[youngnastyman]

Not sure where I am going with this post or the feedback I'll get but here goes:

I recently moved away from my comfort zone of living in Houston with family and friends all around me to the Bay area (where I don't know anyone) and lately I am getting seriously bored.

I was moderately active before in the sense that I would run roughly 12-15 miles a week and would lift weights about 2 x a week following a program called Starting Strength (or Stronglifts 5x5). I also dabbled in JiuJitsu and Thai Kickboxing for about 3-4 months but I haven't been in a dojo for over a year now.

I am not in the greatest shape - but then again I am also not a morbidly obese beast that can't keep up a solid 1 Hour workout or run more than ten feet. I have run various 5K's 10K's and Half Marathons (nonstop) over the past year. When I moved out here I staggered off my regular routine and started getting bored and was not paying attention to my body.

Not to mention I am ALONE. It totally sucks to not have anyone to interact with and just hanging out at bars trying to talk to people gets really old really fast and if anything just makes things worse.

So yesterday I signed up for a Ramp-Up Program at Crossfit Oakland.

I did this in an effort to become more active and athletic than I was previously as well as have some interaction with some like minded people. I am 5'11 and about 215lbs and lets not get started on body fat lol. My arms and legs are pretty lean but my torso is a mess from years of inactivity and a very sedentary lifestyle.

I know a lot of people don't agree with Crossfit mentality but it was a good fit for me as it focuses on functional strength and movements like Starting Strength and Stronglifts and I also like the concept of working out til I puke lol. I also have decided to quit smoking and have gone a full week without giving in to the urge of smoking a cigarette.

My question I suppose will be around diet. I have followed the paleo model in the past and was pretty okay with not eating grains and legumes and trying to be as "caveman" as possible. But I see lots of people that plan out every meal and even go as far as calculating how many Grams of Protein, Carbs, and Fats they will have every day. Is this really necessary? I feel like if I try to do this I'm going to get very bored very fast and will end up being miserable and start binge eating on popsicles and junk food lol.


What are some thoughts around the crossfit movement? Also what are some other good ways to stay active, eating tips, and finding ways to burn energy in between the crossfit workouts.

The ramp up program is 3 x a week for 4 weeks and then I plan to get a 2 x a week membership. I am keeping up on my running and doing 4 mile runs about 3 times a week, but I feel like running by itself is not giving me the results I want.