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Health & Fitness

TriMountain CrossFit, changing lives in Durham-Middlefield

Even though TriMountain CrossFit in Durham has only been open a short time it is already having a positive impact on it's members. Janina's (TriMountain member) enthusiasm and attitude are infectious. She's only been with us a short time and her fitness has skyrocketed and he's lost 15lbs as well! Thank you for shring your story Janina!

 

"I didn't know what I was in for when I walked through that door".

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I've been a member of the MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club of Durham/Middlefield for almost four years. Back when I joined, I had one child, my daughter Ariana, and I was pregnant with my son. Now I have three children.  My youngest daughter is 15 months now, and acting more like she's 15 years, on some days.  

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I went to checkout our club calendar on Meetup.com and saw that on Tuesday, March 26th, the following was written under the title of TriMountain CrossFit Playdate:  "Merle of the new TriMountain CrossFit on Commerce Circle has invited the MOMS Club to come with our wee ones and play at their new location. This event will be open to the public, so I'll also be advertising on Patch and the Town Times. Bring a friend! The more, the merrier."

Ugh! 11:30am. I wished I could check it out.  Ariana had to be at preschool by 12:30pm though.  But I wanted to know more about CrossFit.  After I dropped Ariana at school, I drove over to Commerce Circle to find TriMountain.  There I met Brian.  He said it was too bad I missed the workout the moms did, but he took the time to explain to me some of the science of CrossFit.  He drew diagrams on the whiteboard and used words I'd heard before such as aerobic, anaerobic, constantly varied, functional movement, and high intensity.  A firehose of information pouring over me, and all I could think was, "This guy really knows what he's talking about.  He's probably a pretty good trainer."

I went home, with the seed of curiosity planted, and I started Googling CrossFit.  The next evening, the pool of blood in the toilet told me I had a miscarriage.  I was barely pregnant at six and a half weeks, but it still hurt.  I needed a change in my life to help cover the pain.  But I didn't want to drown myself in chocolate or ice cream.  I wanted to get back into shape.  I wanted to be healthy.  I watched numerous YouTube videos, read a couple blogs and articles and decided I wanted to get started soon.  But with a cost so much higher than a traditional gym, I was going to need time to convince my husband.  

I started following a Paleo lifestyle on April 1st.  I did it for me, but I also did it for my dad.  He lives with us.  He is diabetic, overweight, and has a list of health issues.  He's also quite sedentary.  After reading Diane Sanfilippo's Practical Paleo, I realized that almost everything I fed him was wrong.  Foods like museli, wheat germ, lowfat yogurt, pasta, bread, peanut butter, cheese, and pretzels were a regular part of his diet.   A lifetime of these foods was likely destroying his digestive tract.  We changed what we ate, and his body started to function better.  Less constipation and weight loss were positive effects of our new eating habits, but the best was that his body started healing itself again.  His wounds that he's had for so long on his arms and legs were actually healing!

On April 25th, the MOMS Club was invited back to TriMountain.  The time was moved up a little to 11:15am.  This was my opportunity to try a real (well, watered-down) workout at the box!  I loved it!  I went back on Monday morning with my coupon I clipped from the local paper to try a free class at TriMountain CrossFit.  I did that 6am class and signed on the dotted line before heading home.  I hadn't worked out that hard since I was in the Navy.  No, scratch that, not since my swim team workouts in college.  I was addicted.

Plenty of people "work out," but they don't see changes in their body they way they want to because their nutrition is out of whack.  I got my nutrition in order first before I started CrossFit.  I think that has helped my body change fairly quickly.  The numbers on the scale (in my opinion) don't reflect my hard work, but I'm not so concerned with the scale anymore.  I like how loose my old jeans are, and how my new ones fit.  

I love feeling strong.  I moved stuff around in my garage to get things out for the annual MOMS Club charity tag sale, and I didn't need to ask for help as I carried bikes, a table, and a random assortment of things to my van.  I love how my kids want to eat salad because they see Mommy eating salad.  I love how my 3-year old and 4-year old attempt to do push-ups and stretches for me when I get home from CrossFit.

CrossFit feels like a team sport.  Everyone is there for each other, cheering the last one to finish strong, no matter what their current level of fitness is.  I'm reminded of college swim meets when I hear how we pull for each other.  There is an element of competition, but mostly with the clock.  Each person has a workout scaled to challenge, yet still meet their level of fitness.  Brian has taught me so much already, and this is only the beginning.  I can tell the difference between a clean, snatch, push press, and a jerk.  I've only been doing CrossFit for just over a month!  I'm on my way to achieving my goal of push-ups without assistance.  Then maybe muscle-ups one day??  

Thank you Brian, for your hard work, encouragement, wisdom, and positive attitude each and every day.  And thanks to Merle and Glenn, too, for building such a great Relentless community in Durham.

 - Janina Eddinger

   Middlefield, CT


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