Ellen: Managing T2 Diabetes With CrossFit

ByCrossFit May 17, 2020

Ellen Downey knew what to expect when she was diagnosed with diabetes.

“I knew what diabetes could do,” she says. “I’d lived it. I’d seen it in my family. But I just didn’t have the personal strength. I didn’t have the community or the dedication within myself to control my emotional dependency on food.”

Steadily declining health eventually forced Downey to make a change. When a friend introduced her to CrossFit, Downey quickly changed her life for the better. She recalls her hesitancy before stepping into Reebok CrossFit Cardiff.

“I don’t know if CrossFit’s for me. … I don’t know if I’m ready yet,” she remembers saying.

But she was ready. Through CrossFit, Downey recognized that she used food as an emotional crutch. Today, she’s lost about 150 lb. and found a new outlet for her emotions.

“Now, if I’m fed up, I’ll go and throw a barbell around.”