The tutus, rhinestones, and hair spray eventually gave way to other sports–from little league baseball to swimming to volleyball, it seemed like I was always playing some sport or another.

When I went off to college, my usual routines were shaken by new priorities, and I gained the freshman 30! I eventually joined the San Luis Obispo Women’s Rugby team and thrived on the camaraderie. Not unlike CrossFit, we’d work through pain and exhaustion, support each other, and high five our teammates and rivals at the end of each match.

I encountered my first (and ONLY, before Hale) CrossFit workout one night during rugby practice. Five rounds, starting every 4 minutes: 400m run, 50 squats, 10 burpees. I was hunched over and retching by the second round. Mind blown. I thought I was at least in OK shape.

I was spending $80 on burritos each month. I slept 5 hours a night, if I was lucky, and I’d prop myself up for the day with multiple energy drinks. Twenty-year-old me didn’t feel like a trainwreck!

After college, I moved to Tahoe and spent four years working at Kirkwood. I hiked, skied, and spent plenty of time outdoors, but I again, wasn’t able to outrun the number of pizza rolls and beers I was stuffing into my face and I was still carrying around the extra weight from my college days and then some.

I eventually decided to get a “real” job and moved to Berkeley, and I promptly made it my mission to eat and drink ALL of the delicious things I could find!

Desk job + lots of GREAT food – skiing = Heidi hit 200 lbs.

By January 2012, I was over it. I hated how tired I was. I hated that I couldn’t keep up on hikes and activities I used to enjoy. I hated how I looked and I fought with loved ones when they’d bring up their concerns.

I enlisted the help of a personal trainer and lost 35 lbs in about 6 months. I worked my ass off in the gym 5 days a week and religiously completed and logged my training and nutrition homework.

Work became too busy, and I was no longer able to keep my lunchtime gym routine. I found CrossFit Hale shortly after Jay and Tina opened the doors in November 2013. I was absolutely leveled by the first “baseline” workout, but Jay assured me that if I showed up consistently, I’d see results.

Life got easier. The knee pain and nagging shoulder and back pain from my desk job went away. I kept the weight off and started to see muscle definition. AND, I could squat and my knee didn’t explode!

I began coaching in August 2014 and left my “real” job to be at Hale full time in early 2015. I am so thankful that I get to wake up each day and help our athletes hit their goals and their potential. I love making fitness and health fun and approachable–whether it’s your first day working toward your goals, or you’ve been working at this for years, there’s always something to improve and celebrate.

Have a question for Coach Heidi? Email her at heidi@halefitness.com