Cross Fit: Testimonial by John H.

Note: This is a Pottstown Athletic Club member's testimonial that we received several years ago. We're sharing it now to help inspire others and hope you enjoy it!

August 2004, I departed almost 12 years of United States Naval service with an Honorable discharge.  Many factors contributed to that discharge and shaped my world as I saw it. In my professional career, I was overweight off and on for those 12 years and that resulted as the primary factor in my discharge.   In my personal life, I was a personal computer gamer (PC), and thus spent most of my time indoors. Additionally on top of those two factors, while in the war, my first spouse left me while I was on deployment, taking my children and all that I have ever known.  These factors sent me mentally, physically and emotionally into a spiral that I fought for years within myself. For all those years, I overate, smoked cigarettes, and watched lots of TV and not much else.

By summer 2007, I would estimate my habits had the best of me. I took a step and quit my job of three years and left Virginia and went to Pennsylvania. I wanted my divorce, I wanted my children and I wanted to be happy. But as we all know, one can change his or her surroundings, but all the baggage will follow unless positive steps are taken. I didn’t know that then, but bit-by-bit, it would happen over time.

On Friday, October 12, 2007, I quit smoking cold turkey as a very first step towards a healthier me.  My reasons were simple. It was not for my children, but for me.  I had to quit if I ever wanted to be there for my children as a role model and a father. Lead by example.

I was working 50% of my time (40 – 50 hour work weeks), gaming 30 percent of my time (20 – 30 hours a week), sleeping 4 – 5 hours a day, and the remainder was eating and television.

Over the course of the next two years (October 2007 – November 2009) I tried the diets such as Adkins, or low/no carbohydrate with no success.  I attempted various workout programs through the years (P90x, running, gyms) with limited success. Each time I started on a good path to healthy fitness, body and mind, I would get sick and once again come up with my old excuses and not return to any healthy routine that I had started.

I always ended up back in the kitchen and eating, limited physical activity and lots of movie watching and gaming.  This trend continued on for many years in my life.  In November 2009, after not seeing, or talking to my children for over three years, it was to my great surprise that I was able to start seeing my children again. A month later during Christmas break, my wife Andrea (then my fiancé) and I were asked to take custody of the children.

We immediately found ourselves on uneven ground with these three beautiful souls.  We would go to parks and go on walks during the winter and play in the snow, but found that the children were not so adept to the outside. They were rather sedentary and to that respect, so were Andrea and I.  We knew many things had to change, but it was one step at a time.

We were in a three-bedroom apartment, but it was only efficient for two people.  So, over the course of the next months, we searched for a home and in late February found one in Douglassville.  We moved in on April 2, 2010 and remain there today.

In 2011, Andrea and I started the home DVD workout program P90x, coupled with running.  The results over two months were amazing. I was 235 lbs. before we started that winter and after those two months I was 210 lbs. and never felt better in years. But as before, something tripped me and/or us up and we once again stopped.  We started gaming off and on again and of course, eating the easy foods.

Our children at home also emulated what they saw. Eating junk food, midnight Burger King food runs just because we “were hungry” and of course gaming and of course, lots of couch potato TV watching.

In July 2012, Andrea and I were married. I started up doing P90x a couple of months before the wedding determined to lose weight once again. I had ballooned up to 245 lbs., 10 lbs. heavier than I had been before. I lost about 20 lbs. and was never fully engaged in the workouts.  Mentally and emotionally, this was devastating.  I did not let this 100% deter me from losing weight and still ran intermittently, but again, my mind was not behind it and I was tired.  This trend continued on for another year for myself and at one point, had I hit a new personal record (PR) of 255/260 lbs.  This was the largest I had ever been.

It was in these months that Andrea and I were searching for something new, out of our home and different to do.  I did still run off and on, in addition to the occasional wiping the dust off workout DVD’s.  One of the programs we had seen my middle brother in Massachusetts do was this crazy thing called Cross Fit. We searched and searched and didn’t have much luck in our searches locally in Berks County and when we did find places, they were so far out of reach financially and intimidating, we gave up. 

It was only then that Andrea was working a Phoenixville Day out community program that while on a break, saw a booth for Cross fit, which was run at the Pottstown Athletic Club. That was only a few miles from our home.  After Labor Day 2013, we went down to see what this place was all about.  By this time, I was about 255 lbs. and ready to try something new. We visited on a Tuesday or Wednesday night, talked with some folks, watched the workout, took home the paperwork and went home.

Within the next two weeks, we started a new beginning and routine.  This was not just for me, but also for my family.  We always promised that if I asked the children to try something new, that Andrea and I would be right there with them.  At first, our two youngest children at home started Kids Fit, while we as adults were participating in the adult beginners’ class.   At first, the children were hesitant and wanted to go one or two nights a week. By the time winter came, they were asking to go four to five times a week. For Andrea and me, it started with only two days a week and eventually turned into three days a week by mid-winter.

The children continued this path throughout the winter, while Andrea and I due to circumstances had to take a two – three month break. Andrea had been in a car accident and had physical therapy for about three months (December – March). In March, we both started back to Cross Fit. It was also at this time that my oldest daughter (14 at the time) expressed interest.  She asked at first only to go once a week, but by September 2014 was going two to three times a week with Andrea and me.

For me, this year alone I’ve gone from a size 44-46 waist to 38 – 40. I went from 255 lbs. a year ago to 217 lbs. today. I am finally fitting into jeans, dress pants, or shirts that I had bought over the years, but had lost hope to ever wear.  My shirts have gone from the XXL to XL. 

Our family now eats mostly homegrown, or crop share vegetables, limited bread and carbohydrates and only free ranged raised meats (chickens, pork, beef, etc).

A few months ago we got rid of our television subscription, and rely upon over the air (antenna) programming. We will have our gaming systems and TV streaming subscriptions, but only about 5% of our time is spent allowing ourselves and/or the children in front of the TV and/or gaming.  Those days are normally due to climate extremes (too cold, hot, wet, snow, etc). But different from a year ago, my two young children asked for PVC pipes to practice their form for Olympic lifts and make up their own WOD’s to stay active. 

We’ve also set goals for each year for physical activity to keep us all sharp. This year was not only weight goals for myself, but also activity goals. We’ve become more active and have run over eight races this year alone, to include at least two to three with the entire family. Next year, our physical bucket lists will have more.

Lastly, with the weight loss, healthy eating and physical activity (Cross Fit), previous issues and medical conditions have changed as well. For the past two years my blood work has shown dangerous levels from my previous lifestyle ranging from obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, almost diabetic due to weight, etc.  Last week (November 2014), my blood work was redone and I have been given a clean bill of health.  My high cholesterol is now normal (from 232 to under 180 ldl’s). My pain levels from old injuries are almost all gone.

My changes and my family’s changes are not over yet. I cannot speak to their own personal goals, but can tell you mine.

1.     Break the 200 lb. weight mark and eventually reach my goal of 185/190 lbs. by Summer 2015

2.     Gain Cross Fit Level I certification to assist and teach others who currently struggle with those challenges that I have by Summer 2015, and the Cross Fit Kids certification to help encourage and promote healthy habits in my children and youth in general today.

3.     Further my endurance for running and participate in longer and harder obstacle racing courses by Summer 2015.