”I made a decision to NOT get on prescription pills and I would NEVER use a mask to sleep.
Leo G.
I started CrossFit, specifically at CrossFit SoChac, in October of 2019, I just hit my third year. Like a lot of folks, I was getting older and fatter, and needed to make a change. However, it was a trip to my doctor in October that pushed me over the edge. In short, my health was bad- I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, acid reflux, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and I was starting to develop IBS. This was due to years of eating fast food, overeating, alcohol, soda, and lack of exercise. The irony is that I was an athlete when I was a kid. I played football in high school, was in Army ROTC and Navy ROTC- and I was even the PT instructor in both Army and Navy ROTC. I switched careers and ended up working with computers/tech and let myself go for a decade, from my late 20s to my late 30s.
Going back to that day in October ’19 when I was at my doctor’s, he said it wasn’t all bad- there’s prescriptions he would write me and I would be referred to a sleep specialist at Baylor Scott White to get fitted for a CPAP breathing mask for my sleep apnea. I walked out, got in my car and just stared out the window wondering how I let myself get to such a low point and I made a decision to NOT get on prescription pills and I would NEVER use a mask to sleep, that whole idea was ridiculous to me. I decided to not go back home until I found a CrossFit gym and solved my chronic health problems, since they were all self-inflicted “diseases”.
Hours later I found CrossFit SoChac and Heather was the first person I saw- and I immediately knew this person was the best version of themselves, so they knew what they were talking about and could help. She laughed and told me they would help me, and that was the start of my journey. I started working with Josh Osorio doing personal training to learn proper technique and ease my entry to the regular CrossFit classes. I also started working with Amanda Elizondo on nutrition- I wanted to dive into the deep end of the pool; sink or swim. After just a few months of nutrition with Amanda and doing CrossFit 3-4 days a week, I went back to the same doctor for a checkup.
The nurse thought her tools were broken and returned with another blood pressure monitor, etc. They said they couldn’t believe that my blood pressure was “perfect”, cholesterol was normal, acid reflux was 100% gone, IBS was gone, and my sleep apnea was cured 100%. In total I lost about 40 lbs (was about ~240 when I walked into CossFit Sochac that day) and was down to exactly 200lbs by April. CrossFit Sochac has been a game changer for me because of the people and both their knowledge and ability to motivate others and help them become the best version of themselves. I still have a decade of bad habits and damage I did to myself and I’m only 3 years into this path, but my goal is to become the best version of myself.
