Joe goes from gaining weight, feeling tired and back pain, to feeling stronger and healthier with CrossFit.  Read more about his journey below. Joe celebrated his 100th day at Northglenn Health and Fitness today!

We sat down with Joe and asked him a few questions about how he became stronger and healthier with CrossFit. 

I’m in my late 50’s and I spend a lot of time working. My wife and I have a home-based business which keeps me sitting at my desk for many hours every day. Before CrossFit, I was getting very little exercise and I was gaining weight. Besides feeling tired because of the lack of activity, I also had poor circulation.  My back always seemed to hurt.

My dad had heart issues that were a result of his diet and lack of activity. He ate the wrong foods, drank a little too much, and smoked. As a result, he spent the last years of his life not feeling well and had heart bypass surgery. I want to feel good and be active and not repeat the mistakes that my dad made.

What were your goals before you started CrossFit?

Before I started CrossFit, I was looking for ways to lose weight and improve my fitness. I’ve worked out on my own and been a recreational cyclist for most of my adult life, but my bike was gathering dust while I was sitting at my desk. The workouts at the gym weren’t structured so I wasn’t really making any progress toward my goals.

What were you doing on your own?

I had a $5/month membership at a low value gym, and would go about once per week. There was no direction and I didn’t feel like I knew how to get fit. There is a lot more to getting fit than using the cardio machines at the gym. Besides having no structure to my “fitness plan” , there was no one to push me, so it was easy to stay working and skip the workout or ride.

Why did you decide to try CrossFit?

After looking at several gyms, I liked the challenge and structure that CrossFit presented. I have to admit that I was intimidated at first because there were people at the gym who were really strong and fit. While watching them work out, I knew that I wanted to be strong and fit like they are. The coaches provide the variety and motivation to come to class, work hard, and achieve my goals.

Now that you are at Northglenn Health and Fitness, what do you like most about it?

Northglenn Health and Fitness is a great gym for people of all abilities. Coach Patrick is an awesome coach who cares about each person’s growth and fitness. He and the other coaches have taught me how to safely and efficiently lift weights to help me achieve my fitness goals. I’m a lot stronger than I was when I started and have lost weight. Coach Patrick designs workouts for people with any ability and there is a lot of variety in the workouts to keep my interest and to work the entire body. The culture at the gym is positive and encouraging, and the other gym members are really nice and fun.

Anything else you would like to add or tips for people new to fitness?

Getting to the gym is a priority for me. I work out six days per week, and I feel so much stronger and healthier than ever before. Every Sunday night I review my calendar and schedule my time at the gym for the week. There are enough class times to choose from that I never have trouble finding a time to go to class.

Make an appointment to talk about your goals with us, and we will give you a plan to get there!