Protein Shakes for the Athlete's Soul

Oh my god! OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! I just hit over 1000 views! Maybe to you that doesn't sound like much but for me it's a milestone! That means that over 1000 times I got to be part of someone's day and impact them for the better! Now you can see why I'm so excited and excessively using exclamation points!!!! (okay, I will tone it down a bit) But for real though, Thank you to anyone who does read my writing. It means a lot to me that people care about what I have to say and people care about the message I am sending out. 

Today's post is about food and athletics. "Food," such a simple term now that used to send chills down my back, a term that used to make me feel defeated, a term that I gave to much credit to. Today food is something I eat to live. I eat so that I have energy to be the woman I want to be. If I'm over thinking food today It's because I'm trying to eat after a workout so my body can repair itself. I eat so I can workout because no matter how much I change I will always love the feeling an awesome workout gives me. Everyone likes to do the things they are good at. And for not being a professional athlete I'm damn good at exercising.

The athlete I am today is very different than the athlete I was in high school. In high school I would workout to lose weight, be skinner, and be more desirable. I didn't love the sports I was doing. In fact, I would complain and wish that practices were harder. I didn't want harder practices to be better at my sport. I wanted harder practices to burn more calories. Never once did I stop to appreciate a "fun" practice where it was less focused on fitness and more focused on distressing. Sometimes I would cry when I got home from practice because I just wasted 2 hours playing while I should've been working out. You know what that means? That means instead of an extra hour in the gym I was going to need another hour or so stacked onto that. Even with all that exercise I wasn't a supreme athlete. I was never the best at any sport I did. I was always "good" sometimes even on varsity. But with all that over training and under nutrition I was never going to be "great." 

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I've always wanted to be great at something. I like to shock and awe people and if I could do that with something athletic I would be one happy camper. 

Today I'm still not a "great" athlete. I'm still a "good" athlete. But what is most important is that I am becoming a better and healthier athlete. Today I get compliments from coaches saying things like "Wow Bre, You've got great fitness and drive!" That just astounds me because a few months ago I wouldn't have gotten that recognition. I would've gone unnoticed with the deep dark circles under my eyes and the fake smile plastered across my face. I would've been a player. But today I am a contender. 

I've recently started Crossfit. I've fallen in love. My infatuation with crossfit has been ongoing for years but finally with my nutrition and fitness in order I could start training. With crossfit my main goal is not to get skinny. My main goal is to be "great." I could go places with crossfit and if I keep working at it and respecting my body I will get there. Food is still a big part of my life. But only because it's necessary to life and not because it's necessary to make me feel good. Crossfit, friends, and family do that for me. 

Bre: A new love ED: 0