Lena

The inspirational stories just keep rolling in. Lena’s passion and personality at the gym is infectious to say the least. We asked her to share her journey (as well as some progress shots), needless to say she has come a long way! We are very proud to have been a part of this journey.

“My weight loss journey started with a check-up at the doctors where I weighed in over 100kgs. I was eating a block of chocolate most nights before going to bed and some days for breakfast. I was working in between homes for the disability so I was always on the road. This meant regular stops at drive throughs for lunch and dinner. I found Rnamuk fitness in 2012 and I quickly lost 20kgs in about 6 months. I was on top of the world. My friend approached me and told me to look up CrossFit so I did. Instantly I wanted to try it. Always looking to challenge myself I found myself at a box and I fell in love. A few weeks in and my body began to crumble. My knees swelled up, pain in my shoulder started to come back (after many dislocations playing college sports). Went back to the doctor and she told me I had a osteo-arthritis. High intensity exercise was out of the question. Any impact on the knee meant days on the couch.

I then found CFCN in Feb 2014 and I was determined to prove her wrong. I couldn’t squat, box jump, lunge, run and I told coach Josh that at my one on one consultation. To my surprise he reassured me that they can help fix my injuries and I was excited.
Under the watchful eye of the coaches I quickly built the muscles around my knee. Slowly but surely I started to see progress. In a matter of months I was squatting, lunging and even attempted the box jump. Life was good.

My mentor Vu then hit me up about my nutrition. I had to do a food log, weigh in and get measured. Nutrition seminars helped me think outside the box when it came to food. I began to see results and today I am 10kgs lighter than I was when I walked through the door.

Goal setting was always a good talking point with my regular chats with my mentor and I was given a program to achieve a strict pull-up cos I wanted to learn kipping pull-ups. Grinding through the program was hard work. After many weeks sticking to the program I got one. One turned to 2 and by the end of 2014 I had 5 under my belt. It was best feeling achieving something so out of reach months before and I was just overwhelmed.

Along the way there was always a new injury. I am a clumsy person but a determined one at that. My shoulder dislocated and I was quickly referred to Activ Therapy. Constant physio and a program from my mentor helped me to strengthen my shoulder and upper body. Days on end I would come in early determined to lift over-head again and I succeeded. I had to start from the bottom again though and it was hard mentally. The bar was heavy overhead and there were days where I was frustrated and felt defeated. I would go home and re-group and come back and hit it again. My mentor pulled me aside and acknowledged that he could see what was happening and made reassurances that he would help me push through. And he did. I had to change my mental game. Stay focused. I began to see progress, numbers in weights were rising my cardio was slowing improving.

Today I am fitter, stronger and happier than I was yesterday. CFCN has been a blessing in disguise. The team at 365 performance has this level of professionalism that is uncanny, amazing and pure inspirational. They are all different in their level of expertise which is a big asset. I can have a chat to each one of them and learn 5 different things about my fitness journey. I believe that’s the best thing about CFCN. They exert excellence and pride. They are diligent and their knowledge not only for CrossFit but for fitness as a whole is impressive.

In saying that the CFCN community is the way that it is because of the way they lead this box. Walking into the box I am guaranteed that I will get a smile, a hello, a hug or even a high five because that’s the vibe of CFCN. A friendly environment no matter what size shape or colour you are. The support for each other is like no other. I believe that CFCN has changed my life for the better, mentally and physically. Today I am better than yesterday.”