SISU Transformation: Karen Wallerius
About Karen 
I am an innovative sales professional responsible for developing, executing and empowering collaborative business partnerships in the Health and Beauty Industry. I have three boys – Ryan 21, Mark 21, Matthew, 18 and Blaze, my 4-year-old male Australian Cattle Dog. I have always been active but became focused on weight training and yoga in 2003. In the mid 2000’s, I spent time training for a triathlon and running several races, including the Twin Cities Marathon. My hobbies include cooking for my crew, running, hiking, fat biking, scuba diving and my all-time favorite, alpine skiing.
Finding CrossFit
Slowly “LIFE” began interrupting my love for fitness and a few months turned into a few years with no real workout program. I used the excuse “been there, done that’ when it came to fitness, and I made all kinds of excuses for not working out. Thanks to Bret and Jack Abbot, I was introduced to SISU CrossFit. I saw the positive impact it was having on Bret and Jack and, being the competitive person that I am, I wanted a piece of the action too. I joined the SISU family on September 4, 2017, and I have never looked back. I have always valued being strong and healthy inside and out, and CrossFit was my answer to the ideal fitness challenge to improve my physical and mental health. Working out became fun again; I became hooked immediately with the WOD’s, the Coaches and the Community. Six months into CrossFit, I realized I could not do this journey alone and needed
the right fuel to achieve my goals.
SISU Nutrition
In March 2018, I reached out to coach Christina Schlitz and began the SISU Nutrition Program. Thanks to Christina, I have been educated on the world of macros and how to fuel my body, mind and spirit. Tracking and refining my macros is part of my daily routine now. Every day is a PR when I hit my numbers.
I have now been through three rounds of nutrition programming. At 4’11”, I moved from 106lbs to 93lbs in the first 24 weeks. The last 12 weeks were focused on building muscle and achieving PR’s. I currently weigh 96lbs and gaining. It is not about the scale anymore; I am on a mission to build lean muscle providing me the foundation to improve my gymnastics, olympic lifting and to become an RX athlete.
In the Beginning
Where has CrossFit been my whole life? Sign up today and start the journey; one WOD at a time. You will never be alone, the SISU community will be there every step of the way. Please don’t wait on nutrition, it’s the key to achieving PR’s in and out of the gym. Start to live life on your own terms.
Looking Ahead
Armed with my macros in hand, I look forward to competing in the 2019 CrossFit Open Games as an RX Athlete AND that is just the beginning of an amazingly active new year. Thank you SISU for never failing me.