November Athlete of the Month: Koloni Borys

Congratulations, Koloni! You are the NoCoast November Athlete of the Month!!

Koloni has been a part of NoCoast for almost a year now and, in that time, we have seen her confidence in herself and her abilities skyrocket. Not only has her confidence grown, but her dedication to the gym is paying off as her strength numbers and fitness continue to rise. Koloni has taken that same approach to our latest nutrition challenge and has already noticed increased energy, focus, and recovery. We are grateful to have Koloni and Ryan at NoCoast and are excited to see their continued growth moving forward.

Quotes from Koloni:

“Before this No Sugar Challenge, I didn't really concentrate on my nutrition. With the challenge, I have been able to focus on what my body needs, what it doesn't need, and I feel so much better. Even in the short period of time, I have seen less bloating and inflammation and my soreness doesn't seem to last as long. I feel like I have a lot more energy to accomplish my workouts as well as everyday tasks.”

“CrossFit and exercise has become my happy place. Before Ryan got me going to the gym regularly, I struggled with really bad anxiety. Since joining CrossFit, my anxiety has diminished immensely. I have also been someone who has always struggled with body image, especially after having kids. CrossFit has given me the confidence to get past these insecurities and be happy in the body I have.”

Age/Weight:

I turned 31 in September. My most recent weigh in was 122 lbs.

Athletic/Sports history/highlights:

I grew up playing soccer, power tumbling, and cheerleading. Since having kids I haven't spent a lot of time doing any kind of sport other than bowling.

How long have you been CrossFitting?

I started my CrossFit journey at NoCoast in January of this year. I had never really done anything like it before that.

How did you get into CrossFit?

I got into CrossFit because Ryan got into CrossFit. We always went to the gym together, and he was even the one who got me back into working out when we first started dating. He joined last year and talked me into just coming to watch a class one day, and I've been hooked ever since. I have a few friends that also do CrossFit, but I would laugh at them a bit and say "I will never be a CrossFitter,” yet here I am and loving it.

What is your favorite WOD/CrossFit movement?

My favorite CrossFit movement is Deadlift. I feel so strong and powerful during that movement. I have also recently come to enjoy handstand push-ups.

What is your least favorite WOD/CrossFit movement?

Burpees. And Air Bike. I used to hate running, but I will take running over the air bike any day.

What is your most memorable CrossFit moment?

I have a lot of memorable moments, but I think the one that stands out to me most was figuring out handstand push-ups, then being able to use them in a workout shortly after. I first saw Nick W doing them in a Saturday WOD and decided I wanted to learn to do those. I got a lot of advice from Nick and Yvonne, and a few weeks later was able to figure them out. And being able to use the handstand push-ups in a workout for the majority of my rounds made me feel so accomplished and capable of anything.

How does nutrition play a role in your fitness and recovery?

Before this No Sugar Challenge, I didn't really concentrate on my nutrition. With the challenge, I have been able to focus on what my body needs, what it doesn't need, and I feel so much better. Even in the short period of time, I have seen less bloating and inflammation and my soreness doesn't seem to last as long. I feel like I have a lot more energy to accomplish my workouts as well as everyday tasks. The challenge has also forced me to focus on my water intake because I was not drinking nearly enough water.

How has CrossFit improved your overall wellness?

CrossFit and exercise has become my happy place. Before Ryan got me going to the gym regularly, I struggled with really bad anxiety. Since joining CrossFit, my anxiety has diminished immensely. I have also been someone who has always struggled with body image, especially after having kids. CrossFit has given me the confidence to get past these insecurities and be happy in the body I have.

How has CrossFit changed your family?

I feel as a whole, CrossFit has been a positive influence on my family. We are all eating healthier and making better choices. We eat out less and have more energy to do fun things with the kids. My kids push us to be better and always ask how the workout went. They have even gotten into exercise and can't wait until the CrossFit Kids classes are able to start up again. It's great to have Ryan by my side and pushing me through each workout. The competition of "Spouse of the Day" forces each of us to try that much harder each WOD.

Advice to new people:

My advice to new people is to keep pushing forward. Some days are really hard and the workout looks tough, but you feel so accomplished once you get through it. NoCoast is a family and we are here to support and push each other, so step out of your comfort zone and just go for it. The only direction to go is up.