First off – my name is Courtney Nuthals and I am a Coach at Chase Ford Endurance. I know Jena has mentioned several posts on our progamming! Today I am going to reflect on “Beauty is Strength”…
Alright – this article is dedicated to the women out there; the my butt is too big woman, my butt is too small woman, I’m not skinny enough woman, I have arm flab woman and every other thought that women think about their bodies woman. Trust me, I’VE BEEN THERE. This topic has been one that I have been seeing A LOT lately and it ticks me right off! I am inspired to unleash a little on this because for starters, I saw an amazing youtube video by some of the top women Crossfit competitors who are normal women and have felt the same way as you – AND I have now had another girl confront me about their “legs growing from Crossfit.”
LADIES – haven’t you heard? Strong is the new skinny. Ew, I remember the days when I would run, run, run a consecutive amount of miles. I was little Miss Marathon runner. – SO skinny and had nothing to me! Don’t get me wrong, I give FULL credit to people who run – however, you can incorporate running AND weight lifting to get a strong, toned body. Not only will you feel better, but your body will be that much more prepared to take on those challenges.
For me, I work hard to play hard. In order for me to help my friend pick up a darn right heavy couch, I deadlift 180#. In order to sit down on a chair when I’m 80 years old, I squat 150#. I aim daily to work these muscles so that someday when life throws a curveball at me, I can hopefully overcome the obstacle both physically and mentally. I train my mind every day to keep going, to fuel my body with clean foods and to train hard so that when I want to randomly play football with the guys, I don’t get destroyed.
“Working hard and doing a lot of Crossfit will not get you bulky,” Andrea Ager states. “Don’t worry about what your body will look like, worry about your diet and what you can control.”
SERIOUSLY! This girl has got it goin’ on! This is so true. Worry about the things you have control over (your diet) and let the rest of your body do the work and shape you the way you’re meant to be shaped. I have noticed that when I eat dirty and don’t follow a routine, I feel and look “bulky” – IN GENERAL, not even from Crossfitting. When I zone in and dial a meal plan, I feel FIT and Crossfit adds to the great feeling of that!
Look at the women in this video. They are damn right BEAUTIFUL! And it’s even cooler to know that they can take care of themselves in a sketchy situation. The myth that women shouldn’t lift heavy is only perpetuated by women who fear hard work and men who fear strong women! STRONG IS SEXY. Now that I went on a rant of my love for Crossfit and lifting heavy sh*t, that is a good 30% of why I feel solid. However, my food intake is 70% of why I feel as great as I feel – and it’s the most important part of being healthy.
You’re probably asking yourself? Who is this chick? And alright, what the heck do you eat then?
Well, the below pictures are my “typical” foods – they qualify as “Paleo”. Sometimes I zone and sometimes I don’t.
*The Zone Way = correctly balancing your macro-nutrients to properly fuel your body. So basically weighing your food.
Here is a link to a great explanation and blog about ZONE: http://crossfitimpulse.com/
Breakfast: 8am
3 eggs (protein)
3 pieces of bacon (fat)
Eggplant, purple cabbage and onions (carbohydrates).
Snack: 10:30am
1 banana (carbohydrates)
9 Almonds (fat)
1 hard boiled egg (protein)
Lunch: 1pm
“Spaghetti Squash”
Ground Beef (protein)
9 Almonds (fat)
Spaghetti squash, Zuccini, Onion (carbohydrates)
Snack: 4pm
2 carrot sticks (carbohydrates)
2Tbsp Almond Butter (fat)
2oz. salami (protein)
Dinner: 7pm
“Paleo Tacos”
Ground Beef (protein)
Grilled Bell Peppers & Onions, two lettuce wraps (Carbohydrates)
Homemade guacamole (fat)
Ladies, eating a lot of REAL food and lifting heavy weights will NOT make you bulky. If your legs DO grow an inch, but it’s an inch of muscle, why not praise that!? That’s an accomplishment!!! Look at all of the ladies that do Crossfit. Our shapes, our sizes and our muscle form are all varied. Some of us are meatier, others are still slender, some have traps the size of Mount Rushmore, while some of us have big booties and small waists. This sport comes in all shapes and sizes and the best part is – NOBODY JUDGES YOU. The only thing that matters is your goals – that you can do 2 double unders instead of one, or you can hit a 200# Front Squat, or you just got your first strict pullup. Our goals are what we praise on – not how many ab muscles you have or how big your tush is. (That tush can help you squat some sweet weight, if you ask me!)
Love your body. Love your life. And BE THE CONFIDENT WOMEN WE KNOW YOU CAN BE!
Signing off…
Courtney Nuthals
