Susan- before pics

Testimonial-

I started working out at Crossfit Will County the last week in May.  Being a female and out of shape, I did not think I would last the first month.  The first month I lost six pounds.  I was seeing the results so I continued to come back.  John and Craig gave me a lot of advice on my eating habits.  I always thought I was eating healthy because I was eating whole grains, skim milk, low fat cheese and dressing.  I realized after talking to them that these foods were not helping me move and breath better.  I started to slowly eliminate some of these items from my diet but I truly stopped eating them during the Paleo Challenge.

I know everyone of my friends thought that I was just crazy to eat such a strict diet.  I worked really hard to make sure I was following the Paleo food items.  Yes, I will admit I did eat some bread and pizza.  I only allowed myself one or two meals a week to eat bread or occasional chocolate (us women need that once in a while).  I noticed a big change in how I felt after I had pizza.  I was just so bloated and exhausted.  I tried to work out the next morning and I could feel I did not have my normal mobility in my body. 

One thing I also noticed in the last few weeks is that my breathing is easier.  I don’t feel out of breath just doing a little walking up the stairs.  The breathing is also quieter and my breaths are longer without trying to take a deep breath. 

Now let me tell you the good results.  Since working out with Crossfit and eating healthy, I have lost a total of 17 pounds and 18 inches overall.  In the last 40 days with the Paleo Challenge, I have lost 8 pounds and 10 inches.  I realized in the last 40 days the weight has just been coming off on average 2 pounds a week (especially when I followed the diet).  This has been a great experience for me and I am going to work to continue eating Paleo.  

After Pics:

 Haas - before pics

During the past 40 days I have attempted to stay on the paleo diet and found the results to be nothing less than fantastic.  Yes, I did stray from the diet here and there to consume the occasional beer (more than 1 on a few occasions) and even ate a slice of pizza here and there.  However, I was very good about the on for 5-6 days and off for 1-2.  What I found during those 1-2 days off was that I was very sluggish, irritable (more so than usual), and extremely bloated.  It is amazing how adding back a few things like grain and dairy can completely turn your body inside out in such a short time.

When following the diet strictly during the week I noticed that I had a HUGE increase in energy. I was able to cut out a fews cups of joe in the morning since I could stay awake and alert.  Focus and anxiety have always been areas where I have struggled.  It has been so bad that in the past I have been doped up on numerous prescription meds. By balancing out my diet I have just felt more mentally stable (leaving this one open for any joke that you care to make as I know that I am anything but stable in the mental sense, but it has been worse.  Ask my wife.). And after cutting out dairy I have had no sinus or breathing issues.  Which is a lot for someone who has had chronic asthma and hayfever since he was 8.

After 40 days I now wear the same pants size that I did in college, have lost 14 pounds, feel great, more stable, and have increased my max in every lift that we did during our strength cycle. I can't say enough about how taking one small challenge has changed my idea on how I should eat. Thanks for helping me learn to eat like it's my job. Bring on the donuts and beer...

Cheers!

Haas

After Pics:

 Team Coberly - before pics

Paleo Challenge (Todd)

I cannot believe that the end is finally here.  I set out on a mission to stay true to the Paleo diet and really find out what it would do for me.  I feel great that I was able to stay true to the diet for almost the entire time (even on the weekends).  I did have a few occasions when I did slip (those summer parties are hard to find food and beverages at that were 100% Paleo approved) but I am very impressed that I was able to stay with my goal of being true to the diet for the entire 40 days.  The hardest thing for me was to give up pop.  I was a 1-2 can of Coke drinker per day and since I started Paleo I have drank nothing but water (except for the few beers at those parties).  I could definitely tell that when I did eat something that I should not have, I really paid for it the next day.  I would gain a pound or two and my energy level was really poor.  I really felt like I like I had spent a whole day eating at an all you can eat Chinese buffet.  One thing that I did notice is that I ate a ton more food on Paleo than I did on the zone and the weight just flew off.  I started off at 202 pounds with a nice pot belly.  I immediately dropped 5 pounds in the first week and half.  Then I started to gain strength and muscle.  Or course, working out every week helped that along as well but my progression in the weight that I could lift has increased exponentially.  When I started the diet I was not even close to being able to do a pull-up and now I can do 3-4 of them.  Although it is almost impossible to stay completely true to the diet, I know that I am going to stay on it as best as I can because I really feel great and the physical results are huge.  I have lost a total 11 pounds during the 40 day challenge and went from a 36 inch waist down to a 33 inch waist.

Paleo Challenge (Deb)

Finally the Paleo challenge is over.  I started with Cross Fit 10 months ago and started eating the zone diet around 8 months ago.  Since I have started with Cross Fit and incorporated the zone diet as my meal plans, I have lost over 35 pounds and gone from a size 10/12 down to a size 2.  I knew that the zone diet worked but was not to sure about the Paleo since I would not be able to eat some of my favorite foods (pasta, cheese, bread, and the occasional pop).  I went into this with the mind set that I will do the best I could to stay true to the diet.  For the most part, I was able to stay within the diet guidelines.  When I decided to stray, I really paid the price.  There were a few times that I ended up spending some time throwing up just because of the food choices that I made earlier in the day.  I was able to lose 3 additional pounds and definitely noticed that my body is a little more toned than before.  I think that my results from the Paleo challenge has taught me that I really need to watch what I eat.  I will continue to each a combination of the zone/Paleo diets.

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