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Check out our website at www.revolt-fit.com to schedule your Intro Session with us and begin your fitness journey! #PR #revoltfitness #revoltstrong #revoltfit #revolt #noretreatnosurrender #fit #fitness #fitfam #gulfcoastfitness #pensacolafitness #crossfit #crossfitrfdt #pensacola #florida #loseweight #getfit #changeyourbody #healthylifestyle (at Revolt Fitness) https://www.instagram.com/p/B185ekrnPxl/?igshid=xpboxwjzxtcp

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Why One Busy Mom Made Time for Fitness

BY EMILY BEERS

September 5th, 2018

Julie Valdez had a bad case of “mom guilt.”

“You know, the guilt moms feel that they aren’t doing enough,” she said. “I had all this guilt that I wasn’t doing enough to balance all my kids’ needs.”

Valdez, 32, is mother to two sets of twins: Aiden and Isaiah, 4, and Augustine and Isabella, 2.

“The biggest challenge is that they all have different needs, and one of my sons is autistic and has a sensory disorder as well, so it’s a balancing act to make sure they all get what they need from me,” she said.

“Mom guilt” kept Valdez from taking care of herself. A perceived lack of time and energy meant she didn’t prioritize her nutrition, and she let her fitness slide. As a result, by the time Augustine and Isabella were born in 2016, she had reached 210 lb. at 5 foot 4.

“I wasn’t organized to plan meals ahead of time, so when I was hungry I’d just grab whatever was there, like my kids’ fruit snacks, or I’d eat out,” she said. “Especially after my second set of twins were born. I went into survival mode, so eating out was my go-to.”

She felt unhealthy and lethargic and suffered from postpartum depression. In July 2016, when her youngest twins were 6 months old, Valdez hit rock bottom.

“I went on a family vacation to Florida. … I saw a picture of myself after the vacation and hardly recognized who I was,” she said.

She knew it was time to make a change—not just for her own sake, but also for her children. So she went to the doctor, who told Valdez she was obese.

After the appointment, Valdez sat in her car and cried.

“I realized I wasn’t taking care of myself, and I wasn’t happy with my own health and the way I looked. … I knew if I didn’t do anything about it, my health would continue to deteriorate and I would just get heavier,” she said.

Before CrossFit, Julie Valdez weighed 210 lb. at 5 foot 4 and suffered from back pain, fatigue and postpartum depression.

After losing 80 lb. with CrossFit and good nutrition, Valdez no longer has back pain and enjoys chasing after her four young children. (Both: Courtesy of Julie Valdez)

Valdez immediately turned to CrossFit 630 in Naperville, Illinois, for help. She began working out four days a week and eating whole, unprocessed foods.

Planning and preparing meals in advance was the key to staying on track, Valdez said.

“I figure out every Sunday what I’m going to make for dinner for the whole week,” she said. “As long as I have a plan and I don't have to think about what I’m going to make, it’s easy to stay on track. It makes it so much easier knowing I have everything I need for each meal.”

Because her husband works late hours and travels for work during the week, Valdez is the primary cook. To entice her picky children to eat healthy foods, she has discovered she needs to be creative and cook with variety. This means finding new ways to sneak vegetables into meals and using healthier ingredients such as coconut or almond flour when she wants to bake a treat for her children.

“I have learned throughout this journey that eating healthy doesn’t have to be eating a salad every day or having the same meal every day,” she said. “I have practically learned how to cook all over again.”

Though Valdez said she now enjoys cooking, like any mother, she also appreciates help—so she finds jobs her kids can do to help prepare meals.

“Not only are they learning a life skill, they are learning how to make those healthy choices to nurture their bodies,” she said.

Once Valdez embraced a diet of mostly meats and vegetables, her weight began to drop.

“After a pregnancy, it can be hard for any woman to lose that stubborn weight your body seems to want to hang on to, but once I cut out dairy—and then grains and sugar—I started leaning out a lot,” she said.

Today, Valdez weighs 130 lb., 80 lb. lighter than her heaviest weight. Her mental health has also improved, which she attributes to attending the 5:30-a.m. class at CrossFit 630 four to five days per week.

Prioritizing her daily workout helped Valdez fight postpartum depression and fatigue. (Courtesy of Nate Steele)

“I knew if I was going to stick to a gym routine, my only chance to get there would be 5:30 a.m.,” she said.

At that time, her husband is still home and her children are usually still asleep, so it’s a rare opportunity for Valdez to escape and do something for herself.

“After my second set of twins, I suffered from postpartum depression,” she said. “I was always tired, didn’t have energy, didn’t want to go out. In a way, I felt stuck doing the same daily tasks. Mentally that can be very hard, especially as a stay-at-home mother.”

Taking just one hour a day to work out with her friends helped pull her out of that mental rut, she said, while her improved fitness enhanced her quality of life.

“It’s crazy how just by holding on to extra weight, it really does affect doing the simplest things in your daily life,” said Valdez, whose back used to hurt when she walked upstairs.

“Now I can run up and down the stairs without feeling like I ran a marathon, or I can run around with my kids while still having the energy to go to CrossFit. It's pretty amazing what our bodies can do once we take care of ourselves,” she added.

Losing weight also gave her more confidence.

“I used to live in my little box, and I was always nervous all the time. CrossFit has definitely pushed me outside my comfort zone, and that has really built my confidence to do things with my kids,” she said. “I used to always stay covered up at the beach because I wasn’t happy with myself, for example. Now I’m more confident as a parent and just a person.”

Valdez’s coach, Nate Steele, says he uses her transformation story as an example to other clients, who give excuses for why they aren’t prioritizing their health and fitness.

“You can’t have a better real-life rebuttal to those people who tell you, ‘I just don’t have the time,’ than Julie. She’s the absolute example that recognizes the importance of doing whatever it takes to concentrate on health. … Two sets of twins all under the age of 4—one with special needs—won’t deter her from spending that hour at the gym,” he said.

Steele added: “We talk a lot about building healthy habits and that once those habits become part of the routine, they really are part of you. Julie has made improving herself a priority and (has) built the habits needed to see that her goals come true.”

Valdez has learned that in order to take good care of her children, she must first take good care of herself. (Courtesy of Julie Valdez)

In addition to better health, CrossFit has given Valdez a new outlook on parenthood.

“CrossFit has made raising four kids easier by giving me the extra push I needed, as well as giving me an outlet for those stressful days,” Valdez said.

She added: “People always make comments like, ‘Oh, good luck to you. You must have your hands full.’ … But you know what? It’s so much fun. I have silly kids who like to make me laugh, and I just think how lucky I am to have four little ones who like to give me kisses at the end of the day.”

Valdez no longer suffers from “mom guilt,” and she hopes other mothers will learn from her story and lose the guilt, too.

“It’s not selfish to go to the gym and work out,” she said. “A lot of moms think, ‘Oh, but I could be doing laundry at 5:30 a.m. or cleaning up the house. That’s more important than the gym.’ But it’s not. You have to take care of your own needs.”

She added: “Especially if you have a family to take care of. You have to take care of yourself first so you can take care of them.”

About the Author: Emily Beers is a CrossFit Journal contributor and coach at CrossFit Vancouver. She finished 37th at the 2014 Reebok CrossFit Games.

Cover image: Courtesy of Julie Valdez

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You spoke. We listened. Starting Monday September 19th @revolt.fitness will be adding a 630pm Class on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays for you to get in your fitness. Our #community continues to grow and we want to make sure we continue providing that small class coaching that helps you exceed your #fitness and #weightloss #goals #revoltfitness #revoltfit #revoltstrong #revoltfamily #fitness #fitfam #gulfcoastfitness #pensacolafitness #crossfitrfdt #crossfit #Pensacola #florida (at Revolt Fitness) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1MDzuPnGhd/?igshid=1jwin4m5ab0qa

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This is why we do what we do. Vinnie comes to the 6am class @revolt.fitness 3 times a week and absolutely crushes it. @crossfithealth is all about staying functional for as long as we possibly can. Quality of life is crucial, functional fitness is everything. We can help you be your healthiest and fittest self in whatever stage of life you may be in. This is #crossfit #noretreatnosurrender #bicepcurls #sledpull #farmerscarry #crossfitrfdt #Pensacola #florida #fitness #fitfam #pensacolafitness #gulfcoastfitness #revoltfit (at Revolt Fitness) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvyw4FalSrg/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=749t6ve77ywi

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Its game time!!! The #crossfitopen2019 is here and we are ready to rock n roll. Starting at 530pm we have our #fridaynightlights just like last year. We will be running heats until all athletes have thrown down. If you need a place to do the open then come down to #revoltfitness we would love to host you. #crossfitrfdt #revoltfit #fitness #pensacola #florida (at Revolt Fitness) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuL6jOAlxPr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ttvm43zdke1y

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Dash was a Sprint! 750m row to get the heart rate up then 25 Deadlifts at a weight you can move quickly while still maintaining good form. It finished off with 50 Goblet squats. Once through for time. This was a fun test to see how your cute held up under pressure! #noretreatnosurrender #revoltfitness #pensacola #fit #crossfitrfdt #revoltstrong #revoltisforeveryone #silverfoxes #easthill #healthylifestyle #revoltfitnesscommunity #revoltfamily (at Revolt Fitness) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvbZ4oBFdKA/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1vmpxqwmofy43

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When you're at the gym just waiting for your swolemate to show up and they are nowhere I sight... #revoltfitness #revoltfamily #community #fitness #fitfam #pensacolafitness #gulfcoastfitness #crossfitrfdt #crossfit #Pensacola #florida (at Revolt Fitness) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtQ18JRFhOq/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=2jqofkvapfpx

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February 16th, 2019 will mark one year since Revolt Fitness opened its' doors and we are excited to celebrate by hosting our very first competition: Couples Clash! The Competition is Male/Female Pairs Proceeds from the competition will go to awarding a 1 year scholarship to Revolt Fitness for one at risk youth. Along with the Revolt Fitness Scholarship, BareHand Collective will also award a 1 year scholarship to Revolt Fitness. How will these lucky teenagers (age 13-18 years old) be selected? That is where you and your partner come in! When you sign up for the competition you will be asked what teenager you would like to sponsor? If you and your partner win the RX division the teenager you sponsored will be the recipient of the Revolt Fitness Scholarship! That is not all folks...BareHand Collective will be donating their own scholarship of equal value to the winner of the Scale Division! If you need a youth to sponsor we can provide one to cheer you on! Sign up now and be part of helping two lucky youths discover the amazing benefits of CrossFit. Grab your 'swolemate' and come on down to Revolt Fitness Couples Clash in Pensacola, Florida. https://app.wodifyarena.com/Event/Event.aspx?u=couplesclash2019 #couplesclash2019 #competition #noretreatnosurrender #crossfitrfdt #revoltfitness #pensacola #florida (at Revolt Fitness) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrWI4GeFtKe/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=8l18ma8t8gpi

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To be the champ you have to beat the champ! Want to win the #slimdownchallenge and the big prize of 500 bucks??? Preparation Preparation Preparation. Have your meals planned out so as to avoid any temptation of hitting the doughnut shop. Everyone has done a great job through week 1. 5 more weeks to go, stay strong and your #hardworkpaysoff guaranteed. #revoltfitness #revoltfit #fitness #fitfam #pensacolafitness #gulfcoastfitness #crossfitrfdt #crossfit #pensacola #florida (at Revolt Fitness) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs1QcTGlCx9/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=zl8w9oz3g8lq

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ONLY THE BEGINNING

Over the last few weeks so much has happened. We have received an outpouring of love, joy and giving from all of you. As you well know Kat and I are here in Pensacola alone, our family far away. In the absence of our relatives you have given us a family we get to be a part of. Each of us has ended up here for our own reasons and in our own way. Together we have formed a unique bond built on trust, friendship and family. The greatest gift we received this Christmas was you. The cards we received and the words written in them filled our hearts with love and admiration for your courage in taking the steps you did to become a part of our family. We understand more than ever how important what we do every day is and what it means to you. You have exceeded our expectations in every way. We have read and re-read your messages many times. Usually ending with tears of happiness in our eyes. Together we have built something special and knowing that we will only get better fills us with excitement for the future. ​ There are many more people in our community that need our help. Folks just like us that are dealing with depression, low self-confidence, chronic disease and addiction. They need us, our family and community. We need to continue to welcome those that seek to better themselves and have the courage to walk through our doors with open arms and open hearts. Thank you. Thank you for being such a special group and for helping us realize this amazing dream. This is only the beginning. No Retreat, No Surrender. Kat and Omar

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IMPROVING MINDSET

For those of you who don’t know me, I played soccer almost my whole life and I was a bad sport. I would miss a goal or get beat by another player and I would sit down on the sidelines, furious and sad at the same time. I certainly did not know then what I know now. ​ Circumstances in life had me depressed living in a cycle of negative thinking because I mentally was not strong. As I got older, I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease which is an autoimmune disease that attacks your nervous system and joints. I had arthritis at 13 years old, acute migraines, and all sorts of problems that didn't help my negative thinking. Lyme disease can go dormant, but unfortunately there is no cure for Lyme Disease, unless you catch it in its early stages. I was on and off antibiotics for about 4 years.Through college it would come and go, but it wasn’t until I started CrossFit when I started to feel good. My chronic fatigue, joint pains, and headaches became less prevalent. Not only has CrossFit helped with my Lyme, it has tremendously improved my mental attitude. Like I said before, I was a bad sport, always getting mad at myself and very negative. When I started CrossFit at Revolt Fitness, I had been doing CrossFit for about a year already and with the same bad attitude. I was negative and would get mad if I couldn’t do heavy weights, if I would perform badly, and I started to not enjoy CrossFit. Honestly, through my coaches and the people around me, I slowly started to realize that my problem wasn’t physically, it was mentally. Physically I was in shape going from soccer to CrossFit. When I started I enjoyed it and felt amazing, however after a while, I went back to my same old attitude. So it wasn’t the physical aspect that changed me, but it was the mental aspect of CrossFit that did. Mentally I became a lot stronger. ​ My coaches are amazing in how they have shown me it is not always about the weight on the bar or the fastest time. It is about you achieving personal goals even if that goal is improving my mindset to be more positive or having a better attitude about life! I also have several others around me that are coming in here each day DOING THE SAME EXACT THING. Everyone is bonding in this community of CrossFit because we all want to leave each day better than we were yesterday.  That mental toughness and challenge you give yourself in CrossFit makes you realize a few things. Knowing I had to start changing my mindset when I came to the gym, carried over to my personal life like worrying less and enjoying life around me. See? CrossFit is so much more than working out. So, there you have it, no before and after photos, no amazing weightloss journey or anything. There are many ways CrossFit can change people. I still have my days when I get negative or have a bad attitude, but that is a work in progress and why I keep coming back every day to work harder at it. Thank you Revolt family for helping me achieve my goals!       ​Mickey Crist  

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Revolt Fitness . Denim

Technique, Consistency, Intensity

We focus on making sure that our people move well inside the gym so that you can move well outside the gym. We teach all the movements and leave nothing out. More than 70% of our athletes are all brand new to functional fitness and have made significant progress in their health and well being in a very short time.

You can too!

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Revolt Fitness . Mickey's Fault

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#RevoltIsABlessing

I started my CrossFit journey at Revolt on February 26, 2018. Before I was introduced to CrossFit, I was very skeptical about the sport (and really nervous) because I have always struggled with my fitness, eating habits, and self-confidence. Since my early teenage years, I developed body image issues and initial stages of an eating disorder. It has always been challenging to accept my body the way it is and to acquire a healthy lifestyle. CrossFit has changed not only my body but also the way I see and feel about myself. One of the biggest changes I had to make to achieve these goals is learning to develop discipline. There are still many days where I feel tired but I try to remind myself of the positive impact of CrossFit in my life and the long-term goals I am trying to accomplish. My eating habits have been my biggest challenge (especially when I pass by an ice cream shop) and I have deviated from my goals by eating unhealthy foods a few times. When this happens I try to remind myself that this is a temporary loss of motivation and that is never too late to get back on track. CrossFit has improved my confidence, mindset, and body in less than 8 months. I have a long way to go, but I am proud of my progress. I have never been good at sports, and it is amazing to see the way my body has changed and how I am much more confident about the way I look! When I started CrossFit, I joined the CrossFit Lite class and was barely able to lift the 15 lbs barbell. Today, I am doing the same workout my peers are, I am accumulating PRs, and I even feel comfortable taking my shirt off (WHAT?..Me?..Crazy right?) My Revolt Family, Coach Omar, and Coach Kat push me every day to become the best version of myself. They believe in my physical and mental abilities more than I do myself and cheer me up on my not-so-good days. I love going to CrossFit thanks to them and I am excited about what my future health will look like. Thank you Revolt, you are a blessing!

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Saturday WOD. 11.17.18

Saturday was the perfect day to work on tweaking and perfecting our technique with the handstand push-ups and pull-ups. Check out how Coach Omar first teaches and shows the movements then let's the athletes play on the playground!

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@revolt.fitness our playground is for everyone! Think about it, do kids hesitate to step on a playground? No! They run right in looking for things to do, excited to try new "tricks" with a friend or someone they just met. Check out our website @revolt-fit.com to see which class times are best for you. Come in with a friend or make a new one here! #inshot #revoltfitness #revoltstrong #revoltfit #revolt #noretreatnosurrender #fit #fitness #fitfam #gulfcoastfitness #pensacolafitness #crossfit #crossfitrfdt #pensacola #florida #community (at Revolt Fitness) https://www.instagram.com/p/BorTd67nv3L/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1tezfqyn9j80c