Anything but Ordinary with Carl Christenson | #41

Carl Christensen may call himself “just a regular dad trying to be as fit as he can,” but his story proves he’s anything but ordinary. In this episode, host Josh Boonstra sits down with Carl—an anesthesiologist, father of two, musician, artist, baker, former collegiate distance runner, and Bolder Athlete—to unpack how one person can balance a demanding medical career, elite‑level fitness, and a staggering list of creative passions.Carl shares what life is really like as an anesthesiologist working 60+ hours a week, including 24‑hour trauma calls, and how he still manages to train at 4 a.m. in his garage—quietly, thanks to his wife’s “no dropping weights” rule. He opens up about mentoring medical residents, the importance of intentionality with time, and how he learned to protect family life by being fully present at home.They also dive into Carl’s surprising artistic side—graphite portraits for athletes like Stacey Tovar and Noah Ohlsen—and his hilariously stressful wedding‑cake‑baking adventures (“transporting a wedding cake is more stressful than a 3‑2‑1 go”).Carl gets vulnerable about overcoming an unhealthy relationship with food that began during his early running years, and how CrossFit helped him shift from obsessing over calories to fueling his body with purpose—thanks in part to a simple but powerful strategy from his wife: “count vegetables, not calories.”Finally, Carl shares his long‑term plan to become a CrossFit Games athlete in the Masters division, the role Bolder has played in his progress, and how community, humility, and even imposter syndrome can fuel greatness.This episode is packed with wisdom, heart, humor, and inspiration—perfect for anyone trying to balance ambition with real life.Chapters: 🎧 Introduction to Carl Christensen 💉 Life as an Anesthesiologist 🏡 Balancing Work and Family Life ⏱️ Intentionality in Time Management 🎨 Exploring Hobbies and Interests 🏋️ The Journey to Becoming a CrossFit Athlete 🤝 Community and Competition in CrossFit 💪 The Importance of Health and Movement 🧠 Embracing Imposter Syndrome 🎯 The Path to the CrossFit Games