Doing Life @CrossFit Reverence

Seven years and 30 pounds ago, I was not exercising. I was eating crappy food. I was busy with work. I was raising my son. My lower back ached. My shoulder was so stiff that I could barely get my bra on and off. I hated the way I looked in sleeveless shirts. Much less workout pants. I felt like the Pillsbury Doughboy. I was middled aged and out of shape. I'd been involved in sports when I was younger, but those days were long gone. I'd taken care of myself in the past. Eaten well, exercised, but somehow it had all gotten away from me. My sister said, "You should try CrossFit." She said, "I know you and you'll love it." I politely told her, "I am too busy right now. Maybe someday when life isn't so hectic." But what I really thought was, "No way am I going to be around all those fit people without clothes on. And I can't flip a tractor tire or wear a vest like a Navy Seal. I can't even run to my mailbox or do a push-up.: I believed I was too old and too fat to try CrossFit. And even if I was going to consider it, I told myself, "You need to get in better shape first." I kept making that excuse. And plenty of other excuses. Too busy. Too tired. Too out of shape. Too old. Too fat. Too worried about hurting myself. At the heart of it, I was just too ashamed to let people see me try. Ashamed that I'd let myself get so far away from being healthy and strong. Then I had to get physical therapy for my shoulde r. It was keeping me from doing simple things, like throwing the baseball with my son. Or walking up and down the hill of my driveway. Just swinging my arm was painful. So I finally got help. Lots of adjusting and scrapping and taping. At home exercises to change my posture. Rehabbing my shoulder also meant exercising in a controlled environment under the eye of an expert. Riding a stationary bike. Squatting. Lunging. Pressing. Walking while I held a small dumbbell over my head. And I loved it. My therapist invited me to CrossFit. She saw how positively I responded to the small challenges she put in front of me. I did my at home workouts consistently. My grit and determination to push through the pain made me proud of myself. I began to remember who I was underneath my pudgy exterior. I wasn't losing weight, but I was losing my excuses. And I was gaining confidence, one rehab workout at a time. My therapist saw the shift in me. As we neared the end of our time together, she said to me, "You should try CrossFit. I know you'll love it." My shame and fear were still present, but I began to consider CrossFit anyway . There was a gym near me. CrossFit Reverence. My therapist assured me it was family friendly and the people were really nice. She told me I could start just as simply as we had in her office. That there were many options for me beyond flipping tires and training to be a Navy Seal. That I could go at my own pace. That coaches would help me. I finished rehab wit her. Two weeks went by. I was still doing my at home exercises but they had gotten rather easy for me. I missed being challenged. I missed the camaraderie. I began to think more about CrossFit Reverence. I called CrossFit Reverence on a Saturday morning and the coach said, "Come now." He said, "We are doing a special workout today to raise awareness and money for Type 1 Diabetes. I'll see you in an hour." I heard myself tell him, "Okay. I'll see you soon." I hung up the phone and panicked. What just happened?! I had only called to do a little more research, not show up! Not workout! Not do CrossFit! Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. Anxiety raging, I went into my closet and found something to wear and drove myself to CrossFit Reverence. I showed up and did what I could do. The coach met me at the door. He handed me a round object stuffed with 10 pounds of something and told me to toss it to a target on the wall. He showed me what a burpee looked like and invited me to do some of those too. He said, "Move at your own pace and just keep working until the clock goes off." I didn't think I could do it. But I did. Seven years later and 30 pounds lighter, I own the gym near me. How? I showed up that day. And I kept showing up. One hour at a time. One workout at a time. One day at a time. Yes, it was hard. (It's still hard.) Yes, I was sore. (I still get sore sometimes.) Yes, I had a lot of shame and fear to face. (I still have shame and fear to face.) I realize that diving in headfirst isn't for everyone. But it taught me a ton and it just happens to be my story. We do things a little differently these days. I know firsthand how intimidating CrossFit can be. But I've learned it's not so scary when we let go of our preconceived notions and trust our coaches. When we sort out our reasons for wanting to get in shape. When we come along one movement at a time, with a coach by our side. When we talk about eating well and resting our bodies and our brains. When we set short and long term goals. When we make a plan and work the plan. CrossFit has taught me how to do hard things. How to show up and do my work even when I don't feel like it. How to be strong mentally, emotionally, and physically. How to face difficult circumstances in my life. How to trust myself. How to work hard. How to rely on my community. How to challenge myself. How to keep pushing and growing and evolving in every area of my life. I don't know your story. But I know you do hard things too. There are have been many peaks and valleys in my life since that first Saturday at CrossFit Reverence seven years ago. And CrossFit has seen me through them all. Are you destined to be a coach or own the gym? I don't know. But I do know you are facing hard things. And I do know you can overcome them and even grow in the midst of difficulties. And I do know we can help you find your way. If you think so too, book a time using the red button below and let's get started. I look forward to meeting you! Best, Amy