Lisa Before

Lisa After

I took a big breath and walked into Atlas for the first time in March 2011.  I was overweight and uninspired but curious.  I had run the Chicago Marathon and trained with a personal trainer and I was bored with it all.

My first visit was an eye-opening day.  I had convinced myself that I was in “ok” condition.  I was wrong.  Standing on the corner after that first WOD, I thought “what just happened?”.  I was exhausted but energized, nauseous yet smiling.

I signed up for more immediately.

Since then, I have happily put in the hours at Atlas, listened carefully to each of my coaches, changed my diet and lost 30 lbs.  I may still be the last one to finish but it’s alright, the support is always there.

Thank you, to all of my coaches, for helping me create this body I hardly recognize as mine.

Kristy After

Kristy Before

“Atlas CrossFit has transformed me both physically and mentally.   I will never approach fitness, nutrition or my life in the same way again.  I feel like for the first time I am doing something that really makes a difference and has made me an overall better person.”

“Although I always considered myself somewhat athletic just because I went to the gym regularly, I had always struggled with weight – losing and gaining weight at regular intervals and was never truly in great physical condition.   I tried multiple nutritionists, personal trainers and nearly every boot camp in the Chicago area.   In 2008 I was diagnosed with PCOS (poly cystic ovary syndrome) and had simply accepted the fact that this constant battle with my weight would be normal.   People with PCOS oftentimes have weight issues, insulin resistance and the potential for much more serious conditions like Type 2 diabetes.  Before  coming to Atlas, I believed this was just going to be my way of life.

So, I will admit I came to CrossFit as a somewhat unwilling participant.   CrossFit was my husband, Noel’s  idea and after some persuading I agreed to go to a free session at Atlas to see what it was all about.   After I beat him in the baseline test (my one small victory) he talked me into going through the On Ramp/Elements program – we were off in March of 2010.  I’m not going to lie, I wanted to drop out multiple times during those first few weeks because I was literally so bad at everything!  I couldn’t do squats…forget overhead, front or back squats, I couldn’t get the basic bodyweight squat down.  I found myself struggling with pull-ups even with the bands, box jumps and absolutely anything involving any weight.   I was an uncoordinated train wreck with a bit of a self-defeating attitude because I lacked confidence.   I felt like I did not belong among these athletes and at the time didn’t believe I would ever be any good at CrossFit.

I found during the on ramp/Elements that I was pregnant with our first child and tentatively made the decision to continue with CrossFit throughout my pregnancy despite  my initial challenges and reservations.  Over the next 9 months I went to class 3-4 times a week and worked on my skills (there was a ton of work to be done) and maybe more importantly worked on my attitude.   The supportive coaches and the community of people kept me coming back.  I found that the mental barriers started to disappear and although pregnant I was keeping myself (and my daughter) healthy by adopting better eating habits and I also started developing a strong foundation for CrossFit movements.    I finally started to realize that if I could improve and do many of these things while pregnant, there was hope that I could actually be good at this and continue to make progress!

Post-pregnancy I was eager to come back to CrossFit.  I had developed friendships with people who had seen me through an exciting time in my life.    This was when the real work began  – I had 20 pounds of baby weight to lose plus the extra 20 pounds I had before the baby.  Although I had made improvements in the last year it was time to increase the intensity and focus on real progress.   After some initial frustrations with a complete lack of progress despite attending CrossFit regularly I turned to the coaches at Atlas for help.    With some fantastic nutritional guidance around Paleo, Zone and Intermittent Fasting my progress really started to take off.  CrossFit alone was not enough, I had to commit to making some lifestyle changes but ultimately the benefits far outweighed the short term inconvenience of re-programming how I thought about food, sleep, fish oil (yuck?!?), etc.   In addition to nutritional guidance, I also benefitted from other classes offered by Atlas like Intervals and TRX that gave me an alternative to the traditional CrossFit WOD and allowed me to be more well-rounded and confident in other areas.

Over the course of a year the 40 pounds disappeared, my strength really started to increase and for the first time (possibly ever) I started to feel really good about myself.   I can squat like a “normal” person now and even recently got my first unassisted pull-up.  I have much more confidence than I have ever had before.   My entire attitude towards both fitness and food has shifted.   I don’t struggle with a  diet anymore.   I don’t consider myself held hostage by a medical condition, excuses or mental barriers.   Now, working out is not a chore for me, instead I feel like it’s the one luxury I allow myself in my busy schedule.  This has become both my social outlet and my opportunity to feel great about who I am.   I challenge myself more in every aspect of my life now because I know I am more than capable of success. I definitely feel like  my accomplishments are because of the coaching and support at Atlas.  Over two years we have worked together to change the direction of my life for good.  I still have so many areas to work on and improve in and I’m looking forward to continuing to do so at Atlas.”

Outside of playing tennis growing up, I’ve never been much of an athlete. Since college, I’ve struggled to find an exercise routine that not only produced results, but was also fun…something I knew I would stick with. And I’ve tried them all Tae bo, Hula Hooping, Ab Roller, Step, Treadmill at gym, etc. for the most part, all of those items are gathering dust in my attic! I was always finding excuses as to why I wasn’t able to get into a workout routine and instead sat on my couch, watched television and drank wine.

I finally reached a low point in the summer of 2010. I had just turned 45 and was the heaviest I’d ever been…tipping the scales at close to 190 pounds.  I had to do something to improve my overall health and ensure I would be around for my children for a long time. Atlas was just down the street from where I work and my husband, Tom, suggested I give it a try. So, I signed up and started Basic Training classes with Tom; I literally couldn’t walk up, or down, the stairs to the El that first night without hanging onto the railing for dear life! Tom didn’t think I would go back. I have to admit, it did cross my mind. I was somewhat intimidated and thought I would never be able to master any of the exercises. Well, I summoned up the courage and kept going. I’m so glad I did…despite the fact that there quite a few exercises that I have yet to master, I continue to learn and get leaner, faster and stronger.

Coupled with improved nutrition and tackling WOD’s 3-4x week, I have lost 30 pounds, 5% body fat and two dress sizes. I have much more energy, increased confidence and generally feel much better in my skin…the only downfall is the money I’ve had to spend on new clothes!!

I finally found that routine which produces results but is also fun – CrossFit!  The small group size, variety of workouts, awesome coaches and community will keep me coming back for more.

Isabelle in 2010

Isabelle's Progress!

Constantly pushing myself to new levels has brought about significant change for me. I’ve lost weight, decreased my body fat, gone down a size and am stronger and faster than ever. Continue reading »

I’m stronger than I’ve ever been in my life, and I’m doing things I used to fear – like overhead squats and thrusters! I’m more confident than I’ve ever been, and I’ve stopped avoiding things I struggle with and instead work harder at these weaknesses. Continue reading »

Since joining Atlas, I’ve noticed a huge change in myself, though it came along gradually. In the past year and a half, I’ve lost about 15 lbs. and have gone down two pants sizes.

Continue reading »

I have never felt more powerful and motivated. I am in the best shape of my life! CrossFit has motivated me to face any hurdle or fear head-on and dominate it to the best of my ability. Continue reading »