1. What nutrition path are you following for the Challenge? Prior to the Challenge, what (if any) path were you following?
- Currently I am following a 20 block Zone Diet with 1/2 the carbs. I've found that I'm very carb sensitive and need to keep my intake between 90 - 120 carbs per day. Before, the challenge I would eat zone about 40% of the time ... I actually hit a road block in April when it comes to weight loss, got depressed and fell off the wagon. I ended up gaining about 16lbs of the 50+ lbs I had lost since December '09.
2. What is/are your goal(s) to have met by the end of this Challenge?
- My main goal is to develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. So I can get down to a healthy weight and maintain it. Also, I have been experimenting with supplements during this challenge to see what helps and I think I've found a combination that will really help my recovery and intensity to make it a easier path for my weight loss and strength gains. Also, I would be ecstatic if I could pull a 500lb deadlift! :-)
3. Are you allowing yourself the cheat meal/hours each week? If you are, what is your favorite cheat? If you aren't, why not?
- Yes, I absolutely do my cheat meals and really look forward to them. My current favorite cheat is Ben & Jerry's Peppermint Cookie's and Cream. That's some good stuff. Although, the next 5 weeks I am going to allowing no cheat meals. I am going to stay strict to my 20 block Zone with 1/2 carbs. I've lost 30lbs in 45 days and I want to see if by elementating the cheats if that will speed up my weight loss.
4. What one tip would you like to offer to other Challenge participants to help them stay on track with their nutrition path?
Unfortunately, I don't think I can give ONE tip ... but a series of lessons I've learned in one package. :-)
You can be successful at eating right if you do the following 3 things:
1. Plan - Make sure you shop ahead of time and don't run out of your necessities. You don't want to put yourself in a place where you have to choose badly so having good food on hand really helps you make a proper decision.
2. Keep It Simple - I find items that I enjoy and use them a lot. It keeps costs lower because you can buy it in bulk and make less trips to the store, it also makes it much easier to throw something together. I always keep almonds (fat), deli meat (protein) and apples (carb) on hand because when I'm in a pinch I can easily put together a 4block meal in under a minute if I have too.
3. Meal Timing - Remember when you ate last and know when you'll eat next. If you go too long without eating a well balanced meal then that's when you make bad eating decisions because you are thinking with your stomach and not your brain at the point. I never go more than 5 hours (other then sleeping) without eating a Zoned meal. I usually eat at 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm and 10pm even if I'm not overly hungry. I do this to avoid getting to the point of absolute hunger and then finding something/anything to stop the hunger.
5. How did you learn about CrossFit in the first place?
- In November 2009 I finally had enough. I was pushing nearly 360lbs and starting to develop diabetic symptoms. I was 29 and knew I had to make a change for myself and my families sake. I was looking into "Boot Camp" style workouts that lasted only 6 weeks, were extremely inflexible timing wise and expensive. I saw Jordan's CFO truck in the Ralph's parking lot and decided to look it up. I figured out that I could do 3.5 months of CFO for the same price as the "Boot Camp". I decided to visit ... It was on the day of the "Lumberjack 20". I went to sit down to watch ... and I couldn't even fit in the friggin' seats CFO had. LOL. After seeing how crazy everyone was and doing stuff I never thought I could do (the night before visiting I attempted to do a knee pushup and couldn't even do that!) ... I had to try it and the rest is history. My wife started a month later. I just wish I had discovered CrossFit earlier in life. Thank you CFO!
Joseph S Rossi
