Greg is a morning WOD regular. He’s been getting great results from CrossFit. I caught up with him recently to ask a few questions.
When did you start CrossFit?
Early June of this year. CrossFit St. Louis was my first exposure to CrossFit.
What were you doing prior?
I’ve been weight training on and off since high school, and started running half-marathons 2 years ago. I did personal training before trying CrossFit, but couldn’t justify the expense with the results I was seeing.
What was your motivation to start?
I realized I was spending a lot of money for gym memberships but never saw real results. One of the frustrating things about training by yourself is there is a ton of conflicting information out there on how to train, when to train which muscles, heavy sets vs. lighter sets, etc. With all this information out there, it get’s really confusing if you’re not a professional power lifter or athlete.
What I like most about CrossFit St. Louis is I can eliminate the need to research what the best workout is or decide which muscle to train and when. The only decision I have to make is to show up – everything else is decided for me and I can just focus on giving each workout the best effort possible.
You’ve made noticeable changes in body composition in 6 months, tell us about it?
Since starting at CrossFit St. Louis, I’ve dropped 20lbs in overall body weight. I’m also down a clothing size, which is starting to get expensive….but a problem I’m ok with having.
Has your diet changed?
It has. There are a lot of opinions on nutrition, but just like how CrossFit has eliminated my need to plan workouts, I wanted a nutrition plan that allowed me to be successful without having to do a lot of research or constantly check calories. Choosing a low-carb, high-fat diet allows me to eat pretty much anywhere without having to “cheat” on my diet. If I’m at a restaurant, I stick with a burger without the bun or a big salad. My go-to dinner at home is a pre-made salmon burger from Schnucks and half an avocado.
What are your next goals?
I have about 15 more pounds to go as far as weightloss is concerned. Once I’ve hit my targeted weight, I’ll start focusing more on performance. Eventually I think it’d be really cool to be able to compete, but I probably have at least another year until I’m ready for that step.
What would you say about your experience at CrossFit St. Louis?
I was pretty intimidated by the idea of CrossFit before I started, so I really wanted to join a box that would explain everything to me and let me go at my own pace. CrossFit St. Louis has a really thought-out and easy to understand “On Ramp” program that explains what all these new lifts/moves are and what to expect in actual classes. Once I completed On Ramp, each coach took the time to introduce him or herself and make sure that I felt comfortable with the workout and at least knew a few other people in the class. Even after 6 months, I’m still learning what everything is called but the coaches are always patient and willing to explain the workout – even if they taught me the exact same move a week before. Overall, joining CrossFit St. Louis has been a great experience – I’ve seen great results in my first 6 months and I’m excited to see how far I can push myself in the coming year.