This past summer I stopped by the OIFC to check out the latest fishing report and ran into Coach Rickey Beck. Rickey was talking to someone about CROSSFIT OIB and his enthusiasm about the place caught my interest. I had just discussed my health with my doctor and he had informed me that if I continued with my current lifestyle I was almost certainly headed for Type II diabetes. Rickey encouraged me to meet Karen at Crossfit OIB and I talked with her about my problems with my knees and how certain exercises were not an option and dieting was not working and so on and so on. Karen was pretty direct but certain that she could help. I recall her words well, ” sounds like a lot of excuses to me”, and “what have you got to lose by giving it a try”. It was her confidence in this program that convinced me to give Crossfit a try. I signed up for the October On Ramp and will have to admit that after a couple of classes I had my doubts. The difference was the help and encouragement I received from the coaches and other athletes. That is the secret and Karen knows and loves what she does. I trusted her and her coaches to scale my workouts but still challenge me personally. It seems to have worked because since starting in October I have lost 27 lbs and my Triglycerides have gone from 184 in May to 84 in December. Total cholesterol from 196 to 139. Some of this does come from eating less breads, french fries , and other foods, but the training is the biggest reason. I appreciate all the coaches help and I look forward making even better improvements to my health in the future. – Mike K.
