“June is the gateway to summer.”
~Jean Hersey~
Summer is here! And with it – swimsuits, special events, simpler styles. It’s time to start trimming down. It’s not all aesthetics though. It’s performance. It’s mood. It’s clarity of thought and focus. It’s mental and behavioral health management. If our minds, emotions, and spirits can affect our bodies, it makes sense that the manner in which we fuel our bodies can have lasting effects in these other areas too. CrossFit endorses the Zone Diet as conducive for achieving one’s goals across the board. We’re not just spouting propaganda; we have first-hand experience with this transformation.
“For years I was a runner. I loved running and knew how to fuel for optimal performance. A year into CrossFit, it occurred to me that I may not be fueling for my best performance. Our gym was starting up a Zone Diet challenge and I thought I would give it a try. I wasn’t worried about losing weight or looking better – I liked all those things about myself. But if there was a better way to eat in order to improve my performance, I wanted to know what that was. After 6 weeks of focusing my macros on the prescribed 40/30/30 (carbs/fat/protein), I noticed a significant difference. I leaned out, I gained more muscle, and I lost weight. There was a definite learning curve to this new way of eating, but the benefits were indisputable. I noticed an immediate reduction in anxiety and depression and an increase in energy and performance. Lifts became easier due to increased strength and gymnastics improved due to lean mass and weight loss. It was no longer hype; now it was happiness. I was achieving my goals and milestones! Now, 2 years later, I continue to see the benefits of these changes. I feel stronger, healthier, and happier. On a spiritual note, I learned that depriving myself of “empty” calories and high caloric sweets for long term benefit and overall performance, has implications on how I feed my spirit. Sometimes I have to forego short-term pleasure and delight in order to reap the benefits of long-term performance and fulfillment. I learned that delayed gratification can lead to greater gains and growth – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It’s one thing to know these things cognitively, it’s another to see the tangible evidence of a truth play out before my eyes. My husband says I’m no longer a runner – now I’m a CrossFitter who runs. I guess I’m ok with that.” ~ Coach Deb
The Zone Diet is one of many ways to fuel ones CrossFit activities. We focus on this particular method since it is officially endorsed by CrossFit. The diet is governed by these parameters:
- Meats & Vegetables
- Nuts & Seeds
- Some Fruit
- Little Starch
- No Sugar
Strict adherence will get best results, but even small minor changes make a huge difference. For the month of June, we are focusing our overall goal on weight loss as a gym. Everyone contributes a pound here and a pound there. Our goal is a total of 500 lbs. by the end of the month. But it’s not just pounds on the scale. Here are few other ways to contribute towards our goal without moving that scale needle:
- Loss in body fat %. (2 lbs. per percent)
- Reduction in clothing size. (10 lbs. per size)
- PR’s in lbs. (pound for pound!)
Challenge begins on June 1st with a gym wide weigh in. No one will know what the scale says except coaches. On Saturday, June 4th following the Partner WOD we will have a nutrition meeting to brief you on diet and food prep, provide you with resources, and answer any of your questions about macro or calorie counting. There is no additional fee for this service. It is included in your unlimited membership fee.
The goal is to feel and perform better. Let’s shed those pounds!