Client Success Story Questionnaire
Name: Chloe Anderson White
Age: 24
Occupation: Speech Language Pathologist
What is your athletic background?
I grew up playing a variety of sports- flag football, basketball, tennis, and more. In college, I played division III lacrosse for four years at Augustana College in the Quad Cities.
What was your workout routine prior to CF Spero?
In college, I would lift in the mornings and go to practice in the evenings. During my senior year of college, I was diagnosed with a few autoimmune conditions, one of which is rheumatoid arthritis. The most consistent workout routine I had immediately prior to joining Spero was going to aquatic physical therapy to work on walking better- I never dreamed that I would be running and moving again the way I am now.
What was your first experience with CrossFit?
My first experience with CrossFit was joining SharpIron Athletics, an old affiliate that was in my hometown, during the summers in college to increase my strength and agility for lacrosse.
When did you start CrossFit?
I started CrossFit the summer after my freshman year of college in 2018 because I wanted to earn a starting spot the next lacrosse season.
Why did you choose CF Spero?
Shortly before my husband and I moved to Oak Park, I started a medication that helped my arthritis tremendously. I decided then that I wanted to return to CrossFit. I started scoping out gyms near our new apartment and Spero was within walking distance. The day after we moved in, I dropped into a class and never looked back.
What keeps you coming back?
The community and health benefits. The way I see it, I can spend a few hours a week in the gym or spend a lot of hours a week in pain and exhausted. The people at Spero make an already obvious choice easier to live out.
Why do you live in the Oak Park Area?
My husband works for Salom America company in Oak Park. He worked remotely while I was in grad school, so when we had the opportunity to move anywhere during my internship year, we decided to move here so he could go into the office.
What do you do for a living?
I am a speech language pathologist for Westside Pediatric Therapy in Oak Lawn. Basically, I spend all day playing with a bunch of awesome kids and helping build their speech, language, and overall functional communication.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I spend a lot of time at my church, St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Oak Park. I enjoy volunteering and helping anyway I can there because it has been such a vital community for my husband and me. My primary hobby seems to be collecting hobbies. I garden, knit, do puzzles, play boardgames, hang out with my 3 guinea pigs, and enjoy trivia.
What are one or two improvements you have seen in your life since starting CF?
My daily pain and exhaustion levels are the biggest improvements I have seen since starting at Spero. With my chronic conditions, I had kind of resigned myself to the idea that my pain and exhaustion would always be as bad as it was. Now, my pain levels are often minimal and I have energy to do the things I love again.
What is the biggest change you have seen since starting CrossFit at Spero?
I enjoy life more! I am healthier and happier. As I have lost weight from doing CrossFit, people have started commenting that I look better. It took me a little bit to realize that they aren’t just talking about the weight loss. People who know me well have actually noticed my mood shift- I look happier because I am happier.
What are your goals for 2023?
My biggest goal for 2023 is to stay consistent in making it to the gym regardless of my work schedule. I know that keeping that goal as the main priority will help all my other goals (getting pull-ups, handstand push-ups, increasing weight on my lifts) to fall in line.
What's your favorite and least favorite movement?
I think anyone who has worked out with me knows that deadlifts are my favorite. My least favorite movement is running, but I am slowly making peace with cardio and dreading it less.
What prompted you to join the Nutrition Challenge in February 2023? What was your favorite part of the Challenge?
I joined the nutrition challenge because my energy levels weren’t improving with CrossFit alone. Through CrossFit, I was in less pain every day, but I was still completely exhausted no matter how much sleep I got. I figured the best medicine is food. It seemed silly to me to keep taking handfuls of prescription medications each morning and night and consume nutritionally devoid garbage the entire day in between. Obviously, I still take my medications, but shifting what was going into my body between pills was a shift I really needed. My favorite part of the challenge was how manageable and sustainable it was. I didn’t have to count calories or macros or even skip my afternoon chocolate. A few simple changes to my plate yielded huge results for both my mental and physical health.
What's your favorite meal?
My favorite meal is fajita veggies with ground turkey taco meat and (a slightly absurd amount of) creamy jalapeno sauce.
What would you say to someone thinking about starting CrossFit at Spero?
It is very simple. It’s not easy but almost nothing worth doing is. Show up, listen to the coaches, do your best for an hour, and repeat a few times a week. No matter who you are or what you are capable of right now, the coach will be able to find the right scaling option for you. Just take the first step through the door. It really is that simple.
Anything else you would like to share with the Spero family?
I am so unbelievably thankful for all of you. My life is forever changed because of Spero and that wouldn’t be the case if everyone hadn’t made me feel so welcome and kept me coming back.
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