Motivation Mondays: Jamie Gives Us the Lowdown on CrossFit

A couple of months ago I blogged about CrossFit and how my husband and I tested out a class. In the end, it wasn't for us, but one of the reasons I was inspired to try it in the first place was because of my friend Jamie.

Jamie and her husband have been doing CrossFit for awhile now and because I like to share a variety of different Motivation Monday workouts and experiences, I asked Jamie to share with us a little more about what she does to stay fit and how she stays motivated.

Jamie is also a fellow Houston blogger---you can visit her over at J-Fit.  She's got lots of great fitness advice, recipes and home decor posts that I know you ladies will love.

Meet Jamie, looking gorgeous on her wedding day!

How old are you and what do you do?

I’m 26 (I think, ha! I always have to do the math) and I'm an Administrative Coordinator.

Have you always been into fitness? If not, why did you start?

I did not get info fitness until getting engaged in December of 2009. Everyone wants to look stunning in their wedding dress and knowing the big day was coming really gave me the motivation I needed to start working out. I tried everything from group fitness classes to boot camps and even worked with a personal trainer before finding my fitness home in CrossFit.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated by seeing continual improvement in myself. I keep a log of benchmark workouts on my blog and also document PR’s. It’s always nice to look back and see how far I’ve come and know I can only improve from where I am.

Why did you start CrossFit and how long have you been doing it for?
I started CrossFit in December 2010 because my husband was addicted and I wanted to check it out for myself. I will never forget my first day; I wanted to run for the hills. Thankfully I stuck it out and I now have been consistently going 3+ days a week for almost 20 months.

What do you like about CrossFit and what has it taught you about yourself?
My favorite thing about CrossFit is hands down the community aspect of it. Through CrossFit I have made countless friends and had so many wonderful experiences outside of just working out. I also like that I don’t have to do any of the planning and I know that I can just show up to my classes and that I’m going to get a good work out in. I know myself and if were up to me I would never do another burpee or wall ball.

What do you dislike (if anything)?
Burpees!! (JK…okay not really!) The only thing I sometimes dislike about CrossFit is that it is for the most part done outside or inside without AC. It gets seriously hot in Houston so hydration is key.

Tell us what a typical day of eating looks like for you? 
A typical day of food for me starts with a smoothie with frozen fruit and coconut milk as the base for breakfast. Around 10:00am I have my morning snack which is almost always almonds followed by lunch around noon. Every Sunday I make a big crock pot of chicken chili which I then eat every day for lunch. It’s not 100% paleo because it contains beans but it’s quick and healthy so I look past the beans. For an afternoon snack (usually around 2:00pm) I always eat a piece of fruit. If I’m going to the gym after work I’ll also eat a Larabar close to 4:00pm. Dinner is usually a quick combination of meats and veggies.

What are some of your favorite healthy snacks?
Unsalted natural almonds are my go to snack because they really fill me up and take no prep time. I am also a big fan of Larabars and fresh fruit. I feel that snacks and meals that are simple tend to work best for me.

What are some of your favorite indulgences? (in moderation, of course)
I am a Thai food junkie. I could eat Thai noodle dishes and crispy spring rolls every day for the rest of my life and be extremely happy.

You tried the paleo diet---do you still follow it? What are the pros and cons?

When I first started paleo, I followed the diet 100% and I saw fantastic results. I felt better, looked better and was performing better in WODs (work out of the day) but I did not have a life outside of CrossFit. One definite con of paleo is that I found it to be restricting in that I didn’t have the will power to say no to the chips and queso my friends would order if we went out so I just wouldn’t go. I found it annoying to have to quiz wait staff over and over about what came in the salad when half the time they got it wrong anyways. Today I try and stick to 80/100 which is 80% paleo, 100% of the time.  I eat paleo when I can but I don’t let my diet get in the way of opportunities to spend time with friends and family.

(this picture is kind of awesome...okay, super awesome)

How do you make the time to balance staying active with your other responsibilities and interests?

Plan, plan, plan. I have found that I need a lot of structure in my daily routine to help balance everything out. I go straight to the gym after work so that I have no excuse not to go. I find that if I plan time to work out, I won’t make other plans that prevent me from getting that work out in.

What are your fitness goals for the next year?

I’m looking forward to training for a half marathon once the Houston heat lets up a bit! I entered the lottery for the Houston half and didn’t get in but I have my eye on the Sugar Land half at the end of January! I would also like to be able to do handstand push ups within the next year, so I guess that’s my CrossFit goal.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I have lots of accomplishments I’m really proud such as graduation college, moving out of my parents house, getting married, purchasing a house with my husband so it’s hard to pick just one. Picking a fitness accomplishment is however much easier. I’m most proud of myself for being able to do a pull-up. I never dreamed the day would come when I would be able to say that I could do a pull-up but after some time and a lot of hard work, I’m happy to say that I can! 

Thank you Jamie for motivating us this Monday!  If you have any questions for Jamie, please leave them below or go and visit her over at J-Fit.