1 Year In

[Lindsay Grant]

Hey Everyone,

I figured since I have been crossfitting for a year, it was time to take a step back and see exactly what I have learned and accomplished. So here it is.
First, a little background. I am a 25 year old female. I have always been active. I played volleyball, basketball, and tennis in high school and 2 years of volleyball in college. Despite being active, I began struggling with weight about my senior year of high school. I was never obese but it was at that time that I realized I could no longer eat anything under the sun. Even after college, I continued to exercise..it is something I have always enjoyed doing and it has been a great stress reliever. Along with this, I have tried just about every diet out there. Last summer I was running about 16 miles a week plus doing some body pump classes a few days a week and eating a low fat, low calorie diet. Despite this, I ended up gaining weight. By September, I was at the highest weight I have ever been and I was miserable. I remember crying to my husband that I don't understand how I try so hard to lose weight and I just get fatter. There were 2 family vacations that summer and I didn't enjoy them as much as I should have because I was too focused on how gross I looked. Coming back from those vacations, I told my husband that I needed to figure it out. I needed to figure out the right diet and the right exercise program for me. I was unhappy and I know he was tired of seeing me so upset.
Enter Crossfit.
It was right before Labor Day and my husband told me about this Crossfit program that some people at his work were doing. He told me he wasn't sure if I would like it because it was based out of a warehouse so it wasn't like Gold's Gym. I told him I would try it with him because we could try for free and I had 0 expectations. I didn't think I would like it but I was willing to try anything at that point. Well, that first workout KILLED me. I remember leaving feeling like jello and wondering what the hell did I just do. I was hooked right then and there but the trainer told us to give it a few weeks to really see if we wanted to sign up for it. We started going 3 days a week after work. I remember seeing girls lift heavy weights and they had the bodies of a fitness model. I was immediately hooked and told myself that is what I will look like by the end of summer. So, we signed up and in November started going 4 times a week. After a few months, I was feeling better about myself but wanted to dial in a good diet. Everyone was talking about Paleo so I asked one of the trainers about it. She gave me some information and I bought The Paleo Diet book and read it. I started trying to eat paleo and low carb and learned that I actually liked these types of foods and figured this is something I can stick with long term.
Fast forward to today..I don't have a fitness model body YET but I have come A LONG way. I lost 20 pounds and 10% body fat. I honestly don't know what I weigh because I haven't gotten on a scale since June but in June I was 138. I have learned SO much from Crossfit. I learned that I don't have to run miles and eat little to lose weight (it seems like that made me gain) and I learned how to love myself and my body in a different way. I still have a long ways to go as far as body image goes but I am learning to not focus on the number but instead how my clothes fit and how I perform. If I eat crap then I will feel like crap in the gym and I am too competitive for that. I like getting above average scores and am wanting to get stronger. I went from jumping pullups to full-blown kipping pull-ups (still a work in progress but there is no band). I went from doing most WOD's with 55lbs to doing most WOD's with 77lbs for over my head, a few with 88lbs and can power clean and squat clean 95lbs. I can deadlift 155 for shorter WOD's as well and started at like 90lbs. I also learned that I want to get stronger and not just skinny. I want to be able to lift 100lbs over my head and deadlift crazy numbers. I want to be thin but I want to be strong and lean.

Crossfit is a lifestyle for me and I am so much happier than I was last year. I will never stop crossfitting. I have learned that I can do this anywhere and not just at a box. I have learned that I really like eating clean and my body likes me for that.
My goals for now are:
1. Get Stronger
2. Continue working on getting lean...my stomach is THE HARDEST place to lose fat and it seems to be taking forever.

So, that is my testimonial for now.

[Mark E. Wallace]

Excellent testimonial, Lindsay!

Originally Posted by Lindsay Grant

...but it was at that time that I realized I could no longer eat anything under the sun.

Then just eat inside.

I honestly don't know what I weigh because I haven't gotten on a scale since June but in June I was 138.

Good for you!!! Don't. As you've learned, body comp and performance are much better indicators of health than is weight.

I learned that I don't have to run miles and eat little to lose weight (it seems like that made me gain)

Not only do you not have to...you shouldn't.

and I learned how to love myself and my body in a different way. I want to be thin but I want to be strong and lean.

2. Continue working on getting lean...my stomach is THE HARDEST place to lose fat and it seems to be taking forever.

Just keep working on the getting stronger goal, and the fat loss from your midsection will come. As I'm sure you know, targeting where you lose the fat from just doesn't work. Just keep losing fat in general, and it'll fall from your midsection when it happens.

You were 138lbs in June. How tall are you?

- Mark

[Lindsay Grant]

I am 5'6.

[Joe Bernard]

Great job! It's always good to hear women who want to get stronger, keep it up!

[Chantal Brien]

Awesome work Lindsay!

[Lisa Hsu]

Linds! What a great testimonial. I should tell you, if I didn't read this to know how you started, I would have never guessed. When I started at our box in Feb, I remember you as the pretty girl who lifted super heavy. I was afraid to strike up convos with all the girls at Crossfit because they were all so hawt and strong, and I was lifting junior bars and blank bars only at the time. You have been an inspiration every since! You push yourself at every WOD I've seen you do, and I think that's awesome. I hope some day I can catch up to you.

Keep kicking butt girl!

[Lindsay Grant]

Originally Posted by Lisa Hsu

Linds! What a great testimonial. I should tell you, if I didn't read this to know how you started, I would have never guessed. When I started at our box in Feb, I remember you as the pretty girl who lifted super heavy. I was afraid to strike up convos with all the girls at Crossfit because they were all so hawt and strong, and I was lifting junior bars and blank bars only at the time. You have been an inspiration every since! You push yourself at every WOD I've seen you do, and I think that's awesome. I hope some day I can catch up to you.

Keep kicking butt girl!

Lisa you are WAY too nice! LOL I am glad I can inspire you though! You definitely inspire me! I saw your score from last night's WOD and you have come so far in just 5 months!!