

I am such a lousy blogger.  I can't believe it's been over 9 months since I've blogged.

What am I up to?  Well, I'm still working out.  I am still training with Sarah twice a week.  I am no longer actively taking Pilates classes.  I just felt it was time to mix it up.  I didn't have enough cardio in my program and I didn't want to spend it on a treadmill or in a spinning class.  My next post will be more about what I've done to replace Pilates in my routine.

I am growing my hair out.  I am still busy with work and have actually expanded into Macomb County.  I'm still single and not really putting myself out there.

So, that's pretty much it for now.

Happy New Year!!!!

I feel utterly awful that I haven't blogged in two months!!!  I have been thinking about posting, but I have just been so busy.

My New Years' Resolution for 2015..... continue to blog and inspire the masses!!!!!!

What's been happening with me?  Just keeping busy, making money to live and continue investing into my favorite person.....MYSELF!!!!!

I've continued to workout with Sarah twice a week and taking Pilates twice a week with Cassie.  One change is that my Tuesday night Pilates class was disbanded and I now attend the Wednesday 6 pm class.  I sure do miss my homies, Linda and Maureen, but I just wasn't getting the challenge I needed and that's not good for me.  Linda and Maureen are in a Monday evening class.  I do see Linda around at Lifetime so we do get to chat.  I haven't see Linda though.

As of yesterday, I have joined Title Boxing Club.  Some of you may remember that I had a Groupon that I used in the Spring.  You have read about my experiences here.  I need some big time cardio that I don't think I can get at Lifetime right now.  I do enjoy Spinning, but with the new year the classes are going to be packed and you'll have to claw and fight to get a bike.

I will still be doing everything else at Lifetime, but I wanted to add boxing into my regime at least twice a week.  I opted for the month-to-month membership in case I don't want to go for a full  year.

So, I've continued to lift heavy with Sarah and I have some goals for 2015.
I want to bench 100 pounds.  Right now I am at 85 pounds and I can do about 6 to 8 reps.  If I get to the end of 2015 doing 6 to 8 reps, I will be happy.

I want to RDL 150 pounds.  I think I'm at 135 right now.   I want to super squat 400.  I'm at 380 right now, I think.

I promise I'm going to blog more.  There are some big things that are going to happen in 2015, I can feel it!!!

Check In Time

So sorry I haven't been blogging as often as I used to.  I'm still working out, still training with Sarah, still doing Pilates with Cassie, still do nutrition coaching with Jillian.  I still have the same goals.  Life has just gotten busier and more stressful for me so it's taken up a lot of my time and energy.

Without going into too much detail, there is someone who is out to tarnish my professional reputation.  This is without merit and has more to do with that person's lack of personal responsibility.  I have taken the proper steps I need to and am on the road to being vindicated.  Unfortunately, this person will stop at nothing.  This isn't over.  I don't know to what further lengths he will go to, but if you're the praying kind, please keep me in your prayers.

My food choices haven't been the greatest, but also not the worst.  Let's say I am enjoying life right now because I do like to eat.  I am also occasionally finding myself "comfort eating" during times of stress.  Hey, I'm human.  I am conscious of it.  It happens.  Every day is another day and another chance to be better.

The scale is up, but my clothes continue to feel the same or looser given the particular garment I am wearing.  Nothing is fitting tighter.  Letting go of the scale is a thing I've been working hard at, but we're so ingrained into letting the scale control our successes and failures.

I've got time on my side.  I think part of me had some sot of D day goal.  "I must reach my goal by X date."  I'll always have to work on myself.  It's not like you reach your goal weight and you're done.  Yeah, I'm not where I wanted to me (again, on the scale), but I'm stronger, I'm leaner, I'm healthier.   I'm almost 18 months into this journey and I'm pretty happy with my progress.

I will admit that my mind was more clear and more in the game this time last year than this year.  I guess that's how life goes and also how fitness goes.  I'm still working out 4 to 5 days a week, that's nothing to be disappointed about.  I keep lifting heavier.  I've made some modifications to my diet.

So, that's where I'm at.  I'm just trying to be honest.  My schedule keeps me from blogging as much, but rather than quit and have people think I've  either quit or fallen off the planet, I thought I'd tell you where I'm at mentally and physically.   It's all cyclical.  I'll be back up again, the lesson is to just keep going.  

Back to the Heavy Lifting

Today was my return to lifting heavy after taking it easy for about two to three weeks due to my back pain/piriformis tightness.  It felt great and I was so excited for this workout.   We didn't pick up right where we left off, but it was still a heavy lifting day.

Our first exercise was the Icarian Super Squat machine.  I think the last time we did it, I squatted 360 pounds.  I can't remember what Sarah said, but I squatted somewhere in the mid to high 200s.    We did straight leg deadlift next.  The last time, I did 125 pounds.  I think today I did 110-ish from what I could tell.

The rest of our workout was very arm heavy.   We did the seated row on a machine we had never done before.  Sarah thought we had used it before, but I can assure you we had not.  I kind of liked it.   I have to say I also enjoyed the chest press (50 pounds) with my legs in tabletop.  I'm used to tabletop since we do that in Pilates, but I was a little nervous about doing it while lifting.   It worked out well and wasn't difficult at all.  I was afraid my legs would be tired and it would be hard to keep them up.

I'm pretty excited to be back to the heavy lifting.  I am working out with Sarah Wednesday and next Sunday and then she is going on vacation.  She has arranged for Jeff Douglass to train me.  This should be pretty cool because he shadowed one of my workouts with Sarah last summer when he was just an intern.  I can't wait to see what he has planned.

My Latest Guilty Pleasure

The newest thing I like to do in my rare bit of spare time is watching YouTube videos of people giving advice and reviews.  I have a few channels that I subscribe to, but my current favorite is that of Tyrone Magnus which up until recently included his now ex-girlfriend Sarah Caissey.   Tyrone does near daily video uploads and Sarah hasn't uploaded anything to her channel in a little bit.  I must say that I was truly saddened that they broke up.  I really hope they get back together.

I actually might email Tyrone a question because I need advice on a sticky subject and the current male advice I'm getting sucks.

I learn a lot when I watch their videos and I laugh my ass off.  Tyrone also does an occasional workout video, which is all right, but I sometimes disagree with.  It's cool though, everyone works out differently.

My favorite videos are when he answers subscribers' questions.  He gives hilarious, but honest answers.  And when Sarah was in the video, it was even funnier.

So, if you're looking for something fun and informative to watch, I strongly suggest subscribing to Tyrone's channel.  His goal is to get 1 Million Subscribers (WHOOOOOAAAA)

Coming Up For Air

Wow, I am finally caught up with all of my transcripts!!!!!  Ever since mid-July, I have been pleasantly swamped with transcripts.  The money has been fantastic, I can't complain.  I'm definitely looking forward to a relaxing weekend coming up.

Other than work, what have I been doing?  Well, I'm still training with Sarah twice a week.  We've been taking it easy the last two weeks because my back has been hurting.  Turns out, my pirifomis were mega tight.  Thankfully, Drea loosened them up and I am feel back to my good ole 100%.  Starting this Sunday, Sarah and I are returned to our usual heavy lifting.

I'm still doing Pilates twice a week with Cassie.  There has been some upheaval in the Pilates department, but things are falling into place with the hiring of Lindsay Hill.  I haven't officially been introduced, but I'm sure she'll become my favorite Hill at LTF Novi.

Speaking of LTF Novi management, I am currently beefing with Sean Dick over what I like to call The Great Hot Chocolate War of 2014.  Long story short, Sean  promised Linda and I free hot chocolate because of the extremely cold temperature in the Pilate studio and he FAILED to deliver.  He has promised to go to Starbucks and get us hot chocolate (hold the whipped cream, of course) next Tuesday and he better follow through or else all Hell is going to break loose....and that's just what Linda is going to do him!!!!!

I have Friday off from work and I plan on making my grand return  to Spinning.  I have also signed up for the Kettlebell Workshop on Saturday morning.  I like to think I am pretty astute with the kettlebells, but it'll just be a nice free workout.

I am still doing Nutrition Coaching with Jillian.  I lost 6 pounds in two weeks.  While the scale is going down, my body is adjusting as well.  My current workout shirts are extremely loose in the waist and hip area.  Time to bust out the smaller size I brought earlier in the year!!!!

I'm watching and enjoying the latest season of the Biggest Loser.  I really like the new trainers, Jessie and Jen.    Of course, Dolvett is my favorite.

And that's pretty much what's going on with me.  I have been quiet on the blog, but I'm still plugging away.  I'm closing in on 18 months on this journey and I'm still happy with how things are going.  I'm always learning and improving, and getting stronger.