I had been reading about CrossFit online and watching videos on the CrossFit website. It was over a year of thinking and learning about CrossFit before I joined. I wanted to be able to learn how to perform the exercises I was seeing online. I had never done any olympic lifting, gymnastic or kettlebells before. I was amazed by how hard everyone worked and then how good they felt after finishing a workout, even though they were exhausted.

After 15 years or so of not doing any exercise, I was starting to move on my own. I was diagnosed with Celiac disease a few years prior to joining. I started feeling better once I stopped eating gluten. It got me thinking about what else I needed to be doing to feel better and to take care of myself. I also had not infrequent bouts of back pain that would make any type of activity difficult for days to a week or longer.

Since joining CrossFit Central I have seen gains in strength and endurance. I play soccer and am able to keep going strong the entire game and use that to my advantage. Overall I feel better in general. I have learned the importance of diet and through the guidance I have received at CrossFit Central I realized that the way I was eating was not doing my body any good in the short or long term. The health I feel day to day translates into a foundation for longevity without the common health problems that seem to be all around me as people age. I think about how I am 48 but don't feel like someone nearing 50. I feel as if I keep getting healthier as opposed to feeling older where you would expected to slowly lose your health.

With anything activity that could be considered unpleasant I know that if keep on going I will reach the end and will better off for it. So much of CrossFit is mental and I am still working on improving that aspect. No matter what you are doing, having the right attitude makes a tremendous difference. You can always give a little bit more it seems. There is so much more to be gained by giving your all instead of going through the motions.