Life can be tough!
Everyone has bad days and good ones, the difference comes with how we handle those days.
We recently sat down with Xtra Mile Ambassador, Jeff Cooper, to learn about the lessons he has learned during his fitness journey that hopefully will help others on theirs.
Jeff states that he was fortunate to find Xtra Mile to help him get through the rough times. A few years ago, he was having a really bad stretch where he felt down and heavily burdened. He found that he was not living the best version of himself so he decide to make a change NOW before it was too late. This was not easy for Jeff, but he has turned his health around, and learned a lot along the way.
Below is a random list of lessons Jeff learned and continues to learn from the great coaches and athletes at Xtra Mile Fitness and the CrossFit community in general.
1. Doing something is ALWAYS better than doing nothing.
2. Living life at 50 pounds overweight was really hard! So is the Assault Bike. Choose your hard!
3. Xtra Mile is about more than just fitness. I’ve met some of my best friends there. Get involved outside of the workouts!
4. Be open to our coaches ideas/suggestions. They have seen our situation many times and have our best interest at heart.
5. Be humble! It’s not about lifting the most weight or going the fastest (okay – maybe it is sometimes!).
6. Not every workout will be a 10/10. Showing up and just moving is sometimes a win!
7. Our encouragement toward others is sometimes the reason why they come back. Gas your friends up every chance you get (sprinkled with a little “chop busting” for good measure!)
8. You WILL fall off the wagon. It’s okay and normal. WHEN it happens, it’s vital that you jump right back on the wagon the very next day.
9. Ignore the highlight reels on social media. It’s the stuff people don’t post that makes the real difference.
10. Our excuses are the glue that keeps us stuck to the life we don’t want! We have to keep our promises to ourselves.
Jeff is a living example of what can be accomplished with a little hard work, and a trust in the process. Hopefully the lessons he has learned along the way will help you avoid some of the pit falls that we encounter during our journey!