From Sandwiches to Strength: How Mina is Rewriting Her English and Fitness Story

Every morning starts with a decision. For Mina, it’s often a tough one: make a sandwich or just eat out? One morning in November, she cut bread, cleaned veggies, grilled chicken breast, and sighed. “Making a sandwich is too much work,” she wrote in her English journal. “I like eating outside.”

Crossfit and English

But this isn’t a food blog. It’s a story of a woman who’s transforming her relationship with English—and with herself—through CrossFit, consistent journaling, and gritty reflection.

November + December Plan:

• Watch YouTube (Modern Family / Friends)

• Keep a daily English journal

• Listen and repeat Wimpy Kid videos

It’s not fancy. It’s not sexy. It’s just real. And it’s working.

The CrossFit Connection

“Chicken breast is boring and not delicious,” Mina admitted one day. “But it’s cheap protein.”

After lunch, Mina ate grilled veggie rice balls. Not because she was hungry. Because she had CrossFit later. “If I don’t eat, I feel weak,” she wrote. She’s learning the same thing in English: when she skips input, she can’t output.

The workout that day? 3 Rounds in 17 minutes:

• 1 min Wall Balls (10 lb)

• 1 min Sumo Deadlift High Pull (45 lb)

• 1 min Box Jumps (16 in)

• 1 min Push Press (45 lb)

• 1 min Row (calories)

• 1 min Rest Total: 172 reps

After the WOD, she gasped for air, smiled, and said something remarkable:

“When I started exercise five years ago, I didn’t enjoy it. It was just pain. But now? I feel energy. It gives me life.”

That’s the key. Not just reps in the gym—but reps in English. Repetition builds resilience.

Language + Lifestyle

She texts in English now: “I want to drink!! I want chocolate!! But I have to eat clean food!”

She knows how to say things like:

• “My muscles were squishy.”

• “I gasped when I saw the scale.”

• “I squeaked when I walked into the cold sea.”

She uses these words in mini-stories. She creates wimpy kid dialogues and fairy tales about brave girls and whispering trees. And she shares them out loud, even if she feels shy.

Mina isn’t just lifting weights. She’s lifting the weight of fear and doubt. She’s showing up.

She told her coach, “I used to think this was my last chance to learn English. But now I know

—I can just keep going. Just like CrossFit.”

And when asked about confidence?

“I think the first step to being better in life… is exercise. I realized this too late. But too late is better than never.”

Final Reps

We’ll leave you with Mina’s mantra:

"Tomorrow is better than today."

She shows up. She journals. She makes mistakes. She learns.

Whether you’re lifting a barbell or lifting a sentence—start small.

The best exercise is the one you do. The best homework is the homework you will do.

📣 Want to build your English story?

Try journaling for 7 days.

Write what you eat, what you feel, and one thing you’re proud of.

Then message us.

Let’s talk about it.

You don’t need a perfect plan.

Just a plan that makes you show up.