Testimonials from some of our members!

Below are a some testimonials from our clients and co-workers from the past few months regarding their transformation and inroads to weight loss and better health. These people, along with many others I have worked with in and out of the workplace, took the time to buckle down and make the effort to change their lives. It was hard work, but it has been worth it for each person. This is proof that our system, training and constant badgering are done for a reason – we know you can succceed and we want to help you do it! It won’t come overnight, but the fact remains that it will come. You all have made the first step towards better health and fitness by getting involved with CrossFit and our dietary recommendations – that say’s a lot of great things about your character and attitude.

Remember this - You are in control. There is nothing you cannot do. If you want a particular goal, you can reach it with dedication, desire, and determination!

Nothing is easy, but in the end it is all worth it!

Ian & Allison,

I just wanted to Thank You two for being you, and positively encouraging me every day that I am in the box.

I had a doctor appointment this morning at 9am (my usual time). My weight was 12 pounds lighter than my last visit (1yr). The really amazing change was my BP (blood pressure) at 116/75 ( I was so amazed, I couldn’t decide whether to jump up & down or cry tears of joy *lump in throat*). I have a family history of high blood pressure on my father’s side (he died at 55 of congestive heart failure) and low blood pressure on my mother’s side so my BP can be regulated through diet & exercise BUT I have not seen my blood pressure under 140/89 for years. I really believe that the WODs we do at CrossFit, the Paleo diet, and the positive reinforcement from you two and all of the members has helped to lower my BP and improve my overall health! This has definitely been an education in health for me. 

Thank you really doesn’t say all that I am feeling right now…

Kelli Raffetto

Ian,

You never cease to amaze me bro! You emailing all of us with what I am totally sure is absolute genuine concern and interest. You’re an amazing person. My wife and I speak about you and your knowledge and interest in people quite often.

The diet is a way of life for us, measuring, packaging and making my food everyday. All of which is very important for a person like me, because I would just take the easy way out and eat junk!

I have lost a lot of weight and I am now at a maintenance stage. I can drop some more if I want to, now that I have the tools to do so. The best thing for me is that I eat my normal Zone stuff, then if I want the occasional treat, I can eat it without really feeling guilty or more importantly putting a lot of weight back on.

Stay safe out there, bro!

Officer Marcus J.
Rancho Cordova Police Department
Traffic Division

Prior to joining Crossfit, I had done every single boot camp, turbo kickboxing, body pump, spin and yoga class out there. I have had numerous personal trainers throughout the years and along with that came all the diets I was on to try and reach my goal.

I love working out and I knew that I put in much effort but I still wasn’t seeing the results I had envisioned for myself. My friend had recommended Crossfit and the first time I went to observe a WOD, I remember Ian taking me aside and explaining to me the difference between ‘traditional gym workouts’ and Crossfit workouts and how you’re still burning fat long after you’re done with a Crossfit workout. That’s where he had me. I started doing some Crossfit workouts at home but knew I wouldn’t get that push, knowledge, or challenge of Crossfit without joining an actual box.

I finally joined CFC at the end of September and I can honestly say that throughout all my years of training and working out, I have never worked out like I do at CFC and I have never loved working out as much as I do now. Before Crossfit, I thought a clean was to be tidy and a jerk was some of the guys I’ve dated ;o) I am doing things I’ve never done before and I look forward to the challenge and uniqueness of every WOD.

However, it’s not just the workouts. The environment and camaraderie at CFC is unlike any other. For example, prior to officially joining CFC I participated in Fight Gone Bad this year. Thankfully Ian ran me through a modified version of it before the real deal and although I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing and I barely knew anyone at CFC, the support, coaching, cheers and encouragement that day was unlike anything I had ever experienced and I was just so proud to know that I would be a part of the CFC family. Ian and Allison are the best trainers anyone could ask for. Their love for what they do is apparent and genuine and their knowledge of fitness and diet is amazing to me and like no other.

By doing the Paleo challenge I have learned what proper dieting is all about. It’s not even about a number on a scale for me anymore … it’s about changing my body composition and getting fitter, faster, leaner, and stronger. And I can honestly say that in the short time I have been a member, I, as well as others have seen changes. I brag about and recommend CFC all the time! J

Ian and Allison, thank you for everything you do! I respect and admire you both and am lucky and thankful to have you both as my trainers and to be a member of CFC.

Sally D

Ian & Allison,

I’d like to kick-off the year with a HUGE thanks to both of you for the SUPERIOR training, knowledge of health & nutrition, and support you have given me since I joined the CFC family only a short 7 months ago!!! I haven’t been this healthy and strong since my days playing college volleyball 25 years ago (yes I am old) – even probably stronger than I was then. I certainly never imagined I would DL 185 in my 40’s and working towards more!


I am not as eloquent as some of my CFC compatriots but here are the top reasons why I appreciate you guys so much:


Ø Personal Coaching – even working out with a group of folks you give individual attention on technique & form, tailor things to our individual development, and encourage/yell at the right moment when we need it to push forward and challenge ourselves just a little bit harder.

Ø Sense of Team – even though we are all working on our own PR’s, there is a tremendous sense of teamwork and camaraderie that we’re all in it together and that just finishing a WOD means Success! It is impressive to see such a wide range of ability at the box every day but the strong thread (or rope, in this case) of CFC pulls us all together. As a newbie barely making it through a WOD or working out with PVC in the beginning, I NEVER had the feeling that anyone looked down on me or that I didn’t belong there – which you can sense at the Big Box gyms. Everyone has always been encouraging and that stems from you two! The things you do to support community charities is also outstanding!

Ø Expertise – boy do you know your stuff! The combination of exercise, physiology, and nutrition is really a 1-2-3 punch that you don’t find every where. You both are great examples of strong athletes. The fact that you can give us “real life” examples of how you do it makes it much easier to relate to and be willing to try new things both from a working out AND especially, nutrition standpoint – the diet thing is always the hardest to convert. Your guidance and approach gives wiggle room for those of us who may not be very disciplined with our eating habits so that we can begin to make changes and improvements but not feel like complete failures when we fall off the wagon – the “cheat” is a supportive day rather than a guilt-ridden day. Soon, the day becomes only a meal or a bite every now and then. Before you know it, the pounds have fallen off, muscles are stronger & tighter, and the clothes fit SOOOOO much better – or you get to buy new ones!

Ø Fun – I can honestly say I look forward to working out, which I don’t believe I have EVER said in my life! All of the things above contribute to this!

Ø Quality and Value – especially in this day and age where we are all hyper cost-conscious, you truly get the Bang for your Buck with CFC. I definitely would not have achieved the results I have so far with a personal trainer counting my reps on a nautilus machine 1x/ week at the big box club!


Thanks for helping me live my better life. I am proud to set an example for my son in trying to be healthy and active. I am happy to have you as my coaches and new friends!


Wishing you much Success!

Tricia

Ian,

I have to pass on the credit to you. Your class at AOT as well as the in-depth session you provided us with out at the dam, inspired me to get the ball rolling.

Regarding our “Biggest Loser” contest, the calculations were a bit off but I still lost 19.7% of my total body weight compared to the ‘winner’ who lost only 17.6% of his total body weight. Regardless, I feel like a huge winner! My resting heart rate went from 69bpm to 50bpm. My blood pressure and cholesterol are both now totally under control without the use of prescription meds. I feel agile and have energy in reserve at the end of a 10 hour day.

Even though the contest is over, I’m continuing my six-day-per-week gym visits. I’m changing my focus now from weight loss to building lean muscle mass. My wife and I have become total gym rats!

Again, thanks for the “kick in the pants” that got me started to weight loss and better health!

Deputy Ron H. & K9 ‘Dora’
Canine Explosives Detection Unit
Folsom Dam Security Bureau

I have always been a mediocre athlete! I have played sports including NCAA Lacrosse all my life, but have always been in less than ideal shape to excel. I started mountain bike racing several years ago, and hit a plateau in the sport class a little better than mid-pack. I spent hours spinning on the bike thinking this was the way to the Expert racing class. It seemed year after year my improvements were minimal. I knew if I leaned up, I could compete. I did, and lost both the races I was entering as well as lean muscle mass. The joke had been on me for several years. My college degrees in traditional nutrition, and fitness seemed obsolete.

I met Ian about 7 months ago. Ian introduced me to the Zone diet, CrossFit and to the CrossFit Endurance site so I could combine my MTB training/racing with CF and get better results. Ian showed me a much better way of eating and training. I had never met anyone dedicated to fitness as much as Ian.

The abridged ending to this story is this: Within two months of completely changing my long-boring-spinning-go no where workouts to high-intensity threshold work, I went from mid-pack racing (which is no fun by the way) to smoking my Sport class. I had some guys I had been racing along side for some time, wonder what the heck was going on. I have recently moved up to the Expert class, a place in my head I had reserved for others.

Ian/Allison, thank you for giving me that push, and the knowledge to achieve amazing results at 42 years young. Your personalities and zest for health and wellness are contagious.

Lieutenant Rick A.
aka: Expert mountain bike racer
Sacramento Sheriff’s Department

Ian & Allison,

It’s uncharacteristic of me to write a letter recommending a “business” to others but I hold you both in such high regard and have had such amazing results from your instruction that I feel compelled to put pen to paper and let others know that CrossFit Centurion is no ordinary “business”. It doesn’t take long for those that enter through the CFC doors to realize this is not your run-of-the-mill gym with generic programming.

I have always been physically active, an athlete for many years and a fireman for even more. Over time and with improper training methods I had developed muscle imbalances. Those imbalances led to weaknesses, weaknesses to instability and instability to loss of power, speed, confidence and in some cases even resulted in chronic pain. The highly functional, never stagnant nature of your programming has corrected the above issues and renewed a zest for exercise I haven’t felt in a long while. This has also translated positively to other aspects of my life.

Time has become an even more precious commodity as more and more responsibilities enter my day (family, career) and CFC is absolutely the best overall fitness return for my time and money. You both have the natural talent to bring out the best in those around you. It is evident in the happy faces and strong bodies of your growing membership. There is a reason many of us drive past several other CrossFit gyms and globo-gyms to participate in your training. I’ve belonged to a variety of gyms in a variety of towns but not until I found CFC did I find everything I was looking for in one location. CFC has successfully combined an easy access facility with genuinely nice people, overseen with expert tutelage and constant positive reinforcement.

Ian and Allison- You both have the rare ability to provide individualized training in a group setting. No one is ever without a watchful eye and a helpful suggestion. Workouts can be scaled to accommodate different fitness levels but with the benefit of friendly competition that urges each of us to put forth an effort that would otherwise be hard to replicate on our own. I believe your contingent would unanimously agree that we are collectively more fit, healthier and happier after joining CrossFit Centurion than we were before.

Thank you both for all that you have done and continue to do. The passion and forethought you put into your programming is obvious and greatly appreciated.


Sincerely,


Trent McKernan

Ian and Allison,

Words can not describe my gratitude to Crossfit Centurion. The both of you are great instructors and friends. Yes, there have been moments, where I have thought to myself …I hate you, I hate you (and I mean it in a good way), but then the pain subsides and I realize I’ve just endured and finished something very few people would even think about doing.

Prior to coming to Crossfit Centurion, I was like most of the confused “Globo Gym members”; I would wander around the gym aimlessly looking for something to challenge myself. My routine was like most; I would start off with a little cardio then build into my weightlifting regime. I would spend a couple of hours running through my routine, yet I never felt I accomplished anything. I wasted hours of my time with little to show for it.

A friend had mentioned Crossfit to me several years ago, at that time Crossfit facilities in Sacramento were none existent. I would look at the main site and think to myself, I can’t do that…you’re crazy! Finally, eight months ago a friend of mine mentioned Crossfit Centurion, a great affiliate in Rancho. I told him I had always wanted to do it, but I wasn’t in great shape. He asked me if I was serious…I said yes. He told me I must be crazy; he told me you go to Crossfit to get into shape. And let me tell you….he was absolutely right!

I knew of Ian from work, but was unaware he had started a Crossfit affiliate. After a brief phone call and a fundamental course, I was doing Crossfit WOD’s. Now, I thought to myself, I can lift heavy weight so this should be easy. I soon learned I needed to leave my ego at the door and start from ground zero. It has taken some time, but I am now doing all my WOD’s as prescribed. And in some WOD’s, I am even exceeding the prescribed weight of the WOD.

Ian and Allison have been amazing in their training and motivation. From day one, they have watched my movements and corrected any deficiencies so I could build the proper muscle memory for the movement. They’re always encouraging me to push myself, so I could get the most out of the WOD. At no time would I have gotten this same one-on-one attention at my old gym. I would be lucky if someone even said hi to me.

Through their training, diet planning and motivation, I have dropped 17lbs. I have gone from 245lbs to 228lbs and I’m still going strong. I am losing fat and gaining lean muscle, and I feel great. I am finally starting to getting into shape….I have a ways to go, but I know with their help it’s that much easier.

If you are thinking of starting Crossfit….I would recommend no other…You guys have provided a level of service and knowledge no one in the region can measure up too.

Thanks again for taking the time and helping me achieve my goals.

-Rob, aka: "Buddy Holly"

Hey Ian-

I am still on program and have lost 50+ lbs so far. Aside from the Schindler’s list jokes from co-workers, I have never felt better. I went from a size 40 duty pant to a size 34. Two duty belts and 3 uniform sets later, I am finally back to below my academy weight, which I haven’t seen in years!

I regularly work out at the gym and actually enjoy going instead of the dread I used to feel. My energy and stamina on the bike increased tenfold. It really does affect every aspect of your daily life including mood, energy, self confidence and general outlook. I haven’t been able to tuck my shirt in for years.

I have been following the Zone diet pretty strictly for the past four months and actually feel bad when I miss a meal or eat “off program.” Instead of getting fast food daily, I pack lunches every day and find myself taking my own food with me as I go shopping, to the movies and even into restaurants. The thought of a Big Mac actually makes me wince. I feel naked without my cooler and can’t remember the last time I ate fast food. Shopping trips that used to include frozen hot chicken wings, Twinkies, Snickers bars and frozen pizzas have given way to lean meats, dairy and fresh fruits and vegetables. While hard at first, the Zone diet is second nature now. I actually have people asking me for advice. Christ, I never thought that would happen.

I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to sit down with me and pointing me in the right direction. As I am sure you know, every slug in a uniform will give you diet and exercise tips whether you want them or not. To find someone that practices what they preach and is willing to take the time to impart their knowledge is rare indeed. The time you took to talk to us during the POST Instructors class was enough to get my lazy ass in gear. At the risk of sounding cliche’- It changed my entire way of thinking. For me, the desire or dedication is usually not a problem… but the tools to achieve it were always the missing piece of the puzzle. Although I have a long way to go to my ultimate goal, there is no turning back now.

Your help has yielded results I would not have thought possible. If nothing else, know that you helped at least one lazy and very grateful slug get back on track. I will try to get some pics. I’ll wrap up this up with:

Before 233.8 lbs
After 181.6 lbs
-52.2 lbs

Deputy Scott S.
Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department
Court Security Division/FRC/CERT

I have been working out regularly since my freshman year in high school. Over the past 16 years I have been doing 100’s of workouts from various muscle magazines, however, my workout routines were starting to get extremely boring and repetitive. As a result, my performance gains were rapidly decreasing and my metabolism started to slow down. I realized I needed something new, something that would take my job performance, fitness and health to a higher level.

In December 2008, I contacted a high school friend and Crossfit Icon, Greg Amundson, about Crossfit and Sacramento area Crossfit gyms. I was interested in CrossFit Centurion which was still being run from the Carver's house and I asked Greg about them.  -  “That is outstanding that you are getting involved in CrossFit and that you are working in Public Safety. Crossfit Centurion is more of the old school "garage gym" run by a good friend of mine named Ian Carver and his wife. You will be in good hands.” – Greg Amundson

So with that, my journey with CFC began.

After the initial Fundamental Classes I, soon realized how amazing Crossfit was going to be. With Ian and Allison I had a good feeling they would get me toward my new fitness goals. I slowly started switching my diet into more Zone proportions. My fitness levels were improving and body composition was changing. In early spring 2009 I had the opportunity to go to a Level 1 certification and Crossfit nutrition seminar. I soon started following the Paleo-Zone diet strictly. Within 6 months, I went from 205 lbs to 180 lbs. The change in my body composition was truly amazing. My performance, strength, endurance and WOD’s were nearly at levels of Crossfit Games competitors.

Looking back at this past year not only has my fitness and health improved but I have met some amazing people. Ian and Allison have created a special environment for all of us here that is second to none. Their wealth of knowledge and endless support offered has been vital in my development as a Crossfit athlete. I’m fanatic about Crossfit and CFC. They have far exceeded my initial goals and I look forward to the next year at CFC.

Scott Shaughnessy
Firefighter, Cal-Fire
Catalyst Athletics Olympic Lifting Certification
CrossFit Level 1 Certification
Crossfit Nutrition Certification

After four years at the gym mostly attending group exercises classes, I was growing bored and losing motivation. With my 20 year high school reunion approaching, I wanted to shake things up and really get in shape. On a friend's recommendation I joined CrossFit. Not having lifted weights in my life, I was a little apprehensive about some of the movements. Now, I can't wait to see the how much weight I can lift on those movements.

I have seen the results from CrossFit. I am stronger, I have greater definition in my muscles and my waistline is smaller. Four to five times a week, I drive out of my way for CrossFit because Ian and Allison are such outstanding instructors. Everyday is different and I look forward to checking the website for the WOD. They know how to challenge you without overwhelming you and they know exactly how much you can handle. No matter the class size, I always receive individual attention and coaching and I have every confidence in their instruction and coaching. The atmosphere is supportive with a little bit of friendly competition.

I am amazed at the progress I've made and it's because of CrossFit Centurion!

Mel A.