Traintown Crossfit Paleo challenge RULES AND GUIDELINES The goal of the “Paleo Challenge” is to get leaner, stronger and faster. Eating Paleo and working out frequently during the Paleo Challenge will, more likely than not, get you to this goal fast and effectively without sacrificing your health as many “diets” do. This is not really a diet. Many people live quite well from this prescription and excel in CrossFit .

The Challenge There is a $20 buy-in to participate in the Paleo Challenge, per person. Seventy-five (75%) of the collected money will go into a prize pot. The prize pot is completely dependent upon the number of participants and the honesty in which they participate. We plan to have 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners for the males and the females. The winners will be selected based on an accumulated points system (described below), 3 specific WOD results, and genuine effort toward the challenge. There will be deductions within the point system as well as monetary fees for voluntary non-Paleo “cheats”. All of this information will be recorded in detail with a log provided to you.

Required “PALEO CHALLENGE WODs”: There will be THREE (3) Required WODs to be performed by any member participating in the challenge. The “Paleo Challenge WODs” will be specified in the WOD Blog. The dates for those WODs are 3/17, 3/19, and 3/21. These WODs will be closely monitored for adherence to the Points of Performance. "No-Reps" will be handed out readily for failed completion of any part of a movement, which will be described in detail prior to the WOD. A No-Rep will require you to repeat that movement and rep to our satisfaction. Cheating, sandbagging, or inability to complete the WODs will eliminate you from the award receipt part of the Paleo Challenge. None of the WODs are beyond your capabilities to perform. You MUST record your weights, assistance band colors, box height, etc. as these WODs will be repeated exactly as they were used and performed.

PHOTOS: You are encouraged to take front and side photos for your personal comparison, but we would love for you to share your photos so please wear some, even if minimal, clothing! Take the photo the day you start the challenge and repeat the photo when the challenge is completed. You will need to get record body weight before the first day of the challenge, although this will not be calculated into the criteria for prizes.

POINTS and FEES: To encourage honesty and compliance, we have created a “point” system to keep up with your progress. It‟s simple and easy to follow: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

You You You You You

earn earn earn earn earn

5 3 3 3 3

points points points points points

for each Paleo meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) per day. (Limit – 15 points per day) for each Paleo snack (mid morning, mid afternoon, post WOD/eve) per day. (Limit - 9 points per day) for each WOD that you do at the TTCF facility. (Limit – 3 points per day; 15 points per week) per day if you drink 64oz. water. (Limit – 3 points per day) per day if you sleep 7-9 hours. (Limit – 3 points per day)

So, if you had a “perfect” day, the most points you could accumulate is 33.

ALCOHOL: For at least 31 days, please limit or eliminate your alcohol consumption. You will start with 10 “free” alcohol points. For every alcoholic beverage (glass of wine, shot, 12 oz can of beer, etc), you must deduct 1 point from your “free” 10. If you use all your 10 free points, alcohol becomes a “cheat” and requires a $3 penalty and you must subtract 1 point for every drink/cheat from your day‟s total points thereafter. Non-alcoholics have the advantage here.

SMOKING/CHEWING You will start out with 20 “free” tobacco points. For every cigarette/cigar/pipe/snuff/chew/etc. you must subtract 1 point from your “free” 20. If you use all 20 free points, your smoke/chew becomes a “cheat” and is subject to a $1 penalty and you must subtract 1 point from every smoke/chew from your day‟s total points thereafter. Non-tobacco abusers have the advantage here.

“CHEATS” A cheat is any consumption of a non-Paleo product, voluntary or not. It will cost you $5 every time, with the exception of the smoking/alcohol variances described above. There are some gray areas so ask if you aren‟t sure. This is the “bread and butter”, er, the “lettuce and tomato” of the program. If you decide to cheat, pay up. If you lie about it and we catch you, you‟re out, period. Our own integrity will make this enjoyable for all and produce the desired positive outcome we know can be reached as individuals and as a group. We need to show society that honesty, integrity, camaraderie, and better fitness exists in a big way. Don‟t muddy the water with anything less, please. The administrative side of this is grueling. We don‟t need distractions.

Food Log: You must keep a daily food journal and calculate your accumulated points. You must also document your cheats. We have designed a Food Log for your use, if you like. Your Food Logs MUST be turned in EVERY WEEK. You must pay your cheat fees at the time you turn in your Food Logs! If you don‟t cheat, you don‟t have to pay. If you do cheat, and don‟t pay, you will be struck down at some point by the Paleo Gods. AND we WILL notice because your bodily appearance won‟t change. And ultimately, because we don‟t believe you, you will lose the Paleo Challenge. We can sift out the BS pretty well so remember the section above that states “genuine effort toward the challenge”, that is our “if we believe you are Bullshitting us, Sandbagging, or Cheating – you will be booted from the Paleo Challenge and possibly from the gym”. We do not condone or abide dishonesty so keep it clean.

TTCF PALEO FOOD LIST: There is a lot of Paleo education on the internet and we encourage you to learn all you can about the benefits of eating “strict” Paleo. This is a challenge so it is meant to be difficult. There are some differences of opinion on Beer/Wine, Honey, Bacon, Ham, Sweet Potatoes, etc. Try to keep it simple: Eat meat, fish, vegetables, nuts/seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar. We have comprised a list of Paleo Foods that TTCF will be using for our challenge. 1. Eat real food – meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, some fruit, and good fat from nuts, seeds, coconut, olives/olive oil and avocado. Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they‟re fresh and natural. 2. Do not eat dairy. This includes butter, cheese (hard and soft), yogurt (even Greek) and milk (including cream in your coffee or tea). 3. Do not eat grains. This includes bread, rice, pasta, cereal, oatmeal, corn and all of those gluten-free pseudograins like quinoa and sprouted grains.

4. Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (soy, black, kidney, green, etc.), peas, lentils, and peanuts. (No peanut butter.) 5. Do not eat or add sugar of any kind, real or artificial. Agave nectar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. *Honey and Grade B Maple Syrup is allowed in SMALL amounts. Be sure to read ALLthe ingredients…there are sugars hidden in some brands of pasta sauces, salsas, mustard, seasonings, etc and not in others. 6. Do not eat processed foods. This includes protein shakes, processed bars (like Zone bars), dairy-free creamers, etc. 7. Do not eat white potatoes. It‟s kind of arbitrary, but sweet potatoes and yams are a more nutrient-dense option, so go for those instead.

The only way this will work is if you give it the full thirty-one days. Anything less and you are selling yourself – and your results – short. The first few days (at least) will be tough, as your body heals and adjusts to this new way of eating and your brain wraps itself around going without all those sweet tastes and sugar-driven energy spikes. And while you may start to feel better after a week or two… the healing process takes significantly longer. In addition, the mental addiction and emotional connections to sugary foods, large amounts of carbohydrates and over-the-top, chemically-altered flavors is going to take a lot longer to overcome. Stick with it, be patient with yourself, and commit to the full program. At some point, we promise you… the magic will happen. Your energy levels will increase and stabilize, and you‟ll feel just as good first thing in the morning as you do at the peak of your day. Your body composition will start to change – even if you don‟t cut calories (and we encourage you not to). Your performance in the gym will improve, and your recovery will skyrocket. Conditions, ailments, aches and pains will miraculously start to disappear. And through all of it, you‟ll be eating delicious, fresh, natural, REAL food… things that you will come to realize DO taste good, and are both satiating and mentally satisfying. Here‟s the “skinny” on how it works. Your body is likely addicted to the sugar and processed carbohydrates, amongst other things. Our society has become fixated with these life-altering, life-shortening, diseasecreating demons. It is slow suicide masked by feelings of satisfaction every time we consume them. We have to break free and represent a better way to live, including peak fitness and health inside and outside of the gym. Your body can operate much more effectively and efficiently when it has good fat to convert and use. By limiting or eliminating sugar and processed carbs, your body will reach into your fat stores much more quickly, and you lose…..fat. For those of you who are thin and not in need of losing anymore fat, the Paleo is still an effective way of living for you. You should not assume that you can eat more junk because you are skinny – HUGE misconception. Your body and all of its fantastic organs have to process the crap you put in it just like anyone else. You simply need to incorporate a little more good fat into your eating regimen. The benefits and outcomes of following Paleo are well-known and documented. Your physical results will reflect the accuracy of your dedication to the challenge. Your claims of adherence and your results should match or there will be skepticism surrounding your honesty. Want to get crazy? Go get your blood work done – get a medical physical – tell them what you‟re doing. Once the Paleo Challenge is done, go back to your doc and get your blood work done again. The improvements can be astounding. And we would love to hear the comparisons. One last thing – if you decide to trash your diet this month before starting the Paleo, not only is that a ridiculous decision, but it‟s kind of a kick in the groin to everything we at TTCF are all about. Be a representative. Our goal, and your goal, should be to change lives for the good and pass the word as to how to do that. Being the example goes a long way in our credibility as the new breed in health and fitness. Do this thing right. It could be the start of very productive and healthy new you, forever.

Chart/Checklist for Paleo Dummies Needed BEFORE You Start

Needed DURING the Challenge

Needed at the END of the Challenge

Foods You CAN Eat During the Challenge Meat (preferably uncured), Fish

Foods you CANNOT Eat During the Challenge Sugar or Sweetener, period – check labels closely, they‟re tricky

Eggs WITH the Yolks, cooked however Most Vegetables, but there are limitations, get used to it, you‟ll be fine Fruit, All-Natural Dried Fruit, careful here Good Oils/Fats from Avocado, Coconut, Olive, Walnut, Almond, etc. Nuts and Seeds (unsalted), Nut Butters, careful here

Processed Foods (check Trader Joe‟s, Whole Foods, etc.) Legumes, Beans, Lentils, including snap peas and green beans. It also includes PEANUTS & PEANUT BUTTER Sugar, yes again, this SHIT is in EVERYTHING!! Dairy, including butter, cheese, creamer, yogurt, and, um, dairy

Pay $20 BuyIn

Don‟t Drink Alcohol or Use Tobacco

Stay Alcohol-Free or Close To It. Quit Smoking.

Prepare Thou Paleo Mind

Stick With It….You Can Do This Increase Overall WOD Production and Rest Your Body as Appropriate

Stay Quit Damn It! Do You WANT to Die? Do the Post-Paleo WODs #1, 2, and 3. Compare to PrePaleo WODs.

Record Current Weight Take Selfie Picture – Hold On To It – We May Use It Get or Make a Food Log – Be Detailed

Lose Weight Unless Skinny Already Take Intermittent, not Intimatem Selfies to Track Your Progress Document your Exact Food Intake, Cheats, & Points In Log

Realize It Works and Stay Fit and Trim

Rid House of Non-Paleo Junk Buy Paleo Foods – Real Food – No Junk – No B.S.

Keep the Junk Food Out of Your Life Keep Buying Paleo Foods. Savings from junk will offset the cost. Be creative. Live. Ask Educated Questions now that you have been at it a few days.

Minimize the Junk Food in Your Life = Better Life Keep Buying Paleo Foods. You worked this hard and see the results, why go back? Live!

Sweet Potatoes, Yams, Tubers, easy on these Water, Coconut Water & Milk, Almond Milk, Coffee (black), Herbal Teas

Keep Educating Yourself and Helping Others That May Have Questions

Flour and Meal from Coconut, Almond, Hazlenut, Pecan, Pumpkin

Easy now, try to love your family, they mean well. Go eat a salad. :/

Thank your family for their support. Then break the news that Paleo is the new norm.

Honey and Grade B Maple Syrup – SMALL AMOUNTS only.

Do Pre-Paleo WODs #1, 2, and 3. Hit‟em Up!

Ask Stupid Questions Over and Over Till It Sinks In Make Your Family and Friends Aware This IS Going to Happen

Take One Last Selfie, and then stop, it‟s annoying….and a little weird. You MUST have Turned In ALL Food Logs to Win Prizes

Grains, including grain alcohol, bread, pasta, corn, crackers, cakes, etc. “the devil” White Potatoes, Black Ones either Soft Drinks, Fruit Juices, Energy Drinks, Alcohol, Soda, Pop, whatever, let it go…..geez man. White flour, grain flour, oatmeal, cream of wheat, grits, c‟mon man, effin 3 blocks up it says GRAINS! Fast Food – forget it. At every fast-food restaurant, they should have a “Living Will” on the $1 Menu

Tips For Paleo Challenge Success Clean out your refrigerator, cupboards, and pantry of ALL non-paleo food. Do it. There‟s no other way. You won‟t miss it in a couple weeks. Do it. Do it. Tell your family and friends what the deal is. Get them involved if you can. This is about your health. And their health if you can get them to go for it with you. You will need their support. If they choose not to go on the journey with you, at least let them know that you are serious and things will not be the same, possibly forever. Sometimes when changes like this occur, family and friends get uncomfortable and may try to sabotage your success, intentionally or unintentionally. It‟s a weird thing, but very real. Stay prepared with food. When eating Paleo, the KEY FACTOR is staying ahead of the hunger cravings that can lead you astray. There is NO shortage of food with Paleo. You eat all the time. You just gotta “Keep it Real”. Keep snacks available, like RxBars or nuts/seeds/dried fruit (your own Trail Mix!) in a baggie/container in your car or purse at all times. Never be caught out without a Paleo approved snack! Say ‘Yes’. A Lot. Every time you ask yourself something that might derail your process? Try „yes‟ first. - Can I do this Paleo Challenge? - Should I do this Paleo Challenge? - Must I do this Paleo Challenge? - Is the Paleo Challenge worth it? - Should I ask for help before, during, and after the Paleo Challenge? - I fell off the wagon during the Paleo Challenge, should I just get right back on? - Should I buy Chef a new KitchenAid Pro with the meatgrinder attachement and a Vitamix, or a Ninja Mega Kitchen System and a Ninja Cooking System? (optional but worth it for full-on Paleo) See, „Yes‟ works wonders! Prepare enough food for more than one meal. A couple chickens roasted on a Sunday night can make you happy for a few days at least. We have found a big ole‟ Crock Pot to be awesome for a busy schedule. Crock Pot cooking isn‟t just for chili and stews. Cook pork loins and whole chickens and use the meat in various meals. Double your cooking portions. Learn to love leftovers for breakfast, snacks, and lunches. Take it easy on the fruit and the nuts/seeds by themselves. These can get out of hand pretty quickly. It‟s actually better to eat them together, such as an apple and some almonds as a snack, instead of either by themselves. If you aren‟t losing the weight you think you should be, this is a good place to look first. Frozen shrimp and fish defrost quickly and are good sources of protein. Frozen chicken breasts can actually be cooked straight out of the freezer too. I have found “broiling” to work well in the oven. Frozen organic vegetables are easy to keep on hand and cook quickly. They have just as much health value as do fresh vegetables, possibly more. Avoid boiling them to eat. Boiling takes all the nutrients out and leaves them in the water you used to cook them. What a waste. Embrace the Egg. Scrambled, poached, fried, hard-boiled, a vegetable omelet. Cheap and quick to make. I like salsa on mine. Salt and sugar free salsa is the bomb. Not just for eggs but other stuff too.

Have fun cooking. You can use coconut flour, almond meal, cashew flour, unsweetened coconut, olive oil, coconut oil, garlic, herbs and spices, lemon and lime juice, and the list goes on. Get excited about new foods! One of the best things we discovered with past Paleo Challenges is being forced to discover and use new products, some that we never knew existed. It actually ended up being a relief after thinking we were doomed, mush like you probably feel right now. It‟s just not true. The creativity is actually refreshing and there are stores out there who carry what you want. Trader Joe‟s and Whole Foods are a good start, but don‟t trust everything as being “Paleo-friendly”. For anything you may buy in true bulk, like meat, eggs, and frozen vegetables, Sam‟s Club and Costco are good for those. If you want to get real serious, search for local growers and meat makers that don‟t use any crap to grow their food. This may take a little more work, but may be worth it in the long run. Better yet, grow a garden. Because we are animal lovers, there‟s no way we can buy a pig, cow, or chicken to raise and then slaughter later to eat, but if you want to go hunter-gatherer for real……have at it. And look, humans eat meat. It‟s just a fact. There‟s obviously millions of years of history that we know nothing about, but one thing is clear, we ate meat – raw – before cooking was discovered. If you are having trouble putting that image to reality, let‟s up it a notch to modern day. We get into a plane crash on a mountain top. I lived and you died. No one knows where we are. It‟s cold and I‟m hungry. I rummage through our belongings and find a few leaves of spinach and some almonds. They aren‟t going to last very long. You‟re next. We eat meat. Nuff said. READ LABELS. Look out for hidden sugars and preservatives. The word “sugar” has been replaced by sneaky food makers just to get you addicted to their products. Although it may taste good, it‟s literally killing you. And that should piss you off. Other words for sugar on food labels include, but are not limited to, corn syrup solids, dextrose, fructose, sucrose, cane juice, and so on. If it ends in “ose” or “ol”, it is likely sugar in some form. And seriously, be easy on the Honey and Grade B Maple Syrup. Yes, they are more natural, but that isn‟t the problem. Remember, the insulin spike is what is being attributed to so many societal diseases. The more sugar, the higher on the glycemic index it is, and the more the pancreas has to produce insulin to process what you have consumed. The pancreas can only do but so much before it is all tapped out. You have to get away from the sugar. Another word for sugar is POISON, but you won‟t find that on a food label because, well, then you may not buy it, and that‟s all they are worried about. Also, as far as preservatives go, try for Nitrate/Nitrite and Sulfur/Sulfite Free. Keep the salt intake way down too. There are salt-free spices all over. Drink more water. At LEAST one liter for every 45lbs of body-weight. We are always losing water by sweating, urinating, coughing, talking, and simply breathing. When it‟s cold outside, don‟t you see your breath? Those tiny little water beads add up in a hurry and that is happening year-round, every second, of every day. If you aren‟t taking in more water than you are losing, you are behind the 8-ball. And that isn‟t even including coming to the gym and blasting through a good WOD, leaving your evidence all over the floor. If you are actually thirsty, you are way behind. Chug-a-lug, if you know you are behind, take the first bottle of water and chug the whole thing. Then nurse on a second and a third, but keep the ingoing pace pretty steady. Drinking cold water in the winter time can be uninviting so go with room-temperature water. It‟s actually the way we prefer it now. Dehydration is not only apparent in yellow urine color. Other indications include feeling sluggish, inability to concentrate, thick and super-salty phlegm, skid marks in the ole‟ toilet bowl, dry skin, joint pain……all kinds of stuff. Drink up. The Paleo Challenge is like a WOD for Your Mouth. No, not like that!! Gross. Although I guess that‟s Paleo…..hmmmm. Anyway, I‟m talking about the Workout of the Day. You guys are in the gym all the time hitting up some pretty daunting tasks, and often laying down an assault when you put your minds to it. This Paleo Challenge will be no different. It is a WOD in another form. Like just before a WOD, right now you are probably nervous and wondering if you can do it; if you‟re going to fail. Just like during a WOD, there are

going to be times when you want to just give up and call it a failure. Just like a WOD, you may actually decide that you aren‟t going to do it that day; that you are tired of trying so hard. Just like a WOD, the next day you will realize you pussed out and need to get your crap together and stop whining about why life is so difficult. Just like a WOD, the suck will eventually begin to fade and you will start to get better at it; you will understand it more and its importance in and for your life. Just like a WOD, and another WOD, and another WOD, and another WOD, you will begin to notice result – real results – if you stick with it. Just like a bunch of WODs over time, you will get stronger, faster, and better – mini victories a little at a time – but success and accomplishment all the same. Just like a WOD, and your health and fitness, there is no finish line. It‟s a perpetual climb to the top. You have to keep on going. If you change your perspective a little, if you allow yourself to think that maybe, just maybe, you are actually worth a lifetime of investment in your health and fitness, it may not seem all that daunting after all, kind of like a WOD. This isn‟t just a 30 or 31-day challenge. It‟s a boost into what could be the best change you have ever made for yourself. At 3….2….1……go, it‟s time to dig in. It‟s time to venture outside of the gym and put together the other parts of health and fitness. At this point, you have to understand that what we are doing is far different than anywhere else. Our work is real and it is intense and it is producing results far and beyond what anywhere else is offering. The work capacity that you are capable of would annihilate just about anyone that thinks they can come in and try it for the first time. That‟s the flat-out truth. What will make that work capacity even better is your nutrition. But it has to be worth it to you. We want it for you, but you have to want it for yourself. You have to decide not only that you should make a change, but that you should invoke change in other people, for the good of mankind. They will be resistant, as you may be now, but eventually they will see what we have been talking about. They will see the results. And you too will pass on this kind of revolutionary thinking that has been lost to selfish ways, fast food, processed food, disease, and death. It‟s not a hard puzzle to solve. The facts and statistics match. As nutrition has gone to hell, people are dying from it in big numbers. But for some reason, we don‟t think that we are part of all that data. We all think we are good to go. You ARE a statistic that hasn‟t happened yet. It‟s just a matter of which one you will be. That‟s a choice; an opportunity. Knowing the future of living on a bad diet and lacking physical activity is right there in front of us, millions and millions of times over. How many people in front of you would have to walk off of a cliff a fall to their deaths before you realized that it wasn‟t what you wanted to do? Sadly, the statistics of those living well from proper nutrition and vigorous exercise is all good, but such the minority because it is overshadowed by the all the bad numbers of the rest of our society. No, we can‟t predict the future to a large degree, but we can take into account the obvious and attempt to guide our own life expectancies. You‟re already doing part of that by being a member of TrainTown CrossFit and working hard in the gym. You walked through our doors. Now let‟s take the next step. Good luck and let us know if you have any questions.