CROSSFIT KATY
ABIGAIL (“ABBY”) LEAL
ATHLETE PROFILE/SUCCESS STORY
Name: Abigail (Abby) Leal
Hometown: Granbury, Texas
Age: 29
Occupation: Stay at home mom.
When did you first start CrossFitting? September 2012
When did you first start training at CrossFit Katy? September 2012
What class do you generally attend (morning/afternoon)? 6:30 p.m. but I have started attending 10:30 CF Burn as well, :).
Favorite WOD: Anything that includes front/back squats, power cleans, or pull-ups.
Least Favorite WOD: Overhead squats, toe to bars or rowing.
Tell us about you sports & fitness background: I didn’t play ANY sports growing up, I was always ok with just taking P.E. 🙂 It wasn’t until a few years ago when I wanted to loose some weight that I became interested in working out.
How did you first get exposed to CrossFit? Take us back to your first WOD…what was it, and how did it feel? I had taken some personal training sessions at a local gym and once I completed the sessions my trainer suggested I try CrossFit. It took me a few months to finally get the courage to try it out. I don’t exactly remember the my first WOD but I do remember it included pull-ups, when they started explaining the WOD all I could think was “Wow! I need to leave before they find out I can’t do pull-ups!” I wasn’t aware there were bands we could use! When I finally finished the WOD I felt dead but I knew I wanted more! Ever since then I’ve been coming back for more!
What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health and fitness since starting CF (before/after)? I’ve seen so many changes in my body! I have lost 15lbs and 5% body fat. I can actually see muscle definition, which is a first for me! My endurance has also gone up, before CF I could barely run a mile without having to stop and walk. I actually ran my first half-marathon last November!
What sort of changes in your life have you experienced out of taking on something like CrossFit that were totally unexpected? I never expected for CF to change my life, but it has! I am the healthiest and fittest I have ever been! I also realized that I actually enjoy working out! Before CF it felt like a “chore” to workout but now I look forward to getting that next PR! Thanks to Leah I have learned so much about nutrition and have been able to make better nutrition choices for my whole family.
Name one goal you have reached since joining CFK and one goal you want to achieve (example: deadlift/squat/press__pounds; do a pullup; do a WOD RX’d, etc). I am able to do pull-ups without a band and just recently was able to do double unders. One goal I want to achieve is to get better at handstand push-ups.
Please share with us any favorite CrossFit / CFK moments: One of my favorite moments was when I PR’ed my one rep max deadlift, never did I think I would be able to deadlift 300#! It felt great having the trainers and my workout buddies cheering me on and telling I could do it!
Any advice for people just getting started? You will get the results you want if you put in hard work so just keep showing up! It doesn’t matter if you finish last, all that matters is that you finish.
What are your hobbies, interest and/or talents outside of CrossFit? I enjoy spending time with my husband and 4 year old son! I also enjoy cooking and working on DYI projects 🙂
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