January Athlete of the Month, Jamie!
Announcing our first WCCF Athlete of the Month, Jamie Pacheco!
Jamie has been a dedicated part of our 6am crew for the better part of 16 months now, and we could not be happier to have her! Always pushing other to work harder and the first to greet a new face in class, Jamie is also the first to ask about someone she hasn’t seen in class in awhile. She truly is one of the people who help make the WCCF community so great!
I’m really surprised and honored that you thought of me! Thank you, not just for this but for everything you do. I’ve really noticed a lot of dramatic improvements in my workouts since submitting goals to you and I’m loving it! Keep up the great work, you guys are awesome!
Jamie
Jamie Before CrossFit
How did you get involved in CrossFit? What was your first WOD/experience?
I’ve been obese my entire life. After my second baby was born I decided to take control of my health because I wanted to be able to be active with my kids and teach them healthy habits. In November 2011 I had gastric bypass surgery and started running shortly after. I had literally never been consistently physically active before. I was the typical yo-yo dieter who paid for a gym membership that rarely (if ever) got used. Running was great and met my need for physical activity but I quickly realized that I was missing something…I could run but I had no muscle tone and was unbelievably weak and, honestly, it just wasn’t fulfilling. I had seen people posting about CrossFit on a gastric bypass message board and it piqued my interest. I emailed Tess once and then chickened out because I thought there was no way I could do this crazy stuff. I kept thinking about it and then decided to bite the bullet and emailed her again to schedule an intro class and went by myself which was totally out of my comfort zone. I don’t even remember now what my first WOD was but Tess and Erik went out of their way to make me feel comfortable and welcome from day one.
When did you start coming to Whaling City CrossFit?
I started going to WCCF in September 2012.
Is this the first CrossFit you’ve worked out at / how long have you been CrossFitting for?
First and only!
When did you realize that CrossFit was right for you?
I was hooked from the start. Working out was never satisfying for me because I had no idea what I was doing. CrossFit was perfect because it offers a really well-rounded training plan with structure and, the most important part (for me anyway): one on one coaching.
What is your favorite aspect of CrossFit?
I can’t pick just one! The community is amazing. You won’t find support like this in any other gym setting. We have fun, work out, cheer each other on and push each other to be better. I’ve made some really wonderful friendships since joining the gym and it’s awesome having shared goals with like-minded people. The coaching is absolutely essential for me. I’ve never done anything like this before and Erik, Tess and the other coaches are fantastic at what they do. I think the other main thing I love about CrossFit is that physical progress is measurable. I can see, week to week, workout to workout that what I’m doing is working. I’m getting stronger every day and it’s unbelievably motivating. Being a part of other people’s progress is pretty awesome, too…my sister joined the gym after she saw how much I loved it, so I really love getting to see her improve in every workout. I think we all like to push each other and it’s really rewarding to get to see the results day in and day out.
What are your short-term and long-term CrossFit goals?
Short-term I focus on the small stuff because I have so many things to work on that it can get overwhelming. I try to just focus on each wod; lift a little heavier, move a little faster etc. I have a lot of difficulty with body weight exercises so my CrossFit dream is to get a pullup.
What is your biggest accomplishment?
I guess I’d have to say climbing the rope the other day, because up until now I hadn’t had the upper body strength to move at all on the rope. I didn’t get a full climb and needed assistance with my “pood sister” Jenn holding the rope on my foot and the 6am crew cheering me on, but it was an amazing feeling!
How has CrossFit changed your view on health and wellness?
CrossFit has given me a completely new perspective on physical activity. Working out shouldn’t be a chore. It’s become a huge part of my life and I look forward to going every day.
What is your favorite / least favorite WOD/movement?
I really like box jumps (though it took a while, and some gentle pushing from Tess to get over the fear of jumping) and thrusters. Least favorite movement is absolutely pike pushups. I hate them because they’re really hard for me, but my rule is that I don’t ever skip because I don’t like the wod so even though I hate pikes and get stuck doing them when it seems like everyone else is flying through HSPU I’m there pushing through it and I’m slowly getting better at them.
What do you a do for a profession outside of CrossFit?
I’m a social worker and I work primarily with children and their families.
What are your hobbies outside of CrossFit?
My kids are my life and keep me pretty busy. My husband (who is my best friend and biggest supporter) and I really focus on spending time with them doing fun things and making memories. I like to run, read, cook, and spend time with my family and friends.
Do you eat Paleo, Primal or Zone? What is your favorite paleo/non-paleo meal?
I don’t really follow a specific plan. I try to make good choices and eat high protein, low carb. I do try to cook Paleo as often as I can and my favorite paleo meal is either chocolate chili or chicken divan…healthy comfort food! My favorite non-paleo meal is anything from No Problemos!
Fun fact?
I have a sick addiction to Target. I could go every day!
WORKOUT OF THE DAY
1. Back Squat: 4×5
2. Metcon
7 rounds of:
1:00 ME Wall Balls
0:20 ME Step Down Box Jumps 24/20″
0:40 Rest