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6 Week Clean Eating Challenge
2014-2015 Look, Feel & Perform Better Challenge
Challenge Overview
We are not waiting for resolutions time! While we think that it’s best to act in accordance with your goals and values all (or at least, most) of the time, we also recognize that many of us use markers like the beginning of the year to try and kick start positive changes. I’m sure some of you have done this in years past, some of you are new to it so here’s the overview.
Who? The entire CrossFit Silver Fox community, family and friends.
What? A 6 week challenge meant as a collective kick start into healthier nutrition and recovery habits.
Where? Right where you are and of course the gym.
When? Starting next Monday, December 1st we will take questions about the challenge and use that week to set the benchmarks. We’ll go over this later in this. The Challenge will run from December 8th-January 16th. We’ll wrap up with a potluck and awards ceremony on Saturday, January 17, 2015
Why? To look, feel, and perform better! And, for the opportunity to win some sweet prizes!
Wait, did you say prizes? Yes. There will be a prize for both the men’s and a women’s category. There are also 2nd and 3rd place prizes for the men’s and women’s categories.
Now, here are the guidelines of the challenge and how to participate.
Tell me! Text me, email me, this will also be on Facebook for you to comment on. This will enter you into the challenge. Once you complete the following steps we’ll check them off. Please complete all steps by December 6th in order to be eligible for prizes.
Buy-in of $10. This must be cash and can be given to Jay, Jen or Ritchie.
Why? This will bolster the funds for prizes.
- Answer a few brief questions and get your “before” photo taken by Jay or Jen. These are private will not be published or seen by anyone without your consent.
- Track points earned daily in a journal. This will keep you focused and aware of what you’re doing. This is an honor system. If you cheat, we’ll it’s your problem. We’ll know...trust us.
- Perform the Test WOD Cindy!
- 5 Pull-ups
- 10 Push-ups
- 15 Air Squats
AMRAP for 20 Minutes
The idea behind this challenge is simple. While extreme actions can bring extreme and rapid results, we’ve also seen them often result in a “crash.” Our end goal is sustainability. We’d rather you change a few manageable things for the long term than many things for six weeks and then get lost in a haze of pizza, donuts, and self-loathing. That being said, choose which label/statement below that best describes you and then try to follow those guidelines for the entire challenge.
Level 1 Eater – “I’m kind of a mess, I have no real idea what to eat or what recovery even means. This is the first time I’m going to follow any real guidance on what to eat”
You’ll work to develop a baseline of quality food choices, good sleep, and recovery.
Goal – To improve food quality, balance training and recovery, and start to make choices that support your goals. Eat meals that are made up of lean protein and vegetables or some fruit and enough healthy fat to feel full. Each meal should include something from each category. *If you’re a vegetarian then your best protein sources will be yogurt, eggs, lentils, or fish if you eat it.
Avoid grains and gluten products. This means bread, pasta, tortillas (sniff), beer (sniff, sniff), pastries, cookies, etc… Check labels for wheat/gluten containing items. Better yet don’t eat packaged foods. Avoid refined sugars. This means fruit juice, honey, fructose, coconut sugar, agave, etc…
Drink ½ oz of water, herbal tea, or another non-calorie beverage per lb of body weight.
Consider altogether eliminating the following throughout the challenge. Allow small amounts only if you need it to maintain sanity.
SOME dairy – cream in coffee and full-fat, fermented, unsweetened dairy like Greek yogurt. Many people are sensitive to dairy and most of it will help with gaining weight so consider this depending on your goals.
SOME alcohol in the form of wine or liquor. Beer contains gluten, except for a few. The refining process of liquors leaves the gluten out, plus tequila is kinda paleo? Alcohol can also impair sleep. *If your goals include losing bodyfat then minimize booze or cut it out completely. It’s empty calories, and the truth is the only reason to drink alcohol is to get a buzz. If you do include it, limit yourself to fewer than 7 alcoholic beverages in a week.
SOME coffee. Yeah, I don’t want to know what you act like without your morning cup either but consider cutting down and having it early in the day only, especially if you’re sensitive to it and/or sleep and hormonal recovery are large parts of your challenge.
Your Food Points are earned as follows:
3 Points = Full Clean All Day – Ate clean all day! Had lean protein + veggies/fruits + healthy fats with each meal, avoided grains and gluten products, avoided refined sugars.
1 Point = 1 Item Off List – Had croutons on my salad, my eggs in a wrap, a candy bar snack, etc.
0 Points = 1 Full Meal Off Plan – Sandwich on bread with soda, pizza and beer, bagel with cream cheese, etc.
-3 Points = More than 1 Off Plan Meal – as described above.
Your bonus points are as follows:
1 Point each for:
Fish Oil – Took 3 grams of EPA/DHA in fish oil tabs. *If you are eating all grass-fed/pastured/wild caught animal products this may not be necessary so give yourself the point if you eat this way. If you eat nuts, any veg oils, or any conventionally raised animal products however then stick to a minimum of 2-4g per day.
Sleep – 7 solid hours on a regular schedule. Even laying down and waking up at consistent times can be huge.
Active recovery – 15 minutes with a foam roller or a lacrosse ball or some other tools working on myo-fascial release and mobility.
Hydration – Drank ½ oz of water per lb of bodyweight. Herbal tea is OK too. Not diet Coke, sorry.
WOD – at CrossFit Silver Fox. Attendance is important!!!!! NO EXCUSES!
Level 2 Eater - “I know what I should eat, I understand what macronutrients are, and I generally choose quality foods. I’ve done the Paleo Challenge before with some initial success but then struggle and seem to fall off the rails. I often sleep like crap, feel beat up, and eat too many cheat meals.”
You’ll work on a plan to eat the right food in the right quantities, adding the important aspect of portion control to a healthy diet.
Goal – To eat optimally sized meals with good macronutrient balance, added to an already solid base of food quality. By taking stock of weighed and measured portions, you’ll develop an internal food scale that you can keep with you for a lifetime. As you’ve maybe discovered it’s in fact easy to overeat paleo foods and to succumb to cravings if the overall diet and lifestyle isn’t balanced. Unbalanced food intake can lead to poor sleep, which can lead to carb cravings and/or over-reliance on caffeine, which can result in poor sleep…you see where this cycle goes. Particularly problematic can be “paleo” desserts, snacks, and treats.
Eat balanced meals that are made up of lean protein, carbohydrates like vegetables or some fruit or starchy vegetables and healthy fat. Each meal should include each category. *If you’re a vegetarian then your best protein sources will be yogurt, eggs, lentils, and beans, or fish if you eat it.
Weigh and measure your meals throughout the challenge and eat 3-5 meals that are balanced and add up to the right amount of blocks each day. You won’t (and shouldn’t) always need to do this but it can be extremely helpful to develop an awareness of what a balanced meal looks like, and how much or little food you need to feel satisfied and recovered. Remember, you’re developing your internal scale.
Prepare or purchase meals ahead of time so you don’t find yourself guessing. If you wind up eating on the fly then use your best eyeball judgement to stick to correct quantities. Be realistic..you know what’s bad for you.
Minimize grains if you decide to include them. They may or may not be verboten for you but notice how they stack up quantity-wise next to a serving of roasted vegetables or a spinach salad. If you do include them be aware of how your body responds.
Avoid refined sugars. Again, notice how they stack up next to fruits and other sweet carb sources.
Same goes for booze. It pays to minimize it as it counts toward your carb blocks. No more than 7 alcoholic beverages a week.
Drink ½ oz of water, herbal tea, or another non-calorie beverage per lb of bodyweight. No, not diet Coke, sorry.
Your Food Points are earned as follows:
3 Points – Full Clean All Day – Ate clean meals all day!
1 Point – 1 Item Off List – Ate one slightly off meal.
0 Points – 1 Full Meal Off Plan – Ate one way off dirty meal.
-3 Points – More than 1 Off Plan Meal – Ditched the clean eating today for more than one meal.
Your bonus points are as follows:
1 Point each for:
Fish Oil – Took 3 grams of EPA/DHA in fish oil tabs. *If you are eating all grass-fed/pastured/wild caught animal products this may not be necessary so give yourself the point if you eat this way. If you eat nuts, any veg oils, or any conventionally raised animal products however then stick to a minimum of 2-4g per day.
Sleep – 7 solid hours on a regular schedule. Even laying down and waking up at consistent times can be huge.
Active recovery – 15 minutes with a foam roller or a lacrosse ball or some other tools working on myo-fascial release and mobility.
Hydration – Drank ½ oz of water per lb of bodyweight. Herbal tea is OK too. Not diet Coke, sorry.
WOD – Trained at CrossFit Silver Fox. Attendance is HUGE!!!
Winners will be selected based on three criteria.
Positive body comp changes visible through Before and After photos
Total points earned through adherence to your habits in the challenge
Improvement on the Test WOD Cindy
Decisions are made by CrossFit Silver Fox and are final. This should be really fun and a GREAT way to help you with your eating. This challenge will help you with your journey to eat better and train harder. If you have any questions, or need help at any time, PLEASE do not hesitate to ask for help...I can give you an idea of the amount of calories you should be getting daily. Not only from Jay, but from other members that have seen past results or are showing results in this challenge. I want this to be the hardest decision at the end. Remember, if you follow the guidelines, you all will win in the end.
Thank you!!!
CFSF Team
