Heather Before CrossFit/PaleoHeather Williams After CrossFit/Paleo
My name is Heather Williams. I am 32 years old and am married with 4 children. Matthew 11, Colton 10, Hallie 4, and Grant 1. I am a very shy person and don’t really say much until I get to know you. I have always been athletic; In high school I played basketball, ran cross country and track, and played a little softball. After I graduated all that pretty much stopped. I always stayed slim but lost all my muscle. After having my 3rd child at age 28, I noticed a little more weight stayed with me. I always averaged around 130 or 135 lbs and now I was at 145. That isn’t a bad weight by any means but for me it wasn’t what I was use to. After we moved to Bridge City, I became a little lazy and a bit of a couch potato. When I turned 30 I now weighed 162 lbs and I was okay with this. “Why would I need to lose weight?” I thought to myself. “I’m happily married, who would I need to impress?” Then I got pregnant with Grant. I got a little nervous. What was my body going to look like after having 4 kids?
On January 29, 2010 I gave birth to Grant. When I left the hospital I weighed 188lbs. At my 6 weeks check up I weighed 184. All that went through my head was, “ I have only lost 4 lbs in 6 weeks?? WTH!!” I have never had a problem losing the baby weight. Yeah, I’m over 30 and expected to keep about 10lbs or so, but not 22lbs. So I decided it’s time to exercise. I broke out the Billy Blanks Tae Bo DVD’s, went and bought The Firm, went to the gym at lunch and walked on the treadmill, but guess what, I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted. I was now a size 12 and weighed right at 180lbs in April 2010. I thought to myself well I am now the “average American woman” size and I’m just going to have to be okay with it. Then my good friend Christa McDowell told me about this place were some girls she worked with went and it was really hard stuff but they had fun and saw results. So I said “what do I have to lose, let’s do this!!”
We went to a Saturday class and I don’t remember the workout exactly but it involved air squats, sit ups and ring rows. Not hard right? Needless to say, I couldn’t even sit the next day. My body felt as if it was hit by a train, but I needed more! We went back for a free 2 week trial to see if we liked it and of course, I fell in love. I signed on for 2 classes a week because it is hard to get to Beaumont more than that with working and having busy children. Within a small period of time I could see a change. Just going twice a week I was amazed at the results. I used to hate running 400 meters, scratch that, I COULDN’T run 400 meters. I walked every time but eventually it was getting easier.
In June, Neal announced the “Paleo Challenge”. I was so ready for that but too embarrassed to say anything. I knew I could win. I had my mind set that I was going to win, I just had to work up the courage to tell Neal. So on the last day to sign up after class I told him to count me in. On July 1st I started the Paleo diet. My life got even better. I felt good, I had more energy, and I wasn’t tired all the time. It amazed me what food really does to your body. At the end of the 2 month challenge I had lost 18 lbs and 4 inches. I did it!!! Me, Jay Odom, and Kara Anderson were the winners. It was tough but well worth it.
My life has been completely change due to Crossfit. If it wasn’t for Neal introducing it to this area, I would of never known about it. It’s the best thing that has happened to me in a while. I go to work and try to recruit people all the time. They often ask me if I get some sort of incentive and I tell them no, I just enjoy the fact of trying to help someone better themselves. I tell them if they would just try it one time they would see what it’s all about. I sometimes think I probably get on some of their nerves because I talk about it so much. Crossfit is my new drug. I am addicted! I have been doing this for 9 months and now weigh 143lbs and have lost 6 ½ inches just in my waist. I don’t even pay attention to the scale anymore like I did. I see my clothes fitting different and over all I just feel great. I can only imagine what I’ll look like in a years time.
My new dream is to one day be able to help out or even help coach Crossfit and help people with their nutritional needs. If it wasn’t for the coaches and members of Crossfit Beaumont pushing me everyday to do my best plus some, I wouldn’t be were I am today.
