Tara Denzinger

Name: Tara Denzinger

Body Weight: Before-170 | After-133.4

Body Fat Percentage: Before-29.87% | After-17.84%

Wod Results (before & after):

Fran: Before-10:47 | After-6:32

CF Total: Before-255 | After-425

PR’s:

Deadlift: Before-95 | After-205

Back Squat: Before-85 | After-160

Bench Press: Before-75 | After-100

Achievements because of CrossFit (mental & physical):

Physically: In the 2 years before I joined CrossFit I had allowed my weight to creep up promising myself that I wouldn’t let it get to this number and then that number and finally saying, “I’m this big. Who cares? I will eat what I want.” That found me in the doctor’s office being told I was pre-diabetic, anemic, overweight. In addition stress fractures in my lumbar spine were hurting constantly and I was told I needed to have my spine fused.

The past 11 months have totally changed my health. I’ve lost about 40 lbs, went from a size 14 to a 2, and lost around 12% body fat. I was recently told that my dead lifting had strengthened my back so much the fractures were all but healed. All of my labs come back and now the doctor doesn’t just say, “…they look good or are normal..” she says they are the levels of an athlete. That is something I am very proud of and not something I ever imagined someone would say about me. Recently I had to take a pulmonary test and was told I was 1 second off of a 15 year record at Floyd Memorial Hospital for the best test ever. The test administrator point blank said that had to be a result of my training at CrossFit. In addition I have had my doctor tell me, “Your prescription is to go to CrossFit and keep doing what you are doing! It is working for your mind and body.” I also feel far less tired, stronger, healthier, and much younger than my age.

Mentally: Mentally I’m the strongest I have ever been. The past 6 years have been difficult to say the least. Before CrossFit I was existing, not living. I did everything for my daughter and I tried to help whoever I could but somehow I lost myself. CrossFit awakened a part of me that I thought I had lost. I focus on myself now too, not just my daughter or others. I have more confidence, and I’m a happier/more positive person by far. I have found when life gets tough now I automatically start coaching myself on how to get through it. I look for positives and ways to navigate through it. I pull deep inside and forge ahead. That skill comes from doing WODs and the overall CrossFit environment (whereas before I think I was so tired and felt that life was just the recovery from traumatic events). Now I look at life and I’m excited. I go after what I want. I’m living! CrossFit has allowed me to stop looking back and start looking forward and that’s an invaluable gift to someone in my position.