Success Story : Scott S.

Below is the Success Story of Scott S. He was the leader of the A-Team with a WLC score of 521 points! A big round of applause for Scott!!! Congratulations!

I'm Scott.  I'm a I finished the Whole Life Challenge (WLC) improving my fitness score by 25 points, losing 2 inches around my waist, and 10 pounds.  I started at Crossfit Max Effort (CFME) in March 2012, with Nathan, my now Navy son.  He was preparing to go into the military and I joined for 2 reasons:  to support him, and because I had dabbled in and believed in Crossfit as a functional way to get in shape.  I say dabbled, because I had been going to www.crossfit.com since 2007.  Also, as a civilian member of the military--I'm a medic (physician assistant)--I saw early on how Crossfit (CF) was emerging as the premier way to prepare the warfighter, before it was popular in the civilian sector.

But dabbling in and attempting Crossfit on your own compared to being a member of a solid gym community are two different things.  I won't go into all those awesome benefits, but you can read my review of my gym here:  http://goo.gl/Ju7cyn  Suffice it to say that it is way more motivating and fun to be a part of my gym.

Back to the WLC.  I noticed improvement in my running and my energy for workouts.  My favorite Lifestyle change was learning to drink water.  Because I'm a big fella, and the water requirement was based on weight, my portion was 15 cups per day, which I did for about 3 weeks.  I think that was a bit too much, but nevertheless, I used to think 8 cups of water a day was too much.  Now that's a piece of cake.  I discovered that I feel much better when I'm adequately hydrated and that it does, in fact, help me with my eating.  Often, when I'm hungry, I've found that, in truth, I'm thirsty.  So, I'll take that with me, though I'll strive for  9 cups of water per day.

I found that, for me, having a list of approved foods (and everything else is breaking the rules) helps.  Additionally, the points earned (or not) was motivating.  I would like to try to continue that on my own with a few modifications.  I should add that during the WLC, I stuck to the food lists like glue, but didn't measure or worry about portions.  I tried to major on protein which is an appetite suppressant for me.  I ate until I was full.

I learned that I can do some sort of exercise (besides CF) and mobility nearly everyday.  

It's funny.  When I was asked if I was going to do the WLC, my major road block, having read the rules, was Stevia.  I'm a sweet-n-low guy.  But I decided to try it (the WLC & Stevia).  I discovered I liked the WLC and didn't really like Stevia that much.  But really, Stevia was just 1% of the challenge--but what a major road block it was.  What's your "road block"? hehehe...

In summary, I had a great time doing it, and plan to continue the new stuff: drink more water and exercise more often (but smartly) than I used to.  I'll pay more attention to what I eat and appropriately reward myself for making good choices.  Now that WLC is over, I'm adding a few things to my authorized food lists:  bacon, sausage, cold cuts, protein bars in reasonable amounts.  And, bring on the sweet-n-low!  Anyone want my Stevia packets?

My success story!

Ok, I'll start :)
Name: Nicole A.
Score on WLC: 370
A little about yourself: I have been working out at CFME since August 2008! My training has been blessed with many ups, some downs, but has always provided me with an unmeasurable source of happiness. It has truly made me a better wife, friend, co-worker, coach, mother, person.  After having my son in December 2012 I have been working hard to get my strength and conditioning back to where it was. When I read about the Whole Life Challenge I knew it was exactly what I needed to make the final changes I was looking for.
Measurements before WLC:
  Chest 35"
  Arm 10.25"
  Waist 30"
  Hips 36.75 "
  Thigh 21"
Measurements after WLC:
  Chest 35.75"
  Arm 11"
  Waist 28.75"
  Hips 36.5"
  Thigh 20.5"
Initial score on the WLC WOD: 180
Final score on the WLC WOD : 194 (pr of 14 reps)
Success in the gym during the WLC: 130# snatch pr. 2nd place at SinCity Team Throwdown. 225#back squat.
Favorite lifestyle challenge and why: I loved the Mindfulness lifestyle challenge because it made me stop for at least 10 minutes a day and reflect. I transferred this "being in the moment" attitude into my training and it has been a great insight. I know I will continue to work on this aspect far after the WLC is done.
One thing I've learned about myself in the last 8 weeks: I have learned that I HAVE to stay prepared in order to stay successful. " failing to prepare is preparing to fail" I work 12+ hour shifts as a nurse and if I do not come to work with all the tools I need to be successful I will make bad choices.
What will I take with me after the WLC: I will drink more water! I will continue to look as treats as just that, treats. Are they worth it? Analyzing my choices before I eat them instead of after I eat them.
What was the hardest thing during the WLC and how did you combat it?: The hardest thing for me was mobility. It seems silly to not be able to set aside 10 minutes to do mobility but it was hard for me. I even felt bet when I got the 10 minutes in! In hindsight I should've set a timer/reminder to do it. I think that would've helped.
Favorite part of the WLC:  my favorite part of the WLC was seeing everyone who participated gain a new insight into how their daily choices really influence how they feel and perform.

Please excuse the tired face and messy hair, remember I have a 10 month old haha ;)

3 days left!!!!!!

We have reached the end folks!! Can you believe it?! I am so proud of everyone who participated. Eight weeks is a long time to stay dedicated to anything. I am glad you took the time to better yourself.

There are a few orders of business that we will need to accomplish in the coming days.
1. We need to do post-WLC measurements
2. If you did pre-WLC photos, we need to take post-WLC photos
3. You need to repeat the WOD you choose to log on day 1

I will be in the gym Friday night at 4:30 and Saturday at 12:00 to do measurements and take photos if you would like me to do them. Also I will be repeating the WLC WOD on saturday if you would like to join me.

Just a word about measurements and photos, you should do them even if you think you didn't change much. Why? Because, maybe you did change and you just don't know it. Also, ANY CHANGE is good change! Be proud of what you have accomplished, even if it didn't come in the form of measurement changes.

Lastly, I will be looking for success stories. The winners from each team will definitely be highlighted, as well as ANYONE who would like to share their story. I will email out a template in the coming days. I will leave you with the blog post from the WLC team, in case you missed it, as it had some great points I wanted to make sure everyone saw.

"You've done it.  You've made it through 7 weeks of the Whole Life Challenge. You've established habits and have a new awareness of what you're capable of. The past 7 weeks have been very personal - all about you, your journey... what YOU have to do to take small steps and make things happen.

While it's been a lot about awareness, it's been an experiential process - actually putting into action the things that you say you want to do. Experiencing first hand what you're capable of, and what you're not. Learning how to be as perfect as you can, and how to still accept yourself and your process in your shortcomings. Putting one foot in front of the other, day after day, week after week. Showing up in spite of how you feel.

CONGRATULATIONS - you've done it.  But NOW what?

Well, I've got both good and bad news. First the bad. This is it.  It's all there is. The 'magic secret' is that there is no magic secret. Do the time. Take the steps. It might sound boring and mundane, but if you can manifest what you've learned over the past 7 weeks in your life going forward, I know you will be on your way to a life of health, well being and self-mastery.    

The GOOD news? You have ALL the power. You know what it takes to get what you want and you know that you can do it. You have this experience as a reference point - power to draw on. You've got a community of people that will support you - not just others in the WLC, but all the people in your life. They are the ones that, with your permission, will help you stay focused, on task, and accountable. Talk with them about what you're up to... let them know your struggles, challenges, accomplishments. And, if they are touched, moved and/or inspired by you, maybe they'll just jump on board with you for the next WLC. The more people in your life that both 'get it' and are on board (whether that means just watching you from the sidelines or jump in actively with you), the better it is for you!

Enjoy your final week - stick with it through the end.  Then celebrate, and relish in your victory!"

Looooove!

11 days to go!!!!!!!!
The end of this challenge is just around the corner! How are you doing?? How are you using this challenge to better yourself and your life? I hope the past 7 weeks have taught you something positive that you will always carry with you.
Let's really dial it in folks!!! For the next 11 days, I'm challenging EVERYONE to get all their points! Everyday. End the challenge exactly the way you started- focused, determined, excited. The results will be amazing.

The current Lifestyle Challenge is doing something you love!! How is that going for you? Are you finding it easy or hard to do something you love? Are you very in tune with what you love? Or are you clueless on how to spend this required 10 minutes a day? If you are one of the people who aren't really sure what you love to do, I would suggest trying something that you are always drawn to but don't always make the time to do. Painting, reading, walking your dog, building Legos with your kids, comic books, FaceTime with a far-off friend, writing a letter, there are so many things that you can try. Enjoy these 10 minute parts of your day, you deserve it!

Wise and Witty advice from a Guest Blogger!

There are only 20 days left on the Whole Life Challenge! My hope is that you are developing lasting healthy lifestyle habits that will carry on after this challenge is done! Start keeping track of your PRs and "ah-ha!" moments. I will be asking for Success Stories at the completion of the challenge. And now, sit back and enjoy the musings of CFME B.A. Kara L...

I know it seems counterintuitive, but anything you complain about repetitively you actually want to produce, because that story serves a purpose for you. If you complain that you are always going to be overweight, you probably will. If you say you can never get to the gym, you can’t. If you say eating clean is too hard, it sure as hell will be. I am sure you get the drift.

Therefore, when someone offers you stellar advice on fixing areas that are out of whack in your life, there will always be a, “yeah but (insert story here).” It is only when the pain of not changing your thoughts/patterns/beliefs becomes greater than the pain of remaining the same that you will ultimately make the decision to change. That applies to any area of your life that you want to improve.

I am not going to even pretend like I have my shit together…I absolutely do not. But, the one area I actually have a miniscule amount of togetherness is in the area of food. This is because I actually cured, suppressed, and/or forgot about most of my various health issues when I began to truly eat properly (for me).  

Truth is, my health for much of my life sucked a fat one. I got sick a lot as a little kid.  I actually used to make myself sick because I believed that I would do better at swimmeets if I had bronchitis or whatever (because of the 1 time I performed super well when I was really sick). That is how powerful your belief systems really are.

From jr. high and on, I was depressed, zitty, mucousy, and I got certain infections if I just looked at a medicine bottle (I think a few females may relate). In my 20s, I graduated to bladder infections (hey, this Yankee/Red Sox game is awesome from the stadium bathroom). I lived at Campus Health during college because I slept like 5 hours the entire time. And when I got older, I could not eat at a restaurant without making sure a bathroom would be nearby within the next hour. Then in 2009, I learned I had a hiatal hernia. I would just wake up in the middle of the night and throw up undigested food and have a fiery burn in my chest. That was super fun and cute. And there was actually way more…But writing this now, I had to really think about all the issues that I had going on.  

Why? Well, I don’t really have any of those things going on now. Those things only come up if my diet is bad for a pretty extended period of time. I actually can’t believe that was my reality for so much of my life. I have not even been to a doctor (other than for routine check ups) for at least 4 or so years. I can’t tell you the name of my primary care physician. I can heal pretty much anything that comes up for me, and so can you.

I know you may not really care about any of that. You may be like, who is this broad, and what the hell is she is talking about? My point is, you all have some kind of story.  It could be similar to mine, or it could be completely different. But you ultimately will realize that many of your various lifestyle diseases/issues are related in some way to the items you put in, on, and even around your body.

“But Kara, I eat pretty healthy already!“ I am sure you do, Pinocchio. First of all, what does the adjective “pretty” mean in that statement?  I am not saying you are lying necessarily, but I am saying that you may not fully realize all the junk that actually sneaks into your diet (or how often it does). You also may not realize that what you are eating is not doing you any favors in regards to your overall health. Funky oils, sweeteners (even in many of those coveted whey protein shakes), or thinking that gluten free= free pass are just some of the sneaky things that people don’t always think about.  Because we sometimes don’t even know we should….

Fill in the blank with a food name. I cannot live without ____________________.

That is most likely the very food you need to clear out for at least a few weeks of your life, unless the food you put in that blank was broccoli or kale.…And I am willing to bet that was about as likely as the Giants winning the Superbowl.  

If your health isn’t in order, you can’t rock your mission. You won’t have the energy to pursue that new job or project, spend quality time with your partner/kids, your gym performance will not improve, and you may be downright shitty to be around a good portion of the time. That does not equate to a high quality life. I personally don’t believe that you only live once, but this is your only chance to do so in your current body. If you hate your job, but you don’t take care of yourself (not eating enough, eating poor quality grub, sleeping never, or drinking in excess *something I have no experience with myself), when are you ever going to feel like finding a new one?

Yes, eating better takes more time. Yes, you will suck at first (especially if you have never cooked). Yes, there is soy, corn, wheat, or SUGAR in everything and you shouldn’t eat it for a variety of reasons. Yes, you will think certain things don’t taste that good at first. Yes, you will stand there in your kitchen and think there is not a f****** thing to eat (I actually don’t know who is reading this so I feel I should not say that word). But if you think about it, nature doesn’t ever mess up. It produces some delicious substances. There is no way we are not meant to enjoy food. We are creatures of pleasure. I enjoy the hell out of food. And I eat a lot of it when I do eat. But most of the time, the food I eat actually serves a purpose to my overall wellbeing.

When you eat well, you are not hungry for hours between meals. You don’t need to snack or eat every 2 hours. Your energy is steady throughout the day. You won’t yell at drivers when they cut you off. You will actually walk your dog instead of sitting on the couch staring at him/her. You will look 40 when you are really 50. You won’t have headaches anymore. Your eyes won’t be puffy when you wake up. You won’t smell as yucky when you sweat. Your partner will like you more if your mood doesn’t suck, and hopefully you can figure out what that means for you.

If you changed 1 small thing per week until the end of the year, you could have a whole new outlook on eating by 2014. It really does take some time to adjust, and you may have to get over a few (or 85) bumps along the way. But, it is worth a try. You really don’t have to eat the Albertson’s store bought blue birthday cake with 58 undistinguishable ingredients because someone brought it to work.  It is so much cooler to just say, “Happy birthday to the ground!”  Okay, maybe not. But, you really don’t need to put something in your mouth just because it is there….

Changing it up - again!

The Whole Life Challenge peeps are changing the Lifestyle challenge once again...

Our NEW challenge, starting Saturday, is Meaningful Reading.

If you have books that you would recommend, either put them in the comments section or email me and I will add them to the blog. There are 2 books I have read recently that I would definitely recommend; The Happiness Project and The Four Agreements.

WLC says this...

Who has time to read? Between work, home, kids, and other personal responsibilities that must get taken care of, who really has the time each day just to plop down and read a book? And why bother, really? I have TV, radio, the Internet, and the water cooler and work to find out everything that I need to know about the world!

Did you ever stop to wonder if there was actually a good reason to read? I mean, a good reason aside from learning, getting inspired, or relaxing. What if reading actually did something for your mind?
Something very interesting about reading is that aside from all of the casual or professional reasons you know you do it for, there are actually brain development benefits to doing it as well. The benefits of reading come from the mental gymnastics that it requires. Reading stimulates several areas of the brain at once. It hits your frontal lobe, responsible for reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotion, and problem solving, your parietal lobe, which manages movement, your occipital lobe, which handles visual processing, and your temporal lobe, which takes care of perception and recognition, as well as auditory stimuli and speech.

When you read, you are actually giving your brain a workout. Reading is brain training! Not just for learning, but for living. It also may surprisingly have a positive impact on your health. According to this article from the New York Times, people who are good readers have been found to have better health. This may, according to a new study, be because in spite of any environmental insults, people who read have a greater level of "cognitive reserve." Even with environmentally related brain damage, people who read fared better than those who didn't! They had built up more brain power, so they had more to lose!

Now, here at the Whole Life Challenge, so we're not just going to ask you to read as a physical exercise. Your job for the next week is to read to inspire yourself, stimulate yourself, excite yourself, relax yourself, or otherwise make a holistic contribution to your own life. Read something that reboots your body, mind, or spirit. Something that sets you up for the day, or helps you unwind at the end of it. It's really up to you to say what is "meaningful." Mental exercise? Definitely. Personal development? Sure. Imagination building? Do it. Relaxation? No better reason.

Your next Lifestyle Challenge, starting Saturday, October 19, is to spend 10 minutes each day reading something meaningful or inspiring.
RULES:

1. You may read from any source you like, but it must be something that you consider meaningful.
2. Like your mindfulness practice from this week, you must go straight through without stopping. Read for 10 continuous minutes.
3. Your reading can be uplifting, inspiring, motivating, educational, or relaxing. If sitting down and reading a catalog for 10 minutes helps you unwind at the end of the day, you could actually count that.

Now, you could probably figure out a way to give yourself credit for this every day, just with the reading that you already likely do. What could you do, though, to make this challenge actually meaningful? 

Try setting your intention for the week. What would you like to get out of this lifestyle practice?

You could choose not just to read a book, but this book. You might decide that you are going to read three or four uplifting or inspiring blogs every day. You can learn something this week that you've been wanting to learn for a long time. Creating an intention and fulfilling it through this practice will make a much bigger difference than just making sure you read the paper on the bus on the way home.

Congratulations team C!

Team C pulled off a win tonight in the WLC Team Face-off!! There may have only been 3 of them ;) but they put up a great fight. 

Thank you to everyone who came out! I'm so glad we could have an in person event. You are all such an amazing part of CFME!

Team A vs. Team B. vs. Team C!

Thursday October 10th at 6pm we will be doing the WLC Team competition! Please come and help your team!! Here's the workout...

There are 4 stations and there will be 2 people from your team at each station. You will be accumulating max reps at the station while 2 people are running a 400. 

Three total rounds:

400m run

Wheelbarrow walk 

Wallball thruster throws

Team plank push-ups 

Your team gets to start with the number of points you've accumulated on the WLC so far :) 

SEE YOU THURSDAY!!

Whole Life Challenge Team Face-off!!

Ok teams! Time to test what your team is made of. We are 30 days into the challenge already!! Over half way done!! I have heard several remarks about how this challenge has changed the way people look at their food choices. There are ALREADY several reports of PRs and body measurement changes. I'm so proud of everyone's efforts. The half way point is a great time to rally the troops for a team WOD! Here's how it will work...

1. Go to THIS LINK (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/58BJW3X) to vote for which day works for you. 

   -Thursday at 6pm

   -or Saturday at 12pm
You must vote by Tuesday at 5pm. I will update the blog with which time gets the most votes. 

2. You will be competing with your WLC teammates. I hope you are logging your points because your teams total points will come into play.

3. I will post the workout on Tuesday along with the time. 

I would love it if everyone could make it!

Email me if you have any questions! nicoleraustin@gmail.com

Newest Lifestyle Challenge!

Our lifestyle challenge is changing this saturday! You should be a pro at drinking your water and getting your 7 hours of sleep in a day. Now you will earn your points by performing mindfulness every day.

Here is what the WLC says about mindfulness...

It's time to get mindful… really mindful.  It's your opportunity to create 'headspace', to clear out the junk, make room for something new, something different, something that you can't even see today because there's no available space.   What am I talking about?  For the next week, starting Saturday, your Lifestyle Challenge will be to practice 10 minutes of mindfulness in the form of meditation or journaling.   Yippee.  Yee Haw.  Exciting, huh?!  Well it may not be that exciting, but it represents and area in which most of us are lacking and could use some regular practice. Check the WLC Blog for more details on Thursday. I agree with the Whole Life Challenge, this is an area where a lot of us are lacking. Mindfulness can take many forms. This website offered several ideas for mindfulness exercises. Whatever mindfulness exercise you choose, you must perform it for 10 mins a day.  Also, on October 7th, there will be a RADIO SHOW on the topic with Mark Divine, Founder of the Unbeatable Mind program and US navy SEAL. The broadcast begins at 5pm PDT. You can even go to the Whole Life Challenge Facebook page and post questions for Mark ahead of time. Your performance in the gym is reliant on several things, and your mental game is a large part. A coach of mine once had me close my eyes before high jumping and visualize seeing myself as a bystander make the jump successfully, then close my eyes and see the same successful jump from my viewpoint. After the mental exercise, then you could make your attempt. That kind of positive mental approach was much more helpful than staring at the high jump bar and getting nervous and letting all the negative thoughts and worries start creeping in. Imagine how strong you could become in the gym, and in your daily life, if you could mindfully attack all of your WOD, lifts, work, kids...  This worksheet also gives ideas for mindfulness as it applies to athletes, that's YOU :)

Teammate Testimonial - Scott Swingle

The leader in points for the CFME A-Team is... drum roll please... Scott Swingle! He has taken the Whole Life Challenge by storm. He recognizes his weaknesses (did you start drinking your water early enough in the day Scott??!!) and constantly works to improve on them. This is why he is seeing results, and leading in points. Scott makes insightful, and witty, reflections posts daily which make me smile and has reminded me to not be so harsh on myself. Congratulations Scott on leading the A-Team, for your successes so far on the WLC, and being an all around great guy! I can't wait to see your end results!
-Nicole

Teammate Testamonials - The Keller's

The Keller family is a truly special part of Crossfit Max Effort - and they are achieving greatness on the Whole Life Challenge! Here is a Teammate Testamonial from Kelly Smith on their amazing progress so far!

I would like to spotlight the Keller Family mom and daughter duo (Terry and Cece). They are both working their asses off in this challenge and it really is showing! Terry is slimming down and moving much faster in her workouts. Her squat is getting lower and she is moving so much better than before the challenge started. Cece is just an all around badass. She is kicking ass with everything. Cece looks amazing and she is getting stronger and faster in all of her workouts. Cece was already strong before this challenge started, but her lifts have gotten heavier and her form looks amazing. These two women inspire and motivate me to be better at everything. It is awesome to see them do this together as a family! Great job Keller family!

Keep it up Cece and Terry! We are SO very proud of you and all your accomplishments!

NEW LIFESTYLE CHALLENGE!

Whole Life Challengers! Our next Lifestyle Challenge is upon us! Drumroll please....

SLEEP!

Starting Friday night, September 20th, you will be earning your lifestyle points by getting 7 hours of sleep in a day. This can include napping. Check out this blog update on the WLC website for more information on the challenge.

You should continue to drink your recommended amount of water everyday! At this point you should be a pro at water consumption :) If you are already a good sleeper, this challenge is going to be an "easy" point category for you. If you are someone who struggles to get in bed, or wakes up often, take this challenge as a time to evaluate your sleep habits. Are you looking at technology in bed? Are you drinking coffee too close to bedtime? Is it too bright in your room? Experiment with a new bedtime ritual to see if it might help you get those precious sleep hours. Good luck, and sweet dreams!

Big Block Sing Song.... and a little about deprivation

WARNING! This video is 100% the product of me living with a 9 month old, I am sorry in advance. Nevermind, I'm not sorry! You're welcome - This will make your day! Haha!

I wanted to touch on a subject that many people have brought up, and that is deprivation. This is NOT a deprivation challenge!! 90% of you DO NOT need to or want to loose weight. This is a lifestyle challenge, which means we are improving our lifestyle by REPLACING unhealthy food choices with better options. I am guilty of this too. I was just taking out all the things I no longer wanted in my diet, but I wasn't doing a very good job of replacing those items with WLC approved choices. Take a look at your energy, performance in the gym, attitude. If you are feeling hungry or tired or slow, you most likely need more calories/fat/carbs. If you have specific questions you can ask me or your team captain. Lindsay and Zach are fantastic resources as well.

Also, a huge congrats to Natalie B, Elissa E, Lyn K, and Natalie (visitor) who came out to Stonewater park for a fun WOD. They were impressive, to say the least!

Saturday WOD

Crossfit Max Effort is closed this weekend for a seminar. You need to workout, I got your back :)
This Saturday 9/14 at 11am meet me at Stonewater Park in Southern Highlands. The address is
11501 Goett Golf Drive, Las Vegas, NV, 89141
We will meet and park at the office building that you see on the left when you turn off of Southern Highlands parkway, 11 am sharp.  If you are late, we have already walked down to the park. Here is the wod:
OTM for 10 mins
Hill Sprint

rest 5 mins

10 burpees
run across field
10 lunges
run back to start
9 burpees
run across field
9 lunges
run back to start
....
1 burpee
run across field
1 lunge
run to start

If you have questions please email me at nicoleraustin@gmail.com
Last time John B brought his son, and it was great. So if you have a friend that you would like to join bring them along. Just remember, I will be doing this with you, the movements are pretty basic BUT there will be minimal coaching during the workout. See you tomorrow

Get nerdy!

"Any fool can know. The point is to understand.”
-Albert Einstein

Diet is a large part of this Whole Life Challenge, as it should be. It is the building block to your day, your performance, your relationships, your life. People are very passionate when it comes to diet and what you should and should not eat. I believe that the more you know the easier it is to understand why we emphasize the Crossfit prescription ...

It seems so simple. It IS so simple. How can eleven words cause such controversy? I can not tell you how many times people have asked me what I eat, only to question every single thing I have told them. I would love to say, "well, why did you even ask?" or "well, how is your diet working for you?". But instead I choose to lead by example. I educate myself on the "why's" and that kind of confidence in your diet will be contagious. When you know why you want to eat meat, vegetables, nuts & seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar, it is easier to make healthier eating a part of your lifestyle. Here are my top websites and books. PLEASE add your favorites in the comments section! I will add them to the list on the blog for all to see. If you write a little review I will add that too!  The more you know...

1. Everyday Paleo This website is a must use. Sarah Fragoso is a student of Robb Wolf (who will be mentioned below) and has created a primal empire. Her recipes are easy to make and always delicious. There is something genuine about someone who walks the walk. She is a busy mother, wife, and entrepreneur and gives real life advice when it comes to paleo eating. 

2. PaleOMG Not only are Juli Bauer's recipes to die for, her commentary is hilarious. I find myself literally "LOL"ing when I browse her blog posts. And she reigns from Denver, so extra bonus points for her :)

3. Chris Kresser For a more medicinal website check out Chris Kresser's jackpot of information. He addresses several of the population's common health ailments and their association with poor diet. It is intriguing and easy to read. He also has a book, which I have not read, but it looks fantastic.

4. Mark's Daily Apple I'm pretty sure Mark Sisson wins the award for Primal Man of the Year. I mean, have you seen the guy?? I met him at the 2011 Crossfit Games, his sterling personality and true love for the primal lifestyle makes him a natural leader (see what I did there, "natural", get it). So go follow him. My favorite link is the "Success Stories"

5. Robb Wolf SO much education in this website. You could spend an eternity listening to podcasts and reading articles. He is very much into scientific research and backs up what he says with facts. 

Books:

The first paleo book I read, and still my favorite. I was hooked after the first chapter. It is a great resource for the "why's" behind the Paleo Diet.

Every recipe in this book is delicious. It is full of easy to make, family friendly food options when you are sick of eating chicken breast, avocado, and carrot sticks for dinner :)

There are several books on the Everyday Paleo Website! Let me know if you have tried any of the others

Loren Cordain's website, The Paleo Diet ,describes Loren as "The World's Leading Expert on Paleolithic Diets and the Founder of the Paleo Movement". A LOT of the other people mentioned so far have started by learning from Loren Cordain. He has several books, The Paleo Diet, The Paleo Answer, and a Paleo Diet Cookbook. This book in particular emphasizes the importance of , and difference in, diet for an athlete (THAT'S YOU!!!). 

Mark Sisson's book on all things primal. This REVIEW pretty much sums up the book. 

Guest Blogger!!

*The following post is written by the great Natalie Brainerd. Resident CFME ninja, and blogger extraordinaire! Always fantastic information over at Real Women Squat* 

The beginning of anything marks an appropriate time to make some realistic commitments to your self.  It's not necessarily just a list of dos and don'ts, but opportunities to be great, and a series of choices that will ultimately determine success- whatever that looks like to you.

And so here we find ourselves at that genesis of something new and great. The Whole Life Challenge.  I started a new ‘journal’ 2 days ago, and broke it in with the above exercise.  It starts with, ‘Be Better: In the Next 60 days I will:…’  It is now my Whole Life diary, minus the ‘Dear’s’ and ‘Love’s,’.  This along with my training log(the hard copy of BeyondTheWhiteboard) are going to be where I input my data from this grand experiment.  

So why might you consider doing this too?

 Information.

 The more information you can collect-from measurements, bodyfat, circumference, pictures, to the emotions that arise when you wake up tomorrow morning and remember you can’t put heavy cream in your coffee- the more empowered you are to make the right decisions for you. It’s called body intelligence.

One of the commitments you have probably already considered making, if you haven’t already begun, is the one that will ultimately make or break your success in this challenge, food prep.

The Achilles heel of all things ‘diet’ and health and wellness. Yes, each one of you knows how important it is, and some may even lose a little sleep over the stress it can produce. ‘Ugh, I don’t have time to cut vegetables.’ Or ‘Didn’t I just do this yesterday??!’ So. Much. Food. Prep.  However it doesn’t have to be like that, if you just change your perspective about what it means.  

This shift happened for me when I stopped looking at food as being just something I put it in my mouth, and started appreciating it for what it was going toward creating. Everything I eat is broken down by the incredible systems inside of me, and used to build, repair, and nourish, the house ONLY I am responsible for taking care of.  So I stopped eating sour patch kids, processed meats, and the deranged assortment of ‘Nutrition’ bars and powders littering the aisles of any supplement store, and started relying on real, healthy, powerful, high quality food.  Why?

Because I wanted a REAL, HEALTHY, POWERFUL, HIGH QUALITY body.

Period. End of Story. This became more important to me than the excuses I was making. It trumped my fatigue every time, and shut up that voice inside that said, ‘It’s ok, you don’t have to be great.’

So if I really wanted this life for myself, things needed to change and I needed to get uncomfortable.

And so began my healthy relationship with the food that I eat. *and it wasn’t always healthy…

This is where the fun begins. When I look in my refrigerator there are all sorts of meats and vegetables, fats, and fruits, but I don’t see food, I see nutrients, and possibilities, and the question, ‘What do I want to create?’

There is no short cut to food prep. Vegetables do not cut themselves. This doesn’t mean that you need to make it complicated though.

So here are some steps to get you started.

1: You need these things

   

2: And a healthy assortment of these things (timer there to prove point-keep reading)

    

3: And approx this much time-

    

4: Perhaps a calendar to plan when you will accomplish this- and a jar of pickle erasers if it doesn’t work out, obviously.

    

5: Don’t buy the whole grocery store if you are just getting started. Pick 2-3 proteins you will cook in bulk, and 3-5 vegetables you will chop up. Then next time you go to the grocery store pick out 2-3 different proteins and 3-5 different vegetables!  Same with your fruit. This is a great opportunity to try new foods, and remember looking at food as nutrients? Each one has unique qualities all their own-diff types but also different colors will yield certain vitamins and minerals.

6: Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. You don’t have to become Gordon Ramsay over night and prepare a 5 star meal every time you cook. Shit. Nobody got time for that.  You know the salad bar at Whole Foods? This is sort of what you are creating in your refrigerator.

     

7: And lastly, you find already chopped up vegetables etc at the grocery store for a reasonable price- BUY IT!! Someone already did the work for you!! I will usually do this with squashes-because honestly I have no idea how to crack into one of those successfully.

Alright so this should be a good start for you. Think stirfry(where you put random things in a pan and cook them), salads(same thing but cold), scrambles, ‘tacos,’and snacks-cut up carrots, celery, grapes, sweet peas- ready for you to just grab and eat. In one of the Tupperware containers I combined cilantro and celery.   So each night I will grab some containers, pull out the veggies and start combining, throw some of the buffalo or chicken I cooked in there, slice an avocado on top and there’s my food prep for the next day.  37 minutes today, 2 minutes tomorrow :)

"No thank you"

I once had a volleyball coach who assigned 25 "Pride and Perfections" (think burpee but when your chest hits the court you yell Pride, and when you jump in the air you yell Perfection) for negative talk. Instead of saying,"Don't miss your serve" you had to say "serve the ball in the court". When you start with "can't" or "don't" the last thing you hear is what you don't want to do. When you use positive speech you hear what you need to do. 

This lesson has stood by me through the years, and I hope it will help you too. Try this out... When someone questions you or tempts you with an "off limits" item try saying "no thank you" instead if "I can't have _____". Be proud of your decision to lead a healthy lifestyle! "I GET to eat heathy today!", "I am going to mobilize tonight before bed.", "I love the way I feel after I get my daily exercise"

Stay positive! You're doing great things. 

Point Categories

Whole Life Challenge starts TOMORROW folks! Tomorrow, Saturday September 7, you will begin the 8 week journey of by uploading your 1st measurements, completing a baseline workout, and logging your points. 

Remember, you must input your point daily. This is on you. There are 5 point categories- I have already posted about nutrition (5 maximal points daily) and exercise (2 points daily). The final 3 are Mobility, Supplementation, and Lifestyle

1. Mobility can be ANYTHING you deem mobility, as long as it lasts 10 mins a day. Stay and stretch after your WOD at the gym for 10 mins! Use a lacrosse ball while you are watching TV! Stretch before you go to bed! Stretch when you wake up! Spend 10 mins, earn 2 points, easy as that
2. Supplementation. Decide what supplements you are going to take, starting now, and take those everyday. Fish oil? Multivitamin? Vitamin c? Whatever it is, take it and earn 2 points. (Protein powder does not count, plus unless you are using some kind of pure eggwhite protein powder your would be loosing a nutrition point anyways, whey protein is not allowed.)
3. Lifestyle. This category changes every once in a while on the WLC website. Stay tuned to see how to earn those points. They have released the 1st lifestyle points category. 

For weeks one and two of the challenge, starting tomorrow, Sat, Sept 7, your lifestyle practice will be to drink 1/2 oz of water for every pound of your bodyweight.  - Water consumption can be in the form of water (bubbly or flat), coconut water, or tea  - Coffee does not count towards your daily quota of water (sorry!)  - We strongly recommend that you consume your water slowly over the course of your day. This is important both for how you absorb it and for your comfort... nothing will disrupt your sleep more than trying to consume all of your fluids at the end of the day.   You will continue that practice through Fri, Sept 20, meaning your final REPORTING for that practice will be on Saturday, September 21. If you have not emailed me your name, please do so, you have until today (FRIDAY 9/6) at 3PM to email me your name so that I can place you on a team. nicoleraustin@gmail.com