Cahba Kingwood
I do not have much of an athletic history. I played youth sports and high school baseball, and after college I would workout occasionally, but had pretty much become a work-a-holic couch potato. I always wanted to be in better shape, but lacked the motivation to stay consistent.

 

By 2012, I was the heaviest I had been in my life. I weighed in at 220 pounds, I had a 37 inch waist and my diet was full of sugary drinks, mostly fruit juices, pasta, chips and more chips.

Eighteen months before my first day of CrossFit I’d lost my mother to heart failure at age 53. Facing my own mortality for the first time, I decided that my weight and health were moving in the wrong direction, and resolved to do something to turn them around.

I had heard about CrossFit from a co-worker who thought I would like it. I was looking for a fitness program that I would both enjoy and that would get my weight under control effectively. I needed results. But I knew that the results depended on consistency, so I also needed to like doing it.

In honor of my mother on what would have been her 55th birthday, June 4, 2012, I gave CrossFit Diesel a shot in Columbia, MD

The workout was more intense than I expected, but scalable. Everything could be adjusted so that I got the right workout for my fitness level. I was sore for 3-4 days after my first workout, but the rookies classes gave me confidence and a comfortable place to start without feeling overwhelmed or inadequate. The coaches were so amazing that after 4 months I still didn’t want to leave the rookies classes. But I figured it was time to try a new challenge, a regular class with the “real” crossfitters. I was a little intimidated, but I quickly found out how friendly and supportive everyone would be to me and to each other. All the encouragement during and after the workouts helped instill confidence and kept me going.

I had tried many other fitness programs, so many workout DVDs, and I simply enjoy and prefer the structure and variety of CrossFit.  My goal when I started was to lose my gut, drop a few pounds and get healthier.

Since starting CrossFit I have cleaned up my diet. I eliminated all processed foods and sugar from my diet and my son’s diet. I have lost 43 lbs, 7 inches off my waist, and look a lot better with a swimsuit on (and off!). My body transformation has been so dramatic that I am still surprised when I look in the mirror.  I love the community and believe in the functional benefit of the CrossFit methodology.

Certifications

• CrossFit Level 2 Training Certificate – December 2014
• CrossFit Level 1 Training Certificate- June 2013
• CrossFit Mobility Training Certificate – Feb2014
• CrossFit Gymnastics Training Certificate – October 2014 – New 
• Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED – Certified
• ACSM Certification Prep Class Complete  (Certification Pending)

Fitness Achievements 

• SuperFit DC 3rd Place Finish Male/Female Team “Scaled” Division  – October. 2014 – New 
• Hopper Clash – Battle of the Fittest Competitor – March 2014
• Jingle Bell Run- 5k Race – 3rd Place Finish in Age Group – Dec. 2013
• NPC Gladiator Classic, Baltimore MD – Men’ Physique 5th Place Masters (over 35) / National Qualifier  – March 2014