Total Life Challenge 2.0

Purpose:
The purpose of the Total Life Challenge (TLC) is to see what kind of life changing impact you can have on your health and fitness. We preach that our program at CrossFit For Glory is an all-encompassing approach and this is a perfect way to see it in full effect. Over the course of the next 4 weeks, we want you to establish healthy habits that are practical and sustainable for the long term.
In this challenge you will be trained to be accountable for having the results you want. Accountable not from the standpoint of “Who’s fault is this,” but accountable from the standpoint of “That’s my life out there! I get to make it!” Supported by your box community, you will begin to see where your commitment to your results slips out of your grip and where you inadvertently get pulled around by the circumstances that show up.
You will discover what’s working and what’s not and have the opportunity, over the 4 weeks, to create a practice that is sustainable and supports the life that you want to live. The challenge is a tool for building a vibrant, strong, and healthy body, filled with the confidence of knowing that you can make it work in any situation and your life can be whatever way you want it to be.
We all know all too well that life gets in the way – time, money, holidays, commitments, people, traffic, weather — and it seems like those circumstances limit what results we can have. This challenge focuses you on what it will take to have the results no matter what and how to break free from what has limited you in the past. You will learn to be accountable to yourself for the results — free from any particular way of getting there! Don’t be the one making excuses for what you have coming up; there will never be a “perfect” time to do this, and that’s really the point. So, are you sold yet?!
                                                  When:
We will kick this thing off Monday, January 6th. The baseline workout will be that day’s WOD, so if you are a TLC participant, be sure to be present that day! The final day of the challenge will be Friday, January 31st. On Saturday (2/1), we will have a party at the gym for all the participants.
How:
Because this is a challenge, we will be keeping score and awarding some lucrative prizes to a variety of winners. This is not simply a nutrition challenge, but so much more. Here are the categories where you will earn your points:
– WOD
– Nutrition
– Sleep
– Mobility
– Fish Oil
The more effort you put into this, the better your results will be, I guarantee it! Details on scoring are below.
Who:
The TLC is for ANYONE who wants to dramatically improve their health and fitness for the long-term. Guys, don’t shy away because you think this is simply a ‘lose weight’ type thing. It is so much more. You have a great opportunity here to really see what good habits can do for your overall quality of life. In order for this challenge to be worthwhile to everyone involved, we must have AT LEAST TEN PARTICIPANTS!
Why:
The TLC will work for a few simple reasons:
– Clear Rules – we will provide easy, simple to follow rules for every aspect of the challenge. And since you are scoring yourself, you’ll be able to easily see if you’re following them or not. The closer you do, the better your score!
– Measureable Results – you want to look, feel, and perform better right? We will measure specific starting and ending numbers so you can see exactly how much you improved. There will also be a baseline workout that you will perform at the start of this challenge and at the end.
– Transparent Tracking and Scoring – you will track your effectiveness every day by submitting your daily score either on the website or by emailing your coach. A report will be generated and sent out to all participants throughout the week so everyone can keep up with their position on the leaderboard.
– Community – you won’t be doing this alone, but with your friends at CrossFit For Glory! You will be engaged with numerous people to help each other figure out how to make it work, provide support to keep up the hard work, and share your success stories!
The Total Life Challenge works by giving you a well-defined structure to follow, a concrete method for tracking your daily actions and results, and a community of people encouraging your success by supporting you in keeping your eye on the ball every day. Play full out and you can’t lose!
[learn_more caption=”Scoring…”] You will be scored in the 5 categories below, with a potential maximum daily point total of 10 points. Each day you will log your points based on how you perform in each category. You must submit your score for the following day by 3PM of that day. You may do so in the following ways – comment section on that days WOD page on the website, CrossFit For Glory’s Facebook page, twitter (@CrossFit4Glory), or email to Josh@crossfitforglory.com
WOD – you can earn 1 point daily in this category
– You must be active daily to earn that days point
– Two WODs in one day will NOT carry over to another day and will only be worth 1 point
– Any kind of workout counts. Minimum workout is active recovery for 10 minutes. Active recovery is defined as intentionally engaging in some form of movement with the purpose of improving your fitness. Examples: jogging, recreational cycling or skating, hiking, yoga, etc. The final determination is yours, but be honest with yourself about the completion of this requirement. If you choose this option, you must record exactly what you did. Any questionable choices can be voided at the coache’s discretion, so choose wisely!
Nutrition – you can lose up to 3 points daily in this category
You will start each day with 3 full points. If you violate any below food rule, subtract 1 point. Lowest point total you can get is 0.
– No Grains – including wheat, barley, oats, breads, rice (including wild rice), pasta, and quinoa. Just because something is ‘gluten-free’ does not make it ok!
– No Corn or Soy (beans, legumes, peanuts are all soy based products)– including oils. Read more about soy here.
– No Sugar or sweetener of any kind – including refined sugar, raw sugar, cane juice, evaporated cane juice, maple syrup, Truvia, aspartame, NutraSweet, sucralose, etc. Stevia, honey, and agave are ok.
– No Dairy – including milk, cheese, buttermilk, yogurt, kefir, sour cream, etc. (Exceptions – raw milk and grass fed butter such as Kerrygold)
– No Alcohol, Soda, or Juice – including liquor and beer (Exceptions – lemon and lime juice, cider, tequila and wine. BUT no more than 3 servings total PER WEEK)
– No Artificial or Processed Ingredients or Food – Any non-traditional food chemical is not permitted. This includes guar gum and agar. No food that required anything other than traditional food preparation methods such as cooking, drying, or curing. Food from jars, cans, or boxes are permitted as long as their ingredients or preparation do not violate the general nutrition rules.
– Compound Items – any item with more than one violation contained within (e.g. cake has grains and sugar, pizza has grains and dairy, a milkshake or latte has dairy and sugar) counts as 1 point only.
– Potatoes – the bulk of your potatoes should be sweet potatoes, but white are allowed. Honor system and common sense here folks, eating 77 sweet and 76 white is NOT cool, nor a good idea!
Sleep – you can earn 3 points daily here
– 8+ hours is 3 points
– 6-7.9999999 hours is 2 points
– 4-5.9999999 hours is 1 point
– Yes, any amount of cumulative sleep in a 24 hour period is ok, so naps are approved!
Mobility – you can earn 2 points daily here
You must mobilize for 10 minutes in some fashion daily to earn your point
– Any kind of stretching or mobilization counts: soft tissue work with a foam roller or lacrosse ball, static stretching, yoga, etc.
– Deep tissue massage COUNTS! For one day only though…
– To get the full 2 points, you must mobilize two separate areas, such as hip & shoulder, ankle & knee, back & hip, etc.
– You MUST spend a combined total of at least 10 minutes on mobility
– Check out the new “Learn Yourself” tab on our homepage for help/ideas in this area: https://crossfitforglory.com/learn-yourself/start-here/
– Daily MWOD in the box does NOT count.
Fish Oil – you can earn 1 point daily here
You must take a dose of fish oil every day to earn your point
– Minimum dosage requirement is 2500mg combined EPA & DHA. Read the back label for the dosage information of whatever brand you decide to take, just be sure to pay close attention as the only thing that counts is EPA & DHA. We recommend the StrongerFasterHealthier brand, but you may take any brand you like so long as it does NOT contain any prohibited ingredient (see above)!
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[learn_more caption=”Cost…”]
– $30 per person
– Covers the cost of running the challenge, but most importantly a portion of the prize money will go towards the prize pot to be divided amongst the winners at the grand finale!
– The more people, the bigger the prize pool!
– Anyone is eligible to participate; family and friends, gym members or not, we welcome anyone who is interested to drastically improve their health and fitness to join in the fun
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[learn_more caption=”Winning…”] The winner will be determined by a combined ranking that takes into account your total score at the end of the challenge and your improvement in the baseline workout. [/learn_more]
[learn_more caption=”Other Details…”]
– Questions? Send them in now!
– We will also post up some great articles to get you on the right eating track, i.e. how to shop economically, what you can eat, etc
– Sign-up either on the gym whiteboard, comments to FB, comments to this blog post, email me…just get the word out that you’ll be participating
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[learn_more caption=”So, What the Heck Can I Eat???”]
– Plain and simple: We’re trying to eat real, whole foods, as minimally processed as possible. We want to avoid foods that are known to be problematic, while filling up on those that are beneficial.
– Eat With Reckless Abandon: lots of protein, veggies, and fat. Sources: beef, eggs, poultry, seafood, coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil, avocados, and nuts (NOT peanuts). Pick veggies that are either very bright or very dark in color – this indicates they are nutrient-dense!
– Eat With Caution: starchy foods like potatoes (save for post-WOD) and fruit (NO fruit juices). If you feel you have a lot of weight or inches to lose, it’s best to eat these two groups sparingly.
– The ‘WOD Books’ that many of you use have some great pages dedicated to Proper Fueling, check out a sample below:

– Quick note about coconut oil: Along with avocados, this is probably one of the best things you can eat for a great source of healthy fats. Best place to get it? Tropical Traditions – they are always running specials on their ‘Gold Label Certified Organic’ stuff. Initial investment is high, but the big tubs will last you at least a year!! Maybe a few people could go in together on a bulk order??
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[learn_more caption=”FAQ’s…”]
– Are there any exceptions for birthday’s, holiday’s, parties, etc? NO, plan for it
– What if I accidentally eat something that I shouldn’t? If it was a result of neglecting to take the steps and time necessary to know, you must subtract a point. If you were tricked, lied to, intentionally misled, or otherwise hoodwinked, you don’t have to subtract a point. But you have to ask, how the heck did that happen?
– But the forbidden ingredient wasn’t in the name! Now what? Depends. Was it on the list of ingredients? Could you have known if you asked? Get used to being the one in charge of the results (OWNERSHIP). There is no power in pointing the finger. There is no ownership or accountability. If you could have known if you asked or endeavored to find out, you lose the point. If it was honestly hidden from your view such that a reasonable person couldn’t have known, don’t worry about it. If that happens more than once, consider you are not taking all the steps necessary.
– Can I have caffeine? Yes, it’s not prohibited.
– Can I have protein powder? Yes, so long as it does not contain ANY above prohibited ingredient. Our StrongerFasterHealthier brand at the gym is 100% approved for this challenge!
– Can I eat “Steve’s Paleo Kits?” Yes
– Bottom line: use your noggin and remember that we are trying to make this sustainable for the LONG TERM, so don’t try to ruin your (or someone else’s) life over it. Make smart choices, plan ahead, learn to be accountable, be consistent, but most of all – HAVE FUN!
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[learn_more caption=”In Summary…”]
– The TLC2 starts Monday January 6th. We will do the baseline workout at the gym this day. Any non-members who are participating will do an approved at-home WOD this day and report results back to me.
– Each day, you will keep track of your point total in five areas: Nutrition, WODs, Sleep, Mobility, and Fish Oil
– Write on an excel spreadsheet, a napkin, heck write on your arm, just write it down somewhere:

– The following day, you MUST report your score total by 3PM. You can do so in a variety of ways: comment section on that days WOD page on the website, CrossFit For Glory’s Facebook page, twitter (@CrossFit4Glory) or email to Josh@crossfitforglory.com
– For the food, here it is plain and simple:  We’re trying to eat real, whole foods, as minimally processed as possible. We want to avoid foods that are known to be problematic, while filling up on those that are beneficial.
– Mobility: get 10 minutes daily
– WODs: do some kind of WOD daily
– Sleep: get good, quality, lasting sleep
– Fish Oil: get 2500mg daily of combined EPA&DHA
– Winning: The winner will be determined by a combined ranking that takes into account your total score at the end of the challenge and your improvement in the baseline workout.
– Challenge culminates on Friday, January 31st.
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