cover story
HAC is like family to
me. I’m home when
I’m here. This is
where it all started.
Her goal
in 2018
is to use
her story
and her
strength to
empower
others.
HAC and she eventually joined
swiped over. Most of the messages
CrossFit as a complement to her
I got back – the guys were total
HAC training. As Haley got more
creeps. Kyle was one of the ones I
confident, she and her beau did
messaged, but his responses were
triathlons, CrossFit competitions,
really nice. He suggested a first
and more. They pushed each other,
date – at the gym. It was great, we
and Haley was enjoying
both really love to work
being “fit” instead of “thin.”
out, I didn’t have to worry
In most cases,
After dating long-term,
about getting dressed up
the minimum
Haley was blind-sided
or how I looked, and we
caloric intake rec-
by the break up. She
were doing something
ommended for
was shocked, hurt, and
where I felt really in my
even the smallest
she was using food
element.” Kyle is a Petty
of people is 1200.
Depending on
as comfort. While she
Officer in the Navy and
your metabolism,
only put on ten pounds
had just come back
how other factors
over the course of a
home from Pearl Harbor
(like an eating
year, for someone who
when the two met.
disorder) have af-
is obsessed with size
With love forming
fected it, and any
and healthy eating, ten
from a most unlikely
health conditions
pounds seems like one
place and getting back
you might have,
hundred.
on track with her dieting,
you should al-
ways seek advice
She got back on track
Haley was the most fit
from a trained
with her health coach and
she’d ever been, and
professional be-
happened to meet a new
arguably the happiest.
fore
taking in less
potential love interest. “I
“Kyle pushes me to be
than the recom-
was sitting around with
better,” she says. “He
mended number
my brother at Christmas
keeps me accountable
of calories.
time, and we were
and is the best
looking at Tinder. We
teammate I could ask
used to play this game where each
for in everything – fitness, business,
person we’d swipe to, we’d make
spiritually.” Her business was
up a story for them. Some people
flourishing, and she was feeling on
we’d message, but others we just
top of the world. Her health coach
got out of the business, so Haley
hired another for fear of losing
any of her progress. When the
new health coach saw how active
she was and how low her caloric
intake was, he did what he felt was
practical – bumped her from about
1100 calories to 1900. In four months,
Haley put on over 30 pounds. She
was crushed, discouraged, and
really struggling with body image
and her eating disorder.
Fast forward to this interview,
and Haley almost decided not to
do it. However, words of love and
encouragement from her family
and boyfriend, Kyle, gave her the
strength she needed to go through
with having photos taken and
sharing a very personal story with
the people she sees every day at
the gym. “HAC is like family to me.
I’m home when I’m here. This is
where it all started.” Her goal in 2018
is to use her story and her strength
to empower others.
enhance magazine | MARCH 2018
33