Do I want it BADLY enough?

Well do I want it badly enough? Fitness, that is. Strength. Why does any of that matter?

Look, let's be clear. I don't need to have a supermodel body, or look amazing naked . . . I have a husband who loved me with 60 more pounds on my small frame. But, exercise and good nutrition is the ONLY way I have found to feel GOOD every day.

Feel good? What does that mean? I felt good earlier at brunch, hammering down those mimosas and spending quality time with a  loved one. We can feel good without exercising and eating healthy (I DID keep the meal paleo!)

I'm talking about a "feel good" that touches my health in an emotional, physical, mental, and even spiritual way. It goes deep. And this type of "feel good" is the only way I am able to deliver on all the demands of my life. Right now, there are too many demands- I have taken on too much. I just need to survive the next two weeks, then the next two months, and hopefully then things will go back to the normal kind of crazy that I'm used to.

Something stuck with me, a random Facebook post, that has become a motivator for me over the last few weeks: "No matter how good your excuse is, you just don't want it badly enough." Or something like that. Well, we all know I have some damn good excuses, I commit myself to some damn good causes. All too often I don't make it into the gym because I'm working from the moment the owner unlocks the gym door at 6:30am until the moment the last workout is starting their stretches at 7pm. I'm usually working even later than that. So, I have felt pretty justified about not making it to the gym.  

But . . . when I make those excuses, since I didn't go to the gym, I don't feel good. I feel tired, burnt out, emotional, cranky . . .When I make time for ME, to recharge my batteries, I am a better wife, lover, teacher, daughter, sister, and friend. 

There are some days ahead of me where I will be working, working, working. But, even then, I can always do a five minute workout at home or go for a run. That much I can do. 

And this time, when I am faced with all kinds of crazy responsibilities and commitments . . .this time I am going to make sure that I leave room for the "feel good" by getting my workout in. If I'm not at the gym, I will be running at Mission Bay. This time, there will not be an excuse good enough to keep me from achieving my goals.

With all of that said, I am human, and appreciate your support when you notice my presence missing. You know who you are- those wonderful friends of mine who gently remind me . . . And, the only one who makes any of this doable is my husband: my chef, my go-to-guy who has been picking up my slack around the house, my cheerleader, and workout buddy. I am blessed to be Reggie's wife and to call on my good friends for support.

Crossfit links to the classroom

Breathe . . .in and out. Check the timer with big red numbers, “Do I have 2 minutes left yet?”  The numbers read 4:16 . . .”No,” the clock glares back at me. “Stop checking me out.” Steady, steady, I keep working, my muscles screaming, my lungs feeling like a clogged sink drain. The coach calls it out, as I knew he would, so why was I checking the clock in the first place? “Two minute warning! Time to hit that floor! Leave it all behind! Give it all you’ve got! Anything else you do from here is extra credit. GET IT!” Okay, he’ll usually only shout one of those phrases, but my mind fills in the rest. My adult-initiated asthma keeps me from going as fast as my muscles want to, but at the two-minute warning, I know that I’ll get to breathe and recover so that’s my moment to shine . . .

After every workout, we use some sort of self-reflection. Did we get a personal record (PR)? “Go write it on the PR Wall!” What was our time/score? “Go tell your coach or write it on the board!” How did we compare to our previous abilities? To others? (All scores go on the board . . .so we get an idea of how we did in relation to each other, and of course, brings out some natural competitive spirit. If I’m not in last place, I’m happy. When someone is last to finish a workout, or struggling, or even if we get to class early to catch the last one working hard, we cheer. We cheer our hearts out for each other. We are a family that works hard, motivates one another, and acknowledges EVERY effort. And because of this supportive environment, we keep coming back to beat our bodies up, no matter what our day has been like because we know . . . when we walk out, we feel more alive, stronger, and ready to tackle whatever the rest of the day has in store for us.

Naturally, I found myself asking, “How can I bring THIS into my classroom?” I find myself picturing ALL my students cheering each other on, striving for excellence, to improve their scores and be proud of their individual progress. “Does the Crossfit program have ties to the classroom?” I asked myself.

And I found out that yes, it does.