Fitness and a dieter's worst nightmare

On Monday I attended my second session of CrossFit. Technically, it's not 'proper' CrossFit, and it doesn't take place in a gym (or box, as I think the pros call it). This suits me just fine because I enjoyed staring at the beautiful blue sky right before I thought I was going to pass out.

We do warm up rounds and then the exercise rounds. The exercises are simple and use little equipment, much like boot-camp-style fitness. Though I could probably complete most of the exercises at home, it is so motivating to have a set commitment each week where people are expecting you to rock up and try your hardest. Seeing the others completing the exercises, and also battling at times like I was, made me push through the pain and work harder than I ever would at home by myself. 

I completed the WOD (work out of the day in CrossFit speak) which was aptly titled Crash and Burn. The warm up was pretty daunting, but manageable. I was at my lowest after round 1 and felt really nauseous. This feeling worsened when I realised there were still 2 more rounds to go!

I felt tired and sick, but the point is that I didn't give up, I didn't die, and I am going back for more next Monday.


The bulge buffet
Last night, I experienced a dieter's worst nightmare: a finger food buffet. Three tables heavily laden with chips, dip, crackers, every kind of cheese, samoosas, spring rolls, mini quiches and rolls greeted me when I walked into the English Honours book launch last night.

I have read that people are most likely to overindulge when eating finger food because the food you eat is generally never laid out on a plate, so you have no idea of portion size. You snack unconsciously, which is only fuelled by free liquor. Plus, everything is in miniature, so you don't feel as bad for scoffing 10 mini samoosas. This is easily justified by a simple mathematic equation: 10 mini spring rolls = 1 regular one, so you have obviously not overindulged.

I can walk for miles but I am really not good at standing because my back usually gets very sore. I stood listening to a talk and a performance for a good 2 hours last night, and while my feet hurt, my back didn't. All I can put it down to is improved core strength.

I had to choose my snacks carefully. I admit to a portion of crisps and one mini quiche. Neither were worth the calories. I stuck to 2 stuffed egg halves, rice crackers and cheese with biscuits. A bit of alcohol later, I found myself sitting in Champs bar with a peppermint crisp pudding, but if you can't really remember eating it then it doesn't count, right?