Kevin became a member of Sycamore CrossFit and the nutrition program last summer with the intent of losing the weight he had gained during covid. During these last 8 months, he’s really expanded his nutritional knowledge, grown in his ability to make more informed decisions about what he is eating, and has found a successful way to meal plan and prep each week with his wife and the crazy work schedule it takes to run a restaurant. He now knows that the food he puts into his body really does affect everything – from sleep, mood, and energy level to body composition and athletic performance – and that the QUALITY of that food matters! With the combination of CrossFit and nutrition, Kevin has had amazing body composition changes – he has lost a total of 10 inches (chest, waist, hips), 5.5% body fat, and 20 lbs! His hard work sure is paying off!
What has been integral to your success in working towards your health and wellness goals?
“Helping Hands Make a Difference.”
Asking for help is very hard for me. The will has always been there. I wouldn’t say I was a workout nut, but I am not and will never be a couch potato. I had a Planet Fitness membership and ran 5K’s and 10K’s throughout my 40’s. I also thought I knew all the rules to weight loss. Eat right. Exercise. And you will be skinny in two months. The result….my weight went from 230 to 255. Something had to change. It took all of me to walk through the door at Crossfit, because to me, it meant I had failed. Turns out I didn’t fail, I just didn’t see what it really took to be successful with exercising and nutrition. The people at Crossfit showed me how and what it takes to really workout. It is much more than just walking on a treadmill. And on the nutrition side, they showed me how to eat, paths to eating better and managing my diet with my work schedule. This is why I have lost 20lbs and five inches off my waist. All you have to do is ask and listen.
What are some non-scale victories that you’ve experienced during nutrition coaching?
“Working for a Living”
I have a very physical job with very long hours. I average about 15K steps a day. The usual three meal routine (breakfast, lunch and dinner) does not work for me. Before Crossfit my weight was becoming a serious issue. I was getting winded very quickly. Simple tasks like lifting items and picking things up were becoming hard for me. And my diet. I would get home and shovel the first thing down my throat. Pizza, chips, alcohol. That makes sleep challenging. Insomnia was a usual occurrence. Overall, l just coasted through my days. I don’t want to do that. After losing the weight it has changed drastically. Preplanned meals replaced snacking. Now, insomnia is extremely rare. And as for work, there is a new bounce to my step. I don’t back away from the physical side of the job. I jump right in. I’m almost 50 and I want to have the physical ability to do the things I want to do at my job and when my job goes away. Plus, it doesn’t hurt when my wife grabs my arms and likes it. These have been wonderful changes.
What advice would you give someone who is considering the nutrition program, but afraid to sign-up?
“Food Fright”
Truth be told, the scariest thing about signing up for Crossfit was the nutrition side of losing weight. You know like when you are called into the principal’s office for doing something bad and you know exactly what you did to be there. That’s the feeling. Except the bad you did is your diet. I like food……and bad food. I like cheese, soda, and chips. On that first day when I told the nutrition coach what my diet was on a regular basis I thought she was going to stand up, walk over to her boss and quit. Or even worse, say I was a loss cause. However, the very first thing she said to me was “Kevin, I’m never going to tell you not to eat those things ever again. But what I will do is, incorporate what you like and adjust them into meals with better options and timing.” Since then it has been amazing. She has taught me to prepare meals ahead of time. Just today I have my meals ready for the next two days. I still eat a lot of foods I like but they are just better for me. Meat from quality sources. Seasoning veggies to make them much more flavorful. Organic choices and foods made with better ingredients. Yes, it was scary because I thought I was going to be eating rice cakes for the rest of my life, but it’s not that. There is much more to it, if you just ask.
Kevin has really committed to living a healthier lifestyle and has reaped the benefits of doing so. Sycamore CrossFit is proud of his dedication to our nutrition program and can’t wait to see where his nutrition journey takes him! Keep up the good work, Kevin!