PCOS: Training

First day back on the track with tinyFIT

 It feels so good to be back in the swing of things. This year has had it's up and downs. From a bummed foot, to  my PCOS diagnosis, to simply not feeling like Showout Meg, I was ready for a change. I have not been this excited about training in a while. I'm back on the track again running sprints weekly and hitting the bleachers, attending CrossFit classes 2x or 3x per week with Coach Zach and/or Big Mike, and training with the underground strength guru--Travis Holley-- weekly, and planning to make it a 2x/week routine once I find a few more people to join a mid-morning crew.

The longer you are in the fitness arena, the more you learn about your body and how nutrition and the style of training you incorporate make a difference on your outward appearance and performance. I know one thing that is for certain--- explosive, high intensity training works very well for me, especially paired with a day or 2 of heavy lifting. When I tried a different route earlier this year with a different goal in mind, I learned very quickly that it did not work for me. I also believe it goes hand in hand with my battle against PCOS. CrossFit works wonders for women who battle PCOS.

I came across a ton of blog posts highlighting woman after woman and how CrossFit changed their life and healed them from the syndrome. My go-to blog at the moment is Paleo for Women. Stefani Ruper does an incredible job discussing nutrition, CrossFit, and evolutionary health for a female. She is also coming out with a book next month titled, Overcoming PCOS: The Complete Guide to your Personal PCOS Journey and How to Become Fertile, Healthy, and Sexy for Good. Whole 30 had a great success story from a woman who had PCOS and no longer has the diagnosis-- Read on. And, of course Robb Wolf highlights an incredible success story too. In a nutshell, their lives are forever changed!

There is power in knowledge. The more I educate myself on this syndrome, the more empowered and equipped I am to kick it to the curb and share with the masses that anything is possible. What are you battling? Whether it be an auto-immune disease, weight gain, drinking too much soda, a bummed foot, still trying to get that first pullup, nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it and chase after it with vigor.

I have a new found energy for my career, training regimen, and my love of CrossFit. What is stopping you today from being your best self? I challenge you to look it in the face and go after what you want with no regrets.

3, 2, 1 GO.

Holiday Fun

(Me & tinyFIT at our end-of-year Staff Banquet)

Relentless Training Systems are off for the next 2 weeks. It is a nice break for us coaches, but I do know our athletes still want to get in some workouts. Personally, this time of year is full of going out with my friends (see pic above), but also making time to get in workouts. Work hard. Play hard.

Below are a few workout suggestions that require minimal equipment.

Workout #1- Compliments of up and coming coach, Adam Martin
100 air squats
90 russian twist with a kettlebell
80 grasshoppers
70 russian swings
600m run
50 american swings
40 KB sumo deadlift high pull
30 KB wall balls
20 pushups
10 wall walks

After many visits to Dave and Sam at Next Level, I learned I need to work the glute max and medius. If you have a Perform Better band then I recommend the following right before a workout:
20 lateral band walks (10 on each side)
90 seconds of static bridge holds (place 1 to 2 bands above knees)
Jane Fondas (minimum of 60 seconds on each side)

Workout #2- I did this workout with my sister yesterday.

Wheelbarrow- She held my feet 1 direction and then we switched. Followed by 10 ring rows while the other partner did as many plyo pushups as possible until the partner was done with the ring rows. 4 rounds.

Next we did the following KB complex:
Power clean
Front rack squat
Swing & clean
Snatch
Thruster
 *equals 1 rep. Perform 3 on right, 3 on left, followed by 10 V-ups. 4 rounds

I challenge you to get creative over the holiday. Use ledges for box jumps, dips, decline/incline pushups. Find a tree to do pullups or visit the closest track. Find a way to workout with family members. I always love when my sister and I workout together. Most importantly, HAVE FUN! It's all about balance.

Susan's trip

 Susan is one of my 1st athletes that started with me 2.5 years ago. She recently traveled to Zihuatanejo and sent me gorgeous pics of where she stayed. Susan knows me all too well and that I love the sun. These pictures got me fired up for my SunGoddess excursion this February to celebrate TinyFIT's bachelorette party.

Do you plan trips at key times to rejuvenate during difficult seasons? For me, the trip must be warm. Not cold weather skiing for this girl.

Meet tinyFIT!

(pictured: Michelle, tinyFIT, Showout)

Meet Lauren McAuliffe, also known as tinyFIT! Lauren is the newest coach to jump on the scene with Relentless. I had the honor of coaching Lauren for about 8 months along with seeing her transform during the 8-week Trojan Challenge.

Lauren is full of life, energy, and fun and is one of the toughest tiny people I know. Her and I share quite a bit in common-- from our core values of Balance and Integrity to the Communication aspect of our Strengths. We talked the other day on the phone for a good 30 minutes and created new business ideas within Relentless, new boot camp locations, and refined her future within our company.

I am blessed to have someone like Lauren in my life. Someone I get to work along side, someone I watched get engaged and now begin creating a new life, but also someone I hang out with and fills my bucket.

Team PURSUIT is a bucket full of go-getters and Lauren is absolutely one of them!