Endi Mullaj

Favorite WOD:  The Hero WOD "MURPH"

Least Favorite WOD:  All of the workouts named after a woman, ahahhaha :D

Tell us about your sports & amp; fitness background:

I was always in love with sports, and played basketball and soccer. I never thought of pursuing any of these as my career. I have been in different classic gyms over the years, never consistent.

How did you first get exposed to CrossFit? Take us back to your first WOD...

I was introduced to CrossFit, probably 5-6 years ago. One of my friends back in Albania started working out and was telling me all about it. I decided to go, and the first thing I thought after my first session was "What the hell is this?". I hated it.

I don't remember exactly what my first WOD was, but I definitely remember there were burpees and box jumps. HATED IT, PERIOD. NEVER COMING BACK! I could feel my lungs coming out of my body.

My body was not used to this type of exercise, so I found it really hard to be consistent at that time. As mentioned above, I was never consistent.

What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health, and fitness since starting CF (before/after)?

One of the main reasons I restarted CrossFit was to lose weight and to build endurance. A year ago, I was at 260 lbs, and now I proudly say that I am 215lbs. It "forced" me to eat healthier, but what is most important is that I don't feel guilty about eating and drinking unhealthy foods either.

What sort of changes in your life have you experienced out of taking on something like CrossFit that were totally unexpected?

Something that really surprised me was the discipline that gave me. Even when I don't feel like coming to work out, my body just pushes me to go. The most fascinating thing was the body, at what length does it go? How far can it go? 

Personally, I am surprised that 5 years ago, I couldn't be consistent with my workout, even though I was working behind a desk. And now that I have a very active and busy day, my body can keep up with everything. Hopefully it stays the same.

Any advice for people just getting started?

Don't get overwhelmed; there is a lot of stuff going on with CrossFit. Don't overdo it, come, spend an hour training, talk, laugh with everybody else. It is not a race, so have fun. LISTEN TO THE COACHES!

What are your hobbies, interests, and/or talents outside of CrossFit?

Basketball fan first, soccer lover forever (don't ask about the local league) :D

I cook, but I eat better ahahha.

Former journalist, into writing, video shooting and editing