Have you ever wondered what everyone looks like outside the gym? Have you ever seen a fellow athlete and didn’t even recognize them with their clean hair and normal clothes? WELLLLLLLLL…. this is your chance! Even Jonathan and Derek will be in slacks!
This Saturday is the CROSSFIT CDA PARTY! I WANT TO SEE EVERYONE THERE!!! Bring your favorite paleo treats and make sure to wear your cocktail attire! Also, bring friends and loved ones… everyone is invited!
WHERE: Crossfit CDA Gym
WHEN: Saturday February 18th 6pm-9pm
We will be handing out cashprizes for the PALEO CHALLENGE WINNERS!
It’s FRIDAY! This means that ya’ll have been doing the Paleo Challenge for 19 FULL DAYS! Almost half way through.
Here are a few benefits of Paleo to get you through the next three weeks:
1. Weight Loss- this is more of a side effect of paleo. By choosing the right foods, you are staying away from the sugary processed foods that have low nutrition. Paleo preaches natural food sources which are packed with nutrients and fills our bodies with the fuel that is needed to both get through that work day as well as those insane CFCDA workouts. Because you fill up on good things, you eat less and HEALTHIER calories!
2. Diet for Acne- paleo helps everybody, not just suffering teenagers, to have a clearer and smoother skin texture. Ingestion of unprocessed and nutritious foods always results in an improved overall appearance, what some call a “healthy glow”!
3. Cure for the common illness- paleo has been linked to increased immune system responses. The more natural nutrients your body receives, the healthier and stronger it will become to fight off those pesky colds and flus.
4. Arthritis- paleo has also been linked to decreased inflammation which reduces the effects of arthritis and minor aches and pains!
5. Athletic Output- In the past few weeks, we have seen HUGE improvements in the Paleo Challenge Athletes output! Granted, the first week you may have felt sluggish and more tired than usual. BUT now, everyone is pulling PRs (Personal Records).
It is time for our annual PALEO CHALLENGE! For those of you who are new to crossfit and have not been eating strict paleo, here are a few websites to get you familiar with the concepts:
Now that you are familiar… the CHALLENGE starts January 2nd and lasts for 6 WEEKS until February 10th. This gives everyone plenty of time to make drastic changes to their body compositions… and just in time to look your best for Valentine’s Day!
Take a peek at the links below for previous Paleo Challenge winners:
These results happened in just 6 WEEKS!!! Bring on the New Year with a healthy change in life style and a new outlook on nutrition!
Stay tuned for competition rules and buy in! If you are interested in the challenge let us know in the comments below. You will win enough money to buy a new few clothing items for your new body! Remember, this is a body composition change challenge… not a weight loss challenge.
Ok, the holidays are over. Anyone else feel like a slug? No, I don’t mean for trampling that grandma to get the last tickle-me-elmo doll. I’m talking about the FOOD! Yep, the cookies, the egg nog, the booze… anybody feel like cleaning things up a bit? We did do our pre-Thanksgiving Paleo Challege (congrats Darcy and Angela!), so we want to change things up a bit this time around (btw, check out some of the previous winners). Somebody at Robb Wolf’s site, the paleo guru himself (check out his book), raised the question, “what if we can go gluten free for one month?“ Well, what if? So who’s with me! Check out Gluten Free January for more info.
When you’re ready to sign up just send a message to glutenfreejan@gmail.com with your first name, last initial, and city where you’re currently living.
Summer is over, the cold weather is here, and the holidays are around the corner. It’s the perfect time to get back in the gym, and there is no better motivator than challenging yourself to eat whole, unprocessed foods.
Here is where the challenge differs from previous PC’s:
You will partner up and help each other out; check food logs, share recipes, provide motivation and accountability, etc. You must communicate with your partner at least 5 times a week. This can be done in person, via phone, text, email, whatever. There will be no monetary buy in this time. The winning team will be chosen by your favorite coaches, and there will be prizes. Get your partner and pics by Monday the 18th. The challenge ends before Thanksgiving, so the sooner you start the better you will do.
FAQ:
What about dairy substitutes?
Coconut milk (from the can) is your best bet here. Almond milk is great, but beware of the sweetened stuff. Butter is ok. Check here for more info on dairy subs.
What about alcohol?
I am going to go easy on you guys for this one. You have a 3 drink limit per week. All 3 cannot be consumed in the same outing. Stick with wine, beer has gluten (I know, so depressing). Cider is another option. However, the best thing to do would be to cut it out altogether.
You can’t take my coffee!!!
I wouldn’t dare, as the ramifications would be dreadful. However, I can take away your 5 dollar, 500 calorie frappalatte-grandechino with cream and pumpkin spice syrup. Black coffee is ok. Tea would be a better choice.
How much vegetables should I eat?
A LOT. Green leafies, as much as you can.
Won’t all this fat make me fat?
Nope. Though historically (from 1970’s on) fat has been considered an enemy to the body, we assure you that this is not true. As long as the fat source is non-hydrogenated, unprocessed, and as natural a source as can be found, it is great for your bodies, brain, joints and as a fuel source.
4 weeks of eating real food…yup, no fancy packaged “foodlike products” designed to fool our senses of taste and smell; just REAL FOOD. So how do you feel? How are your energy levels? Mood? Performance at work and the gym? How do you look? Was it worth it?
Most of you are probably answering with a resounding, “YES!” Look how far you’ve all come in 30 short days. That is just a snapshot in the big picture. I saw most of you on a daily basis, and I could see the change happen right before my eyes. The same people who have plateaued and failed to thrive over the last couple of months, coming in looking leaner and crushing PR’s on a daily basis. From just 30 days! Think of what could be accomplished in 6 months… or a year… or 5 years.
Now what?
CrossFit is a lifestyle change. This isn’t some fad workout program you follow until you get bored in 6 months. We want it to be part of your new, healthy lifestyle. The Paleo challenge wasn’t designed so you could lose 10 pounds fast, just to go back to your old ways. We did it to get your butt in gear and show you it could be done. Live it. You have the tools now.
We don’t expect you to be perfect 100 percent of the time. Trying to will just set you up for failure, not to mention drive you crazy. Birthday? Have your cake. Friends visiting? Take them out for dollar beer night. Superbowl? Get you some hotwings (too late)! As long as your fridge and cupboards are stocked with whole foods, you have the flexibility to do these things guilt free when they come up.
Read this post from the Fitness Spotlight on how to handle “cheat meals” and stay on track.
Happenings: Announce the winners of the Paleo Challenge, exchange some recipes and tell war stories about how hard it was to eat real food for 30 days, eat some food and drink some beer, see Derek off (I’ll be taking off Friday for 10 weeks
We’ll also talk about how to make this a lifestyle change. The 30 day challenge doesn’t end next week; that was just to get your butt in gear… now take what you learned and apply it from here on out!
*Make sure you turn in your food logs to Derek or Jon sometime before Tuesday, Feb 2nd.
The picture above is CrossFit’s hierarchy of development. We get met con, gymnastics, and weightlifting in at the gym. Sport could be snowboarding, hiking, volleyball, or even CrossFit. But what is at the base of this, creating the foundation for everything? NUTRITION!!!
Alright everybody, it’s time to get serious about this stuff…enter the Paleo Challenge!
Here’s the rules:
1. Starting now, cut out ALL sugars and starches.
2. Record everything you put in your mouth from here on out. Write down what you ate, how much, and at what time.
Bring your food logs in Saturday the 11th. If you were 100% strict, you get a free nutrition lecture from me (Derek) after the Saturday WOD. This will conclude phase 1 of the Paleo challenge.
What to expect when weening yourself off the crack:
1. Mood swings
2. Lack of energy
3. Serious cravings for sugar
Diving head first into this is not fun… you are taking yourself off of that insulin rollar coaster, and actually training your body to use FAT as energy instead of SUGAR. Your body will revolt. Don’t listen to it. Think of it as going through detox (it literally is). At about the 2 week mark, it goes away and I promise you, you will never have felt better. So quit making excuses and do it!
Have you ever wondered what everyone looks like outside the gym? Have you ever seen a fellow athlete and didn’t even recognize them with their clean hair and normal clothes? WELLLLLLLLL…. this is your chance! Even Jonathan and Derek will be in slacks!
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