Kristine Andali, Crossfit Athlete - Sarnia, ON.
Our Local Girl Gang with CrossFit Athlete Kristine Andali
Who is Kristine Andali?
I have a mentor who asks me this all the time.. my response is always I am strong, capable and in control. Outside of that I am a 27 year old woman who is extremely focused and dedicated to my sport of CrossFit. I have been in this sport for about a decade and have gone through many trials and triumphs. It has helped me grow immensely both as an athlete and an individual. Outside of my sport I have a passion for nutrition and for helping others to become their best selves so they can life a healthier happier life.
What drew you to your fitness journey?
The majority of my child hood I was an elite gymnast so physical activity was always apart of my life. As I moved on from gymnastics and starting training on my own, my older sister had found this type of training called “CrossFit.” She introduced me to it back when I was in highschool and I haven’t stopped since!
What do I feel is important for people to know about what I do?
I think the very first thing people should understand is that CrossFit can be for anybody. I think a lot of people get scared or nervous about it because they see what im doing and think its too much for them. Being an elite athlete in this sport is much different than being someone who is doing classes at the gym. Anything can be modified to your abilities and I think that’s what people don’t see.
Who is one of my female role models?
I have this friend and her name is Raffaella Dobles. She has a husband and 2 little girls. I met her when I was living in LA. Her and I both deal with something called PCOS. Unfortunately, a lot of women deal with this syndrome and it can wreck havoc on your self-esteem. I’ve watched this woman juggle a lot of struggle from her health to her career. She is so incredibly selfless and is constantly looking to help others. Through her struggles she still continues to stand so tall and show up for her self, her family, and anyone she can lend a helping hand to and I admire that so much.
What do you believe are the first steps everyone should take to achieve a healthier lifestyle?
I think the first steps in achieving a healthier lifestyle is to have a simple plan. Pick a couple things to start out with that are sustainable and realistic for you. A few examples would be:
- FOCUSING ON GETTING MORE QUALITY SLEEP
- CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE WAY YOU EAT.
- INCORPORATE SOME MINDFULNESS WORK ONCE A WEEK (MEDITATION, YOGA, JOURNALING)
Then build from there. Start small and don’t overwhelm yourself by going from 0-100.
What is something you would tell every woman that is afraid to get started on something new?
The best advice I can give to you on this is to just take the leap and go for it. Just like starting on living a healthier life, start small. Take one step at a time but just take that first step. It’s important to take risks in life and it’s also important to fail, because that’s where we learn and grow. Taking that first step and moving forward even just a little bit is better than staying in one place.
What does girl gang mean to you?
Girl Gang means coming together as strong and beautiful woman empowering and supporting each other in all we do.
What are your goals for the next year?
My personal goals in the next year are to get back out on the competition floor and gain more experience and grow as an athlete. Outside of that I have some business ideas that I would love to see flourishing by this time next year. Stay tuned ;)
What's one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I think one thing people might be surprised to know is that I love riding street bikes (crotch rockets).. I’ve got a need for speed, but maybe that’s not as surprising as I thought. Haha!
FOLLOW KRISTINE ON INSTAGRAM AT KRISTINEANDALI