Morgan Dancy

Goals:

• Find and follow a good nutrition plan specifically for my body
• Get STRONGER
• Rx more weight
• 3 dead hang pull-ups
• 10-15 unbroken kipping pull-ups
• 6-8 unbroken, unassisted dips
• Effortless double-unders
• 10-15 real, unbroken push-ups
• 1 handstand push-up
• Better, lower pistols
• Lower body fat percentage/trimmer frame & not bulky (no belly pooch)
• Be comfortable in tank top & shorts
• Overall, more confidence and a positive body image

After 1.5 years of CrossFitting, I'm still nervous every time I walk into the box. Sometimes the WODs look nearly impossible. When that adrenaline rush kicks in though, I surprise myself. I lift more weight than expected. I try harder. I grow stronger. I move faster. I persevere. Nothing but CrossFit has ever pushed me physically and mentally to my max like that.

Before CrossFit, I ran 5ks and 10ks on a regular basis. I thought I was fit! I identified myself as a runner. But running long-distances at a consistent pace didn't challenge my body. My running times and my body stayed stagnant. I maintained a certain weight, but I never saw true improvement.

CrossFit helped change that. I ran a 5k a few months ago in 24:33. My one-mile run averages around 7:20. So I've definitely improved my speed over the past year, even with short distances (200 and 400 meter runs).

I would absolutely love to run a marathon! I have no idea how I need to train in order to accomplish that, but I know I can do it.

I participated in the Gladiator Gauntlet last year. I was nervous and scared, but I knew I needed to conquer that fear. It wasn’t as bad as I thought (except for the 75 burpees that I couldn’t finish). This year, I know I need to face a few more challenges and tap into those “unscared” moments.

I completed the Paleo Challenge last year as well. I ate clean and didn’t cheat once! It was important for me to do it and do it well. The challenge made me change my thought-process about eating. I didn’t rely on pre-packaged, processed food. Instead, it forced me to become more creative in the kitchen. I think my husband appreciates that aspect of the challenge as well. I still don’t eat bread, pasta, or rice, and even though I don’t see a significant change in my body, I feel healthier.

A few years ago, when I found a different CrossFit gym in NC, I tried the Zone diet. But I became obsessed with weighing my food and counting blocks. I became too concerned with the calories I consumed and ate less than I should have. I cut that off quickly, before my obsessive-compulsive mindset began to consume my eating habits.

So now, I would like to find a “diet” that’s less a diet and more a nutritional plan for a healthy lifestyle, something that will work for me long-term.

My main goal is to become comfortable in my own skin. By no means do I need to have the “perfect” body or this supposed, ideal, model-thin depiction of beauty. Instead, at the gym, I’d like to embrace the option of wearing shorts and a sleeveless, fitted top. In the summer, instead of covering up with a towel or extra layers, I’d like to wear a bikini without shame.

Thanks for joining me on my journey :)