Four months later...

Wow, it feels like a lifetime ago I was tracking my nutrition and my workouts daily. I haven't been CFing as hard as I used to. I've been traveling, working stupidly long hours, and trying to fit in time to see boyfriends, friends, family, and so I've probably cut my workouts down to a max of only three a week. The truth of it is though, as much as I have been busy and super stressed, the real reason I cut back my workouts is because I burnt myself out. After competing in the 2010 CrossFit Regionals team trials, I needed a break. I had been working out five days a week from April through December, and then began training as hard as I could from mid-December through end of April - working out pretty much seven days a week plus playing volleyball (for awhile on three separate teams at the same time), and so for my entire life was laced with workout activities with no down time. I have a bit of an obesessive personality so when I want to throw myself into something I am QUITE capable of doing that. But eventually it wears on me. What I needed was a short break, but I got complacent and took too long off getting buried behind work and socializing.

About a month ago though, I realized what had happened and I got back into my active lifestyle. I needed a change, something new and fun to get me excited again, and I found an AMAZING new thing. I started training (while traveling in VA and incapable of getting into our amazing CF Chicago) at one of the top MMA gyms in VA (Gold Medal Grappling - www.goldmedalgrappling.com) and that jump-started my desire to get back into working out every day. The workouts there are super intense and I get to learn new things every day as I'm learning to box (what a perfectly me thing to do that I have no idea why I never got into before). I'm the only girl in the whole gym which makes me push harder (it's an awesome feeling being a girl and not having to scale back the weights as I can lift what the lighter guys are lifting during the workouts. That's obvi one if my favorite parts ;)) and the community there feels similar to ours (though of course nothing could compare to our box) so I'm really enjoying myself. Their emphasis is on cardio and lifting lighter (not light of course, but not max effort) weights for longer rep schemes, so it's a nice complement to CrossFit workouts. After I do their workouts I focus on strength sets that Bryce designed for us and I'm really enjoying the two in conjunction with each other. Constantly varied, right?

So, now that I've discussed where I've been... onto blogging my workouts. I arrived at my friend Sara's place in LA around 9 pm last night and took off for a run. Not knowing the area and it being pretty damn dark out, I just ran up and down White Oak Ave (a main and well lit street) in between Burbank and Ventura Aves, alternating running at about a 9 min pace for one lap (1.25 miles) then varying it up by sprinting segments (sprint from this tree to that sign up there, etc then jog to the next random sign/tree I'd see and sprint again), and then another lap of running at a consistent 9 min pace, etc for an hour. I ran approx 7.5 miles.

I have to say- I felt like shit last night during that run. I sweat my ass off so it was definitely a good cardio workout and I varied it up with sprints which would boost the effect of tbe workout on my body and push me harder than just a regular easy paced run, but my body felt super shitty. I've been on a train since Saturday TRYING to eat as healthy as possible, which meant not eating much since there were few veggies available and starches (potatoes, rice) which were on my plate though I asked them not to be (I have only so much self-control... A baked potato is fucking good and I hadn't had one in probably over a year so a few bites were necessary) and not working out. Thankfully Amy made bison burgers and packed farm fresh veggies for us - enough for about two meals so those felt good. I had red meat though for at least half my meals since that was the only meat not covered in sauce or battered so I'm feeling heavier than usual.

Today has started well though- two whole eggs plus one egg white and 2 cups coffee (with dairy-free but not sugar free hazelnut creamer (mmmm). And now I'm off to find a local CrossFit box and then I have my movie premiere tonight!!!!

Wish me luck!