Paleo Eating + CFSF is the winning combo for KS

Post Challenge Letter

This has been more than a 7 week challenge for me. When thinking about what to write, I realize that this has been a yearlong challenge.

It started in October of 2009 when I bought the first Paleo Diet book. It was foreign to me. No breads, no dairy, no sugar!

What would I eat??

I remember telling Chris that I wouldn’t get past breakfast. I put the Paleo book away for some time. I kept coming to CFSF and was dedicated to working out. However, I kept filling my body with garbage.

Why would I take two steps forward with working out and then one step back by eating poorly???

I finally decided that if I wanted to see improvements in my workouts and in my body, I needed to make changes in my diet. It was a slow change for me. It started by eating better on the days that I knew I was coming to the box. I knew I couldn’t complete a WOD with my stomach full of tacos, pizza, chips, etc. From there I focused on one meal at a time. I started with breakfast and realized that there is more than just cereal and milk. Then I eliminated milk and decreased the amount of bread I was eating. I kept reading the Paleo book and educating myself.

My goals were to lose belly fat and increase my energy.

But could I make it through 49 days??

I tried a mini Paleo challenge in July and quit after 2 weeks.

Did I have enough time to prepare foods?

Did I have enough willpower to stay away from Coke and sweets?

What would my friends and family say?

By the time the 7 week challenge started I was focused, determined, and ready to expand my Paleo eating.

For this challenge, there were no excuses. I was the one putting food in my mouth. I spent time on Sundays getting food ready for the week. I went from eating out at lunch everyday to packing my lunch. I knew I needed to stay away from fast food restaurants, especially the ones with Coke. I also needed healthy snacks so I wouldn’t be tempted by peanut butter M&Ms. I left the house every morning with one bag for lunch, one bag filled with snacks, and a big bottle of water. One point that I want to make clear… I ate FOOD. This was not a diet of deprivation. I ate real food, lots of food, and it tasted good.

What kept me going?

There were some ‘nay-sayers’ during this challenge that thought I was crazy. Their comments just gave me the motivation to work harder. There were also many cheerleaders such as my husband, my two boys, CFSF coaches, and CFSF members. I carried a 3-ring binder with me everywhere. I filled it with recipes, wrote down everything that went into my mouth, and also wrote down a daily devotional. If I wanted to reach for candy or a pop, I got out my binder and read my devotional or looked at recipes. It was a very powerful 49 days in which I saw changes in my body, mind, and spirit.

My workouts included CrossFit 3 to 4 times a week. I tried to do prescribed workouts as much as possible. I pushed myself to lift more weight and to complete an exercise without resting. I usually picked out someone in the workout to be my ‘rabbit’ and I would try to stay with that person or sometimes pass them. I also ran on the days away from CrossFit, usually with my two boys on their bikes. I made parallettes to have at home to work on L-sits and bought a jump rope to do countless double unders in the driveway.

What’s next for me??

I remember saying to Chris last fall that I didn’t need to make friends. I was only worried about getting a good workout and burning as many calories as I could. I was so wrong. I could not have succeeded in this challenge without the friends I have made at CFSF. I want to continue to make friends and to ‘pay it forward’ by encouraging those who are new to Paleo and CrossFit.

Kris aka ‘KS’

This entry was posted on November 18, 2010 at 7:30 pm and is filed under Crossfit Philosophy, Lifestyle, Members. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.