CrossFit is not something to be afraid of. I've been coaching athletes at a CF gym in Brooklyn for a year and a half now, and I really can tell you that we can all kinds of people with all kinds of abilities and they all end up loving it and doing amazing things. The key here though is to make sure that you're getting GOOD coaching at whatever gym you decide to check out. Ask questions, make sure that the coaches really know their stuff. The one problem with CF is that anyone with $1000 and a weekend can become a certified coach. See what other certs they have, what experience they have with clients that may fall outside of the "normal" range. it's really important to have someone that knows their shit.

I think it's a step up from boot camp because you're getting into some real lifting, and I think that's a HIUGE step health-wise, but don't overdo it. If you're still feeling some issues with your health, ie. sleep, hunger, etc. then don't do more than twice a week. You won't NEED more than that, and if you try to do more, you'll start to regress. The quote that I love on this subject comes from Mark Sisson actually: "Your training only works if you recover". That means adequate sleep, clean eating, mobility, and DON'T OVERDO IT! :) Hope this helps.

Dan

I'm of the opinion that CrossFit, or any intense fitness regimen, is for people who are healthy and not experiencing things that would tend to be exacerbated by such activities, such as adrenal fatigue. I think if your sleep is good, energy is good, digestion is good, no autoimmune issues, you're ok to go for it. If you're having those issues, high intensity is probably not the thing to leap into right away, and you might want to focus on resolving those issues first.

I am overweight substantially recently joined crossfit(than started paleo). They now make you do 6 personal sessions(atleast at my gym) before you enter the main program. I think this is great. My coach has scaled back workouts that I couldn't do but has still pushed me to do what I can. So far it has been great, and just as challenging as I need. I would recommend it. anything is hard at first, but the people so far have been good to me and I see it as something that will help me alot.

Hunger... As long as your followin the basic concepts, I would eat until you were full and then measure the results. Hopefully you might find someone at crossfit who can help you too

By all means, do start Crossfit! It's a hoot! And if I, a 69-year old woman, can do it,YOU can do it! Rock on!

Be not afraid! Do some research on Yelp and similar sites to find a quality affiliate though- Crossfit Headquarters doesn't give a lick about quality control, and you want to find coaches you can trust. When you're in good hands, they will teach you how to do the movements correctly, and will tell you how to scale the workouts in a way that is doable, but still challenging.

You can also do Crossfit on your own- at home or a regular gym; if you don't have much excercise experience, this may not be a great way to go, but you could probably do some workouts with simple movements you feel comfortable with (rowing, medicine ball slams, running, air squats, etc.)

As for being hungry, maybe you just aren't eating enough- can you tell us about a typical day's meals?

I think the question is more about what you want to get out of your training.

Do you want to get stronger? CrossFit will get you stronger, but there are other programs that will get you stronger faster. Do you want to be physically well-rounded and be able to run, jump, lift? Then CrossFit is probably a good choice.

If you're concerned about not having enough strength, try a free CF session with scaled weights, or visit the BrandX forum and try a few scaled WODs with the lower weights, and see if it's too much for you. You could try a different program instead, like Starting Strength, and use that for 10 weeks or so before moving on to CF.

You could also just go to the gym and have a trainer spend an hour or two showing you the basic lifts and help you get established with what weight you should start each lift at, how many reps and sets to do, etc. (PS Stay away from the iso machines!) You could also do this on your own- you just need to make sure you have somebody to check/correct your form, and you cannot be afraid to start with too LITTLE weight!

What I did: I asked my husband what lifts I could be doing, and paired his suggestions with lifts I found when I simply googled "beginners weight lifting strength training". I watched lots and lots of Youtube videos to observe proper form, read descriptions of proper form, and practiced at home with a broomstick with my hubby watching. Then I went to the gym and started with the bare bar on everything- bench, squat, deadlift, press, etc. It was absurdly easy for things like squat and deadlift, so I put more weight on and watched myself like a hawk in the mirrors for each lift. As I added more weight, I would casually and nicely ask some other guy taking a break to observe and tell me if he had any pointers. I did this for 2-3 months before starting CrossFit, and it helped a lot. I now CF by myself in my globo gym and use scaled weights for all WODs- I'm going to have to join a box before I start upping the weight, but I've seen huge gains in overall physical fitness and strength even with the scaled WODs.

Sorry this is so long- and good luck! :)

Yes, start Crossfit. Part of the program is you get a coach/fitness trainer every single day you workout. All the exercises are scaled to your ability.
Will you be tired after a workout? Absolutely. Will you get in better shape? Absolutely.

I went throught the same feeling you are experiencing with being hungary and weak before my workouts. I followed the Paleo eating program consulted with my trainer. She advised me to eat more protein and fat than I was comfortable with eating since I didn't want to gain weight. Still I didn't follow her suggestions. Finally after months of feeling weak and tired I said enough was enough and began eating what I thought was enourmous amounts of protein and fats. Up'ed my lunch from a small chicken breast to 3 full chicken breast and 2 hard boiled eggs added more meat and vegetables to my dinner. Almost immediately I began to have more energy for my crossfit workout and less hungar. What was amazing was I didn't gain any weight but I can tell based on my clothing I losing inches and feel great. I have now been in Crossfit for 2 years and at 50 feel better now than anytime in my life. Finding CrossFit and proper eating has had a huge impact on my life. Good luck with your journey!

So, SKT, what did you end up doing?

Crossfit is AMAZEBALLS! I miss it so bad. I have to get back into it.

It will absolutely kick your ass. But there's no way around it. Folks who think they're in the best shape of their life have their asses handed to them by the end of a WOD. (workout-of-the-day)

But there's NOTHING better than screaming 'TIME!!!!!!!' and falling onto the floor, chest heaving, your face hot enough to cook an egg, and leaving a puddle of sweat on the rubber mat the shape of your back and ass.

The camaraderie, constant challenge and desire to do better is why Crossfit is so awesome. I recommend looking for a 'box' (aka CF gym) that's been recommended by others. Is it totally possible to meet crappy Crossfit trainers, and get badly injured. Search one out and stick with it. They will tailor every WOD to your level and what you can/cannot do.

I started Crossfit after 6+ weeks of unsuccessful physiotherapy following a car accident. My back was still killing me, and I felt weak. I felt 90% better after only my first week.

Crossfit FTW!

Oh, and as for food: EAT LOADS AFTER A WOD! Just stuff your face! And don't forget to add a sweet potato in there post-WOD to re-fill your glycogen stores.