I’ll be honest, I cannot believe I am doing CrossFit. However, I cannot deny the physical transformation this workout has given me. Before CrossFit I was struggling with my weight, now one year after I started, my results speak for themselves. Here’s my before and after CrossFit transformation story.

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January 2018 Measurements

Bust: 34DD

Waist: 30”

Hips: 40”

Single Thigh: 24.5”

(After measurements below)

Here I am embarking on my one year CrossFit anniversary.  As my husband says, I was “vehemently against CrossFit” prior to stepping foot in the gym or “box” as some CrossFitters say.  I never use that term…

“It’s a cult!” I’d tell my husband (fiance at the time).  He agreed. I avoided any persuasion attempt trying to get me to join him at his gym.  There were multiple reasons why (I’ll get there shortly) but on the outside looking in, CrossFit did seem to fit my lifestyle in a few key ways:

1. CrossFit has gymnastics and balancing components
2. It’s a quick and effective pre-programmed workout
3. The location is convenient
4. Accountability buddy built in (the hubs)

Men vs. Women

So let me just say I have a solid understanding of why so many people have shied away from CrossFit as a workout.  I was one of them. I was one of the women, who shied away.  

Alternatively, men never seem to have the same adversity toward this fitness format.  What guys? The “fear of gaining muscle” or “getting too bulky”is good with you? Lol

I feel the need to address this issue head on.  What I hear from women (a year ago also me) is that they don‘t want to look masculine.  They don’t want to get bigger, muscular, or bulky. However, they do want to get leaner and stronger.  

I was that woman.  I thought that same way.  But I feel there are misconceptions of what CrossFit does for women.  

That’s why I feel I’m qualified to write this.

Are there women who are big and strong and have lots of muscle?  Yes. There are strong women who can lift more weight than most men I know.  Is there anything wrong with that? No, it’s amazing what they can do. Do I have any chance of looking like that with how I train, 3-5 times a week?  Not a chance.

Now, I’ve now been immersed into CrossFit and functional fitness for 1 year.  Alongside my training in this past year, I’ve also ran, sprinted, and practiced yoga.  My training schedule was around 3-5 days a week of CrossFit/functional/resistance training, 0-2 days of running, and yoga was intermittent.  I fell off the yoga wagon for the first part of 2018.  Jumped back on the last half but still only making it once a week at best.  I’m not perfect.

Related: Why You Should Be Doing Yoga To Supplement Your Workouts

A few months into lifting heavy weights, I learned lifting (especially olympic lifting) is the most enjoyable part of the CrossFit experience.  Second only to handstand walks, but I’m probably alone there. I absolutely love throwing a barbell around, even if I don’t hit the weight I did last time or PR or even come close to what the person next to me is lifting.  The strength and power I feel when I do a power clean or snatch is like nothing else. It’s challenging, it’s fun, and oh so rewarding when done well.

Now backing up pre-2018, I was like all of the other onlookers of CrossFit.  I only knew what I saw on tv, the internet, or very very fit muscular women walking by.  I saw a body type I knew was strong as hell, but at the same time, I didn’t want. …And still don’t want.  Like I said, nothing wrong with this body type and I’m highly impressed by women who can lift like that, it’s just not my goal.

On the contrary, I do want to be lean-er, healthi-er, sexi-er, and fitt-er but by no means am I going for the Fittest Woman On Earth title.  This is where perception and reality collide.

The onlookers of CrossFit only see what’s on the CrossFit games, magazines, the internet, or advertisements.  The reality is those people workout for sport, it’s their lifestyle just like an Olympian trains for her respective sport. These women are full-blown athletes training hours and hours a day.  In addition, eating a ton of calories to maintain their training schedule.

What you don’t see are the many women working out in a CrossFit box gym throughout the world that are doing so for general physical fitness and enjoyment in being active.  Myself included.

I was however, hesitant to get into this exercise modality, like so many are. I have a 75% mesomorph 25% endomorph body type, translation:  I put on muscle easily, while fat is difficult to lose. When you hear the words muscle building, increase muscle mass, or “gains” as it’s commonly called, the last thing I wanted was to add more to my already too large size (at the time).  

But that’s not what happened…

Before I get into that, I want to recap my reasoning and mentality surrounding CrossFit as a workout modality.

Why I didn’t do CrossFit before:

• It’s expensive
• Having other interests – kickboxing, doing my own “weights” thing, yoga
• Not wanting to bulk up and be too muscular
• Wanting to be smaller in size – rather than my preconceived bigger in size from CrossFit.  
• Intimidation factor – I didn’t know how to do any CrossFit moves
• I’m terrible at metabolic conditioning
• Risk of injury (since I didn’t know how to do anything).  Although, I’ll be honest on this one, I doubt the risk is any higher than other activities
• Seemed cult-y

Reasons why I ultimately decided to try CrossFit:

• I like the gymnastics element and could continue to build my skillset in new ways
• Have a coach and pre-programmed workout every day
• My husband does it – accountability buddy built in
• Location close to home (convenience is a key component of making exercise a lifestyle habit)
• Get stronger

BEFORE AND AFTER CROSSFIT – 1 YEAR ANALYSIS

The Reality – Adjusting Perception:

• Increased confidence in myself and my appearance
• Absolutely no dreaded “gym boredom” since every workout is different
• I appreciated what my body could do and how I improved week over week
• I learned yoga and CrossFit are a perfect pairing
• I made friends, have become a part of the gym family, and feel right at home there #fitfam
• I look on the outside the way I feel on the inside (my ultimate goal).  I have always felt athletic but didn’t feel my appearance reflected that.

The Physical Results:

• Muscle gained was subtle and created an athletic appearance due to fat loss, not the bulky muscular look
• Reduced belly fat in the first two months was the most noticeable transformation
• Leaner figure overall, more athletic, toned, and fitter appearance
• The scale didn’t change much, but I don’t weigh myself regularly
• Ability to do more push-ups, pull-ups, and increased strength in upper body
• Back squat increased from 125 lbs to 175 lbs in a year
• Learned the infamous rope-climb
• Longest handstand walk (I couldn’t do these before)
• Longest handstand hold
• Went from only being able to do pistol squats on the right leg, one at a time, to multiple pistol squats in both legs one after another
• Learned the olympic and power lifts with barbell (super fun)
• Increased endurance and stamina (this is the hardest part for me)

December 2018 Measurements

Bust: 32DD

Waist: 28”

Hips: 38.5”

Single Thigh: 23.75”

2020 Update: CrossFit Before and After Female 2 Year Transformation

Lastly I’d like to discuss the elephant in the room… Weight.

Myth vs. Reality

Losing weight comes from exercise.  Wrong. Weight loss comes from creating a calorie deficit, not the workout performed.  It’s true some workouts might burn more calories than others (sprints vs. yoga for example) and therefore, creating that calorie deficit is much easier.  

Lifting heavy weight makes women bulky and unattractive.  Wrong. Lifting weights creates lean muscle, burns more fat, and shapes the body into a toned, slimmer figure.

I will look like the women of the CrossFit games if I do CrossFit as a fitness routine.  Wrong. Unless you are training 3-4 hours a day and eating in excess of your weight maintenance calories, you will be a more in-shape version on yourself.

CrossFit causes injury.  Wrong. CrossFit doesn’t do this, people do this to themselves.  Find a good coach that will correct your form.

I recognize other people will have different experiences and opinions around CrossFit. This post was written in response to the conversations I’ve encountered over the past couple years as lifting weights has become more popular in fitness. In particular, women have traditionally steered away from the barbells and dumbells. As a gender, we have started to come around to the idea of lifting heavy and I want to reinforce that not only is it a great workout, fun, energizing, and challenging, but it’s an excellent form of exercise that can provide aesthetically pleasing results if that’s your ultimate goal.

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I’d love to hear from you in the comments below, have you tried CrossFit? Or another workout you love? Let me know how you liked it!

Disclaimer:  All opinions are my own.  This post is intended for educational, inspirational, or entertainment purposes only.  I am not a doctor, the content on this blog is not intended to be substituted for medical advice.