2/15 - listening to my body...

WOD
9-7-5-3-1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1
Front squats (30/50kg)
Dive bombers
13:13 (25.5kg)

I got to the box early and had a good (and reassuring) chat with Coach Match about how tired I've been feeling and why and it was nice to share the knowledge that I'm surrounded by at crossfit.  It reiterated the changes I've been going through - increasing my weights (more Rx WODs), changing my diet (going Paleo) and the programming changing a bit (we ran on Monday for the first time in a few weeks) so it does make sense that all this is adding up and wearing on me a bit.  I need to listen to my body and tonight I did just that - instead of trying to Rx I went with a weight that worked for me - 25.5kg.

It was a nice feeling being steady through the WOD - I managed all the squats in full sets though the 7-9-7 combination hurt quite a bit.  I also felt that I had really technique and depth given that I could focus on it a bit more with a lighter weight.

The dive-bombers are evil - like push-ups only way worst.  You start almost in down-dog and dive through your arms into  up-dog and then reverse - totally killer on the shoulders.

AfterWOD:
Tabata sit-ups
83

Nice finishing WOD - good to focus a bit more on strictly core.  I'm also noticing that I'm consciously engaging my core in more exercises which really helps - specifically the other night on the strict pull-ups.  It's all about good form.

After the workout I chatted a bit more to Coach Pete.  It's nice to hear other people's experiences both with switching to a Paleo diet and also with increasing weights.  Pete had some good points on rest and how a few days of heavy lifting is a lot harder to recover from than just one day of heavy lifting and it's good to have strictly scheduled rest days.  He also mentioned that he felt pretty good the first few days into Paleo and then had about a week and a half where he felt more tired and then once through that all was good so it seems like that could also be a factor in where I'm at.

I'm also down another kilo (2.2 lbs) in the past week so that makes 3.2kg (7lbs) over two weeks - a huge adjustment for my body - thanks Paleo!

Talked to Coach Kirsten on my way out as well.  Again about how sometimes you just have to back off the weight when you're having one of those days, it just happens to all of us.  All these conversations really did proved a lot of encouragement and good feedback - I'm not the only one who faces these struggles, we all do and I guess it's good that I'm aware of what's happening which can only help me figure out how best to deal with these situations.  My massage therapist is quite funny - she has realised in a few short months how aware I am of my own body so when I see her I can quite clearly explain what's going on (thanks Sommer!).

So... just to summarize items that are likely impacting my body these past few weeks leading to a bit more fatigue/ slow recovery:
-new diet (week 2 of paleo)
-heavy workload (last week)
-increasing my weight (Rx-ing)
-change in hormones (that time of the month last week)
-the weather (it's been quite humid)
-weight loss (3.2 kg in two weeks)

It's all been put into better perspective for me and mentally I just need to allow myself to pull back a bit - still give my all but I won't always Rx (at least for now) and that's okay, there is no shame in that at all.

I like learning lessons.  What have you learned this week?