2016 New Years Nutrition Challenge
“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.”
On January 4th, 2016 we will be kicking off a New Year’s Nutrition Challenge!! The rules are simple…eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and NO PROCESSED FOODS or SUGAR. This is not a weight loss challenge – it is a challenge to better our health and wellness, through eating only the healthiest foods out there. We hope that this challenge will provide motivation to kick start some healthy eating habits that will continue well past the length of this contest. Plus, you’ll have the support of the best CrossFit community out there!! The challenge will run on a point system (explained below). Two winners (one male, one female) will be chosen based on accumulated points, benchmark WOD improvement, and changes in body composition and measurements. The challenge will run for approximately 5 weeks, starting on Monday, January 4th and ending on Friday, February 5th. Oh and yes…there will be prizes for the winners!!
This year we will be changing things up slightly from our past challenges. The first three weeks of the challenge (Jan 4th to Jan 22nd) will be 100% strict paleo, based on the rules below. The last ~2 weeks will be slightly more relaxed (think 80-20 rule…80% paleo…20% healthy, but non-paleo). This DOESN’T give you free reign to eat whatever you want for that 20%. We will still be following specific guidelines as to what is allowed and what isn’t. The goal with this is to try and transition into a more sustainable ‘Lifestyle’ way of eating that can be continued beyond the length of this challenge. More details on the specifics of what will be allowed during the last two weeks of the challenge will be released later this week.
Here are the general details…
Entry Fee: $20 (cash only; sign-up sheet at the front desk)
Before and After:
1. Measurements are highly encouraged, but are optional. We will be offering skin-fold body fat measurements, body weight, and various circumference measurements. More details on when this will be done to come.
2. Before and after pictures are also highly encouraged.
3. Performance: Benchmark WOD (Monday, January 4th)
Daily Requirements:
1. Eat Real Food. Meat and Vegetables, Nuts and Seeds, some Fruit, little Starch**, and NO Processed Foods or Sugar.
2. Record your daily scores on the Paleo Challenge tracker (will be posted at the gym and available online)
** Starch – from vegetable sources (i.e. sweet potatoes, roots, tubers, etc). Pasta, rice, bread and other grains are off limits!!
Scoring – Point System:
4 – Perfect day of eating: No cheats.
3 – One minor slip: Milk in the coffee, condiments (salad dressing, mayo, bbq sauce, ketchup, etc), a tortilla chip, a handful of Cheerios.
2 – Significant slip, but not an entire meal: One glass of wine or beer, finished your kid’s Mac ’N Cheese, piece of bread at dinner.
1 – Major slip: A whole meal or multiple significant slips. Pizza or pasta for dinner, 2-3 beers, ice cream.
0 – More than one solid cheat throughout the day: 2+ meals lost.
Bonus Points:
There is a chance for up to 3 bonus points per day. Earn one bonus point by any of the following:
1. A CrossFit class at Inguz.
2. 8+ hours of sleep in a night.
3. 64 oz of water per day (get yourself a Nalgene and drink 2+ per day)
How to Sign Up:
Sign-up sheet is available on the front desk.
For this challenge, follow the Golden Rule above – Eat Meat and Vegetables…etc.
It’s truly as simple as that. That will categorize 99% of foods to be Paleo or not. For that 1%, the “Grey Area”, here’s our challenge-specific rules:
Say NO to:
• “Paleo-izing” foods… ie “Paleo” brownies, “Paleo” cookies.
• All sweeteners…honey, agave nectar, stevia, splenda, etc.
• Alcohol
• Dairy…cream in the coffee, cheeses, milk, yogurt, etc.
• Unnaturally processed dressings, sauces, marinades, or spices (read the labels)
• Dried Fruit
• White Potato, Rice, Quinoa
• Legumes (Peanuts, Beans, Soy)
• Canola, vegetable, soybean, grapeseed oils
• All protein bars (see below for more info)
• Juicing fruit (blending is OK – but juicing leaves the fiber + vitamins out)
• All sport supplements that are not directly before, during, or after training (see below for more info)
Commonly asked, and are OK:
• Deli Meats (as long as there isn’t sugar added)
• Bacon
• Sweet Potato (but not restaurant sweet potato fries)
• Balsamic Vinegar (“Vinaigrettes” commonly have added sugars)
• Coconut, olive, avocado, and nut oils (NO vegetable/canola/peanut oil)
• Coconut milk, almond milk
• Grass-Fed butter or Ghee
• Green Beans
• Coffee (black) and Tea (unsweetened), Seltzer Water
• Chicken and Beef broth/stock
• Multivitamin/mineral supplements and fish oil
“ What about supplements? ”
We encourage proper pre and post-workout nutrition! We are going to classify pre and post to be within 45 minutes of your workout. If taken outside that window, they will be points off your daily total. This includes whey protein, Quest/Lara/Perfect Bars (make sure there is NO added sugar), Fuel for Fire, Spark, BCAA’s, Creatine, Kill Cliff, etc.
“ What about going out to dinner? ”
It is not our goal to become anti-social cave-dwellers. Still go out and enjoy dinner, but be selective with your orders. Every restaurant out there will have options for some sort of meat/seafood as the main course. Start with that, and ask for extra veggies for the sides.
If you have any other questions about what is/isn’t allowed during the challenge, please post to comments.
