Jan. 3rd / TIME FOR A CHALLENGE!
2013 New Year’s Challenge
What is it?
- A six week commitment/contest to healthy nutrition (Paleo, Zone, Whole 30 or just eating clean), fitness improvement, improved mobility and a focus on proper rest (aka, sleep).
- We will use body measurements – mainly % bodyfat – to judge progress.
- We will repeat a workout at the end of the six week period to compare performance (not going to tell you which one, though)
- We will coach mobility exercises, but you will be responsible for doing them on your own
What should I do?
- Commit to regular participation in the CrossFit Exceed classes (twice a week ain’t gonna get it done)
- Read about and commit to proper nutrition (see below)
- Learn mobility movements and perform them regularly
- Commit to 8 hours of sleep per night
What should I eat?
The basics are easy – stop eating processed foods, starches, simple sugars, fried foods, ice cream, etc. Eat lean meats, poultry and fish, vegetables, nuts, seeds, some fruit. Shop almost exclusively on the perimeter of your grocery store.
Want to get more sophisticated? You could try
- Paleo. Tons of info on the web. Everything you could want to know is at paleodiet.com. There are literally hundreds of links (start with Paleo Diet Defined). Basically, eat like a caveman. Meats, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, berries, etc. Avoid grains, dairy, rice, potatoes, sugars, legumes. Drink water. Eat healthy fats like olive oil, avacados. There are some versions that allow “cheat days” when doing Paleo.
- Zone. Again, go to the web, zonediet.com, for info. You will have to weigh your foods though, which sounds like a huge pain to me. This is CrossFit’s official nutrition program
- Whole 30. Google it. Like Paleo, only stricter. There is no “cheat day” allowed on this program.
- Or, you could do your own research and decide what’s best for you. I’ve done Paleo fairly strict a few times and I did see a drop in bodyweight (fat). The key is to eat regularly and always have “good” foods immediately at hand. Don’t let yourself get too hungry. And eat a lot of the good foods. A lot.
What will I get out of this?
Well, in addition to looking, feeling and performing better, you can also win a $100 gift certificate to Lululemon or Luke’s Locker for largest drop in bodyfat percentage. We’ll also award a $50 gift certificate for best wod performance (Cassie, Ryan and I need to agree how we’re going to score this one).
Who’s in?
STRENGTH:
Deadlift 5×5 @ 75%
WOD:
12:00 AMRAP
5 Push Press (135/95)
10 KB Swings (70/53)
15 Sit Ups
BONUS:
Double Under Practice
I’m in