POPPIN TAGS

MEN AND WOMEN ARE DIFFERENT
When you walk into a Department store if your a man, you go to the Men's Department...simple, easy.....sizing for men is standard by waist, chest and neck size. When you look for women's clothes there is a Juniors , Misses and Women's sections.  

WHY WOMEN HAVE TO TRY ON CLOTHES
I will use Khol's as an example, there are 11 DIFFERENT DESIGNER'S  in just the Misses department alone. There are no standard measurements among women's clothes designers, if Vera Wang designs a size 8 the fit will be totally different fit from Jennifer Lopez's designs size 8. This means there are 11 different versions of a misses size 8 in Khols. Talk to any woman, ask her how frustrating this is and how much  of her free time she spends trying on clothes!!

SELF WORTH
Last year even though I dropped 30lbs and so many inches of body fat from crossfitting, clothes shopping was still emotionally hard. I associated what size I was with my self worth. I felt if I had to go up a size in a pair of jeans instead of the new size I had worked so hard to become this was "bad or ugly".  Very often I walked out of the store without buying anything and feeling depressed. As a result I had very few clothes. This year I was taking my daughter to college orientation and I desperately needed to buy clothes to wear because I had hardly any! I tried on the first outfit it was a cute sun dress in a misses size 8, well the waist fit but I could not zip up the side zipper once it hit the beginning of my ribs...grrr!!  I riped that dress off over my head, threw it on the ground, was just about to jump on it in defeat, when I stopped and gave myself a reality check! "Elisa, your body is soo different now from crossfitting for 18 months now, your back is wider from lifting heavy weights, your butt is rounder and your thighs are thicker because you squat so much, your arms are more powerful....you actually have 'guns', DO NOT EXPECT ONE SIZE to fit your new body!"  

A NEW PERSPECTIVE

I picked up that dress that I was just about to attack. Now armed with my new way of thinking, hung it on the hanger, left the dressing room to look for a bigger size. I promised myself I would not feel bad or ashamed to go up in size, but learn how to fit clothes to my body. I did end up purchasing that dress in a size 12 , because it was the size that fit my back comfortably. Seeing how the dress fit my body properly, truly helped me put away those old notions of having to fit into a particular size to be pretty or accepted. I realized that I am so much more than a size tag on a dress. I have become fit, healthy and strong because of Crossfit.  I now dress my body not by what designers put on the tag but by how clothes fit. I want my clothes to reflect on the outside how I feel on the inside....STRONG AND BEAUTIFUL! 

IT FEELS GOOD

"you are a strong and dedicated woman who will not let this incident keep you from reaching your goals .keep up the Pr's and don't stop posting them so we can all celebrate your achievements together. keep moving forward" Keith K

 THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU ..Family, Friends,  my PortCrossfit Family, my fellow crossfitters, blog readers ..who have sent me your words of encouragement and support, it means so much to me and is important to my healing, I LOVE YOU!

KIDS
 My oldest Kaite has become my caretaker making sure my wounds were cleaned and dressed, made sure i ate and took my antibiotics, allowed me to sleep, did my errands for me, whatever i needed, she has done for me.  The day after the attack Erin, had her second High School Varsity Softball playoff game. It was everything within me to get up, shower and drive (in pain) to her game to watch her play.  When they lost, the other girls on her team cried and ignored their parents, Erin came running over "I love you mommy, i am so glad your here!" with a hug and a kiss. She has held me many times as i cried and told me it was OK not to be strong, that it was OK for me to let them (the kids) help me. My oldest and my youngest would come up with a paleo meals that they would cook together. Mike would beam with pride when I would say "Good choice Mike!" My son has also armed me with an arsenal of weapons...a bat, a knife and samurai swords so that i can protect myself from any dog or Superhero Nemesis. Now if i could just get them to clean the house life would be perfect, hahahaha.  I LOVE YOU KAITE, ERIN and MIKE "to infinity and beyond!!"

EVERYDAY STUFF
This week (6/10/2013)  brings quite a few firsts for me.  I have woken up hungry, actually ate all 3 meals and my snack, i had been sub existing on only 2 meals and a snack. I have been keeping my eating "clean" as we say in crossfit.  Clean eating is KEY to my healing both physically and mentally.  I have recently started sleeping without any nightmares. I have finally worked up to 7 hours of straight sleep. It feels great to wake up happy and rested both mentally and physically. I am more confident to venture outside and do my own errands.  This is also the first week i can lift my patient at work without pain, my pediatric patient cannot move by himself, he is 100lbs of dead weight...caring for him injured has been a challenge to say the least. Little by little, step by step, i am making progress in feeling like myself again. 

CROSSFIT
It is difficult to crossfit with both a arm and leg injury, both on the same side. It is also hard to accept because of your injury you need to scale down your weights. The day after the attack i couldn't even pick up a coffee cup, i had no grip strength, and my leg was painful just sitting.  It was mentally and physically overwhelming just to get up out of bed and thru the doors at PortCrossfit. My first class on Tuesday (5/28/2013), was surreal, i  felt like i was moving in slow motion and everyone else was moving at lightening speed. I left class feeling apathetic, that scared me! I was thinking the whole drive home "am i going to ever feel normal again? " In Wednesday's (5/29/2013) class we had to do Turkish get-ups  , i was having difficulty gripping the kettlebell, and had to scale the weight down. In the middle of the WOD , I  just wanted to quit,  I was thinking "this is too hard for me, I cant do this" and I contemplated  running out the door! I have NEVER, EVER felt that way, even when I first started! Thru these self-defeating thoughts,  I hear my coach (thanks Mike!) say "Right back up, Elisa!"...reluctantly I  got up, finished. "Seriously Elisa, you wanted to quit?", I am thinking to myself and crying the whole way home. I took a day off to rest and it scared me that I didn't miss crossfit. Friday's  (5/31/2013) class we begin the WOD with building to a heavy hang squat clean, I was encouraged because I was able to get to 85lbs, not my heaviest, it hurt to squat, but it was a weight I felt I could accept from myself.  After that we had to do 5 rounds for time of 200 meter run, 15 hand release push ups, 15 power cleans.  I take 20lbs off my bar, drop down to 65lbs and give myself a pep talk.  " OK Elisa this is a weight you warm up with, your 1 rep max is 105lbs, you can do this" 3-2-1 -GO! I run..my legs feel like lead, i do modified push ups, then i get to the power cleans i break the 15 reps into workable sets of 5. As I am running my second round i seriously considered dropping my weight, because the 65lbs felt exceptionally heavy to me but then the fighter in me FINALLY stepped up and said "NO Elisa, you can do this, you did the first 15!" I didn't care if PortCrossfit  was turning off the lights and locking the place up, i was not giving up, i was going to finish! I ran in from my fifth round, did my  15 hand-release push ups,  now on to the power cleans 15 reps to finish, at this point everyone else in the class is done! I do the first 5 of my final set, my grip is failing, i throw the bar down, i hear my coach (Tyler)"YOU got this 10, 9, 8, 7, 6,5, 4, 3, 2, 1...Pick Up The Bar, 5 more, 10 to finish!! ", I can hear everyone in class cheering me on! I can only hold the bar for three more reps, down it goes, it is so hard for me to hold,  I pick the bar up again for 3 more reps, again my grip fails..."You got this Elisa, break it into sets of 2" from my coach,  that's what I do. With the last  completed rep, I throw down the bar, i uncontrollably start sobbing, and walk out of class into the parking lot.  One of my friends comes out after me "Elisa, are you OK?" and she gives me a hug..i start crying again "yes, Linds, these are happy tears, i didn't give up or give in, and i finished!" I didn't even record my time for that day, I didn't care. What mattered to me is that i didn't give up, I had a "normal" reaction in class and that is a PR. Last week(6/3/2013) I was able to PR my strict overhead press, do banded pull ups,  and I took Olympic lifting class like I usually do. This week (6/10/2013) I have been able to do knees to chest   all unbroken reps without losing my grip, do a triple heavy push jerk very close to my one rep max, and swing a 1.25 pood (44-45lbs) kettle bell, it hurt to go overhead but i was able to get it eye level without pain. 

Each small improvement whether its everyday stuff or crossfit,  brings me closer to healing and that keeps me so encouraged that my life will get back to normal. I just have to hang in there, keep my eyes on my faith, and keep moving forward and not give up! 

  

MENTALLY STRONG

I COULD DIE
On Tuesday of this past week i was attacked by a pit bull. I walked from my apartment to my Landlords door, knocked, stepped back from the door and waited for him to answer. I was waiting patiently so i could tell him the washing machine was broken, instead i listened to his pit bull go crazy barking, growling, and jumping at the door. I was just about to walk a away..the dog busted down the door and i was facing the jaws of a hostile territorial pit bull. Before i could blink the pit bull ran up and attacked me ..i felt its teeth rip into my arm,  I wondered if the beast broke my arm, it quickly disappeared behind me and i felt the piercing of its fangs in my leg...the animal then circled to the front of me.  "OH MY GOD, I could die at the hands of this dog! I am going to have to fight for my life", I thought. In an instant I could feel my TERROR rise up from the pit of my stomach consume my senses, and i wanted to RUN. Suddenly I heard my father's voice "when an dog becomes aggressive BE STILL". 

KEEP CALM

I grew up with a Dad who was not only a Park Ranger but he  used to breed and train dogs to hunt. In this terrifying moment i had to trust his advice that he gave me as a little girl.   I began to talk to myself ..."you are not allowed to panic, the dog can sense your fear, you need to just breathe..inhale and exhale slowly, relax your body so the dog perceives you as non- threatening"  That Crossfit switch flipped in my head, where you know you can go past the pain, past your fear and I began to breathe to decompress just like i do right before i hear my coaches in crossfit say "3-2-1-GO!" I felt my body start loosen, I kept my eyes on the canine but kept my gaze lowered and i felt my severe anxiety start to recede . "OK Elisa, just breathe, you can do this, keep calm, think!" I start to pray "OK Lord, i am all alone here, there is no one ...no neighbours, no landlord, i don't even have my phone to call 911, no one can hear me, i have no weapons, .....i really need you to get the dog to back down. Please I don't want to die like this" "KEEP BREATHING, Elisa, KEEP CALM"

STRATEGY

In Crossfit I approach the WODS (workout of the day) by strategies how i will break down the workload into manageable sets so that i can finish. I  am thinking to myself "hmmm this animal weighs 50-75lbs", with that i began to remember how much i can lift overhead in crossfit, i realized i am stronger than this beast, and i do stand a fighting chance against this aggressive pit bull. The savage constantly growled but backed up to its front door(exactly what i just prayed for). I took a chance, with malicious animal watching me , i moved a toe length backwards.... I stood still,counted to 30, and noticed the creature did not become anymore belligerent. I repeated this pattern of movement til i reached my front door. I ripped the door to my apartment and grabbed paper towels to stop the bleeding and sobbed uncontrollably. My daughter Kaite just looked at me bewildered, "What happened to you?"

THE AFTERMATH

My first instinct was to keep calm and carry on...that's what crossfitters, moms, nurses do...right? My daughter Kaite temporarily dressed my bleeding wounds  and i didn't want her to miss crossfit...so i demanded amidst my sobs to go to crossfit. Kaite, was able to talk me down from the ledge and convinced me to go to the hospital to be examined....can anyone say shock? I know by the Grace OF GOD I am blessed to  have all my limbs, no chunks of muscle missing and i walked away with my life, but I was truly naive to think i would be OK. I never expected to have difficulty sleeping, nightmares, anxiety, panic attacks, feel overwhelmed just by doing simple chores around the house, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, not laugh or smile, have no appetite, want to sleep all the time, not want to leave my apt, I startle every time i hear the pit bull barking, not want to talk on the phone, to name a few of the symptoms i have. I am even afraid to Crossfit..its the fear of not knowing what i will i be able to do, i have an injured arm and leg! I know my physical and psychological injuries will take time to heal...its just hard for me i am used to being the nurse not the patient, the mom who takes care of everyone else not the one who needs to be taken care of, the friend who listens not the one who needs listening to, the experienced crossfitter who encourages everyone else not the one who will need the encouragement just to walk thru the door. I am a survivor, I will get thru all this stuff , my mom always said "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" and she is right! I have a strong Faith in God, "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13...Yes I can. 

"A SWIFT KICK IN THE ASS"

I was reading this past Wednesdays PortCrossfit Blog, cringing at what torture awaited me, when i read the following line and i had to laugh.

"On Monday when I was coaching class I had a few tentative members (I won’t name names) who didn’t want to try a less resistant band, but then with a little kick in the rear they were able to knock out pullups on that thinner band." Coach Tyler Le Floch

I can tell you from experience that swift kick in the rear by PortCrossfit coaches are a great sign of your ability to advance. I am so grateful for those times when I have had sneaker prints on my butt!

BOX JUMPS

When i started  at PortCrossfit, i could not jump a box. The coaches started me on step -ups onto 3 plates, progressed me to step-ups on the 12 inch box, and then i started jumping. I am cruising along months later  jumping comfortably on the 12 inch box when in class one day Coach Kyle turns around and says to me "you can jump the box and a weight plate" (which totals 14inches in height).  I kid you not when i say,  I felt like I  was going to throw up, I know my heart stopped and my face probably looked like this! 

Yup, guys this was my first swift kick in the ass! By pushing me out  my comfort zone my coach forced me to face my fear that would block my development as a crossfitter and he showed me i was physically ready to tackle moving forward.  

MONDAY NIGHTS CLASS

In the last couple of weeks in class we have been doing alot of chin-up/pull-up/muscle-up skill work. Two weeks ago we were doing strict pull-up skill work and our coach wanted us to challenge ourselves by trying doing pull-ups on less resistance bands..i used thick black (i only started using this band on march 2, 2013 during Portcrossfit throw down) thick green and thin green..all progressive steps towards my goal which is a pull-up without bands by the end of this year. Then 1 week ago in Mondays nights class with Coach Tyler, I used thick green for 8 reps, thin green for 6 reps..i could only do 4  in a row, rested a couple of seconds then do the 2 more to make the 6, and then i did the 4 reps.  I went to use the thin green for the last set which was 2 reps, and  I hear "ELISA!! Didn't you just do 4 on that band?" ....oh yeah folks here it comes ....the kick in the ass...so i crack up laughing and i said a meek "yes". Coach Tyler comes walking towards me with a smaller band...not just the next step down in resistance but TWO steps down in resistance so this means I am pulling more of my own body weight up to the pull-up rig to get my chin over the bar!! In those seconds I am thinking "HE is absolutely CRAZY if he thinks I can do pull-ups on that thin blue band!" I exclaim out loud to my coach, "A THIN BLUE BAND??!!" Coach hands me the band and says, "Yeah, you can do this" and steps back.  I finish hooking up the thin blue band to the pull-up rig and I take a deep breath.  Now I am giving myself a pep talk...." OK Elisa, just try it, the worst that can happen is you can't do one on this level band, your coach thinks you can do this, go for it!"  Wouldn't you know I did the last 2 reps in a row on that thin blue band! Coach comes over gives me a high-five and i welled up with happy tears...WOW, I DID IT! Yes, without those sneaker prints on my butt i would have never tried that level of resistance band. 

POWER CLEANS

Last Tuesday we had to do heavy power cleans , 1 repetition rest 10 seconds, again for three more repetitions for 5 sets. I work up to 85lbs which now for me is a comfortable weight. I increase my weight to 90lbs and mistakenly i did 2 touch and go power cleans. I was praying my coach did not just see me do that.  I hear Coach Kyle.."If you can touch and go with your power cleans ..YOU NEED TO ADD WEIGHT!!"....as he walks over to me...smiles and says "add 5lbs!"  Yup, sneaker applied to butt and I add the weight, so now i am lifting 95lbs. My maxium power clean is 105lbs but that is only 1 repetition...I now have to do 95lbs 16 times...I am SCARED! Can i really do this? Will i be too tired to lift all this weight? Am i really this strong? With each repetition I focus on setting up with good form, not on my doubt or my fear. Yeah you guessed it, I did every one of those Power Cleans, and realized I am really that STRONG!

PROGRESS

When the coaches ask you to try a new skill, its because they know you can do it, and its time to move you forward to the next skill level. I know its scary, but the joy in trying is immense,  failing forces you to work harder, and succeeding is unspeakable happiness. Embrace that kick in the arse! 

"Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lenghtening, ever ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and the glory of the climb." Sir Winston Churchill

"NO EASY WAY OUT"

So how are all the competitor's for  ECTD 2.0 doing? We are now into week 3! I have read and heard numerous complaints ,  alot moaning and groaning over changes we have  had to make..... Myself included!! So how do we continue to stay on track and cut out the moaning and groaning? 

WHY?
When i am craving another cup of coffee, a beer, or chicken cutlet Parmesan? I think of WHY did i want to change? So stop and think for a moment what motivated you to do the ECTD challenge? What makes you want to change?  Is your reason ....  maybe you want to  look awesome naked, fit back into your super hero outfit, maybe claim the ECTD 2.0 title( you know you want my tiara and ectd sash),  or is it to audition for Magic Mike 2?  Write down your reason on a post it note attach it to your mirror, your fridge, and your wallet so you will constantly remind yourself why your suffering to change!

GOALS!
So you want to change, I applaud your efforts !  What are going to do with the changes you have made? I don't know about you but if i am giving up my beloved caffeine fix aka coffee then i want something to show for it! I have my mind set on a Goal!  What steps will you make to achieve that goal? Do you want to be a superhero, or try out with the flying trapeze act at the circus after getting your first muscle up or is it going on a date with Eva Longoria (team flo-ringer might be able to help you out with that one)?  First visualize yourself achieving your goal,  write it down,  break your goal down into reachable steps you need to achieve to accomplish your goal,  finally keep working at your goal til you attain it! 

WHAT IS MY WHY? MY GOAL?
The Justice League called....said the original Wonder Woman is retiring. I need to be able to fit in my new superhero uniform!

BOOTY SHORTS VS SKORT

PCF's ECTD 2.0 

 THE NEWS

On Monday April 8, 2013 all of us participating in PortCrossfit's Eat Clean Train Dirty Challenge 2.0 received an email in which it stated,  "Females to be measured need to wear a sports bra and shorts" .....I swear i heard every women at PCF gasp!! Then my phone just started to explode!

PANDORA'S BOX
My initial reaction was "oh shit, i don't even own a pair of workout shorts...FOR A REASON PEOPLE!!" Then i decided to do what the "tough" girls do and go SHOPPING!! I figured if i had to be measured (GROAN) i would do it in typical "Elisa Fashion"!! As i am shopping at Dick's Sporting Goods, in of course the Reebok section...i am getting  FB messages, texts and phone calls of distress from other PCF ladies! 

MY ADVICE
Listen Ladies getting measured sucks! None of us like doing this! Lets remember a few things...
1. YOU are MORE than your measurements, a dress or pants size or a number on the scale!! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL ROCK IT!!
2. You joined crossfit to change, working out and what you eat are key to being healthy and a better Crossfitter...so use this paleo challenge as a tool!
3. Our Coaches, just by looking at you(workout gear doesn't leave much to the imagination ladies) can GUESS pretty accurately how much you weigh, what your body fat is without measuring you because this is their JOB! Sooo Ladies they already know! 
4. Focus on ALL that you HAVE accomplished so far in crossfit not what you have not!
5. get a manicure, pedicure, a new outfit, a new bra & new panties from Victoria's (don't wear it to be measured in please!) ,  SOMETHING that will make you feel PRETTY , then get measured!  If that doesn't help, Drinking alot of alcohol works , but make sure you have a designated driver! Hey is any of that Drunken watermelon left from the PCF BBQ?
 6. I can guarantee that our coaches are NOT lying awake at night texting each other saying "can you believe the body fat on that one? hehehe" Listen I have it on a good source that Ryan is lying awake at night trying to figure out diabolical ways to torture us, Kyle is working on his one-liners for each class and figuring out how to make us at PCF into a reality show, Tyler is updating his play lists on spotify hoping to be the "David Guetta" of the Crossfit  (World Wide) Community, and Mike is just trying to figure out how to keep the 7pm class organized cause they all have ADD! They are busy ladies !!
7. I can PROMISE you,  our coaches are discreet, sympathetic, understanding and will treat you will respect when measuring!! and yes tissues will be supplied if necessary!

Seriously I  do remember what it was like to be measured by my coach last year for ECTD, how i took pictures in my bikini in support ( which i posted on my blog, and those pictures had to be verified by my coach, oh that was fun) for the Luroung Paleo challenge...how embarrassed and humiliated i felt because now my coaches KNEW my measurements...but each time i learned something new about myself, each was a challenge i met and all of those experiences made me grow as a person and a crossfitter! YOU CAN DO THIS LADIES!! WE ARE CROSSFIT STRONG!! LIVE BOLD!!

OH so what did i choose...booty shorts or a skort to be measured in? lmao you will just have to stay tuned!

My Favorite Part of the week

If your my Facebook friend or follow me on Twitter  or Instagram , you know i now have all 3 of my children Crossfitting with me. This picture is after our first wod together , me in blue, my son mike, my daughter kaite and my daughter erin in yellow. My favorite part of the week is crossfitting with my kids! I LOVE IT!

SETTING THE EXAMPLE

When i started Crossfit 14 months ago i never thought my children would even think of trying Crossfit. I would hobble (from muscle soreness) to my door and they would help me up the stairs...and ask "why are you doing this mom?" If i tried to talk about Crossfit and what i did there i would get the eye rolling looks, they would tell me to "please stop talking about Crossfit, you talk about it like its your boyfriend or something" I changed along the way...i became happier, i looked better, ate healthier, had more energy...and my kids took notice.  I wanted to enter my first ever PortCrossfit Challenge "Eat Clean Train Dirty"...i asked my kids what do you think, they told me that i was doing great so far to keep going..take on the challenge! This is when Mike my 17 yr old son asked if he could do Crossfit also. Mike started in July 2012. Then i entered a beginner competition in August 2012 called Festivus at Crossfit 516..all 3 of my kids were there cheering me on in their  "we love our Crossfit momma" t-shirts, and that's when Erin said "i would like to try crossfit too". Kaite my 22yr old.... yeah..  well, she was the last man standing and finally joined in February of this year.

MIKE

I worried as my son grew older how i would be able to relate to him, he is a boy, what do i know about being a boy? Crossfit gives me that chance to stay connected to him. We have something in common to talk about..the pain of the wod, the PR of a lift, funny things the coaches say. Crossfittting together has kept the door open for him to tell me whats on his mind.  In the fall Mike would work out in the gym after school with friends and show them what he did in crossfit. "Mom" he said laughing my friends think Crossfit is "too hardcore for them" I replied "so they think your badass"... "yup"  he said with a huge grin. I have seen my "boy" become more conscious about eating healthier foods, I have seen him grow more confident in himself, and now i see him becoming much stronger, developing more muscle...looking more grown up and manly. 

ERIN

Erin is  18 yrs old, and an athlete so her transition into Crossfit was easier.  She is competitive by nature and always tries to out Crossfit me...i love that she sees me as her benchmark.  Erin also has started to change the way she eats by making healthier choices, and i have seen her gain greater confidence in her body and how she feels she looks.  Teenagers tend shut their parents out at times but after the WOD at Crossfit i find Erin just unloads all her emotions and  wants to talk to me.  Erin's catching, and hitting coach told her that in the short time she has been Crossfitting she has become much stronger, has more endurance and has greater speed... the Coach said "DON'T STOP CROSSFITTING....YOUR A MUCH BETTER ATHLETE" 

KAITE

Kaite is my princess. She was not athletic in high school, doesn't like to sweat or lift anything heavy...she has been my biggest surprise. She had tried 1 beginner class in Nov of last year but that was as far as she got. Then she moved in with me full time, and she said she wanted to try Crossfit again. So this time i see Kaite planning each week when she is going to crossfit, cooking healthy meals, and i see her really giving an effort in crossfit class. I am so  PROUD and HAPPY for her, i feel like with my other 2 kids this will give kaite a chance to develop self confidence.   Last week i wish i could have taken a picture of her smile after she landed a lift called the Split Jerk like a pro! It was a smile of awakening...wow i did that all by myself.  I hope to see more smiles like that on Kaite's face! Kaite recently signed up for  PortCrossfit's Eat Clean Train Dirty 2.0 challenge. What she said to me is "mom i hear the voice of doubt in my head but then i remember you took a chance in last yrs challenge and you were the female winner and i realize i have nothing to lose and everything to gain" OH YES I AM DOING A HAPPY DANCE!!

TODAY
Mike and i did Olympic lifting class and he nailed a huge Personal Record (PR) 125lb clean and jerk while all the guys and coaches cheered him on ...he did that lift  just last week and hit 105lbs. He told me in the car he saw me hit my PR at 90lbs last week  and knew he had to do better than his mom...lmao. Erin and i did the regular class today and as we were hanging on the pull up rig doing pull ups, then hit the floor to do push ups...i turned to her and said, "Erin, we couldn't have found a "nice " mother daughter activity, like quilting? whose idea was this?" she laughed "yours ma". Then Erin said" i missed crossfit sooo much ma, damn softball games!" Kaite unfortunately was home sick today but she said "i feel so left out every one's going to crossfit!" I truly am blessed that my healthy lifestyle has now become my children's too! MORE HAPPY DANCING!!

NEMOGEDDON...A SNOWCALYPSE

THE PAST

As you may have guessed by my title i live on the east coast of the United States, specifically the east end of long island, new york. On Friday Feb 8th 2013 we were beaten down by a Snow storm named "Nemo" which delivered 32 inches of snow in Port Jefferson/mt Sinai (where i live) in less than 24hrs. The last time we were pummeled this bad with a blizzard was 1978 ..i was a Junior high school student and school was closed for a week...who wouldn't remember that. I lived with my parents in commack, NY...in a  town park called Hoyt Farm Park. The reason we lived there, my dad was the Park Ranger/Naturalist/Educator. My family lived on the park property in the Hoyt House which was built in the 1770s, the park is 133 acres. In 1978 we had a blizzard that delivered 24 inches of snow in 24hrs with wind gusts of 60 miles per hour..very similar conditions to Nemo. I remember our power went out in the Hoyt House and my mom cooked on a  wood burning pot-bellied stove ( a Franklin stove )...god bless my mom! My brother, sister and i spent all our time in the kitchen because it was the only warm spot in the house...God bless Ben Franklin! The town didn't plow us out for a week, my dad had to use snow shoes to check the animals we had (chickens, geese, goats, cow, pony,  domestic bunny rabbits) and keep an eye on the rest of the park.  The snow drifts were so bad my brother and i couldn't make it thru the snow to the front of the park where the big hills were to sleigh ride, so we made our own sleigh run right outside our front door...into the amphitheater below, where my dad gave lectures there in the spring to many LI school children. Great memories!

"NEMO"

What the weather forecasters predicted for Nemo was rain in the morning, a little snow, changing back to rain and then heavy snow was to start at 7pm with the brunt of the storm to be overnight with snow totals of 12 inches in the morning of the 9th...DID NOT HAPPEN! I woke up 1pm, and there was a good 2 inches on the ground with VERY large flakes comming down fast...hmmmm. I imediately texted my high school age kids and by 130pm they were on school buses heading home to their dads house. My oldest daughter works in a grocery store i made sure that morning she went to work with an extra set of  warm clothes, water bottle, snacks, a blanket and a shovel...the girl scout, emergency room nurse, mom, and crossfitter in me, was thinking "always be prepared,  and expect the unexpected" . My Kaite barely made it home, it took her an hour to drive a 20min drive and she got stuck coming into our developement and this was at 450pm! My landlord plowed out the street so she could get  into the driveway...Kaite watched movies, i put on a pot of chicken soup and we waited.   When i got up in the morning like a kid waiting for santa, i ran to the window....OMG!! I couldnt get over how much snow there was (32 inches), my deck and my backyard had the same level of snow! My heart sank and i started to get discouraged...how am i going to be able to dig out?

"IT"S A CHIPPER"

I took a deep breath  and listen to  the crossfitter in me " you got this girl, break it down, just like a chipper wod,  break the HUGE workload into smaller manageble workloads, keep chipping away at the task alittle at a time" I went and made myself my typical crossfit/paleo breakfast, drank my coffee, put on my big girl crossfit panties and began this seemingly impossible task!! I dug a path from my sliding glass door, across my deck,  down the steps ,  straight to the back of the house, along the length of the back of the house and reached the door that houses my washing machine and dryer, then  across my backyard out to the fence. When i got to the fence,  of course i couldnt dig straight out to my car because of a small downed tree all over it(no damage to my car), i had to dig half-way up the fence then out to the street.  it took me 1 and a 1/2 hrs to make it from my house to the street. It took another hour to dig out my daughters car and clean it off but we were free!

"A LESSON LEARNED"

 Coach Greg Glassman, the founder of Crossfit, describes Crossfit as "strength and conditioning program based on constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement".

Every single squat, deadlift, clean, snatch,  burpee, run, pull up, box jump, lunge, wallball i did over this last year at  PortCrossfit...made my task of shoveling 32 inches of snow easy and fun! Crossfit not only prepared me physcially for this overwhelming task  but mentally too.  The psychological challenges we face every WOD build your mental endurance. There is nothing like looking at the white board and seeing the WOD consist of some kind of maximum strength work(deadlifts, cleans, snatch, front squats, back squats, bench press) and then having to do 200 walking lunges or 100 burpees for time. Mentally you just want to shoot yourself in the head but you cant walk out of the class and quit so you start to stratagize, hmmmm ok if i break it down into groups of 10s, or 20s then the Wod is possible.  I  truly couldnt believe while shoveling i was not short of breath at all, i was not tired, my arms, shoulders, back, and legs didnt ache, wow, i AM fit!  I totally enjoyed the sun on my face, breathing in the cool crisp winter air, seeing the glistening snow covered trees, hearing the sounds of children laughing, remembering my  childhood snow days and knowing i had the physcial ability to pick up my shovel and move the snow from one place to another all by myself. Wow, i am mentally fit!  Snow WOD done! Thankyou Coach Glassman and of course my Coaches Ryan, Kyle, Mike and Tyler, luv you guys!!

ps PortCrossfit just wanted to say i didnt copy your blog, its just great Crossfit minds think alike! lololol

Dinner with my daughter

DINNER CONVERSATION
Last week my daughter were having dinner together after dropping my son off at his art class. She looked at me and said "mom, i don't like when i cant do things in crossfit class when everyone else can, ya know i am really competitive" I chuckled and said "welcome to crossfit honey, your going to have to re-adjust your thinking. Know there are movements your not going to be good at but put that competitiveness to work for you, by working hard on conquering your weaknesses."   With a serious face my daughter said "Ma, i  really don't know how you showed up every day and stuck with it when you couldn't do anything, I am an athlete and Crossfit is hard." 

IGNORANCE IS BLISS

A year ago i was having a hard time staying committed to exercise. I really didn't understand why, i was a former certified personal trainer..i helped people get into shape and succeed at their weight goals. I knew how to "diet", and exercise why was this so hard for me now? I had 3 different  Doctor's tell me my weight gain and difficulty losing weight was because of working night shift. Their recommendation was to change my shift..but that's what works for my kids so right now i can't...i kept thinking there has to be a way!  I kept getting sick with bronchitis, my blood pressure was elevated, my blood work was thank GOD good, no high cholesterol or diabetes but as an RN i knew my future would be grim if i didn't lose weight. I went in search of group classes which i thought might keep me more motivated and accountable to show up. When i typed into google search engine  "group exercise classes" , Crossfit came up. I found Crossfit web site online, watched the"What is Crossfit" video, and i was inspired! I put my zip code in the affiliate finder and 5 boxes (Crossfit Gyms) were close to me. I sent emails or left messages about my interest in crossfit. PortCrossfit was the first to call me back and i set up an initial assessment with them. 

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

 I knew from past experience the first couple of weeks would be painful going from coach potato to exercising BUT i really had no clue! My first 9 weeks of Crossfit were so difficult not only physically but mentally as well! I had so much muscle soreness EVERYWHERE....truthfully i think only my eyeballs didn't hurt. I was so nervous before each class that i would be nauseous. I didn't know the crossfit "lingo"  and felt lost looking at PortCrossfit website..i mean what the hell was a WOD, AMRAP, EMOM, SNATCH LIFT, A CLEAN? Majority of the class including the Coaches were in their 20's and fit. Seriously, How am i going to keep up? What the hell did i get myself into? My former Personal Trainer experience didn't help me one bit in Crossfit, everything i had learned about fitness was totally different in Crossfit. Can i really do this? Do i really want to do this? Well after my first week of only 3 Crossfit classes i sign up for unlimited classes...hahaha, WHY?

COACHES

 Walking into PortCrossfit  from the very beginning I felt like "NORM" from the show CHEERS..The Coaches knew my name and always made me feel welcomed. When the Coaches would explain the WOD to the class , panic would set in and i would raise my hand and say "but i can't do that?" They eased my fears by always finding a way to modify the exercises to my level of fitness or ability. I was always much slower, less fit than everyone else but my coaches always pointed out what i did right. I will never forget one day in class we were doing a snatch balance, i watched the video the night before and Nailed the movement in class, I seriously don't know who was more excited that i did this movement right, Me or My Coach..he turned around to a couple of other members who were hanging around "did you see that, did you see what she did?" One day during a run and felt like i was hitting a wall...i asked my Coach..."how can i not get soooo winded when running?" He answered "your going to be winded," then he paused, "Elisa are you controlling your breathing as you run?" The light bulb went on in my head of course, i used to run , how could i forget to control my breathing? I truly appreciated the Coach understood what i was trying to say and took my question seriously.  I also remember one day we had a run for a warm up and i came in with the whole class...my coach said "Elisa, you came in with the pack, i am going to call you "FLASH" from now on!" I was never able to run fast enough to come in with the pack. I didn't even realize what i had done but my Coach did. Every step of the way these men had faith that i could do Crossfit and their belief in me, gave me the support i needed to get me to show up , try every class, and want to succeed. They would send me emails to let me know that i was making great progress and they that all noticed the tremendous strides i was making...of course i cried. When i entered my first competition the coaches came down to support and encourage the group of us competing on their day off. After that competition Coach Mike said to me "i am so proud of you, i didn't think you were going to make it past the on-ramp class and look at you now!" Coach Kyle recently revealed  "I nearly died on the floor when after your first week you signed up for unlimited classes....you couldn't move" we both laughed...i said "i told you i had goals!" I am grateful that my Coaches are knowledgeable, positive, funny, encouraging, and passionate about their job as Coach, because they truly make Crossfit FUN! THANK YOU RYAN, KYLE, TYLER AND MIKE for an AMAZING year!!!!!

COMMUNITY

The Crossfit community is really like none i have ever experienced. Although we compete against each other we truly support, and encourage each other to be the best you can be. I wouldn't have made it during those first difficult months without those voices cheering me on!! One night we had to do a mile run for time, as usual i was out there all by myself because i was so slow, i felt so discouraged. As i ran thru the parking lot and rounded the corner to the rear entrance the entire class and my coach was standing there cheering me on as if i was winning the NYC marathon ...wow, i couldn't believe they waited for me, i figured they would have gone home!!  Every step of the way they have all encouraged me to keep going when i thought i couldn't or reassured me i was capable of doing something new. When i have competed these same people took time out of their day to cheer me on!! Thank you PortCrossfitter's past (Chas, Morgan, Ryan, Gus, Vanessa, Riccardo, Alesha) and present for you never ending support, encouragement, and laughter...i truly wouldn't have made it this far without all of you...big, big HUG!!

MY RESULTS
One year ago i couldn't squat down to pick anything up off the floor, i  had to bend over at my waist, i had severe difficulty going up and down stairs, i had to hold on to the rail for dear life, i had to pull myself up out of my car with my arms, i couldn't lunge without falling over, i couldn't run or jump on a 12" box, i was sick and my blood pressure was too high.  I have competed in 1 in house Crossfit/Paleo challenge (i was female champ), 1 national Crossfit/Paleo Challenge (Placed 1990 out of 7500 competitors across the US), Festivus Competition (placed 16th out of 50) Hunger for More Garage Games (placed 18th out of 25 teams) in my first year of Crossfit. My daughter said to me "Mom, i forgot you had knee surgery 2 years ago and how weak that left you, i even forget how old you are because when we WOD together i am trying to compete against you!" I smiled...out of the mouth of babes!

Jan 17, 2012
weight 190lbs
size 16
shoe size 8.5

Jan 17, 2013

weight 156lbs

size 4

shoe size 7

inches lost in 1 year
bust 5.5 inches
waist 6.5 inches
hips 6.5 inches
thigh 3.5 inches
calf 2 inches
arms 3 inches

"Elisa, how do you think you did?"

THE QUESTION

This is the question my coach asked me after competing in the "hunger for more games" on December 9, 2012 hosted by my home box, Port CrossFit. This competition consisted of male and female team.  Originally i had signed up to be a judge, but 3 weeks before the competition my friends Don and Vicki found out that, Vicki was injured and unable to compete.  Knowing how much i like to compete, they asked me to substitute for Vicki.  OH MY GOD I AM COMPETING IN 3 WEEKS!!!

COMPETITION DAY
I am a bundle of nerves driving to the venue where the competition is taking place. I arrive early because my daughter is a judge, so i  busy myself by checking in and looking to see what time my heat goes off and what lane we are in.   I choose my corner to put  down my cooler with food and workout gear...i  turn around and see the different boxes descend on the venue all in their boxes colors...sort of like Irish/Scottish clans in kilts...competitors but one big crossfit family. To keep myself from thinking to much about how nervous i am and start finding my crossfit friends from other boxes.  I spot Don, my partner and feel less nervous and he asks with a huge grin "you ready?" i chuckle "yup, lets get this party started!" 

WOD #1

 Don and i had 10 minutes  to work up to a heavy triple hang clean. We are not allowed to put down the bar to do the 3 hang cleans. The team is scored on the total weight we lift combined. I love cleans so i am confident with this Olympic lift. I am worried because the bar we have to use is 45lbs and its very long and awkward for me to hold. Don and i load the bar for 65lbs...1, 2, 3..piece of cake..all i could think while lifting is "don't smash the bar into your mouth"... Vicki and i have done this in class, I chipped my tooth, Vicki split her lip and  had to leave class to get stitches! Don in 3 lifts works up to a triple hang clean of 205, Don makes it look sooo easy! I work up to a triple at 85lbs we still have more time on the clock so i say to Don i am going for 9olbs (my goal was 85lbs)..Don says to me " i think you can do 95lbs" ...i love his confidence in me, but i say to him "i want to be sure i can hit the triple,  so lets load up for 90lbs" I hear my daughter and my crossfit friends who came down to watch cheering in the background! I am  really nervous 90lbs is heavy, so i start to focus and remember what Jon North said "you control the bar" i take a deep breath..1, 2, 3  cleans and i got it..WOOHOO a 25lb PR(personal record) for me! Don goes for his last lift at 215lbs 1, good, 2, good, 3...he misses his shoulders by a hair and the bar goes down. Together we hit 295lbs and are 7th in the scaled division after wod 1.

WOD #2
WOD #2 is a 6minute AMRAP (As Many Repetitions As Possible) of 5 thrusters scaled male weight #70lbs/scaled female weight 35lbs and 5 jumping pull ups one partner works at a time. Don and i are pretty confident about this WOD ..cool...i love thrusters. A thruster is a crossfit movement in which you squat with a weighted barbell and stand up with arms fully extended overhead. The volunteers place a box and a 45lbs weight plate on the box so i can reach the pull up bar and Don and i are in position and wait for 3, 2, 1 , GO! Don goes first hits his thrusters and his jumping pull ups with no problem, i can't start til he is off the pull up bar or its a 5 burpee penalty.  I do my first set thrusters and jump up on the the box to reach the bar, i jump up for my first jumping pull up and miss my footing and fall off the 8 1/2 ft pull up rig onto the box and weight plate below! Did you ever fall in your dreams while sleeping? Well, that's the way I felt falling off the pull up rig! There I am laying across the weighted plate and box like a rag doll, in shock that i fell on my first jumping pull up. All I want to do is cry, i am in pain, i am scared and i peed my pants when i hit the plate, and now i want to go home.  In my head i know i can't go home because Don is counting on me, with that , I hear my judge off to the side who is one of my friends say to me in a stern voice "shake it off and get back on the bar!" I jump up, grab the bar, i am SCARED TO DEATH  with each jumping pull up that i am going to fall again but i continue the wod til we run out of time. Don and i did  a total of 19 rounds in 6minutes. At this point Don and i are in 11th place. Don is happy and i ran to the bathroom to change my wet pants and check for bruises on my ribs!

WOD#3
WOD#3 is an 8min AMRAP of  Burpees and rowing. While one partner does burpees off a 45lbs weight plate the other rows for calories, partners switch every 30 calories. GROAN..i am not a strong rower and Don is not a strong at burpees. I did burpees first while Don rowed, then at 30 calories we switched and when i picked up that handle on the rower i felt like i was pulling a car, i couldn't hold my row pace but i gave it everything i had and so did Don. When we were done ...Don gave me a fist pound "great job partner" all i could do was say i was sorry i didn't do better.  It is one thing to let your self down but its another to let your partner down and  i felt that i let Don down. After this event, We placed 18th out of 25 teams in the scaled division. Well, at least we weren't last.

 MY ANSWER

"Well Coach, I did better than expected in Wod #1..i loved it, i am really happy with a 90lbs triple hang clean! Wod #2 i fell off the bar but i am proud of myself that i got right back up even though i was terrified," He chuckles "i heard about that thru the grapevine" I continue "the last wod, i tanked us, i feel bad about it" my Coach says "you know rowing and burpees are not a strong point for you" I said with a sigh, "yeah i know" ...... i continue " Coach considering  1 yr ago i didn't know what crossfit was, i was 46 1/2 and overweight and unhealthy,  and the last time i competed in an athletic event was in high school which was 29yrs ago. I would have to say i did pretty good in my 2nd crossfit competition  in which there are no age divisions, and for crossfitting less one year and i will keep working hard to get better." He smiled at me and said "yeah Elisa who does that? starts Crossfit at age 46, knows nothing about crossfit and competes in 2 competitions in her 1st year? i still want to see your driver's license i really don't believe that your 47!"

Thank you Don for asking me to compete with you. Vickie, girl get better soon..i miss my partner in crime!

Thank you  PortCrossfit I am stronger today than yesterday!

"KISS MY GRITS"

PROMISES

I promised myself after the "lurong living paleo challenge" ended that i would conquer one of my fears in my personal life ....dating. I have survived 2 abusive marriages, bruises heal but the emotional scars take longer to get thru. This past year of crossfitting has been life changing for me not just physically but emotionally as well. With every accomplishment in crossfit i became more confident, empowered and i finally felt that i finally closed those emotional wounds and could move forward.

CHOICES
I work 50+ hrs per week ALONE and  on the NIGHT shift, i am busy with 2 active high school children, 95% of my friends are married with kids, and at crossfit 95% of the men are in their 20s-30's...so my potential dating pool is non existent. I made the choice to try online dating, because i really am sure Prince charming is not going to sweep me off my feet at Whole Foods Supermarket or at Petco when i am buying cat food. Yes i have cats...got something to say about it? 

THE COMMENT

This one dude decides he likes me and tries to flirt with me online and i nicely turn him down. I guess he didn't understand no, because he then sends me an email, which i again politely tell him no again. Then i receive his 2nd email in which he wrote "WHAT? no one wants to date a power lifter chick, sex maybe" ...WOW! In my profile i had a picture of myself at my competition right before i was going to dead lift...I wanted it to show 1. i was in shape and 2. fitness is apart of my life. In the past this type of comment would have reduced me to tears and i would have taken myself off the site and hid myself away. My initial reaction was shock, then i became angry and best of all i laughed. I was shocked i don't feel i look overly muscular. I was angry this man didn't know me and was judging and bullying me based on a picture. I laughed because i have heard this type of reaction by men to women who crossfit and elite athletes..like our Olympic swimming , track, volleyball, gymnastic team, this idiot was lumping me in with all these BEAUTIFUL , ATHLETIC women....AWESOME!!

MY RESPONSE

 "Dear sir
my mother always told me "if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all" obviously your mother never taught you any manners. I truly find it hard to believe that a man would not find a woman who is happy, healthy and fit , attractive but then it stands to reason you are none of those. I also find it hard to fathom  why a man would be so intimidated by my strength and power, but then you must be a very small and powerless man to attempt to degrade and bully someone you don't know. Thank you for proving my gut instinct to reject your advances , correct.  Oh yeah i am not a "power lifter" I AM A CROSSFITTER....if your going to pick on me,GET MY SPORT STRAIGHT!!!" 
I reported him to the dating site administrators so he is being investigated....lmao! As for me, i will continue to move  forward, being a happier, better, faster, fitter and stronger me....awesome progress don't ya think?

THANK YOU

On my face book page, twitter and amrap4life.com site i have received so much support, encouragement and kind words by old friends, family and crossfit friends and i  truly appreciate you all...no one should be bullied because they are different!

i love this song and music video by Pink! Thankyou Pink, i am perfect!

 Here is a recent article written for the women of crossfit by a man who appreciates us..... http://soc.li/QQSHHxF .