Your next CrossFit coach? I don’t think so!
Most people that have recently met me in my role of CrossFit coach could never tell, but heaps of my other friends know I wasn’t exactly fit some years ago. In fact, one of the most recurrent questions I get actually makes me feel kinda proud and a little embarrassed at the same time. It’s none other than “What made you take the decision of getting fitter? What made you actually start?” It’s embarrassing because at that time I was in a very low point in terms of weight, health and motivation. But I feel proud because I was able to overcome it and reach my goals.
It’s also a complicated question, actually. The struggle to get yourself started on a path towards fitness will never be an easy one to beat. There are too many reasons that seem perfectly valid at any given moment for not doing anything to solve it. Time is a favourite one. Food and training costs is another. Family responsibilities will always be on that list.
In my own case, the wake-up call came in the form of less-than-stellar blood test results. Carrying around more than 125 Kg while eating junk food and not being active at all really took its toll. I was very near of getting type-2 diabetes, and my blood pressure was starting to reach dangerous levels. Not to mention how hard was to do anything that involved long distances or climbing stairs.
Now, after losing around 40 Kg of fat, my role as a coach doesn’t limit to tell people what to do during our sessions at CrossFit Hurakan in Preston. I actually want to tell everybody – you don’t need to get that wake-up call to start healing yourself, and there are some ways you can do it, right now:
- Accept it’s not impossible. Just search for fitness success stories over the internet and you’ll see it is in fact very achievable. Accept as well that a degree of effort, focus and a certain amount of time is required to reach the goal. There’s no such thing as an overnight transformation, but the time and effort will pay by itself.
- Start with a single change – and then add more things up to the mix. Now, I’m not saying you don’t have the will to do a full life reboot. But we’re talking about squeezing CrossFit sessions into your schedule, changing your nutrition habits, being more active during the day, etc. Start with training and, once you managed to create the habit, add the nutrition, and later on the rest of the good habits.
- Travel the journey along with friends and family. This may be as well the key to making the whole process a fun and enjoyable one. Sometimes, though, it’s hard if the people around us is not exactly supportive about your lifestyle change. If that’s the case, then you have the wonderful chance of becoming an example to follow. Be an inspiration for them!
Now this is more like it!
Remember: don’t let things get too far. We’re here to remind you not only how strong your body is, but your mind and your spirit as well.
Julio Gutierrez