So in November of 2009 my wife and I had our first child, Amelia, and it was shortly thereafter that I developed a renewed sense of obligation to myself and my family to try and undo a decade's worth of self neglect — from bad eating habits and poor sleeping patterns to unhealthy work stress and inconsistent exercise.
Some things I was able to correct rather quickly. I shed about 45 lbs in 6 months, mostly cutting calories and sticking to whole foods. And despite being a new parent, I was able to make some small, but positive changes to my sleep quality (which I can summarize here in five words: just go to bed earlier).
In August of 2010 I was slimmer, but my weight loss efforts took a lot of my muscle mass with it, so I wanted to get back into the gym, however, this time I wanted to try something different. Two of my coworkers suggested I check out CrossFit — so I did, on YouTube. Big mistake.
I watched a few videos of random fire breathing freaks and I just didn’t think this sort of thing was do-able (or sustainable) for me, but then two things happened that made me reconsider: 1) I learned that my brother in the military had been doing CrossFit for years, so he provided me with some healthy perspective on the programming; and 2) I learned that there was a CrossFit affiliate (CFC) right here in my backyard, so I emailed Courtney and he encouraged me come try it for a week. So I did.
That was arguably the best health decision I’ve ever made.
I’ve been part of CFC for nearly 9 months now and I’ve made some incredible progress toward my original goals, much of which I attribute to the programming at CFC. I think Courtney’s approach to CrossFit is damn smart, I know it has helped me realize gains faster and with less risk than I might have otherwise experienced at another box. All I can say is that Wendler works. Paleo eating works. Mobility workouts work. All the metcons suck, but yes, they work too;) I've had the chance to visit other affiliates over the last several months and to our benefit, I have yet to see others using programming that is as comprehensive in combination as CFC.
While the personal results are what I want and work for, I also know that doing this along side other athletes in the 7 a.m. class x4 days a week and watching them each chip away at their own goals has helped me stay motivated in a way that no other fitness program can really match. I think this is why I’m no longer approaching CFC as simply a means to an end, but rather an ongoing part of a healthy lifestyle.
As I push forward, I’m starting to set my sights on new goals: I’ve been tracking and charting my strength gains and have set some high, but achievable targets leading up to my one-year milestone; I’m aiming for new PRs on most of the benchmark WODs; and later this year I’ll be participating in the Tough Mudder, my first endurance event. But most important is my ultimate goal of being a healthier father and husband for my family. Thank you CFC for helping me to be just that. -- Mike
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