The results are in but it's only the beginning...

Wrapping up the 1st Performance Nutrition Experience at Canyon Crossfit and it is time to reflect and sum it all up and of course, with the conclusion of any journey, it is also time to look to the future...

But first, the last 60 days! I titled this blog, "Healthy Living Can Be Fun and A Challenge Too, I meant it from the bottom of my heart...it is how I look at life...FUN & A CHALLENGE.

Nutrition started with Whole30...very "clean" eating that included food restrictions which eliminated all sugar, bread & grains, dairy, legumes, and processed stuff. I LOVE LOVE LOVE cooking and as I mentioned in a blog earlier, I had lost that part of me for several years. This experience has helped me find that again. But nutrition isn't only about cooking right? I realized that I needed to fully understand what the food does to my body...and my body has let me know! Ha...not only did my body welcome the clean eating, it RESENTED any time that something "unclean" slipped in!

Within a week of removing the suspicious foods and becoming a "clean eater", my skin cleared up, (TMI but my back, too) my tummy was not bloated (funny thing was, I didn't even know I was feeling bloated becasue that was the norm until it was gone and then I ate grains & dairy recently and it returned!), the puffiness under my eyes was gone (I didnt have to spend $100 on fancy eye cream-YAY), food tasted better, I didn't feel FULL after a meal but I ate PLENTY...my body was responding. So that sent me searching deeper...I found articles, blog sites, and other resources because I wanted to understand it so I could explain it to others. The sales person in me understands that there are features and benefits...people "buy" things based on the benefits but you need to be able to explain the features...oh the things that I learned from YEARS of sales training. =)

Now for my nutritional future...this is our new normal. I still have so much to learn and that excites me. And I hope that as the days, months and years progress, I can continue to make an impact in the lives of people. Give me a chance to share my story, my recipes, and what I have learned and by doing so, maybe I can inspire them to consider where they are in their own nutritional journey. My diet is FOREVER changed and I have never been more excited...it doesn't make me nervous it just makes me smile!

Performance prior to the 60 Days, I was committed to getting to Crossfit twice a week and if I made it three times I was THRILLED... with the other 4 days being left to a few chances to run because I had started to utilize the Crossfit Endurance training method for the half marathons I enjoy running. Hmmmm, well...honestly, this is where the Crossfit community hooked me during this experience! I immediately realized that 30+ of us were on this PNE ride together and although we would post encouragements on Facebook and a few people were blogging there was NOTHING like being at the "box" together and cheering each other on in person!

We had all set goals and it was SOOOO fun to be there to see everyone acheive them one by one. That being said, I adjusted my attendance goals as well, I made it a point to get to Canyon 3 days a week and if I made it there 4 times, YAY! For the past 60 days I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the 4 o'clock peeps during the week and the 8 AM crew on Saturdays. New friends and some people that I have known for years have helped me reach a new level of fitness.

And yet again, I found myself researching; this time it was movements online, and asking for additional direction from the coaches and friends. This was perfectly lived out with my goal to acheive a handstand push-up...I found a few YouTube videos and began to study the progression and practice it whenever I had an extra moment at the "box." Then one Saturday, I asked Denise to show me how she had done it recently (her first time also)...she did, then she told me to give it a shot..I tried and I DID IT! Woohoo! And I never looked back...that next week the WOD had SEVERAL rounds of them in it and I was TICKLED to be able to do it! I will never forget the feeling of having some of the people from the 5 o'clock class come in and see me mid-WOD and knowing my performance goal, they smiled and cheered me on! My performance was enhanced by the community at Crossfit.

As for the future...NEW GOALS of course! =) And so that they are out there for accountabilty they include mastering the double under (I busted out 2 consecutive the other day and was so freaking excited) and of course mastering the kipping pullup (I have barely complete 5 but still have more work to do there) and I might as well say it...I WANT TO DO A MUSCLE UP! The PNE has helped me to remember that goals are great, they only make you try harder and even when you fail, it doesn't matter there is always next time.

Love this quote...
"Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter."

-Francis Chan

As I said when I started this little experience, I was not doing it to lose weight but to get healthier...on Saturday the scale said I was down 2 lbs. from the original weigh in and my body fat was down too. Don't worry peeps! I am EATING LOTS and I continue to only work out for an hour 3-4 days a week. =) I feel great!

FINALLY...Congrats to Lisa Aul Ick for winning the 1st Canyon Crossfit Performance Nutrition Challenge! She is truly an inspiration and I am proud to say that she is becoming a friend! YAY LISA!

Here are the pics...

                                                                  

 Before...                                                                    After...