KIRSTEN ROLDAN

I knew I wanted to join a gym again because the strongest I ever felt was when I was doing CrossFit. Returning to CrossFit felt like the right choice to help me regain that strength.

Before joining CrossFit Central, I struggled emotionally, physically, and mentally. Emotionally, I felt like a failure after gaining 80 pounds during the pandemic. Physically, despite working out consistently, I felt completely unfit. Mentally, I felt defeated and worried I’d never feel like myself again. My goals were to lose the pandemic weight, regain my CrossFit skills, and get consistent with training again.

Since joining the community, I’ve lost 90 pounds—more than I even gained during the pandemic. I’ve gone from being the slowest in my classes to keeping up with other athletes, which feels incredible.

Beyond the physical results, I’ve experienced profound mental and emotional growth. I’ve become much stronger mentally because I feel like myself again. I’ve always been disciplined, athletic, and consistent, but I lost that for a few years. Now, I’m so proud of myself for never giving up, even when it was hard.

When I first started doing classes again, it was difficult to hear people ask if it was my first time doing CrossFit. I felt completely out of place, extremely quiet, and reserved. I would even wear a hat to hide the tears I shed during workouts from feeling weak and embarrassed. To help myself rebuild, I decided to work 1:1 with Eva because I wanted a "buddy" at the gym and needed to refine my basic skills to feel more confident in classes. That decision was one of the best I’ve ever made!

To date, I’ve achieved a weight loss of 90 pounds, and I’m so proud of how far I’ve come. CrossFit Central has been a transformative journey, both physically and mentally, and I’m grateful to be part of this community.