![]() If you have been hanging around the box the past few months, I am sure you've been asked "Are you ready for The Open?" or "Are you competing in The Open?" Some of you veterans know good and well what is approaching but for those of you who don't, let me help you out. The CrossFit Open is the first of two qualifiers for the CrossFit Games. Those who make the cut in the Open move on to Regionals, and then potentially the CrossFit Games. Ok, so now that that is out of the way, let’s talk about what it means to us mortal athletes. The CrossFit Open is five workouts that serve as a benchmark of how our previous years fitness has improved and it serves as a measure of how our next years fitness will continue to change and what goals we set for ourselves. Think of it as a benchmark workout, except it’s 5 of them, served up 1 per week, for 5 weeks straight. It challenges us to perform things we may have never done, and to learn what we need to improve upon. It pushes us way out of our comfort zone physically, mentally and maybe even emotionally (I have seen many tears in The Open and many PRs), but does so while placing us in an immensely supportive environment of people we train alongside daily. Now, for the details; The CrossFit Open begins Thursday, February 22nd when they will announce the first 2018 CrossFit Open WOD to the world. It will be the WOD all day on Friday, the 23rd, at CFG in regular group class but the real fun begins that evening with our annual Friday Night Lights (FNL). If you have any questions at all, please come to any coach with any concerns you have! In the meantime, please reach out to current members about their experience and their love/hate relationship with good ole Dave Castro, the sadistic programmer of these workouts. Friday Night Lights at CFG: 18.1- Feb. 23 18.2- March 2 18.3- March 9 18.4- March 16 18.5- March 23
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Man, where to start, after today's nutrition seminar, so many things resonated with me and my long journey with food and nutrition that I felt compelled to share a little of my story as you embark on this lifestyle transformation. We all have stories, we all have goals, we all have had setbacks and triumphs. Yes, we want to lose the weight, drop body fat %, fit into your size 6 jeans, and be beach body ready! But I beg you to detach your self worth from those numerical and aesthetic goals.
After the seminar, I overheard a conversation between two members that went a little something like this..."I'm so annoyed...I can't believe I still look like this. Seriously, I just want my body back!" I couldn't block this out of my mind all morning. The concept that our body must retrograde back to what it once was prior to exposure to change is something we are all buying into. Thinking back to the body that existed in college, prior to pregnancy, or before a major life event, injury, or stressor, many of us perceive that the body we once had is gone, and the body they have now is no longer worthy or acceptable. Your body never left. It’s always been with you – on your team, working to keep you moving, functioning, and breathing, esepcially when you think you may die during a 21-15-9 metcon. It was there for you before, during, and after the change you experienced, and will continue to do everything it can to keep you alive and well in the future. But we MUST take care of it now. Being in the mindset that you need to “get your body back” puts you in a position to fight your current body to make it what it once “was.” But, the body you once had and the body you have now are the same – the only thing that sets the two apart is experience. Personally, I have tried every diet, template, program you can think of! Name it, I have done it. It wasn't until I found CrossFit and a balanced relationship with food that I realized how toxic and obsessed I was with food. I "coached" myself into what I thought was a healthy state and avoided social situations that would potentially lead me to eat like a NORMAL person. Restrictions led to combat, combat led to self-hatred, self-hatred crippled my quality of life. Achieving a six pack was a waste of my time. The amount of time I spent focusing on food could have been used in many different productive outlets! Do I want abs? Yes, I also want ice cream and pizza. Do I still have goals? Absolutely! Am I going to reach them? Absolutely! Am I going to stop eating peanut butter out of a jar? Absolutely NOT! So, I leave you with this... Happiness is not a weight or shape, and the body you “had” is not superior to the body you have now. Knowing that you are worthy, right now – in this moment, gives you the freedom to work with your body when pursuing health. It means giving yourself the flexibility to eat more or rest when needed, and doing workouts that you actually enjoy – not just doing the ones you think you “should” do. Crush these next 8 weeks! Reach out for help and advice, we are all on this journey together! P.S. The Open is coming up! You better get rid of that carb fear...you are going to need them. Your Fan, Sara |