It takes an army...

The response I've had to this blog has been completely, awesomely overwhelming.  I've gotten so many Facebook messages and emails from people who can relate to my journey, people who have struggled with weight themselves and overcome those struggles, and people who are just now starting to make changes towards a healthier lifestyle.  It is amazing to know that some of the biggest badasses I've ever met, have similar stories to my own... I've loved hearing these stories, learning what inspired these people to change their lives, and hearing how they accomplished their goals.  I've also loved the incredible outpouring of support and encouragement I've received from friends and strangers alike as a result of my ramblings.  You guys sure know how to make a girl feel awesome!

However, I fear that you all are giving me way too much credit.  No journey of this magnitude can be successfully undertaken alone.  They say it takes an army... and in my war against fat and fear, I've been fortunate enough to have a truly incredible support group helping me through every step of the way.  These people deserve much of the credit for inspiring me, encouraging me, teaching me, and pushing me to be my best.  In the spirit of giving credit where credit is due, I've decided to use some of my blog posts to recognize the people who have helped to make my recent accomplishments possible.

In future posts, I will talk about some of the individuals who have been particularly influential over the past year.  But today, I want to discuss some of the local businesses that have made this whole adventure possible.  For a fitness novice like me, surrounding myself with knowledgeable professionals has made all the difference, and these businesses have provided me with the tools (and skills) to succeed.  Today, I'm going to tell you a little bit about some local pros who have been absolutely invaluable to me, along with contact information in case any of you are local and want to check them out for yourself.

(Disclaimer:  I am not professionally affiliated with any of the following businesses, and have no financial connection to them, unless you count giving them a shit ton of my money every month.  I am solely promoting these businesses because I think they are awesome.)


CrossFit TPA at The Primal Athlete

Duh.  You totally knew this was coming.  I know I've dedicated a great deal of time to singing the praises of this amazing business... hell, this blog might as well be one giant love letter to CrossFit TPA.  I've talked at length about why TPA has been great for me.  Today, though, I'd like to talk about why this box is great, period.

From an outsider perspective, CrossFit can come across as elitist and unattainable; a sport reserved for top athletes in their physical prime.  We hear horror stories and see intimidating photos in fitness magazines.  We see the CrossFit Games on TV and immediately think, "Holy shit.  I can never do that."  We tend to associate CrossFit with brute Chuck-Norrisesque strength, and automatically toss it into the "pipe dream" pile when sorting out fitness options.  Trust me, I know.  That was me for a long time.

But the coaches at CrossFit TPA have changed all of that for me.  When I was going through my "waffle phase" (my name for the period of several months that I spent waffling between desperately wanting to try CrossFit and being completely and utterly scared shitless by the very thought of it), I frequently stalked the TPA website to read about the WODs and to try to get a better idea of what the place was all about.  I was particularly drawn to the slogan on the webpage: something along the lines of, "CrossFit is for everyone... even you!"  Every time I saw that, I felt a glimmer of hope.  And then, inevitably, a picture of Jeannie doing something impossible would flash across the screen, all muscle and strength and total badassness, and dash that hope into a million tiny particles of FAIL.  I DECLARE BULLSHIT!  "Everyone" can NOT DO THAT!!!

When I finally got up the nerve to call Tammy, I told her that I wanted to try CrossFit, but was afraid of being the fat old person among a bunch of buff 20-something studs.  She laughed at me and told me to show up anyways, assuring me that there were all kinds of people at the box, and promising that no one would make fun of me.

Over time, I learned that she couldn't have been more correct.  I wasn't even close to being the oldest person at the box, and while I was easily the fattest person there, I was thrilled to find myself working out with people of all ages, all at different points in their fitness journey.  I have WODed with everyone from college students to a 70-year-old grandmother (who, by the way, seriously kicks ass and amazes me endlessly), and with everyone from the impossibly badass Jeannie to people like myself: just starting out and struggling with the most basic of movements.  The more people I met, the more I started to believe the slogan on the website... maybe anyone can do CrossFit.  Maybe even me!

That is the amazing thing about CrossFit TPA.  It makes CrossFit accessible to anyone willing to put in the work, without dumbing it down.  The coaches, Tammy, Tricia, and Julie, are wonderful at helping people scale and modify every workout to accommodate the individual's abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and overall level of fitness.  They don't expect everyone to be able to do a pull-up, string together double unders, or do the prescribed weight in every WOD.  They do, however, expect you to show up ready to give every workout everything you've got.  They expect you to push yourself every day, to test your limits, and to attempt the things that scare you, even if you suck at them.  They expect 100%.  But in return, they give back 110%.  I have taken a lot of different fitness classes and worked with many different kinds of coaches, but I've never met anyone who cares so deeply about the success of each and every client as the coaches at TPA care about ours.  They get as excited about our PRs and accomplishments as we do.  They are right there next to us, encouraging us through every tough lift, instructing us through every complicated movement, reassuring us through every setback, and celebrating with us through every victory.  They have been so indescribably instrumental in every aspect of my journey, providing me with advice on everything from nutrition to crosstraining to facing my fears.  Tammy is the first to call me out when my attitude is crappy, and when I get discouraged and too hard on myself, she is always the first to put things in perspective and remind me how far I've come.  These women are so incredibly kind and selfless.  They give up weekends with their families to attend an endless string of clinics and certifications, all so that they can bring the newest and best information back to the box and incorporate it into our training.  They show up sick, injured (spotting my bench press while on crutches = serious dedication), and undoubtedly exhausted, but never give us any less than their best.  They are strong, positive, ambitious women, and they make me want to be strong, positive, and ambitious as well.

I guess it should come as no surprise that three incredible women would create an equally incredible community, but I am still amazed every day by the wonderful group of people at the box.  I've talked about this at length, but I really can't say it enough:  TPA is so much more than a box.  It really is a family.  No one leaves the box until everyone has finished their WOD, and the last to finish is the one with the loudest cheering squad.  Everyone encourages everyone else, which really does make more of a difference than you think.  Just the other day, I was going for my 3-rep front squat max, and after barely succeeding at 155, I knew that if I didn't try for 160, I would spend all day kicking myself for not at least attempting it.  The first rep at 160 went okay; the second was shaky.  When I got down in my squat for rep three, I honestly didn't think I'd be able to get back up.  I was ready to drop the bar and call it a day, when I heard a chorus of encouragement... I realized that everyone else had put their bars down and were watching me, cheering me on and doing everything they could to help me short of actually picking up the bar for me.  It was just the extra push I needed to finish my last rep, and I got my PR with a little lot of help from my friends.  If any of you are skeptically thinking, "There's no way in hell that a cheering section can make that much difference in a lift,"  I highly encourage you to stop by the box and watch a WOD.  You'd be amazed how much the attitude and atmosphere around you can impact your workout.  At TPA, there is no competition and no judgement.  Just a bunch of like-minded people encouraging each other to push their hardest and be their best selves.

Another thing I love about the box:  we have FUN.  They say the family that plays together, stays together... and I think we are a pretty good example of that theory.  That's not to say that we don't take our workouts seriously, because we do.  There are some seriously hardcore athletes at the box, and we all know that once the timer starts, it's time to work.  But there is plenty of comic relief to keep us all from getting too serious.  We do things like Tiny Tim races, CrossFit Dodgeball, and post-WOD mimosas for NYE.  Our Christmas party was the rowdiest good time you could ever hope to have in an athletic facility (and the after party was even rowdier... but we won't talk about that), complete with a pretty incredible mojito station and people doing box jumps in heels and sparkly holiday attire.  The time we spend together outside of the WODs has created an incredible sense of team and community that carries over into the WODs, and I think that makes all of us just a little bit stronger.

I can't say enough good things about CrossFit TPA, the coaches, or the people who work out there.  It really is just an incredibly special place that has changed so many lives for the absolute better.  I could talk about my love for this place all day, but you really can't understand it until you see it for yourself.

If you're ready to change your life, change your body, and meet some of the best people on the planet, I highly encourage you to check out CrossFit TPA.  The first step towards becoming a TPA athlete is to contact Tammy and set up your CrossFit Prep class.  Prep has replaced the Elements course I talked about in my first post.  It is now a 6-class series, during which you will get to know the coaches, learn the movements, and complete a "mini-WOD" at the end of each class to put your new skills to work.  The first class is free, so you have absolutely nothing to lose by giving it a try.  If you like your first class (which you will), the cost for the remainder of the prep course, to my knowledge, is $70.  That's it.  That's all it costs to change your life forever.  When you get completely hooked by the end of the prep course (which you will), there are several payment options for continuing on with your WODing, the most popular of which are a punch card and a monthly unlimited program.

If you are interested, check out the website here!
It is my understanding that the website is down today, but it should be up and running shortly, so be sure to check back.  Also, follow them on Twitter and/or like them on Facebook for more information and updates.  The next prep class starts January 22, and is filling up quickly... so hurry up, give Tammy a call, and get your ass to the box.  I promise, you won't regret it.


Mojo Running and Multisport

A part of my story that I left out of my first post, in an effort to maintain semi-reasonable length:  I actually attempted to start running back in January, during my "birthday month" before my designated diet/exercise start date of February 8th.  After my birthday and that awful morning after with the photographs, I decided to get a head start and hit the pavement.  A few days after the party, I went to Dick's Sporting Goods in Cranberry, where an employee who couldn't have been older than 16 helped me to select a "really cute" pair of running shoes.  I had Googled a Couch to 5K program, and my goal was to be able to run the Harmony Shamrock Shuffle two months later, so I figured I should get started ASAP.

So I did.  I actually managed to survive day 1 of the C25K program fairly successfully (i.e., I didn't die and only cried twice).  But the next morning, I noticed a significant ache in both of my knees.  Shrugging it off as typical day-after-workout pain, I went out again that afternoon, dutifully performing the assigned short periods of jogging alternating with walking.  Again, I woke up the following day with bilateral knee pain, this time even worse.  By the end of the first week of the program, I literally couldn't get out of bed on mornings after my runs.  Recognizing that this was more than your typical post-workout achiness, I paid a visit to Dr. Gold, who sent me to an orthopedist.  X-rays showed that there was no significant injury, but showed some crappy anatomy that, combined with my obesity, was causing the bones in my knee to rub against each other with movement, which evidently was exacerbated by running.

At ortho's suggestion, I went through three rounds of very painful (and very expensive) knee injections to replace the synovial fluid in my knees with some synthetic crap to give me more cushioning between the bones in the knees.  Much to my dismay, these injections did absolutely NOTHING.  When I approached the orthopedist about the complete and utter failure of a month's paycheck's worth of synthetic joint fluid that he'd jammed into my legs, his response was: "Well, as you lose weight, there will be less stress on your joints, and you may notice the effects of the injections more then."

Well, thanks, ass hat, but how the hell am I supposed to lose weight if I can't exercise?

For the last week of January and the beginning of February, I pretty much gave up on running.  It was just too painful.  I ended up buying an elliptical machine (shudder... I know.  Please don't judge me), which I put in the basement and used a few times a week.  It didn't hurt my knees, but I hated it with a burning passion.  I wanted to be outside, with my dogs, with views of the creek and the woods, not views of my basement and Jim playing Xbox across the room in his man cave.

On February 8th, when I stepped on the scale and recommitted to making healthy changes in my life, I thought back a few weeks to a conversation I'd had with a coworker, who was an avid runner and said that she had recently been fitted by a professional for running shoes for the first time, and couldn't believe what a difference it had made.  After two miserable weeks of hating my life on the elliptical machine, I was ready to try just about anything.  A quick Google search led me to Mojo Running and Multisport in Seven Fields.

Thank goodness for Google, because Mojo played an ENORMOUS part in kickstarting my weight loss journey.  On February 8th, I met Jenn.  My glorious, magnificent genius of a shoe fairy godmother.  On the wall above the shoe display at Mojo, it says: "A single shoe can change your life forever. -- Cinderella."

True.  Friggin.  Story.

Jenn was able to tell me exactly what was wrong with the shoes I was wearing (too neutral), exactly what my problem was (I pronated horribly), and exactly what I needed (a nice cushy support shoe) just from watching me walk into the store.  Bippity boppity boo, just like that.  I'm telling you, she's magical.  Within 20 minutes of walking through the door, I was walking back out  in my brand new Brooks Adrenaline GTSs, ready to give the running thing another shot. 

Yep.  Life changed by a shoe.  I never would have imagined that a pair of shoes could almost eliminate the knee pain that thousands of dollars worth of ortho visits hadn't touched, but sure enough, I woke up the morning after run day #1 with nothing but a very manageable ache in my knees.  VICTORY!  I've been running ever since, with minimal knee problems.

If I hadn't discovered Mojo, and if Jenn hadn't waved her magic wand of awesomeness and fixed my knees, I probably never would have gotten fit enough to feel ready to try CrossFit.  I would probably still be in my basement on my elliptical machine.  Or, worse yet, I would have given up out of sheer boredom and gone back to a life of fast food and sedentary existence, with the excuse of "my knees won't hold up" cushioning my bruised ego.

Thankfully, though, I did discover Mojo, and Jenn did fix my knees, so this fairy tale gets a happy ending after all.  Over the past year, I've been through about a million pairs of shoes, always from Mojo.  They helped me find a perfect trail shoe that offered enough support for my knees without giving up a good feel of the trail (Inov8s with SuperFeet inserts, if you were wondering... awesome!), and as my body has changed month to month, Jenn has helped me change my shoe selection accordingly.  (Now running in Adizeros, a more neutral shoe, while still occassionally rotating in my Brooks for hard surface running.)  Having the right footwear has been absolutely instrumental, and I think all of us in the area are lucky to have people with the knowledge and experience of the Mojo crew around to help us with our shoe needs.

And it's not just shoes.  Oh, how my wallet wishes it was just shoes.  Mojo also carries the most glorious selection of running gear imaginable.  I'm not a brand whore, but I'm afraid I will never again be able to run in Walmart capris after experiencing the luxuriously awesome items I can't resist purchasing every time I go to Mojo.  They also have enough fun accessories and useful gadgets to keep a girl entertained for hours.  Between the amazing products and the awesome staff (all of whom, from my experience, are super knowledgeable and helpful like Jenn), this place is a must-visit for any serious athlete.

In addition to quality goods and a fantastic employees, Mojo also offers a great sense of community and a wonderful group of dedicated followers.  They offer a regular Wednesday night run group, a Couch to 5K program that I wish I'd been brave enough to take advantage of at the beginning, and a Half Marathon/Marathon training group that I recently started and am enjoying immensely.  I have met a lot of really awesome people through Mojo, and am looking forward to becoming a more active part of their community in the future.

If you live around here or have plans to visit the area any time soon, I highly recommend that you take your running needs to this fantastic local business.  You could make the same mistake I made: namely, buying running shoes from a minimum-wage-paid high school student at a big chain store whose only selling point was, "They look really cute with jeans!" (because I run in jeans so frequently, obviously)... or, you can support a small business, get a great product, and be assured fantastic service at Mojo.  Your call.

Check them out!  The website contains a wealth of information about the staff, products, and services offered at Mojo.  Happy shopping!


Salt Power Yoga

So, let me preface this particular review by stating that I know absolutely NOTHING about yoga.  Prior to my initial visit to Salt, my yoga experience consisted of a limited selection of home yoga DVDs.  And by limited, I mean I had exactly two: a Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga DVD (which I have dubbed "Yoga for Fat People"), and a Yoga For the Rest of Us DVD (which I have dubbed "yoga for old people").  I've been hearing for years about the physical and mental benefits of yoga, but neither of the DVDs did anything for me.  Yoga for Old People was so painfully slow-moving and simplified that even my former fat self became bored with it almost immediately.  Yoga for Fat People might have been a decent workout, but something about listening to Bob's overly chippy attempts at motivation kind of killed the whole Zen aspect of yoga by making me want to punch him in his smug face.  (I am not terribly fond of Bob, if you haven't gathered.)  Definitely not a yoga fan.

So when I first heard Jenn from Mojo mention to my training group that hot yoga was a great crosstraining method for runners due to the benefits of increased core strength, I didn't think much of it.  I'll stick with CrossFit, thankyouverymuch... my core gets its ass kicked plenty there without any dogs of the upward or downward variety.  But when my friend Lynn asked me to join her for an Elements class at Salt, I kind of owed it to her; she had just survived her first brutal CrossFit WOD at my urging, so I figured one yoga class (session? practice? I'm still not sure of the lingo) was the least I could do in return.  So I signed up for the class, dug my dusty yoga mat out of the basement, and decided to go into it with an open mind.

Power yoga at Salt was nothing like Yoga for Fat People or Yoga for Old People.  Rather than holding obnoxious poses for what felt like hours on end, I was constantly moving, which made it feel like a real workout.  And the heat (a sweaty 85-100 degrees, depending on the class) wasn't nearly as horrible as I anticipated.  In fact, I felt like it allowed me to get deeper into my poses and increased my flexibility.  Not gonna lie, I was completely thrown off by the "Omm"-ing, the relaxation business at the end, and the weird eye pillows.  But by the time I left the studio, I felt like a giant bendy rubber band, and despite my prior skepticism, I really did feel calmer and more centered.  Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with the experience, and signed up for an introductory deal: $30 for 30 days of unlimited sessions.

Being the cheapskate that I am, I was dead set on getting my money's worth over the course of those 30 days, and went to Salt about a dozen times last month.  The more I go, the more I like it.  I still can't quite get on board with the "Omm"-ing, some of the language still sounds more like Swedish obscenities than names for yoga poses (Utkatasana?  Really?  That sounds like something I would shout at my husband when he leaves the toilet seat up), and I still tend to prefer forms of exercise that encourage (or at least allow) cursing and loud music.  But I'm definitely coming around.  I do feel like it has a calming effect on me, and I have noticed improvements in my flexibility that have carried over into a few of my CrossFit movements.  I am especially fond of Friday evening Happy Hour: an hour-long session complete with tunes, a fast pace, and post-session wine.  It's a good time, a great workout, and all of the procedes go to charity.

Like I said, I know nothing whatsoever about yoga, so I really couldn't tell you the difference between a good yoga studio and a crappy one.  But some of my observations about Salt are as follows: it's always clean.  It provides a great, calming atmosphere.  Sessions start and end on time.  They provide mats, mat towels, and blocks so you don't have to worry about carting your own around if you don't feel like it.  I always leave feeling better than when I arrived (albeit sweatier).  They have a super easy online sign-up process.  And while I have no basis for comparison other than Smug Bob, all of the instructors (teachers? Yogis? Jedi masters?) that I've met seem to be very competent, friendly, and welcoming.  In my totally unexpert opinion, it's a great place.  I would recommend it to anyone looking for a sweaty workout with awesome relaxing mental benefits.  I don't think I'll ever be nearly as enthusiastic about yoga as I am about CrossFit, but I definitely have enjoyed getting salty with several of my friends who have also hopped on the hot yoga bandwagon.

Final assessment: if yoga is your thing, or if yoga totally isn't your thing but you want to try something new and different, I recommend checking out Salt Power Yoga.  Like the above businesses, they also have a Facebook page, and are pretty good about keeping it updated with upcoming events.  Good stuff.


Venture Outdoors

I think this is the only organization that I have not mentioned at least once in my blog thus far, but it is a fantastic one that has had a big impact on my fitness adventures thus far.  Venture Outdoors is a Pittsburgh-based non-profit organization whose mission is simple: connecting people to the outdoors.  They provide low-cost, high-quality public programs including kayaking, hiking, biking, rock climbing, snowshoeing, fishing, cross country skiing, canoeing, geocaching, and any number of other fun outdoor activities throughout the year.  Annual membership is only $30 and gets you first availability and discounted admission to activities, but non-members can get in on the fun as well.  Activities are available for all different fitness and experience levels, and allow the people of Pittsburgh, so many of who spend way too much time cooped up in an office, a chance to get outside and enjoy all that our region has to offer.

This is a cause near and dear to my own heart.  I've always loved the outdoors.  Even when I was a fatty, I was totally in love with hiking, kayaking, whitewater rafting, and camping.  Up until recently, most of my friends were more the indoor type, so it was always a struggle to find someone to go on such adventures with me.  Venture Outdoors has provided me with an affordable way to enjoy the outdoors, meet people with similar interests, and get some fresh air with minimal planning required on my part.  It's perfect for my busy life, and is a really cool way to try out new sports and activities without making a massive financial or time commitment.

I first got involved with VO when I was training for the Oyster Race.  Prior to my Oyster preparation, the last bike I'd been on had had one speed and streamers in the handlebars... and I was probably wearing neon scrunch socks and rocking a crimped side pony tail.  I was terribly out of practice and knew I needed to log some serious miles on my bike, but I didn't have anyone nearby to bike with me.  So I signed up for my first Beginner City Bike Ride through VO, advertised as an easy 12-15 mile ride around the city at an easy pace.  The ride was awesome, the guide was personable and knowledgeable, and the other bikers were a fun bunch.  I enjoyed myself immensely, and started signing up for other bikes and hikes.  I quickly got hooked on the great atmosphere and fun-loving people associated with all of VO's events, and have enjoyed being an active member ever since.

There are all sorts of things coming up on the Venture Outdoors activity calendar that I'm dying to try: snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, rock climbing, new hikes, and overnight hiking/biking/camping trips that sound like the perfect way to spend a weekend.  Some especially awesome-sounding upcoming adventures: a North Country Beer Tasting Hike, a Doggie Snowshoe Trek, and a North Side Urban Fitness Hike.  For those of you with kids, there are also programs specially designed for kids and families.  There really is something for everyone.

Check out the website here, and a calendar of upcoming events here!


Okay, I think I'm done submitting shameless plugs for my favorite local businesses now.  Go check them out and give them your money.  I'm getting ready to head to the box, but since the dreaded camera has not many many recent appearances at the box and I'm short on up to date fitness-related photography, I will leave you with the following shot of my ridiculously fuzzy, filthy, ancient, and adorable old horse.  Just because he is my favorite and I love that face. :-)  Have a good day, friends!

Good morning!