As you might know by now, I love sharing the stories and thoughts of other bloggers and this week I’m welcoming Liv from In Mint Nutrition, to share how CrossFit saved her life. Take it away Liv…
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Hi. I’m Liv. I’m full-time Engineer in Aerospace Industry and in my free time I study Advanced Sports Nutritional Therapy and write a blog called “In Mint Nutrition” where I talk about food, happy body, life, fitness and things I learn. Its work in progress, but so am I.
My relationship with CrossFit started back in 2017. It was September. Winter was slowly approaching; nights were dark and I was having a very tough time. I was so sick of myself and my thoughts. I felt so down. I didn’t feel good in my body. Nothing helped and nothing was good enough. I was very emotional and felt down after weekends of binge eating a variety of foods and drinking way too many alcoholic beverages just because I was unhappy (I didn’t realize that back then of course).
For a good portion of my late teens and very early 20s, I wasn’t healthy. I wasn’t obese. But I felt very uncomfortable in my own skin. I didn’t have a direction. I wanted to change and I had to first find my “why” behind that change. The “why” couldn’t just be “because I want to be skinny like this or that person.” It had to be because I wanted to be healthy for me. I wanted to get fit because I knew that all the binge eating wasn’t a healthy way to live—physically or mentally.
After hours of Googling the answers, I finally found CrossFit. It intrigued me. There were all these fit, healthy people supporting each other through the workouts, high-fiving each other at the end. Everyone was sweaty and happy and didn’t care how they look during or after the workout. That felt so real! That’s when I decided to find my local CrossFit “box” and trial it out for a week. That week has now extended to Almost 2 full years of CrossFit. I have even completed 2 CrossFit Competitions at the beginner level. And I loved every minute of it.
So how exactly CrossFit saved my life? What have I learned from being a CrossFiter over the past 2 years?
It Changed my mind. It changed the way I think about fitness. I don’t see exercise as a punishment for bad choices I made over the weekend. I see it as a form of self-love.
I have met a lot of likeminded people who positively influence my life and make me a better person.
If you are scared to try a CrossFit Class. Don’t be. Its completely tailored to all levels. Every single movement can be adapted and adjusted to suit your fitness level, injury, and other needs. You will never be left behind.
CrossFit is constantly varied. The same as life. Change is inevitable and necessary in life – to keep us moving, growing and interested. Imagine life without change. It would be boring and dull. CrossFit teaches you to embrace change through repeatedly different workouts.
It’s 100% Functional Training – Anything you do in your life will become easier! Moving house? Pass me those boxes. Carrying your groceries becomes child’s play compared to a Farmers Carry (one of the CF workouts). It will build your functional strength.
It has boosted my cardio! Ok, I still run slow and I can still get out of breath but it has greatly improved my cardiovascular fitness. From Zero to Something. It has made me a better running and just by doing CrossFit I run my first Half-Marathon this year in whooping 2 hours.
CrossFit has workouts which keep my body and mind guessing. You never know what you are going to do in the next class. Squats? Running? Rowing? Push Press? Skipping? All together? You can’t prepare for the workout; you just have to approach it and it really does toughen you up.
I have built healthy habits that last – from making better food choices to treating my body and mind with more gentle care. I have learned how to move my body and how to fuel myself so I can move more. Another bonus to this? Through the roof energy levels. Yes, from snoozing and dozing I have turned into constant energy and can handle anything life throws my way.
Most who start CrossFit are looking for something more in life, for some, it’s as simple as strength, for others it’s more. CrossFit challenges to be your very best, and with that challenge comes confidence built through measurable steps of self-improvement. CrossFit builds mental toughness. CrossFitters learn through overcoming repeatedly tough situations that “a situation might seem hopeless and overwhelming, but if I keep going, I’ll get through it.”
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Katie
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