Hurdle with Emily Abbate

Haley Adams is back. After a ten-year career in CrossFit that started when she was just 14 years old, the 2018 Fittest Teen on Earth took a much-needed break in 2023. Today, she opens up about the weight of expectations and the intense pressure she felt after moving to the individual division. She discusses how negative social media comments impacted her body image and relationship with food, and how stepping away allowed her the space she needed to focus on both her mental and physical health.

Haley shares the joy of rediscovering her love for training, learning to prioritize wellness over burning calories, and the excitement of joining the Red Bull family. We also touch on her fifth-place finish at the 2024 CrossFit Games and her life beyond the box, (that's CrossFit-speak for gym) — including her love for Disney movies and her ever-growing family of animals.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Haley’s early start in CrossFit at age 14 and her transition from gymnastics.

• Winning the teenage division and the onset of intense pressure as an individual competitor.

• The impact of social media on her body image and mental health.

• Her decision to take a year off in 2023 and the "total mental breakdown" that led to it.

• The healing process, returning home to North Carolina, and rediscovering the fun in fitness.

• Learning to fuel her body properly and moving away from disordered eating habits.

• Her current training routine, recovery strategies, and the importance of a support system.

• Life outside the gym: Disney movies, her two cats, Australian Shepherd puppy, axolotl, and hermit crabs.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

• "By taking that step back, I chose myself. And that’s the most beautiful example. I think so many amazing things came from that."

• "I realized like, sure I was at rock bottom, but it can’t get worse. Things get hard, but don’t give up on yourself."

• "I was training so much because I was scared that someone was going to outwork me ... just a tunnel vision, nothing else in the world mattered to me. That’s all I cared about."

• "It’s okay to still have bad days. It’s not the end of the world. It doesn’t mean that you’re taking a step backwards or going into your old ways."

• "Try to enjoy the whole process because it could be gone tomorrow. Once I learned to enjoy competing again, it was like a whole different experience."

• "I’ve learned to be a lot nicer to myself because, at the end of the day, this is the voice that you’re stuck with in your head. So you might as well make it nice."

SOCIAL
@haleyadamssss
@emilyabbate
@iheartwomenssports

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ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show. 

Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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