Don't be fooled. ^That isn't me. HAHA.
THIS is ME ^
Recently I heard a co-worker tell me that a resident mentioned that I looked the one and only, Rhonda Rousey,
This girl is SUPER BA and SUPER FIT so, of course, it's a compliment in my eyes. I knew she was muscular but I had no idea our face's were actually quite similar especially in our mean mugging//concentration face. From the other pictures I saw, we are not THAT similar. She 1) usually has blonde hair 2) is WAY more muscular and has a six pack 3) takes ALOT of topless pictures for sports magazines (so to my male friends out there, don't you go cruising through her pictures. you don't need to be tempted with that so I am saving you the trouble and warning you here)
We do have a few things in common besides our face. Compared to the average 20 something year old female, I know I have some serious guns starting to show. Yes I am sure CrossFit is the culprit but have no fear friends, I will NEVER be as bulky as what you might be picturing....
THESE are some REALLY serious girl guns. This is a famous CrossFitter, Sam Briggs. She is a professional CrossFitter who has competed in the CrossFit Games numerous times so OF COURSE she has crazy scary biceps (she is actually known to have HUGE biceps over other strong CrossFit women. Her instagram name is even @biscepslikebriggs.)
I have been part of numerous conversations with friends (both guys and girls) who are pretty disgusted (might be a strong word, but I think it's true) with women being THIS bulky. I admit it looks pretty strange to see women's faces on such muscular bodies but do you think these ladies care what the average person thinks? NOPE. I am taking a hunch that they have found a lot of their identity in CrossFit. Being THAT fit equates to achieving results (aka winning competitions, increase work capacity in WODs, higher PR's with weight lifting, etc.) and satisfaction in the CrossFit world. I appreciate the fact that their definition of beauty is not based on pop culture and magazines.
Many women are hesitant to weight lift and/or CrossFit because they don't want to get "biceps like Briggs." I'm here to tell you that it is absolutely a MYTH that women will bulk up THAT much doing regular CrossFit/weight lifting alone. It takes a specific and strict diet and much more lifting/many work outs in a single day to even start to gain incredibly "manly," muscle as a female. Even at that, women will never achieve the same amount of strength and muscle as men due to hormone difference. Unless, of course, a woman is using steroids (ew.)
Personally, I have noticed so many changes in my body in the last year. My weight has not changed at all but my legs, arms, and back feel so much more toned. My waist feels so much more slimmer. Moreover, my clothes fit so much better and I feel so much better. If I were to stick to a paleo type diet, I know I would lose more fat pounds. It is such a battle to even think about giving up dairy and gluten AND legumes completely. Especially when I think about going out to eat on the weekend with friends and with the snacks that my co-workeres bring into work. Maybe someday I will give it a try and see the results but for now I will stick to eating as many veggies, lean protein, and clean (non-processed) foods as possible.
Overall I am proud of my baby muscles. Losing weight has been such a battle in my life and for the first time ever, I am losing flab and getting tone.
more muscle = faster metabolism
Faster metabolism = more fat burn (even just at a resting state)
Not only do my muscle help me with my body image, they help me in real life!!! I can carry more groceries, help friends move across town with heavy furniture, boost & turn bariatric patients (think like 400+ lb's) up in bed at work, and jump to kill the paper wasps invading my apartment. Hey sometimes, it's allllllll about survival!
Crossfit released this wonderful short video about how it has empowered women despite the haters.
Check out these blogs/websites I found discussing myths about women automatically bulking up after starting to weight train and crossfit
Speaking of doppelgängers, my friend Blair pointed out that this one girl whose pictures is featured in the buzzfeed article above looks eerily similar to me too. I am known to make faces like this when I lift!
Nice read. we need to get 'practice safe sets' beaters like that girl!! ^
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