First let me start by saying... THANK YOU FOR READING my first EVER blog!!
Here are a few snip-its about me, my life and how CrossFit has inspired me to be a better version of myself.
I was born (the baby of 5 kids) and raised in Davison, Michigan. Yes, Michigan...that very cold, frigid, frozen tundra of a state - hence, the reason I moved to Texas when I turned 18 and have not been back since 2002!! I married in 1995 and had a beautiful baby boy in July of 2000. That's where my fitness journey begins....
Throughout my youth and teen years, I was very active in dance (tap, jazz, ballet) and Pom Squad (what Texans consider Drill Team....think, "Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders", just at High School games.), but after becoming an adult and moving away from home, fitness wasn't in my daily, weekly or even monthly routine! I developed HORRIBLE eating habits, that ultimately escalated into an eating disorder. I would starve myself for days on end, then, when I couldn't stand the growling in my stomach anymore, I would binge on anything and everything! This became a devastating cycle and caused me to plunge into a pretty deep depression. At my lowest weight I was 110lbs, and for someone 5'8", that's pretty darn sick looking! Yes, I was in that size 0 pair of jeans and I got to wear x-small shirts, but was it all worth it? I decided it absolutely wasn't.
Let's fast forward to 1999, when I found out I was pregnant with my son. Having had my eating disorder pretty much under control for a year or so, I will admit, gaining weight was the first thing I thought of...and it scared me to death. Not that I wasn't elated to be pregnant, don't get me wrong, I prayed and planned for my son and was extremely happy my dreams were coming true. It's just that when you have an eating disorder, even if you think it's gone, you're never cured. It creeps back slowly and you have to learn to control it all over again. I knew I HAD to eat to benefit my growing baby, so I blocked all those negative feelings about food out of my head, had an amazing pregnancy and birth, and in the end gained 40...yes, 40 pounds, LOL!!!
I was determined to look BETTER than I did before I gave birth, so I started to workout to silly video tapes for 3 hours each day while Hayden napped. I watched what I ate, but because I was breastfeeding, I knew I couldn't fall back into my eating disorder pattern. By 3 months I was back in my regular clothes and enjoying every bit of motherhood! I finally felt fulfilled and TRULY HAPPY with myself and my life, and I found a new love....fitness!!!
I loved working out so much that I eventually got a membership to a gym and dove right in, getting a personal trainer to whip my butt twice a week. I spent countless hours in that gym...climbing the stairmill, running on the treadmill, lifting weights. Essentially I became a "gym rat". After years of working out 2 hours a day 6 days a week, competing in 5k's, 10k's and half marathons...I was BORED. It took all I had to drag myself to that gym! I was looking for something exciting and new...that's when I heard about CrossFit Round Rock and my mentor/friend/coach, Landon. My 15 year marriage was struggling, I was feeling depressed and could also feel that eating disorder creeping it's way back into my life, due to stress. I'll never forget my first training session with LA....I thought I was in shape, I had just run a half marathon, but the things he made me do almost made me puke all over that gym floor - haha!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!!!! To hear that timer go off and the music blaring in my ears was heaven!! After about a month, I began to feel like an athlete, not a "gym rat". I gained confidence and would smile at the thought of being able to tell friends and coworkers I just deadlifted 245lbs. In the year that I've been doing CrossFit, I've competed in 3 CrossFit competitions: Fight Gone Bad 5 (second place), The Fittest Games, and the Spartan 300 Challenge (first place!), I also finished the Tough Mudder with other members from CFRR. I never would have accomplished those things without my CFRR family, I am truly grateful for them all.
Although my marriage ultimately failed, I do not feel like a failure. Failing is NOT an option for me. I'm proud to be a coach at CrossFit Round Rock and will dedicate myself to everyone that walks into that box. I'm the proud single mother of an amazing little boy and will do everything within my power to see that he grows up to be an amazing man/father/husband. Most of all, I'm proud of MYSELF. I'm doing what I love and am truly blessed to have the opportunity to help others achieve their goals. Thank you to all who have helped me get here *muah*!!!
Thanks again for reading...next time will be shorter, I promise LOL!
-Coach Ag
"Strong is the new Sexy"
