It’s that time of the year again! Time for ICA’s annual Fall Nutrition Challenge! Read the details below and sign up at the box to participate!
What: ICA’s 2017 Fall Nutrition Challenge
Who: Every single person reading this post! This a FREE nutrition challenge, open to all members, so there is no excuse to not join in!
When: Monday September 25 – Friday October 27
Why: Summer is nutrition’s worst nightmare. Cookouts, ice cream, margaritas and beer… it’s hard to “eat clean” with all those temptations. So every Fall we run a nutrition challenge designed to nip those bad habits in the bud and get you back on track. Stay true to the rules of this challenge and we guarantee that at the end of the month, you’ll feel better, look better, and perform better. Every year that we have run this challenge we have seen some amazing transformations!
How/Rules:
- Choose your level (detailed below) and sign up at the box
- Avoid ALL alcohol and desserts/sweets during the challenge!
- Complete the performance test before and after the challenge. (We will run it as the daily WOD on 9/25 and 10/27.)
- Keep a daily food log in which you record WHAT and HOW MUCH you eat. Every meal, every snack, every teaspoon of creamer you put in your coffee… The logs are an extremely valuable resource if you have questions or want help or feedback during the challenge (for instance if you notice that you are low on energy or not seeing results). We will also use the food logs to help select our challenge winners.
- Optional, but encouraged: Take body measurements before and after the challenge. At a minimum this means your waist (circumference at the belly button) and body weight. Other common measurements include hips, thighs, and arms. We also have two handheld body fat monitors at the gym. For repeatable results please stay adequately hydrated and always measure BEFORE your workout. Lastly, before and after photos are great tools to see progress, even if you just keep them to yourself!
Level 1 (Beginner): MACRO(ish)
- This is our “introductory level” for the Nutrition Challenge. Your goal is to ensure you are eating an appropriate balance of high-quality carbs, protein, and fat throughout the day.
- We have developed several eating templates based on your target caloric intake. We will help you pick the appropriate template, and you should follow it for all 33 days. Templates can be viewed HERE.
- A set of measuring cups is required.
Level 2 (Advanced): MACRO DIET
- For this level, you will eat a precise number of “macros” every day (i.e., a set number of grams of protein, carb, and fat). If you already know your target macros, simply run them by John or Nikki before the challenge begins. If you need us to assign target macros for you, send us an email ASAP.
- This level requires you to weigh and measure EVERYTHING you eat. A food scale and a set of measuring cups is required. You can get food scales on Amazon for less than $15.
- Although following a macro diet typically does not require you to cut out any specific food groups, for the purpose of this challenge we encourage you to apply “paleo” principles as much as possible (i.e. limit gluten, dairy, processed foods, etc). We do allow non-gluten starches such as oats, rice, and quinoa.
Other Diets: We know several ICA athletes have found success with other diets, such as Renaissance Periodization or the Zone Diet. If you have used one of these methods and are happy with it, you are welcome to follow it for the challenge. Just as with our Level 1 and Level 2 diets, we expect 100% compliance for the duration of the challenge.
Nutrition Seminar: This Thursday, Sept 16, at 6:30pm, our friends at CrossFit KOP are hosting a seminar about the macro diet (also known as “flexible eating.”) The instructors are well known in the CrossFit community for their knowledge and experience with flexible eating. The cost is $25. Click HERE to read the details on CFKOP’s blog and to register.
Challenge Winners: At the end of the challenge we will pick 3 winners – one advanced, one beginner, and a spirit award. Winners will be based primarily on performance improvements but we will also consider body measurements and diet adherence. Beginners are anyone who has been with ICA less than a year!
ICA Nutrition Club: We have a Facebook group that was set up during last year’s challenge, to provide members with a place to ask questions, share knowledge, post recipes, and generally provide support. If you want to join in, link HERE.
We will run a short “kick off” in classes on Friday September 22. Come with questions!
