One of my favourite things about coaching is watching people realize they’re capable of more than they ever imagined.

Every month, we celebrate personal records, class milestones, nutrition wins, and consistency. But what I love most is that every one of these stories started the same way—with someone deciding to show up.

Some members are just beginning their fitness journey. Others are returning after time away. Some are chasing their first pull-up, while others are training for races or simply trying to feel healthier and have more energy for their families.

Wherever you’re starting, know this: progress is possible.

Here are just a few of the amazing things our community accomplished this month.

Sometimes the Hardest Step Is Coming Back

Life gets busy.

Work changes. Kids’ schedules take over. Injuries happen. Priorities shift.

That’s why we’re so excited to welcome Sheldon and Olivia back to CrossFit Durst.

Both have trained with us before, and although life pulled them away for a while, they remembered something important—they remembered how good they felt after a workout.

Walking back through the doors is often the hardest part. We’re so glad you’re both back.

Real Weight Loss Starts with Better Habits

One of the biggest misconceptions in fitness is that you have to spend hours in the gym to see results.

The truth?

Results come from building habits you can actually stick with.

Janine has been working one-on-one with Coach Jacqui through our nutrition coaching program over the past few months. Through consistent nutrition, accountability, and small lifestyle changes, she’s lost 17.8 pounds and 6.7% body fat. Even more exciting, she’s recently started CrossFit classes and is building on the healthy foundation she’s already created.

Deborah reminds us that exercise isn’t the only place transformation happens. Focusing on nutrition alone, she’s already lost 7.5 pounds of body fat and 9 inches. That’s proof that sustainable nutrition changes can create life-changing results.

A huge shout-out also goes to Saravanan, who recently decided to invest in one-on-one nutrition coaching. In just a few short weeks, he’s already seeing positive changes, and we’re excited to watch his journey continue.

At CrossFit Durst, we don’t believe in quick fixes. We believe in helping people build habits they can maintain for years—not just a few weeks.

Strong Moms Raise Strong Families

One program I’ll never stop being proud of is our Babies & Barbells community.

Watching moms regain confidence, build strength, and make time for themselves after having children is incredibly rewarding.

Over the past year, Julia has lost more than 11 pounds of body fat while gaining 6 pounds of muscle. She feels stronger, has more energy, and is now challenging herself even more by joining our Hybrid program, adding regular CrossFit classes, and even coming out to Run Club.

Katrina has also had an amazing year. She’s lost 15 pounds of body fat, gained 2.9 pounds of muscle, and has developed the confidence to lift heavier weights while working toward her first pull-up.

Their stories are a reminder that fitness after having kids isn’t about “getting your body back.” It’s about building an even stronger version of yourself.

We’re also thrilled to welcome Diana with baby Oliver back to classes in our Babies & Barbells program. It’s great to have you back!

Progress Isn’t Always Measured by the Scale

Some victories can’t be measured in pounds.

This month we celebrated:

Brandon reaching 100 classes while making huge progress on his handstands.
Nicole G hitting 750 classes
Clint 250 Classes
Ellen T 100 Classes
Kristin V hitting 500 classes
Gerry improving his clean pulling technique.
Saloni relentlessly working on her front rack mobility.
Julia making fantastic progress toward toes-to-bar.
Chef achieving her first hang from the rig and conquering her first 8-inch box jumps.

Every one of these accomplishments represents hours of practice, patience, and refusing to give up.

Running Strong

It’s been so much fun watching our running community grow.

Katie M crushed a personal best at the Brantford Rotary Classic Run while becoming incredibly consistent in CrossFit classes and earning her place in the Committed Club.

A big shout-out also goes to Alex D and Nicole D. for the consistency they’ve shown with their running. Improvement doesn’t happen overnight, but when you keep putting one foot in front of the other, amazing things happen.

Consistency Will Always Beat Perfection

If you’ve been around Durst for any length of time, you’ve probably heard me say this before:

Consistency beats perfection. Every. Single. Time.

That’s why our Committed Club is one of my favourite things to celebrate.

Congratulations to Joanne, Dave, and Sarah Pereira for achieving an incredible 18 consecutive months in the Committed Club.

Welcome to Ash and Darin, who both earned Committed Club for the first time. Ash in his very first month at the gym. What an incredible way to start your CrossFit journey.

A huge congratulations as well to Rick and Kristen V. for getting back into the Committed Club. Life happens. What matters is that you come back.

Celebrating Life Outside the Gym

Our community is about so much more than fitness.

Congratulations to Becky R on becoming a grandmother! We already know you’re going to be one of the strongest and fittest grandmas around.

These moments matter just as much as any personal record.

Behind the Scenes

If you’ve been following along with our new facility, you’ve probably seen the construction updates.

What you don’t always see is the amount of work happening behind the scenes.

A massive thank you to Ian, who has spent countless hours at the new space, pouring his heart into every stage of the project. He’s there almost every day making sure we’re one step closer to opening the doors to the next chapter of CrossFit Durst.

I honestly can’t wait for all of you to see it.

What June Reminded Me

Looking back at this month, one thing stands out.

There isn’t one definition of success.

For one person, success was losing nearly 18 pounds.

For another, it was showing up after months away.

For someone else, it was hanging from the rig for the very first time, running a personal best, or simply walking through our doors consistently.

That’s what makes this community so special.

No matter your age, experience, or fitness level, there’s a place for you here.

Whether your goal is to lose weight, build muscle, improve your health, train for your first race, become stronger after having kids, or simply find a supportive community that keeps you accountable, we’d love to help you get there.

To everyone who celebrated a win in June—thank you for letting us be part of your journey.

We’re incredibly proud of you, and we can’t wait to see what July brings.

– Coach Jacqui

About the Author

Jacqui Veino is the owner of CrossFit Durst in Brantford, Ontario, a CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2), and a Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach. She specializes in helping busy adults build strength, improve their health, and stay active for life through expert coaching, nutrition, and sustainable fitness habits.