Recently, I’ve had a couple people ask me on social media as well as on my blog how I’ve lost weight or what I’m doing differently to change my body. I’ve talked about it in the past, but thought I would bring it back up because I know other people have gone through or are maybe going through the same thing. Here’s a summary: I began CrossFit in 2010, lost about 30+ pounds, then I began competing for a few years, where I slowly gained more and more weight. Of course, most of that was muscle but I was also gaining fat in strange places like my knees, hips and even love handles. It was very upsetting since I felt like I was being as strict as possible with my food and working out more than I ever had in the past. Problem was, I was lifting and working out so hard and wasn’t eating enough. So I was f*cking up my hormones while not fueling in the right way. Real smart, eh?
After I decided I didn’t want to compete anymore, I cut back on my workouts, started lifting lighter, took more rest days and said F*CK IT. Straight up. I ate what I wanted (gluten free still since I have a gluten allergy) when I wanted and rested whenever it felt right. I stopped obsessing about my body and questioning everything and just went about my day trying to be as content as possible. Over time, my body started to thank me. My hormones started to calm down: I lost weight that I had gained in strange places, I slept better, my appetite regulated, and I was just happier with how I looked.
When people say CrossFit doesn’t make you bulky, I fully believe it’s what your viewpoint on bulky is, what your genetics are like, and I believe it depends on what type of CrossFit you do. To me, I felt very “bulky” when I competed in CrossFit and was lifting very heavy multiple times per day. I didn’t like how I looked or how I felt. I felt, well “bulky”. I would see other girls who were incredibly ripped and I just felt fluffy. I tried to concentrate on my performance and performance alone, but outside of the gym I didn’t feel comfortable. So nowadays, I still do CrossFit usually 5x per week at much lighter weight which seems to get lighter each week, I’m 30 pounds lighter and I’m much more comfortable in my skin. I just had to give up some physical strength to improve my mental strength and I’m so happy I did that for myself.
I still CrossFit, I still lift, I try new things like our Fit classes and I’m even thinking about taking up some reformer pilates after so many people recommended it in last weeks post! At this point, I’m just trying to live a healthy lifestyle and accept my body for how it looks today and hope to improve it in some way with each workout I do. Not stressing out about every detail of every dimple seems to have helped me in the long run. So what I’m recommending here is for you to stress less. Life has enough stressors already.
If you have some sort of experience you’d like to share with CrossFit or any other workout you’ve done and how it changed your life or what you did to make it work for you, share in the comments below!!
Wait, before I go, have you signed up my Blendtec giveaway?! It ends tonight, don’t miss out!!
Sunday – Rest day means lake day! I didn’t surf at all, but I watched people surf. That’s exercise, right?
Monday – My own workout – I have recently been working out Monday mornings by myself so I made this one up on the fly. I’m trying to make sure I do some butt intensive movements and ab movements at least twice a week and I was sore for days after this!
12 minute AMRAP:
10 power snatch (95/65)
50 double unders
20 bulgarian split squat -10 each leg (65/45)
Then
5 100m sprint followed by 100m jog
Between each sprint – abs
1st round – 30 leg raises holding a 25# plate towards ceiling
2nd round – 30 russian twists with 25# plate
3rd round – 30 reverse crunches
4th round – 30 leg raises holding a 25# plate towards ceiling
5th round – 30 russian twists with 25# plate
Tuesday – CrossFit Class – The second part of this workout was a buuuuurner. Try to do all of your wall balls unbroken. I didn’t, but you totally should.
Gymnastics Strength:
6 Rounds For total reps of: (one number)
30 sec Max Effort Strict HSPU – I used an ab mat for a target
REST 30 sec
30 sec Max Effort Strict Pull Ups – I did a mix of chin ups and pull ups
REST 30 sec
I got a total of 76 reps
Then 4 Rounds For Time Of:
10 Power Cleans (155/105)
25 Wall Ball
I finished in 7:52 using 85#
Wednesday – CrossFit Class – As I’ve mentioned before, I hate ring dips. I’m fine with not having pecs. And I would much rather work on my triceps before my chest. So I always do parallete dips with my feet raised. Triceps = real sore.
Snatch: 2-3 Warm Up Sets, THEN
5 sets of, 1.1.1. Quick Reset between singles. Adding.
I finished at 95#
Then 10 min Ladder Of: (3,6,9,12,15…)
Ring Dips – I did parallete dips with my feet raised
Box Overs (24/20)
Burpees
I got through round 18 + 12 dips
Thursday – Rest day! I love week day rest days because I get to wash my hair and do my makeup. I feel so girly on rest days.
Friday – Fit Class – Come try a week for free, these classes are so fun!
Bring Sally Up Workout – I did mine with a 35# barbell on back
Then: 1 min/45 sec/30 sec*
lateral jumps over pvc/glute kickback with dumbbell in knee pit
100m sprint
TRX hamstrings curls/TRX ski jumps with knee touch
100m sprint
Uneven squats holding a kettlebell/Bridge raises with one leg in the air
100m sprint
Lateral band walks/One legged pistols to bench
100m sprint
*Do each movement for 1 minute, then each movement for 45 seconds, then 30 seconds, then do 100m sprint.
Saturday – CrossFit Class – Did you guys watch the CF Games this weekend? They did this workout, but with heavier weights. Ew. I was fine with using only 85# and that felt super heavy to me.
Hero Workout “DT”
5 rounds for time:
12 deadlift
9 hang power cleans
6 push jerks
*All weight is at 155/105 – I used 85# and finished in 8:55
Thank you for sharing this! I’m currently trying to find my personal balance between working out, staying trim (not bulky) and food. It’s always encouraging to hear other peoples journeys and what has helped them! Thank you!
I love what you said about “bulk” being different for everyone, because I gained a ton of size doing crossfit and I hated it. I eventually figured out how to eat right for me and get rid of the “fluff” while still keeping my strength, and didn’t go down on my lifting. It’s different for everyone! (I’ve also never been remotely close to being a regionals athlete) It’s great that there’s so much promotion for girls being strong and beautiful, but don’t let the world tell you how to live! Just do you, ladies!
I also cut back on weight, rest more, and switched to flexible dieting from the paleo diet. The high fat of paleo was terrible for my body (I gave it 3 years) probably because I still never quit the sweets and paleo treats. I don’t have any food allergies so I went back to eating grains/sugar but following macro counting with a coach and have gone from 145 to 130 in about 15 weeks – the weight I was before the paleo diet. I’m not knocking the paleo diet – it taught me the importance of nutrition, i just wasn’t optimally fueling my body. I think there’s a lot of pressure from blogs/media to be perfect about your diet/exercise, but there’s no “one fits all” for everyone. I still love your blog Juli and especially your workout/fashion posts!! And it’s nice to just say F IT and not obsess over diet and exercise anymore 🙂 thanks for posting this.
Hi Christina! I would be really interested in hearing about the macro counting and foods your coach has you on. I am in a really similar boat, I was about 135 before I started paleo, and I felt amazing in the beginning. Now, after about 2 years on the paleo diet, I am sitting at 145, even after playing with my micros within the paleo diet. I’m honestly having a hard time remembering what my diet was like pre-paleo, because I didn’t really think about it much, I suppose.
Seriously needed this today! I haven’t gained the bulk but I guess I’m bulkier than I was having suffered from eating disorders for years. I tend to carry weight in my legs and like you mentioned in my blooming knees! I know I over train but cutting back is so hard especially when you love your food as much as I do these days 🙂 Really am going to try make some changes and see how my body reacts, one day at a time I reckon!
I love all the inspiring comments…I’m in that bulky fluffy stage right now and have no idea how to get to the lean and free stage. Can anyone give me some guidance? Julie you look great!!!
Is it weird to say, I feel like a lot of it started with not caring as much about achieving the perfect body? I think it was about focusing on your body’s cues…knowing when to workout, rest, eat, not eat, etc. I have videos on my youtube channel describing a bit of how I eat now if that’s something that interests you. But I do feel like a lot of it was just letting go, which is very hard at the beginning!
“I just had to give up some physical strength to improve my mental strength and I’m so happy I did that for myself.”
One of the most powerful statements I’ve read in a long long time. So simple, yet such a struggle… one I’m currently wrestling with and a mental fight I have daily. I try to tell myself (in terms of working out), more is not better. More is simply more.
Thank you Juli for sharing your perspective and opening your life to so many. I have no doubt it’s not easy and people can be so ugly. But, I thank you for every word, photo, laugh, recipe, inspiration and especially the shoes… b/c if I can’t win my mental struggle today, at least my feet look amazing — glitter flats from sole society, thankyouverymuch!
I’m so glad you posted this! About 6 months ago I started doing Crossfit more often, going from twice a week to five to six times a week. I was getting stronger, but my body fat blew up along with my muscle mass and I just felt huge! I thought I was taking crazy pills because I didn’t see how I could be gaining fat instead of losing it- especially in my legs and hips. I’ve since cut back to two to three days a week and just try to stay active in some way the other days. I’m still trying to lose the fluff I gained, but this post made me so happy because it’s not just me. THANK THE LAWD.
AHHH we loved this post! And all the comments! We are just finishing our F@ck it stage where we’ve only been doing yoga (since stopping our 5 x week crossfit!). Feeling like we are ready to start lifting weight again… just less often and less weight! Thanks Juli! xxx
I needed to read this today. I struggle with overtraining and yearn to listen to my body and let it relax and have what it needs! I’m working every day on this goal, and I’ve realized it’s more mentally challenging than physically challenging. Thank you for your insight!
I’m knee deep in the “fluff” stage. It’s all in my hips and tush, so zero of my pants are fitting. I know I’m not over working out and I constantly wonder if I need to change my diet but I’ve felt better than ever and I actually feel myself again. From my doctors I’ve talked to they are saying my body is finally accepting nutrients but just not putting it in the right places. I know probably the last thing that’s holding me back is the stress and pressure I put myself under and I need to learn to just let myself feel free and embrace myself. It’s just hard when your body doesn’t match the way that you feel! It’s encouraging to read your blog and everyone’s post, I don’t feel so alone in this battle.