I only really started lifting in the past few weeks, nonetheless, I am up 6 lbs since last month. And honestly? I am enjoying every. single. second. of. it.
No, really. I feel stronger, my clothes still fit, and nothing gives me more enjoyment than the strange looks I get when I announce that I'm trying to gain mass.
Seriously. It seems like no one knows what to think when a woman says she wants to GAIN weight. Josh, my trainer at Crossfit Sanctify, is seriously stoked about it. Everyone else seems, well, concerned. When I announced my increase this morning after our WOD, the rest of my fellow crossfitters gave me a sideways glance until someone finally asked: "But why are you doing this?"
A lot of reasons, really. First, I turn 30 next year, and much like Mirriam, I want to give myself a birthday present of being stronger. Second, I'd like to have a little more heft to use to counteract some of the size being thrown at me in derby. I'm pretty stable on my feet, but when a big girl comes in from the outside with centrifugal force on her side, there's only so much my smaller frame can do. And third, after decades of trying to figure out a million ways to lose weight, I'm pretty ready to tell society to take its norms and shove it. Quite honestly, I'm an easy gainer (both muscle- and fat-wise) and it's ridiculous when I think about how many years I've spent fighting myself by trying to change that into losing. It's time to love my body as it is.
Which brings me to this fantastic piece of advice: "You can't fix a body you hate." And beyond fixing it, you certainly can't make it stronger. Derby has done a lot for me--strength wise and socially--but the biggest thing it ever did for me came after I read this interview with the amazing and brilliant Elle Machete:
(Emphasis mine.) How about y'all? How are your challenges coming? Any changes in how you feel about *your* body?
No, really. I feel stronger, my clothes still fit, and nothing gives me more enjoyment than the strange looks I get when I announce that I'm trying to gain mass.
Seriously. It seems like no one knows what to think when a woman says she wants to GAIN weight. Josh, my trainer at Crossfit Sanctify, is seriously stoked about it. Everyone else seems, well, concerned. When I announced my increase this morning after our WOD, the rest of my fellow crossfitters gave me a sideways glance until someone finally asked: "But why are you doing this?"
A lot of reasons, really. First, I turn 30 next year, and much like Mirriam, I want to give myself a birthday present of being stronger. Second, I'd like to have a little more heft to use to counteract some of the size being thrown at me in derby. I'm pretty stable on my feet, but when a big girl comes in from the outside with centrifugal force on her side, there's only so much my smaller frame can do. And third, after decades of trying to figure out a million ways to lose weight, I'm pretty ready to tell society to take its norms and shove it. Quite honestly, I'm an easy gainer (both muscle- and fat-wise) and it's ridiculous when I think about how many years I've spent fighting myself by trying to change that into losing. It's time to love my body as it is.
Which brings me to this fantastic piece of advice: "You can't fix a body you hate." And beyond fixing it, you certainly can't make it stronger. Derby has done a lot for me--strength wise and socially--but the biggest thing it ever did for me came after I read this interview with the amazing and brilliant Elle Machete:
[What] influence has derby had on your life? Roller Derby gave me my body back. There are so many people trying to define your body. They tell you what clothes make you look "trashy" or "matronly." They tell you to calculate health in terms of pounds on the scale. They tell you what type of jeans to wear, so your "butt doesn't look fat." Roller derby was the first time I was able to define my body on my own terms. My body can knock blockers to the floor. My body can make jammers cry (true story). And my beautiful skater booty looks HUGE in those jeans, thank you very much. Aside from that incredible personal breakthrough, derby has given me a community like none other. I don't go to church on Sunday mornings; I go to derby practice.
(Emphasis mine.) How about y'all? How are your challenges coming? Any changes in how you feel about *your* body?
Day 8 and still going strong! Had a few 'treats' this weekend (weekends are always pretty tough for me), but not too bad, and I'm all stocked up full of yummy healthy food for the week! :)
ReplyDeleteGREAT post by the way-love that and already shared with some friends.
I love the mantra "you can't fix a body you hate." Wish I had come to that kind of attitude a lot younger!
ReplyDeleteMy progress is more modest but happy: I did 3+ miles in rocky foothills Saturday and 4+ miles of desert in the Caja del Rio Sunday. Not running, mind you, but trotting along on foot while my daughter did killer trail rides on her tough sassy little (fast-walking) mare.
I am on day 3 of eating in the South with no kitchen... Despite the fact that candy is EVERYWHERE and it's so dang hot all I want is a ton of ice cream, I have held strong. There was one bad time--I went to this place in Savannah that was brilliant--tons of fresh gorgeous Romaine lettuce with freshly roast chicken and homemade sausage on top was its definition of a salad. How paleo-dreamy is that? When they asked if I wanted dressing, I tried to use an excuse that I don't eat cheese to avoid the dressing (I thought I heard the person before me say it had parmesan). "Oh, this has no cheese in it," they said. "That's OK, I'll have it without," said I. Whereupon I grew horns and turned a shade of green, apparently, from the reaction the guy gave me. So I buckled to the pressure and said I'd have a tiny bit of each. And then the beautiful salad was drenched, of course.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, it's been good. I'm checking out Crossfit Mobile tomorrow.