Amanda Helmey

A year ago I was a size larger and what I like to call skinny – fat. CrossFit North Fulton has completely changed me..and for the better! Love this place and these people. ‪#‎cfnf‬ ‪#‎strongisbeautiful‬

Amanda Helmey

Amanda Helmey

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Kara Kitchens

CFNF has changed my life and literally every aspect of it. Prior to joining, thought I was in decent shape. However, I had no idea what that really meant. I have always been pretty active and a part of athletics all through school, including: competitive cheerleading, lacrosse, and track. I tried to maintain exercise throughout college, but I gained the “freshmen 20.” Then moving to a sit down desk job, where the break room was filled with cakes, cookies, and more delicious treats, did not help my situation. I was so unhappy with myself and knew it was time for a change, but wasn’t quite sure of what to do.

Major credit goes to my dearest friend, Jenny Schroeder, for joining. Jenny started working for my company in 2013 and needless to say, that girl has a body! I had to know what she was doing, so I could hopefully look like that too. She invited me to join CFNF’s bootcamp in February of 2013, and I have been a member ever since.

I have learned so much about being “healthy” since starting my crossfit journey. Losing 20 pounds has never felt so good! All of my clothes fit better and I feel better. I will say, I did not have immediate results. It took a few months for me to realize that my diet had to change as well. As soon as I left the fast food, beer, and other junk alone, the weight practically fell off. Another thing I have learned, is how to keep pushing through. In the beginning, I would start slowing down in the WOD’s when I felt my heart rate go up, I was afraid of weight, and really insecure about working out and struggling in front of all the great athletes in the gym. It was their determination and strength that has instilled that same determination and healthy competition in me.

Losing weight and gaining knowledge on overall wellness is great, but not what keeps me coming back. It is the people! Everyone is willing to help, encourage, and be your biggest fan. I have met some of the best people that I am lucky enough to call my best friends, and am now engaged to one of the “Big Dawgs” in the gym. Lucky me. 🙂

A special thanks to Kim and Brad for sharing all of their knowledge and providing helpful tips to increase performance!

Kara Kitchens

Kara Kitchens

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Ben Sawkins

Ben Sawkins

Ben Sawkins

My Crossfit story begins back in 2008 with Brad and Kim putting me through my paces on a short three round workout that took me in excess of 20 minutes. I had walked into the gym thinking I was reasonably strong and fit. I was humbled but also inspired and although it took me a little bit of time, I started doing more and more Crossfit WOD’s. Frustration set in towards the end of 2009 in that I couldn’t do all of the movements Rx and was not making strides in terms of strength, and so in March 2010, I finally sought out Brad and Kim’s expertise and began working out at CFNF. My only regret in Crossfit is that I didn’t reach this point sooner. I’ve been at CFNF for almost two years and have enjoyed every single day of it from my first workout involving medicine ball cleans, double-unders and pistols, to the first time I attended weightlifting class, to my first competition in August 2010 to today and back-squatting a new PR of 360lbs.

Brad, Kim and the CFNF coaching staff invested in me personally, as they do all members, with continued time, support and encouragement, but they have also provided me much more:

  • CFNF is a home away from home for me because of the friendly nurturing environment, that’s why I spend so much time there!
  • I’ve made a ton of new friends, get to work out on a daily basis with a lot of terrific people, have learned new things and have grown as an athlete and a person.
  • Within the confines of CFNF, I get to be the person and athlete I want to be without anyone trying to hold me back, change me or tell me I can’t do something.
  • Perhaps most importantly, the core values I hold dear, hard work, integrity, self-reliance and community are values Brad, Kim and CFNF promote and this is why it is the perfect fit for me.

I came to CFNF with lofty goals in mind, whenever I have doubted myself, Brad and Kim and the CFNF community have set me back on a positive path and here I am today doing things strength wise I never thought I would be able to. As I analyze my life since joining CFNF, the biggest compliment I can pay to Brad and Kim is that I am the best I have ever been and I continue to get better and not just as an athlete.

Special thanks to Brad and Kim for all that they have done for me personally since 2008 and to the CFNF community for making me always feel welcome and a part of things.

Ben.

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Jacklyn Parks

Jacklyn Parks 2009

Jacklyn Parks 2009

Jacklyn Parks 2011 USPA Meet. Deadlifting 308 lbs.

Jacklyn Parks 2011 USPA Meet. Deadlifting 308 lbs.

My relationship with Crossfit NorthFulton started the end of 2009. My best friend was getting married and I didn’t want to be the fat one standing up with her. I went to the crossfit.com site and found an affiliate gym close to my job. I then googled Kim Trego (her email began with kic and I thought that was cool for some odd reason) and saw that she had been involved in different types of fitness. From my google search on Crossfit I had some reservations but my best friend looked great and could do a one armed pushup – I didn’t’ need to know too much more. I called and set up the intro classes (Elements) with Kim Trego. I then started a semi regular workout routine. It hurt a lot and I loved it and I was scared and happy all at the same time. I loved all work outs involving powerlifting and HATED everything else, like burpees, wallballs, running and box jumps.I ended up quitting for 6 which was a big mistake.

Well the feeling I had gotten from my first taste of crossfit did not go away. Kim reached out to see where I was andI blew her off. I then told her I was coming back in. I felt terrible for blowing her off and apologized, got my mind right and started once again. All the time Kim never showed any annoyance and just picked up where we left off. Did I mention I’m slow to warm up to people and didn’t want to ever go to a group class?Well, I did. It was scary. I was last and still am most days but it’s a great feeling to come in last to people who have become friends, to be ahead of your original coach during a wod (yes, you lose in the end but it was fun while it lasted). I had terrible stress and anxiety but showing up to work out each day helped greatly. I hurt my back deadlifting (because I didn’t warm up correctly , even though I was told to and asked if I did (just didn’t answer). I got my PR but I was out for 6 weeks.

2011 was my best crossfit year to date. I got back to 5 days on, cleaned up my diet some and just let go of the body I thought I should have (the 17 year old body). Every single coach and the member have helped me get to this point. The point where I’m better than I was when I started and my attitude and willingness to get out of my own way and succeed has returned. I found my rabbit in Hagler and she pushes me everyday to go harder. In late 2011 due to the inspiration from Pebbles who did a powerlifing competition in 2010, I decided to sign up for a competition. Brad and Pebbles and everyone supported me. It was so boring training and I wanted to do crossfit again but realized that it’s ok to change your goal. Ben a fellow member always encouraged me to just keep going. He coached me on a big PR and would not let me talk myself out of it. The days leading up to my competition the blog was about the competition. The day of the competition Pebbles and Brad showed up and I was sooo happy. They facebooked it. Murph sent me good luck socks and when I came in Monday the box clapped for me. I won my competiton and Deadlifted a new PR of 308 ilbs!

CFNF and Brad and Kim Trego have been awesome. Combined with the other cool personalities of the coaches at CFNF I continue to get out of my comfort zone and do better, not settle. CFNF rocks!!! I’m glad to be a member of this family. New, old, current or slacker, I’ve been it all and they still welcome and support me. If I could list all the people who have helped and inspired me it would be the entire gym lead by the great coaches, Kim, Brad, Pebbles, Meatball and my friends Hagler, Murph, Ben and G-Dog and many others. At some point they’ve all helped me in some way. I continue to train CrossFit each day I can work out and am currently in a competiton with in our gym with my mentor ben and we are doing well and having a BLAST.

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Diane McKinney

Diane McKinney - CrossFit North Fulton Success StoryMy Crossfit journey began in April 2010, when a bone density test
showed a severe degree of Osteopenia/bordeline Osteoporosis. At that
same time I was also stepping into Menopause and dealing with the
physical issues associated with that.
I knew the power walking I was doing was not going to help my bones,
so I decided to begin strength training. When I first walked into
CFNF, I could do a few pushups, but not much else.

I started with the 3 day on/1 day off system at first, even though some days
I was so sore sore it hurt to get out of bed. In the first year at CF I removed
dairy and diet soda. In October of 2011, I was part of the Paleo challenge,
and have stayed with a primarily Paleo diet ever since. I have also given up
caffeine.

In 2011, I competed in in three USAW Olympic Lifting competitions, and qualified for the
Masters World Competition in Greece. I have lost 4 inches on my waist
and my body fat is at 18.5%. I am now training for the CF Open in which
I will be competing in the Masters 50-54 y/o division.

Thanks to everyone at CrossFit North Fulton, I feel better than I ever have inside and out.
I can honestly say I am in the best shape of my life. With CF, I know I have no limits !!

********Update**********

I finished 19th in the CrossFit Games Open and competed in the CrossFit Games in Carson California.  What an amazing experience.  I finished in 16th place overall and learned more about myself and what I can achieve through hard work and perseverance.  I look forward to the Games of 2013!

 

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Allison Strine

At the age of 52, needing desperately to change the way I felt about my body and my soul, I started at Cross Fit North Fulton in February, 2012. Taking that first step into the box was intimidating – wouldn’t they all think I was awful, being so out of shape? I couldn’t even do the warm up portion of the WOD, never mind doing the actual workout. I didn’t have the strength to do one correct squat, or string two jump rope jumps together. With her positive, calm and “you can do it” demeanor, Kim refused to let me get down on myself. “Welcome to your heart rate,” she said. Sore and battered, I somehow felt encouraged to continue trying.

 

As the days and weeks went on, I was made to feel welcome at Crossfit North Fulton. Everyone who does Crossfit, from the elite athlete to the 70 year old newbie, understands how tough it is just to complete a WOD. Whether you’re attempting your 100th pullup or your first, at CFNF the whole group is encouraging you to succeed. Because Kim and Brad have made a conscious decision to foster a feeling of being part of a team. At one workout there was a new person, and Kim offered us a choice of introducing ourselves or doing burpees. Now, that’s motivation!

 

Brad has worked with me twice a week since I started, instructing me on proper form and technique for weightlifting. With his extensive experience and knowledge, I feel safe taking risks and pushing myself harder than I’d have ever thought possible. Because of the emphasis of correct form and technique, I’ve had no injuries.

 

After only three months at CFNF, I feel better about myself than ever before. I’m proud to say I’ve strung a hundred jump rope jumps together, and you better believe my squat form is correct now. Next stop, double unders!

Results at CrossFit North Fulton

 

 

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