Hey CFK,
Some of you have seen this message before, or something similar. We’ve shared it from time to time, and even if you have seen it before, it’s always due for a good read. Johnny put this together some years back not only as inspiration for each of you as an athlete, but honestly as a copy and paste e-mail if you ever needed one!
The heart of this is that your fitness journey will be hard. It is easy to backslide or to not hold yourself accountable, because no one else really will. At CrossFit Knoxville we do not look at your fitness journey as being 5 weeks, 12 weeks, or even 6 months. We look at it as a lifestyle change to be the best you can possibly be. Lifestyle change can easily be met with skepticism and rejection, but we encourage you to set your goals high. Give this e-mail a read. Use it if you need to. Stay the course.
(To all the haters, road blockers, naysayers, ladies in the office who bake, family members, and general skeptics in your life) Remember, misery loves company.
Dear, ________
This email is to all the people who are trying to stand in the way of my fitness and my new way of life. When I say I don’t want to try the cupcakes it is not a personal attack on you or your baking skills, I am trying to make a change in my life.
When I can’t eat the chicken teriyaki because it has soy sauce on it, I’m not being weird. I just know what gluten does to my body and I’m making a conscious choice not to let that happen to me.
I’m not judging you, I’m simply trying to make a change. I understand that I didn’t get out of shape overnight but that each day I make a decision to eat correctly is one step closer to me being lean and healthy.
Stop telling me I look sick because I have lost 30 lbs and my “ribs” are starting to show. I had 45 to spare and probably will still lose a few more. I bet you wouldn’t tell a world class sprinter or professional athlete that they look sick because you can see striations in their muscles or because they leaned out to get ready for the season.
My face looks different because I used to carry fat in my face, just like I used to carry fat around my waist and thighs. My season is everyday. I’m preparing for life and anything it may throw at me. Playing sports, chasing the kids around the park, or getting myself out of danger should it present itself. I can do this because I am stronger, lighter, and faster than the situation in front of me. Please don’t try to guilt me away from this.
Let me show you. I would love to take you to a workout, cook you a “paleo” meal, show you what books to read, what websites to visit, where to shop, what to buy, or anything I can possibly do to help you make those same changes in your life. I am willing to do this for two reasons.
I care about you and want you to know you can make a change.
I know the more people in my sphere that have the same goal, the easier it will be for me to eat healthy, train hard a few days a week and make good decisions.
To not share what I have learned and try to help others would be a real shame since someone shared it with me at some point.
Don’t hate on me, let me help you. If nothing else, at least learn where I’m coming from and don’t let your insecurities project on your opinion of me and what I’m doing.
Johnny
Do you have a friend or family member who you would like to help? Maybe they are skeptical, or maybe they just don’t know how fun CrossFit can be. You are that catalyst for change.
Check out our post about how to invite your friends so they can get $100 off of their first month at CFK. Give the gift of fitness!