I am so proud of this lady! When she first walked through the CFU doors, she really didn’t know what to expect and she kept asking if she could really do CrossFit. Yes, Michelle…You CAN! And look what she says about her past 3 months at CFU…
āThis is long and both a brag and a thank youā¦
3 months ago I was the heaviest Iāve ever been outside of being pregnant.
It wasnāt so much the number on the scale that bothered me but that fact that I was lethargic all the time, my clothes didnāt fit, and I was being controlled by my addiction to sugar.
I had been telling myself for months that I needed to make a change but one day would pass into the next and I couldnāt muster the motivation.
One day I was scrolling through FB and an ad popped up for CFU. Not sure what it was but something “clicked” that this was it.
In less than 3 minutes I was signed up for a consultation and it has been the best split second decision I have ever made.
The first few workouts I had lots of WTF have I gotten myself into thoughts (honestly, I still have lots of those thoughts) but I stuck with it, even in quarantine, and in 3 months I have lost 16 lbs and 10% body fat, but more importantly I have energy for the people and things I love.
I still have a ton of goals to achieve, like maybe one day in the future (far, far, away) being able to do a HSPU, or lift more than 60 #ās, or hang from the rig for more than 15 seconds, but for now, I truly feel Unstoppable.
Big thanks to Debbie for all that she does day in and day out to motivate all of us and to all the coaches, especially the D&E coaches ā David, Haley and Aaron ā for always being patient as you show me once again the correct way to do something and always pushing me to do a little more than I think I am capable of.
And thanks to all the members for always cheering me on. I didnāt know that CFU was what I needed but I am so glad I walked through the doors!ā
Michelle, we will help you reach your goals…just keep showing up and doing the work! Your hard work and dedication is definitely paying off!
If you would like to achieve similar goals, book a No Sweat Intro with us and we will help you get there! Happy Tuesday!
Rest days…some people are good at them, some are not; that’s the plain honest truth. When I talk rest, I mean not doing a hard work and giving your body a day or two to recover. Some people like to workout at CFU all week then take the weekends off and maybe go for a walk or run. Others may go 6 days on with just one day off. Everyone is different; the key here is to listen to your body.
Today I did just that, well kinda…Yesterday I had a pretty tough workout which included 80 heavy lunges and my backside let me know this morning that they were heavy! So, instead of doing 63 wallballs along with some burpees and rowing, I decided to workout my lungs instead on a cardio challenge workout that we posted. Our gym is a bit unique in that we have 2-3 options to choose from when you go to the gym.
This is because everyone has different goals and abilities. I like to think that our members are more apt to show up because of these choices and it is better in the long run for all of our goals. Had I done the regular workout, I probably wouldn’t have been able to walk right for a few days š Don’t laugh, it’s probably happened to you as well! š
Post-recovery…what do you do? Stretch…mobility…protein…recovery drink…all of the above? We all should be doing this! I’m guilty of not stretching the right way after a workout as I’m usually busy going from appointment to class to appointment to whatever…It gets pretty hectic, but one thing that I have found that does help a bit faster for me are recovery drinks. I prefer the O2+ which is a non-carbonated, oxygen infused drink with CBD recovery in it!
Our gym recently participated in the #stayformay campaign and O2 was gracious enough to help out the members by selling the cases online for 1/2 price; our gym also got a few extra cases as an incentive for participating. All in all, it was a WIN-WIN situation because we got to save money AND we have a great recovery drink for our tough workouts.
Take the listening to your body and taking a rest day, stretching and a recovery drink here and there and you’re bound to set yourself up for success! It doesn’t do anyone any good to workout if you don’t have any fuel in the tank! I’ll go more into that later in the week! Hope you all had a great Monday! š
Happy Independence Day! How are you celebrating? BBQ, Fireworks, a few drinks? All of the above for me, but I’m going to keep it under control š
Many people use the summer months as an excuse to let things slide a little bit (some – a LOT!). We see a lot of this in our profession around the holiday months as well and the rationale behind the excuses really isn’t acceptable. Why? Because to get decent results with exercise and nutrition, one can eat pretty clean 80% of the time and workout 3-4 times per week. If they choose to tighten up the reins a bit then they will see even better results.
I’ve been on my “latest” fitness journey for 10 years now and I have had those days and months even when I’ve gotten off track. Many think that progress is only hard at the beginning of the journey; I’m here to tell you, that just isn’t true…things come up which try to derail you. You lose focus and you need to find your way back. You get too comfortable after losing 50# then slowly the weight comes back on because an extra bite here or there won’t hurt, right? Do you know what I’m talking about?
Progress is definitely not a straight line either! There will be ups and downs throughout one’s health journey, but the main thing is to NOT focus on the setbacks and forge on towards a healthier future! Are you better than yesterday? Are you better than you were a year ago? If not, set some new goals and set out to reach them and see where you end up in a week, a month, a year…Build healthy habits and watch your success happen!
Put in the work and it will work for you! If you want progress and transformation, then get yourself back on track and make things happen-You are worth it! If you need some extra guidance and accountability, let us know and we can get you started! We want to help people with their journeys!
When taking the Level 1 certification, trainers go through lectures dealing with health, wellness and nutrition. One of the lectures involved was the “Sickness-Wellness-Fitness” continuum. If you have never seen it before, I will try and find a picture to post. Anyway, when the virus started making the news, little was said about underlying conditions and those being “sick” would have a higher chance of contracting the virus.
I put myself on that little scale, and to be honest, if I play my cards right and follow protocol then I shouldn’t contract the virus because I am in the Wellness-Fitness level. Some of my family members are not however and this worries me. What can help a person get to that “Fitness” area of the scale?? Working out and eating healthy, that’s what!
But how do we get our loved ones to change? I usually feel like a nag when I question poor eating choices or lack of movement…the best I can do right now is offer suggestions and set a good example. Little changes can make a big difference so keep setting a good example for your families! You never know who you will inspire!
Make sure you are investing your time wisely for your physical and mental health. Having extra stressors in your life can counteract what you are doing on the physical side. Just like we like to say, you can’t out train a bad diet, same goes with dealing with mental and emotional struggles; although working out does help with this! So keep up the good work and log those minutes whatever you are doing!
Need some extra accountability, find a friend and let them know that you want to change for the better; I’d suggest someone outside of your household too. Plan on meeting at the gym or the park for a workout or just a walk. You can also have a nutrition accountability partner…what are you going to have for dinner? Did you buy ice cream at the store?? Remember what your goals are!! Write them on post-it notes and put them around the house, your car, at work; heck even in the fridge! Let someone know what those goals are so they can help you reach them!
About a month ago (and you can check my Instagram page) I put up 21-day Mental Health/Stress Management tips; I suggest you go back to that and start on day one so you can get a handle on the mental side of bettering your health. I hope these ideas help you somewhat in realizing what needs to happen in order to get you closer to “there” (I think deep down we want to be in the “fitness” realm!) Let me know if I can help with anything else! I’m here for you!
Pretty sure I won today! š Does anyone else dread Mondays come Sunday evening? You start getting anxious and start worrying about your to do list and what’s waiting for you at work…I know that probably happens to many of you. It does to me sometimes as well, but this weekend I went in with a plan.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail…you’ve heard that one right? It is pretty true. If you go haphazardly about your day and don’t have a plan in mind, then all hell can break loose and you end up either starting over or beating yourself up.
The other day I wrote about worrying about what you can control. This has helped my mental state…I know when I have to wake up, I know what I’m going to eat for my meals and I know when I want to do my workout. What I can’t control is actions from other people like the person who pulled out in front of me this morning and then proceeded to take the next right. Grrr, but I couldn’t let it deter my mental state, my plan was to go forward and WIN Monday! So…
I GOT TO workout early this morning at Open Gym.
I GOT TO welcome 20 young volleyball players into the gym for their volleyball clinic.
I GOT TO buy a person’s breakfast in the drive thru line.
I GOT TO coach the noon class and watch a brother/sister duo do the same workout just at different abilities.
I GOT TO have lunch out (Chic-fil-a…I know not the best choice but hadn’t had it FOREVER! š ).
I GOT TO get my haircut and pray for my hairdresser who is battling cancer š
I GOT TO go back to the gym and tackle the regular workout all by my lonesome…sometimes when you workout by yourself it gets a little lonely and you don’t push as much, but today’s workout was a mental battle and although I didn’t win the doubleunder battle, I still won because I didn’t quit!
I GOT TO coach 2 up and coming sophomores on the volleyball court this afternoon and I can’t wait to see what they do on the court!
I GOT TO talk to a member who just lost his wife; he is doing good and is ready to get back to the gym…I get to pray for him and his family.
I GOT TO coach the 4:30 class and razz them a bit…these classes, these people, all help me win my days! They are my Tribe! š
I GOT TO coach my 5th/6th grade volleyball team to a sweep tonight! 3 wins – AGAIN! They have improved so much!
Finally, I GOT TO come home to dinner cooked for me (spaghetti squash and meat sauce – a little bit more healthy than lunch š )
OH! And I GOT to write this! Not even sure anyone reads these, but I’m on a little streak…15 days straight of posting on the blog!
My point being in all of this…Look at all of the WINS you have and the things you GET TO do that maybe others can’t experience! If you look on the bright side of things and continue to look for the wins then life gets a little bit brighter and you will continue to help develop a more positive mindset!
Why CrossFit?? Read below on why Unstoppable is a CrossFit gym.
IĀ founded CrossFit Unstoppable in October of 2011 with our first WOD being on 11/28/11. In 2010, I found CrossFit for myself because a friend introduced me to it.
I was intrigued how a combination of exercises in a short duration of time could get me results so I set out to see what it could do for me!
I haven’t looked back since; I began my 5 session foundations at CrossFit United in Columbia, MO and then proceeded to attend classes as much as I could from August 2010 – March 2011 (when I decided to obtain my Level 1 certification).
CrossFit in 2010 wasnāt quite the same CrossFit you see on TV now. I did become addicted to watching the Games that year through streaming on the internet…It was crazy exciting! Back then, CrossFit was just coming into the “limelight” and it was starting to be a craze! I think the whole factor of the mixing up the movements on the daily and things being different is what appealed to people the most, especially myself! The whole CrossFit movement felt right; get fit and have FUN at the same time! It was like a whole new ballgame every day and we set out to compete against ourselves on a daily basis. Thatās still the CrossFit we practice at Unstoppable: We take what works and and keep working on what makes us better.
When we opened up in 2011, there were maybe 5,000 affiliates in the world; now there are over 15,000! Why? Because the program WORKS and it’s FUN! Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this?? Plus, I’ve found some of my best friends through CrossFit! š
With the growth of CrossFit there has come a lot of diversity. Our gym is a community of like-minded individuals who want to get fit and have fun. We do not judge based on your size, your gender or race and we consider everyone as family when you walk into our doors.
Every year at CrossFit Unstoppable, we do the CrossFit Open. Worldwide, the Open is the first stage of qualification for the CrossFit Games. But we make it fun, have theme nights and after parties following each night. It’s a great way to test our strengths (and weaknesses) against the best in the world!
Sometimes, members of the CFU family like to do competitions which helps bring our community togethere as well. I’ve done a few too and it’s fun to test your fitness with like-minded individuals. However at my young age of 52, I might be hanging it up and just “compete” amongst friends at the gym and support those who go on to compete in the bigger competitions š
Another area of diversity in the CrossFit community is workout design. Before CrossFit, I was stuck with 3 days of weight training and 3 days of cardio…3 sets of 12 reps of DB flyes, tricep extensions, curls, etc… B-O-R-I-N-G! I’m happy to say that our “programming” of workouts make things a whole lot more interesting than your typical gym. We want people to be excited to test their fitness especially on a new movement or maybe get a better score than the last time they completed that workout.
CFU is a little different in their programming in that we provide at least 2 workouts (WOD’s) per day for athletes to choose from; as stated before we do not judge people based on anything they do and we understand that everyone has different goals. If someone wants to do a more intense cardio workout then he/she may choose our Endurance WOD or FitWOD for the day. Choices are what sets CrossFit Unstoppable apart from other gyms and I believe that our athletes are better for it!
I always point out to the athletes that if the workouts were easy, then everyone would be doing it! Can anyone do CrossFit? Yes! My 73 year old Dad and 74 year old Aunt are a part of my “Masters” class. They do similar workouts, just not at the weights or intensity of our regular classes…So YES, YOU CAN!
Our trainers do not expect perfect form and movement, but they will coach you to help you become better than yesterday! We just want our athletes to show up on a regular basis so they can get better and reach their goals. We challenge our athletes daily and we only want the best for them!
I love being a CrossFit gym. Weāre now in our 9th year as a CrossFit affiliate and I wouldn’t have it any other way! I’ve dropped into other CF gyms around the country and while they have the same “community feel” nothing beats having your own CrossFit family waiting for you back home.
Most people at CrossFit Unstoppable do group classes but we also offer 1:1 services. Either way you choose, we just want to help change your life! Ā Start with a free, intro visit by booking here >> Let’s Do This!
Finish the sentence…it pours, right? Seems like that’s what it has been like since January. One thing after another seems to be popping up and a lot of time we can lose our focus.
A quote that comes to mind is by Maya Angelou-“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” Sounds simple, but do you do that?
Focus on what you CAN control as it can change your life. I was sitting out on the back porch (only 80 degrees so was pretty nice) and then the storm blew in…the weather is something I can’t control so I picked myself up out of the chair and just watched the storm blow past. I see sunshine now -You have to go through the storms to see the rainbows š I changed my attitude about that storm and thought about something better.
Your mindset is a powerful thing-be positive, be persistent and be THAT person that people want to be around. Try being the most enthusiastic person in the room and see what happens…I tell you, it will start a ripple effect and it makes you a happier person as well. YOU are in control of your own happiness.
How you go about your work at home and the workforce is something you can control as well. You can proceed to be negative towards your job or how your home situation is, but like the quote mentioned, is there anything that you can change about it? Can YOU be the bigger person and go above and beyond to cause change instead of complaining? I always like to say “get to” instead of “have to”…So next time you say I have to cook dinner or I have to workout, remind yourself that you have food to cook and a body that has the ability to workout!
The Golden Rule is something you can control as well…be kind and treat others the way you want to be treated. There is so much hostility going on in the world; be the change you want to see in the world and let’s make this place a better world to live! Pay-It-Forward!
Do you have control over how you treat your body? Do you: Eat Clean? Get adequate sleep? Drink enough water? Stay active daily? Read? Listen to motivational music/podcasts? Avoid negativity? Meditate? Your mind and body is the best investment you can make these days! Take care of yourself!
Lastly, keep this quote in mind when dealing with life: “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it”~Charles Swindoll
Have a great Saturday and focus on controlling the “rain” š
Elana has come soooo far in that past 18 months! She is a single mom of two adorable little girls and she sets a GREAT example for them! She is the “Queen of the Machines” and is a force to be reckoned with when she shows up on a daily basis.
“I just have to say, I am so so happy I took the leap and tried out the whole CrossFit thing. It’s been the biggest blessing and I always look forward to it! I can’t ever see myself not doing it!”~Elana
Everyone at CFU is proud of the accomplishments that Elana has made and we look forward to what she accomplishes next! Keep on being Amazing, E! š
Let’s go back to 2009, well I’ll take you there anyway. I was teaching PE and coaching at Trinity Lutheran School; had been teaching or coaching in some fashion since graduating college in 1990 (yep, I’m THAT old!) During all of that time, I had 3 wonderful kids and was losing myself. I’m sure all the moms out there know what I’m talking about.
The first week of December I found myself depressed, lacking energy and not at all happy with my body or how I felt about myself. I knew it was time for a change. So I went back to a method that I knew worked and logged onto the Body for Life Community group online. There I met hundreds of like-minded individuals who were all wanting to change their bodies and minds.
I went into this venture weighing 215 and about 42% body fat; I was thoroughly disgusted with myself and I NEEDED to get back to the real me again. Having been an athlete all my life, I knew what needed to be done, but didn’t have the accountability or discipline to get it done. This is where the group came in…we’d log on in the mornings and chime in with the workouts/nutrition that were planned for our day. We even named the group “The Coffee Crew” š
Fast forward 12 weeks (the length of the “challenge”) and I was down about 15# and several inches! Feeling better but not quite there so I did another 12 weeks and started running and with that entered my first 5K! I think the attention to nutrition and the running really helped with my results that go around because I was down another 18# and felt STRONG! At this point I was leaner but not quite to where I wanted to be so a 3rd challenge was started. I was starting to lose motivation because the same monotonous exercises and cardio was wearing on me. Then an online friend mentioned that she was going to try this new type of fitness, CrossFit. I had never heard of it…
So I googled it and saw that there was a CrossFit Kids program! Cool, I could use it for my PE kids! Then my friend, Michelle challenged me to one of the workouts; I think it was deadlifts and burpees. She gave me her time to beat and being the competitive person that I am, set out to beat her…Well, that workout crushed me but that’s when I fell in love with CrossFit. (I beat her score by the way š ) So during this time of doing the mainsite workouts and some workouts she gave me from the gym she was going to I decided to see if there were any CF gyms around me. At the time, July 2010 there was one in St. Louis that was offering a foundations to CrossFit to where I could get started. I went to register one weekend and something held me back. The following week, CrossFit United in Columbia, MO popped up on the map and I scheduled my first CrossFit experience!
I was HOOKED…here I was teaching and coaching in Jefferson City then driving 45 minutes to a CrossFit class 2-3 times a week! I continued with the CF and running and finished the last 12 week challenge losing another 20# and dropping to 15.1% body fat. By far the best results and I finally felt comfortable in my own skin. In October of 2010, some of the Coffee Crew from that online group got together in Nashville and Michelle and I toyed around with going to get our Level 1 certifications. I really only wanted it so I could use the name of CrossFit for my kids in PE; I never dreamed that I would soon own a business.
So Michelle and I registered for our certs, mine in March 2011 and hers April 2011. Once I received my certification I did incorporated CFKids workouts with my PE kids, but then people (especially moms) started asking what I was doing to lose the weight and look so healthy. Then I told them the story and that’s where Mid-MO Fitness was born. I was running some boot camps in the early morning and one in the evening. During the summer we would have off site random meetings of “Fun” and after reading more into the affiliation process and presenting it to my bootcampers, I decided to apply for affiliation to own my own affiliate. Never in a million years did I think I could run a business. But nine years later, here we are…We are Mid-MO Fitness dba CrossFit Unstoppable; Wow, what a ride it has been!
The business was started because people asked me how I could help them. I’m in the business of helping people, I want people to succeed, I want people to feel good about themselves and their bodies, I want people to be role models for their children, I want people to be around for their grandkids, I want people to be healthier and happier, and last but not least, I want people to strive every day to be Better Than Yesterday!
This endeavor has ALWAYS been about the people and the community and will continue to be so. My mission is to make our world healthier and happier one day, one workout and one rep at a time.
If you would like some help, reach out…I’m here for EVERYONE! š
What: A 12-week nutrition/wellness/fitness challenge that will take you further than youāve been before in your lifeā¦Why 12 weeks? Because 4 weeks isnāt enoughā¦6 weeks isnāt enoughā¦8 weeks isnāt enoughā¦12 is just enough for you to start seeing the differences in your physique and overall health. 84 Days will take you beyond your expectationsā¦IF you are willing to COMMIT! Are you committed? Are you ready to transform? Are you ready to be the best you that you can be? Then COMMIT! Commit to better eatingā¦Commit to better wellnessā¦Commit to changing your LIFE!
When: Kick-Off meetingĀ is Monday, May 4th at 6:30pmĀ Ā Ā The Challenge will begin on Monday, May 11 and end on Sunday, August 2nd. The week in between the meeting and beginning will give you a chance to PREPARE for success. It will also give you a chance to ask questions of the veterans of these types of challenges.
Where: Meeting will take place at CFU (bring a chair if you want to be comfy)ā¦Workouts will take place at CFU AND on your own when you canāt make it to the box.
Why: Because I believe that you want to make permanent changes to your lifestyleā¦I believe that you want to feel betterā¦I believe that you want to look betterā¦I believe that with this support system you WILL and CAN succeed! I BELIEVE IN YOU! So join us!
Cost: Free to members, but you will be asked to WORK at thisā¦no hand holdingā¦there will be encouragement, but there will be no rides on a Pity Party trainā¦Life happens and things will get in the way, but with this challenge, I hope to help out your mindset and get to the heart of your nutrition woes. So are you ready? Then Iāll see you at the meeting!
CANāT MAKE THE MEETING? Iām hoping to video tape and post to my YouTube channel for all the details. There will be forms to download and print off ā>this is on you to keep track of what needs to be printed, copied, tracked and reportedā¦If you want it bad enough then you will do the work!
WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE MEETING ON MONDAYā¦A basic overview of nutrition and how whole foods works for your bodyā¦discuss some personal goalsā¦cover how much to eat and how oftenā¦cover basic supplements and water intakeā¦perform the baseline workout (yes, come dressed to do a short workout)ā¦you will be weighed and measured (every 4 wks)ā¦you will have your before picture takenā¦You will be joining an AWESOME group of people who are ready to support each and every one of you so get ready for the ride of your life!! š
GOT FACEBOOK? If so, then you will be put into our private nutrition groupā¦If you are not my friend, please send a request so I can get you in the group! Much of our inspiration, motivation and recipes occur within this group.
Other Questions?? Save them for the meeting or your āmentorāāmore on that later š
