Featured Athlete - Amy Griffin

Name: Amy Griffin

Age: 41

Occupation: Employee Benefits Consultant

Which class do you usually attend? Evening

Favorite WOD: 9/11 Tribute

Favorite Lift: Back squat

How long have you been CrossFitting? About 7 months

What keeps you coming back? Every day is a new and challenging workout. It keeps my stress level in check, and I feel a great sense of accomplishment after each class.

How did you ﬁnd CrossFit? I wanted to find a gym which offered small classes, with more personal training and accountability.

How did you end up at CrossFit Aestus? I was looking for something close to home and family friendly. I saw that CFA was less than 10 minutes away and offered kids classes!

What is your athletic background? I played travel soccer growing up, and was part of my high school soccer and tennis teams. I played a little adult soccer in my late 20’s, but had not done much of anything since having kids.

How has CrossFit changed your life, lifestyle and level of ﬁtness? CrossFit has totally changed my lifestyle. I have seen tremendous improvements in my strength, endurance, energy and sleep! I make better choices when it comes to nutrition, and move regularly every day, whether I get to a class or not. I’ve made fitness a priority, and teaching my family to do the same.

What is the One Thing you have done here that you never thought you could do? So many burpees.. 
What motivates/inspires you?
Within the last 10 years, my life has changed so much… my husband and I started a family in 2008, but also lost both of my parents somewhat unexpectedly. My dad passed from a (10 month) battle with lung cancer in 2012, and my mom from a (7-week) battle with leukemia in 2014. Neither of my parents lived a very active or healthy lifestyle, and I truly believe this had an impact on their responsiveness to treatment. It was hard to see what they went through, and even harder to see how much they are missing as part of my kids’ lives as they grow up. As a result, I have a strong motivation to maintain healthy habits and an active lifestyle in order to live a long life and experience as much of my children’s lives as physically possible.

What is your proudest CrossFit achievement?
My proudest achievement is simply giving CrossFit a try. Some friends and family cautioned that it might be too hard on my body and too tough for someone who hadn’t worked out in awhile. Something told me to do it anyway… “do it scared”… and I’m so thankful I did, as it continues to improve my self-confidence, and helps me be a better person every day. It is physically challenging, but being able to scale weights and movements allows me to build strength safely.

Name one goal/personal achievement that you would like to achieve through CrossFit:
At this point, learning correct movement & just being able to complete a workout at prescribed weights, reps, and time is my focus. Maybe a competition one day?

What goals have you achieved in CrossFit?
So many things… I can run my mile in under 10 minutes again! I can lift heavy barbells! I have stuck with my original goal of making it to a class at least 3 days/week for the last 7 months! I’ve lost weight, but gained muscle. I’ve learned we are all capable of more than we think!

Hobbies/interests outside of CrossFit?
Hanging with the family at home & watching kiddos play their sports… my daughter plays volleyball, and my son plays soccer.

Tell me about your diet:
Since starting the Health Steps Nutrition Program through CFA, I’ve learned much healthier eating habits. I have set goals for calories, protein, carbs, and fats, and stick with them most days. There are days where I just want to splurge with a slice of pizza or cake, but that’s ok, because I have a plan for the rest of the week. In the last 3 months of this program, I have lost 12 lbs, 4% body fat, and 2 pant sizes!

Any advice for new members?
When I compare my experience at CFA with other gyms, the difference is night and day. It can be intimidating to start something new, especially when surrounded by so many great athletes. But what I’ve found is an extremely supportive environment… People know your name, coaches provide personal instruction to help you learn safe/proper movement, and members are inclusive and support each other inside and outside of class. Regardless of your age, gender, skill level, or athletic background… if you are looking for a team to be a part of who will lift you up, push you to work hard, call you out when you’re slacking, and celebrate with you when you succeed, CFAestus is the place!

Coaches thoughts:

Amy is a bright light here at CFA. Her work ethic has been a great example to others. Her success in the Aestus Nutrition program has demonstrated how someone can come to CFA, set goals and reach them. She has been a great addition to our family!

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