Owner/trainer/CrossFit superhero Nick Birdsall has become one my top five males on the planet, in good company with my son, my boyfriend and Gregg Allman. He leads by example, pushes you like none other and makes you want to do and be the best you can be. Nick not only eased me into this process with modifications but talked me through my own personal blockades (demons) in relation to body image and nutrition. As he puts it, 'Physical changes are a byproduct of hard work.' He taught me to 'do things that require an athletic body and your body will become athletic.'

I was shocked to recently learn that Birdsall did not come out of the womb with chiseled abs and shoulders you could serve a buffet on. In fact, prior to being introduced to CrossFit he suffered chronic knee and back pain and couldn't run the mandatory USMC three miles. This summer he did a 20 mile run with no traditional run type training and ran an ultra marathon (50k... FML). This is the kind of impact CrossFit training can have on a body - and trust me, if you saw Nick Birdsall's body you'd sign up immediately. Just sayin'. His past gives him a true understanding of what it is like to begin and struggle with a fitness program. 'I enjoy working with the beginners as much as the advanced,' he said. 'I try to be understanding of people's current abilities but continually push them to new levels.'

For me the beauty of CrossFit Acadia is I became more concerned with the weight on my barbell instead of the weight on my scale.

For more information on CrossFit Acadia, call (207)266-3726.