It’s crazy to think that my CrossFit journey started exactly a year ago from today. If you would’ve asked me back then if I could see myself doing pull ups or squatting 285 lbs, I would’ve laughed at the question. Fast forward a year later and not only am I capable of pull ups but so much more than I ever could’ve imagined.

There are a lot of stigmas associated with CrossFit regarding the risk of injury and attitude of the community – all of which had crossed my mind before joining CrossFit Route 7. Although I was very athletic in high school and played intramural sports in college, I wasn’t sure my body could handle the workouts and on top of that, with the worry of being injured or not welcomed. Nonetheless, I dragged myself to attending an information session for a 6-week body transformation challenge to find out for myself what CrossFit was all about. The rest is history.

During my talk with BJ Peyton, I shared how my college lifestyle had reduced my level of physical activity (apparently Beer Olympics didn’t count) and how I slowly was starting to feel less confident in myself. To my surprise, I found out I wasn’t the only one in this boat. BJ explained that a lot of people around my age were dealing with the same feelings and many found success by just starting with the CrossFit Foundations beginners program. I left the box that day with newfound hope that I could turn things around, especially since beach/music festival season was right around the corner.

Foundations not only eased me into the box but also introduced me to other athletes and welcomed me into the CrossFit community. The conditioning was amazing. I was learning proper lifting techniques and getting my body prepped for the next step. I’ll never forget the first day I finished Foundations with BJ on a Friday night. Typically, my Friday nights included me and my closet friends at local bars Spider Kelly’s or Whitlows in Arlington for happy hour. Now I found myself doing burpees and snatching weights with the latest Mega Workout Mix playing in the background. Talk about a complete 180. I could feel myself having more energy at work, a more positive attitude and the best part, seeing results! I wasn’t the only one seeing results either. Even my friends and family members started noticing positive changes and it made me want to work that much harder. There is no better feeling than finishing a WOD, lying on the ground panting and saying to yourself, “Yeah, I just did that.” It’s something you need to experience for yourself and few things come close to that feeling.

Since then, there’s no workout class I’ve found more challenging and rewarding than the WOD at CrossFit. I had tried other studios and gyms but fell short of my goals and with hundreds of dollars out of my pocket. Every WOD is new, exciting and strengthens you mentally as much as physically. Just today it was awesome to workout next to coaches like owner Tucker Jones and having everyone else cheer you on to finish. I firsthand can attest that the CrossFit Route 7 staff does everything in their power to teach correct form to avoid injuring yourself and are the most welcoming group of people. No matter at what stage of your physical prowess you are in, CrossFit will take you to the next level both mentally and physically. I’m only a year in and have been in the best shape of my life and only getting stronger. CrossFit has changed my life in the most positive way and this is just the beginning!