This is My Better: My fitness journey

I guess it’s about time I explain why I’m posting all sorts of photos of me hoisting up goodies that Sport Chek sent me, all while using the hash tag #MyBetter on twitter.

I am now part of the Sport Chek campaign called #MyBetterMVP / #MyBetter. They have contacted some Canadians and sent along an inspiration kit to help us reach our personal bests. My inspiration kit has already been featured on my instagram and twitter (@spiffykerms for both).

Sport Chek has reached out to a lot of athletes in all sorts of areas of fitness. Everyone has all sorts of goals when it comes to being healthy and fit. I’m here to help people stay inspired and motivated.

These are “my” sports: climbing, soccer, running, CrossFit, and hiking.

I’m not training for anything in particular. I am however, training to be the best person I can be. I want to stay healthy, fit, and happy. I’ve tweeted numerous times that I’ve been in cranky moods, feeling lazy or just have a headache. I head to CrossFit and after a long hard workout, I’m feeling on cloud 9 again. You never hear someone say they regret a workout, do you?

What inspired me to begin my fitness journey?

I don’t think it ever really started anywhere. I’ve always been quite active in my life, ever since I was a kid. I was involved with soccer, dance classes, my Dad teaching me baseball in the back yard. Being the only neighborhood girl, as I had all boy neighbours to play with thus me being quite a tomboy as a kid – I had to keep up with them. It wasn’t out of the ordinary that you’d see me hanging upside down from tree branches!

 Or even now, years later — just doing handstands at home.

It wasn’t until I was in my teenage years when the local climbing gym opened up, that’s when a passion started burning in me and that was when I was full-tilt doing my “hobby” which also worked out as exercising. Bonus! It was my hangout place, and I’ve met most of my long-time best friends at that climbing gym, who now read my blog on the regular since I live a 3 hour flight away.

Some amazing friendships have come out of climbing. Hi friends, you know who you are!!

Johanna and I. May 2012 at the climbing gym back home in Newfoundland.

Lori (my first climbing partner ever, circa 1995!!), me and Kerry. We always meet up for a climb when I fly home.

My bestest friend in the whole world, Trevor. Anytime I fly home, I immediately go to his house and hang out with him. He’s the funniest person on the planet. He’ll probably read this and be embarrassed (I hope not! Sorry! lol) that I’m posting a shirtless photo of him here on my blog. Here we are circa 2005-ish. Taking a break from bouldering.

I took a break from climbing for about 5 years after moving to Ontario (I’m from Newfoundland), because there wasn’t a climbing gym around me. That all changed, during summer 2011 when four local guys opened up a climbing gym here in my city.

From there I kept up soccer throughout high school, and still play now. Occasionally I throw in a random sport whenever I feel myself getting bored of my routine. I started CrossFit on a whim, because in the winter’s is when I usually slow things down a bit. My “running buddy” introduced me to CrossFit back in February 2011, and I’ve been hooked since.

I feel like if I don’t work out on a regular basis, I get in a bad mood. That doesn’t mean I work out every day though, because that too puts me in a bad mood (ha!) since I feel like I’m rushed in the evenings and feel as if I don’t have time for anything else.

I’ve recently gotten into Yoga as well. I had a two week trial membership at the local YMCA. But didn’t want to go buy a $60 month membership when I’m currently spending almost double that to attend CrossFit monthly. My local CrossFit box is now incorporating Yoga, starting in October. You betcha bottom dollar I’m excited for that to start.

I absolutely LOVE my job – it doesn’t feel like work at all. I’m a Graphic Designer/Marketing Assistant, and sit all day at my desk from Mon-Fri: 9-5, so I need some physical activity. I have tried to work out in the mornings but I’m really not a morning person, and I’m quite lethargic if I try to do so. I save my workouts for immediately after work, and then come home to make dinner, do some chores and hang out with my little family of my Triathlete boyfriend and our Pomeranian dog.

So. That my friends is #MyBetter, my fitness journey. This is just the beginning, for both you and me. Sport Chek is allowing me to host giveaways to help you reach your goals too.

A few questions:

What do you do, to stay active and lead healthy lives?

How do you stay motivated?

What do you do, to get out of a bad/cranky mood? Do you workout?

Continue Reading

My CrossFit Journal (Year 1, week 28)

I don’t know why I named my weekly workout schedule “My CrossFit Journal” because sometimes I skip CrossFit for a week. Like this week for instance, I went just once to CrossFit (Thursday night) because I was so bloody sore from the insane Murphy Challenge the prior Saturday morning! My lats and biceps felt like they were going to rip right off, for days.

I came out of soccer “retirement” last Wednesday night. I was invited by my CrossFit coach to join their new co-ed team and start up in the indoor league. Let’s start with that:

______________________________________________

year 1, week 28, day one. Soccer!!!

Our first soccer game started at 10:00pm this night. I showed up to the indoor field at 9:30pm and not a soul was around! I was surprised, as I thought some people would want to warm up a bit before the game. 10 minutes later, people started slowing pouring in. We started the game a bit late because there weren’t any ref’s (nor will there ever be, in this league I don’t think – very laid back).

I forgot how fast paced men are with their foot work. I felt like I had to work extra hard to show my team what I was capable of. We ended up winning 2-0.

______________________________________________

year 1, week 28, day one

GWOD/WOD

3 Rep Max Deficit Strict HSPU
*12 minutes to establish

My CrossFit coach had a few of us practice getting up in the air for the hand stands. Apparently I was getting the hang of it pretty quickly. He then told me to stay up in the handstand for 5 seconds. I stayed up longer, which he saw. Then said for me to move forward once again and start doing the beginning of handstand push ups. SO SCARY but SO FUN!!! I ended up using 3 ab mats and just bending my arms ever so slightly. I did it a few times in a row, so it’s just now getting the depth in.

I asked my Boyfriend on Saturday afternoon if he wanted me to show him what I was capable of. I didn’t try to dip down whatsoever, but kept the handstand pose while he took a photo of me.

AMRAP 12
3 Ring Dip
6 Hollow Rocks
9 Box Jumps (30/24)

This workout was tough. I ended up using a 16″ box with a ton of weights on it to make it 24″, but it ended up being 25″ somehow. My hips were quite sore after this workout, so I decided to listen to my body and make it the last workout of my week. I did 9 complete rounds, I think. Either that or I was just finishing it up. I forget.

______________________________________________
Continue Reading