Throwin' it Down in London!

Last weekend I competed in the SICFIT London Throwdown at Brunel University in snowy London. I qualified for this competition in December, ranking 49th going into this final event. After hitting two personal records (one of which was a 65.7kg/145lb lift from ground to overhead) and going through some insane physical challenges in front of a large crowd and some badass athletes, I came out of the competition taking 14th place overall! 

It's incredibly fulfilling to see my hard work at training and nutrition paying off, although just a few days upon return I got bronchitis... and laryngitis! Looks like my body worked rather hard and wanted a serious break.

Snow Has Landed!

My flatmates woke me up at about 3am with my first snowball! I was rather confused initially, but once I realized they'd brought me snow from OUTSIDE, I couldn't contain my joy!

This morning, an unbelievable white blanket covered the campus.

I officially feel like a resident of England.

FeelFit! My own little project in England

Just last month I started a group called FeelFit, targeting primarily students and promoting a healthier lifestyle. I've been offering group workout classes twice a week, and started a facebook group to spread the word about nutrition and other facts that encourage overall fitness. As you probably know, I LOVE crossfit, and any other sport that offers physical competition. I will be getting my certification for crossfit training in March, and am hoping to expand on this hobby by coaching. For now, I'm practicing these skills with this group.

Initially, I imagined my greatest challenge would be figuring out how to keep people active for an hour. That has not proven to be a problem. I know enough movements to keep people moving for days. What has instead presented itself as a bit of a difficulty is the rather wide range of athleticism I've gotten in my classes. A movement that is challenging for some may be a piece of cake for others, so a great deal of my energy in each class is making sure every individual is getting the most of their time by working effectively and efficiently, but not KILLING themselves. I'll save the killings for when I get them on barbells...

This project, FeelFit, has already made me feel better. I've received multiple texts and had a few chats about how sore people are, but they always end it with a smile. That smile has become my ultimate goal. I want people to FEEL the joy of being fit, to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, and I want to help them get AND stay there. My life (and health) have changed dramatically since I started lifting heavy and eating clean. Now it's time to help others experience that feeling too.

Hot and Cold...WHY?

This is so true of every sink in my flat and nearly all others throughout the UK.


England:

Either scalding hot or freaking freezing.

EVERYWHERE else in the world:

Water you can touch.

My First Snow!

It snowed! Granted, I couldn't properly capture it with a camera (the picture below is a few years old), nor would the adorable little snowflakes settle on the ground, but nevertheless it snowed down on me TWICE this week! The first was while I was leading an exercise group on the beach (yes, we had a snowy workout!), and the second while walking about town. Despite the absolutely freezing weather, I was as giddy as a girl. Now all I need is a seriously heavy, 24 hour snow so I can make snow angels, go sledding, and then it can go away because I am ready to put my tank tops and shorts back on already... and we've just entered February.

I miss you California.