I am pleased with the gifts and challenges in the Consistency Breeds Growth (CBG) nutrition-coaching program, wanting to highlight a variety of things here at summer's end.
While there were facets of the offerings I did not take advantage of–Facebook group (as I lurk more than use social media), weekly Zoom meetings for topical information-support (Thursdays were generally the one free evening I had with my beloved)--I received what I had been seeking over the course of the four months: increased food-freedom, renewed awarenesses about choices I was making for the health-fitness of my 55-year-lived body, a plan in which to both be as active as I enjoy and indulge in some moderation alongside my husband and our newfound cruising habit. I know such a four-month-investment would be too costly for many I know here in Ohio, but it was a worthy investment for me. I am more than willing nowadays to invest funds in keeping healthy, close-in to a supportive CrossFit community amidst a regular rhythm that feels sustainable as I age. (image: FranHogan, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
Food-freedom, which for me is an ever-changing horizon. The first CrossFit oriented nutrition-re-education program I did back in 2019 attuned me much more to the rhythms and needs of my own body to avoid sugar (eased many hypo-glycemic symptoms) and to choose a lower-carb fueling plan (drastically lessened cravings). I found myself much less reactive to surprises, upsets, complications in my work/home. I was generally a more peaceful woman when I was low-sugar, low-carb. Ultimately, given my own propensity to obsess and over-think or over-focus, I began to become so carb-averse that I was substituting much more fat-intake than I realized, and eating far fewer greens than I knew.
I was also attracted to the fuel for performance without counting macros, which CBG markets well. I could never quite feel I was being conscious with my food without measuring, weighing, yet it got impractical and heavy to sustain. The intrinsic blue-print planning and the different approach to fueling with CBG gave me freedom from some of my obsessive tendencies. I began to accord food choices attentive to protein-intake and becoming much more accountable with fat-intake. Not fat-avoidant, by any means, but simply much more conscious of what I was taking in. What I am calling the Return of the Fruit has been an utter delight, sensing how to ‘count’ them and when the best time is to enjoy them–post-WOD most often, but throughout the day. Life is better with a little more sweetness like that. The addition of the protein-powder has also been fun for me in this regard, whether in a smoothie-like shake or added to nonfat yogurt with berries and/or nut butter. It’s a marvelous way to get a little sweetness while focusing on the protein for sustenance of lean-muscle-mass. Noting portion sizes by means of palm, thumb, cupped hand allows me to be conscious and be gentle with myself too. There is something ancient about using one’s own body to assess what/how much one’s body needs.
Mostly, I’ve felt a greater ease with “coming back to center” after life happens, whether that is an unexpected visit from a friend, resulting in cocktail hour and a nice meal, or a long road-trip with challenges to be intentional about food intake. It’s easier on my psyche to dip into life that happens, knowing that I can still focus on protein-intake and activity over the majority of my week. I’ve appreciated the focus on consistency, in other words, feeling its wisdom much more deeply.
Now at the end of my four-months, I’ve put away both bathroom and kitchen-food scales, content to trust my fueling and body-rhythms, accompanied by an InBody scan 2-3 times a year. I can see the body-composition changes, even if I doubt my weight has changed all that much. I’ll be curious what the scan reads next week.
I’ve PR’d all of my lifts since the start of the summer, now including the deadlift, which I hadn’t done in months. The new Barbell Club cycle has begun, and I’m excited about the convergence of activity, strength-training, fueling for the maintenance of lean-muscle-mass and the inevitable cruises my husband and I enjoy a couple times a year. I have a new protein- and hydration-focused plan for how to be on the next cruise, at the very least. And I continue to learn alongside CrossFit-associated scientists–Dr. Stacy Sims, most recently. Given her biochemical/hormonal research-approach, I’ve found myself largely aligned with her advice for strength-training and a couple high-intensity workouts a week.
Here, at the end of the summer and a lot of significant work accomplished, my body feels great, Brian and I are eagerly anticipating our flight to Boston then embarkation for our cruise around the Canadian Maritimes to Quebec City and back again. I’m still learning, as I hope to always be. Deep bow to Justin and Annalise, my primary coach-companions in the journey!