Athlete Of The Month

 

Stephanie Odegaard

 

Growing up I was always in some kind of a sport, starting with the stereotypical gymnastics as a small child. I have bounced around to practically every sport imaginable and grew up loving the team mentality. I starting taking sports seriously in high school and was pretty much in a sport every season ranging from basketball to the swim team. I thrived for the competition and discovered I am actually a very competitive person. I ended up getting married very early in life (pretty much right after high school) and because of that didn’t continue my sports career into college. Being young and married I didn’t quite have a grasp on the fact that when you are constantly in sports and young, you can eat whatever you want and not have to deal with consequences like weight gain. Well, I slowly learned that lesson throughout college when I would eat whatever I wanted (including raw cookie dough) without being active, and sure enough the pounds crept on. I first realized I was on a path to serious weight gain when I saw a picture of myself about a year after I had gotten married with a mini double chin. Thus began my search for an enjoyable physical activity.

I started by running on the treadmill occasionally which quickly grew old. I ended up bouncing around between a few commercial gyms and felt like a lost child in a foreign place. With all the machines and treadmills and elliptical machines, I simply did a few exercises that I saw others doing then would jump on the elliptical for a little while hoping something would come of it. Needless to say I didn’t see the results I was looking for and quickly got discouraged and gave up on the exercise quest.

In 2006 I had a daughter named Hailey and instantly loved being a mom. Unfortunately having a baby didn’t help my physical fitness situation. Post delivery I was on my quest again to find something to get me back in shape.

In 2007 I joined LA Weight Loss and found that it was a band-aid on a gaping wound. Simply eating differently wasn’t enough to make changes in my body, I needed to move my body and actually break a sweat.

Then in 2008 I joined LA Fitness and even paid (a lot of money I might add) for a personal trainer, thinking with someone telling me what to do, I would have a rock star body in no time. I went to my first session and thought things went well and even needed help going up and down stairs the next day. I loved it, the soreness meant I was making progress. But I found that even with a personal trainer, they were unable to push me hard enough so that I would get that sore feeling after every workout. My body soon adapted to the mild workouts and soon I was barely even breaking a sweat anymore. Then in 2009 my husband joined the Marine Corps and we moved out to Stafford, VA and I discontinued my “relationship” with LA Fitness.

A few months after being in Stafford my husband came home talking about this thing called CrossFit and how some of his friends loved it because it was such an intense workout. I was intrigued and starting looking online. I first found the main site (crossfit.com) and read all about it. I loved what I was reading and proceeded to try and find an affiliate near me. That is when I found CrossFit Spotsy and talked to Lisa on the phone for the first time. I went in a few days later for my first complementary workout and did GI Jane. Holy cow. It was exactly what I was looking for. It was the first time since high school I was fall on the floor exhausted after the workout. I was hooked and signed up almost right away. Ever since I haven’t looked back. I have seen great improvements in my level of physical fitness since being at Spotsy and the coaches are phenomenal at pushing you outside of your comfort zone to achieve your next level of fitness. When I first joined I was barely able to do a few pull-ups on the green band and a few weeks ago I got my first pullup with NO band!

CrossFit has also been great in helping me with my nutrition. Through CrossFit I have been introduced to The Paleo Diet and a whole new approach to eating well! I have definitely noticed a huge difference in my performance at the gym when following The Paleo Diet, in addition to seeing amazing changes in my body that I didn’t think were possible after having a baby!

Unfortunately with my husband being in the military we have received PCS orders to a new location so I must leave Spotsy, but everyone there will always have a special place in my heart and I will always remember Spotsy as my first CrossFit gym. I am looking forward to other achievements I will make on my path with CrossFit and know I am now a CrossFitter for life. Thank you to all the coaches and fellow athletes for making CrossFit such an enjoyable experience, even though the WOD’s are killer. I will miss you all.

 

Previous Athletes of the Month

January 2010
October 2009
September 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009