My story, to some degree, started the same time Shay’s did. We were sitting at work one day, five years ago, bemoaning how fat we were. (I can attest that Shay did indeed have a gut!!) I told him how I was reading diet books trying to figure how to eat better to lose weight while he talked about the zone diet. I was working out at the Y, not a lot, but some and Shay told me how he had just started exercising with Jill doing this “crossfit” workout. Well you know what happened to Shay (poor guy, losing all that weight).
What happened to me, not much! I would lose a little, gain it back, up and down. Exercise some, sometimes not. When I would ask, Shay would talk about the diet and the exercising. He encouraged me to join him. I did a couple of times, but I’m not a natural gym rat. I’m a really good couch potato. He lent me his copy of the zone diet. The one thing going for me was I had been slowly, for years, changing my diet for the better. After reading about the zone diet, I tweaked my diet some more. But still no serious exercise.
When Shay and Jill opened up the closet, (it’s hard to call the first Box a Box, maybe shoebox), Shay wanted me to join; I think he was tired of hearing me whine. Again he invited me over, and I would do some workouts, but only a few. I told him when he opened the bigger one, I would join.
They opened the bigger box and I finally joined. Shannon and Nicole were great getting me through the on-ramp. It took some time before I got in a good rhythm of working out around my shift work and I still run into times were it is difficult to get in a workout. In the first year or so, my gaps were long, month or two at a time. So no noticeable change, though each time I came back I realized I didn’t lose much strength, just endurance.
Finally, last January, I made a resolution to not let the gaps be long. I weighed 180, my 34’’ jeans were tight in the waist and my belly was still big. I was still on a black band doing pull-ups. I was winded doing any running, and could barely bench 115 lbs. I set a goal of bench pressing my body-weight, no band kipping pull ups and “Fran” Rx’d in under 10 minutes. “Fran” was the very first WOD I ever did. I nearly passed out half way through, but did finish it after resting for about 20 minutes.
Nine months later, I lost the bands. I recently reached a new bench press PR of 160 lbs, not body weight, but close. Just a couple of weeks ago, “Fran” was the workout. I Rx’d it but it took 10:45. I am on my way to reaching those goals. Also I measured my waist early last year and it was 40”, just the other day Megan measured me and I was down to 38”. The belly is shrinking, the weight is below 170lbs and I feel great.
My favorite time to work out is in the morning with the ladies. If you ever work out with Laurie and/or Vanda, you have no room to whine. I am more inspired watching those two give there all during a WOD than anyone I have ever watched. Nicole, Becky and Tanya ensure I am not going too light, always making sure I am properly pushing the limit as we scale the WOD’s.
I’ve worked out with Shay only a handful of times. I wonder how much effort he puts in, because I think he just watches me do my rounds, encouraging me and then after, fine tuning my technique. He is a nut about form.
What I like about crossfit is not having to figure out what workout I’m going to do and workouts that don’t take a lot of time. When I went to the ‘Y’, I had to figure out what I was going to do. At the Box, you can get in, the WOD is on the board, and get it done. If you want to start before the group, no problem, they will cheer you on, while they warm up. Everyone (without exception) encourages, never discourages; I never heard anyone at other gyms cheer you on.
I have finally found a gym I WANT to go to. I’m finally getting results which continues to encourage me to go. I encourage anyone who wants to lose weight and gain strength, to join.
Thank you Jill and Shay for opening Crossfit 906.
-Bill
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