What’s Your Workout: Barb Spratley

» Briefly describe your daily/weekly workout routine:

CrossFit routines are different every day. Today was box step-overs — jumping off and on items set about 2 feet off the ground — plus jump rope and other moves.

» What inspired you to begin a regular fitness routine?

Not being able to even roll over in bed without pain in joints and elsewhere. And not even being able to get up easily from the floor. Finally, I said “Enough’s enough” after my best friend talked to me about CrossFit.

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» Why is it something you have stuck with?

You can do, at your own pace, whatever you’re capable of doing — and that allows less room for failure. And because the place is like a family. There’s really no room to segregate yourself in an environment like that because everyone’s doing the same thing together at the same time. And no one leaves until everyone is done, so you really feel like people care about you. And they really do. In the past, if I ever stepped foot in a gym, it would be only for once or twice. Because I would go in and I would be by myself. There was no one helping you unless you paid extra money, and if you weren’t in good shape, people would stare at you. Here (at CrossFit Retaliation), everybody helps everybody, and they literally cheer you on. It’s like a family.

» How do you make time to work out?

I can easily do it in the afternoon when the kids are at school.

» Have you lost weight or gained muscle mass through working out? How much?

I’ve lost 45 pounds since joining in November. And I’ve gained muscle, but I don’t know exactly how much.

» What’s your favorite exercise?

Sit-up wall balls, where you’re doing sit-ups and catching a medicine ball thrown off the wall to strengthen your core.

» Any exercises you dread, but do anyway? Why?

Lunges. They hurt really bad.

» Do you listen to music during your workout?

Whatever’s played (at CrossFit). Nobody wears headphone ear buds to keep to themselves. I usually request techno, and they all laugh. It’s usually just beats with no words. It really helps you keep a rhythm. And for me, it drowns out the pain.

» Do you follow any special diet or eating plan? If so, describe briefly. Do you “cheat” much?

I follow basically a low-carb, Paleo-style diet. But I’ll occasionally have something like a doughnut. If I’m too strict and tell myself “You cannot have this at all,” I am not successful.

» You have substantial culinary skills as an ex-restaurant chef at places such as Bistro 310. Does that help or hurt your fitness?

(Laughter). Both. I grow my own lettuce. But I also can make a mean chocolate cake.

» What do you do to motivate yourself when you just don’t want to work out?

I kind of feel like I’m letting other people down if I’ve made a reservation for a session and don’t go. And no matter how tired I am when I get there, I feed off everyone else’s energy.

» What advice would you give someone who wants to begin working out?

First, just go ahead and walk through the door of a gym.

— Compiled by staff writer Brian Blair

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Age: 48.

City: Hope.

Occupation: At-home mom and wife.

Family: Husband, Bob; sons Dylan, 23, Jake, 15 and Dawson, 12.

Where you work out: Columbus’ CrossFit Retaliation.

Hours per week: About four.

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