At age 18 and finishing high school, Alan Fredendall topped the scales at over 400 pounds.  Climbing a single flight of stairs to attend class on the second story of his school left him wheezing and breathless.

During college, he began a weight loss journey involving body building and lots of cardio, but he hadn’t yet found a way to make sustainable, long term changes.  A stent in the Army gave him the motivation he needed to maintain a healthier weight for several years, but it also left him looking forward to the day when he would get out so that he could “never exercise again.”

Once Alan left the Army and went back to college to finish his exercise science degree, he continued the cycle of inconsistent exercise, yo-yo dieting and huge weight fluctuations. 

It wasn’t until a friend introduced him to CrossFit that he finally developed healthy habits that stuck.  Although he was reluctant to start, Alan soon ramped up his attendance and quickly learned that good nutrition outside the gym helped him feel better inside the gym.

He came to love being part of a tribe of individuals looking to improve themselves, and appreciates that training with CrossFit allows him to be better in activities outside the gym.

Not only has Alan used CrossFit to improve his own health, he splits his time between working as a doctor of physical therapy and as a Level 2 trainer using CrossFit methodologies to help others who are in his old shoes.  He often sees his clients transition from being physical therapy patients to affiliate members attending the classes he coaches.

I first connected with Alan via a virtual physical therapy conference for the Institute of Clinical Excellence, and I was excited to learn more about his remarkable transformation story in this episode.  We talk about the approach his friends used to encourage him to make major lifestyle changes, and how he sees CrossFit and physical therapy working together to help individuals stay functionally fit throughout their lives.

You can connect with Alan via Instagram @alan.fred.dpt and the Institute of Clinical Excellence at @icephysio

Related Episodes:

Ep 116 - How Healing Works with Dr. Wayne Jonas

Ep 132 - Healing Through Functional Movement with Dr. Amy West

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Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns