Thirty of our athletes embarked on a 4 week journey to see how their diet affected their bodies, their composition, and their performance in the gym. In just a short time, there was a great amount of inches lost, pounds dropped, strength & conditioning improved, as well as participants reported higher energy levels, improved gut, and decreased medications. We are incredibly proud of each of them for completing our Fall Paleo Challenge. Here are the official results:
OVERALL WINNER(s): $220
- PAT TOTH– Pat lost 7lbs, lost 10 3/8inches overall, lost 2% body fat, added 22lbs to her back squat (2nd place), ran 81 seconds faster in the mile (3rd place), and added 25 reps to her WOD (2nd place). She killed it in every category!
CATEGORY WINNERS: $100 each
- HIGHEST BODY FAT % LOST: 3 way tie between BRAD DiPIETRO (2 cheat pts), MARY-ELLEN WHITEMAN (3 cheat pts), & BRYAN TRUMBO (0 cheat pts, but no journal), so the food journal tie breaker goes to BRAD DiPETRO. Brad lost 4% body fat, 8lbs, 3 inches, added 20lbs to his back squat (3rd), shaved 72 seconds off his mile (4th), and added 17 reps in the WOD (5th).
- BACK SQUAT IMPROVEMENT: BRANDON ZACHARY— 50lb increase! Brandon learned not to take such big jumps in weight toward the end of his 5-6 sets and it paid off! He also lost 3lbs, lost 10 inches overall, lost 2% body fat, shaved 10 seconds off his mile, got 5 more reps on the WOD.
- MILE IMPROVEMENT: JESSICA PEACOCK-– improved by 94 seconds!! She lost 7lbs, lost 9 inches, lost 1% body fat, added 15lbs to back squat, and added 5 reps to WOD.
- WOD IMPROVEMENT: GABI COLE— 47 more reps! She also lost 10lbs, lost 5 inches, , lost 3% body fat, added 10lbs to her back squat, ran 87 seconds faster in her mile (2nd)!
Remember, you absolutely cannot out-train a bad diet. You can come into the gym 5 days and week and bust your butt, but if you eat garbage and drink your calories, you’re not going to see the results that you’re after. Abs are made in the kitchen!
Paleo is not the end all, be all of diets. But, doing away with potentially inflammatory foods such as processed foods, sugar, gluten, and dairy, and sticking with whole foods, is a great way to reset your body in a healthy way. Bottom line….there is no need to do juice cleanses or fad diets, just eat REAL food…meat, fish, veggies, fruits, nuts/seeds, and some grains like rice, quinoa, and oatmeal. It is important to track your macronutrients to make sure that you are eating the proper amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in order to meet your personal goals whether they be performance enhancement or aesthetic. Oreos & ice cream should be an occasional treat, not a staple.
It’s not that hard to figure out; the hardest part is making the commitment! We look forward to watching the progress of our athletes as they continue to explore a healthier lifestyle and diet outside of the gym and helping them every step of the way to reach their goals!