Lurong Paleo Challenge

As we approach the holidays we wanted to share a few success stories from the Lurong Paleo Challenge that wrapped up recently. The importance of diet and nutrition, and the link to our overall fitness, is often overlooked. Getting yourself into the gym on a regular basis is only half the battle, and the success of all members who participated in the challenge is a great example of this. Below are stories from two of our members about their experience with the paleo challenge. Thanks to Lisa and Jen for sharing!!

Lisa Apiceli

I’m not going to lie, I was skeptical about doing the LuRong Paleo Challenge! However I wanted to learn more about the Paleo lifestyle and I thought this would probably be a good way to get started – jump right in (with a little help from my CrossFit Inguz friends of course)! The first few days were a little weird for me, I felt “out of sorts/foggy”; but after that initial transition, I started to feel fantastic!

First good thing: I’m cooking more and there are so many great paleo recipes from free websites. Although buying organic food is more expensive, I’m actually saving money because we don’t go out to eat nearly as much. Oh, and my husband loves the food I’ve been cooking (I think he’s just in shock because I’m actually cooking and don’t hate every minute of it)!

Second good thing: I am no longer addicted to Diet Coke/Coke Zero!

Third good thing: I found foods that I really like; some that I had never tried before. For example, Almond Milk (love it!). I’m also now slightly addicted to sweet potatoes.

Fourth good thing: Other challenges/diets that I have tried (especially the low-carb ones) have left me feeling weak and lethargic. The exact opposite is true with the Paleo lifestyle, I feel stronger and faster and my times for the “revisited” WODs confirmed that I actually am! I feel like this is a lifestyle change for me, not just an 8-week challenge.

And although there are so many good things about the challenge, the last one that I would like to share with you is that I’m wearing clothes that there was no way I could fit into before I started this challenge!!

Thanks CrossFit Inguz for supporting the LuRong Paleo Challenge!!

Lisa’s Challenge WOD Results
WOD 1 (box jumps, dead lifts, & wall balls) – 17:31
WOD 8 (repeat of 1) – 13:39

WOD 2 (burpees, kettlebells) – 12:35 (LuRong score w/ 12min time cap) actual time was 15:42
WOD 9 (repeat of 2) – 11:34

WOD 3 (hang power cleans, sprints) – 4:31
WOD 10 (repeat of 3) – 3:32

Jennifer Munzner

 I’m a scientist, a nurse, (and a nerd), therefore I am often driven by experiments, data, and health; so I went into this challenge as an experiment. I’ve been Crossfitting over two years and I’ve studied the paleo diet, and readily admitted in the past that I was far too lazy to try it. With two jobs, three kids, school and other responsibilities I had plenty of excuses ready for why I couldn’t prepare for and execute the paleo “thing”.

When Lisa, whom I greatly admire,  said she was in, I decided I would give it a shot. I got prepared and started. Day 1, good. Days 2-7 were AWFUL. I didn’t think about quitting, but everyone around me sure wanted me to, I was miserable. Apparently my diet beforehand amounted to me sitting with bowls of sugar and a spoon. During WOD #2, I sat down and cried at one point, and I almost never cry.

But, it got better. In all honesty, if somehow tasty Paleo meals showed up at my house every day, I would happily eat this way forever. But, they don’t. I have to shop, prepare and cook them. And I HATE cooking. Feels like another part time job sometimes, and my family wants nothing to do with most of what I make. During the challenge I wasn’t really tempted by the things I wasn’t eating, but I missed the convenience. I’ve found some good resources and going forward I plan to keep mostly paleo.

For anyone else that likes data, I ended the challenge 7% lighter and 6% smaller, with WOD improvements of 23%, 26% and 17%. I have hit PRs on all my lifts since then, and have finally reached some other goals. The challenge was a great way to keep myself accountable and on-track during the initiation to this new diet and lifestyle. Now that I’ve seen the results, and feel better than I have in years, I think I’ll stick with it.