The CrossFit Date

It's hard to believe it was 17 days ago that I tried my first CrossFit workout with Bret. On the other hand it feels like months ago. However, because it was both challenging and fun, I remember it well enough to go ahead and blog about it now.

I went over to Bret's, he has a very nice house with a gym attached to it. Inside is everything you need to workout. It's very nice, he teaches Judo to friends and acquaintances as a way to keep his personal skills sharp. I like him because he likes to challenge himself and I thrive on that too.

He talked me through some of the basics about CrossFit and then proposed a workout. He took it down a notch for me, since I haven't done one before and he kept it standard for him.

Me -
-3 jumping pull-ups
-7 push-ups
-10 body weight squats

Him -
-5 pull-ups
-10 push-ups
-15 body weight squats

We did it each minute, on the minute, for 21 minutes for a total of 20 sets. In between we got between 18-20 seconds rest. It felt awesome. I didn't even hurt the next day. Bret did a little, but he also did more than I did.

I enjoyed the workout enough I am willing to try other CrossFit workouts as well. I will say however, it's not for beginners. It's really a form of working out to take yourself to the next level or face down a new challenge.

As for the rest of the date, you curious bunnies, it was very nice. We showered (separately, thank you), went to dinner at Torrocco! and then to a movie. Afterward we talked until early in the morning. It was very relaxing and interesting.

Well, tomorrow it's on to that friend's adventure in extreme body shaping. Might I suggest, in advance, that you not eat your lunch right before you read the little story.

Yours in fitness, Kate

I Had a Great Lunch

I apologize for not posting yesterday. I was very busy and then... wait for it... I had a date. Yes, with a man, a very nice man. The kind you want to see again.

Our date lasted three hours! We even had a healthy lunch, because he is a healthy person too. It was nice to talk to someone about health, food and fitness, of the male persuasion, who didn't think I was a total fruit loop.

Because we talked so long I even missed my window for a workout and I didn't care.

Back to the gym today though and that's where I am headed now.

Yours in fitness, Kate

Go with your gut

Women have 'intuition', men 'go with their guts'. Women should be more like men. But wait, women are like men - intuition = guts. The problem, we often do not listen to the truths that our sensational abilities bring us.

1. Being Literal - Listen to your gut, when it comes to your gut -
Far too often we do not listen to what our bodies tell us about what we need from food. No, not the one that goes, "This has been a hell of a day, we need dark chocolate flour-less torte".

I mean, if you feel sluggish, take on some complex carbs in the form of fruits and veggies or whole grains. If you are feeling weak, take in more calcium, protein or iron. And above all know when enough is enough.

Your body itself is actually a lot less demanding than you think when it comes to food. We just let our mind override our gut and take that third piece of pizza anyway. This is a great article from Women's Health Magazine that talks about the reasons and a few ideas on listening to your gut - when it comes to food.

2. Being Instinctual - Listen to your gut, when it comes to romance -
A month ago I knew that Berger (Ron Livingston on "Sex in the City") was right, "He's just not that into you." But I went ahead and let things not move forward and took a coffee or phone call when I could get it.

Finally, after weeks of dancing around the subject it came up today. He mentioned e-mailing me later in the week. I said I didn't think he was really interested in dating me because he was "dealing with a ghost from his past". He acknowledged that was the case, but he still wanted to talk to me. I half-heartedly gave him an o.k. But the truth is, I was saving face.

I did it again. I didn't follow my gut. My gut told me early, 'this guy is emotionally unavailable'. Instead, I wasted two months attempting to move forward with a guy that had no intention of doing so. Again, I have chosen an unavailable man. This time he doesn't have a girlfriend, just a 'ghost'. Ah, yes improvement.

I am way too out of practice. I have spent 20 years wrapped in a cocoon of fat. And while I have attempted a relationship a couple of times during that period, mostly they were great exercises in masochism.

I have to find a way through this. There must be a decent man out there that wants to have fun. No, scratch that, there is a decent man who wants to have fun. Maybe he isn't in Iowa though, I don't know. But from now on, I really have to follow my own advice and Go with my Gut, it talks to me for a reason.

Yours in health, Kate

Dating Dysfunction

When I was bigger I was hiding. Hiding from myself, but mainly hiding from men. You see, if I was big, no one could possibly be attracted to me. (Or so I believed and I was mostly right.) I was hit on here and there, but always because the guys thought I would be desperate because I was fat.

I proved them wrong by sending them packing with some scathing or frigid comment. I made it clear I had no time for games. That falseness on the part of men and a bad relationship or two, soured me on the opposite sex. Frankly, I swore them off.

In recent months my interest in guys has returned. During this rediscovery I have also found a truth that I did not expect: I did not hate men, I hated what I let them do to me - emotionally and psychologically. So now, on the other side of the weight and the mental anguish of being used and always left, I am ready to try again.

The funny thing is, I think I have forgotten how to ride the bike. I think my flirt is broken. I just can't figure out how to get the train to move from the station. (Somebody get me a cliche thesaurus.)

You see, not to sound conceited, I look better than I ever have. Don't get me wrong, I don't consider myself super model material, but I think I look pretty good and am getting better by the day. And yet, nothing.

I can get guys to flirt, but no date requests have come in. I even caved and asked a guy out, he said yes, he'd check his schedule and get back to me. He never called back. I can't believe I shared that. But I feel like I need to be completely honest with you each step of my journey toward health and fitness.

So, there it is. I feel like I am the Gobi desert with a map and broken compass. I know which way the sun rises, but beyond that I am a little lost.

Funny, I'm not sure what I was expecting after writing all that. I think I was hoping for an epiphany. The only thing that I have concluded is that perhaps I am impatient. Did I really think just because I have changed the world would be ready? Or more specifically the men?

I would keep pondering, but if I don't end this now, I think I may pass into the realm of pathetically needy.

Yours in (mental) health, Kate