Linda's Success Story

I started my fitness journey as a physical therapy patient at Tillman Physical Therapy post knee surgery. I had a high-stress job and would eat chocolate and desserts to cope. Physically, I was limited. I couldn’t walk long distances and was uncomfortable in theaters and airplane seating. I was wearing a size 20 and bought clothes to cover myself, I was pre-diabetic, had severe heartburn and I fell a lot. Michael Tillman told me that if I did not get in better shape, I wouldn’t be able to play and do activities with my younger grandchildren. He also told me I needed to get the weight off if I wanted to see them grow up. Michael was not just my therapist, he’s my friend and he touched my heart not just my head. After therapy, David Tillman, walked me through my first workout. My programming for my workouts comes from the coaches and PT technicians who check in on me daily.

Lost 60lbs and 10 pants sizes!

Now I am able to go on any cruise excursion I want, including a 1.5 mile hike through the rain forests of Alaska, I can chase down and catch a very fast two year old racing across a parking lot. I have lost 60lbs and wear a size 10 in bottoms and 12’s on top. I am no longer pre-diabetic, don’t have heartburn anymore and my cholesterol is that of a teenager. In addition to my other exercises, I have learned balancing skills and haven’t fallen since I lost the weight.

One of my biggest accomplishments is coming close to beating my very athletic daughter in a tabata row. Since then, my daughter returned home, joined a gym and is running half marathons. My son is determined to lose weight as well. He says if his 66 year old mom can do it - so can he.

I cannot say enough about the help I’ve received. The coaches, physical therapists and technicians have all been instrumental in helping me with my workouts and pushing me to do more.. They got me to jump rope and I haven’t done that in over 35 years! Michael told me what I didn’t want to hear, but what I needed to. I love being a size 10 and there are several stores in town that are very grateful!

Sam's Success Story

Although I was a 5-6 day a week runner, I was bored with my workouts and started skipping. I was looking for a workout that was more challenging and satisfying. A friend told me about these CrossFit workouts that were kicking his butt and he was in the best shape of his life. That was the best recommendation anyone could make and I set out to find a local affiliate. I was nervous walking into CrossFit Cedar Park for my introductory session with Nikki Isbell. She explained CrossFit to me and put me through a baseline workout. Afterwards, I sat on one of the tables and literally blacked out. It was certainly a wake-up call.

My cholesterol levels were rising and I was already on medicine for high blood pressure. I was taking part in a traditional low cholesterol, high in “good fiber,” low-fat diet, but my LDL cholesterol continued to climb. By the time I started CrossFit, I was taking medicine for my high blood pressure and high bad cholesterol.

Since joining CrossFit Cedar Park a year ago, I’ve seen my cholesterol levels and my high blood pressure improve significantly. My medicines have been reduced by half and my physician is considering taking me off the blood pressure medicine completely. I’ve learned a new way of eating that provides me with the food I need to maintain my energy and physical performance. I’ve reduced my minute mile pace from 8 minute to a 7 minute mile, my dead-lifts started at 185lbs and have increased to 385lbs and I feel confident that I will break the 400 mark soon. My body fat has dropped from 26% to under 16%, lost 2 inches off my waist and have had to buy all new work clothes. I feel great, have almost unlimited energy.

Although I have many accomplishments, my most memorable is “Murph” - 1 mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats, 1 mile run. If you have asked me to do this workout when I first started CrossFit, I never would have made it through the first 100 pullups.

I am now more active around the house and the office, I push harder on projects in my professional career and have made improvements in areas at work on projects that I most likely would not have tackled with as much focus or energy.

I have made new friends with similar values and interests. The people involved at CFCP look at life from a different perspective. Everyone that I’ve met and talked to tackles challenges willingly, no matter how big or small. I think I see every thing I work on now as I see Murph - one more thing that I CAN do.

Emily Success

Emily when she started CrossFit

I joined CrossFit Cedar Park after making the decision to get into shape. My sister had previously worked out with them and highly recommended it. She said she had been in the best shape of her life and I should just check it out. I was nervous about doing crossfit because I had never attempted anything like it. Prior to starting CrossFit I was frustrated. Every year I gained more weight. I didn’t like looking in the mirror because I don’t think the person in it looked like me. I made every excuse possible - lack of time or costs too much. When I did start working out, I didn’t see the results fast enough and I ended up frustrated. I overeat, over indulged and then felt guilty and worse about myself.

In my initial baseline workout, Robin told me not to worry about it taking so long, she explained that I was just weak right now but I would get stronger. A few months later, I repeated baseline and cut my time in half. I started to see results in the first month - it was why I kept coming back no matter how sore I got. I knew how out of shape I was and I knew it was going to be tough, so I mentally prepared myself to feel sore before I felt better. I do not consider myself an athlete and didn’t consider myself active. When I first began, I couldn’t run 200m without stopping - by month 4, I joined the 5K challenge and ran the whole race without stopping.

Lost 20 lbs and 3 pant sizes and can do kipping pullups

However, I think my greatest accomplishment is my kipping pullups. I started with jumping and slowly moved to the band. Little by little, I moved to smaller bands. I had given myself to my 1 year CrossFit anniversary to get my first kipping pullup. I met my goal 5 weeks early and then the next day, I got 2 in a row. My next goal is to do 5 in a row. I’ve lost 20lbs, 3 pant sizes and I am stronger and healthier than I’ve been in years.

The coaches at CFCP have never pushed me to do more than I am capable, however, they do push me out of my comfort zone to do things I never thought possible. It is a great feeling to be in the middle of a workout, you don’t know how you are going to finish and your coach encourages you to keep working and the crossfitters in your class help you finish. Once it is over, it is just such a huge sense of accomplishment.

Within the past year, I have rearranged my priorities. I make time to come workout and look for more ways to do more when I can. I remember that when I am having trouble at work or with family, I know if I keep chipping away at the problem I will get through it. I know these situations will only make me stronger and it will be easier the next time.

My husband doesn’t crossfit regularly, but my success has inspired him to eat healthier and be more active. He has taken up raquetball and is very supportive of the paleo diet. He has lost 8lbs just by changing the way he eats with me.

I am thankful to the coaches and the entire Tillman CF community. Everyone is always supportive and positive and excited about other’s successes and for that I am glad to be a part of CFCP

HB Success

HB Before

Before I found CrossFit, I was working out, but not as often or as intense and I was getting pretty bored with it. My coworker, Jason Smith, got me to check out CrossFit Cedar Park with a free workout. I was hooked. I loved that the workouts are always different and that someone else created them for me. I am super competitive, so going against the other members at the noon class really got me going. But the biggest factor, was the authentic community.

Every person in the CFCP community accepted me with open arms and I could see the genuine connection between the group members. I love coming to workout with my CrossFit family.

Lost 22lbs and 9% Body Fat in 4 months.

Before CrossFit, my lower back always bothered me. Now I have developed the strength to dead lift and squat - exercises I had not done in years out of fear of injuring myself. In only 4 short months,

I have lost 22lbs and about 9% body fat and have redefined my physique. I am much happier with the way my body looks and I have gained more confidence in my physical abilities. I am stronger and have the ability to do exercises I didn’t think were possible. I got muscle-ups on the first try. I am still working on my flexibility, but it has improved. I have more stamina and endurance in my workouts and overall am more coordinated.

Because I know I have the ability to focus during CrossFit, I’ve applied it at work and home by approaching problems or tasks with an attack frame of mind. Get started, work fast, hard and efficiently until it is done. I have taken on more responsibility at home because I have more energy and am a happier person. This has certainly improved my relationship with my wonderful wife who has been very supportive.

When I began CrossFit, I changed the way I ate and my wife, for the most part, has joined me in eating paleo. She has dropped a pant size and 12 lbs from her pre-pregnancy weight. We are definitely happier and closer since I started CrossFit.

I think this program is awesome! I have never had such success from other program. As far as I’ve come, its just the beginning. I want to get into the team competitions, maybe get my level 1 or another certification to help me push my body and my mind. I wonder where I will be after a full year of CrossFit…