** Congratulations FAY COLELLO! Our January CrossFitter of the month!**
About Fay:
Like any good book it always easiest to write the beginning and the conclusion first. I know how my journey started. I was overweight, depressed, and stressed about school as well as when anxious about when Nick and I would finally get engaged (I knew that this would happen when he was ready but I really wanted it and I was starting to feel pressure from both of our families). If anyone knows me at all, I crumbled under this amount of stress. Trust me if I ever walk in the door balling my eyes out or even just start
crying in the middle or end of a WOD, don’t worry I’m just stressed. So at my heaviest I weighed about 265 and to be honest I don’t know how much I weigh now because my
broken scale had to find a new home (it may still be in the desk at the box).
So my journey started when I left one of the best jobs I will ever have and returned to Stop and Shop. I really couldn’t handle the hours and stress from working full time and school so had to make a change. At this point in my life I was on anti-anxiety and anti-depression medication and seeing a therapist once a week. Nick took me to New York City for weekend and at this point due to my anxiety and fear, after we got into the hotel room I didn’t want to go out. I was beyond scared to leave the hotel and I even made him get me dinner and bring it back. I hated being scared of life, needing medication to function at a normal level, mostly because I was so young and didn’t want to give up before I really tried. (Don’t get me wrong there are nothing wrong with medication, I just felt that at 22 I needed to really give life a go before I regularly used medication.)
I felt like I had to make a change. I had spent a couple of years of trying Weight Watchers multiple times, Zumba, yoga, and normal gyms but I felt like I needed something new that could push me further. Soon after our trip to New York City, I was driving home from work and noticed people running on the side of the road. Soon after I dragged Nick to a Saturday trial WOD at CrossFit Triton which was being coached by Greg Dillon. The trial WOD was a tabatta consisted of rowing, air squats, sit ups, and jumps and I can remember that Nick left mid-workout to throw up outside.
I told myself to give CrossFit 3 months and after that I could try something new if I didn’t like it. Well 3 months came and went and it was at that time around the beginning of 2103 Ron and Rob left to start CrossFit Wallingford. I spent 2 miserablemonths without them before switching from Triton to CrossFit Wallingford in April of 2013 and have loved every minute of it. Of course there have been moments where I have felt that I wasn’t good enough or I couldn’t do something but my goal isn’t to beat anyone else in the gym but to just be better than myself. Everyday I walk into the box is a good day since it means that I didn’t let my depression hold me back and that the positive thoughts saying I could do it out weighed the negative thoughts. The best thing is that no matter how late I am to a WOD or how long it takes me to finish I know that I have this amazing support system behind me. It has been over a year now and my journey is far from over. The conclusion to this story will be a happier, healthy, and better me because I refuse to give up on myself. “Be STRONG you never know who you are inspiring”
I must also thank everyone at CrossFit Wallingford! I may not know everyone or feel as comfortable around them as I do in the 6:30 am class but knowing how welcoming and truly nonjudgmental everyone is at CrossFit Wallingford allows me to feel comfortable at any WOD and even to show up on Saturday without a partner. The push that every one gives me helps to push through any doubt I have.
**Congratulations to Fay On CF of the month. Fay is one of the hardest workers and brings a determination to every workout. Fay always has a smile, but she also has her “determined” look. We love having Fay at CFW and we are all lucky to know her.. Great job Fay and keep it up…. We know you will.**
