Happy International Women's Day!!
Today we asked our members why women should embrace strength or why they like being strong. Here's what they said:
Katie Dorsey
I first came to CrossFit 2 years ago because of a promotion they were running and I thought it would be nice to get out of the house. When I first walked in, I was super nervous. First, I hadn’t worked out in over two years and second because it seemed like everyone in there knew what they were doing and I had never touched weights in my life.
Today, I still walk in nervous, but also excited! Nervous because I know the workout will be hard and excited because now I know I can make it through. My first (and probably favorite) accomplishment at CrossFit Ampersand would be the friends that I made. When I first started at Ampersand, I was a stay at home mom and I had recently moved to the area and I didn’t know anyone. I was miserable. But the support and encouragement I felt walking in to Ampersand for the first time was overwhelming. Another big accomplishment was that I lost 50 lbs in my first year. I gained a lot of weight during my pregnancy. I was constantly tired and unmotivated to do anything and now I have more energy, feel better, and am able to keep up with my very active toddler!
Today, with support from the coaches and community at Ampersand, I am working on building better lifestyle habits. I'm currently doing the Whole Life Challenge with a group from the gym. We are halfway through and I am feeling great.
I love that the coaches at Ampersand are always pushing us to be the best versions of ourselves and I cannot imagine life without this place!
Allison Ashton
I started CrossFit in May, 2016. At the beginning of my journey I weighed over 220 pounds. I couldn't run 200 meters, I couldn't do push-ups, in fact I couldn't successfully do 95% of the workouts, and in all honesty I hated it. I hated the cardio, I hated that I had become so overweight, I hated that I HAD to be there, but most of all I hated knowing that the only results I would ever see had to come at the cost of sweat and tears.
Prior to starting CrossFit, I was losing mobility, not only because of my weight, but also due to my lack of living an active life style for so long. Family outings, hiking, walks to the park, anything requiring me to be active was always out the question, I had an excuse for everything... that was up until my weight, diet and crappy lifestyle had finally caught up to me. I was constantly feeling "sick", extremely fatigued, experiencing painful numbness in my hands and feet, fighting migraines daily, and was suffering from severe insomnia and depression. I had convinced myself that I was chronically ill and there was no way I could feel that horrible and not have a diagnosis to go along with it.
As anyone would do, I went to my doctor and discussed the problems I was having, he was clearly concerned. He requested I see some specialist and ordered a full blood panel. Those appointments and blood tests revealed one thing... I was not dying, I was obese. My health was deteriorating because of my lifestyle. It was not because I was sick, or had carried and birthed five children, nor did I lack the time and finances for a gym membership. This was because I was lazy and unmotivated. Point blank. Right there every excuse I had become bullshit. This was my rock bottom. It was now or never.
That's why I joined CrossFit Ampersand. When signing up I was very intimidated, but I had no excuses left, I HAD to put in the work, I HAD to succeed. My first few weeks were nearly unbearable, I knew that I was strong, but I was slow and uncoordinated due to my size, and the intensity made me sick to my stomach, but I was trying! For the first time in years I was starting to come out of my shell.
My love for CrossFit didn't come for another month or two. The game changer for me was finding the mental strength to push through the WOD's, finding different strategies to make my body move and withstand the intensity more efficiently. Things got 100 times easier from that point on, I began attending classes 5 days a week, I changed my diet and began shedding pounds and toning my body. The movements were becoming easier and I was lifting heavier weights. I rapidly became physically, mentally stronger than I had ever been in my life.
Today, nine months after starting CrossFit, I have lost over 50 pounds, 48 inches overall and a lot of mental baggage that came along with my weight gain.
I no longer suffer from depression, I'm no longer pre-diabetic, and I certainly don't make excuses for myself anymore.
Get your health back on track with a free no sweat intro!
Before & After with Steve
Having had a spinal surgery 20 years ago, I slowly put on the pounds and got out of shape. Discovering CrossFit Ampersand changed all of that. Three months in, I feel 20 years younger, have lost 30 pounds and am experiencing that proverbial new lease. At 59, I may not be what I use to be but it’s close. I owe trainers Jeff & Harmony a debt I’m sure I can never repay. I feel great about my workouts, and it’s a daily competition as to whether I’ve benefittedmore physically or psychologically. So worth it. As Walt Whitman said it, "...the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse." ;-)