COACH A’S STORY…

Get ready to be motivated!  And we have to mention before you read his story that we left Coach A out of the rankings when we announced the TOP 3 Rowers for RowAThon.  Coach A placed 3rd with over 100,000 meters rowed in January! Check out his journey over the last several months…

My journey to Crossfit is a really long story.   Like most of you I played sports in high school.  Being an offensive lineman I was told over and over again that I needed to gain weight, to get bigger if I wanted to play.  I did.  Between my junior and senior season I gained 50 pounds, and I got to play.  Like most football players, putting the weight on and playing with it was not an issue, you practice hard and work out hard everyday.  The issue is when the playing career is over and you have all this extra weight and you are not practicing and working out everyday.
In college I steadily gained weight graduating at 286 pounds.  That was 51 pounds above my playing weight my senior year.  So in just a little over 5 years I had gained 100 pounds, half for football and half for being lazy.
My weight stayed pretty much the same the first four years that I taught and then I had a bad accident in August of 1996 that resulted in a nasty spiral fracture of my right fibula.  3 surgeries, a 9-inch plate, 27 screws, and 6 months later I had gained another 30 pounds.
From then on my weight was a constant struggle.  I have worked out regularly for the past 10 or 12 years at school, at the Y, or at Snap Fitness.  I lifted weights and did cardio with little success. I even trained for and completed the 2009 Country Music Half-Marathon (walking).  I could maintain my current weight for a while but I could never loose any significant weight.  I would get discouraged, stop for a while and then restart a few months later and a few pounds heavier.  For the most part I hovered around 350 pounds for the last 5 years.
Last April I was working out trying unsuccessfully to get below 350 and then I tore my calf muscle hitting fungo at baseball practice.  For 3 months I did nothing but rehab and gained another 22 pounds.  That put me last June at a weight of 372.
I can make a lot of excuses about why I gained all the weight over a 20 + year period, but the reality is that I did and no one was responsible except for me.  I felt tremendously successful in almost every endeavor of my life except for me weight.  With my weight I felt like an utter failure and it created significant issues with my self-confidence.
For almost 10 years I have been a part of a Friday morning Bible Study.  We call it the Breakfast Club.  It is 6 guys who get together for an hour each week and study books of the Bible verse by verse.  2 of the guys in that study are John Kalada and Jim Eades (Erin Kyle Willis’ father).  A couple of years ago they asked to meet with me and challenged me about my physical fitness.  It was uncomfortable, but I appreciated the effort.  It was an effort on their part to hold a Christian brother that they love accountable for how I were living my life and it was done out of concern for me and my family.  My response at the time was my blood pressure and blood sugars are both good and I am working out almost everyday.  All of that was true but I was not healthy and I knew it.  I went running/walking with John at the park once and nothing else happened or changed as the result of the conversation.
This past fall I showed up for a Friday morning Bible study and only John was there.  I don’t know where the other 4 guys were.  Perhaps it was a divine appointment or, perhaps John called all of them and asked them not to come.  Again John in a loving way challenged me about my weight and strongly encouraged and enabled me to go to Crossfit.  He had a response for every excuse I had and essentially this time made it where I could not say no.  We agreed that when the football season was over I would begin Crossfit.
My first day in the gym was November 30.  I was scared and did not know what to expect.  I knew Ryan really well but had never met Lindsey.  I knew that many of the Crossfit exercises were exercises that I had swore I would never do again after I finished playing football.  Lindsey did my intro and was patient and understanding.  The 5am workout group was nothing but encouraging and I never came to the gym scared or intimidated again.
After 2 weeks and 5 workouts we moved to the new box.  I was excited and I quickly began to see changes in my body.  I set a goal to be under 350 pounds by the time we returned to school for the second semester.  During Christmas break I also went from 3 days per week to 5 days per week and had the opportunity to work out with John and the 7am Country Club.  The day we went back I was not quite there, but I hit the goal three days later.  My next goal would be to be under 330 by the end of February.
I was excited about the challenges.  In January we had the rowing challenge and I have a lot of free afternoons in January so I really went after it.  I had no expectations to win.  My original goal was to row 60,000 meters.  By the end of January I had rowed 100,542 meters.  I was really excited.  I had hoped that the February eating challenge would bring the same kind of success.  I had been doing pretty good eating the Zone Diet and using a lot of Paleo foods.  February was not what I had hoped.  I was on the road at coaching clinics and education conferences for the most part of 3 weeks.  While I continued to make better decisions, I was not able to clean my diet up like I wanted as a part of the challenge.  Even though I did not get the big boost I wanted, I still cannot help but be encouraged.  During the February challenge I lost 15 pounds and over 13 inches.  That is something to celebrate.
Today I weigh 325 pounds.  I still have to scale some of the workouts.  I almost always finish last in the 5am workout crew.  I don’t push or lift nearly as much weight as I wish I could.  My achievements have been in small increments.  Being able to run a 400 without stopping to walk.  Being able to compete in the first 2 open workouts.  Having to go buy new pants for the first time in a long time with a smaller waist than before.  I have lost 47 pounds in 3 months and my only regret is that we did not do pictures and measurements the first day I showed up in the gym.
My next goal is 299 by graduation day, May 26.  It would be the first time I would be under 300 since my accident.  I then hope to be at 285 on the first day of school in August.  That would be the “skinniest” I have ever been and taught school.  I don’t just want to compete, but I want to be competitive in the open next year.  I want to become a Level 1 athlete.  I would love to compete in a sprint triathlon.  I have a long way to go to reach those goals, but for the first time in many, many years I believe they are achievable.
I cannot say enough about the Crossfit Hendersonville community.  Despite always finishing last and still not being able to do many of the movements correctly, I have never been anything but encouraged.  The 5am workout crew has been awesome and I look forward to seeing them everyday.  Lindsey and the other coaches have been so helpful and never have I felt out of place or that I did not belong.  John Kalada has been the friend that has been bold enough to lovingly confront a friend with the goal of creating a life change.  All I can say is that I believe that God has used Crossfit Hendersonville as an instrument of change in my life.  My family and I are so grateful for the changes that have happened.  I am so excited for the future that lies ahead.

GARY OBRIEN’S SUCCESS STORY…

Wanted to repost this story of Gary’s from last Spring.  This was after he took 2nd place during the Spring Nutrition Challenge!

My name is Gary O’Brien and I am 48 years old (OUCH!!!!). I have been an athlete my entire life, (God just blessed me with eye/hand coordination and athletic abilities that allowed me to be good at almost anything involving balls, sticks, rackets,  hoops, running, jumping, etc.) but the events of the last few years had really taken their toll on me emotionally and physically. I am a civil engineer by degree and a land development consultant by profession. As you may know, there has not been much construction or development over the last few years and I was laid-off in the fall of 2008. I went without permanent, full-time work for over two years!

Needless to say, my self-image, self- confidence and self-worth all went into the toilet! I kept believing and trusting in God’s plan for me and at the beginning of 2011 I started a new job (this is a whole other God-story that I would love to tell you all!) In early February, I looked at myself in the mirror and I knew I had to do something. I weighed 184 pounds (my highest ever) but worst of all, I looked, acted and felt “OLD”! THIS IS NOT WHO I WANTED TO BE!!!!

So I started working out and running again, but it was sporadic, at best. By mid-March, I knew I had to do something different that would add accountability and structure to what I was doing. That is where CrossFit comes in. When I first decided to give it a try, I wasn’t completely sure of what I was getting into. I have friends who either have been or are CrossFitters and they had all said good things, but I was totally clueless about the way it would transform my (OUR) life (lives)!  I did the free intro class and then the free promotional week and I knew this was what I had been looking for! I signed up for the Foundations class and never looked back!

While I still cannot do the workouts as fast as I want to or do as much weight as I once could, I am feeling better every day. At the end of the Nutrition Challenge, I was down around 162 pounds and I am starting to feel like my old self again! A few weeks ago Boyd Johnson and I jumped into the 300 Games and while it was very hard, I loved the feeling of accomplishment and sharing that experience with my brother (not by blood, but by heart). But honestly, the best thing about CrossFit is the community of people that gather in “THE BOX”. I love walking in there each morning and seeing the many smiling faces and the “Good Mornings!” that come as we prepare to kill ourselves. Someone once said, and I am paraphrasing, that there is no bond like the bond that comes out of shared adversity. It is so true!

I am inspired, challenged and renewed each time I am with you all. Lindsey, Jason, Monica and all of you have created a very special place and “family” there in “THE BOX”! I look forward to many more years of CrossFit workouts and getting to know everyone better!

Thanks Gary for your motivating story and encouraging words!

MELISSA’S STORY…

If you don’t know the OBrien’s…you need to get to know them!  I posted Gary’s story earlier in the week and now it is time to hear from Melissa.  These two are a special couple and it is a joy to coach them both.  I love it when couples work out together.  It is a blessing to be able to sit back and watch husbands/wives help each other during a WOD.  Melissa wrote her story last year about the same time Gary did, after the Spring Nutrition Challenge. These two jumped into CrossFit Hendersonville head first and have never looked back. Yes, there have been struggles and challenges along the way, but they are a testament to never giving up and striving to be better always.

Thanks Melissa for your story.   For our current Nutrition Challengers, may both of the OBrien’s stories inspire you and help you during the last week of the challenge!  Keep logging your food so that you can receive as much feedback as you need for success to carry out the challenge past next Wednesday.  Enjoy the encouraging words below…

Five years ago, I began a regimen of running and working out with machines.  I worked out in a small gym for about six months and then life took over and I quit.  I did, however, stay the course with my running, running approximately 5 miles each day.    Having never been an athlete or even a runner for that matter, I did what I thought was the impossible.  I ran the Country Music Half Marathon!  I will never forget the feeling I had finishing that half marathon – it was great!  Then over the course of the next four years, “life came at me hard”.  Our family endured one struggle after another and ultimately, I quit running and definitely became an emotional eater.  Off and on over those years, I would try to start running again, try to get back to lifting weights, and try to “diet”.

Life seemed to take a turn for the better at the beginning of this year and I knew I had to get in better shape physically.  I had been attending a group training class at FBC for approximately five months.  It only met twice a week but I really liked the trainer and the other women in my class.  I knew however in order to lose this weight that I needed more.  I began to work out other days on my own and changed my diet.  The middle of March the trainer I had been working with texted me to tell me that she had to cut our class from her schedule, I was devastated.  I knew I needed the accountability.  Gary, my husband, had started CrossFit the week before and had been begging me to try it. I had sworn I would “never” attempt CrossFit.  I told myself and others that if I ever tried CrossFit I knew I wouldn’t stick with it because I would feel so defeated.  (I knew I could not do some of the things I had seen when I walked past the box.)  When I received that text message, I caved.

Wow!  How wrong was I?  I didn’t exactly love the first few classes but I did enjoy the company!  Everyone was so friendly and no one seemed to mind, care or even notice my inabilities.  Lindsey, Monica and Jason were helpful and encouraging too.  They have always been so uplifting.  I remember the first day that I left CrossFit with that same feeling I had when I finished the half marathon, I had just finished “Helen”.  It was a feeling of complete awe and exhilaration.  I could not believe that I had been able to do that workout!  (Notice I said the “first” day, there have been so many days since then that I have left the box with that same wonderful feeling!)

Just before the “Helen” workout, I signed up for the Nutrition challenge.  I had lost approximately 6 lbs. on my own by cutting carbs before the challenge started.   The week before the challenge, four of the competitors attended a class that Lindsey taught on nutrition. Hint – Of the four in attendance, we had the men and women’s first place winners, the men’s second place winner and the women’s third place winner.  I don’t think that was happenstance.  Lindsey has a wealth of knowledge and experience.  She is a great source of information!  I learned a lot from that class and tweaked my diet.  I had been eating plain Greek yogurt for breakfast.  Lindsey suggested adding more protein – turkey bacon.  I had never had turkey bacon before but it became a real treat!  I looked forward every day to my two or three slices of turkey bacon.  My lunches and dinners consisted of some type of protein – meat, chicken, or pork, along with lots of veggies. Somewhere along the second or third week, I began to eat my protein with baby spinach.  It looks like a salad but I began to think of it as just being part of my main entrée.  It is really good and I was getting even more vegetables!  The first few weeks, I did continue to eat at least one piece of dark chocolate each day.  I just felt like I needed that sweet.  I actually craved it.  Somewhere about week 3 or 4, Lindsey challenged us to give up sugar, so I did it!  I gave up my dark chocolate each day and gave up the strawberries I was eating in the morning with my yogurt and bacon.  It was a tough week but I made it.  It was somewhere during that time that I made the decision that this was not going to be a diet but was going to be a lifestyle change.  (As a side note:  I really believe the key to this lifestyle change is planning ahead – planning grocery shopping, planning where you will eat out and what you will have, etc.  We also always cooked much more food than we needed so that we had plenty of leftovers for lunch or for nights when we didn’t have time to cook.) I began to see a difference in my workouts.  I was stronger and I was able to do the prescribed workouts (not the prescribed weight, etc).  I was not concerned about the number on the scale anymore it became more about the way I felt and I felt great!  I will admit to a few “cheats” but I have to say I felt physically horrible afterwards.  This is definitely a lifestyle change for me and for my family.  Will I ever “cheat” again?  Sure, but I will be eating “clean” 90-95% of the time.  I have never in my life felt so strong physically and I know it’s the combination of the nutrition and CrossFit.

At the mid-way point of the challenge, I set a goal for myself to better my “Helen” time by 3 minutes.  I felt stronger and thought that it was possible.  I hit a bump in the road the Wednesday before the “Helen” workout, but with Lindsey’s help, I was able to do “Helen” that Friday.  I didn’t meet my goal but I came very close.  I was able to cut my time by 2:56 – four seconds shy of my goal.  I was elated!  I never expected or even thought about winning the challenge.  Honestly, I truly felt as if I had already won because I am in a better place physically and even emotionally.

With God’s help and the help of family and friends, we were able to survive and endure the past several years.  I so wish we had been a part of CrossFit during those years.  I can only imagine how much better we would have been able to handle life’s ups and downs!

I cannot thank you ALL enough!  Thank you for welcoming and accepting me into this very special community.  Thank you Lindsey, Monica and Jason, for your continued support and encouragement but most of all thank you for sharing your passion for a healthier life for all of us.  What a life changing three months this has been!

APRIL JOHNSON WORKING THROUGH THE 150 WALL BALLS

WHOLE LIFE CHALLENGER, APRIL JOHNSON SHARES HER SUCCESS STORY…

Before the Whole Life Challenge started August 2011, I was miserable.  I had spent the last three years in pain and living on paid medications daily for low back/hip pain no one could help me with.  I knew I had a hypothyroid condition, but no one had explained it as an auto-immune disease, nor had they ever mentioned I could alleviate the symptoms (mental, emotional and physical) by addressing my diet.  I had been told it was caused by, and worsened by, stress.  How ironic.  I have an active job, and I’ve always lead an active lifestyle enjoying camping, backpacking, hiking, kayaking, cycling, etc. I thought I’d managed the thyroid by taking the medicine daily, at least I didn’t feel any worse than I had over the last ten years which was a cycle of sleepy and moody highs and lows.

I decided that if nothing seemed to make it better, or worse, that I’d just work through it.  I started working with a personal trainer twice a week.  I went to three times per week because I really enjoyed it.  Sometimes the pain was less, but it was still there. My trainer often asked me how I was eating, but there wasn’t really any accountability or  coaching in that area.  I addressed my diet at that time by putting myself on a 1500 to 1600 calorie diet.  Seemed reasonable.  I was lifting heavier weights, but I barely lost 10 pounds each year during that program, and I always felt exhausted.  I continued because it made me happy to get in there and do the work.

Then last July I stumbled across a “Paleo” recipe on the Everyday Paleo website and it sent me on a researching expedition on the internet to find out what Paleo was about.  That’s how I accidentally stumbled across Crossfit!  As luck would have it the Whole Life Challenge was starting up two in weeks.  I  decided to do it since it couldn’t possibly be any worse that what I was already doing.  I lost 4 pounds in the week prior to the challenge starting just by implementing some of what was on the sheets Lindsey had given me and what was in the Everyday Paleo book.  The best part was that I felt full and energized almost immediately!  The mental fog also began to clear quickly and i realized I’d felt bad in ways i didn’t even know about.  My normal had become a terrible place that i didn’t even know was abnormal until i actually felt good.  That was a happy and sad realization.  Real food changed that so quickly!

So, August 2011, the challenge started. I loved the Bod Pod!  I was stunned to learn that I burn nearly 1400 calories per day doing nothing.  I understand now that I was starving myself even at my prior 1600 calorie diet, and that’s why I felt tired all the time and never made any changes to my body composition in the year prior.  As far as my goals, it was really hard for me to set goals at the beginning.  I really just wanted to feel good.  Sure, I wanted to be thinner so I could see the muscles that I was certain were hiding under there somewhere.  But honestly, I just wanted to feel good and not hurt, and hopefully be able to do the outdoor activities I loved with my husband.  I set my weight-loss goal at 37.5 pounds which would leave me at 140 pounds.   Seemed reasonable, but on my 5’4” frame that still makes me overweight according to “experts.”

I got down to about 152  by Christmas.  Today (March 29, 2012) I’m at 148.   I’ve only dropped a few pounds since Christmas, but I’ve lost two sizes!  I’ve gone from a size 16W to an 8 overall. When setting my goals i thought 140 pounds would be about a size 8.  I was wrong.  I’m really not sure I’m hooked on meeting my weight goal anymore. Oh, and I met my goal of feeling good and not hurting a long time ago.   Sure, I hurt all over in various muscles now, and I sport bruises regularly on my shins and chest, but I’ll take that over the pain I was in any day of the week and  twice on Sunday!

Some days I feel a niggle of that old tightening pain, but it doesn’t stay long. And I’ve found that its usually brought on me spending too much time on my couch and/or eating poorly which results in lots of inflammation.  Yes, I do have plenty of days like that, but I’m largely in control of that these days, and it’s usually a conscious decision I make.  I like that.  This challenge has really changed my love/hate relationship with food.  A few friends have said not to lose too much weight and wither away.  I kind of laugh at that, because i’m not really trying to lose more weight (at least not the way most dieters do.)  I’m eating a healthy diet of protein, fat and fruits and veggies. ITS JUST A HEALTHY DIET and honestly its the far easiest weight i’ve ever lost.  My body will find its own equilibrium over time as long as i eat good foods that fuel my body and make me feel good.  My friends who seem concerned don’t get it.  They look at me like I have three heads.

One thing I’ve really struggled with has been rest  and/or over-training because I love to be in the gym.  I’ve learned that the “stress” that causes my thyroid to go crazy isn’t just life’s daily stress like we all think of.  Its dietary stress and its exercise stress. Apparently what we do in here for 5 to 20 minutes is really stressful.  Who knew!  I recognized that I was getting “sick” on a cyclical basis last Fall.  Roughly every six weeks when we did measurements I had  cold or flu-like symptoms, but I was healthier than I’d ever been on all the days in between! I knew I wasn’t really sick, but I felt like i’d been hit by a train and it would lay me out for five to seven days.  So I started listening to my body more, taking more rest days and not feeling bad about it.  The cycle stopped, and I’ve noticed more strength gains since then also.

So, my goals now are centered around things I want to accomplish in the gym – like a real pull-up, a faster 800m run and improving my miserable max deadlift.  Perhaps these are my revised goals  for the last four months of this challenge.  The number on the scale just isn’t important to me at all anymore.  Okay, maybe just a little in the far back of my mind. Can’t say I want to lose more sizes either, though i think I probably will. I still  have an above-average body fat percentage, and I’d like to get that down to the “Ideal” range.  I do have a few spots on my body that cause me anxiety, but who doesn’t.  Honestly, I noticed last week that I still have the same complaints about my body pooching out in exactly the same spots in my new smaller sized clothes as they did in my larger sized clothes.  I’m 38 years old.  Its time to recognize that human bodies are different and some just do that no matter what size. Big deal.  I can do stuff that a lot of skinny people can’t do…and that’s totally cool!

Heather Willis getting down and dirty at the Warrior Dash.

NUTRITIONAL CHALLENGER, HEATHER WILLIS SHARES HER SUCCESS STORY…

Why did you choose to do the Nutritional Challenge? I wanted to try a more strict diet to see what all the hype was about.

Going into the challenge did you have a goal in mind? The main reason was to see how different I felt and so see if I would lose any inches.

How long was the challenge? The challenge lasted the month of February- which was 29 days this year!

What was the hardest part of it? The first couple of days really stunk. I was really craving a latte and a cookie. The sugar addiction was VERY strong.

What was the most important thing you learned? That I can eat clean and it does make a difference to how I look a feel. I may not do it all the time, but I have the tools and knowledge to know how to get back on track if I fall off.

What results did you see from the challenge (i.e.: inches, weight, blood pressure, off meds etc)? My answer would be I lost 1 in in my waist, one inch in my stomach, 3/4 inch in my chest, and 5 pounds. (I can’t remember if I lost anywhere else…)

What would you say to someone who says “there is no way I can make changes”? I say… try it for two weeks. You WILL see results. I was getting pretty frustrated the first week because I was giving up some of my favorite foods, but then I got on the scale after the first week and I had lost 4 pounds. That is when I knew there was something to it. It wasn’t necessarily about losing weight to me, it was about toning up and feeling even better. As someone once told me, “you can’t out exercise a bad diet.”

How would you classify the changes you made? temporary change? or life change? Explain I would say they are more or less a life change. I still cheat here and there with a ice cream, a latte or a Dr. Pepper, but I do it less often. I know how to better eat in moderation. It’s more about the knowledge I gained, and the experience I had trying it out. As I said before, I have the knowledge to know how to eat better for the rest of my life.

If you could summarize your Challenge and/or Crossfit experience, what would you say? Cross Fit has been one of the biggest blessings in my life over the past year and a half. I have met so many wonderful people. It really is a community, not just a “gym”. I love coming to the box after a long day and seeing so many friends (and really family- I consider my CF peeps my 2nd family) while pushing through a tough work out. CF teaches people how to overcome mental and physical obstacles. It gives people confidence to do things they never would have. It has inspired me to run my first half marathon last fall, and to do the Tough Mudder this coming fall. I feel extremely blessed to have my CF Family.

CARI GARRETT’S STORY OF SUCCESS…

Below is Cari Garrett’s explanation of what CrossFit and specifically, CrossFit Hendersonville, has meant to her and what it has given her over the during 2010-20111. Enjoy…

I’ve had a couple people ask me this question lately and it’s a little frustrating because I have no idea how to put into words all that Crossfit has given me over the past year. I know that no matter what I say, there will still be a hundred more things that I will think of as soon as I finish.

I could talk about the obvious, like being more fit-duh! I could rave about going down a few sizes in my jeans or having more “tank top ready” arms. I could talk about how much more energy I have and how even my skin is better. All great things and all true things but they are not the most valuable things I have gotten out of Crossfit.

The things I treasure most are things like being more mentally tough. I have always felt weak in body and mind. Always terrible at handling stress, giving up way too easily, having an “I can’t do that” attitude. Crossfit has pushed my physical limits but it has pushed me mentally even harder. Halfway through a workout, when my mind starts telling me I can’t move one more step, but I do it anyway–that translates into my everyday life when difficulties get me down, when I think the stress is gonna do me in, when I think “I’m never gonna get over this obstacle in my life”, I remember those tortuous WOD moments and I know that I CAN keep going and that I’m stronger than I think I am! AND, that carries over into my relationship with God.

I’ve always beaten myself up at my inconsistencies and my lack of discipline. Crossfit has taught me to be more disciplined, to make the better choices whether it’s choices in my eating habits or choices to spend time in His Word and in prayer.

The Crossfit community has encouraged me whether it’s to push through a workout or push through a spiritual truth that may be more difficult to grasp. They cheer me on when I succeed in a skill but the fact that they cheer me on in the spiritual benchmarks is truly a treasure.

So, I guess I have learned that the physical benefit of Crossfit is only the beginning. Let’s call it the icing on the cake (that I will not eat, of course! HAAHAA!) Well, I’m gonna wrap it up because I’ve already thought of 3 more things I could put on here. Hope that answers your question! 

Thanks Cari for your encouraging words!  If you see Cari in the gym in the next few weeks give her some encouragement back because she is coming back from weeks of mono. That is no easy road, so any encouragement would help I’m sure!

JOSH FORTENBERRY’S STORY OF SUCCESS…

Just in case you missed this one Paleo testimony from last year.  Here is Josh’s take on what the challenge experience was for him…

Doug Warren

I just wanted you to know what your work and your classes have done for me. In January of 2008 I tipped the scales at 210 lbs, I did not like how I felt or how I looked. I was getting old and fat and I looked and felt the part. I started trying to run, work out on the Free-motion machines, etc., the same type of things everyone does. By September I had decided to run the 1/2 Marathon in March as a goal. With all that effort over 8 months I had lost only 10 lbs and could run maybe 3 to 5 miles at a stretch. My knees hurt, my back hurt and I could was getting very discouraged about getting in shape, I just didn’t see any progress.

I started working out with you, Dr. Ben and Dave in September or October of 2008. Your classes certainly kicked my butt the first few months. I could not even finish some of the workouts! If you remember, I had to do “incline pulls” instead of pull-ups, could barely hold a plank for 20 seconds, 10 push-ups was a lot for me. But the variety of the workouts, your encouragement and the support from Dave and Dr. Ben kept me coming back.

Since I started CrossCore I have dropped 22 lbs (I’m currently 178 lbs) and have lost 2-1/2″ in my waist. The last time I measured I had 18% body fat (wish I knew what percentage I started with). My In-Laws and some of the parents at my boys school have asked Jennifer (privately) if I am “okay” since I have lost so much weight. I can honestly say I have NEVER been in this good of shape in my life, not in High School, not in the military, ever. I feel better, I have a lot more energy and a lot fewer aches and pains (discounting the occasional muscle soreness from a benchmark workout). I am 48 years old and I work out with guys who are almost half my age and while I don’t beat them, yet, I do hold my own.

So I just want to thank you for your efforts and your enthusiasm. I guess you could say I have drunk the CrossCore “Kool-Aid” and am a real believer. Keep pushing me and keep adding weight to the bar. I promise I’ll learn the double-under.

By the way, my 1/2 marathon time was more than 2 minutes faster than my previous time, 7 years earlier.

Joy Gregory

My name is Joy Gregory and this is a very special year in my life. This year I turned the big 5-0!!!!! on January 22 and on June 20, my first daughter was married. I decided in October of 2008 to get myself emotionally and physically ready for both big events coming up in 2009. I had always been an avid walker, but due to a battle with breast cancer and the ongoing meds that I had to take, I had virtually stopped walking and gained quite a bit of weight. I praise God for the miracle of being cancer free for the past 8 years and am so thankful that He gave me my health back!

As I looked toward turning 50 and realizing that time, cancer, lack of hormones and slowed- down metabolism was playing havoc on my health and weight, I found an unexpected blessing, Lindsey McDuffie. I started personal training with Lindsey three days a week, and never knew I would look forward to the grueling, yet personally gratifying work out she would put me through. With her encouragement, understanding, and expertise in personal training for any body type and nutritional teaching of the proper foods to eat and how to prepare them, I have now lost 66 pounds. This has been the best birthday present I could have ever given myself. I feel better than I have in years. I have boundless energy and my family and friends say I look like my younger self of many years ago. And as a side note, I was able to wear a beautiful dress at my daughter’s wedding that was 4 sizes smaller than I had anticipated!

With God and Lindsey’s help I can truly say I am really looking forward to what the decade of my fifty’s has to hold. I’m not over the hill; I’m ready to jog up Mt. Everest!!!!!

Christa Yandell

I can tell you immediately without extra thought how CrossFit has changed things for me…attitude about eating healthier, being in great cardiovascular condition, going down from size 10 to size 6 in 3 1/2 months, and definitely, how you get out of something what you put into it.

I started working out with you in June 2009.  I came 2 days per week for 3 1/2 months.  School started back and our business required more of me so I couldn’t make as much time as I’d liked to keep coming.  I did fine working out periodically by myself; but it didn’t take long before I began to notice the difference in not having a regular and very diverse routine.  Needless to say, it will be my first priority in the New Year.  I began to see my body changing back (not that it was bad) just not as healthly and fit as I’d felt before I quit a regular workout!  It will be a challenge with my schedule at times…but I am determined to make it work!  I love the way I breathe, feel, sleep, and eat when I am committed to a regular workout with you!  Thanks for your encouragement and patience…as you know being Number 1 on the board was not my goal!  See you in January!

Gretchen Cassetty

I’ve never worked out so hard before in my life, and I’ve never had such results before in my life.  I have muscles that actually show, better endurance, more strength, more energy and am more toned.  I love (and need) the accountability of the classes.  I love the friends I have made who encourage me so much.  I love Lindsey who is hard on me, but not too hard.  She knows just how far to push me.  All this keeps me coming back for the pain.  Oh, it hurts so good!

Jason Strickland

The beginning:

I have been working out most of my life and have always been involved in athletics. Over the last few years I have allowed my weight…and my overall conditioning level to get away from me so to speak. Before I started the CrossFit workout, I would see the group working out every Tuesday and Thursday morning while I played basketball. I would think to myself what kind of workout are these people doing and does it work. While continuing to play basketball 3 days a week and workout with weights 1-3 days a week with no real goal in mind, I noticed what I was doing was not working. All I was doing was maintaining my current weight or staying status quo.

After speaking to Jason Cline about the class, he convinced me to try it out (I think just so he would get ½ off his fees for the month) so I went and spoke to Lindsey and asked her when I could try a class out she responded, “how about tomorrow morning!”

The Workout:

So the following morning, I showed up for class and since that day I have been hooked. The best part of the workout for me is knowing without a doubt I got a good workout after every class as demonstrated by my sweat drenched shirt and the unmistakable feeling of wanting to throw up after 70% of the workouts. The other 30% of the workouts simply leave me sweating and unable to use whatever body part we happened to work that day. Seriously, I love the competitive… yet supportive…atmosphere of CrossFit. Lindsey is not one of those people that tell you that you are doing a good job when you’re not… but rather she makes corrections in your form and is supportive in a real world manner. The typical workout for me is as follows: Walk into the class start the dynamic workout (which could have been considered a workout for me before CrossFit)…and wait with abated breath while Lindsey writes the day’s workout on the board while my mind is thinking (oh no… 5 rounds for time of…not burpees and 400 meter anything is badJ). As Lindsey writes the workout of the Day (WOD), all I am thinking about is how do I keep from throwing up and then she tells everyone “get into your position and go”. After the haze clears, I have finished yet another CrossFit workout.

Why Keep Coming Back:

If I had to pick one thing that keeps me coming back….I would have to say it is the fact that  I have been coming two days a week since November and I do not think I have repeated the same workout yet. I also like keeping the WOD journal so I can see if I am making progress on pull-ups, push-ups or whatever movement we completed that day. The workout allows you to compete against others or simply against the clock or a combination …whichever motivates you. Lastly, over the Christmas holiday I had people ask me what I was doing because they had noticed I had lost some weight and although I knew the workout was working for me, it is nice when others notice.

I would tell anyone who is considering trying CrossFit to take the leap. If your current workout isn’t giving you the results you are looking for, then try CrossFit. The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.

Angela DiBrito

I have always been a “worker-outer.” I enjoy exercising — even the soreness that can result is a reward to me. However, when I became a wife, then a mom, started homeschooling our children, keeping the house and everything else that takes time – I grew frustrated with finding/making time to workout and went through “phases” of belonging to a gym, working out at home, buying expensive machines for the house, and doing nothing at all (never a good choice, btw). One of the greatest things in discovering CrossFit is that it doesn’t have to take all day or even an hour or even 45 minutes to perform a worthwhile workout. It is amazing to me what can be accomplished in 15-20 minutes during a CrossFit session. It is an exceptional bonus for me that CrossFit is a family activity.

Over the last few months, I have accomplished things I never thought possible! I used to absolutely detest running — in any form — truly! It’s still not my favorite activity, but I am excited that I can run longer distances than ever before. Each morning, I look forward to seeing all of our CrossFit buds and the encouraging atmosphere they all provide. I could not do everything I attempt if it weren’t for hearing “you got this–piece of cake,” “just one more,” “don’t give up” from the CrossFit “Cheerleaders”!

Of course, the real treasure is you, Lindsey. I appreciate your honesty, encouragement, belief in us, ability to push us to the limits you know are possible (when we have serious doubts). You are a bright light that shines for Christ — He’s in everything you do and that’s obvious. I never in a million years thought I would not want to eat a piece of bread, drink a glass of milk, dig into some garlic mashed potatoes! But, because you cared enough to share what you’ve learned about nutrition through your journey, I am surprising myself (to Max’s utter despair)! I have truly never felt healthier, stronger, more energetic.

You and our fellow CrossFitters will be sorely missed when we leave for Arizona. You could never, ever be replaced–we can only pray to find an “acceptable” CrossFit gym there

Love you, Lindsey.

Shelby Shackleford

Crossfit family,

I am new to the program. I got started because I was at a point in my life where for the first time, I was really doing nothing as far as exercise goes. I was always very athletic and competitive, but I found out real quick that when you don’t use it, you lose it! This is the hardest thing I’ve done since college ball. (That was a loooong time ago. I just turned 46.)  I have not been consistent due to work, family, and any other excuse I can come up with, but just by coming a couple of  times a week, I had more energy, slept better, and just felt proud of myself!

My new year’s resolution is to get back into it and be consistent, eat right, and to work out on my own at home. I pray that I will stick to it. I’d appreciate your prayers too!

Kathy Smith

As I think back on August of 2009 when I first made up my mind to start being healthier It was the best decision that I have ever made. Six years ago when I had heart by pass surgery my life changed so much, I knew that I had to exercise and watch ny diet. I started out doing everything that the Dr. wanted me to do and then I slacked off. But when I found Crossfit and Lindsey McDuffie things changed.  When I first started I couldn’t run one lap, now that is in the past and now I can run more laps than I ever thought I could and my stamina is getting better and better.  I may come in last but thats ok, because now I have the desire and the want to. When I did a deadlift of 143# I was so proud of what I accomplished( that was a big one for me) I just wanted to tell everyone.  The ladies that I work out with have also been such an inspiration to me, they encourage me every step of the way, if they see me struggle they stand there are run with  me and tell me that I can do it, I thank them for that.  They will never know what that means to me.  I look forward to my workout and really do miss it if I can’t go. It is so much a part of my life and I am so glad that August 09 was a turning point in my life.  The friendships that I have made have been such a blessing to me and I thank God for that everyday. Thank you Lindsey for encouraging me and helping me become better, stronger and healthier. Your the greatest.

Angela McCorkle

When I joined Crossfit, my plan was to get in better shape and build muscle.  I wasn’t really concerned about my diet…I watched my fat grams and ate what I thought was a low fat diet.  A week after I started working out in the box, I heard Lindsey talking about the Paleo diet.  She invited me to attend a nutrition seminar that she was giving and I decided to check it out.  I was blown away at the information I got from that seminar and was excited about learning to eat healthy.  This was the first time I learned what eating healthy really meant.  A few weeks later, an 8 week nutrition challenge was announced and I decided to sign up.  I asked a lot of questions and learned in that challenge how to eat clean and how to zone out my portions.  Not only did I lose weight, I felt better than I had in a long time and had a lot more energy.  After that challenge, I continued to eat Paleo/Zone but I added back the chocolate that I loved and missed so much!  I found out that my chocolate was o.k. as long as I kept it in moderation.  However, this will always be a challenge for me because I do love it! I feel better when I don’t eat it and I know it’s best for me not to.  However…it is unrealistic for me to never eat it. This is just another thing I’ve learned by being a part of the challenge.  When Lindsey announced the Whole Life Challenge, I didn’t hesitate to sign up.  I decided I was going to challenge myself to give up my chocolate addiction for the challenge in the hopes that I would be able to overcome it.  Sounds stupid but it’s something I wanted to do for me.  I’m super competitive and I wanted to win…pure and simple.  I wanted to win so I could get the prize…free Crossfit.  Little did I realize that the prize was something completely different.  I found myself stronger and faster in workouts, feeling better than ever and getting more sleep than I ever had.  Why?  Because I had to in order to get the points.  After the first few weeks, I stopped caring so much about the points and focusing more on creating a lifestyle from the challenge that would work for me once the challenge was over.  Let’s be honest…never cheating?  Good luck with that!  It’s life and I knew that having the occasional cheat not only kept me from going crazy, it made me realize that it’s possible to have a cheat and still be able to get back on the right path the next day.  A big thanks to Lindsey and Monica for giving me the tools to make a healthy lifestyle for myself.  My prayer is that I can continue to teach my family and friends what I’ve learned and help them be healthier too.  Angela

Kristy Griner

I first met Lindsey in May 2009. I was 264 pounds, suffering from depression, plantar facitis, and Fibralmyalgia. I was an athlete trapped in a chubby girls body. I was desperate for change and desperate for motivation. Working out with Lindsey was the hardest thing I had ever done. I played in my head what I used to do, such as run ½ marathons, weight train, and bike ride. I thought I would never accomplish that again.

Lindsey’s Crossfit workouts were challenging, but I kept coming back for more. I slowly started to see improvements in my workouts and my body. Lindsey constantly encouraged me. Lindsey believed in me, when I did not believe in myself.

Over the past 9 months I have met amazing people, beat my depression, eased my Fibralmyalgia pain, started training for a ½ Marathon and lost weight. Most of all, I gained my self confidence back and can honestly say I love myself again.

Through healthy eating, Crossfit workouts 3 days a week, and staying active I have went from a size 24 to a size 18. I was 46% body fat when I started and I am currently 36% body fat now. I currently weigh 215 pounds and am only 30 pounds to my personal goal. With Crossfit and healthy eating, I am able to safely lose a consistent amount of weight each week and keep it off. The sky is the limit for me, thanks to Lindsey.

Cari Garrett

Below is Cari Garrett’s explanation of what CrossFit and specifically, CrossFit Hendersonville, has meant to her and what it has given her over the past year.  Enjoy…

I’ve had a couple people ask me this question lately and it’s a little frustrating because I have no idea how to put into words all that Crossfit has given me over the past year. I know that no matter what I say, there will still be a hundred more things that I will think of as soon as I finish. I could talk about the obvious, like being more fit-duh! I could rave about going down a few sizes in my jeans or having more “tank top ready” arms. I could talk about how much more energy I have and how even my skin is better. All great things and all true things but they are not the most valuable things I have gotten out of Crossfit. The things I treasure most are things like being more mentally tough. I have always felt weak in body and mind. Always terrible at handling stress, giving up way too easily, having an “I can’t do that” attitude. Crossfit has pushed my physical limits but it has pushed me mentally even harder. Halfway through a workout, when my mind starts telling me I can’t move one more step, but I do it anyway–that translates into my everyday life when difficulties get me down, when I think the stress is gonna do me in, when I think “I’m never gonna get over this obstacle in my life”, I remember those tortuous WOD moments and I know that I CAN keep going and that I’m stronger than I think I am! AND, that carries over into my relationship with God. I’ve always beaten myself up at my inconsistencies and my lack of discipline. Crossfit has taught me to be more disciplined, to make the better choices whether it’s choices in my eating habits or choices to spend time in His Word and in prayer. The Crossfit community has encouraged me whether it’s to push through a workout or push through a spiritual truth that may be more difficult to grasp. They cheer me on when I succeed in a skill but the fact that they cheer me on in the spiritual benchmarks is truly a treasure. So, I guess I have learned that the physical benefit of Crossfit is only the beginning. Let’s call it the icing on the cake (that I will not eat, of course! HAAHAA!) Well, I’m gonna wrap it up because I’ve already thought of 3 more things I could put on here. Hope that answers your question!

PALEO/ZONE TESTIMONIALS:

Hey Lindsey,

This is about what the Paleo Diet has done for me.  I have lost a total of 37 pounds from my peak of 210lbs since I started working out with you.  I worked out from September 2008 until the August 2009 time frame without major modification to my diet.  I got stronger, I could do more of the workouts but I wasn’t really progressing very fast.  Even though I was still eating my old way I managed to lose 22 pounds through CrossFit and a Triathlon training program.  It wasn’t until I got serious about my diet that the changes really starting showing up.

You talked about Paleo and “eating clean” and I decided to just give it a shot, see what happens.  I started Paleo during the first challenge you held.  I really got serious, logging the foods I ate, shopping differently, cutting out bread, pasta, legumes and sugar completely.  Keep in mind, I really like biscuits with sorghum syrup , I like peanuts (especially salty, boiled peanuts) and sugar was in almost everything.  It’s really eye opening when you write down everything you eat.  I had no idea how much salt and sugar I was eating everyday.

I lost another 15 pounds during that time period.  Within those 2 months my appearance changed drastically.  That’s when people started asking what was going on.  I had lost weight before just through the workouts but the Paleo diet really started leaning me out.  My shape changed.  It was after the first Paleo Challenge that I had to go buy new pants.  I lost 2-1/2″ in the waist.  I’m wearing the size I wore as a Freshman in College almost 30 years ago!  The second Paleo/Zone challenge made even more difference.  That’s when I had to start buying “slim-fit” shirts and even went down a size in some cases.  My maximum lifts went up in almost every lift we measured and my endurance has really taken off.  As for appearance, It’s more of a 4-pack but I am closer to having those “six-pack”-abs than I have ever been in my life.  I have more definition and, more importantly, strength than I had in High School.  I’ve been through 2 Paleo Challenges and the results are still showing up.  My strength has improved, my endurance has improved and my speed on the runs has improved.

I haven’t lost anymore weight though I am working out harder and running more.  I seem to be at my correct weight.   The biggest difference I notice is when I do eat “non-paleo” for a day or two I can feel my strength fade, my energy fades, my concentration fades and I just don’t feel right.  It’s almost like I am coming down with something, I feel run-down.

I may not be the strictest “Paleo man”, I still like raw honey and a biscuit now and then.  But I consciously choose lunch spots and snacks with the choices and the results (positive and negative) in mind now.   It’s really not difficult to maintain the diet, it just takes a little thought and changing of habits.  If I can find a “before” picture I’ll send it to you.  Not sure I have one but I’ll risk the embarrassment if it helps someone else out.

If I am being completely honest, my initial reasons for training with Lindsey were very selfish and vain.  I didn’t care one thing about being healthy…. I just wanted to get rid of cellulite and look decent in my bathing suit.  I had told myself at the beginning of 2009 that I would start running and working out while the girls were in Mother’s Day Out, but after 3 months, I realized I was killing myself and seeing no results.  So, after begging my husband, I decided to call Lindsey and see if she could just help me get there before the summer.

I was so sore after that first day I thought I might die!  But, I stuck with it and actually saw definition in my arms within about 2 weeks.   (Score!)  After training for about six weeks, I just mentioned to Lindsey that I was frustrated b/c my legs and stomach weren’t toning up like I wanted them to.

Now, let me just stop here and say that I was realistic in my expectations about my belly.  I had had two babies 14 months apart, so I bought into the lie that you can never have your pre-baby body back.  But, my legs….Well, they just needed to stop being so flabby!  Especially if I was doing all these squats and lunges and kettlebells!

Lindsey suggested that I come to her seminar on Zoning By God.  She told me that if I followed the plan, she was sure that I would see results.  So hesitantly, I went, and it has changed my life!

First off, I dropped 10 – 15 pounds in the first 2 weeks.  (I didn’t weigh myself before I started, so I am not exactly sure.)  And the best part was that I didn’t have to starve myself or deny myself any of my favorite foods to do it!!  What I loved about Zoning, was that it allowed me to eat a lot of food, several times a day.  And, if I wanted dessert every now and then, I could have it!

As I continued Zoning and working out, I saw my body transform and I gained a confidence that I had never had before.  For the first time in my life, I could stand in front of the mirror and not hate what I saw staring back at me!  But it wasn’t all about being “skinny.”  It was about being strong and knowing what I had accomplished that week in the gym.

As the year went on, Lindsey encouraged me to try Paleo.  I’ll have to tell you that I thought she was nuts living without bread and pasta, and for sure without dairy!  Before we started, Billy and I drank almost 2 gallons of milk/wk and oh, how I love ice cream!  But, as I got into it, it became easier each week to do without all the sugar and bad carbs.  (This is not to say that I still don’t love a little dessert every once in a while!)

Taking the Paleo challenge has helped me be more aware of what I am putting into my body. I look at my parents, who have not lived the healthiest lifestyle and have several health and auto-immune issues that they struggle with, and I know that I don’t want to be miserable when I am in my sixties!   Eating Paleo has done wonders for my health. I have been anemic for as long as I can remember and when I recently had blood work done for a yearly checkup, everything came back within normal levels.  Before I started with Lindsey, I wasn’t sleeping well, I had major issues with the muscles in my back and neck, and had major digestive issues.  Since training with Lindsey and eating a mostly Paleo diet, I am sleeping well, have more energy, no longer have digestion issues, and for the most part, my neck and back feel great.  I have noticed that when I stray from the Paleo regimen, my workouts suffer, my digestion issues return, and I feel sluggish and irritable.

I would encourage you to at least try Zoning but to also “endure” Paleo

Jessica Shelton

I started working out with Lindsey in April 09.  I was attracted to the CrossFit method mostly because it was a short workout that would fit into my schedule.  It didn’t take long to become addicted to the workouts — they were exhilarating!  I noticed that I had more energy, was growing stronger and feeling more fit overall.  The first time you offered an eating challenge, I made a half-hearted attempt to subscribe.  Boy was I surprised when my half-hearted attempt made an impact.  So, by the time your first Paleo challenge came around, I was ready to jump in.

Now, I have to mention that besides the motivation I was feeling from the results of my half-hearted attempt, I had also been looking for a healthy eating program that I could live with forever.  I hate the word diet, because it seems so temporary.  My motivators were weight loss, a bout with breast cancer that I was hoping not to repeat, and my family.  I know that what I do impacts my family, so if I’m making poppy seed chicken and potatoes for dinner as opposed to chicken and vegetable stir fry — I’m not passing on the habits to them that I truly desire – or that God truly desires for that matter.

I don’t exactly have the joyful cooperation of all family members, but it does get easier as time goes on and they quit expecting me to revert back to old habits  I don’t exactly never eat things that are bad for me either (just ask Max, for our date tonight, we had popcorn at the movies and shared a burger and fries – but don’t tell Lindsey).  The difference is, now that my body is used to being fed good, nutritious food — when I eat something contrary to that, I really feel terrible (like right now and then tomorrow morning during workout – but don’t tell Lindsey).  Feeling terrible helps me get right back on board the next day.

I did not begin to lose weight while training with Lindsey until I changed my eating habits — which was a bit frustrating!  I have never been one to stick with a “diet,” so I am quite surprised that I’m still going strong.  I really do not feel like I’m cheating myself out of anything, since there are so many healthy options and recipes.  Today, I made s’mores cookies and they were delicious!

The biggest factors for me in all of this were:  I was ready to be committed to make a permanent change in my eating habits and I was ready to give it all over to the Lord.  Much prayer and effort goes into my attempts at treating my body as His temple.  We are a very busy “on the go” kind of family and it hasn’t been easy transitioning from easy and convenient meals to well planned healthy ones.  But it has been worth it.  I would encourage everyone to give the Paleo way of life a try — it is easier than you think and your body will love you for it.  By the way, I’ve lost 18 pounds, 4% body fat (the last time I checked in Nov) and have gone down 2 jeans sizes!  All the glory goes to God – Who is capable of such things in my life since I am so weak on my own! 8 pounds, 4% body fat (the last time I checked in Nov) and have gone down 2 jeans sizes!  All the glory goes to God – Who is capable of such things in my life since I am so weak on my own!

Ranie Jones

Whenever I’m asked about Crossfit, my answer is always the same, “It has changed my life”.  I have always thought of myself as physically fit, as I have been dancing since the age of 5.  Dancing was always enough, so I thought to keep me fit, but I also did some weight lifting and cardio in addition when I went to college and while I danced professionally.  My motto, in recent years became:  “I workout so I can eat whatever I want”, UNTIL I JOINED CROSSFIT.  As I got older I found that I wasn’t getting the results that I wanted, so I decided to join Crossfit in August of last year.  I joined to get more out of my workouts, and I wasn’t really interested in the nutrition portion of it.  I thought I knew enough to do ok in that area, and I did get results, I became stronger.   Then the nutrition challenge over the holidays came, and I thought “no way, that’s when I eat ALL the things I love”.  But, I was ready to try one after the first of the year, so I knew when January rolled around I would do it.  I was highly motivated because we had a cruise scheduled for March, and I wanted to wear a two-piece bathing suit, and not just wear one, but feel good in one.    So, I met with Lauren and learned about all the foods I love and how bad they are for me.  I love bread, pasta and all things carbohydrate.  I remember literally grieving that night over all that I had learned.  But, I did what I could do.  I ate the foods on the list that I could eat, and I learned to love a lot of new foods I had never tried before.  I was very focused and I’m very competitive too, so I really wanted to win the nutrition challenge, so I stuck to it.  It didn’t take long and I noticed I felt so much better in my workouts.  I felt stronger and I had so much more stamina.  After getting through the first few weeks, it became so much easier.  I had to find what worked for me and my schedule, and Lauren and Lindsey helped me so much.  I texted them quite often, and they were always there for me with answers and encouragement.  I couldn’t believe that I ended up winning the nutrition challenge, but even if I hadn’t, I accomplished my goal and I felt great in my two-piece last week on my cruise, and it is now a way of life for me.  And, it just keeps getting better today, March 28, 2011, I did my first unassisted pull-up, that has been my goal since day 1 of Crossfit.  So, to accomplish that is so gratifying.  I’m am so grateful to have Crossfit, and I can’t say enough about the people, we truly are a family who care about each other.  God bless you all!

Nutrition Challenge:

Trey Pettis

Winner of Winter Challenge ’10

When I started your class I weighed a whopping 221.5 lbs this was an all time high for me. I felt awfaul… hated putting my jeans on because they would squeeze into the fat that was oozing out the top of them. I was not looking forward to the summer time looking like a whale someone could harpoon and spend the next year eating….Then with virtually no change in my diet but taking your class 2 days a week I lost 7 lbs in about 6 weeks. At the beginning of the paleo challange I weighed 214.5 lbs and after approximately 6 weeks of eating paleo (the best I could) and taking your class 3 days a week, I now weigh 194 lbs!!!!! I lost another 20.5 lbs. So since starting your class I have lost 27.5 lbs, which I am embarassed to admit because I can’t believe I let myself get to the point where I needed to loose 27.5 lbs. I now have to where a belt to hold my jeans up, yes the same ones that oozed fat out of them because without it I look like one of those silly kids with there pants half way down there butt….So I think that the Cross fit program is great and the paleo way of eating is a good way not to diet but to live your life….(most of the time anyway, I need my ice cream and cookies now and then) Finally, not only have I had these results but I have had a great time getting to them and I thoroughly enjoy the classes and get excited coming to them every mon, wed and friday……..

-Trey

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Ben Fouts

Top 5 Winter Challenge ’10

My story is simple. In January of 2008 I weighed 227 pounds and relatively active, physically. My right knee ached most of the time, and we were considering surgery. I began CrossFit that month, and within a couple of weeks lost five pounds. I continued CrossFit three times a week and played basketball two days each week, but my weight stayed the same and my knee continued to be enflamed.

In August, I was introduced to Daniel Fast, a twenty-one day partial fast that consisted of eating fruits and vegetables only and drinking water. By the end of that experience I lost sixteen pounds and weighed 206 pounds. A week later in September, I entered the Paleo challenge early that month and by mid-October I had lost another fifteen pounds and weighed 191. Since that time I have fluctuated between 189 and 192 pounds. Also, the inflammation in my knee has subsided very significantly, and my trousers are loose at 34 (where they were tight at 39’s a year ago. My life has changed dramatically.

-Ben

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Yvette Willis

Winner of Spring Challenge ’10

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Steve Cooper

Winner of Spring Challenge ’10/Winner of Fall Challenge ’10

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