April 15, 2024. That is the date I received an email from Juan asking for information on the gym.
I replied to his email and tried to set up a time for a phone call to answer his questions. I never heard back from him. I sent two additional follow-up emails and never heard anything back.
Then, in early July of 2025, I heard back from Juan. This time, I picked up the phone and called him, and we set up a time for him to come by for what we call a “No Sweat Intro.”
One year ago, he walked through our doors at CrossFit Alabaster for the first time. He was nervous, anxious, and unsure of what to expect.
Juan actually told me that he barely slept the night before our Intro because he wasn’t sure what to expect.
So what made Juan decide to walk through our doors for the first time? His answer was simple. “I felt very complacent in what I was doing and needed something more structured for me.”
Juan didn’t struggle with motivation. He was actively working out on his own. His biggest struggle was knowing what to do in the gym and trying to figure it out on his own. Deciding what workout to do, whether he was doing the right things, and hoping these efforts would get him the results he wanted.
When I first met with Juan, we didn’t just throw him into a workout and say, “Good luck.”
Instead, we sat down in our office after a quick tour of the gym and talked about Juan. Specifically, his goals, his lifestyle, where he was currently in his fitness journey, and where he wanted to go.
Juan says that conversation made all the difference. “We set realistic goals to match my lifestyle and where I was during that time in my fitness journey. We set a game plan that actually felt realistic and achievable.”
That approach is something we believe in for every single person who walks through our doors. We don’t expect you to be in shape already. We meet you where you are currently and work from there.
For Juan, there wasn’t one amazing workout that changed everything. There wasn’t one perfect week. Simply put, there was consistency.
Eventually, something started to happen.
“My clothes were not fitting anymore. Also, people around me were noticing my results before I did. I kept being told by friends that they could see a difference.”
Those are the types of wins we love to celebrate because they oftentimes happen before someone even notices the changes themselves.
Over the course of this past year, Juan has accomplished things that once felt impossible. At the top of the list is getting his first bar muscle-up!
I asked him what has changed outside the gym since joining, and his answer is what stood out most to me.
“My energy and confidence are through the roof. I actually enjoy working out now.”
To me, that is what fitness is really about.
Yes, getting stronger matters.
Yes, losing weight matters.
But becoming more confident and being the best version of yourself can change your life in ways that a number on the scale never could.
Juan credits much of his success to the encouragement of the coaches at the gym and the friendships he has built along the way.
The final question I asked Juan was, “If you could go back and talk to yourself the day before walking through our doors for the first time, what would you tell yourself?”
“Just take the first step and start.”
If you have been thinking about starting your own health and fitness journey, let Juan’s answer be a reminder that the first step is the most important one.
“Don’t wait, don’t hesitate, and just start! One of my biggest regrets was not joining sooner.”
His journey is a great reminder that no two people’s paths look the same. Juan put it best:
“Everyone’s journey is different. Don’t get overwhelmed and try to compare yourself to others. Fitness is maybe 20% of it. Make sure the other 80% is healthy eating habits. Be consistent, develop discipline, and stay motivated.”
Sometimes all it takes to change your life is to be willing to simply take that first step.