How you can keep all of your New Year's Resolutions by Crossfitting
Welcome to 2016! Did you make resolutions? Resolutions to exercise, lose weight, eat healthier, feel better, look better, like yourself better, put your phone down more and embrace life more, try new things, meet new friends, impact the world?
Great! Now what?
This year, you should try Crossfitting. (What is Crossfit?) Crossfit at your local box (our word for "gym") can help you to meet every single one of those goals for your year. And, right about the time that most people are jumping off the "exercise more" New Year's Resolution bandwagon and abandoning typical gyms in droves, you will find it more difficult to give up your resolutions than to keep them!
Keep your resolutions!
Keep your resolution to exercise more by committing to at least three months of Crossfit. Now, you've turned a resolution into a short term goal that is achievable and measurable. Start with the Fundamentals class so you can learn the movements -- few of us know a clean from a deadlift when we start, and many of us struggled to jump rope even if we had mastered it as children. Then, commit to showing up at least 3 times a week and choose a class time that works best for your schedule.
Once you start showing up, you'll meet new friends. It's the unique culture of Crossfit that we do not remain anonymous in our classes while we work out alongside one another. It's a social group that works out, encourages, and supports each another in our individual goals. Leave your headphones at home - we all share the same loud (good) music! And you'll learn all about the etiquette of doing your best, finishing no matter the time, scaling smart, cheering everyone on, and greeting new people.
“The acceptance and pride you feel...will remind you that you are amazing, strong, capable, persistent, loved. ”
Because of those new friends, you will want to keep showing up! And because you keep showing up, you will start to notice changes. Some of those changes will be mental. Any shyness you felt about doing sit-ups (or any other sweaty activity at which you didn't feel particularly skilled) will start to fade away. Your confidence will grow with each new achievement and personal record (we call those PRs). The acceptance and pride you feel from your new friends and coaches will remind you that you are amazing, strong, capable, persistent, loved, and you will like yourself better.
Because you like yourself better and you are growing in confidence, you will start to push yourself even harder than you thought possible. Some of the changes you notice will be physical. Your muscles will grow (and you'll be thrilled by this) and your waistline will slim. You'll look better. You'll start asking friends and coaches about food and, maybe for the first time ever, you'll start to explore which foods work for you and which do not, and you might join a clean eating challenge. You will begin to eat healthier and feel better. Your idea of "possible" will expand, and you'll start eyeing the white board (where we record and share our workout "scores") with a little bit of friendly competitiveness, trying to "catch" athletes you'd always admired from afar. Before you know it, skills you thought were impossible become not only probable, but part of your reality.
“Before you know it, skills you thought were impossible become not only probable, but part of your reality. ”
The next thing you know, you're starting to venture outside the box with your new friends (who are starting to feel a lot like family). You'll all try something new together. (Though you already did that by walking into a Crossfit box. Yay, you!) Maybe you'll go rock climbing, or sky diving. Maybe you all start training together for a 5K, a half marathon, or a full marathon. Maybe it's an obstacle race like the Spartan, or a team relay race over 200 miles like the Ragnar. Maybe you'll combine your (newfound?) love for physical activity and trying new things and you'll buy a seat on a Dragonboat and row for charity! Lift Up Autism fundraiser and WOD? Absolutely! You are impacting the world and embracing life!
The only resolution that Crossfit may not help you to achieve is putting your phone down more. After all, you're going to want photos of the friends, events, and stronger healthier you that results because you made some resolutions and walked into a Crossfit box one day.
