My Fitness Routine – How Iost 13 lbs.

Back in January I made the decision to commit to health and change my life. Having lived in New York City for three and a half years, my bad eating and exercise habits were starting to catch up with me and I began feeling more and more uncomfortable in my own skin. I decided to try CrossFit. It was kind of a strange choice for me since I’ve never been athletic. I was the one who would knock over the tee in tee ball or get benched for the entire soccer game and sit around eating orange slices. My friend, Noelle told me she used to go to CrossFit back in her hometown of Louisiana and it was the only thing that really made a difference in her body. So we signed up for the free intro class at our local ‘box’ CrossFit virtuosity in Greenpoint. I will never forget that first class. After speaking to us about the fundamentals of CrossFit, they gave us a WOD or workout of the day to try. It was so hard and I still remember to this day laying on the ground practically wheezing after it was over. For the next few days my legs were so sore I would basically collapse into any couch and drag my sore legs up the stairs. Despite a rough start I signed up for a six-month membership that day, I knew this would be something that would whip me into shape. The trainers were incredibly nice and I immediately felt a connection with the other athletes, as we’re all called in CrossFit. It has now been five months since that harrowing first day and I feel better than ever. Here is an example of a typical workout at CrossFit: 

As for my progress, I have lost 13 pounds and gained a lot of muscle. I feel more confident, energetic and at ease, even dare I say sexy in my own skin! I have changed my diet gradually cutting out unnecessary sugars and carbs but never totally limiting myself. I still eat ice cream, have bread and even a couple too many cocktails on the weekend from time to time. But, I try to be more conscientious of my food choices, especially during the week. For me, it’s also important to work out with a friend. Noel and I do CrossFit at least two times a week together and it is really helped me stay on track and be accountable for my goals. I’ve also met some really sweet girls at the gym.

In addition to CrossFit, which I now do three times a week, I have added other exercises into my workout routine to keep it interesting. An average week might look like this-Monday: hot yoga. Tuesday: CrossFit. Wednesday: Barre class. Thursday: CrossFit. Friday: Barre class. Saturday: CrossFit. Sunday: Road cycling, between 20 and 40 miles. Every once in a while I will try out new classes like Pilates or Boxing if I’m feeling bored and want to shake it up. Here’s some photos!

I wanted to make the transition from a casual rider to a more serious cyclist so I turned to Trek Bikes. They made me one of their Women’s Ambassador’s and set me up with an incredible road bike, the Silque. At first it was really hard to get used to just how light the bike was and definitely the clip-in pedals! But after practicing on the Loops at Prospect and Central Parks, I’ve really gotten the hang of it. I love seeing the city and being able to spend time and exercise at the same time with my boyfriend! We like to get up early on Sunday mornings and bike from Brooklyn up the West Side Highway to 180th St! 

I also love Barre class. I take it either at my local gym, Chalk in Williamsburg or at Physique 57 in Soho. The workout looks tame but it’s so intense! You can really feel your legs burning and shaking in during the class. It’s also a fun antidote to CrossFit since it’s a bit more elegant and girly – but that does not mean you won’t sweat. It’s truly a great workout. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this post! Please let me know in the comments if you’d like me to cover any more of these topics in depth on the blog.