I joined CrossFit on the recommendations from my business partner and some clients from Dallas. We had worked out together for years and when I left Dallas to move back to my home to Austin they had found CrossFit and suggested I look up a box in Austin. I held off for a few years, but finally in early 2013 I finally made it to CrossFit Central Downtown.

I had never been one to equate emotional or mental issues to a fitness plan until I began CrossFit. I failed to understand the correlation until I began the classes and realized the intensity needed to be successful as you gravitate to new PR’s with different lifts and workouts. Even though I am a confident person, one can never underestimate the smile you have when others around you notice you have changed your life through fitness. I am striving to be an uber competitive golfer over the next 10 years, and to make this a possibility and achieve my own athletic accomplishments, I knew I needed to be stronger.

On March 23rd, 2013 after a month of classes with my Coach Karen Pierce we had just finished our WOD and she made a comment that changed my life and became a challenge. At the time I don’t believe that Karen fully realized the impact of the question she asked. It went something like this, “Greg you have all the ability to do this better than your current pace, what would you like to accomplish with your WOD’s?” This is a fairly simple question but the fact that she cared enough to ask was a sign that she had and still has my best interest in mind. So on March 23rd we agreed that Karen would understand my goals and I would do what she said, no questions asked!

The following day KP sent me to a nutrition meeting and said paleo from now on, and told me we will be taking my measurements the following week. When she gave me the results of 28% body fat and 245 lbs I knew she was right. I gave her 2 simple goals for me: #1 I wanted to fit in size 36 pants (I was wearing a size 40 at the time) and #2 I wanted to be able to do a kipping pull-up, just ONE! I could only hang on the bar for a few seconds and not even move up to even attempt a pull up. Today I wear size 34 shorts, 36 pants, and I can do 5 unbroken kipping pull ups.

Lost 30 lbs., 5 inches and over 8% body fat

So now we are on to some new goals and my trust in KP, Teo, Nicki, Big Mike, Ben F., Ben H., Jessica E., Meg, Jess P and Taylor has soared. I have managed thousands of people in my career, made hundreds of millions of dollars for businesses and spoken at corporate meetings for years! If business owners and managers could harness the same dedication that these coaches have from their employees, making money in business would be simple. My wife Morgan is a fan as well now and she has been in Jessica Estrada’s M/W/F class for about 6 months.

Since joining CrossFit Central, confidence in my classes has soared because I have learned to #1 Check my ego at the door, #2 I have the confidence that I can now achieve some of the movements that 4 months ago I would have laughed at attempting.