Name: Keri W.

Age: 37

When did you start at CrossFit Rail trail?  –  First week of August 2015

How would you describe your fitness level when starting CF?

• Sedentary  – no exercise
• Light Activity – walking,  swimming , jogging once or twice a week
• Moderate – average of 3 days a week of some kind of physical activity or weights
• Active- 4-6 days a week of metabolic conditioning and weights

Light Activity to Sedentary

What do you think makes CFRT different than other gyms?

When you go to a regular gym you are completely anonymous.  You can walk in and walk out an hour later without speaking to anyone.  You could go to the same gym for years without anyone even knowing your name.  At a regular gym, you may skip using a machine because you don’t know how to use it.  At a regular gym it costs extra for personal training.  It is easy to go to a regular gym everyday without a fitness game plan or specific goal which leaves you just spinning your wheels wondering why you are not getting any fitter.

CFRT is the complete opposite of this.  From day one the coaches and other members know your name and are excited to help you succeed.  From your first class you are taught proper form and you are not allowed to use weight until the basics are ingrained. CFRT puts the safety of their members first and foremost.  It is not unusual to see people doing Olympic Lifting with a PVC pipe and this is not looked down upon – they are merely working on form.  CFRT is a place where there is absolutely no judgement.  Everyone there is fulfilling their own goals in their own time – don’t get me wrong there is most definitely healthy competition – but at the end of the day you are competing against yourself.  Each CFRT class has an instructor that is a certified coach which is like having a personal trainer everyday.  At CFRT you are constantly keeping track of your workouts as well as the weights you lift.  There is a rhyme and reason to the lifting schedule as well as the WODs.  You actually see progress as you work towards YOUR specific goals.  As if that weren’t enough – I would have to say the biggest difference by far between other gyms and CFRT is SUPPORT.  Going to CFRT you have so much support whether it be from the coaches, other members or through CFRT’s active social media.  You never feel alone, stupid or out of place.

What kind of nutritional lifestyle do you follow?

Generally, I eat well during the week and I splurge on the weekends.  Eating well to me means fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains and nuts.  Minimal processed foods and dairy.  Because we are really busy during the week Sunday is my food prep day where I roast vegetables, make soups and get foods ready for the week.  During the week I bring my lunch to work everyday and rarely eat out.  I have a little bit of dark chocolate everyday and that satisfies my sweet tooth.  I consistently track my food throughout the week on the MyFitnessPal app.  This way I know where I stand in terms of calories.  On the weekends I typically eat out at least once.  I love pizza so I need my fix.   Also the weekends would be where I drink the majority of any alcohol I consume.  I try not to drink alcohol during the week.  I also tend to be more lax on the weekends with food tracking.  If I don’t allow myself a little bit of freedom each week I have a tendency to go off the rails.

What has been your biggest accomplishment since starting at CFRT?

My biggest accomplishment since starting CFRT has been my weight loss.  In 5 months I lost 30 pounds and over 30 inches around my body.  I have gone down 2 pant sizes as well as a shirt size.  My body has completely changed for the better.  Family and friends can’t believe the progress I have made.  I can barely believe it!!

What would you like others to know about CFRT?

I would want others to know that ANYONE can go to CFRT.  Any age, fitness level or with any existing condition.  People always say to me, “I can’t believe you do Crossfit, isn’t it so hard?” Or, “I could never do that.”  I have to remind them that what they see on TV – at the competitions – those are the elite Crossfit athletes.  Everything is scalable to ones abilities.  Just because I ride a 10-speed doesn’t mean I will be cycling the Tour de France.  Same goes with Crossfit.  You can take your fitness as far as you want but you have to start somewhere.  I tell those people come to a Saturday class with me and see for yourself what it is all about.  Personally, I almost didn’t go to the first elements class because I was soooo scared, intimidated and I didn’t know what to expect. BUT, I knew I was in the right place when as soon as I walked in the door Sarah came over and said, “Who are you?” Literally. It is funny but that is what sold me. I never felt alone or out of place and that was how I felt going to a regular gym.

In your own words, please provide a brief history of your fitness journey, starting prior to CFRT up to the present day.

Growing up I would say that I was an active kid.  I always participated in some sort of sport until high school when having a job became more important.  As an adult I always “dabbled” in exercise.  I say dabbled because I would have a good run – working out regularly and eating well – lose some weight, get to a goal and then go right back to old habits and end up where I started off or worse.  It happened over and over.  I believe the reason this kept happening was because I never found an activity that I enjoyed enough to really want to do it.  I was exercising because I thought that I had to NOT because I wanted to.  CFRT has been a total game changer for me in this regard.  I really ENJOY it.  I tell people I have never been excited about exercising until joining CFRT.  It does not feel like exercise – IT IS FUN.