Over the years, I’ve learned to think of my body as a science experiment. Our bodies are constantly changing along with our environments, so if we want a certain something, we have to experiment with everything else to get it right. I’ve talked about this before and I’m going through it once again. For me, I don’t want to get a whole lot stronger because when I get stronger, I get bigger. And when I say this, please don’t take it offensively. This has nothing to do with anyone else or anyone else’s size. I just honestly don’t want my legs or my shoulders to get bigger. But with CrossFit, and especially right now at my gym since we are in a strength cycle, putting on extra mass is pretty easy for me because I still get excited about getting stronger. I get excited about my lifts getting better and my engine increasing, but then I look in the mirror and I’m not content with what I see.
This isn’t me crying about my weight or complaining I’m not skinny enough. I’ve been there, I’ve done that. Nowadays, I just begin to assess what I’ve been doing lately to gain weight or mass:
- Am I lifting more?
- Am I not taking enough rest days?
- Am I going heavier in my metcons?
- Am I eating more than I usually do?
I go through all these thoughts and start figuring out what has changed and what factors need to be altered to still be happy both physically and mentally. Since we are in a strength cycle at our gym and constantly increasing weights, I had to pull aside the coach and let him know that that’s not something I want to do. I have also decided that for a while now I’m going to mix in some different workouts and try new things to see how my body reacts to it. That means I’ll probably do a CrossFit class, then a Fit class then a Barre class and I may start adding in some yoga. I like being more muscular because I prefer that look and since CrossFit has helped me gain more muscle than I would have ever gained doing anything else, now I am able to manipulate those muscles more and challenge them in different ways. Such as Barre class, which I’m absolutely loving even though it is completely different from CrossFit! I plan to change up my routine for a month or so and see what the difference is because at the end of the day, our bodies and environments are always changing, so we might at well treat them as an experiment and see what happens!
If it were years ago, I would never have been able to do this. I would have gotten frustrated and cried and just not cared enough to understand why things were changing. It’s easier to get pissed off instead of taking the time to evaluate what changes are happening and why. It’s also easier to say something doesn’t work and throw in the towel. Earlier last week, I got a little frustrated then I decided getting frustrated wouldn’t do anything. What would help is my perception on how to alter my situation. I think it’s pretty cool to be able to think of our bodies are experiments instead of things that we have no control over. Sure, we may go through things that we can’t control such as illness or stress or whatever else, but if we are able to mentally control how we see our situations and what will lead us in better directions, we are often able to feel more in control and happier with what we have now. I’m not sure if this is all making sense today, but what I’m trying to say is: remember that you can control your life, one step at a time. There are always hurdles and changes and ups and downs, but if you treat your life, body and mind as a little experiment, you will constantly open your eyes to new and exciting ways to live a healthier and happier life! Now go try new things and get excited about how you’re taking care of your body!
Sunday – Rest Day
Monday – Rest Day – 8 hour drive back home from Nebraska
Tuesday – Back at it after 4 days off!
EMOM x 12: 1 Clean & Jerk. Fist set at 65%. Add as you wish. Goal of 95%. – I got to 125#
Then 15 min AMRAP Ladder Of: (3-6-9-12-15…)
Deadlift (225/155)
Wall Ball
Pull Ups
I got 18 + 42 using 125#
Wednesday –
Back Squats: 4 x 5. All sets at 83% (15 mins) – I used 155# for 2 sets then went down to 145# for 2 sets
Then 3 Rounds For Time: (12 min time cap)
35 / 30 Cal Row
15 Thrusters (115/75)
I finished in 9:48 using 65#
Thursday – Rest day – too sore to function
Friday –
3 rounds for time (19 min time cap):
300m run
25 kettlebell swings (70/55)
60 double unders
25 burpees
Then 3 rounds of: 20 GHD sit ups and 20 jumping lunges
Then I did a Barre Forte Lohi Class!
Saturday – Fit Class
- 7 minute AMRAP warm up: 100m run, 7 goblet squats, 7 high pulls, 7 incline push ups,
- Core workout: 3×1 minute rounds: 1 minute to complete 10 floor press (with barbell or plate) and 10 wipers with weight raised over head then in the remaining minute v-ups, russian twists, and ab mat sit ups. So you’ll do 1 minute of the press, wipers then v-ups then 30 sec rest then do it with russian twists then 30 sec rest, then do it sit ups. And do that 3 times through.
- Then 5 rounds (25 minute time cap) of: (I finished 4 rounds with 3 minutes to go but had to coach so I left early)
- 400m run
- 3/3 kettlebell clean and squat – I used 35# KB
- 2 rounds of Cindy (5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 air squats)
- 1 minute plank hold (I did weighted with 25# plate on my back)
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At Home/Travel Workout:
10 minute AMRAP:
20 hand release push ups
20 tuck jumps
1 minute rest
10 minute AMRAP:
20 jumping lunges
20 pike push ups
1 minute rest
10 minute AMRAP:
20 side skaters
20 bench dips
On Sale Fitness Apparel:
This Pretty Blue Racerback Sports Bra (40% off)
This Comfy Tank Top (15% off)
These High Rise Shorts (33% off)
These High Waisted Leggings (33% off)
These Nike Flyknit Running Shoes (33% off)
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What I Ate in a Day:
This is what I ate on Friday! I started my day off at about 5:45am. I had a glass of cold brew coffee with some water added to it along with a splash of heavy cream and stevia extract.
After finishing up my Fashion Friday post and newsletter, I made breakfast around 7am. Breakfast sausage (find the recipe in Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook), sautéed arugula and spinach and Wildbrine kimchi. After breakfast, I took Jackson out for a little morning walk.
After going to the Social Security office to change my name, I headed to my gym to do a quick workout by myself then went to a chiropractor appointment. After that, I went to Barre Forte Lohi for a noon workout. After our workout, a friend and I grabbed bulletproof coffee at Carbon. Sooooo good. Seriously.
Usually a bulletproof coffee will hold me over for a while, but since I hadn’t eaten much, I was pretty hungry once I got home so I snacked on some Milton’s gluten free crackers (just a little bit left in the bag) and heated up one of my pancake breakfast sandwiches (they will be on the blog this week).
I worked on the blog for a while after a late lunch then took Jackson out for a long afternoon walk. Once we got back home, I made shake with frozen banana, almond milk, gelatin, unsweetened cocoa powder and maple syrup.
Since my husband tends to work pretty long hours in the summer, we don’t eat dinner until 8pm most of the time. Which means I want to eat by 6pm. I’m loving this Krave beef jerky for snacks. Yes, it has sugar in it, but I haven’t found another that I really love that doesn’t. All the others I’ve tried are SUPER chewy, like bubble gum, and I’m not a fan of beef bubble gum. So I had a couple pieces of this jerky before dinner!
For dinner, I made tacos with what I had in the fridge: Siete Foods cassava tortilla, Primal Kitchen Foods chipotle lime mayo, sautéed peppers and onions, grassfed ground beef with LOTS of spices and hot sauce, red jalapeños, lime juice, goat cheese, cilantro and homemade tomatillo salsa (which will be on the blog this week!). I was still hungry after one tacos so I ate more just without the taco shell!
If you have any questions about what I eat and why, feel free to leave them below and I’ll answer them ASAP!
I needed this post today. I’ve been struggling with trying to find a balance between CrossFit and having the physique that I really want. I’ve been training hard 5-6 days per week for the past 4 months and have not lost a pound…not one. As a matter of fact, I have gained 5lbs and whole lot of strength but I am fluffier than I want to be even with a super clean, mostly strict paleo diet. I’ve been thinking of changing it up a little bit…boot camp, less strength training, and more rest days. It just seems so counter intuitive to take more rest to look leaner. Thanks for always keeping it real and supplying all of us with the the best recipes ever!
Love your posts Juli! And your snapchats!
You put gelatin in your shakes – is there a particular reason for that?
just for some protein, i’m just not a fan of protein powder really, so i just stick to great lakes gelatin! good for the hair and nails too!
This post is so interesting, I am posting a second time, lol!! I went from an Ironman triathlon + Crossfit athlete, working out lots and lots, to training only 4 days a week, traditional strength. I STOPPED RUNNING, BIKING, SWIMMING AND CROSSFIT. It wasn’t until then that I lost 20 lbs. All that exercise and cardio gave me a big fluffy look. And I was not happy about it. You think more is better, but that’s what the media wants us to believe. The only cardio I do is walking, and at 44 years, I look better then ever, bodyfat probably at 17%. I feel not so tired anymore from working out so much. As for carbs, I only eat them at NIGHT, on workout days, and have one big CARB NIGHT once a week when I can eat all the treats I want without feeling guilty, refeeding my muscles. In the day I eat veggies, protein and FAT! Alsways watch if your fats are higher keep your carbs lower, if your carbs are higher, keep it lower fat. Carbs + Fat = gaining weight. Hope that helps, and hope you don’t mind me responding again, but there is a way out of feeling big, no matter your age!!
Great post- I agree with you that we are an experiment…you can get advice from lots of experts but one size doesn’t fit all:) Just finished off your pms brownies that I had stashed in the freezer.
p.s. What does a fluffy leg look like???
i think when people are saying that, they are saying that their legs don’t look toned. when i feel “fluffy” I feel like i can’t see the muscle definition i’ve been working at. and often times, when i go heavier with weights, that’s what happens. it’s hard to explain unless you’ve experienced it yourself, like some women on here have
I get your post and how you feel about your body. I feel the same, we’re constantly changing and I realize this even more as I get older.
I’m just not certain if working out twice a day and taking your dog for a long walk yet drinking bullet proof coffee for lunch will help. A small snack in the afternoon, and only fixing one taco initially for dinner….Of course you’ll need to eat more. I’d be starving.
This just doesn’t seem sustainable. I can’t imagine working out TWICE a day, then going for a long walk on my days off. Where is the fun? And I don’t mean an hour of fun, in between workouts.
I think a better balance might be a good idea.
haha thanks for your advice, liz. but have you ever read any of my other posts? i RARELY work out twice a day, it’s something i do probably 3-5 times PER YEAR at this point in my life. on that day, i had extra time between two appointments so i did a quick, lightweight easy workout even though i was only planning on doing a barre workout. and bulletproof coffee was NOT my lunch, i don’t believe in drinking my meals, but it is a highly caloric drink that holds you off for a decent amount of time. my lunch at the sandwich (protein, fat and carbs) along with some of those crackers. the coffee was just a snack i had. just remember liz, your kind of fun and my kind of fun are obviously different. i LOVE working out, i seriously consider it a hobby and something i want to do almost every day. just keep that in mind when you’re telling me how to balance my life: our balance, goals and abilities are different. nothing wrong with that!
I see many commenting that CF made them look fluffy but I don’t understand what “fluffy” means wrt how one looks. Can someone explain/describe or post links to photos?
I’ve seen Juli’s body photos across time but I just don’t really understand what people mean.
i think everyone has a different viewpoint on what that word means and what they have experienced. hopefully other people chime in. for me, it’s just some extra weight on top of muscle that slightly hides muscle definition. when i lift heavier, i just don’t feel as lean. hope that makes sense!
Thank you for this post. As a fellow CF coach I feel there’s a pressure to always go hard and lift heavy but I struggle terribly with body image and the weight gain that comes with it. Thank you for being a light here and encouraging me to step out of the box and mix it up. I hope to see results as I add in yoga and other fitness routines.
being a coach, it’s REALLY hard to step back and do what’s right for you, especially when you’re pushing and challenging others in the gym. but it also gives you a new respect for others and their own choices in what they want to choose for weights and why. learning new skills is just going to make you a better coach in the long run anyways! good luck, aimee!!
LOVE this post! I did Crossfit 5-7 days/week for years. I loved the way I felt after a workout but hated what I saw in the mirror. I can definitely relate to the “fluffy” legs! My traps also got huge. I recently had surgery and was practically on bed rest for two weeks, followed by ten weeks of only light walking as exercise. I did not change my diet and lost ten pounds within the first two weeks! I realize that a very small portion of this could have been muscle but it was primarily fat. Despite my delight of loosing ten pounds, I got bored with walking and was so excited to get back to my workouts . However, now I have a hard time motivating myself because it seems like the less I do the more lean and toned I am, without the muscle fatigue and joint stress. My point is that I 100% back Juli’s perspective that it’s all about doing what works for YOU and makes YOU a happier person! I do not want to discredit Crossfit because I love the community aspect and variety, but I do believe that it effects everyone differently, both physically and mentally. Thank you, Juli, for your posts, recipes, and realistic approach to health and fitness!
i feel the same way. i LOVE crossfit and never ever want to discredit it in any way because i will continue to do it regularly, but i do want people to know that there can be balance with crossfit and other things. it doesn’t have to be an all or none thing that so many people have created it to be. thanks for understanding what i’m trying to say here, jessica. it’s all about figuring out what works for you and what makes you happiest, even as your body changes and bumps in the road are created (like you having surgery). thanks for the support!!
Again, you do you. But if you really are leaner/less “fluffy”/rounder butt/smaller shoulders how does that make you happy at the end of the day? I think all this focus on image you have going on lately is absolutely freaking masking something bigger going on. Have you ever tried meditation? If your biggest frustration in life has to do with “fluff” from CrossFit vs Barre you need to check yourself. Honestly.
thanks for your insight and feedback, karin. i think meditation is always a good idea. just remember, just because my body is important to me and incredibly interesting to me doesn’t mean i need to “check myself”. my figure has always been important to me, that’s nothing new, it’s just something i talk about more because people connect and go through similar and different experiences. for me, experimenting with my body and taking care of it in different ways is what life is all about. for some, that isn’t the case. but sharing my experiences helps others expand their own views on different workouts out there! i never said “fluff” was my biggest frustration, i merely said i was trying something new to see what happened because that’s what life is all about!
Karin, there is nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel your best. For most of us, being at the right weight and physique makes us feel better on the inside too. No meditation required.
I get what you are saying, Karin. I’ve had body issues for years and it is because I was chubby/fat in 4th-6th grades. I never fully recovered from that period of time and have never looked like a cheerleader or model. I’ve always had a layer of “fluff” even at the peak of Ironman training. But this body has gotten me through two Ironmans, about 15 other triathlons of varying distances, 6 marathons, tons of half marathons and I’m proud of my body. I accept my body for what it is. I work out hard to improve my times and to break time goals. Not for vanity reasons. I accept that I may not ever be a model, but I stand proud knowing I have a strong body and mind. I think that is the goal in life. To have strength, motivation and perseverance.
The vanity reasons rub me the wrong way, but isn’t to say it is wrong. I am happier when I find balance in my life. I’d rather be a little “fluffy” if that means I am enjoying food, trying new restaurants, traveling to new places and exercising along the way. I have no restrictions on foods. I can eat anything I want, but I can’t eat everything I want.
But we are all different. If the vanity and looking as toned and fit as you possibly can makes one truly fulfilled and happy, then that is what they should do. We’re only on this earth once, so do what makes you happy. You do you and I will do me.
Juli, you just keep doing you cause you’re looking hot girl! I remember you saying two things that you should limit in order to lean out are alcohol and sugar- sigh. Two of my favorite indulgences. Is this still your go to for leaning out? Also, do you count calories? Or focus more on a macro goal? Just curious because I’m experimenting with both.
Thank you in advance! And thank you for all the delicious recipes!
yes! i don’t drink much so i don’t really have to limit that, but when i’m not feeling my best, it usually is because the amount of sugar i’m eating so i just cut back on that and that usually helps. but no, i don’t count calories and i don’t know how to count macros, i just try to eat balanced meals and eat until i’m comfortable! i’m just always trying to listen to my body and what it wants and needs vs what it may be craving. hope that helps, stefanie! and thanks for being so sweet!!