Full Name: Jessica Reyes
Hometown: Santa Clara, CA
Age: 27
Occupation: Research Assistant / Therapist
Started CrossFit: October 2011
Favorite WOD: Any type of "CHIPPER"
Least favorite WOD: Not sure if I want to answer this because Ronny & Mel may program it more! The AMRAP's are the most difficult for me since it is a continuous repetition of butt kicking. Never-ending!
Current Goals: a sub 5 "Grace" (currently 5:36) and be able to complete "Isabel" Rx (just 10 lbs off right now!)
How did you first get exposed to CF? Take us back to your first WOD...what was it, and how did it feel?
My very first taste of CF was with Ronny & Melody at Hellyer park for a 6am bootcamp workout which incorporated kettle bells, jump ropes, and pushups. I started to watch inspirational videos of women throwing up heavy weight and was instantly mesmerized with the incredible athletes that CF created. My first WOD was "Trevor with a Twist" in October 2011. It had push ups, pull ups, running...it was terrible! You can see our picture right before the workout on the Paradigm home page - we did not look like that afterwards for sure! It was different. It was tough. It pushed me further than any bootcamp workout had ever done. But like they say, no one ever regrets a workout. And I didn’t.
What was your sports and fitness background?
I played softball and soccer from a young age through college. In 2007, I fell off the fitness wagon and gained a bunch of weight. Starting in October 2009, I joined a bootcamp for a few months with Ronny, but then fell off the wagon again. I started back up one year later in October 2010 at the same bootcamp and then transitioned into CrossFit with Ronny & Melody at Paradigm in October 2011. Outside of CF, I run with girlfriends on the weekends and work out at Gold’s Gym to focus on weight training.
What kind of changes have you seen with your body, health and fitness level since starting CF?
Before CF and finally getting back into workouts in October 2010, I was at my heaviest weight ever - 220 lbs at 5’2”. I felt okay with myself because no one ever told me I was overweight...that was until one of my son’s friends told my son that I was fat. This broke my heart when my son told me this. I wasn’t fat, was I? I WAS FAT and UNHAPPY. I felt beautiful inside and life had opened up many amazing opportunities for me, but I was not happy with my health and how I looked. I had become a lazy overeater who ate because she could. My boyfriend had gotten tired of me constantly comparing myself to these skinny models on television and told me that I either needed to change what I don’t like or stay the same and quit complaining. Reality Check!! I started to workout and I focused on my overeating. I created a support group for myself that was there for me when I needed them. With the dedication to fitness, I now actually have arms with muscles in them. My back is so much stronger than it has ever been before. I have stomach muscles and my legs are toned. Every part of my body has changed and I can’t express how happy it makes me to see these changes. It only drives me further to continue to push myself to get results. The results keep me going. I’m back at my high school weight. My junior prom dress is big on me. My blood pressure is in the athletic range. With the help from others and motivation from within, I am able to love myself more than I have before.
Any unexpected changes in your life that you have experienced since taking on CF?
I have found an amazing second family that is there for me when I need to call on them. You come into the CF box and know no one - and then you leave like brother and sister. The bond is so tight and everyone is there to cheer each other on. Life’s stressors are left at the gym door and we come together to workout. For that hour, we are busting our butts to better ourselves and that time is just for us. We learn in that hour how to push ourselves to the next level where change happens.
Any favorite CF moments that you have had so far?
My favorite moment is one that I had dreamt of for a long time. I had been working on my pull ups for some time and would go to the gym to work on my back strength and just practice, practice, practice. One day I came into the gym and was playing around on the bars thinking that just like every other day, I wouldn't get it. But that day was different. I surprised myself. I was so excited I had to make sure it was legit! Mel and Ronny watched me as I got not just one pull up, but four consecutive pull ups. I couldn’t stop smiling! Hard work and consistency had paid off.
Advice for the people out there just getting started?
Don’t give up. Results don’t come overnight. It is with hard work, consistency, and dedication to yourself, that change will come. If you can’t get a double under or handstands, work on it. Don’t feel down because you can’t do it. Take pride in the fact that you are actively working to achieve something. And when you do, know that you deserved it and continue to master the skill. Don’t ever stop.
Hobbies, interests, or talents outside of CF?
I enjoy running with my girls, singing in the car, and learning about history from my amazingly smart son. I love spending time with family, BBQ'ing and camping. I love to be in the sun and would love to one day learn how to surf. I love country music and dancing salsa. I enjoy working out at Gold’s with my fiancé Carlos. I love helping others achieve their fitness goals. I am a full time graduate student at Notre Dame de Namur University and will graduate in December 2013. I’m a member of an International Honor Society, Psi Chi. My favorite animal is a horse and I have a crazy dog named Cowie who keeps me warm at night.
Workout for Tue, June 05, 2012
"Josh"
-21 OHS (95/65)
-42 Pull-ups
-15 OHS
-30 Pull-ups
-9 OHS
18 Pull-ups
