WARREN'S STORY
Warren Hart discovered CrossFit in December 2008, with a goal of getting in shape in time for his wedding a couple of months later. Two years later, he became a certified CrossFit trainer and has been working with us here at CrossFitN30. He's also dropped down from about 260 lbs. to 184 lbs!
Although he began losing weight and gaining strength and endurance through regular training, it wasn't until December 2010 that a real transformation took place. Although he had long given up fast food and all but the occasional bottle of beer, Warren had not really made any other significant changes to his diet. Ironically, it was over lunch that we began to talk about his desire to lose those last few pounds, enhance his performance during training, and boost his energy.
I assured Warren if he would follow the custom nutrition plan we would create for him, he would lose 10 lbs. in two weeks, and he would have a method of healthy eating that would last him a lifetime and help him achieve and maintain his health and fitness goals. Since the New Year was fast approaching, he agreed to start the new nutrition program on January 1, 2011, and he did just that. Sure enough, two weeks to the day, Warren weighed in 10 lbs. lighter! His energy was through the roof, his performance in the gym improved dramatically.
What was this "magical" food formula? Quite simply, I wrote out five days worth of restricted calorie meal plans based on the "Paleo" diet. Essentially, the Paleo diet is a nutritional program that embraces eating the way our Paleolithic ancestors would have eaten. Until the Neolithic period, people ate only what they could hunt and gather--food that nature provided for them. Grains, beans, refined sugar and other processed foods were not a part of the human diet until humans discovered how to cultivate and prepare them to make them digestible. (Some would argue that these food still are not easily digestible by the human body even after processing.)
So what did Warren eat? Lean meats, fresh vegetables, and limited quantities of fresh, whole, seasonal fruit, and nuts (not peanuts, which are legumes) and seeds. What did he NOT eat? Bread, dairy, pasta, rice, beans, sugar (including alcoholic beverages) or any other refined, processed foods. A typical breakfast included eggs (boiled, scrambled or over-any-way-he-wanted them. Lunch usually was a salad with lots of leafy greens and fresh veggies, and grilled chicken (oil and vinegar for dressing). Dinner consisted of lean meat of just about any kind--beef, pork, chicken, fish, shellfish--and fresh, seasonal veggies. For snacks, I advised him to eat a handful of almonds or walnuts or nut butter, paired with an apple or other piece of whole fruit. For his evening sweet tooth, I did relent a little and suggested he try plain Greek yogurt with fresh blueberries and a few drops of liquid Stevia (a natural sweetener that does not raise insulin in the body the way sugar, honey, syrup and agave nectar do). As for beverages, he drank water and unsweetened black or herbal tea.
Why calorie restricted? Well, at that time Warren's goal was dramatic weight loss--10 lbs. in two weeks--which he achieved. Once he reached that goal, to maintain he weight, he could eat more calories. He continued to follow the plan strictly for about a month to six weeks, with no "cheat days." (I'm not a big fan of the term "cheat days" because I think eating should be enjoyable every day, and eating foods that are good and good for you is not a hardship which requires "cheating." "Cheating," no matter what context, has a negative connotation.) Once, he reached his goal weight, he did began to allow some of the once forbidden foods back into his diet on occasion. So, if he went to a party, he had a couple of beers (not a 12-pack) and did not fret over it. He took his wife out to dinner and maybe shared a dessert with her guilt-free. If he occasionally wanted a break from salads for lunch and ordered a turkey sub, he ate it with delight. What he did NOT do was eat "cheat" meals all weekend long and twice on Sunday. Why? Because eating a healthy, delicious diet is pleasurable and "cheating" is not necessary.
Well, that, and he liked the results he achieved from changing his unhealthy eating habits to healthy ones. Now, Warren finds that when he does choose foods that he once thought were so delicious, his taste buds have changed and now they may taste too salty, or too sweet. Or, they may upset his stomach and make him feel sluggish, un-energetic and bloated.
When he eats in a manner that is good for his body, he looks great, feels great, has tons of energy and fits into his skinny jeans--a look his wife Jamie thinks is "hot."
Warren's story is just one of many success stories enjoyed by members of CrossFitN30. Let us help you write your own success story. If you are tired of being overweight, tired all the time, sickly, weak, depressed, bloated, stressed and/or any of the above, come see us and let us help you change the course of your life the way we have for so many others. DO NOT WAIT. Call today! (407) 415-0679.
